The Frozen/Potter Party

Last weekend, we threw a big party for two of our kiddos, Ella and Micah.  Their birthdays are only four days apart in the end of August, so it only makes sense to combine their parties.  We love birthdays around here, so we always make big deals out of their special days.  They get to pick their birthday breakfast, dinner, and dessert, we decorate and make banners, and we throw a party with family and close friends.  This year, since we just moved and have been blessed with more space, we decided to invite a long list of our friends.  The whole thing was a blast, and I was thrilled the whole time that we could do this in our new home.  It was such a joy to have people gather together and watch the kids have so much fun together.  And so thankful that our kids are so so loved.

We decided to let the kids have the "themes" that they waned to for their party, even though they had absolutely nothing to do with each other.  Ella really wanted a Frozen party and Micah really wanted a Harry Potter party, so we decided....why not??!!  Let's do them both!

(Oh, these amazing costumes are from the amazing Auntie Julie...she gets the BEST costumes every year!!!!)

My sweet, little niece all ready for the Frozen party!

We decorated three "Frozen" tables and three "Harry Potter" tables.  Because it was a rainy day, we had to set up in the garage, but it worked out great!

We found a recipe for Harry Potter's Butterbeer online...

And we had a "Make your own Olaf" edible craft for the kids.

We had Harry Potter trivia, Frozen color pages, and a group game..."Pin the Nose on Olaf" and "Pin the Beak on the Phoenix." 

I think my favorite part was the Harry Potter Photo Booth...we got a cheap castle backdrop and Harry Potter glasses on Amazon, a $5 "flying broomstick" from the party store, made cardstock ties on popsicle sticks, and used old graduation gowns for the photo booth.  That was all that was needed, and the pictures turned out darling!  Here are a few of the kids and their cousins...

The best surprise of the whole day was Micah and Sammy's BEST buddies, Chuck and Nolan, arriving on our doorstep from Michigan COMPLETELY unbeknownst to us!!!  It was SO AMAZING!!!!

And their awesome Nana and Papa...best ever! 

Matchy, matchy Harry Potter shirts!!!  

(Can you tell we're all having fun with these books around here??)

For dessert, we did a Make-your-own-Sundae Bar....it was so fun!

The kids played outside, we opened presents, and then started a bonfire for whoever was still around!

It really was such a fun day!!!  So blessed by Micah and Ella and their precious lives, and so thankful to have such wonderful people in our lives to celebrate with!  

First Day of School!

Hello Friends!

My poor, little blog has been neglected for months, and not for lack of having things to say!  Almost daily, thoughts and experiences are floating around in my mind that I want to capture and write, but it has not been happening!  We had our precious Olivia in May, decided that we were moving just weeks later, and then spent our June and July packing up her house, making repairs for a renter, finding a renter, and moving into our NEW house!  Then August was spent unpacking and organizing, celebrating two of our children's birthdays, going on a camping weekend with our church, and starting up our fall activities.  September came with more house projects and with a big birthday party for those two August birthdays, inviting lots of our family and friends and our church family since we had the space!  And so, today, we are finally starting school for the year.  I have gone back and forth between slight guilt that we are starting "late" and the knowledge that this is the freedom of homeschooling, and I have landed on the second.  We have been morning to night, every single day, busy busy busy and we just needed to have less on our schedule!  So school has waited but it is with an incredibly joyful and excited and somewhat nervous heart that we officially jumped back into our homeschooling life today!  My kids have been so excited, and Zach took a vacation day yesterday for me to plan, pray about our goals for the year, and get our curriculum in order.  Our things for the walls got hung and we felt ready to jump in today!!!

Here are the annual "First Day" pics...

And, of course, our smiley little Olivia, along for the ride...

Our new house is pretty much a miracle (more on that later), and one of my most exciting parts is a homeschooling ROOM!!!!  So, so fun.  Here are some pics of it all set up, and I can't wait for our walls to be covered in artwork and projects and maps!!

I think one of my favorite parts of the new house is the space for a homeschooling CLOSET!  Amazing!  There are two coat closets on the first level (who needs two coat closets??!) so we made one into a space for crafts and projects.  So thrilled to have this (especially with a door knob cover to keep Sophia out!!).

Sophia loved learning about the color RED today and painted three different pictures with three different kinds of red paint!  Ella got in on the fun, too!

 The kids each did an "About Me" page, too, so we can capture their little selves at these ages.  Love these.

These are some of my favorite moments...when Sammy brings his math to the kitchen floor to be close to me while I make lunch, and then when I have to drag him away from his math to stop and eat lunch!!!  As I have said before, we are not "anti-public schools" or anything like that.  We just choose to homeschool because we feel called to this lifestyle for now.  We think it is the best fit for our family, and I am thrilled to have this privilege.  I am excited for a new year of learning along with my kids and trying to figure out their gifts and strengths.  I am asking God for the daily strength, wisdom, creativity, patience, and perspective to carry out this responsibility each day.  And I can't wait to see how it will all unfold. :-)  Stay tuned.  

Blessings to you on this new school year!