Ethan's Superhero Birthday Bash

I'm so behind on posting...but I really wanted to share my superhero birthday party that I started planning since December.  Okay, I may have been a bit extreme in party planning, but Ethan only turns five once and I want his birthdays to be memorable!

Invitations

Our menu included turkey dogs, chips, and super foods!!!  You'll notice I used newspaper instead of table cloths.  I was trying to be 'green' and yet creative since Peter Parker and Clark Kent worked at publications.

Thanks to Uncle Julian our Chef

                                                                   

                                                                         

Superman & Superboy

Here are some superheroes in front of Gotham City after they did an intense scavenger hunt in the cold rain.  The scavenger hunt around the park included clues that led them to save the missing superhero action figures.  As party favors, the kids left with capes, masks and a superhero.  

Daily Bugle was used as Clue

The first clue was to find superman in the sky.  But he was missing and they found some capes instead.

Jumping over a burning building and through the tunnel

Batman running to save his friends

The Bat Cave had Villan Vaporizer and Neon Kryptonite

The villans were vaporized

After finding their safety masks, the kids unveiled that Mr Freeze held the superhero action figures captive in his lair.  The kids had to chisel them out of the ice blocks.

Playing with their action figures

Tia Lupe & Tia Martha

Cat Woman and Super Man saying Thanks to our family & friends for coming out in the cold rain



After all this, I did forget to put up my home made banner that I made out of comic books, the superhero music I downloaded the night before, and the superman lollipops.  Oh well, it was a real treat to see Ethan.his friends and his cousins having fun!!!   

Catching up from November and Preparing for the New Year

Where did the time go?  Let's see what I can remember...

Dylan is my little explorer.  He crawls and finds new treasures every day.  Here is a picture of him finding a pile of papers, last year's tax return to be exact.

Ethan had his bi-yearly dentist appointment.  It's so weird to see him look so serious.

The weekend of November11th, Mallorie & Bailee came for a short visit.  We love having them girls over.  We treated the kids to a day at the Children's Museum.

Ethan was making something that would float in the air shaft. He used a paper cone, coffee filter and blue painter's tape.  His first attempt was unsuccessful because he had too much tape but we both modified his creation and watched it fly.

It was funny when Ethan saw the declaration of Independence Getting signed.  He thought the two men were getting married.

Then a couple of days later, my Mom, Vanessa and Jonathan came to stay with us for a week.  We all attended Ethan's annual Grandparents Thanksgiving Lunch.

 

We also made Turkey Handprint plates.  They turned out so cute!

We also made a special visit to see Santa.  Santa read the boys a book and we got to take some pictures too.  Dylan did extremely well for his first time experience with Santa.  Ethan asked for a drum set and requested a kitchen for Dylan.

 
 

Then me and the boys left for a week to stay in Amarillo through Thanksgiving.  We got to celebrate Vanessa's Birthday, Thanksgiving, and Dylan's first Birthday in three days.  We were extremely stuffed with birthday cake and turkey!

Birthday Boy eating Breakfast

Kids making funny faces

Dylan eating his cupcake

Celebrating Vanessa's Birthday
I LOVE & MISS them

Making Recycled Crayons -- November 2, 2011

Today's play date consisted in lots of fine motor skills and concentration.  The kids had a ball of a time tearing off the paper from the crayons and then breaking them into small pieces. The small pieces were placed in muffin pans which turned out to be a beautiful array of colors.  After we baked the crayons for 15 minutes, we let them cool down.  Below are a few pictures of our end product.

Happy Halloween -- Monday October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

Late Sunday night around ten, I was found in the kitchen baking cupcakes for Ethan's School Halloween Party.  Of course I tried to ice them perfectly, but I forgot to take a picture.  Monday morning, Ethan dressed up as Batman for school and I was busy in the kitchen making some yummy chili.  A friend of ours invited us over for dinner and trick or treating.  I volunteered to make 5 pounds of turkey chili for our friends.  It came out so scrumptious that I only had one small bowl for left overs and Greg took that for lunch the next day.  

The kids (Ethan & his Friends) had so much fun running around the neighborhood ringing doorbells and knocking on doors.  I think all four kids tripped at one time.  They tripped over their costumes or their clumsy feet.  We ended up with lots sweet treats.  I am not as tempted to dig in but I know where the hidden stash is so that's not good.    

October Madness -- October 26, 2011

 I have to pat Ethan on the back as he tried to help me get ready to leave the house one morning.  He got dressed, brushed his teeth, put styling gel on his hair.  And he styled Dylan's hair too!  Below Dylan is sporting a mohawk.  Unfortunately the hair do didn't last, I tried to wash it out but there was so much gel that his hair was hard and flatten.

 Pictured below is my little monster crawling around the floor.  My camera was too slow and I couldn't capture his facial reaction to his hat.  This was taken at a Halloween Party.

Friday Night Lights! 

Last Friday, our family decided to go out and root for the Lake Worth Bullfrogs.  Both boys were so excited to see the bright lights, the cheer leaders and of course the band.  All this reminded me of my high school days.  We got to enjoy the game a little past half time.  Dylan wanted to crawl all over the stadium seats and he would only stop to clap with the cheerleaders when they chanted.  We indulged in nachos, popcorn, & sodas.  This is probably a typical Friday night for most but this was a real treat for my family.  The best part of this all was the beginning of the third quarter.  The fans are invited to walk on the field and line up along the tunnel and cheer the bull frogs on.  Ethan felt so big and proud being on the sidelines.

Happy 21st Birthday Alyssa!

Yep our beautiful girl is growing up.  We are so proud of what she has become.  She was surprised by her family, David's Family and close friends.  We had dinner at BooRays a tasty Cajun Place.  She had lots of gifts but the best gift I thought was a sweet necklace that the boys gave her.  It was a ring shaped pendent on a thin chain.  The ring was in graved with "A sister is a forever friend".  We couldn't stay to have a drink at the bar with her because we were past the boys bed time but we promise to take a rain check.

  

  "May you live life fully, find happiness in the little things, follow all your dreams, always realize how truly beautiful you are and never forget  how much you're loved!

Alyssa  & David...the love birds.

Halloween Party I -- October 21, 2011

Halloween Party Number 1. 

We were fortunate to be invited to many Halloween Parties this year.  This past Friday I helped host the Halloween Party for the MOMs Club.  The kids had so much fun.  The kids were greeted with bag crafts at the table when they walked in and lots of orange balloons on the floor.  Then we had a wide variety lunch spread to go with some yummy desserts. We set up five games, a dance contest and best costume prizes.  Oh and best part for me was we got free tooth brushes that were sponsored by my dentist office.  Here are a couple of pictures of my kiddos.