Solstice

We had our second annual Solstice celebration this weekend (yes, I am aware that Solstice is a couple of weeks away, yet, but we wanted to make sure all of our most beloved friends could celebrate with us, so we tweaked the timing a bit).

Our Solstice celebration is quickly becoming my most favorite. We gather up the kids and their parents, overfeed everyone, make crafts to celebrate the season and then exchange gifts. Also, wine. There is absolutely nothing less than killer about it.

Okay, here comes the slideshow.

This little village looks serene in stills, but the color in the windows changes from blue to red to green to orange to purple. It is so disco. I love it deeply.

I abuse Epsom salt during the holiday season. I just can't control myself. It's so glittery and looks like snow!

Dunno how these people got a building permit for this precarious location, but I guess that's not my problem.

That is some festive mantle action right there.

Each child lit a candle and told us their wish for the coming year. Dash wished for a new scooter. I think he confused the Solstice candle with Santa.

The crazy lady Christmas village got a new carousel. I love it so hard sometimes I just stand there and watch it spin.

Wrong. Nothing is calm. But that's ok. We like a little bit of chaos in the Engel house.

I am so proud of myself for remembering to take pics of the actual guests! I will post them even though they are dark and blurry.

Sky & Uncle David.

The beautiful (and knocked up) Prudence & very handsome Jordan.

Miss Maddie discovered Andre.

I didn't remember to take any pictures of the food except for these.  

S'mores pops! (marshmallows dipped in melted semi-sweet chocolate & rolled in teeny graham crackers.) We served them in those little paper cups that make me so happy I could squeal. Who am I fooling? I did squeal. I may still be squealing.

CRAFTS! Each kid selected what little tchotchkes they wanted in their snow globes (we had gnomes, snowmen, deer, ballerinas, bunnies, deer--you feel me), then I glue-gunned everything into the lids.

Then we filled the jars with distilled water, a tablespoon of glycerin (to slow the falling "snow"), two teaspoons of white glitter and a few pinches of specialty glitter--the kind used for manicures, like this. We then screwed on the tops and voila: snow globe, bitches.

Next, we made air plant terrariums. I ordered the air plants a couple weeks ago online and managed to keep them alive! Score Liz!

Each kid got a glass globe, a wide assortment of moss to select from, an air plant and a little figurine to accompany it.

We had knights for the boys and fairies for the girls. BECAUSE I AM ALL ABOUT THE GENDER STEREOTYPES, YO.

And in conclusion, we tried to make these owl ornaments.

But really all that happened was we stuck googly eyes all over our faces and anything else that would hold still long enough.

Like Jordan.

Happy early Solstice, friends!