WWW ~ Cole's 6th Birthday, Cupcakes & Treats

Oh my what a weekend we had! Friday was Cole's birthday so I made cupcakes for the classroom and gave them each a color book and of course a lolipop rings! The individual cups cake turned out great!!!

Then Saturday was my first Saturday off in a while. It was so nice but it wasn't like it really was a day off! LOL we had a busy day it started early and didn't stop. I was a little sad the lady that filled in for me had a GREAT day, yes just a little jealous ... haha!

Now my second attempt at cupcakes was a cupcake cake ... let's just say it tasted good :). The kids had so much fun and I was so happy to be able to let all the kids enjoy themselves.

Cupcakes for the classroom

My attempt at a cupcake cake!

I learned that the frosting with tips is tricky!!

I had color books with crayons on the tables for the kids.

I obviously can't count I had one extra :)

The kids, some even dressed up!!!

You know how hard it is to get all kids in pic & facing forward!

We had face painting!

Cole loving transformers went for bumble bee!

Yes and a daddy got talked into by daddy's little girl!

Fun with Balloons, Pizza, Cupcakes and toys!

Rick thought my cake would be funny looking so he got Cole a special cake

Check out mom in her "Super Mom" Cape

Only one ding dong had to go dirty with the S M on cake

GG with her 3 grandsons

Cole's BFF from across the street came to the party and his mom Brenda came along. It was so nice to actually sit and talk to her. We're going to put the boys in a parade next weekend. While talking I found she loves the peanut butter treats I bring over so I found two new recipes to try!! I'm so excited I have a new adult friend to talk to, talking to the kids can only take me so far. I even hung out talking to her and her husband for a few hours on Sunday! Yeah, now onto the treats.

Chocolate Yummies

(Nutrition Information)

• 7 Crackers Keebler® Grahams Original
• 2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 package (12 oz., 2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 3 cups Ready-To-Eat Cereal Rice Krispies®

1. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch microwave-safe dish with cooking spray. Arrange KEEBLER GRAHAMS ORIGINAL crackers in single layer in dish, breaking crackers as needed to fit. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over crackers.

2. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until marshmallows are puffy. Remove from microwave. Cool completely.

3. In 2-quart microwave-safe mixing bowl combine chocolate morsels, corn syrup and butter. Microwave on HIGH about 1 1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in peanut butter. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal, mixing until combined.

4. Spread evenly over marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Cut and store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Crisps

(Nutrition Information)

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - OR -
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® Cereal
• 1/3 cup desired flavor jelly

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press half of the cereal mixture into 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Spread with jelly. Press remaining cereal mixture on top. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

Random act's of kindness and then the other shoe falls!

In times of darkness I need to think of the good things that come my way so I don't go totally crazy. I had this light and fluffy post ready to go up about these amazing friends and people in my life and how these random acts of kindness of made me smile and thank God I have them!

So I start with the special and the amazing stuff before I start with the other shoe that dropped and rocked my world today!

Last week I received two amazing thought gifts! First was when I posted the giveaway for the $25 GC and the box tops I was saving for Cole's school. My post automatically post to my facebook account where a dear friend from High School who I have not seen in 8 years!!! You contact me and guess what, she had 150 box tops to give to me!!! I know isn't that so cool! She even lives very close and said she'd drop them off. Isn't that the best, and on her way here she stopped by a friends and picked out even more!!!

Then the next day I open up my mail to find a special envelope from my poser friend Amy sent me the best coupons and get this 2 recipes!!! She is not a pork eater (I know she's silly) and as you know pork I cook a lot here!

Thank you Ladies I love you!!

A while back my boss asked me if I needed any days off this summer, currently working 6 days a week and she was so kind to think about needing a Saturday off. The only dates I could think of where the boys birthday party days! I told her the dates and that I was planning on having Cole's Party at the Children's Museum again. Today she asked me about it to make sure she had the date right, I let her know that I believe so I was just waiting on scheduling Cole's because you have to pay it in advance. So guess what this sweet woman did! Yes you guessed it she gave me the gift of taking care of the party. I can't tell you enough what an angel my bosses are. They are the most amazing people I have ever met and I am truly blessed to be able to work with them! She just knows how to make me cry, the other day she had me in tears again about how she would trust me with her kids. She's so like me and we don't trust many with our kids, and I can't tell you enough how much that meant to me! I'm a gushing mess today, this was just the most amazing gift I could receive and just that kind words that are always said to me.

Then when I think I'm just over joyed with not having to worry about paying for Cole's party the shoe drops on my world. Sometimes I think God gives you a bright light before the bad comes so you can remember that you are blessed and take each step one moment at a time. It just wouldn't be my life if everything went smooth. I've always had the worst timing if one part of my life is going well something has to happen, the dryer dies, then the washer, the roof will leak, Cole will get in trouble at school etc ... always the way it goes. The saying take the good with the bad is truth in my world. So after this amazing news from my boss, Rick get's a text from his boss? Which is really weird asking him to come in 1 1/2 hours early. He had a bad feeling, we're wracking our brains, he's had the top #'s since he's started. But in the grand skeem of things his job let him go :(. It was a complete sock it came for the higher ups and his boss was in tears telling him the news. So here we are barely making with our two salaries and now we're down to mine! My amazing boss swooped in again and offered me more hours, which is great but that now puts me at 7 days a week! For a temporary fix it will work out perfect just not long term, I told Rick this and he's like why would it be bad? UGH dude I'm already working 6 days a week, taking care of kids, bills, the house and everything else!!! Some days I think I may loose my mind!

Please say a prayer for Rick and finding a new job quickly! Thankfully his 2nd job is giving him hours but of course it's half the pay but it's money coming in! I had him get right on the internet looking for jobs. He's just so frustrating, I love him but he always seems that something happens and it's not his fault. This time it may just that but here we go again finding him a new job. I really would love for him to find that place that he stays at until he's done. Me I'm a stick to a place until I die or you kick me out :).

I know God will bring something better for us and it will all work out. I have faith I'm just a nervous Nelly about how long it may take until he gets a job. Lord give me strength I need it now!

HUGS

Filling in the time until tomorrow ...

Today I had this wonderful plan to sleep in and just relax. Caden on the other hand had it in his mind that 7:30am was sleeping in and it was time for him to be awake which means mom better get her butt in here soon or I will scream until everyone else gets up. Thankfully Caden is rather low-key, so hanging on the couch trying to keep my mind on the TV and not on other things wasn't too hard. Cole must have gotten the same memo as Caden as decided to get up a 1/2 hour later. Well it was nice and quite while it lasted. Thankfully Roy slept until 9:30 so I didn't have to hear he pushed me or he hit me banter that fills my house most weekends.

Now the plan was to meet Anng and Kailey at 3pm to go to the Children's Museum, that's perfect enough time to lounge around the house. Minus you know making french toast for breakfast (with that really awesome egg bread I made yesterday) and then oh yeah it's lunch time so heat up some left overs for the boys. Only had spilled milk once when Cole touched Roy and Roy then pinched Cole, who then knocked over his milk. After a stern talking to them both about how this ends now, that you're both in the wrong so knock it off before loose it! I hope in the shower thinking that I don't want to be mistaken for a homeless person riding the link. I'm ready to go, I'm dressed have the boys dressed and come out to find Roy talking to his parents, I think he times these things to drive me crazy. So after some nice it's time to go and heading to the door we head to the museum. Not knowing where my head is I take the wrong exit and then try to park in the wrong garage and then go over to the other one drive around aimlessly before I exit and just park at Freight House Square, no clue what is wrong with me today. Ok I do I'm just trying to not think about THAT! Poor Anng sorry I made you wait today I'm really just not myself.

The ride to the Children's Museum was fun with me being late made it perfect time for the Link to show up, hey something going right! The kids had a bunch of fun running around the museum, only a few times I had to talk to Cole to share and be nice. And hey we only had about 2 parents give us the head shake, hairy eyeball and grab their child like we were going to eat there children. Yup got to love the yuppy daddy and yoga mommies, there kids are perfect and are always a joy :). Overall it was a great time, I think we got maybe 10 minutes to talk before we had to follow around our kids. Caden decided that the sun stroller needed to be a batting ram and was pushing it around the museum. Cole was running around like a crazy person, so nothing new there. Thankfully not to many messes were left in our wake and Caden only tried to eat the paint once, hey I'm chalking that up to a good day. Now leaving the museum a little after 5pm and riding the link during winter hours probably NOT my best idea (sorry Anng). We met some very interesting people waiting for it to arrive (thankfully only 10 minutes) and just a few different ones on the ride there. Speaking of interesting people I forgot about the Asian Photo Club on the ride there that were taking pictures of everyone, they got a few pictures of the boys that thinking now I really should have said something (really I'm not there today). Well we made it safely off the link and said our goodbyes.

A quick run to Target where I got the boys very nutritious snacks, you know a hot dog and popcorn. I left Cole and Roy snacking away at a table and ran real quick to get the two items I came for. Some how since the pharmacy closed 10 minutes early which was one of my two items I decided to grab a few things. Car full I head to the front of the check out following the tune of Momma Momma ... I'm coming Cole! Yup sitting still at the table covered in ketcup, well at least he stayed in his sit, staying clean is a totally different story! Really I went in for Kung Fu Panda DVD and a prescription and came out with $50 worth of stuff. Ugh ... shopping therapy so not a good thing when your already low on cash.

Well less then 12 hours until I can start bugging my doctors office to find out what the results of the CT scan are. I think I'll go watch Kung Fu Panda with the boys and try to go to bed to keep my mind from wondering. I'll update you as soon as I find out, thanks again for all the nice comments and prayers. I truly am blessed!

A few fun pictures of the day:

Caden keeping with theme of cleaning!

What I'm just hanging out!

Look we're friends at the moment.

Really they say write on the windows.

Cole, Kailey and Caden (looking like his dad's backside)

Painting time, look at us we're sharing

Darn this pic doesn't show it that well he had blue all over his mouth and hands.

What can I do to make them sleep?

Last night I ended my 2nd job around 1:45ish got into bed and had sugar plum dreams of sleeping in. Yeah right how am I kidding I was just hoping for maybe a few winks before the mutiny started. So following suit Caden woke up at 3am, 4am, 5am then he gave me a little break and slept until 6:30am!!! Since Rick was so sweet (NOT) yesterday about getting up with him I knew it was my morning. I made a bottle took him to the couch and hoped I could get him to fall back to sleep no such luck Roy woke up and sat down with us and of course started to play with him. My mom's death look was off or maybe he really does just ignore me, who knows! After a few minutes Cole gets up! At this time I'm about to loose my biscuits and ask everyone even though no one is listening to me, what the heck are you all doing up at 7am? Yup My tone fell on def ears, everyone just went about playing and oh yeah whining that they were hungry. Hungry really that is the least of your problems, you have a mom on your hands who had 6 hours the night before and now 4 1/2 hours today of sleep. Again I just got looks like so what where is our breakfast! I think I need to go back to mom 101 to get my death look fixed, it's really off!

Since no one was going back to sleep and my coffee was helping keep my eyelids at half mass I made french toast with that amazing white bread I made last week. Can I tell you how much I love my bread maker and all these awesome recipes. You bakers rock by posting them with all your little tweaks. Ok back to breakfast ... I put back on my Cinderella apron made every ones breakfast put one aside for me for sometime this morning. Then cleaned up what somehow missed their mouths, did the dishes yet again. And yet again rinsed the plates that were just shoved into the sink even though I've asked around 20 times to rinse them!! Since Cinderella's apron is on I'll do laundry and why not do the sheets while I'm at it. Then Grumpy butt wakes up I give him his breakfast, in the mean time walking by mine once more hey it's cold but I'll take a bite I might finish it before noon. I got grumpy out the door and even had time to take a quick shower with only 3 times Cole coming in to tattletale on Roy.

After that great adventure I clean the floors put in my 5th load of laundry no joke! The lady from craigslist stops by and picks up the Chili Pepper costume, yeah only 3 more to go! While I'm cleaning Roy and Cole go in the room to play. While I go back to put #5 in the dryer and #6 in the washer I walk into my bedroom. To find a white dusting on all the clean clothes I haven't folded yet. I think I'm going to loose it, then I go into Cole's room and see it all over his bed, the baby's bed. I run out to the living room, count to 10, and ask nicely what the HECK happened here. Of course Roy has no idea and says it must have been Cole, oh come on guys you both were playing together. I ask them both do you think I don't clean enough, plus of course you had to pick the baby powder that is not the generic version that also was the medicated so it was super expensive. Oh yeah did I mention it was a NEW bottle and it was completely EMPTY!! I look closer at my bedroom and see it everywhere. I think I might just cry, so instead I go online and sign us up for members at the Children's Museum even though it's $75 for a year it's so great to just take them there to run. Also had to hear it from Rick that spending that money, he just doesn't understand my sanity is worth every penny!

We get dressed and head over to the library to pick up new books for all. Only had to hear Cole yell across the library 3 times, hey were doing better. Then we head to down town Tacoma to take the Light Rail to the Museum. Heck the ride is free, parking is free and the kids are excited to ride it .... really a win win! We get there they have their new exhibit set up ... The Raven after the book. It was pretty cool the kids had fun, well I thought they did until Roy came up to me to tell me he's bored. Oh geez dude we're out of the house and they have painting, drawing, magnet's and a blocks use your imagination and deal with it. Instead I just smile and turn around and bite my tongue, I think I might not have a tongue left soon! 2 hours and everyone is feeling better so we head back out and of course as we're walking down to the tram we see it pass, did I mention it's Sunday so it comes every 20 MINUTES. So I go buy some drinks and a bag of Frito's to share, Roy must have really liked him he almost to the bag out of my hand and ate it. We get back to the car all in one peace, no one is crying including me so it had to be a success right?

Here we are all happy waiting for the tram

Tacoma's Light Rail, it Rocks because it's FREE (My fav word)Cole in the "Build it" part of the new "ART" room at the Museum

Roy creating on the Design Wall (Caden helping)

Roy dressing up in the new Indian Theme CostumesThe boys hanging the Salmon in the new exhibit

The scene in the car when we got home
To bad that didn't last until we got home, I put Caden to sleep and Cole went to sleep on the couch. Well Roy wasn't tired so he woke Cole up, my head was feeling so heavy I just had to take my chances and go take a nap. When I awoke it was to a screaming Caden, you know what I found. Roy and Cole with the light on standing over the crib, really boys was that necessary? Then I go into the living room were I find raisins on the floor, fruit snack wrappers everywhere and the room I just cleaned this morning trashed once again. I think you need to lock me up and put me in a padded room, it may be the only peace and quiet and down time I'll ever get. Guess what I did, yes another load of laundry just to make my day better! Thankfully mom called and send home a casserole with Rick. He was her yard slave all day, good pay back for what my weekends are like.

Now I'm going to lay down watch TV and maybe if I can go to bed early. Oh those sugar plum dreams, who really am I kidding?

Pictures to Play Date at Children’s Museum

What a busy day it was today! It was so much fun and excited wrapped up in one day that I am totally exhausted. Today started with an early riser Caden who I was able to get back down for a few hours. I was so excited to sleep into almost 9 I almost wet the bed myself! Now there is sight you don't see everyday so just enjoy that moment.

Today is our 11 month picture day for Caden because hey you know he's only turning 1 on Thursday! Can you say procrastinator? So I get the boys dressed in their matching "Surf's Up" outfits because I'm crazy like that! It wouldn't be a perfect day with out running around trying to find shoes and the matching sunglasses. Oh yeah the appointment is in like 10 minutes … oh crap! Throw the boys in the car, well not literally but it did have a good toss … just playing. We get the usually very busy studio to find just my mom sitting there waiting for us. You know you're behind when my mom beats you there. She's already filled out my paperwork, so we just walked right in and got the boys ready. I still was feeling like a dream that the place was empty usually I'm waiting at least 20 to 30 minutes. I put Caden down thinking this is going to be a cake walk. Yup that was my mistake thinking that single thought. As soon as his cheeks hit the floor he started to cry, I tried to keep him happy but nothing was working. Mom bought all these awesome props which made Cole go into a frenzy running and screaming which only made Caden scream more. Then you add in my mom and me trying to get the kids to sit and both look forward and oh yeah to smile. Finally we got a few descent shots of the boys and put them in their matching dino outfits. Thinking ok this will be better I brought dino's for the boys to play with, this will be better. Wrong thought again, I did get a great picture of Caden looking down at the dino with a huge crocodile tear running down his face. Let's just say out of the 30+ pictures I was shown I pick 7! I was warn out along with the boys and my mom. She quickly departed us after our adventure, at least this time we only had to wait 10 minutes for the pictures to be ready for us to view. If only every month had a holiday where people left to camp or whatever it would make picture day so much better. Well at least for my family, I 'm sure the photographers at the studio cringe every time they see the Peloquin Family on the schedule. Got to love us, right?....

Got the boys home to take a quick hour nap and to unload all the yummy food loaded me up with. Then it was back in the car to meet Anng and KJ for our play date! Got on the freeway with perfect time and then dead stop! Oh crap … yup again not a perfect day with out some excitement. I finally inched my way to an exit I could hope off on and go down the back way. Thankfully we weren't too late when we meet the girls at Tacoma Transit Station. We hoped on the Tacoma Light Link that is awesome and hey it's free along with free parking there. The kids loved it; Anng took super cute pics of them. The link let us off on 9th that is right below the museum, so all we had to do was walk up a block and over. ....

Of course both looking at the camera was not an option.

We got their and the place was completely empty, I mean only the two employees! So we let the kids go and run and scream … well ok most of the screaming was Cole. After dumping everything in the little kitchen on the floor it got real quiet. I look around the corner and find that Cole has gotten the worker to sit down and play with play-doo, his a real charmer like that. Kailey had the other worker sitting with her playing cashier. This was so worth the $6 to just sit and have a little mommy time while Cole had fun. At first I thought it was going to be a disaster with the way he was running and screaming, thought this may be another place where they put a picture of us saying no entry no matter the fee. See it isn't that bad when you have 20 other kids running and screaming, Cole will just blend in. But when you have only 2 kids there and the blonde tornado is throwing down they just have to give the look and I know its Cole...

Here are a few of my favorite pics from our play date.

When we first got there they had to put change in the fun tunnel.

Play-Doo with our friendly worker!


Cole and the play-doo fun, the best part is I didn't have to clean it up!!


Caden had to join the play-doo fun, thankfully also he couldn't reach it.

2 hours passed so fast, I think next time we may need to make it longer! We got back on link to get back to our cars (this time we got to ride the purple "Click" link). Got back to our cars and headed home to find dear old hubby just hanging out, no luck on my carpets getting cleaned. I did get him to water the plants and he put down everything known to man on my backyard. I'm now the proud owner of a backyard that is fertilized, new seed and oh yeah a little manure for good measure. Ok, Now to pray to the lawn gods that it is all soaked up and looking beautiful by Saturday. I know it's worth a shot right?....

Thanks to mom we had an awesome meal of pork lion, salad and cheesy broccoli. Oh yeah I'm stuffed, time to sit down and watch Next food network star. And I'm totally addicted to Army Wives! I just happen to see Catherine Bell was on it and Lifetime was having a marathon a few weeks back, so I thought what the heck I'll tape them. I had some free time over the last few days and I'm totally hooked, what an awesome show I'm sorry I didn't catch it the first time. Plus I got in late on the marathon so I missed the first 7 shows, added it to my blockbuster queue … yeah right VERY LONG WAIT is what it tells me. I got to give it to you wives that have husbands that serve. I'm not sure I that strong to handle it, I sure the show only shows half of what happens in real life but it sure is an eye opener! Love you all!!

To the tube I go!....