Christmas Brunch

Dining Room Tree, all decked in German glass ornaments

The party favor, pineapple, with tags from No Fuss Fabulous.

Music Room

Living Room, ready for guests, complete with a roaring fire. One guest said that my house summed me up in a good way. I guess that's better than in a bad way!

Some of the food... twelve ladies came to enjoy the day... all stay at home moms from school. We started at 9 am and the last guest left just before 2. I guess that makes it a success! I think this may become a tradition.

The salad my mom always made.

Derby Party 2011

The silver mint julep cups were fabulous! They frosted up perfectly.
Red roses, fried chicken, pimento cheese, ham and biscuits, and Kern's Derby Pie shipped in from Kentucky. Notice the tablecloth from Pomegranate, Inc. Love it!

Roasted fresh asparagus. It looked beautiful on the antique platter.

No one picked the winning horse, so all money was donated to the school.

Fancy Nancy Party

My niece joined in the party. She will go to the school next year, and she had a chance to meet some of the girls. Every young lady took home a fancy fuzzy blanket.

A very Fancy chandelier.

Things to make you Fancy; boas and rings and bracelets, oh my!

Last weekend was the Fancy Nancy party that was my donation to our school auction.

It was a great success!

Favor buckets, waiting to go home.

Flowers and feather centerpiece, and cotton candy towers.

All the Fancy Young Ladies!

My talented sister came to take pictures, and my great friend, Jean, with assistance from her daughter, came and gave a French lesson. It was a delightful afternoon, and I am already planning next years party.

Aren't You Bored?

I was asked lately if I am bored staying at home. My reply, NO! I am busy planning school functions;

• International Day (14 countries represented, a renowned origami artist will give lessons, an Irish folk musician, an Ecuadorian dance group)
• Scholastic Book Fair (we are having a Royal Bookfair, due to the fact that the royal wedding is on one of our sale days... yum, wedding cake)
• planning the food for the 200 people that will attend the auction (I'm too cheap to pay a caterer for what I know I can do)
• Fancy Nancy party (this is my Auction donation, 10 little girls with tutu's, boas and tiaras, ice cream parfaits, french lesson and a professional portrait taken)
• centerpieces for the staff Christmas party on Saturday
• Spring Carnival (I'm not in charge, just a helper)
• First Grade Lunch Luau's (this month is a Chinese New Year theme)
• Camp Out on the Campus (we are having the Boy Scouts give a lesson on using a compass and an astronomer from the UW come to give a lesson on stargazing)
• going through 80 pounds of unclaimed lost and found (how is that possible?! Come on parents-label your kids stuff!)
• through in one kids birthday party (he hasn't decided on a theme)

I am busy, and as much as I enjoy it, I am looking forward to summer. What? I know it's January, but a girl has to look forward to something.

Friday Favorites

I am loving these Monogrammed Cupcake Wrappers from Monogram Lane. Time for a Party!

Kindergarten Graduate

My baby graduated from Kindergarten.

S with Mr.s Ott, the best teacher in the world!

(S cried when I said he is now a 1st grader. He said he would miss Mrs. Ott. I told him he would still see her, he just said, with chin quivering, "It won't be the same.")

Treats for everyone!

Huh?

Have you ever received an invitation that says "no packed gifts please". This is for a one year old. I haven't a clue................. how about you?

Lunch with Cat in the Hat

Lunch with Head of School, won in the Annual Auction
The table looked great, if I do say so myself!

Our Fabulous Head of School (AKA Cat in the Hat),

along with Thing One and Two

(the masterminds behind this lunch)

Cupcakes

Everyone had a great time!

The Teashop Girls Tea Party

Waiting for the guests to arrive.

As my donation to the school auction, I hosted a tea party today for a group of young ladies

at my house. The whole event was based on the book The Teashop Girls, by Madison writer Laura Schaefer. She reads my blog and I asked her to come talk to the girls about being a writer. She was completely delightful, and the girls were thrilled to meet her.

Is Z not wearing the PERFECT dress? She was matched to a T.

My niece, M, was so excited about meeting a real live author. She wants to know what author will be next. On a fashion note: LOVE Laura's shoes!


The favor boxes were all pink, sugary and girly!
Cookies by Design (thanks Ann) made teapot cookies to match
the teapot on the cover of the book.

Laura signing her book. Check out her website here, and buy the book!

Mrs V. hosted the party with me. She's the best.

All the young ladies, with Laura.

A Golden Wedding Anniversary Party

Today we hosted a 50th Wedding Anniversary party for my in-laws. We had about 40 people for lunch. It was fun looking at their wedding photos and especially all the receipts from the wedding. My mother-in-law made her dress, with a Vogue pattern that cost 75 cents. Her flowers were under $50.

The salads are awaiting the company of stuffed chicken breast wrapped in puff pastry.
A replica of their wedding cake, made by Carl's Cakes. He's the best.

Calgon, take me away!

This is a crazy week! Today the kids didn't have school today, so we ran to Sam's Club quick, then came home. They ran around for roughly 6 hours straight, had dinner, showered and instantly fell asleep. Tomorrow is Parent Guild meeting, in which I will be introduced as the President-elect. A dubious honor. Then swimming right after school. Thursday night is J's choir concert. Then Saturday is the first of two Low Country Boils, which were our donation to the school auction. Eleven couples are coming for dinner, and I am consumed with getting the yard and house cleaned. I love our home, and don't want to move, but it might be easier cleaning a 50's ranch, rather than a hundred year old Victorian. I got three bathrooms scoured, so on Saturday they will just need a quick going over. I even took the toilet seats completely off, which I think is the only way to really get them clean. I live with three males, which makes the process disgusting. Next came dusting all the bedrooms, so a quick vacuum should finish it up. I always make B take the boys away for the day when we are having a big shin-dig. With them here, it's like shoveling during a blizzard! All these people keep telling me how excited they are about dinner, which is wonderful to hear, but, boy, the pressure. Cheese straws, pimento cheese, pork bbq sliders, red velvet cake, pecan pie, banana pudding. I hope no one is on a diet!

Picking a Theme

S, my four year old is busy choosing the theme for his birthday, which is not until August. For someone so young, he truly is a foodie. He told me a couple weeks ago, he wanted a penguin party, then everyone can have salmon. Yesterday S told me he wanted to have a breakfast party, where everyone comes in their pajamas, and has pancakes and fruit smoothies. I guess all that entertaining is rubbing off on the kids. Last year when J turned six, he wanted on Indian party, with Thanksgiving food. So, twenty kids ate a complete Thanksigiving dinner, with linen, gourds and pumpkins, turkey dishes, the works. And it was April! I let you know what S decides!