ARRRRGH MATE......

The Birthday Boy! 

Today was a day that I got to remember what is was like to have an imagination of a child. As a mother, I am reminded constantly of the monsters in the closet, the mermaids in the bath tub, and that dad is a superhero! But today, I got to be a pirate! One of the kid's down the street turned 3 years old today and we had the pleasure of attending his awesome party! We knew prior that it would be a pirate themed party but I had no idea how much fun in would be! When we arrived, all the kids received skull bandanas, a gold earring, and a skull eye patch! They all looked absolutely adorable and we heard a lot of " ARGGH MATE" and " Give me your gold!!!"  Upon entering the backyard, we entered into a child's heaven! There was a bounce house, a pinata, pin the tail on the donkey and tug of war! After eating way to much food and playing endless amounts of games, it was time for cake and presents! The cake was from a local bakery and it tasted like a little piece of heaven. Noah then opened all his gifts and he was one happy little boy :) It was nice to be able to let the kids go crazy and forget about the deployment for awhile. Noah's daddy is also deployed and its days like this that are really hard for a military wife. It's not just a party anymore. Its a milestone in Noah's life and his daddy and hero wasn't there to join in on the fun. I felt a lot of sadness for his mother and I was beyond impressed with how well she overcame her underlying sadness! She didn't show it, but as a fellow military wife, I knew it was there! She threw an amazing party and Noah is a lucky little boy :) Well, the girls partied so hard that they are fast asleep and mama has a chance to catch a much needed nap. Today reminded me to have fun once in a while and act like a kid. Life doesn't have to be so serious!

Mama taking out some deployment aggression!!!

My little Pirate!

The birthday boy cheated a little :)


Now I also wanted to share and amazing recipe.  At the party there was a crock-pot filled with some sort of  hot cheese that no one could describe what it was. I was extremely hungry and I took a spoonful and decided to be the first to test it out! OMG!!!! It was life changing! Ok, so I am exaggerating a little but it was VERY delicious and I had to ask for the recipe. It's to good not to share! I hope you enjoy. Warning: a little spicy :)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 (10 oz) cans chunk chicken, drained (Or you can make your own shredded chicken breast...it tastes better with fresh chicken, but the canned stuff is so easy to use)
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup ranch dressing (today I used Hidden Valley because it's what I had on hand, but for this recipe I like Kraft)
3/4 cup pepper sauce, like Texas Pete (I use Frank's Red Hot Sauce)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar


1. Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring constantly until well blended and warm.


2. Mix in half the shredded cheese and transfer mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on low setting until hot and bubbly, then switch to warm setting.


You don't have to use the slow cooker, but it helps for parties if you're trying to keep it warm for a long time.

ENJOY!