Hoppy 2nd Birthday Josi and Libbi~Garden Bunny Party!

For the twins second birthday I was strapped for one very important party planning item: TIME!!! You don't realize how pressed for time you are until you have three little ones and both Troy and I have extremely busy work schedules this time of year. Here's to planning a decent birthday on minimal time!


I was shopping at Target a few weeks ago and realized I needed to send out invitations for Josi and Libbi's birthday! I rushed to the invitation section because I didn't have time (or ink) this year to make them on PowerPoint. I looked around and found these for $10 bucks....hmmmm....I told myself I guess I can create a theme based off this invitation! I filled them out and stamped them that day! Whew....check that off the to-do list. I ordered the cake via email on the couch at 10:00pm that night. Double check!


I went to Target last weekend to do my grocery shopping and was determined to buy everything I needed for party favors in the dollar-spot. I chose the $1 metal bins and added the black sticky chalkboard labels--8 labels for $1. I then bought Spiritz party size bubbles, dollar spot playdoh, and a big bag of Easter candy to stuff into my little garden pails! I think they turned out great!
You could do these for a garden-themed party, Spring party, Easter Party, or for instance our theme which I like to call our "Bunny Garden Party!" It really helped that Easter is next weekend because now I can leave some of my decor up another week.


I splurged and bought these super-cute glittery eggs for $5 for 2 packages, but this is something I can keep year to year so it's worth it to me. I filled them along with some pink paper shavings (that I saved from Charli's cinderella party) into my everyday vases and called it good.


I also bought the round paper lanterns from Target for $2.50 each, but I also considered this okay because I can save them for future parties.


Then I told myself I was done! I called the balloons in at Party Warehouse on the Thursday before the party, and Troy ordered pizza an hour before the party started.

Yesterday night, I decided I could use the old shutter I picked out of someone's trash to be my backdrop for the entry way table, I think it worked nicely to display some twin pics! Troy and I looked at them and reminisced about when they were little and how much time has flown by. I really cannot believe they are two!!!!


The morning of the party was calm and the house was already clean, so we all got ready. But, this wasn't the greatest decision because then I walked into to the entry way and Libbi's taken half the decor down and she is begging for candy!

I made the rash decision to load up the girls and go with Troy to pick up the cake and balloons so that at least the house would stay put together.

PROBLEM! We had to wait a little while because the cake was being finished and then when we got to the balloon store we had to stuff 24 balloons into the car with 3 children. Not fun! Charli thought it was cool, but Josi and Libbi freaked! Ugh....

Then when we got home and opened the cake Josi almost ripped one of the chocolate bunnies out of the cake before it was even 11:00! "It's our party and we'll cry if we want to!"



After that, I have to re-do Josi's hair AGAIN! and try to pose for some pictures. I'm already sweating and the party hasn't even started.....the girls are already crying too.


We finally get things situated and going. The party guest arrive and all goes wonderful!

To my sweet Josi Mae and Libbi Sue: I love you so! I can't believe you are both two years old. Your party was enjoyed by all and your favorite present was a baby doll bunk bed set and some golf clubs. Josi also loved the shoes the most, while Libbi loved the clothes!

Here are some pictures from the day:

When it pukes....it pours....

In the last 5 hours I have changed 6 diapers and cleaned up approximately 8 bouts of vomit from two children.

At one point in the evening Troy touched his shirt and said, "Is that poop?!?!" I couldn't help but start cracking up laughing and then I said, "Yup, this deserves a blog post."

Welcome to my 2014.


Before 2014 I would be proud to say that I have been pretty lucky and blessed to keep our girls fairly healthy. Sure we have had some strep throat or maybe an ear infection here or there. But 2014 has brought on a new slew of disgusting childhood illnesses.

Here is a recap:


The Sunday before returning to work after Christmas break, Josi spikes a 105 fever and we proceed to discover the next day that she has a form of Hand, Foot, Mouth disease that is located primarily in her throat. The doctor goes on to say that there is no way to protect the other girls from getting this horribly painful virus and that we can just "treat the symptoms" and keep them comfortable. Well of course it runs its course through each child. A $30 Co-Pay, lots of baby ibuprofen/acetaminophen, saline drops, cough syrup and 15 days later we are Hand, Foot, Mouth free at the Hanson house.....


The next week week my mom calls and says, "Hey, I think Charli has impetigo." I am at work of course and I say, "What the heck is that?" Well, I googled it and went to pick up Charli from my mom's house only to self-diagnose a massive case of impetigo in Charli's nose!!!! Sick!!!! OF COURSE Josi and Libbi have it too! The doctor says we need to see them and I refuse at this request and cure the case of impetigo by keeping their noses clean and using antibiotic ointment twice a day.

The next week, I am leaving work and I call Troy to tell him I am on my way home:

Troy picks up: "You better come to Dr. Mercer's office."
Me: "Why"
Troy: "Charli, may have broken her collar bone."
Me: "WHAT!?, HOW?!"
Troy: "She was playing on a bench at my mom's house and fell."
Me: "Where is she? Is she okay?"
Troy:" We just had X-Rays, be careful and take your time, don't speed!"
Me: "Wait..."
Troy hangs up.

I make it to the Lake Worth bridge and call back furious:
Me "Wait a second, I need to know exactly what happened????"
Troy: "Can't talk doctor is in here."
Me: "Is it broken?!?!?!?!"
Troy: "yup" and hangs up....
Me: SCREAMING EXPLETIVES

I make it to Hulen St exit and get a call:

Troy: "I am putting Dr. Mercer on the phone." (In a soft, subtle please-don't-scream-or-yell-at-me-right-now voice)
Me: "Hi Dr. Mercer"
Dr Mercer: "Hello Mrs. Hanson, Charli has a slight fracture of her collar bone."
Me: "What do we need to do?"
Dr. Mercer: "We will keep her in a sling for 2-4 weeks, no heavy play for 6-8 weeks."
Me: "Is that it? Is there anything else we can do?"
Dr. Mercer: "You can give her ibuprofen for the pain and keep her comfortable."
Me: "How do we follow-up?"
Dr. Mercer: "If she is still in pain we will need her to come back in and get another x-ray."
Me: "Okay, thank you Dr. Mercer."
This time I hang up.

And that's when the text message from Troy comes through on my phone and it is a picture of Charli's broken bone. I almost lost it. To imagine her little bone broken in there. I couldn't believe it. The tiny fracture may have well been a compound BREAK! I felt so sad for my baby and mad that I wasn't with my sweet girl.


I pull up to the doctor's office and run up to Charli as she is coming out. I hug her and tell her how brave she is and how much I love her. I glare at Troy while embracing Charli. How could I have missed out on being there for her? To comfort her? To hold her? To tell her funny stories to pass the time? I should have been there too!!!!!!!!!!!


Later that night, there were no words needed. He said sorry for keeping it from me and I explained that when it comes to the kids I don't care if I am in the middle of the STAAR test you need to call me and tell me what's going on.

It's funny how even when you've been married for almost 11 years you still learn together about each other and being parents.

So another $30 copay, a teddy bear sling, and some more ibuprofen later....Charli has made a full recovery.


And here I am another Sunday...another day full of 104.2, 103.1, 102.2 fevers...vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, snot, and screaming children. I took Josi to the doctor on Wednesday to be told that it is just a virus. "Treat the symptoms"...."Keep her comfortable"

UGH!!!! I know things could be so much worse. But, anyone out there going through week after week of sick, screaming twins and overly-dramatic-when-ill 4 year olds probably has my back right now.

It's horrible.

To make matters worse I am a working momma! I don't get to stay in my pajamas, pass out Pedialyte popsicles, and watch movies all day. I have to go to work and worry. I text or get texts about where the fever is at now. I call the nurses at the doctor's office and ask at what point do I bring them back in? When should I go to the hospital if the fever doesn't go down?

I have spent so much time and money on co-pays, ibuprofen, Tylenol, Pedialyte, and "after doctor" ice-creams that I am pooped!



I changed so many diapers today Libbi learned to say the word diaper, I was thrown-up on so many times today I didn't even care anymore. I became a receptacle for baby throw up! I hate it when my girls throw up and I wish I could take all their pain away.

Troy and I have to juggle schedules because we have to figure out who can take off work to cover. Because no one wants to ask anyone to take care of 3 sick kids, and when they are sick I hate leaving them. I want to be home to nurse them back to health and comfort the crying.

I am praying 2014 turns itself around and brings us healthier days filled with less doctor visits and less gross contagious childhood illnesses.

To make matters worse:
...The voice in my head right now is saying, "No you're not feeling sick"...."it's all in your head"....

I sure do hope so...

Moms don't have time to be sick.

Charli's 4th Little Mermaid Birthday Party!

Charli just celebrated the big 4! She has wanted a Little Mermaid birthday party for almost a year now!

Invitations: Of course I went with PowerPoint! So simple and cheap! Just requires some heavy weight paper or card stock and a good ink cartridge:



Decor:

I tried to really maintain a good budget this year and went to Dollar Tree about a week before the party to brainstorm and buy decorations.

I got some red feather boas and lots of green crepe paper to create a whimsy sea weed effect on the chandeliers:





I think the chandeliers turned out great and they were super simple to wrap and hang. I crinkled the green crepe paper by hand before breaking it into pieces and draping it over the fixture.

I also saved money by roaming the aisles of Dollar Tree to find the best party favors ever!!!!!

They go from this:


To this!

I used a similar template from the party invitations and printed on regular paper, contrasting the characters and colors for the boys' cups. Then cut them and inserted into the cups! Voila!!!! The easiest $1 party favor ever! I may even do the same thing for the twins' party! And as a parent you can never have too many cups on hand.

The cake again from my favorite cake lady!


For my table scape I use some old glass vases and just put in some shells (I had them already in my hallway closet so no cost there....Score!) and then placed forks in them as "Dinglehoppers" from the movie! (I just used our everyday forks....Double Score!)

We picked up 12 red and 12 turquoise balloons, some yummy pizza, and ice cream cups and called it a success!

I think it was a wonderful day!

Charli, will also have this birthday party to remember her fractured collarbone as evidence from the sling she is wearing. About 2.5 weeks ago she was playing at my mother-in-law's and fell off a bench. She had a small fracture, but has been such a trooper and followed all of Dr. Mercer's orders so she is doing great!

Here are some pictures from the wonderful day!: