Pink makes me happy

I love pink which is no surprise.  My grandma gifted me with some new pink glassware that is over 100 years old.  I am displaying those pieces with some other ones on my dining room table for spring.  It makes me happy (Jason has learned not to argue with my decorating anymore; that is what 11 years will do to a relationship).

excuse the dust and cat hair, evidently at night my table becomes the party zone for the cats

The Party Strikes Back

To continue to Star Wars birthday party rant:

After all the kids went home or to bed the adults came out.  We definitely had an adult party that made me regret drinking the next day. It is so true that your hangovers get so much worse as you get older.  Jason and I ended up trading time with Colton the next day because both of us had our moments of illness.  Colton thought the day after was great because he ended up getting to pick out a lot of movies and books to play with.  My house looked like a frat house the next day and ended up getting a deep scrub but it was worth all the fun.

These pictures display the good times had even if alcohol was involved :)

you can kinda see my "princess leia buns" in this picture which were just pig tails wrap around my head

These were glow star glasses I found at Walmart and were meant for the kids but I guess "kids at heart" work too

sisters always love each other (even when you don't look alike)

yep, illegal fireworks.  Good thing we live across street from open field and only have 4 neighbors

Always have to represent JMU!

May the Force Be With You

Last weekend was Colton's Birthday Celebration.  We have it after the holidays because it is just easier with traveling for family and friends and the weather is nicer.  I had a lot of fun planning this one and am already can not wait till next year's party.

The theme this year was Star Wars.  This definitely was a party more for Daddy than son but Colton does like Star Wars a lot.  He knows a lot of the character names and has tons on light sabers and Star War toys.

I made his invitations on our computer and printed them out then embellished with a small star sticker.  Everyone loved them and they only took me about two hours total to make and mail.

The decorations were so much fun to put together.  I found this Hallmark kit with a bunch of Star Wars paper decor.  Some of it was meant to be fork/cup decorations and confetti but I turned it into other things like streamers for window and light saber chair decor.

I made small streamers for the windows and placed a banner in the dining room above the table.

Around Christmas I found popcorn tins in the theme and emptied (ate) all the popcorn and used the tins to hold food.  I also found tins at the dollar section of Target to use for food items.  I bought star fabric on clearance at JoAnne's and placed it on both the dining and kitchen table as runners.  I did not even hem it; I just folded it in place and will reuse it for Independence day. The food was pretty simple: dips and chips, shrimp, cookies, cake, fruit and veggie trays and we ordered BBQ from our favorite place.  I made labels for all the food with Star Wars names (thanks Pinterest).

The birthday boy in his Star Wars shirt. 

Part Two later with pictures of everyone and after party.  

Randomness

~ I started a new job in this week.  I will have a normal schedule as in M-F 8-5.  I still am going to be at Duke but I am moving into the clinics.  I will be working in the beautiful new Cancer building with the Urology/Hematology clinic.  It will be nice to have weekends and holidays off but no more seven days off in a row.  I am moving mainly because for the three days a week I use to work did not allow me to see Colton. He started to notice that I was gone for 3 days.  It broke my heart when I put him to bed and he told me he will miss me because he knew he wouldn't see me.  This new job will give me the ability to be at home with him at night.  Jason is also happy because we will probably save money since I won't be able to go shopping during the week at Target.  I expect Target will feel the loss when I am not there everyday spending my money of their lovely goods.

~I am addicted to gel nails.  I used to get manicures every so often and the gel polish manicures are usually $25.  However, I found a kit at Walmart where I can now do them at home.

 It was $50 but after two uses it pays for itself.  Gel nails are dry instantly after you are done with them and it lasts for about two weeks.  They don't peel or chip with everyday normal work.  I paint, craft, wash my hands constantly and still have nice looking nails two weeks later.  The kit is Sensationail by Nailene.  The good thing I found out is other gel polishes work with the kit.  Also if you want a different color for a night out you can paint on top of the gel and take it off with non-acetone polish remover and still have your gel color underneath. This is my color this week

~My husband and I have finally decided that we will stay in this house longer than we thought.  The market is horrible right now for sellers in this area.  Also, there are still new houses for sell next to us so it makes it unlikely that we will be able to sell ours for what we want.  This is okay news because Jason has now come on board to do some renovations that he was putting off in hopes of moving in a few years. We are putting hard wood floors throughout the downstairs, staircase and hallways. This is one of the floor options:

This is another option of flooring

We are going with Lumber Liquidators because they have the best deals. Now we just need to decide and set a date for installation. I hope it turns out ok.

New carpet in the bedrooms will probably come soon (carpet is still good but just basic builder grade).  We also will landscape the front and back yards more this summer season.  We also will probably expand the bedroom above the garage in the next few years to make it bigger (this will involve moving the laundry room and a obtaining some permits that we are not ready for just yet).

~I got two lovely gifts from Jason for Valentines Day.  This pair of emerald rough cut earrings and bracelet (the bracelet is an emerald heart with diamonds surrounding it; Ross Simmons no longer sells it so I could not find picture but trust me when I say it is super cute).

 I love them both.  He knows me so well (actually he just checks his email when I send him hints very well).

I am working on Colton's birthday post as well as a craft post from some of my new thrift finds.  I just have to adjust to this new working schedule and I promise (MOM) that I will get better with posting.