23 May 2013

Happenings Lately...

Okay, so there is a lot going on and this is the easiest way to talk about it =)

***

The house is officially on the market!  It's been up for a little over a week now and we're still waiting for our first call for a showing {not that I expected them to come right away, everyone seems to be crazy busy through Memorial Day!}  But let me just tell you?  Keeping the house "show ready" with 3 kids?  Exhausting.  Especially when they like to dump all their toys out again 3 minutes after you clean them up and are half out the door on the way to work. 

It's awesome.

But it's fine.  Bob and I have a pretty good system going.  Clean up after the kids go to bed and then just straighten up and make the beds before we leave the house every morning.  Although I'm so tired of it {already, sheesh!} I do really like that our house is always clean.  It makes me feel so much better and more organized!  I feel like my pre-kid self again ;)

So yeah, I'll keep you posted on that and I really AM going to blog about the before and after pictures of our house.  Really.

***

So tomorrow is Brynn's birthday.  I mentioned that before and we are really excited about celebrating with her.  She is the sweetest ever and I love her so damn much.  I can't wait to spend the day with her tomorrow! Also... everyone in our family gets to pick their birthday dinner {my mom will make anything they want!} and Brynnie picked pancakes.  So, pancakes it is tomorrow night. =)

But what I haven't mentioned yet?  Saturday is my dad's birthday.

Yeah.  That's going to be tough. 

I cry just thinking about it.

We do have some special things planned to honor his birthday {I don't really want to use the word "celebrate"}.  Everyone will head over to my mom's house in the morning to get the day started.  As I mentioned before, we planted a tree in honor of my dad. Well we bought this gorgeous plaque to place beside it and we plan to put that in the ground around noon.  I'll be sure to post a picture of it on IG {and likely here next week} so stay tuned for that.  We didn't want anything sad... we wanted it to just be a sweet reminder of him and the lives that he's touched along the way. We searched high and low for the perfect plaque and the moment we saw it, we just knew.  I really can not wait to put that out next to his tree in my mom's backyard.  It will be very special.

After the plaque, we plan to have a little lunch BBQ.  My dad LOVED BBQ's and since his birthday always fell on/around Memorial Day, we had one for him every year. 

I remember last year, we had a BBQ for him and Brynn on the same day and it was so fun just celebrating the two of them, BBQing it up, sitting around the fire pit, as the kids rode their scooters and played on the new waterslide. My dad and I drove around from store to store on his actual birthday last year, just trying to get this waterslide for the kids.  We must have gone to 10 different stores for this thing because it was sold out everywhere.  And I remember thanking him for going with me and spending his birthday looking for something that would make the kids so happy.  He was the best! 
 
Sigh.  Yeah.  Saturday is going to be hard.

After our BBQ, we plan to visit the cemetery and then, later in the evening, head out to dinner at one of his favorite restaurants.  Although we know how difficult of a day it will be, we have some special things planned and we will be spending the day together.  There may be a lot of tears, but there will also be just as much laughter. My dad's girls are strong... we'll get through it.

***

Sunday is Aubrey's Baptsim!  {We just go right from one thing to the next, don't we?}  My sister has been working so hard on getting everything ready for Auggleberry's special day and I just know that it's going to be lovely.  I'm excited and can't wait to spend the day celebrating such a special baby girl {and Reid's BFF, cousin, and birthday twin!}
It's okay, you can say it... she's the sweetest, right?

***

Okay, so I kinda have some news. I kinda submitted a proposal for this big international conference for work.  And it kinda got accepted.  So I'm kinda going to the conference next month.  In... {wait for it}...

Hawaii.

Yep, I AM serious.

I am so excited that I can barely contain myself.  We leave just 3 weeks from Sunday!  There are a few of my coworkers going as well, but guess who else is coming along?  

Bob. =)

We've never been to Hawaii, so this is a dream for us. We're staying in Waikoloa, on the big island.  For those that have been there before, do you have any tips and/or must see things that we should look into?  I do actually have to attend/present at the conference {obviously;} but we do have a few days to ourselves and want to make the most of it!  So far, we plan to visit the volcanoes and go to a luau {my idea, but come on!  It's Hawaii!}  Anything else you can think of?  Any wonderful restaurants we should try?  Let me know!

And I must must MUST thank my wonderful mom and mother-in-law.  As soon as we mentioned the word Hawaii, they automatically told us not to worry about the kids.  We realize exactly how lucky we are to have not one, but TWO, wonderful mothers who are there for us always and who are willing to take our 3 crazy kids for a week.  You both are the best ever and we love you so very much.  MUAH!

And I must do it.  I must.  

Oh, ya know... just a shot of our hotel pool.  NBD.

***

Yeah, so there's not much happening lately at all, huh? ;)



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21 May 2013

WW: Brynn's Party

I blogged about this a few times {here and you can see her adorable invite here} but we had Brynn's Sofia the First Build-A-Bear party this past Saturday.  Although I was a little hesitant about the logistics of everything, I just have to say- it was awesome.  Seriously.  I would recommend this to anyone.

When you book your party, you can set whatever price limit you want for each of your guests, so it really can work in any budget.  I think the smallest amount is $10/kid {which is basically just a bear}, but you can set it at whatever you'd like!  We set the limit at $25/kid thinking that would be a great amount and allow the kiddos to get a bear and an outfit or accessory.  Of course, then the My Little Pony collection came out, which starts at $25, so that was great timing ;)  I was nervous about how everything was going to work {fully expecting to pay $20,000 by the time I left} but the party planners we had were amazing at making sure everyone stayed in budget.  Overall, it was wonderful!

After the party, we headed right next door to the food court and had pizza.  We brought in drinks for the kids/adults, my sister brought a soft pretzel tray, my mom made adorable princess cupcakes and my MIL made a delicious TBM pasta salad.  YUM! I just brought in some table covers, princess plates/cups/silverware, etc and we called it a day.  It was so easy, I have no idea why I was even worried about it.  And the best part?  All the kids had a bear/pony to take home as a favor.

I really don't have many pictures from the party... I was busy making sure kids didn't run out into the mall and/or knock down the shelves in the store and all, but here's one shot of some of the kiddos {there were about 15, not sure where the rest went for the pic... oh yeah, pizza.}

Adorable. {They even all signed a birthday bear for Brynn too, which was separate from the My Little Pony she made at the party.  So cute!}

And this was about the best shot I could get of Brynn's adorable Sofia the First outfit. Purple amulet tank, purple tutu {I almost didn't buy it... I struggled with that one} and white leggings.  She LOVED it and kept saying "I'm a princess!" the entire time.  So sweet. {Outfit from this Etsy shop.}

Also? My Little Pony on roller skates FTW.  All the girls were pushing them around the mall on their leash.  It was adorable.

My baby girl turns 3 on Friday. Ahhhhh.  I can't believe it.  We're going to take her to the movies to see Epic and then go out to lunch.  Can't wait.

Happy Birthday week, Brynnie Foo Foo {yes, she gets a week.}  We love you so much!
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15 May 2013

WW: Baby Factory

This is what lunch time looks like at GG's house...

 
{my niece, Aubrey- 8m | Reid- 8m | our super close family friend's baby, Hannah- 11m}

I mean... how cute are they?? I just love them so much!

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09 May 2013

Zappos.com Mother's Day Giveaway!

So, did you know that Zappos.com sells jewelry?  Me either!  Well, until now.

I was so excited when they contacted me about hosting a Mother's Day giveaway, because I don't know any one else, in the entire world, who has a more difficult job.

And us mama's?  Well, we deserve some jewelry.

I was so excited to receive this beautiful Dogeared Mom Sparkle Necklace. I'm usually not a fan of gold jerwelry, but I'm really starting to open up to it {I now have 3 gold necklaces.  Ahem.  ...that's a lot for my silver/white gold/platinum-loving self} and this gorgeous Dogeared necklace is a lovely addition to my little collection.  It's so simple and delicate, and I just love the subtleness of it.

It comes in a pretty little box with an adorable special saying that any mom would love...


I mean? So cute.

I'm actually wearing it today {with silver earrings.... shhhh, I haven't expanded my gold-horizons past necklaces yet} and I've received quite a few compliments on it.
See what I mean about it being subtle?  That's my favorite part about it.  And then the sparkles catch your eye and it just looks so pretty.

Would you like a gold-dipped Dogeared Mom Sparkle Necklace of your very own?  Enter the giveaway below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


{Keep in mind that you will not receive this necklace before Mother's Day... please get your butt up and buy your wonderful mom a gift and give this to her as an added bonus later. Or? Keep it for yourself. ;}

Good luck and Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!


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08 May 2013

WW: A different kind of before and after.

As I look back on our trip to the zoo last May on Brynn's 2nd birthday, I just can't help but think...

Zoo

...what a difference a year makes. {More zoo pics coming soon!}

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Happy Wednesday!


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