Christmas Bucket List

I was inspired by this post. I love the idea of a Christmas Bucket List! The season always zooms by, and with a husband who works retail and is so busy this time of year, I feel like we miss out on some many opportunities for fun, memory making time. This is a great way I can do somethings with the boys and plan ahead so that the hubs can be there for the fun times. And this way, hopefully he can leave the rude customers, bad corporate decisions and decrees of extra tasks at work and just enjoy family and still enjoy the season instead of being filled with dread. Hopefully, our boys will look back on Christmas memories with fondness and love instead of remembering Daddy being exhausted and cranky. I am just like my Mom, we love, love, LOVE Christmas and that makes for an interesting combination this time of year but our boys bridge the gap for celebrating. For me its about love, spending time together and and intangible magic that happens but after a decade in retail he almost lost that. He changed his views when our oldest son was born and I work every year to make sure he doesn't become a Grinch. 

Here is our bucket list:

1. Watch Elf as a family while we drink hot chocolate and eat cookies
2. Make Chocolate Chip Cookies for Santa
3. Help the boys make cards for friends and family
4. Watch Love Actually with the Mr. on date night
5. Put up 3 trees
6. Coordinate my gift wrap
7. Everyone gets new pjs on Christmas Eve
8. Make treats for my co-workers and the hubby's employees
9. Make treats for Caleb's Cubbies class
10. Make homemade fudge and caramels
11. Make hot chocolate on a stick for friends and family
12. Give myself a festive pedicure
13. Make and hang paper snowflakes with the boys
14. Make salt dough ornaments
15. Donate toys, clothes and food to charity
16. Hang light in the dining room and the boys bedroom
17. Drive around with hot chocolate and coffee looking for Christmas lights
18. Do portraits with Santa
19. Watch at least one other random cheesy Christmas movie
20. Make 1 gift for each kid
21. Make most of the gifts for our extended family
22. Make a Nativity with the boys
23. Make ornaments out of the boys art
24. Listen to Christmas music on the daily
25. Visit Rock City

What are your plans this season? Care to join in? I'll be sporadically posting about these actives and Instagraming them as well. 

Thanksgiving for 4

   This year we are keeping it simple. Thanksgiving is going to be just the four of us. The mister works in retail, therefore he has an early morning coming the next day so driving and eating multiple places makes for a stressful day for us knowing we have to be back home and in bed early. This year he may be opening at midnight so which means he needs to sleep when we would normally be eating dinner. So, me being the control freak I am, made the executive decision to stay home. I'm roasting a turkey breast and making a creamy tomato gravy. Being that we are southern, we always have dressing instead of stuffing, but this year I decided to skip it and make a cheesy squash polenta instead. I'm making mac and cheese for the little picky fellow. We are adding mashed parsnips in our our mashed potatoes and I am roasting our sweet potatoes instead of making them into a casserole. For something green we are having roasted citrus balsamic brussels sprouts instead of green bean casserole. I just found a recipe for homemade jellied cranberry sauce, that's a must! And, I'll be making whole wheat spoon rolls. I haven't decided on desserts for sure but I'm thinking a caramel apple galette and maybe a french silk pie. Yum! I'm planning for lots of leftovers to send with him to work that night/next morning, a full employee is a happy employee! 

    I am so looking forward to our little family Thanksgiving! The kids will probably still be wearing their pjs and I'll be in yoga pants, I'm sure but I don't care as long as I spend the day with my three favorite reasons to be thankful! What are you planning for you day of thanks? 

Past Halloween Costumes

With Halloween coming up, I thought I would share my boys' previous costumes. We bought the costumes they wore when they were new babies, simply because it is easier to plan a head that way. Caleb has had a costume made by my mom every year since then.

In 2009, at was just over a month old, Caleb was Yoda.

While I was still pregnant we joked about how all babies look a little like Yoda and thus this costume was chosen.

My husband is also a bit geek/nerd and that has played a bit of a role in all of Caleb's costume choices. 

Cute this one is, yes.

Then we changed him into a cute little pumpkin onesie and hat.

 How cute was that, right? I mean, do you see the writing on the itty bitty feet???

The next year, 2010, he was still too young to have too much input. He was just barely 1. 

After brainstorming Mom came up with the idea to surprise my husband with a Green Lantern costume. 

It is the hubby's favorite super hero.

Mom used a pair of PJs as a pattern and then painted on the emblem.

He hit a growth spurt right before Halloween so it's a tiny bit small but I loved it then and love it still!

How adorable are they?

In 2011, he was two and very opinionated about his costume choice.

He was very into robots that year. His birthday party was even a Robot Party.

This year we had even less cooperation from him standing still for pictures.

The costume was a silver tunic with silver leg covers that he wore over a black turtle neck and black fleece pants. 

.My Mom hand painted the gears.

I made a jet pack out of a couple of two liter soda bottles and a hat out of a plastic food container.

I used chrome colored duct tape and cut the shapes from the Robotz Cricut cartridge.

He loved it! He wore that jet pack around the house until it was broken beyond repair.

I've promised him a new one, so I may do a DIY post about it. 

Last year, 2012, was the year of the super hero.

His 3rd birthday party matched his costume  for that year once again.

He chose Captain America.

She used the same basic idea from the Green Lantern costume.

She made this one out of a spandex material and painted on the details.

He wanted to wear his adult sized mask and we had his shield but we totally forgot to snap a picture with it. 

We made the boots out of red duct tape and knee socks.

We cut them off at the end of the night.

 My sister is the bestest and made a quick Thor costume. 

She dresses up with some of the other instructors where she teaches. 

Last year they all did super heroes.

This year they are doing Ninja Turtles. She's crazy if the thinks I won't be posting pictures. :)

Liam was a lion.
He was Liam the Lion before he was born, kind of like Caleb has always been monkey. :)

While my Mother-in-law and Father-in-law were out shopping they ran upon it and bought it on the spot. They knew we would be on board with it. 

And we were. he loved be snuggled up in it. 

We also had a back up for him too, like we did when Caleb was a baby.

He wore his spooky onesie with his brother's pumpkin hat. 

This year Caleb is going a Jack Skellington and Liam is going as a Minion. I'm planning a post on how to make the Minion costume. I'll post pictures of Caleb's Jack costume. I truly wish I could share a tutorial but once again my Mom took care of it and I didn't even thing the have her snap progress shots. He wore it on the Disney cruise they went on a couple of weeks back. He loves it and it is my favorite yet! He was asking to be a orange dragon with purple wings that spit real fire and would fly. We were super happy he was on board with the Jack idea since her nor I know anything about pyrotechnics! 

Currently.

This last weekend we celebrated Monkey's 4th birthday. I cannot believe how quickly this is happening. I want to slow time down so I can enjoy each new stage and really soak it all up. Most days I feel that way, then there are others but, most days I would keep him this age for years.


I am so making this next week and this and this. My poor husband never knows what he is coming home to when it comes to dinner.


I am finally embracing Fall but I just can not get into pumpkin in my coffee. Le ewww! However, salted caramel mochas always come out the same time as pumpkin lattes and those my friend, are the bisnaaaasss!

Speaking of Autumn, I can't tell you how happy I will be to get my boots out! But I'm in the need of a new pair I wore my favorite pair last year so much they're showing a lot of wear. I can't decide but I'm thinking something like these or these or these. You know maybe I need to stopppp with the combat trend and move towards booties like these or these as my go to fall/winter shoes. I also really really really want these but can find no justification for them in my wardrobe.

I cut 12 inches off my hair just over a week ago and you know what I FREAKIN LOVE IT! I mean, sure I miss a giant messy bun on top my head sometimes but I love how quickly I can style my hair. Now if I can get the bangs grown out and  my color done I will be one happy camper.

This post is exactly what I needed the other day. I try so hard to be everything for everyone and justify myself and why should I? Why should you? Be the best Mom/parent for your kids be the best you and stop worrying what other parents or people think! 

So yeah, life around these parts has been pretty much same old same old, except one little thing. One teeny weeny, itty, bitty MAJOR HUMONGOUS thing! My Brother-in-law is back from deployment. We couldn't swing a trip to visit when he got back and well, we thought he may want some alone time with his wife first! I know for a fact she needed some time with him before we bombarded them with all of our craziness! But we are all happy and relieved he arrived home safely and I have two boys who can't wait for some Unc time!

Yep, so that is it.. What have youuuu been up to currently? 

Currently.

Yeah, so, I've been a bit absent lately. My bad. But I was doing this. That and being sick, again. You know what? I'm over it, not the party, the being sick thing! Anyway, moving on. Oh, and if anyone who went to the party has any pics of the boys blowing out candles send the to me please!!!! I forgot the change the setting on my camera and they were too bright and blurry.

You. Must. Make. THIS! I mean seriously! Make it! We had them last week and I have been craving them since. I foresee them being added to my menu for this week too.

And these! Oh yeah, they're are happening!

I'm starting my plans for another homemade Christmas. When you make majority of your gifts you have to start early. I may have already been listening to A Very She and Him Christmas to get myself in the mood. And with that I realized I turned into my mother...

I cannot wait for my shows to come back! I've managed to go through all 9 seasons of CSI NY and I'm half was through CSI Miami and re-watched How I Met Your Mother beginning to end this summer. I've been high-fiving people a lot and saying Legendary way too much. It's time to watch something new.

Okay, am I the only person that isn't ready to let go of summer produce? I'm so over the heat and can't wait for fall weather but I am not ready to turn my watermelon, peaches, tomatoes and cucumbers loose! My husband on the other hand, is so excited for butternut squash, pumpkin and apple season he can't stand it. I made the menu for the next two weeks last night and I have a couple of summery salads listed and I asked him for requests and he asked for my Thai Butternut Squash Soup, clearly we are NOT on the same page.

Also, how weird am I that I am whining about the end of summer yet I am eagerly making Christmas plans?

My little dude asked to have his hair cut short last weekend. He's always wanted to grow it out but he got so hot in the bouncy house at his birthday party he was OVER IT! So my mom cut it off for him a couple of days later and well, I love it and I hate it. He is always so handsome and the style is much more versatile but now he looks like a little man and that is not okay with me!

Speaking of cutting off hair, I'm seriously considering chopping mine off. Of course but chopping it off I mean not shorter that shoulder length. When your hair hangs all the way down your back that's a lot to cut! If I do I'll be donating it. I've been growing out my hair for 5 years and I love it, but now is so long it won't hold any curl it has no shape and I think its making me look older, and we cannot have that! Look my age or dress my age, NO WAY! So I'm on the hunt for a new do but I think I want to go outside my comfort zone! I will be dying it for sure probably super dark but I really really want to add dark purple to the bottom. Apparently my brain didn't get the memo I'm now 30. Yikes!

Oh and at 13 months my little Doodlebug has finally decided that after two months of faking us out he is really going to walk! He's been taking several steps at a time for the past two days. It's been all in his head that he couldn't. He obviously had the balance and muscle tone seeing that he could stand and bounce unassisted for 5 minutes (yes we timed him) at a time but he would panic and lunge at us knowing we would catch him to stop him from slamming his head onto our hardwood floor. Needless to say I am one proud Momma!

I'll be back tomorrow with a Photobooth post and hopefully again on Thursday with recipes from the party. If all goes according to my plans the next couple of days. Which translates to if the heathen nap like they are supposed to!

Mustache Bash {Liam turned 1}

Its been almost three weeks since we celebrated Liam's first birthday. We had a "small" dinner with Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, which is small for most families, it was 16 for us and that isn't everyone. To make things easier we did a pasta bar. We put out three types of pasta, three types of sauces, two toppings, salad fixings and homemade bread with a dipping oil for dinner and we had two desserts, cupcakes and chocolate pavlova. I made a couple of cute menus to go along with and called it a day. Easy right?

My menus looked like:

I grabbed a couple of snap shots of the food with my parent's camera since mine was dead and we were saving it for shot of the birthday boy and his "smash" cupcake. I'll try to update the post when I get those from them. But for now all I have is dessert shots. We didn't really decorate beyond that, we just used white serving dishes and mason jars. In fact any decor we used was just left out from our Family Cookout two weeks prior. Good timing huh? 

Vanilla Confetti Cupcakes with Swiss Buttercream and Chocolate mustaches. I bought my mold at Bake It Pretty. 

Chocolate Pavlova with whipped cream and strawberries. 

I know my husband took some pictures and/or a video with the camera with barely a charge but they have disappeared into oblivion. I've searched the entire computer and they are gone and I wiped the memory stick after I uploaded them. I don't know what I was thinking?!!? The one time I try to be efficient it backfires. Oh well, we have out pics from our phones

and the shots I put on Instagram and the pictures my sister put on there as well. 

One year ago today... (a little late)

*** This post was meant for Sunday morning, when Liam actually turned one but we were too busy celebrating and I forgot to post it. We also had our traditional family dinner for his birthday, I'll post pics soon.



One year ago at 6:08 Liam was born and my life changed, again. I transformed into a mother when Caleb was born almost 4 years ago but I didn't know if my heart could hold enough love for another precious human being. It did. I had no idea I was capable of loving two people so much and so similarly and so differently. Liam has changed our house, he has changed each of us.
We all adore him and he knows it. His brother loves him more than we knew would be possible but he also annoys his brother more than we knew possible too. He worships his brother like nothing I have ever seen. Liam lights up when Lee walks through the door every night from work. He loves playing with his daddy and he adores him more that he realizes. He looks at me with a love that I have never seen before. Caleb loves me, but he is as much a daddy's boy as he is a mommy's boy, Liam on the other hand wants to be with me 24/7. He looks at me as if I am his whole world, and I am in awe of him. Caleb loves to play with him and wants him to do everything thing he does, as long as he doesn't have to share his food. My favorite thing though, is watching them play. Caleb loves to grab him and sing to him "Baby Doodles, Baby Doodles, such a cute baby" and Liam cracks up laughing and wraps his arms around Caleb's neck like he never wants to let go.

Of course they fight already too. There may have been a baby, blanket burrito situation where Liam was really annoying Caleb and he may have wrapped him in a quilt and rolled him off the couch, while I was running through the house, in what felt like slow motion doing the whole "Nooooooooooooooooo" slow motion voice thing too. He was fine, in fact he thought it was fun and started trying to roll off the couch and bed himself after that. But when asked why he did that Caleb solemnly looked at me and said "Mommy that was plan B." What, the what? I know Lee and I will be breaking up fights in the future but I know they will be as thick as theives. This boy has made our home so much louder, chaotic and crazy but he has also made it happier, more joyful, and brighter. I would not change a thing and I cannot wait to see who this little sticker becomes. He is such a happy baby and so smart too. I know all Mom's think that but truly my children are the smartest! :) Liam has made our home feel complete.
Happy Birthday Liam Mommy and Daddy love you!

Family Cookout

Well... Ok the title is a bit misleading. We did cookout on the grill that morning but about an hour before there was a huge downpour so we set up inside but luckily it stopped and we could eat out side and the kids could play in the pool. But it was still a bummer because we had a lovely table planned out and anddddd all of decorations clashed with my Mom's hideous wallpaper. (no that is not an insult to her it came with the house she just hasn't gotten it covered up yet) Thenn I went to print out my neon menus and they printed some wacky colors no where near what I designed but they still worked out. It's all good we still had amazing food and so much fun... Until my Granny had to go to the emergency room at the end but that's another story and no worries she is fine. She just gave us a bit of a scare.

You can see more shots on my Instagram feed, 

How about roasted veggie kabobs? Yum!

And I didn't take a good shot but COCONUT RICE y'all!!! 

So goood!

We had several homemade salsas for the chicken, pork tenderloin and sausages.

Pineapple Mango

Creamy Tomatillo

Spicy Red (Restaurant Style Salsa)

and 

Lemon

The "drink bar" had Sweet Tea

with Blackberry Syrup,

Peach Mint Syrup

and

Lemon and Lavendar Syrup

 and

Watermelon Coconut Cooler

For dessert we made S'mores.

We set up a S'mores Bar that had so many options and was a hit with the kids and adults. 

Cookie options were:

Graham Crackers

Chocolate Chip (crispy and soft)

Pecan Sandies

and Butter Cake

Marshmallow options were:

Extra Large Plain

Strawberry

Keylime

Chocolate and Other Goodies options were:

Milk Chocolate

Dark Chocolate

White Chocolate

Mini Candy Bars

Lemon Curd

Toasted Coconut

Strawberries

(We were supposed to have a caramel sauce too but I forgot to get it out, oooppsss. Just pretend its there on the otherside of the lemon curd, okay? Thanks.)

We made a list of suggestions but some of the best ones were one of a kind creations!

My little monkey had Chocolate Chip cookie with milk chocolate, a strawberry marshmallow and fresh strawberries.

This one is chocolate chip cookies (soft batch) a plain marshmallow, a mini 3 Musketeers and toasted coconut.

The one on the right was the same as Caleb's first one but minus the strawberries.

On the left was butter cake, a huge marshmallow, Lemon curd and toasted coconut. No chocolate at all.

It was my favorite!

 My cousin, Keith, created this, it was an open face s'more with butter cake on the bottom, a lime marshmallow, lemon curd and toasted coconut. He may have also added a piece of pork tenderloin to it. Not for everybody but that sounds pretty good to me.

My Momma about to try to stuff all of that in her mouth. Her's was butter cake, plain marshmallow, lemon curd, coconut and strawberries.

I'm pretty sure the cake, lemon curd, coconut, strawberries and lime marshmallows were the surprise favorites among the options. I really think we may have to recreate this idea, sooner than later!

Currently.

This Saturday my Mom is having another epic family cookout. I may have made a tropical menu compilation.  I'm headed to the store tonight to get the ingredients for the flavored syrups and salsas and maybe a few things for that s'mores bar! Oh yeah! To be continued...

Jesse and The Ripper's on Jimmy Fallon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My inner 10 year old is doing cartwheels in my mind! You should know that my cousin and I both used Forever in our weddings. She used their version, cause she's hardcore Full House FOREVER! I used an acoustic mash-up original arrangement of their's and Beach Boys' version. Luckily, even at 11 my little cousin was a musical genius and worked it out like a pro. 

I am obsessed with Olio Board. I have re designed half my house already. When I run out of rooms I may start redesigning other people's homes! Family and friends you have been warned!

A couple of years ago the hubby and I decided to cancel our cable to save  money since I was cutting back hours at work. Luckily we have every newish gaming system so we can stream Netflix and Hulu through them. Its actually been a great way of monitoring how much tv we watch since we have to seek out what shows we see instead of mindlessly flipping channels. But the down side, other than not having all of our favorite shows available on the tv,  is that I have the tendency to watch that show and only that show until I have watched everything possible. I did that recently with Fringe, Drop Dead Diva and CSI NY. But, my newest obsession is Sherlock! I watched all three episodes from season two while Lee was at work in one day! That was nine hours in his 10.5 hour work day. I feel ashamed of my weakness, but I neeeeeeeeeeed season three to be available! I am SHERLOCKED! If you don't get the reference you should watch it. Seriously!

Rememeber the sneak of the Mickey Mouse party signs I was working on. I have now gone one step farther into crazy and bought me, the hubby and both boys matching Mickey shirts. I have crossed the line into THAT Mom.

My Caleb has been OBSESSED with the song Thrift Shop by Macklemore since it came out. (Don't worry he's only heard the edited versions) He has been running around singing "I got tenty in my pockets, come on, come, yeah, yeah" for months! It is adorable! He has recently moved on to Mirrors  by Justin Timberlake, which I'm totally ok with. That is my jam! Everyday he will randomly steal my phone and I will hear the song blaring from another room and when I walk in he will be doing a "white boy" dance to it. He cracks me up when choosing his music prefrences. He's never really been one for "children's songs" he has always liked regular music. I think that is why he loved Imagination Movers. When he was 18 months to 2 he always asking for the "magi eeee me" song (Magic by B.o.B. featuring Rivers Cuomo.) Liam's music choices seem to be more of a normal baby. He likes "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Skidamarick." He also really likes the Spider-Man song too. Maybe he isn't really that typical.

I've been on a crazy salad kick lately. I think it may have to do with that hunk I am married to learning to love lettuce. Be prepared for my next few posts to include several salads. I'll even try to keep them healthy too, but I don't make promises. 

I am on a crazy organizing, sorting and tossing out of crap kick too. It is to the point I'm barely interested in anything else. My brain is sort, sort, toss, Mickey Mouse, Cookout, sort, sort, toss, oh maybe I should eat, sort, etc... You get the point. Be prepared for more on that too.

And last but not least, actually the best part, my Mother in law called me today to tell me we are down to 75 days. 75 days until my Brother in law is back in the states for good!!! No more of this deployment crap!!! We are all very excited but I can tell you no one more than my Sister in law. I haven't told Caleb yet but I'm sure there will be much rejoicing.

So, what is new with you? 

Mickey Party Planning

Since my boys' birthdays are so close together (1 month and 11 days) we are combining our party this year. Choosing a theme that satisfied my almost 4 year old and a 1 year old was hard. Originally it was Dr. Suess but even though Caleb loves the books he did not approve of the theme. We also kicked around Scooby Doo but I really wanted something fairly classic for Liam's first birthday but was still fun for Caleb as well. Caleb really wanted a "Plants Vs Zombies" party and I would have done it had it been just his party. Instead we are having a mini party for him on his birthday. We already get together with family for dinner on his birthday and this way both boys can have a day all about just them but we can celebrate both boys together will all of our friends and family. As for the theme, I finally nailed it! We are doing Mickey Mouse.

The Menu:

The Dessert Menu:

The Drink Menu:

This is for the treat bags.

For the photobooth:

Clubhouse poster for the bounce house: 

That is it so far. I have a longggggg list of projects to get started on. You know me I love a good DIY party. This year it will be a little more detailed because last year Liam was a newborn last year I made it pretty simple for myself. This year I just couldn't help myself I was inspired. 

*** UPDATE: for more info on the party look here, here and here. ***