Sunday, April 26, 2009

I've got GOOD News & BAD News

I'm going to cut straight to the BAD News. On Friday after work when Dj got home he came straight to me and gave me a hug. I just KNEW that something was the matter. He said "I've got news". That could only mean one thing in my Army wife world.

He's getting deployed. He leaves sometime in August. This time instead of going to Iraq though, he's going to Afghanistan which really isn't much better right now. It will be a 1 year term which I'm not so pleased with. Neither I, nor the kids have ever been separated from him for THAT long.

I'm already looking forward to his mid-term leave and hoping he can be with us during Christmas. I'm planning to make the best situation I can out of it. I'm more saddened that the kids will not have him around because I think I can get through it alright. I just don't want Eva to forget him. She's so young right now and he'll miss out on a lot when it comes to her.

So, that was my BAD News. Pretty BAD huh? I'm not sure if I've ever posted a picture of Dj on my blog so here's one of him & I this past December.
Now on to the GOOD News...

We celebrated Eva's 2nd Birthday yesterday (on Saturday). We've been planning it for about a month and the day finally came when I could get all those "ideas" out of my head and into reality. I basically took most of my things from my scrapbooking room to decorate our lounge area downstairs for the party. Since my scrapbooking room and Eva's Birthday had the same exact color scheme and theme (b/w zebra stripes, many different shades of pink, and Hello Kitty). It turned out beautifully!

I think you need to have the purrrrfect invitations to set the mood for every party. In my case, my daughter's party was a Hello Kitty themed party (based off the MAC Cosmetics new line of makeup with a black Hello Kitty). Here's what her invitations looked like. Please don't blow up my phone if you figure out my phone number. LOL

Here's the little decorated party area. Perhaps it would have been a lot nicer if I had taken the rug that was originally in the room out of there before I layed the zebra print one down but too late now.

I found a really cool and EASY idea for the Hello Kitty cake and went with it even though I don't bake. Yes, it was THAT easy! Dj's grandmother was the only person who actually ate and liked the licorice though. And I'm glad to say that EVERYONE liked the taste of my cupcakes & cake. While they were being served I heard Dj warning everyone "Lynnette baked the cake and cupcakes". LOL

Here are the cupcakes I made for the party. I displayed them on a 3-tier crystal cupcake stand and topped them off with plastic Hello Kitty rings. I sent Dj to the store to buy irridescent curling ribbon to create sort of a waterfall effect from this but he ended up coming back from the store with regular irridescent ribbon. Men! So, I just spread these faux crystals in pink and clear around the table. They were decorations from my scrapbooking room.What did I do with the wrong ribbon he bought? Of course I didn't let that go to waste. I simply hung it behind the tissue pom poms I hung from the ceiling. There wasn't much of it. I placed my pink curtains from my scrapbooking room up on the wall behind the gift table to create a more girly look. It took me a couple of days to make that banner you see hanging but I plan to use that in my scrapbooking room now that the party is over. Here's a close up of some of the pennants to show the detailed work.
You can't have a party without games.


Pass the yarn (played like Hot Potato)....because kitty's play with yarn AND because I couldn't seem to find any Hello Kitty games anywhere.

Pull the string Pinata instead of the vicious beating the cat with a bat idea.

And all the little kitty's went squandering for the treats within.

Eva finally got the concept down on what to do with all of those wrapped gifts. She had SO much fun openning all of her wonderful presents. She had a good year this year!
Here's Eva on the swings in our backyard during her party. The outfit was custom made to match her party and I just ironed on the Hello Kitty. She's also wearing a black and pink kitty ears headband and a tail. She was my pretty little kitty! Dj slaved over the grill.
I only got a couple pictures with me in them at the party since I was behind the camera the whole time but here's one of them. This is Dj's dad (my Father-in-law).
Yup! The party was a good one. I love party planning! It's so much fun!

9 comments:

Groovy Deborah said...

Lynnette thank you for sharing this part of your lif with those of us peeking into your life. I hope you will tell DJ how much I amnd my family appreciate the time he devotes to the service to better protect us as a country. My niece ws married last May 3 and her new hubby was home of leave from Afghanistan and stayed here only for two weeks then back he went. He is home now stationed in Newport News until July and he will go with my niece to Texas. What a year to spend it as a brand new bride while her hubby was deployed. Each of the men and women are so special to dedicate themselves to our country this way. Thank you too for being the wife. I know it cannot be easy. I am so glad that you are a scrapbooker who can update DJ about Eva while he at work. Glad to see the pics from her party too, good job Mom!

Groovy Deborah said...

forgive my typos lol!

Niki Ray's Book Blog said...

All my prayers your way for him to have a safe return. I too am a Army wife with Childern and it is tuff. But think about the positive and hope that it goes by quick. I hope you have a blast until he goes.. and hope he comes home on Christmas. Take care of yourself and the babies :) If you need to talk or vent or whatver let me know. I have probly vented about it myself :) XoXo Niki_Ray

sugar_and_spice said...

LOVE all the pics, Lynnette! You did a FABULOUS job with the decorating, but that's no surprise! :) Looks like Eva had a great time! The cake turned out wonderful and so did the cupcakes. I think the original rug looks fine there -- adds a nice pop of red that goes well with all the other colors! SO SORRY to hear about D.J. Girl, you KNOW I BTDT, except I didn't have to worry about my kid being separated from her Daddy. You hang in there. I'm always here if you need to chat! Love ya! :)

Tara O said...

I am so sorry your dh is getting deployed...from one Army wife to another. Mine hasn't been deployed {yet} in the 8 years we've been in the military although we've been through many TDY missions...one was to dangerous Rwanda. However, my dh is NEVER home. LOL...his job in the Army has him working all week long and all weekend long as well...this weekend he worked from 2 p.m. Saturday until almost Midnight last night. He came home to sleep for five or so hours both nights. :( I have found that the TDY missions are easier on me...I guess because he's not here and I don't EXPECT his help like I do when he's here. Or rather that I don't get frustrated that he can't help with the 5 kids. ;) OK..will shush...you don't me. LOL. I am Lissa's friend though not some weirdo.....and she can link you to my blog if you are interested (it's private).

Joaniebolognie said...

What a wonderful party you prepared for your daughter...she's a cutie!
I can't imagine what it's like to have your hubbie go off to war...I will keep you all in my prayers...please give him my "thanks" for serving our great country!

Unknown said...

Hi Lynnette, sorry to hear about your husband, I'll be praying for you and your family. You outdid yourself with the Hello Kitty party, absolutely amazing!!! Hugs, Marlene

Fijufic said...

I wish your Hubby the very best in his tour. I absolutely admire these fellows. They make it possible for us to live in freedom. Wonderful pics of the family. I love family stuff.

This is fantastic.

Bobby

Desire Fourie said...

Hi Lynette. Many thanks for your kind comment on Doing Life. Wow this birthday party must have been such fun ... all your decorations, etc. are just so yummylicious. I also love your style of scrapbooking. Hugs from Desire