So I pulled off another birthday party this year for Courtney's sixth birthday. I tried to convince her to do a gymnastics party at the YMCA so that I could just show up, pay, and then leave. But my kids are high maintenance and have their own ideas of what kind of birthday party they want. They start planning their ideas probably six months before their actual birthday. This year, Courtney wanted to have a butterfly birthday with no boys allowed! I guess you can't blame her since she is surrounded by boys constantly at home. I wanted to do a party with her entire kindergarten class but she just wouldn't have it. The party went off without a hitch! I need to give a shout out to the greatest friends ever, Teresa Rizzo and Rachel Hawkins for making it all run so smoothly and to Molly Dana for watching my two baby boys while I pulled off the party! We started out with butterfly shaped pizza, cheetos and orange slices and the girls loved having their apple juice in special champagne glasses! Then we set to work on decorating their own butterfly wings with jewels, fuzzies, flowers and ribbons! Next, we played Pin the Antennae on the Butterfly. Rachel painted a giant butterfly on some posterboard and we fashioned pink pipe cleaner into antennae. Then we played musical flowers which is just like musical chairs. We placed flower shapes in a circle while the girls danced around the circle. When the music stopped, one girl was out. I was hesitant to do this game since there would only be one winner, but I think everyone handled it very well. Last, we did cake and presents and the girls played in their butterfly wings before going home! Courtney had a great time. Now, I am onto planning Jack's first birthday for this spring! I hope everyone can come!
Courtney has taken ballet for the last three years now. She absolutely loves it. The teacher is British and has a great accent. She is very strict and I just love her! The girls get to use lots of props and dress ups and dance a lot of different stories. She looks forward to ballet every week and just had a ballet recital. I can tell that she has learned a lot. Just look at her beautiful toe point!
Every year, I tell myself that I am going to have the most beautiful tree. Several years ago, I bought the cutest potterybarn ornaments that look like beautiful beaded starfish. My idea was to have a beach themed Christmas tree. This is what it looks like the next day. As you can see the bottom is bare. My little guy Owen thinks that the ornaments are balls. So he likes to throw them off the tree and break them. He likes to collect the ornaments into a pile and play with them. I am tired of rehanging ornaments. One day, I will have my very own tree that is off limits to kids and I will buy a piece of crap tree that the kids can do whatever they want with.
Tyson and the kids at dinner
Connor using his chopsticks
The whole family chowing
Britt and the kids by a fountain
The fam in front of the theatre and Grinch Tree
Connor and Court right before the show!
We have always wanted to see "The Grinch" at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego at Balboa Park. Well this year we jumped on it and bought our tickets early. We planned a fun night out with Connor and Courtney. We wanted it to be special so we all dressed up and went out for a nice dinner at P.F. Chang's. As we got up to leave, someone at the next table commented on what well behaved and attractive children we have! I couldn't agree more. The performance was amazing and a great way to kick off the Christmas season. Courtney absolutely loved all the songs and the way her face lit up after the opening act and song was priceless. It was really fun to be able to bond with our two older kids and focus some attention on them.
