Saturday, October 30, 2010

1.2.3. fall

play in leaves, carve pumpkins....take pictures... BAD pictures, i am not quite sure what happened here?  very grainy, TERRIBLE exposure.... i honestly can not explain but oh so wish i could.  
 and just like that while uploading pictures of this angel, i got it.  My freakn' camera was set in a random mode that did NOT allow the flash or focus to auto.....  Luckily for me, this baby's mama was with me last night and knows all too well why my thinking is a little fuzzy today!!!!  





 give me a minute please mom.  No, no, what he is really saying is "i am NOT coming in right now, DON'T make me repeat that mama" and then he crossed his little chubby cherub arms like only he does....  And for now, at 19 months old, i think its kinda cute!!!
again, what in the world put my camera in this mode???  
i could not even recover the adorable ones of all of the children jumping in the leaves and WE KNOW mr. dan only does yard work once a season so i am sad to say i missed it ;(  kidding dan, only a joke!!!   But we are LOVING your leaf pile and so sorry we have scattered them all back into the yard and street, it was SO worth it to watch these babies have fun i promise!!!
there was never a baby to love her mama more....
2 outta 3 ain't bad, right?  
thats my baby. with a knife. holding tight to the blade.....  where is his MAMA?
it was a group effort and we had a great old friend stop by and keep us company while we carved.  i was glad to see her & she was probably glad to leave our happy home as she could hardly relax, boys jumping out of trees, off the porch with their carving utensils, playing in the street, etc.  She must come over more often, she would gain the ability to relax if she knew..... this is them....they are fine.... and will come home wagging their tails behind them, dirty as pigs, happy as larks, and worn smack out from the outdoor world.  it truly is a beautiful thing!!!
adding faces to pumpkins....
carving takes WAY too long and we had leaves to jump in and friends to play with....
Guess who finished up the job, pulled out those yucky seeds, washed them, and roasted them and brought them back out to share...
Gosh, i am similar to the LITTLE RED HEN... "then i will do it myself...." incase you all need a refresher course....
oh and yes, those are skeleton pjs. on that precious baby above and random pjs on my biggest baby too.  When are a big 4 and 5 year old and its the weekend and your mama and daddy went out late last night, you can stay in your pjs as long as your heart desires..... the BEST BEST BEST part about it, is that honestly; it really doesn't matter now does it???
I sure do love my boys!  All of them....and there is a lot.  
oh and i was promised over a couple cocktails a baby... NOT FROM ME... from a friend and she promised i could call "it" my own on occasion.  i can't wait!  Now get on it, i am NOT very patient.  I have dear dear friends who shower me with birthday cheer and little happy surprises (which IS SO NOT  intended at all..... NO MORE dear friends of mine... and thank you from the bottom of my heart)
this is my very first birthday withOUT my mom.... 
 I really miss my mom.   
My dad is taking over my cake this year and we will celebrate as usual..... 
 I am a very lucky girl though, i truly feel like a princess on most days (there are just a sprinkle of wicked stepmother days in there) and i owe a thanks to my dad, my boys, and my other half who makes me whole in more ways than one...  I can admit, i am a wee bit spoiled if i may?  i know you don't believe it. 




Friday, October 29, 2010

tips from the pros

while glancing at my Instyle magazine... i came across some tips...
 party dos 'n' don'ts.... 
Here is a few of my favs!
  1. music playlist is a good place to start but after either dinner or phase 1 of party the WHOLE playlist needs to be brought to another level....
  2. the host's mood sets the tone... DON'T be grumpy!!!
  3. invite your single friends, single people are always looking for a good time and usually provide a life to the party as they usually have not lost their "game" as some of us ole married and parenting peeps have....  but note to you: its never too late to re-gain your GAME!!!
  4. they say "warm the plates before serving something warm"
*i think my dishwasher has a setting for this but would this mean i have to use my real plates?  i love real but the paper they are making now are just so fun and sturdy and cute...... oh decisions decisions!!!*

5.  don't use plastic
6. let guest make their own cocktails....
uummm! thank you. i think by now, all my guest who come over know "help yourself, serve yourself, my house is YOUR house.... i want you here ALL the time but i will not serve you unless you are 10 years old and younger....just go through my drawers, snoop around, use WHATEVER and find what you need" 
needless to say i LOVE this rule.
7.don't serve only clear liquids, just have some handy wine saver potion, club soda, folax and RELAX!!!
8. elegance YES!  fussiness NO!
9. don't take yourself too seriously.  anything goes these days with table decor and the menu.. have fun!
10.  stick your candles in the freezer for days prior to use.  this eliminates most of the messy dripping wax on your table.
*i love this tip, i love scented candles but don't usually EVER use candles on the supper table-  too many kids and dogs i guess*
11. TURN OFF CELL  PHONES.... vibrate incase your children are as wild as mine and quite possibly run the babysitter off, but LET IT GO.... No email checks, phone calls, internet surfing....quit flattering yourself, you are NOT that important or either you are NOT having fun....I have noticed Daddyc is getting really really really bad at this.... Leave it in the car, on silent.  LET GO for awhile and have fun!!!! no daddyc really needs to bring his, as i do NOT have mine and the babysitter usually knows to call him, but we don't have to check it ALL THE TIME, do we???
just FYI it makes everyone think you are bored, etc. not having fun, don't enjoy your company etc.  if that is the case LEAVE!!!!

12.Put some individual hand towels or napkins in the powder room for handwashing, for a large party NO ONE wants to re-use the ole' hand towel a HUNDRED times and that linen just doesn't dry you off very well anyway.

AND LASTLY
 look, i know your children are adorable.  I know your dog is even more adorable and does not beg at the table... yadda yadda yadda! but please keep their WONDERFUL acheivements, awards, awards THEY should have won but didn't, their oh so perfectness, ability to tie their shoes, say their ABC's light years before their peers, etc. etc. etc. 

We all know how advanced your child is and honestly don't want to hear about it AGAIN as you probably talked about "precious" the whole last party.....  If you need reassuring how utterly WONDERFUL your child is, GO HOME or better yet GO TO THE GRANDPARENTS HOUSE......  'cause if you are filling MY ears with that junk, i will look for the fastest way to LEAVE that conversation but don't be confused I LOVE YOUR CHILD more than anything,   
I told Daddyc JUST LAST NIGHT, if i didn't have my tubes tied OR had 10 minutes to spare i would beg and pleed for another baby.....  But i fear i would not have the time to even glace that child's way so its better for everyone in the end!!!! that being said, i want to keep YOUR baby.... but do NOT want to hear you talk about how wonderfully OVER achieved they are.... I ALREADY KNOW!!!!

this post was not nearly as fun in the least, as i thought it may be....   they had over 100 rules, these are the rules i may or may not abide by.... I have my middle child's mentality... 
RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN
Here are some shots of us leaving for school yesterday....
Costume Change for 1.  No more spiderman, a fireman..... 3 years in a row isn't bad. note to self: BE GLAD you didn't spend a fortune buying costumes this year. the fireman pants and shirt prove too tight....
And for #2.  Not in the least is he going to wear the batman costume he has planned all month... but summer seer shorts, rain boots, ONE spiderman glove carrying a shark, uncle chris' superman shirt (33 years old), and a separate batman cape.... note to self:  i really miss my sweet phase of letting me dress them in the big ole fat pumpkin suit or just wearing a NORMAL costume....
and for #3. whose teacher clearly stated WE ARE NOT DRESSING UP. they are too young, don't know, and no parties at mothers day out for children this young.  NOTE TO THEM:  my little lamb had his costume begging me to help him get dressed, was so very excited to sport it to school that day and i will be the first to say "he wishes he was having a party too 'cause he can eat some candy with the best of them and will actually CHEW gum for hours and not swollow it"  so i allowed him to break the rules and wear his costume, if you saw his face you would have let him too.   It was not consticting or getting in anyone's way and clearly could have been pjs.   is that so bad???
yes, that is his milk and a cinnamon roll, he rolls out of his crib about 5 minutes before mothers day out starts and never has time to relax and eat breakfast.

later that night, we had a birthday celebration for our mimi's way belated birthday but when you travel like our mimi does, we celebrate when we can!  
i wasn't going to snap any pictures but had too....
just FYI: the older two were in face having fun, it was late and they are both EXTREMELY laid back.....  and word on the street is they are having a spend the night party tonight???


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

girls girls girls...

after a filled to the BRIM day with my boys, i took GREAT pleasure spending time with my girls.... 
IMG_3811
And i SO SO should have known my quick chats and ONE glass and only a couple hours TURNS into oh you know like 5 or 6 hours, a couple of bottles, and found myself at our local water hole with all kinds of young lassies.....  The funny part is i never felt OLD Until, until TODAY.... Good Grief!!!   
was it worth it?  yes, of course...  i love to see allie & caroline and just sorry i didn't take photos of them and their adorable digs......next time.  but not quite as much time in between.  

and speaking of cute, young, and adorable... 
Do you like the girl scout cookies SOMOAS?  we do, i happen to ONLY like those from the troops and have NEVER been able to compare them to any store boughts.... but i just caught wind of THESE... Try them out and let me know, they WILL be in my grocery cart next time for sure but i am not making an extra trip for them, i don't think....
And just to be random and make it harder to get through this post.... 
do you NOT love this kitchen?   i REALLY need the space in the kitchen...
And while looking around this morning, i saw the ads for these sweet hats.... HELL with THE HATS, i want that BABY.... look at those cheeks!!!
happy rainy wednesday to you & yours!  


Tuesday, October 26, 2010

nothing to show

 cute? i thought so....




 our little pep note for the week proved that we MAY just may need a new little poet at the desk....
 Pre broken lens.... These are the smiles that the boys get when we pull into tiger town... THis is about 10 minutes after arriving on the plains..... StRAIGHT TO THE HILLS
BIg Daddy got the boys some eye blacks... they thought they were a little too cool with them on!



 remember littlest one,,, you do NOT know how to swim... Whit?  whit? 1.....2......3 (must i ALWAYS resort to counting.... Yes, the answer is YES!)
 an ole fav. dining spot.... cock of the walk, has peacocks, huh?   imagine that.  and for some reason i do not love birds?? i don't know, just like cats... a little too unpredictable for me i guess.

 Monkey looking like "oh, these babies are too much"


 that is a cowboy, a buzz light year, a superman shirt UNDERNEATH a batman shirt
 Endless tin cups... i love when places have their "own" thing, like throwing the cornbread up in the skillet...

 feeding the fish right before my camera DIED!!!
 the breast cancer foundation line pre-party... like hours PRE-party.... These old women were serious about being the first 20 in line to receive their prize....
the center piece... the pink lighting....


 and the hot pink velvet get up was just fabric... Hats off to the display team, i can't for the life of me think of that job title this morning...  But there is an actual team of highly creative people who work the displays ALL the time, the lighting, etc.  Its is harder than it sounds!!!
 we did some Auburn cheers... Auburn donated money too, i KNEW i loved my school... Alabama? Alabama?  i hope someone contacted alabama.....

 my girl carolines work... thank you thank you.
 the boys dentist and my friend... A very generous friend! thank you

 Another friend. thanks!
 And yet another one.  Thank you and thanks to those i didn't take shots of.... I won't bother you again until SPRING i promise....

 the hopetini was so much cuter in person, i was WAY OVEr taking pictures and didn't want to even walk around the FRONt of the display/bar and shoot it, so here you go.
 And probably why we will be BACK at the dentist soon.  Halloween donuts!!!!
 And probably what i will look like on the WITCHING hour of my birthday....  I was born a WITCH and sometimes a bitch, but hey, atleast i can admit it..... Can you?  luckily you have me to inform you when you need it..   Happy Tuesday!!!