Texas Winter for the SAHM

Elijah's Super Hero Birthday

ANd  so it begins.

BOys.
boYS.
BOYS!!!!!

I feel like initiation into the world of being a "Mom of Boys" does not officially begin until your child begins their descent into the all-encompassing, all-consuming, never-ending retina-bleeding world of Super Heroes!!! (Does the Super Hero phase ever end?)

(These pics are not Justin, but taken from dad's from alllll over)

ANYWHO, Elijah asked for a SUPER hero birthday, and being that my husband is the comic-book nerd that he is (or was before he married me, whoops), we went all. out.

I made capes for the kids who came

AND masks! (sparkled-red spiderman for the 2 little girls who came)
(here's the link for the mask template FYI)

Meanwhile, my husband planned the ultimate three-stage obstacle course for the children
(They had to complete all three "Levels" of "Super Hero Training" in order to earn their capes (they earned after Level One), Masks (they earned after completing Level Two) and Medallion (after Level Three)
First Level of Super Hero school:

Second Level: (we had a stuffed cat tied to a rope like a pinata, the kids had to "rescue" the cat by jumping on the trampoline and 'catching'/saving the cat) then go through the cardboard box tunnel

Then the kids had to go "through" the spiderweb maze (string Justin strung up between two cars)

And they had to get to the Spiderman pinata through a couple obstacles and hit the "impostor" spiderman a few times. 

Both our sons loved it.
(My youngest son in the red cape in the front, Elijah dressed as Batman)

And we hope we passed our own initiation into the world of Raising Boys.
Cheers to the next 14plus years of Boyhood.

So it's been 2 years…..

Bueller?…Bueller?

Anyone remember this old girl? Been quiiiiite awhile. 2 years and 2 months to be exact…..but I'm back!!
Truth is--adjusting from ONE to TWO children was more than I bargained for;) ((In the sweetest way of course!) and in the midst of a more-active-than-the-first second-child, I have NOT had time to blog in the past couple years!! But they have been eventful!

Been an eventful two years! Filled with post-partum depression, finding 'relief' through triathlon-training, months of no date or movie nights (we live for movies), the terror of having your Perfect Second Child turn into a Crying Tantrum Machine starting at his first birthday(and still going on that one), the exhaustion of being a 24hour Referee of a never-ending indoor rugby game with snotty short people,  and filled with daddy-son tickle fights as we get to experience the maturation of our youngest's giggle as he went from Baby Blob Soft Giggle, to Talking Baby Solid Giggle, to Hearty all out Mouth Open Wide, Head Flung Back Toddler-giggle. To having now, TWO "Angry Elfs" around dinner time (I lovingly say to my children "Oh He's an Angry Elf" when there's crankiness/sass....they will probably develop a Christmas-movie Complex). To crying with my husband, yelling at my husband, laughing with utter perfect delight with my husband over our, now two, children. To the joys of seeing sibling love blossom into my greatest accomplishment.

There are days I wake up and just think....Am I really old enough to be doing this?! Is this some kind of mistake? Me? Responsible for keeping not only plants but real people alive?

The adventure continues.


Missed ya'll. Hope 2012-2014 was filled with lots of love for you as well.

The Commercial

So....we were in a Honda commercial!! Huge thanks to obviously God's sovereignty. Yes that. Also huge thanks to Burton Casting in Austin, TX! Also Thanks to director Frank Todaro with Moxie Pictures. And thanks to my mom, for watching the kids!

The concept is two "hipster" couples leaving 1) ACL and set out on 2)Austin adventures in their new 3) 2014 Honda CRV. All of these things are things that I LOOOOOOVE! (and until the night before filming, the four actors were NOT told it was for Honda, it ended up being a surprise--I DRIVE a CRV heh heh;)

(Justin and his "Stunt Double". I can't get enough of this photo--Jeff Schwann did all the driving for the commercial, though Justin did get to drive at the end!)

Elijah's Pirate Birthday

Age 3 was the year Elijah could really and genuinely decide what "kind" of bday party he wanted.
To be honest, I have kindof loved that he has been obsessed with pirates. Pirates have somehow, for some reason become "cute"

 But let's be honest, historically if we are being honest with our kids, pirates were

Luckily, no one in my family has asked for a historically accurate explanation of who or what pirates are, so Pirate Party it is.

We did easy "rainbow" fruit spears (strawberry, melon, pinapple, grapes and blueberries), easy bannana breads with whipped cream, blue jello (with pirate boat toothpicks) & I tried my best at a "skittle cake" which was requested.

 (This "kid" cake kindof felt like one of those "Pinterest Fail" memes you see...I'm  not quite the baker)

But we had fun!
Everyone was given a mustache and encouraged to come dressed

That creepy man would happen to be my husband. My spouse. The One I Chose. 

The man never broke character. He called it his "Daniel Day Louis" performance, and used a pirate accent the entire party....it wasn't until the end Elijah realized the pirate was his own father ;)

(my life shall never be boring! if you're single, #marryafunnyman , it pays off in the end;) )

We did a Pirate Scavenger Hunt, where the kids had to find the coins in the yard, and were given a toy "treasure chest" with little pirate-themed toys as they completed their hunt. (They had to "walk the plank" to their scavenger hunt)

 All in a day's fun!!

Thanks to all who came!