Smurf-arific good time!!!

I know I LOVED the smurfs growing up so I was really excited to be chosen by Crowdtap.com (check it out!) to host a Smurf Party this past weekend!  We ended up having 10 kids ranging from 1 1/2 to 8 years old and 3 adults attend.  I was a little worried about finding activities that would entertain the whole crew but it went better than I ever expected and everyone had a great time.

We started with the color pages while we waited for the Smurfcakes to cook and everyone to get there.  The Smurfcakes were a hit, we used whip cream to make a hat and nose and blue and brown m&ms to make the eyes and mouth.  The kids thought it was hilarious! Here's a picture of one (sorry I can't get it to flip the right way):



We also served Smurfberry (blueberry) Muffins and two kind of blue Smurf Juice.  Next we started decorating the Smurf village.  I think this was the hit of the party.  We had one big house and five small houses to decorate and every single kid (and adult) got in on it.  They did such a great job. I was so impressed!  Here are a few pictures from that part:

After the Smurf Village was done and set aside to dry, we watched a couple Smurf Christmas episodes.  I was shocked how quiet it got during them, but they were really enjoying it.  They also learning during one of them that Smurfs were 3 apples tall, which led nicely into our next activities.  I had baked apple shaped cookies and put out icing and sprinkles for the kids to decorate them.  Then for the older kids and adults, I had some apples for them to try their hand at apple stacking (not as easy as you'd think).  Here's some pictures (don't mind the halloween plates, we completely ran out of blue ones during breakfast):

By this point the kids were sugared up and the parents were exhausted! It was a successful party! All the kids got to take home the Smurf houses they worked on along with the cookies they decorated and some Smurf cupcakes to share with their friends and family that couldn't come.  They also each took home a blue and white balloon or two.  I loved doing my first hosted party through Crowdtap.com and hope I get to do more in the future!

10 Day You Challenge: Day 10 - 1 Picture

Day 10 : 1 Picture

This is a summary of my life...

10 Day You Challenge: Day 9 - 2 Songs

Day 9 : 2 Songs

1.  Where Were You By Alan Jackson 
           This still makes me tear up every time I hear it.

2.  My Wish By Rascal Flatts
        I love this song and I think of Becca whenever I hear it.

10 Day You Challenge: Day 8 - 3 Films

Day 8 : 3 Films

1.  Love Actually / The Holiday.. it's a tie, I LOVE them both and watch them over and over again during the holidays.

2.  Memento... GREAT movie!!

3.  Beauty and the Beast

10 Day You Challenge: Day 7 - 4 Books

Day 7 : 4 Books

1.  Angels & Demons  By Dan Brown

Ok, really anything by Dan Brown.  I LOVE them all!!

2.  I Wished For You   By Marianne Richmond

GREAT adoption story!! It makes me tear up everytime we read it.

3. Twilight Series   By Stephanie Meyer

I NEVER get into this stuff but these were GOOD!!

4.  Anything by Jodie Piccoult

Her books are great!  They are all about controversial issues (death penalty, suicide, test tube babies, etc) and they look at the issue from all angles and points of view.  It makes for an interesting and thought provoking read.

This next picture is so true of most movies too!  Especially My Sister's Keeper.

10 Day You Challenge: Day 6 - 5 Foods

Day 6 : 5 Foods

1. Cheese.  I love it... on everything!!

2.  Franks Red Hot.  So good, especially mixed with ranch dressing.

3.  Ranch dressing.  See above.

4.  Chicken Marsala.  Yum!

5.  Pizza.  Guilty pleasure.

10 Day You Challenge: Day 5 - 6 Places

Day 5 - 6 Places... I love/want to see

1. Great Wall of China.  My goal is to see all 7 Wonders of the World.

2. Sydney, Australia.  I had a layover here once, but I want to go back.

3. Egypt.  I really want to see the pyramids.  I think it would be amazing.

4.  Ground Zero.  I've never been to New York.

5.  Empire State Building.  Darn Sleepless in Seattle...

6.  Home.  It's where the heart is.

10 Day You Challenge: Day 4 - 7 Wants

Day 4 : 7 Wants

1.  I want a new job.

2.  I want to be more patient.

3.  I want to be a mom again.

4.  I want to be happy.

5.  I want to be a good mom.

6.  I want to love what I do.

7.  I want Becca to get everything she wants out of life and more.

10 Day You Challenge: Day 3 - 8 Fears

Day 3 : 8 Fears

1.  Dying.  I'm not ready.

2.  Not finding "the One".

3.  Not being able to get pregnant (when I want to, not now).

4.  Losing someone I love.

5.  Failing as a mother. It scares me how truly and completely she trusts and relies on me sometimes.

6.  Spiders.  They give me the heebie jeebies.

7.  Losing our financial security.  I worry about money all the time.  We're on a very tight budget these days, but I also don't want Becca to miss out on anything because of it.

8.  Not achieving my goals.  There are a lot of things I still want to accomplish in life and I'm scared I won't be able to get there.

Santa

I came across this article on facebook today and thought I'd share.  I hope I don't have to have this conversation for a very VERY long time, but when I do, I hope I can explain it as well as her.

Here's the link:

The Truth About Santa

10 Day You Challenge: Day 2 - Nine Loves

Day 2 : Nine Loves

1.  Becca's laugh.  She has a great belly laugh and you can't help but giggle too.

2.  Fall.  I LOVE sweatshirt weather and watching the leaves change.

3.  Cheese... on EVERYTHING.

4.  Dexter.  He's a goof, but he's a great dog and sometimes a good guard dog (even though he barks at his reflection...a lot).

5.  Reading.  I don't have much time to do it lately, but having the Kindle helps.

6.  Traveling.  I love meeting new people, experiencing new cultures and places and seeing new things.

7.  Chai Tea Lattes.  SOO good!

8.  My family.  They're crazy, but I wouldn't trade them in even if I could.

9.  Becca.  She's amazing.

10 Day You Challenge: Day 1 - Ten Secrets

I have seen this challenge on a couple other blogs, so I figured it's a good place to start.



Day 1: Ten Secrets

1.  I can't ride a bike.  I used to know how and that whole "It's just like riding a bike" saying... complete lie!!

2.  I've become a complete homebody.  I'd much rather have a night in with the kiddos than go out anymore.

3.  I'm much more open to adopting another kid than meeting Mr. Right right now. 

4.  I get tired of feeling like I'm the only one trying to keep a friendship going (and have gotten to the point that I'm done with some people recently).

5.  It takes a lot to get close to me.  I can (and will) be a good listener/good friend/shoulder to lean on/someone you can count on, but that doesn't mean I feel that close to you.  I need it to go both ways and the older I get, the more I realize there are a lot of people who need someone to listen, but can't listen themselves.

6.  I'm unhappy with my life in more than one area and I feel like I'm in a rut to change it.  I just want a solution to fall out of the sky.

7.  I'm extremely worried about my finances right now.

8.  I miss traveling.

9.  I'm scared I'm a bad parent.

10.  I would rather text than talk.  I hate being limited to doing one thing at a time, so the only time I can tolorate talking on the phone is while driving.

This is going to be hard...

Where to start

I follow a few blogs of friends, couponing sites and acquaintances and have been wanting to start one of my own.  Just to talk, vent and keep record of things. 

So, a little about me.  I just adopted my daughter last December.  I was her foster mom since she was 4 days old, so she's basically always been mine.  She's a handful and the most stubborn, smart, amazing, opinionated girl I know.  I hope she keeps these traits all her life, but while she's 2, it can be a pain. :oP

My daughter, B and I on vacation in St. Augustine, FL.

The other love of my life is our 9 month old labrador, Dexter.  He's slowly calming down and isn't as crazy but he's a 66lb lap dog.

Dexter (9 months)

Nice to meet you!