Thursday, April 26, 2012

Another Year Gone Another Year Older

Greetings -
So I was downloading photos off the camera today and realized that I never shared the boys birthday party!!  Ooops - so here it is a little late but better than never!

When I asked Tariku and Teddy if they wanted their parties together or separate the decision was a resounding TOGETHER.  Now originally I thought that sounded like a brilliant idea knock out 2 parties in 2 hours what could be better.  OI was I mistaken!!!  Welcome to Hammons House where we do nothing small - our motto go big or go home!  And boy it went BIG!

For months leading up to the big day Tariku had told me time and time again he did not want a home birthday party. - (really - does he know what his mom does for a living) so my hours on pinterest were a waste and back to the drawing board I went!  The boys decided a bowling party was right for them this year and so Kenneth and I said sure (I mean really what is 20 kids at a bowling alley on a Friday night right?) - insert seasoned parent stares NOW!

The invites went out and I was thrilled to see the RSVP's coming in but as they kept coming I started to get nervous and as we passed the 30 mark I thought oh lord what have I gotten myself into and when we fit 40 all I could think was WHAT WAS I THINKING!!  But like everything else in life the time arrived and we survived!  The boys were beyond blessed to have all but 4 of their classmates there to share in a big day for both of them and the Franklin Entertainment Center was easy breezy to work with!

So here are a few of our photos from that evening!







 Many many thanks to my parents for coming down and assisting!  The amazing cakes came to us from Covered with Icing!  Thanks Heather they were out of this world!

So now we move on to a new year and new adventures as 6 and 7 year olds!  Wish us luck!

Wishing you a MAGICAL day ~
Courtney

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

It's all about PAPA

Greetings -
So growing up I always thought I had a pretty cool dad!  He taught me to downhill snow ski before I could walk!  He was at all my events, he helped me and my brother with math (since he was a math teacher you would have thought his kids would have understood it!!), he walked me down the aisle not once but twice (perfection takes practice!) He held my hand when I told him I couldn't have children, he talked to me on the phone while a hurricane passed over my house as he drove to Utah.  In my eyes he was amazing.  But it wasn't until I had Tariku and Teddy that I realized what a remarkable man he truly was.

You see from day one he never saw a different color, he never saw that they were adopted, all he saw were his grandsons.  When I called him a few weeks ago upset that Teddy was having a hard time not seeing him he called me the next day and said he would be down for the weekend.  When I was struggling with Tariku he called and asked if he needed to come down and talk with him.

For close to 10 years I worked at Walt Disney World and getting my parents into a theme park was worse than a root canal.  Now that there are the boys we have been twice in one year and my dad rides EVERYTHING - which mind you he rode NOTHING with my brother and I EVER!

And so PAPA I want to say thank you!  Thank you for loving my boys like no one else, thank you for teaching them to ride a bike, and soccer, and fish!  Thank you for believing that our family as different as it may be is the right family for you!

Because at the end of the day it is all about PAPA and his boys!



Wishing you a MAGICAL Day~
Courtney

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Disowned for the 1st but I am sure it will not be the last time!!!

Greetings -
I know I know I know it has been a long time and you probably think I have fallen off the face of the earth!  Truth is - it seems to me that way to!!!  But we are now back and good to go!  Who knew two kiddos in 5 months would turn this place into a whirlwind!!! (obviously not Kenneth or me) but alas I digress!

So anyone who knows this family knows that we run on a lot of sarcasm!  It is just the way we are but imagine my surprise when the sarcasm caught up to me like it did last Monday. So me and the boys are off to Chuck E Cheese's for a 6 year olds birthday party - (nice quiet place on a Monday by the way!!) The boys had a fabulous time and as we were leaving the women at the door asked to see our hand stamps. So we all show her the stamps and OF COURSE she cannot read mine.  So in her perfectly trained voice she looks at Tariku and says is this the person you came with - already knowing the answer I prepare to leave so IMAGINE my surprise when Tariku looks at her plain as day and says no ma'am she is a stranger.

What's a mom to do!! I look at Tariku and back to the lady and back to Tariku (all the while thinking if he does not fix this now I see a trip to the jail in Franklin in my future) well thankfully he saw the look on my face and realized he still wanted to live in Brentwood with his family so he quickly looked back at the nice lady and said he was kidding and that I was indeed his mama!

Once we stepped outside he looked at me and said I thought I was being funny mom.  And yes sweet Tariku you were but alas as we learned that Monday evening there is a time and a place for everything.

                                                  I mean really you can't see the resemblance?

Wishing you a MAGICAL Day~
Courtney