Kyra's Birthday Party

A couple months ago, I asked Kyra where she would like to have her birthday party, hoping to hear a place like My Gym or Bounce-U.  Easy parties - they do all the work.  But no, Kyra wanted her party at home.  And she wanted a unicorn party.   Now for most moms, this would be a rather simple task.  Some balloons, maybe some streamers, a couple games, a birthday cake and voila - a birthday party.  But not so for this mom.  As soon as Craig heard we were doing another party at home - he just started shaking his head.  I LOVE to do theme parties!!!   I searched the internet for some ideas and found a great idea involving a magic unicorn and a witch.  I added costumed girls transformed into unicorns, an enchanted forest, a woodland fairy and voila - the party was ready to roll!

Unfortunately, I failed to hire a photographer and am missing a lot of pictures I would have liked to have, but no one's perfect.  

We do have most of the party on video (too long to upload here) and it's a joy to watch Kyra and the girls having so much fun.  

The girls were invited to wear their favorite fairy, princess or party dress.  When they entered the house, they were greeted by the Woodland Fairy (me) as they walked into "the enchanted forest."  Kyra's favorite feature was the waterfall.

Vines (streamers and balloon ribbons) hung from the treetop (green balloons) covered ceiling. The floor had a covering of green balloons ( but not enough - mommy didn't buy enough balloons.  The girls loved them nevertheless.)
A tree with glittery leaves (all painted by Kyra) grew up through the top of the forest.  Beneath it was a flower covered seat where the sparkle covered woodland fairy would sit to tell the story of the magic unicorn. Kyra made many of the beautiful tissue paper flowers on the waterfall, seat, and floor.

Yes, this is the sparkly woodland fairy. 

The girls decorated their unicorn horns and played with the fairies, princesses, unicorns, ponies and castle.  Notice Liam modeling his unicorn horn. 

The girls came into the enchanted forest and listened to the story of what happened to the magic unicorn as told by the woodland fairy.  The  woodland fairy told them that Fairy Kyra lived in the enchanted forest and invited all of her fairy and princess friends to come help her save her friend the magic unicorn.  There was a silly, clumsy witch that also lived in the forest and she wanted to be brave, and strong, and graceful like the magic unicorn so she stole all of the things from the unicorn that made her magical and hid them in the enchanted forest and the surrounding lands.  In order to search for the magical things, the girls must first be transformed into unicorns by performing tasks.  They had already decorated their horns, now they must play two games: Pin the Horn on the Unicorn to earn their unicorn tails and Unicorn Horseshoes to earn their glittery mane (glitter hairspray in their hair) and their Mark of the Magic Unicorn ( a glittery unicorn tatoo).  Emily, below, eventually did make it to the unicorn poster to put the horn on...

Next it was time for cake, ice cream and unicorn horns. (Bugles... remember those?)

Kyra loved the cake!

Back in the enchanted forest, Kyra's dragon, Bluey Blue, sat in the golden nest that Kyra made for him guarding the Magic Unicorn (now that she was no longer magical) and his blue glittery egg. 

The poor Magic Unicorn without all of her Magical things.  (Drawn by our dear friend, Mia)

After cake, the girls came back to the Enchanted Forest to find out how to help the Magic Unicorn get her magical things back. (go on a scavenger hunt)  (This is where the Woodland Fairy should have asked another mom to take pictures.  Fortunately we had another father videoing.)  The Woodland Fairy sprinkled the girls - now unicorns - with pixie dust (clear heart shaped confetti which I'll be cleaning up for the next 10 years) so that they would be invisible in case they should run into the silly clumsy witch somewhere.  But the witch would still be able to hear them so they had to be quiet.   We say the magic words to make a clue appear in the magic silver fairy box:  Bippity Boppity Boo - We need a clue.   I read the clue out loud and then suddenly, we heard the witch (Craig in costume) coming down the stairs.  The girls tiptoed around the house after each clue was read, repeatedly running into the witch to some hilarious giggles and screams, and bringing the unicorn's magic things back and putting them back on her. (  Sadly, I have no picture of the witch - maybe he'll dress up as her for Halloween and I can get a picture.)
In the end, the Magic Unicorn became magical again, we decided to give the witch her own unicorn horn and tail so she could be brave, strong and graceful, and the Magic Unicorn gave the girls one last clue to thank them for helping her.  The clue led them to a basket full of unicorn purses - one for each of them - with a jeweled ring inside of each purse. 

The final activity was a request by Kyra - a unicorn pinata.  Due to a very rainy day - we did the pinata in the garage. 

Each girl grabbed a ribbon and pulled together ( as opposed to swinging a bat a the poor thing) and were showered with candy and little prizes. 

Kyra didn't want to open gifts in front of the girls because she doesn't like to be the center of attention, but one of her friends burst into tears begging her to open them.  Kyra relented. 

This is Kyra and her school bus buddy, Amanda, posing with 2 of the gifts Amanda gave her.  Kyra loves the new Disney princess even though she hasn't seen the movie yet. 

Kyra posing with the Magic Unicorn and a Unicorn horn lollipop sticking out of her forehead. 

Was the party a lot of work?  Yes.   Would I do it again?  Yes.  

Was it worth it? 

The smiles, the giggles, and the looks of awe on the girls' faces ...

The gigantic hug I got from Kyra right in the middle of the scavenger hunt...

Was it worth it?

It was priceless. 

Country Roads, Take Me Home

Liam's first trip home to meet family, attend his first Apple Butter Festival and enjoy the wilds of West Virginia was a huge success.   His sweet, friendly, loving and sometimes hammy personality stole everyone's heart!

Liam Met Lots of Family - Including Pappy.

 Friday night was the Drive By Fish Fry. That's when your uncle and aunt drive up in their pick up truck - unloading it to set up a fry station on the back porch and fry up their latest catches!  I've never seen my kids eat so much fish!

After the fish fry, Aunt Mary Jo pulled out her antique apple peeler, corer, slicer.  The kids had a great time cranking and eating.

Kyra especially loved the long one piece apple peels!

The next day was the Apple Butter Festival.  We hung out on blankets with lots of relatives, listened to blue grass and old time music, ate, and shopped. 

Kyra and Liam even got to stir a big kettle of apple butter!

Of course, there was a lot of time to do other fun stuff.

Like a puzzle with Uncle Travis... 

Impersonate LaLa with a toothpick, newspaper and cup of coffee...

Have a tickle fest in the cradle Uncle Travis slept in when he was a baby. 

The cradle was made by La La's father, Pap Pap. 

Kyra celebrated her birthday a little early. 

Cake with 2 other cousins who also have October birthdays: Loguen and Sveta. 

A surprise cake at LaLa's that sent her crawling under the table with embarassment.

Liam's first rock throwing session at La La's river. 

Decorating pumpkins - my handsome little man in his camo apron!

So sweet...

For the first few days, Liam would wake up and say "Home see Sophie. Peez."   But after his first tractor and jeep rides....he didn't talk about Sophie much anymore. 

Who needs college - Liam is going to be a big equipment operator!

He loved driving Granddaddy Buz's tractor!

He loved driving La La's red jeep!

Especially through the river!!!

My little bug lover found a woolyburger.  Black,orange,black.  Aunt Mary Jo says that means a cold beginning to winter, a medium cold middle to winter, and a cold ending. 

Liam loved meeting all of his cousins.  He was playing with them in no time - like he'd known them all of his life!

And in no time, our trip was coming to an end. 

 We took Kyra's traditional "Visit to La La's Jeep Picture". 

And took Liam's first "Visit to La La's Jeep Picture".

(He's just so handsome!)

Then we were on the plane - heading home.

Kyra checked out the safety guidelines...

...which Liam found to be quite an interesting read!

What an experienced little flier!

And a great time was had by all!

Three Cheers for Mooncakes!

Kyra and Liam have started to do a little bit of imaginative play together as Liam's language progresses.  Here they are enjoying a tea party!

Play- Doh is always fun - making and "baking" cookies.

It's really fun to feed the play doh cookies to daddy!

Liam's so proud of himself. 

But how does he look like a baby one minute...

And a tough guy the next???

Somehow, over night, Kyra went from princess and fairy dress up to cheerleader and majorettes!

I think she's got some natural talent and he's definitely QB material!

I love this picture of Kyra even if it's a little out of focus - sheer happiness on her face.

Saturday October 3 was the Chinese Autumn Moon Festival.  We couldn't look at the moon because it rained all evening, but Kyra and I did make some very westernized moon cakes.

Authentic moon cakes have, among other ingredients that western tastebuds would be unaccustomed to, a red bean paste filling.  This recipe used jam!  About the only resemblance to authentic mooncakes is that they were round like the moon!  Well...most of them... : )