Happy Easter 2015!!!

Cinderella birthday party

Melody turned 9 last month and with the new movie coming out, she *had* to choose Cinderella for her themed party.  We had a great time finding and coming up with ideas for her birthday party.

FOOD

**Cinderella Carriage Cake**

**Fairy Godmother Wands**

**Cinderella's Garden Vegetables**

**Cinderella and Stepmother Sweet & Sout Meatballs**

**Jaq and Gus Sandwiches**

(some of my sweet nieces arrived a little early, so I put them to work in making these mice sandwiches.  They were such a good help and did a great job!)

We also served Princess Pasta (a tri color pasta salad) and Prince Charming Punch (fruit punch juice boxes!).

GAMES/ACTIVITIES

1.  Chores - How can you have a Cinderella party and not include chores?  I kinda surprised the girls on this one...

 "I heard there is a ball tonight!  Are you girls ready for the ball?  If so....  then we need to get this place in better order.  And we must divide up the work!  Chop Chop!!"  

So the girls divided into groups of 2 or 3 and sang their "Happy Working Song" as they worked away.

2.  Scavenger Hunt - I found the cutest princess Scavenger Hunt online and sprinkled in a little more of a Cinderella theme.  This was so much fun!!

**First clue**

With the jewels all shiny and bright,
I will be all ready for the big night.
We will make one of these for our head.
Prince Phillip and the Fairies love these, they said.
Guess the Princess:  Aurora
What did we do?  the girls received their princess crowns

**Second clue**

Now that the crowns are complete,
We are ready for something real neat.
Off with Aladdin we run,
To find the Magic Carpet of fun.
Stories await us when we’ve arrived
And make-up will be applied.
Name the Princess:  Jasmine
Whad did we do?  the girls put on some (light) make-up onto their eyelids 

**Third Clue**

With Prince Eric we go to the sea of balls,

To find a picture of the Princess who calls.
She’s a mermaid with a voice,
Who had to make a choice,
Between living in the sea or on land.
Name the Princess – Ariel
What did we do?  the girls got to search through a sea of balls to find the ball with Ariel's sticker

**Fourth Clue**

We have found Ariel in the sea.
So we wonder what the next clue will be.
With so much fun to be had,
You are sure to be glad,
To solve a ‘puzzle’ with the Beast’s love and her friends.
 Name the Princess – Bell
What did we do?   the girls got to solve Cinderella themed look-and-find puzzles

**Fifth Clue**

By now you probably can’t wait,
To hear the next clue at any rate.
With a pumpkin and mice in a trance.
This Princess is late for the dance.
Name the Princess - Cinderella
What did we do?   the girls received their wand and danced to Bippidi Boppidi Boo on Just Dance Disney (although only the birthday princes held the actual remote)

**Sixth Clue**

What fun to dance all around.
Next we are going to take some time with a crayon.
This Princess with her long hair loves to paint,
And hits Flynn Ryder so hard that he faints.
Name the Princess - Rapunzel
What did we do?  color their very best chalk drawings outside

**Seventh Clue**

This Princess must kiss Naveen.
The only problem is that he is green.
Lay a smacker on lips,
And there won’t be any tricks.
A Prince you will have at last.
Name the Princess - Tiana
What are we doing?  the girls played "Pin the Kiss on the Frog"  (our Mario made the frog - didn't he turn out adorable??!!)

**Eighth Clue**

Tired and ready for a treat.
There is cake and ice cream that is ready to eat.
Let’s have some right now
And find the slipper somehow
When our bellies are no longer grumbling.
What did we do?  the girls found the glass slipper hidden out in the bread maker and then we served the cake

++Thank you, God, for fun ways to celebrate the birthdays of the beautiful blessings you have sent our way!!++

Proud mom moment

Well, to correct myself, it's not just 'one' proud mom moment, it's many.  It's seeing my boys take what they have learned from a video making class last summer and run with it.  Fone and Mario took a 4H film-making class and have been making videos non-stop since then.  After having been so consistent and using their time wisely to make these videos, not to mention the one-on-one bonding time spent as brothers (precious!!!!!), Neil and I let them start up their own YouTube channel - Funny Boys Productions.

***Go there and see all the things they have created!!  You will not be disappointed.  Better yet, like and subscribe so as not to miss another Funny Boys video***

A week ago, we attended the Premiere Party and viewing for the Short Film Contest put on by all the local libraries in our area. Of course, our own Funny Boys had a submission and we knew they would do a fantastic job.  

We started the night enjoying a pizza party as a family.  

Our movie stars even got the red carpet treatment, along with all the other teens who submitted videos!!  

And, then everyone went into the HUGE imax theater and we got to see the videos on the big screen.  It was so neat!!!

At the end of the night, awards were given and our boys won the Viewers Choice Award and CASH prize!!!  They were thrilled!!  Here they are receiving their award and Fone giving the acceptance speech....

++Thank you, God, for instilling in our funny boys a sense of creativity and love for each other!!++

9 things we love about you!!

Today you turn 9, darling!  My once 9 pound 9 ounce bundle of SO many gifts from God that keeps blossoming more and more each year!!  In celebration of your 9th birthday, the 9 of us wanted to share what we love about you!!!

#1- your happy personality, that you like to play with me, and are fun to be around (Melody)

#2-  your giggly personality (Mario)

#3-  you hold me and snuggle me (Yoda)

#4- your giggles and I like it when you tickle me (Max)

#5- how you have good ideas when we play together (Pookey)

#6-  when you help me brush my teeth and put the toothpaste on my toothbrush (Rose)

#7-  you are generous (Fone)

#8- you are always so kind to everyone, so helpful, and radiate JOY all throughout the day (Mommy)

#9- I love your spunk and the unbreakable joy with which you approach life (Daddy)

++Loving God, you created all the people of the world and you know each of us by name. We thank you for "Ariel", who celebrates her birthday today. Bless her with your love and friendship that she may grow in wisdom, knowledge, and grace. May she love her family always and be faithful to her friends. Amen. ++

Siblings make the best of friends

Two weeks ago today, we had snow on the ground and more ice/snow on the way.   It's hard to believe that we've been enjoying temps in the 50's all week now.  Spring is finally here and we are loving it!  I can barely keep the kids in!!  Other than this little guy - he's staying inside plenty with me.  It's still pretty cool for him to be out.  Plus I like the one-on-one time with him!!!  He is so stinkin' cute and sweet.  He just coo's and goo's and giggles when he sees me.  I guess he loves his momma!  :)

This weekend was another Cursillo renewal weekend in our area.  How blessed I am to be helping chair the kitchen with my 3 sisters and my mom.  I never knew growing up how close we would be to each other as adults.  Siblings truly do make the best of friends.  So do moms (and dads too!).  I can only hope and pray that our own young ones will treasure their siblings and love them as much as I do mine!!

++Thank you, God, for the gift of siblings!!!++