orange and green train party!

warning: lots o' pictures filled with orange and green coming your way.  

when we first asked the boys what kind of party they wanted to have for their third birthday, liam said a "percy train party" and finn said a "thomas train party."  well...  i'm all for doing what my boys want on their birthday, but i don't really like brands.  so we turned it into a train party.  then it somehow evolved into an orange and green train party because these are their favorite colors (their sheets on their beds are orange and green, and somehow they became the faves).  i liked this idea much more, so it basically ended up looking like an orange and green party and i put a couple of their trains on the table for good measure.  maybe i could say orange and green a few more times...  although it was just family and a couple friends, in our world, that means 20+ people, but with a little help from my in-laws and fantasia while i baked their cupcakes, we managed to have a pretty fun party.  (yes, i've gotten a few ideas from pinterest).

happy birthday, liam and finn!

 the spread...

although i had grand plans for a candy buffet,

bulk candy is $$$!!! 

 liam was quite content between clare and grace

and bryan was quite content drinking his orange cream soda

("it's just like drinking ice cream!")

 bring on the cupcakes!

 and the OCD...

finn: mom, wipe my fingers, i got icing on them!

 me and my loves

 my favorite picture of the night...

 you see this washcloth?

 this is what you do with it.

 a book from spencer and grace

 etch-a-sketches from molly

 and i don't want to brag or anything... but --

 the best presents by far... tricycles!

from mommy and daddy

 the smiles were endless...

and they haven't stopped asking to ride them since...

but it's 30 degrees outside and our door jambs are already a little torn up from them riding them around in circles last night.  looks like it's going to be a looonng winter, but luckily we have a few days coming up that will be warm enough to venture down to the park.  happy third birthday to these great boys!!

the fam

it's been a wonderful, exhausting, family-filled couple of weeks.  having my sister, her husband and their two kiddos here the week of christmas, bryan having off work (yea!!) for all of it, then working five in a row while i woke up every morning feeling like it was a little more like groundhog day every day, happy new year and the boys' third birthday party to end the madness yesterday.  it was a lot.  so i am going to go take a bath.  i will have a plethora of party pictures up soon (ish), stay tuned.  in the meantime, happy happy new year.

thanksgiving

benbo wreden

the bowtie was too adorable.

my guys were pretty cute, too

 i added a bit of bittersweet because the pumpkins were a little bare

 finn couldn't get enough of the cranberries

 and sean couldn't get enough of the turkey

 going to see poppy at hall's is going to be so much fun this year

 we wish benbo was around more...

 uncle sean is too much fun!

 all piled in the car on our way to the airport - 7 in the morning and 30 degrees outside!

what a way to start the day..

thanksgiving placecards

every year, i get martha's (yes, i'd like to think we're on a first-name basis) thanksgiving issue and pine over all the tablescapes and flowers and centerpieces, etc.  we've never had the opportunity to really put the effort into it because we always do thanksgiving at my aunt and uncle's house.  this year, my sister, brother-in-law and nephew will be here, and my parents are hosting just the immediately family.  woohoo!  the martha comes out - except i can't find where i got this idea, so i'm just going to say martha inspired me...  

apparently, all mini pumpkins (the flat, not round ones) disappear the week thanksgiving hits.  which i don't totally get, but i also don't understand why christmas songs start happening the day after halloween.  i digress.  so after hitting whole foods, walmart, michaels, i finally found ones that are just ok at hen house.  they're the smallest 'pumpkin pie' pumpkins i could dig out of the bin.  i bought a couple cans of different colored spray paint, and molly and i decided we liked the copper one better than the champagne.  we wrapped the stems with tape to keep them au naturel, put on our coats, and braved the 35 degree weather to spruce them up!

 

 action shot

then for the placecards, i used gold ink, a paper source stamp, and a gold pen for our names.  we rounded the corners, poked a hole, and ran some sheer brown ribbon through.  

 voila!

party time!

a few days after we got back from florida, kathy and eddie had their reception in sugar creek.  good times were had by all, including my parents!   

 the happy couple

 mom and dad

 all of the stork women

 a better one, this time without frauline maria

and a little straggler from the beach

sand, sun, and mojitos...

one of the many beautiful sunsets

 our lips are blue, but we're not getting out!!

 mama and her ring-bearers

 playing with our buddy, eli

 the model

(the pants fit perfectly!!)

 notice the half-empty glass - it was necessary.

 let's see, how many different places can i get this sand?

 the pink shell

 we're never gonna wanna leave!

i promise there are more pictures, but here's the thing.  we had the great idea of starting a shutterfly site that everyone could add pictures to once they got home and started downloading.  then everyone could have free range and get some they might not have gotten otherwise.  for instance, me, who never had a camera in hand because i was chasing sand-flinging boys.  well, there are just a few pictures - 1600, to be exact. ish.. i think there are a few of us who have problems editing before uploading.  so needless to say, i haven't gotten through all of them yet.  and with bryan leaving for san francisco (so jealous) for the next 4 days, i doubt i'll have time.. but i'll try.  we really did have a great time, the boys loved the beach, the wedding was perfect, the resort was perfect, we got to see good friends who came down from tampa for a couple of days, it was a great trip.