CFI Princess Party

Back in October I took Elsa and Elsa to the annual CFI Princess Party!   We opted to splurge this year and did the VIP package- complete with the girls getting their hair done.   The girls had a blast and really enjoyed it.  Of course their favorite part is meeting the princesses!

5 on Friday

1. I had my department holiday party at Cowboy Jacks in West Glen Friday night.  With such a busy week, we decided it was best for Nick to stay home with the girls and get them to bed at an early hour.  

2. We visited the North Pole via the Boone Scenic Valley Railroad Santa Express on Saturday night!  Well, technically we didn't leave the state of Iowa.  But Santa and Mrs. Claus where there.  Ellie may have commented that we were not going fast enough to get to the North Pole in time (smart kid).  And she wondered what would happen if the Santa Express and the Polar Express got there at the same time--- would she see the kids from the Polar Express (can you guess her favorite holiday movie)?   The ride must have lived up to her expectations, as she wants to go again next year.

3. We celebrated Christmas with the Thorson/Larson side on Sunday.  Cute story from the day: Neve got scared by her older (and much bigger) cousin when we first arrived.  Even when I was holding her she was still bawling... so I said "Let's go find Grandpa" and we headed to where he was (she hadn't seen him yet).   The instant she saw him she wanted him to hold her and she stopped crying.   I guess there is such thing as a Grandpa's Touch instead of a Mommy's Touch. It was really cute.

4. Nick and I worked Christmas Eve day, so the girls got to go to day-care in their PJ's!   There were only a handful of kids at the center, so they combined rooms and the girls had a great time being in the same class for once!   That evening we celebrated our own family Christmas- complete with opening gifts, making sugar cookies, hot cocoa, wine & cheese night (wine for the grow-ups only) and lighting the Advent candles one last time.   I think the girls are really going to miss the Advent candles- Ellie was super excited about them all season.

5. We opened our Santa gifts and went to church before heading to Ames on Christmas Day.  For the first time since Thanksgiving of last year we had the entire Greving family together.  There are 20 of us now and it makes for a busy house--- I love it!   The girls had a blast playing with all of their cousins.

5 on Friday

1. Bright and early Friday (or dark and early since I had to be there at 4:45AM) I volunteered for the Children's Cancer Connection wrapping gifts at Valley West mall.  Van and Bonnie (well, just Van because Bonnie was sick) broadcast  from the location and it was free wrap morning.   I had a great time and kept busy wrapping lots of gifts.   It was interesting explaining to Ellie why I wouldn't be at home when she woke up that morning- we talked about volunteering, cancer and helping others.   I think she understood most of it, and I love that Nick and I can show our daughters what it means to give back.

2. Friday evening was the girls' Holiday Program at TCP (day-care).   The program started at 5PM and I showed up at 4PM to get in line so we could get a front row seat.   Yes, 60 minutes ahead of time for a day-care holiday program.  It was so worth it when Ellie saw us in the front row!  The girls did great, the program was super cute and the girls loved having both sets of grandparents watching them sing.  We wrapped up the night with dinner at our house with the grandparents.  I always love watching the girls interact with their grandparents- Neve wanted both of her grandpas to sit by her at dinner, which worked out well because Ellie wanted the grandmas to sit by her. 

3. Saturday was Thanksmas with some of our friends.   Six adults and five kiddos under one roof makes for a fun time had by all.   We had tons of yummy food (including smoked turkey), the kids watched the Polar Express on the big screen, and the parents got to play games without little ones helping (at least for a little while).  

4. What to say about the weather on Sunday... we made the most of a warm day in December by having our first s'mores using the new fire table and patio.  Ellie and Nick sat outside for over two hours--- I think the patio is a hit and I cannot wait to use it in the spring.

5. Ellie is counting down the days until Christmas and both girls love finding Buddy the Elf each morning (even when Buddy is too tired and stays in the same spot two days in a row).

Vacation: MOA 2014

How can you not have a great vacation when you get to drive a car

AND

have lunch with your favorite "Baby"?  

5 on Friday

1. We kicked off the weekend with a Christmas Party that one of my high school friends threw for his clients.   The girls had a blast getting a family picture taken with Santa, eating yummy kid food (they really liked the desserts) and listening to the storyteller.  We skipped the face painting and balloon animals this year.    As always, we had an amazing time and were so lucky to be invited.

2. Saturday the girls and I traveled to Wiley, Iowa for Christmas with my Dad's side.   Ellie loved all the different kids of food (that they don't normally get at home) and the girls had a blast running around with all the kids.

3. While the girls and I traveled to Wiley, Nick participated in Global Fat Bike day.   Pretty much a group of bikers (I think around 35 this year) riding their Fat Bikes all day.  Sounds like he had a good time and he did not get hurt!

4. Sunday night our neighbor's house was broken into.   Luckily they are all safe, but being woken up in the middle of the night to stranger(s) in the house--- I can only imagine.   I guess they were not the only house in the neighborhood to have a break-in that night. 

5. I had some gift cards, so I treated myself to a massage and manicure yesterday!   Something I rarely do- so that makes it extra special.  

Frozen

This little princess turned 5 the other month!  To celebrate we had a Frozen themed birthday party.   Last year we went all out and had a party at the Little Gym (totally recommend by the way).  This year we decided to go a little smaller and do something at home.   Which meant I got to be creative and plan games and crafts!   Here is what we came up with:

 

Much to my surprise, Ellie asked for an ice cream cake!  Perfect with the Frozen theme! 

 We played Frozen BINGO with marshmallows and movie themed pictures.

 We had our Frozen tattoo station to kick the party off.

 The kids did a scavenger hunt and at the end of the hunt they found Olaf Hugs.

 Bonus birthday banner that Ellie's best friend had leftover from her Frozen party a few weeks prior. 

 I always like to make one homemade item as part of the party favors.   This year it was drawstring bags made out of Frozen fabric.  Best part of it: it worked for the kids to put all of their 'winnings' and crafts into (which were the other part of the party favors).

 I am slightly obsessed with The Dollar Tree's $1 helium balloons.  I think I get them for party favors at pretty much every party we have at our house.   Decorations and party favor in one: always a winner in my book.

 The kids decorated their own crowns, antlers, and snowman picture frames.

 Pin the Nose on Olaf!  I was pretty proud of my creation.  We had a group picture taken with Olaf, which then went into the picture frames.

And the Olaf noses- so cute!

Musical snowflakes--- to help get the kid's energy out after the ice cream cake!

 

Overall Ellie had a great time, and I think the kids did as well.   The kids kept busy and were super well-behaved.   I was a little apprehensive since it was the first 'drop-off' party at our house and I was sure we would be exhausted after 2 hours with 8 kiddos.  While we were tired, Nick said it was no big deal and seemed in favor of doing something similar next time (the at home party, not the Frozen theme).  Guess I better get planning- Neve's birthday is only 4 months away!   (I am only half kidding.)

5 on Friday

1. Sorry I missed last week's "5 on Friday" post--- my computer is having some troubles so I am a little limited.   Speaking of--- trying to put together Christmas cards and holiday gifts without a computer is very difficult.  I love my iPad and it works great for on-line shopping, but uploading pictures is not as easy.   Hoping my techie hubby can fix the problem... soon.

2. We had an amazing week Thanksgiving week.  Nick and I took the entire week off and we took a family trip to the Mall of America (MoA)/MN mountain biking trails.   Nick and I have taken Thanksgiving week off every year since we started dating--- I love our little tradition.  Unfortunately, next year Ellie will be in school through Tuesday of Thanksgiving week so we will be unable to take our annual trip.

3. Back to the trip to MoA... we stayed at the Radisson Blu, which happens to be connected to the MoA.  I snagged an amazing rate through Hotwire since I was a little unsure about staying in a one-room hotel room with the kiddos (we have been very spoiled with suites and condos during past vacations) and didn't want to regret paying full price.   After staying there once, I am not sure I could stay anywhere else when planning a vacation around the MoA.    The rooms were super clean (and new), the staff was amazing (even when we arrived and Neve was crying), the lobby was fun (cute chairs for the girls to hang out in while Daddy was getting a few extra minutes of rest) and being connected to the MoA was absolutely perfect.  Seriously, we wore our coats once during the entire vacation--- and that was when we were running into Subway on our drive up and it was freezing outside.  

4. The first day of vacation we hit up the stores the girls wanted to visit--- The Disney Store and the American Girl store.   Then we grabbed dinner, played with Legos and went back to the hotel for a swim.   The next day Nick went mountain biking while the girls and I checked out Toddler Tuesday, had lunch at the American Girl Bistro (with their Bitty Babies of course) and did a little Christmas shopping.   We ran back to the hotel so the girls could take a nap and then we were back to the mall for some ride time!   Toddler Tuesday is a great deal because kids eat free with a paying adult and they have reduced ride passes for the little ones (and adults ride free for certain rides with height restrictions).   Bonus was that they had a deal going on that if you spent a certain amount at the mall (including food) you got free all day passes for the rides--- so our ride passes ended up being free!   We ended the day with dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe followed by a quick swim at the pool.   The next day we got on the road early because the weather was not supposed to be the greatest... that was an understatement.   A couple hours into the ride I told Nick we could pull over and get a hotel for the night, he told me I should have suggested that the night before (WAIT, I could have had another day at the mall?!?!--- totally taking advantage of that next time).   Six hours of driving and we made it home safe and sound.  And we now know the girls can handle six hours in the car with no trouble (we stopped once the entire time, even with Neve who is in big girl undies).

5. Since we cannot do our Thanksgiving trip to MoA, I am already planning a Back to School shopping trip up there in late July/ early August.  Nick has given me the go ahead (as long as he gets to bike).

6. We celebrated Thanksgiving with Nick's family in Ames.   Nick's brother made an amazing glaze for the ham (in addition to the turkey of course).  Yum!   I love getting together with family--- it was so cute to watch the girls interact with their older boy cousins.  Despite their age, the 13 year old boy still got down and played with the 5 year old girl.  So cute!

7. Friday we put up the Christmas tree--- Ellie loved helping put the ornaments on the tree and was quick to identify which ones were HERS.  It reminded me of when I was young and I had MY ornaments to put on the tree... who am I kidding, I still have MY ornaments.

8. Ellie helped me wrap presents (after I had done a few the night before)--- she is a good little helper and next year I am not starting to wrap without her.  All of our presents are wrapped and under the tree, except the ones still arriving in the mail.  And I am almost done with Christmas shopping, the girls and I just need to make a stop at the bike shop to get something for Daddy.

9. Christmas music... I love it!  Nick gets a little tired of it.

10.  Since I missed a week I made up for it this week with a few extras!  We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and are having a wonderful Christmas season.