Bounce House Bonanza 5th Birthday

I have to start this post to say my heart breaks for those in Oklahoma.  Hold tight to your loved ones and your memories.  Stuff is just stuff.  But for those that are able to help please use this link for the Red Cross.  In this time of sadness I find I can deal by looking at good times.  I have really moved around on my posts lately and realized I never really covered any action from my son's fifth birthday party back in April.  FIVE.  Holy crap my little baby turned five.  

In the past my son's birthday parties have been at my home but more family and less kiddos.  You can see a few examples here and here.  We always told my son that when he turned a milestone like five he can invite his friends from school and go nuts.  Of course, we did not host at home since sixteen children at our house, parents, and bipolar April weather is not our cup of tea.  Enter a bounce house birthday party, family, friends, pizza, gifts, and all around good times.

Let's start here with the birthday boy.

What a cutie!

The kids bounced, the pizza was served, and then onto the cake.

This is not all the kids.  Some were screaming in fear from the ape.  Some purple ape will show up in therapy for them in about ten years.

Later there were gifts (what a lucky kid my son is!) and then one romp in the ticket fun house.  My son earned over 1,300 tickets.  All sounds great until you have to try to spend every. last. ticket.

This birthday was much more low key on my end.  I was used to planning, decorating, a big theme, the details but since Disney was a week later we just slapped a Mickey Mouse theme on it and called it a day.   And you know what?  We all had a great time.

This was all that really mattered, right?  

Happy Birthday little man!

Might I add... they need to have bounce house parties for adults.  With cocktails.  Why should all the kids have the fun?

Just sayin'

The Big 4-5

See these adorable lovebirds?  Those are my parents 45 years ago this past Saturday.  

I know normally I do not share my family that much on this blog but a moment like that needs to be shouted typed for the world to see.  To celebrate this weekend we had my P's over along with my sister and my nephew.  

Let me introduce my nephew on the right.  Ain't he a doll?

These two little nut balls are pure cousin love.

My mom wanted to get a quickie family photo to capture the day.  As you can tell, no one was made up, no fancy matching outfits, just our family as we are.  

But in the end this is what it is about.  45 years later, two kids, two grand kids, and countless memories.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Fireworks Friday

On this crazy Friday when work sucked the life out of me this week I end with this.  

And seeing it puts me back into my happy place.

  Happy Weekend All!

A Funny Thing Happens When You Wander Around a City...

Little moments of joy as you wander around, discover new stores, smell new smells, and find your new corner of the world.

And then you wander further to find nature, fresh air, and beauty.

And your eyes catch the little seen areas.  Cobblestone streets, fountain faces, words of history.  All puzzle pieces that make up Richmond Virginia.

 Our vacation started out with a magical day of discovery and the funny thing is we fell in love.

Lucky Lady

Today was a fabulous Mommy's Day that started with laid back time on the couch with my two boys, early dinner with my parents, and now more relaxing family time before work kicks in again.  My Hubby and son surprised me with some gifts from when we were at Disney.

This gift is so "us".  The reason being is we love in the summer to do a tray of snacks and a pitcher of drinks to enjoy as we play in the yard.  Add in an apron and there is just more to love.  It is perfect and will remind me of Disney all summer long.

But after all the gifts, what makes me a Mommy is this little man.  And I love him to death.

I certainly am one lucky lady.  Hope all you Mommies had a great day as well.  

Jar of Love

Being a Mommy is such a ride.  I am just lucky that my ride is a lot more hills than dips in the tracks.  My son makes me laugh, beam, love, fear, and mostly feel such luck that he is my little boy.  I would not change this life he gave me.

Just when I could not get enough of his squishy face and jiggling butt dance he tosses me a curve ball in the form of a Mother's Day gift at school.  Enter one card with his cute, little hand print inside and a jar filled with his handwritten things he loves about me.

 I loved things like "You do my laundry" and "You make me laugh".

But this is one is my favorite.

Happy Mother's Day!

It All Started with a Little Mow

If you have been watching my Instagram you saw my adventures in lawn this past weekend.  When we returned from Disney our lawn was a beast that needed to be conquered.  Three mows, several lawnmower stalls, and many swear words later I had a fresh, green lawn.  Love it.  Clearly the crazy rain, the grass seed, and the fertilizer before leaving on our trip did its magic.

But why stop there?  I have the rest of the day and dirt on my shoes (and pants, and shirt, and who knows where else).  Let's plant some plants and mulch some mulch.  So much for relaxation on last day of vacation. The Hubby and I went to town on the plant beds and now probably need another day off to recover.

Amazing how this looks when mulched.  They should make a special mulch spray paint to apply when it starts looking less than brown.  I should patent that.  Hmm...

But what is nice that now that the mulch is done that means summer can officially come.  I am ready for you now.  Bring it on.  I will be here with my feet up and a cold beer in my hand.