Harvest Party

 I am no party planner, but I've always wanted a reason to have an outdoor party at this 100 year old farm house with accompanying farm and vineyard, where we currently dwell. It's the perfect place, says me.

This boy's FIRST birthday was my excuse to host a Harvest Party--to celebrate his life, and our  bounteous blessings, with family and friends.  (And so I could add "party planner" to my social skills resume.) You can learn a lot from planning a party, as I learned.

Lesson #1: Keep the decorations simple. 

Bales of straw, (hay is twice as expensive) covered in blankets, makes perfect places for sitting, but you don't want too much seating--as this would discourage mingling. 

Mingling-very important.

Martha Stewart suggested filling our planters with pumpkins and gourds. That lady thinks of everything. Isabella and I decided to have a contest to see who could decorate most like Martha. 

  

No contest, really.  

 and a garland made of Indian corn.

Lesson #2: Prepare some food, potluck the rest

I made chili, Mom made butternut squash soup, and everyone else brought appetizers and desserts. I loved it. The food was delicious and there was plenty of it!

Apple Dip bar, good idea in theory, but keeping caramel warm and melted is a high maintenance task.

Still, they were fun to decorate.  

Throw in some little "acorns" made from a hershey kiss, mini nilla wafer, and peanut butter chip, stuck together with peanut butter (mom's idea). Very harvest-y.

Lesson #3 Arts and Crafts and Games are essential for keeping the little people busy. 

Decorating pumpkins

Q-tip art: painting Fall trees

(Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate...)

Witch Hat Ring Toss, featuring the Moore brothers.

A bounce house, if you will,

and a hay ride, of sorts.

Last but not least, every harvest party needs a fire pit for s'mores!

Lesson #4: Invite those you really like.

Family came from LA

BFF and family came from Sacramento

and there were lots of friends from Napa. (This was one of my favorite moments-I walked to the back of the house to see my friend Kelly and her son James relaxing on the back "lawn", something we don't even do. There's nothing better than company feeling like they are right at home.)

Nobody puts babies in a corner-unless they're having fun playing on a comfy blanket.

The party was great, people were having fun--until we spotted a paparazzo hiding in the bushes.

and then there was the crazy lady who showed up and started washing our windows

She was very enthusiastic about the whole thing--and do you see these windows?! S-p-o-t-l-e-s-s.

Family, friends, good food, fun games, an adorable birthday boy, and windows that are cleaner than they were when the party started. Now that's how you host a par-tay.

The post-party cousin photo shoot.

It took some effort

to coordinate smiling and looking at the camera,

without being distracted by locomotives passing through.

Jack patiently worked with his two younger cousins...

...but Isabella just fell asleep,

and Baby M got surly.

Party over.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Isabella's class took a trip to the pumpkin patch!

The last post I wrote about Isabella's preschool experience, was her first day of school. She missed the second day because she was sick. As I was leaving from dropping her off on the third day of preschool, I was stopped by another mother who wanted to invite Isabella to her daughter, Amelie's birthday party. We attended her Strawberry Shortcake-themed party, which included a bounce house,(Isabella was in heaven) that Saturday. Isabella and Amelie have been best-good friends since.

Amelie is even more petite than Isabella. She too, has a little chipmunk voice, and is quite verbal, just like her new buddy. Amelie's mom, Jennifer, is a midwife, and her Dad, Mike, is a soft-spoken British man, who is studying to be a librarian--and both were total punk rockers, living in England in the 90's. (Their wedding photo should not be missed).

Amelie and Isabella palled around together until the third member of their trio, Christian, showed up.

Then this trio was inseparable.

Enjoying lollipops

Class pictures!

Before they left the pumpkin patch, Amelie and Isabella attempted to move the 950 pound pumpkin. They were not successful.

Matthew guarded the pumpkins.

Katie Gets Crafty

Matthew needed a mobile for his crib. I did not want to spend $50 at Babies R Us for a mobile, so I decided to make one myself. $30 in supplies, and 10 hours of labor later, I made Matthew this mobile for his first birthday!

The idea came from Pinterest, but I customized mine. This Owl Family resembles one I know. But who whoo, I'll never tell. (And for the sake of creativity, let's ignore the nocturnal nature of owls).

Papa Owl sleeps so tight dreaming of places he can take flight. 

He only wakes in times of stress, to give Mama a break from her wakefulness.

Big Sister Owl happily rests, cozy and warm in her sweet little nest. 

She's mastered the night, sleeping soundly on, but still wakes up at the crack of dawn.

Mama Owl attempts to sleep, unsuccessful at counting sheep. 

She dreams of a day when both eyes will close...the first day of college, I suppose.

 Baby Owl, as happy as can be, stays up all night to torture me (er, Mama Owl). 

Still, he wakes all smiles at dawn, his Mama's heart melts, the long night gone.

A Few of My Favorite Things...

 Tree climbing Isabella

 Birthday cakes

 Hat Day at preschool

The start of another arduous football season--for which we will focus on loyalty, and not the wins. Matthew's got his game face on (or he's just reallllly tired and wants to stupid camera to go away.)