Memorial Day BBQ

Memorial Day is here again and another great BBQ to kick of the unofficial start of Summer! We went to Nonna and Pop's house and celebrated with our aunt, uncle and cousins too! They weren't able to make it to Cupcake's birthday rodeo this year so we had another mini celebration for her! Good times and lots of playing for Cupcake and her cousins. We can't wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store for us!

You say it's your birthday........

What shall we do on this fine birthday day? Well, of course we can't just celebrate a birthday, we must make it mildly dramatic. Our sweet little pup was running in the backyard and hurt her paw. We rushed her to the vet on Cupcake's birthday since it seemed to have gotten progressively worse as the day went on. Oh please, oh please let it be a sprain. I understand that in the grand scheme of things life could be hard, painful and much worse than a dog with a sprained leg HOWEVER the vet is the most expensive doctor on the planet. After dealing with our previous dog's health issues we cringe every time we have to go to the vet, it's like a mortgage payment. Okay, maybe a mortgage payment for a hut in Costa Rica but it is still a payment. Digressing!

We had to spend Cupcake's birthday at the vet and thank goodness that both Cupcake and our dog Anna Nicole were both well behaved. I was the one who had an outburst. Back tracking a bit, Cupcake was all dressed in her tutu, crown and birthday T shirt went we left the house (I didn't have time to change her) so it was hard balancing a toddler with a crown and a dog with only 3 legs to the vet. We walked in and I noticed a tick on Cupcake's head. I began shouting "Oh my god, she has a tick (several times)" The vet tech assumed I meant the dog and did not see the need to hurry. I turned Shirley Maclaine yet again (I do this often) and started slapping my hand on the desk "get me a needle and cleaner......my daughter has a tick in her head". After some eye rolling and a delayed break to sign off from facebook, the ever ready tech helped me get the tick out. Ahhh, the world is better again. The vet examined Anna Nicole (for those of you who don't know/remember she is the pretty blonde dog in the corner. She doesn't always get it and is a tad spacey) and informed us she just has a sprain. Whewww, that was luck.

After our appointment we realized that Cupcake's birthday was coming to and end. Not sure where the day went nor did we spend all day at the vet but we were closing in on dinnertime.

In keeping up with tradition we decided to head back to Friday's for Cupcake's annual dinner. She kept her birthday tutu, crown and shirt on and walked in like she owned the place. We passed a table of little girls and one gasped and said "look, a real princess". It was so cute and Cupcake was so confident, she rocked it on her birthday.

Overall, it was a great birthday. Lots of fun, love, new toys, presents. Thank you to all for celebrating with us. This was one for the books, well, the blog.

BIRTHDAY DINNER AT FRIDAY'S

Happy 2nd Birthday Sweet Cupcake!

Our little cupcake is 2 today! This is going by way too fast for me! It was so exciting to wake up on her 2nd birthday, get her favorite dough-no (donut) ready on the "special plate" and be the first to wish our little Cupcake the very happiest birthday! She was so happy and couldn't wait to sing the birthday song.

Happy 2nd Birthday my love! May you always be happy, healthy, determined, inquisitive, loving and honest. You are my sunshine and I love you more and more every day! Happy Birthday. May the 2's be mild.

Yee Haw, our cowgirl is turning 2!

Since our little cowgirl LOVES her trusty stead Clyde, we decided to have a rodeo bash so he could attend. I looked high and low and finally found enough to bring this rodeo together!

We decided to have some games; panning for gold (in the sandbox), decorating our cowgirl/boy hats, pin the tale on the horse while feasting on true grit down at the rodeo. Cupcake had so much fun celebrating the entrance into the terrible 2's, I mean her 2nd birthday with family and friends. Thank you for sharing this special day with us.

Some pictures I forgot to post

Cupcake was attacked by a.......fly. It ruined her day as well as her meal. It was a long week with a fly in the house

I saw this pig mailbox and immediately thought of my Polo Days when we all discussed HBO's True Blood....."pig, I know that pig"

Johnstown adorable kids! We spent 2 nights together during a great week. Thanks Johnstown for hanging with us, till next time my friend!

Everyone had to check their emails while we were away. Ya never know who is looking to connect!

It was a wonderful week full of glorious memories. We were able to reconnect as a family, remove ourselves from the craziness of life and just enjoy our family of 3. We are all tired and need some rest!

Beach Pictures

I have to get some fun pics of Cupcake on the beach so the night prior to our departure we headed to the beach for one last night of fun. I love being with Cupcake and love the quiet moments; before the play dates, friends, errands, after dinner, bath time and scheduled events to just sit, run and laugh. She really is an amazing little girl and her smile and laugh are infectious (when she wants to share it with you). My daughter makes you work for everything, nothing like me, however, I love that she will only share the best parts of herself with the people she loves the most. She is guarded already, at such a young age and I feel that I spend time defending her and explaining that she is shy, quiet and reserved because she doesn't bust into a room smiling, laughing and screaming. She is selective, smart and demure (already). I am a social whore and will flash a smile, give a laugh and spread my cheer/sarcasm to anyone at anytime. Maybe she should explain my behavior to others instead of me discussing hers. I love the pictures and love that I've captured the real Cupcake. Sorry, I'm a mom just talking about my most prized possession. She's the best!!

The rest of OBX

By now you are probably wondering if I even went on vacation with Hubby and Cupcake. Almost every picture is of father and daughter together. I almost felt like the hired help on vacation, the paid photographer. Well, not completely true, I hate the way I look in pictures so I opt out a lot or once I see the pics I hide them FOREVER!

Anyway, we went to the Elizabethan Gardens and roamed freely throughout the day. Cupcake made some friends and we enjoyed a day in the sun while we stopped to smell the flowers!

After the gardens I convinced Hubby to drive to Cape Hatteras to see the famous lighthouse. We debated for several minutes about the location and I swore it was a close drive. Since I don't really look into things I lie, it was a 2 hour drive. Did I mention that I commuted 3 hours each way to work, this would be cake. For me it was cake but for Cupcake and Hubby they did not think it was easy or close by and an hour into it the complaining started, lol. At the end of a very relaxing drive we finally saw the lighthouse..........and stayed all of 30 minutes but it was fabulous. It was truly amazing to see this and I'm so happy we were able to see this. Wow, we are turning this beach vacation into an educational adventure (so not my style).

The famous "run with the horses" or whatever it's called

As any good, half assed tourist, I spend the night prior to our departure goggling "what to do" at our desired vacation location AND emailing everyone I know asking them what it is we HAVE to do. I don't mean to be like this and I try to research and "look into" local attractions, must have purchases, top rated equipment, you get the idea. I have many skilled and qualified friends who scour the ends of the Internet for anything and everything. I trust them and rely on them so I don't have to do it, maybe I am half assed.

Anyway, I have a college friend turned real world friend "Johnstown" (I already told you that she gave me the house recommendation) who told me what to do and not do. I over heard someone telling me I must rent a Jeep, drive on the beach and see the wild horses. Johnstown was also in OBX with her family for the week so I called and asked her if this is something I have to do. Johnstown is a lot like me, dry sense of humor and very honest. Her reply was simple, "No, it's dumb. Well I guess if you have to do something once in your life and the weather is crappy this week than yeah, go for it". So, I signed us up for a Jeep tour and told Cupcake we were going to see real life Clyde's (her stuffed horse). We showed up and Hubby immediately said, "there is no way in hell I am driving a Jeep onto the beach with the top down and a 2 year old in the back". Buzz kill. I was heart broken. Where is our sense of adventure, living on the edge, living like the locals. After a 15 minute debate and me throwing a mild tantrum we jumped into the Jeep with the top and windows up. He may have won the fight but I will win the war!

After a 30 minute drive we finally entered the beach and for the love of all that is holy I am not quite sure why anyone would drive on the beach with high winds on a chilly day. Immediately Hubby is gloating saying "see, aren't you glad I insisted on keeping the top up". I almost felt like Shirley Maclaine driving on the beach with Jack Nicholson from Terms of Endearment. I am never wrong nor will admit defeat, I continued my tantrum through shivering teeth. The drive was amazing, a bit nerve wracking with the waves near my feet (I have a 2 year old with me people, safety first) and random beach goers sunbathing in the middle of the road, well beach. We ventured through some local homes (keep in mind you can only reach this area via Jeeps on the beach, no other roads. I thought I heard banjo's playing in the background. Johnstown did warn me that we would be guaranteed to see 3 horses however she swore that it would be the same horse transported to 3 different locations and I think she was right). Well, kidding but after a few minutes I did think I saw that horse several times.

The experience was amazing, the drive was beyond cool, views breath taking but I never have to do that again. Johnstown was right. I'm happy I did it however I can cross that off my bucket list. It was a wonderful experience.

Side note: we did see a horse grazing in someones front yard, IMAGINE THAT! I would be the poor soul putting out the garbage first thing in the AM to lift my head and see a wild horse in my front yard, I would have my own droppings to clean up. Wait, who am I kidding, I never take out the garbage, why start on vacation. Good times folks, what's up next!