cupcakes and birthdays and candy and parties and games - oh my!

Or, this could easily be named random post # __   , but I am not sure what number I am on now :)

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Let's start with the way my week began, shall we?

Monday I was getting ready for the day when all of a sudden my back just doubled me over with pain.  I was not stretching or bending, yet the next moment, I was bent over in extreme pain and unable to move.  All of this BEFORE I woke the kids up for school.  Thankfully Harry was home & brought me pain meds and then got the kids ready and off to school.  Then he fed the little ones and. went. to. work.  Believe it or not, my two littlest were angels, leaving me to lay in my bed or on the couch all day.  With each day, the pain has started get less intense (hey, I can move now!) and now I am dealing with some numb spots.  I think I must have a pinched nerve & wouldn't you know that my FIL chiropractor has been on vacation this week?  Of course :)  As of yesterday, I am not having  as much pain, but still am very numb between my shoulders. I have scoliosis and wore a brace in my early teen years (think sixteen candles - water fountain scene - that was me...poor thing, right?)  Anyway, I am not sure if that is the underlying cause of all of this, but will see my FIL as soon as I can in hopes that it is nothing serious.

Aside from  the tough time I had Monday, the rest of the week I could handle the pain with meds and taking it easy.  I did manage to go to Zander's Harvest party yesterday, and do some shopping for Kadens birthday. 

As I mentioned, I also made cupcakes yesterday a few days ago & I had such fun, but had a VERY hard time letting the kids do their own thing this time.  Bad Mommy, I know, but I wanted them to look good.  They did put some of the eyes together before hand with me, but I did most of the decorating myself.  They are very cute and I can't wait to hear what he says about his class and if they enjoyed them.  Now that he is a big 3rd grader the teacher asked that I drop them off in the AM and they would work them in sometime during the day.  This growing up stuff is hard to deal with!!

Here are the finished cupcakes - aren't they so fun?

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Most of the above was started over the last few days, so that brings us to today (Sunday) where I am up early with the little ones despite Kaden & his friends staying up LATE playing PS2 games.  Yesterday was his big day and instead of planning a big birthday party, we decided to have a couple of friends over to celebrate. 

Harry picked them all up and took them to eat, then they all came back here to watch the Ohio State game and stay over night.  We lost one boy due to the neighbors (who are older) scaring the boys through the basement windows.  He wanted to go home, so we ended up with just 2 staying the night.  They had alot of fun & though it was wild at times, I would do it again (and will for Ellie) but I am not sure Harry will go for it  :)  He is one that does not always enjoy having extra kids around, yet he is married to me - the crazy lady that has four kids and always has extras along too!  Poor guy.  

Kaden collected lots of birthday $$ and a few great gifts too - the best being his new Tony Hawk skateboard and lots of Ohio State gear.  *a side note to family reading - Kaden has declared that he is no longer a Bengals fan (who can blame him this year, right?)!  For Christmas shopping I would suggest that you go with OSU until the Bengals start looking up again :)  He is such a grown up "child" already, I can completely understand the word "tween" now - we are right there.  No longer a little kid - forget toys, except an occasional cool lego set- and he is already asking to be left home alone & to walk to school, etc.  I can't believe it is already time to make these decisions...

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I am addicted to reading cupcake blogs at the moment - have you seen how cute some of these cupcakes are?  Last night I even found anADORAble apple one that I will try for Ava's birthday.  I bought one of those cupcake stands, and I think that an apple or two (mixed in with plain white) would be SO cute on the stand.  The apple theme is what got me started on the red velvet mix too, and now I think it is so good.  We mix some mini chocolate chips into the boxed mix and the kids (and friends) think that I make the BEST cupcakes ever  :)

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With Kaden's birthday behind us, it is Halloween time.  Harvest parties,  trick or treat & carving pumpkins this week.  It should be a fun week - but crazy too due to  SUGAR OVERLOAD!

Here are just a few of the games I found and am considering for the kids' classes -

Spider Web

Supplies needed:
Ball of black yarn

Children stand in a circle. A ball of yarn is thrown across to another child. The child holds on to a piece of the yarn and then throws the ball across to another child. Continue until a spider web is created.

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Very simple! Fill a jar with Halloween candy and, as each guest arrives, have them write down a guess as to how many pieces are in the jar. Everyone only gets 1 guess and the person who is the closest gets to take home the jar.

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Halloween bingo (you can find lots of cards to print out online & use candy corn as cover ups

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Use a cookie cutter shaped like a pumpkin and trace 12 pumpkins (or the number of guests who will be at the party) on orange construction paper, cut them out. Note it is important to try and make these the same size. Then take 11 of the pumpkins and write Trick on the back and on 1 write Treat. Adjust the ratio of Tricks to Treats if needed.

On the Trick pumpkins write a silly thing to do like walk like a spider, or cackle like a witch, or flap your wings like a bat, dance like a fairy, walk like Frankenstein and more.

Now put all the pumpkins in a plastic witch kettle and have each child draw one out. If they get the treat one then let them choose a treat out of another bucket or award them a prize. If they get the trick they have to do what it says to earn the treat. Or for additional fun you can continue to make them do additional silly things until they pick out a treat.

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And finally....Today is GIRLS DAY OUT! 

Ellie & I are headed out with one of her girl scout friends and her Mom to see High School Musical 3 this afternoon.  It should be lots of fun - I can't wait :) 

Comments

[Heather]

wow you make me tired just reading about all that you do!

[Gina]

Oooh, I'm with you on the Cupcake Blogs. We need to share URLs! :)

[Gina]

Oh, and I meant so say - your cupcakes are CUTE!!!!