NFTD

So Party #2 of the day was our friendsgiving, or NFTD (new fangled turkey day) - our friends from college would get together every year and do their own interpretation of Thanksgiving...only a little elevated. I am blessed to have friends that like to cook...and its mainly the guys...they love it maybe a little more than the girls. Its especially nice whenever Eric and Julia come over and Julia and I sit and sip Rose while our men cook for hours. Its pretty awesome, not gunna lie. So I had this vision in my head of this fall dinner with all our friends. Since having babies...and now multiple babies...it gets harder and harder to spend quality time together...and by quality time i mean time without kiddos :) 

I was able to find a house to rent down the street, which worked out nice, except that no house is mean to house 7 kids under 4. But my friends are pretty awesome and didn't complain and made it work. We had an amazing time - amazing dinner - great conversation - awesome toasts and very full bellies. I was so blown away by the love and respect in the room and this collection of friendships spanning 15 - 20 years - lots of history and lots of love. These people have seen me at my absolute best and my absolute worst (and they all will gladly share stories with you) and I am so grateful that Bryan and I have them in our lives. Even though the weekend was hectic and I ended up making myself sick, I was so uplifted after our time together. 

I think that this is what my 30s is all about - focusing on what is important - nurturing those lifetime friendships and celebrating even the tiniest of things. I am beyond grateful.

Bryson's 7th Olympic Party

Olympic Birthday Sandwich Bar

Bodie demonstrating the paper airplane portion, the Nerf target is in the background

The Hula Hoopla game

The party people

Bodie and his olympic torch cupcake

The only picture of Bryson that was taken...boo

The gold medal winners

The (very necessary) pinata...I was told it wasn't a party without one...so i filled it with their Halloween candy! ha!

The greedy bunch

(I am pre-dating this since I am a month late - FYI)  Bryson's 7th Birthday party. We had so much fun this year watching the olympics and seeing the amazing athletes. I told Bryson about this idea a while ago and he was all on board...then when I realized I would be having 2 big parties on the same day, both at our house, I was re-thinking my decision...but I put aside the pinterest boards and put aside trying to make it what I wanted...and focused on what would be fun for him. and it truly was. I kept it super simple and I did the majority of the decorations weeks before so I wouldn't be overwhelmed.

There were 6 events: The hula hoopla, Nerf Terf, Putt Putt Challenge, Paper Airplane Long Jump, Paper Plate Discus Throw, and The Ball Bounce. Since we had friends from out of town there with their little ones - i clumped them along with my little ones and split it up into "Jr. Olympics" and "Sr. Olympics" and picked 2 winners in each category. No one seemed to care what they won, as long as they got a gold medal...so it worked out for everyone

This was the first real party I threw for Bryson. For the most part it was a drop-off party, but I am so thankful I had so many people there to help me with all the stations. I couldn't have done it by myself! Next time though, I think 1 1/2 - 2 hours is the perfect amount of time. I had it for 3 hours and we were done in 2...oops!

I love home-spun parties like this, but after throwing Bobby's big she-bang and now Bryson's (and you know Bodie is already telling me about his monster truck birthday party he is having) I am thinking next year will be a lot more simple for all 3...like take a friend somewhere special, or family party at home...I need a year off :)

Halloween 2012

Halloween 2012 - this family costume was all bryson's idea...truly...he did his hair for church one morning like alfalfa and said he wanted to be alfalfa for Halloween - that week i happened upon a tuxedo in his (almost) size and boom...on from there. we have been getting the original series on netflix and watching The Little Rascals this whole month to get excited. What i have come to love and appreciate is that the kids all just play together. in a time of severe segregation, here are children playing together and nothing is said (by the children) of their difference in color. I don't know - it really spoke to me. That is how kids are for the most part. We adults place all kinds of silly ideas in their heads don't we?

So Halloween day was actually crazy - and this season was as well. We have had an adult dress up party (where Bryan was Andre 3000 and I was a pirate) a little kid dress up party (where Bryson was dracula, Bodie was a basketball trick guy and Bobby was an Air Force Pilot) a school dress up party for Bryson (again with the dracula) and a school dress up for Bodie (now he got to be the air force guy). I am lucky to have all boys and a big old dress up box that they can pick and choose from. I was kind of surprised that Bryson wanted to be something scary...or maybe i shouldn't but this is really the first time he talked about it.

I have learned a couple things from Halloweens past, which is why I kept their (main) costumes special for Halloween. Also a lot of the other events were during the day, which have been quite warm still. so its good to have a back up in case their costumes are full bodied.

We also kept our evening plans loose. The only regret I have is not planning someone to take pictures of us - and during the day. I am thinking about dressing the kids up again and taking better pictures because they were too adorable...and i could get away with it since they aren't too "costumey" and didn't take too long. We ended up trick-or-treating all night long and it was so fun. Bobby was having a blast. It was his first time and so cute, his little "tick or teet" and bodie was fearless - going into the houses that bryson side-stepped and just on a mission...a candy mission. i am hoping to save them a few pieces and then using the rest in a pinata for bryson's birthday party. brilliance - but the parents of the kids who get the rest of the candy may not think so...

I talked with my sister-in-law and her kids are all grown up and past the trick-or-treating phase and it made me so appreciate this short season...so fun to watch their excitement and imaginations and get swept up in the whole holiday craze...speaking of holiday craze...its Nov 1st...am I allowed to start playing Christmas music yet?