Busy Week!

Drumming! My daughter running around at my son's kiddie party with her "Minnie"... she calls all animals, stuffed and real, "Minnies" after our cat Minnie. LOL

My son coming out of a jumping toy at his party.

My daughter coming out of the same toy.

Well, since my son's birthday, we've all had colds. We were feeling particularly miserable Thursday and Friday, but by the weekend, we were feeling a little bit better and still did the things we were planning for my son's birthday weekend.

My son LOVES drums. Our baby sitter's boyfriend plays the drums. We're very blessed to have found a babysitter who loves our kids! She told her boyfriend about my son, and he offered to bring his drum over. So, I thought that in return, I'd cook dinner. I told my next door neighbor about it, and she said she'd love to come over with her husband and daughter. So, it turned into a regular little party.

My baby sitter's boyfriend and my son played duets, and my son followed his rhythm. My daughter and next door neighbor's daughter also played the drum.

I made a lasagna for dinner with salad and garlic bread, and my next door neighbor made Emeril's Chocolate Cream Pie which was TO DIE FOR. Here is the recipe.

It was a great night and everyone had a wonderful time.

Sunday we went to church as usual (well, lately anyway we started going again before Easter), and the children were HORRIBLE...the worst they've ever been. We were even locked up in the back of the church behind closed doors, but when they opened the doors to let people go up for communion, my son booked up the center aisle right up onto the altar. So, I had to chase him down and retrieve him. Well, it's a children's mass, and by now everyone knows my son because he's impossible to miss seeing and hearing, so I doubt anyone was terribly surprised.

Then in the afternoon we had a little kiddie party with some boys from his class at a local place that's filled with inflatables to jump on and climb on and slide down...the perfect place for a bunch of hyperactive boys. Everyone had a great time there too. My son refuses to take off the participation bracelet they gave him when we went in. LOL

It was a great weekend!

My Boo is Five Years Old Today

The fire engine cake I planned to make for my son for his birthday.

My failed attempt at the fire engine cake...the poor thing disintegrated and collapsed. :(

My son turned five years old today, and we had a great day. My husband and I woke him up by singing happy birthday, and he loved it. I baked cupcakes for his friends in school, and he was so excited by them! There have been so many times when he didn't pay any attention to gifts or birthdays or Christmas or any other holiday, so the fact that he was excited by the cupcakes is a huge deal! He even counted the M&M's on the cupcakes...there were three on each one. He was adorable. Then when he came home from school, there were a couple of cupcakes left over, and he wanted one!!! So, he and his sister had cupcakes for snack. He didn't eat it, but he did lick the frosting, which is also a big deal!

I had planned on making him a fire engine cake, and found what I thought would be an easy one to make by Betty Crocker. However, it was not easy, and my cake disintegrated into crumbs until it collapsed. So, I called my husband and asked him to pick up a cake on the way home, and we had ice cream cake instead.

My son wasn't feeling very well because he has a cold, and in fact, we all have colds. My husband feels worse than any of us, poor guy. So, we didn't have the neighbors over for cake like we planned, but I did bring them over a few pieces.

My son loves having happy birthday sung to him, and he tried really hard to blow out his candles. He even opened up his birthday card and present...which he also never does. So, we were so happy! He loved listening to his happy birthday song message from my mother, and Then my brother called to wish him a happy birthday, and he said, "Hello Uncle R..." and thank you. Wow. It was a great night. :) What a great birthday for my Boo.

Happy Birthday sweet boy. Mommy loves you.

Really Cute Favors!!!

I think these are the cutest favors. I found them three years ago, or so, when I was looking for a favor for my son's Christening. They're made by the Tender Seed Company http://www.favorswithseeds.com/.

I didn't want to get something someone would need to find a place for, and there are so many people on diets, I didn't want to get chocolate or candy either. I found what I thought was the perfect solution. A paper shape that has seeds embedded in it. It's decorated as a favor, and comes with a keepsake card. In the Spring, the shape is planted, the paper disintegrates, and the seeds germinate. Really neat! AND they're really inexpensive...most of them are around $2 each.

My daughter is being Christened in March, and so I decided to get the same type of favor. Now they have some new shapes and lots of new sayings, and a new way of packaging them.

They also have some beautiful sayings to choose from:

Guarded with tenderness,

guided with love,

gently watched over from heaven above.

Happily awake or safely at rest,

may our precious baby be forever blessed.

Children are sweet miracles sent by God above

To fill the world with goodness

and the blessings of His love.

The holy angels all rejoice

On your baptism day.

Our Father reaches out to you

With love that leads the way.

The Holy Spirit rests on you

And lives within your heart.

He'll walk with you down every path

And nevermore depart.

The Savior's arms are open wide,

Surrounding you with peace.

May all your days be filled with hope,

And may your joy increase.

Two little eyes to look to God.

Two little ears to hear His word.

Two little feet to walk in His ways.

Two little lips to sing His praise.

Two little hands to do His will,

and one little heart to love Him still.

Which one do you like best? Let me know, and then I'll tell you which one we chose!