Monday, September 24, 2012

Kinley's 1st Birthday Party!

We celebrated Kinley's 1st birthday on Saturday the 15th (the weekend before her real birthday).  I had been planning it for the last couple months but nothing major, just writing down ideas and not accomplishing much.  I'm sure you can guess that I was scrambling all week leading up to the party to finish all of projects on my list and finalize other details. 
 
I think her "cute as a button" party turned out pretty cute!
 
The birthday girl cooperated that morning and took a good nap.  She woke up to discover balloons which she loved!  She still loves playing with them at our house and saying "boo" or some combination of ballooon.

And now, enjoy the picture overload:
Dessert table - cupcakes, smash cake, chocolate dipped pretzel rods & oreos
 
Food table!  I opted for heavy appetizers since it was a mid-afternoon party and it worked out great.
 
The guests & gifts are starting to arrive...
 
I made the banner that says "Happy Birthday Kinley" and framed her invitation that I loved.
 
Wall of "birthdays" - monthly pictures, but I dropped the ball on the 12 month picture and didn't have time to develop it.
 
Drink station outside - I'm a sucker for mason jars & paper straws!
 
Blair & Maxon were SO excited to play with Kinley but she looks less than thrilled. :)
 
Quick family photo!
 
Me and my sweet pea
 
Kinley & GG chowing down.
 
I like to get candids so we can remember all the people that celebrated with us!
I'm sure there was a very important football game on the tv...
Snacking and socializing
some of the outside crew...
 
After eating we decided to do cake just in case the birthday girl was ready for a nap soon.  All of us thought that Kinley would dissolve into tears the second that everyone started singing to her -  she's not one for attention or big crowds.
BUT she surprised us!  She didn't mind us singing and then tried to grab her candle, ha!
 
She was a dainty eater and didn't want to get messy at all - darn it!
She would periodically wave at her crowd like a little movie star, it was too funny!  (maybe she does like attention...)
Still picking away...
I tried to get her messy but she just wasn't having it!
I think she made a good little dent in the cake - success!
 
Then we moved onto presents which I was a little worried about, too.  I figured that she would find one that she liked and not want to open anymore.  Boy, was I wrong!
 
She started tearing into the tissue paper and was genuinely interested in what was in every bag.  (My parents got her the white rocker which she loved).
 
Some of the toys got her really excited!  Look at the smile!
 
She really liked the activity cube from aunt Coco.
 
Mommy helping her dig into more gifts...
 
She had to stop and read all of her books...
reading out loud - she's advanced.  ;)
 
Thanks, everyone!  I had her dress made to match her invitation and I'm so happy with how it turned out!
 
This might just be my favorite picture ever, this sweetheart melts my heart!
 
Just hanging out with some of her buddies, Mackenzie & Clayton.
 
Kenz was reading to Kinley.
 
Then we all hung out and enjoyed the gorgeous afternoon!
 
Kinley & Delaney playing on the old rocking horse.
 
Birthday girl playing in her mound of tissue paper!
I still can't believe how well she behaved!  She enjoyed everything from the food, to cake, to the gifts and smiled the whole time!  She was exhausted at the end but still didn't go to bed until the evening - sugar high??
 
Kinley, we love you to the moon and back and are so proud of the sweet and sassy little girl that you are.  Your fun personality grows every week and I'm so excited to see what the next year of your life has in store!

Friday, September 21, 2012

Celebrating 10 years and more...

Labor day weekend brought many reasons to celebrate so Kinley & I had a busy day!
 
We started at Katie's baby shower and gender reveal party.  It was so awesome that she came up from Texas so her Illinois family and friends could celebrate with her and Joe.
 
They had so many cute personalized touches!  We voted for the sex baby Albs at this table and drank punch and wore colored beads that corresponded to our guess.  Kinley and I picked pink of course!
 
Gift table and some of the girls talking (sorry Becky!)
 
Amazing sweets table!
 
Finally after they opened gifts it was time to find out what they are having!  Side note:  they went to the doctor a month ago and never found out, I don't know how they did it!
 
Cutting the cake...
 It's a boy!!!
I am SO excited for them to welcome a baby boy in December.  It will be here before we know it!  My high school girls will always have a special place in my heart. :)
 
After the shower we went to the Firefighters club for the picnic part of our reunion.  There was 100% chance of rain that day so we moved it from the park in Rochester but it turned out to be a great idea!  I didn't want to be the annoying blog lady to my classmates that I hadn't seen in years so I didn't get any photos. :(
 
After lunch we met at the high school for a tour since SO much has changed since we were there 10 YEARS AGO.  Seriously, how has it been that long?!
 
We were most impressed with the RAC (Rochester Athletic Complex).  The new gym is gigantic and the weight room upstairs overlooks the ball fields and the gym.
Treadmills in gym class!?  All we had was the track or running circles in the gym.  Not to mention, our weight room was in an old bus garage! Kids these days are so spoiled... ;)  We found ourselves saying that a lot during the tour and it just proved how old-ish we are getting, ha!
 
We stopped for a picture in the library which hadn't changed a bit.  Except that there were hardly any books there, darn those computers!
 
 That evening before our reunion at the bar we went to Island Bay to celebrate Ron's birthday.
Lovely Tucker ladies
I love these girls!
and my little family!
We were Ron's presents, hence the bows on everyone.

Make a wish!

Next, it was on to Capital City for the evening part of the reunion.  It was awesome to catch up with a few people that I hadn't seen in years but I was kind of disapointed with the turn out.  Most of my girls were there so that's all that mattered. :)

Again, I was an awful photographer and didn't get pics of anyone else.  What an exhausting and FUN day!