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Friday, September 30, 2011

Lego Birthday Party!

I think it's about time I get a post up here about Kid's Lego Party!

We had a blast! It wasn't complicated and it wasn't very structured. Basically the kids just played a lot between presents and cake.

The decorations were very inexpensive and simple but I loved how they turned out.

I went to the local dollar store and I bought a couple plastic, disposable table cloths, blue, green, yellow. I also bought packages of paper plates that were the same shades.

Then I hung the table cloths on the wall, all together, and taped the plates on so they looked like Large Lego's. I LOVED the effect and received a number of compliments. I only used a few plates for each "Lego" and was able to use the rest for the party food.



If I had a printer (How do I not have a printer??) I would have printed out the word "LEGO" in my Lego font and pasted it inside each plate.


For weeks before the party I was saving empty boxes. When we finished off the pop tarts or the spaghetti noodles or the cake mix I tossed the empty box in a basket for later.

I purchased two packages of construction paper (also at the dollar store) and a few rolls of tape. I then wrapped all of those empty boxes in construction paper. J's cousin came over one night and helped me cut out a staggering number of little circles and we taped those onto the boxes.

Viola! Lego's!


They're not perfect but they turned out really cute! I used the basic Lego colors, orange, green, blue, red, yellow and black.

It took a lot of tape to put these together, for a couple reasons. One, the tape I bought was cheap. Two, Construction paper is stiff. Three, I wanted to make sure it stayed together.



I cut out little pieces of thread, tied them in loops and taped those to the back of the boxes. This took a LOT of tape because the thread slipped right out of some of them. Here you can see the massive tape use in those pictures.

Anyway, I used the thread loops to hang the Lego boxes from the ceiling.



Again, I LOVE the way these turned out. They took a LOT of time and a LOT of cutting of little circles and taping them on but it was totally worth it!

The cake.

Originally I had intended to just make a basic rectangle cake and add either cupcakes, marshmallows or Oreo's to the top to look like a Lego. But, for some reason I wasn't really into that idea. Then, one day while surfing the web I had an epiphany.

I baked two box cake (Yes, I used the box) mixes in round pans. When they were cool I shaved off the rounded top so they were all flat. Then I piled them on top of each other with layers of frosting (That I made myself.) in between them.

I used the rounded pieces that I had cut off for the top. I simply cut a small circle out of the middle of them and stacked them as well.


Looking at it when it was done I sort of wished I had made another cake mix to make it a little higher. But, either way, I really like how it turned out.

While surfing Pinterest (I'm addicted) I came across what looked like a great idea! It was harder than it looked but totally worth it.

I purchased about ten stage 2 jars of baby food. The cheapest I could find was prunes at $.40 a jar. I also grabbed some applesauce. (Kid ate a couple of jars of the applesauce. Haha.)

Most of them I just poured out. I washed and dried the jars and then took half of them outside and sprayed them with yellow spray paint. It did not cover as well as I expected. After about fifty coats (OK, I exaggerate a bit, but just a bit.) I decided that spray paint wasn't really the way to go. The rest I (my SiL also helped) painted by hand.

I then drew faces on them with sharpie markers.


I had some sort of brain lapse with the one that's second from the left. Oops, sorry, upside down Lego head.

I filled them with Skittles and gave them away as favors. I didn't want to part with them, they were SO CUTE.

I had another use for the spray paint as well. I cut the top half of a pizza box out, made a stencil (I can't think of another word, ugh) type thing of a Lego head and taped it to the top of the pizza box. I sprayed (fifty coats, again) of paint on there. When the paint was dry I hand painted black around the edges and cut a hole in the middle. I added a stick so it could be held up.

Lego Kid!


All the kids had their pictures taken with a Lego head.

I acquired a couple boxes, taped them together in the middle, covered them with another table cloth (red) and pasted a few plates to it. One giant Lego.

I put it near Kid for a picture but later moved it outside to greet guests.


The orange thing on the floor is just another table cloth.

Well, that's basically the party. Very inexpensive decorations for a very cool effect.

Now, is anyone having a Lego party in the near future? I have a LOT of "Lego" boxes that I'm about to just toss out . . . It hurts a bit, they took a lot of work.

I'm not kidding . . . Anyone interested?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

What Did He Say?

Kid: Mom, do you know what a crap is?

Me: What??

Kid: A crap.

Me: What????

Kid: When you go in the water and your leg hurts, a crap!

Me: A CRAMP!


Kids!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Random Tuesday Thoughts

Happy Tuesday!! Are you feeling random? I sure am! If you want to share your own random or just read others, grab the box and join the fun at Stacy's!



1. Today is Kid's birthday. He is five years old today. That's a whole hand! That's a big deal!

2. Our McDonald's is money hungry or something. Every other McD's has Small, Medium and Large iced coffee's. Our McD's has Medium, Large and Extra Large. However, the XLarge at our McD's is the same as a large at any other McD's. Strange.

3. I ordered an extra large iced coffee this morning. At the window I was handed a "medium" (Which, at any other McD's would be a small), umm. I said, "Did I not order an extra large?" She told me that the other lady only put medium on the display. However, she traded it out for an extra large. Extra large for the price of medium. Nice.

4. I planned to put a Sean Bean (because I love him) movie in my DVD player today while I do laundry and party prep. However, Syfy had other plans. There is a Destination Truth marathon on today. LOVE this show. Josh Gates make me happy. :)

5. Taking Kid to school today I saw a man at a stop sign. He was in a very nice black car and wearing a suit. You don't see a lot of guys in suits around here. There's just not a lot of jobs that require suits. I miss seeing guy (and girls) in suits. When I lived in Pennsylvania there were suits everywhere. Where, oh where, is civilization?

6. Lion King 3D tonight? Maybe. It's possible we'll try to go this afternoon for Kid's birthday. Since his party is Saturday we wanted to try to make this day a little special and not just like another day.

7. I made cupcakes last night for Kid to share with his class for his Birthday. There were Very happy kids when I walked into that classroom this morning.

8. On that note I'm going to gain so much weight. Cupcakes, Birthday cake, birthday party food. Around here the "Holiday" season starts with Kid's birthday. Kid's Birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

9. Party on Saturday, then guess what? I can start the Autumn/Halloween decorating! SO Excited!

I think that's enough for now. I don't want to bore you any longer. Have great Random Tuesday!!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Precioius Moments

Friday night Kid and I played. We played a LOT.

We played outside for a short while, tag. Then we came in and we played Pop the Pig, a "few" times. Then we used his silly little rubber fling hand thing and we lassoed the poor Pop the Pig pig. We did that for a while. LOTS of laughs and giggles. Then we played catch. Then we each had a bottle of water and we tried to knock each other's bottle over while we defended our own. More giggles and laughs and coughing from laughing so hard.

Then it was almost ten o'clock.

Kid had a mozzarella snack stick and sat with me on the recliner/rocker.

We played the "I'm thinking of a number" game. We also played the "I'm thinking of a letter" game.

Then he was on my lap and I rocked. He looked so sleepy.

I rocked some more, holding him on my lap. I hummed a couple songs.

He fell asleep in my lap while I rocked.

I have no idea when the last time I rocked him to sleep was but I can guarantee you it's been a long time. Years I would say.

Thinking about it then, while he lay sleeping on my lap, it occured to me, that may be the last time I rock him to sleep.

Kid is going to be five years old tomorrow. My baby is turning five.

I'm sure they're out there somewhere but I don't know a lot of five year olds that are still rocked to sleep.

I savored the feel of him sleeping in my arms for a bit before I carried him to his bed.

I love that my baby is growing up and learning new things and becoming more independent but I sure am going to miss these snuggle times.

Now, I think I'm going to stop this and go find some tissues because I really need them right now.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Six Word Saturday!

Six Word Saturday! Join the fun over at Cate's awesome blog. Just click the box and be transported there, it's effortless!


Kid's party in One week! Help!

Happy Saturday!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Friday

It's Friday.

Friday means . . .

~ Wear whatever you want to school instead of the t-shirt with the school logo.

~ Payday (Well, this friday anyway.)

~ Means Pizza or maybe Subway. (Once again, this Friday, anyway.)

~ Not having to be in bed at a specific time.

~ NO ALARM CLOCK TOMORROW MORNING.

~ Online birthday shopping for Kid. (Once again, this happens this Friday because it's payday. Haha.)

~ I basically have one week to get ready for Kid's party. I feel very unorganized and not remotely prepared. I don't like this feeling.

Short, sad post is short and sad. Haha. If you want something great bome back . . . well, I'm not sure when it's gonna get great but maybe it will some time. 

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Kids: To Invite or Not To Invite

Kid is turning five.

Five?

Five.

Wow.

I have a question for the Moms (and Dads) out there. How old were your kids when they started inviting a bunch of friends to their birthday parties?

Up until now Kid's birthdays have basically been family get togethers. But now he's in school.

Although, to be honest, he goes to a private school that only added Kindergarten this year (and at the last minute) so his class is very small and there is only one other boy besides Kid.

Then there's church. Girls there too. Poor Kid is surrounded by girls.

So, do we invite his one boy friend from school and the two girls from church (and OK maybe the little neighbor boy) or do we just do a family thing again?

I have to be honest that my hesitancy about inviting so many is because A. Our house is SMALL (and family is already coming) and B. A bunch of new kids means they're going to bring their parents (I would imagine) and my social anxiety may not be able to deal with such things. Haha.

I really don't know what to do. Maybe we should just stick with the family and the cousins.

OK, and MAYBE his best friend from school.

Sigh. Decision making is NOT my thing.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

If it Doesn't Have a Tail It's Not a Monkey . . .

Kid logic is awesome.


Kid: I scratched my toe.

Me (Misunderstanding): You scratched your tail? You don't have a tail.

Kid: No, I scratched my TOE.

Me: Oh. I knew you didn't have a tail.

Kid: If I had a tail I'd be a monkey!



P.S. Once again, virtual cookies and 1,000 internet points if you can tell me where my title came from. :)

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Random Tuesday Thoughts!

I have not been random (on this blog anyway) in far too long. Today, I shall be random once again. If you would like to be random as well you can click the box and link up over at Stacy's place.



1. September! I. Love. September!

2. Amazon has some free kindle books. This has resulted in my "To read" pile growing far too large.

3. Speaking of my "To read" pile, I've GOT to get my hands on A Clash of Kings. Must know what happens next!

4. Dear George Lucas, Cut. It. Out. It was PERFECT the way it was. STOP changing things!

5. Realized that Kid's birthday is a week away. This means his party is less than Two weeks away! I'm not panicking, not at all! Where's my towel!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

6. If you have any awesome suggestions for a Lego birthday party I'm all ears. (Well, all eyes I suppose.)

7. Ringer starts tonight. I'm sort of excited to have Sarah Michelle Gellar back on my TV.

8. Pinterest rocks! I found a website that suggested making pancakes in mini muffins cups, in the oven. Perfect. No turning, no flipping, just baking and eating. (Bonus if you add chocolate chips and pumpkin!)

9. What's your favorite creepy book to read for Halloween?

10. I love my New England Patriots. Yeah, Baby!

I may have more but I'll stop now. Hey, at least they were all short.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Bonk, Bonk, on the Head

Dear Blog, I'm so sorry I abandoned you. I have no excuse.

Around here life has being going on.

Kid is having a fantastic time at school.

I received a call a couple weeks ago from his teacher. She told me he was outside running around, hit his head and had a huge knot. She wanted to let me know in case I wanted to come get him.

She put him on the phone.

Me: Hey, Baby, what happened?
Kid: I was running, at the park, and I looked backwards and ran into a pipe.
Me: Are you OK?
Kid: Yeah.
Me: Do you want Mommy to come get you or do you want to stay at school?
Kid: I want to stay at school.

His teacher texted me a picture of the knot on his head. It was indeed huge. But she told me that as soon as he was done talking to me he was already asking to go play. He's a tough little thing.

 This is after the knot had gone down quite a bit.


P.S. Virtual cookies and 1,000 internet points if you know where the title for today's post came from. :)

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Six Word Saturday!

Saturday. I have six words (or more) today! If you want to play 6WS then grab the box and Cate will explain everything on her blog.



Happy Birthday to THE BEST DAD!

I know some of you would argue this point but I'm pretty sure I have the best Dad ever. (And I wouldn't say it if I didn't think so.) He taught me SO much and so much of what I am today is because of him. (I hope he would think that's a good thing.)

I always had what I needed and occasionally I had what I wanted (but I wasn't Very spoiled). 

He's good and fair and wise and loves the Lord (and taught me to love Him too).

I so wish we lived closer to him so that Kid could experience Grandpa's awesomeness more often. 

Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you with all my heart!