RANDOMNESS #1 - My great-niece, Lauren, had her 3rd Birthday Celebration this past Saturday. As you can see, the kids did a lot of running around and having fun...
But not very much posing for pics.
Which is how it should be when you're three!
The Birthday Girl, Lauren.
Amber and Mackenzie (with her big Auburn bow)...
And Mackenzie moments later (without her big Auburn bow)!
RANDOMNESS #2 - Bev had a cook-out Saturday evening celebrating Katie's Dental Assistant"shipness." (There just aren't enough good words out there, you know.)
Katie and T. J. are getting married mid-January and moving to Texas, so getting everyone together for a simple Saturday evening cook-out isn't going to be as easy as in the past.
T. J., Katie and Josh.
T. J., Stephanie, Katie and Brad... with a little help from Uncle Mike.
Just Katie and T. J.
This was the only pic I took of Grandmother and Katie Saturday evening...
And Mikie and T. J. kinda RUINED it!
Thank goodness, I have 2,342,100 more from the week before.
RANDOMNESS #3 - Roxie had her annual Pumpkin Party Monday morning since school was not in session.
Halloween EASY Snack Tree.
Pumpkin Carving Station #1.
I have like eight pics of Ally looking exactly like this while carving her pumpkins over the years. It is her signature pumpkin-carving "look."
And it really works for her!
Ragan uses the "overhanded stabbing" technique.
Don't get too close to this Chick when she's working on a pumpkin.
Ragan and Alyssa.
All of the chicks in a totally not-posed picture.
Ally made a State of Alabama with a heart in the center.
Ragan made a Cross.
Alyssa made a Tiger Paw.
Roxie made a Lorax.
I have no idea why, but that is exactly what she made.
I never know what they'll come up with, but it is always pretty entertaining.
RANDOMNESS #4 - Wedding News - Not counting today, there are only 11 days until Austin and Melia's wedding.
Okay.
That's not a lot.
All of Melia's hard work is paying off, and she and Austin are finishing all of the "little" things that need to be done before the big, big, big day.
This weekend, Melia is having a fun get-together with her bridesmaids, and Austin is having his Bachelor Party.
Bachelor Party in this instance means PAINTBALL, BABY!
Well, paintball and food.
I'll have some pics from those two events next Tuesday, I am sure.
Blog Linkage - Click on eighteen25 under My Blog List and read today's post entitled, "Boo to You." Such a cute, cute idea.
Devotions from a Pumpkin Patch
Rice Krispie Treat Pumpkins
You will need the following:
Butter
Rice Krispies
Bag of Marshmallows
Orange Food Coloring
Green Candy for Stem
1. Prepare Rice Krispie Treats from recipe on back of box.
2. Add plenty of orange food coloring.
3. Spray hands with cooking spray and form the pumpkins.
4. Add green candy as the stem before serving.
The kids can help you make the pumpkins, and while everyone is having a snack, read The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs.
As you can see, an easy, breezy snack AND devotion all in one.
Way Back When...
The first two items were first posted in October of 2009.
All Day Toddler Party
I know you think I'm nuts just by the name of the party alone. But hear me out, please.
Roxie was born 11 days before Josh's third birthday. Three is a very significant birthday because it is really the first birthday a child understands what is going on. They understand the concept of holding up three fingers. They understand birthday cake and blowing out candles. They understand gifts. Oh, they definitely understand gifts. They understand it is the day they were born. It's a biggie!
So with Roxie only 11 days old, I had a little dilemma about what kind of celebration to plan for Josh's third birthday. It needed to incorporate nap times for Roxie, Josh and me. It needed to include big brother who was in kindergarten until noon each day. It needed to take into account the house wasn't perfect, and I wasn't up for cooking for a family party. It also needed to take into account I wasn't up for a house full of three year-old boys for two hours. What to do? What to do?
And then it hit me. An All Day Toddler Party.
First, the cake. Josh loved Winnie-the-Pooh. I had a local bakery fix a large sheet cake with Winnie-the-Pooh decorations in one corner and "Happy Birthday, Josh" written in the middle of the cake. Simple.
Second, I made the schedule. (Are you really surprised?)
10:00 a.m. - Grandmother. (She would have come with Granddaddy, but I was trying to spread it out a little.)
12:00 noon - Austin (Back from kindergarten, but bearing a gift.)
12:30 p.m. - Aunt Bev and Cousin Brad.
3:00 p.m. - Best 2 year-old friend and mom.
5:00 p.m. - Granddaddy. (Came over as soon as he finished work.)
6:00 p.m. - Daddy (Mikie).
6:30 p.m. - Grandma and Grandpa.
The times took into account naps and meals. Each person agreed to the time they would arrive, and no one stayed over an hour. Josh didn't know how many people were coming. He was just excited whenever he heard the doorbell.
Here's the fun part. Each person would ring the doorbell. Josh would open the door and be handed a birthday gift. We would sit in the living room while he opened his gift. We would then go to the kitchen where we lit the candles on his cake, sang "Happy Birthday," blew out the candles, and then served everyone a piece of cake and drink. He would then play with his cousin/friend/toy/etc., say good-bye when they left and we would go about the rest of our day.
The doorbell rang seven times. He received seven gifts (not counting the one or two I had bought for him). He blew his candles out seven times. He was sung to seven times. All of his favorite people came to see HIM and spend one-on-one time with HIM even though he had a new baby sister who had been getting a lot of attention the past 11 days. He LOVED it!
This party could work on many different levels. I think even a teenager would enjoy answering the door all day long and having family and friends shower him/her with gifts and well wishes.
At the end of Josh's special day, I felt he had experienced a wonderful birthday custom-made for a new big brother. And I had experienced a pretty "normal" day considering I had a five year-old, a three year-old and a newborn baby girl. (I even got to take my nap!)
Just a Little Story
Fun fact for you... I have had a little trouble learning life lessons in the past, and I'm pretty sure I'll have some trouble in the future. I'm more than a little stubborn, and I must have the lesson taught again and again and again before it really sinks in.
Imagine my sadness when I realized my precious daughter also had this problem.
Roxie was playing basketball for the Civic Center last year, and a fight broke out between the other team's coach, refs, parents, etc. The police were even called to settle everyone down (which is such a shame for a little girls' basketball game). While the girls stood in the middle of the court and the screaming match moved to the end of the gym, I glanced away from the adults (and I use that term loosely) and looked at Roxie. Oh, no.
Hands on hips, legs slightly apart, pony tail swishing, she and another girl from the other team were having a little disagreement of their own. The other girl had one hand on her hip and the other hand waving in the air. (Her pony tail, too, was swishing.)
I felt Mikie stiffen a little beside me as his attention was now drawn to his daughter in the middle of the basketball court. I glanced to the left on the front row at her two brothers, watched their backs straighten and as if they were one, they turned their heads in my direction. I shook my head "NO." That's all this volatile situation needed. Two young men (6'4" and 6'0" at that time, respectively) settling a 12 year-old girl dispute. No. That would be very bad. Very bad, indeed. In my mind's eye, I could see a taser being used.
The words were getting more heated. Although we couldn't hear what was transpiring, the pony tails looked as if they had a life of their own.
"Should one of us go out there and stop it before it gets out of hand," I asked Mikie, never taking my eyes off the girls.
"I think she can take her," was his reply. I will never understand men. NEVER.
"Of course she can take her," I said through clenched teeth. "That's not the issue. The issue is should we let our 12 year-old DAUGHTER have a FIGHT with another 12 year-old girl. It isn't very Christ-like!"
"I'm pretty sure the other girl started it," he added.
"Again, not the issue, Mikie."
I've said it before, but for Newbies I'll mention it once again. Roxie is considered little by basketball standards. She's a good point guard, but she is smaller than most of the other girls her age. The particular girl she was "having words" with was only a little taller.
I had decided I was going to intervene when a girl on Roxie's team handled the situation for me... beautifully. Kelci, who was taller than both girls, took one step between them and held her hand up to the other girl and shook her head no. She wasn't smiling. She didn't get into a word fight. She just took care of IT. The other little girl visibly backed down. I took a breath and relaxed in my stadium seat. But wait... It wasn't over yet!
Roxie's red head popped around Kelci and with pony tail swishing and hands on hips again, she finished what she had started. This, of course, got the other little girl excited. Unfazed, Kelci stayed in the middle of the dispute separating the girls until the adult fight ended and the game resumed.
Why didn't Roxie let the fight end? Why did she continue when "an angel" stepped in and took care of the situation? Because she's like her mother, that's why. She didn't learn the lesson the first time.
And what does this story have to do with yesterday's post about joy and contentment? I was just thinking about what Paul said, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." We all have to learn lessons, and not just when we're children. I'm still learning lessons today at 48 years of age.
I'm just thankful for a very patient teacher (God) and a book that has all the answers (the Bible).
Have a terrific day. I'll be back Friday with Weekend Happenings, Wedding News, Way Back When... and much, much more.
Take care, and I'll talk to you the end of the week.
Sincerely,
The Enchanting Belinda
P.S. Did I mention I have a new top?
Very nice idea of an all day toddler party- I think I am going to do that for my kids this next year... hmm gotta think of 18 people to come by..18 doorbell ringing. Belinda would you come? Perhaps you can swing on over after visiting Texas?? What city in Texas are TJ and Katie moving to?I've lived in San Antonio before. Your story about Roxie is a keeper. Okay and when do we get details about the mother of the groom shoes? dress? pedicure? manicure? and what is Roxie wearing for the wedding? Where is the honeymoon? So many questions, inquiring minds want to know. Andrea
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