Angry bird birthday blast

Oh My! I can't tell you how much fun it was to see everyone have such a great time and to see how everything turned out.  A huge thanks to PINTEREST for allowing me to have all the great ideas at the touch of a pin.  There is a blog out there that I pretty much copied...find it on my pinterest page. 
Patton (as well as the rest of us) are so blessed to have so many family and friends to celebrate with.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE putting together parties...now if only money grew on trees I could do this every year.  Instead...every 5 it will be. 
Our Halloween costumes as wall art.

The Angry Bird family of cupcakes.  Yes a person could use fondant and make them tons cuter, but time and patience got the best of me.  These are regular cupcakes with white frosting.  I used the color sugar sprinkles.  I frosted the cupcakes, then rolled the cupcakes in a bowl of colored sprinkled.  Then the peaks are candied papaya, the eyes are large shredds of cocount and the rest is frosting pencils found in at Micheal's or the baking section of any store.  Why such odd accessories?  I was going to use the orange slices and marshmellow as stated in other blogs, but I looked through the bulk candy section and found the papayas and coconut.  It was much cheaper for me to do it this way.  Yes they are all missing their white bellies...but something had to give and that was it.    I was able to make all the cupcakes and playable cake while Ike slept on Saturday.  ALLEULIA!  I can't believe he took an extra long nap of 4.5 hours so that I could do this.  God was definitely involved in that planning.

Sorry this post is really out of order...but they are posted:)  Here is a pic of Casey and my dad and the birthday boy strengthening the boxes for the live angry bird game.  I did have every intention to paint the boxes making them look like wood or blocks...but again time didn't allow.  Instead I created the Mission of the Angry Birds to invade our house, which made the siding box and Pampered Chef boxes fit right in.

Here is the playable Angry Bird cake.  Just google it and you will find the directions.  It was really easy to make and it really did work!  Patton shot his red angry bird after they sang to him.  In all the blogs they say to use fondant and make the birds.  Well in my shopping through the bulk candy section, I found the LARGE gum drops.  So I shoved a candied papaya in their mouth and used the frosting pens that I had to make the pigs and birds.  Not AS cute as the fondant ones...but took less time and money.  People still knew what they were.

I saw on all the other blogs that they had other games for the kids to play.  I found these buckets and thought I would create a game for the little ones to play with if they couldn't sling the birds.  Well, it was cute in theory, but the live angry bird game was such a hit that no one else needed another game to play.  It was fun to make the buckets though.   The key to this birthday party was STICKER SHEETS and LABELS.  All the faces on things were make with those...so all I had to do was color, cut, and put on.  No gluing required. 

The tables.  As I was setting up last night, it would have been really cute to take a bird for each table.  Instead I did blue tablecloths and balloon bouquets of the 4 featured birds that Patton liked.  I also placed the Mission for the Angry Bird game for those that didn't want to actually play the game they knew what the mission was. 

more bucket game that wasn't played. 

Another view of the playable cake.  One thing not mentioned on the awesome pictures i found on the blogs about this cake was how to make the sling shot.  i just sewed a little loop and put two rubberband through the loop to make the sling shot actually sling. 

Silly picture of just the toppings...but wanted to document that we brought our ice cream machine which was a nice addition to the cupcakes. 

Thank you gifts for those that came.  I think I saw on someone's page about making bags with the Angry Birds faces on them.  I thought that it would be fun to give all the kids that came Sling Shots as their parting gift.  So I ordered the Sling Shots from Oriental Trading Company and also priced the paper gift bags.  They were a bit pricey, so I was a little discouraged.  But after going through the online catalog more, I found a misc assortment of plastic bags of 50 for only $3.50.  This was a bit different than 12 paper bags for 4.00.  So  I again used sticker sheets and labels to make the faces.  This is a SUPER easy thing to replicate if you use the sticker sheets.  The Angry Birds are very simple in nature.  I found the key is the eye brows...the bigger the angle the better.

The spread.  I used cardboard boxes and covered them in brown paper that we used to cover our walls when refinishing the wood work.  *This is what I wanted all the boxes to look like in the live Angry Bird game...but time got the best of me and the cake table was the one that got the real look.

The Birthday Boy!  Looks like we don't need Christmas this year!

Angry Bird 101 station.  I created this so that those that didn't know what Angry Birds were could look on the I-pad (my dad's) and see what the craze was all about.

The HIT of the party...the Sling Shot.   Made by the one and only - CASEY.  This was truly a double team.  Without the sling shot, the party would have been a flop.  Casey thought it would have been better to cover the bottom of the sling shot with grass to replicate the game even more.  There is always something to make better...but I have to say this was a good one!

The Spread with my handmade banner.

The Birds waiting for their turn to get the candy back.  I don't think I mentioned the mission.  The sign is closer down below.

The Live Angry Bird Game.  I saw on other blogs that they also made a Pinata.  So I made two...but then didn't know how to hang them.  I also didn't know what to put in the Live Angry Bird game to make it exciting...so I mixed the two together.  As you can see I made two Pinatas and the kids had to knock them off to get the candy inside.  It was great and very suspenseful! (if that is a word).  Every time one of them fell all the kids rushed over to see if that was the fall to open it up.  What a great time!

I am so thankful to be able to do a party like this for Patton and just our family.  It completely fills my cup to have people over and serve them to have fun.  I really wish this was something that I could do more.  I will just stick to the 5 year plan:)  A huge thank you to all that came to the party.  My cup was also filled with all the love that our family receives from our family and friends.  It was crazy loud in the gym today...but I loved every minute of that crazy loudness!  To another 5 years (or 3 months...as Ike's 1st birthday is coming).  I did mention that I do this every 5 years...1 starting on their 1st birthday then the 5th, etc.  If you follow me on pinterest you already know what the theme is for him....

Red angry bird cupcakes

Yes the red birds are missing their white bellies.... But that is all that am doing.

Taste tester

My personal taste tester

Yellow angry bird cupcakes

Again no Martha but sure is fun

Blue angry bird cupcakes

I am no Martha.... But my boys say they look kind of look like them.

Angry birds have invaded

Fun at work

I have the pleasure to work w such a fun group of people. We won the contest too. 2 for 2 for the confront contests. I think I will stop participating for this year. Ha ha

Hellers

Bub has been SUPER interested in dad while Kenner has been super interested in earning money to buy his own I pod touch or I pad. He helped me do my freezer cooking this month. I am so thankful for another helper!!

Football fun

We are so blessed to have so many grandparents to treat us to nights out for dinner here the boys are waiting for gma and gpa Jim and Jan at pizza hut. The boys have been really really into their dad lately. Alleluia.... Mommy time with Ike

New teething toy

Use what you can use to keep a boy happy.... Daddy's wrench.

Patton and grandma jackie

We were all treated to a breakfast at grandma jackies house. By all I mean 40 of us. I learned how to make French toast the grandma Jackie way. Patton also found put that grandma Jackie has some really cute kitties.

Suitcases

The three big boys had a great time using their imaginations. In this picture the boys used the medical box and Lego boxes as their briefcases and laptops. They thought they should bring them to the vball game, until grandpa opened them up to find plastic guns and kitchen tools. Not a good thing to bring on any campus.

Babies or dogs

Last week I was blessed to get to spend tome w my whole family. Unfortunately it wasn't the most positive but good memories were made in memory if grandpa. This is a picture trying to train the 3 babies.... Doesnt work so well when one is mobile.

Big kids on training

They have taken over the big kid toys and think they know what to do w them.

Cousins day 1

Today is a bitter sweet one. Heaven got a great guy today. My grandpa roger passed away this morning after getting to spend a good morning w my grandma. As u can see we r all very blessed by all that he and my grandma started. These r not all the cousins... But a lot of them. There r 24 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

Bowling movies and pumpkin patch

A kid's dream come true all in one day. Today was a reminder that I need to do more one time a month w my family versus waiting for annie to come back. What a fabulous day w olivia, Arlie, ivy, rulan, braxton, jasa, brock, Luke, and everyone else!!!! Fun times

Havin a good time at gams

Enough said

I pod touch app

I was given a special treat from Casey. An I pod touch. Which means I can update my blog w the touch of my finger.

Trip to zoo w cousins

I was able to take advantage of kenner's day off of school and Annie and crew being in town. What a fun day w Annie and Kendra and crew. The most exciting time was Kenner winning the eat that fish game and getting a bracelet. I am so thankful for a job that I can do things like this w put a lot of difficulty.

Happy Fall

I love love love fall!  unfortunately my camera has been a little out of commission, therefore these pictures are not of fall, but of the randomness of the past month.  I have decided to only put pictures of my family on my blog instead of putting them both on facebook and the blog.  Again...a time thing.  I made my blog with the purpose of having an online diary of funny things the boys say, fun things that we do, and to have a digital scrapbook of the Svit Family:)  So with that being said...here are some fun pics of our life the past month.Don't you love my bucket o gourds?  I got them all for FREE:)  Yep they were from my garden.  I didn't technically plant them, although I did throw the rotting pumpkins and gourds from the Fangmeier farm in my garden last fall.  I have always wanted to do this with my apple bucket, but couldn't see spending all the money on the gourds to fill it.  God paid the bill for this year!

Some fun from the Air Show at the Air Base on 9/11/11.  Fun times!  I can't believe that Ike kept the ear protectors on while in the stroller.  He even fell asleep during the Blue Angels performance...you know they were working then!

Kenner had a pirate day at school.  I was pretty proud of Kenner and I to put this costume together in about an hour with only things from our closets upstairs.  We took old pants and cut them off. I got a red piece of fabric from my stash and I cut a black t shirt of casey's up into a vest for Kenner.  He had a fun Pirate day.

Poor poor baby of the family doesn't get too much blog time these days.  Here is our little Ike getting into everything, moving all around, and only wanting to play with the big brothers and their toys.  He is the greatest baby.  he takes a lot of naps and sleeps all night.  No there wasn't a typo there!  Just ask Grandma Carlece or Grandma Kelly!  He really really trying to clap and sign more...but he just can't get those hands to get together.  Cousin Ivy can clap...so we need to do our homework! He loves eating everything and eats a lot of it.  He has 3 friends at daycare around his age.  This has been fun for him to play with others his own age.  What a great addition to our family that only God could plan!  I think God every day for this little guy!

I have no idea when this picture was taken...but I know it was a day that it was raining on the way to school.  It was after we had spent a weekend in Hebron.  Every time Patton would go to Dollar General with Grandpa Pat, Patton would ask Grandpa to get an umbrella.  This morning we only had one umbrella because the other one was at daycare.  Patton quickly reminded me, "See mom, Grandpa Pat should have got me the umbrella."  Oh that Bub!

Back on the meal planning band wagon

Hello folks - In attempt to have some type of schedule in our house with school, Awana, and all the other things that come up...I am jumping back on the band wagon of meal planning and attempting to buy my needs for my family on sale.  I didn't say that I would be jumping back on the couponing bandwagon...as my binder sits on my computer hutch haunting me.  It is SO so hard not to do couponing and buying things that aren't on sale...but something had to go and unfortunately it was that.  In my optimistic mind, I still save the coupon inserts thinking, "This will be the week I get back to that."  Seeing that I have several stacks there...those coupon inserts haven't made the necessity list yet.

I still do freezer cooking, but have found it beneficial to split the month with someone.  The past two months have been with my sister, Becca.  I love to have a meal already completed so that on those crazy nights or weeks, I can fall back onto them.  With less freezer meals, I get to open my recipe books again, begin searching for recipes that include the ingredients that I have in my cupboard.  I do love doing this...but yet again it takes time.  Time that is limited...but if I don't make time for it now, we will spend many a nights with $10 pizza from Pizza Hut or other fast food options.  This meal planning, freezer cooking, and searching for recipes all helps me keep to the original purpose of family dinners...FAMILY TIME.  The boys are full of stories these days.  Without supper, I find that I don't have time to ask and dig into their days to get to those great stories.  With all of this jibber jabber comes...my meal plan for the next two weeks.  I am going back to planning two weeks in advance.  This week I had to plan two weeks, but next week I will just plan for the next week.  This way I can look at the sale ads, the items in my cupboard/freezer and plan cheaper meals with variety.  Hope you are all finding ways to find your family more money and most of all...MORE TIME for your FAMILY!

This week: **denotes Freezer meal
Monday - Tacos
Tuesday - Roast with Carrots and Potatoe in Crock Pot**
Wednesday - Chicken with broccoli
Thursday - Montery Jack Chicken** with rice and beans
Friday - Brisket w/ potatoes** in crock pot
Saturday - L: Shrimp on grill** with rice  D: Homemade pizza with sausage
Sunday: L: Out to eat D: Leftover buffet
**What do I need to buy this week?  only milk, tomatoes, lettus and cottage cheese (for next week)

Next Week:
Monday: BBQ Meatballs** with peas
Tuesday: Homemade Spaghetti sauce with corn (make extra to make a lasagna)
Wednesday: Beer-braised Beef and Noodles
Thursday: Manicotti** with veggie - hopefully annie and crew are here
Friday: Enchiladas with beans and rice
Saturday: L: Chicken Pot Pie**  D: Homemade Pizza with pepperoni
Sunday: L: Out to eat  D: Smoked Pork Loin w/ veggie
*I only need to buy milk for this week.

Ahh it feels good again to have time to blog about my homemaking.  I am not saying that I do it correctly or even how it should be, but it is just fun to share how I do things.  I feel that I need to do this as I find so many other helpful things on others sights.  It is just about piece mealing things that work for your family.  Have a great weekend!
Rhi

NU FOOTBALL!

Patton and Patch - This one is for you Bob! Miss you

I love getting pics of the boys walking with their Great Grandpa.  We are so lucky to get to go to the games with them.

lil' Husker

Fun with my big Brother

Trying out all the things at Husker Nation Pavilliion

HUGE thanks to Simon for helping me with the boys at the game

Kenner trying his foot at kicking a field goal...close.  We  have a  few years to get this perfected

The whole crew at the Football game against Fresno State

Mom and boys - 1

There are MANY favorites to the game...but this is one of mine after we score.

We had to do our own 1/2 time entertainment which meant finding an ATM, loading/bribing them up on candy and finding little Red in order to remain in our seats for the final parts of the game.

While waiting for gma and gpa we were playing with our mini footbal in the dark.  This was an interesting time as the 4th wind had set in for them and they were CRAZY loaded on candy and pop.  Mark one up for mom of the year!

A Huge thank you to Marilyn for taking Ike for the afternoon/evening so the boys and I could enjoy a great football game with great weather and the Air Show going on next door to the stadium.  What fun!  So Grateful!