Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Birthday Party!

I am so excited to finally share some photos from Aiden's birthday party. As some of you may already know, he turned 5 at the end of August. I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do, and where I wanted to have his party. Like many moms today, I began searching Pinterest for ideas and inspiration for his party. This was going to be one of his biggest parties (besides his 1st birthday) and I really wanted it to be special and memorable. This was also going to be his first birthday party away from my hometown, so it was all up to me to do the planning.

Since his birthday is so late in August, many kids were already going back to school, so I was worried that it would be hard to get some of his old classmates to join. I contemplated having water activities since he has a perfect Summer birthday, but considering the way the weather is here in Pittsburgh, it's hard to predict what the day would've been like. I chose a local park and just prayed for good weather. Luckily, it ended up being a perfect day for a party, many of his friends came, and he had a blast!

The party invites I made on my own, no template, no Etsy seller, just a Ninja Turtles photo and a Paint program. I ended up paying about $8.00 in total for printing about 30 invites. I had his birthday shirt custom made by friend and shop owner of Itty Bitty Heart Creations. She did a great job and Aiden loved his shirt!

I knew it would be difficult for me to oversee his party and try to take photos at the same time, so I hired friend and photographer of Katie Fair Photography to take photos of the whole party. She did a great job and gave me permission to share some of these photos with you all. :)

 

Mutagen Ooze (Lemonade)

 

 

Michelangelo Veggie Tray 

 

Dirt and Earthworm pudding cups

 

 

It's not a Ninja Turtle party without pizza!

 

  

I made some simple and easy photo props that I printed from here for FREE. These were for a photo-booth type set up for him and his friends to be silly and have fun with. 

photo props (Booyakasha sign not pictured)

 

 

 

Thanks to another friend and business owner of Face Painting Designs By Dana, she helped the kids mutate into Ninja Turtles with her great face painting skills. Of course the mutagen ooze helped the process. ;)

 

 

After the kids played, ate, and mutated into turtles, it was time for them to defeat the piñata, or better known as the Shredder. The kids had a blast with this! Since I was unable to find any type of Ninja Turtle piñata, (preferably a Shredder one) I just bought another piñata from Party City and had a couple photos of Shredder printed at Office Depot that I glued to each side of the piñata. I can't take full credit for this idea, inspiration for the piñata and some of the other decorations came from a fellow Blogger through Pinterest.

 

 

 

 

After the party, Aiden told me "This was the best day ever!" Besides the decorations, planning, and all the organizing, at the end of the day I'm happy that my son had a great 5th birthday party to remember! Thanks to all the guests, and those who helped make this day special!

 

Special thanks to

 

Katie Fair Photography

Itty Bitty Heart Creations

Face Painting Designs by Dana

Moio's Bakery

Allegheny County Parks

Aiden's 1st DIY Workshop

This Saturday we took Aiden to his first kids workshop at Home Depot. These are FREE workshops held at ALL Home Depot stores on the first Saturday of every month. I really wish I would've taken him to these workshops sooner because he really enjoyed it. The website states for ages between 5-12 but I saw plenty of younger kids there. Any who, I was really glad we finally made it to one.

The workshop was held outside in a closed off area of the parking lot. There were several tables set up with hammers and wood glue. There were also a few games set up with a prize table, popcorn, and balloons to be given out after they completed their project. We happened to be the first ones there, so we went over to the sign up table and  Aiden wrote his name on the sign up sheet. He received the signature orange Home Depot apron and a kit to get started on. Their project was to build and paint a football ring-toss game, just in time for football season. Aiden got his apron on, opened up the packaging to his kit, and both he and Dad got to building while I took pictures of course. :)

 Excited to get building! 

                                                            Dad helping with the directions 

                                        He felt so grown up being able to use REAL tools. :)

 

                                 

                                                                The finished product!

                             

                                                               Proud of his work

 

He was very proud of his work and happy to bring something home that he built. He received a certificate of completion and a project pin to add to his apron. When I asked him, he said his favorite part was hammering the nails. This was a different experience for him compared to other crafts he's done at home and at school because he got to use tools. This is the first of many workshops we'll be attending!

Library Days!

I have recently designated Thurdays as library day in our house. I decided to focus on reading a little more with Aiden more than anything else to begin the new school year. I do believe a passion for books is the gateway to many great opportunities. I did have a library card while living in Seattle, Aiden and I frequented the library often during that time. After living in Pittsburgh for a year, we finally got around to getting a new card just last week.

Aiden has always loved going to the bookstore and getting new books. Somewhat surprisingly, his current favorites are non-fiction books about animals, the human body, and outer space. Since he is working on his reading, I thought it would be useful for him to search for some of his own and practice with a variety without buying a new book every week (even though I do have a minor book shopping obsession). I picked him up from school today and as he excitedly began to tell me about his 3rd day of school, we headed to the Monroeville Public Library to search for story books. We read everyday from his collection of books at home, but bringing home some a little more unfamiliar may spark some new interest. And frankly, I'm quite impressed with how well he's been doing sounding out words. Proud mommy moment number 15,003:)

As we walk in, I hand him his library card from my purse and right away I could see how big and proud he felt about the whole process, getting to do things himself like "big kids" do. He scanned the shelves and eventually bee-lined to a table of Super Hero books displayed in the back. He picked up a Batman book and asked me to read it. I approvingly began to read, pointing at certain words that he read as well. 

When we finished the book, we made our way to the other shelves and continued our search. We left the library that day with a moderately sized stack:

     • Jackie's Bat

     • Ook the Book

     • Imagine You're a Knight

     • Gregory, the Terrible Eater

     • Tiny Goes to the Library

     • Unicorns Don't Give Sleigh Rides

     

A couple books for family and bedtime reading, and a couple more "easy readers" for him to practice with. We even picked up one of my childhood favorites from the Bailey School Kids series. :)

 

 

                                

 

He wasn't quite ready to leave when we did, but he managed to narrow it down and made his way out as a happy camper. He even used the self-checkout scanner all on his own and happily filled up his book bag. On the car ride home, he grabbed "Ook the Book" from his bag and began to sound out the words and read. 

 

                                

 

 

 

Do you make regular library trips with your kids? What are some of your favorite Children's books? I'd love to hear your feedback!

A Military Friendly Guide to Exploring Pittsburgh

Since coming to Pittsburgh just last Summer we've had to adjust to living in a different part of the country. Moving and traveling isn't new to us, but it does take a while to get adjusted to a new place to call "home." Our first Summer in Pittsburgh, though we had many days of great weather, was spent house hunting and exploring the area for the best neighborhoods and schools. This Summer we've been able to explore and enjoy a lot more of the city's outdoor activities. Many of which offer great military discounts;) Take a look at some of our favorites below!

• Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
The zoo offers FREE entry to any active duty military member everyday with a photo ID! While this is a great deal, it doesnt include the whole family. So we purchased a very reasonably priced Family membership for only $85. This includes 2 adults, and 2 kids and is good for one year from the purchase date. This is probably one of the places we visit the most. On a nice day, we pack our lunches and head to the zoo, our son loves it! It has more than paid for itself, considering single admission is $14! 

• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
During the Summer months between Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Pittsburgh Children's Museum offers FREE admission to military families and up to four additional guests. This is part of the Blue Star Museum program that many museums nation-wide take part in. This is a great way to keep your kids busy in the Summer, and keep them engaged. Also a great way to check out museums in your area before choosing to buy those yearly passes.

• Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Another one of my son's favorites! He loves to see all the dinosaur bones and even dig for bones himself in the children's area. This museum also participates in the Blue Star program. They also offer great family memberships that include access to the Carnegie Science Center and the Andy Warhol Museum.

• Frick Park-Blue Slide Playground 

Out of the several parks that we've visited around Pittsburgh, this is one of the whole family's favorites. It's a great place to take the whole family including the dog. With a large off-leash area and several wooded trails, there are several options for exploring and hiking. My son's favorite part is the popular Blue Slide which he can slide down for hours. Unlike any other playground slide, this is great fun for all ages. Just dont forget to grab a piece of cardboard to sit on as you slide down. 

 

 

• Idlewild and Soakzone

We made our first trip here this Summer and the whole family had a blast! It's definitely a must for Western PA residents. Giant Eagle has some great sale days throughout the Summer, such as "buy one, get one tickets" and even a car load deal. Just pay $99 for a carload of up to 8 people to get in the park making it less than $15 per person! They also offer $8.00 off the regular admission price of $29 for Active Duty Military members. Don't just trust my opinion, Idlewild has been named "Best Kid's Park in the World" and "Best Park for Families" several years in a row!

 

• Triple B Farms

The local farms aren't just for the Fall. Triple B Farms, among many of the other local farms in Western and Central PA have great Summer festivals and Summer Day Camps for the kids. There is always fresh produce to pick yourself, or available for purchase in their market. Check their website for their harvest schedule and activities. Don't forget to come back in the Fall!

 

• Spray Parks

This is such a great way to cool off and have fun during the Summer, and the best part is that they're FREE! I grew up in the hottest, smallest, most rural desert valley of Southern California. And even though the beach was only an hour and a half drive away, I wish we had other ways to stay cool locally. There are several of these fairly large spray parks throughout the Pittsburgh area, and some just recently built. Pack a lunch, grab the sunblock and towels and spend your afternoon at the spray park. Check the Pittsburgh Citiparks website to find a spray park in your neighborhood.

• Baseball/Football Games 

You can't come to Pittsburgh without heading to a ball game of sorts. Whether you go to a Steeler's game at Heinz Field, or a Pirate's game at PNC Park you're bound to have a good time. PNC Park is a great family stadium and has a great view of the city. Not to mention the Pirates are currently in first place which should ensure a good game! As a Steeler's fan, I may be a little biased when I say there's nothing like going to a Steeler's game, but there really is nothing like going to a Steeler's game! Because tickets can get pretty pricey, I recommend checking StubHub or other ticket exchange sites to purchase tickets. We have found some great deals AND great seats, especially for pre-season games. 

*Just a reminder if you can't make it to a game, don't forget to check out the FREE Steeler's Summer Training Camps in Latrobe. Great opportunity to see the players practice up close, and possibly get some autographs. (My son got Troy Polamalu's autograph, yes I might be bragging a little) :) They also have several activities and games for the kids to play and enjoy. 

Whether you're a Pittsburgh native or just visiting the area, you can be sure to have a good time enjoying a few of our favorite activities just mentioned. We've only lived here a year, so we are always looking for new things to do and new places to explore! 

 

 

Do you have a favorite and inexpensive place to visit in Pittsburgh? Please share your favorites, I'd love to hear your feedback!

Weather, You Like it or Not

It's unofficially known as the "End of Summer," Labor Day is upon us and I can't believe how quickly this Summer has flown by. Our first Winter in Pittsburgh lasted for what seemed like an eternity. I've spent these Summer months trying to defrost and enjoy the warmth of the sunshine that my Southern California roots so highly need to survive. <That's not an exaggeration either. Although, since becoming a Navy wife (in 2007) and moving away from home, I've never craved Southern California sunshine and beaches more than now.

What's slightly more disappointing to me is all the RAIN we had this Summer! Sure, someone who's lived in Seattle for 5 years may be used to a little rain, but a light drizzle doesn't compare to the downpours and street flooding we've dealt with this year. Our first Summer in Pittsburgh wasn't nearly as wet and wild. 

When the sun did come out, with probably a high of 87 for the warmest temp of the year, we spent our days outdoors. While native Pittsburghers complained of the warm temperatures, I couldn't help but enjoy the Summer I knew would'nt last, even if we did have to deal with humidity. I knew the rest of our family was suffering in the Southern California desert with average temperatures above 110°!  

Rain or shine, we did manage to have some enjoyment this Summer. A list of some of our favorites can be found here. It's a bit of a bittersweet feeling for me with the return to school and the end to swimming pools. I have always looked forward to the Fall, with all the spicy warm smells, boots and sweaters, and of course the highly anticipated FOOTBALL season... and YES we are Steelers fans! But knowing that another Winter is shorty behind, I'm not as ready to jump for joy at the end of Summer. 

As I look out my window it's yet again raining, which explains our lack of plans for Labor Day weekend. Despite some of the unfortunate weather, we still have another Summer of memories in the bank that we will enjoy forever. Part of what I've learned through moving is no one place is like the other, nor is one place technically better, each place has something to offer and should be enjoyed for what it is. As a military family, we have always enjoyed the adventure and taken in each opportunity to get out and "explore." So, even though I vent about my frustrations of unfortunate weather, we always find a way to enjoy the day through the inevitable. Because the rain doesn't last and neither do the days... whether we like it or not.