Party Details:

Hudson and Hayes first watched Peter Pan last year when I rented in on Netflix. When it came out of the Disney Vault a few months ago, I grabbed it for them immediately. And we watched it about 100 times in a month. I’m not kidding. They wanted to watch it constantly.

When I asked Hudson what kind of party he and Hayes should have, he immediately knew he wanted a Peter Pan party. And this totally thrilled me! Peter Pan is one of my most favorite stories. I love the magic and the fairy tale and how it’s not super duper sweet, but it is so much fun! There’s adventure and I just love the overall lesson to never grow up! And think happy thoughts!

It was a little harder to plan this party than parties in the past because all of my party supplies are in storage. We’re still living at Todd’s grandmother’s house.

Todd’s parents graciously offered to let us host the party in their backyard, and I am so thankful. Their backyard is absolutely beautiful!

We used their back porch as the staging area for all the food and drinks. And the place where the fans could live. It was a hot day!

We did a joint party because my boys’ birthdays are exactly a month apart, and it’s just easier on families to do it one time. And my boys have so many friends that are siblings. It ended up being great to just invite entire families to come play for the afternoon.

I ordered all of the baked goods (resources are listed below) and then we picked up a Chick-fil-A nugget tray. I made pinwheels and we also had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, “Lost Boys Trail Mix” and “Tick Tock’s Goldfish.”

I wanted a tall cake with both of their names on it, and a “Neverland” type of background. So Ally & Eloise created a blue cake with stars on it. My mom brought the adorable wooden pirate ship and she painted it for the boys. And I had gotten a lot of small Peter Pan figurines to add to the top of the cake. The boys went ba-nan-as over that cake!

My boys love Tick Tock the Crocodile and Nana the Nurse Maid. Seriously, the Peter Pan characters are the best!

We turned the playset in the backyard into a pirate ship by hanging a Jolly Roger flag. My boys got a tee pee from their KK for Easter, so we set that up in the backyard to be like the Indian Brave village.

We used a large inflatable baby pool and filled it up with multi-colored balls (no water) to be the “Mermaid Lagoon.” It ended up being the most fun little place for the little kids to play!

I also rented a bounce house because, let’s face it, 4 year old little boys love a bounce house and need a place to release their energy!

For party favors, we gave each family a Little Golden Book of Peter Pan, and all the little boys got felt Peter Pan hats and the little girls received a set of fairy wings. And all the favors were super inexpensive and a big hit!

It was a super fun party to plan. I lost a little bit of my planning mojo about a week before the party and considered not doing it at all, but I’m so glad we did. Hudson was just beside himself with excitement over the party, and has been on a Peter Pan high since that day!

Party Resources:

Cake, Cupcakes, and Petit Fours: Ally & Eloise in Columbia, South Carolina

Cupcake Toppers, Invitations, Food Labels and other paper goodies: Sweet Birdie’s Nest  (and their shop)

Iced Cookies: The Doughmestic Housewife

Peter Pan Favor Hats: A Rainy Day Play on Etsy

Tree Trunk Cupcake Stand: Your Divine Affair on Etsy

Fairy Wings, Peter Pan Golden Books, Peter Pan Plush Characters, Disney Figurine Set: Amazon.com (all over the course of a year)

Straws, Balloons, Paper Cups: Shop Sweet Lulu

Bounce House Rental: Jumperee in Columbia, South Carolina

Now that my kids are old enough, they love to help me cook. And I love to cook, but I don’t love to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I prefer to cook a great, family favorite meal, clean up quickly, and move on to family time and meal time. One of my favorite, quick cobbler recipes is super fast, super easy, and super kid-friendly. But! It can be really messy!

This is my Triple Berry Cobbler recipe.

Ingredients

1 12 oz package frozen blueberries (or fresh blueberries)

1 12 oz package frozen raspberries (or fresh raspberries)– I don’t care for raspberries, so I use strawberries instead

1 12 oz package frozen blackberries (or fresh blackberries)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 t vanilla extract

1 package refrigerated pie crust (with 2 crusts in the package)– or make it from scratch if you can or have the time

1 large egg, beaten

1 T sugar  

Instructions

Stir together first 7 ingredient in large bowl until just combined

Spoon into greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish

Roll 1 piecrust to fit baking dish, place on top of berry mixture

Cut remaining piecrust into 1/2 inch strips and arrange strips in lattice design over piecrust

Brush with egg, and sprinkle with 1 T sugar

Bake at 400 for 55-60 minutes until golden and bubbly

When I’m mixing it up, the berries seem to stain everything. And then when I bake it, the berries always seem to bubble over into the bottom of my oven. Burned berries on the bottom of the oven are not fun!

This isn’t going to stop me from baking my favorite easy cobbler recipe, but it’s not my favorite thing to do.

I recently heard about the LG EasyClean™ Double Oven Range. It cleans in minutes instead of hours, so you don’t have to set aside all day to do it.

And so when I want to bake yummy suppers and desserts, like my favorite Triple Berry Cobbler recipe, with my kids, I don’t have to miss out on fun time with my family because I’m cleaning my oven.

LG brings you the new generation of oven cleaning with EasyClean™. All LG double oven ranges provide a quick and convenient way to clean your oven, while still being able to use the conventional self-clean method. EasyClean works in three simple steps. Spray the oven interior with water, press the EasyClean button, then in just 20 minutes, wipe away any residual bits of grime*. No chemicals or high heat needed to keep your oven sparkling clean. (*Heavy build-up may require additional manual effort or use of the full self-clean feature) 

I always get so excited about fabulous new appliances, and I can’t imagine anything more functional and more practical than the EasyClean oven from LG. To learn more about LG EasyClean click here.

For a chance to win your own LG EasyClean™ Double Oven Range, tell me… what is YOUR favorite recipe that leaves your oven messy?

1. Essie “Bottle Service”

On my fingernails or toenails… I just love how bright this color is!

2. Essie “First Timer”

I love this color on my toes.

3. Emi Jay hair ties

I love these! And a sweet friend actually made some for me. I love that they are cute and don’t leave creases in my hair.

4. Tom Ford “Alicia” sunglasses

These are on my wish list! I tried them on a month or so ago and I’m obsessed. Anyone want to buy them for me?

5. Scout by Bungalow 4 Boys Bag

This bag is the essential pool and beach bag. You can easily wipe it out and it seriously holds everything. It will hold four towels… and whatever else we need to bring to the pool.

6. White eyelet tunic

This is the one I have from Anthropologie two summers ago, and I wear it all the time. It’s so lightweight. I’m on the hunt for a new one that I love as much as this one.

7. J.Crew 5 inch Chino Shorts

These shorts never change or go out of style. The 5 inch is plenty short for me and over the years I’ve gotten them in quite a few colors. They’re comfortable and wash well and hold up well over time.

8. Callisto “Tiara” Wedge Sandal

Sheaffer first introduced these to me a few weeks ago and they’ve been on my wish list ever since. I finally ordered my pair in “putty” and they were backordered. And then they weren’t. And then they were again. And then they finally shipped. I still don’t have them in my hands (or on my feet), but I should have them in the next couple of days. I just love them! (And you must read Sheaffer’s blog because she’s just the best shopping enabler of all time! And she’s hilarious.)

9. PhytoMist Instant Hydrating Conditioner

This is a spray-on conditioner that I use when I get out of the shower. But I also love it as a detangler for pool and beach days. My hair is course and wavy and can be a hot mess when I get out of the water and it starts to air dry. This stuff is awesome to throw in my pool bag and spray on my hair when I get out.

10. Stella and Dot Serenity Stone Earrings in Turquoise 

I have these earrings in green and I absolutely love them. The size is perfect and the color is bold. Now I want the turquoise pair because it’s just a great summer color!

11. Lilly Pulitzer Beach Pant

I bought these pants before we went to the Greenbrier. (You remember the no-denim dress code?) They are so comfortable, so flattering, and so lightweight. They’re perfect for summer. I have them in navy, but I’d love one of the prints! (I know! Who I am? Wanting a Lilly print? I can’t help myself!)

1. AG Tomboy Crop Jeans

I love that the leg is a little wider so they don’t feel too tight in the heat. Ick. These jeans are super comfortable and a great weight for summer without being see-through!

2. Gap Long and Lean White Jeans

These are my all time favorite white jeans. I have worn them for years! They’re flattering and comfortable and the rise is higher, so it’s great for playing with kids. I have a pair that I have hemmed to wear with flats and a pair that I keep longer to wear with heels. These are my favorite!

What are your summer must haves?

This post isn’t going to be about the mommy wars. It’s about confidence. And when we have confidence, we’re not part of the mommy wars. We can’t feel attacked. As my mom always said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.”

I think with access to social media, all moms are exposed to more ideas and parenting ideas than ever before. And I think it’s natural to feel threatened when we see an approach that’s different than the one we took.

I know, for me personally, as a new mom, I felt extremely threatened when I felt like someone was doing it differently than I was. And then I’d get defensive when I’d see someone criticize the way I was doing it.

Most of this is due to social media. I had to stop reading a lot of blogs. If there was a blog that triggered negative feelings in me, I stopped reading it. Because the mom who was writing the post? She loves her kids.

And those negative feelings that were triggered? Are my own problem.

The mom I see doing any part of motherhood differently than I do? She loves her kids just like I love mine. And there’s really no right or wrong way. As long as our kids are safe and healthy and loved? That’s all that matters.

My friend, Ellen, told me once that when we have strong emotional reactions to something, it’s usually a sign that something inside of us is unsettled.

When I feel threatened by what another mother is doing, that’s because of something that I feel insecure about in myself. It’s my own heart issue.

I know that my boys are happy and healthy. And most importantly, I know that my boys are loved. I’m doing my very best to show them the love of Jesus every single day, and lead them to the Lord. I pray that each decision I make every day is made in love. I pray for guidance and pray for the Lord to speak through me.

I’m not a perfect mother. My kids aren’t perfect kids. I’ve had to learn my way through their young little lives. All of my choices haven’t been the absolute best ones. But they were the best ones in that moment. And I had to learn through it.

But I have always loved my boys, and have always tried to do what is best for them and best for our family.

It’s okay that my friends don’t mother exactly as I do. Their decisions for their families aren’t an attack on me. They have nothing to do with me.

Feeling confident in my motherhood decisions and tuning out the negative thoughts and feelings goes a long way.

Most importantly, I have to remember that His grace is enough. It is through His grace that I can move from one day to the next and feel confident in my decisions.

But mostly, I feel confident in His love for me.

*Link up with Jennifer, Kelly, Courtney, and me and share your story!

1. The boys’ Peter Pan extravaganza was this weekend and it was so much fun! If I can get my act together I’ll blog about it this week.

This may have been my very favorite part of the party!

2. My parents were here this weekend for the birthday party. Having my whole family together for the weekend was fantastic. I really can’t think of anything better. I love this picture of my mom and Hayes on FaceTime on Mother’s Day. It’s so hard to be 800 miles away from my parents, but technology makes it a lot easier.

3. Walker was here last week, too, and the boys loved playing with him! We had a Bojangles picnic outside in the yard and really loved the pleasant temperatures last week.

3. Hudson had a soccer game last week and received his very first trophy. He was so excited! He has really done a great job this season and has learned a lot about the game. It’s been a big commitment for all of us, but I’ve loved watching him improve and get more into the game. And he loves seeing all of his friends.

And the sweet little JV team of 1 and 2 year olds cheering on their brothers and sisters from the sidelines!

4. I finished Scandal. I watched Season 1 and Season 2 from start to finish in about a week’s time. And then I was able to watch the finale the night it aired. And now I don’t really know what to do with myself. I am missing Olivia Pope! If you haven’t watched Scandal, do it this summer! I even got KK hooked and she watched the whole thing, too. Watch it now!

5. I’m trying to find a new show to watch with Todd this summer. Maybe House of Cards on Netflix? I feel like we’ve seen everything else!

6. The second floor of our house is being framed name. It’s so exciting to watch it all come together. I am going to answer all of your questions about it in a blog post. I currently have a large white farm sink sitting in Nana’s garage. The sink was one of our big “must haves.”

7. We haven’t booked our summer vacation yet and I’m itching to pull the trigger to get back to Isle of Palms!

8. Our Sunday School class had an indoor picnic yesterday after church and then we had a big family game of kickball. It was so much fun! I was on “Hayes duty,” but Hayes just wanted to be in the outfield with his Daddy. He was so excited to get to be a part of the team.

9. Todd and I went to the Carrie Underwood concert a few weeks ago and had the best time. This was our second time to see her and she is just as amazing as ever. She belts it out all night long and looks absolutely stunning. I just love her!

10. I love this side-by-side comparison of Hayes in the first week of school and in the last week of school. I can’t believe how much he has grown up!

11. Don’t forget about Build ‘Em Up tomorrow. We’ll announce more topics soon because we’ve loved keeping this going and connecting with so many of you! Tomorrow’s topic is all about our parenting differences and we should be confident in motherhood.

2. I’ve been addicted to watching Scandal. The first season is only 7 episodes, and I plowed through them. I’m halfway through season 2 already and I’ve filled up my DVR with new shows this week because I only want to watch Scandal in the evenings. It’s so good!

3. The boys’ birthday party is this weekend, and I think I’m ready for it. I’ve not done a whole lot of crafting, but I have lots of fun Peter Pan props and decorations. I’m just excited for them to have a day to celebrate and play with their friends!

4. My brother has been here since Friday. Uncle Walker is so much fun and my boys just love being around him and playing with him. We’ve gone to the zoo and played in the yard a lot. Even Boudreaux is happy to have him around.

5. We got a cookie cake for Mother’s Day. Is there anything more wonderful than a cookie cake?

6. I loved all of your questions for me, and I’m excited to have some new blog post ideas!

7. I’ve been working a little bit on a loose “summer schedule.” Of course I want the summer to be low key and lots of fun, but I always want to have a little bit of structure to our day so my boys know a little bit about what to expect. I’ve got some ideas for fun things for Hudson and Hayes to learn and play while having fun! And some different ways to be intentional about making the most of our summer.

8. This post is short because I have to go watch another episode of Scandal. I can’t help myself!

Sunday mornings in the car usually involve lots of voices talking over each other. We turn down the music so we can try to pick up on at least one thought from one of the boys. And it’s rare that Hudson just starts telling us a story spontaneously.

I’ve heard from other boy moms that the day will come when my boys will stop talking to me. They won’t open up anymore. The day will likely come when they’ll come back around, but between now and then, there will be a day when they start keeping things to themselves.

We’ve learned with Hudson that it usually will take us doing something with him to get him to talk about his day or to tell us what is bothering him. We’ll work puzzles and he’ll open up. Or we’ll be throwing the ball and he’ll talk about his day. He has used these opportunities to tell us when someone did something funny or when someone hurt his feelings.

On this particular day in the car, Hudson started telling us about his friends in Sunday school. I’d ask him about someone and he’d say, “He’s a nice boy” or “she’s a nice girl.” Very simple.

I asked him about another child in his class that day and he said, “No, she’s not a nice girl.” And I said, “Oh no. Why not?”

And very matter-of-factly, Hudson said, “Because she said I was ugly.”

My heart sank. How could we possibly have a child who is old enough to deal with something like this?

Todd and I locked eyes, and Todd said to Hudson, “Well, what did you say to her?”

Hudson smiled and very innocently said, “I told her that I’m not ugly. I’m a nice boy.”

It was so simple. And in Hudson’s mind, “ugly” means “not nice.” Because that’s how we use the word at home.

I know that I can’t protect him from everything, but when his sweet little voice insisted that he was a nice boy, I started to cry. My heart broke. I was wearing my sunglasses and Hudson couldn’t see my tears, but Todd reached over and grabbed my hand. I’m sure he was wondering what in the world was wrong with me.

I don’t want my boy to have hurt feelings. But I loved his sweet, quiet confidence.

We know that kids say all kinds of things to hurt each other’s feelings, and I know that Hudson will do the same to someone someday, if he hasn’t already.

We’re praying that we will raise brave kids who can face the day and face their peers with confidence.

In that moment, we didn’t get all deep with Hudson. We told him that we were sorry that his feelings had been hurt, but we were proud of him for not fighting with her and for telling her that he was, indeed, a nice boy.

And just as quickly as it started, our conversation ended. Hudson started talking in his funny made-up language that he uses to try to make Hayes laugh, and all the loud noise in the car started up again.

Maybe that day will come when he stops opening up to me. Or maybe it will be just like it was that day, where Hudson runs in to tell me something really important, really quickly, and then he runs out to do more “important” things.

No matter what happens, I’ll always be there to listen.

I don’t take Mother’s Day very seriously until I look at my children. And then I am overcome with emotions about what it means to be their mother. I am the one that is celebrating because Hudson and Hayes Carroll are my boys.

And what an incredible gift that is.

I am not a perfect mother. I lose my temper. I snap at them. I don’t always give them my undivided attention. I could stand to play with them more and there are many times when I wish I could hit a “mute” button at our house.

They are not perfect children. They don’t always obey and they don’t eat all their vegetables. Or, really, any vegetables except green beans. They throw tantrums in public over silly things. But they are my boys.

And it’s when I stop, and look Hudson right in the eyes while he’s grinning at me and saying, “let’s pretend to tickle each other and both laugh” that I see every little piece of joy in that moment. In his grin and his bright brown eyes that are smiling at me. Smiling at me because I’m looking straight at him.

I’m so thankful for his grace. Hudson has taught me the true meaning of grace. As I’ve messed up and as we’ve both navigated this journey together. He’s my first and I’m his only mama. He trusts me and he’s the one that taught me how to trust myself. He made me a mama. I anxiously tip-toed and second guessed my way through so much of his short life. And we eagerly awaited each new milestone, almost in an effort to check the box to move to the next box.

He is full of sweetness. Full of wit and hilarity. And I love so very much that we have inside jokes. I’m not sure how it’s possible that Hudson has grown up so fast, but I am no longer looking forward to his new milestones because I want time to stop.

Then there are the moments when I’m busy folding laundry and watching the news, and I finally notice that Hayes has been running circles around me just trying to get me to look at him and laugh at him. So I look up, and we both give our biggest fake laugh, and I tell him that he is so funny. And he says, “I did it, Mommy!”

Yes, my sweet Hayes. He is the one that got me to relax as a mother. He’s the one that showed me that I don’t have to walk around with tension in my shoulders as I wait for the next new motherhood moment that will challenge me. Hayes is the one that has made us all laugh and lighten up and just enjoy each day for what it is. And we aren’t always anticipating the next big milestone. I’m not second-guessing myself.

I know that perfection is unattainable. We’re soaking up each day in a new way.

Maybe that’s how it always is the second time around.

So, today, on this Mother’s Day, I am thankful for the mama that my boys have helped me to be. And I pray daily that I can grow and show them the way to the Father.

Why Mother’s Day Is For the Birds from A Holy Experience- Goodness, I loved this post. I think one of my issues with Mother’s Day is that it can feel so forced and like such a Hallmark holiday. I truly don’t need a day for my children to celebrate me. It makes some people hurt and makes some feel great, but we all know the truth. And the truth is that being a mother is far from perfect, and no holiday is going to change that. I’m so thankful for His grace and His goodness, to get us through! And I’m so thankful for the opportunity to raise my children that He blessed me with.

The Truth About Step-Mothering from The Things I’m Learning- Anna has the sweetest heart. You should absolutely be reading her blog. She wrote a fantastic post about what it means to be a “step mother” to her boys. I’d love for you to read it.

Mother’s Day Is For Everyone from Courtney DeFeo- I just love Courtney’s heart for moms and for kids. This is a beautiful post about how Mother’s Day may be so hard for some and so joyful for others. And I love the sweet words she wrote to her girls.

When I Think This Mom Gig is Hard from Home With the Boys- Erin wrote a great post about perspective and the ways we can think of other mothers around the world and how we can support them through Compassion International.

So God Made a Mother: When The Giving Tree is Really The Giving Mother from A Holy Experience- Another post from Ann Voskamp this week, but this one just gave me chills. I loved the way she described mothers and the things that mothers do and the ways that mothers give. It’s a beautiful post.

Top 10 Favorite Skinny Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes from Skinny Taste- As always, Skinny Taste has the best low-calorie recipes and this list has all Mother’s Day recipe ideas.

My Advice: Take the Damn Photo from Classy and Fabulous- Sarah wrote the sweetest to-the-point post about why it is so important to just get in the picture with our moms and our kids. Take pictures! You won’t regret it.

Fifty Two Shades of Shay: Blogging from Mix and Match Family- Shay put together a great list of tips and advice from some amazing bloggers. If you are interested in blogging or growing your blog, this is worth checking out. I was honored that she included me in that list.

Coming Unglued from The Averitt Fam- Sweet Jill linked up with us for Build ‘Em Up and I just love her wisdom and insight for how to handle those moments when we come unglued.

The Her Kentucky blog is hosting a really neat link up for you to share your story of Mother’s Day. They’re inviting everyone to share the joy and the sorrow and to simply share what Mother’s Day means to you.