We told Princess Sparkley last night that we'd open family presents in the morning rather than the evening. This led to Christmas morning like excitement before breakfast. But I still made everyone eat breakfast first. I made PS a fried egg sandwich (one of her favorites) with a candle in it. Then scriptures and prayers and on to presents.
Buddy got her a Tinkerbell game for her Leapster. Little Guy got her a pack of all the Tinkerbell Fairies from the Disney Store. We got her a Tinkerbell book, a Candy Fairies book, a Clarice Bean book, the new Nancy Drew movie ($5 at Target), a Mark-My-Time bookmark ... and I think that's all.
Here are some birthday party pictures I didn't use with the birthday party post:
After the party we went to the pool where PS swam about two arms length... the best she's ever done and the first time she's ever actually swam/swum/swimmed. Then home for dinner. Then off to Barnes and Noble, Target and an awesome used bookstore to see if there was anything she wanted to spend some birthday money on. Talked to some family on the phone calling with birthday wishes. Then home to left over treats and more birthday songs and blowing out candles.
We had to be in Fairfax Monday, knew there'd be some down time when we were just waiting, and that it would be hot, so the kids wore their swimsuits and we went back to Fairfax Corner Fountains. Princess Sparkley and Little Guy were much braver this time (although, you can see from the pictures that Little Guy spent most of the time skirting the perimeter). Buddy loved it, again!
This started out as a Fancy Tea Party. Then a Fairy Tea Party. Then the reality of trying to track down a fancy, inexpensive (or borrowed) tea set hit me and we decided on a Fairy Garden Party.
The Invitation: After I took this picture, we hand wrote [Princess Sparkley] is 8! next to the fairy's wand, and I wrote Fairy Garden Party in fancy green cursive. Oh, and we glued on a purple rose above the white box.
The Set-up: Idea from Family Fun here. Canopy was PS's Christmas present from here for $16 or so.
Dressing-Up: Skirt directions here (Tulle and ribbon from Michaels) Wings (from Dollar Tree) The fairy on the wings was under a dollar from Michaels and I hot glued it on to block out a striped bug body on the wings.
The flower peaking out of the goody bags are clipped to headbands (headbands from Dollar Tree 5 for $1, flower from an end cap at Michaels, $1)
Drink = June Bugs (found here) Drink straw with Gummy Lifesaver decorations (idea from here)
Fairy Cakes (these weren't really any good. Make a yummy cupcake, cut it in half and add jam, frost with a powdered sugar/lemon glaze, add sprinkles) Cake Plate - cheap version of this, only I wish I'd had more than one size plate.
The Birthday Girl: Princess Sparkley turned 8 today!
The Guests: I should have centered Princess Sparkley, she's on the left.
Buddy didn't get his own set of wings, this is towards the end of the party when PS had abandoned her wings.
Little Guy was also a guest. This is the only picture I seemed to get of him, moments before he ate all the candy corn off his sunflower cookie.
The activities: I didn't really plan anything beyond eating, and opening presents. The party was an hour and a half. I let them get dressed up and play like they were fairies. After we opened presents, they played with the new presents some.
We did however make these Sunflower Cookies (idea from here) that I sent home with them in their goody bag.
And Princess Sparkley created a "Pin the Wand" on the fairy game.
The Goody Bag: They of course got to keep their wings, wand and skirt. They also got a flowery pencil, a flower notebook (4 for $1 at Dollar Tree), a fairy beading necklace to make ($1 at Michaels), their sunflower cookie, an extra pretzel wand and I think that's it.
Overall, a success. Not counting food, I spent about $25 on the stuff to make the skirts, the wands, the wings and the stuff for the goody bags. The girls weren't so big on eating all the treats. I think Princess Sparkley was the only one that even tasted the fairy cake. But she requested it all, and I'm trying to be a good mom that doesn't plan every detail the way I want it. I suppose she is my daughter, and she's going to like treats more than the next person because of that.
I've been looking at hair blogs, trying to figure out how to do Princess Sparkley's hair for her baptism. I can't french braid, which seems the obvious choice. Any suggestions would be wonderful. Anyways, looking at all these fun blogs, I've been a bit more creative with her hairstyles lately. Here's today's church 'do:
Note, this is at the end of the night, 9 hours after I did it.
B told Princess Sparkley to come up with a list of fun, Sunday activities to do this evening. For some reason, top on that list was dress-up in Mommy and Daddy's clothes. Okay? And then B got out of it by having a Stake Priesthood Meeting. I let them pick two outfits, or this might have gone on forever. Here they are:
PS's aren't horrifically huge because she picked a dress and then a shirt, that had ties in back. And in the second picture, the skirt is pegged and tucked into the shorts she's wearing underneath. Buddy didn't even bother with Daddy's pants.
While I was getting dinner in the crock pot this morning, Buddy and Little Guy made themselves some airplanes.
Notice Buddy's army outfit. He likes to wear his army shirt with his army pajama pants and we pretend we can only see his head. He got army flip flops yesterday so he's been "hiding" his feet as well with this same outfit.
We've been at our pool a lot this summer and it has definitely paid off. Buddy can swim!!! And Princess Sparkley can almost swim. I've been desperately wanting to film them in the pool, but typically, I'm in the water with them. Yesterday (8/7/10), B was home in the afternoon so we went to the pool together and I filmed a little bit before I got in at first, and then again after the lifeguard break.
Little Guy's little jump and PS kick boarding.
We bought Little Guy this star float at Walmart for $2. It's make taking three kids to the pool so much easier. He won't let go of that thing, and kicks himself all over the pool.
After the first few seconds, I pan over to Buddy playing a game he's invented called Kabob.
I was too slow with the camera on this shot. Buddy requested that B throw him up out of the pool. This is after he's gone back under water.
I bought Princess Sparkley and Buddy goggles last summer hoping that would improve our swimming experience. Yesterday, we added a swim cap into the equation for PS. It's helped too. She was a little apprehensive about wearing it but we assured her that all serious swimmers in the Olympics wear swim caps. So she had B draw a lion fish on the side for her "swim team."
Here's Buddy swimming.
Little Guys' Big Jump
PS dunks her head. She's getting used to having her head/face in the water, and kicking with the kick board, and floating. About two weeks ago, Buddy was at this same stage and now he's a fish.
PS "jumps." This was the closest she came in two days of trying to get her to jump. Once we lined up PS, Buddy and Little Guy, counted to three and everyone jumped in but PS. Then I got out and jumped in with her and she STILL wouldn't jump in. So this "jump," was a huge step for her. Then the video continues and shows fearless Little Guy jumping in. We have to keep reminding him he has to wait for us to be ready before he can jump to us (or not to us, he doesn't care).
Little Guy kicks his way under the rope. You can hear him saying "I can't do it." But slowly, he kicked his way over to B and was super proud of himself when he got there.
Buddy swims, kabobs and floats. PS floats. (Let me know if this is a repeat video, I don't think I posted it in this post already.)
I have these cute photo holders with pink flamingos on them (little known fact, I LOVE pink flamingos!). I decided to fill them with pictures of the kids in the summer time, hence, this picture of PS from two summers ago, I think. B found it shortly after I'd added a picture, with this note attached.
Note: Gone to fight crime. Love, [Princess Sparkley] and Sweetie (her new, Webkinz hamster)
