Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Christmas Cards

Every year, I promise that I am going to start doing stuff early for Christmas so that I am not stressing at the last minute. I was determined to have all of my shopping done by the beginning of December and my cards shipped early. Well today is the 15th and I still have a list of things to get done but I am really not going to stress this year. Really, I'm not :) 


I always have the best intentions but have been bad about getting cards sent out so it is a huge step that I am finally sending them out this year! The Christmas cards have already started rolling in and it is helping motivate me as I see how cute they are. I really love getting Christmas cards and hearing from people we haven't seen in awhile and seeing all of the cute pictures of the little ones growing.    


This year I am ordering cards from Shutterfly.com. I want to do a photo card so we can include pictures of B for friends and family who haven't seen him in awhile. There are tons of cute options to choose from, below are some of the ones I am thinking of using. We have gotten lots of cute photo books through Shutterfly that I love so I am excited about getting cards from them. It is super easy to upload pictures to the website and so nice having our pics all in one place to easily choose from to use for gifts! Photo gifts are the best!


So cute how you can do a family shot and show close ups of the kids. 



Love this one for more personal cards for Grandparents etc. since you can put extra pics and a special message inside. 

I pretty much love anything with black and white and a splash of color. Plus who can resist adding an initial or monogram? Not me!








I guess you will just have to wait and see which one I pick. I know, I know, the suspense :)


Love,
H&B






Melt my Heart

Sorry I have been slacking lately. We have been busy with company and being out of town but I promise to post lots of updates and pictures of our little cutie soon. 


The sweetest thing happened tonight and I just had to share. The Hubs was getting B ready for bed and he brought him out to say good night to me and said to B, say "love you" and he looked at me and said "I yuv yu." It literally melted my heart and all of the tantrums and whining from the day magically disappeared. It is the little things like this that make being a Mom so worthwhile.    


Love,
H&B

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

It's hard to believe...

that I have a 1.5 year old!! Excuse me while I shed a few tears that my baby is getting so big. Seriously, the time really goes too quickly. It seems like this was just yesterday. 




Isn't he adorable?! It is amazing how much they change in such a short time. 


B is at a really fun but challenging age right now. I think I said that last month too, I see a trend haha. He is really stubborn and I have no idea where he got that from. ;) He is starting to talk a lot and it is funny some of the things that come out of his mouth. I can only imagine when he is older.  


Some of his favorites right now: dog dog, duck, I see a baby, baby, play outside, want to play, no (of course!), aw man and no way

I can't wait to see what he does next and am so excited about the holidays since he will understand more what is going on this year.  

Love,
H&B

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Fun Fair

This past weekend our church, FPCO, held its annual Fun Fair. We have never been before and it was amazing. We had so much fun and B really got into the festivities! The fair had a ridiculous amount of fun stuff for the kids from pony rides, bounce houses, train, fire truck, games, you name it - we did it all! Of course, after chasing him around for all of this I think I was more tired than him haha. 

For any of you who haven't been before, this is a must for next fall!







Love,
H&B

Downtown Orlando Touch-a-Truck

I heard some Mom's at the park talking about this event and was curious, so I went online to find out what it was. Yes, I am nosy but at least I admit it haha. This looks like so much fun for the boy, or girl, in your life who loves trucks of all kinds. I think I might have just found what the Hubs is doing with B this weekend :)


Orlando Touch-a-Truck is an event that allows kids to explore all sorts of trucks, construction vehicles and other cool equipment. There are drivers in all the vehicles that can help with all those questions you never know the answer to about how these things work. They will even let the kids honk the horn!


When: Saturday, November 13 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Where: 123 East Livingston Street, Orlando
Cost: $5 per person, kids 2 and under FREE










Monday, November 1, 2010

Trick or Treat

Reporting for duty! Isn't he the cutest little Airforce pilot ever?! I saw this costume and just had to get it for B. My Dad was a fighter pilot and I thought it was so cute for B to follow in Grandpa's footsteps. Even if it is just for a day haha.  

We took B trick or treating with friends. It was so cute to see all the kiddos in their costumes and we had such a blast!! We were surprised that he actually got into it. Of course, he has now discovered candy though so we are in trouble. 







Monday, October 25, 2010

Stickeritis

Over the last week, B has been doing this weird thing with his hand where he holds it out and points to it and kinda whines. He hasn't been doing it all the time but we were getting worried that he hurt his hand when he fell or something. We kept checking to see if he seemed in pain when he would hold it out and point to it but it never seemed to bother him. We were debating about just having the Dr. check it out if he kept doing it. Then the other day when he did this again, it all of a sudden popped into my head that last week when we went to Amaya Papaya they gave him a sticker on his hand. Of course, the Hubs thought I was crazy when I said maybe that's what it was.  

Well today I remembered that I had some stickers and took them out and he got all excited and held out his hand and pointed to it like he has been doing!!! He had stickeritis, the Hubs and I could not stop laughing! We had one happy little boy who was so excited about the sticker and was holding his hand out so carefully not to mess up the sticker. It was hilarious! Thank goodness we figured this out, obviously because he is okay but it would have also been pretty embarrassing if we took him to the Dr. to get x-rays haha. Plus, now we have a secret weapon to get him to do things he doesn't want to do. Worked like a charm with getting his pj's on tonight. ;) 



Love,
H&B

Friday, October 22, 2010

Going for a Jog

We are the proud owners of a new (well almost) jogging stroller. We have been on the hunt for a new one and found this Baby Trend jogger in barely used condition for only $50 at the Boutique for a Week consignment sale! This usually retails for around $150. 

They had tons of good stuff but a lot of it was picked over by the time we got there. You can't mess around with these sales, you have to get there right when they open for the good stuff. Moms love a deal haha. 

As you can tell B likes it. I couldn't get him out of it so I had to buy it :) I am hoping this is the motivation I need to start running again. 



Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Hot Deal Alert - Amaya Papaya

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Don't miss this great ODeal for Amaya Papaya! Get one visit for $5 (usually $10) or a pass for 5 visits for only $20. Hurry, these deals go fast!





Monday, October 18, 2010

Boutique for a Week

I have heard great things about the Boutique for a Week kids consignment sale but have never had a chance to check it out and am looking forward to it this year. The sale includes clothes, furniture, toys, etc. These sales are a great to stock up on gently used kids items and even do some early Christmas shopping. We will share any good deals we find and would love to hear about your shopping adventures too!


Opens to the public:

  • Wednesday, October 20th, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, October 21st, 10:00 a.m – 8:00 p.m.
  • Friday, October 22nd, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., 50% off. (50% off applies to specified consignor discounted items only)


Where:
Faith Family Community Church
305 Beulah Road, Winter Garden


The Science of Fun



This weekend, we took advantage of the $5 admission at the Orlando Science CenterIt was a great deal, since B is under two he was free and it was just $10 for me and the Hubs. I have thought about taking B in the past but saw the $17 admission (adult) and wondered what could be so great that they are charging these kind of prices. Let me tell you, I was impressed! 


There was so many fun and educational exhibits for kids of all ages. A lot of them even kept B's attention for more than a second. They have this cute area called KidsTown with all sorts of fun activities for the littler kiddos. KidsTown had water tables, a waterfall, an orange grove, kitchen area, art projects and much more. The water table was B's favorite, as soon as he saw the water he wanted to climb right in - literally!  I was standing right there and reached to get him a boat and he had half his leg in the water before I could grab him. Luckily, I have quick reflexes. Maybe not that quick though since his leg was soaking wet haha.  


I personally loved the orange grove. There were trees where the kids picked the "oranges" from the trees and showed how an orange grove worked. I loved to see B getting into these hands-on activities and seeing him excited about figuring things out. 


Where did my arm go?!
There were several other floors of activities that included a variety of other interactive exhibits, simulators and films etc. Since we were there with B, there were so many exhibits we didn't get a chance to check out for older kids and adults.  





Afterwards, we enjoyed the great "fall" weather and ate lunch outside. There was tons of room for B to run around.  






Finally wore him out!


We are definitely looking forward to making a trip back. I loved how the Science Center made learning fun!


Love,
H&B

Friday, October 15, 2010

$5 Admission to Orlando Science Center - Saturday, Oct. 16

Go Green! Tomorrow, Saturday, October 16, the Orlando Science Center is offering $5 admission per person for its Greenovations event. It includes access to all of the regular exhibits too. This is a great deal, regular admission ranges from $12-17. I am assuming that kids 2 and under will still be free. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Science Center is located at 777 E. Princeton St., Orlando.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Our Little Monkey

Well it happened...B is climbing out of his crib!! We knew this day was coming sometime soon and once he figured it out he is out of there. He climbed out once a couple weeks ago so we removed the bumpers and thought that solved the problem. Wrong! This weekend Hubs put him down for his nap and 30 seconds later, we hear the door handle and out he comes. Even though we tried to convince ourselves it wouldn't happen again, it did. Several times. Basically, whenever he didn't feel like sleeping. It was pretty surprising this morning when he just walked into our room and said "hi." We didn't even hear him up on the monitor! As much as we try to be firm, you can see who rules this house.

B isn't quite 17 months old yet so we were hoping for a little more time on this one. We are of course worried about him getting hurt and would also love for him (us too!) to get some sleep. So now we are rapidly trying to find a solution. I have asked pretty much every Mom I know, I think I even asked a stranger at the park. Just kidding, but I am desperate. Fingers crossed...we think we have found a temporary fix by turning his crib around since the back is higher. He went to sleep tonight so hopefully it will buy us some time, until he figures out the sides are shorter. We also looked into the crib tent that is like a mosquito net that covers the top of the crib but I am not sure about the safety and don't think it will fit our crib. We might just have to go ahead and get the conversion kit to turn ours into a toddler bed but I am not looking forward to trying to get him to stay in that. I am sure that will be easy ;) Not sure what other options we have but I am definitely still looking. Any ideas, tips, suggestions welcome!! 

Love,
H&B

Friday, October 8, 2010

Friday Fun

Happy Friday! Here are some pics of B having fun at Delaney Park today. Hope you have a great weekend :)



Weekend Roundup

I have been looking for fun things coming up in October and I really think you could do something every day until Halloween. Seems like every place has its own Halloween event, I didn't realize how popular this holiday has become.  I know, where have I been?  I am putting together a calendar and will post it soon.  


Here are some fun, FREE events going on this weekend. Hope you have a chance to get out and enjoy this gorgeous weather! 


Winter Park Autumn Art Festival
When: October 9 & 10 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Where: Central Park, Park Ave. 
Kids Corner: the Crealdé School of Art will be offering free art workshops


Oktoberfest
When: October 8 & 9 from 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Where: Celebration Town Center
Kids Corner: hayrides, pumpkin painting




When: October 9 & 10 starting at 11 a.m.
Where: Daytona Beach, FL

Also, SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular starts this weekend. This is only free if you pay for admission or have annual passes.  





Thursday, October 7, 2010

Pretty in Pink

October is breast cancer awareness month. There are many great ways to support this cause. Here is a fun way to "party with a purpose" and enjoy a Moms' night out.  



Wednesday, October 6, 2010

A Stroll through the Park

Today was just one of those days, B was in a mood for some reason. I am exhausted but wanted to share a few funny pictures from the park. The boys were pushing around the baby doll stroller. Of course, we thought this was hilarious! I sent these to the Hubs and he said,"Get that boy a football, stat!" 

Sorry, I promise to start using my camera not the iPhone for pictures. I am usually too busy chasing him around to grab it ;)

How cute are these two?!









Monday, October 4, 2010

Holy Land Experience - Free 10/5

Tomorrow, The Holy Land Experience is offering free admission to the public. The Christian themed park is open from 10 am - 6 pm. I have always been interested in checking it out but don't think we will attempt it with the crowds tomorrow. They are already warning about traffic on 1-4 since last year attracted over 7,000 people. If you do venture out there, let us know what you think. 

A Beautiful Day




The weather was gorgeous today, it was one of those days you just dream about being outside. So, we took advantage of Leu Garden's storytime and free admission. We were definitely not the only ones with this idea, I think every Mom in town was there with their kids. It was packed!! You should have seen all the strollers haha. 

We actually made the storytime, that usually doesn't happen since we don't always get out of the house on time. You know how that goes. B has decided he does not like his car seat but that's a whole nother story. The storyteller was really great, although it is hard to entertain an entire room of little kids so it was a little chaotic. 

Then we took the kids outside to enjoy the weather and the beautiful gardens. Leu Gardens holds a special place in my heart since this is where Pete and I had our wedding reception (aw!). B had so much fun and I was exhausted from chasing him the whole time. Somehow, he was not tired though. The kids finally took a break to check out and feed the turtles. There is so much nature to see there.  

Running

Still running

Taking a break to check out the turtles

We can't wait to go back next month but will definitely plan to get there early since it is really popular. They also have lots of other fun activities coming up such as movies in the park, jazz and blues stroll and ghost stories, so don't forget to check those out too. 

Love,
H&B

Pottery Barn Halloween App

It is hard to believe that it's already October and Halloween will be here before we know it. I have never really been into Halloween but think it will be fun to dress B up and go trick or treating this year. We are still trying to figure out what he is going to be since I doubt he will actually keep a costume on for any festivities. In the meantime, I will just entertain myself with the Pottery Barn Kids Costume App.  

If you have an iphone, this is a must download app! It is so cool and it's free. You take a picture of your child's face and then it shows them in their costumes. The funny part is, unless I missed it (which is very possible), you don't specify gender so it shows both girl and boy options. He is going to kill me someday for this but I just couldn't resist sharing ;)

Sorry they are blurry but you get the idea. 

Taking off

Outta this world

Go Noles!

Dog Dog (as B would say)
 Lady bug (this is just mean!)

Our little cupcake

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Storytime at Leu Gardens - Tomorrow 10/4

Looking for something fun to do outside in this gorgeous weather? Visit Leu Gardens tomorrow for kids story time and free entrance (usually $7) into the gardens. This is offered the first Monday of every month with free admission from 9 am-4 pm. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the beautiful gardens.

10:00 am - 10:15 am Infant Time (up to 18 months)
10:20 am - 10:35 am Toddler Time (18 months to 2 year olds)
10:40 am - 11:00 am Preschool Time (3 to 5 year olds)

Friday, October 1, 2010

Whale of a Deal



Yesterday Pete, B and I went to SeaWorld and had such a blast! I have been wanting to get an annual pass for a while but kept putting it off. I heard this week SeaWorld had a special "Bring a Friend for Free" promotion that ended September 30, so I went ahead and bought the pass. I tried to register on the website but for some reason it wasn't working so we just decided to chance it and head to the park. Anyways, we got there and were able to get the free ticket (usually $69.95)! What an amazing deal! Sorry I didn't post about this earlier but I just found out about it and wasn't sure it would even work. I will keep an eye out for new deals.  



SeaWorld is such a great place for kids (and adults) and I love that it is educational too. It is only about 20 minutes from downtown Orlando and easy to park and get right into the fun. The park was not overcrowded and you weren't pushing through people to try to get places. There is definitely alot of walking, or chasing in my case, so wear comfy shoes. 


So many of the attractions and shows were great, it's really hard to pick favorites. B really loved the Blue Horizons Dolphin and Whale Show. The most amazing part was that he actually sat still!! That was my favorite part of the day haha. He was all over the place and once the show started he sat and watched in amazement and was pointing and waving at the dolphins. It was so cute! We loved all the animal exhibits too. There is so much to sea (pun intended) at the park.  





SeaWorld also has an amazing kid's area called Shamu's Happy Harbor. It has all kinds of fun stuff from a splash pad, roller coaster and rides, carousel, pirate ship and games. You could spend all day just in this area. It has covered picnic tables and was great to sit and eat lunch while B could run around.  

As you can see, I could go on and on about this place but I will stop. I know we will be getting our money's worth out of the annual pass. Alot of the Moms/kids in our playgroup have passes so we are excited to join in the fun with them too.  









H's Helpful Hints:
  • Alot of areas have stroller parking (shows, rides, etc.) so bring a bag that is easy to carry around since you don't want to leave valuables. A backpack would be great.
  • Bring lunch, snacks and drinks. They let you bring your own into the park. Also, don't forget a swimsuit if your kids want to play in the splash park.  
  • Buy the annual pass for $99.95 plus tax and receive free parking and discounts on some food and merchandise. Check the site for lots of pass options including Aquatica, Busch Gardens and Adventure Island. Buy it online before you go though to save the $12 parking fee.  

Love,
H&B





Future All-Star

Following in his Daddy's footsteps. Although, he should probably get rid of the paci so his teammates don't make fun of him ;)