Happy Birthday, Lexer Bug!

Posted on September 11, 2007 by carrievoris

My niece, Alexis, turns 9 today. NINE!

She was the first “baby” in the family and the start of the “granddaughter train.” I have boxes and boxes of pictures of her back before I had a digital camera. We lived in San Francisco when she was born so when I got to see her…I took lots of photos. Imagine if I had a digital back then…we’d be pushing 100,000 photos right now!

This is one of my all-time favorites of her out by the bay… (not a very good scan…but you get the idea!)

Crazy curls, cute pigtails, cheezy grin – Addie reminds me of Lexer so much when she was young!

Hmmm…maybe it is the first names starting with A’s, or the birthdays in September?

Whatever it is, I hope that Ad follows in your footsteps in many other ways, too, Lexer. And we all hope you have a great birthday and a fantastic year!

Happy Birthday! We love you.

Crafty Tuesday

Posted on September 11, 2007 by carrievoris

I promised that there would be no more “kippy” party action around here, but then I realized e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g remotely “crafty” around here last week involved the “kippy” party.

So one more post and then I promise we’ll lay it to rest.

We made some doggy bag stickers for the goody bags.

And you saw the puppy and kitty ears headbands we made.

I used the same doggy as the bags for our pin-the-bone in the puppy’s mouth game.

Oh, yeah…and the cake.

I’m crafted out.

Although I have 400 pictures of A.’s birthday party to scrap now. Guess that will keep me busy. And if that won’t, this will.

More puppies. And Em wants to be a “very” (fairy!) for Halloween. Sure I could buy the costumes, but really…what fun would that be?

What craftiness did you come up with this week?

A Little Help – Best Shot Monday

Posted on September 10, 2007 by carrievoris

I’m not sure who enjoyed the birthday party more Ad or Em. I caught this sweet shot as Em was trying to help Ad blow out the candle. I posted the video yesterday, but I really love this shot, so it is up today as my BSM, too.

Check out other BSMs over at Tracey’s.

Party Recap

Posted on September 9, 2007 by carrievoris

So the party was great. I realized that birthday parties are a lot like Christmas, in that you don’t really appreciate how much work your own Mom used to put into the days to make them special, until you actually do it yourself.

I am still ~~slightly~~ completely exhausted. But it was so worth it. Check out the look on her face while everyone is singing Happy Birthday to her! (Yeah, in retrospect, should have practiced blowing a candle out before the actual big moment…but she was so excited that her Daddy finally blew it out for her!)

The cake actually went together really easily and quickly on Friday night. I guess I have Addie to thank for picking an easy cake. I think I frosted the cake and all of the cupcakes in under an hour.

J. grilled hot dogs, we had fruits, veggies, and chips for lunch…and Puppy Chow! (Thanks for the recipe, Kimmer – it was a definite hit!) The girls and I had also made bone-shaped sugar cookies for the doggy bags.

All of the kids dressed-up as kitties and puppies when they got to the party and the “hot” game was Pin-the-Bone-In-The-Puppies-Mouth. I think everyone (Daddys, Wendy, and Uncle Jeff included!) took a few turns on that game. I guess the old standbys are always winners.

So you won’t have to read anymore about “kippy.” It was successful, but it is done and we’re packing it in. If you need more pictures, check out flickr, I just uploaded a whole bunch.

Today, Ad’s actual birthday, has been seriously low-key. J. had to work, so the girls and I went and spent a few hours at the park. Took naps. And now we are heading down to have some dinner with Daddy. We will probably be in recovery mode for the next few days.

Thanks to everyone who came to the party and sent wishes and gifts to Addie. Our recovery will surely include some sort of “thank you” notes, but it may take us awhile since Em starts school this week, too!

Happy Birthday, My Big 2-year old!

Posted on September 9, 2007 by carrievoris

Dear Addikins –

As I was putting you to bed last night, I just couldn’t leave your room. You were nearly asleep, exhausted from your party, when I laid you down and covered you up. It was a rare moment, you letting me just stand there, stroking your hair and gazing at your sweet face as you drifted off to sleep.

It was a sweet pause before a pivotal moment in your life. It feels like you have been straddling the line between baby, toddler, and just plain “little girl” for so many months now.

You will tell me, “I’m not baby, I a big girl!” or “No, I do it!” And then in the next breath you ask me “Hold my hand, Mama.” Although you will always be my baby, and you’ll never be a “just plain” girl, I think you have definitely jumped across that line. You are all little girl. And I couldn’t help but think back to what I was doing 2 years ago at that same moment, when you became my “baby.”

I knew after I had my doctor’s appointment on the 8th of September and she “moved things along” a bit, that I was going to go into labor. I just had a feeling as we went out for dinner and I told your Daddy that we had better make sure the neighbors would be able to come over that night. I was so certain you were on your way.

I have to admit I was anxious, far more anxious than when we were waiting for Em to be born. I was unsure of how smoothly the transition from one baby to two was going to be. I was actually very scared, and worried that I just wouldn’t be able to be a mommy to two little girls as well as I could be to just one. And we had our comfortable routine already. Our family of three.

But the minute they put you in my arms, all of my fears, worries and anxieties disappeared. I knew that you were going to fit into our family perfectly. And you have given so much to our family in your two short years.

Since the day you were born, you and your sister have been fast friends. You have given Emma an opportunity to be a (great!) big sister. She has become a caring girl and is very aware of her job as a role model to her adoring “little sister.” You have taught her the importance of sharing and putting others first. The two of you make the most amazing, beautiful pair of girls and I know that no matter where your paths lead you, you will always have a best friend to rely on. That makes me and Daddy so proud.

And you have the most incredible sense of humor. Your faces and antics always have Daddy and I cracking up. You have just started to understand how funny you are, and you know how to use it to make us laugh. Just like a beam of sunshine, you shine laughter and happiness into a room just by being there.

Most importantly, you have made me a much better Mommy. With your curiosity and need to “check everything out, ” you have taught me to be more patient. I know this one still could use a little work…but I am much more patient than I used to be. When I look into those big eyes of yours, I have to catch my breath. I just want to make the world stop and soak in every sweet minute I have with you.

We still call you “tiny” although you and your personality are anything but that, now. It seems like quite a lot for such a “tiny” girl to have accomplished in two short years, but you have changed our family so that I cannot even begin to remember what it was like to be a family of three. You truly completed our family.

Happy Birthday, “Tiny.” May this next year be a constant source of wonder, happiness and love. And thank you for bringing all of these to our family, too.

Love,
Mama

The Successful Happy Kippy Party

Posted on September 8, 2007 by carrievoris

We are all “pooped” out. Dog-tired. Ready for a catnap.

Oh, wait. The “kippy” party is over. We can now resume normal operations, and stop with all this puppy/kitty stuff.

It was a hugely successful party. Everyone had lots of fun. Ad held out until 7:30pm, with no nap and then she finally had to give in.

I need to do the same. I am on “solo Mommy duty” tomorrow so I will post pics, details, and the cutest video of my 2-year old as we sang Happy Birthday to her. It made me cry as I was watching it a bit ago. She really is 2.

Tomorrow, my friends.

Welcome to the food network. Where all we think about is food. All the time.

Posted on September 6, 2007 by carrievoris

The chowdah (gotta say it like you are from Boston) and cookies were highly successful yesterday, thanks for the inquiries.

I am actually away from the house (Gasp…What? I Know!) at the moment, so I’ll post the recipes later on tonight.

But, yes, it was nice to have some good homemade nutrition for dinner. I think J. enjoyed his soup, it has jalapenos in it (totally optional), which he loves, but come to find out, it is not so nice to kiss someone who has indulged in them. So remember that. Be nice to your significant other if you make this chowder and/or if you would like any cuddling later on in the evening.

And the cookies! Let’s just say I’ve “tested” the cookies several times since last evening and they keep getting better with each taste test. So we may have a winning recipe. Finally. Now I need to slowly (s-l-o-w-l-y) wean myself off of them. Will you all just send me some random emails? Just title them “Carrie – Step away from the cookies. Now.”

Must. Stop. Eating. Cookies.

Because soon, our house will be flooded with cakes, cupcakes, puppy bone cookies, puppy chow and hot dogs.

We are on T-2 days and counting til A.’s birthday party. That is our menu for the event, so far. It has been really kind of fun prepping for it. I haven’t figured out, or bought, any of the food yet, but the girls and I have been putting together all of the “crafty” stuff for it. J. and I cut 12 pairs of puppy and kitty ears out of felt the other night. (This is what constitutes a “hot night” at our house, aren’t you so jealous?) And then Em helped me glue them all together yesterday. And I made some little cards that have puppies on them and say “Doggy Bag” for the kids to take their goodies home in. Em was so excited to glue them onto the little bags, so I expect that is what she and Denise are doing right now.

The hard thing is that I have to remember that A. is only 2, (although sometimes she acts like she is 4, like Em) and yet a lot of the kids that are coming are 4, 5 or older. You invite one child, and have to invite the other sibling sort of thing. Then it all snowballs. Anyways, I’m trying to do fun things for Addie that the big kids will still get “into” as well.

I’m also trying to decide whether to have a “pin the collar on the kitty” or a “pin the bone in the puppy’s mouth” game. I have some craft paper and I’m just going to draw it out, but I don’t know what would be cuter.

I was leaning towards doing more of the “puppy” side, I found this really cool doghouse cake that I thought she would flip over. So we are in the craft store and they actually had the pan, even though it is sold-out all over the internet. I showed it to A. and she said, “OH! Puppy. Puppy in a house. Cute puppy.”

“Sweet,” I thought. And then A. squeeeeaaals, “Mama! A Smokey! A Smokey, Mama!” (All cats are “Smokey” right now.)

Sure enough, she found the only cake pan in the mountain of pans that can be made into a kitty. And as she pulled it out to carry it around, I realized the doghouse was so not going to happen.

So we are making a “Smokey” cake. Em thinks we should make it gray, black and white like our Smokey. Which I think is a fine idea, because black frosting is so much fun to work with and clean up.

Sigh.

I know. I know! It will be gray, black and white. Don’t worry.

Small Change #8 Wrap-up and Challenge #9

Posted on September 6, 2007 by carrievoris

I didn’t hear from anyone? Did anybody donate some school supplies for kids in need this past month?

I honestly did want to do this one. I kept a lookout for a drop-off area where I could dump some supplies, but never really found one. I was actually disappointed, because if you recall, I have quite an affinity for all things fall, and start-of-school, related.

The girls and I did however donate money to an organization here in Pasadena which helps buy coats, shoes and back-to-school clothes for underprivileged kids in the area. I figure that counts, too, right? Just as necessary as pencils and paper. The organization was at a table set-up outside of the Ralph’s.

Now, I usually really dislike when people sit outside a store and ask for donations. When I am on a mission, dragging 2 children who are usually not pleased to be visiting the grocery store, trying to remember what is on my grocery list, which was left at home on the table, and trying to get in and out of the store before a major meltdown – the last thing on my mind is to stop and dig around looking for a few bucks.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a grinch. In fact I know we are very fortunate and we try to be very charitable, but I just like to pick when and where I give our donations. It allows me to really know what we are giving is going where I think it is. But since I was seeking out a place to do this month’s challenge, I did stop, gave a listen, donated, and got a receipt – mostly for tax reasons, but also so I could remember the name of the place and could post it.

And now, I cannot for the life of me find that stupid receipt. So long story short, we did it. Sort of. And you’ll have to just trust me on this one. I’ve got no proof.

This month’s challenge I think is fantastic, though! I love the whole “pay it forward” idea.

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it is…

“Do one thing every week this month completely out of the blue for a total stranger. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in the Dunkin Donuts drive thru line. Stick a scratch off lottery ticket under the windshield wiper of a strangers car. Leave a very large tip for a very small bill at lunch. That one small thing you do could change someone’s life.“

Cool, huh? At first I thought, “Wow! We could get some great stories out of this!” But in reality, you’ll probably never get to see the effect your “small thing” will have.

But just think of how you feel when you get a kind word from a stranger, or someone just holds the door for you as you struggle with children, strollers, bags, etc. Doesn’t it brighten your day?

The other day when we were in the grocery store and A. was having a complete meltdown and another (definitely had to be a mom) lady looked over at me and offered up a sweet “been there” smile. I rolled my eyes, shrugged my shoulders and said, “well, she’s almost 2 – what do you do?” And we both laughed and just that one moment, helped me get through the rest of the trip. The rest of the day. And I have vowed to make sure I give that smile now anytime I see a mom battling with her child. Who knows, maybe it will help her get through what would have otherwise been a miserable, tough day.

See how it works? Try it, and come back and let us know if you do.

Wonders Never Cease

Posted on September 5, 2007 by carrievoris

You’ll never guess what I did today.

Go on, guess! I’ll wait. (Dum dee dum…)

Give up?

I cooked dinner.

Yep. (Somewhere in Culver City, J. just fell off of his chair. I promise it is true, J! Come home and see!!)

We also baked a batch of cookies, but anybody who is around us much knows that we bake on a weekly basis around here, so that really isn’t news.

But, today I made an actual dish, that required chopping of ingredients, simmering, and sauteing. As I was cooking I realized that I can’t remember the last dinner I actually cooked that didn’t involve just throwing together a salad, boiling yet another pot of “noonles” (noodles), or opening a Trader Joe’s frozen concoction.

So the “dish” is a recipe that J. cut out of the newspaper a few weeks ago (hmm…a subtle hint, perhaps?) – Wolfgang Puck’s End-of-Summer Soup, a bacon and corn chowder.

I’ll let you know if it was successful or not and post the recipe if it is.

The girls and I have also been working on the perfect peanut butter-oatmeal- chocolate chip cookie. We are on version number 4, I think. (No wonder the gym isn’t “working” as much as it used to.) I think this time we might have gotten it.

We’ll let you know on that one, too. We are going to have them for dessert, right after our real dinner.

Don’t You Dare… (Wordless Wednesday)