friends – Catching Caterpillars https://catchingcaterpillars.com Fri, 16 Apr 2021 03:34:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://catchingcaterpillars.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-Catching_Caterpillars_square_5431-32x32.jpg friends – Catching Caterpillars https://catchingcaterpillars.com 32 32 175368967 Happy 4th Birthday Julien!!!! https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2021/04/happy-4th-birthday-julien.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=happy-4th-birthday-julien Fri, 16 Apr 2021 02:46:58 +0000 https://catchingcaterpillars.com/?p=6572

Last weekend was Julien’s Birthday party! Ever since I wrapped my brain around being pregnant and got super excited… I started to dream of all of the little birthday parties I would get to do again… There is something so magical about a child’s birthday! A Neverland party has always been a dream… and at last it happened! This year it wasn’t even delayed or a drive by… things are feeling back to normal slowly again and I just wanted to celebrate our little boy with friends smiling and being together! It felt amazing! I will never forget the way Julien smiled so big that his eyes looked like little moons… Tonight after showing him all of the pictures he said, “Mamma my eyes are crying on me!” I asked him why, “Why are your eyes crying?” He said, “They are watering because I am so happy because my birthday was the best birthday of my life!” ughhh I can’t even… The magic, the wonder… his smiles just are 100% why I stay up until midnight putting red feathers and gold coins on things!
My parents helped us so much as well! It takes a village! My dad freehand drew the silhouettes and my mom cut them out! All those Peter Pan hats… yep my mom! so much help and love went into this fun party and I’ll never forget it!!!!!

Shopping List…

Peter Pan costume
Captain Hook costume
wig lol
Wendy
Tinkerbel
TigerLilly

Cookies
Chocolate Coins
Gold Coins and Gems
Big Treasure Box from JoAnne’s Fabrics
Smaller Treasure Boxes
Moss and all the decor came from JoAnne’s and Target and around the house
Bags for Pixie Dust
Cupcake toppers
red feathers
Black and White TeePee Tent
Fairy Wings
ship net
Never Grow Up banner

]]> 6572 13 https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2019/06/13.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=13 Wed, 19 Jun 2019 16:55:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2019/06/19/13/ Read more]]>
How in the world is my baby 13??? This spring it happened… she became a teenager! I remember always being worried about the teen years, middle school… but I actually like it! I like her… A LOT! I mean there are days where we want to pull our hair out… but for the most part she is a ton of fun and we really love to be with her… AND… her friends! It’s fun to help her maneuver this very important stage in life.. it’s a lot about character and choosing kindness… There is a lot of dreaming and curiosity which is so much fun! All in all… I didn’t get sad when she turned thirteen… I welcomed it!
Of course when you think about time flying it does make your heart and body feel crippling but as it is time is inevitable and there is nothing we can do about it but ride the wave! so we bought her a surfboard! Happy Birthday Isabelle Rose Marie!!!
]]> 12 Let’s Flamingal Cecilia!!! https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2017/12/lets-flamingal-cecilia.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lets-flamingal-cecilia Thu, 28 Dec 2017 14:47:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2017/12/28/lets-flamingal-cecilia/ Read more]]>


awe wowieeee what a fun party we had for Cecilia!
Our house is currently under construction! Like big time! So a cozy backyard party was not in our stars… we asked her what her dream party would be and she pretty much had this for her vision…
She wanted a beach party right by the water with all of her favorite friends! Sandcastle making contest was high on the list and tropical flowers and pineapples and flamingos! So fun!
The weather was a dream come true… the kids even had a little swim… on DECEMBER 23!!!
We played, celebrated, sang, ate so much food, even watched the sunset… and then lit a lantern for her… this party was magical!

I had so much fun with all the little details… that is where my heart comes out with parties… I just love special thoughtful little hints! … it was a little bit tricky this year with half of our house missing… but with the help of Mattias & my parents it was a success! My mom made so many fun decorations! We had a lot of fun putting this all together! The end result… one happy little girl! Happy 9th Birthday!!!

flamingos & pineapple fun!

]]> 49 Midsommar!!! https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2017/07/midsommar.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=midsommar Tue, 11 Jul 2017 14:35:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2017/07/11/midsommar/ Read more]]> One of my most favorite parties of the year… We’ve been celebrating Midsommar well since forever… since I met Mattias. He introduced me to this celebration and I just may love it more than he does now… Friends coming together to celebrate the longest day of the year… flowers in your hair, dancing around a midsommar pole, drinking songs, seafood. It’s so dreamy.
Now with children… well that’s been for awhile now… I love to keep the traditions going and spark that fire inside each of these children to make these memories and do something worth celebrating. It tends to be a wild night usually… lasts until midnight or so… kids crash asleep, drinks are spilt, flower crowns start to wilt… but these memories that we have and our children tuck inside their hearts fill my heart to the rim.

I think the best part of the night for me was when I asked the children if they could help me be the waiters and deliver the coffee and strawberries and cream… one little girl got so excited she nearly had tears in her eyes and she squeezed me tight and said, “Thank you SO MUCH Miss. Kollene for inviting us to your party!!! This is the best night ever!!!” 
There that’s enough for me… that’s worth it!
Dinner parties are starting to fade as our children are growing… maybe it’s the stress of it… the preparation, the clean up… but I really believe that it’s one of the most important things in life…
Coming together as friends, family, breaking bread together and sharing delicious food at a table… 
These are the memories we will have.

]]> 77 11th Birthday Sleepover Fun!!! https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2017/03/11th-birthday-sleepover-fun.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=11th-birthday-sleepover-fun Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:24:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2017/03/21/11th-birthday-sleepover-fun/ Read more]]>

Ohhhhhh my goodness!!! This was such a FUN BIRTHDAY PARTY!!! Was pretty laid back too! Sleepovers can be SO FUN! There was lots of time to just be and take a breath and check in with our little girl and ask if she was having fun and tell her again and again, Happy Birthday! 
I loved painting the girls nails and using the sugar scrubs we made! The homemade chocolate mousse parfaits were AMAZING! The girls all had a blast! We even had a little dance party! Morning time brought Swedish pancakes filled with fresh cream, nutella, and lots of berries! Yum! It just took me back to little girl times of giddy excitement and pinks and purples and happy memories I hope they always remember!
]]> 82 sweet pancake tea party… https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2016/06/sweet-pancake-tea-party.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sweet-pancake-tea-party Tue, 21 Jun 2016 07:22:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2016/06/21/sweet-pancake-tea-party/ Read more]]>

oh my goodness what a sweet adorable little morning this was… 
Oh to be a little girl again… well… I kinda get to play too… I love these girls so much! This is sweet Josie… she lives on the next street over and our girls love her and so do we! She’s so sweet! The girls love playing dolls together and play house and all things that I remember from my own childhood… 

We had to have a fun Sunday morning pancake breakfast… complete with tea cups and three American Girl Dolls in high chairs of course. 🙂 We had berries and powdered sugar and maple syrup, oh oh and some ice cream! So fun!

Friends are special, friends are sweet! They’re part of childhood and making memories… My husband and I are still friends with our childhood friends… Whenever together you just pick up from where you were last….. 

]]> 111 Spring Visitors… https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2016/06/spring-visitors.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spring-visitors Tue, 21 Jun 2016 07:21:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2016/06/21/spring-visitors/ Read more]]>

I mean are giant bubbles just totally the best! We could sit in our driveway for hours re-sopping up bubbles and twirling around… 

saying good-bye to a little tooth… this little girl has a sensitive heart… 

a fun day with Cecilia’s class… we made bird feeders to compliment their sweet little eco garden! Lots of paint and bird seed stuck to fingers… perfect!

We had such a fun surprise visit from Uncle Richard and Auntie Bibi the other day! So sweet to come with such fun cakes! We threw on a nice pot of coffee and dug in to these delicious and SO beautiful cakes! Love visitors! I love when visitors don’t feel they need to call ahead and arrange a visit… As long as you don’t mind a pile of laundry on the couch or dishes in the sink then it’s good for us to have company! always!
Thank you Richard & Bibi for the treat! xoxo 

another fun visit from a sweet friend of mine from high school days! This is Thy and her sweet adorable family which we love! So glad to have them as they were in town! Great to catch up and hear all about their life…

and oh my goodness is their little girl just the sweetest!!! I’m pretty sure our girls thought she was a real life baby doll! They loved her and dressed her up like Else and hugged and squeezed her so!

I kept track this month of how many people came over… company, dinner guests, my parents, brother, neighbors, kids, friends, family… planned or surprise visit…
The rules were… if you came more than once it counted … it was per visit, per person… so pretty much every day we have a neighbor kiddo come over… so that counts…
well… do you want to know how many people stopped by…?
72 visitors came in a month!!!
That got me thinking…

We need to bake more muffins, have more coffee, and buy a roomba!


hahahaha… I LOVE COMPANY!
]]> 112 Field Trips and end of year fun! https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2016/06/field-trips-and-end-of-year-fun.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=field-trips-and-end-of-year-fun Tue, 21 Jun 2016 07:21:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2016/06/21/field-trips-and-end-of-year-fun/ Read more]]>

The end of the school year… came and went… or should I say… stayed and went… dragged and went… whew! Is anyone else still dizzy from all of the fun!!!? I don’t remember being a kid with this much end of school year excitement,… do you? I remember my mom bringing a couple of boxes of orange creme popsicles and we all met up by the playground at a picnic table in the shade… hahaha! It worked for us… probably still world be sufficient… but now there’s pinterest…. and I’m kinda a big fan.
Field trips to Big Cat Habitat, Myakka State Park, Violin recitals, school play, teacher presents, field days, bubble parade, Jungle Book day, Garden Party! I could go on and on… It was SO MUCH FUN!!! but I’m just coming around to realizing I was in a trance of ribbons, paper napkins, popsicles, water balloons, and flowers up to my elbows! 
You know you’re in an amazing school when your children are in tears the night before the last day… what an amazing school year it has been for us! The kids were so sad that it was over… they wouldn’t have their teachers again, maybe they won’t be in the same class with the same friends… the class will be different, they will learn new things… It’s hard with change… it’s hard for me too… I don’t want the time to go fast… This year it felt right because I was so careful to take it all in… but still… did I blink a little too hard… Is it really true… next school year… a second and fifth grader… what?!?! 
]]> 113 sleepover fun! https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2016/05/sleepover-fun.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sleepover-fun Tue, 24 May 2016 17:55:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2016/05/24/sleepover-fun/ Read more]]>

Twister, pedicures, popcorn and even a dance party! Isabelle’s little birthday sleepover was magic!
It took me back actually to when I was her age… starting to have little friends over and all the teeheeing and bouncing on beds! I wanted that too for her!
We let her invite just two close pals and her cousin and of course her BFF sister Cecilia! It was perfect! I had so much fun suggesting little sleepover games to them. Helping them make their own memories that they too will remember when they’re 36 to do for their own kids!

not a lot has changed since my sleepover days… well… kinda.. a big memory for me was prank calls… enough said…
now we don’t even have a landline.. or a phone book to look up cute boy in class’s number… nope…

from taco truck the glamper turned into a pancake truck! The girls thought it was so much fun!
Maple syrup dripping from elbows and sticky berries and fresh whipped cream! It was a dream!

These are the days… I often say that… These are the days that are the foundation of our kid’s childhood… their friendships, their happiness… This book of life we write has many chapters, many stories that make up a great novel… I hope to write a good one. 
]]> 118 Fiesta!!! https://catchingcaterpillars.com/2016/05/fiesta.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fiesta Mon, 23 May 2016 20:10:00 +0000 http://catchingcaterpillars.com/index.php/2016/05/23/fiesta/ Read more]]>

I just love the setting up of our parties… getting things just so… I love how now that our girls are older, how they love to help. They feel so proud. We love pinning fun ideas first, then getting creative making our own decorations, baking a cake, putting snacks out, tying balloons onto tree branches…

Mexican Fiesta was our theme! It was SO MUCH FUN!!! A few months before Isabelle’s tenth birthday we took a vacation to Mexico! What a fun trip that was! At one of the little villages we stopped in we found all sorts of Mexican dresses and blouses! Right away, Isabelle spotted these types of dresses and admired them so! She asked if this dress could be her birthday dress…? Of course! and then my creative juices started to flow with a fun Mexican Fiesta theme! What fun!
I found so many little special things in Mexico. When we returned I went to some of the Mexican import shops to buy the food and some decorations!

My father loaned us the retro glamper! We turned it into a taco truck! It was SO COOL! The kids loved playing restaurant too! We stocked it with a blender for the grownup margaritas, LOTS of tacos and all the fun fixings! Such a blast!

The take home present was chicklet gums! I found them at a little Mexican import shop which may have been more authentic than Mexico! 😉 

such little cuties having a great day celebrating their pal Isabelle!

This pic above is the way I want to remember Isabelle on her tenth birthday! Total pure happiness! Being a photographer really really helps me take in moments that I would usually maybe let pass by… I always find myself in a moment knowing that this moment is beautiful enough to capture and hold onto forever… Isabelle on her birthday was full of happiness and joy and that to me filled me to the rim with satisfaction! Being a birthday girl is a fun thing to be! but being a mamma of a happy birthday girl is bliss!

Little buddies… Isabelle and Grant! Friends since they were born… there is something special about their friendship. Just a week apart growing up together is a little special…

My brother was a big help and turned into the party director! He made the “pin the sombrero on the iguana” game.. spun kids for the piñata! It was so fun!
and ps. thank you Uma and Umpa for such a pretty piñata!!! what a hit!

Something special about our traditional backyard bashes! 10 years in the making! we have it down pat! 

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