Birthday Party Planning

Sydney turns 3 on Aug. 10th and Elijah turns 1 on Aug. 25th.  Since they are little and don't have much of an opinion on the matter, we are have a double birthday party.  Sydney is still in love with Wall-E and and Elijah, well, likes whatever...so they are having a robot themed birthday party.  It should be lots of fun.  At first I was just planning on inviting family and grilling out, but now I've invited a few families and we could have up to 16 kids ages 1-8 if everyone can come!  I know, I am crazy.

I've got some super awesome ideas for activity/games for the kids and can't wait for everyone to come and enjoy themselves.  I've got "robot" names for the kids (ie. instead of Andrew, Android....or instead of Paul, Paultron...simple changes like that), super cool robot acronyms for Sydney, Elijah and special relatives (I can't reveal those yet, because I want them to be a surprize).  The kids will get to make a robot costume with their robot names on it and fun buttons.  They also will make a neat little robot picture holder out of oversized clothespins. 

I'm making Sydney's present now.  It is inspired by the Wall-E fabric above.  I found this a few months back at a fabric store and just had to buy it.  I thought maybe I'd make a little pillow case out if it (it is a real small piece, that last in the store).  Then I thought I would make a simple blanekt with this fabric in the center.  Then I must have had too much mellow yellow or been up really late at night when your rational mind is sleeping, because I decided to make a twin size quilt with a large Wall-E and EVE robot embellished in the center.  Yeah, total insanity.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Elijah 11 months

Down to the Car Ferry Landing again for Elijah's 11 month pictures.

Sydney at 11 months.

Little Red Parkas

So, I'm attempting to get a mom's support group going.


I know...as if I am not busy enough already...what am I thinking...


Well, actually, I am thinking a lot. I want to organize a very loose meeting of mothers of young children to meet once a month-ish and talk about topics as based on a poem from the Bible about a godly wife, often called the The Virtuous Woman or the Proverbs 31 Woman. I'd pick a verse(s), and branch out a topic from there.


For example, verse 15 says: She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. From there we might talk about favorite, easy meals, or that month of meals/freezer cooking concept, or how to make your own baby food.  (notice we are not talking about getting up while it is still dark...are you kidding?  it starts getting light around 5 am here in the summer!   hahahaha, just kidding)


Some topics would be on the practical aspects of life and family, like above. Others may be on the spiritual aspects, like verses 30, a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised, or verse 26 She speaks wisdom.   I mentioned in a previous post (good and not harm) about verses 10 and 11 and their reference to the marriage relationship.


I want to call the group Little Red Parkas.  I came up with that name based on verse 21 which says, When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for all of them are clothed in scarlet.  The Virtuous Woman in this poem is an example of godly, wise and practical living.  She is prepared, as in verse 21, for the seasons of her life and family.  She has planned ahead, thinking of the needs of her family and herself.  They are clothed in scarlet, or some translations say warm clothing.  This is in direct contrast to the worldview of many people.  Many people tend to live only for today and themselves.  In my mind I starting thinking of that as the Little Black Dress mentality.  I think I had been looking at too many celebrity magazines in the break room when this idea came to me, but it seemed that it was such a fitting analogy.  The Little Black Dress Mentality is all about me and how good I look and how much I deserve to do whatever I want.  (disclaimer:  I am NOT saying that if you own a little black dress that you are thinking this way...again, this is a metaphor.)  The Little Black Dress seems to be such a status symbol, sign of accomplishment and extravagance.


The Virtuous Woman is clothed in "strength and dignity" and she speaks with "righteousness" and "faithful instruction." (vs. 25,26).  When winter comes, her family is 'clothed in scarlet.'  With her wisdom and hard work she helped provide for the needs of her family.  They are clothed in practical, yet stylish clothing. (Red dyed clothing was a sort of status symbol at that time, it was a more expensive color to create).  I started picturing red winter jackets in my mind and came up with the name Little Red Parkas in contrast to the Little Black Dress.


Simply put, purpose of Little Red Parkas is to discuss spiritual living, relationships, and practical living.  With the practical living aspect, I want to reach out into the community. 


As you know, I've been cloth diapering Sydney and Elijah for several months now and have actually come to enjoy it...especially the financial aspects of it.  I've probably spent about $200 on diapers, covers and fabric for making diapers.  We have enough diapers for Sydney and Elijah and more than enough fabric for larger sizes for them and smaller sizes for any future babies.  These diapers will last until both kids are potty trained.  I think many people, if they saw what modern cloth diapers are like and learn about the financial benefits, would give cloth diapering a try. 


With that in mind, I have contacted a church outreach program, the local pregnancy center, and the Health Department pitching my idea for a cloth diaper demo class.  I've already got one "demo" coming up next month...I'll let you know how it goes.  I've also contacted two major cloth diaper companies, explained my concept and actually requested a cloth diaper or two along with some literature.  We'll see how that goes.


I am so excited about these demos in the community.  I really hope this can be a way to ease some financial worries for some families and maybe lead into other conversations as well.


Whew, that was long, but I hope you can all be excited with me and pray for the women I will be in contact with.

farmer's market

Elijah, Sydney and I went to the farmer's market last week.  while walking around all the delicious veggies and flowers......

.........we bought kettle corn.

sensory overload

During our visit with the grandparents last month, we went to the Game Room at a local resturant...you know, tons of blinking lights and beeping machines and loud kids.......

.....and serious sensory overload.

Sydney had won a bunch of tokens to the Game Room and so we played...mostly she did not have a clue what was going on...but she really enjoyed a motorcycle racing game where there was a "real" motorcycle that she could sit on and lean to drive.  Grandpa and I helped her steer and we all laughed and had a great time. 

And...a large amount of tokens later...

large goofy sunglasses and a couple of pinwheels were Sydney's favorite prizes.

very belated birthdays...

so, last month was my brother Jonathan's birthday, my mom's birthday, wayne's dad's birthday, my bro-in-law Eric's birthday and Wayne's birthday.  (let the record show that only three of the above mentioned people recieved presents [sorry...i am a bum] and only 1 of the three actually got their gift on their birthday.  [a huge bum]).

But enough about my bum-y-ness...we had a great time at my parents house last month with the family. 

There is the whole gang...minus my cuzin Justin...someone always has to be behind the camera.

My dad and Sydney have a very special relationship and tons of games and activities that only they can do together.  For example:  playing "telephone" with the downspout extensions.

Do you hear something, Kaemi?

Hello?

"the whole conversation"

the grandparents and grandbabies....

and yes this is the best picture.  :)

so, all good fletchers have a slight.........ok, excessive........addiction to cereal.  We could go through a box a day easily and proably a gallon of milk as well.  My brother, Jonathan, is no exception.  He and his wife recently moved to MN and have not been able to find his favorite cereal...Honey Buzzers....a generic knock-off of Honey Comb.  Feeling bad for him and his terrible plight, nearly everyone got him a bag or two of Honey Buzzers...and several bags of skittles, another favorite.

Since returning from a tour of duty in the army, Jonathan puts ketchup, and lots of it, onto everything.  So, mom found him the awesomest (most awesome?) t-shirt.

I PUT KETCHUP ON MY KETCHUP.

new toy

We got one of those cool Little Tikes cube slides from craigslist.com about a month ago.  It is super awesome.

in case you didn't know, craigslist is way cool.  we got this slide for $25....sweet deal!  (craigslist is free-to-list online classified ads.  you can find some great deals there...like our awesome cube slide!!!)

[the anderson family was in no way compensated for their promotion of craigslist.com...........but we should be!!! hahaha]

sudden visit with grandma z

We spure of the moment decided to drive up to Green Bay to visit my (naomi's) Grandma since my mom was going up there also.
We had a good time at a park near grandma's house and Sydney enjoyed showing us how all the playground equipment worked.

wheee!!!  Ride it like this great-grandma!

up, down, up, down

 

baby jail

another little girl at the park told sydney

"now you are stuck in there forever"

Sydney just looked at her and crawled out.

daddy and kiddos on the whirly-go-hurly

Great Grandma and Elijah