This afternoon, The Boy, The Girl, The Tot, The Dad and I hosted a crowd of little kids and their mothers (and a few fathers) for our first (annual?) cookie-decorating party. It was great fun!
The Kids and I spent the morning rolling, cutting, and baking Alton Brown's sugar cookies in holiday shapes (The Tot was disappointed that I would not let him eat the cookies as they came out of the oven). And when our guests arrived, I set out bowls of royal icing (colored with India Tree natural food tints), Wilton sugars and nonpareils, chocolate hips, waxed paper, knives and all the blank-slate cookies. The kids made cookies, ate cookies, and ran around the house together while the moms chatted. We were going to watch The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, but everyone was having such fun in free play without it that we skipped it. I think a good time was had by all (except maybe The Tot, who needed a nap, and Cara, who didn't know my crowd of city-mom friends).
The Girl and The Tot fell asleep on me after most of our guests left, and The Boy was in bed, again, before 7 p.m. tonight!
Showing posts with label party. Show all posts
Showing posts with label party. Show all posts
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Bounce...Bounce...Bounce
Once upon a time, we went out to the 'burbs on a weekly basis. These days, the school day is much longer and the price of gas much higher and, consequently, we don't make it out as often. Today, however, was a special occasion: Gracie's 4th birthday.
We dropped The Boy off at school this morning, but when the bell rang at 8:50 a.m., The Girl did not run inside to her own classroom, but instead hopped in The Great White Moose with me and The Tot for the drive out to the western 'burbs. Our ultimate destination was the Bounce Town in Oswego, but we made stops at both Oakbrook Centre (for sheets at PBK and in-person shopping for a friend at Hanna Andersson) and IKEA-Bolingbrook.
Until recently, I had never even heard of Oswego. It is far from the city. It is far even from Aurora. It felt like I was driving forever down Ogden, past warehouses and strip malls full of big box stores that used to be farmland and prairie. We got there a bit late, but The Girl had a bit of time to climb on the giant, inflatable structures before we adjourned to the party room for pizza, cake, and to watch the present-opening. The Tot was a bit overwhelmed by all the unfamiliar little people; he stuck close to me the whole time. The Girl hugged Gracie good-bye and we headed back into the city.
We dropped The Boy off at school this morning, but when the bell rang at 8:50 a.m., The Girl did not run inside to her own classroom, but instead hopped in The Great White Moose with me and The Tot for the drive out to the western 'burbs. Our ultimate destination was the Bounce Town in Oswego, but we made stops at both Oakbrook Centre (for sheets at PBK and in-person shopping for a friend at Hanna Andersson) and IKEA-Bolingbrook.
Until recently, I had never even heard of Oswego. It is far from the city. It is far even from Aurora. It felt like I was driving forever down Ogden, past warehouses and strip malls full of big box stores that used to be farmland and prairie. We got there a bit late, but The Girl had a bit of time to climb on the giant, inflatable structures before we adjourned to the party room for pizza, cake, and to watch the present-opening. The Tot was a bit overwhelmed by all the unfamiliar little people; he stuck close to me the whole time. The Girl hugged Gracie good-bye and we headed back into the city.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
A Strong Community
Can I just say that I love my local community? I've been a resident of my neighborhood for nearly 6 years, but it's only in the past year or two that I've felt like I've been a community resident. Today proved it yet again.
I brought The Girl to her ballet class yesterday morning. I had planned to walk there, but The Boy was limping along, so we had to abort the mission and drive instead. I passed Allison and her kids along the way. The Girl, The Baby, and I waited for them after parking The Great White Moose, but they had stopped to chat with Caroline D. and her family, who were on their way home from the YMCA. So we went into ballet instead, where we ran into Beth T. and her daughter, and a few friends from various other classes. As soon as we got inside, The Girl told me to "go," so I walked over to Starbucks with The Baby and Allison.
Afterwards, I picked up The Dad and The Boy, and we joined Allison and her family at Caroline D.'s house to hang out. The Boy stayed behind to play with the boys, and The Dad and I took The Girl, The Baby, and Allison's daughter, Peri, with us to lunch at our favorite breakfast-lunch spot, Curio Cafe. The Dad was quite cute with the girls, holding hands with each one across the street. I had the Plato Tipico ($7.95), which has become my new favorite CC dish, The Dad had his favorite CC dish, the steak sandwich ($7.50), The Girl got the alphabet noodles and cheese ($3.50), The Baby had eggs-potatoes-and-toast ($3.50), and Peri got the grilled cheese ($3.50). Yum! Afterwards, we came back to our house to let The Baby nap and let the little girls play: kitchen, dress-up, and coloring.
Peri's mom picked her up, and we took The Baby and The Girl and headed back to Caroline D.'s house, where we dropped off the little ones and picked up The Boy. Then we headed to Uptown to attend Uncle Bad's birthday BBQ. The Boy left with Grandma and Grandpa Naperville after about 1/2 an hour; they took him to visit Super Grandpa in Indiana. It was odd being at an adult party! I think The Girl and The Baby may have had a better time attending a birthday party at Caroline D.'s neighbor's house.
It was a great day. I also fell asleep at 8:30 and got a solid and rejuvenating 12 hours of sleep.
I brought The Girl to her ballet class yesterday morning. I had planned to walk there, but The Boy was limping along, so we had to abort the mission and drive instead. I passed Allison and her kids along the way. The Girl, The Baby, and I waited for them after parking The Great White Moose, but they had stopped to chat with Caroline D. and her family, who were on their way home from the YMCA. So we went into ballet instead, where we ran into Beth T. and her daughter, and a few friends from various other classes. As soon as we got inside, The Girl told me to "go," so I walked over to Starbucks with The Baby and Allison.
Afterwards, I picked up The Dad and The Boy, and we joined Allison and her family at Caroline D.'s house to hang out. The Boy stayed behind to play with the boys, and The Dad and I took The Girl, The Baby, and Allison's daughter, Peri, with us to lunch at our favorite breakfast-lunch spot, Curio Cafe. The Dad was quite cute with the girls, holding hands with each one across the street. I had the Plato Tipico ($7.95), which has become my new favorite CC dish, The Dad had his favorite CC dish, the steak sandwich ($7.50), The Girl got the alphabet noodles and cheese ($3.50), The Baby had eggs-potatoes-and-toast ($3.50), and Peri got the grilled cheese ($3.50). Yum! Afterwards, we came back to our house to let The Baby nap and let the little girls play: kitchen, dress-up, and coloring.
Peri's mom picked her up, and we took The Baby and The Girl and headed back to Caroline D.'s house, where we dropped off the little ones and picked up The Boy. Then we headed to Uptown to attend Uncle Bad's birthday BBQ. The Boy left with Grandma and Grandpa Naperville after about 1/2 an hour; they took him to visit Super Grandpa in Indiana. It was odd being at an adult party! I think The Girl and The Baby may have had a better time attending a birthday party at Caroline D.'s neighbor's house.
It was a great day. I also fell asleep at 8:30 and got a solid and rejuvenating 12 hours of sleep.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Busy Day
Today was a very busy day for me. As soon as I got up, I took The Baby with me to the Swedish Bakery in Andersonville to pick up petit fours for The Girl's birthday tea party. I also got a couple of donuts to bring back for The Boy, The Girl, and The Dad.
When we got home, it was time to take The Girl to her Saturday ballet class. She had a fantastic time with "Miss Jen." I went across the street to Starbucks and got some work done.
After ballet, The Dad took The Baby, The Boy, and The Girl to our neighborhood greasepit, Munchies, for hot dogs and gyros, while I prepped for the party. We all had a bath and changed into our party clothes.
And then five little girls and their mothers came over for tea!
When we got home, it was time to take The Girl to her Saturday ballet class. She had a fantastic time with "Miss Jen." I went across the street to Starbucks and got some work done.
After ballet, The Dad took The Baby, The Boy, and The Girl to our neighborhood greasepit, Munchies, for hot dogs and gyros, while I prepped for the party. We all had a bath and changed into our party clothes.
And then five little girls and their mothers came over for tea!
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