A Very Special Steelers Fan

A very big and sentimental package arrived from Grammie King yesterday. I didn't show the kids it right away (as I'd normally do) because inside I found candy (of course) that was not good timing and a gorgeous football helmet that I didn't want anyone to touch! So I waited. This is a helmet Rob had as a child that was kept in fantastic condition. Grammie King sent the helmet for Austin but implied it should be kept in a safe place - I totally agree! He'll never be allowed to play with it unsupervised! Tonight, Rob gave Austin the helmet. This is super sentimental. This belonged to Rob as a child and the icing on the cake?.......It's a STEELERS helmet! What could be better then a 70's something Steelers helmet. So although it is fun and fabulous, up on the bookshelf it will now sit. 

Don't you just want to eat him alive, he is so cute??

I'm really in love with this helmet and so glad Grammie sent it. I love how sentimental she is (just like me!). We will find a wonderful place to put it in the house. it will definitely become a centerpiece around here. Thank you, Grammie!  All of the helmet/gift pics are posted to the right. 

Positive Parenting - Oxymoron?

In my constant struggle to be a better mom, I have been taking parenting classes with an awesome "coach"- Amy McCready- here in Raleigh. She is the founder of Positive Parenting Solutions. A friend of mine suggested Amy to me (I guess I looked like I needed help???) and her classes and techniques have changed our whole house.  And now it seems everyone else is discovering her too! Amy was quoted in the New York Times in an article about spanking/yelling. Here is the article.

Since that article, Amy has been sharing her wisdom everywhere! She's being interviewed by MSNBC, CBS and Fox. I'm so excited for her! She has online courses and I highly recommend them to EVERY parent. Check her our...you won't regret it!

Here are a couple of videos of her recent interviews.
Fox:
http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/27046248/troubling-trend.htm#q=spanking

MSNBC:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Madeleine the Yogi

Found out two things today.
1) Madeleine likes yoga.
2) Madeleine is really good at yoga!

Boo

We had an impromptu Halloweeny/Crafty playdate this week. Because that is what stay-at-home-mom's do, right? Tracy, Jess, Natalia and all the kids gathered around to make door hangers and monster puppets. None of us could figure out how to make these Witch-Doorhangers (even though it said 4+ on it!) so off went the kids to play and out came the wine while Tracy pretty much did hers and mine. She's easy to pay off with white wine. However, she offers no guarantee the product will pass inspection.

Craft #2 - cookies! I had a great idea that we would use cookie cutters and halloween shapes but it was such chaos in the kitchen (wine may have added to the chaos) that I just plopped the cookies in the oven and forgot the shapes. Kids didn't even care anyway! Jess brought all the cool cookie decorations and the kids did love this craft more that the witches.

 

Then craft #3 - Monster Puppets!  Once again Camp Counselor Tracy made this more fun with cut-out idea. I think this was the kids favorite because they wanted to do a puppet show after. They were acting so cute.

All of the photos are posted to the right in the photo links....

We Can Dance If We Want To...

...we can leave your friends behind! 'Cause your friends don't dance, and if they don't dance, then they're no friends of mine".   Good, now you have this song in your head too!

Madeleine's dance school had a "bring a friend to dance class" week so we invited Abbie T. and Abby K.

Kendall, Austin and Lindsay wanted in on the action too so Abbie gave them a quick rundown of what she had just learned.

Birthday Extravaganza Part 3

Opening Presents. This has to be kept separate from the actual birthday because it's too overwhelming for Austin (and us). Austin got a ton of cool boy stuff (which he so desperately needed). So many presents, in fact, we are cleaning out the toy room and donating all of his old toys to charity.

Four of the cooler presents:

Birthday Extravaganza (Part 2)

This year I decided to have his "friend" party at Jumping Beans in Wake Forest. This boy has so many friends and the thought of having everyone to the house exhausted me. Jumping Beans is a very fun place for the kids to run around, jump, act like total loons and then pass out. And I didn't have to do a thing!

Pizza! One of few foods the kids would all sit nicely together for. 

Austin examining the three candles. Counting on his fingers just to double check he wasn't jipped. 

Everyone jumped until they were sweaty. Not the clearest pictures but that is because the kids need a safety net to keep THEM from literally crashing into US! 

A few of the adults have an AWESOME time. They are so, so excited to be there. I mean, their excitement was electrifying. Rob was even giving me a secret message about how much fun he was having. 

Bling. Austin apparently didn't get the memo that those were for the girls. 

And this is how it ends. Almost always. 

Birthday Extravaganza (Part 1)

As usual in this family, birthday's tend to get drawn out for a week of celebrations instead of just one quick day. It is fun, but exhausting! Austin turned 3 with a bang. We started out at our local Fire Station's Family Open House Day. I'm sure he thought it was pretty cool we had such a great big party for him with fire trucks. I didn't want to ruin my hero-mommy status so I let him believe it.

Panther's Win. You're Welcome.

The Carolina Panthers had yet to win this season. Some may say it is because, well, they SUCK. I however believe it is simply because I had not been attending the games. They needed my bright, sunshiny spirit in attendance. What's that? No, I am not kidding! I am officially the good luck charm of the Carolina Panthers. You're welcome!

PANTHERS 20, REDSKINS 17

Even "Sir Purr" who has't graced our section in the EIGHT years we've sitting in these seats decided to come say hello. Again, you're welcome.

Checkout the scoreboard. What do you mean you can't see the score? See, it's that teensy, weensey little section smothered in between all those giant ads. You only get to see if for a second though then it goes down and replaced by another ad. Eh, who needs to know the score anyway. I'll just check my iPhone. 

U2 360

Rob and I went to see the infamous U2 360 World Tour that stopped in little old Raleigh. I have terrible photos of it not even worth posting but I swear we were there!  However, many ticket holders apparently were NOT there. As they tried to park, the attendants (NC State Troopers) said they were full, to go home and try again next  year. What the what??? Can you believe that nonsense? Ah, sometimes Raleigh surprises me by getting U2 here and other times, good old back country Raleigh rears it's ugly head. 

Happy Birthday Cool Dude

Three years ago today (at 10:34 AM) Austin Robert joined the family.

Almost makes me want another one.

Ha, ha, ha, no. Totally kidding!

Madeleine learned early on how to push Austin around. She's still doing it 3 years later!

How he made it home from the hospital. He must of been confused from the very beginning (which would explain a lot actually).

And now we have this super cool dude that completes our family. 

Happy Birthday little man. Can't wait to see what you bring in the next year!