A little time away

Hello and Happy Thursday!!  We getting back in the groove of things after a really quick road trip this week. We haven't had time for a *real* vacation this year and the last month has been a little trying, so we decided to get away for a few days.

We had a loose plan, but nothing binding, so we took our time getting to our destination: Chattanooga.  It is such a cool town.  The only thing we had to do was surprise our almost 4 year old with a train ride on a restored steam engine.  Let me tell you.... hearing him shout and get so excited when he finally figured out where we were was worth all the heat of the day.  I am so happy that we have the excitement on video.

We had a short little ride on the engine that stopped out a real, live Steamworks.  All you mommas who have Thomas lovers know this is a super big deal.  And, we watched them turn a steam engine around on a turn table.  All very exciting!

He was brave when we went through a very old, dark tunnel... probably braver than me *smiles*  We could have used a few more days, but I am thankful for the time away.

We did a little shopping on the way there and back.  I scored a great treasure (show you later) and was able to fill the shoppe as well.

More soon~  Have a happy sort of day!

bye for now~

All Aboard! A 3rd Birthday Party

Hello there!  I am finally delivering on my promise to share the craziness that we call birthdays around here... at least for baby hughes.  If you haven't seen them before,  you can see his 1st birthday and 2nd birthday parties to know that we have been sick for at least 3 years now, but most likely longer.  We woke up to a rainy day which sort of put a kink in our photo booth plans... we still did it, but the photos were a little dark and foggy.  That sort of bummed me out, but I got over it pretty quickly.  We had loads of fun, baby hughes especially.  So, here are a few (I mean, A BUNCH) of photos of the decorations before everyone came.

Mr Hughes made all the signs.  This one was to let everyone know where the party was, just in case the 3 foot yellow balloon wasn't a dead giveaway.

I almost painted the front door for contrast.  Almost.  

It needs to be painted anyhow.

I originally started out with a color theme of aqua and yellow.  Then baby hughes said he wanted orange.  Then I got all the balloons in and I threw the scheme out the window and just went with it.  I got the round balloons from a car lot supplier.  I couldn't be picky with the colors for the price.

My stack of vintage suitcases was broken up and spread out... some out side with balloons tied to them and here in the entry.  Mr. Hughes (who, no matter what he says or people think, is not a hostage... he willingly participates in the parties) found this vintage post bag and I filled it with the presents from us.

Months ago, I found this old chalkboard.  The lines were painted on it already... I almost positive that it is a train board.  I added the Arrivals and Departures to it with chalk pen.  This table had the engineer caps and the treat bags amongst all the vintage train stuff.

Mr. Hughes found this old handmade engine push toy and painted it.  Then, he decided it needed a caboose and a extra car. So he made them.  And I made jumbo confetti with a circle punch.  Be honest.... the confetti is what you notice... not the train *wink*

I just happened to have a metal 3 in my stash and he was able to rig it so that it worked.

Mr. Hughes had some vintage cross sections of steam engines and railroad maps blown up and printed and I taped them up all around the schedule board.

And, of course, we needed a brass whistle.

I forgot to take photos of the treats, but I included train stickers, a engine lollipop, a wooden train whistle (you are welcome, my dear friends and family!) and some graham crackers called Chugga Chews... they came in a train shaped box.  I painted some tags in chalkboard paint and wrote Thank You on them.

You can barely see them here, but I asked everyone to fill out a birthday wish for baby hughes on tags that sort of look like the vintage luggage tags.

Usually a few days before the party I will see something or come up with something at the last minute.  These streamers were that thing.  I also printed out photos from the past year of all the train related stuff that we have done.  As you can see, we usually stop anytime we see a train museum or depot or tracks!

A few more things the Mr. found on top of a stack.

He also found these vintage images... I think they were like a learning tool... anyhow, they were of bridges and tunnels and tracks.  baby hughes loved them!

Of course we had food!  I tried to think of train related noshables, but I came up short.

Kettle corn... well, because baby hughes loves.loves.loves kettle corn.

We even had some friends who donated some train things... this was a whiskey decanter that I spray painted

One of the the only "train-y" foods I could think of... Henry's Special Coal....which was chocolate oatmeal cookies (we call them No Bakes.)

The cake table!  I love cake!  And the hyena loves his cupcakes.  This year I made cupcakes for the party and a small cake for his actual birthday which was the next day.  I didn't make the fondant this year.  I ordered it and it was lemon flavored and delicious!  A sweet friend gave the bambino a vintage train set as an early birthday present and I used it on the table to circle the cupcakes.

This was another thing found by Mr. Hughes... a teeny vintage train and station.  It is so cute... there is a guy riding a scooter and a woman pushing a baby carriage.  Oh and if you had any doubts, I am NOT a professional cake decorator and fondant isn't my strong suit.  Just to clear things up.

I made little railroad crossing signs out of the fondant.  I may or may not have had the caffeine shakes while lettering them! 

See the baby carriage?  Can you believe people used to just give this stuff tho their kids?  It was from out  of the country, but I am pretty sure there was no warning for kids under three.

So that's all!  It was a shame that it was so cloudy... the photos weren't as clear as I wanted.  We had a great time, that is all that matters.  The balloons quickly became bopping weapons and the green one was fought over quite a bit.  We also had a little train table that you could decorate your own Thomas Wooden box car or fuel car... I am not sure where those photos are.  My baby is 3!  I can't believe it!  In the words of the hyena himself it makes me very "upcited."

Until next year... the birthday madness is over.

bye for now!

Weekend Learnings

Hello all!  I hope you had a very lovely weekend.  My weekend was filled with just great things.  And not the kind of things you can buy (well, one of them you can.)  I learned a few things this weekend.  

I learned that my husband is a genius.  Yes, I said it.  He is smarter than the average bear.  You see, we have been working on potty training.  I know they will do it when they do it.  And that boys take longer. Still, that didn't stop me from making a goal in my head: age 3.  Well, sweethearts, age 3 is rapidly coming down the track (hahahhaha!!) and we are still in pullups.  He had one aspect of it down... always peed.  It was just the other.... okay, I will say it...poop!  He would not poop unless I just caught him at the right time.  We were having major issues.. their were tears... bribing.... yelling... some things were thrown.... nothing was working.  So, my GENIUS husband told baby hughes... if you go on the potty, we will take you to see a caboose.  Every time you go. 

Let's just say that we have high fived this caboose several times this weekend!  At one of the trips, Mr. Hughes looked over at me and said... so, our boy really loves trains.  Yes, yes he does.  That is another lesson I learned.  How much my baby loves trains.  He takes this deal quite seriously... he asks for a dollar as well ( previous deal struck.)  And we give in (since we are enabling parents and he is an only child.) We aren't saving any money on the pullups since we are giving him a dollar and a car trip at least once a day.  The thing is though, I can see it clicked.  And, he is so excited and proud.  The house is a happier place.  I also learned that while I love being right and finding the perfect solution to problems, especially with our child, I am okay with not being the one that thought of it.  I concede to Mr. Hughes.

I have also learned that with me, one obsession turns into another... got the camper (she is looking pretty spiffy too... needs just a bit more spiff!) and then I move on to another.  Dollhouses!!!  I have had this saved in one of my many folders on my desktop before I found pinterest.  Then I re-found it on there... now I am obsessing again!! The above idea?  Now that is something I wish I would have thought of first.  Mr. Hughes went to the flea market without us and I begged him to find me an old wooden dollhouse.  I have plans, ladies.  Big plans!  I really, really want a dollhouse.  Trust me... it is a good idea.  So, if any of you has a wooden dollhouse, please, give it to me!!

And I just learned in the past 20 minutes that I adore Nutella.  Why did I wait 32 years to try it?  Why?  It was always right next to the peanut butter... I remember passing it and wondering what the heck it was...  I blame my parents.  They failed me *wink*

Okay, I need to sort of clean up the various messes in the house.  I have been bff's with the sewing machine all weekend long.  I will show you some of the new creations this week! (muahhahahaha! that is an evil laugh!)

bye for now!