a view

I really, really slacked on this post.... I was so tired from this crazy busy week that i barely got any shots of the oh so fabulous view where we enjoyed cocktails and wonderful food but from my seat (gosh that sounds lazy) i was able to snap some NOT GOOD ones.  sorry.  And the details of the grill were amazing, the light fixtures, the tumbled marble accents, some modern logs in the fireplace for a fun fall/winter happy hour..... They had a great blue grass band playing.... I can't wait to go back!  And it sits on top of a mountain overlooking ALL of birmingham city.....So...we enjoying cocktails, blue grass, good company, & a sunset over the city last night.  You should be JEALOUS!  Allie came to keep the boys & my cousin and Sam decided it really was best that he go with us as he didn't want to miss a party and for the FIRST TIME EVER we took him solo.... Isn't that sad?  He was pretty sweet and we enjoyed his company.

we were lucky enough to have my mom's baby sister come in town.... She wanted to take the big boys to build-a-bear and to celebrate the kickoff to summer and just life in general.  She also wanted to treat our big daddy to an early birthday dinner and we were able to crash in too!  score.

Big Daddy & Sam thought they needed to get closer to that band and do some people watching and some fountain change throwing....

my little man found this baby today and thought he needed to teach it how to swim.  who knows? And for the record... we named this baby boy, CHRIS.  perfect!

You can almost see baby chris practicing his strokes, can't you?

And after much talk and waiting for this precious angel, we could hardly wait for her to awake.....

And thought she must want to snuggle with baby chris until she did wake up....

And me & big daddy couldn't wait to get our hands on her.  Once AGAIN.... she was perfect, never made a peep.  We are so proud!  

So Happy early Birthday big daddy!  We are off to enjoy the weekend and next week at the lake to do some more celebrating...... I hope you all can enjoy some good downtime by the water too.  We are counting the minutes and the boys have ANOTHER photo shoot for a clothing line  (note to self: MUST LEARN TO SAY NO) so i know my nerves will enjoy a week of r&r.   Miss us while we vacate- we will be back in a week!

i think i can...

LOVE this bathroom sink forever and a day!

And i am pretty sure this big ole' shower would be fun too.

via full house

And while we are mentioning pretty things.... Please do this for your next dinner party.... I 

am in love with this idea for place cards!

via full house

And to end a party well... ONE MUST have a favor or a "take away" as some call it...

via with ring

And all time all time all time favorite TODAY or recently is the use of burlap.....Seeing this makes me feel the need for a dinner party.....

These two are my favs.... I love the bunched up look and if my boys are involved you MAY AS well go ahead and lean the container OVER as a ball is likely to knock it down PRE-party anyway....

And while we are viewing pretty party ideas....

so simple, so perfect!

all above via smitten design

Dear LONG TIME AWAY FUTURE DAUGHTER- IN- LAW,

while i am praying about it NOW.... I really would like ONE of you to have an outdoor wedding.... no, i am not suggesting it just merely sharing the idea and TELLING you i REALLY reallY REALLY want to host the rehersal dinner in a barn on a beautiful farm very similar to the table scape pictured below.... is that too much to ask?  And if my little hornet is still into barnyard animals it would be nice if it was HIS future bride.  Just a little idea.  OR FACT, whichever way you want to view it... wink wink.  

Love, 

a mama who loves her little hornet more than life itself

And for your next cookout....

You are right, i could do this ALL DARN DAY LONG.... and got up at 5 am this morning to indulge myself with yummy inspiration and beautiful pictures.... This is second blog post today... Man, i am overachieving today. 

one more makes THREE

And sticking with the car theme.....Charlie and his buddy at the antique car show

he was IN LOVE...

BACK in the stroller boys, remember:  YOU ARE ONLY FOUR YEARS old....

its come to this... fancy cars, shooting whatever/whenever, ALWAYS wild and crazy and aggressive, a ball is always involved....always, climbing whatever is THERE, spiderman and other violent cartoons that should be banned forEVER but alas the pool opened and we can ALL, me included enjoy an activity together withOUT my heart skipping several beats a minute.  wait. no you are right, even at the darn swimming pool, one child wants to jump off the diving board, one wants to take away everyone's pool toys and beat them up if they take it back, and the littlest lamb prefers to walk the very edge of the pool and try to jump in like he can swim.....this is all happening at the THREE different pools At the SAME time....they don't make a cute enough cover-up, do they?. 

Are you there angels? its me, Amy

or better yet, Has my wine been poured, i am on my way home..... it will take more than our share of guardian angels and way more than my share of wine to do this without my mom.....we will see ;)  I USED to think i was laid back, but i am beginning to think i have jumped ship somewhere along this years line maybe to the high strung side????  All fun and games i suppose.

a LARGE piece of wood is game for a whole lotta time, apparently it can be "axed" as my monkey says into a bajillion pieces...

And i wonder why we can't keep up with our shoes...... I think that is ONE in the neighbors yard pictured below....And if i was a betting girl, i would bet the big boys are up to something??? And call me dumb for buying velcro shoes for a 14 month old....

Thanks Miss HIll for the cookies...Seems my middle baby really enjoyed them!

And some useful knowledge i learned yesterday

1. the popsicles pictured above WILL stain, even your skin ;)  

2. White jeans are NOT a good idea when your babies are eating cheese puffs

3.  Wait until AFTER you dry your hair to apply lip gloss

4. Turns out, YOU CAN enjoy a drink and play with your boys.....tervis tumblers now have tops...Is that like an adult sippy cup?   survey says.....YES!!!

5. My 2 year old is long gone from naps....My 4 year old still naps daily.... 

6.  And already KNOWN knowledge of stressful dinners with the boys was re-learned tuesday night so tonight.... Allie is in full swing and we are dining out for our big daddy's birthday.... I can't wait!  

if only...

My TO-DO list looked as neat as this girl's reminders.....

We had out of town friends over, in town friends over, and headed out on the town WITH FRIENDS AND KIDS (daddyc said "just so you can decompress after a busy day")

Dear Daddyc,

For future reference when i need to DECOMPRESS... it WILL not be at a pizza place for happy hour special with more children than i can possibly count.... I am going to lean more for the Nice dinner with friends and NO children as far as the eyes can see, a bottle of wine, and some good conversation NOT about our kids... that or a spa day or vacation either of those will work fine.    While i do so LOVE to dine with friends and enjoy their children and mine, i don't file it under DECOMPRESSING BY A TREMENDOUS SHOT!

just sayin',

Amy

Miss Allie was there which made my life easier and the boys calmer... She has that affect on everyone, so calm and collected, i was glad to lay my eyes on her after a long couple weeks of her busy self being gone and well, busy!

I am in search of the perfect way to thank the many who stayed by my mom's side this past year.... How can we EVER pay it forward for these oh so fabulous friends????  I can only hope we can help them in the future as much as they helped us the past year and a half.. Let me know if you have something great and wonderful to share on the giving end.  I am thinking something for the garden? or for those ladies with a lack-there-of type garden maybe this will inspire you to make your garden grow???  My mom loved to do yard work..... 

And this afternoon.... Another social event.... we can't wait.  Oh and i am also looking for an oh so cute, fun treat for my boys last day of school parties tomorrow????  creative people? are you there?

not to fret....

as i WILL NOT be purchasing these.... And i hope and pray you WILL NOT either...

Have you seen these?  really?  

i don't like jeans on LITTLE ones therefore i REALLY REALLY don't like diapers made to look like them....come on Huggies you are better than that!

time

is NOT on the blog's side by a long shot..... we have been enjoying the start to our summer season....This is our, my monkey & my hornets, LAST week of mothers day out.... While i WILL miss their teachers like crazy, we see their friends often & i am SOOOOO looking forward to summer with NO WHERE to be and ALL the time in the world to get there..... Last summer cheated us a little with my mom being sick, us building a house, and having a toddler AND a newborn, and vacationing, if you will, at a rental house..... We will make up for a lost summer for sure....

I think Daddyc had to set his beer down to get the kids a popsicle.....that just doesn't seem right? but then again NEITHER DOES THIS

hence the signs ALL OVER the back of the truck....

sometimes we wear clothes....and when they get wet....sometimes we DON'T and i am a-okay with that...sorry neighbors!

my littlest lamb likes to act like we don't feed him when he sees food....

i guess my hornet does too... 

Dear Mather Family

 i think we owe you too many things to count!

And if i could pull off dressing my boys in monogrammed bloomers/panties I WOULD 

Do you want to eat this little pumpkin UP?  You would if you saw her

Not pictured this day is my biggest baby... he and his big daddy were busy riding bikes and hiking at Oak Mountain.

Oh and the table thing... we are getting there... Not SITTING so much as standing but IN THE CHAIR no less.... baby steps...

more water please

look at those curls....bless him!

what happens when you tell your children to smile?

 As you see, the chairs are really paying off already... I knew they would be great!  I hope you and yours have been outside enjoying the EXTREMELy hot weather, its hard NOT to get wet if you live in the deep south like we do....