Mason is 5!!!!!

WOW... what can I say... other than... I SUCK.  I suck at blogging.  Let's be honest here.  I make these promises to do this more often... and I just can't do it.

I have excuses... I promise.  LIFE.. kids.. volunteer work... kids... extra curricular activities... kids... my sister getting married... kids.  

And... I SUCK so bad at this because I started this blog 2 days ago and am now just sitting down trying to finish it.

Geesh... when will I find time to do things???  (Alas... it is 3 weeks later... and now I am finishing this up... while the piano tuner works on the piano and I have some time to kill!)

So I know I posted a lovely blog about Gabriella's 7th birthday party.  Now here is tribute to Mason's Magical 5th birthday.  Yes... we had a magician and all at the party! 

It's my birthday!?  You have to be kidding me!

A magic themed party on St. Patrick's Day

(magic hats are ready!)

Pin the Want on the Magician!

Prizes for the games (Mason decorated his own wrapping paper) and magician wands for all of the kiddos. (And yes... they turned in to weapons about 2 second after handing them out to all of the boys!)

His hair is dyed... he has his Irish skeleton shirt on... he's ready to party!

Bashful Gabby is ready too!

the spread for the magic show!

The delicious cake!

Killing time before the magician comes and making magical four leaf clovers.

Gabby and Brooklynn

Waiting for the show to start!

I got my plate of naughty food!

Christopher the Magician is here!!

and Mason asked for his friend Jack to spend the night.  Here are the super dudes watching a movie and snacking on popcorn!

I can't believe this little man is 5 years old... and starting kindergarten soon.  Sniff... they grow far too fast.

WAIT... WHAT??? Gabriella is 7!

Yes... that is right... I am in SHOCK. My sweet little Gabriella turned 7 this past February. My little girl who belted out songs like "Upside Down" by Jack Johnson at the top of her lungs (UUUUSiiiiiiiiiide Dowyun).... or told me she would "go poopoo potty when move uh Serisona" (I will go poopoo in the potty when we move to Arizona). Or my baby that loved to drink boobie all night and sleep all day... even up until she was 8 months old. The memories of shoveling spoonfuls of baby food into her mouth while she sat mesmerized watching "Muppets from Outer Space" or listened to the ever famous "My Dog Treed a Rabbit" (???????)

The past 7 years have flown by. I no longer have a little baby that drinks boobie, or toddler that belts songs at the top of her lungs. Gone are the days of Care Bears and My Little Ponies (sniff) and frilly dresses and everything Disney Princess. Oh no... those days are long gone and I terribly miss them and mourn their loss. However, I absolutely LOVE the girl my daughter is becoming. She is strong willed, stubborn, opinionated, sassy and completely amazing... caring, thoughtful, kind, loving... just plain awesome.

So what better way to celebrate the way I feel about Gabriella than to throw her a fun-filled birthday party!?!?

She hosted her first ever slumber party... and thus the theme was "sleep over"!

The following are some pictures... a few I took, and the others my good friend Ragan Wadsworth took. Enjoy!


The day she turned 7 she was out of school... so off to the hair salon we went for a new do. Here is the before picture...



Nothing like getting your hair washed by the ever so amazing Monique!



And the after... the final product with Monique!



After that we were off for a pedicure. Gabriella's friend got to spend the day of pampering and errand running with us as well.


After all of the pampering and errands were done... we arrived home for the party to begin!

Here is the birthday invite I made for all of the girls!



The envelope was a sleeping bag! (Thank you Courtney for allowing me to use your sewing machine!)




A very important accessory to any sleep over... sleep masks. Gabby's friend graciously modeled for us!

Even the girls who weren't able to spend the night took home a sleep mask as well as a box of cereal for the next morning! The girls who stayed the night were able to eat their box of cereal the following morning!

I made each girl their very own special spoon to go along with the heart bowls. Ragan Wadsworth

Lots of bowls for lots of girls (18 to be exact) Ragan Wadsworth

The table looked like a queen size bed. Thank you Lori for lending me the foot board to make into a headboard!

The party girls... crazy faces! Thanks Ragan for the awesome picture!

Another Ragan picture... my sweet Gabby!

Talk about an awesome cake! It was pretty nummy too! Thanks Two Stirs and a Lick Bakery for this delectable delight!

Make a wish! (Ragan pic)

Thanks for this awesome picture Ragan... I love it and had to share it!

Gabriella in her element! (Thanks for this beautiful picture Ragan!)

A craft and two games later... (painting sun catchers, playing charades and having a scavenger hunt) it was...

Time for presents! (Ragan pic)

and then Jacuzzi time! (Ragan pic)

popcorn and movie time... (Ragan pic)

brush your teeth time (Ragan pic)

and the next morning was cereal time!

after cereal... JUST DANCE time!

So... we had A LOT of fun. It was a lot of work... but worth every ounce of my time knowing that my sweet girl was having the time of her life with those special girls she calls "friends"!!!

It's been a while

It's been a while... wouldn't you say? Notice the name change... yes that is right my friends... this blog will suffice at my feeble attempt to, well... keep it real.

Keepin' it real... what exactly does that mean, entail you ask my dear reader? Well! Let me tell you... It will be my attempt to be transparent, say what is on my mind, in my heart. Be as honest and open as possible. As forth coming as I can... while on this journey of motherhood, marriage, friendship, etc. This blog will here on out be dedicated to REAL.

Gag me with a spoon with all of the blogs out there of "Supermoms" documenting their every move at succeeding in what I think is impossible :doing it all :). Oh yes... I did it... I rained on their pretty little parades and called all of those so-called blogging "Supermoms" liars.

I mean really... REALLY...

Answer me this Supermoms: while your child is throwing a fit in the grocery store are you calmly explaining the rationale to your three year old about the unacceptable behavior while keeping that pretty little smiled pursed across your lips? While you are making your organic, home grown meals five times daily, do your children actually leave you alone and allow you to get everything done?... Oh wait... no they probably don't leave you alone, as children need you more when you are cooking dinner than at any other time during the day... but you have a system in place to occupy them while you cook. Need they interact with you, you always have a free, steady arm to give that loving hug. Oh... and all of the homemade crafts, projects, games that you create in your spare time to teach and occupy your little lovebug(s) during their every waking moment... where DO you find the time?


I am sorry, but I just can't take it anymore. I am sick of feeling like a bad mom after I read these blogs. I don't have a meal cooked for my work enslaved husband every day. I don't keep a clean house every day. I don't make crafts and projects for my kids to do every day. Hell... I don't even get dressed every day :). When I get on a computer, the last thing I want to do is read about how someone ... again... manages to "do it all"... and stay sane and happy to boot while doing it.

To all you Supermoms... take your pictures of every single freaking thing you do with your child during the day, from the meals you eat to the crafts you make to the games you play. Don't stop there... please... why don't you take a picture of the bowel movements as well... that will ensure your post/blog comes full circle!

Get the picture my friends? Get my point my friends? I am sick of the fake bloggers out there... plain... and... simple :)


At the end of the day my family knows that I love them. They know I would do just about anything for them. But... they also know I am a little bit selfish and keep just a little piece of me tucked away for... well... me :) Some days I don't cook... I say "Fend for yourself family". Some days I have every intention of doing a craft with my children... but guess what we just don't get around to it. But... every day... regardless of my mood, their mood, our short comings, our faults... I tell each and every one of my family members that I love them... and I mean it :)


I am becoming to realize that it isn't about how much I do, how much I have, how clean my house is... it is about the TIME spent with my family. From cuddling on the couch, to taking a walk, to playing a board game... to just talking... that is the MOST important gift I can give my family... my time. We are never guaranteed tomorrow... and thus the only thing that matters is what I choose to do today. Making sure that healthy meal gets made, or that the house is spic and span, or that my children explored their sensory ridden world is not a priority to me... at all.


Ok... enough of my soap box. Want to see a sneak peak of the awesome birthday party we had for Gabby? Oh yes... I worked my arse off... oh yes I was stressed... oh yes I thought to myself mid party "What the H. E. double hockey sticks did I get myself into?"... but through all the chaos, loudness and craziness... it was worth it as Gabriella deemed it the best birthday yet! For those of you who don't know... if there is one thing that I DO like to do... it is throw one heck of a party!

hmmm... can you tell what kind of party it was!?