At last, done and over!

So Jayna's party is over, but not flawlessly!
I ran around like a crazy person!! Starting by getting the kids to school at 9, baking the 2nd cake, running a BK errand, went to pick up my Easter pics only to realize that I forgot my debit card- DANG IT! Went home, baked my third cake and iced the first... go figure I buy some overpriced icing and it's no better than my normal stuff--- oh well, lesson learned! Got5 the last cake out the oven, got J a barbie balloon, made party favor cups with stuff within!
Had to be at the kids' school at 3:30pm for the school dance as a volunteer.... That should be a post all it's own...
It's basically 90 minutes for the kids to play tag, dance around, be kids--- not really a dance dance- yet with "party" music and then a snack by age/grade. I am continually shocked by how these preK and kindergarteners know these song and song moves I do not--- especially considering some of the lyrics.... Superman song, Go down down down song, and other songs I'd be iffy with my middle schooler dancing to... ya know what I mean? SO for the first 1/2 Tony sits miserable bored and then starts playing tag with some friends and even joined a train with a group... it was cute. JAYNA IS MY SASSY lady... she made up her own headbanging jumpin moves.... she was funny to watch. Her and her buddy Corine kept chasing their buddy Elijah and tackling and tickling him... yeah I stopped them after taking a picture;-)
After the dance I hurried home to ice the last 2 cakes and all 3 dolls. I wasn't too impressed with how they turned out but the house was hot from the oven and this over priced icing wanted to be runny--- ohwell!! Brandy came over and helped decorate the last cake.
We left for the party at 6:45pm. I got there at about 7 and start setting up--- annoyed they didn't allow me an earlier time slot since no one was there- but oh well! Then we realize there are tables closer to the outdoor playground so we move all the stuff down there. The outdoor playground is locked!! I go to the front and they say they are sending someone right away. Right away was 7:46pm... the party started at 7:30! The security chic said to keep the doors open or we would have to call to get them unlocked! Seemed rather unsafe, but we worked with it!
Kids kept showing up. Remember I only knew of 5-7 kids yesterday... Well she ended up with 8 school friends (Corrine, John, Josier, Andrew, Jada, Elijah, DJ, Jamal), 9 non school friends (Tabi, Mateo, Angela, Shania, Diamond, Lil Will, Alexus, Devin, Ta'sha), 4 cousins (Arielle, John, James and Anihe) So that's 21 kids, plus 13 adults... oh yeah and us 4!!! I only knew for sure of 7 adults! Kinda crazy going for a party of 12-14 (plus us 4) to a party of 38 including us!!!!!!
The party was good. We let the kids play outside til 8:15, ate pizza, chips and srank soda. Let J do her cake quickly and open presents which felt very disorganized and I missed most the present opening dealing with cake and my new camera wasn't on the best setting and my friend taking pics didn't know any better so the quality of gift opening pictures is ehhh... cell phone-ish!
Anyhow gave away all the party favors... had to divide some up to have enough, but it worked out well enough!
So Marko's fam and us are still there cleaning up. Apparently I missed where my bro was telling Tony to go outside and play... we had told him NOT TO previously as I had checked the grounds and cleared it of ki8ds and belongings. He was bringing in the last propped open chair as I was loading the van and you got it.... my 6 year old is LOCKED IN THE PLAYGROUND!! He's crying hysterically, it's after 9 the front welcome center volunteers are gone. The remaining church people are not familar with the church. I see the Cafe' girls leaving track em down and they walk back to the cafe' to get me the security number for the police to come unlock the doors so I can reclaim my kid! The security giggled when I called but they did come in only 10 minutes this time!
Overall successful... def more stressful thyan Tony's and a bit bigger than I like but J was happy! Pictures will be posted tomorrow!

Birthday Party Fustrations

Was trying to ignore my high level of annoyance, but instead time to vent.
I am 2 days away from her party and...

So in JANUARY I scheduled J's party--- because that is how quickly things book up where J wanted her party. Even at the end of Jan--- 3 mos notice, all weekends were booked through mid may. So I agreed on a Friday--- later than I wanted... 7:30pm-9:00pm. That was annoyance #1 as I know J wants school friends there, it's unlikely in that time slot but I figured it was equally unlikely during the school week...
haven't let her know that...

I have received THREE RSVPs out of over 30! How to I plan having no clue? Are any of her classmates coming? No clue! I know my parents, 1 brother, her godmom and fam and then Wendy's gang are coming along with her cousin Skylar but no clue with anyone else... No clue what to buy for party favors should I plan for just the 5 deff coming kids? What about food... how much to buy when I haveno clue who is coming!?

Next Marko's mom can no longer come. Jayna REALLY loves seeing her. I really get along with her but am fustrated with it all! We offered to drive 60 miles each way to bring her and now her job is changing her schedule! It's always something. J's been asking to spend the night for almost a year, and that hasn't happened either...4

Then the REAL blow... I worked today--- crappy day at that, shorthanded. Then a lil after 4 Marko calls and tells me Kid's Cove called (J's party place) and said we can't have the party in the Kid's Cove as they were closing it for repairs, but we can have it in the outdoor playground... I was pissed. Her party is at 7:30pm, just as it's getting dark! HOW CAN WE HAVE IT OUTSIDE? It's 2 flipin' days before the party an being I have no clue whos coming I can't move it to say my house or my mom's. I don't have the funds or time to go elsewhere anyways with 2 days notice! I checked at 7:30 today it was def dusk, by 8 it was dark. What a bummer. I am way too big on bday parties so maybe this is a lesson in my flexibility.
I got made at walmart for messing up 2 bday cakes for my kids so I learned how to do them myself so I could make sure from then on everything would be done correctly, and now something else I can't control! And of course I am probably over-reacting but I guess since I am working so much I do my absolute best to make bdays super special and as perfect as possible.... I start planning parties 6 mos in advance! I started buying J's supplies before Christmas.... wonder how pictures in the dark will look... I am now in a bad mood!


But the plus side... I am soooo excited for J to open her gift... it's actually kind of a hand me down... so I saved boodles kinda! I was gunna get her a Twinn doll but just couldn't spend that soooo...
I am giving her my 1st American Girl Doll. I got it when I was 9. I sent Molly to the AG doll hospital wear they cleaned her up and she looks like new... plus she has J's hair and eye color-- or very close. When J open's it she'll I hope be super excited to see it wearing the SAME thing as her... I got her doll an exact matching outfit to her!

Family pics

Happy Birthday Alexus Jewel!

Four years ago when her momma was very pregnant, I hired Lexi's mom at BK. 3 months later Diamond was born. 10.5 months later Alexus Jewel was born. I NAMED HER!!! Her biggest sis wanted her to be Jasmine Alexus... but our bud's new puppy was Jasmine I cheered for Alexus and then since her big sis was Diamond-- Jewel was fitting!
She turned 3 today with a small Barbie party at Peaks View Park. Silly me forgot my camera card and my cam only hold a few pics internally. Here's the cake I made for her along with her blowing out candles and opening her gift from me!

Pirate Day

Today was a super fun new experience!! We went to an activity day at our local library. I got a library card this fall and the kids love getting library books! This is like a "supped up" story time! It was so fun!
We got tattoos, mustaches, name tags and hats. Ant was Captain Crow and Jayna was Cast-a-way Kacie. Then we has story time and learned a lil about Real pirates-- including it wouldn't be a good career choice- lol We read How I became a pirate.




Then we made Pirate Flags and a parrot to sit on our shoulder and played several games! Can't wait for the next activity day!

Raining Rocks

Monday 4/5 afternoon I had got back to work about 5pm and it was raining crazy hard and of course THAT is when the hail begins! They were like nice sized pebbles. After it stopped (thus time to melt) they still showed up as a nice size on my camera. The pebble looking stuff in Matt's beautifully newly planted flowers that morn/early afternoon are hail...



After work Tony got more practice on his bike! Blurry pic, but didn't have any of him on his new bike!

Happy Easter

I was up until 3am preparing baskets and filled eggs for the kids. Then the alarm went off at 8am for church. I couldn't get up... got up at 8:40 and managed to get me and both kids dressed at to the church by 9am... still took til 9:10 to get them both checked in. It was a good service.
Afterwards, we left for Roanoke to Momma's! Momma made ham, turkey, tato salad, baked beans. I made pepperoni rolls and pasta salad. For dessert Momma made amazing lemon cake!!
She had Aunt D and her friend Lee over and John and Maurice.
After we ate we dyed Easter Eggs. Momma taught the kids how to write on them!




Then we had an Easter Egg Hunt! It was fun as well!










Tongue Tat:


After the egg hunt I attempted to get a nap while the kids played with their new toys, chalk and bubbles. Marko wouldn't allow- grrr! Around 7pm we left to go see Tabitha, Sean, Arielle, and John- Marko's cousins. The kids hit it off immediately! We were there til 11pm!! It was great to catch up but made for one tired mommy!