Now Updated: City + Family Calendar

This month's City + Family Calendar is chock full of things to do and I'm honestly still adding events. Since there are so many holiday venues during December that just go on until January, I added those events (like the Cactus Garden at Ethel M, which is an every night thing) at the top and linked them to get you more information.

We had a ball today at Home Depot, hammering and painting winter garden stakes. Then we rushed to Toys R Us for an ornament craft. Next week? Star Nursery's Kids Garden Club for more holiday fun.

For now, check out the calendar for some ideas for tomorrow.

Traditions

In our home, we have a pretty big line-up of holiday traditions--beginning during Halloween, when I sit down with the kids and watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Now that Christmas is ten days away, I admit that I've been a bit lax this year on the tradition front. Having about six jobs between the two of us does that, so I'll be cramming them in in a daily double kind of way. Here's a list of what we'll be doing and what we've already done:

- Decorate the house inside and out
- Read Christmas books at bedtime
- Have a hot chocolate and popcorn movie night
- Put a train set around the tree
- Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life (in black and white only)
- Dance and sing to Christmas music
- Visit the snow
- Take a picture with Santa
- Write a letter to Santa
- Bake cookies
- Pick a new ornament for the year
- Attend midnight mass
- Christmas brunch
- Help make lumpia/teach Dianna more about Filipino food

This is a great time to teach kids what traditions are, and traditions are not just a yearly event. Traditions like family game night and having a nighttime routine count--anything that you do regularly, but now there's new vocabulary for it. Some of our regular traditions include library visits, storytime, and family dinners at the grandparents' house.

What are your traditions?

Pearl strands are the newest in natural children's toys

I wore my pearls the other day. They make the best teething ring and rattle.

 

  

To our little princess:

Happy birthday. You're three! Already, I am so proud of you. Everyday you make it a joy to witness your growth in so many ways. You are kind, smart, spicy, and beautiful--everything our princess should be.

 

Love,

 

Mama

My City + Family: This Weekend Only



It has finally come: Dianna's birthday weekend. I'll save my indulgent "I can't believe it" for the actual day. I'm just excited to see and be part of my daughter's excitement for our Saturday and Sunday lineup. Isn't it funny how much our priorities change once we have children?

This weekend is also Disney Junior Live weekend. If you have preschool-aged children and haven't heard of this yet, you have to have been living under a rock. If you've indeed been living under a rock, here's another link. I just checked and there are still tickets available.

Are you an American Idol fan? When Casey Abrams was on season 10 of Idol, Chris and I said to each other that he was one artist whose show we would check out if the opportunity came knocking. And it did. He's playing in Las Vegas this Saturday 10/6 and Sunday 10/7. The Suncoast has an intimate venue and I'm excited for the whole experience.

And if you're thinking free, where's the free stuff? Read on.

All Home Depots are holding their kids workshop that takes place the first Saturday of every month at 9 am. This month, the kids are making a fire rescue plane to celebrate Fire Safety Month. You can always register ahead of time, but you can also just come on time to get a spot.

All Michael's craft stores are celebrating the season with their Great Pumpkin Event from 1 pm-3 pm. With the purchase of a $5 9" craft pumpkin, you're provided with a free craft to decorate your everlasting gourd.

Have a fantastic weekend!

DIY Wrapping Paper

I was wrapping Dianna's presents and realized we were out of wrapping paper. Well, not really. We have Christmas wrapping paper, but that obviously doesn't count in this situation.



Having just finished a harvest time wreath craft with the kids, I had a pile of paper and paint in front of me and figured, "Why not?" So I wrapped up the gifts, even using some kraft paper from a recently received package, and painted away.



I alternated polka dot colors using the ends of hot glue gun sticks and glittered the fresh color for some sparkle, finger painted hearts, and added ribbon I had laying around.

Lots of possibilities. Those glittered dots are going to be my staple this Christmas. And for the kids, I'll measure a stretch of craft paper out and let the kids have at it. It's a great personal touch for any occasion. Dianna glimpsed the gifts after I finished painting them and was so excited about the hearts and glitter.

"Are they for me?" she asked excitedly.

I tucked the presents under my arm and, walking away, said, "We'll see."

Pirate Booty = A Heap of Donuts

We woke the kids up and got out of the house at an insanely early time. All pirated out in our bandanas and swords, Chris kept voicing his nervousness that "Talk Like a Pirate Day" and Krispy Kreme's involvement in the holiday was just a big hoax to make fools out of us.  As I assured him that it wasn't, we heard repeated honking and looked over at a car next to us at a light. It was a mother and daughter excitedly waving a pirate shirt at us.

A big guy wearing a skull bandana in the morning is one thing--a slightly intimidating thing, but a big guy and his family all wearing bandanas in a minivan, I guess, is a dead pirate day giveaway.

Concerns now vanishing, Chris and Dianna's excitement kept building the whole way there. The mom and daughter team met us as we got out of our cars and we compared outfits.

As we walked in, Dianna said, "Ahoy mateys, it's donut time!"

The employees worked on our four dozen original glazed and we waved our swords around, posing for the girl behind the counter. And with that, we made out with 48 donuts.

Huzzah!

We stopped by another Krispy Kreme (received another three dozen) and spent the day spreading the love. One of the schools Chris teaches at, his dad's work, our families--they all got a dozen.

I loved how excited the kids were about it, too. They couldn't get enough of their new pirate swords. And I've discovered that Dean can't get enough of these things.

Dog Loss

A miracle in teen rearing is bringing me back from my blog slumber--more on that later. Everyone says it when trying to catch up and enumerate all the mentionable instances in life, but really: so much has happened.

In the middle of July, our dog, Nike, died. I'm finally at a point where I can think about it without crying, but I think that it will be a topic that will forever bring me into some level of sadness. Chris and I dealt with our loss differently, and it was interesting to learn the differences even with my grief. He took a day to cry at the sight of every Nike-related thing in our lives, which was everything. I did, too. But with time, even with my family around me, I felt haunted and lonely and missed the sound of our dog's clicking nails against the wood floors in our home.

I became obsessed with looking up dogs at the pound and on Craigslist. And while at times, Chris felt and expressed that it was too soon, I eventually dragged him to the pound. Actually to every pound. In one day. After one rescue and two pounds, you start to feel like you're on a mission. Couple that with bringing along a one-year-old, two-year-old, and a teenager and you're really hoping for the Holy Grail.

What were we searching for exactly? A puppy. A well-socialized puppy who liked kids. Medium, under 60 pounds.

And while we walked around The Animal Foundation's new dog facilities, I very innocently mentioned to John, my teenage brother-in-law, how volunteering there would be such a help to the many dogs wishing for a new home. Chris rolled his eyes, and I defended my position for one rebuttal, but that was pretty much it. We continued looking for a dog, sometimes coming upon a contender and marking their kennel number in a memo. There was even one puppy we came across who Chris walked right by. I stopped everyone to show them this white, black-spotted dog who was so quiet but had a sparkle in his eye. When we came back to look at him, there was immediate enthusiasm. And when we took him on a walk, he licked and licked Dean and Dianna.

That's how Buddy came into our lives.

I'm still adjusting to our new family member. We all are. He seems to have a much smaller bladder than Nike. But he's taking to our daily hikes, bike rides, and training well. I don't think he did much with his last owners other than beg for petting, so he really enjoys stretching his brain. Dianna and John have also taken an active role in training.

It's been nearly a month now, and tonight John asked me how he can volunteer at the Animal Foundation. Apparently, he said, he "was in third period thinking about all the dogs that needed some attention at the shelter and thought about volunteering."

I know. Shock. There's the miracle. If anything positive were to come out of this experience, that statement was the highlight. It hasn't happened yet, but I'm excited to do some more research on this and give the final supportive push.

Movie Deals + A First Time

There are such amazing deals for families to go to the movies--especially during the summer.

 

 

We took advantage of one such deal today when Chris and I brought Dianna to her very first movie theater film viewing, Monsters University. We went to the Palms (more on that deal later) and as soon as we arrived to purchase our tickets, Dianna was in awe. "Look at the beautiful screen, Momma!"

 

 

The first minutes of the movie were as great for us as it was for our daughter. Chris and I got so much excitement at seeing the look of wonder and enjoyment on Dianna's face as she happily munched on her own popcorn.



She didn't quite get everything, but she was rapt with attention during the very charming short film, The Blue Umbrella,  and during the first two thirds of the feature.

 

Ready to go to the movies yourself? Here are a few movie deals I've found for your viewing pleasure (click the titles for links):

 

Brendan Theaters at the Palms - $5 per person three years of age and up all Monday every Monday. Just watch out for any Sony movies to which the discount does not apply--Chris learned that the hard way last week.

 

Regal Cinemas Village Square 18 and other participating locations - The Summer Movie Express features two movies to choose from playing at 10 am every Wednesday for nine weeks for only $1. This week marks week five where you can pick between Coraline and Paranorman.

 

AMC Rainbow Promenade - $5 movies all day from Monday through Thursday.

 

Westwind Drive-In - There's always a double feature and general admission is only $6 and some change, kids 5-11 are $1, and children any younger are free. Tuesdays are Family Fun Nights and admission is only $4.75 for ages 12 and up. Movies start at 8:30 pm.

 

The Outdoor Picture Show at The District at Green Valley Ranch - Bring a picnic and watch a movie every Friday and Saturday with the family, running until September. This weekend, you can look forward to Born to Be Wild and Jumanji starting at 8 pm sharp, free of charge.

 

Movies in the Square - Watch family-friendly movies at Town Square on a 25' x 35' screen every Thursday at sundown at no cost to you. The next showing on July 14th is none other than Kung Fu Panda. Don't forget your blanket and snacks!

 

Movies at the Library - Never forget the trusty library. The Las Vegas Clark County Library District offers a wide array of free movie programs. Some film titles coming up include Hop at Summerlin, Oz - The Great and Powerful at Windmill, and Identity Thief at Clark County.

 

Of course, you can always check out a few DVD's at the library too. And there's always Redbox.

 

Did I miss any? Let me know!  

Bubble Party + Easy Sprinkle Cake

Everyone loves bubbles, especially when you can make bubbles as big as a grown man. I found big bubble-making wands and industrial bubble solution on Amazon and went for it for Dean's birthday.

We filled a kiddie pool with bubble solution and it worked! And quite well.

These adorable cakes were made by Dave, my brother. They're coated in sprinkles and on the inside...confetti cake and buttercream sprinkle frosting.



Here's a quick and easy how-to.

You'll need:

• Confetti cake mix
• Buttercream frosting (try this recipe)
• Sprinkles, we went through about three 6 oz. bottles for both cakes
• A spring form pan in your desired size
• Cardboard cake rounds in your desired size

Cook your layers and allow to cool completely. For a round cake, use a spring form pan. Build your cake, Dean's had about three layers. When you reach the top of the pan, place a round of cardboard on top of your cake and flip the cake into the board so that it's on the bottom. Loosen the cake from the pan. Take your time to fix whatever needs to be fixed. And frost the outside of your cake.

If you have the time, allow it to set for ten minutes in a freezer or thirty minutes in the refrigerator. This allows you to preserve the straight angles you so lovingly iced onto your cake. Now remove from the refrigerator and, making sure your cake is on the platter it will be served on, sprinkle away! Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.


 

 

Happy Father's Day Weekend!

We're down to the wire now preparing for Dean's first birthday, baptism, and Father's Day--all this weekend. Yikes. With the kids and Chris' hectic schedule, cleaning and cooking and decorating and every other preparation needed has felt so out of reach. But it's more exciting than anything!

 

 

This afternoon, Dean is getting his first haircut! We need to tame all that hair he has. When did your kids have their first haircut? And what are your thoughts on baby faux hawks?   

 

Have a great, non-hectic, celebratory weekend.

 

Some web love:

 

A Mustachifier. Ha!

 

Celebrities reading mean tweets. Also, see parts two through four.

 

Some beautiful bikes and related gear.

 

I've seen these everywhere. Here's an affordable way to try a wedge sneaker.

 

For the geek at heart.

 

How to make a café au lait.

 

The reason why Chris could not wake up this morning: The Man of Steel. He saw it at midnight with my brother. His verdict, as a huge Superman fan, 4 out of 5.

 

First Time: Feeding Himself With a Spoon

 

A mess, but a cute mess all the same. He actually was so excited at one point that he stopped chewing but kept shoveling his oatmeal down-resulting in the mess before you.

 

I started having Dianna eat with a spoon right around the same age. Dean finally started to hold his own bottle last week. For months, he's had the ability but not the motivation. We got him a sippy cup with sturdy handles and he's been a huge fan.

 

When did your little guy or girl eat with a spoon? Or hold their own bottle?

 

11 Months



This past month has been full of progress for the little guy. The first week in, Dean began to pull up on the couch and cruise. Then a day later, he finally started crawling on all fours rather than his military crawl. His first long crawl was up a foam incline at Kidville. I know, he did all that out of order. Now his cruising is going strong and he's so close to standing up without support.

With a big sister, he doesn't often parallel play. He likes to play with Dianna whenever she's actually in the mood to play with him. Just today they were playing with a toy car and were laughing non-stop. We had a proud parent moment together spying on them.



Looking to the future, I can't believe Dean is turning one next month. During the same weekend he'll also be baptized, so it'll be a huge celebration. And without realizing it, I chose Father's Day weekend for the baptism, so it'll be a really, really huge celebration. I'm feeling slight pangs of regret and worry now.

I'm also looking forward to his first steps and teeth. For Dianna, those milestones came a week after her first birthday. We've also been waiting for his birthday to cut his hair! There is a lot in store for Dean this June. I'm pretty psyched.

Hope you're having a good hump day!

 

Mother's Day Recap

I hope your Mother's Day was lovely. We slept in (kind of) and I got a hand-painted card from my kids and flowers from my parents.

 

 

We had a big family lunch at Sura, a Korean barbecue buffet. From there, Chris and I had boba tea at Volcano Tea with Dave and explored.

 

 

We randomly went into a thrift store, where I found a little alarm clock. I dragged Chris to our local plant nursery to get a pair of pruners, because I secretly love to garden.

 

We met back with my family and spent the evening watching TV and listening to kids music. I even had some time to do my nails for once. This baby blue is Sally Girl in Coconut--and it smells like coconut! I felt like a teenager with scented nails, but I also felt partial to the color. So it's staying on.

I had a chance to use the new pruners this morning, and they were awesome. They worked like a charm. In the future, they can be sharpened and have a lifetime warranty. Sweet.

My brother and meatloaf.

The other night while Chris was working, Dave dropped by to hang out with his sister and watch Food Network. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives was airing an episode completely dedicated to America's best meatloaf. We're the people who see a commercial for chips and want chips, so staring at a screen of meatloaf for an hour--one can guess what we had a hankering for.

 

 

With no recipe, we just put together the highlights of what we had just seen and slapped together a meatloaf, smashed potatoes, and green beans with bacon and cherry tomatoes.

 

 

Get a load of that bacon! Dave layered it over the meatloaf and afterward basted it with ketchup and roasted it to a crisp. It was bacon candy.

 

 

From there, we sat back with our plates laden with meat and potatoes and continued our Food Network night of America's best burgers.

When's the last time you had a nice night in with your sibling?

First Time: Picnic

Our kids enjoyed another first a couple days ago, and ever since, Dianna's been repeating, "Momma, Daddy, picnic fun! Go picnic again?"

We improvised our meal at Trader Joe's: Thai noodle salad, eggplant wrap, sushi with brown rice, meringues, coconut water, and a root beer for Chris. Dianna keeps pulling out the vanilla meringues excitedly for every meal and calls them "picnics."

 

Dean liked the meringues, too. And without teeth, he made a huge, sticky mess.



I hope you're having an awesome weekend.