Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Alice in Wonderland Party!

I am entering the CSI Project.com's weekly contest. The theme is Party Ideas.

For my daughter's 7th birthday we had a Very Merry Unbirthday Party!
As the girls arrived they were given a Koolaid 'squeeze it' labeled "DRINK ME" which allowed them to shrink and travel down the rabbit hole. My husband put together the rabbit hole from tv and refrigerator boxes we found behind a furniture store. We added some graffiti with fluorescent spray paint. The rabbit hole led them to the queen's rose garden where an army of styrofoam and pvc cards were painting the roses red.
The girls played a round of croquet with the queen herself. We decorated a plastic croquet set with feathers and googly eyes to resemble the birds which the queen used from the movie. My very talented 15 year old daughter drew the Queen, the White Rabbit, and the Cheshire cat onto refrigerator boxes and I painted them and cut them out and attached them to sticks for standing.The tree that the cat sat in was left over from last years halloween booth that my husband had set up for work.The girls then decorated $ store party hats with stickers, tulle, and silk flowers and enjoyed a Mad Hatter Tea Party. We decorated our back deck with tissue paper flowers copied from Martha Stewart, paper lanterns we already had, and a garland I made from decks of playing cards (I had several decks that were missing 2 or 3 cards each so they were useless for playing cards).
My daughter helped me make flowers from plastic water bottles. We cut the bottoms off. Then we cut and bent the sides to look like flower petals and painted them all different colors. For larger flowers, we used 2 liter bottles and even milk jugs. They added alot of whimsy and color and they were FREE!! (I found this idea floating around the blog world, but can not tell you exactly where I saw it.)To finish off I made a Topsy Turvy Birthday Cake. The girls then played and jumped rope and had some NONSENSE FUN together. When it came time to leave they received a cookie with a tag that said "EAT ME" so they could return to their normal sized selves. It was so much fun.
People thought I spent a ton on this party but with everything including food I spent under $50 which I think is very reasonable for a birthday party for 10 girls. I put together a video of Anna Banana's Big Day which you can view Anna Banana's Birthday Video HERE

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Not what you want!

For those of you waitng for my brother's wedding pics- TOO BAD! I have spent 2 days getting my kids ready for school and decided this morning to celebrate the last day of summer by having a SOAK'N GOOD TIME at the waterpark! Wedding pics will be posted soon though!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Summer Attire

After a very busy and very stressful May, this Arroyo family has officially decided to take it easy all summer loooong! So if you come for a visit of an hour or the entire week, please remember the following:
Swim suit & Towel
Goggles
Flip flops
All other clothing is optional!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Want to feel pain?

Try wearing a corset! (Elizabeth Swan:Pirates of the Carribean)

The Gold and Green Ball is tonight. The dress is semi-formal/formal. Who would have guessed Addison would dig deep and pull out her inner princess for the occasion. Isn't she gorgeous?
All Sweet

And Sassy! (Hey a girl has to be able to dance!)
Of coarse Anna Banana had to get on her favorite beloved ball gown. (Her Belle dress that she has had for 5 years now is the most loved of all dress up clothes) She did her own make-up and then cried and cried when she found out she could not go to the ball. A true Cinderella moment. But her day will come, a little too quickly if you ask me.
(And just so everyone knows Tanner had no desire to get dressed up or to have his picture made.)

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Open for SUMMER!

Our pool is now open for business. And Anna Reese performed the ceremonial first cannonball of the 2010 season. We give her a 6 for form & technique and a 10 for excitement and enthusiasm!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Home of the FREE because of the BRAVE

My heart is saddened today for a fallen soldier and his family today. Spc. Anthony Blount of Petal, MS died in Iraq serving our country in the U.S Army. His wife is a few years older than my son Jonathan. They are members of our church here in Oak Grove. They have been married for a year and a half and are expecting their first child, a daughter, next month. I don't think I fully appreciate the sacrifice of our military and their families for our country and our freedoms. Yet I am grateful for the many Americans who give time and life to preserve this great nation. And so today I honor those great men and women and my prayers go out for this grieving family here in our little part of the world. May God bless them and God Bless the USA.

These are members of the Patriot guard who escort every American Military Procession as a shield between the family and protestors. They are impressive. There was about 100 here today.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Metal Mouth No More

No more braces for Addison!! She said goodbye to those things forever and hello pretty straight teeth.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Blake & Shelby

I will always think of my little brother as this annoying loud little guy whose purpose in life is to torment me. I never thought of him as a grown man who would fall in love. I am truly happy for Shelby and Blake, engaged to be married this year. (Oct. 10, 2010)

Saturday, March 13, 2010

A very merry "Un" birthday (Video added)


A very happy 7th birthday to our baby girl! And in true Wonderland style we held her party today 2 days later (I almost always have parties on their birthday so it doesn't turn into birthday week) but this year with Anna Banana's all things alice in wonderland obsession her very merry unbirthday could not be held on the actual birthday. So down the rabbit hole they went to a Mad Hatter's tea party held in honor of the Queen of Hearts herself and lucky for this cute bunch all returned safely home with heads still attached. Here's a couple of pictures of her great day.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

100th post!!

I am in Annapolis now with no way to upload pics. It is raining and snowing at the same time. We went to the Holocaust Museum yesterday in DC and all I can say is WOW. I don't think I have a clue how hard life can be and how blessed and easy my life truly is.

I made the paper. Go here to read about my speaking assignment to the Board of Supervisors Monday.


Sunday, February 28, 2010

Who knew?

This week I am doing things I never thought I 'd ever do.

1. Speak at a county board supervisors meeting. Tomorrow I am speaking for 5 minutes on our church's day of service. We are cleaning 50+ cemeteries in the county and we need the help of the supervisors in identifying those cemeteries. Did I mention the media will be there also? For more info check out www.dayofservice.org

2. While at the courthouse I am applying for a business license. I have become a busy working girl and it is time to make it legit for tax purposes. Check out the family I shot yesterday here.
3. On Tuesday, I am willingly flying north in the winter. I have never been further north than Memphis in the winter therefore I have never seen more than the 4 inches of snow that we got here two weeks ago. I am not sure how I feel about this. Love the getaway just wish the destination was a Caribbean beach.
Maybe one day I can pay for this vacation all on my own

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Another wedding

Okay folks it is official. I will not be available May 15, 2010. So sorry to have to break any plans but a girl has got to pay the bills. I got a wedding gig for May 15, 2010! A bride and groom (Mallory & Adam) who saw my work and asked if I would shoot for them! I am sooooooo excited! My first gig for strangers. Had lunch with them today, they are really cute and will be a fun couple to shoot. Did I mention that I am so excited!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day

Nothin' says Lovin' like somethin' from the oven!
How do you like your sugar cookies? Take my poll to the left.

Friday, February 12, 2010

New Tourist Attraction in South MS

I have a project oriented husband. It is rare for him to just sit. And today, our second snow day this winter, is no exception. Earlier in the week when the snow buzz began, Ross and Tan the man began to plan. 4.5 inches of snow, 4 hours of work, a call for reinforcements (what's a big brother for) & here are the fruits of their labors.

Roll
Fill
Pack
Dump and Repeat (over & over & over)
We need to charge admission. $5.00 to come in and $10.oo to have your picture made in front of it. I have had like a dozen cars stop, let their kids out, and take a picture in front of this today. Amazing.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

just plain SILLY

Walk into any classroom in my kid's school and you will find kids wearing these crazy rubber band bracelets. It's the new big thing. Shaped rubber band bracelets called Silly Bandz.
You take them off and they form all different shapes from stars, hearts, & cowboy boots to sea creatures & monkeys. You name the shape it is out there somewhere. Here is Anna Banana's alphabet collection. She told me today she wants to collect enough to go all the way up her arm.
Now how silly is that?

Monday, February 1, 2010

Again

Monday, January 18, 2010

Favorite Things

Her Favorite Things:
Her pink DS
Her Barbies
Her Little Pet Shop Collection
My Favorite Things:
Her silliness
Her spunkiness
Her curiosity
Her happiness
January 2010