I have a 7yr old, 5yr old, and a 3yr old.  We just moved to Florida late August and have slowly been making our way through the different tourist sites and amusement parks here.

We did Disney, Sea World, and the water parks first and we have just now made our way through Universal.  We kept putting off because everyone told us that Universal is best for older kids.  We finally went and I have to say it was an amazing time!  Despite the ages of our young kids, we had plenty to do and it was one of our most enjoyable trips yet!

We broke the trip up into two days since there are two separate Universal parks.  You can get a park hopper pass if you’d rather go between both parks on the same day.  We wanted to take our time and experience everything.  The two parks are Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios.

Universal Island’s of Adventure is more thrill rides and roller coasters.  It has several different themed areas: Jurassic park, Harry Potter World, Dr. Seuss Landing, Marvel Super Hero Island, The Los Continent, and Toon Lagoon.

We loved all of it!  There were only three rides my 7 year could not ride, Incredible Hulk Coaster, Dragon Challenge, and Doctor Doom’s Fearfall.  There was one more coaster (Harry Potter Coaster) that my 7 year old road that my 5 year old could not. Then two more that everyone but our 3 yr old could ride.  There were plenty of things for all of us to do together!

It was really easy to use the parent swap as well.  Ride with everyone tall enough while the other parent waits in the exit lane, then as you exit you switch places.  Parent waiting goes straight on ride while you wait with kids to young.  The best part is that they let the older kids ride again with the other parent so the kids got to ride those rides twice!

My favorite part of the park for my 3yr old and 5 yr old was Dr. Seuss Landing and Camp Jurassic in Jurassic Park Land.  Dr. Seuss landing had a ton of younger kid rides (trains, a flying fish ride, interactive play area, etc..).  Camp Jurassic was this huge park with slides, climbing nets, and caves to explore.  We could have stayed at that one spot all day!

My favorite part for my 5yr old and 7yr old kids would be the 3D Spiderman ride and Harry Potter World!  It was pretty cool!  We also love seeing all the Marvel characters come out riding four wheelers!  My boys are obsessed with the Avengers so they thought this was “so so so AWESOME!!!!!!”

I would highly recommend paying the extra money for the EXPRESS pass at Universal Islands of Adventure if it is a crowded day.  It is worth it when you consider how much time you will have to wait in line.  The express line will move 3 times faster!  I watched them load 3 full coasters from the express line to everyone one coaster from the regular line.  It was killer!

Universal Studios was awesome too!  This park wasn’t thrill rides as much as experiences.  There was one ride only that my 7 year old could not ride.  It was the only big coaster in  the park (Hollywood Rip Ride Rock it).  He was literally a “hair” too short.  Besides that ride,The Revenge of the Mummy was the only other ride my 5 yr old could not ride and only two more rides my 3yr old could not do (Despicable Me and Men in Black).

There was a ton we could all do together and we used the parent swap for everything else.  Fieval’s Playground and Curious George Goes to Town playground are at the top of my list!  Kids loved it and we took a whole hour playing at each of these places!  We pretty much loved everything in this entire park.  Twister and Mummy were awesome and would rate more in the “thrill” area (my 3yr old and 5yr old closed their eyes at several parts).  Distaster was fun, but more of a comedy than thrilling.

The Men in Black ride is a shoot aliens as you ride a 6 person car and see who has the highest score at the end.  It was fun and the kids loved it, but I am still trying to figure out why my 3yr old couldn’t ride.  I wouldn’t recommend taking the younger kids to see the 3D Terminator 2 show.  It is not just the robots getting shot at and some of the robots still look human.

We used this fabulous calendar that tells you what the crowds will be like on any given day.  We went when it said the crowds would be moderate and had a great time and felt like we got to do everything we wanted with the kids riding some of their favorites twice when using the parent swap.

I would highly recommend going to Universal!  Ignore people when they say it isn’t fun for younger kids! We LOVED it!!!!!

MY BEST TIPS

1.  Use the parent swap!  Kids get to ride twice and it is so easy!

2.  Check out the crowds calendar and try to go on a lower crowd day.

3.  Suck it up and by the EXPRESS pass at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.  It is expensive, but when you are already paying so much anyway, it is worth it to pay a little more to shave hours off your total wait times.

4.    Bring food!  You can bring in all the snacks and drinks you want (no glass containers).  Keep the kids full and spend less on food in the parks.

5.  Don’t skip the parades or character greets.  The characters are so much fun and more in this era.  It is worth giving the kids some time to meet and greet!

I just attended my first Easter Seals Benefit last week.  This benefit is a fashion show that benefits children with disabilities in Florida.  My sister’s law firm buys tickets to the event every year and this year I got to go as her guest!  It was so much fun!

First you get all dolled up.  Heels, dresses, the works!  Then show up to the event for makeovers!  They provided lunch catered in by Brio Tuscan Grill.  It was really yummy!  I ate lunch next to one of their male models.  He was very funny and flirtatious as I am sure he was meant to be… the models are in charge of collecting donations!

The male models walk around with trays carrying designer shoes to be auctioned while other models walk the runway wearing designer fashions.  The shoes were all auctioned off for $1,500 to $3,000!

One woman who helped organize the event had bought a pair of the shoes to be auctioned.  As the model walked around with her shoes she kept bidding on them herself.  In the end she won them!  She said she loved them and had to have them for herself.  She essentially bought the same pair of shoes twice!

We also got to meet one of the kids that this benefit is for.  Chase, a 5 year old child with cerebral palsy, came to the benefit last year as well.  This year though, he came and showed everyone how he had learned to walk since he was last there.  It was amazing to see him and his accomplishments.

We also got all these great goodies in our gift bags.  Coupons, gift cards, and samples, were included in our bags!  It even had a $25 gift card to Tory Burch.

A great event serving an even greater purpose!  The three hour event raised $53,000 for disabled children!!!  Hopefully I will be able to attend next year as well!

 

{ Kelcey is one of the best party throwers I know!  She has some amazing ideas so we are thrilled to have her guest post for us!  Hopefully we can get her to post more of her ideas in the future!   -Jamie }

Our good friends (and former neighbors in London last year) H and S are having a baby girl next month!  I decided on a “fiesta” theme for the shower because S’s family is from Mexico and bright colors inside are a cheery contrast with the grey winter outside.

Since H and S live about an hour away, we hosted the shower in the “common room” at their apartment complex.

FOOD

Heavy appetizers are perfect for an afternoon shower.  Mini snacks in cute cups and bowls made munching easier, less messy, and fun.  Since H and S are healthy eaters I did my best to make it a menu they would approve.

Shredded chicken and carne asada quesadilla bites were a big hit.  To make them easy to eat on a small party plate, I used a colorful mini fork or cactus toothpick ($0.99 for 25 at Oriental Trade) in each bite.

Mini fiesta fruit salads add a tropical, sweet kick: chopped mango, papaya, kiwi, and fresh mint tossed in orange juice.  (The fresh mint is the secret ingredient).  I found these cute spoons and mini cups/cupcake wrappers at ShopSweetLulu.com, my favorite party accessory website.  I like to get one or two cute, original items from the site to mix in with my Costco/Target finds.

Mini corn and black bean salads with basil lime vinaigrette.  I love Giada’s recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/corn-and-black-bean-salad-with-basil-lime-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html

A salsa bar is essential to any fiesta… and always seems to become the center of the room when there is guacamole involved!  I picked up three kinds of salsa, fresh chips, and guacamole at my favorite Mexican restaurant and filled colorful bowls.  I had the bright place mats from a recent trip to Mexico and the red plastic table cover left over from Christmas.  The mini maracas are from Oriental Trade, recycled from another fiesta party.  For the chips in the center, I used a pink basket from the dollar bin at Target and added a few pieces of natural brown tissue paper to help absorb some of the grease from the warm, fresh chips.  You could use any colorful containers you have on hand.

DRINKS

Jarritos (Mexican sodas) from Shoppers and raspberry and mandarin orange Vintage seltzer water.  I love that the blue vintage cans had polka dots to match the pink polka dot paper straws and napkins.

GAMES & DECORATIONS

I placed colorful sombreros around the room on chairs, filling the dual purpose of decorations and fun party picture accessories.  The boys helped me hang some fiesta bunting and pom poms before the guests arrived.

We also played two games: “Baby Shower Price Is Right” and “Guess How Many Diapers.”

For the winners, I wrapped up (clear cello and pink polka dot ribbon) cute bottles of OPI “It’s A Girl!” pink nail polish.  (There was also one for H, the guest of honor).  Everyone else snacked on pink “It’s A Girl!” Hershey kisses.

Since H worked at a hair salon in London, we also made hair accessories for Baby S. The girls had so much fun getting creative with glue guns, ribbon, buttons, and hair elastic.  H went home with an armful of cute hair bands, bows, and clips for Baby S made with love.

Then we opened gifts.  I think sometimes gift opening can drag on at showers, so the giver of each gift said something nice about “why H would be a great mom.”  This gave H a little pep talk and reminded her how fantastic she is.

FAVORS: MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE CONES

Since it is still winter after all, Mexican hot chocolate was my first thought for a cold weather fiesta favor.  Hot chocolate cones are an inexpensive and super easy take-home treat.  Here’s what you need to make 25 hot chocolate cones:

• 50 clear cone shaped cello bags (Hobby Lobby, $1.99)
• Small, clear hair elastics
• Ribbon, twisty ties, or string– whatever best fits with your event theme
• Toppings — sprinkles, mini marshmallows, cinnamon sticks, M&Ms… anything you like!  I used mini marshmallows and sprinkles.
• Hot chocolate mix
• Stickers or favor tags.  I ordered personalized event stickers online, but you could also easily make your own or use a sticker.

Just fill the cone cello bags (be sure to use two bags per cone to prevent leaks) about two-thirds full with hot chocolate powder.  Then add marshmallows and sprinkles.  Tie off the bags with a small, clear hair elastic.  Tie the ribbon over the elastic and add your sticker or favor tag.  Fast, easy, cute, and delicious!

Group photo

S came by after the shower was over for a quick picture with H.  We can’t wait to meet Baby Olivia!

 

Below, I’m linking to three Easter crafts and two yummy treats. Easter is right around the corner (March 31), so live it up before it gets here!

I just think this craft is so adorable.  It would even make a great party favor with some candy in it!

 

Check out this Bunny craft!

 

Click here to find out how to make this yummy popcorn cake!

 

This is such a fun way for kids to learn words that rhyme and how to sound out different words!  Check it out!

 

Look at these adorable little nests for candy eggs!

 

I just posted this two weeks ago, but it’s a good chance to pull out all those craft supplies!

It’s amazing how quickly the holidays come and go the older you get.  I feel like I get so caught up in time (and possibly the fact that I’m 29 weeks pregnant) that I forget to do things with my kids.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!

We have had a busy week!  We went to the beach earlier this week.  I think my three year old scratched his eye rubbing it with sand.  You know how the little ones get the sand all over their hands and then rub their face?!?!!

By Thursday we were in the doctor’s office to have it looked at and found out it he also has an ear infection.  Poor little guy.  My husband is out of town (has been for 4 out of the last 6 weeks).  It has been a bit overwhelming to say the least.

Did I mentioned I just found that my dog has been laying in the Florida grass and despite us treating the grass and treating her, she has fleas?  Fun.  So I have been bathing her, washing her and everything else I can think of to make this better while dealing with sick kids, a huge research project from my 2nd grader, 3 sports games and practices each week, while the 3 boys and I stay in a two bedroom one bathroom house with my sister’s family of 5… all without backup with my husband out of town for work so much lately.

Have I mentioned that my 7 year old likes to do things like this:  (Be aware this video makes most mommies panic)

Casey Climbing a Palm Tree from Danny Hinckley on Vimeo.

I know this post feels like such a downer, but looking on the bright side I found this very inspiring article written by a mother of 8 boys.  That is not a typo… she has 8 boys.  Anyway, she wrote this article about how she keeps it together in times of being overwhelmed.  I thought I would share it in case anyone else is having a week, month, or year like me.

It is a fabulous article called Dear Overwhelmed Mother of Little Ones by Brandy over at theMarathonmom.com.

I know this is all temporary, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t hard.  Thanks for your article Brandy.

The moms that don’t stay at  home might not ever want to after reading this.

Here’s how my day went today.  It usually goes at this pace pretty much every day.  I hope I don’t scare anyone away from having kids!

7:45: Wake up courtesy of my 3 year old…. Before you judge me, wait until you see the rest of my day BEFORE you wonder why I get up so late.  Real story is that Ella has school on Mon/Wed/Fri so we all sleep in a little on Tues/Thurs.  She’s ready to get going.  I go downstairs and get the coffee going and tell her to let the pups out.  I feed them and get bfast going.  Breakfast is no joke in the Patterson house.  See below.

While I’m scarfing down food, I get some news in.  Hooray for Robin Roberts being back!  Followed by this, I fold some towels and took the laundry upstairs that I folded yesterday.

After we eat bfast, I go upstairs and get ready for the gym, make bed, put laundry away, iron my 3 year old’s shirt (crazy I know, but it takes less than a minute and looks SO much better) and lay her clothes out for her to get dressed.  By this time, it’s 9:00.

I have to wake my 1 year old up.  She went to bed at 7:30 last night.  Such a sleeper/grower.  I take her downstairs, change diaper and throw the girls laundry in.

She eats bfast (real fast) while I get Ella dressed and iron her shirt.  I get her dressed, pack a snack and we head out to library.  It’s 10 am by this point.  We finally get ready to get out the door to the library for some new books to take to Grandma and Papa’s this weekend.

We get to the gym around 10:50 and I’m on the treadmill by 11:05.  I s-l-o-w-l-y get my 3 miles in.  Hey, better than nothing right?!  My stomach is getting more and more in the way.

I pick up girls from childcare and head home for lunch.  We get home around 12:20.  I threw the girls clothes in dryer and all of our jackets in the washer (they were a little too much on the dirty side), made lunch, did dishes and ran dishwasher.

We read some library books and I put Anna down for a nap around 1:30.  Unfortunately my 3 year old doesn’t nap unless I want her up until at least 10 pm.  So, I have to try to entertain her and get things done at the same time.  I took a shower while she played with magnets and colored.  She came upstairs bored at the end of my shower- go figure right?!   No time for drying hair and forget make-up.  I threw some clothes on, put darks in the washer, got out her puzzles, folded their laundry and she helped me pack their bag for their grandparents house this weekend.  I kind of multitasked by packing the clothes that I just folded.  I probably could have found some cuter outfits to pack, but this was easy and convenient AND I didn’t have to put most of them away.  My butt felt oh so good to sit down and fold laundry.

Next, my toenails needed some help so I painted both of ours along with doing a couple of thank you cards for the people that made me feel special on Sunday for turning dirty 30.  I let Ella help with the cards.  She put letter stickers on them (learning letters right?!?!).  I’m afraid this is the last time my belly allows me to paint my toes.

Right after finishing up our toes, Anna woke up around 4.  I got them a snack and put the dishes away in the dishwasher while they ate and watched Barney.

After this, we went down to the basement so they could play and I could yet again fold a load of laundry.  I folded while they jumped in the bounce house.  They had just enough bounce house when I had two pieces of laundry to fold (never a dull moment).  We also played dress up and play-doh.

After killing time til dinner in the basement, Brian finished work.  I sent asked him nicely to go upstairs and put the new baby’s dresser together, I’m such a wonderful wife.  I got the girls and myself some dinner.

When dinner was over, Anna said she poo poo’d.  I took them upstairs and gave them a bath and got them ready for bed.

While they watched a show in my bed, I put laundry away and then clipped their nails.  We also gave our small dog a bath.  Finally, they were ready for books and bed.  I was done with this around 8:00.  I came downstairs and put some orders in for a catalog party and then started this post.  It’s now 11 pm and I still need to finish picking up the house and would love to put the baby’s clothes in her new dresser that I washed.  Maybe I will get to bed by midnight!

Anyone wanna say that stay at home moms are lazy?  I do believe that I could sit around and let my kids watch shows or movies all day, but for my sanity and theirs, we like to get out of the house and do fun things.  Not all days are this crazy busy, but most days add some sort of craziness!  There are some days when I wish I could go back to work and get a break from the home life, then I quickly realize that life is too short to not enjoy every minute I can with my kids.

A couple of things to take note of:

• I did not sit down all day unless I was scarfing (literally) food down OR folding laundry.
• I did not have any other adult interaction (barely any with my husband either).
• When I was folding laundry, I was either singing or trying to make conversation with the girls.
• There were several things that I didn’t get to that I should have – i.e. call doctor about them not filing insurance on a claim.  ugh.
• Forget a phone conversation or fun internet breaks today.
• I’m leaving for Florida for 4 days in 2 days, I have yet to pack a thing for us.
• I love my friends, I really do and I know one day they’ll understand why I’m so MIA all the time.

There you have it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last November my 2nd grader set a goal to memorize all this multiplication tables.  He memorized them in order until he had memorized all the way up to 12!  We told him when he started that we would all go out to ice cream once he memorized them all.

Read this article on How to Teach your Child Multiplication to see how he studied and learned all his tables!

He worked so hard and was proud to have an ice cream party in his honor!  We all went to Friendly’s and invited Aunt’s, Uncles, and Cousins to come along!

 

 

 

 

Winter can seriously peace out.  I’M OVER IT!!!!  While being stuck in the house today, my 3 year old and I made this cute bunny that I found here:

All you need is:

Plus, you’ll need some scissors and a hot glue gun.  So simple to make, yet so adorable!

After this, I just got out a bunch of craft things and just kind of let her go at it creatively on a new paper bag.  She loved it!  Happy Easter, a little early!

Spaghetti squash is so yummy and can be cooked so many different ways!  We have been cutting down on carbs lately and trying to eat more veggies!  Spaghetti squash is a great carb substitute!  We regularly use it in place of pasta in our spaghetti.  So yum!

This recipe has been floating around pinterest lately so I decided to give it a try.  I did change it up a bit to take the carbs out.  The original recipe is made with flour and milk.  I did like the dish, however, if I made this again I wouldn’t bake it.  I would just cover it in parmesan cheese and eat it!

 

 

 

I try to use the No Sodium salt and smart balance butter when I am cooking.  It is much healthier.  I also opted for the 99% fat free chicken broth.  It all gets mixed in together and tasted great.  My uncle would laugh at this, but he is the one who introduced me to the No Sodium salt.  He calls it the “girl salt.”  We use to eat dinner with him all the time when we lived out west and he would always say, “Please pass the girl salt.”  It always made me laugh!

 

 

 

 

 

I haven’t written much on here about my resolution, only because I think it might be a kind of odd or even vein {sort of???} resolution.  The whole healthy and super active lifestyle option was out the window since I’m pushing 6 months pregnant.  So, I took the make-me-feel-good-while-I’m-getting-fat approach.  I chose to keep my nails pretty, nicely filed and chip free!

So, now that we are getting closer to spring (adios winter!!!), I am going to show some you of my favorite spring nail colors!  I think OPI strikes again, their colors are amazing and last for so long.  Here’s what I’ve chose.

My fave is You’re Such A Budapest.

Next, I love this sexy blue color: Can’t Find My Czech Book.  It is kind of the same tone as Budapest, but I just love the blue!

I also love this because I think it will look awesome with tan fingers: Oy Another Polish Joke

AND This one is also just so classy!  Such a pretty pink color: Suzi’s Hungary Again.

Lastly, I’m so excited to try this simple, elegant color: My Vampire is Buff

I’m for sure buying all of these!  Let me know if you have any favs, I would love to try more.