Chip Turns 33

My handsome hubby turned 33 this year! It was a special year for us….so many blessings bestowed upon our family……TWO new babies who were not even a week old this time last year, a new job, general abundance in all things and the fact that I get to continue to stay home to take care of our growing family due to the extreme hard work and long hours of this many. Last year for Chip’s birthday we really didn’t get to celebrate. Patrick was still in the NICU. Rory and Chip’s mom and I were staying in a hotel across the street from the hospital and Chip thought he might be getting sick so he could not even come see us for fear of getting the babies or me sick so I really wanted to celebrate this year and let Chip know we (his family and friends) recognize what a good dude he is! So I called our some of our favorite people and arranged a birthday dinner at our one of favorite Mexican restaurants, Del Pueblo! The party was a huge hit and Chip said it was one of his favorite birthday memories ever! I love that it was kid friendly and not only did our kids enjoy the evening but some friends brought their little ones as well. It was Rory and Patrick’s first really sit in a high chair restaurant experences! Rory had accompanied me on a girls night out before but this was the first time the whole family attempted this together. It was awesome.

Me and the dashing birthday boy.

It was a special day for Chip’s Mama too! Afterall, she was the one that did all the work 33 years ago!

Patrick is really enjoying his solid food journey! I brought Happy Baby Organic puffs, and whole peas and green beans for the babies to munch on!

Me and one of my besties! Mallory, seriously one of my favorite people ever!

Blanca (center) is another friend of ours and also the manager of the restaurant. She did an amazing job accommodating all of us and even gave us some yummy appetizers on the house!

We were shocked to learn the day before that Chip’s sister Virginia would be arriving in time to join us for the party. What a nice surprise.

Our Parish family can’t have a celebration without our best friends. Love you guys Danny and Mallory.

 

Elijah played the part of host making his rounds. I adores Avery. I can’t wait until she is old enough to babysit!

A feeble attempt at a photo op with Rory. Clearly he is more interested in his green beans.

Elijah making his rounds to Aunt Virginia.

….and now having some fun with Miss Kristie!

 

It was such a great night. Thank you to all of our friends that were able to make it out and to the ones that weren’t, we missed you!

Date Nights “Abroad”

Thanks to the generosity and willingness to help of our family, Chip and I were able to go on TWO date nights while we were traveling North this winter. The first date night took place in New Jersey at this amazing restaurant called The Haven that was right on the Hudson River and the view was MANHATTEN. It was awesome. Chip poured over menus and reviews and chose the perfect spot! We left all three of our littles with Papa John and Mimi and hit the road for our night on the town. We had an amazing dinner  full of romance and laughter and just a really great time. We happened to be right near my Uncle Bobby’s house and decided to see if he wanted to meet us afterwards with Aunt Mariel. We had so much fun as our date evolved into a double date for the second half of the night.

Heading out for a night on the town!

Feeling excited to wear a dress that is not an easy access for nursing.

Chip chose my appetizer for me which was fun AND delicious! Mmmmm Scallops! He knows me so well.

Chip was thrilled to enjoy some oysters!

The view!

I loved getting to wear my FAUX fur and my wool headband! Mmmmm chilly weather is how it should be in December!

I love hanging out with these two! Uncle Bobby has always been so good to me and Mariel is one of the coolest gals I know!

You would never know that tiny gal just had a baby!

Our second date night was in Pennsylvania when we went to see Grandmumsy and Pop! They took on the three littlest Parishes and send us to the restaurant of my choosing Dilworth Town Inn. This is a restaurant that I have loved since I loved at home. It was our “special occasion” restaurant and one my parents have always loved for their date nights! I chose this not only because it is so delicious and an experience I cannot get back home but because it is a restaurant that is referenced often in my family and I wanted Chip to enjoy it firsthand. The restaurant used to be a colonial inn and the integrity of the building and décor has been beautifully maintained. The dining area is rooms all over the inn and there are fireplaces everywhere. It is my favorite dining experience and one I have had since high school. I actually went there for dinner before my Senior Prom.

Dressed and ready to go leaving Grandmumsy and Pop’s house!

Chip looking handsome at dinner.

I had this incredible pear martini.

My dad sent us with this yummy bottle of wine!

We had a very romantic dish….the Chateaubriand for two! My favorite!

We had an amazing trip and our date nights were definitely a highlight and so appreciated!

Halloween, Pumpkins, festivals and Three Little Monkeys

We love getting into the spirit of the fall season in our house and for the Parish family, that includes enjoying all the fun aspects of Halloween. Chip still likes to enjoy the scary  movies and darker aspect whereas I prefer to keep it light and focus more on the fall and funny things that the kids will enjoy which we all enjoy as a family. Though I am thinking next year I may have to send Chip to a “haunted house” so he can get his scary “fix”. This year there was no shortage of fall celebration even  with the Texas heat (sometimes reaching 90 degrees)  trying to trick us into thinking it was still summer. This is the time of year I really start to get homesick and so savoring and sharing every taste of fall I can get with my family is so important to me.

I love getting cute photos in pumpkin patches and there was a nearby church that had a really cute set up including a spot for “My First Pumpkin Patch” photos. I don’t know if it was the hot weather or the fact that everyone was ready for a nap but this was an epic fail although we did manage to get a couple cute shots with the help of my good friend, Mallory.

Yeah…..this is pretty much the best of this background if that tells you anything. Lol.

I even wore stripes to match so we can get some Mama and kiddo pictures. Don’t you just hate when the day doesn’t live up to your vision.

One of the few smiles that morning in the arms of Miss Mallory

My stripey Elijah was excited to get his picture taken with the pumpkin farm animals

Managed a sweet Rory smile!

Sweet brothers. Rory adores his big brother.

Yup. This pretty much sums up the morning

Elijah enjoyed the “Frozen” themed pumpkins.

I did get a shot of them in these outfits at Grandmother’s house. I just love the striped theme.

One of the traditions at our church that has now become a Parish family tradition to attend, is the Spring Baptist Church Fall Festival. This took place the week before Halloween and was a great way to countdown to the fun holiday! The theme this year was super heroes and our whole family participated by dressing up, even the Reerah (what Elijah calls Grandmother)!

I busted out a cool vintage Wonder Woman shirt. Elijah was one of our little Batmen.

Elijah and Daddy as Batman!

Three super heroes just hanging out

Rory was the Superman to Grandmother’s Superwoman

My little P-funk (what I like to call Patrick) matched his Daddy and Big Brother as Batman!

As usual there were games, pony rides, yummy food and lots of fun!

I think this cool bouncy was Elijah’s favorite thing. I was so excited they were letting preschoolers ride!

It was a really fun (though hot!) day. I ended up being really glad I brought shorts for Elijah to change into.

Later in the week, I managed to do fall/Halloween photo shoots of the kids! This is something I did for Elijah’s first Halloween and I loved it! I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get enough cooperation to get all the shots I wanted this year but all three kids did really well. It is definitely not as easy getting these kinds of photos with three kids as it is with one. For one thing, I wanted individual pictures as well as group pictures and there is only so much each child can take. And I am not above bribing Elijah with normally forbidden treats in the name of family photos.

My cute little monkey enjoying his Halloween costume

My littlest monkey. I heart my Patrick!

Rory found his costume hilarious. That smile melts my heart!

Cute little Rory fanny

Patrick’s tiny heinie

Another cute one of Rory

P-funk!

Three cute little bums

LOVE getting the pumpkin shots! Here is a comparison shot with my first little pumpkin and his twin brothers. Elijah was six months old and the twins were a little over 8 1/2 months old.

Tiny little Patrick pumpkin

My Rory Pumpkin

These seems to be a Facebook favorite

 

Pumpkin carving and decorating is always something Chip and I enjoy doing together and with our family. This year, ended up doing my carving (the baby pumpkins) during the week and scraping the pumpkins (and roasting the seeds…YUM!) during the day while Chip was at work. Halloween fell on a Friday and with the warm weather, you have to carve pumpkins no sooner than a couple days before or risk rotting gourds. (Even with the bleachwater bath I gave the pumpkins after cleaning them out, they still got a little soft). So I happily did the prep work and Chip did his famous carving when he got home from work.  Elijah paints his pumpkins and this year I saw somewhere that a turquoise painted pumpkin indicates that you offer non food treats for friends with food sensitivities. I loved this idea and so I offered Elijah that color with which to paint his pumpkin and we made a sign for our door indicating the meaning of the painted pumpkin.

 

Daddy hard at work designing Elijah’s choice of a Bubble Guppies pumpkin, featuring Mr. Grouper.

Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Elijah is using his tools to “carve” a pumpkin like Daddy

Since we had no shortage of pumpkins (due to the two I cute leg holes in) Chip decided to carve an Ole Miss pumpkin for himself too.

My biggest boy loves to paint. He had fun coloring his little pumpkin.

 

Halloween finally arrived and we were all excited to dress up in our family costume. The kids were all monkeys. A friend suggested that since I babywear, it might be fun to coordinate and be a tree since the babies would be “hanging” from me so I made myself a hat and wore brown pants (a trunk) and a green shirt and leafy hat! Chip was the zoo keeper! We had a great time! Grandmother came and Miss Mallory came and joined us in our stroll through the neighborhood. Elijah loved going up the doors and saying “Rick or Treat!”. It was so precious and I have never heard Trick or Treat sound so adorable! The monkeys were a huge hit.

Elijah snuggling up with Daddy while we watch Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin before trick or treating.

My little monkey is all set for his first Halloween

Elijah was so excited when he saw “Reerah” pull up and we told him she was coming with us.

The Parish Family. Love it!

A little monkey and his zoo keeper

Two monkeys in a tree

I just love this jovial boy!

Love how my husband gets in the spirit of things!

Little Patrick was SO GOOD! He just smiled and laughed the whole time we walked around and he  never left my back. He is happiest when he is being worn.

Apparently we were trick or treating during Rory’s dinner time.

Elijah wanted his picture taken with the giant pumpkin! This kid loves pumpkins!

We loved having Miss Mallory with us! She never misses things important events for my kids!

Even though they are little these babies get heavy! It was nice to have extra hands to carry these monkeys!

When we got home, Elijah changed into his special jack o lantern pjs and helped hand out candy.

Then after he went to bed, Mommy and Daddy put out his candy for the Pumpkin Fairy! The Pumpkin Fairy takes your candy but leaves a few of your favorites and a few small gifts! We love that the Pumpkin Fairy comes to our house because she knows we don’t eat all that candy! And Elijah loves the presents!

The first half of the fall season was so much fun and we are excited to enjoy and count down to Thanksgiving now! Welcome November!