Happy Mardi Gras!

We just returned from a wonderful 10 days with my parents in South Alabama. We had a great trip and it was such a treat to be in warmer weather. J loved being able to play outside without a hat and coat on. We took full advantage of all of our favorite restaurants and got to have a play dates with some of my friend's kids. Here are a few pictures of our adventures:

 The Dog Parade is always a hit! 

Playdate with A (his Mama is Some Like it Southern)

Pat-Pat took the boys on a golf cart ride

J's first night time Mardi Gras parade was a HIT!

Float loading! I picked all green beads since we dressed up as leprechauns. The theme of my float was "Happy Holidays."

We had lots of fun playing with Daisy's sister Lily. The weather was perfect.

View from my parent's front porch. I love the South!

Lunch at Fly Creek before our parade

Hanging out with the boys

New Knotted Note Winner

I never heard back from the previous winner and she didn't leave any way to contact her, so I've drawn a new winner!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

6 

Timestamp: 2011-03-08 18:31:07 UTC

Congrats to NewMama2010! 

The Knotted Note Giveaway Winner

Congrats to...

MiniCooper

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

13 

Timestamp: 2011-02-20 20:26:08 UTC

Please email me at magnoliasmarriageandmanhattan@gmail dot com and we will get your Knotted Notes to you! 

The Knotted Note Product Review and Giveaway

I was recently sent some adorable note cards from The Knotted Note. Owner, Erin, designed a special set to go with J's bday party designs! I think they are just adorable and they are perfect for thank you notes. Check out my review and be sure to enter to win a set of your very own Knotted Notes!

 As you know, I LOVE stationery. I really love it when someone introduces me to something that looks different. Knotted Notes have a classic clean look with ribbon and cute charms. I swear, put a little preppy grosgrain ribbon on something and I'll buy it! I can see preteen girls absolutely LOVING these cards and I know my Mom will think they are fridge worthy. Here are a few of my favorite Knotted Notes:

Love this crisp little dragon fly thank you note!

These would make an adorable note card to ask your bridesmaids to be in your wedding! Or, use them for a sweet note to your wedding shower hostesses.

A very unique birth announcement! I think ALL birth announcements should include ribbon...J's did! 

 A very classic birth announcement with a sweet twist. Bama fans will love this one!

Sweet girl version (there are tons more options here)

Perfect to announce your new address!

 LOVE this one. I'm inspired.

This one is too cute too, they also have it in a lot of other different"things that go" could use as a party invite or as a little guy's thank you notes

How adorable is this? Girls of all ages will smile; it's perfect for a 5th or a 50th!

 So sweet for a baby shower, could do it in girl or gender neutral too!

 Cute as button

 Perfect for baby shower thank you notes or all those new baby gifts! Would also be cute to give to a friend that just found out she was pregnant.

These are just too cute for words.

So sweet!

One lucky MMM reader is going to win a set of 12 of your choice of Knotted Notes!

1) Go to The Knotted Note and check out all of their adorable designs
2) Come back here and post your favorite

For additional entries (and please remember to post each of these in a SEPARATE comment or the random number generator won't count it):

1) Become a fan of The Knotted  Note on facebook. Follow this link. Let me know you became their follower in a separate comment.

2) Tweet about this contest to @MrsMMMBlogger and and let me know you did so in a separate comment.

3) Become a follower of my blog or let me know you are already following in a separate comment.

The random number generator will be a winner on Friday!

Celebration!

A week ago today, my little blog here turned four years old! That is right, I've been blogging for four years now. Wow! That's a lot of posts. We've been through a lot together. You helped me plan my wedding. You gave me encouragement the night before I moved to NYC. You patiently listened as I learned my way around the city. You helped me pick the best baby gear and maternity wear. You showered me with sweet comments and love when Baby J was born. You helped me through learning about babies and toddlers. You encouraged my obsession with all things preppy and monogrammed. You were there to pray for me when I was down. You were the first to offer your congrats at any good news. You've helped me pick birthday presents, baby gifts and hostess gifts for all occasions. You've offered your opinions and your friendship. I've had to the chance to meet so many of you and some of you will be my friend for life. I want you to know that each of you (if we have met of not) has helped me along my journey this past four years. You are a special part of my life. Well friends, I am about to embark on my next journey!

When A told me we were moving to NYC he said it would be for a year or two, and here we are almost four years later living in our third apt with our two year old son. Ha!  NYC was never meant to be our forever home. We are born and bred Southerners and always hoped to get back "home"  someday. NYC has managed to steal our hearts and it will forever be a part of us. But, it is time. We are officially packing up heading home to the South this summer.

Almost sixteen years ago, I bawled as the Atlanta skyline disappeared in the distance. I was 14 and my parents decided to move us to Alabama. I had never moved in my entire life and it was one of the hardest things I ever did. It was also one of the best things that ever happened to met. It was with that wisdom that I knew when I left Alabama four years ago for "the big city" it would forever shape who I am. In the funny little circle of life, I now find myself heading back to my original home of Atlanta, Ga. I leave NYC with a heavy heart, but I'm so confident about the direction my family is heading. I can't wait to share all the details that I've had to keep private for so long! We are SO excited!

Taxi Cab Party-Part 4-The Little Extras

I needed something to put these adorable lolly pops (found at Oriental Trading) in, so I used styrofoam and covered it in black construction paper and added the white lines and mini taxis and it turned out pretty cute!

I found J's taxi longall on sale at Momma's Boy, Daddy's Girl. It was no easy task finding a taxi cab longall and to find it on sale was awesome! Just by chance, I found this shirt at Ann Taylor Loft the day before the party and it was perfect for the Mama of the bday boy!

J's adorable taxi 2 shirt was made by Lauren from Blooming Babies Boutique (same vendor that made the banner this year and last year). My "big boy" refuses to wear a bib, so he put his special shirt on over his taxi longall for cake time! He now wants to wear both EVERY day. Lauren also made J's sweet birthday hat. Isn't it cute?

What taxi party for a 2 year old is complete with Taxi Cab Driver Big Bird! (We also have NY Fire Dept Elmo.)

We used the book My Taxi Ride as J's guest book. All of his sweet friends signed the inside cover. It will be a fun memento and it is already a bedtime favorite.

In addition to their pinata goodies, we sent each child home with a yellow bag with a taxi cab craft (pic above), and a yellow birthday rubber ducky. (As a side note, I bought mini taxi cabs for the boys to take home and J found them prior to the party and hid them away in "his stash of cars." I gave up trying to take them back-ha!

The adorable "Jack is Two" sign was made my J's Godmother (and one of my best friends from high school). She sells hand painted signs (Two Girls and a Glue Gun) and she surprised J (and me) with this adorable canvas sign to match his party! She is the best! Thanks S!

                                                  

The highlight of the decor was J's taxicab pinata. He kept saying "Whoa, Mama" when he saw it for the first time. I can not recommend etsy seller, Birchangel Custom Pinatas enough! I see myself ordering MANY more pinatas from her for years to come, so help keep her in business! We went with the pull ribbons since the kids were on the younger side, but they had such a blast each taking their turn to pull a ribbon. My husband just stood on a chair and held it (hey, space is tight in NYC) and it was entertaining for everyone to watch the kids get so excited when the goodies dropped from the sky! I filled the pinata with Thomas the Train stickers, mini play doughs, Welch's fruit snacks, and a pinata toy mix from Oriental Trading.

I found this cute fabric on ebay and just added the yellow ribbon to turn it into an overlay for our food table. It was a last minute project that turned out pretty well!

If it said, taxi I had to have it!

Last but, certainly not least, all the guests also took home one of the most delicious cookies in the entire world! Another "tradition," I was first introduced to A Dozen Eggs when Laura sent me a sample when I found out I was pregnant with J. We ordered red wagon cookies last year and J's party was not complete without a taxi cookie for this year! I see this being a yearly thing, so get ready Dave and Laura...I've already warned my husband! A Dozen Eggs can make ANYTHING, just try them! Read about the making of J's cookies on their blog.


I hope y'all enjoyed the details of J's 2nd Birthday party! I was an event planner before I became a Mom, so I love to plan events. It is a true labor of love, but I had such a fun time creating this party. I always have to be planning something, so I'm already trying to figure out my next "project." If you use one of the vendors I recommended, please remember to tell them that I sent you. I wish I could have invited each and every one of you! Until the next party...