Polar Express Party

 As I said in one of my last posts, we have been doing MANY fun things found on Pinterest.  When the idea to host a Polar Express Party popped into my head, I had only given myself less than 2 weeks to pull it off.  So I went straight to Pinterest and searched for fun stuff!  If you want to see my Pinterest board about Polar Express, you can find it HERE.:

As with any shindig or holiday, Kennedy wanted to help "decorate." So we had 4 signs to make sure everyone knew they were at the correct place and that they could find the basement theater.  :) Love that girl.

Being that I am who I am, we just HAD to do a craft. Well, not just one craft....THREE crafts.  Yup.  TEN kids on my kitchen floor with paint, glue, buttons....FUN I tell ya! Thank goodness for my mom friends that get their hands dirty and helped out!

Poor Quinn....she wishes she could make a craft too...

It doesn't look too bad afterward, right?!  I just put a vinyl tablecloth down and taped it in place.  It is so nice to just roll up the mess and toss it when they are finished.

These were 2 of the crafts.  Each child was a given a bag as they entered the house.  It contained all the items they needed for the crafts, plus their Golden Ticket and a Silver Bell just like from Santa's sleigh and the movie.  For the first craft, each kid got a bulb ornament.  I had previously written their name and 2011 on the bottom.  I then put brown paint on a plate and walked around so each child could dip their thumb in it.  They stamped their thumb on the ornament once or twice (or ten+ times!) and we let it dry.  While they watched the movie I drew in eyes, antlers and painted red Rudolph noses on each.  The popsicle tree took the most time. Kennedy and I pre-painted the sticks and I cut them to the correct lengths. I basically showed them a model and said "Figure it out - make a tree and decorate it!"  It was funny to see them try to put the pieces together and then glue them.  Decorating is always a blast, too!

This was the last craft.  Each child got a rectangular piece of foam.  I drew what was supposed to be a Christmas light wire on each piece.  On a plate, I had poured various colors of paint.  I walked around and let the kids dip their thumbs in the paint of their choice and press their thumbs to make the lights.  

Aren't my sweeties cute in their matching jammies?!  You know you must wear jammies to a Polar Express Party!  They wear them in the movie!!!

Next up....SNACK TIME! 
I made some homemade hot cocoa in the crock pot...not so good.  But we still had a hot cocoa bar with yummies to put in the cocoa.  I made a cookie dough dip from Pinterest...yuck.  But the kids loved the marshmallow pops, the oranges, the snack mix and eating marshmallows plain.  After the snacks it was movie time!!!  I was so tired by then I forgot to take photos of them actually watching the movie!  Oh well!


And I can't forget! I had printed out a game for the kids to take home and play with their families but I had run out of time to laminate them. Yes. I own a laminating machine.  Go ahead. Call me a dork.  Anyway, my dear mommy friend Janet laminated them while I finished their Rudolph ornaments.  Phew!  That party was a lot of work!  But totally worth it all. And  Kennedy wants to do it all over again next December!  Will it be a new tradition?  Check back next December to find out!

Christmas Recap #2

You can find the first half of our Christmas celebrations at this post!   After our Christmas morning in our jammies, we headed to Mema's house for our traditional Cornish Hen Feast!!!!   YUM!! Aren't you jealous?!

The kids did a great job of eating and then playing before the present opening began!

And isn't my elf a cutie?!

And of course Miss Q and Miss Z were adorable in their holiday outfits!    But now it is on to the GIFTS!

I just LOVE these photos!  Mema gave each family a Wii for Christmas!  Check out the look on EVERYONE'S faces!!!

Yeah, HUGE HIT FOR SURE!  We have been playing Wii a ton over the break!  I think once school begins again we may need to put a time limit in place!  

Christmas Recap #1

Christmas was pretty low key this year....I guess that is what the sickies will do.  Jeff, Quinn and I all passed around a flu bug.  So, the pictures are pretty ho-hum and I didn't take many.  Bummer.  Just felt too yucky.  


Christmas Eve was at our home with Jeff's sisters' family, Papa Lou, Aunt Barb, Cousin Michael and Great Papa Henry.  This was the night I felt the worst...I didn't even eat dinner.   
Here is Great Papa with Barbe and Zia...sleeping.

Jeff and Quinn watching others open gifts.

Lou got a photo of his mom and aunt...such a treasure.

Both Jeff and Lou got Cotton Bowl t-shirts. Go Cats!

*******************************

The next morning was just the four of us at home.   It was such a change from last year for Quinn.  She wasn't sitting up alone yet but this year she actually opened her own gifts!

This series of photos reminds me so much of Kennedy when she had her 2nd Christmas.  Papa Doug and Grandma Jodie got them ride on toys and both girls were thrilled!

Pretty cute, huh?

This is Kennedy opening her BIG gift from Santa.  A Nintendo DS!  Wonder if she liked it?

Hope you all had a blessed Christmas!   The rest of our Christmas photos will be in the next post!

Christmas Cards

I had a little trouble deciding on Christmas cards this year!  I loved so many designs!  Since we send soooo many, I made various cards!    The photos of the girls at the waterfall were taken by me. The photos of the girls in their purple dresses were taken by Christina Lundeen.   Enjoy!!!

For Unto Us Religious Christmas Card

To view our unique Christmas card designs, click here.

View the entire collection of cards.

Hand Drawn Joy Religious Christmas Card

Create personalized Christmas photo cards at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Child Is Born Religious Christmas Card

Create personalized Christmas photo cards at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Rough Edge 5x7 folded card

Create personalized greeting cards and invitations at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Shine Upon You Religious Christmas Card

Send Christmas cards personalized with your favorite photos.

View the entire collection of cards.

Oh Holy Night Religious Christmas Card

Send Christmas cards personalized with your favorite photos.

View the entire collection of cards.

Good Bye Elfie!

Wouldn't you know Elfie would make his final day with us a memorable one?!  What a surprise it was when Kennedy woke up and was TrApPeD in her room!!!!

 

And Kennedy was not too thrilled about it either.   She wasn't really sure she was allowed to break through the barrier.  Unfortunately Quinn had been sick with the flu all night long so Mommy and Daddy were very tired and not feeling so hot either.  We all just kind of sat there for a bit.  Kennedy peeking at us through the streamers and the rest of us in the hall, half asleep.  By the way, do you see Elfie in the bottom corner with a gift for her?!

 

Finally Kennedy got the courage to run through her door!  I wish I had had the energy to get a photo of that!  Elfie left the girls 2 nice notes.  One about how well behaved they had been all year and how he would miss this so so so much until he returns next Christmas.  The other was a reward for their good behavior - they were allowed to hold Elfie ALL DAY!!!!  Do you think Quinn enjoyed that??

We already miss our elf friend to pieces! But we know he is working hard with Santa in the North Pole, preparing for Christmas 2012!!!  Thanks for following Elfie's adventures with us this season!

Mr. Elfie Strikes Again

Today Elfie left ELF DONTUS for the girls to eat!

Today Elfie hid in a cup in the cupboard and left a note!!!

On this day Elfie hung out with the snowman Mom made last year!!

Hmmm...we aren't so sure what Elfie was doing today.  Possibly bungee jumping??