Monkey Business

Okay all our blogging friends, my Mom needs your help. I have started climbing out of my crib. First time I did it, she took the bumper pad out thinking I was using that as leverage. Well I was but ever since I started Little Gym, I am quite strong. I don't need no stinkin bumper pad. A few nights later, I crawled out and showed up in my parents bedroom. Yep, I can open doors too! So after many attempts to keep me in my crib, Mom put me in the pack and play, thinking that was deep enough to keep me in. Wrong! Last night she heard me crying and thought it sounded particularly close. She came out to find me standing in the hallway. Shocking! She thinks I am too young for a big boy bed. What do you think? What have you done with climbing kids? Any advice?

Not only do I climb cribs, I also climb the pantry shelves and the bar stools. Mom left me in the den while she was on the computer in the office and a little bit later she heard a clinking noise. She came out to fine me sitting indian style on the island in the kitchen eating the M&Ms out of the candy bowl!!

Caught!!

I had climbed up the bar stool and onto the island without a peep. She would have never caught me if those M&Ms weren't so noisy!

Cousins

Dad had meetings in Charlotte this week so we went with him and spent the week visiting friends and family and playing in the hotel pool. A nice little prelude to our vacation next week to NYC! One night we had dinner with the Teagues- Scott, Leigh and Logan. My dad and Leigh are cousins and we have so much fun whenever we are with them. Logan is two and I wanted to do everything he did.

Cousin Hugs

Girls Weekend

My Mom took a leave of absence this weekend and headed to Greenville, SC for a weekend with her high school girl friends. They live in TN, SC, NC, GA and OK and had been planning this for months. She had a really great time!

Ashley Wilson Vonderahe, Betsy Kohl Couch, Mom, Clarice Berry Cawood, Robin Meyer Haupe, Laura Slyman Piers, Whitney Miller

Saturday was spent lounging by Clarice's beautiful backyard pool, just eating and chatting. Saturday night they went out on the town- had a yummy dinner at Sobys and drinks at a wine bar nearby.
Everyone came in on Friday and the girls hung out on the porch, ate a lot of food and looked at old high school pics and laughed at lots of funny memories and bad hair! Mom told me she hopes I am as lucky as her to have such good friends. Not many people can say they keep in touch like this after graduating FOURTEEN years ago! She can't wait to do it again soon!
In celebration of the Girls Weekend, Mom made the cupcake pops off the Bakerella site. They don't look as pretty as hers but they sure were delicious. The girls devoured them over the weekend. They were a big hit!

Farmer's Market

We went to the Farmer's Market this morning for breakfast. Raleigh has a HUGE market that is open every day with lots of yummy fruits and veggies. There is also restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch, southern style. They say it is "a little south for your mouth." I loved it! I ate pancakes, biscuits, bacon, ham, home fries, eggs and molasses. Seriously. Mom and Dad were done eating and I kept on. They were amazed. There was also a big, old John Deere tractor that I liked driving. If you ever come to visit, we will definitely take you to this place!

Bad hair day

I needed a haircut - bad. It had been months but I HATE to have my haircut. Mom and I ventured over the Supercuts in the neighborhood. She had snacks and treats ready to go to coerce me into the seat. Nothing worked. She finally sat me on her lap and held both arms down while the lady tried to cut as quickly as possible. You are never going to get a good haircut that way. Oh well. Mom still thinks I am cute :)

Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day celebrating Dad. We were also thinking about the other great dads and grandpas in our life- Jim and Goose. Mom cooked a great steak dinner and made yummy Paula Deen's Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding for dessert. It'll make you want to slap yo mama, it's so good!

We had our friends Stephen, Leah and Tova over. My Dad and Leah went to UVA together -hence my attire- and they live here in Raleigh so we have reconnected and enjoyed getting to know them! Tova was born in January so she is a little smaller than me but hopefully she will be big enough to play catch soon!
If you are wondering about the large bruise on my forehead, I was climbing on a big dinosaur in my playroom and fell off onto the corner of my toy box. It hurt but I bounced back quickly. All in a day's work.

Race for the Cure

We ran the Race for the Cure this morning. Mom woke me and Dad up at the crack of dawn and hurried us out the door. It was important for us to do this b/c my great-grandmother, Madeline, was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 30s. She survived for a little while but eventually succumbed to the cancer. My mom never knew her grandmother but is named after her. We ran the race so that there will come a day when there won't be a need for a Race for the Cure.

Me and Mom after the race. Yes, she dressed me in a pink polo. Apparently it was the color of choice!
I think Mommy is so funny!
The best family pic we could get. Oh well!

It's genetic

My Aunt Shannon asked Maeve if she wanted to make happy cakes (that is what she calls cupcakes.) Maeve, of course, said "yes!" Shannon asked what kind do you want to make, meaning chocolate, vanilla, etc. Maeve replied "Elmo happy cakes!" Voila! Elmo Happy Cakes:

Now that Maeve and I don't live so close she won't make as many appearances on the blog so here are some latest photos from Aunt Shannon.
This is the face she makes when you ask her to smile for the camera.
I miss Maeve alot and can't wait to see her in July!

#1 place to live

MSNBC and Kiplinger's named Raleigh the #1 place to live in AMERICA!!! How bout that?
We have only been here a few weeks so we don't really know why yet but it makes us feel like we made a good choice!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25064613?pg=11#BESTUScities_science

Stand in the place where you live

My dad's best friend from childhood- Derek- flew in from Chicago last night to have a man-day. They kayaked and worked out during the day and tonight they headed to the REM concert to relive their high school glory days. Yes, they have REM t-shirts on. Yes, it is silly. But I think it is cool that they have been friends so long. I just hope the next time Derek comes to visit he brings Jillian and London so we can all play!

Just call me "Bakerella"

I saw these cupcakes on Bakerella (http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/05/wow-your-mom-on-mothers-day.html) and decided to try them out. The flowers are made from molding chocolate. Bakerella was able to buy the different colors. I live in the sticks (sort of) and it is 15 miles to Michaels so I had to buy white chocolate at Wal-Mart and color it yellow and pink. Super easy and you get the same effect. I won't bore you with the details. If you want to learn how to make them go to site above. And maybe you will be lucky enough to have a friend like Julie give you a pink flower serving tray as a housewarming gift that will match your cupcakes!

Fat lips

We went to Winston-Salem this weekend for a memorial service for Great Uncle Bill. It was a good time of reunion with the Trotman family that my dad hadn't seen in a long time. I behaved fairly well except for the headstone jumping incident.

See my fat lip. Well I had a bloody nose to go with it. As the graveside service was about to get started I was busy jumping from headstone (they were just a couple inches off the ground) to headstone. I was holding mom's hand the whole time but then I let go just once and I tripped and fell right into a big piece of granite. There was blood and really loud tears. I was the only child there so it made quite a scene and mom had to take me to the car. I think she was really okay with that b/c we could sit in the air conditioning and have snacks. I rebounded after a few minutes and did well the rest of the day, showing off my singing and somersault skills to anyone who would watch.

I discovered lots of fun things in the china buffet in the dining room. So mom replaced those fun things with our outside plates. I like to take them all out and throw them on the hardwood floor b/c it is really loud. And then I put them back in the drawer and start over.

My mom hasn't really taken many pictures of the new house. So we will just start with the dining room. Here it is:

Picnic in the Park

My mom and dad thought it would be a good idea to go a picnic at the park to celebrate the 100 degree weather. Really, it was a church picnic and we thought we could meet some people. My parents actually just spent most of the time chasing me. I loved the playground and jumping off the stump you see below.

Sweaty boy
Running from Dad

Hamburger cupcakes

We went to a picnic tonight and I signed up to bring a dessert. I thought what better dessert for a picnic than hamburger cupcakes! Aren't they adorable?

To make 12, you need to bake 24 yellow cake cupcakes and 12 devils food cupcakes. Cut off the tops of all the cupcakes. Find a creative use for the bottoms, throw them away or let your husband eat them (like mine). Start with one yellow top. Pipe red icing around the edge. Then place a devils food one on top. Pipe green icing around the edge. Place a yellow one on top and then sprinkle with sesame seeds. You will be the hit of the bbq/picnic/party!

Jenna and Dan

What a great weekend! I got to go to Atlanta for Jenna and Dan's wedding. I flew back all by myself! I was very sad Clay couldn't come with me but to be able to be Jack-free for 48 hours was really refreshing. We are thankful for Jim and Bambi coming to help with Jack while Clay was at work. And I was thankful to have some quality time with fun girlfriends in Atlanta. We had a great dinner in Buckhead Friday night- really, when was the last time I went to Buckhead? So fun! And then Saturday I did some marathon shopping at Ikea, Phipps and Lenox before the wedding. And then....

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Perritte

The wedding was fabulous and Jenna looked beautiful. It was fun to see old work friends - even though it has only been a few weeks. We ate alot, danced alot and laughed alot!

Caroline and me

The Boomers- me, Jenna and Erica. We sure do clean up well- no concrete or mulch here!

Crazy kids- this is why you should never leave your camera on the table.

All my work friends

TEN YEARS!

TEN years ago this weekend I graduated from college! It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years- a wonderful 10 years- but still hard to believe! I am looking forward to bringing Clay and Jack to my 10 year Furman reunion in October.
President Bush spoke at Furman's graduation yesterday. Here is the speech if you are interested:
http://www.wyff4.com/video/16447308/index.html