What do Redd Foxx and Kevin Garrison Have in Common?

I'm not sure, but when you combine them it's a he** of a party!

Friday night I threw (with help) a SURPRISE birthday party for Kevin at our home. It was so awesome. He was SO surprised I think he might have had a small heart attack.  There were 50+ of his nearest and dearest there. Many could not attend and we missed them terribly but we enjoyed the folks who came. 

It was not an easy endeavor for the following reasons...

1) I had to set up the entire party after Kevin left for work on Friday.  I had things hidden all over the garage and in my car. 

2)  I am a terrible liar. I don't like lying and usually people can tell. I tell Kevin everything single detail of my day so to leave out huge chunks of trips to Party City and why Harriet was coming over to fix up the house was awful!

3) I have TWO children. Two. Children. Little energy balls. Two.

4) I had to use my measly allowance. I did this so that it meant more to him and so he couldn't see the expenses and ask what they were for thereby ruining the surprise. 

5) I had to leave the house at 4:30p (2 hours b4 the party) to pick up Kevin and begin our fake birthday night. We went to dinner first b/c I knew he wouldn't have a chance to eat while talking to his friends. It turned out great though and I had tons of help. 

I'd like to thank the Academy - Sara and Joe designed the conversation-starting huggers (they were Turquoise and red and had Redd Foxx on one side, they were also the inspiration for the color scheme), Sara also helped set up the party and keep the food flowing. "Stancy" gave the huggers to Kevin as his birthday gift (great, great idea!). John braved Sam's Club to get the beer, coke and ice. Mia helped me set up the party also and was joined later by Nonna to help wrangle the children. 

Kevin, blindfolded and thinking he was going to see "a show." I drove him around for 30 minutes in circles so he wouldn't know where he was.  By the way, it's a birthday thing for us to blindfold each other on the way to a secret destination... we have been doing it since we starting dating in '02. Apparently, it is weird to other people, just not to us :)

Happy Birthday Baby, I love you so much and just wanted to tell you how special you are to me and how much I appreciate all the work you do for your family!!

**Side note: Major Congrats to our good friend David Perry who got engaged last night. I am sure he or his precious fiance Leigh will kill me for posting this but I am too excited.  We could not be more thrilled for a more perfect couple and wish them all the best things in life!! 

Congratulations Kevin!

Kevin is a Construction Litigator at his firm. He is also for all intensive purposes the "green guy" in his group. He loves all things green and loftily set out to become a LEED Accredited Professional through the USGBC. He took the test this morning and PASSED. I am SO proud of him. He works really long days so to have 2 children at home and a full time job, this was not an easy task to undertake. Congrats again, sweetie!

Twi-hard for Kevin

Kevin has been working so hard lately. He has had a bunch to do at work and this other huge side project as well (taking the Leed AP test). Well, yesterday morning as he was headed to the UAB Library (I know, on Saturday!) he sent me an email from his car with this picture...

My very own copy of Twilight. I was so excited! Luckily the boys and I were going to take him lunch and go eat/play in the park so I could nab my new movie. 

Then... Kevin made it home about 5:30p WITH FLOWERS. They are so pretty, I love them. 

Then... he cooked dinner for me! The Spaghetti was wonderful and even more so was not having to make it!

After dinner we cuddled on the couch to watch Twilight since Kevin hadn't seen it yet. He has read the first 2 books though and enjoyed them. When I asked him how he liked the movie, he said, "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." 

Brotherly Love

There is nothing sweeter than my two little boys "playing together." Moseley wants to do everything momma does. He wants to feed the baby (he lifts his shirt and everything) and hold him and play with him. He is still too little to be left unsupervised but I just feel so secure knowing how much Moseley loves Chambers. Chambers, in turn, just lights up when Moseley comes over to talk to him.

My Baby Updates

Moseley is now fully potty trained and doing so great. Not to say that we haven't had our share of accidents but we wear regular underwear out and about now. 

Chambers is THREE months old and such a wonderful baby. He is so content to just hang out. He still takes a long afternoon nap then goes to bed between 7 and 8p and wakes up between 6:30 and 7:30a. Hopefully that will continue. Last week he was 13 lbs 11.5 oz but he'd only gained an ounce and a half since the week before. He is definitely slowing down in the growth department which is a good thing for my arms!

This week is Spring Break for Moseley's school, Boo! But, we have been having fun anyway. Today we had a picnic in the park and we are going to the B'ham Zoo tomorrow, yay! 

Hey Rico!

Kevin is has to work this weekend but took a break long enough to go on a family walk (to the Sweet Stop) and then go to Bruno's to get some groceries and a few movies from the DVD machine. 

Kevin was really excited once we got into the store saying he had the BEST idea for something we could buy. I had no idea what he had up his sleeve but assumed it was popcorn or something movie-related. Little did I know... 

He drags me to this aisle of enormous canned goods and picks up a very large can of Ricos concession stand cheese. The LARGEST can of anything I have ever seen! Almost 7 lbs of nasty yellow nacho cheese!! He was so excited and very pleased with what a great deal the can was at $9.99. In all fairness he gets nachos at the movie theatre so I can see where the connection is. However, he said he almost got the cheese the day before but didn't so my sympathy ends there.

*By the way, the 2 movies we watched were Quarantine (horror) and Pineapple Express (comedy). I thought Quarantine was sooooo scary so we stayed up and watched Pineapple Express so I wouldn't have to go to bed with a scary movie on my mind.  

**I have to admit I have a "thing" for Velveeta cheese which isn't much more nutritious than this stuff... but still!

Temptation

Yesterday I got TWO emails from F/B about friends I may know and want to add!!??!? 

I turned off ALL notifications the day before Ash Wednesday so I am confused why I got these. VERY frustrating, for sure! Anyway I can't go in and see so I will just have to endure...

McWane Science Center and the Birmingham Zoo

The Garrison Family are now members of both the Birmingham Zoo and the McWane Science Center. I am so excited! We went with some friends to the Zoo last Friday and to the McWane Center today. It might be our "Friday Outing." I didn't take pics at the zoo because I forgot my camera but I remembered it today!

Click here for all the pictures I took. Below are my favorites.

My sweet Baby Chambers just chills out everywhere we go. He spends his time looking around or sleeping. Even when it's loud!

You boys!

Moseley, James and Catherine. I love it when Moseley and James hold hands, its so sweet.

F/B update

I have been so good! I haven't logged in once since the day before the Season of Lent started :) Woo hoo! I think this is the first year I haven't slipped up by this point. Thank you dear Lord for giving me strength!

More clothes

These are outfits 3 and 4. Outfit 5 is made but we wore it to a birthday party so it's dirty. Outfit 6 is cut but not pieced. Both outfits 5 and 6 are matching brother outfits for Moseley and Chambers. I will post them later.

This shirt is a true red (it looks kid of pink in this pic) with a cow applique. The cow's handkerchief around his neck matches the plaid of the shorts.

This is a white shirt with a monkey applique and monkey pants. It is a tad cooler today so Moseley will wear this to school today :)

Well excuuuuse me!

I got some non-perishables from the Bruno's on Lakeshore b/c they are having a going out of business sale. For a snack today I whipped out some Cheez-its. He saw me coming with the box and said "yay!" He pointed to his pile of them and said "what's this?" I said, "Crackers" not wanting to confuse him with specifics. He looked right at me and said, "Noooooo, Cheez-its!!" They must have them at school b/c we never have them at home. I also have to remember that he is a talkative 2-yr old and that he can handle the specifics!

Icy, Hot

Last Sunday it snowed in Birmingham. A lot. It was so gorgeous to see (out the window). I had been sick so Chambers and I stayed indoors but Kevin took Moseley out a few times. We definitely did NOT have proper gear for Moseley and he knew it.  We got him into this huge old coat of Bancrofts, rolled up the sleeves and slapped on a hat and mittens. After about 15 minutes or so, Moseley was THROUGH. He was cold, wet and mad that the snow was sticking to his shoes. He kept wagging his finger at the snow clumps clinging to his feet saying, "No, MY shoes!" I have posted some pictures below.

Today, it was warm, sunny and just perfect! We had the best weekend. Friday, Kevin got home about 5p and we all took a very long walk around the neighborhood. Stancy (Nancy and Staples) came to see us this weekend and we had so much fun. Nonna and Pop were sweet enough to come visit, too and watched the boys most of Saturday while we ran around town having fun.  We had a birthday party Saturday in Crestline park. The four of us took Moseley and I think he enjoyed all of the attention. I got a little sun on my face which was awesome! Then, Nancy and I wet up to the RB Nail Spa and got pedicures. That evening, Kevin and I went to Ocean for dinner and the Rotoract Annual Gala at Ted's Garage. It was too much fun. We didn't get home until after midnight... which is so late for me! Stancy went to Will's 30th Surprise Birthday party at Sol y Luna and had fun, too. I really missed my boys, especially Chambers since I hadn't spent much time with him Saturday. Thank goodness for Medela and vehicle lighter adapters!!! Today we grilled out and played outside for the most part. Kevin and I both took naps but at staggered times :) Grandparents are the best!!!

Our home under 2+ inches of snow.

View of our Street

Moseley unsure of the snow

Get me outta here! 

Backyard toward alley

Backyard, toward front

Kevin's hair after he took his toboggan off. He couldn't find his hats so he actually wore one of mine..  an AUBURN hat!!

Snapfish Mobile Uploads

March

February

Chubby Bunny

On Monday he weighed 13 pounds, 10 ounces at 11 weeks. 

My happy baby always has a smile for me.

Skinny Jeans... or ... the Case of the Pant-dentity Crisis

I have some skinny friends. Moreover, I have some skinny friends, who have had babies recently and are STILL skinny. If I didn't love them so much I probably wouldn't hang out with them for being so dang thin. I need to start socializing at Weight Watchers Meetings! Better yet, I need to ATTEND some Weight Watchers meetings. 

I digress. 

These three ladies who I WILL name (Katie, Tabbi, and Sarah) looked better immediately before, during and after labor (or c-section as it may be) than I have since High School... so with this in mind I get back to the reason for my post. 

I can now wear ONE pair of pre-maternity jeans that have so much stretch in them the tag says "99% rubber band". They are also the largest in my pants collection. Problem is I am so used to wearing maternity jeans that I keep trying to yank them down when I go to the bathroom or to put my jammers on (PJs for you mature individuals).  They don't even budge.

So, I now have a huge reddish bruise across my middle where I have repeatedly tried to strangle my fat roll. 

Awesome.

One of my favorites!

Reposted from Cake Wrecks...

Could this be the coolest shower cake EVER?

I think so-ooo! [sing-song voice]

Seriously, let me count the ways this cake kicks every other baby shower cake's butt:

1) Darth friggin' Vader is holding an adorable little beribboned baby girl on it. Really, we could just stop there. (But don't worry; we won't.)

2) Airbrushing that's actually... pretty? [gasp] Wait, you mean that'sactually possible?!?

3) Best. Use of sprinkles. Ever. Baby want sprinkles? Baby gets sprinkles!

4) The lettering! The outline! The ruffly border! The itty-bitty baby bottle!!!

[pauses to catch breath]

5) Say, did I mention that Darth Vader is holding a baby on it?

Case closed. Maximum awesomeness has been reached.

What to do... what to do...

Every 2.5 hours, except the 10 hours at night he's sleeping and the 3 hour afternoon nap, I sit down with one of my favorite boys for a 10 - 15 minute meal. That's when I get on my computer. That's usually when I facebook. But I just HAD to go and give that up. So now, instead of reveling in the stupidity and misfortune of people I know, I read about people I don't. Enter Cake Wrecks. While I spend my nights poring through creative Do's, I spend my days laughing at creative Don'ts. Look through some of the past entries and tell me what your favorite disasters are. Oh and on Sundays they show "non-wrecks" which are super fun especially since lately they are 80's themed!

p.s. None of my f/b friends are stupid or suffer misfortunes and if they did they certainly wouldn't display them for all to see on facebook, right?... obviously.