Orange Satin Balls Christmas Prom Party

Meet Beth Reidemann, our sultry party hostess. Yes, she dresses like that to pick her daughter up from preschool. She is uber-cool.

I don't think I remember the story behind the Orange Satin Balls parties, but they have something to do with her GM. Anyway, this year she decided to throw in a little twist and combine it with an 80's prom theme. This chic goes all out. She hired a band, The Blue Light Specials, to cover only 80's songs. It was so much fun!! These are just some random pics to give you an idea of how easy it was for us to 80's up. This last picture is of Amber and Lake crushed by the crowning of Dina as Prom Queen. She was 7 months pregnant and lettin' it all hang out!!

Christmas pictures that didn't make the card

The only reason I did not pick any of these beautiful photos for our Christmas card this year is because I could not get the lighting right. I wanted the lights from the tree, garland and fireplace to provide all my light and they simply did not. I was trying to recreate our 2003 Christmas card when Dominic was but a babe and we are all sitting in front of our tree with the fireplace crackling in the back
ground. That picture was taken around midnight and was one of 2 pictures we took. Maybe the picture isn't even that great, but my memory of it is. The pictures you see here were selected from hundreds that were taken over the course of 3 nights and from 2 different cameras. My philosophy now when shooting pics of the kids is to hold the shutter down and let it take 40 odd shots in about 10 seconds time. One of them is bound to turn out. I did this over and over again...flash on, flash off, kids by the tree, kids on the hearth, with Luca, without Luca, nothing worked. When i turned the flash on the kids looked great, but you couldn't see the lights on the tree, much less the blue flame from our lame gas fire. When i turned the flash off, you couldn't see anything. I have since gotten some tips from a friend who is currently taking photography lessons, so i will be sure to apply them next year as i am so ANTI generic studio posed pictures. It killed me to send out those posed Christmas cards, but i had to get something in the mail...and Aurora grabbing Dominic's face...that was all her. She just can't get enough of her big brother;)

And can you say desperately seeking Susan???

Talk about confusing ;o)

Most of the birthdays in Aurora's class fall over the summer, so her teacher celebrates all the students' half birthdays. So, on December 4th we celebrated Aurora's half birthday. Confused does not even begin to describe the looks I received from my daughter that day, but we enjoyed some cupcakes and juice all the same;)

Alli's Baby Shower

So, Alli's baby shower went off without a hitch. She was surrounded by all of her closest friends, received tons o' baby stuff and a good time was had by all. How could the guests not enjoy themselves when games like "guess the pooh" are on the agenda? One thing that floored me though was that 2 of her friends arrived pregnant... with their 4th kids!!!! Keep in mind Allison is 8 years younger than me!!! Nuts, I tell you...Nuts!!!

Trick or Treat

Trick or treat this year was a real treat for Dominic. Nothing in the world makes this kid happier than CANDY. So, when you tell him he gets to go knock on everyone's doors and ask for free CANDY, well it just doesn't get much better than that. I let Brian take the kids around while I passed out the candy at home. I feared Brian might return after only hitting a few houses, but they were actually gone for quite some time. When they finally returned home, Dominic's Spider-Man bucket was completely filled to the top. Aurora couldn't quite keep up with Dominic's feverish pace, so her's was only about 1/3 of the way full. Any way you slice it = too much candy in my house. Add that to the enormous amounts of candy I was left with. I couldn't believe it. Last year I almost ran out. So, this year I stocked up and wouldn't you know, I got stuck with a lot of candy. Don't worry, it didn't last long. It is no longer in the house. Well, I guess actually it is because it's current residence is inside my large overgrown arse. And then I have the nerve to deny my kids requests for candy for breakfast, lunch and dinner! If they only knew my ulterior motives;)

Before trick or treat our street gets together for some Halloween fun of our own and this is the group photo this year. You see The Scream? Aurora was petrified of this costume! She called him the "bleeding ghost" because he had the pump that squirted the red liquid through his mask. She was, however, not phased at all by the creepy ghoul next to the "bleeding ghost". She knew her buddy/boyfriend, Will, was behind the outfit, so she would go up and kiss him right on the mask. Yes, I have trouble brewing with this little flirt;)

Dominic's Halloween Party at School

This is Dominic's 3 year old preschool class at the same school. Yes, Dominic did just turn 4, but his birthday falls after the cut off, so he will always be one of the oldest kids in his class. And as it so happens, my 20 months apart children will only be one grade apart in school. Both of Dominic's teachers are fantastic. I LOVE them! They are both super sweet, very personable and great teachers. In just a few short weeks Dominic was counting to 20, singing the alphabet and a whole slew of other songs and telling me his colors in Spanish.

This was Dominic's class party. He dressed in his reversible Spider-Man costume. He has never worn the friendly side though, always the black. Anywho, we all had lots o fun. Father Terry pulled them around with a tractor for a hayride. And that is Dominic's teacher, Miss Janet he is snuggled up next to. Isn't that the sweetest thing? The scary Power Ranger (which I still refuse to let Dominic watch...more so because it is so lame than anything else) is his good bud, Will. And the angel he is walking with is, no not his mother, his other teacher Miss Karen. He calls her the one with the crazy hair, since there are 2 Miss Karens, the other being the director of the preschool.
I had fun because I was one of the room mom's who helped throw the party. I brought the pb and j shaped bats, spider cheese and apple and marshmellow mouths. I thought it was cute anyway...

Aurora's Halloween Party at School

Welcome to Aurora's 2 year old preschool class at St. Catherine's Catholic Church. Her teacher, pictured here terrorizing my poor daughter, is Miss Robin. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her. She is exactly what Aurora needs ...super sweet, very hands on and loving, but firm. Aurora however, takes more to Miss Kim, who I have pictures of, they are just portrait shots. Aurora can hold Miss Kim's hand all day long sometimes. And it is Miss Kim, and only Miss Kim, who is allowed to change Aurora's diaper.

This is Aurora's Halloween Party and she wanted to come dressed as Cinderella. She was absolutely the most beautiful Cinderella I ever did see. And the most uncivilized one...again something she learned from her brother, don't actually eat any of the cupcake it might kill you, instead make sure you have licked every last trace of icing off.