Brownie Biscuit

I'm sure you're wondering what the hell is a brownie biscuit. It surely isn't food. That would be just a little nasty. Little Dude has a Webkinz Jr. monkey. His name is Brownie Biscuit.

Brownie Biscuit is starting to look a little sad around the edges. His tail no longer curls. He can no longer sit unassisted. He is definitely well loved. So well loved that we have to celebrate his birthday. This little tidbit of information was sprung on my out of nowhere the other day.

Since Little Dude was so excited about his monkey's birthday, I had to get in on it. I told him we would pull out the Easy Bake oven and make some cakes. I would like to point out that is the Easy Bake oven was really "easy', it wouldn't have taken us an hour to bake those cakes!

But in the end it was worth it. And from what I was told, the cakes were really good. I didn't get a bite.

Until next time...

Balls and Cones

Yesterday was yet another hot day. Mother Nature teased us by filling the skies with clouds. I wasn't sure if it would ever rain, but I didn't want to be stuck at the pool if it did. After Little Dude got home from his summer camp, I decided to surprise the kids with mini golf. It is something Little Dude has never and GG probably doesn't remember her last time. She was only three.

They had no idea where we were going until we pulled into the parking lot. Thank goodness the car windows were down or else their shrieks might have cracked them!

I was worried at first. Little Dude is pretty good at hockey an he loves slap shots. I immediately explained that we do not hit the ball hard. I really didn't want to pay for a lost ball. Luckily he took my advice, but I still cringed every time he got ready to swing. Have you ever seen Happy Gilmore? That is the stance Little Dude took when it was his turn to golf.

I admit none of us were very good, so I chose not to keep score. Neither child started a fight. In fact, they happily took turns putting their balls. It was like the Twilight zone!

Completing all 18 holes didn't take nearly as long as I expected so I decided to treat them once again. Before we made the trip to get the husband from work, we stopped at Bruester's for some ice cream.

Little Dude got a dirt sundae, which he did not like because it was crunchy. Although he licked the bowl clean.

GG got a cone with a huge scoop of mint chocolate chip. At first I thought she was really hungry because she was eating it so fast.

Then I got my cone topped with chocolate raspberry truffle (yum!!). I quickly learned that, even in the shade, ice cream melts fast when it's 90 degrees!


I can't tell you how many times each child thanked me. Our summer isn't exactly going as I planned, but if it continues to be full of days like yesterday, I will take it!



Until next time...

Rockin' my babies

My fabulous friend Shell from Things I Can't Say recently hosted a Rockin' the Bump meme. I, unfortunately, did not participate since I am usually the one behind the camera. With how big I was with Little Dude, that was probably a good thing!

Since the event was such a huge success, she has decided to follow up with

Who doesn't love to share baby pictures?!

GG, our first, was born in a rather traumatic fashion. At least for me. Quick delivery would be an understatement! Even though I may have been mentally scarred, she came into the world perfectly fine at just over 7 pounds.

2 months

However, that teeny, perfect sized baby did not last long. At her first doctor appointment at 4 weeks, she weighed in at 12 pounds. And she continued to pack on the rolls as the months went by.

7 months

I have to point out that after seeing a the above picture, a former co-worker honestly thought I put rubber bands on her arms. No, my dear, she was just my not-so-little chunky monkey!


A few years later we added Little Dude to our then family of 3. Thankfully he granted me with a little more time with his delivery, but I still wasn't able to get a damn epidural!

3 weeks

He entered the world just a little over 8 pounds. Because of that I expected to raise another chunky monkey.

Little Dude was such a happy baby. Just as we did with his sister, we had to instill some important values.

6 months

Even though he never acquired the rolls as his sister did, that didn't mean the boy didn't know the proper way to eat a cupcake!

Happy 1st birthday!

If you have pictures to share, head on over and link up with Shell. I just hope you don't have the same problems I did. Little Dude suffers from 2nd child syndrome with his lack of pictures. And baby book, but we don't need to discuss that issue right now, do we?


Until next time...

Red mohawks and a walk

If you read yesterday's post, than you already know that the 4th of July is a busy holiday for us.

On the 4th itself, things really get busy. Especially this year.

Of course we all don our red, white, and blue. Little Dude wanted his hair sprayed red and blue again this year. Thankfully GG opted out of it. Last year, the red stained her hair for 2 months!









Along with the spray colors, Little Dude also wanted a mohawk. Surprising it held up most of the day! Please don't ask why he looks stoned in this picture. He has the same look in almost all pictures I take!

This year was especially busy because we were walking in the parade with the Girl Scouts. Little Dude was supposed to try and walk with the anti-bully group for the schools, but he somehow managed to stay with us girls.

While I walked with our troop and our lovely float built around a stroller

Little Dude took a ride in the van. The whole entire route!

After we successfully walked (and rode through) the parade, we made the trek back home for lunch. I had to make a quick trip to my mom's before heading to a picnic at a friend's house. I think this is a picnic we might have to go to every year. Both of my kids had friends there, as did I. As well as good food and good drinks! Everyone needs a little whipped cream vodka for the holidays!

As the sun began to set behind the storm clouds, a friend and I, with our 5 collective kids in tow, began our walk uphill to the high school stadium for the firework display. We found a good spot where everyone could see and my friend's stroller was easily accessible. As soon as a drum and bugle corps began to play, the sky opened up. For the second night in a row, we were caught in the rain. Thankfully my friend's husband, who volunteers for the 4th of July committee, was there. He found us a nice dry spot in the press box to wait out the storm.

The rain finally stopped and it only delayed the start of the fireworks by 10 minutes. We found a new spot to sit and waited for the show to start. It was well worth the wait!

Yes, this is a firework!
Pretty awesome, right?!

Wordful Wednesday by

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Until next time...

The battle has begun

What a crazy weekend, as the 4th usually is! We could all use an extra day just to catch up on sleep. I know it won't happen, but at least it's a sign that the weekend was a fun one.

Saturday was just a bunch of running around, but Sunday is when the real fun started. After visiting my in-laws, I took the kids to the local Street Fair.

Our street fair isn't anything huge, but it's fun. Each of my kids got a free airbrush tattoo as well as a turn in the bounce house. I "treated' them to free hot dogs and free cotton candy. Free is good. After visiting the vendors I took them to the police station to find a spot on the curb to watch the Battle of the Barrel.

Every year someone asks what this Battle is exactly. Local fire departments gather and have a battle. A barrel is strung up in the middle of the street. Using their hoses, the teams of firemen (and women) they try to push the barrel to the other side of the wire.

Kids gather on the sides of the street to watch knowing full well they will get soaked to the core. Many of my friends we passed along the way asked if I was taking the kids to the pool because they were each carrying a towel. No pool, we're just pros at this battle thing. We come prepared!

Well, almost fully prepared. I failed to check the weather before we left because I was under the assumption it was going to be a gorgeous night. We all know what happens when one assumes, right? In the end, I was just as wet as the kids - them from the hoses, me from Mother Nature.

Rain was a running theme throughout the holiday. Thankfully it held off for the parade the following morning. The rain held out long enough to almost ruin the fireworks.

I'll share more about that tomorrow. Right now, I think I need a nap.


I hope you had a good holiday!

Until next time...