Saturday, October 6, 2012

WEE Fall Festival

e\Enjoying the simple things in life helps us truly enjoy life! Although it was not planned, Walker, Hunter and I stopped at the West End Elementary Fall Festival last night. This is not the elementary school that Walker attends, but it has been the one all the other three kids have gone to. Some weird change in the zoning placed Walker at West Pine Elementary, about 6 miles down the road. Nonetheless, the festival is filled with so many people from the community. A lot has changed since I helped with the  PTA and this activity. 20 tickets later, Walker is off to have some fun. Hunter just wants money and food. We throw squeezy, gushy frogs into pumpkin buckets. Next was using a water squirt foam tube gun to spray off the eyeballs sitting on top of different bottles. Searching through the hay to find treats is also fun. Unbeknownst to us, each child was to get 3 prizes. Walker found about 8. when he discovered the rules, he was quick to be honest and only kept three pieces of candy. Sweeping the pumpkin around the witches hats was not as easy as it looked. Knocking down the orange cones with a tiny pumpkin was done twice. A basketball hoop with a timer was probably the most expensive with a 3 ticket charge, but he seemed to like it the best.
There was the silent auction for nicely created baskets/boxes. Purchasing cupcakes took the place of a cake walk. There was a kids cake walk, but the prize if you landed on the correct number was a prize rather than a cake. There was the bouncy house and the pony rides, face painting and hair spraying. Pizza and hot dogs and popcorn was dinner for many to include my boys.
The work that went into creating this event was amazing. Everyone seemed to have fun playing the simple games. It was spread out and outside this year. Nice. Weather was perfect for it. We were not there but 45 minutes, but it was a delightful time. I enjoy the small community activities. Something our kids will remember too.

It's been awhile! + B-Day parties still happen?

Wow! Has it really been 2 and 1/2 years since I blogged? I knew it had been awhile, but not this long.
Well, hopefully I'm back for more consistent writing. I have recently changed jobs and with that came some soul searching and considering "hobbies" that I enjoy. I have just not taken time in the past to make time for those things. New job - new chance to "redo" some priorities.

As with so many things, are kids birthday parties a dying tradition? Much like sewing, writing a letter or home phone lines? I ponder this today as I watched Walker and many of his 1st grade classmates run and play at the park. The invitation to her birthday party came 2 weeks in advance. The invitation had all the routine info on it. The RSVP was to an email address which was new, but I did probably for the first time ever actually RSVP. :)  As with kids, the days until the party seem forever away. Walker bought her a card game (UNO), a girlie baton, some princess/barbie nail polish stuff and a package of balloons. The balloons were a special touch that he thought she would really like. He picked out the gift bag too. Wrapping presents should be added to my list of dying traditions too. A gift bag is cute, just as cheap and so much quicker! Nonetheless, he signed the card "From Walker", placed all the items in the bag and then the red tissue paper was placed.
We arrive at the park to find about 7 girls from his class and perhaps 2 other boys. As we walk up, the girls scream and giggle, "Walker is here!" Immediately they all take off running as if chasing after a balloon. The parents - about 6 of us - hang back and chit chat and watch the festivities. We enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers. The wind is blowing - not too hard, but enough to whip under the princess theme tablecloths and continuously blow them off. An attempt to use tape to hold them in place is to no avail.
The cake was adorable. Made in the shape of a Princess castle! Walker did not much like the dark chocolate cake with purple icing, but someone did take a lot of time to make it look like a masterpiece.
Gifts were opened with the highlight being her new bright pink bike! The surprised and elated look on her face was priceless. Goody bags and then the pinata! Everyone took a few swings and eventually the prizes from within the lavendar colored castle box came tumbling out. Shortly thereafter, we left headed to town.
I can remember Brittney having several b-day parties with friends and activities. That of course lead to many slumber parties in her teenage years. Those were something! Only a couple came to mind with Danielle. Her birthday usually fell when school was out. Hunter was  never much on parties. I think we may have done one at the movie theater or perhaps the bowling alley? I'm only 45 and already I can't remember things. Walker's b-day parties have mainly consisted of family dinners, cupcakes usually at his school with his classmates, but no big party like today's for his friend. Perhaps Jan 2013 will bring a one.
Perhaps I ponder this question because it has been so long since Hunter thought a b-day party was cool and that's why it seems to be a dying fad. The other piece is that I'm not sure we are in the mind set to spend gobs of money on the event. Having family and a few friends and having fun is really the purpose of a bday celebration.
We had a good time today and the weather was perfect. He enjoyed it and thats what matters.
To add to today's party, I would like to note that Walker has a friend named Kaylie. She and he became good friends when they were in the same class at the Child Development Center. We have pictures of him and her chasing each other at the pre-school graduation. Kindergarten found them in different classrooms but still playground buddies at school. This year they are in the same room. They are only in the 1st grade and already there is the "giddiness" between the two of them. They will act silly when it comes to pictures together. It seems as though they think the other has coodies, yet chasing and giving the "aww shucks" fist to the shoulder seems exciting and fun. Her parents are great and we sit back and grin as we see a 'sweet' childhood crush seems to be evolving. Wonder what 2nd grade will bring?