Birthday Fun, Part 2

Today, we had Isabel's birthday party. Wall-E was ready for the day.

Click here to see more Wall-E pictures, on my cake blog.

We are beyond pooped. I am so grateful my m-i-l and grandma-i-l were here to help out or I would have wigged out. :) We were busy with people, kids, games and having fun.

I am also grateful for terrific friends who travel far for us; for all of you who took time out of your busy lives to spend a couple of hours making our daughter's day better.

Lessons: The R.S.V.P.

Miss Manners here. Let's discuss the R.S.V.P., shall we?

Maybe you do not know what these initials mean?

Répondez S'il Vous Plaît which is French for "Please Reply."


Apparently, many do not know this. What else but ignorance of the term would be the excuse for not picking up the phone and calling someone (or e-mailing/messaging. Those are acceptable in this modern age as well) to tell them yes, you can come, or no, my regrets, I cannot attend?

There can be no other reason, right? I mean, the person hosting the party has to plan the menu. The person planning the party has to make sure there are enough parting gifts for the children attending. How can the host make the correct arrangements without that yay/nay phone call/e-mail? The host may be sad that you cannot make it, but at least said host will know not to make a goody bag for your child.

When 30 invitations are sent, 17 to classmates, and of those 17 classmates, you receive 2 phone calls..that's bad form. If you show up unconfirmed, might your child not be given a goody bag because there are not enough? Might someone go without that slice of pizza because your numbers were not added in the planning?

Please, kind reader. The next time you receive an invitation, Répondez S'il Vous Plaît.

Birthday Fun Part 1

Sunday was Isabel's birthday. Her party not being until the following Saturday, we had a small, private party at home.

We got her the Wall-E Wii game.

She also received a Sackboy in the likeness of her own Little Big Planet character. It's an Etsy creation.

We went to church to watch her and her class sing and then came back in the freezing rain to change and head to Disney.

Disney is letting people in on their birthdays for free. Since we have annual passes, they gave us a gift card with the amount equivalent to a one day pass for her on it.

She wore seriously high platform sneakers and was able to finally get on Mission Space. Here, she shows how excited she is.

At Epcot. The "big ball" is behind her right shoulder.

Here's what she got with her gift card; a Minnie ears princess hat, some lollipops and (not shown) a Donald Duck pin for her lanyard. Jacob got some candy and a cool black Mickey silhouettes t-shirt.

Dollhouse Episode 3 - Stage Fright

I love you Joss, you know I do! Click on the Joss Mania link. Like orange soda, I do, I do, I do-oooooo (old 'Kenan & Kel' reference).

I watched episode 3 of 'Dollhouse' this Friday, titled "Stage Fright."

How long can the show's premise be viable? Echo's this Doll who each and every week is going to get into jams, and they're not going to decommission her for it? (I know they threatened to put her in the "attic," whatever that means). If you are an expensive yet hush-hush company, why would you risk yourself by putting out a Doll that is a danger-magnet? After a while, you catch a clue.

Two weeks ago, she's this hard core nature woman, until crazy guy threatens to hunt her, then she can't run without falling all over the place. This week's episode, with the singer lady, was bad. I cared not one iota for the singer. She was just horrible. Echo is programmed to be a background singer for a pop diva with a capital "B," and she's also programmed with "kick butt" mode that kicks in if anything wrong or bad happens to diva. We get to hear Eliza sing. Glad that's out of the way.

They send Sierra, another Doll we've already seen, in to back Echo up. Sierra gets kidnapped by the psycho stalker...and Sierra's kick butt training does not kick in? In the beginning, they said Sierra was there to back Echo up, but she sits there snivelling, still in "character?"

Also, how long is the FBI going to let Agent Ballard look for the Dollhouse? (side note: I did not see Russian dude coming; they got me good there.) Doesn't Ballard have other FBI work to do?

I like Eliza, EXCEPT when she's acting as "brain-wiped" Echo. I know she's supposed to be "innocent" but the acting when she's brain-wiped annoys me.

Someone in the blogosphere mentioned the "big picture;" looking at it as a whole. I totally agree with this guy here. Maybe it's like one of those hidden-image pictures. You know the kind, where you have no idea what the heck it is, until you stare at it for a long time and the image magically appears? Maybe one day, I'll see the big picture on this one. I am REALLY REALLY hoping.

Sad thing is, I have never ever seen the images in those hidden magic pictures. :(

I want less "Monster of the Week" and more reveal, more "Alpha," more "why did she volunteer for this?" That's the goods right there. I know the good are coming, right? I'm hanging in, Joss.

Five

Happy 5th Birthday today Isabel! We love you.

(Isabel and I stand outside the hospital she was born. Because we're dorks. Also because we were having dinner at the Mellow Mushroom last night, which is about 3 blocks away from the hospital)