starting early..

courtesy merimeri.com

last year, i was too busy feeling guilty about the boys' birthday being the day after christmas that i didn't really think about having to plan christmas (decorating, making cookies, choosing gifts, etc.) and their party at the same time.  everything turned out ok, but the month of december was kind of a blur for me.  i'm almost sure their first year of life was a blur, but that's a whole other story.  this year, i'm trying really hard to start early.  i haven't done anything yet in the way of christmas, partly because i'm anti-christmas before thanksgiving.  however,  it only seems smart to be prepared for the season so you can actually enjoy it.  duh. and now that the guys are getting big enough to enjoy it as well, that means i have to step up my game.  enter williams sonoma.  

i was there in october, buying bryan a sixth year anniversary gift (a really sharp and scary chef's knife), and trying to keep the stroller moving so the whole store wouldn't hear the whining, i found the section that i always ooh and aah over, but never purchase from.  you know the one, the cookie decorating, cupcake kits, all the frills that would totally make your cookies stand out, but you don't want to put the effort into.  oh, that's just me?  well, not this year!  the boys love, i mean loooovvve, the zoo.  bryan takes them there almost every week and they've got the animal sounds down.  finn nearly hyperventilates as we near the entrance.  the elephant is definitely a favorite, along with the lion.  so cute.   these little cupcake toppers/papers caught my eye - they're not too cutesy, all the colors are very hip, and i guess i can do cupcakes instead of a boring 9x13 cake.  although i did do layer cakes last year that were a big hit.  (partly because my sister-in-law lisa, or wee-ah, is a wiz at icing a cake!)  thus began the inspiration for the boys' second birthday party.  not too much, just a few poms like we did last year and good food.  oh, and really cute invitations, of course.  i'll post those in a bit.