Calling All Superheros - Brody Turns 4

There's one more event from June to write about and then I think we're finally caught up.  Jack's best buddy Brody turned 4.

I'm so thankful for the Meyer family.  Our relationship is one of those rare occasions where the guys get along, the girls get along and the kids along.  As fellow transplants from Kansas (and Jayhawk fans), husbands who used to work together and are both in the landscape/construction industry, wives who both work from home and boys that are all boy, we have so much in common and so much fun when we get together.  And we get together often.  We owe them a week's worth of barbecues when we finally get into our new house!  Of course, when Brody's 4th birthday party was planned at the Denver Children's Museum we wouldn't have missed it.

The theme was superheros and the party was adorable.

Birthday Boy

Each kiddo had a superhero cape waiting for them in the trees. 

They decorated masks and gave themselves superhero names.

Jeff getting in on the superhero action.

Checking himself out in the mirror.

Party room.

Superheros unite!

Happy Birthday, Bro!  I hope we are able to celebrate many, many more with you.

4th Birthday Party: To Infinity and Beyond

It wasn't long after Jackson attended his first classmate birthday party that he declared he too would like to have a party.  And he would like to invite all his friends.  And he would like it to be a Buzz Lightyear party.

Of course, his mother obliged.

So the Lawrence Gymnastics Academy was reserved and a party was planned.  Before I get into all the details and upload all the pictures let me just give a plug for the folks at LGA.  What an awesome, affordable and hassle free way to entertain a room full of 4-year-olds!  We brought cake, drinks, balloons and favor bags and the staff at LGA did all the rest.  They provided the entertainment, the supervision, the set-up, the clean-up, and they even kept track of who each gift was from.  The kids had a blast and absolutely worse themselves out.  It was fantastic.

I have to admit, I was concerned that no one would be able to attend.  After all, Saturdays in December tend to be an awfully busy time of year.  As it turned out there were 9 kids including Jack.  6 classmates, Cousin Attia (who totally held her own with all those "big" kids), and our dear friends the Stoddards who drove from Manhattan to help us celebrate. 

Here's Jack stuffing his party invitations (purchased here).

And helping me assemble the favor bags (which included toy story fruit snacks, tattoos, stickers and pez dispensers).

And here are a ridiculous number of pictures from the party itself.

Anxiously awaiting

Getting instructions

Slide!

Bounce house!

Foam pit!

 

Kids going crazy and parents supervising

 

Dads observing from above

Kids lined up and ready for cake (notice Jack's new Buzz Lightyear shirt for the occasion)

Time for cupcakes.  Those are some sweaty kids!

Make a wish!

 

Cool Buzz Lightyear balloon

Best friends

Presents!

Let me see!

Hugging his cousin goodbye

Jack was asleep before we made it home.  A sure indication that it was a success!

There were lots of new toys to admire - and to think, his actual birthday, let alone Christmas, haven't even arrived yet.  Where will it all go?

Jackson had been anticipating this day for weeks and I don't think he was disappointed.

Happy Birthday, Buddy...To Infinity and Beyond!

Cornice Boards

Turns out the kitchen wasn't the only area of our house getting a little upgrade last weekend.  We also finished a project that began nearly a month ago when Cortney was in town and Jack was living it up at Gram's house.

I alluded to the cornice board project in a previous post but haven't shared the pictures yet.  Of course, the inspiration came from pinterest and we followed this tutorial nearly to the tee.

We started by hitting all the local fabric stores in search of the perfect navy and cream striped fabric.  Naturally, it was in the last store that we struck gold.  Then we were off to Home Depot for the supplies.  Cortney and I were probably quite a sight as we hauled lumber through the store while simultaneously doing calculations on our phones in order to give the nice gentlemen at the cutting station the proper measurements.  But we got 'er done!

We were proudly assembling the cornice boards, all by ourselves, when Drew came in the room and was clearly uncomfortable with the amount of time it was taking us (us meaning Cortney because she was much more skilled than I) to screw on the brackets.  We decided to let him help.

Once the frames were built covering them with batting and fabric was as easy as wrapping a present.

Well, maybe not quite that easy.  But a close second.  Not to shabby, right?

And this is where the finished cornice boards remained for the better part of three weeks.

Fast forward to last weekend and our sad, colorless, bare basement windows are now fully dressed!

Here are a couple of close-ups.

Yikes.  Please ignore the dust-covered mini blinds.  Clearly I have some cleaning to do!

While the basement is still a work in progress, I'm loving the addition of some color and texture on the walls.  And I especially love that it was a very affordable and easy DIY solution.  I find window treatments to be a little overwhelming and often very expensive.  I suppose that explains why every window in my house has nothing more than wood blinds covering it.  Well, maybe this project was just the spark I need to start dressing those windows! 

In fact, I have a hunch this won't be last cornice board that finds a home above our windows.

A Friend-Filled Fourth of July

The only thing better than a day off work to celebrate a national holiday is getting to celebrate with dear friends.  And that's what we did this 4th of July.

The Stoddard Family headed our way Tuesday night to get an early start on the middle-of-the-week holiday.  As we awaited their arrival, the boys decided to blow up a few things.

Boy do I love these guys!

As it turned out, some black cats, tanks and poppers pretty much rounded out our firework supply this year.  There were a number of factors:  Technically they're banned in the city (although we live close enough - as in three houses away - to the city limits we weren't particularly worried about that), the heat (oh my lord the heat) we've been experiencing has turned pretty much all vegetation into timber, they're expensive and frankly we're just not that into them.  Fortunately, the kids didn't seem to notice or care.  Within minutes, they were off and running like the lifelong friends (you know, all 3 1/2 years) that they are.

So we spent Tuesday evening catching up, eating apple pie and homemade ice cream (a 4th of July tradition of ours) and trying to keep up with the kids and dogs who were having a marvelous time.

Ashlyn & Jackson...best buddies!

Just love this one.

Picnic anyone?  I think Jack's contribution was the football.  :)

Trying (unsuccessfully) to wind down with a movie.

It was midnight when we all (kids included) made our way to bed.

Wednesday was more of the same.  Unfortunately, the heat pretty much forced us indoors but we did manage to sneak in some pool time mid-morning after the boys brought us doughnuts for breakfast.

Meanwhile, the adults (and dogs - minus Ruby the LabraDiva who was inside in the A/C of course) did our best to stay in the tiny sliver of shade!

Since we needed an indoor project, the kids helped whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies while the Dads slaved over the charcoal grill.  Steaks, baked potatoes and sweet corn were on the menu.

I had grand plans of a festively decorated house and beautiful table scape, but I guess reality dictated otherwise.  In the end, I used mostly things I had on hand.  And you know, it was fine.  I'm all for an over-the-top styled event, but I think I'm (slowly) learning to let some of that go and not sweat the small stuff.

I did make a super simple bunting for the mantle, printed a festive quote and stuck it in a frame and filled an apothecary jar with beans (northern, red and black) to mimic a flag pattern (thanks pinterest!) 

The larger apothecary jar remained empty because I never did find a perfect red/white/blue filler.  And I didn't buy enough beans for my flag design so it didn't fill the jar quite like I would have liked.  But I rolled with it.  And you see...I wasn't kidding about not sweating the small stuff!

Besides, none of that mattered anyway.  What mattered most was spending time with our dear friends and watching our kids have a wonderful time together as they grow up right before our eyes.  Drew said it best.  When it comes to the Stoddard's we're a perfect fit - from parents to pets!

Thanks for coming Dustin, Brandie, Ashlyn, Chance & Tia.  Drew, Jackson, Ruby and I enjoyed it so much.  Can't wait for the next visit - when baby girl #2 can join the fun!

Hope all of you had a Happy 4th of July, too!