sentimental samuel cheers up

Remember how sad Samuel was about his preschool year ending?  Here are are few things that helped him cheer up...

We made a special book for each of his teachers.  

I thought this would be simple.  Chip board, mod podge, paper, pictures... easy right?  Three hours later I was so mad I started the messy project.   Oh well.  They got done, he was happy, the teachers were happy.

The idea of having a party for his class got Samuel really excited. Every day he would ask how many days until his party.  (Thanks for the pizza picnic idea, Lindsay!).

I will admit that I had a lot of fun making the invitations and decorations.  I seriously love this kind of stuff.  I do it realizing that the kids don't really care.  And still I love it.  Eva loves it, too.  She wanted to help make the invitations so bad.  She fell asleep on my craft room floor waiting for me to finish those (dang) books so she could help me with them.  Karl ended up carrying her to her bed.  She woke up hours later all excited to help only to find that I finished them.  It was the middle of the night by the time I got to them and I just couldn't get myself to wake her.  I felt so bad.  Tears.  She was so so sad.  

Pizza, popcorn, tiny cupcakes, fruits, veggies, citric punch, water... if you know me, you know I was holding back.  I have a hard time keeping things simple.  

Eva did get to help this time.  She helped with the cupcakes and made this sign that I love.  

There were bubbles (google taught me that empty can make cool bubbles) and fishing.

And sand.  I forgot why I didn't fill the sandbox last year.  When I was finding sand tracked through the house and in pockets in the laundry room, I remembered why.  Oh well, I just have to keep telling myself it is worth it because they love it so much.

This made me wish that we had some summer birthdays.  All of ours are in the cold, dreary months.   If we want a party outside, it has to be just because.  

He loved it.  Want to know a sad secret?  None of his friends from preschool could come.  And apparently none of their phones work to let me know that.  But I was prepared for this, since I knew this might happen because I didn't have any of their contact info and many of the moms work (so they can afford a phone that works).  I just called a few of my friends (because I'm lucky that my phone works) and in no time we had a yard and house full of kids eating popcorn and pizza.  Want to know a happy secret?  Samuel had a blast anyway.   So did Eva, and so did I.  There was enough pizza left that my family stopped by that evening and had dinner.  It was a party day.  Love party days.  Need to have more of them.