About Me

Washington, DC, United States
Heather Capell Bramble is mother of two kaleidoscoping kids, Jonah and Vera. She has a magical kaleidoscope, often in her back pocket, and it usually helps her turn her normally chaotic life into something beautiful. Her goal is to have as much fun and try to be as happy as they can while on the uncharted journey of motherhood. This means doing lots of arts and crafts, going on crazy adventures, and celebrating all kinds of holidays - and yes, trying to laugh along the way!

Monday, April 30, 2012

Mammogram Monday & Morning Mischief

It is almost exactly one year since my breast cancer surgery and the beginning of my path to becoming a "pink warrior" - and survivor.  So it is time for a number of checkups and tests.  Today was my mammogram.  It was negative.  Relief! Promise more posts on the whole cancer story soon - whoop whoop...

Today is also Monday (a Monday after a weekend filled with parties, family and lots of celebrating.)  Today is a Monday that screams "more sleep" but alas-not with two kids who are raring to go!

So here is a glimpse of some Monday Morning Mischief in our kaleidoscopey house.  Always something fun going on-no matter how tired mommy is!  Today it was breakfast with the left over balloons...











Sunday, April 29, 2012

Garden Party Groovin' & Growin'


Last week, Pop Pop sent me an email in the lead up to Vera's Garden party.  He said, you really should listen to the old song "Garden Party" by Ricki Nelson (see lyrics and link to song here).  He wrote, "It is a good song, you should play it at Vera's party."

Of course I waited till this morning to get Jocelyn to download it.  We did and I love it!  It totally fit our party!

There is a great line that goes like this:

"But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself"

Well, I am not sure about everyone, but today's party I pleased myself!  And I hope I pleased Vera!  It was all for her and she seemed to have a great time!

It worked out in the end: the weather, the food, the guests, the theme!  Thinking about it now, I am so happy!  I often write about how happy things make my kids-but today I got to say, I worked my butt off kaleidoscoping around and with a ton of chaos trying to make something amazing and beautiful for my awesome little girl-and it was, and I am happy.  I could not have done it without a ton of help from a lot of my family and friends-whether it was people lending me folding chairs, taking pictures, bringing salads, playing with the kids, smiling, showing up, blessing us or CLEANING UP!  I hope you all know who you are-I love you and you made today great.

THANK YOU!
The highlights from my kaleidoscope of today's pretty terrific garden party:

(1) the naming ceremony: Vera was awesome, and so was Rabbi Toby.  Vera actually was reading and following along in the Rabbi's prayer book. She drank real wine from a real Kiddush cup (from my bat mitzvah).  She was wrapped in a talit. And at the end of the whole thing, we kissed her and said Amen.  She got down on the floor, stood on her own two feet, wobbled over to Nana who was sitting just steps away and gave herself a big smile, Nana a big hug and then clapped.  Like I said, my Vera knows and grows!  Right in front of our eyes!

(2) the dirt bar:  we had a dirt bar!  (inspired by a number of ideas I have seen on Pinterest) I had flowers pots filled with seeds (M&Ms), beans (jelly beans), bugs (gummy), worms (gummy), butterflies and caterpillars (lolly pops), flowers (sugar cupcake toppers), flower stakes (pretzel rods) and a bucket of dirt (crushed oreos and chocolate cake).  Each kid got a flower pot and went at it.  Really you just need to look at the pics.  Kids and candy in a planting simulation experience-WOW!

(3) Vera eating her cake:  she was so happy eating with no bib, with her own spoon sitting on Mama's lap!  Totally what first birthdays are about!

(4) GG being here to see Vera get her Hebrew name, Vered, which means Rose:  It was a really big trip for GG (my grandma and Vera's great grandma)  (I wrote about GG here)  She is very tired but she made it to this party.  Her 7th great grandchild turning one.  This makes me very happy.  She wasn't at the party the entire time as she needed to rest.  But there were certain moments, you could see GG being happy and in those moments she was beautiful.

(5) post party dinner with kids outside: about 5pm both kids were hungry so we sat down just us three and they ate. not sure why, but it was good-very good.  The weather was perfect and the party was over-all was good!

Hi Rabbi!  I like your bling!

Hey Mama!  I want a yarmulke too!

And I want to read the prayers too!

Really, I want to read them!

Big brother and Nana watching!

getting my blessing!

Vera takes a walk and a bow!

Cake Time!!


DIRT BAR!!!!


My name is Jonah and I want the worms!

As many as possible please, my dirt needs to be aerated!


GG looking good!  In her spot by the window!  She loves to watch out the window-and so does Vera!

It's my party and I am eating (and loving) my cake!  When is the next party mom?

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Too Many Trains? NEVER!

A quickie - because we are really "getting ready to garden party" tonight. 

By now you might have noticed, we are a celebration kind of family.  This weekend we had three parties scheduled: two today and ours tomorrow!

Both parties today were awesome and completely different.  All four of us got our funk on this morning at a super cool sock monkey brunch 2nd birthday party.  And both kids were really well behaved!

This evening, Jonah and I went to a place that has been on my "to do" list forever!  Today's party was for Jonah's good buddy who is turning 3.  They had it at the Cabin John Regional Park Train Station.  SCORE!!!!  After our day with Thomas yesterday, Jonah was super excited to see his good buddy, go to a birthday party and ride a train!  Despite the chill and rain, the kids got to ride the train.  The party room was fun, filled with balloons and good food & people.  The coolest thing is that the party room is in the station so you can see the train ride up right through the window!  Jonah loved loved loved this!  He got a train whistle, train, ball, and train stickers in his goody bag as soon as he got there-and he was completely happy.  And then as if he couldn't be any more happier-there was cake!  Whoop Whoop!

The park is gorgeous and there is an awesome playground.  It isn't that far from Washington, DC and I expect we will be hanging out there with the trains a lot this summer. 

On the way back home (after a little jaunt in the rain because I parked in the completely wrong parking lot) I asked Jonah, "Have you had enough trains for now?" and he just looked and my puzzled, and said, "no mom, we need more trains, I am going to tell Thomas to come here, and Percy, and Toby too, we always need more trains mom..."

So there you have it... you always need more trains...

There will never be too many trains... until there are - and he is on to something else.  A very Toy Story 4 thought...

BTW: weather forecast for tomorrow's garden party: high 68 degrees and partly sunny!

ready to go!

on the train, with my mom, and I got a train!  whoop whoop!



Choo Choo!





looking down the tracks!



Friday, April 27, 2012

Totally Terrific Thomas!!!

So today was a big day!  Our little family pilgrimaged up I95North and we met Grandma in Baltimore at the B&O Railroad Museum because Thomas was in town!  Yes, Thomas the Steam Engine. 

Thomas' Day Out for Jonah is basically the equivalent of a Madonna concert for me...  I love Madonna and Jonah loves Thomas.  It is a big deal! 

We have been to the B&O Railroad Museum before and Jonah and Vera love it, even when Thomas is not there.  Basically,Thomas' Day Out takes over the museum, which means that they bring in an actual Thomas train and hook it up to another train and you can actually ride Thomas.  They play all the Thomas songs and a conductor comes around to take your tickets and it is about a 20 minute ride.  At the end you get a certificate and you get to take a picture with Thomas.  My children were so happy riding on Thomas, looking out the window and singing to the Thomas songs... it was truly amazing.  And it wasn't just my kids... all the kids were in ecstasy. 

The rest of the "event" is basically the museum with pictures of Thomas everywhere and of course a Thomas gift shop (mama and grandma had fun in there).  Jonah didn't even want to go in the museum today.  All he wanted to do was watch the model mechanical trains outside.  They added a few Thomas ones and he was completely addicted-he would not leave those trains.  One other thing is Sir Topham Hat makes a cameo appearance and you can take your picture with him, but Jonah would not go meet him.  Vera on the other hand did and giggled with him for a few minutes.

All in all, a completely successful morning with Thomas.  The kids were off the hook happy.  We got to see Grandma and Thomas.  There was no traffic to or from Baltimore and the kids fell asleep in the car on the way home.  Good job Thomas' Day Out!  Two thumbs up from the Brambles!


Go go Thomas!!  Thomas is #1!

All aboard!

best train ride ever!!

Seriously!  The best rain ride ever!

Hello Mr. Conductor!

They don't want to take pictures- they just want to look out the window!








Listen Mom, just leave me here by these model trains-I am good!

They are nice, but let's take a look around!



not leaving!

I got to snuggle with my hat guy!

Vera and the Deisels!

Jonah and the Steamys!


Good bye Thomas!  I love you!

Bye Bye Grandma, I love you too!

Until next time!  Go go Thomas!  Thomas is #1!