2.5

Now that Aiden is 2.5 the party planning is in full gear. His birthday will be right around the time I return to work, so this momma will be extremely overwhelmed. So I'd like to have my ideas/plans done.

At first I was thinking something simple for me...like going to a bouncy place, Children's Museum, or Incredible Pizza where they take care of everything, but then reality sank in I don't want to shell out that kind of money and not have both boys enjoy it. Plus we will have another <1 year old at the party too, so that's not making it easy on us. Maybe when Aiden turns 5 we will do one of those ideas.

Then with his birthday in February you never know with weather....is it going to be warm or are we going to have snow?! So that limits any ideas of something outside. Since our core group seems to be always growing our little house won't cut it anymore. So I then thought of why not get one of those inflatable bouncy things to put in the church gym. Then it came to me......

I've been seeing all these really cute pins on Pinterest for Paint Parties. And I was sold! Especially since I know Aiden loves to paint and he's getting an easel for Christmas it was just perfect!! Destiny haha!!

Invitation. Use paint chips for the invitation. Who doesn't like Free!? I'll just grab a bunch of different colors one day.

Food. This is where I tend to go overboard, but this year I want(need) to keep it simple. Instead of making a cake I'm doing cupcakes. The most work with that is going to be exchanging the frosting color for the different colors. The board is just a cake board cut down to size.

Activity. Have an area where the kids can paint a picture. Don't worry washable paint only and smocks to wear. Under this area lay out painters brown paper or plastic sheets (which I already have). Contain the mess ;-)

The biggest cost of this will be the canvas. I saw one pin where the person used boxes. They are the boxes paper are mailed in to printing shops, so tall and skinny....so I'll have to call up a few stores to see if they can save them for me. If so then it's free! And I like free!! Another person used those giant Post-it Sheets but that would require putting plastic on the walls too. I'll keep brainstorming ideas....

Decor. I saw one fun and simple idea. Spatter paint on a white sheet to use as a back drop. And you know I have paint cans in our garage so I'm gonna pull those suckers out and tape some construction paper around the label! Hello free centerpieces.

Favors. Let the kids take their smock home if they want and a package of watercolors. Simple and fits in with the theme.

Our tax free weekend is coming up so I might buy some supplies then since they are considered school supplies! Yah for savings!
Other good news about him turning 2.5 is now he's eligible to graduate to the 3 year old class at Preschool! He just needs to stay accident free for 3 weeks and then he's ready! YAH! Let's go Aiden!! Let's keep saving (as you move up the tuition goes down)!

Phase 1

Phase 1 of my front door decor is done! The chair turned out great and so happy!

I love my little flag! It ties in the door, chair and has the pop of red which I wanted. The can will look better when we switch out the exterior light to this...

I just need to now get another flowerpot for ontop of the chair and another to go on the bottom step near the chair and this project is done! Yah!! Finally looks inviting.

I even found my Fall flag for 96 cents!! Ties in the door and chair perfectly again. Plus it will look cute with stacked pumpkins in one pot via this idea....Get ceramic pumpkins instead of real so you can reuse and 1 side put your initial and then on the other side for October make faces. Genius!

Digital World

Finally we are in the digital world of thermostats! haha Took us long enough...I never felt our old one was accurate.  Did it all by myself too! Go me! Pretty simple too! The best part I don't have to do any touch ups with paint!!

Bye Bye ugly thermostat!

Hello beauty!

Now I just have to read the manual to figure out how to program this thing...

Other news....little man is getting clogged up. Started yesterday coughing when laying down for naptime and again during bedtime. :-( We were doing so good too! Months since his last treatment, but back on the ole bandwagon of elevated bed, humidifier, breathing treatments and vicks rub. Hopefully in a couple days he will be back to his peaceful sleep. Hate to hear him cough on the monitor...

Speaking of sleepless nights...I swear Brody is one ACTIVE baby! Aiden was active but it wasn't a constant kicking and flipping, he slept. Brody starts to get active around 9am and then calms down a little around 1pm but throws one out just to let me know he's still there and then when 7pm rolls around he is playing the drums till about 12-1am. I love feeling him, but it's getting to the point where it hurts!! Pretty miserable and since my tummy is upset I get really nauseous again...No fun at all! Reason #962 why this is my last one! haha Definitely haven't enjoyed the pregnancy this time around.

Cleaning

I did some major cleaning this weekend. Worked on the other side of the garage and almost complete! Yeah!! Our trash can is already full and pickup isn't till Wednesday! Oh boy!

I put my 2nd coat of poly on my table leaf to only have it start POURING 3 hours in....so there I am crazy lady running out in the rain picking up all my supplies....hopefully once I lightly sand it I won't need to re-poly it. I better not! I want to put my table together!! :-)

Earlier I started on my front door decoration. When my parents came up they brought an old chair perfect for what I want! So I lightly sanded it down and started to paint! I picked Sun Yellow. It will be nice bright and pulls the yellow out of the new curtain. I'm thinking about painting the house numbers on the pot that sits on the chair then having different items at the base (pots, watering can, statues, etc). I know I want to get one of those mini garden flags to put in a pot to exchange for the seasons.

Saturday night me and Wes went and saw Batman. AWESOME!! Anne Hathaway did great!

Little man had his 1st sleepover in months at Gabby and Grande's. He still managed to sleep with them...but no 3am wake ups. Hard to say No to that cute little face. He only had 1 accident but that was Grande's fault. lol He thought Aiden was a pro at standing up to pee...he didn't know you have to help guide him. hahaha aka pee everywhere!

I cut out fabric squares out of 3 fabrics for Brody's quilt. 2 more to go...then the sewing starts....

We took the opportunity to sleep in on Sunday. Man was it nice! Then little man came home after church and we spent the rest of the day in our pjs just soaking in family time. Always the best. No laundry to do. No rooms to clean. Time to relax. We had car races down the hallway, many tickle fights, practiced walking (pulling) Murph around the house, and lots of bonding in bed while watching cartoons.

This week is pretty hectic for me. Then I'm jammed packed busy over the weekend ....so I see lots of early bedtimes in my future.