Mommy Monday {yes, on a Tuesday}

Happy Tuesday friends!!

Yesterday I was so busy organizing and working on our taxes, thanks to a little help from my mother in law who played with the kids for the afternoon.

I am loving the extra sunshine around these parts.  It may only be in the 30's but when the sun is shining, life is so much better! I feel like Spring is trying so hard to come out and play.

I forgot to share a few blurry pictures from our Valentine's night.

The boys loved their cupcakes!

Last week I took the kids to an indoor play cafe and we had fun! It was nice to let them run and have free reign of the whole area.  It's amazing how much they've grown in the past few months.

There was a little kinetic sand table that they enjoyed.

Water play was a little wet, but they really loved it.

His hair was at the point where we really needed to cut it.

Little dude looked like an 80's hair band lead singer.

They split the most perfect grilled cheese sandwich and sat so well; I was super impressed!

Friday morning we headed to breakfast at a little diner, and since little man was all over the place, I said let's just do it.  Let's go get his haircut!!

So we did.

I'll spare you all the screaming and crying videos/photos, but the after photos are priceless.

SO MUCH HAIR!!

Our little stud muffin.

Saturday brought warm weather and we took a little trip out for a trunk show; it was great that I could reconnect with my old babysitter, the kids played with a new little friend and I was able to work my biz!

Sunday was still pretty nice out, so they played on the back deck for a bit.

After naps I took them to a small playground, but it started to get chilly and windy pretty fast.

He of course found the puddles to jump and splash in.

It makes me wish Spring and Summer would hurry!

February always bring forth a bit of a funk for me; I wish I recognized it sooner, but unfortunately sometimes you just go and go and go, until you hit a wall.  I think it's a combination of the lack of sunshine, cold weather and just being cooped up.

I realized we haven't had many date nights scheduled and we seem to work a lot; and although we both enjoy working and it's fun to us, it's time to prioritize and put some real relaxation and time into us.  Plus having a two year old and a four year old doesn't always leave a lot of room for adult only conversations and such.  It's a big old balance with everything, but you have got to find what matters most and work on that. 

Next year I told Joe that we will book a vacation to some place warm for February break.  I don't care where, but we need to get out of town!  We are currently trying to find a place to stay in July, as we'd like to go to the ADK mountains again.  We stayed at a hotel both times before and were interested in trying a house, but I think we may have missed the boat on that one.  Most places are all booked up it seems!  I'm sure it will all work out, but this family of four needs some family time and to get away; it's been 2 years come July since we did that.

What do you do to help get out of February Funk?

Weekend Highlights

We had a such a good little weekend!! I brought up this table my mom had bought the kids last year for Christmas, and the kids are loving it.  Brooke even said, "It's like a new house." It's funny how one little change can really make such a difference.

Friday we had a mommy/daughter morning.  I had to get my brows done and she loves coming with me.

Don't you just love her little shirt my friend Rachel made?

After my brow appointment we stopped at Barnes and Noble.  She had her eye on a cookie brownie and some chocolate milk.

As we sipped our drinks, we talked about who "all these guys were" and then the whole concept of heaven came up.  Not exactly easy to explain to a 4 year old, but it's one of those mommy moments where I will remember this conversation and little date forever.

I picked up a book for the kids and these two for myself.  I've started them both and really like them!  I was shocked to see a Think and Grow Rich for Women, as I have been dutifully listening to the original one lately and was kind of laughing at how it is kind of sexist.  However since I am not a #feminist, I don't take offense.  I understand that during the time in which this written, it's just the way things where.  However, it was refreshing to see that someone took the time to take the amazing information presented in this classic, and put a feminine twist to it.   Men and women are different and I look forward to reading this one for sure!

Present over Perfect has been on my list forever, but I finally had the real urge to buy it.  I've gotten about 60 pages into it and can definitely relate to some of the things she mentions, but at the same time I think since I met Joe, I have done a much better job at living in the moment and not rushing through life.  He taught me since our first date to enjoy every moment together and that even though life may not be perfect, we can always be looking for the good in all things... 

More to come on these; I will give more of a review!

Saturday brought laser tag, which I will fully admit I wasn't exactly looking forward to.  We were invited to a birthday party for one of the guys Joe works with, and I definitely looked forward to seeing everyone and hanging out.  I envisioned myself getting shot and then sitting out right away. I have never been the girl who wanted to play; I remember sitting out during these games many times when I was younger.  But this is my year of "yes" and well, back to Joe, he always pushes me to try new things.

I. Had. A. BALL!!!

I couldn't believe how fun it was to chase people and shoot with lasers!! I was so out of breath and really sweaty, I can't imagine how many calories I burned! LOL

If you have laser tag in your area, you must go do it. 

We also signed up for a game of Cyber Sport which was riding around in a bumper car thing and then trying to shoot and score with a lacrosse type of equipment.  Hilarious!

It was such a fun night out with friends and just being with adults!

Sunday morning brought yummy breakfasts...hubby gets his in bed.

After breakfast I slipped back under the covers for a few minutes.  I tried to watch Food Network, but the next thing I knew, Bradley boo came back in and wanted to watch Scooby Do



We did watch this as a family and oh my gosh, it's so good!! The kids and Joe have watched it like 3 other times and Brooke claims it is her favorite movie.   I just loved the themes...no one can make you happy; happiness is a choice and it lies within ourselves.



Kids played with some play-doh at their table while dinner cooked in the slow cooker.

The fire was going all day and I really didn't do much at all, which is why I have so much laundry and cleaning to catch up on for today...

But again, this book kind of highlights where we as mommas especially, need to slow down.  I tried not to "fake rest" too much.  That's right. You know where you say you're relaxing, but really you're still doing the dishes, folding the laundry, cleaning up after the kids....that is not resting.  It's what we have to do in the stage we are at (needy kids at 2 & 4) but once in while we really. really. really. need to rest.

I'm looking for a good fiction book recommendation, anyone have any?

Have a fabulous Monday! 

Mommy Monday

Lil Miss and I had a mommy & me morning last Friday.  I went to get my brows waxed and she loves coming with me.  Afterwards I spoiled her with a cake pop and she was in lollipop heaven with her blue sucker too!

After that we hit up Party City to check out any last minute party supplies and then met up with Daddy and brother at the mall. It was a such a fun morning!

Saturday my girlfriend Kristin came over to help me decorate for the kids' party which was on Sunday.  We were so impressed with how well it turned out!

The sign said "Aloha" so we obvi changed it to Rio.  Thank you again Kristin!

Birds, bright colored flowers, primary colored balloons and streamers were just enough to make it feel like a festive little area.

Most of our budget went into the cake, (which I still cringe over) BUT it came out adorable and everyone (and then some!) enjoyed it.

I have tons of photos, but I of course need time to upload them ;)  Here is one of my favorites, of my two.  They've been dying to get their fingers into ring pops, so I finally caved and let them have some for the party.  Hence their blue and green mouths.  Ya only turn 2 and 4 once and we still had a fantastic meet up with the dentist this morning, so I'm rolling with it.

Brooke & Bradley, I love you more than you'll ever know; you two have so much spunk, personality, creativity, joy, love and life---I need to constantly stop and thank my lucky stars all throughout the day, for a perfect pair like you.

I hope you had so much fun during your party; I had so much fun getting ready for it.  Love you!!