Rock Painting Project

So, I am working on making a more welcoming entrance to my house. I decided to have Blaise and Violet help me. We painted rocks and it was lots of fun, very messy, but turned out well. The project was promptly follow by a sink bath.

I am thinking about making a whole line of rocks for our front steps. Christmas, Spring, Winter, Summer and Fall are on my agenda. Rocks are free and I can rotate them and take them with me if I move. I also trimmed the trees/bushes and added a potted plant. Still needs some work but I am getting there.

The Party!! and pre party presents

We opened his big presents before the party for two reasons. 1) they were part of the party and 2) I didn't want him asking for them any more! We hid the bouncy house in the freezer--sneaky--he had no idea and the bike was in the back of Nani's car. Thanks Ed for assembling it and taking it for a test ride! This is a real big boy bike and helmet (I found out they were giving away free ones at the fire station only AFTER I had purchased this one)



The party was a blast! The bouncy house was a big hit. No injuries either. I was planning on at least one black eye or some blood. There was hardly any crying--just jumping, laughing and lots of kids getting tired out in one small place. I look forward to having it in the garage and having the most rockin playdates! I took it for a test run the other day and it was pretty fun although my head almost hits the garage door so I will have to tone it down a little. We played "baseball" in there and are working on Blaise's form. I don't know much about baseball but I am a good observer and I think I am getting it right.



This is Blaise and his friend, Sammy. I think he was most excited about sneaking away from the party with him and discussing Transformers, weapons and other boyish stuff.

Here is a video of bouncy house wildness. We really packed them in there.

Next is a video of the batman cake and the singing. I am cracking up because Blaise and Sammy are whispering sweet nothings to each other. Adorable!

Thanks Bops for all the video, pictures and blowing up the bouncy house. Thanks Nani for the help with the food, drinks and clean up. Thanks to all who came to make Blaise's fourth birthday so special. It is hard to believe he is four and every day I am thankful to have a healthy, happy, sweet, sensitive, caring, creative boy!

Calling All Comments!

I just want to hear from you if you are checking on my blog regularly. It makes me so happy to receive your comments so please do.

I also need some blogging advice. I want to be able to archive this and either print it out in hard copy (like a scrapbook) or burn it to a disk. Is that possible? I would love to be able to show it to my kids and family someday and it just being out there in cyberspace is not enough. Also, then I can feel like I am scrapbooking without having to do it.

Coming soon, a scrapbooking weekend at my house. Since I am catching up on the blogging I am going to forgo the scrapbooking and work on some fun crafting/home organization projects. We will take the weekend to scrap/craft/organize/eat/drink/watch chick flicks, HGTV, and trashy TV. Please bring your projects--I have plenty of space to spread out and I always need time with my lady friends and a good gossip magazine or two! Let me know if you want to attend and we can come up with a date. I am actually thinking January or February (That is what Ann and I have sort of come to).

Remember...post some comments and let me know you are there!

Blaise the Photographer

Here are a couple of Blaise's works of art. He is pretty good at it--very artistic!

Fire House Party

Blaise's birthday this year fell on the same day as the Annual Eldorado Fire House Party. We went, ate, played and got to bounce in the bouncy houses and even meet Smokey Bear. The balloon swords were perhaps the biggest hit!

Funny thing about Smokey Bear is that he needs a better belt because there was a little plumbers crack--what do you call that when a bear has it?? It cracked me up and I found myself checking out the bear,s ass way to much than is normal for a human!

The big Celebration

Blaise turned four! These are the pictures and video from his party at school. All of his classmates, teachers and Violet too, made him cards and Gina read them all. They were wonderful and very creative (3 and 4 year olds say some pretty funny stuff). We played outside, ate lunch together and had cup cakes!

FIRE!!

So Many "Sleepovers"

We have been having so many kids over for "sleepovers". It is in quotations because my kids call them sleep overs, but the parents have been picking the kids up after all are asleep. The first time we did it Blaise woke up and said, "Where's Sammy Davis?" I said that his mommy picked him up and took him home. Blaise said, "But I wanted to wake up with him here!!" Are we already to the point where they are going to have sleepovers just for fun--not because they need babysitting. I hope not. I know what goes on at those things. I have had too many fun sleepovers in my life to allow that:)

This one was really fun! Blaise, Violet, Ruby and Sammy all in the bath together. All Hail Carey! She shampooed all 4 with little resistance. I think we can squeeze one or two more in there so come on over.

Hula Girl

Here are all the fun things the kids got from Nani and Bops' recent trip to hawaii.

Violet was a hula girl and Blaise like the costume too!

They got books, decals (that I put on the car) biting shark pinchers and more.

They also got little matching outfits...Violet is shooting me and Blaise is reading a magazine.

Next is a video of hula girl. Listen closely its toooo funny!!

My Birthday Weekend

I woke up this morning and Blaise said "Mom, how old are you?" I said "I'm THIRTY." He said, "No you are not, you are 29". I said "No, today I am 30." He said, "But you haven't had any birthday cake yet!"

Yes it is true my birthday was today and I am feeling a little nostalgic. The big 3-0 is a little hard to handle. Ann said to me today, "Welcome to your thirties!" and it actually felt good. I had been fearful of how I was going to take it but I am excited for what my thirties will hold. I am sure there are many things that will surprise me. I have to let go of the planning and let life take me on the ride that it is...I am getting better...but more letting go will mean more of living in the moment which is all we have.

That said...I had a great time this weekend and relaxed, worked in the yard (yeah, I know, but I am loving it), went to the zoo, did a rock painting project (more about that later), and enjoyed a little fiesta in Santa Fe. Here is what it looked like...


Breakfast on the Plaza before the pet parade. There was a mariachi band and they serenaded Violet. She really gets attention! We actually missed the pet parade. Note to self: the pet parade is short--be there early.


ZZZOOOO!!!! Blaise, Liam, Violet, Nathan, Madelyn, and Ben. (Not pictured The MOms and Jessica!)


Blaise licking my birthday Tiramisu plate. You know you are livin life right if you have tiramisu instead of birthday cake. By the way, I am adding making perfect tiramisu to my bucket list. I think it is even better than chocolate (dare I say that?)!

Blaise Says....

"Look how strong I am! Mom, are you 29 strong?"

That's right Blaise I am 29 strong and soon to be 30 strong!