Confirmation/Communion

Spencer did his First Holy Communion and Confirmation on April 28th.  Nobody was allowed to take pictures in the church.  There was a professional photographer there, but you had to pay for the pictures and they were unacceptably expensive.  So, I have nothing to show you from the mass. 

My Uncle Terry was Spencer's sponsor for Confirmation.  He asked if he could drive Spencer in his car.  We did a lot of research and came to the conclusion that it was not against the law for Spencer to ride in the front seat.  It was maybe not the safest thing ever, but it was about three miles total.  He did it to and from the church.  

I promise he had been wearing a seatbelt, he just already took it off. 

We had about 25 people come to the party after. 

Ginger was so amused. 

Spencer's godmother Elisa came up from Tucson.  It meant the world to have her there. 

True friendship is when your friend gets up early on a Saturday 120 miles away and loads her whole family into a car and drives for two hours to come to your son's two hour mass. 

I did a baked potato bar for lunch.  I did russet and sweet.  These were the toppings for the sweet potatoes. 

I had a whole bunch of topping options for the russet potatoes.  We forgot to put the sour cream out until basically everyone had served themselves.  We ruined the whole party. 

This is the candle holder my sponsor gave me for my confirmation.  We used it as a centerpiece on the kitchen table. 

Spencer got lots and lots of presents. 

My parents stayed after the party and spent the night that night.  We spent a lot of time cleaning up, and then I was so exhausted I wanted to sleep for 3 days straight.  

But first, some selfies. 

Party #1

Last Friday the kids were home from school for day two of the teacher strike.  I had planned on a whole day to myself to get ready for the parties, so I had to readjust my plans to accommodate two children, but I still somehow got everything done. 

My Uncle Terry was spending the night with us that night so he could attend the confirmation practice with Spencer.  My parents got a hotel room for the night since my uncle was in the room where they normally stay.  Jerry and Lois also got a hotel room for the night so they didn't have to drive from Tucson in the morning. We had invited all of them for Friday night dinner.

I baked the cakes and cupcakes for the Saturday party on Thursday.  I frosted/decorated them on Friday afternoon. 

I had no idea what I was doing with that piping bag. 

I baked a bunch of cookies on Friday too. 

My uncle arrived around 4:00 on Friday.  He wanted Spencer to open his presents right away.  

Then they headed off to the rehearsal and everyone else arrived. I made a big Mexican feast for dinner, but of course there are no pictures. 

I set up a big table in the living room so we could all eat together.  It had been Lois' birthday on Tuesday, so we did a birthday party for her too. 

I gave her pink champagne macarons. 

We gave my uncle a prayer cube for being Spencer's sponsor. 

Then Spencer got to open all of his presents. 

Book from us

Prayer cube and cross from us

Book from Jerry and Lois

Cross from Sheila (who was not there)

Cash from my parents

Box from my parents

The cake I bought from Costco.  It was dang good. 

Spencer played happy birthday on the recorder. 

And then we all had to go to bed because of the big day the next day. 

Too much party planning

Spencer was confirmed and received his First Holy Communion this past Saturday.  We had a party with about 25 people after the mass.  We also had a dinner party with nine people the night before.  All of last week was spent grocery shopping (I think I went to every grocery store in the valley), cleaning, baking and cooking.  

I did manage to take some pictures during the week leading up to the big event though, so, we'll review.

Last Saturday, the 21st, we went out to breakfast at a local Mexican place.  Until the day before we were unaware that they served breakfast.  OMG.  So good.  We'll be going back a million times.

Look at my omelet!  It had carne asada inside. 

Michael and I were running errands on Saturday afternoon when we went into AJ's to get a drink because it was a million degrees outside.  They were having a rose wine tasting, so we stopped by and sampled everything.  We ended up buying a bottle of sparkling rose. 

All of the party supplies ready to go on Saturday afternoon. 

On Sunday the 22nd we cleaned out a bunch of old puzzles and gave them to our neighbors.  We found this one that Spencer made when he was five.  I couldn't part with it. 

We also replaced this curtain,  

With this curtain.  

The kids went in the pool for the first time this year that evening. I made a sweet, sweet video of them jumping in, but I am not in the mood for transferring and then uploading it. 

We also found a rogue blackberry on the freezer handle that night. 

On Monday the 23rd Elliott and I went to Costco to buy wine for the party.  Any guesses how many bottles were finished vs how many are left?

The kids went back in the pool on Tuesday the 24th.  I walked outside to hand Elliott his goggles and was surprised to find a very pretty sunset. 

Somebody that I do not know (I'm assuming the guy on the left) posted this picture on Facebook on Wednesday the 25th.  They tagged somebody I do know, Ed (on the right).  They said, in the caption, "we're with Ed, but we're not wearing red", which is in reference to the Red for Education movement in Arizona.  

So, I thought it would be funny to edit it.  I just sent it to Ed, not the people I don't know. 

All public schools in the whole state of Arizona were cancelled for teacher walk-outs (you GO teachers!) on Thursday the 26th.  The kids went to a friend's house while I was at work, and then I took them to piano lessons.  Spencer showed me his flesh wound while Elliott was practicing. 

And that's it.  Up next: the Friday night dinner party and after that, the big party on Saturday.  I have no pictures from the actual mass because photography was banned inside.