The Good, The Bad and The Toothless

The Good:

I don't actually have a picture for The Good. The Good at this point is that I'm NOT in the corner of my house, knocking my head against the wall while hugging myself and rocking back and forth, drooling and incoherent. THAT is The Good.

The Bad:

The Bad is that people are still cruel and immature and run like a little kid who just TP'd his neighbor's house instead of taking responsibility for their actions. At some point over the weekend someone ran into the front quarter panel/headlight area of the hubby's car leaving it ragged, ate up and obviously damaged. Did they leave a note? No. Yeah, I think this qualifies as Bad AND Ugly.

omgwtfcarfail

The Toothless:

The Toothless is my Eldest. Finally, after growing looser and looser since January (that's right, January folks!) those 2 top teeth finally gave up the ghost today. One was pulled using dental floss, the other was removed by Eldest himself using just his fingertips. He was decidedly snaggletooth, the teeth being so loose they were sideways in his mouth. They really, Really, REALLY needed to come out....made me wince every time I looked at them. He is ecstatic that they finally are out..and anxiously awaiting the Tooth Fairy's visit tonight.

Now, if I can just manage to survive the rest of the evening. And remember to call the Tooth Fairy.

Dirt is the new black...

Over the weekend we attended a retirement party given by an old friend of mine....one I haven't seen in years. I had totally forgotten how gorgeous her back yard is....let me show you...

The color of this rose is just perfect...it smelled heavenly...

Look at those perfectly curled petals!

I couldn't really capture the daintiness of these wings...the tail on this butterfly was so beautiful...

Is this pink to die for or what?

This little guy did not like me playing paparazzi on him...he only ever showed me his tail.


The colors were just gorgeous! I would have loved to have seen it all in the spring...

And I'm sure you aren't aware of this, but it cannot possibly be a party unless you are able to get dirty....

I mean really dirty....



Um, really Really dirty....the feet inside of those shoes are just as black as the shoes themselves. He positively looked like Pig Pen by the time we left....

Oh but did he ever have fun!

{This Moment}

Inspired by Soule Mama:

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

My darling child....my darling baby....

It happens and you're left wondering where in the world all the time has gone....



All I can think of right now is how I used to sing to him before he was even born...wondering what color eyes he'd have and if he'd look like his Daddy. Now he is so tall his head is level with my shoulder and it won't be long before I'm looking up at him and not the other way around.

If someone comes up with that pause time button I'd like one please. Make that two...his brother is close behind him.

Happy birthday to my darling boy....

{This Moment}

Inspired by Soule Mama:

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

Happy Weekend...

And so it has begun...

First day of school is underway. We prepared last night...laying out the clothing, readying the backpack, packing the lunch. We woke early...very, Very early compared to our summertime schedule. Oldest Boy was excited and happy, and I'm oh so thankful for that! School has been difficult for him in the past, but this year I know he is going to find his groove and take off!

So off to school he went this morning, without even a look back at me as I very, very slowly drove away. He's so big, I forget how independent he is sometimes...c'mon Mom, he knows the routine!

Youngest is a little lost here without Big Brother to play with, and it doesn't help that he's suffering from some weird virus that is causing hives to crop up all over his body. Blech! So we've been doing lots of cuddling, and now he is snuggled up on the couch watching The Empire Strikes Back (and sometimes dozing...oops! I'm not allowed to say that out loud) We'll get used to being without Big Brother eventually, but it does take some getting used to.

So although I'm a little sad, and teary eyed, and am just overall not sure what to do with myself..........Here's hoping for a wonderful school year!

Back to school blues

I know, I should be excited about tomorrow being the first day of school for Oldest. I thought I was ready. I thought I was excited. I woke up this morning and instead of giddy and giggly (think of those Staples ads with the parents dancing in the steet behind the school bus singing "It's the most wonderful time of the year!") I am mopey and a little surly. I'm not ready for the first day of school. It simply can't be time yet.

Ironically, Oldest is ready. He's excited. He can't wait to hit those doors first thing in the morning. We have completely reversed roles, he and I. I cannot find the energy to get moving today and he's already planned his outfit, made sure his backpack has everything it 'needs', and is regaling his brother with stories about how cool his classroom is.

I am eternally grateful to his lovely teacher for causing this change in him. I'm ecstatic that he is SO excited about school. This is a HUGE change for him. So don't get me wrong..I am thankful that he is ready to go back, and I know....deep inside, somewhere...that it's time.

But wouldn't you know it....yesterday and today has seen the most cooperation and happy play between the Brothers that I've seen in months, since school let out really. They've gotten along, no whining, no crying, no 'that's not fair!', no 'Moooooom....he looked at me cross-eyed!'. It's been lovely. And so of course, tomorrow arrives at just the wrong time.

Ask me again in 2 weeks if I'm ready for school to start again. That would be when Youngest is slated to start his second year of Preschool..and this year he enjoys 3 days of classes, not just 2. What ever shall I do with 3 mornings to myself??!!

I have a feeling I won't be sad about THAT.

Have a wonderful back to school adventure!

Old West Festival Giveaway!!!

So we've been building up to this giveaway for 2 days now...first with my Jane Russel Outlaw wannabe/trivia questions post on Saturday and then of course the answers on Sunday and now we're ready to giveaway 2 tickets to the Old West Festival so that you can experience the adventure yourself!



This festival has tons to offer both young'uns and old timers alike....according to the Old West Festival- "We have built a permanent old west town that is educational and fun for the entire family. Among our many offerings are store fronts with antique, western-themed and hand-made crafts. Period interpreters will walk the streets, posing for photos or saying howdy. Cold beer, sarsaparilla, soft drinks and food will be served in the Long Branch Saloon. Young ‘uns will be able to pan for gold; watch puppet shows; participate in a family sing-along to period music like ‘Coming Round the Mountain’; and even get sworn in as deputies, that is if they take the official oath. It they choose, they’ll travel the frontier in covered wagons, on ponies or horses; riding the 19th century steam locomotive inspired children's train, or visiting the themed encampments. Historically accurate shows include medicine shows, saloon shows, magic, storytelling and can can dancers."

He had me at sarsparilla.

The Old West Festival runs from September 11 until October 10, Saturdays and Sundays from 10-6...rain or shine! They are located about 15 minutes east of Cincinnati off of the 275 loop at 1449 Greenbush Cobb Rd between Mt. Orab and Williamsburg, Ohio just off of St. Rt. 32. You can visit their website or find them on Facebook...just look for Old West Festival!

Ready to get entering to win?? I have 2 tickets to giveaway and I have 3 ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for EACH entry!

1. Mandatory entry: 'Like' the Old West Festival on Facebook then come back and let me know you did by leaving a comment.
2. Follow my blog, then leave me a comment letting me know you do (if you are already a follower thanks and don't forget to leave a comment letting me know!)
3. Share this giveaway-tweet it (tag @Rosemamie when tweeting), share it on Facebook (tag Old West Festival when sharing), share it on your blog, email all your friends...doesn't matter how, just get the word out, then leave me a comment letting me know you did so.

That's 3 ways to enter and 3 chances to win, and don't forget....leave a separate comment for Each Entry! Winners will be chosen Saturday, August 21 at 9 PM EST using random.org.

For more chances to win please visit my friends and enter to win at:

thelittlethingsjournal.blogspot.com
familyfriendlycincinnati.com
masonmetu.com

*Note: The winner will have until Noon on Monday, August 23 to contact me for your prize or another winner will be chosen. My family and I were given a family 4 pack of tickets to help spread the word about the festival, as well as a pair of tickets to give away to my readers. We hope to see you there!!*



Contest closed, winner announced shortly

Old West trivia answers...

In preparation for the awesome Old West Festival tickets giveaway I gave you all a little trivia to mull over yesterday. How'd you do? I'll be honest..I knew the answer to exactly ONE of these questions. I'm pretty sure it was a Trivial Pursuit question...part of the First Edition (yes, I'm THAT old)...I can't remember what I made for lunch last week but I remembered that. Go figure.

1. Annie Oakley's real name was Phoebe Anne Mozee and she never lived further west than Ohio.


2. The famous gunfight at the OK Corral lasted no more than 30 seconds..and it wasn't even technically AT the corral itself, just in the vicinity. Somehow being in close proximity was enough...I'm sure it sounded better than "at the corner of this street and that street" at the time ;)

3. The only woman known to rob a stagecoach was Pearl Hart in the year 1899.

4. Jesse James was the infamous outlaw who once wrote his own press release. It was said he was obsessed with his own infamy and did anything he could to 'advertise' himself.


5. Henry McCarty, born in New York City in 1859 went on to infamy as Billy the Kid.



6. It was estimated that in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876 90% of the female population were prostitutes. In fact prostitution was tolerated in Deadwood until the last brothel closed down in October of 1980.

I hope this little quiz was fun...and I hope it got you in the mood for some good old fashioned Wild West adventure! Please check out Old West Festival at their Facebook page, start planning your costume, and come back tomorrow to enter to win 2 free tickets to enjoy a little bit of the Old West!

I wanna be a Cowboy....er, Cowgirl....

In my mind when I think of the Old West I picture myself looking like this...


I mean seriously...hanging out with Doc Holiday and Billy the Kid....Indian attacks, Outlaws....total romance and high adventure, right? Looking tousled and perfect and smoldering during the entire thing, of course. In real life I would NEVER look this hot holding a gun...



I would look more like this...


And I suppose that's how it should be. That's what a REAL cowgirl looks like. But still...in my fantasies..I'm going to go with the Jane Russell image for OBVIOUS reasons.

In all honesty I was never a huge fan of the old west movies, spaghetti westerns, etc. The Hubby, however, is a total fanboy. John Wayne, Clint Eastwood..he loves them all. He's been itching to get himself a costume and dress up like one of those Old West heroes/villians for awhile now. I've gotten several requests for handmade costume parts, I just couldn't figure out where exactly he thought he was going to wear them. To work? Out with the guys? Out to take the boys to karate class? At home, more than likely, sitting in the living room playing Red Dead Redemption (old west video game, lots of wranglin' and all of that good old fashioned fun...I'm sure there's more to it, but I'll be danged if I know what it is).

Then we discovered the Old West Festival. The look of sheer bliss on his face when I said "Did you know there is an Old West Festival in September? There's an actual town and actors and all sorts of stuff". You would have thought I had told him "Run outside and jump in the Delorean! I've got it set for 1853!". Ever since I spoke those words he's had me looking up costume patterns, deciding on the 'look' he is going for. And since he just shaved off his mustache and goatee (that he has had our entire marriage..even while dating!) and now appears to be 17 years of age instead of the grown adult he is I'm very tempted to start calling him The Kid as in "I reckon The Kid will be home soon, boys" or "Boys, go tell The Kid that vittles is ready."

In other words, I see an Old West adventure in my future. Don't worry, I promise not to try to pull off the "Jane Russell". And that's good news for you because I have 2 tickets to the Old West Festival to give away to one of you lovely readers..and I don't want the thought of seeing me in that Outlaw getup to scare you off.

Contest will kick off on Monday, August 16 and run until Friday August 20th at Noon. I just couldn't resist giving you a little heads up! And to tide you over until the contest starts, and get you in the right frame of mind for Old West adventure, here's some trivia questions..I'll post the answers tomorrow.

1. What was Annie Oakley's real name?
2. The famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral lasted how long?
3. Who was the only woman ever known to rob a stagecoach? And what year?
4. Which famous outlaw once wrote his own press release? (He gave it to the engineer of the train as he rode away).
5. Which famous outlaw was born Henry McCarty in New York City?
6. Is was estimated that what percentage of women living in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1876 were prostitutes?

Have fun!

{This Moment}

Inspired by Soule Mama:

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

Happy Weekend....

A wee short break...

It's the last week before school starts. One week from today I will be preparing the backpack, setting out the back to school outfit, wondering where our summer went and how it flew by so quickly. This last week I want to spend every moment I can with my two loves.....even if it's just snuggled up on the couch with a book or movie. So for the next week I'm going to take a wee, short break from this space. I'll be back on Friday with {This Moment} and will then return again after our first day of school. I have a wonderful giveaway in store, so do check back!




Happy end of summer to you all....

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

This past week my dear friend Katie of the little things and I loaded up all of our minions and made a road trip to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. It had been a year since our family had been there and it was well worth the drive!

This museum is like a wonderland for kids..so much to see, learn and do! There were many areas that had remained the same since our last visit, but changing exhibits kept things interesting. The main attraction for my boys (Katie's too!) was the Star Wars: The Clone Wars exhibit-loads of costumes, weapons, helmets....the boys were in absolute heaven! Learn to draw your favorite characters, pose with life sized cut outs, scale models of ships and characters....not a large exhibit, but definitely packed full of exactly what the boys all love. It will only be at the museum until Sept. 6, so hurry if you have littles that want need to see it!



The Barbie-The Fashion Experience exhibit was every little girls' dream!


Barbies dating all the way back to the original, released in 1959. Designer Barbies by Bob Mackie and others, Barbies from every little girls' childhood since 1959, including my own: Western Barbie had the Best. Outfit. EVER!

Oh I love the fringe!

From Hippie Barbie to Classic 60's Barbie...even Scarlett O'Hara and Holly Golightly (LOVE Audrey Hepburn!)!! If you ever loved a Barbie this is the exhibit to see!

We traveled to Egypt, traveled through mirror mazes, played in tree houses, made pretend ice cream sundaes....every turn led to something new and fun to do. Dinosaurs, dragons, fossils....oh my!


And let us not forget the Rock Stars, Cars and Guitars exhibit! Signed memorabilia from so many beloved artists...Elvis, B. B. King, Roy Orbison..the list goes on and on. Amazing guitars, beautiful cars, a dance floor, rooms where you and your family can rock out with the Rock Band game!

In all honesty to show you every cool thing at this museum I would need another post or an intermission. If ever you find yourself able to make a visit to the Indy Kid's Museum you should definitely gather up the kiddos and make a day of it. Admission is reasonable (right now you can find a coupon on their website good for one free child's admission with the purchase of an adult ticket...valid through September). There is a food court with an abundance of choices....anything from pizza and chicken nuggets to salads and fresh fruit...or you can pack your own lunch and eat it in their cafeteria. Parking is free and conveniently situated just across the street..and there is a skywalk, so no fighting traffic! It's a great day trip or even long weekend...we're looking forward to making a weekend trip soon and hitting the Indianapolis Zoo while we are there, and who knows what else!!

Plus, by the time you finally leave the museum the kids are completely worn out from all of the climbing, playing and learning and settle into a nice little nap on the way home. Ahhhhh....quiet time....that is priceless...

Gimme some Love!!

Thanks to all who entered to win our Lunchbox Love giveaway! Drumroll please.....the winner of Lunchbox Love for Kids Volume 1 is.....

#5-Mandy who wrote: "I signed up at lunchbox love! I can't wait to use these!!"


Congratulations Mandy! And thank you once again to the lovely ladies at Lunchbox Love for providing us with such a fantastic giveaway!

Don't forget you can get 10% off your purchase at the Lunchbox Love website by using this promo code at check out: LBLCMP!


I hope you all have an easy and happy back to school week!! Know of any great products that are making your back to school easy and fun?? Please share in the comments!

{This Moment}

Inspired by Soule Mama:
"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

Happy Weekend...

Spreading the 'love'...

No matter what I do to make time slow down B-Day is fast approaching...(that's Back-to-school day in our house...it's a 4 letter word around here). I've been on the look out for ways to make the transition back into our regular school rhythm as pain-free as possible and make the school days to come fun instead of a chore.

Last year I tried to always slip a little note into the boys' lunchboxes saying I love you, have a great day...just something to let them know I was thinking of them during their days at school. However the mornings would come, as they always do, when I was scrambling at the last minute to pack lunches and get us out the door and at least be decently dressed. On those mornings the sweet notes would get sacrificed to the gods of tardiness, and let's be honest..most of the time those are the days when a little note would have really made the day.

Enter Lunchbox Love. Seriously, the ladies who brought this darling brainchild into being are serious Super Heroes to me. No time to write a note? No problem!! Not only are these little notes all ready to go, you just have to pop them into your child's (or hubby's!) lunchbox, and they say everything you want to say and then some. They have trivia on one side and say those little things that you want to say on the other side...I love you, I love spending time with you, I hope you have the best day ever! There are even blank cards you can personalize when you really need to say something extra special.

I really can't wait to start tucking these little 'love' notes into my boys' lunches..and I want you to be able to share the love with your kids too! The lovely ladies at Lunchbox Love have given me Volume 1 of their Lunchbox Love for Kids to share with one of my readers!

Winner will be drawn Sunday at Noon using Random.org. There are 3 ways to enter, please leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. The first mandatory entry is to visit Lunchbox Love's site and sign up to recieve their email/newsletters.

2. For the second entry just become a follower of my blog either on google or on facebook's networked blogs. (you can do that over there on the right side) If you are already a follower, let me know!!

3. Bonus entry! Share this giveaway....tweet it, facebook it, blog it..just tell your friends, then leave me a comment telling me you did!!

I also have this to share:

That's right, just use the promo code when ordering and you get 10% off!

Good luck everyone!

Weekending....a very geeky weekending...

Sitting at my computer, browsing the interwebz and listening to the boys set up their role playing game in the other room...and when I say boys I include my husband, of course, because he is the Game Master in our house. The bag full of dice of many sizes and shapes, the game mat with dungeon drawn carefully upon it, character sheets and character blocks and total geekiness...it's all part of why I love my family.



And then Hubby walks into the bedroom where I am sitting and says "Are you going to put this on your blog?" In response to which I just sort of stare at him for a minute thinking huh? And he says "If you are I'm going to make my hair look more decent...you know, if you are going to blog about it." And I realize I hadn't thought about blogging it.....yet. Once I had gotten up and walked in to see them all so cozy and geeky with their game on I would definitely have thought "I need to blog about this, where is my camera?" He knows me too well, that darling man of mine.



And then Liam decided to take over with the camera and take the shots that are important to him. He did a pretty good job...



And did you know that it's entirely appropriate for quarters to be hit points, and batteries to be thermal detonators? Yup...just part of the game...

Happy Sunday...