HT is 5!

May 22nd was HT's 5th Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Monkey!

HT's birthday wish - to see the Carolina Mudcats!

The crew ready for the game.
It was super bright out!

This was OC's 1st time running the bases and he did it like a champ.
I have high hopes for this one!

CT is 7

On May 18th, CT turned 7.
Happy Birthday, Angel!

Landfill Park - Really?

Yup. You have read that correctly. Here in North Raleigh there is a whole park on an old landfill. Some parts are still functioning like the old tire part (which is fun to watch) but now there is a cool playground, picnic areas, and a bunch of walking trails. Who knew a pile of trash could be so fun!

We discovered the place well over a year ago. The playground is awesome since it's designed for older kids. Here are 2 of my spider-men.

And, yes, the  Spider-Kids are wearing Batman & Green Lantern Shirts.
The baby (not pictured) is in his Flash shirt.

What I didn't know existed there was a trail.. A trail that leads t the top of a mountain (aka garbage pile) that has benches and rest area and an awesome view of the surrounding areas. Even though we're still far from Downtown Raleigh, We could see the skyline. It was a pleasant find that I only learned about since there was a cache up there (we found it of course).

Panoramic-Style picture of skyline unzoomed.

Skyline - Zoomed. 

CT & OC found the cache and are ready to head back down the trail.

2 worlds collide

World #1: Picture this. Hot blonde about 20. Pierced ears, nose, a couple tattoos. Likes too tight shirts, baggy jeans and Doc Marten boots. Hangs out with a like group of individuals (3 guys: M, R, & J and 2 other girls: M,  & C). They love to hang out at coffee houses. Their 2 favorites are the Cup in Wantagh & Witches Brew in Hempstead). I should add they lived in Nassau County on Long Island.

World #2: Picture this. So-so light brown-haired 33-year old. Mom to 3 boys. Likes flip-flops, fitted t-shirts and sporty shorts. Doesn't hang out much. Is the FourSquare mayor of her local Starbucks.

In case you couldn't figure it out, both worlds are mine. This evening they collided.

I was watching Disney Channel's "Good Luck, Charlie" with my boys. Teddy, played by Bridgit Mendler, is dating this guy who is doing a poetry reading and he wants her to come. So the time comes to go the the reading and they show the coffee house facade before showing the new scene. I immediately connect. Did I just see what I think I saw? Thank goodness for DVRs. I backed it up and paused it. I stared for a minute wondering if a place I once knew would still look the same 10 years later (I now live in NC and have for 5 years). Another yay for technology as I googled the place and did a street view. I looked at other pictures and have made a self-proclamation that the facade they used for the coffee shop on "Good Luck, Charlie" is Hempstead, Long Island's own Witches Brew!

Want proof? Ok  because I got it :)

Here is the Still shot I took with my iPhone of "Good Luck, Charlie"

Sorry for the bar on the bottom but I think y'all can see the image well enough
(if you click it gets bigger)

Now if you Google Map it on street-view, you get this....

I cropped it so it had the same sizing as my TV screenshot.

Granted one is day and one is night. I have been there not literally a thousand times but definitely hundreds and 90% of that was in the dark so I do know this place pretty well.

I looked on the web and came across the picture from a flickr group. This shows the front from another angle but you can clearly see how they used the image of the Witches Brew but just changed the name which is easy enough.

Notice the fallen "SE" on this picture and the TV one... SAME!

I couldn't find mention that the places were in fact the same but I did leave a message on the Witches Brew Facebook page and we'll see what, if anything, they say.

A Kirby Krackle Birthday?

For those of you who do not know, Kirby Krackle is an amazing band. They play "nerd rock".
They are out of Seattle and are the one thing this family can always agree upon.

HT asked for a Kirby Krackle party. 

He wanted Kyle & Jim to come too but alas, Seattle is a bit far from Raleigh.

HT's 3rd birthday party was a super hero party.
I made capes for each child and it was fun.

HT's 4th birthday was a Rock Star party.
We had a stage and it was quite cute to watch the kids perform.

HT is turning 5 this year and this party is kind of a mash-up of his last 2... kind of.

So how does one throw a Kirby Krackle party? Well....

Here's some of our decor.

1. From the styling of their name on their 1st album cover (and in well, Kirby Krackle style), I designed a happy birthday banner with Kirby Krackle.

2. A 5 foot super hero banner to greet you as you walk in the door... and above the food table.

3. A Sign out front telling those VIPs (everyone had a ticket) to follow the red carpet in (red wrapping paper draped down the steps.

4. HT's red super cape hung up.

5. A custom picture of HT as a Zombie done by the amazing artist, Damon O'Keefe, who did the animation for Kirby Krackle's "Zombie Apocalypse".

6. We downloaded the Kirby Krackle songs from the xBox Live network for Rockband. The kids were going to be able to sing, play guitars and bang on the drums to KK. Notice the album covers on each side of the screen too.

And I bet you're wondering what food could possibly be good for a KK party.

1. Dinner was heroes (aka grinders, subs, hoagies). I made Italian Heroes, Turkey & cheese, & Ham & Swiss. They were divine!

2. How cool are these jello squares? With all hose colors, The Lantern Corps just screamed out to me. I was tempted to line the plate with the various rings but I didnt want them in the wrong hands so I didnt. They were super yummy & the kids LOVED them!

3. Brownie Bites.. just because!

4. Super snacks... things that give you energy, endurance, agility, and all the pother good stuff: Carrots, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Strawberries, and blueberries.

5. Zombie Apocalypse Brain cupcakes: Red vanilla cake with brains and strawberry blood. YUM!

6. Blue Beetle cupcakes. Blue Velvet cake with lighter blue frosting.

Sorry, no wings.

The kids played up a storm in the house.

The had a blast trying to play KK in Rockband.

The only kids that succeeded were of course mine.

They all nailed the songs when they sung.

Best part for HT?

Probably when I played a message for him.
Kyle sent me a voice recording.

He wished HT a happy birthday as well as mentioned how cool it was that he was having a KK party.
The look on his face was just priceless and i wish I had recorded it.

It's etched in my brain though... Kyle, you're ah-some!

Oh, and we played the newest KK album - Acoustic in Australia - which I totally dig!

Lady Bug Tea Table

This is my first table. It was for the Mother's Day Tea at Richland Creek Community Church in Raleigh/Wake Forest,  NC. I should have taken more pictures but at least I got 1. I did take pictures of every one of the 60+ tables so :) I think it came together nicely. It was more of a whimsical theme than a traditional one. I tried to add elegance but knowing half of m table was kids, I needed to keep a nice balance. People came early to walk around and view the tables. My mom's was beside mine so I kind of stayed more near hers since my niece was there too. People didn't know that I was the owner of that Lady Bug table. I heard the comments and they were all awesome! One duo said "I still love this Lady Bug table the best" and 3 young girls asked for their picture to be taken with my table. I was a proud peacock and I look forward to doing at least 1 table next year as well as at Christmas!

For a link to see all the tables, view it's picasa album HERE.

Geocaching adventures of EdwardsX5

3 boys signing a log

Sometimes the search results in some not so happy results:
 This was one was missing except for an empty baggie.

Here, my goofs are giving arms to Venus. 

CT found this by himself. 

See the drain? Barely? EXACTLY!
It was about 4 inches thick of wet nasty leaves. I was NOT attempting  that!

This is the whole dead end. It used to be clear but now used for garbage and rotting trees. I saw an old exercise set, 2 old strollers and LOTS of trees and leaves with massive ants of black and red. OC screamed loudly a few times before running as fast as he could back to the Roo. I'll attempt this again in a few months and see if they have it cleaned up. It might be a lost cause - wading through garbage is not my idea of a fun cache. 

Pictures from our first Geocache Adventure

Stealthily hidden in a tree.

apparently some can be super tiny nanos!

Tom signing our first log!

Jamaica Tang? WTF?

 I've said it before and I'll say it again.
I'm a foodie.

I love trying new things and weird things.

So, when I was in Wal-Mart and saw a packet of Jamaica Flavored Tang, I tilted my head, scratched it, shrugged my shoulders, and then put one in my cart.

I had to try it!

It was a deep, deep red.
It's an authentic Mexican Tang.

So what is Jamaica Flavor? 

Apparently, Jamaica tastes like Hibiscus Flowers.

I like hibiscus taste but I guess just not in my Tang.

It was sweet and floral and after a half a cup, I poured the rest of the container out.

I wasn't about to subject anyone else in my house to that.

It was a pretty color and smelled lovely, though :)

We're offically treasure hunters!

As a family, we went geocaching after dinner.
We found the cache, took pictures for prosperity reasons, signed the log, and came home.
We came home hooked on Geocaching.
If you dont know where I am, I'm probably looking for a treasure somewhere :)

Happy Early Mother's Day!

Well, I got my period this afternoon.
Too much info, I am sorry.
It was overdue so it's not surprising.
But all of a sudden, it hit me: I was going to probably still have it on Mother's Day.
The thing that keeps our womanly bodies honed and ready for babies and being mothers was here.

I have 3 amazing, VERY active boys.
I treasure them.
I have miscarried twice between the boys (Piselli & Auggie - yes, I gave them names for no matter how short, they were babies in my womb - Piselli means pea in Italian and Auggie for yet another August conceived baby).
What hit me was the fact that, at least with Tommy, I will never carry another chlid inside of me.
It is a feeling I hold dear and loved.
I loved being pregnant no matter how sick I became.
I loved the belly, the curve, the kicks, the flutters, the hiccups, the sound of their heartbeat, the connection that no one but a mother can feel to their child.
But we're done.
A decision finalized by my husband that I was never set in stone with.
That part makes me sad.

Today OC said/did 2 things that got to me.

He's the "baby" at 3-1/4 years old. He has long hair but it's just so him.
Silly people confuse him as a girl sometimes no matter how boyish he is dressed.
Today he crossed the street and I said something about loving my boy and he he tried to tell me he was a girl.
I immediately corrected him and thought, yeah, his hair needs to go!
Then, at home, he was playing with my headband.
He asked me to put it on him (he asks me from time to time to "make my hair like Charlie's" meaning he wants a ponytail on the top of his head with his bangs like the baby from the Disney Channel's 'Good Luck, Charlie")
He looked so cute.
Too cute.
Made me realize how much he needs a hair cut... but mainly, how much I want a girl.

Done at My House

What does having 3 boys mean?
Triple the trouble of course!

We've had this Step2 Table for years. It's supposed to house sand on one side and water on the other. I've tried a few times but my kids are destructive monsters. I dont know how the kids in the ad play so nicely but mine are the anti-version of that! So for 99.55 of the time, they play with it dry (when they play with it).

Tom was out mowing and they wanted to be outside. I decided to clean the dirty table they were playing with. I thought I'd surprise them and fill it up with blue water. Then I grabbed a huge tub of oatmeal for the other side.

It kept them quiet for A WHILE.. until HT came in.

HT: "MOMMMMM! CT peed in the water!"
Me: "WHAT?"
HT: "CT peed in the water on the table"
CT: "HT told me to!"

Keep in mind CT is 3 weeks shy of turning SEVEN! This kid just peed in the play water! So I drained the water and CT spent time in his room and was not allowed back outside.

Seriously, only MY kids do crap like this, right?

It was nice until the pee though.... see?

What did you do on easter?

We went Strawberry picking in the morning!

Where-O-Where have I been?

Keep in mind my eldest is tracked out. I had graphic work to do for clients. I've had parties to attend. May brings the Mother's day Tea (I'm doing a table), Mother's day, CT's party, HT's party, their actual birthdays, Graduation, end-of-year events for CT, end-of-year Event for MOW, I become president of MOW, nephew's birthday, and more. Keep in mind most of those require baking of some sort too. I'm yeah... BUSY!

this week is my tea table. I am doing a Lady Bug theme. Running to stores with my kids is not the easiest task so when I come home after a few hours, I just fall to pieces. i will have a separate post about the table. I hope it looks as good in real life as it does in my head!

Heard at My House...

[Looking through a book with old G.I. Joe toys in it with CT, soon-to-be 7-year-old and HT, soon-to-be 5-year-old]

CT: Did you have that?

Dad: No. It was really expensive. My friend Jason had it though.

CT: Oh. Is Jason dead?

Dad: Wha… what do you mean?

CT: Your friend Jason. Did he die?

Dad: I don’t think so. He was my age. Hell, his birthday was ten days after mine.

[Beat.]

HT: I think he’s probably dead.