Birthday Numero Uno! Part 2

Go ahead and pretend like this post isn't almost 6 months overdue!

A couple of months ago we took a look at the things that Cora did NOT have at her 1st birthday party. Now, it is time to get our eyes in gear for a look-see at what she DID have!

Cora had two 1st birthday parties! Lucky girl!

First, she had a party with Scott, me, Grandmama, Emery, Boo, Pop, Uncle Rick, Aunt Jennifer, Wren, and Aunt Kelly (she was via Skype).

Grandmama and Emery had the job of picking out the birthday supplies. I think I just asked for some crepe paper but they came back with about a quarter of Party City. Of course my mom would buy party hats lined with pink fur!

I was trying to keep it low key- a little crepe paper, some balloons, and a birthday banner.

In my head, low key meant that it wouldn't take much time at all to prepare for. So, just as everyone was showing up for the party I had my mom, Scott and Emery throw all of the decorations up while I finished the birthday banner. It ended up being perfect timing and who doesn't like a bit of pre-birthday stress?

I also bought a bunch of animal masks for everyone to wear. Cora thought that was pretty fun!

Scott made 5 or 6 home-made pizzas. He made a few funky ones including a delicious bean pizza. He also made animal-shaped iced cookies. 

I am a bit of a stickler about Cora's sugar intake (some people might say I am a huge stickler. So, Scott made a cake that those same people may not classify as a cake. We followed this recipe. It was made with whole wheat flour, wheat germ, ripe bananas, applesauce, and topped with yogurt.

We had been prepping her for the happy birthday song and she was into it! She gave the cake a taste and liked it. So, she stuffed the entire thing into her mouth.

Her cousin, Wren, was nice enough to help Cora open her presents. Cora wasn't into the present thing at all. She was too interested in talking to Aunt Kelly on Skype. Finally, we had to shut Aunt Kelly down so Cora would pay attention to everything else.

The whole she-bang ended with a major Cora head-conk. She doesn't usually cry when she falls, but this time she hit the corner of her little rocking chair pretty hard and had an immediate bump. So, she got some mama comforting and we wrapped the party up pretty quickly.

Fuuwwwwweeeeeeeeee it was a whirl-wind!

We had some friends over to celebrate her birthday the following weekend. At this party, Cora ran around the whole time picking things up from one area and bringing them to another- mainly dish towels. She was excited that people were singing her happy birthday again. And she seemed to like the idea of shoving some more cake into her mouth.

I'll wrap this birthday party up with a couple of family shots.

I'll show you more of the banner next time.

My Christmas Tree Topper!

Last week, I gave you some ideas for less traditional tree toppers and I told you I would show you what we ended up with.

Well folks, I keep my promises!

Here it is:

A funky Jingle-Bug tree topper! 

A new tradition has been born... go around the house to find what we can put on top of the tree.

This year, I also tried a slinky tree topper.

Obviously, the slinky wasn't cutting it.

I tried the play Christmas tree that Grandmama gave Cora last year.

Not too bad, but not quite right.

Hedwig the owl (known around here as "Owly"... clever, clever) was close but he just didn't cut the mustard (I got that saying wrong, didn't I?) compared to Jingle-Bug.

So, it was decided... Jingle-Bug Topper, it was.

Jingle Bug is part of Cora's music collection. The girl is completely set if she wants to form a band. And, by the way she plays the harmonica, she is lookin' to form a band. Let's do the important part first... band name suggestions, anyone?

Cora approved!

Last year we used two different ornaments to make a Santa Claus tree topper.

And, for the 4 years before that, we used a giraffe ornament that I think Scott got at the San Diego zoo.

Soon, I will show you some of my favorite ornaments and what my house has got going on for the holidays!

Does anyone vote for Hedwig or any of the other choices? Next year, I may be looking to turn an old giraffe stuffed animal into the tree topper. I loved the giraffe ornament but he was just too teeny tiny of a little fellow. 

One more thing... a little BIRTHDAY holla holla HOLLA!

The Pickle, Holiday Lights And Other Christmas Traditions

We here at the Ross-Spencer household are big fans of traditions!

Let's take a drive to Tradition Town, shall we?

• Bon-Bons! This is a tradition that my mom grew up with in Australia. Every time she went home she would buy a bunch of them for us to have at Christmas. Or, if we were lucky, some of our favorite Aussie pals would come visit us and bring some along! The idea is that one person grabs each end and you pull. There is a big pop noise and someone ends up with a rinky-dink prize and a paper hat.

I have no idea why I put on my crazy eyes for this photo!

• A year or two before I came on the scene, Scott's family started having a Christmas pinata. Scott's parent's neighbors probably think we are lunatics but we have a great time. The first year they did it they had a Sponge Bob pinata. My niece was only about 2 and she thought that the idea of everyone beating up on ol' Spongey Pants was the worst thing ever!

Here's my niece showing the pinata who is boss (Tony Danza)??

• I owe a big apology to those who celebrate Christmas and have to work the day of. I am not doing you any favors with this next tradition... Go to the movies on Christmas. For as long as I can remember we have been going to the movies on Christmas. I love the tradition of it. It is always fun to talk about what we should see and then try to remember all the movies we have seen in the past.

No idea why, but this is always the first movie that pops into my head when I think of our past Christmas movies.

• My mom likes to put on her fancy hat and break out the special Christmas plates every year. She also used to print out a fancy menu listing what we would eat. I am sorry to say that the menu tradition died when we started hosting Christmas dinner. ps the fancy hat isn't a real thing although... possible new tradition?

Here are the choices for our new hat tradition:

hat sources: santa chimney, tiny black and white, horse hat, rudolph

• Find the pickle! Does anyone else do this one? I'm not really sure when or why it started but my mom hides a pickle ornament on the tree and my sister and I race to see who can find it first.

Here was what the note that comes with the pickle says, "Legend of the Pickle. Start this tradition in your home... legend says that the pickle, a symbol of good luck, was the last ornament placed on the tree. The first child to find the pickle on Christmas morning was rewarded with an extra gift left by St. Nicholas. This tradition encourages children to appreciate all the beautiful ornaments on the tree, rather than rushing to see what Santa has left for them."  

I have to disagree a little though. Maybe the first child who ever looked for the pickle was doing so because he or she cared more about the ornaments. But I think the rest of those kids just wanted the present for finding the pickle. Who doesn't like some good competition on Christmas morning?

• Sing Christmas songs until you laugh so hard you cry. I do realize that Christmas songs aren't usually hilarious but they are when it is my mom, my sister and me singing them. We are about the worst singers you could possibly find and none of us know the proper words to the song. We have a great time trying though! If you are trying to find a list (or three) of the world's best holiday music stop trying and click here!

source

• Check out the Christmas lights! Get out your hot chocolate, turn up your holiday music, and go tour the town. It is appropriate to say, "ahhhh bahhh" every time you see a well-decorated house. At least, that is what we used to do growing up. I think Kelly and I were trying to say, "aww beautiful" but hadn't mastered that yet. Also, go ahead and rank the houses if you see fit! That never hurt anyone (unless you rank the house a zero and you have your windows rolled down and the person is outside... don't do that). This website will help you find the best decorated houses. Or you could go to whatever place is closest to you on this list of The 50 Best Places To See Christmas Lights In America. Better yet, take a Tacky Light Tour.

Here I am with a little baby Cora on a Christmas Light Stroll last year!

• The Advent Calendar. Ours needs a little love or just a little velcro. When I was little, putting a velcro ornament on the felt tree every day was the best! If you want to make your own advent calendar check here for some ideas.

• Write in our Christmas book each year. Someone gave us a Christmas notebook so Scott decided to put it to use. Every year Scott and I take turns writing what big things happened the previous year (trips we went on, engagements, weddings, etc).

• Get a present the night before Christmas. When we were little it was usually pajamas, slippers or something Christmas-y that we could wear the next day. Now, my mom usually buys a new board game for the group that we open the on Christmas Eve.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something! Does anyone have any traditions that they absolutely love? Anything funny or unique?

Here are a few more great ideas for the holidays that we have done but haven't quite become a yearly thing:

• Go ice skating
• Volunteer at a soup kitchen or sponsor family
• Have a holiday-movie-marathon
• Go Christmas Caroling
• Look through old photo albums and videos
• Check out the local holiday festivals or parades

21 Awesome Advent Calendars You Can DIY

Only 9 days left until you breakout your Advent Calendar and start the big count-down!

I am sorry... I have to do this. Whenever says the word 9 I think of the scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off where the principal calls Ferris's mom and tells her that Ferris has been absent 9 times. Feel free to skip the conversation quote below.

Principal Rooney: So far this semester he has been absent nine times.
Ferris's mom: Nine times?
Principal Rooney: Nine times.
Ferris's mom: I don't remember him being sick nine times.
Principal Rooney: That's probably because he wasn't sick. He was skipping school. Wake up and smell the coffee, Mrs. Bueller. It's a fool's paradise. He is just leading you down the primrose path.
Ferris's mom: I can't believe it.
Principal Rooney: I've got it right here in front of me. He has missed nine days...
[Principal Rooney's computer screen begins counting down from nine to two. Ferris is at home looking at the same screen]
Ferris: I asked for a car, I got a computer. How's that for being born under a bad sign?

Awesome Ferris Bueller poster image found in my old room.

Now that I have thrown one completely unrelated reference to the 80s in, let's get back to the topic at hand: Advent Calendars.

I used to love Advent Calendars when I was little... getting a special treat every day leading up to the best treat day of the year! If you don't love Advent Calendars you must be pretty high on the crazy spectrum!

I like an Advent Calendar that you can do something with... like ornaments that you can put on a tree or chocolate you can eat! But I couldn't resist showing you some of the more impractical yet adorable calendars out there.

This is what I am talking about. On each day that you check off you get to hang an ornament on the tree!

By now, you all must have an idea for how much I like the idea of hanging things off branches.

Oh how I love pretty paper. It will get me every time. Throw in teeny tiny clothespins and I am hooked! Garland too! I cannot contain my excitement! 

Love it! It is garland and it is Advent! I don't know what happened to the numbers but make sure they make it on your DIY Advent Calendar.

I am always looking for ways to reuse our extra take-out containers from the candy buffet at our wedding.

You can use little magnet spice containers for you calendar. Just throw them up on the fridge! 

A paper chain Advent Calendar. Very unique! I don't know where you hide the chocolate though! I might be a little disappointed if my calendar was just ladies holding hands with aprons on and no chocolate. 

Hey, Hey! The garland is back and in the form of Christmas trees! You could also hang each tree on your own Christmas tree!

Sooo pretty! I love everything about the photo below. Ornaments hanging on a regular tree, cans all painted white with pretty numbers and lots of colors. This is my cup of Advent Calendar.

I love the look of the variety of boxes and the raised numbers! You could even put magnets on the back of the boxes and put them up on the fridge or a framed magnet/chalkboard instead of having to store a huge awkward frame.

Cute! This would be another tricky one to store but I love the pretty paper, the Christmas tree shape, and the cute numbers!

OK, you got me! I am a sucker for these cute boxes hanging on the wall. This is the last one like this, I promise!

  We had a felt and velcro Advent Calendar like this growing up. Getting to take each ornament off the tree and put it on a numbered square was one of my favorite Christmas traditions. I have the calendar now so I will be sure to show it to you when I get my decorations up. 

One of the nice things about felt is that the edges look clean even though it isn't sewn.

Another Christmas-tree-shaped calendar. Couple it with clothespins. And the combo is irresistible!

There are a lot of tutorials for making cute jewelry display frames like the one below. So, I am calling this a multi-purposed Advent Calendar!

This one is definitely hard to consider multi-purpose. Other than me, there aren't a lot of people who use ladders as decoration. Why not give it a try though? It sure is neat. Think of all the year-round things you could hang on your new decorative ladder!

Ehhh you could say this is like the other cute boxes but this one is definitely not hanging on the wall. It is just hanging out on a table top. What if you made this your centerpiece? Then it would be totally different and useful! You could stack the boxes on top of each other and alternate which way the numbers showed so all of your guests got a glimpse of the pastel goodies! 

I think this one is my favorite! It is a cute window display, a garland, and an ornament hanger!

Simple and adorable DIY bags hung from, my favorite, clothespins!

I love the graphics on these cards. Funky number graphics are my favorite!

Now, I'm not saying that I would go out and spend a bunch of money on holiday socks that Cora wasn't going to wear but if you just happen upon a bag of mismatched holiday socks or your baby grows out of them and you happen to have 25 then I am into this idea! Either way, pretty stinkin' cute!

And now, The Would You Rather Question of the day:

WYR... be the strongest person in the world

or

the fastest person in the world?

sources: cute numbered box, branches in a can, clothespin bags, boxes in tree shape, little sacks, paper envelope, ornament calendar, houses on branches, christmas bulb, christmas tree chain, paper doll chain, framed boxes, felt tree red balls, colorful framed, cans, Chinese food take-out, magnets, baby sock, funky graphic, clothespin Christmas tree, ornament tag, window decoration, blue ladder

Thanksgiving. Round 1: More Traditions

The day for thanks is steadily approaching!

I love Thanksgiving! I love tracing my hand and turning it into a turkey.

I love seeing my huge family. I love the 6 hour car ride with Cora to get to all of my people.

Ahhh I do wish that last one is true. Cora isn't a big fan of the car. But this trip, I am going to do my Google research and travel equipped with tips a'plenty about how to handle a car hatin' baby.  And, you know, I wouldn't leave you hanging without a post about it. That will come with time... just hold your horse.

Now, peeps, let's go back to the present. Let's get ready for the big day... the day of thanks!

Traditions!
Who doesn't love a good tradition?
Before we were even into November I showed you the two Thanksgiving traditions that we, at the Spencer household, take part in.

The Holiday Book Basket

 And The Thanks Jar

I found some neat variations on the Thanks Jar.

The Paper Thanks Tree

And The Beautiful Thanks Branches

A few more ideas for Thanksgiving traditions:

• Watch the Macy's Day Parade

• Host a Game Day the day after Thanksgiving. My Uncle Alan and Aunt Camille have been doing that for about 10 years and it is great! Since a lot of people travel for Thanksgiving, it gives you another chance to see the big group that you are traveling to see!

It looks like people might be boo-ing my mom's Scategories answer choice here.

• Get an early start on your resolutions! Why wait until January 1st- write them all down now and start them immediately! The long car or plane ride home from Thanksgiving will certainly give you plenty of time to think of them.

• I know that sometimes the last minute stuff can be hectic. Make it a tradition that while everyone is arriving and getting all of the food ready for the big feast put on some music. You could make a playlist with songs about thanks or just some up-lifting music. Dance around while you prepare the food!

• In my big family, the tradition is the cocktail shrimp. As soon as the shrimp arrives, everyone (except me since I'm a vegetarian) pounces and the shrimp is gone in no time.

• I like traditions involving music. So, why not get the whole family involved in making up a silly song about your favorite Thanksgiving food. This good be another good car-ride tradition.

I will be back soon with a post about Thanksgiving decorations and Thanksgiving food.

Would You Rather Election Question of the day (The last WYR election question)

WYR... you, personally, have the secret deciding vote for who becomes president every election for the rest of your life
or
you have to serve as president for 4 years (8 if you get reelected... less if you get impeached)?



sources: turkey hand, paper thanks tree, branch thanks tree