My Playdate

I went to the dog park late morning because I wanted to get some of Jake's energy out before our guests arrived.  Jake met Dipper who is smaller than him but they had a good time wrestling and playing.  

Tara let me know she was close so we headed home quickly.  Which is right around the corner.  

It was a nice day, not too hot and miserable but I had made frozen treats for the dogs to play with.  

Even Rosie got some ice.  This was our first time meeting Rosie and she did really well meeting Jake and getting along with him.  

Baylor and Lucas went in the pool right away while I worked on lunch.  It was nice enough to eat outside, which was also good so we could keep an eye on the boys and I could keep an eye on Jake.  

Rosie held her own and seemed to enjoy playing with Jake.  He can be a rough wrestler and I did not want him to become a butt head with her.  But they had a good time and I did not see any issues with them at all!  

It has been a long time since we have seen each other and while we did not get to really sit and talk much, kids, food, dog distractions, we had a nice visit!  And a nice swim with the boys.  

After they left to go home I worked out in the garage on a project I started about two weeks after we adopted Jake.  I have been gathering really nice pallets from a landscaping company and I wanted to make a raised feeding bench for Jake.  All I managed to do in April was cut the holes for the bowls and it has been sitting the garage ever since.  Well, it is now done and he is getting used to it.  We still have a small water dish on floor for Grimm but he got up on the bench for a swim in the water dish already. 

I feel good about using the wood (see Gloria, I do use things I hoard) and I feel good about making it myself. Even though I can buy an Amish made one for less than $30.00!  I only had to buy the screws for this project.  

Gingerbread Party 2016

I was making one of the dips for the party and found my avocado smiling at me.  I took it as a good sign for a good day!  The food theme was no forks so everything was a dip.  I had three hot dips: Reuben, Black Bean and Corn, and Meatball Sub.  I had cold dips: chipped beef, pimento cheese, avocado and white bean, edamame hummus, and Amy brought hummus.  I had two sweet dips: gingerbread and brownie.  And a ton of dippers.  I also made the Rolo pretzel turtles, Oreo truffles, and a chocolate covered peanut butter/marshmallow Ritz candy sandwich thing.  

Heather and family arrived first but not until around 12:30 and I was still not quite ready when they arrived.  But Mom and I sugared the houses together and they got to decorating.  I made a camper for Heather and she loved it.  The McGraw family arrived at 1:00 and Tara was led astray by her GPS and arrived at 2:00.  It works out when people spread out their arrival times so it was fine with me!  ☺

I let Baylor go and do his own thing. And Cullen did his as well. 

Brigid and Connor and Lucas all worked on their houses off and on all afternoon.   

I made a house facade for Lochlan and once he was done with it Julie worked on it rather than working on a house of her own. 

Lucas had a lot of help from his construction vehicles he brought and they were great at delivering his candy to his house site.  He was pretty independent decorating this year and Tara was right there to help him when he needed it. 

Mom and I worked on a house together, rather I helped her with the roof and let her do the rest.  I also helped Heather with her camper once she hit a creative wall.  Baylor said he wants a camper next year.  Hopefully I will remember that. 

The finished house tree photos I like to get.  It was a good party and I hope we do it again next year!  

When Mom and I were putting the houses together I poured molten sugar on my thumb and it made a huge blister.  Huge, painful, oh my is it always in the way painful blister.  I had to drain some of the fluid out before bed because it was thumping!  Dishes in the morning are not going to be fun!  

Hallowe'en Party 2016

The morning of the party started fairly early for me but I do need the time to make the mac and cheese and get everything else done outside.  The sun rise was beautiful!  

Thankfully I walked out early past the bounce house. I never cover it the first night and I apparently should have.  The place where the kids go inside was covered in bird poop, giant bird poop!!  I got it blowing up while I went inside to get stuff to clean it up.  It came off easy and I rinsed it well.  I did have to dry it off a bit but no one would have known by the time the guests started to arrive.  

Before the party selfie with Mom and Baylor.  I must remember next year to start it at noon. No one shows up until then anyway.  

Baylor did a few games while he was waiting for friends to arrive.  I added a clothes pin drop and the Candy Corn toss this year. I bought a small fish bowl and a shot glass at the thrift shop to do a penny drop but I did not feel like getting the pennies together this time.  

The leaves are thinning but still here for the party. 

 I actually had a costume this year. I was a Snapchat filter.   

Ryder bobbed for apples with the ladles.  A few kids did not read the sign on how to play the game and walked around with wet faces and hair.  

Frankenstein was the first pinata we destroyed.  They were one of the few placed I had candy this year.  All the treat containers for the games were filled with toys and trinkets.  

Same rules applied this year, youngest get to go first.  We still went through two rounds of kids before it was destroyed.  It was pretty thick and I was worried it would take a bigger kid to get it open but these kids are getting bigger themselves and did a great job. 

And they had to search in the leaves for the goodies!  

Gloria's BFF and wife came and they caught up with Norman.  

Caught a photo with Tara!  So glad you could make it this year!!! We need to get together again soon, and just sit and chat!  

The second, and last, pinata was at 3:00 and I copped out and made it a spider egg.  I was just not that into making another fussy pinata.  I was originally going to make it a mummy and maybe I will for next year.  

He went down in a turn and half way though the second round. 

Baylor enjoyed a few after death whacks at it.  I think I will make one for his birthday this year.  

The party wound down around four and I did not take a lot of photos, especially off all the friends who made it.   The boys had turned this into a fort with Nerf guns and bullets.  Lucas even joined in the fun!! 

I had a lot of help with the clean up and it was quickly nearing the end of a beautiful day.  Tara stayed late, especially for the two hour ride home and Julie and Cullen arrived late due to a missed flight for her Aunt who was here helping to clean out Julie's mom's home.  But they stayed for a while and we had a nice visit.  Baylor ended up going to Ryder's to spend the night so poor Cullen had to sit with us!  

After they left I just could not get off the couch.  Then I noticed me feet were hurting so I soaked them in hot water.  And then I was too tired to get off the couch and watched TV until really late for me, 11:15!  But it was a great party, but now I have to start planning all the other good things that happen in the next two months!!