Maggie's 3rd Birthday party and a trip home!

We returned to Texas in August and was immediately busy getting settled. While it was wonderful to be back stateside, I was bummed that we didn't have the time to make it to Kansas and see family. So after working with the boys' school schedule, Ron's work schedule, my parent's work schedule and my brother's work schedule, we finally narrowed down a weekend that we could all meet in Kansas. This weekend was almost two weeks after Maggie's birthday but since she shares a birthday with my nephew (whom at this point I had yet to meet!) we opted to have a joint birthday party and weekend get-together. It was perfect!

The drive from Houston to Wichita went off without a hitch. Google said it was a 10 hour and 8 minute trip from our driveway to my Aunt's house and we made it in 11 hours and 12 minutes. Two adults, four kids, two dogs and we stopped three times.

They are awesome little travelers.

We actually got to Kansas a day before we had originally planned which worked out well because we had time to get situated in the hotel and an extra evening to visit family. Friday my parents came down with my grandma. It was so nice getting to see them and the kids didn't hesitate one bit (which I thought Maggie might).

We bundled up (it seriously started to snow in Wichita, in mid October when this gal only brought flip flops) and headed to lunch. We spent Friday relaxing with grandparents, hanging at my Aunt's house.

Saturday my brother made it over and we took family photos and had a party. I was VERY VERY excited to meet my nephew and see family that I hadn't gotten to see in two years. I cried several times, but they were tears of complete happiness and joy!

Some of the family photos we snagged:

 

Great Grandma Phyllis with all her great grandkids

 My parents with their kids and grandkids

Nanaw and Papa bought the kids' Halloween costumes for them this year...I sure have a lot of superheros protecting me! 

By 3:00pm everyone had made it to the house and we were ready to party.

 

 I think it's pretty neat that these two share a birth date and even though Abe is in Nebraska, and Mags is in Texas, they were able to celebrate together :)

So fortunate that we were all able to meet up and spend the weekend together. Now I can't wait for Christmas to do it all over again. This is what the holiday's are about, and this is what I missed the most while in Italy. 

Maggie turns THREE!

I haven't always been the best at sharing these monthly photos on the blog, but I have remembered to take one every single month. And Sissy, this month you are THREE YEARS OLD!

At three years old you:

• are weighing in at 26.2lbs and 35.5 inches tall
• are wearing 2T pants, 3T shirts and a size 7/8 shoe
• are sleeping in a twin bed, with no rails/sides, in your room and sleeping straight through the night without waking. (which you've been doing for awhile now)
• love to color, draw, cut and paint. 
• are becoming obsessed with Lalaloopsies and My Little Pony, as well as Batgirl, Wonderwoman and Catwoman 
• love the color pink, your favorite food is salad and you have to pick out your own shoes or an epic tantrum will follow. 

Happy Birthday Sissy! We spent the day at the boardwalk and went to dinner, then came home to eat cupcakes. You will have your party when we are in Kansas in two weeks!

Calling all Superheros....Pooks turned SIX!

 Michelle left Saturday morning, which was a bit of a bummer because Pookie was having his sixth birthday party Saturday evening (rest assured we celebrated with Auntie M too...ice cream cake the night before!). He kept wavering from a Wolverine party, to a Superman party, to a Batman party so I called it a "Superhero'' party and through all the characters together. Marvel, DC, Avengers...they were all there!

We have a family rule, if you are turning six, you can invite six friends from class. Lo did just that and four were able to make it...it was a perfect indoor party (due to weather, too much rain to be outside).

 Before the guests arrived...

 After :)

Overall it was a wonderful day and he was blessed with friends, family and gifts. (His big gift was a digital camera so now anything I do, I am likely on camera).

Happy 7th Birthday Bubba!

I'm reallllly behind on blogging. Mostly my fault but partly bloggers as it's been a pair in the butt to upload pictures to lately. Anywho, mid March we celebrated Bubba's 7th Birthday. He is over the top into Lego's right now so Lego themed is what we had. It was all very homemade/Pinterest inspired.This is the first party where we didn't cook out or do pizza or cater. We had snacks and a small party as we were leaving for Paris a week later so we were saving up. It worked out really well and the kids could have cared less.

For his birthday all he really really wanted was a camera so he could take ''real'' pictures. He was VERY excited that he got it and the big lego set he wanted. I know it's not all about the gifts but when the price is right and you're able to do both, man is that smile worth it!

Are you Curious to see who turned 4??

So Peanut is my easy-going child, I've said that before. But when the kid decided back in May to have a Curious George Birthday party, I loved him for it. I was able to get all the plates/cups/napkins on clearance. I had MONTHS to think about the little things. Now granted, while the party turned out just how I wanted it to (well, minus helium balloons) I didn't have a chance to take the all the photos that I wanted. Not that it matters, my little man had a BLAST and that's all that matters :)

First, we sent the above invites. I designed them myself ( gotta love free) and after talking to Peanut we decided we wanted to try a breakfast/pajama party. I was tired of the hamburger/hotdog/pizza parties and he loved the idea of pajamas and a movie. Plus having a party where the guests are gone by 1pm and all people involved still have 1/2 the day to do whatever they want...score!

Tables set up in living room and playroom.

 Food table and book display in kitchen. The kids helped me find props to match the books (Curious George and the Aquarium= Penguin, Curious George Rides a Train= the thomas train, etc) This isn't even 1/2 the food as some was still in the oven. All together there was: cinnamon rolls, cereal, bacon, blueberry pancakes, yogurt parfait bar, an egg and ham bake (in crockpot), bananas, baked french toast, Sunny D, Yoohoo for the kids' drinks, Coffee k-cups and Milk (in glass bottles) for the adults.

 We watched the Curious George movie for a bit but the kids didn't want to sit still for very long. We ended up turning on the Xbox Kinect and they all LOVED that. It was a crowded living room but they were all jumping around. We settled down an ate, then opened presents.

 Then it was time for cupcakes and pinata!

 

 Peanut had so much fun with his friends. His friends seemed have all had a great time and the parents all thought the idea of a pajama/breakfast party was great. It really was easy to pull off, fun and to be honest...cheaper! Eggs, pancake mix, texas toast...all easy peasy on the grocery bill!