Rockin' the 80's!

So, my b-day is Monday. I turn 35. I swear it was yesterday when I was turning 25. I could ask where the time went but I know where it went. Lots of good times, a wedding, a lost pregnancy, infertility, & then triplets. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

To celebrate, we are taking a dinner cruise. The theme? The 80's. I grew up in the 80's. I heart the 80's. I heart the music, the style, the movies, the actors (Poor Corey Haim. May he rest in peace, finally.), the rollerskating, everything.

The movies...Stand By Me, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, The Goonies, The Lost Boys, Girls Just Want to have Fun, Adventures in Babysitting, Some Kind of Wonderful, Can't Buy Me Love, E.T., 2 Star Wars movies, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Dirty Dancing, Ghostbusters, Top Gun, Indiana Jones series, The Karate Kid series, & the list goes on & on & on.

My life started w/ Like a Virgin (Madonna)& ended w/ Just Can't Get Enough (Depeche Mode). Never mind the 80's hair bands! Todd & I heart Motley Crue. As a matter of fact, our 1st dance was Without You. We are so cheesy!

What started as a quick trip to Target for a dress turned out to be a frenzied craze to figure out the perfect 80's outfit. The result...



Not too shabby for a mom w/ triplets turning 25...eh, I mean 35.

This is my 80's cover album. Wish there were some spray painted something or other back on that brick wall.


And some pics for the inside flap as well as the back cover.




I can't wait! The hair will be different (crimped) & I'll be rockin' the 80's makeup (oh yeah. blue eyeliner.) More pics to come, I promise!

Miss Layla Grace

I'm not one to blog about other people or other people's kids but today I am. My heart hurts today for the Marsh family. They lost their precious 2 year old little girl, Layla Grace, to Stage 4 Neuroblastoma.

I don't know that the parents can truly understand the extent in which Miss Layla Grace has touched people's lives. I went to bed last night crying, thinking about what the March family has endured in the past year but especially in the past 6 weeks & I start to cry again.

She leaves behind 2 sisters, Jenna (9) & Claire(3), just as beautiful as her. Both have a long road ahead of them & their parents need all the strength the world can give them.

Please pray.

Pray for healing & peace & understanding.

Pray that this family only becomes stronger through this challenge.

May Miss Layla Grace play with the angels in her beautifully restored & perfect body.

Amen.

Ah...organization!

Everyone that knows me knows I love to be organized. I was that way in the classroom & most of the times at home. Needless to say, 3 wee ones tend to get in the way of that organization as well as some inside remodeling.

So, when I got back on Sunday from grocery shopping, I decided it was time to reorganize the pantry. What a great feeling it was to actually throw crap out that has been in there for ages & is now outdated!

Thankfully the kids were napping so I didn't have to deal w/ them bugging me. Organization is serious business in my eyes. I can't wait to tackle my workspace once the remodeling is done.

My newly organized pantry!


Yep, I like the labels to be facing in the same direction. It is a beautiful thing!


An artsy-fartsy attempt at photography.

3 Precious Pics!

THANK YOU VALERIE!!!! She took these 3 pics of the kids on the tire swing w/ her daughter.

The trio rockin' the tire swing!


Sofi & Brooke together.


So funny! All 3 managed to fall in to the tire swing & Gabi loudly repeated over & over "I stuck, I stuck, I stuck." We tried to get them out, it just took some serious maneuvering!


And don't you LOVE <3 those pacies!?!

The "BIG KID" Park

Yes, I did. I finally got the courage up & instead of just walking around the "BIG KID" park, I actually let the monsters actually get out of their wagon &...

DUM, DUM, DUM

P.L.A.Y.

Now, before I toot my horn too much, I was kinda encouraged by another subdivision mom, Valerie. She left a message on my Facebook page telling me she was taking her kids to the park (3 & 5 yrs old) & to meet her there. I responded that I would walk up there w/ the kids & say hi but in all likelihood, they would stay in their wagon.

You see, the "BIG KID" park has no fence. It is next to the major road that runs through our subdivision. It scares me. Um, let me restate that. It TERRIFIES me.

The funny thing, I use to not be scared of anything. Nothing. I would try at least once & then form an opinion. Not so much anymore. I'm tired of pushing that limit & well, I'm just a big wuss now days. No shame in that.

BUT, I have to find balance. So, when we got to the park & saw that it was only Valerie w/ Brooke & Logan & another family, I decided to let them out. Go be one with the sand, my children! And, thanks to Valerie, it was extremely manageable. I probably could have managed by myself but there was a time or 2 that Miss Gabs decided to run for the hills. Um, so no real hills but you get the picture.

Speaking of pictures, nope, no shots of our 1st time at the "BIG KID" park. Sorry. I knew I was going to stress anyway so what's the point? Right?

Can I also mention that b/c we have been pretty locked down for these 1st 2 years, I didn't realize there is a "code of safety" when you are in a kid friendly environment. I didn't realize that even if I didn't know that parent, they would grab my kid before they bought a piece of the sandbox. Thanks to that dad! It was nice. Makes me want to go back.

Geez, I almost feel normal. *GASP*

High Heals...REALLY?

I've got 2 girls that LOVE heals. Yeah, I'm screwed, haha! Ok, so not really & have I mentioned that they looked super cute trying to walk in them? It all started w/ She-she's shoes & before long, I was off to the closet to get another couple of pairs (She-she needed hers back).

Sofi took the lead. Surprising, huh? Uh. Not really :)


Gabi was INSTANTLY curious, checking out how Sofi was managing to keep her balance. Ian is in the back ground thinkin, "What the heck are those?" And then probably thanking God he isn't a girl.


Finally, Gabi got her turn! Notice the shoes on the wrong feet. That's my Gabi!



Dress up is here. It has arrived. So, for their birthday, Momma is going to get some dress up clothes for the girls! Pretend play rocks! I love seeing their imaginations take off. I can't wait to see what is next.

By the way, did you see how the pinafores looked on them? CUTENESS!

Monkey see, Monkey do!

That is our party theme for this year. I don't think they are quite old enough to tell me what they want so I am going to enjoy getting to pick this one out.

Um, truth be told...I had it picked out at the same time I picked out their ducky theme last year. Yeah, I'm lame like that. I don't have anything else better to do. Yeah right (insert sarcasm here).

Then I had to figure out what monkey theme to go with & if you think it is easy, um no. It ain't. Cause there are 3, I hate when something is geared only to 1 child. Bleh. Bleh & doable.

Oriental Trading Company had 2 themes to consider...

Neon Monkey Theme
Beach Monkey Luau Theme

And then there was Birthday Express...

Mod Monkey 2nd Birthday

I asked my girls at JM to help me decide. I think the vote was for Neon Monkeys b/c there are 4 of them & I could have dressed up each kid in a different color as well as that whole theme being cute! BUT...dum-dum-dum...

I chose Mod Monkey. Why? B/c I already have everything to coordinate from last year's party. The ducky theme colors were turquoise & yellow & the Mod Monkey has the same colors so I have everything to match. It's going to save us money & that is important.

The invite was the next bite to take. I asked my friend, Tasha, to create a custom invite. Really, she did the graphics in a 4x6 size so I could use a coupon for 50 free 4x8 photocards & I just put all the "details" in a text box. I chose the pics on the card b/c it really captures the kids' spirit, who they really are.


Tasha did a wonderful job of incorporating the Mod Monkey theme in to the invites, don't you think? If you are interested in having her design something for you (b-day, announcement, thank you cards, etc), leave a comment. She is VERY AFFORDABLE...I'm a cheapskate...trust me.

Invites taken care of for only $4.99! Now that's a bargain!

I'm forgoing a birthday cake & making the cupcakes myself. So much cheaper & way cuter, in my opinion. Especially since I am getting fondant cupcake toppers from a lady on Etsy. They are soooooo cute & I only plan on getting 1 dozen. The other dozen cupcakes will be frosted in yellow & turquoise.


Check out Clineff's Confections on Etsy! She is totally reasonable & Adrienne found it for me. Again, trust me, I'm a cheapskate. Did I mention I am a cheapskate?

I've ordered all the decorations, or rather just a few b/c I will use solid colored paper plates rather than paying the $4 per set of 8 plates. I think the spread will look good, full of finger foods since the party will be in the afternoon, after their nap. I can't wait. This year is going to be quite different than last year. Only Sofi was walking last year. Now all 3 are running.

Wow...2 years old!