Blue's Party Final Installment

This was a really fun party to throw. Here is what we did for the party--

Welcome and wait for all the kids to arrive with coloring pages of blue.

Took pictures of each kid with Joe in front of (plastic table cloth) Blue's house. Talked about Blue's Clue and that we needed to use Blue's Clues to find out what Blue's favorite part of Jack's bday is.

First Activity Built Tickety the Clock from paper plates and paper...lead to finding first clue on a paper plate.

Got handy dandy notebooks from side table drawer and drew first clue.

Second Activity played musical paw prints. Each child stood on a paw print with a number on it. There were matching numbers in a bag. Music started kids walked around. Music stopped and so did kids. I pulled a number out of the hat, whichever child was standing on that number got a piece of candy. Went as many times as all kids got two turns....lead to second clue on a number candle.

Drew second clue.

Third Activity was mail time. We sang the mail song. Each child had their own envelope with Shovel inside. Then we matched up Shovel to a giant Pail that was on the wall (a little like pin the tail on the donkey). At the end of this activity it lead to third clue on a yellow fork.

Drew third clue.

Now that we had all three clues we sat in thinking chair and figured out that Blue's favorite thing at Jack's birthday party was Eating Birthday Cake.

Had birthday cake.

Opened presents.

Handed out goodie bags (light blue bags with dark blue spots), which had

     Blue cake pops

     felt finger puppets

     3 coloring pages of Blue

     4 crayons

Said our "thank yous" and "good byes"

Mom promptly collapsed on couch.

I am super happy to share any and all details on how to pull all of these ideas off. If you want more detail on any part of this party feel free to email me see side of blog.

Little Love My Way

My friend (who makes awesome cakes, way more awesomer totally a word than me) told me to submit my Blue's Clue's cake to http://www.easy-birthday-cakes.com/. I debated, most of you know my inability to do something with out getting all twisted up about it not being good enough to do that...yes I am working on it.

So in working on it I totally submitted it to this site. Yay it was accepted and even more yay it totally already has some comments, totally sweet to have a little love sent my way from complete strangers. Don't get me wrong friends and fam...I love your comments and positive reinforcement, but you have to say it, you love me because you are my friends and fam.

Here is the site link.

http://www.easy-birthday-cakes.com/blues-house-cake.html

More party pics to come soon.

Party Reveal Numero Uno

Short on time...and wits...these days. Taking a smidgen of a break from costume "throwing together" to gather my mind and decided to do that with blogging...the smartest idea...not sure. Maybe next time I will put up my feet and sip some crystal light.

Crystal light next time. This time I will post a wee bit of Jack's party.

Will say it again, plastic table cloths can be made into anything!

Blue's House

Thinking Chair

...with appearance from Side Table Drawer

Spencer...I mean Joe

so not everything can be made out of plastic table cloths

33 Minutes Left of Recipe Thursday

Today...okay so the last 3 days have been recipes for disaster kind of days. Blame it on all the stuff on the to-do list. Blame it on rotating sickness that is not the swine flu (anyone tired of hearing about this?). Blame it on a serious lack of sleep. Blame it on realizing out of three Halloween costumes I am making, I have -oh wait- NONE done.

So tonight after an hour of shuffling between kiddos rooms trying to get them all to sleep (hubby had a mtg), not eating dinner until after 8, and reflecting on all left to do (yes I know of my own doing)...my RECIPE for not tasting the crazies was tasting the rainbow.

Now no one fret about the state of my emotions...I am really just dandy...see skittles working already. So here is my actual recipe. Here is my "Fall I Embrace Thee" soup...aka Baked Potato Soup.

2-3 potatoes, baked

3 T butter

1 cup onion, chopped

2 T flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes

1 t salt

3/4 t pepper

1/8 t thyme

1/2 t basil

1 cup half-and-half

Melt butter in stock pot, saute onions until light brown. Add flour to onions and cook 1-2 minutes. Add broth, water, cornstarch, mashed potatoes and spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Cut baked potatoes in half, scoring into cubes and then scoop out the cubes into soup. Add the half-and-half. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Top with shredded cheese, green onions, bacon and sour cream.

Here is to tomorrow.

Drum Roll Please

Introducing the cake o' birthday for Mister Jack...

Homemade fondant, 9+ different dye colors, 3 batches of cake, and unmentionable amount of hours spent later here is what I came up with for Jack's bday cake.

It didn't turn out quite like I had imagined in my head, but it'll do donkey it'll do (yeah I quote Shrek quoting Babe).

Jack loved it and that is all that matters.

He knew that he got the whole house part to himself...but after a couple attempts to break through the fondant, he gave the house to Cole and settled for a normal piece of cake.

On a much bigger side note-- today three years ago our little man Jack came into this world. It was the easiest labor I have had. He seemed in a rush to get here...and he hasn't stopped rushing since. Here are some things we love about Jack...

his impish grin

his 90 (or so) different facial expressions

"yes or no?"

how much he loves daddy

how hard he tries to be like Cole

how much he loves Case

drawing on his back

listening to him speak..."pwoppers (ploppers), pway (play), wunch (lunch)"

plays on his own

so active

how easily he says "thank you"

how much more easily he says "i love you mommy"

So corny, but time really does fly.

party picture maybe tomorrow