Hello all! Great to be back to my Weekly Wrap Ups after taking a few weeks off for the holidays (forgive me!). We were so much in need of some down time, Mommy included.

Our week began with an ice skating party! Such a fun winter birthday party idea for kids with birthdays in these colder months. I skated a bit as a child, but am not nearly as skilled as my mom, who actually skated to school as a girl in Sweden. My daughters have only skated twice before. So small wonder that we toppled around the rink, clutching at each other and falling to the front and the back. A lovely dad from Marielle’s class who grew up in Canada and is a great skater gave us some free ice skating lessons — thank you!!!

New York City finally served up some cold, winter skies. We are getting ready for winter in New York, as brutal and snowy as it might get!

Along with a fellow mom-friend from my boys’ school, I worked on a tea for the school’s awesome teachers and staff. A Brazilian mom brought these delectable homemade Brazilian truffles. They had vanished by the end of the party.

On Thursday, we celebrated Annalise’s birthday with a kids birthday party with friends at a crafts store down the street from her school. The girls danced in the their pajamas and decorated cozy, winter slippers. Another fellow mom from my boys’ school baked and decorated this gorgeous cake with triple layers of lemon and chocolate.

How do you like my icicle mobiles, courtesy of amazon.com?

Here are Daddy, the birthday girl, and proud Mama.

Here’s the cake lit up with seven candles.. Cannot believe she is 7!

Annaliese looked after her little sister during the party, placing Marielle to her side for the cake, which made Mama even prouder.

Having children is such a blessing, seeing them grow makes for a blessing more, and seeing them be good people (during certain moments!) brings you infinite gratitude! Love you, Annaliese!

Thanks so much for reading and don’t forget to enter our weekly giveaway!

Love,

Melissa

Weekly Giveaway

Prize: One (1) $50 Amazon gift card.

Rules:

Enter using the Gleam.io widget below.

Open to U.S readers.

You must be 18 or older to enter.

You have multiple ways you can enter to increase your chances of winning.

ways you can enter to increase your chances of winning. The giveaway ends on Saturday, January 23, 2016 at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time).

Winner will be contacted within 48 hours after the giveaway has ended.

Weekly $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

