Little Evan is so lucky to have so many awesome friends. Because even though all the decorations and fancy food is for me, the party is still for him, and he LOVES other kids. LOVES THEM. He would spend all day giving hugs if his friends would hold still long enough – but he’s just as happy to chase them in circles while laughing his little red head over off and running like a weirdo. Seriously, the boy has the STRANGEST run ever. I should get it on video.

Here are some of the GORGEOUS children from our party. Seriously, how is it possible all my friends have such good looking kids?

Caroline wore polka-dots to fit in with our theme

A was really excited about the balloons

M had the BEST time in the ball pit. I should tell her mama to bring her over any time for more jumping.

Luckily the weather was nice enough for the porch swing. My friend Sarah's kids also dressed for our theme!

Running-start hug for my Aunt Susan. I was surprised so many kids wore the hats!

Tip toes to reach a balloon

T and his crazy hair in the ball pit

I know I've posted a zillion pics of J already but isn't this BEAUTIFUL? My dad took it.

C really enjoyed his fruit and veggies. His mama made him that vest!

N loved having her picture taken

And I recycled the photo booth from the circus party last year. I once again failed to get good pictures of everyone, especially with the weird afternoon light and the smallish backdrop. Next party I’ll use more fabric on a better-lit wall. If I can find one of those in my house.

Please note the headband I made that matches Little Evan's shirt. AM CRAFTY.

I have more, but I’ll save them for a Facebook album so people who’s kids are in them can steal and share them easily. Thank you so much to everyone who came! You made our celebration special!!

Wheeeee! Date Night! Pretty good way to turn 29, even if we didn’t manage to stay up late enough to celebrate my birthday’s arrival at midnight. Please enjoy checking out your reflecting in the shine off my face in this picture taken with a flash:

On E:
Sweater: American Eagle
Jeans: Levi’s
Shoes: No idea, and E’s answer is “I dunno, they’re SHOES”
Cologne: Aqua Di Gio, which, if you could smell it through my computer screen, would make you want to make out with him immediately.

On Me:
Dress: Charlotte Russe
Jeans: Old Navy
Heels: Nine West
Sweater: Walmart (yeah, I said it)
Rosette Necklace: Allora Handmade
Bag: Epiphanie camera bag – my birthday present!

I think the dress needed a belt, but it was so comfortable I couldn’t bring myself to care if it made me look sort of wide. Also, I am sort of wide. But it’s not like anyone cared what I was wearing – they were all too busy admiring my GORGEOUS new camera bag. SO GORGEOUS. And I don’t know if you can tell (and I doubt you spend enough time examining pictures of my head to notice) but I dyed my hair for the second time this month. The last color wasn’t blond enough but THIS color isn’t pale enough. I think my mistake is I keep picking shades labeled “natural extra light blond” or “natural pale yellow blond” or “natural sort of reddish blond even though the picture on the box is not at all red”. What I really want is a whiter blond, like a less dramatic Gwen Stefani, but I’m soooo scared of the boxes labeled “cool” or “ash”. I don’t know why. It’s not like I couldn’t just dye it again if I hate it – and it would probably be better to START with the most dramatic color so I don’t end up frying the crap out of it dying it every month.

It is amazing how much I both LOVE and HATE dying my hair.

Today I am rocking the dry shampoo AND the headband, along with worn-in jeans and a sweatshirt so I can go do a little child-free shopping in comfort. I might swing by Goodwill (the closest thing we have to a real thrift store) later and see if they’ve stocked anything worth rescuing so the next time I do a Steppin’ Out I can wear something “vintage”. I feel so left out with my retail store bought clothes.

I hope you had a fantastic Saturday too! For more Steppin’ Out fun, go check out the links at Harper’s Happenings!

The theme of this week is “My toddler is extremely energetic and my baby sleeps a lot”.

Sunday:

E needed new pants, so we went shopping. I'm not sure Little Evan approved.

We actually put quarters in the machine and he was OVERJOYED

Monday:

We're super classy in the morning.

He wasn't so sure about Stroller Strides that day. I wasn't so sure about the way he chose to wear his hat.

Tuesday:

More Stroller Strides aka Caroline's nap time

I sped-read my way through a book for the BlogHer Book Club

I made wise choices at dinner - zucchini with dill & vinegar, pork with Dijon mustard sauce

Wednesday:

Wednesday was cleaning day. This one counter plus the sink took an hour to clear.

Thank God she sleeps so much or I'd never get ANYTHING done

Thursday:

We went to Stroller Strides but my stroller wheel broke (boo!) so we went to Target instead for some impromptu grocery shopping. DELICIOUS.

Nap time in the big boy bed. He wanted me to sit here & watch him sleep

Fourteen different places to sit in this room and he wants to climb on the toy box

Friday:

Box sitting in his vintage sweater, watching some Today Show

It rained so I wore my new rain boots

Knitting at the yarn store with a little help from Caroline

Patching holes, touching up paint & hanging art in Little Evan's new big boy room

Saturday:

Wearing his preppy pants

I baked & froze cookies for next Saturday's party

Caroline finally woke up enough for some tummy time!

I took time today to get my hair cut, pick up some (more) baking supplies and make homemade tomato sauce for dinner. Tomorrow I’m decorating for Evan’s 2nd birthday (so we can enjoy the decorations all week), trying out cake and frosting recipes and doing my weekly grocery shopping. WHEW! I’ll be so glad when we get to April 10th and I can just relax – oh and enjoy myself, since that’s my birthday! 29 baby!

Did you take any camera phone photos this week? Link up with one or lots using the linky below and grab the code (so it shows on your blog too!) over at Amy’s . It’s really fun!

No, seriously guys, it’s April 1st so DON’T BELIEVE THINGS. I actually spent several months last year thinking someone I knew was pregnant because even though I KNEW it was April Fool’s Day her Facebook post was really convincing. It took me MONTHS to realize she had been kidding. I freaking HATE April Fool’s Day because I feel like I am always the person who doesn’t get the joke and ends up looking like an idiot and I hate looking like an idiot more than I hate anything else.

Well, almost anything else. I think I hate the fact that it still feels like February even though it’s April even more. I am so ready for spring – or even just NOT SNOW – that I’m refusing to dress like it’s cold even though my poor toes are freezing in flip flops and I’m shivering in capri-length leggings. I will MAKE it be spring.

But I don’t want to risk getting sick just in time for the sunshine so I spent the last few nights knitting myself a spring neck warmer…

I lightened this picture approximately 200% because there is NO natural light in my house right now

Flower Scarf pattern by Robyn Diliberto (available for download on Ravelry or here as a pdf) The yellow is just what I needed. I want to knit a giant blanket out of that yarn and hide under it until this stupid day has passed.

The next three days are going to be crazy busy with errands and baking and patching holes in walls and cleaning and…and…and…I should really make a list, or it’s going to be two hours before Little Evan’s party when I realize I didn’t make a cake.

Speaking of the cake, does anyone have a really great recipe for a yellow cake? I mean, if I wasn’t crazy I’d probably just get a good old Better Crocker cake mix in a box, but I’m just insane enough to make one from scratch if I can find a recipe that someone SWEARS is delicious. Oh and I need a frosting recipe. And maybe a suggestion for some sort of filling between the layers. Have I mentioned I’ve never tried to make a real cake before?

Excuse me while I go weep into my KitchenAid.

Happy Friday and Happy April and DON’T GET FOOLED.