All Day Toddler Party

Good Monday morning!

NOTE - The Pioneer Woman will be on The Bonnie Hunt Show today (3:00 CST where we live). If you're a fan, I wanted to make sure you knew. And if you're not a fan, watch the show and you soon will be!

The Showcase Pic this morning is of Austin and Melia leaving for dinner at one of Jacksonville's most elegant restaurants after the JSU homecoming game. JSU lost, but you cannot tell by the look on Austin's face, can you?

The Gallery Pics are of Roxie and Monica's birthday celebration yesterday at Red Robin... Yummmm! Both girls just celebrated their 13th birthdays, and while we went skating or crafting or tried some other fun activity when they were younger, nothing is more fun for 13 year-old girls than lunch and shopping. And I mean NOTHING! Thankfully, they both still had birthday money to spend. (Check out Belinda's Project 365 under My Blog List for another great picture of the girls and a little bit of their history.)

I promised a total of 20 hints for next week's Special Guest, and here are three more:

4. The first time you meet her, you would never guess how feisty she really is. (Very, very feisty. And I mean that in a good way.)

5. She is a nurturer... at home, at work and at church.

6. She is a lover of fall... and spring... and summer... and winter. (She can't pick a favorite, and this has caused me great pain and suffering. No one likes all the seasons the same amount! Pick one! For me... just PICK ONE!)

Monday Mayhem

Our weekend went according to plan for the most part. Friday night's game was exceptional. The weather was perfect for football. It didn't rain one drop. Oh, and we won in the last few moments of the game. Victory was sweet... and dry!

Saturday changed a little with only me and Mikie attending the JSU homecoming with Melia and her family. Josh was more than a little tired, and he opted to stay home, watch a little college ball on the television and finish up some yard work. (He raked acorns for hours... after his long fall nap!) Roxie enjoyed staying with her Grandmother for the day.

JSU wasn't as fortunate as our high school team Friday night, and they did not win their homecoming game Saturday. However, the Southerners were as spectacular as ever, and with the beautiful weather and the cameras all charged up, Mikie and I filmed away for posterity's sake.

Austin and Melia finally went on their homecoming date, and they looked handsome and beautiful, respectively.

By the time Austin and Melia got ready for their date, we were ready to take a few pictures and head home for a belated date of our own. It was 5:30 when we left Jacksonville, and our movie started in Vestavia at 7:35. We picked Roxie up in Trussville, made it to the house by 7:00, and after a quick shirt change for Mikie, we made it to the movie in the middle of the first preview. (Mikie and I do not like missing the previews. To us, they are almost as much fun as the movie. Also, since movies cost $9.50 per person now, the previews make you feel like you're getting a little more for your money.) Although the original plan called for dinner and a movie, Mr. and Mrs. Flexibility had to switch it to movie and dinner. We were starving.

We decided to make it easy and we went to the Waffle House near our home. Not a four star restaurant, but we have found at 9:45 at night breakfast can be a very good meal.

We arrived home at 11:00. Roxie was in bed and the guys were watching... are you ready for this... sports!

Mikie and I made a very important discovery. When we plan a date night, we need some rest during the "date" day (Code for I NEED A NAP BEFORE I STAY OUT UNTIL 11:00). We came home looking like a much older couple than we are (Code for I LOOKED WORN OUT), and drug ourselves to bed (Code for I FELL ASLEEP BRUSHING MY TEETH). We need some vitamins or caffeine injections or to be 20 years younger or something!

Other than being tired at the end of an extremely busy Saturday, the only "bad" thing that happened was a ketchup soaked tomato falling out of Mike's hamburger and sliding down his crisp white shirt on the way to homecoming. It bothered him greatly, but not me. I'm Mrs. Flexibility. It would take more than an unbelievably huge ketchup stain on a semi-new white shirt to upset me. Yes sir!

Thank goodness I had my ever-present Austin Goes to College, Josh Driving Alone, Panic Attack and Clothes Stained Beyond Repair medication. (I was just SO thankful he had a fleece to put on at the game. Otherwise, I would have insisted he buy a $40 JSU t-shirt to wear... and that would have been our date money. You know, it is really hard being flexible ALL the time.)

Sunday we all went to church (as planned). Roxie and I met Monica and Amy for lunch (as planned). But Mikie and the boys did not have pot roast (as DECLARED). I was too tired at 11:00 Saturday night to prepare a pot roast. My spirit wanted to, but my body was weak. Also, the "declaring" stuff isn't working any more. If I declare it, something usually happens, so I think my "declaring" days are over.

Ironing, packing, church classes for the kids and Amazing Race and our Sunday night was officially over. Not bad. Not bad at all.

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!)

Have a fantastic Monday. Tomorrow's recipe is easy and wonderful. I know I always say that, but it really and truly is. If for no other reason than to copy the recipe (which is what I did), check it out! I'll also have a few more clues regarding our Special Guest. Any more guesses?

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda