The Big 5!

Here is our Miles, hamming it up for the camera before his Birthday parties at Jones Island park began…

Ella waits in anticipation.  After all, it was a gorgeous June day at a park, with a playground, and lots of room for running next to a lake with a beach.  And there would be food and cake, friends and family.

First the Friends Party

I thought it best to get all of the eating of lunch and cake out of the way before taking the kids over in the muddy grass to hit a piñata and then over to the sandy beach to make sand castles.  So here is Miles with his Cars cake…  (as often is the case at outdoor parties, lighting the candles was a challenge)

Miles going after the piñata with mucho gusto.

 

All of Miles’ guests (and one guest’s older brother) took the sandcastle building contest very seriously.  Though we don’t seem to have photos of the final entries, they were all very good and all were winners.

Miles was very happy to unwrap presents!

At one point Miles’ hair was so sweaty.  I pushed it up into some spikes and really liked the look.  He received compliments from many others as well.  If I were to do that at home, he’d look in the mirror and smash his hair down to his regular style.  He doesn’t really look too crazy about it here either.

  

Next up was the family party.  I, personally, was ready for a nap at this point.  At least a little less entertaining was needed as the adults seem to be able to take responsibility for their own entertainment.

Here’s Miles and Uncle John playing TracBall.  He was quite good at it.  Uncle John wasn’t too bad either.

 

Uncle Scott trying to pour water on poor Miles.

I love this photo.  Miles is running away from Scott who continues to try to pour water on him.  Love the geese in the background scared out of their feathers and running away from the wild boy. (even though he wasn’t even chasing them, and had he notice them, he probably would have started crying and not knowing where to run)

Had to get a shot in of the new playground they put in this month at the park.  Cool playgrounds are a very important thing when you have kids.  (I think Miles is still trying to get away from Scott at this point).

The party is over.  I think we were all quite tired.  It was a long day outside, working and trying to entertain.

At the end of the day, I have one wonderful little boy (and another wonderful girl).  And today we have a lot of new toys that BOTH kids are playing with/fighting over!

Birthday Girl

My sweet Ella, born just 6 years ago, celebrated her birthday this weekend.

With her friends, she had a Tea Party.  Cheers!

Gift cake boxes courtesy of Daisys and Dots.  I am so upset we didn’t get a photo of them all together before the kids tore into them.  They were SO cute.

Nico was on time, but most of the guests were fashionably late.

Yum!

The kids had fun and were very well behaved!

Ella had another party with family.  Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle John and Kris (John’s Girlfriend).

(Not sure why we don’t have photos of actual people besides Ella for this occasion).

Table set for stew.

A lucky girl with family, presents and a roaring fire! 

I think she likes it.

Our pretty, sweet, smart, wonderful SIX year old!

 

Ella got lots of presents from her friend party too.  LOTS.  She was so excited about all of them.  In the evening, with family over she decided to dress her new Barbie in the new Barbie clothes.  She said she was getting ready for a date with a boy.  Her dad just about fell over.  I told him she’s already a teenager, talking about dates!  Neither of us were at all thrilled with the little bitty teeny weeny clothes Barbie wears these day either…

Sweet Siblings

Sometimes siblings can have their not-so-good moments.  Ours have plenty.

But they can be sweet too.  And we saw a lot of it this weekend.

Goofing and playing.

Helping with buttons.

 

Fixing a boo boo.

I’m so glad they have each other and that they can treat each other so well.

Christmas 2009, Part 1

Our first Christmas celebration took place this past Saturday the 19th, in conjunction with Ella’s 3rd birthday celebration.

We prepared a meal, cake and cookies and set our table up in the dining room in an attempt to create a nice atmosphere.

The cookies I made this year from left front going clockwise: Kolachky with honey/almond filling, Mixed Nut Bars, Buckeyes and Gooey Butter Cookies. 

If you click on any of the above cookie names, you will be directed to their recipe.  Except the Buckeyes.  You can find recipes for those all over the internet, but I didn’t find one like what I use.  Which I love, because I’m used to it.  Let me know if you really want it and I’ll post it or look harder for it on the internet.  Also, a tip for the Gooey Butter Cookies… I found that Duncan Hines has a Butter Recipe Golden Mix that really makes these cookies even better than using the Classic Yellow Mix.  Don’t worry, if you can’t find it, they still taste amazing!

Next up was exchanging presents and spending some time together.

Ella with her Grandpa and Babi.

Jen (Scott’s girlfriend) and Uncle Scott.

Ella carefully eating her Buckeye on the couch.

Miles with Babi.

Jason spoiling Velvet (the cat).

A family moment…

Home for Christmas

This year we stayed home together all day Christmas.  It was a really nice experience!!

Before the big day, the kids really enjoyed wrapping!

On Christmas Eve everyone got new PJs.  I did too, but you do NOT want to see me in pajamas!  The kids not only went to sleep in them on Christmas Eve, they never changed into their clothes on Christmas Day!  Mr. Grinch did shower and change into clothes, for the record.  And he’s not really a Grinch.  They were just cute PJs.

 

The kids were more than ready to get the unwrapping started!  We didn’t go too crazy this year with gifts.  We tried to stick to this rule for each kid.  4 gift rule – something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read.  And you know what?  It was nice and I think the kids enjoyed it more than getting a ton of gifts.  Their gifts were VERY well thought out by us and they weren’t overwhelmed.  The big hit for Ella was a play digital camera.  Something she didn’t even ask for, but is really having a blast with and I think is a very creative tool.  It has video too!

I bought this beautiful handmade dress from Crystal of Little Bit Funky.  Ella loved it and talked about it later.  She’ll be wearing it tomorrow for Christmas at my parents’.

 

Miles had a Very “Cars” Christmas.  For the most part.

I made a couple of these for the hubby.

And a Czech dinner for the family.  Pork roast, sour potatoes, dumplings (Knedlicky) and sauerkraut.  (Jason is 1/2 Czech).

 

Our Final Christmas Celebration for 2009

At my parents on the 26th.  We met up there with my brother John and his girlfriend Kris.  As we arrived, we naturally gathered in my parents’ kitchen.  My mom did a LOT of work on dinner!

The kids posing in front of my parents’ tree.  The beautiful dress is courtesy of Crystal.

 

The kids love their uncle.

 

And Kris.

 

The cookie spread.  Contributions by everyone, including Kris’ mom!

Family gets ready to eat a delicious meal.

 

Another sweet moment.  (The camera you see Ella holding in most every picture was her favorite gift from Santa!)

 

Let the unwrapping begin…

The best gift of the evening.