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Posts Tagged ‘birthday’

Coloring Table Cloth

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008



Coloring Table Cloth, originally uploaded by punquin.

I just made my birthday party coloring table cloth for the craft table. I ended up getting a roll of thick, white wrapping paper. I stuck coloring sheets I’d printed on sticker paper on the back side of the wrapping paper roll (the front of the paper was too slippery for markers). Once it’s unrolled itself for a while, I’ll trim it up. Then, I’ll just need to get a plastic table cloth to go under it. It came out cute, and I ever traced a photo of Benny and I for one corner.

One of my two craft projects has arrived, and it is really cute! And, tomorrow, my vegan cupcake recipe book will arrive from Amazon and I’ll pick out my two cupcake and frosting recipes. I already know how I want to decorate one set.

Time to go read in bed, I think. I’m exhausted. One day I’ll catch up on sleep. Barely sleeping during our trip put me really behind in the rest department.

It’s Friday, Right?

Friday, June 27th, 2008

I failed in my mission to find a coloring table cloth like the Blues Clues birthday one I had 8 years ago. The only one I found was religious and made for crayons (vinyl). So instead, I am going to print out a bunch of free coloring sheets and stick them on to a white paper background. Does anyone know where I need to go to get white paper in a roll that is wide enough for a table?

I’ve ordered my two little craft projects, so the craft table should be ready to go for my birthday party once I figure out what I’m covering it with. I’ll need some party supplies from the local party store right before the event, and I need to figure out what kinds of cupcakes I am going to make (yes, I am baking my own birthday (cup)cake. Sad?)

So far, I have 5 yeses and 5 noes on my party invite. The 5 noes are all going to be out of town on vacation (except the one that lives out of town). Big surprise there. I guess I should have been born in September or something. But 5 yeses is more than double one of my parties when I was little, heh.

I feel crappy today, but it will pass.

My Birthday…

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

It’s my birthday in less than a month! (Click here for to sign my birthday card or see my wishlist.)

I’ve never had good luck with birthday parties. It’s the curse of being born in the middle of July. Just about everyone goes on vacation when I want to have a party. I think we only tried to have a party for me a couple times when I was little. Both times, I’m pretty sure only 2 kids showed up. The only party I’ve had As an adult was 8 years ago. That one actually had a good turnout. A miracle, I’m sure. I must be a glutton for punishment, because I decided to try again.

I sent out my invitation yesterday (If I missed you, it’s because I don’t know your email address – send me a note!) I’m not expecting many yeses. But, if a few of the people I care about show up, then it will be worth it.

Because I missed out on so many parties growing up (and because I’m a dork), the party theme is going to be puppies and balloons and girly colors. I plan to set up my Twister game and a craft table. I want to make a bunch of cupcakes in different flavors. I’m even turning my laptop into a “photo booth” because the wedding one was so much fun!

Here are some questions for you…

  • Back in 2000 I got a Blues Clues paper table cloth that was a giant coloring book page. I want to order something like that but I can’t figure out what search terms to use. Help! (1, 2) I suppose I could always try to find a big plain paper table cloth and use a sharpie or 5 to make my own coloring sheet…
  • So, I have free software to run my photo booth (though not Mac’s “Photo Booth” – I couldn’t get that to print right on a 4″x6″ and it has big-time bugs that force you to restart it constantly.) The Software is really ugly, but works well. I just need to decide if it’s worth it to try to “build” an actual booth for it. I’d probably only table a bunch of cardboard together and decorate it. Should I bother? The alternative is to hang a backdrop on the wall and just have the laptop facing it.
  • I want lots of balloons and can get them cheap online where I’m ordering plates and stuff, but how do you get the helium to fill them with? I don’t want to rent a giant helium tank that I can’t even lift. Is it easier to just buy filled balloons at the party store that day? It is pain because you can’t fit many in a car and the strings all tangle together. I thought you could buy a small tank of helium, but if you can, what do you do with it once it’s empty?

That is all for now. I need to get back to work, and I should probably eat something today.

Happy Birthday, Benny!

Saturday, December 15th, 2007



Birthday Collage, originally uploaded by punquin.

Benny had his first birthday party today, and it was so much fun! (See the pics here.)

The day started with a trip to the grocery store on the way to work, where I got people cupcakes and a bunch of balloons. (I had made Benny’s dog-safe cake the night before.) As soon as Benny and I got to work, I started setting up the room for the party. I wanted to make it look nice since all the employees and a bunch of dogs were invited. One of the dog’s (Bree the sheltie) mommy was even coming with treat bags of cookies for the guests. She is too sweet! Everything looked great, and the employees were circling like vultures when they heard there were cupcakes.

We had the party at 1 pm. I got the huge surprise of a former coworker showing up with Bree’s mommy. She hadn’t seen Benny since he was 8 weeks old. All the doggies enjoyed the cake, and Benny got some great presents.

This was the (canine) guest list:

  • Benny the Golden
  • Luna the Golden
  • Bella the Beagle Mix
  • Charlie the Aussie
  • Jackson the Aussie
  • Stella the Aussie
  • Bruno the Beagle Mix
  • Trevor the Mini Aussie
  • Jack the Aussie Mix
  • Chase the Yorkie

Oh, and Dudley the Lab arrived mid-party for daycare and “crashed” the party for some cake, heh. When I was done cleaning up, Luna came back to the office for an “after party” with Benny and his new toys. Then he napped off all the cake until it was time to go home. He was Snoozie McTiredson by then.

Happy Birthday, Benny! I can’t believe you are already 1-year-old!

Waiting

Monday, December 3rd, 2007

Car: On, Friday morning, I went out to my car only to find it wouldn’t start. Well, in my words, it only was starting “halfway”, in Carmax’s words, there was something about “turning-over” (makes me think of a submissive dog.) They gave me a number to a tow company, who charged me $160 to tow it 10 miles to Carmax. Ow, but I guess my maintenance plan will pay back $50 of that. I got a call in the afternoon from the service department. They had confirmed the problem I had, and since the “check engine” light on my car didn’t supply any error codes, they called a contact at Suburu. Apparently, this is something that happens (scary) and they recommended the service guys do some thing with the gas petal pressed/pumped for awhile and it would start. They said that worked and that it was started every time for them after that. Part of me was relieved it wasn’t something major, but I was also really worried that it would happen to me again – possibly when I’m all alone. The service manager asked if they could keep the car till Monday (they are closed on weekends) so they could test that it started still. While inconvenient, that sounded like a smart idea. So, I am working from home today. Dan is as well, so he can take me to get my car before going out drinking with friends for “happy hour”.

Benny’s Birthday: So, Benny’s birthday is Friday the 14th. I will be hosting a birthday party for him at my work. The problem is, with the dog parties I usually host, I am the director/photographer and I have an employee assist me by being the one to cut the cake and interact with the “guests” in the photos. But, this time *I* want to be in the pictures. It’s his first birthday, and I want to go all out. Danny will be out of the country, so he can’t come. I guess asking my photographer friends if they are available to come might be useless as well, as that party will be at 1 pm on a work day (“nap time” at my work so the room is available.) I’m not sure what to do.

Birthday Girl!

Tuesday, October 9th, 2007



Birthday Girl!, originally uploaded by punquin.

Happy Birthday, China!! Baby girl is 7 years young. Can we stop time now? (Well, actually the day we chose for her birthday is Saturday, but I was already baking doggie cakes today, so she got her cake early.)

Its just a good bra.

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007



Its just a good bra., originally uploaded by punquin.

Someone sent me this pretty shirt. It arrived today without a note. Fess up so I can thank you!

Busy Bee

Thursday, July 12th, 2007



Patriotic Bath 02, originally uploaded by punquin.

I’ve been doing pretty well with the updates, right? Even though I’ve been so busy that every day feels a week long.

Monday: I did the doggy birthday party when I got in to work, as I posted about earlier. Afterwards, I did some work web updates before working the evening daycare shift.

Tuesday: Benny and I got up early and drove to the Maryland daycare location, which is also the corporate headquarters. I had an all day meeting/presentation for potential franchisees. Benny went into daycare the whole day.

Wednesday: I went into my office in the doggy daycare and did a quick bath for a dog that was about to go home before taking over the bath area for a photoshoot. I need to design a postcard advertising our upcoming charity dog wash, so I recruited Benny as my model. Since we support military and service dogs, I put up patriotic decorations and borrowed items from retail for the background. I used the last of my bath foam to make great bubbles that would stay fluffy. Benny did great – he only shook the bubbles off his head once. And he hates baths. I took a million shots to get a few good ones, but isn’t that how it goes with kids and animals? In order to get a “happy” face, I had to get him excited enough that he’d pant (making what looks like a smile on a dog). So, much to the amusment of the employees and customers, I set up the shutter with a 2 second delay, then would jump up and down waving cheese in Benny’s face saying “Bennybennybennycheesecheesebennycheese!” in a high pitch voice. It worked, but he didn’t always stay still.

After cleaning up from our photoshoot, I took care of a few graphic design deadlines, sent off the two best photos for approval, then headed up to work the pm daycare shift. I did 3 more dog baths (yellow lab, golden mix, and gigantic harlequin great dane who I had to take outside to wash). The evening shift has to make all the dinners, plus the dry food portion of the breakfasts for the next day, so I spent some time writing out two sets of food name tags and cross-referencing with the medication list while helping bring out the dogs that were getting picked up. Then I spend an hour in the kitchen making all the meals. (Probably only 100 bowls of food. Last Friday it was 160.) I finished just in time for the 6 pm rush of pick-ups (everyone gets off work and comes to get their dog from daycare. I spent the last hour sprinting back and forth to get dogs. I don’t mind it at all. I love seeing all the customers and dogs, and it is fun to see if you can recognize everyone so they don’t even have to ask for their dogs. After we closed, I handed out the dinners and got out of there. Danny and I went out for some Chinese food and a great little place we found recently.

Today: Today I get to work from home for the first time in two weeks! That is, unless I get a call asking me to come in. We’ll see… I know they are trying not to. I don’t really mind, except that it sucks away my day and I get home at 8 pm.

This morning I took Benny back to the vet for another quick look at his neuter incision. It is still really scabbed over 2 weeks later. The vet pulled off the big scab and said it is healing well, just slowly. He still has to wear his head cone if he is going after it (which I haven’t seen) or when he is alone. One good thing about the cone – it has graduated him from having to be crated when we are gone. He now stays in the kitchen with China.

This Weekend: Saturday is my birthday! I will be old(er)! Danny asked me what I wanted to do, but I have no idea. It is always so hot on my birthday. Any ideas? I don’t really have friends that I see regularly, so I doubt a party or get-together would be possible.

Stella’s Birthday Party

Monday, July 9th, 2007



Birthday Cake for Stella, originally uploaded by punquin.

I have no party planned, but Stella got one today! Stella is an Australian Shepherd at the doggy daycare I work at. She is the sister of my “boyfriend”, Charlie. All three siblings have their birthdays in the summer, so this is the third one I’ve done in the last couple months. I am going to print out collages from each party (need printer ink!) and their mommy is going to frame them side-by-side.

I am getting good at the doggy birthday cakes. I baked one forStella Sunday afternoon. It is peanut butter and banana flavor, with peanut butter cream cheese frosting. I used this frosting syringe that worked really well. I baked it in my heart-shaped pans from Target. (Apparently, they carry bone-shaped pans that I am dying to get! I will have to order them, because I can’t fid them in the store.) I used some disposable star tins to use up the extra batter. My puppies are happy about that!

Baking Dog CakesDoggy CakeBirthday Cake for Stella

Today I brought Stella and her brothers back to the office for a party. It was the first birthday party Benny has been to. He was a little rude – barking whenever he was out of cake. Everyone loved the cake, and Stella even wore her party hat the whole time.

Happy Birthday, Stella!Cake Time!We Like Birthdays!
Mine!Jackson, Stella & CharlieChomp!

Are you proud of me? I’ve been posting!

Hi There, Mystery Dog!

Sunday, July 8th, 2007



Hi There, Mystery Dog!, originally uploaded by punquin.

Today, while Danny and his friend left me to go biking, Benny and I walked on the W & OD trail for a bit. It was HOT, but I brought water for us. As we were walking along the horse trail, a chocolate lab comes moseying out of the trees that separate the trail from some houses. Uh, hi, puppy. He looked to be about 7+ years old, neutered, no name tag (but a collar and rabies tag) and friendly. After some sniffing, he took a dump in the weeds and came back over to us. I asked him where his home was, but instead of answering, he wrapped one paw around Benny’s waist and tried to ride him! Uh, no, puppy. There is no humping. I dismounted him and told him to go home. He turned and headed back through the trees to his house. Interesting…

Yesterday we spent the day refinishing the porch and porch swing. Danny had pressure-washed it this week while I was working, and yesterday he sanded. We were working most of the day out there, but it looks great.

Stained PorchSanding the PorchNew Fenced-In Yard

I got a birthday card in the mail from Danny’s grandparents with a birthday check in it! The card even was one mean for granddaughters. They are so awesome. They like to introduce me as their granddaughter and Danny as just my husband, heh. That is probably the only present I’ll receive besides money from my dad (and if Danny gets me something). My relatives stop the give giving when you are a teenager. Here is a shameless wishlist plug. Why not? :b