Running from the Law: July 2015

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Friday, July 31, 2015

Mim On The Move

Can we all breathe a big huge sigh of relief that today is Friday?  I don't know what happened, but this week kicked my ass.  It wasn't even a particularly crazy week, but I'm just feeling all kinds of worn down, tired, cranky and exhausted.  I need a nap.  Followed by a pedicure, a stiff drink, a home-cooked meal and someone handing me a million dollars.  How do I make that happen?

I don't even have the energy to craft a post today, so I'm just going to dump a bunch of photos of Mim here and call it a day.  Is that ok with you?  (Please condone my laziness.) This girl is on the move these days.   I took these photos about a month and a half ago (before she was walking/running) all within about a 20 minute time span.  Upstairs, downstairs, kitchen, living room...everywhere she could go as fast as she could get there.  She's got a slight black-eye from falling face first into the wine cabinet (no, she wasn't drinking the wine).  Little does she know that her mama's had a few wine-related injuries as well - I know where she gets it.  Anyway, after the week I've had, I think the world could really use a little more cuteness in it, so I'm just trying to do my part.  
Happy Friday!
Send booze.  
And a million dollars.


Mim's jammies are Kickee Pants (as always).  Today's the last day to use the code SUGAR15 to save an extra 15% on all Kickee (and everything else) on the Sugar Bit website.  

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Scooter Guy

Mac's been asking for a scooter for a while now.  The three little girls that live across the street from us all have scooters, which Mac was notorious for "borrowing" from them without their permission (leading to tears and tantrums), so I figured it was probably time for him to have one of his own.  
We tried out the Globber 3 Wheel Scooter and thought that it was the perfect scooter for little kids.  It's designed for ages 3 and up and has an adjustable handlebar to accommodate kids of various heights.  The handlebar steering also has a locking button for beginners that keeps the scooter more stable.  It's super lightweight and easy for him to lug around by himself, but very durable to take all the abuse a 3 year old can throw at it.  The base is also low to the ground, so there's less chance of him falling off.  
We started with the locked steering for beginners, but Mac wasn't having that at all.  One trip straight into the curb was all it took for us to pop the steering back on and let him go.  I guess he was already used to steering the girls' scooters, so he flew right past beginner status.  Also, when did my baby boy become such a big kid that he can hop on a scooter and ride off into the sunset?  
Mim was pretty enamored with the scooter too.  Every time Mac would cruise by her she'd squeal in delight and clap for him.  He loved having his own cheering section and this give me a little glimpse into our future about how much she's going to worship him.  It was really cute.  
Mac's pretty excited to now be able to keep up with the rest of the kids on the street.  He and Mim are two of the youngest and sometimes he gets frustrated when everyone else is faster than he is on their bikes and scooters.  I'm hoping he'll get good enough on this that we can go for walks/runs together where I don't have to push him in a stroller or pull him in the wagon.  
Anyone else have kids that love scooters?


* We received this product as part of the Savvy Sassy Moms Product Scouts program. All opinions are my own.

* You can get your own Globber 3 Wheel Scooter on Amazon (no affiliate links).  

Monday, July 27, 2015

Monday Musings

This past weekend, I spent three glorious sun-filled days in Baltimore with one of my very best friends and had the best time.  We hadn't seen each other in nearly two years, so it was quite the reunion.  We had so much to talk about that I'm pretty sure I've used up my word quota for the rest of the year.  Gab, gab, gab.  We had cocktails by the pool, saw the sights and ate our weight in oysters and crab.  It was so lovely to get away for a couple days and catch up with the beautiful bride-to-be and her handsome Prince Charming.  These two are amazing.  I had the best time and it was a much needed relaxing break after the madness that was going on around here lately.  Although, I have to admit that I was itching to get back home to my babies last night.  Being away from them is so hard! Mim was thrilled to see me (because she's such a sweetheart) and Mac was really only concerned with what I brought him from "Golfinmore."  

And...I'm excited to announce the winner of the $75 gift certificate from Sugar Bit!  Congratulations to Ashlee!  I can't wait to see what you order and how you style your beautiful little ladies in adorable Sugar Bit clothes!  And for anyone else that would like to take advantage of the AMAZING summer sale that's going on over there, don't forget to use the code SUGAR15 for an additional 15% off your entire order.  Nearly everything from the spring and summer line is up to 70% off!  I just bought a couple really cute items for the kids for next summer at amazing prices.  Go now!  

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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Happy First Birthday Mim!

Happy birthday, Mim! 
Happy first birthday to the sweetest little thing I've ever known.  
Full 1 year update and birthday party recap to come later.
For now, we celebrate! 
(while mommy cries...so many emotions...)

Monday, July 20, 2015

Chocolate Pies & Fireflies

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and EDWARDS®, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #EdwardsPies http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Summertime, summertime, sum sum summertime!  One of the best things about this summer has been staying up late to introduce Mac to the joy that is catching fireflies.  Growing up in the country forced me to love being outside and it's something I really hope to be able to pass on to my kids.  If you know anything about Mac, you know that there's no denying that he's an outdoor kid. He's wild and adventurous and craves the space and the fresh air (not to mention dirt, rocks and bugs).  Even as an infant, taking him outside was always one thing that would immediately calm him down.  And since he discovered digging for worms last year and catching butterflies this spring we can barely keep him indoors at times.  So, I knew that learning how to catch fireflies this summer was going to be a delight for him!
Over the 4th of July weekend we went camping down on the Current River, my husband's favorite little trout stream.  We rented a cute little cabin, right on the water with a huge open yard, perfect for chasing fireflies.  That night we ate dinner on the front porch and began seeing the tell-tale signs of fireflies in the yard.  As the sun set and it get darker, we quickly realized that we were in a firefly goldmine!  There were millions of them!  The whole yard was glowing with yellow lights and Mac could barely sit through dinner he was so excited.  A net wasn't even needed - there were so many fireflies you could walk right up and easily snatch them out of the air.  You could definitely tell we weren't in the city anymore.  The fireflies in our neighborhood were scarce and quick, but these country fireflies were big and slow and perfect for little hands!  
Mac was in heaven the entire weekend we were camping.  Four days of no napping, fishing with daddy, chasing minnows in the creek, staying up late to catch fireflies with mommy and being outside every waking minute of the day was possibly the highlight of his little life.  He cried when "vacation" was over and has asked us every day since why we don't have a river in our front yard.  However, "vacation" doesn't always feel like a "vacation" anymore for Ryan and I.  Traveling with two small children, a dog and everything you need to eat, live and sleep for 4 days is exhausting.  Not to mention trying to keep up with said small children, entertain them, feed them, and keep them relatively safe while in a new, exciting and hazardous place.  They shouldn't call it "vacation" for parents - they should just call it "parenting in a different (and less convenient) location."  Yes, it was fun, but mom and dad were in desperate need of a real vacation after our vacation was over. 
One of the smartest things we did on vacation was take some frozen pies along with us for quick and easy desserts. After the madness of dinner was over and everyone was fed and happy again, we broke out the highlight of the day - chocolate pie!  Before we left, I went to Wal-Mart and picked up an EDWARDS® HERSHEY’S® Chocolate Crème Pie and Cookies and Crème Pie to bring with us. I knew I wasn't going to feel like making dessert, but definitely wanted to partake in some after-dinner indulgences at the end of the day. These were so much easier than bringing ice cream or popsicles (and so much better too). We chowed down on these in pies with wild abandon! They were cold and creamy, decadent without being heavy - the perfect dessert for those hot summer nights.  Even Mac took a break from fireflies to enjoy some pie.  
Mac went straight for the Cookies & Creme pie (which was fine with me, because I wanted the chocolate one).  I obviously couldn't get it cut fast enough and telling him he couldn't have an entire pie to himself lead to hysterics and the 78th meltdown of the day (did I mention he didn't nap for FOUR days?).   Being three is SO hard.     
Finally (30 seconds later) we got a slice cut for him, which he proceeded to eat straight off the plate with no utensils.  Honestly, I was too tired to protest much at this point and decided to just go with it to avoid another meltdown.  Ugh, threenagers.  I also was secretly cracking up because my favorite scene in "A Christmas Story" is when the mom asks Randy to show her how the piggies eat and lets him shove the food right into his face without utensils (much to the horror and disgust of everyone else at the table).  Yeah, so that happened right before my eyes.  Life imitates art.  Or something.  
I mean, look at that face.  I just do whatever makes him happy.  Anyway, being 36 is hard too, so I helped myself to a giant slice of the Hershey's chocolate pie.  OMG.  So good.  I think I could have eaten the entire pie by myself and passed out on the couch in a heap of happiness.  But alas, more parenting had to be done.  Back to fireflies...
This summer with the kids has been amazing...exhausting, but still amazing.  It seems to have flown by in a whirlwind of sunscreen and swimming trunks, band-aids and basketball, campfires and carnivals, pools and pies, flashlights and fireflies.  Sometimes the long days seem to go on for years and we all crash hard at the end of the day, completely spent and wondering how we'll ever get through tomorrow.  But I know that pretty soon the days will get shorter and the weather will get cold; we'll trade our t-shirts in for jackets, move our toys indoors and miss those warm nights where we were covered in the dirt of the day and the smell of bug spray.  
Yep, there's just something magical about summer nights. 
And chocolate pie.  :)


*If you want pie too, you can save $1.00 on any EDWARDS® Whole Pie by taking advantage of the Walmart EDWARDS Ibotta digital rebate (while supplies last) (messy threenager not included)