Birthday party sneak peak...

So the winter wonderland birthday party is just a couple of weeks away and preparations are in full swing! Snowflakes are being skillfully snipped from coffee filters, crayons have been melted into fun shapes and bagged, components for snow globes, snowmen and shortbread cookies have been gathered and the last invitation was delivered today! Who's on the ball?? I'm on the ball!! Anywho... I thought I'd share pictures of the invitations. Needless to say that Bijou is very excited about her upcoming party, but little does she know that I have a few other birthday surprises up my sleeve...

(this is what happens when you take pictures at night...they are much brighter and sparklier <---just made that one up)

The plan was to make all of the crayons in the kind of snowflake-like shape at the top left, but the mold would not cooperate, so hearts and stars it is. These are the kids favorite pass time. There's something cathartic about stripping the crayons of their paper and snapping them into tiny pieces.

Ah-too-toos and other Zionisms

Zion was always my least verbal baby. She didn't really say much for the better portion of the last 22 months, but a few months ago, she really had a verbal boom. Now she talk just as much as her sisters and is pretty easy to understand - most of the time. Now like most almost two year olds, she does have her own language that only close family members can understand. So, I thought I'd share a few of my favorites...

1. Ah-too-too - dinosaur ("Mommy, read. Ah-too-too book.")

2. Menonite - lemonade ("Drink menonite")

3. Poopoo dar - people in a car ("Mommy, look, poopoo dar!")

4. erewhere - underwear ("Pee ina erewhere")

5. Dalla - daddy ("Dalla beer." HA)

She is such a quirky, personable kid and I love seeing her personality come out more and more everyday. She is definitely the resident comedian.

Bijou is turning FOUR!

I can hardly believe it, Bijou is turning four. Yes, the time does fly by, but what I can hardly believe is that she ONLY turning four. She seems like she's been here FOREVER!!! I love her - don't know what my life would be like without her. But this has be a looooong four years. A four years full of laughter and tears and almost constant conversation. This kids talks nonstop until the moment her eyes close for the night. I love that she so verbal (well, sometimes I love it, other times...well....).

She's been asking about her birthday for months now. I think back in September I told her that she couldn't ask about her birthday anymore until December. Well, hello December! Her birthday is all she can talk about with anyone. And it's kind of a big deal in our house. Four is the first year of the big birthday party. But because she has a winter birthday and the thought of 35 kids confined in our small house makes me feel nauseous, she will be having a scaled down party with just friends her age (which will be about 6 or 7 kids). Four her first big girl bash we will be having a winter wonderland themed party. The great thing about having a smaller party is being able to make everything just a little nicer. For example, this will be the first year that I make goodie bags for the party. I think they will include a handmade finger puppet, snowflake shaped rainbow crayons, snow globes (that will be made at the birthday party) and snowflake shaped shortbread cookies (that will be decorated at the party). There will definitely be pictures to share when the party's over.

Jena and Ashni both wanted to make gifts for Bijou. I mentioned in an earlier post (I think) that Jena has taken up embroidery, so she really wanted to embroider a shirt for Bijou. She picked a stegosaurus (Bijou's favorite dinosaur) design from the internet and lovely, bright yellow shirt and there is a stegosaurus t-shirt in the making. I think I will let Ashni draw a picture and we will transfer it to a shirt - maybe a stencil.

Now as soon as I find the cord for my camera I can post pictures of the very cute invitations that I made.

RUN!!!!

I decided a few days ago that I should start running again. I say that as if I just stopped running a few months ago or even right after Zion was born. If you were thinking that, well....thanks, but no. I haven't run in probably 15 years. Yes, 15 years!! That's back in high school. Honestly, I've been having body image issues since having Zion and holding on to a large portion of the weight. Well, Zion is almost two and I have finally gotten to the place where I figure, this is the body that I have, I may as well dress it and clothing that flatter it. Oddly enough, what comes along with my new found acceptance of my current shape is an overwhelming desire to be in better shape. It's strange how that happens (and it's not the first time it's happened). So today, I ran - for the first time in 15 years. I have to say that I am NOT 17 anymore. I think I may have eaten that 17 year old at some point in the last two years (possibly wrapped in a buttermilk biscuit or covered in melted cheese and sour cream). But it felt good. It hurt (ALOT), but it was good. I think I'll do it again...