The joys of getting older

Chaiya and I have been having this conversation:
Me: "You are turning 21 in May..isn't that exciting? Do you know what that means?"
Chaiya and I in unison: "Rent a car!!"
Chaiya: "Yeah but I liked turning 18 better"
Me: " What?? Why?"
Chaiya: " Because that meant I could buy spraypaint."

Later:
Chaiya: " you know what I really can't wait for.... when I can wear lipstick outside the line... you know when I am really old and none of the fashion rules matter"

We are all Mad around here!

Quayde is Sixteen!

On Friday evening Quayde invited some friends to celebrate his birthday with a Mad Hatter tea party. The invitations were shaped as a top hat and had metal keys, pocket watches, and cards to entice the guest to come and have a great deal of crazy fun.

We set up the downstairs as the Red Queen's realm and that is where the games and activities would take place. Quayde's bedroom was completely clean out and we set up the black lights and made the mad tea party up there where everything would glow. First though... we had to made sure that the guest could find their way to our house. I made giant card men and we set them all down the driveway.

I did add eyes and they were tied to trees. I forgot to get a picture of them stoically standing guard in the woods. All the preparations were so much fun, we really wanted to incorporate lots of Wonderland symbols and themes.

When the guest all arrived, we got started by painting our own tea cup mugs. It was really interesting to see all the different designs and how creative they all were.

Then it was time for games! These included ' Pass the Hedgehog' and 'Toss the Jaberwockey'. The kids had to pass a stuffed hedgehog neck to neck without using their hands. Michael found some playing cards that had dragons on them that looked just like one of the illustrations of the Jaberwockey. So for that game they had to try and toss the cards into the Red Queen's hat. We had a lot of laughter and some friendly competition.

After all the games, it was time to head to the mad tea party. We had to journey past giant tissue paper flowers that were half red and white, big mushrooms and little bits of decor here and there in the halls ways. The classic part was Thayne ran up after everyone else yelling "I'm late, I'm late for a very important date" He did that all on his own.

 Dormouse in the pot.

 Getting our glow on!

Then on to the food and even more fun....

Everything looked super cool in the blacklight. It does not photograph well though so we did use the flash for most of the rest of the birthday pictures.

Quayde, you are growing up to be the most amazing young man. I am so happy that you are my son. You make me proud of you every day and my heart is so full when I think that you choose me to be your mom.

I love you! 

Happy Birthday Quayde

QOTD: 'I love you....now Go Away!'

You know you are a Waldorf mom when... You are searching the bottom of your purse for a jumpdrive and all you find is acorns

Magical Elf breakfast party

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

 

In the dark of the night, elves visited our kitchen and they left a surprise. Our breakfast table was set in a red and white theme with candy cane place cards and snowballs in our bowls.

The snowballs were so fun and when we unwrapped them they were filled with little candies and gifts.

 

A delicious cinnamon roll bread and pastries awaited us to fill our hungry tummies.

We knew it had to be elves when Thayne found one of their hats outside. Quayde promptly placed it on his head. We are going to leave it for Santa on Christmas Eve and hope it gets returned to the proper elf. We are feeling a little bad for that elf; ears do get cold at the North Pole.

Lydia woke up first and ran upstairs to tell Quayde. Then they were waiting for everyone else to come. Even Chaiya came from her house sitting job to find out what magical things were happening at our house.

Thayne is convinced that these candy canes hanging from the ceiling fan are real and he wants to eat them. I am going to have to pull them down and show him they are just plastic. 

It was such a wonderful morning, full of laughter and smiles. We are so thrilled the elves started our Christmas season with some fun!

QOTD

From Quayde again: "Mom have you ever noticed how Dorthy and Alice are a lot alike?"

I swear he is still as cute at 15 as he was at 3

Hayes Girls Week

A few of my sisters and my mom came to spend some time with us in October. I have a ton of pictures. It was the most incredible few days filled with lots of laughter and out right silliness. I will post some pictures here and there but there are so many good ones. Here's a collage of their first time on the Metro headed into DC.  We are all so much trouble when we are together.

QOTD

These are some of the things heard from Quayde today:
"Swords are overkill, I think they should have used forks"
"I wish cheese did not make a person constipated"
and what he wanted to yell at the kids from his seminary class as they were getting on the bus, " Have Fun and Preach the Gospel"
(which he didn't because he is concerned they would kill him)

Amazing Autumn!

Sometimes I am so overwhelmed by the incredible beauty here, it truly takes my breath away and I just am in awe. As beautiful as Arizona is, I wasn't prepared  for the nuances of color that wrap themselves around my spirit here in Maryland.  This Autumn has gifted me with  peace. Wrapped in the most spectacular packaging, I am so blessed and so grateful.

Ren Faire

The Ren Faire has always been one of our favorite things to do together as a family! In Arizona the faire is in February and March, which is such a welcome break from Winter but here in Maryland it runs the first part of Autumn. We dragged Marissa and Ruby right along with us and I think everyone had a fairly good time. The food choices were a lot more plentiful here and so yummy. This faire is set is an amazing woodland setting which makes it all the more magical. It is NOT wheelchair friendly! I really wasn't prepared for how much work it would be pushing Lydia around. Next year I will be prepared and we will definitely have lots more fun. Here are some highlights from our day last month.

Happy Halloween

Hope your Halloween was fun, safe and full of lots of goodies!

Bowles Family Farm

A few Fridays ago.. our local homeschool group headed across the way to get lost in a corn maze. 

 Normally, they charge $10 just to get into the place and another $5 for a pumpkin from their patch. Going as a group saved us a lot. We got a little promo video, train ride (no hay), corn maze, petting zoo, play area and a pumpkin for $7 a person, quite the bargin. Honestly, the people running the place were not very friendly. All in all it was an interesting experience. The kids did have a lot of fun though and we enjoyed many parts of the little farm. Their promo video probably made vegetarians out of some of our group that weren't already.

 There was two ways to get lost in the maze. This year it was based on a Maryland sports team. The littles, our friends and I took the easier route. It still took us a good 30 + mins to make our way through. Half way, from the top of the bridge we spotted some lost souls.

My sister Marissa and her sweet babe Ruby had joined us on our quest through the maze. Here is Chaiya and Maliea with her so confused at how they were ever going to get out. Much to their credit, they made it out of the harder maze about the same time we made it out of the easy one.

We had Lydia's expert advice every which way!

The very best part of the whole afternoon! Playing in the corn. Seriously it was so much fun and who knew that corn could be so comfortable. We spent the most time just playing and running around the area.

 Okay well.. Thayne was diving in most of the time.

When he headed to the pumpkin patch though, he fell in love with the perfect pumpkin!

Don't you just love all the fun activities that Autumn brings?