Bridal Shower

On Saturday I hosted a bridal shower for my good friend Erin who is getting married next month. We had a couples shower BBQ and it turned out really fun! I made the theme black, white and red. We put tables on the patio outside and opened the pool. I used fresh red roses and pictures of the couple as the centerpieces. It was a lot of fun and I am so happy for the cute couple!

Here is the table I had set up as the guests entered the front door. They could put their gifts on one side and the baskets each held goodies. One basket held blank envelopes - the guests would address them and then we gave thank you cards to the bride with the envelopes already addressed. The next basket held advice cards for each person to fill out and we gave the bride a memory album holding all the advice of her family & friends. The third basket held scratch off lottery cards with the couples' names and shower date on them. The winning card got a prize!

Here is a close-up of the tables outside.

It was a little windy, but the breeze felt nice. Thank heavens for gorgeous Phoenix weather!

This is the amazing cake my talented friend Marcella made for the party!

As favors I put out Chinese take-out boxes and bowls filled with different ice cream toppings. Each guest filled a container with toppings and got a jar of hot fudge and an ice cream scoop to take home!

The prizes were spoons with Hershey's kisses on them, wrapped in tulle and ribbon and a card that said "With a spoonful of love and two little kisses, soon Carson & Erin will be Mr. & Mrs!"

All in all, it turned out really well and, even though it was a lot of work, we had a really good time! Congrats Carson & Erin!!

Brady's Butterflies

Brady's class has been learning about insects this quarter (hence the spider pinata - see previous post). Today was their 4th quarter event and I was lucky enough to be a parent volunteer! First we constructed butterfly habitats and each child got to paint them. Then the kids came home with a container of caterpillars to watch as they change into butterflies! Once the caterpillars make their chrysalis then we can move them into the habitat Brady made. They will turn into Painted Lady butterflies and then we can set them free! Too much fun!

Here is Brady painting his habitat!

Such a serious artist!

All of the kids did a great job!

Finally, the caterpillars come home! Can't wait to see them hatch!

Seriously?!?!?!?

OK, so I think this whole Kindergarten homework thing has gotten completely out of hand! When I was in Kindergarten, our homework was to color, cut, and paste. Getting creative was when we had to make the requisite "turkey in disguise" each year before Thanksgiving (mine was a ballerina). But Kindergarten homework now is a whole different animal! Enter, the insect pinata. Remember last year when Parker had to make a pinata? It started out as frog and ended up a banana tree. Not such a successful venture. This year's assignment was for Brady to make an insect/creepy-crawly pinata. (Anyone else of the opinion that homework was meant to be for the kids and NOT the moms?)
Well, we settled on a Black Widow Spider pinata. I got smart this time, though, and sidestepped the paper mache all together. We used two paper bowls, stacked them and glued them together, then covered with tissue paper and foam. I think the teacher may be a little unhappy that we took the assignment out of context, but I'm willing to live with that. Let me know what you think!

Mother's Day Social

Last week Parker's first grade class held a Mother's Day Social. They had cookies and punch, made crafts, and put on a darling play! Here are some highlights:

Parker as a cowboy. His only line in the play was "Howdy, Partner!"

This is the class presenting their poems and handprint flowers to the moms.

Parker also made me a gift - a handmade book with drawings and sentences about why he loves his mommy!

Thanks for letting me come to the Mother's Day Social, Parker! I had so much fun! And thanks for letting me be your mommy every day! I love you!