Markus’s Burger Ka-chow! 3rd birthday party February 4, 2013

Markus wanted a “Lightning McQueen and Mater” birthday party, so we incorporated those characters with an idea he came up with last spring. We had just watched the first Cars movie as a family, and he said over the course of several weeks that he planned to open his own restaurant called “Burger Ka-Chow!” and it would serve burgers, fries and ketchup. We thought that a pretty good business plan for a 2-yr-old, and the idea stuck with me as I planned his birthday party this year. It was his very own Burger Ka-Chow! restaurant.

Husband and I spent a week secretly working on these guys in our laundry room. Markus was surprised to find Lightning and Mater big enough for him to sit in. They were inspired by this post. We weren’t expecting any other children than mine, and I didn’t have the time or energy to make a whole fleet of cars, so we just poured our creativity into these two.

The rest of the decor was simple, and the menu included burgers, fries, AND ketchup.

Anja added this sweet little picture she drew of Mater towing Lightning McQueen.

My mom had an old Wilton car-shaped cake pan from my brother’s birthday in the ’80s, so we souped him up a little to look like Lightning McQueen.

Happy birthday, Little Man!

Merry Christmas! December 21, 2012

I missed all the Christmas linky parties, but I did take a few photos of our Christmas decor this week. So for my own posterity…here they are!

I wish you and yours the merriest Christmas and a very happy New Year!

With love,
Heidi (and family!)

photo by Leaves of Grass Photography

I bought a little snowflake card holder this year, and it’s barely able to contain all the love!

Month of Thanks 2012 November 24, 2012

We did a Thankfulness Tree again this year, and the kids enjoyed it even more than last, I think (especially Markus since he “got” it more this year). Here are our lists of that for which we are thankful. Anja may have significantly more than the rest of us, because she wrote many of her own and added them to the tree even when we weren’t around. There were also several full of scribbles that Markus put on the tree which I was unable to interpret.

Husband:

• Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
• Family
• Health
• Our nice fire pit

Me:

• My girl and my boy
• Books
• Crafts
• Creative kids
• Pinterest
• Friends
• Apple Cider Vinegar (it’s been my friend this cold season!)
• Hot breakfast
• Jesus’ death for our sins
• My husband

Anja:

• My friends
• Mama (twice!)
• Malia
• Marbles
• School
• Tea parties
• God
• Sherman
• Daddy
• Water to drink
• Markus
• Cookies
• Christmas
• Leaves
• Grandma
• Anja  :)

Markus:

• Spiderman
• My “guys” (his stuffed animals he sleeps with)
• Mater
• Mama
• Blocks
• Family
• Curtains
• Chairs
• Grandma
• Nubia and Sandro (our Compassion kids)
• Monsters
• Daddy
• Lightning McQueen

Grandma

• To be here with my family

Candy Land Birthday Party September 5, 2012

Before Anja was even born, I found a cute Candy Land cake on the back of a Taste of Home magazine. I clipped it out and put it in my binder (this was before Pinterest, people). Fast forward 5 years, and my girl starts talking about how she wants a Candy Land birthday. I freak out a little bit because I will actually get to USE the idea. After more scouring of the Internet for ideas and some creative-but-cheap homemade decor, this little party was born.

It was also her first party to get to invite friends. We kept the guest list short since we included them in our family party and our house is only so big, but Anja had a blast. I hope this is one she’ll remember forever.

I had so much help, too. My mom made the buns and the peanut brittle (yum!), and my friend Maggie made the amazing gumdrop topiary (she has much more patience for those type of projects than me, and I’m so thankful for that). Maggie also loaned me the chalkboard, the glass containers for the candy buffet, and the cute little vintage flash cards.

Oh, and guess who ended up decorating the cake? Husband. After all those years of anticipation, I decided it would be the perfect job for him, since his dad used to decorate his birthday cakes. And he did a stellar job.

February recap February 22, 2012

This winter has been a little busier work-wise than normal, so this blog, which normally sees much activity in the winter months, has languished.

I long ago gave up hopes of making regular appearances here, but I definitely miss the time I used to have for visiting others’ little spaces on the interwebs.

Here are a few February highlights:

Husband and I got to attend a marriage retreat, which was fabulous and just what we needed. This is at the “dress-up night” banquet.

I’ve had that skirt since high school. It fits a little differently now, but it was nice to get another wear out of it.

Markus transitioned to a toddler bed (since he was climbing out of his crib 10-20 times a day/night anyway, we figured this just made it slightly less dangerous).

Anja and I made a bunch of valentines for her classmates. We used this printable butterfly version.

I made a spur-of-the-moment decision while the kids were napping on V-day to have a tea party as our snack. Nothing too special, but it seems special to them! The cupcake frosting had been frozen, so its texture was a bit iffy, but both kids and Daddy assured me it tasted fine.

We’ve had out the marble run a couple more times. They both enjoy it.

Anja and Daddy went to the Daddy-Daughter dance again this past weekend. She has talked about it–I kid you not–probably weekly since she went last year, describing what a good time it was, so she was stoked to go again. Her hair was too short to do any fancy up-dos this year, but I dug out my old curling iron and was pleased with the results.

Husband wearing a tie twice in one week has never happened before, I don’t think. He’s not a fan, so we appreciate him being such a sport! Markus came out the door after them and decided he needed to be in a picture, too.

She is SO hard to get decent smiles out of right now! I ask for a smile, get some sort of weird face, and then tell her just to keep her face straight. I crack a few jokes, and then I can at least get something genuine-looking, if not “perfection.”

That’s about it so far. How has your month been? I wish I had some great craft, or even some clean house photos, to post, but my crafting has been finger paints and cotton balls and glue and popcorn and rice.

Double the Fun! January 17, 2012

There’s something to be said for having my birthday so close to Markus’s. We get to have double the celebration!

Our families joined us for Markus’s party on Saturday.

There were a black and red balloon, too, but thanks to our popcorn ceilings, they didn’t stay around for the party.

The theme was “trucks,” which made decorating easy! I just used some decorations we already had and put out all of Markus’s trucks.

The cake was not too hard to make, and I like how it turned out.

And even though we didn’t have as much daylight as on Anja’s birthday, I still wanted some pics of our boy with us in the same spot.

An unsolicited kiss!

Little Man was spoiled rotten. He got so many nice things!

And enjoyed some of his cake, of course!

Yesterday Husband gave me a lovely day of relaxing (got to go to Barnes & Noble by myself!), yummy muffins, and a date night at Pazzaluna in St. Paul. Best dish I’ve ever had there–halibut with artichoke and parsnip puree.

Markus, 2 years January 12, 2012

Yep, two. Can’t believe it myself. But I have drunk up every minute of his “babyhood.” I enforce daily hugs. Markus, at two years old, you:

• Tell amazing jokes. Knock knock-who’s there-banana–haaaaaaaa! = one of my favorites.
• Talk really fast. Sometimes I have a hard time understanding your sentences, not because they are unclear, but because you rattle them off so quickly.
• Have favorites.  Especially music.  Jingle Bells by Ray Conniff is what you call your favorite song when asked, but you most frequently quote a Milo Greene song that we got at the Civil Wars concert: “I go I go I go I…” Another song on their CD says, “Takes me away…”  I tell Daddy you should be used as an echo on their full CD because you always do this adorable, “Takes me away, Anja! Takes me away!” when you hear that part of the song.
• Tackle hug our legs a lot.
• Talk about yourself in the third person.  ”Markus want a go outside now, Mama, okay?”
• Like to build towers and bulldozers with Duplos.  Anything tall and straight is dubbed a “tower,” and anything massive or sturdy is a “bulldozer.”
• Are very adamant that you are a boy.  When we ask you if you are one (now two), or if you are hungry, or if you are tired, you say, “NO.  Markus a boy.”
• Have a go-to answer regarding anything to do with the outdoors. “What is that squirrel doing, Markus?” “Mow lawn.” “It’s snowing…what should we do?” “Mow lawn.”
• Are a TALKER, in case all of the above didn’t already point to that.  ;)
• Are a picky eater. Your least favorite things: chunks of tomato, minuscule pieces of anything green and leafy, and potatoes (other than in French fry or soup form).  Your favorites: breads, cookies, oatmeal, yogurt…anything sweet.
• Still have a pacifier. We didn’t wean you as young as we did Anja, and now I regret that. You didn’t seem ready at 18 mos., so I let you have it longer, then decided to wait until after the holidays, and in the last two months you’ve become completely dependent on it to go to sleep (when you used to put yourself to sleep no problem).  We plan to wean sometime this month, and it’s not going to be pleasant!
• Are small for your age (at least compared to what we’re used to).  We haven’t had your two-year check-up yet, but you are still wearing mostly 18-month clothes and size 5 shoes (pretty sure your sister was wearing that size around her first birthday). But you’re healthy, happy and growing, and that’s what matters!
• Enjoy baths, washing hands, turning on the faucets anywhere you can reach, playing in any drinking glasses left partially full and generally everything to do with water.
• Have a fondness for hats, necklaces and headbands.
• Climb out of your crib frequently and take off your clothes while in your crib.  Not sure which one irks me more, but it keeps things interesting, that’s for sure!
• Have the most winning smile.

Markus, we have loved knowing you and your fun personality for the last two years.  We are excited (and trepidatious, dare I say?) to see what being two brings for you!

Randoms January 7, 2012

Playing with sister can be dangerous…

Markus likes to wear hats, most often in the house.

Our family on Christmas Day.

Happy Birthday, Uncle! January 5, 2012

I made you a tower…

And I made you a monster with curly hair!

Down Time December 29, 2011

This week has been nice. My hubby has the week off (for the first time since college, I believe), and we’ve been working on some projects around the house. We lounged at my mom’s house (and by that I really mean lounged…she waits on us, makes us fabulous meals, all the wonderful things moms do!) until Tuesday.

I’ve emailed some clients and announced my engagement session giveaway (if you know anyone engaged or about to be engaged in the Twin Cities area, let them know!!), I’ve read half of an e-book about quitting sugar (which my sis-in-law and I plan to do this winter). I’ve painted swatches on the freshly mudded and sanded walls of my laundry room and picked a light, creamy yellow inspired by this picture. Today we took the kids to a fun little place southwest of the cities where they jumped and ran to their hearts’ content. Hubby ran some errands this afternoon, and he brought me home some gorgeous flowers for no reason at all. LOVE.

I found some of the other pictures of my use-what-you-have wrapping and decorations from Christmas.

And our funny little gingerbread house. After years of trying and failing with graham crackers, I bought this cheap little kit at IKEA. Best gingerbread house we’ve ever had, and so easy! The icing I made stuck really well, too. Most of it went in the garbage after we got home from Mom’s, but we had fun making it.

What have you been up to this week?