2011 Witches Party

One of my favorite days of the entire year is the day I throw a Witches Party! It takes months and months to get ready for, but it's so much fun. This year was no different.

Kelsi designed really cute invitations for me (thank you again Kelsi!!). I LOVED making a quilt and giving it away last year, so I decided to do it again. I was so excited about this year's. I started it in August when we were in Worland and put the last few stitches & buttons on the night before the party. Isn't it cute??!!

I also LOVE making a fun party favor! This one turned out super cute, but took quite a bit of time tracing, cutting out & folding, but I loved these shoes. I wanted to fill it with white chocolate mix, but of course, didn't end up having enough white chocolate and had to throw in some pink. Oh well, I just told the ladies it was for breast cancer awareness!

Witches Shoe - made out of cardstock

My wonderful brother-in-law, Tom, also spent 4 hours the day of the party decorating the outside of our house. He always does such a great job and it's a fun Halloween tradition.

Jon was so great to take the kids for most of the day to soccer, dinner, icecream, etc., so that I could get ready. We did our usual menu: soups (chicken noodle, broccili cheese, & chili) in soup bowls, grapes, & relish platter. Instead of doing rootbeer, I made orange slush.

Cutest little witch - Becky brought this hat and let Hailey wear it for a little bit.

So, everyone's assignment was to bring a decorated witches hat. This year's theme was "Favorite Book." It turned out to be really fun. Some of the categories were: Book Signing Award (the hat an author would choose to wear to their book signing), Illustrator's Award, Most Rebellious ('I read the invitation, but decided to not follow the theme), Children's Book Award, etc. After we ate, people voted on the hats and we calculated the results.

Each winner explained their hats and what book they chose as their favorite. After that, the rest of the hats were explained. I really, really appreciate all of these great women making hats. I know it's a lot of work and some times stressful!

Becky

Kathie (she won the Most Rebellious award) and also was the quilt winner!



(I need to add this photo when I get home)

Camille, Carla & Jillian

Annie - The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe

Jenny & Isabella

Emily - her cute kids made the pictures for her hat - she like me - no time to read anything but kids books!

Aunt Claudia (travelled from Worland, WY)


(another picture to add)

Meg

Ebby

Misty

Mary

Katie (with baby Ruby)

Anna

We then had some yummy dessert (apple nachos, apple pie dip & sugar cookies). I didn't like the apple pie dip though - it was served with whole wheat tortillas and it was nasty!

Thank you again to everyone that came! It's certainly a night I look forward to all year!

Hailey - 6 months old

It's impossible that our sweet little 3 lb. 15 oz. baby is already 6 months old!! I think the Lord hand-picked Hailey for our family! She is the sweetest, calmest, happiest baby that I've ever known (and I've known a lot of them). The Lord knew Hannah would be a little stinker of a 3 year old, so He sent us Hailey. We sure love this baby!

She loves to suck on her hands & shirt, loves her binkie and is a good sleeper. She goes down around 9 and sleeps until 6. Then she'll usually nurse and go back down for another 2 hours. She's been a really good nurser too.

At her 6 month check last week, she weighed 12 lbs. 12 oz. (which puts her not quite on the chart, so less than 1% for her age). Adjusted age (adding 6 1/2 weeks) puts her about 25th percentile. She's 24 inches long, which is about 5th percentile for her age (and 50th for adjusted). She loves to watch her brother & sisters and smiles all the time. She's starting to like holding toys and is starting to roll over.

Hailey-girl, you're a gem! We love you!

And you can tell we have a lot of fun with her!

Toothless Jack

This funny boy had Jon pull out one front tooth on Sunday and the other one on Monday!

Lindsey turns 10!!!

A few weeks ago, Lindsey turned 10! How can that be??!! We had a really low-key birthday for Lindsey. She was excited to get a pedicure set, nail polish, lip gloss, Ramona & Beezus DVD, earmuffs, a hot chocolate maker (which she uses every single day!), and a "pedicure with mom" note.

She took Rolo's to her class for a treat and we took her to Wendy's for dinner after her soccer practice. The following Monday, we had a small family party for Lindsey, Peter & John M.'s birthdays. Becky made spaghetti and it was wonderful!

We sure love Lindsey! She is an incredible soccer player and artist. She has been so good this year about not complaining about going to practices (we did let her get her ears pierced in exchange for no complaining). She loves art class and going to "Up With Kids." It's a children's musical theater and she decided to do that rather than dance this year. She's loved it and is happy they are doing "Rapunzel" (aka Tangled) as their show. Lindsey is kind and loving and is always giving things to others. She loves animals (especially cats) and begs and begs to get one. I've told her that I have children rather than pets, but some day she'll be able to get one herself. Her Primary and school teachers love her and she's a great student! We're so proud of her and think the world of her! You're an incredible girl, Lindsey!

Lindsey, John & Brooklyn

Here's to wishing for another great year!

Buckeye Women Retreat

A couple of weekends ago, I was able to go on a retreat with some of the women that I admire most! Andrea Jeppesen & I planned a girl's retreat for all of those who could make it who lived in Ohio at the same time as we did. We missed those that couldn't come, but LOVED being with those that did.

There were several that flew in from out of state (Melinda, Lonica, Kirsten, Becky & Camille) and several of us that live in Utah. We met on a Friday late morning at Gardner Village. We shopped for a little bit and then had lunch at Archibald's. I thought the food was delicious!

One side of the table: Melinda (expecting a baby in March), Kirsten (expecting a baby in January), Lonica (also expecting a baby in March) & Andrea

The other side of the table - me (who looks like I'm expecting a baby in March - but am not), Laura, Jessika (who is expecting a baby in March) & Becky.

After we ate, we drove to Park City for hour-long pedicures! They were heavenly. AnnDee & Amber met us there. They did 8 of us at once and we all loved the relaxing moments of being in the chair, surrounded by great friends.

Andrea & Melinda

Laura & Amber (expecting a baby in November - but looks like she's not due until March)

Becky

Jessika

AnnDee & Hailey

the row of royal treatment

Kirsten

and me!

After pedicures, we drove (in the rain) to Midway, where we were able to stay at a cabin that Andrea had arranged. It was wonderful! We made dinner together, ate, played a game, talked & talked and then was joined by Camille (who had flown in). After Camille got there, we gave each other our Secret Sister gifts. That was really fun!

We stayed up late talking! I love talking to all of these women! We're all just trying to do our best and live our lives and raise our children the right way. I gain such strength from all of them.

The next morning, we got up. The weather was 'if-y', so a few people went for a walk, then we got ready and went to Heber for breakfast at The Hub. Nina came with her new little 10 day old baby. The food was really good and it was such a treat to eat breakfast out!

Me, Becky, Laura & Kirsten

Andrea (with Alice), Camille, Lonica, me (with Hailey), Jessika, Melinda, Becky, AnnDee, Nina (with Graham) & Kirsten

After The Hub, we drove to Park City and went shopping at the outlet mall for several hours. Several of us were able to find new jeans, clothes for the kids, etc. What a blast! I could have stayed several more hours!

We stopped at Granny's in Heber for shakes, and met up with Barbie. Her and her cute family have just recently moved to Utah.

We drove back to the cabin, where we met Ali (who is also expecting a baby in March). It was such a blessing to have Ali there, as she's been on bedrest. We had reservations to eat dinner at the Mexican restaurant in Midway. The food was okay - the company was spectacular!

Row 1 - Lonica, Ali, Barbie, Melinda, Jeannette & Hailey

Row 2 - Kirsten, AnnDee, Andrea, Alice, Camille & Jessika

We went back the cabin for more visiting, laughing and a game. We got up Sunday morning, got everything picked & cleaned up and said goodbye. I felt like I went home a better wife & mother and hope that others felt the same way. These girls are my heros and I appreciate them all so much!

A huge thank you to all the husbands & family that watched the kids! I believe among this group, there are 50 kids and another 6 on the way! Holy moley!

And these two little angels, who came along...

Hailey & Alice

These babies were gems!

Cute Alice

Cute Hailey