Second stop....

The second stop on the kid friendly beer tour is Troges Brewery!
Yay!
I love Troges Brewery, the beer is delicious and so is the food. They also have a whole kids menu with crayons included. hahahaha But it's a huge open space with family style tables but they also have booths. They have a big patio so during the summer I'm sure it's amazing there. I absolutely love the view there. Try going during a sunset, you won't regret it.

So the food is amazing. They have a little snack window that you order at and then pick up your food.  I get the Cesar salad, its huge and it has pretzel croutons made from their big beer pretzels. Soooo good!
you order the beer from the bar and then the food from the snack bar. I think I saw some servers but I'm not quite sure. We went Wednesday afternoon with 4 kids and 2 adults and we had a great time! I wasn't very busy and we had a huge table all to ourselves. The kids could play with their toys and color the menu. I also went on Sunday night with the family and it was a little busier but just as fun. There were a bunch of other families there but there is also a bar side with high top tables if you want to go without children. I usually don't get that lucky so I have to drag all the rugrats with me. Hahahaha

Oh they also have a self guided brewery tour. You can just walk through and read about how all the beers are made. They also have a cool little store there, you can buy beer and t-shirts, stickers, glasses, all sorts of cool stuff!
So anytime you find yourself in Hershey, PA check it out! It's right down the street from HersheyPark and the Hershey Outlets.
I will probably be going back once a week for that Cesar salad, yum.

XoxOXox 

Steph

Remy's First Birthday!

I can't believe that its been a year already! Time goes by so fast when you are busy and with 3 kids, so clearly I've been forgetting to write. I'm sorry.
So we had a super fun birthday party with just a few friends and a ton of balloons. I've realized that kids will be happy if you just have a ton of balloons. Hahahah.

I was just excited to buy baby stuff again! HA. Logan just turned 9 so he's all about video games and whatnot but its fun to shop for Remy.
I was looking at these Gather playmats for him for awhile so I went for it and got one.

 They are so well made! its just a big leather mat that you can fold up and wipe off if you spill something, and Remy usually is throwing his food around. So the mat is amazing, even the big kids play on it. Logan is playing on it as I write this. I also got some really cool handmade wooden toys from Bannor Toys.


They have every state made into a little rattle toy. They are super adorable and Remy loves his.

I also got the boys some personalized chalkboard from Chalk Full of Design to practice their names, Dylan was having some trouble with his "e"s. They are really cute and you can reuse them! They came with a chalkboard pen, so you can just write on the boards and then wipe them off with a baby wipe.
And we alll know that as moms we use baby wipes you clean up just about everything. HA.
So there it is, a month late but still. HAPPY BIRTHDAY REMY!!


XoxOXox 

Steph

Jubilee Day

So Thursday was Jubilee Day, the longest 1 day street fair in the United States!! Woohooo! 

It also happened to be 3 blocks from where we just bought a house. So obviously I had to have a party 🎉 

It was mostly for the kids, that's all I really worry about anymore. The adults have done Jubilee Day before, they know what they are doing. Hahahaha. 

But I'm all about the kiddos. I had 2 pools set up, a bubble machine, and a ton of snacks. 

The kids had so much fun playing in the pool and it was a perfect day out, not too humid. And for it being the middle of June in Pennsylvania, that's surprising. Usually it's like walking outside with a fur coat on. You're sweating just putting the kids in the car. No wonder people go crazy in the summer! 

 

This little nugget hates the heat but he looks so cute all naked in his baby sling 😍😍

Jubilee day is all about the food to me. Crab cake sandwiches, giant turkey legs, kabobs, funnel cake, ice cream, ohmygosh I need to stop I'm getting hungry again. Hahaha. 

The kids road some rides with their friends and we got to see some live music. 

Logan smashed his face on the back steps of our porch so our little party had to be put on hold so I could rush him to the dentist. An hour later he was all fixed up and ready to go back and ride the rides. HA. Typical kid. 

 

This picture was taken after the face smashing incident and everyone was hot and cranky at that point. 😑🤣😂

It's Sunday and I'm finally getting around to posting this. HA. This weekend has been crazy! Birthday parties 🎉 and we are still unpacking 😑 

Here's to surviving through the week ✌🏽❤️

XoxOXox 

Steph 

World's kinda-worst Mom

I'm sitting here while I should be folding laundry but I'm too damn annoyed to do it. 

My kids are spoiled. 

There I said it. But the thing is, it's my fault. 

I give them everything they ask for, within reason, and they act like total jerks to me. And to each other!!

I got one kid asking me to order pizza EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. I'm not even kidding when I say this. It's the most annoying thing ever. 

Why? You ask!?

Because you can't feed your 8 year old pizza every night. 

1. You will go broke. 

2. It's seriously just not normal to eat pizza every single day. 

Conform. Try something new. 

Bread, sauce, and cheese and not the only ingredients in the world. Yes, they are amazing. And I do LOVE pizza but seriously. 

And then I have another kid that thinks the word 'no' is just an option. 

Case in point- 

Dylan- can I go to my friends house on a school night?!

Me- no, it's a school night. 

Dylan- (scoots away on this scooter 🏍) 

Me- 😑 (takes scooter away and makes him to go his room) 

Now they are both sitting in the living room in complete silence until bedtime. 

Well every once in a while one of them tells me "you used to be nice". HA. 

Yea, I used to be nice when you used to listen to me! Or "this is the worst night ever". 

Now I'm not expecting them to complete angels but come on. I have to tell them something 4 times before they listen. 

My mom used to make me sit at the dinner table all night if I didn't finish my dinner. Thank goodness my Grandparents raised me so I didn't have to do that too often. HA. 

Sorry for the rant. Sometimes it just feels good to get it out. And please let me know I'm not the only one with bad children. 

XoXoXOxo 

Steph

Fun time at the Library!

So there are soooo many things going on right now, I will post about that soon, but I took some time out and went to the library with Remy. I met my friend and her son there, they go all the time but this was my first. 

 

It was fun to hang out with my friend and other moms. She also did some pics for me 😂🤣😜

 

She told me I take the same boring pictures. So this is me waiving to a complete stranger on the street. Hahahaha. Heyyyyyy 👋🏼

It's always fun to have friends to tell you when you look stupid, or not 😒 hahahahahaha. 

XoxOXox

Steph 

Back to work

So I've been back to work now for about 3 weeks. Not full time. It's about 20 hours. I wanted to go back to work. I needed to get out of the house and away from the big kids, who can drive me nuts sometimes. But then I quickly realized I needed to be back at work. 

Bills needed to be paid, diapers would need to be bought, and I still needed to go grocery shopping every week. Let's be serious, I am the WORST with money. I make it and I spend it. I never save. My family has always yelled at me about this. It's the problem with being a server, cash just comes and goes. 

So I go back to work, 6 days after I had Remy. I'm Wonder Women, I'm telling you. My body is supernatural. But everyone is trying to make me feel bad about being back at work so soon. 

Oh no! 

No you didn't! 

This is my vagina! Not yours! 

If I want to be here then I'm going to be here! Keep your judgy judge pants to yourself. I'm almost 31 years old. I have 2 other kids. Don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do. And you don't pay my bill!! 

I'm not in the type of work that gives me maternity leave, and that's ok, I chose this type of work. But I don't agree with people judging others. Especially new moms. We are going through enough as it is. 

It's hard to leave Remy at night but luckily I'm only gone for 4 maybe 5 hours. And I know he's with my fiancé (his dad) and has plenty of boobmilk in the fridge 😜

Everyone knows what's best for them and we should stick together as women and mothers. Raise one another up instead of bringing one another down. 

And if there is anyone out there struggling, know that you are not alone. I'm trying to survive everyday. Just today Dylan took the rest of my cheesesteak and ate it! I can't even eat my food! That's another reason I went back to work 50% off food! HA. 

XoxoXOxo 

Steph

Baby Remy

Oh my goodness I can't believe its been so long! Things around here have been a little crazy, to say the least. 

The new baby is here!! Yay! 

Remy Thorne was born on September 19th at 6:30 pm. So now I have two kids with the same birthday! I don't think Logan's ever been so excited in his life, he definitely thinks he got a baby brother for his birthday. 

I can't believe it! 

I have 2 kids that are in elementary school and then a newborn! Luckily Logan and Dylan and super helpful. Logan is constantly asking to hold Remy and to help change his diapers. I don't really think he would be too helpful with the diapers though. HA. 

But overall things are going smoothly, Remy sleeps through the whole night and it is glorious. I'm big into co-sleeping so that probably helps, a lot. I co-slept with both my other boys and it was probably the best thing I've ever done. I got the much needed sleep that you need when you have a newborn (how are you so tired when that's all they do is sleep all day?) and they sleep more soundly. 

Now I just need to figure out the baby sling. I have the ergo-baby  3-way and I love it but I really want to get a ring sling. I'm really short so the ergo is kinda big on me. Does anyone have any tips or recommendations?!

I missed you all so much! 

XoxoXOxo 

Steph 

Old Faithful

All through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. Until I heard "Ewwwww"!!! 

And as I ran into the kids room Dylan was projectile vomiting onto the floor. 

"Seriously" I think as I'm about to throw up on the floor myself. 

Just then my night in shining armor (my amazing boyfriend) runs in and takes care of the situation. 

Dylan puked on Logan so they both needed showered. 

It's 12:30 at night, mind you. 

Changed the sheets and PJs and got them back into bed. Just to have Logan puke on the floor in my room 3 hours later!! 

What is going on?! 

Is this an epidemic? 

Am I next?!!!? 

Luckily we got through the night without anymore casualties, thank goodness. 

So needless to say my house was like Yellowstone and old faithful was going off in a timely fashion...... 

Now for another 10hour day at work. Please, baby Jesus, let me get through this day. 

XoxoXoxo 

Steph 

Adventure Time

The only good thing about the kids being home from school is that you can do fun things during the week. We went to a park in Hoboken on Monday. This park in on a man-made island between New Jersey and Manhattan, it's awesome! I felt like Peter Pan and the lost boys playing in Neverland!

I climbed to the top of the slide because I had to get these pictures.... 

Best views of Manhattan :)

Then we walked across the street from the park to a restaurant, Little Town, it was so good! The kids got corndogs and cheeseburgers and I got everything bagel breaded chicken fingers, you got me at everything bagel, super delicious. The kids wanted to get shots of milk but I had to say no ;)

While we waited for the food (the worst part about taking kids to a restaurant) we played Skee-Ball!! 

  

Then on Tuesday Dylan and I went to Brooklyn :) everytime I'm in Brooklyn I have to go to my favorite pizza place in my old neighborhood, Carmine's. 

It is the most perfect pizza ever....

I definitely ate 3 slices before getting back to New Jersey.... Oops :-/

While we waited for the pizza Dylan got to ride the pink pony..

I miss living in Brooklyn sometimes but it's nice to still be close. 

XoXOXxo

Stephanie

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Spooky Scary

Yesterday day was Halloween, yaaay!!! I took the kids trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. This was the first year I've been able to take the kids trick-or-treating, ever! Last year we were attacked by hurricane Sandy and Halloween was canceled, and everyother year I've lived in a city.

So this year was really fun! The kids dressed up as Little Pirates, of course they had to match. 

At first they didn't know what we were doing, I told them 'go up, ring the doorbell and say trick-or-treat' they asked me why?!

After the first house they were running from door to door. They had a blast!

Then we came home and had some delicious homemade Mac and Cheese. We also cuddled up and watched 'Monster university' and how could we watch that without having some matching cookies ;)

Hands down, Halloween is my favorite holiday! I hope you had a great Halloween too and got lots of candy :)

XoXOXxo

Stephanie

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Backyard fun

Finally it feels like spring. Nice and sunny and warm. And since it's supposed to be nice out all week, I figured I would fix up the backyard. The kid's needed an area to play, otherwise they just dig for dinosaur bones and play in the dirt. That's fine and dandy but that can only last for so long.
I found this awesome DIY kids tent from Cakies. So I decided to make that first. I had to go to Ikea for other things so I picked up some cool rainbow striped fabric. Then I went to Home Depot for the wood. I had them cut the pieces for me to save time. I also picked up a 3/4 spade bit because I couldn't find mine at the house.
So now I had everything to make it.
4-- 1” x 2” x 48” pine wood
1--3/4” x 48” dowel
drill
3/4” spade bit
measuring tape
marker
3 yards of fabric or an old twin bed sheet

Measure down 6 inches. And mark it with a pen or marker.

Drill hole into each piece.

Make X with 2 boards and put dowel through the holes.

Put the fabric over the dowel and make it even on both sides. I used almost exactly 3 yards of fabric. Then cut little slits near the ends to put the cloth through- 3 for each post.

I also made a chalkboard out of a piece of scrap wood. I was pretty much the exact size I wanted. So I took the piece of plywood and painted it with the chalkboard paint. I did 3 coats of it. Then I drilled it into the tree with really long wood screws. It's at the perfect height for the kids to draw and the chalk will be washed away in the rain.

We started making a little racetrack too. It's not the best but its a start. We had a huge stack of old bricks behind our garage so we used those. I say 'we' because the kids helped me, they carried all the bricks over from the garage.

But if you're too busy to make a tent you can buy them at Etsy too.

I think it's a pretty cool spot to play now.

I hope you like :)

XoXOxOXo
Stephanie