Super Hero Party...TOMORROW!

I can't believe that my oldest just turned FIVE! Tomorrow we are celebrating with a Super Hero party and he couldn't be more excited!

{Invitation design by WH Hostess}

Merry Christmas...a few days late! Thanks to my friend Kelly of WH Hostess for creating our Christmas card this year!

I have been THE.WORST.BLOGGER lately! I can't apologize enough! So much has been going on lately, but I won't bore you with the details. All good things though! I promise to be back in full swing soon. I can't wait to catch up with everyone!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Lots of Love ~ Christi

{Friday Finds} A Week of Firsts & Weekly Round Up

I have been absent on the blog this week and I apologize! It's been an exciting week around here! My oldest started Pre-K which means he will go to school every day. This has been an adjustment for all of us, but so exciting at the same time. My baby is growing up too fast. Here he is on his first day. He was VERY excited. Another first is that both boys started at a NEW school and we could not be more thrilled!

{PS - a few minutes before we left and before this picture was taken, Nick tripped and cut the top of his eye pretty bad. Story of our lives!}

Here is sweet Conrad with his big brother about to head to school as well.

Weekly Roundup

Oh how I love Burlap! Always have and always will. I used it at our rehearsal dinner almost 7 years ago and I find a way to sneak it into 1 or 2 of my parties each year! I got a little excited when I saw the Burlap Trend post on HGTV which was written by sweet Kim of The TomKat Studio.

Kori Clark from Paper & Pigtails might be one of the sweets and most genuine bloggers around! Did you see the pink flower party she hosted for her daughter, Charlotte?! You do not want to miss this one!

Chris from Celebrations at Home debuted the how to on the pom pom piñata Kori created for the above party. I have to try this one day!

The Wonderlandia event, hosted by Jenn of HWTm, sounded amazing! Did you see the different tables that were created for the event?! You can see them here, here, here , here & here! AMAZING vendors designed the tables!

Heading to the Beach!

We are heading to the beach for a week and I cannot wait! We are not going anywhere glamorous, just a nice beach in Texas. We thought about taking the boys somewhere tropical or going to Seaside in Florida, but we just wanted to keep it simple and go somewhere where we could drive and be there in a few hours. I'm excited though because the house looks great! I'm loving the kitchen and dining room area...

I cannot apolgize enough for neglecting P is for Party lately. I have been swamped with so many things. I could list them all, but I don't want to bore anyone. Plus, I am still battling some health issues (severe headaches which I blogged about here) and that has really put a crimp in my daily lifestyle. But I'm about to start some new things that will hopefully help me along. Thank you for sticking with me and I PROMISE to get back to this blog, my passion, ver soon!

Have a wonderful week!

Where I Have Been....

Hello friends!

I just can't apologize enough for my absence this week and previous weeks. I have debated on whether or not I should share a little about what has been going on lately. I certainly do not want to sound like I am complaining or whining and I want this to be a happy place; and most importantly, a place for parties and fun! But I also do not want people to wonder why I have not posted often and even worse, lost my passion for this blog. That is not the case at all!

First of all, there is nothing life threatening going on, thank heavens. I just have been battling some health issues lately, mainly terrible headaches. I have suffered from mild to severe headaches for about 10 years. I seem to always find a way to control them, but this year, I have been to the ER 3 times for treatment and I realized that I can't keep going on this way and that I need to get to the bottom of the problem. I visited with a neurologist this week and we have a few things scheduled for the upcoming weeks. I will have a MRI on Tuesday. I am definitely anxious about that, but I am not worried because no one thinks this is a severe issue...just an issue we need to figure out.

So, my sincere apologies for not blogging much these last few weeks. I really miss you and diving into party posts! I just have had several appointments that have taken a toll on my daily life (emotionally, physically and a lot of time and effort). On top of that, my rambunctious boys are 4 and 2 and that right there does not lend time to much else.

My sweet husband realized that I needed some complete me time. He took the boys AND new puppy to our farm for the ENTIRE weekend. People...I have not had a weekend ALONE in years! Of course, we as a couple have left the boys, but it has always been on a trip where we are going, going, going. Or I have been on girls' weekends with full schedules. But this weekend I am alone and have zero obligations. I can't tell you how excited I am (although I woke up with another splitting headache; finally under control now). I have been on the couch ALL morning watching reality TV (thank you Bethenny ever After for lots of laughs!) and countless royal wedding documentaries off of Apple TV (I can't shake the royal wedding fever). Although I miss the boys (all 3) tremendously, I am loving and appreciating my weekend of no obligations. Even sitting here writing this post, at this time of the day, in peace, is unusual. I'm off to get a deep tissue massage in a bit and can't wait. The feeling of not having to rush home afterwards to the kids is a relaxing feeling. And tonight, I think I'm going to go to dinner and a movie with a friend and just chill. I'll be waking up whenever I want tomorrow as well. Then, I'm off to the West U Home Tour and can't wait. Ahhh...I'm just going to enjoy these hours and I know I will be a better mom when everyone comes home tomorrow.

Thank you all for your loyalty and patience. I am truly blessed to be in touch with so many of you and I can't wait to feel normal (my normal) again! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

XOXO,

Christi

Busy, Busy, Busy

{Candid Chic Photography}

I am so excited that the holiday season is here! My calendar is full, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I love being able to celebrate this special time of year with family and friends!

I do feel a little overwhelmed though with not only the hustle and bustle of Christmastime, but I am also in the process of planning Conrad's second birthday party which will take place in a few weeks AND Nick's birthday party in January. I guess I need to accept the fact that this time of year will forever be insanely busy! A November anniversary, Thanksgiving, two birthday parties, Christmas, shopping, house guests, parties, school functions, New Year's...you name it!

I miss blogging on a daily basis! I truly am so sad that my time is limited for the next few weeks. I promise to post ideas and parties during this Christmas season, but I just wanted to explain my absence and lack of posting. I look forward to sharing Conrad's party details right after Christmas!

A heartfelt thank you to EVERYONE who checks in with me daily and for all of your uplifting comments. Reading your sweet words truly make my day and encourage me to continue blogging.

Coming up right after this post...an unusual Christmas dessert!

xoxo,

Christi

My OTHER Blog

Call me crazy, but I have started another blog! It's my family blog, but I plan to make it much more than that. Besides party planning and my family, my loves are interior design, baking, trying new recipes, shopping...actually, the list could go on and on. A Little Bit of Bennett will cover all that and more. Please join me if you would like!

I have to thank my friend, Carolyn, who currently lives in Austria, for the awesome blog design!! She did an amazing job and she is helping me transform the look of P is for Party! If you need a blog makeover, you would be in good hands with Carolyn.

Happy Labor Day!

The day is almost over, but I didn't want to miss telling each and ever one of you Happy Labor Day! I hope you had a relaxing time with your family and friends. We traveled to our farm and had a great time with family. The weather was actually nice for Texas in September!

Be Back Soon!

We are heading here tomorrow and I.CAN'T.WAIT!!! Any guesses?? I will be back soon and fill you in on our vacation with friends...and of course more party ideas!

It's Party Week Over Here!

{image via style me pretty}

So sorry for the lack of posts this week! This Friday is the birthday dinner party I was telling you about, so I have been busy taking care of last minute things. I will definitely share the photos with you when it is all said and done!

Hopefully I will get a Father's Day post up soon. I have a new idea for you...hint, hint...it involves the newspaper which is one of my Dad's favorite things to read every morning.

Just Back from Another Girls Weekend!

{Dinner at Rise: Alyson, Julianna, Whitney, Me and Mary. A few of the girls had not arrived yet.}

I just got home from another fabulous girls weekend in Dallas! What a treat to have two of these kind of trips so close together. Some of my closest friends live in Dallas and I LOVE getting to spend quality time with them. Pictured above are just some of the girls. I am always so bad about taking pictures, so I was proud of myself for getting at least a few!

(The Four Seasons at Las Colinas}

On Saturday, we headed out to the Four Seasons at Las Colinas and enjoyed the spa and sat by the pool for hours and just talked. I have not been able to do that since college! Two of the girls just had their third babies in December, so I'm glad they were able to enjoy a few hours away from the craziness. We then went to Rise for dinner which is absolutely delicious.

Backtracking....when I landed on Friday, we went to lunch at Taco Diner and enjoyed skinny margaritas at the strike of twelve. Shh, don't tell! Since they know me and my sweet tooth all too well, Julianna and Alyson took me to Nothing Bundt Cakes for an afternoon dessert! Can we talk about how cute that bakery name is??! The bundt cakes were delicious! I tried the cinnamon swirl and chocolate chip. Then, Whitney and I got manis and pedis on Lovers Lane and then all of my friends and their husbands and kids and I went to Patrizio's for dinner. Yum!

{Whitney, me, Alyson and Julianna...lots of hubbies and kids not pictured here!}

Here are a few of us at dinner on Friday. Sweet baby Leighton is asleep in the background. True friends are hard to come by and these girls are definitely just that! I love you all and can't wait to see you again!

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter to you and your families! Thank you so much for reading and for inspiring me everyday! Here is a picture of my two little men at an Easter egg hunt this morning.

Now it's time for me to start baking and getting things ready for our family meal tomorrow! What are you serving? We are going to feast on brown sugar glazed ham, corn pudding, twice baked potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and peas, sour cream rolls, coconut meringue pie and an almond cake!! Can't wait! I'm also going to bake banana bread and pecan pie muffins and serve a pear champagne cocktail.

Again, Happy Easter!

xoxo,

Christi

PS - I wish I could edit out the pink caution tape they put up for perimeters for the egg hunt! Oh well, at least it's pink for Easter and not that awful bright yellow construction tape.

The Surprise Party Was Perfect!

The surprise 70th birthday party for my Dad this past Saturday night was absolutely perfect!! He truly had no idea and was overcome with emotion. I cannot wait to share the pictures with you which will probably be in a few weeks! Thank you to everyone who sent their well wishes for a successful weekend! It truly was a night to remember.

{balloon image via style me pretty}

MIA

I am so sorry I have been MIA these past few days...and even weeks! I miss blogging and reading all of my favorite blogs on a daily basis!

On top of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I have been busy planning Conrad's first birthday party which is this Saturday. Every free moment I have, I seem to be out the door running an errand or organizing things for the party. I love it though!

picture from Ooh La La who is making Conrad's party cake

Today is Conrad's actually birthday and I just iced a batch of cupcakes (and ate a few along the way!) for our small family celebration tonight. Happy Birthday my sweet little boy! I love you more than you could ever know and I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by!

I will be back soon!

Conrad's First Birthday: It's a Wonderful Life

I cannot believe that my baby boy will be turning 1 in just a few weeks! Time has FLOWN by. Sometimes I wish I could freeze time, so he will always be itty bitty. But on the other hand, I'm so excited for him to reach this milestone.

I thought long and hard about what "theme" I wanted to go with to help celebrate this special boy. I love that he is a December baby which means his birthday is during my absolute favorite time of year! It's a Wonderful Life is one of my favorite movies and I watch it year round, not just during Christmas. It always takes me to a happy place and makes me feel warm and cozy.

When I was thinking about the movie a few months ago, the idea of planning his party around the film popped into my head. It's been a special year and so many wonderful things have happened...It's a Wonderful Life.

Lots of party details to come!

Photography by Candid Chic

Sorry for the Lack of Posts!

So sorry for the lack of posts this week! The last few days have been crazy and now my sweet 7 month old, Conrad, is sick with his first fever virus. So, I have been playing nurse and probably worrying a bit too much. I will be back soon with more fun posts! Have a wonderful weekend!

** side note: it is close to impossible to take a picture with both of the boys looking and smiling at the camera!

Hope Everyone Had a Wonderful Weekend!

So sorry to get personal, but I just had to post this picture of my "little man" Conrad and me on July 4th. I love both of my little boys to pieces!! The 2 year old wouldn't pose for the camera...love the "two's", ha! I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. We had a wonderful weekend and we were SUPER busy. I missed blogging though and am glad to be back into a routine. New posts to come soon!