Snowbird Safari!

There is a wonderful website grkids.com that has become such an incredible resource for fun activities around town. I packed the kids up and off to Breton Village Mall for a Snowbird Safari.

A handful of local businesses set up tables and offered a sampling of goods to the kids and coupons to the parents!

Here is Reese, at what any mother can only hope, is the start of a long and successful career as a tambourine player. Shake it, baby girl, mamma doesn't want to have to pay full price for college.

Just call us the Von Trapp's. With all the reports of spinal injuries and concussions, I'm thinking "no" to sports and "yes" to chess and singing groups.

One of the best parts of the day? The popcorn! They are definitely their mama's kids when it comes to food. 

Hoover it, monkeys.... 

They had a face painting station that I thought would be a great idea. Cole picked a fish and this is what he got. Not exactly the replica of the clown fish on the board but whatever! He thought it was cool.

Logan decided he would go paint free.

Sorry, kid. No paint for you either.

Why?

 Ummm, ah.... Oh, look, more popcorn!

I admit, sometimes, I am just not up for the "paint all over everything" thing.

 I know, Mother of the Year. 

I almost won it last year....I was short a "leave kids home alone while I make a diet coke run" and a "can you take the wheel because mommy needs to nap". Gotta work harder.

Where's the popcorn?

Oh, nilly....this one....

Our friend, and fellow animal collector, Rick the Reptile Guy, brought an assortment of reptile-y things.

Turtles and tortoises.

Do you know the main difference between the 2?

Turtles are more aquatic.

I want a tortoise.

 I want an indoor/outdoor one that lets me use it for a foot stool.

Simmer down, PETA.

Here is some sort of snake type creature....Have to admit, I'm not one for having a snake. Something about being swallowed whole while I sleep.....I might have an irrational fear.

Rick is such a great speaker, he pulls you right in from the start with his interesting factoids. I think the parents are just as fascinated with his stuff!

We ended our time at the bookstore, Pooh's Corner. We had never been in there before and found it to be quite nice. We gravitated to the train table in the back. We have this set...I should probably put some effort into making the train table functional again. I wonder if Pinterest will survive without me that long.....

They had a great time, until little "Jimmy" started sneezing all over the table and train parts.

 "No, no, don't leave. Keep sneezing all over, we will go."

 *Sigh*

 I am new at the group dynamic of playing with strangers.

We look forward to more stuff around town. Next month it's the Lollipop series.

Thanks, grkids!

A month of wonderful things.

Happy Snow filled day from The Albright Acres!!

We have been filling our days with all sorts of things. The boys kids got sleds and we wasted no time in putting them to use. Holy cow....when did sledding become an exhausting event? I don't remember wanting to die after sledding as a kid.....

Daddy pulling the boys....He was laughing at me because I was sucking wind after pulling the kids like one time around the yard. 

The indoor stuff was more my speed. We made bird seed hangers for the tree over the deck. 

We wait patiently for the birds to nibble and peck....

Hi, sissy. Yep, your outside in the snow strapped to a piece of hard plastic. Super fun-isn't it?! 

Mom, put the camera down and come pull us around. 

Daddy snowblowing....how come he gets all the fun stuff? So glad we made that goat milking/hoof shaving station you see there on the right....Why do we still have it when we no longer have any goats? 

Duh...it's holding up the empty totes. You ask the silliest questions.

Reese fell asleep after our outdoor fun fest (or "prove how out of shape mom is" day).

My sweet boys ran to get her blankets....she is one lucky monkey. 

I wanted to make a salted caramel sauce but couldn't justify just eating it from the pan so I figured I needed to make something to go with it. I decided on a simple apple tartlet. 

The beginning stages...no matter how many times I make it I still wonder if it will turn out.  

Without burning....

getting closer....

I didn't take a picture of me adding the cream and watching it bubble and sputter...isn't she perdy?!

Oh, I love homemade sauce.

Here are my little sauce vessels....hot and bubbley out of the oven.

What? Have you seen me? No dessert stands a chance. No, I didn't just put another fork there to make it look like I shared....Andy took a bite. Not my fault he's slow. 

All packed and ready to be enjoyed by my coworkers. 

My little boys are growing up so fast. 

There is so much more to post and share but there is a lonely fork waiting to hang out with my face.

Hope the day finds you enjoying your family!

I am so proud.....

Here are my precious angels who I carried for 35 long weeks......licking my glass door.

 Has a mother ever been so proud? As long as you are out there boys, you missed a spot. I keep thinking there is an Oreo on the deck.

 A person can only handle so much disappointment.

What is this you ask? Besides a hot mess in my livingroom....I know but my kids LIVE in this room! I'd love to say you caught me on a messy day but we both know I'd be lying. Make a mess babies. 

It's my daughter cheering for hockey game.

It's my daughter betraying me.

It's my daughter winning my husband's heart yet again.

Hockey. Ugh....hockey.

I guess my marathon watching of NCIS gets to the hubs like the hockey watching gets to me.

I ain't giving up my Gibbs....or my cheeseburgers....

Life here is great.

How can I complain with live-in window washers?

My baby is one!

My sweet baby girl turned one yesterday. 

People always say "I dont' know where the year went." It still shocks me that she's walking! I know it's the normal progression of things but hokey pete.....I don't know where the year went.

I made her this sweet little skirt and tutu along with a number 1 shirt. I have to say, she looked so cute in it. She loved the skirt. I need to make her more of them. I love the combination of fancy skirt and bare feet. 

The offspring. What a crew. 

See that guy?....he has NO chance against that little monkey he's holding. Oh nilly. All she has to do is give him a smile and lean in for a kiss and that man is done. DONE. Like the way he likes his burgers...DONE. On a side note see that white piece of paper on the fridge with the little round magnet? Yeah, Project alert. I saw this pin on Pinterest that was the Family's names in Scrabble like fashion....Yep, gotta do it. Stay tuned for pictures. 

So I wanted to do shades of purple for her party since we are not into the Princess thing. It was impossible to find anything that didn't have Princess and pink so I just opted for shades of purple. 

Cake pops, brownies, cupcakes.

Tomato bisque shooters with grilled cheese skewers. I love grilled cheese. I made mac and cheese shooters with skewered hot dog for the kids.....I think I saw more adults eating those than kids!  There was pulled pork and stuffed mushrooms and bacon wrapped dates. I love food. 

This is a 7 layer Greek dip that I also saw on Pinterest. I am a lover of all things Greek food. I served these with pita chips. 

A ton of family and friends filled our home to help us celebrate. 

Ummm....we are usually better at screening for weirdos and chesters. Jeff what is that face?? No, I don't want a candy covered kitten from your windowless van....thanks though.

Much better picture of you Jeff. 

Cole, try to contain yourself. 

This is my running buddy, Betsy. I love her usually but not today. Today, I can't walk. I will be running a couple times a week with her. That's alot of not liking one person.....With her accountability I WILL be a single digit clothing size this year! Okay, I guess I like her again. 

She wanted nothing to do with anything except being held by me. I was all "aglow" all night from lugging  carrying her.  Happy Birthday.....

Here's your cupcake! 

She. Didn't. Touch. It. 

My and my peanut. You're stuck with the crazy mom, girlie. 

We are so blessed with family and friends that would take time out of their week to pack our house and celebrate Reese's birthday. 

I didn't plan on opening all the gifts with everyone because if we are all being honest....does anyone like sitting sardine style on a couch watching some kid squirm while the mom opens the gifts? Nope! 

You're welcome.

I am in love with that skirt! She is so girly in it. 

At least someone ate the cupcakes....

Make that 2 someones......

I am one lucky mama. Let's not kid ourselves...there's a whole lot of crazy caged up in that head but every so often I get to let the gate open. 

Love you baby girl. 

Happy Birthday.