Celebrations!!!

How was your weekend?  We had a great one.  It was nice and sunny this weekend and the pollen is not so bad.  I am trying to really enjoy the Atlanta weather before it gets too hot to step outside.  I remember last summer it was too hot to even swim in the pool.  The pool water felt like bath water.  Ugh!

Friday we had Charles and Michael over to celebrate Charles's birthday.  I made crab cakes and mussels for the appetizer.  And then made steak and spinach risotto for the main course.  We were so full from the appetizers, we decided to take a break from eating and left  to go see the movie Hannah.  Oh the movie Hannah is really good by the way.   After the movie we came back for the main course.  For dessert I made sweet and salty brownies and homemade salty caramel ice cream.  Everything turned out delicious and we had a really fun night.  Charles and Michael are hilarious!!!  

Here's some pictures from Friday night:

Sweet and Salty brownies

Crab Cakes

Mussels

Michael

Charles

Steak

Charles being silly

JT relaxing

Addison and Charles being crazy

My favorite picture, so silly

Love it!!! So cute!!

Even the dogs joining the party

Emmy is looking at Charles like he's crazy

Addison eating

As you can tell we had a good time.  The dinner party didn't end until 4 AM.  We had too much fun.

Saturday, we went to JT's mom's house to celebrate her birthday.  JT and Addison did some yard work for her and cleaned out her gutters.  Then we went to the AT&T store and bought her an iPhone.  She was so excited.  We ended up ordering Chinese take out because no one wanted to cook but I did bake her a birthday cake at her house.  I made the Burnt Sugar Bundt Cake with Caramel Sauce and she loved it.  

Here's some pics of Nana's party:

Addison on the roof cleaning the gutters.

Nana and Addison making the icing.

I told you he's crazy.

Can't believe Chewbaca is this big.

Little Luna

Sweet Freddie

Silly Grandma

Aunt Rea was too tired for pictures

Sunday was the day to relax.  Addison and I  got addicted to watching Hoarders.  It freaked him out so much that he started cleaning.  Then we watched Extreme Couponing and started clipping coupons.  I ended up saving $18 today when I went grocery shopping.  It's not extreme but I think it's pretty good.  I also made 3 Easter cards to sell.   Check out my Etsy site to see what I have created.  

Well, that was my long but fun weekend.  Now back to school.

Favorite Family Video Games

I am feeling so much better today.  Wow, I am such a baby when I'm sick.  I can breathe better and my mood has changed.  I don't know why I let people get to me but it only happens about once in a while so I think that is good.  I am back to my happy self!

I have been thinking what to share today.  It is Wednesday so it's my Favorite Things.  I thought I would do video games.  Yes, the nerd in me is coming out today.  I am been playing video games since I was little, I still have my Atari.  Video games have come a long way from Pong.  I am lucky to have a son that enjoys video games as much as me.  Addison started playing early because I was playing when he was baby.  I think his first video game he really played was Halo.  I think before Halo he was just pushing button but this game really made him understand to concept of faming.  Well, our family is not a typical gaming family.  JT wasn't really into video games until he met me.  Now he he loves them because we play as a family.  Our video games of choice are 2 player or co-op games.  It's fun to spend the day together shooting up enemies.  Our top video games for our family are:

1. Gears of War - this game started JT's madness of 1st person shooters.  When we bought this game he made me stay up all night to try to finish it.  He finally let me get some sleep when we were stuck.  The controls are the best with this game.  Being able to duck, jump, roll and covering is not like any other 1st person shooter game.  I warn you it's violent for children but you can turn the blood off.  
2. Gear of War 2 - I know but this one is better than Gear of War 1 because of the storyline,  The weapons seem better too and the aliens are better.  This one also seemed a little more difficult to me.  
3. Halo - I let Addison play this game when he was 5.  I know some of you might think that's too young but Halo is a 1st person shooter but it's not real blood it's blue blood.  Addison would always tell me it didn't look real.  The story line is good. The graphics are great.  It's not as dark and violent as the Gear of War games.  Addison says the only reason it's M for mature is because of the language. 
4. Halo 2 and 3 -  I'l lump these together because the whole Halo series is great.  I consider it a young teens first person shooter games.  It's bright and pretty but you can still kill aliens.  I think the Halo seres is one of the most popular first person shooter video games.  
5. Lego Star Wars-  We love the Lego video games.  They follow the movies pretty close.  And there is something so cute the see all the character you love as lego pieces.  Everything is lego pieces from ships to plants.  
6. Lego Harry Potter - follows all the movies up to the last one.  Very cute but seemed a little more difficult than the other Lego games.  
7. Lego Indiana Jones - this is my second favorite behind Lego Star Wars.  I think I just love Indiana Jones.  But the games follows all the four Indiana Jones movies.  Oh and this was one of the first Lego video games that did spit screen the right way.  In the first Lego video games when 2 people were playing they had stay pretty much together.  
8. Lego Clone Wars- another addition to the Star Wars series but follow the storyline from the Clone Wars series on Cartoon Network.  This is the newest one out of the Lego series.  
9. The Xbox Kinetic games - there have only been a few kinetic games to come out since Christmas but they have been some fun ones, like the sports games and the dance games.  I love the Xbox Kinetic because it gets us moving as a family and it's just so silly.  
10. The Raymond Rabbids games-  these are Wii games and of course I have to mention the Wii.  The Nintendo Wii changed gaming by using your body.  Nintendo is great for the family because most Nintendo games are kid friendly.  The Raymond Rabbids games are not two player but we take turns and they are so silly.  Some of the games do have mini-games that you can play with more than one player.  

As you can see we really only love 4 types of games.  We have many other games but these are the games we play together over and over again.  The Lego series is not a 1st person shooter games is more like an adventure game with you as lego characters.  If you don't want you kids to play

 anything violent I would suggest these.  The Lego series is perfect for kids at any age.  The Gear of Wars games are dark and violent.  I would probably say wait until your kids are at least 10 to play these games.  I think it depends on your child and their maturity level.  Addison has been shooting real guns since 5 so we believe certain video games are ok.  The Halo series is violent but as a stated before it's a different type of violence.  It's not really bloody or graphic.  I guess the best thing is to play the games yourself to see what the games are about.  I see so many times parent at Best Buy picking up games for their children and they have no earthly idea what the game is about.  Some games are way too mature for children, example grand theft auto.  They do not only have just language and violence but sex, so watch what your kids are playing.  Addison is smart enough to know when a game is too scary for him.  He sees previews of games and if the preview scares him he doesn't want to play it.  He also has friends that play games that he thinks are too scary for him, like Dead Space 1 and 2.

The Xbox Kinetic, the Wii, and the Playstation move has changed gaming.  Most hardcore gamers do not like these systems because they say they are not real gaming.  I think they are for people that aren't gamers.   They make anyone able to enjoy playing a video game, you don't have to be tech or gaming savvy.  If I had to pick one console for a family, I would pick the Wii because I believe it has something for everyone.  But, now since the Xbox Kinetic is out I believe it will make motion gaming better and better games will be created.  

I would like to say also, Addison is only allowed to play video games on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays so that's when we play these games with him.  He has started to get into the online gaming with the Halo games.  That's when he can play with his friends or other people.  I am not crazy about online gaming.  Too many kids get sucked into it and ends up being the only thing they do.  We have limited his online gaming to 1-2 hours on the weekends so he can play with his friends.  And we monitor who he's playing and always tell him to never give any information about himself.  

I mention online gaming because it's the one thing I don't like about video games but it has become really big in the gaming world.  There are too many people online from all over the world of different ages.  I believe there are too many young people online that are not being monitored.  But I also believe there are too many young people on the internet that are not being monitored.  There are some positives about online gaming like Addison is able to play his friends that live far away.  It's a way they can chat and bond without being at each others house.  But, online gaming will never replace running around with your friends outside.  

Juggling it all

So I'm a little under the weather today.  The pollen is crazy in Georgia right now.  I unfortunately have asthma and am allergic to everything.  And when I say everything I mean everything, I am even allergic to cold, when I get too cold I break out.  So on top of not breathing I have a stomach virus of some sort, it could be the pollen I'm digesting or just stress.  All I know is I feel horrible today.  The good thing is Addison is on Spring Break and he makes an excellent nurse.  There's something about my baby boy taking care of me that makes me feel are warm inside.

On top of being sick I am having to deal with incompetent people that can't do their jobs and can't give anyone a break.  I am not going to go into detail but JT and I are both dealing with drama today and need to find out place of ZEN.  These are the times I need to remember how blessed we are and don't sweat the little stuff.  My family is happy, healthy, and loved and that is all the matters.

I mention juggling it all because there is no way a mother can do it all.  I dropped the ball on something that I am dealing with now.  I know now why people need assistants.  At first I got all upset and freaked out but then I had to remember what is all on my plate.  I am a motherwe a wife and a student.  And I am not doing any of these jobs half a**.  I am a hands on mother, I spend time with my child, and teach my child.  I believe if you are going to have a child you so do everything in you ability to help them become the greatest adult they can be.  You should talk, listen, teach your child.  I do not let the public school system just teach my child.  I teach him electronics and mathematics before it's even taught in his school.  JT also teaches him Science.  I teach him about the real world, I am very honest about what life is really about.  I have him do extra work at home and we do science and electronics labs with him.  I have him extra-currricular activities every day to keep his mind and body strong.  He makes straight A's and I know it's because of the extra work I do.  He has never been in trouble at school and his very caring, obedience, sweet, and helpful child.

On top of all that I am getting a double major in computer and electrical engineering.  I have above a 3.0 and would love to get my Master's in Mathematics so I can become a professor.  It has taken me a while to graduate but I only have a semester left.  I could have taken more classes a semester but I would not have been able to be there for Addison as much as a was.  So that's when you have to decide family or school and family will always win.  JT is even going through this decision career or family and his family will always win too.

Being a wife and a mother entails cooking, cleaning, making sure everyone has everything, making sure everyone is loved, making sure everyone is happy and sane.  Right now, I'm trying to just cook everything.  I'm trying to ween my family from process foods.  So that means a lot of cooking, but I know this will keep my family healthy in the long run.  I bake because it puts a smile on my family's face.  I know they are going to eat sweets no matter what.  So I would rather it be something that I make and I know what they are putting in their bodies.

So I guess I'm writing this for me or for others who have let someone make them feel less for forgetting to do something.  As long as the top things on our list are done if you mess up on the little stuff it's not a big deal.  So if you forgot to finish something, mail something, pay something give yourself a break.  You can not do everything.  There is no such thing as a perfect human being, even though we all try to be perfect.

So as long as I am raising my child to become an incredible adult, my husband still believes I'm the greatest woman, and I'm following my educational dream, everything else can kiss my booty.

Ok I'm getting off the therapy couch now.  Sorry sometime I need to get things off my chest.

On a happier note.  JT's and mine anniversary was Sunday.  He got called into work for an emergency spill so we didn't get to spend time together.  But, I still baked him his favorite cake so he could have it when he got home.  I baked him a German Chocolate Cake.  Addison and JT said it's the best one they have ever had.  Addison also said it was worth all the fat and calories because it was so good.  Don't you just love him.

3 layers baby with coconut icing in between

Yummy milk chocolate icing.  

Well, I got to go and take Addison to diving and then Taekwondo.  And then cook dinner.  I am thinking it's a night for lamb.  Lamb is one of Addison's favorites and we need to have a celebration of life and happiness tonight.  

Happy April Fool's Day

So last night I wrapped Addison's toilet with Saran Wrap for a great April Fool's joke.  Unfortunately, my son looks where he pees so he noticed the Saran Wrap.  I knew after that I had to get him good.  So later on today I went to school and got the school's office to call him to the principal's office.  His principal sat him down and asked him what happened at lunch 2 days ago and yesterday.  Then he asked Addison why he tripped a kindergartner.  Addison told him he didn't and his principal said don't lie we have it on tape.  Addison was so confused and then I jumped out and screamed April Fool's.  Yeah I got him good.  He ended up punching me when he realized what I did but it was so worth it.  Now, he's has been trying to get me all day.  :)

I think think the best April Fool's joke of today is Google Motion.  If you haven't seen it check it out.  The videos are the best.  I can't believe they put in that much time and effort just for a joke.  You got to love Google.

Do any of you guys have HBO? There is a new series called Mildred Pierce.  So far so good.  Kate Winslet plays Mildred Pierce and we all love Kate.  It's about a 1930s housewife who kicks out her cheating husband.  She has to get a job and ends up being a waitress.  The diner she works at has horrible pies and she starts making pies for them.  She then realizes she could open her own place and opens a restaurant that just sells chicken dishes and pies.  But, it's not just about her just cooking and baking.  It's about the crazy relationship she has with her daughter and about the men in her life.  If you haven't watched it yet I suggest you start.  Part One and Two have already aired and I think it's a eight part mini series.  You can always watch it on HBO On Demand.

Well, the banana bread is in the oven.  See ya later!