Murder Mystery at the English Inn: Pheonix Protocol

For Christmas, Billy gifted me tickets to a murder mystery interactive theater at the English Inn, and I gifted him a night at the English Inn.  = )

Sadly, my mom was out of town, but Sarah stepped up, to sleep at the house with the kids (and was able to slip away first thing in the morning, since it was a Sunday-Monday night stay, but the kids were out of school for the week.)

I was able to reuse the hat that I bought for my murder mystery birthday party and wear my Grandmother's pearls.  I did buy a special dress (that I've since worn again!)

It was so nice!  The food was fantastic, we were each given a pin and pen to commemorate the event. The actors were soooooooo good.  They rotated through the tables and we were able to interrogate them!

I was so excited! We totally guessed the culprit, but got our sheet in too late, so we weren't the 'top team' but we had so much fun.  In fact, we came home and signed up for the next one, in October!

The October theme is a masquerade!  I'd never been invited to a masquerade before, and picked out a mask on the internet that I *loved* but was waiting to buy it.  However, the next Tuesday, while Emily, Grace and I were at the thrift store, we found a fancy mask for Billy (and it was only $4.50!)

I found a dress that would match the mask that I love and since it was only $10, I didn't feel bad about buying the mask in time for Jessica's birthday party (especially since I know I'll have one more occasion to wear it!)

So many murder mystery events lately have me feeling like I am just living my best life! = )

later days

edit: written 6-16-23 backdated for continuity.

Reusing Christmas Paper

So, many years ago, like when I only had one, single, child, I apparently had enough time to have made stencils and cut out, by hand, all sorts of letters to label Christmas presents.  I'm sure they were amazing and beautiful, and these are the leftovers:

I still have the stencils, complete with 'x's on the side to face toward the paper and smiley faces on the side that face the tracer.  They are seriously so pretty, and I have no idea how I found the time when I was working full time, but maybe only having one child had something to do with it. lol.

Anyhow, back to the future.

So, I found these lovely letters, and thought, "oh, wouldn't it be cute to pick that back up?"  But then, I thought, "well, you are working toward having exclusively reusable bags eventually, so should you really put the time into it?" and then, I thought well "you are almost out of hanging tags, maybe you could make some of those?" but then crazy me joined the conversation and said "what if you made stiffer versions and then you could reuse those too!!!!" and everyone cheered and so began my project.

Just one more quick detour, because you have to know how much used wrapping paper we have on hand:

My dear children have become pros at not ripping their wrapping paper on Christmas morning, so each year we are able to wrap more and more gifts with "used" wrapping paper (this year we didn't even use all the used paper we had, and the only roll paper we used was for the advent calendar project.)  To be perfectly honest, the used paper is sooooooo much easier to use because you can just pick a piece that's close to the size you need and not fight the curling. 

However, there is always some trimming that needs to happen, and so we end up with pieces too small even to wrap a gift card.  Those pieces I attempted to use up with this project. = )

I started by digging out any box board that I had in the recycling.  I cut off any small edges.

Next, I matched up paper, and glued it on with plain old school glue.  The paper covers the printed side of the packaging, so the back side is plain.

I trimmed the edges and then laid them all out to dry, while I worked on some chores.

After a few hours, the first pieces were dry, and I secured them to my cutter mat.

I wish that I could report that the project came out exactly as planned and that it was easy as can be from that point on, but I simply cannot with all honesty.

Even after a blade change and font change, every single piece was a fight.  I used an exacto to cut through many of the names, and in some cases had to scrap the entire piece.  Those that did come out close were so satisfying though!  

I'm so excited that I will be able to use these on both wrapped and reusable bag wrapped gifts next year (and hopefully in years future!!!) 

Sometimes there was enough room to cut out an extra tag or two by hand.

The fight in the project made me appreciate the ease with which I was able to cut vinyl for William and Emily the next day. = )

I don't know how well these will keep for reuse each year, but hopefully I will remember them fondly and use my leftover paper wisely each year in the future!!

later days

Christmas 2022

During the summer, my mom and I found a kitchen for the twins.  I feel like I have been impatiently awaiting Christmas since then!  I brought the kitchen over from Sarah's basement a few days before Christmas, and then finally the day arrived!!!

Billy spent a good chunk of time setting it up to look 'just right." = )

Emily set up William's display.  William was very excited about his locking box.  He was constnatnly 'stealing' the twins' lol boxes, the entire season.  For a while I thought it was just sibling jealousy, but then I'd find him with it, when they weren't even around to whine at him.  I decided that it was probably the locking feature that he liked so much.  When I set up the box, he got one of the keys, and I kept the other one, just in case it gets lost.  = )

And I sent Emily to bed before setting hers up, so that she could be surprised, at least a little. = )  They don't sell duolingo gift cards, so she just got a generic play gift card, but I printed a card with Duo (the owl) so that she would know for what I had invisioned it.

Alice got her Pusheen box, something she had had on her wishlist for a while.

The entire crew!

When the twins woke up, they were excited!!!

William loved his multi-colored darts, as well as his new guns.

The selling point of this kitchen:  it folds up flat!!!  It lives under the bunkbed in their room (and the food is kept in the tub pictured.)

The extent of our trash this year!  Of course, this doesn't include the packages in which things were delivered, but many things I bought used.  The left pile is the recycling, and the right pile is trash.  The bag in front goes into the bag recycling, which is a sperate collection.  Surprisingly, the bulk of the recycling was from an American Girl doll dog groomer set* that I scored at a yard sale!  I've already posted the pile of our used wrapping paper in this post, if you want to go see how much paper we would be trashing, were we not going to reuse it.

After a tasty Christmas meal, it was time to go shovel.  Our very kind neighbour plowed the driveways for us, so our only responsibility was the sidewalk (and stairs.)  It didn't take us long, so the kids were happy to play in the snow a bit afterwards.

Grace and Molly in their matching outfits from Aunt Haley & the Helterbrands.

Juliet in her matching pjs with Blaire from Aunt Haley & the Helterbrands.

I'm pretty sure this was a few weeks later, but Grace wanted to make a matching necklace to the one Juliet received for Christmas.  The button she picked out was on that Grandma Sondra had sent me a few years ago.

Our mail service, nationwide, has been getting slower and slower the past few years.  It's always been a little slow during the Christmas season, but it was wildly slow this year.  Brenda sent the kids' Christmas money on December 12th (or that was the postmark anyhow) but it didn't arrive until after Christmas.  When it did arrive, we set the tree back up, put on some lights, pulled out some bags and celebrated one more time! = )

I hope everyone's Christmas was a delightful as ours was this year.

later days

 *it's kind of a sad story, but the guy's ex-wife was a dog groomer, and he'd purchased it for her office.  The package was a little dusty, but had never been opened, so I got it for about 1/3 of list price.  The twins loved it, I wish I could go back and let him know. (But it was a yard sale and that would probably be really weird. lol)

edit 1-17-23: backdated for continuity.

Christmas Card 2022

Hello my dear readers!  

I'm not sure what is going on this year, but I have not had the usual joy in making and sending my Christmas cards this year.  It feels like it is all just extra work! This is very unusual, as it is usually one of my favorite activities during the Holiday season!!

In any case, my cards have not yet gone out, maybe early next year??? but I thought I would still give y'all the opportunity to see my adorable kids and all of the happenings of this past year. = )

I hope y'all have a Merry Christmas, and you'll hear from me soon (probably. ; )!)

later days

All the Other Fun

All these fun things didn't fit with any other post, so here they are together.

We were invited to eat popcorn and hot chocolate, while we watched a movie outdoors.  It was very fun, if a little cold.

Gracea and Juliet dressing to match Blaire and Molly while the nightgowns still fit. = )

Alice found all sorts of decorations over the summer and wanted to do some decorating this fall.    It was fun to find some seasonal surprises everywhere. = )

Sometimes I eat all the food groups for lunch, not super often, but it sure is pretty!

Kennedy got to come over on a short Wednesday one time, and the girls loved having her!

Not long after that, we got to hang out with Zoey at Pizza Hut.

I was watching a show, in Spanish, that is called High Seas in English, and this image was too perfect.  I had to pause it and take a very skewed picture of it, so that I could remember it forever.

Grace and Juliet were working on their face painting skills, on one another.

I added this to the "reasons we can't have a pet" folder in my mind.  I would be so tempted to spend soooooo much money on adorable, unnecessary things.

I scored almost 10lbs of sirloin ground beef for really cheap, since it was marked for clearance.  I came home and cooked up most of it for future meals, but made a meat loaf and meat pie that day.

The meat pie came out so pretty!  Sadly, I didn't even eat any fresh, but did eat plenty as leftovers. = )

My mom treated the kids to Arby's snack shakes.  $1 a piece, which might crack up all you distant future readers of 2122! ; )

Grace picked out a clearance chocolate 'haunted' house kit.  Think gingerbread kit, but Halloween themed.  It refused to stand out, so she used yellow ribbon to declare it a disaster.

Starbucks and Biggby both did away with their Eggnog lattes for the season (and they are my favorite!!)  So, when I spied the lineup of Eggnog that Kroger has, I was excited.  I've been spoiled all season now. = )

It was 75F, in November, in Michigan.  When the kids wanted to do a water balloon fight, I told them to go for it.  I wasn't personally going anywhere near it, but they seemed to have fun.

Despite having a Panera near two areas that I frequent, neither of them are convenient.  So, when I get a craving for their sausage, kale, and bean soup, I make my own.

It tastes so, so good, but makes a ton, so I share with my mom and then freeze it in small portions so that I can have it for lunches. = )

Grace drew a family of penguins. 

The twins dressed up a balloon, for some reason. 

A happy milk lid was occasion for a picture, apparently.

A new Christmas started advertising months ago and finally was available to watch!

Right before Thanksgiving break, the big girls had a snow day, Grace had been sent home school on Thursday, ill, and then threw up at home, Juliet lasted less than an hour into Friday before her teacher called me to come grab her.  So, on the Friday before Thanksgiving break, I pulled a perfectly healthy William and we started our weekend early.  The big girls still had school Monday and Tuesday, so it wasn't quite break for them yet, but we spent the day relaxing at home.

One Sunday, Emily agreed to play my Sherlock game with me.  She didn't finish the round, but it was nice to play with her for a bit.  Luckily, I can play it as a single player game too. = )

For years and years, Grace and Juliet have wanted a play kitchen (we had one when they were very small, but got rid of it to make room for all the double baby things we needed.)  I am so excited to present a folding kitchen to them this Christmas!!

Grace loves seeing her friend Zoey and made a countdown chain until she saw her!  Sadly, this event had to be cancelled, because she and Juliet were slow to recover.

Emily also felt poorly at some point, though not during the Thanksgiving break, at least as far as I can remember.

My mom had me put together some hanging towels for my Grandma, when I was taking a picture of them, I had a cute little photo bomber.

Blaire and Llama each got a stocking this year, to match Molly's.

Speaking of llama, his leg broke this year.  He still sings and tries to dance, but the best we could do for him was to give him a cast. = (

I bought some corn flakes to make cookies one night, and on the box was a chicken tenders recipe.  I also saw a cute little picture of banana and strawberry skewers cross my newsfeed, so that made for a very lazy, easy, well-received dinner. 

While we were at the mall with Juliet, I came across a stash of Pusheen goodies.  Alice wanted a "Pusheen Box" as her big gift this year.  So, now when I see it I stop and look.  They had an adorable container of mini marshmallows called "meowshmallows," but it was $5!!  I asked my mom to keep any of her spice containers that might empty in the near future, but when I stumbled upon this tupperware container at the thrift store for 75 cents, I thought, that would be perfect to make one for Alice!  I actually like it better than the instore version.

Emily has been a bit harder this year than usual, so for her I'm customizing a hat that I bought online with her team and a sewn in pocket.  I've got the pocket made, but I'm still feeling a bit apprehensive about cutting into the hat to install it, especially since I've already finished the embroidery.

For our MOPS meeting next time, we are doing a gift exchange.  They asked us to bring 3 (of the same item) that we consider a favorite thing, that costs under $5.  I immediately thought of my cord wraps.  I seriously use them for everything!  As I pulled the materials out of their storage places, I had a wave of self-doubt, do I really love these or am I just being cheap?  As I began to cut the pieces out, I thought to myself: I love this fabric (it was from the stash that Christin sent me from Germany many years ago) I think I'll make one for myself too. lol.  Well, I no longer feel guilty or cheap. I may still include some candy or treat to make it look a little more appealing.  They came out so cute though!

 later days