Seasonal Shenanigans

Well, sure, it's September and all....but our poor Elf on the Shelf failed to get any blog time this past Christmas (yet again).  Last year I blogged our Christmas in July.  The year before (Wizby's first year with us) did get blogged in a timely manner, however.  The kids have been talking about Wizby a ton lately and Dalton even asked to look at the pictures from last season....so I put together this little post and read it (slightly edited) and the other two seasons to them as a bedtime story the other night.  Boy did they laugh!  And I thought I'd share....

Word has it Wiz is already planning his upcoming undertakings for the 2012 season...and just wait till you see how Wizby is able to change things up later this year when the time comes!  Yes, I'm being cryptic again.  But he's already got 33 ideas for this year....yet there's only 32 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year so at least one will get bumped.  He's also got 3 solid plans on his 2013 list already, the overachieving pixie....

Anyhoo, I'm here to share his 2011 adventures with you all.  I know many of you also have an Elf on the Shelf and it's always fun to see what the other elves are up to.  So here's Wizby....

Once again, our esteemed imp arrived the day after Thanksgiving.  He'd set up the tree in the boys' room once again...


...but he was actually hiding in Autumn's room...in a new purple tree!


Welcome back, Wizb!!!


The next day, he was in the family room with the remote and he was watching the Elf on the Shelf TV special that he must've DVR'd.  Boy, were we excited to discover that little program!


Following that, he was in our ornament wreath holding a new snowman remote. 


We had no idea what the remote was for and there was only one way to find out...push a button!  Weren't we suprised when a music and light program started on our Christmas tree!


Each kid got a chance to check it out for themselves:

(Dalton's expression there just melts me.)



We found Wizby stuck under a glass in the kitchen cabinet:


He wrapped up the kids' doors like presents but apparently had a little trouble with the tape and ribbon and got stuck!


He built himself a little Lego fort complete with a Lego Christmas tree....



That must also be the day he showed up with a Lego Star Wars advent calendar because it was December 1st, after all.

But the morning of the 2nd we found him napping in Sugar's cat bed!




The next morning we didn't find him right away.  It wasn't until Easton got up for the day and noticed something strange about his toes:


His brother and sister were up before him but they hadn't noticed.  What a crazy rascal Wizby was hiding in the nail polish tote!


Are you as impressed as I am that Wizby didn't wake anyone up with that stunt?

He was spotted hanging from his knees flying around on our kitchen ceiling fan:


And using a candy cane pole fishing for Goldfish crackers in the potty!


He went for a horse drawn carriage ride with Belle--in a fancy suit, mind you:


And made sure we didn't forget his name:


He brought us red and green tortilla chips but helped himself to a few first:


One morning he showed up on Dalton's Phineas and Ferb guitar with a Merry-Okee microphone and songbook.  The microphone can alter your voice to sound like an elf!  We had such fun with that reading bedtime stories and such...


The Saturday we were heading to Toy Story on Ice with Gramoo and everyone we found Wizby with the whole Toy Story gang!


And the next day he brought new Christmas underpants for each kid:


One morning he was in Dad's FJ cruiser.  He'd stacked up some pillows and gone for a joy ride...apparently he headed to Krispy Kreme and brought us home a whole box full of doughnuts!


Another day we discovered he'd had a little fun with the copy machine and Xeroxed his face and bum!






We found him roasting marshmallows over a tea light one snowy morning:


And in the bath another day, all wrapped up in a towel:


He'd drawn snowmen with shaving cream and had some on his face!


He made a toy car parade in the boys room one night:






This day he brought a winter craft kit for each kid and left it near the TV:


Here's two of their completed-ish crafts:


He enjoyed a giant cup of hot cocoa one night:


And this day he wasn't up to anything fun....Easton had been behaving poorly and he actually came with a note for E about cleaning up his act.  :/


He made friends with Mickey, our new-for-2011 nutcracker fresh from Disney World:


And this was a pretty boring day just sitting in the curtain tie back. 

Hey, they can't all be exciting days.

Apparently he was gearing up for making his candy cane toboggan and sledding down a mountain of laundry all night:


He dressed up like an Indian and rode on a Barbie horse:


There was another time that he made a marshmallow snowman family, I'm just sure of it, but there is no photographic evidence.  Hmmm....

Finally on Christmas Eve he was sitting on the stuffed Santa's lap--with spectacles--reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to a collection of toys:




We found this on Christmas morning:


Till next time, Wizby!!! Can't wait to see what you pull this year!

Autumn is 3!!!

Hey y'all...yeah, it's me! :)

Things are settling down here a little bit and, while I can't talk about some of what's been keeping me so busy, I can talk about some of it now that it's passed and that includes Autumn turning 3.



That's her at the exact moment she turned 3: 8:49 a.m. on August 24th, 2012.

And here she is enjoying a birthday piggy back ride from her biggest bro:


Her birthday fell on a Friday so Jason took the day off as is his tradition.  The boys haven't started school yet so they were off too.  And then, Me-Me and Paw Paw were also in town for the occasion so she was having a very special day already.

First things first, she wanted chocolate croissants for breakfast so Gary, Jason, and Dalton headed up to Atlanta Bread for some pastries and breakfast sandwiches and then we stuck a candle in Nummies' and sang to her:




Then it was on to presents!


She was so excited to open this one from G-Ma and July once she saw what it was:


She had really been wanting a LaLaLoopsy doll....and she got one! 


A few other things....mostly picked up on clearance by me at one time or another...






Or even the thrift store....


For this $6 Barbie house...with Barbies (many of them naked)... 


She got a few Barbie outfits for presents but we're on the hunt for the bags of Barbie clothes you'll often come across at the thrift stores.  She doesn't care a bit.

After presents we got dressed and the gals headed to the nail salon.  It was Autumn's first time to go to the salon.  She picked pink polish (of course):


And then another lady came through and painted little tiny flowers on each nail:


Autumn and Me-Me were done way before me because I was getting my shellac removed and then a French shellac manicure done.  So those two headed into Wal-Mart to find Autumn some new shoes.  I think Me-Me thought new shoes would help Autumn put them on the right feet more often.  (It doesn't.) :) 

With our beautiful nails, we headed home:


She had a quick lunch and then napped in the car while we drove around which was good because she was getting super grumpy.  But she woke up happy once we got to Target for her annual birthday pics:








From Target it was then time to hit Chuck E. Cheese for some fun:






Dalton is too short to reach the gas so look at his sweet big brother giving him a hand:




The other two are still scared of Chuck E.:


Somehow we ended up at Cracker Barrel for her birthday dinner.  So not her favorite place but I guess Jason got her to agree to it and made it sound like her choice?  Who knows?  But everyone ate well and she got cake so it's all good. :)

We didn't do her party till Sunday because one of her favorite friends was going to be out of town on Saturday but said they'd be back Sunday afternoon....so we scheduled the party around her.  Seriously.

Her little invitation:


This amazing custom ensemble arrived from Posh Birthday Boutique:


Because of how busy I've been, I really didn't do much "theming" for her party.  I had ideas for YEARS for a hot pink and lime ladybug party but really didn't end up doing much because, seriously, some of what's been going on has been nearly overwhelming (you'll find out soon...and, remember, Jason had a vasectomy years ago so don't go guessing about that sort of thing keeping me so busy).  Luckily Autumn is only 3 and she had an absolute blast and I'm not trying to impress anyone else here so....

Right after church that Sunday we dashed home to get changed and to pack up the food and supplies and shove some lunch into Autumn.  She and I took off because I was allowed in 15 minutes before the start time to set up.  So we got there...and some of our guests were already in the parking lot!  Ha!  Lauren helped Autumn into her tutu and Grammy and Gramoo helped me carry my stuff in and get it set up:




Jason and the boys and Paw Paw and Me Me were scheduled to arrive after us.  In fact, the party got started without them....see how my boys aren't there?


But they arrived and we had a fun little hour long gymnastics party planned for the kids:










Mr. Air Jordan here:




Being the fun auntie that I am. ;)


And about to attempt my fancy dismount:


Bomb's away!






See, Me Me and Paw Paw were there too:


After the hour of gymnastics time was up we headed into the party room for drinks and cupcakes.
 

I had a few healthy snacks out too: cheeses and fruits and some goldfish.  Juice boxes and waters:


Caise dove into his cupcake:


Dalton was very amused by this, by the way:


Then it was time for presents:




She got lots more super cool stuff!

Poor Janna through the window trying to get Carson to nap:


This is probably when Grammy was confronting Paw Paw about unfriending her on Facebook.  Ha!!!


Then it was time to say goodbye to all.  Cousin hugs!


We took a few family pics that afternoon because Me Me and Paw Paw were leaving ((early)) in the morning:






And then she got to do her "Walk Around the Sun" at school that week.  She was the very first student.  Because she was the first, we watched old videos of her Bubbas when it was their turn so she'd know what to do and could show all the other kids.  That also means she was the first kid to bring snack this year.  She brought Golden Oreos (allergy and health department limit what we can send) and lemonade. 


And that wraps up my big girl turning 3!!!