Category Archives: Parties

Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree 2010


Cool Daddy came up with the idea of having an Ugliest Christmas Sweater competition for our Christmas Eve celebration. It sounded just like the weird sort of thing our family would love, so I agreed and we made our plans.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Tradition (Coolest Family on the Block

On Christmas Eve Cool Daddy and I hosted The First Annual Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree. Everyone in the family participated except for the babies since we figured that a tricked-out sweater might be a choking hazard.

The Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion would be awarded the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Trophy of Awesomeness. Contestants also had the opportunity to win the title of overall Most Festive Attire and Most Naturally Ugly (unaltered) Christmas Sweater (they’d win the title and bragging rights, but no award).

Here are all of the 2010 Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contestants…can you guess who won?
(The winner is announced at the bottom, so don’t scroll down and cheat! Cheater.)

2010 Ugly Christmas Sweaters

First here we are, the Cool Family.
I think our sweaters prove just how cool we really are. Ahem.
When planning the party I didn’t consider the fact that Adaline might be freaked out by all of the sweaters.
I thought she would love them and try to pull at them.
Well.
Adaline was freaked out by all of the sweaters.
Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Isn’t that the ugliest Santa head?!
I found it at The Dollar Tree. What a treasure.

There were lights around the Santa head but they didn’t show up on camera 😦
My hat had Santa legs coming out of the top (so that it looked like Santa was going down the chimney), but the legs kept flopping over, so it just looks like I’m wearing a brick-print top hat 😦 .
Still awesome, but not quite the same. Sigh.
Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Cool Daddy can rock a woman’s sweater vest like nobody’s business.

There’s lights on the front and back (but again, they’re hard to see) and it’s covered in glow sticks. I’m not really sure why.
He’s wearing a Christmas tie that plays Jingle Bells (um, awesome, anyone?).
He purposely shaved off his goatee to have his creepy mustache compliment his sweater.
You better believe it was gone before the night was out. *Shudder*
Ugly Christmas Sweaters

So my sister waited until only a few days before to get her sweater together. Then decided that she couldn’t find anything (that she was willing to pay for), so she turned a shirt inside out and wrote all over it with a Sharpie. Um, okay.
She did even less for her husband having him wear an old sweatshirt, which for some reason he decided to fold up into a mid-drift. Sure.
Ugly Christmas Sweaters

I wised up when taking the picture of my mom’s sweater and turned off the flash so that you can see her lights. The lights on her sweater were sa-weet! They were shaped like stars and changed colors!
(P.S. The tinsel on her sweater forms a Christmas tree…in case you couldn’t tell.)
Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Oh Christmas Ben, Oh Christmas Ben, how lovely are thy sweater…
My cousin Ben is sporting a Christmas tree sweater, complete with presents for shoes. A jingle bell fur collar adds musical appeal while tinsel and Christmas trees on the back make sure that you have a Happy Holiday from every direction. Oh yes.
Ugly Christmas Sweaters 2010

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
a peacock in a pear tree…

Okay, so I think that my cousin, Aunia’s, sweater is actually kinda cute. And I would totally wear it to the grocery store peacocks on the shoulders and all.
(Then again I would wear my totally rockin’ Santa sweater to the grocery store too because I’m super weird and have no shame…)

She’s stylin’ with a pear tree on the front of her sweater, peacocks on her shoulders (because apparently partridges are hard to come by) and feathers on the sleeves.
Ugly Christmas Sweaters 2010

My aunt, A.C., is trimmed in lovely green tinsel and featuring giant candy canes surrounded by puffy balls.
My uncle, U.A., is wearing a sweater that I originally thought was a reindeer head…and now I think might be a clock. Not really sure.
Either way, my favorite part was that he had real mini candy canes in the stockings. Tee-hee 🙂
Ugly Christmas Sweaters 2010

Now’s your last chance to pick your winner
before scrolling down to see the results.

Ugly Christmas Sweaters


Okay. So here are the 2010 winners of Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Winners 2010

My brother-in-law, Matt, won the title and bragging rights for Most Naturally Ugly (unaltered) Christmas Sweater because he had the only unaltered shirt…even though it wasn’t Christmas-y. But my sister said that it has red and green on it so it counts. I guess.

Ben won the title and bragging rights for overall Most Festive Attire.
Wearing an entire Christmas tree on your chest will do that.
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.

My very own main squeeze, Cool Daddy, rose victorious as the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion.
I think we all voted for him because we were so creeped out by the mustache.
And we wanted it to go away.
Very quickly.
And never return.
Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest Winner 2010

And this is supposed to be a picture of Ben sad because he didn’t win the trophy, but the sad picture that I took of him ended up being really blurry and so I used this one instead wherein he is kinda smiling and holding up one finger even though he was very sad and truly tortured to the very core of his being for not having won the trophy and he must be pretending that he is number one in order to make himself feel better and not cry in front the entire blogosphere. I thank you for not laughing at him during his hour of great pain and distress.
(Nothing says, “Feliz Navidad!” like a good nonsensical run-on sentence.
You are welcome.)
2010uglysweaters12bensadwm

2010 Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Which ugly sweater is your favorite? (Mine!)
Let me know in the comments!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Competition Tradition (Coolest Family on the Block)

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Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest Rules


This year we’re starting a new Christmas tradition with our family. We will be hosting the Christmas Eve festivities at our house. And not just any festivities…Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree featuring the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest! I thought that I’d share the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest Rules with you in case you were planning your own party this year. The rules don’t really mean anything, and we’ve never really stuck to them (they were just a way to keep my crazy family from cheating), but here they are anyway.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest Rules

Photos and results from the 2010 Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest are here! Enjoy the Ugly 🙂

Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree
Featuring the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest
Contest Rules and FAQs

To be eligible as an Ugly Christmas Sweater Contestant you must wear a Christmas or Winter themed Sweater, Sweatshirt, or Sweater Vest to the Jamboree. Turtlenecks and long or short-sleeved t-shirts will not be accepted. You may wear such items underneath an Ugly Christmas Sweater-vest, but it will not be considered part of your sweater and therefore not eligible for judging. You may add to or alter your Christmas sweater however you like, have fun and get creative. Additional items such as hats, jewelry or other festive attire will not be considered when voting for the Ugliest Christmas Sweater. An item must be attached to your Christmas sweater in order to be eligible.

You can be disqualified from the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest for the following:
+Putting on your ugly Christmas Sweater after entering the jamboree (You must be already wearing your sweater when you show up to the jamboree.).
+Removing your sweater before the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion has been announced.
+Altering your Christmas sweater after entering the jamboree (Any and all alterations or additions to your sweater must be completed before entering the jamboree.).
+Swapping your sweater with another contestant before the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion has been announced.
+If you are overheard using the word “boring” anytime before the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion has been announced.
+If your sweater does not have a Christmas or Winter theme
+If your “sweater” is actually a t-shirt, turtleneck, or any shirt other than a sweater, sweatshirt, or sweater vest.

How will the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion be determined?
All eligible Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contestants will have the opportunity to vote for the champion. You may not vote for yourself. You must vote for someone. Anyone not competing and anyone who has been disqualified are not permitted to vote for the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion.

What will the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Champion receive?
The Champion will receive the coveted Ugliest Christmas Sweater Trophy of Awesomeness.

Will any other prizes be awarded?
Contestants will also have the opportunity to vote for the person with the overall Most Festive Attire and the person with the Most Naturally Ugly (unaltered) Christmas Sweater. The winners of these categories will win only the title and bragging rights. No prizes will be awarded.

Where do I get an Ugly Christmas Sweater?
I don’t know. That’s your problem. I’ve got my own sweater to find.

Uncle Ugly’s Christmas Sweater Jamboree is on Christmas Eve!

Start looking for or making your Ugly Christmas Sweater right away!

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Jenn’s 31st Birthday 2010


 
(a.k.a. Happy (Belated) Birthday to me!)


After all of the thrill and excitement of my Celebrating 30 Years in 30 Days posts, I figured I wouldn’t leave you hanging until next year before giving you the edge-of-your-seat details from my 31st birthday on Thursday.
 
 


Cool Daddy invited the Cool Fam over for some cake and birthday festiveness.
 
 

There was a veggie tray.
The meat-eaters slipped some meat in there 😦

 

 

 

There was an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.
(Clearly our DQ hires from only the country’s finest ice cream cake decorators)
I’m not sure who “Jemm” is, but I’m sure that she’s truly outrageous.
(Truly, truly, truly outrageous)

 
 


Here’s what it looks like all lit up!
There is no meaning behind the 8 candles…that’s what we had so we went with it.
(It’s a good thing that there was only 8 of them since I could barely blow them out. I think I need to exercise or something.)
 

 

I had already blown out the candles when my sister said, “Oh, I missed it!” (She was busy taking pictures of her adorable son…like anyone cares about him on my birthday!) So I told her, “Here, I’ll pretend to blow out the candles and you can take the picture!”

 
 


Then we got out Adaline’s old jumperoo to pass on to her little cousin.
He loved it and she loved showing him all of the toys on it.
 

 

Adaline had a dirty diaper and this was the reaction.
 

 

I wanted a picture of me with my little sweetie pie on my birthday.
She did not.
This is the best one we ended up with.
 

 


And this is her smiling only a few minutes later.
(What a snot!)
 

 
 

 

 
 
You might be interested in checking out my daughter, Adaline’s, first birthday party
You can take a look at my 1st-30th Birthdays by following the links on this page.

 

Jenn’s 30th Birthday 2009


 
(a.k.a. Happy Birthday to me!)
 
 

This is it…the last post in the Celebrating 30 Years in 30 Days series 😦
 
TODAY is my birthday!
I’m 31. Woo-hoo (I guess)!
 
 
 


Today I’m going to share my 30th birthday with you.
Check back this weekend to see a post about whatever 31st birthday festivities that may transpire today.
 
 
 


I had been telling Cool Daddy for months that he better plan something big for my 30th birthday. We’ve never been big on celebrating birthdays, but I figured that the 30th birthday was worth some sort of celebration. He really had no idea what he was going to do, but once he selected a theme (a surprise to me) he ran with it. My mom took care of the food but other than that he did everything. My daughter was 2 months old at this point and I was breastfeeding and cloth diapering. Needless to say I was pretty sleep deprived, but I was excited about my party.
 
 
 

We actually ended up with three “celebrations” (one for each decade that I’ve been alive). The day before my birthday we went to Cool Daddy’s parent’s house where they had a cake for me.

 

 


On my actual birthday Cool Daddy got me an ice cream cake from Bruster’s.

 

 
 

That weekend was my Totally 80s party!


Cool Daddy decorated my mom’s house and told the family to come dressed in 80s garb. He had an 80s Diva costume for me to wear and an 80s Pop Star blond wig. As you’ll see in the photos, the dress didn’t fit me (I just had a baby!) and the wig ended up looking more Goldilocks than Madonna. But that’s not Cool Daddy’s fault and he gets and A++ for effort.

 

 
 

On the table he placed the place and napkins so that it said “80”. He also scattered the table with Nerds, Pop Rocks, jelly bracelets, and stickers of My Little Pony. He put a “chair cover” over my chair of honor because chair covers are a running joke in our family. When we got married I wanted chair covers for the reception but for many reasons ended up not being able to get them. Anytime someone says how perfect my wedding was I say, ”Except I didn’t get my chair covers.”

 


 
My favorite part was the 80s phrases. He just wrote different 80s phrases and words on neon paper and taped them to the walls. If I had been doing this I probably would’ve printed it on the computer so that it looked all fancy…but I actually like it better in his handwriting. If we would’ve been having this party in the 80s we wouldn’t be printing things out in snazzy fonts…you’d make it yourself. It made it seem a little more authentic as if it was the 80s when we were having the party. 

 
My cake says “Don’t have a cow Jenn, just chill and have a really rad 30th birthday!”

 

 


Here’s the gang me, my sister, my brother-in-law, my cousins, and Cool Daddy.

 
 
 

THE END.


I’ll be starting a few new series in October.
Details to follow so be sure to stop back!
 
 
 

You might be interested in checking out my daughter, Adaline’s, first birthday party
You can take a look at my 1st-29th Birthdays by following the links on this page.

 

 

Jenn’s 29th Birthday 2008


 
(a.k.a. Happy Birthday to me!)

2008 was a rough year. My dog became very sick and needed two blood transfusions. Fortunately he recovered and is still doing well today. I also became pregnant for the first time and I lost the baby a month before my birthday. Just 5 days before my birthday my HCG levels were back to zero and I had just had an ultrasound confirming that the miscarriage was complete.  My sister’s wedding was four days after my birthday. It was a pretty busy month and a stressful year.

 The family got together on my birthday to have some ice cream cake. Nothing special happened, but the most memorable part of the day was the video. We had finally bought our own video camera and I thought that we should start filming birthdays and holidays again. I don’t know why my family was so confused but people kept randomly singing Happy Birthday. Like, I wasn’t even near the cake…it was still in the other room. So then mom comes in the room with the cake and they start singing again (although mostly everyone is laughing), but Cool Daddy didn’t have the camera on yet. Finally he gets the camera on but he kept saying “where’s night vision? I can’t see anything!”. Then we discover that he was filming with the lens cap on (yeah…it would be hard to see). So I’m half laughing, half crying…and they start singing Happy Birthday again! Now any time that Cool Daddy has the camera we ask him, “Is the lens cap closed?”.

 
 
 

 

 
You might be interested in checking out my daughter, Adaline’s, first birthday party
You can take a look at my 1st-28th Birthdays by following the links on this page.
Be sure to check back tomorrow!
 
Tomorrow will be the last post in the Celebrating 30 Years in 30 Days series.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed my trip down birthday memory lane.

 

 

Jenn’s 28th Birthday 2007


 
(a.k.a. Happy Birthday to me!)

On my 28th birthday I was complaining about how no one cares about your birthday once you get older. While I was working (from 1997-2003) I spent most of my birthdays alone.
I would get the day off of work but everyone else still had to work, so I’d be by myself 😦
 
 

My birthday was on a Sunday that year, so after church 
Mom stopped by the store and then threw this together for me.
 

 

This cake was a totally awesome ice cream cake that my mom made. I had actually destroyed a pan of brownies and wasn’t sure what to do with them (I’d put a bunch of raspberry jam in the batter and they never did cook right), so mom put them in her freezer and eventually used them as the “crust” for this cake. Soooo yummy!

Mom got me a plastic tiara and a scepter that lights up.

She also got fake ugly teeth for everyone.

Hours minutes of enjoyment!

The candles in the middle cake were really cool. The flames burned different colors. Be sure not to drag the singing out too long, 28 candles on top of an ice cream cake doesn’t last long.

You might be interested in checking out my daughter, Adaline’s, first birthday party
You can take a look at my 1st-27th Birthdays by following the links on this page.
Be sure to check back tomorrow!