New York Trip!

As I have written about in the past, mom and I take a girls' trip each year up to NYC for a little shopping and a LOT of fun.  We started my freshman year of college and we have yet to miss a year.  We went to Atlanta the year after Cal was born (with Cal), and we sprinkled Chicago in there twice to mix things up a bit, but no matter where we go, we have a fabulous time!

I took all pictures from my phone, since there just isn't room to bring a big camera! We carried on (both ways!) so we took minimal.

Here is a glance into our few days away....

We love the decorations in the stores...

Mom and dad went to NYC this summer and visited Holiday Lane in Macy's and sent me a picture, so we took one to send to dad...

Taking a break at a little bar we like...

 Friday night we went to see Mamma Mia.  I LOVE this play.  LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE.  I have seen it may times-- I think 4 or 5 and I can't get enough.  This summer when mom and dad were in town, they went to the ticket office to get us tickets.  Since they didn't have to pay all the added fees of ordering online, dad went a little nuts and got us FRONT ROW seats to the play.  It was freaking awesome!

That's the stage-- it was an arm's distance away... we could not be any closer...

 Before the show started...

 I was next to the director-- my arm rest was his handle to get in and out of his seat.  He was crazy talented.  He was sending cues to people in the orchestra and back stage with the little camera thing pointed at him.  It was really neat seeing that part of the show too. 

The next day brought on more shopping-- we were shoe shopping here...mom's face cracks me up. 

 And we hit the fabulous Henri Bendel...

 Then we did afternoon tea again.  We did this the last time we came too, and it is just so much fun.  We get a regular tea service, but we order a bottle of champagne to go along with it--obviously! Mom and I love some bubbly! They had a harpist playing and the food was yummy-- it is a perfect way to spend two hours!

 The hotel had a happy hour every night, so we had to take full advantage of that...

We didn't see the Rockettes this time, but they are celebrating their 85th year...

 We tackled the shoe department with a buzz... it made it MUCH easier to deal with the chaos. 

And this sign just made me laugh.  How creepy does Michael Kors look?  Ew.

My dad was worried we were going to have problems getting a cab while we were in the city so I took this picture from our hotel room to show him the plethora of yellow guys down there. 

You would never know it from seeing the city that it survived a natural disaster.  I know the outer parts are still really hurting, but in the city, nothing looked different at all-- there were no signs of damage anywhere.  

Dad goes hunting each year while mom and I do this.  He sits in a deer blind up in Michigan freezing his rear off.  So each year, I send him a picture of me trying on some hat and he sends me one back of himself with his hat on.  Sounds crazy, I know, but I think it's kinda funny. 

 Then it was time to come home.  We flew home Friday night, and our flight was a little delayed... didn't phase us though-- the Delta terminal in LaGuardia is AMAZING.  There are 100s of iPads throughout the terminal and charging stations everywhere.  Literally, everywhere you look, there is an iPad for you to use.  And it wasn't like there were people waiting in line to use them-- there were vacant ones everywhere! Each iPad had apps at the bottom to order food or drink.  We ordered bloody mary's and paid right there with a little swipe device and the drinks were delivered to us-- we didn't have to go shuffle our bags to pay and pick them up.  I have never been to an airport where you can carry alcoholic beverages around.  I think it made everyone a lot happier-- no seemed to care about the delays since they were surfing the web and ordering food and beverages!

It was SUCH a fun trip, and I always leave our little get away feeling so blessed.  Blessed that my mom and I get along well enough to want to take a trip together, blessed that we are able to afford to take a trip like this, blessed that my mother-in-law is able and willing to come to NC to help out with the boys...just so dang BLESSED!

The boys had a blast with Mimi and wanted nothing to do with me when I went in to see them Saturday morning.  That didn't last long and by 10:00 they were back to being the little lovebugs I left.  I really missed them a lot...funny what three days away will do for you!

The cold I had last week is still lingering.  I stopped taking the antibiotics, and I probably shouldn't have, so I am restarting those to hopefully kick this thing-- it's been with me over two weeks now.  It is welcome to leave any time. 

 

I need a sick day.

...but momma's don't get sick days!

I have been MIA lately on here because I have been under the weather.  It started as a cold last weekend, by Wednesday I lost my voice, I got it back on Thursday, felt just crappy the whole weekend and woke up Sunday with a TON of sinus pressure.  I have been awake most nights blowing my nose or coughing-- basically, just a LOT of fun going on!  Obviously, I am capable of blogging when sick, but I used the boys' nap time as rest time for me-- something I do not ever do.  That being said, our house was a MESS last week.  Whoops... I went to the doctor this morning and got on an antibiotic so hopefully I will kick this before I leave for NEW YORK CITY! Mom and I have our annual girls' trip this week and I am so so so so so so so so so so soooooo excited! My mother-in-law is SUUUUPER sweet to take time off of work to come to town to help out with the boys so I can go.  She is thrilled to be able to come, so there wasn't a whole lot of arm twisting there :).  I am already sad about leaving the boys, but my mom and I have just the BEST time on this trip. We laugh, shop, drink, laugh some more, and do whatever we want whenever we want.  It is just plain ol' fun.  We always go in November, but last year, I couldn't leave Andy, so we went in April.  I can't wait!


Annnnyway... Here's a look at some pictures from the past week...


We get Dunkin Donuts every weekend.  Andy tries to shove as many Dunkin' Holes in his mouth at one time as possible.  He got mad this time because he couldn't get the last one in.  Can't make this up, y'all...

We had a birthday party on Sunday and I had to wake Cal up to get to it.  He was so tired and really cranky, but then his mood switched and he was happy--

 Perhaps it was knowing Brad would be at the party....

On Tuesday, Cal had school, and Andy had a complete fit getting dressed...soooo, we went to run some errands in his sweatpants! We were shopping for a birthday gift for my dad, so I took a picture to send him.

We also voted on Tuesday! I was dreading (DREADING) going with Andy to vote.  I packed snacks and a cozy blanket (in case we had to wait in a line that was outside) and books and a bunch of other junk.  We pulled into the parking lot, saw there were no lines, and walked right in.  We even left the stroller in the car! There were no lines-- I walked in, picked up my ballot, filled out my little bubbles with Andy on my hip and we were out of there...but not before getting a sticker to prove we were there. 

Being a mother, you make a lot of sacrifices.  I knew that going into this gig-- and I wouldn't trade these boys for ANYTHING! One sacrifice I wasn't really prepared for was having an audience while using the restroom.  I very rarely, and I mean seldom, go to the bathroom by myself.  If we are all downstairs and I have to pee, the boys high tail it in to the bathroom to take their seats.  Cal brought this chair in there earlier to be ready for me.  Andy thought it was great...

 Then he thought it would be great to do a pullup on the sink...

Wednesday, we took Andy to school and Cal had 'nastics.  My voice was completely gone this day and I felt pretty crummy, so I skipped the gym and ran to the grocery store.  Cal loves going to run errands with just me.  He says over and over again, "just me and mommy today! it's just me and mommy!" Sweet kid.  Also sweet-- nugget walking into school wearing this little outfit.  It's a hand-me-down from CalBoy and it looked pretty sweet on him.  He was soo excited to go to school!

After gymnastics, Cal and I had a date at Panera.  He chowed down on his grilled cheese...and made a hole he could peek through...

 Thursday, Cal went to school, and Andy and I played on the plasma car together... he signs "more, more, more" while laughing hysterically the entire time we are on it.  Love this wild one...

Friday, the craziest things EVER happened...
Andy went to school.
Eddie's golf plans fell through, so he decided to still play golf, but to take Cal with him!
At 9:15, I was in the car BY MYSELF! I was seriously giddy, y'all. 
We ordered new appliances and they were being delivered on Friday also-- we now have stainless steel in our kitchen and I am in love....I will take pics are some point, but ohhhhhh, it makes a huge difference!

Saturday, we had a birthday party in the morning and I had to try to get the boys' game day picture to send out...

 And, also there was some of this...

 And this....

Saturday night, Nugget just needed a little snuggle time to help him go to sleep.  I had to try to take a picture of him all nestled in, resting his head on the elephant.  Melts.my.heart!

 Watching the TCU game on the floor, Hank joined me.  Not to be gross, BUT, I had to keep flipping sides to drain my nose-- how disgusting is that? Miserable. 

Sunday, we celebrated my dad's birthday! My mom, Martha Stewart, did a whole "Pirate Adventure" theme and sent my dad and the kids on a scavenger hunt all around the house to find his gifts.  It was too cute.

Here is my dad with his little pirates...

 And this one cracks me up-- we were trying to play the "quiet game" because four kids all aged 4 and under are really really really loud.  They were trying SO hard...

Hope y'all had a great week! I doubt I will post again until after NYC...


 

Toys for Boys

Gift giving season is right around the corner... I feel like as soon as Halloween passes, it's Thanksgiving right away and then, BAM! We are all sitting on the floor with wrapping paper everywhere looking at our loot.

I am not sure why, perhaps it is because I have two boys, but people have been asking me a TON lately for gift suggestions for boys.  Like in the past week, I have had 4 facebook messages and 2 emails asking me questions...odd, huh?

So, I thought I would devote a post to some of my boys' favorite toys.  Obviously, I will not cover ALL of their favorites...and obviously, these change weekly.... and obviously, these are in no particular order...
First, I bring you...THE PLASMA CAR...
 Both of my boys LOVE LOVE LOVE the plasma car.  Cal started calling it a helicopter car (who knows why, really).

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This is the toy I am asked about most often.  We went to visit my in laws in Texas and they borrowed a bunch of toys from a friend.  Mixed in with all of the toys was a plasma car.  Cal tried it out in their driveway and really liked it.  My mother-in-law got him one for Christmas last year and it was a huge hit.  Cal isn't the only one who likes it.  Andy loves it too-- so much so that they were fighting over it all the time, so my mother-in-law sent another one! Now we have two and the boys have the BEST time racing around the house on them.  Very rarely do these cars go outside.  They get most of the use riding around our hardwood floors.  Not only to the boys like them, but me and Eddie have been knows to ride them too...a lot.  Andy's current favorite thing is to ride on it with me.  Lots of fun... Patty got ours off of amazon.com, but I know they also carry them at lots of toy stores.  These are big hits with boys AND girls.


Another popular toy in our house is the train table.  We have the one seen here....

 

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It's the Imaginarium table.  My parents gave this to Cal on his 2nd birthday, and it has gotten a LOT of use.  Both boys enjoy playing with this. Here's what I like about it-- there are drawers on each side to keep all the crap stuff not being used on the table. We glued down our track and I can see pros and cons to doing that.  I thought the boys would play with it more if the track was all in place.  This is true-- HOWEVER, the track doesn't stay glued down and I feel like I am fighting a constant battle of reattaching tracks.  Cal likes it to be all put together to play with it.  Unfortunately, Andy loves to see how hard he has to pull to rip up a piece (or 10).  Either way, both kids have really enjoyed this.  I have other friends who have tables similar to this one, but they did not glue down tracks.  Their table gets used constantly for LOTS of things-- un-train related, which is also really fun.  Oh, and also, these tracks are compatible with Thomas the Train, Brio, and lots and lots of other trains, so that was a huge plus.  It takes up space, but it provides entertainment so....it's worth it!


My next must have thing for boys...or really, any kid, are these building blocks.  HOLY SMOKES, I swear to y'all, you would NOT believe the entertainment these babies provide. ...

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I found these on amazon, and I am not sure how many come in a pack, but this is money WELL SPENT.  A former colleague of mine had three kids and when they moved, they got rid of a ton of their stuff.  She donated a lot of her toys to us.  When she hauled the bin of building blocks out, I thought, ehh.... but let me just tell you...we use these things nearly ever.single.day.  We build roads for the cards, sand castles, tunnels, garages, houses, etc etc etc... These things really get their imaginations working.  Cal likes these so much that my mom actually bought a set for her house too.  I have used these to build a road that stretches from one side of the room to the other with bridges and ramps and everything else you can imagine.  Cal loves to build something big and then knock it down.  We have gotten hours upon hours of use with these blocks. 


And the last toy I will mention is called "Football Guys." It comes in a small carrying case, and when it is open, it includes a felt field, football players, a referee and two goal posts. 

As you all know, Cal is very into football-- he LOVES this toy! My mom found it at a local toy store, but you can also find them on amazon (link below).  They also have Soccer Guys and Hockey Guys, if football isn't your thing.  Cal plays with this all the time.  I have a video of him lining up the players telling me about the offensive line and how they protect the quarterback (he's making Poppy proud!). 

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This game is so great for their little imaginations.  Cal used the building blocks to line around the field and he brought all of his cars in and said, "these cars are the spectators. They are watching the football game!" Pretty sweet. 

Hope these are helpful to you if you are stumped for what to get your little guy, or if you are in need of a gift for someone else's little person...

Again, I could go on and on and on and on about their favorite things (maybe in another post!), but for now, I will leave you with these four-- as they are the MOST played with things in this house!

Please email me or post if you have questions about any of them!

Also, if you have a blog, I would LOVE to know some of your kids' favorite things...maybe you could do a post like this!  I am always stumped when it comes time to buy a present for a little girl. And I would LOVE some suggestions for good gifts for Santa to bring to our house this year! Or even comment here!

thanks, y'all!

 

A day of celebrating!

On Saturday, we had The Heffalumps (Cal's soccer team) last game of the season.  I do not know how in the world we lucked out getting on this team, but we are SO thankful we did! Most of the kids on the team are returning from the previous year-- they all requested to be on the team again.  They had a few kids age out, so Cal was able to get on the team-- purely by luck, because I went into this pretty blindly.

The game was typical-- the other team only had three players show up (we had 12), so we split up our team to play them and then play each other.  Cal doesn't really care who is playing-- he just likes to kick the ball and run around.  Okay.  Let's be real.  He just likes to run around and crash into people.  Sigh.  Let's just say if they handed out yellow cards in Rainbow Soccer, Cal would have a collection of them.  But he LOVES being out there.  And he has a blast.  And really, that's what matters...right??

Just to remember this one little tidbit... at half time of the game, there were some older boys playing with a ball next to the field.  Andy waddled on over to them, fingers in mouth (obviously), and kicked their ball.  They all thought it was hilarious, so they kind of stood back to see what he would do.  He dribbled (yes, dribbled) the ball on to the field, down towards the goal, and shot it into the goal.  Not kidding.  The kids were all clapping and hooting for him.  It was hilarious because he was so nonchalant about it, fingers in mouth throughout it all.  Can't wait until he is old enough to play too!

 After the game, the coaches sat all the players down and we took pictures.

Then, while the kids were still sitting, they called each kid up, one at a time, and told them how happy they were to have them on the team, and how great they were at _______ and how much better they got at ______... For each and every kid they did this.  They told Cal that he was so great at not getting discouraged and he would always pop right back up again whenever he fell down.  Y'all, this was AWESOME.  I had tears in my eyes, as cheesy as that sounds.  But the other parents did too! It was SO special to hear someone else talk about how wonderful your kid is and how thankful they are to have them be a part of their team.  The other parents knew what was coming, since they did this last year, so they had their video cameras out and rolling...lesson learned for next year!!! I was snapping away with my iPhone!

Cal was called up first... he didn't really know what to do, so he sat down-- haha

Coach Tina and Coach Margie telling how what a hard worker he was...

 Once both coaches gave their speech, they put a medal around his neck and handed him a trophy.  I was a proud momma, but Mr. CalBoy was a PROUD little kid.  He was just in awe.

getting his medal

"mom! do you see me?"

with his coaches, his trophy and his medal

he couldn't believe he really had a trophy-- he kept staring at it

All of the Heffalumps with their trophies!

We had a little party after all the kids got their trophies then we went to Fire House subs for lunch.  Cal wore his shin guards and his medal in.  The sweet manager immediately asked him about his medal and Cal said, "AND I got a trophy too!!!" Pretty fantastic!

yup, we are in the bathroom... both kids put their hats on and it was cracking me up so I took their picture.  Hey, when the moment strikes....

 When we got home, Cal did not want to put his trophy down.  He zipped around the house holding it... we made him leave it downstairs for nap time because he poked himself in the eye with the little guy's foot. 

After Cal decided not to nap, he came downstairs to watch some football with me.  TCU was playing WVU.  Eddie was golfing so we had some bonding time...

Andy woke up for the second half and we cheered on the Frogs as hard as we could.... and.....

THEY WON! In overtime! It was a GREAT game and a lot of fun to watch.  Thankfully, Eddie got home in the 4th quarter so we could scream like crazy at the end of the game.  This was a big win because that means we are now bowl eligible.  It's a VERY big deal and we were thrilled they got the W!

It was a day of celebrating!