we ain't scared: cupcakes & monster trucks

we've been to birthday parties with magicians, pony rides & a six foot tall mouse {ugh...chuck e. cheese}, but we've NEVER been to a birthday party with a monster truck...until now. on saturday, we attended a sweet boy's third birthday party. his parents are dear friends of ours & we were so glad we were able to join in on the fun {the party was supposed to be LAST weekend, but we all know how that turned out...*cough*irene*cough*}. 

the kids took a ride in the truck. the driver took them around the yard. i totally thought that my son would be stoked about the monster truck. nope! aidan opted to keep swimming in the pool {with two pretty girls, of course!}, but malia dried off, put on her flip flops & got on board! she said it was the neatest thing ever!

there was even a junk car, er, truck to crush. later on in the afternoon, the driver took the big kids {a.k.a. most of the husbands} for a ride and really crushed the truck. i don't know who was more excited about the monster truck: the kids or the husbands!

and, because the birthday party had been pushed back a week due to weather, i was asked to bake cupcakes for the big day. i wish i could say the cake & frosting were made from scratch, but they weren't. of course, i made one hundred cupcakes, so i think going the box mix, canned frosting route was perfectly acceptable! {i ended up using five cake mixes - two yellow, two chocolate fudge, one white - and nine cans of frosting - eight buttercream, one chocolate.}

the birthday boy's favorite monster truck is grave digger, so i colored the frosting green, used purple & black sugar & silver jimmies as decoration. this was also my first attempt at making cupcake picks. they're not the greatest, but i still think they turned out well.

and, can you believe that i hate to frost cupcakes {and cakes, too, for that matter}?? frosting is my least favorite thing about baking. i just don't do it well. i purchased a star tip & some disposable pastry bags which helped me do a much better job than i normally would.

i wish i took a picture of his birthday cake. yes, even after baking 100 cupcakes, i made the birthday boy a small, personal sized cake. i colored the batter & the cake was green, purple & gray {for grave digger, of course!}. 

and, much to my surprise, every cupcake was eaten!

overall, the party was a lot of fun! the birthday boy had a blast, we got to hang out with great friends & there was a smile on every child's face. we can't wait to see how the birthday boy celebrates his big day next year! 

The Voice of Reason

Said no. Or, that I shouldn't.

http://www.cache.com/cache/control/product/~category_id=0120/~product_id=05044B22040411

It's so pretty...and it looks so good on. And it only needs minor alterations (the straps would need to be taken in just a bit so it's an easy alteration). And it would work with my black peep toe pumps and black clutch.

Needless to say, I decided NOT to have my ball gown altered & dry cleaned on the fly -- the price alone (which I'm not even sure of) scares me. I mean, to rush something like that would cost extra. There's no doubt in my mind about that.

So, for now I'm going to drop my other two dresses off at the dry cleaners and just go with it. I have a feeling I'll purchase the dress despite what my voice of reason says...maybe. We'll see.

Don't be hatin'!

That's right.

In 18 days, I'll be here:

That's a picture I took from one of my last visits to the Hilton Cancun Golf & Spa Resort. It's from 2005, so the hotel has changed a little bit since then. Adam and I spent one drunken night there this past September when we visited his father for the day since we were all in Mexico at the same time. While Adam and I prefer spending our days on the beach in Playa del Carmen (about 45 minutes south of Cancun), I am no dummy and will NOT pass up a free vacation -- well, mini vacation (we're only going for the weekend).

I'm excited about this impromptu trip. Adam and I just cancelled our March Mexico trip. We just couldn't swing it with work, finances, etc...well, we COULD, but work would have been the problem. But, like they say, when one door closes, another one opens and, in this case, when one vacation is cancelled, another one is booked! :)

I have a feeling that Adam and I will be heading south for a day while we're down there. We can't go to Mexico without saying HOLA to our friends in Playa del Carmen...not when we would be so close. I'm just excited to get away. The trip is just FOUR days after our anniversary (aww) and we'll be going with Adam's father (he's the best!) and our friends, Catrina & Fred (their first visit to Mexico ever!).

Yikes...I guess now it's time to do my water fast, exercise a little and figure out all I'm going to cram in my carry-on. :)

Me so sleepy...

I can't believe I'm already up -- it's just after 7am on a Saturday! I can hear Aidan in my room watching TV already, too.

I was in Elizabeth City, NC last night at ECSU tending bar at a Ducks Unlimited banquet.

http://www.dailyadvance.com/photos-and-video/see-photos-from-the-nc-ducks-unlimited-annual-membership-banquet-420120.html?slidshow=slideshowImage&slidNo=12 (I didn't realize there were pictures already! Ha...I can't tell you who some of these guys are by name, but I can tell who they are by their drink!)

It's my third year and every year it just gets better. Everyone is just so nice. The food is great -- catered by Kelly's from the Outer Banks. It's just a really great time!

Anyway, I usually just stay the night in Elizabeth City -- we have family there. But, this year, I had to drive home afterwards because Adam has to work today -- well, I should say IS working today (he left about a half hour ago). I woke up when he kissed me good-bye and now here I am -- wide awake. I guess there's no better time than now to go ahead and start my day. :)

Ho Ho Ho-liday break

Today is a half-day for the kids (but, of course, each child will go to his/her respective after-school care program since I'm at the office)...the day is filled with parties, food, sugar, movies and fun. Both kids were so excited this morning to get up for school...if only every morning could be like that.

Yes, folks, today is the last day of school before the holiday break. My kids attend a year-round elementary school so, unlike their standard calendar counterparts who have a full day today, they get out early and start their break a bit earlier. Much to my dismay, they don't return to school for a full MONTH. Yes, a month. M & A head back to class on January 20th.

I can already tell you that by this time next week I'll be very ready for school to be back in session again. Very ready.

Ho ho ho...and stuff...

It's bad enough that the radio is already playing holiday music and Santa Claus is already parked in center court at MacArthur Mall.................but I can totally feel my heartstrings being tugged by all things Christmas. As much as the Grinch in me wants to deny it, I need to just face it and realize that the holidays are coming in full force whether I'm ready or not.

Much to my surprise, I've already started shopping for a few gifts here and there. I'm also already thinking about what we'll wear for a family picture AND what kind of pajamas I will get the kids for their annual picture in front of the tree. Heck, I even bought some clear glass ornaments from Michael's to paint, but that is a different blog entry. :)

Every year since Aidan was born (except for 2006 because momma had a brain burp), the kids have worn matching Christmas-themed pajamas and had their picture taken in them. The picture always wound up on our Christmas card for that year.

2003:

2004:

2005:

Wouldn't ya know...the 2006 and 2007 pictures are on the laptop and the laptop is conviently located at the office.

Anyway, it's time to start looking for this years pajama sets so after I hit "Publish Post" I will be on my way to Gymboree's website and Hanna Andersson's website. MAYBE I'll check out The Children's Place, but I am pretty certain I'll find what I need at Gymboree. It's been far too long since I've shopped there and, if I remember correctly, they participate with Ebates!

P.S. Stay on the lookout for my post tomorrow about Ebates...I just received my first "Big Fat Check" in the mail and I made a copy as proof! $76 sent back to me just from shopping online. Yee haw!

The whirlwind wedding weekend is over!

Whew...try saying whirlwind wedding weekend three times fast...I had issues just typing it!

Things turned out for the good...the weather cleared and up we saw the sun, the ceremony was short & sweet, the food at the reception was good, drinks were a-flowin' and my hair didn't loose it's oomph! Yay!