Snow Days, Valentine’s Prep, and the Pre-Party Panic

On today’s long to-do list was a simple Valentine’s Day classroom treat to share with you, but the best laid plans and all that … Tomorrow, promise! (We did score the last of the heart-shaped Peeps at Walgreen’s, though. Go us, go us!) So here’s a quick peek into what kept me busy this weekend.

We shopped for a friend’s birthday present and the girls also made their own birthday boxes at Learning Express. I think the girls are on the verge of outgrowing the store and it makes me sad. The toys and crafts they curate, and the customer service they offer, really can’t be matched anywhere. Do your children create birthday boxes? Here’s my take on them.

My Party Planning To-Do List

So, I started the weekend on Saturday morning making my party to-do list. It’s part “stuff that has to get done” and part “do this on that day.” Making this list always has a combined effect: panic and calm. Getting a handle on the to-dos helps alleviate the fear that I will forget to do something… calming. But making the list also forces me to realize what I’m up against, even though I’ve been planning and shopping and crafting for months.

(Just a highlight from my four-page list.)

In the pleasant surprise category, Don came up with a great idea for the party that I’m excited to incorporate. For those of you who know him, you will understand how completely unlikely this was, especially considering that his idea was to include a red carpet interview in the style of Ryan Seacrest. Please know that Don has never, ever watched a red carpet show with me. I’m confident he doesn’t know that the E! network exists. But sometimes party magic just happens.

Baby B and I went shopping for party supplies at the craft store and she was very proud to push the buggy. But with one more stop to go, she asked to go home. She is now sicky-poo. I missed my chance to pick up the one last item I needed, hence no Valentine’s Day classroom treat for you today.

But that did free up time for me to face my nemesis: spray painting. This party has involved a good bit of spray painting and unfortunately, it was not my day for it. In between coats, a gust of wind blew three of my items down our backyard hill. Grrr. One more day of painting and I think I’ll be done — thank goodness.

I did get to spend some time tonight researching tips for freezing cake and stacking a two-tier cake. I’ll be making the girls’ birthday cake this year, and I’m hoping I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew. I think I can, I think I can … (Check out the tips I’ve found on my Pinterest board Darling Cakes.)

Custom Party Plans

But what I am really enjoying right now is working on Custom Party Plans for repeat clients. I’ve got a neon dance party, a neon roller skating party for twins, and a Beauty and the Beast party coming up. To be asked back by these moms is such an honor! I’ve always delivered my Custom Party Plans as a PDF, but I’ve recently changed things up so I can deliver the plans even faster. Now, I create a private page on my website for your Custom Party Plan. You get a unique password and we can communicate in the comments section — just like with a blog post. So exciting!

(Here’s a snippet from one of the plans.)

Snowmageddon

And, unbelievably, we are gearing up for another 2″ to 4″ of snow here in the Atlanta area. We have already hit the grocery store (and by “we” I mean my husband, who does all our grocery shopping) and we’ll be better prepared this time. Although I still don’t have snow boots for the girls. Mom fail.

I’m sure you heard about Snowmageddon, from a few weeks back. Our poor city just cannot cope with snow. Just that morning, I said to Don that I wished they would just cancel school instead of going through the fire drill of early dismissal. Little did I know.

Our two sat on their school bus for 3.5 hours, utterly unable to move, while we called and tried to figure out where the heck they were. (You would think the bus and the school would have some sort of new-fangled communication devices … say a walkie talkie and a cell phone, right? Oh wait — they do have those things, but apparently no one was talking to anybody else.)

Don and a neighbor walked 1.5 miles to the bus and brought home the whole group from our street. (Of course, now in his telling, he walked 25 miles and there was a bear chasing him.) The girls proclaimed him “hero daddy,” and he was.

(Here we are warming feet by the fire after the hike home. And yes, that’s a Barbie Dreamhouse in the middle of my living room. It seems to have taken up residence there.)

With Atlanta shut down, we had lots of fun in snow that is extra-special, since we hardly ever get any.

So it’s been a little busy. Nothing new there. But it looks like Baby B will be home with me on Monday. While of course I never want her to be sick, I’m looking forward to having back a little girl who just wants to cuddle and lets me kiss her.

P.S. Just heard that my Dress Up Party is rotating as Party of the Day over on Catch My Party — fun!

P.S.S. I’ve added even more free Valentine’s Day printables to my Free Printables board on Pinterest. So if you haven’t found your perfect Valentines yet, hop on over.