Harry Potter Party

The Crafter is 13. She has been for a while. She's actually closer to 14 now. I'm a bad blogger. Anyway, here is her very elaborate Harry Potter Party. It should be noted that the Crafter wants to have a bake shop and party planning service when she grows up. She did much of the food prep work herself. I was in charge of decorations and beverages.


First, the guests picked up a wand before they entered the house. I missed getting pictures of the wands. Then, everyone needed to be sorted. I found and printed a house quiz for this. The guests took the quiz. I checked them and announced their houses. The hat is a regular black witch's hat from Target. The Crafter used brown craft paper to cover it.

Not Slytherin...Not Slytherin....

Hufflepuff!

Another Hufflepuff!

Ravenclaw!

After the Sorting Ceremony, it was time for the feast. We couldn't pull off the great hall, so we turned the kitchen into Three Broomsticks.

The feast consisted of Golden Snitches, chocolate frogs, acid pops, licorice wands, pumpkin pasties, cake, chilled pumpkin juice, and hot butter beer. We found most of our ideas and recipes on Pinterest.

 The Golden Snitch

 Chocolate Frog

 Pumpkin Juice

 Deathly Hallows Mugs for Butterbeer

 Side view of Cake--Note: Next time use cardboard when stacking asymetrically.

 Top View of Cake

We couldn't leave the bathroom out. Fortunately, no one attempted to flush themselves in.

Everyone had a great time. The Crafter promised to have an easier party next year.

Angry Birds Party--Finally

Back in February, Wild Thing was having some behavioral issues, and we had to cancel his already belated birthday party. Fortunately, he was able to earn his party back though it was very, very belated. We held it a couple of weeks ago. The Crafter and I made a Pinterest board for the ideas we gathered from around the web. Here are our interpretations.

I love doing cupcake cakes. It makes serving so much easier. Also, there's no fussing about someone getting a bigger piece.

Cupcake Cake

The Pigs

The structure is made of Little Debbie Peanut Butter Bars and icing. A FaceBook friend gave me this valuable hint. The pigs and birds are made from Wilton fondant that we bought at A. C. Moore with a 50% off coupon.

 

The Birds

We did minimal inside decorations. We only put balloons up in the doorways. We sent a balloon home with each guest.



Balloon Decorations

The menu was bagel pizzas, baby carrots with dip, and Babybel cheese birds.

Red Bird Pizzas

Babybel Cheese Red Birds

After eating, we played games. We broke the pig pinata. We played pig in the woodpile. That was my brilliant idea for getting a pile of wood moved to it's summer location. Then the kids played capture the egg and pin the snout on the pig.





Pig Pinata--filled with eggs

Goody Bags

filled with pig and bird pom poms, Angry Birds fruit snacks, coloring pages, and Skittles

A good time was had by all. Wild Thing was very happy with his party. The Crafter is ready to plan the next one.

Alligator Down!

My kids like to take their stuffed animals out to play. (I know it's weird, but that's not the point.) Wild Thing thought it would be fun to take Methuselah the Alligator tree climbing. He took his beloved stuffed alligator up the magnolia tree. (Yes, that magnolia.) This time Methuselah fell. The neighbors' dogs were waiting. They got Methuselah and took off. They went for the belly and ripped out his stuffing. Only the skin was saved.

Methuselah's namesake was Methuselah the Alligator from Life at the Pond.

I Hate Being the Bad Guy

We've been preparing an Angry Birds Birthday Extavaganza for Wild Thing. His birthday was after Christmas, but we always have his party in February so he doesn't get skimmed over. It was going to be some party. Lots of themed food and games and lots of friends were on the agenda. We even bought primary colored fondant to make edible Angry Birds.

But, alas, the party shall not be. Wild Thing pushed his luck and took his chances. Despite the warnings and the loss of pinata whacking privliages, he continued down the road to destruction. He was already having a bad attitude over his school work when we discovered melted glue sticks on the wood stove.

The Historian sent him to work the wood pile. I complained that I didn't want to do anything else for his party. The Historian agreed and cancelled the party. All guests were contacted. All the favors were put away. Losing the party was a natural consequence of his behavior.

So why am I the one who feels like a slug?

Unexcused Absences

I've been a negligent blogger once again. Suffice it to say...

 

the Crafter turned 12 in September,

we welcomed a new neice on her birthday,

Princess Pink turned 6 in November,

we celebrated Christmas,

and Wild Thing turned 8 shortly after.

Pumpkin Time

First we gut.

Then we poke.

 Next we roast the pumkin seeds.

Light them up.

Wild Thing's Angry Bird

The Crafter's Mermaid

Princess Pink's Dolphin

An Unexpected Visitor

We had a bit of excitement this afternoon. It was thundering, so I sent the children out to bring in the clothes. They came back inside. Then I heard scratching at the door. I had thought that our dog was already in, but I cautiously opened the door. The next door neighbor's dog came barreling in and hid under my computer dest. That's my dog's spot, so he wasn't happy. After a bit of growling, the question of whose spot was whose was settled.

The neighbor's dog settled down with Princess Pink. They looked at books and played with toys. The dog took a nap. After the rain stopped, the dog got up on Wild Thing's bed and looked out the window toward her house. Finally, her family's minivan pulled up. She went to the front door. I opened it, and she ran home.

It Really Shouldn't Be This Hard

I am on a mission to find something that does not exist. The technology is readily available, but not in the form I seek. I need a big mp3 player. That's not too much to ask is it? Well it seems like it is.

My father-in-law is 84 years old and newly blind. He has mobility issues and a loss of fine motor skills. He is computer and technologically illiterate. He could not operate a DVD player before he lost his sight. He loved to read. Now he can't. He is depressed. I would love to load up an mp3 player with audiobooks to keep him company, but that seems more like a dream than a reality at this point.

I am running into several issues:

1. Technology is getting smaller. This is a most difficult issue. Small buttons, small screens, small device to get lost in the furniture.
2. The market for the blind is very small and very specialized. Blind friendly is not necessarily elderly friendly. Most elderly people are not going to learn Braille.
3. Products for the blind are ridiculously expensive. The companies assume some type of insurance or government assistance. It takes time to apply and qualify and receive (up to a year) and even then the product may not be suitable. We are working on this, but I would like to get him something sooner.
4. Children's products have big buttons but small storage capabilities. Thirty minutes to an hour of playtime is not enough.

What I want is one (really big) button operation with automatic bookmarking. It needs to turn on and start playing where it left off. We had hoped that he could use a Sansa Clip. It turns on and plays where it left off, but the slide that turns it on is tiny. He couldn't work it. If only there was one with a big button.

I posted my search on every message board that I belong to. I have some suggestions. Next stop is the Apple Store since they specialize in finding solutions.

Still Tired

I had hoped to post a health update about how great I felt, but that is not to be. I'm still tired (feels like an all day benedryl hangover). I do have more good days. I have hours during the bad days that I can function normally. That is a huge blessing and I am grateful. I need to go back to the doctor. I should have gone months ago, but with Wild Thing's medical bills and now a "fried" air conditioner, that has to wait longer.

Sometimes You Don't Want to Know

Wild Thing walked into the kitchen one night looking like this.

Then he fell down. 

The Crafter and Princess Pink propped him back up.

What's wrong you ask?  He's stuffed.

Why you ask?  I'm don't know and I'm not sure I want to.

But he had so much fun that Princess Pink felt she should get stuffed too.

Tired

I've been tired for years.  It seems strange to write that, but it's the truth.  I haven't blogged about it before.  I don't know why.  Maybe I didn't want to put my weaknesses "out there" for all to see.

Whenever I mentioned being tired, I was patted on the hand and told "Of course you are tired.  You have a baby or you have a toddler or you are homeschooling or you are have so much going on."  Take your pick.  But it was more than regular tired.  This was weary tired.  This was you get up because you have no choice tired.  I was also having more trouble during that time of the month.

About three and half years ago, I first mentioned my symptoms to a doctor.  I was told that I was getting older.  Hmm, I was 34.  I knew 70 year olds that had more get up and go.  Maybe I should put the kids in school so I could rest.  Here's a prescription for antidepressants.  By the way, your blood work was normal.

I really didn't feel depressed.  I felt tired.  But I tried the antidepressants anyway, and they made me more tired.  I quit taking them.  Then two years ago I saw a different doctor.   He said that I was getting older and suggested yoga and B6 and if that didn't work he would give me a prescription for different antidepressants.

Time marched on.  I did what needed to be done--just barely.  Sometimes I would be in tears because I couldn't do the things I wanted to do because I was just too tired.  I was hating the thought of spending my children's growing up years too tired to enjoy them.   I had become short tempered and sometimes down right mean.  My life was about survival.

I was disillusioned with asking another doctor for help, but my friend suggested that I see her boss.  She had recently started working for a nurse practitioner at an Osteopath's office.  This was a big change for me.  First you filled out 9 pages of questions about medical history, symptoms, sleep habits, and monthly issues.   Then the appointment was to take 40 minutes.  She asked questions and listened and made notes about what I said.  She gave me the usual uncomfortable exam.  Then she said she was ordering some detailed blood work.  Turns out that I'm low on Vitamin D, progesterone, and my iron stores aren't what they should be.

I now have a long list of supplements including fish oil and molasses.  I also have a prescription for progesterone.   I feel guilty for the expense.  Nothing that I am taking will even go towards our insurance deductible.  I am hopeful that this is the beginning of feeling better.

Things Homeschoolers Hear

This is our seventh year of homeschooling.  I have been blessed to have the acceptance of most of our immediate and extended families.  There are a few older relatives that don't grasp the concept, but at least they don't criticize.

Our dealings with the public have generally been good as well.   Most of the time we go unnoticed.  There are a lot of year round schools in the area, so seeing a child out on a school day is normal.   Once in a while someone asks about school, and when they hear that we homeschool, they usually say good for you.

Then there are the comments from the ignorant.  I usually can come up with a wise crack comment--two days later.  Here are some of my favorites.

Setting: Grocery store line, late August 2004.  Baby Wild Thing is gnawing his foot.  The Crafter is by my side.

Person in line to the Crafter: It's too bad you weren't old enough to go to school this year.  I bet you'll be glad to be in kindergarten next year.

Me: Well, she's already doing kindergarten work.  We're homeschooling.

Person in line: Oh, I heard about homeschooling.  There were some people in Texas that homeschooled and beat their children.

Two days later response: Yes, and there was a third grader assaulted on the bus last week in this town.


Setting: Walmart line, midsummer

Me: I'll be glad when the school supplies go on sale.

Casual Acquaintance: Why?  Don't you homeschool?

Me: Uh, well we still need school supplies.

Two days later response: Well, I decided that it was time to try pencils and paper instead of writing with a stick in the dirt.

Setting: The college where I teach a math class.  The Crafter was with me because we intended to shop for birthday party supplies.

College Student to the Crafter: Oh, are you out of school today?

The Crafter: I'm homeschooled.  I'm going to do my math while Mama teaches her class.  Then we're going shopping for my birthday party.


College Student: How can you have any friends if you don't go to school?

The Crafter: Um...I go to church and a theater class.

Two days later response by the Chemist: None.  Some statements are just too stupid for a reply.

Dance, Theater, Karate, a Birthday, and the War of 1812

I have been very busy the past couple of weeks.  This is the first year that each child has an extra curricular activity.  What was I thinking?  I'm worn out.

Princess Pink started dance classes last week.  She says that she hates dancing and never wants to go back.  I'm going to make her stick with it a few more weeks.  Hopefully she will start to enjoy it.

This is the Crafter's third year of Christian Youth Theater (CYT).  Her class will be performing Cinderella in January.  She hopes to get the part of one of the mice or the cat.  Her audition was last Saturday.   She sang The Battle of New Orleans.  More on her song choice later.

Wild Thing is taking karate.  I have hopes that it will help with his focus and coordination issues.  He says hates it, but I can see some positive results.  The Crafter is also taking the class, and she enjoys it.  We will continue at least through December.

The Crafter turned eleven this week.  Time seems to move faster and faster.  I'm proud of the young lady she is becoming.

We are continuing to take our Tapestry of Grace studies at a slow pace.  We finished up week 6 on James Madison and the War of 1812 today.     I continue to be appalled at the dismal state of my own history education.  We learned about Tecumseh, William Henry Harrison, James and Dolley Madison, and the Battle of New Orleans.  We hope to make a trip to see the Dolley Madison exhibit in Greensboro soon.  On a less serious not, we discovered Johnny Horton's version of The Battle of New Orleans.  The Crafter enjoyed it so much that we found the background music for it and she used it for her audition.  Here is the lego version.