While I’m gone, I thought I’d repost some of my favorite stuff from the past few years. But an all-repeat post is kind of boring so here’s the details on the favor boxes I put together for Evan’s upcoming 3rd birthday party:

Boxes, twine and tag from In The Clear on Etsy

Dinosaur tattoos, stamp and toy from Oriental Trading Company

Dinosaur stamp from Melissa & Doug set I bought Evan

Custom “ROARRR! means I love you in Dinosaur” from Tickled Pink Paper + Ink on Etsy

Moss filler from the local dollar store

To be honest, I spent a long time thinking about these and putting them together and have do practically nothing else in preparation for the party. I figure I’ll toss around a bunch of moss and rocks and a few more toy dinosaurs and call it good. I’m even going to feed my guests store bought food and a cake I hired someone else to make. I figure with two toddlers of my own and a house full of guests I need to stop driving myself crazy doing EVERYTHING myself. Although I’m pretty sure I’ve said some version of that same sentence before every party I’ve thrown.

Here’s a trip down party memory lane:

Evan’s First Birthday: Circus (food, friends, decorations, photobooth)

Caroline’s Baby Shower: Nursery Rhymes

Evan’s Second Birthday: Bubbles, Balls & Balloons (decorations, food, friends)

Caroline’s First Birthday: Sparkle & Snow (party post, details)

Are you really, really hungry now? Sorry about that.

Here’s how it went down:

No, I’m not having a party for Caroline’s 1st birthday. It’s so close to Christmas, people will be out of town or busy with other stuff. I know, I’ll throw a Halloween party and that will get my need to throw a party every 6 months out of my system. I mean, obviously we’ll have a cake. A cake isn’t a party. I’ll make a really nice cake and put up some streamers maybe a few balloons. Let me just check the internet really quick for ideas.* Oooo look at these cute winter cupcakes I saw on the internet! I’ll just start a Pinterest board for Caroline’s First Birthday but it’s not like I’m going to invite a zillion people and make fifteen different kinds of cookies. Maybe just three. Ok seven. And I’ll make just a handful of invitations. Ok ten. Ok twenty five. And sure, Mother-in-Law, you should definitely fly in from Ohio for the party – I mean NON-PARTY – because it’s going to be amazing. Twinkle lights and sparkly snow and silver sequins and doilies everywhere. Hot cocoa bar! Hand cut snowflakes! Sparkles! GLITTER!!!!!!!!

Truly, I’m a little jealous MY birthday isn’t in December because it’s kind of awesome. Everywhere we go there are lights and ornaments and Christmas decorations and as far as Caroline is concerned they are all for her. Our family adventures are all super fun and usually end with candy canes. Everyone is full of well wishes and good cheer and my adorable little munchkin face red-headed elf baby shines where ever she goes. It’s magical.

Here’s a peek at what I’ve been working on for her just-a-tiny-bit overboard first birthday!

*WHOOPS. OBVIOUSLY, this is where things went downhill. Or uphill. Whichever way leads into the pile of magic twinkle lights, glitter and fake snow.

Thing #1 – Leave them on the ground and let them turn into pine trees like God intended. Because unless you have a herd of toddlers to put to work, why the hell would you waste perfectly good time picking up pine cones?*

First, bake them in the oven at 250 for 20 minutes to kill the spiders/bugs/nasty fungus stuff that might be living in them. Because nothing ruins the charming fall decor at your dinner party like poisonous spider bites as parting gifts for your guests.

Thing #2 – Roll them in acrylic paint and put them in a rustic basket as a centerpiece.

Thing #3 – Spray paint them and put them in a glass vase.

TODDLER FINGER PHOTOBOMB!

Thing #4 -Wrap the stem ends in yarn and make a garland.

Thing #5 – Cover them with spray adhesive and glitter and hang them up.

Thing #6 – Spread them with peanut butter and bird seed to make a bird feeder.

Thing #7 -Make scented potpourri: Put them in a ziplock bag & spray with adhesive, add cinnamon/cloves/lemon zest/pumpkin pie spice. Close & shake, open and sniff.

TA-DA! You just wasted your entire stay-at-home-lazy-day making pointless pinecone crafts!

*No toddler labor was exploited in the making of these crafts. Ok, maybe just a LITTLE toddler labor. But they liked it.

We’ve once again been trapped in the house due to poor weather, which means its been like, A MILLION YEARS since we’ve been able to go anywhere. It feels like I’m living in White Witch Narnia (where it’s always winter but never Christmas)(because SERIOUSLY hasn’t it been practically a YEAR since the holidays?) We’re all going a little stir-crazy.

Is it making you dizzy yet?

So my only goal for the day is to get OUT. We need milk. We need ice melt (oh BOY do we need ice melt). I need to browse the clearance racks at Target for things to wear over leggings. I need some food from a drive-thru. My children need to know we’re not the last humans alive on the planet.

If I’m feeling ambitious (and these pangs in my kidneys don’t get any worse) I might try to make it to Stroller Strides. If not, meh, Target is in the same direction. And I’ve still got 7 1/2 months to lose the baby weight before I start to feel bad about it. Also, lugging a toddler and a car seat around is really good exercise.

So hasta la vista interwebs. Catch you on the flip side. (Yeah I don’t know what that means.) I’ll be back after I’ve gotten my fill of shopping and french fries – and trying to drag 2 babies around in ice filled parking lots.

…

Maybe we don’t have to go out after all…