Archives for September 2009

We’re Having A Party – You’re Invited

You’re invited to our Birthday Bash! We will be giving away great prizes weekly from September 16 – October 16. Prizes include a 2-Tier Diaper Cake, Little Tikes Picnic Table, Fall Themed Kitchen Cake, Christmas Themed Towel Cake, Mia Bella Candles, an adorable headband and hat set by Simply FaBOWlous Boutique and more.

Be sure to Save The Dates. You won’t want to miss out on these great give aways. If you have a blog, we would appreciate you posting our button, left sidebar, on your blog.
Before you leave, be sure to enter the give aways we have listed below. 

You Call This An Elmo Cake?

Normally I’m an upbeat person and can let most things roll off my back. When it comes to my grandson, MaMa will draw the line. This picture is of my precious Xavier who turned two yesterday. We hosted his party at the Jumping Monkey in Virginia Beach, VA on Saturday. The establishment was responsible for creating his birthday cake. We requested that the bottom be made of cupcakes; the surface (icing) was suppose to cover the cupcakes and contain a picture of Elmo. This is a picture of the cake that they served. Is this the most pathetic Elmo cake that you have seen? It’s damn sure the most pathetic one that I have seen.

To say that I was livid would be an understatement. The icing was 2 inches thick, we had to search for Elmo on the surface of the cake, and get this it had a fish bowl and some character that we have no clue to this day who it is. Hello, the fish bowl is connected to Dr. Seuss not Sesame Street. This is coming from an establishment who caters to children. Kinda scary isn’t it?

Look at the picture, my sweet Xavier doesn’t care. He just wants to lick the icing on the cupcakes. Isn’t it funny, how children can have fun anytime, anywhere and it’s the adults that act a fool when things aren’t perfect. Even so, I refused to pay for this poor excuse for a cake. I look back on it and I can laugh now, but believe me I wasn’t laughing Saturday when they brought it out and set it before him.  My response was truly WTH? I could have made a better looking cake, and I’ve never baked a cake in my life.

My grandson will be visiting this week-end, so I will be having a small cake made at one of the local bakeries.  I just can’t stand the thought of that pathetic cake being in my scrapbook for his second birthday.  I’ll be sending a picture to the Jumping Monkey, so they can see what a real Elmo cake looks like. I’ll be sure to post a picture of the cake we serve this week-end.

Can you relate to my despair? Leave us a comment and let us know about a major disappointment at your child’s birthday party. Haven’t had one, leave a comment on what you think about the cake presented at my grandson’s party, and if you would have been disappointed.

Wordless Wednesday

Sand Sculpture

Sunset

I attended a festival in Virginia Beach, VA this past week-end. Here’s a few pictures.

Wordless Wednesday

Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home

My sister and I taking a rest on MLK’s door steps.

Quotable Sunday

Today is Quotable Sunday thanks to Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni. We list our favorite quotes on Quotable Sunday and visit the blogs of all those who are participating.  As a result of Kayne West’s rude behavior at the Video Music Awards (VMA), I decided to focus on Forgiveness Quotes today. 

Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast. ~Marlene Dietrich

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting. ~William Arthur Ward

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future. ~Paul Boese

Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge. ~Isaac Friedmann

Forgive all who have offended you, not for them, but for yourself. ~Harriet Nelson

There’s no point in burying a hatchet if you’re going to put up a marker on the site. ~Sydney Harris

Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much. ~Oscar Wilde

We must all ask for forgiveness at some point in our life. Lets hope that Kanye West sees that there is a time and place for everything, and understands that freedom of speech shouldn’t be at the expensive of others.

I hope you enjoyed my quotes this week. I have two favorites this week, the first and the last quotes. Leave us a comment and let us know your favorite quote. Feel free to leave your take on Kenye West and his behavior at the VMA too.

If you want to join us, please visit Toni at A Daily Dose of Toni and leave your link. We will stop by and read your quotes. Have a Blessed Sunday!

Twelve Hotel Atlanta Georgia

Today, I’m sharing my Twelve Hotel Atlanta Georgia review.  I was actually there for a business trip.   And, it was absolutely beautiful.  Especially, if you like high end hotels,  The Twelve Hotel Atlanta Georgia is a must.  The hotel is located in downtown Atlanta about 5 blocks from the Coca Cola Company, Aquarium, Olympic Park and the CNN Building.  I was hoping that I would see that gorgeous Don Lemon or Dr. Gupta, but it didn’t happen. 

Fortune Magazine has named this hotel as one of the best business hotels in the country.  I agree.  

 

 

 

travel destination

 

 


Twelve Hotel

 

 

There’s a wonderful gourmet sandwich shop around the corner from the hotel, Jimmy Johns.  They have the best sub sandwiches.  It takes less than 5 minutes to get your order.  By the time I paid, the sandwich was made, bagged, and ready to go. If you want to splurge, visit BLT Steak on Ivan Allen Blvd.  It’s ranked as the number two steakhouse in Atlanta.   It’s also around the corner from the hotel.  You see that I spoke of food first.  Food is a top priority rather I’m traveling for business or pleasure.

 

Twelve Hotel

 

Now for my take on the hotel. There’s nothing better than having the comforts of home while you’re away. This hotel delivers. It has a full kitchen with gorgeous stainless steel appliances and cherry cabinets.  It also offers a dining area and breakfast bar if you wish to cook. Not interested in cooking, they have a ghost computer where you can order room service and set your wake-up call on line. Room service can be expensive with the delivery fee and gratuity, but it was worth it. The hotel also delivers mixed drinks, wine, beer whatever your preference.  Furthermore, if you want to socialize, they have an upscale restaurant and bar down stairs.

 

 

 

travel tips

 

 

There’s a balcony off the bedroom.  I was on the 11th floor, so I didn’t venture out too far.   Although I’m a veteran flyer, I have a fear of being on balconies if I’m up that high.   I wanted to admire the view of downtown Atlanta, so I did stick one foot out while holding on to the door, lol.  Downtown Atlanta is beautiful at night. I tried to get a few night photos, but they didn’t turn out.   Proving once again, I need photography lessons.

I absolutely loved the bedroom. The decor was stunning. It was spacious, and offered ample closet and drawer space. It was decorated in a contemporary decor with a king size bed and full length stainless steel mirror. The bed was comfortable and the bedding soft. I woke up feeling rested and ready to start my day.

 

 

 

 

travel destinations

Twelve Hotel

 

The hotel room had a separate shower, but I decided to filled this tub while I was there.  I always carry candles when I travel.   So, I lite my candles and soaked until the water turned cold.   It was so relaxing.  My tub at home is just as nice, but I’m always in a hurry so I jump in the shower.   I’ve decided that I’m going to use it more often.   It’s good for these aching joints and old bones.   Twelve Hotel Atlanta Georgia offers a complimentary robe too. If you wish to purchase it will cost you $75.00. I didn’t purchase, but I did make use of it while I was there.  It was so soft and comfortable.   My body could get used to Egyptian cotton.  Than again anything would be better than my tattered and torn bathrobe at home.

In the summer, you can take a swim in the pool located on the roof top. I’m a veteran traveler, and this hotel met all my needs except one. It doesn’t have a washer or dryer for hotel guest. It offers laundry service, but there’s a fee for each piece of clothing. I had a week’s worth of clothing with me, so I opted to carry my dirty laundry home.  That’s something I hate to do.

The suites start at $189.00 a night with a discount. The Marta Train is across the street, which takes you to the airport or the hotel will arrange a shuttle or a cab. I took a cab since I was carrying numerous bags.  The hotel is located 12 miles from the airport.  However, they offer a flat rate fee of $30.00 for door to door service.   If you’re in the Atlanta area and looking for a 5 star hotel, Twelve Hotel Atlanta Georgia is the place to stay. It’s a business traveler’s paradise.

I thank my employer for such luxurious accommodations. They usually set me up at the Crown Plaza when I’m in Atlanta, but they out did themselves on this trip.   I hope my Twelve Hotel Atlanta Georgia review will give you some insight on this beautiful hotel.

You may also like:  Visiting Martin Luther King’s Childhood Home.

 

 

 

 

 

Judy’s Bottle Holder Give Away

As mothers with infants there are times when we need 8 hands. Judy, the owner, of Judy’s Bottle holder understood our dilemma. Judy and her team spent 12 years developing a bottle holder to assist us with feedings. They developed a flexible bottle-holding device that allows caregivers to safely hold and feed their babies with one arm while performing other simple tasks with the other hand. Unlike bottle proppers, Judy’s Bottle Holder promotes proper positional feeding and requires adult supervision. Judy’s Bottle Holder has been endorsed by
Pediatricians. Not only is it physician-endorsed, it has been hospital approved and designated as ergonomically correct.

I was thrilled when I received the opportunity to review the holder. I found it to be sturdy, and loved the fact that it comes in a variety of bright colors like yellow, purple, pink, blue and turquoise. The portion of the holder that is used to house the bottle expands and it is movable, so it can hold a variety of bottles and you can adjust it so it is comfortable for you and baby. I was concerned that the holder would feel heavy around my neck when I tried it initially, but it’s actually quite comfortable. I was able to hold my nephew and feed him while I performed a variety of tasks such as answer the phone, pour a cup of coffee, open the front door etc. It truly frees up one of your hand to do other things.

I do want to mention that when I watched the video on Judy’s site, I thought the holder was wide. It is not; however, the fact that it is narrow doesn’t take away from the comfort around your neck or its ability to hold the bottle.

I believe the bottle holders would make a great gift for a new mom. Judy was kind enough to send two holders. That means we have two holders to give away to our readers. You could be a winner. Here’s how: visit Judy’s Bottle Holder and view the video on her fabulous holder. Come back and leave us a comment on what you liked about the holder. A winner will be selected from the posts. (Please note we only have two holders, 1 yellow and 1 purple). You may state your preference, but you may not receive the color of your choice).
Want extra credit? Do one or all of the following. Most will be on the left sidebar:
Follow Me On Twitter (1 credit)
Place My Button On Your Side Bar (2 credits)
Blog About This Give Away (5 credits)
Vote For Me On Top Baby Blogs (1 credit)
Place Our Party Button On Your Sidebar (1 credit)
This give away is open to US and Canada Residents 18+. Give Away will end October 16, 2009 at mid-night.

Welcome To Our Birthday Bash

Welcome to the party. September and October are big birthday months for my family, so we decided to have a 30 day Birthday Bash to celebrate. We’re glad you stopped by to enjoy the festivities, please make yourself at home. The open bar is to the left and the fruit punch is to the right. Enjoy the hors· d’oeuvres and cake. To show our appreciation to our readers, we will be hosting give aways the entire month.

We’re starting the celebration off with 12 Mia Bella, which means my beautiful one, votive candles in Birthday Cake scent for our readers. They are yummy. We would like to thank our sponsor, Marissa Schmucker, for the donation. Say thank you Marissa. Marissa is the owner of Light A Mia Bella. Her site has every candle scent imaginable. Check out Light A Mia Bella, and leave us a comment on what other scent you would like to have besides the Birthday Cake candles. We will draw a winner from your posts, so please leave a valid email address.

Want extra entries? Do one or all of the following:

  • Grab our Party Button and place it on your sidebar
  • Grab our Mother-2-Mother button and place it on your sidebar
  • Follow Us (left sidebar)
  • Subscribe To Our Blog (left sidebar)
  • Follow Us On Twitter and tweet this give away (3 extra entries)
  • Blog About our Party (5 extra entries)
  • Vote For Us On Top Baby Blogs (left sidebar)
  • Comment on one of othe following posts: (5 extra entries):

http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/wheres-my-go-go-boots.html
http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/slang-of-60s.html
http://mother-2-mother.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-happened-year-you-were-born.html

This give away will end October 3 at mid-night, so go ahead and enter so you can mingle and enjoy the party. Oh, this give away is open to both US and Canada residents 18+.

Where’s My Go-Go Boots?

Do You Love These boots? You know you want them, lol. I recently celebrated my birthday and I’ve been reminiscing about the 60’s and 70’s. This is the era that I grow up in. I’ve posted about events and slang during the 60’s, I’ll focus on fashion in this post.


In the 60’s and 70’s I really wasn’t into the Hippie look. My favorite outfits were bell bottoms, halter tops (back outs) minis, and my white Go Go boots. I was a “fox” if I must say so myself. For those who don’t know, fox was 60/70’s slang for an attractive woman. Fashion in the 60 and 70’s was bold and fun. The colors were vivid yellow, orange, purple, and blues.

I loved my Go Go boots. I remember my boots as if I just took them off. They were white with a low heel and a side zipper. Go Go boots were suppose to fit tightly around your calf, but my legs were so skinny at that time I had to wrap paper towels around them so my boots would fit snugly. Oh, those were the days. My Go Go boots and skinny legs are long gone, but the memories remain. Go Go boots became the rage when the song “These Boots Were Made for Walkin” became popular. Nancy Sinatra, daughter of Frank Sinatra, performed the song.

I wore my Go Go boots with mini skirts and tights or hot pants and tights. In the 60’s mini skirts and hot pants were tasteful. I wore my mine with fishnet or window pane stockings. I actually found fishnets at Wal-Mart last year. They brought back memories.

Another favorite was my back out, i.e. halter top. I wore my halter top with hip hugger bell bottom jeans and a fringe bell. I also had yellow and pink bell bottoms. I was looking good, at least I thought I was. In the 70’s I adored my maxi dresses. They are making a come back, and I feel just as comfortable in them today as I did in the 70’s.

I sported an Afro too. I spent alot of time shaping it with a pick similar to the one shown.  My hair was long and thick, so my Afro was huge.  I looked like a stick with a big bush on top of it, OMG.  I don’t know how I carried all that hair.  To make matters worst, which at the time I thought I was looking good, I wore blue eye shadow, a line of blush on my cheeks and lip gloss.  I wish I had pictures to show you how fashionable and fly I was back in the day.  I know I would have you on the floor, but you’ll have to use your imagination on this one.  This era has passed, but it was a fun time in my life and I love looking back on it. I wouldn’t trade those years for anything.

What was fashionable back in the day for you? Leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite outfits growing up.

Zucchini Hor D’oeuvre

  • 3 cups finely chopped zucchini
  • 1 cup Bisquick
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano pepper
  • 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
  • 1 – -2 bud(s) of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped) or flakes
  • 4 eggs (slightly) beaten
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese


Grease 9x12x3 pan. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients. Place in pan and bake 30-40 minutes. Check moistness, if too wet bake for an additional 5 – 10 minutes.