One Day At A Time

Firsts

2012-02-03T13:11:00.004-05:00

I wanted to fill this post with lots of cute pictures of CR, however, Blogger is being difficult and will not let me upload pictures.

During a quiet play date at the library, my friend and I were talking about "judgy" moms. You know the type...they have an opinion about how you should raise your child.

I said that E and I feel like the past 9 months have been nothing but "firsts" for us. Everything from CR being sick to playing Santa to navigating play dates are all uncharted territory. It's all new to us and there's no manual or guide to tell us what to do. My wise friend reminded me that even with two children, and one that is almost 3, she and her hubby are still experiencing lots of firsts. She said that parenting is really all about "firsts" and we should not be judged for our choices because we are doing what we think is best for our child.

I almost shouted "AMEN!", but we were in the library and I thought that it was not the right time or place.

We have not made any hard and fast rules for CR or about how we will raise him. Our approach, so far, has been to take each "first" as they come. We realize that our decision may work for us, but may not work best for everyone else.

For instance...breastfeeding. That was one of the "first" decisions that we really had to make. It was not working for either of us and it was better to stop. CR has had NO problems with formula and cost wise, it has not been too bad (thanks Costco). I say, "YOU GO GIRL" to those that are still nursing your little ones. I am not ruling out breastfeeding all together, it may work out better the next time we have a little one.

A coworker scoffed at me for not going overboard on Christmas this year. CR did not go with out, the play area looks like Toys R Us exploded. It was his first Christmas and we made it fun by starting traditions, going to see a train garden, and being with family...not spoiling him with 500 toys (that's what grandparents are for, right?).

If you want to stay at home, more power to you. If we chose to keep CR away from television, I am not going to tell you that it's not okay for your child to watch it as well. If we decide that we are feeding CR premade baby food, so be it.

These are decisions that we need to make for ourselves. Each "first" will come with a new list of choices and decisions to make. Some decisions will be more difficult, while others will be made spur of the moment. I do know that we, as mothers, should lift each other up instead of being "judgy". It's not high school anymore, ladies.

Doing My Civic Duty

2012-01-27T09:13:00.001-05:00

As I type this, I am waiting to be called to do my duty as a juror. A long ride to the courthouse, in the rain, a long walk from the parking garage to the courthouse, a long line to check in, And a measly 15 bucks for my trouble. That's how my Friday will go. Oh and I almost forgot, there's a movie...The Sandlot.

At home things are not as glamorous. CR has been fighting something for about 2 weeks. It comes and goes and last night it reared it's ugly head. I now know the difference between spit-up and vomit. Our evening was a whirlwind of rocking, cleaning up vomit, washing clothes, baths, giggles, and tears (mine and his).

This is one of those times when you actually have to put your big girl panties on and step up. You step up until he finally falls asleep and then you collapse into your hubby's arms and cry because you feel terrible for your little boy and you're exhausted.

And then, today I had to spend my day here. Yay for civic duties!

Sunday Morning Brain Dump

2012-01-15T09:08:00.002-05:00

1. It's cold.

2. Today, in between the game (GO RAVENS!) and dinner, I am making this.

3. Football season is not over in our house. The Ravens play today and that means the world stops around kick-off time. My brother & dad are headed to the game today, but we are happily watching from the comfort of our warm couch while eating this with some friends.

4. Yesterday I had a much needed & anticipated appointment at the salon. While I was under the dryer, covered in foils, the bubbly teenage girls on either side of me squealed over pictures of Justin Beiber. They also read People Magazine over my shoulder & inadvertently gave me the full scoop on the happenings at my former high school. I forgot how much fun it is to be a teenage girl & stressful too.

5. The next two weeks at work are going to bring lots of change. My high school intern, who continually reminds me that I am almost 30, is leaving me. She is starting to take some college classes to get a head start for the fall. My bubbly 25 year old grad student-teacher, who will also probably unintentionally remind me that I am almost 30, begins working with me daily. We also have lots of inservice days & teacher work days. This basically means the pile of junk left from my long term sub will finally get some attention. It also means that the much dreaded January progress reports and possible retention letters will get written soon.

6. Lauren, over at Life Uncluttered, has inspired me. Thanks to her, I am not purchasing any more clothes or unnecessary items until March. Our closets are filled with items that still have tags on them. I purged a large amount of clothes, shoes, & other items last weekend. The 5 bags I collected from E & I made me realize how much money we are wasting.

7. Did I mention it's cold? I guess it's more noticeable after the past weekend where it was 60 degrees & we spent time in the warm sun swinging at the park.

8. I leave you with my favorite MLK quote...

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

Pinterest Dump

2012-01-11T20:40:00.002-05:00

I heart Pinterest like a fat kid hearts cake. It's definitely my newest addiction and it's definitely how I spend my time after the 4 B's (bath, book, bottle, and bed). I am finding such great recipes and ideas for anything from my classroom to organizing my bathroom closet.

Here's a few of my faves

Image from here

The best idea to store our "indoor recess" coloring books/crayons/colored pencils I have ever seen.

Image from here

Genius idea for all of our friends that are turning 30 this year (Boo! to the idea of turning 30).

Image from here

Word.

Image from here

This is happening in CR's play area.

What are you pinning?

PPD Post #2

2012-01-10T21:12:00.003-05:00

Thank you for the support from my last post. While medication did not work for me, I have known it to be successful for others. I have tried them in the past with great success, but this time around I am choosing a different route. I have done therapy, most recently after my surgery and for a time leading up to my pregnancy, I felt that it was good, but time consuming (I know, I know).

Also, Leigh happened to ask me about exactly what I am doing to get through each day. That's a tough question. I was using a gratitude journal and had stopped some time ago. I have started journaling again at the end of each day. Even on "crappy" days, I try to find something great to write about.

I have also learned to delegate. This is huge for me. I took on a position (okay two positions and I was not really given an option) this school year. I spent the beginning of the year doing every last thing myself, waiting for my teammates to offer help and then I stopped. I started giving jobs and tasks to the very capable people around me.

I also learned to unplug. My team consists of 4 teachers (not including myself) and 3 instructional assistants. None of these women have young children, some have no children, and most have adult children. I do not expect them to fully understand that when I arrive home, I have to make the transition from Mrs. H to mommy. So, I was blunt. I told them that I will not respond to their emails or texts after work hours. I can't. I will get to them during work hours...unless its an emergency (not knowing how to use your CD with the documents for the current unit does not qualify as an emergency).

My friends have understood my unplugged theory and respect it more than my teammates.

I am spending more time with E. It's been a challenge these past few months between the baby, work, his certification exam and life. It has been helpful to find time for each other, even if it's folding laundry together.

I am trying yoga and reading (more on that later) a great book and just letting go of a lot of things that were holding me down.

The truth is, there is no calculated way to deal with my anxiety or depression. I just have to try to do it the best I can. I am taking things as they come, I have a great support system, and every day I am finding the simple joys around me.

My Secret

2012-01-08T19:44:00.004-05:00

I wake up every morning feeling blessed. I have many reasons to get out of bed and to be grateful for each day. I go to bed every night thankful for everything God has and has not given me (both are equally important). My life and my heart are full.

About two months ago, I had this funk that I just could not shake. It involved a lot of crying, a lot of sadness, and a lot of unhappiness. The stress of being a mommy, a working mommy, and everything else had piled up on me. I had not felt like myself for sometime.

Things have not been going well. Things that are mostly out of my hands and things that I can not really get into detail here on this blog were getting me down.

When I hit rock bottom, right around Thanksgiving, I did not know what to do. It was obvious that I was lost, I had dug myself a hole and I climbed in. I needed help. One rainy morning, I went to speak with my school's on site psychologist. She's meant to be there for the students, but becauseshe is just an awesome person, she opens her office to all of us. I also talked to girlfriends that, listened without judgement. They did not judge my tearful phone calls or emails...for that I am forever grateful.

I proceeded to call my OBGYN. I made an appointment and went to her with my heart in my hands. Our long conversation resulted in the diagnosis of something that I knew was coming...postpartum depression.

I left with a prescription and a pocket full of used tissues. I am no stranger to depression and anxiety. I have struggled with both at different times in my life. This time, my anxiety had gotten the better of me.

This is where I tell you that I do not, I repeat, DO NOT, want your pity. None of it. I'm sharing my secret because I hope it helps some other mom, some mom who is randomly stumbling across my blog and reads this and finds comfort in knowing she's not alone.

I filled the prescription and took it for about a week. I decided that it made me feel horrible, E realized that I was a zombie...a zombie who wanted nothing to do with anyone. So, I stopped taking it. I do not want to live medicated. It works for others, but not me. I decided to take a different approach.

I'm choosing to be happy...a ironic decision for some one who considers them self happy. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone, reevaluating relationships, forgetting about other peoples opinions, saying no occasionally, and living.

So far, so good.

If you are that mom that randomly stumbles across my blog and reads this, you aren't alone. Find someone to talk to. Do something to help yourself...

Goals

2012-01-05T21:29:00.002-05:00

My January Goals

Read more. At least one book.
Unplug nightly. I have already made the promise to unplug when I'm with CR, but I need to do it more often. It's ok if texts and emails go unanswered for a bit.
Date Nights. Even if it's dinner and a movie in the basement.
Purge. Closets, drawers, cabinets and bins.

Simple enough, right?

Keepin' It Real

2012-01-01T09:17:00.003-05:00

One of my goals for this blog is not tie myself down to one specific topic, but to gather a smattering (is that a word?) of ideas and thoughts for my posts. In other words, I want to keep it real. My life is not solely about being a wife, or a mommy, or a teacher. It's a smattering of all those titles and jobs.

Here goes...I HEART Pinterest. I do, but as I am perusing the ideas for cool crafts, great activities for my kiddies at school, or inspirational home decor, it has to be EASY! If a recipes has more than 5 ingredients, I will not make it. Honest truth! I do not have the patience or time for that.

So, when I was looking for something easy to take to a cookie exchange in December or a simple "filler" gift to go along with the framed pictures of CR that we gave everyone, I made these.

Image from here

I've made these in years past for showers at work or just because we happened to have the ingredients in the house. Suddenly, they have taken the blog world by storm and pictures of variations are showing up all over Pinterest.

Here's the extremely simple recipe

Belly Buttons

Three simple ingredients; pretzels, hershey kisses and m&ms (this year, I accidentally picked up mint m&ms and they were a hit).

Preheat your oven to its lowest setting. Unwrap and try not to eat the kisses. Spread pretzels on cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Place a kiss on top of each.

Put cookie sheet in oven for about 2 minutes...DO NOT WALK AWAY! Just don't do it, trust me. After just melting the tops of the kisses, place an m&m on each and put the entire cookie sheet in the fridge for a few minutes.

Once they harden you can devour them on the spot or keep them refrigerated until you are ready to serve.

See, super easy! And, yes I realize they are not a cookie, but they were a hit at the cookie exchange anyway!

2011

2011-12-31T09:13:00.002-05:00

2011 was pretty much the best year ever, hands down. It will forever be highlighted by the birth of our son, CR. He has brought us and everyone around him so much joy.

We are blessed to have our grandparents still with us and it has been a joy to see them with CR. What's even better is watching our parents become grandparents and my brother take on the role of uncle. He stepped right into that title with no problem...we had some pretty good (and cool) examples for him to follow.

Watching E become a dad has been pretty incredible as well. For someone who has never changed a diaper before, he caught on pretty quick.

What do we hope for 2012?

I hope that I take more advantage of my "mommy" time.

We hope to grow stronger together despite the challenges we have been given or will be given

We hope to go outside of our comfort zone every now and then

I hope to let things go and live without worrying what others think of me

What do you hope for 2012?

Ps. I have a fun, super easy recipe for 2012 coming soon!

I'm Back?!

2011-12-28T10:01:00.002-05:00

Since Blogger has not decided to shut down my account, I decided to bring back the blogging. So, hopefully my two faithful readers will join me again for this adventure. Look for a little blog revamp coming later this week!

A Quick Hello!

2011-10-09T20:47:00.004-04:00

We've been super busy at our house, but busy is good and to be expected with an almost 6 month old. Can you believe we have an almost 6 month old?!

It was a year ago this week that we announced our pregnancy. Pretty hard to believe how quickly time is flying.

Conner changed so much in the past month. Thankfully, the screaming/screeching/finding our voice phase is over. Now, we are babbling and saying, "ma-ma-ma". I know it's not an official "mom" or word, but I will take it for now.

I just wish he would slow down or we could freeze time. I guess we have to just enjoy every minute we have while he is this little.

Farewell, So Long...

2011-08-16T18:54:00.003-04:00

So much is going on in our lives right now, that this blog is the last thing I have time for. I'm back at work, trying to balance my responsibilities there and at home. E. is headed back to school for a bit, which is shifting our schedules around. I have this guy to tend to when I get home...

Did we not make the cutest boy, with the best dimples?!

Going back has been easier than I anticipated. I work with great people and I left Conner in the very competent hands of my mom, his Nan. My goal is when I am at work, I'm focused on work and when I'm home, that's where my focus will be.

And because my blogging abilities and interests have been lacking, I am saying so long (for now).

I will still read and comment, but I just can't keep this BLAH blogging going anymore. So, enjoy my last post and maybe one day I will be back.

Guilt

2011-07-20T15:57:00.003-04:00

3 weeks until I go back to work, a place I have not been in over 3 months.

My stomach is in knots over this.

I lie awake thinking about this.

I have a tremendous amount of guilt over this.

Guilt is the down side of being a mom. It's the dark cloud that looms over my head on a regular basis.

I want so badly to not miss a minute of his day, but I also want a career. While I am trying to live in the now and enjoy this time, I know what's ahead of me. Long days, dealing with whiny children and adults, paperwork, meetings, rushing out in the morning while he is still asleep, running home in the evening to spend a few hours with him before bed.

Guilt that no new desk and office supplies can fix. No pictures in frames, neatly displayed on the window sill behind my desk can make it go away either.

I have to go back, our bank account says so, my bills say so, my sweet hubby says so...he reminds me of the stability that my job provides for us.

It's just so darn hard to think about leaving this little one at home, while I spend my day with a room full of children that aren't mine.

And yet, there's no way around it, I have to go back to work...

And Suddenly...

2011-07-16T23:03:00.001-04:00

your problems don't seem so big...

If anyone deserves prayers right now, it's this family.

There's Something You Need to Know About Me...

2011-07-14T13:56:00.002-04:00

I'm a perfectionist when it comes to cleaning my house and lately it's been a never ending job
I heart Costco but not more than I heart Target
I'm so not competitive...except at mini golf
Grocery shopping is my least favorite chore, but also my most favorite
I have not showered today
I have named almost all of Conner's stuffed animals and possibly made up little songs about each as well
The word "caddy wompus" gets used in our house frequently, to E's dismay
I call Conner "buddy" and Abby "bubby" and E just, plain old E
Once it gets to be about 7pm, my pj's are on
My hometown is the best and I don't plan on leaving anytime soon
The perfect evening in our house consists of a pizza dinner, an easy bedtime routine, a couch, my dog, and my hubby
My stomach hurts every time I think about going back to work
I don't like veggies but I'm trying to be grown up about it and eat some every now and then
I tend to over share with some people...usually with the wrong people at inappropriate times

Now that I told you about myself, please share something about yourself. I apparently have a following (according to Blogger and Blogher)...let's hear from you all!

Sharing

2011-07-05T18:07:00.009-04:00

Way back when, I talked about getting maternity photos done. Our friend Tracey, who happens to be Conner's Godmother, is building her portfolio in hopes of turning her hobby into a career. When she asked to take our photos (and a few of Abby too) we happily agreed.

I think I felt the prettiest and most confident during my pregnancy. I'm so thankful we documented this special time in our lives.

I wanted to share a few of our favorites...

And then, there's this photo...
This pretty much sums up my hubby.

Tracey was nice enough to print off a few for me to frame and I plan to use some in a photo book that I am making.

4 Years...and Then Some

2011-06-29T12:36:00.011-04:00

At 18, if you would have told either of us that in ten years we would find ourselves married, owning a home, raising a puppy and having a baby boy, we would have laughed in your face.

When we met, E and I were freshmen in college. We were having fun and dating.

Four years into our relationship

Then one day, he asked me to marry him. I said yes and since that day, things have never stopped changing.

In our 4 years of marriage we have accomplished a lot. We have grown a lot. We have argued and made up a lot. We have even loved each other a lot more than we have ever thought possible.

2009

We've had our moments, our battles and even when times got tough, we leaned on each other. When times weren't tough, we laughed (mostly at each other).

2010

When he made suggestion that I wasn't crazy about, we compromised.

Sometimes, I even admitted he was right...only sometimes though.

When we found out that our little family was growing, we held on tight and enjoyed the ride.

The day we held our son, I flashed back to our first date, our first kiss, and the first night in our new house. It seemed like yesterday...it seemed like it was just right...it seemed like we have been going down this path together, hand in hand, forever.

I'm glad that I married my best friend because there is no one else I would rather walk side by side through life with.

Happy 4 Years!

If I'm Being Completely Honest...

2011-06-22T10:57:00.004-04:00

I went back and forth about writing this post and it's mainly because of my fear of other peoples thoughts. I have to remind myself that it's not a judgement about my skills as a mother, so here goes...

I am weaning Conner off of breastmilk. Before you get your panties in a bunch and call me selfish, hear me out.

My happy little boy is thriving at the moment, but I am not.

As a side note, he looks so much like I did as a baby.

I planned on breastfeeding until I went back to work in mid August. We did the class, bought the pump and he nursed beautifully from the get go.

Everything was going smoothly until about a month ago. I was barely producing anything when I pumped and this was causing some frustration for me. We had decided to give him a bottle of breastmilk before bed and have been doing so since he was 3 weeks. This made for a great night's sleep. Every time I sat down to pump his nighttime bottle, nothing would come out. Obviously, the boy is getting milk, I mean he's 11lbs.

I know that I could have easily just nursed him at night, but we were having some other "attachment" issues. Basically, Eric needed to bond with Conner at some point and the doctor suggested feeding him as a good way to do so. Also, mommy needs to go out with friends sometimes, so a bottle was needed every now and then.

Panic struck me about a two weeks ago when I had to go to the ER for stitches on my heel. Conner couldn't come with us and I was in incredible pain. So, before I left for the ER, I nursed him and tried to squeak out one or two 4oz bottles. This resulted in one barely 4 oz bottle and a lot of praying from my mom, who was left behind with a hungry boy and no idea of when we would return home.

The next day we had a wedding to attend, so I spent all morning and afternoon pumping and barely making 3 bottles.

I gave in and started back to basically only nursing, which caused huge issues when I went out Monday night and he had to take a bottle from...daddy.

Here lies my BIG issue. We decided to wean Conner off of the breast, so at our 2 month appointment I attempted to ask our wonderful pediatrician how to go about doing so. Her response, and I kid you not, "Why would you want to do that? Don't you want your baby to be happy, healthy and smart?" I fought every urge to tell her I was not breastfed and that I was happy, healthy and I thought I was relatively smart. I could have went off on a rant, but I didn't.

I, instead, asked her for a recommendation on formula. She continued to beat around the bush and brush me off. E, sensing my frustration, tried to ask as well.

I walked out feeling beaten down. It's my body and this is my choice. I understand that breast milk is wonderful stuff, liquid gold as we call it. However, if it's not working out for us and causing frustration and making me depressed (I'm not joking), then it's in my best interest to start the weaning process.

So, that is what we are doing. Starting the slow process of weaning. I love my little boy and want the best for him, but I will not be judged by others for my decisions. I do not think he will be any less happy on formula.

I don't think it is physically possible for him to be unhappy...just look at him.

Overall, I think nursing was a great experience for us initially. We had a great chance to bond and he did wonderfully. I will probably attempt it again with our next child. Kudos to those moms, who stick with it and can breastfeed, I envy you.

Daydreaming

2011-06-16T14:44:00.006-04:00

I spent the better part of last week daydreaming about life as a stay at home mom. Really, it's true, I did. It's something I have never thought I would want to do, but lately I'm a changed woman.

I thought about how great it would be not to miss out on any of Conner's milestones and how much fun we could have. I made a mental list of the activities we could do each day (swim lessons, play groups, and story times), then I casually brought this idea up to my husband, and he casually knocked me back to reality. Okay, it was not quite so casually.

I forgot that I have the "stable" government job, that almost regardless of what I do, will always provide us with a paycheck. Apparently, not everyone has this luxury as I found out yesterday when E announced that he will be possibly enjoying some unpaid, 3 day weekends for a few months.

Also, I was reminded that I worked my A** off at my little job to get to the point where all of my hard work is being recognized...finally. Do I want to give that up? According to E, no I don't and he's right. I'm exactly where I want to be at this point in my career. (cue SAHM everywhere ranting about how incredibly selfish I am for saying that...I don't care)

The only reason I am willing to keep my career going is because of my mom, the most unselfish person I know. After 17 years of working as a teacher's assistant, my mom is "retiring" (although please never tell her I used that term because she says she's not old enough to retire). We sat in the gym at her school this morning listening to her team surprise her with a sweet speech, flowers and a giant banner that the kindergarteners made for her. I cried because I was so happy to know that even though I'm not going to be at home with my baby, he will be in good hands. I also cried because without question or even us asking, my mom is doing this for our little family. She's giving up for job for us. We are so grateful for that.

She will be greatly missed as we saw today by the tears, hugs, and thank you's from parents and coworkers. The most touching moment came when out of the crowd walked a guy, who just graduated from high school. My mom recognized him instantly as he said to her, "Thanks for working with me everyday and helping me with my reading." I think we all lost it.

She's doing this not for me, not for E, and not even for Abby (although I think she will be one of the perks of mom's new job). Mom is doing it for this little guy...

And, can you blame her?!

Guest Post

2011-06-12T09:18:00.003-04:00

Go check out Lauren over at Life Uncluttered. She is hosting a series of guest posts, , "Your Top Ten", and my post is today!

Thanks again, Lauren!

Happy Birthday!

2011-06-07T13:15:00.002-04:00

If you follow Megan over at In this wonderful life, you know that today is Cohen's first birthday.

If you don't follow Megan, please get over to her blog and read about sweet Cohen and his 12 days on this earth.

Makes me all the more thankful for my healthy little boy and reminds how strong mommies and daddies can be...Megan and Brent are an incredibly strong couple.

Happy birthday, Cohen!

Recovery

2011-06-02T12:08:00.003-04:00

I have not had a lot to blog about lately. However, I have not really talked about my c-section...the actual procedure.

When my doctor told me that Conner was breech and that there was a good possibility that I was going to have a c-section, I was actually pretty okay with the idea. Everyone I told that I was going to have a c-section automatically responded with, "I'm sorry". Those people scared me.

Since I've never given birth before, I really did not have anything to compare the procedure to, recovery wise. I was told to expect 6 weeks of restrictions As far as the pain, with the exception of the first few days, I would say that it was as bad as or a little worse than the pain from my lap surgery.

If you remember this is how I looked the morning I went into labor.

At that point, I did not care what they did to me. I was in the worst pain ever from contractions that I was not expecting to have, since we were scheduled for this procedure three days later.

The day of the c-section, I felt great. I was laying in bed, no where to go, had great pain meds and was running on the adrenaline of holding my baby boy for the first time. The next morning was a bit different.

They wanted me to get out of bed to use the bathroom. To do this task, they sent in a poor nursing student. All of my nurses were fantastic, but this girl takes the cake. She helped me slowly inch my way over to the bathroom, which, at the time, felt like it was 2 miles away from my bed. She then helped me hitch up my lovely gown and held it for me while I used the toilet. All modesty went out the window at this point. The poor girl (I say girl because she was probably about 22 and I, for a brief moment, considered mentioning that I had a cute, single, younger brother, but I stopped myself because this did not seem to be the appropriate time) had to help me put on my extremely sexy mesh panties and what basically looked like a diaper. All the while, I was gripping my abdomen as if my uterus was going to literally come flying out of my incision and land on the floor in front of me. She was fabulous and we had a good laugh when I got a look at my disheveled self in the mirror for the first time in 24 hours.

Thankfully, the next time I had to get up was for a shower, which my mom helped me with. I volunteered her for this job as to not have some young nursing student looking at my beautiful deflated belly and nursing boobs. You're welcome, mom!

Each time I got up from my bed, it got easier. Eventually, E and I were walking laps around the maternity ward with Conner in his bassinet. Very slow laps, but laps none the less.

Once I was released to go home, I had to limit using the stairs and was not allowed to drive. I went home with some strong meds that would have made my driving even worse than it is when I'm not medicated. E carried Conner up and down the steps for me for the first 2 weeks because much like the walks at the hospital, the steps were a slow process.

By week 3 things were better. I was moving around more and my incision was healing nicely. My incision, by the way, is small. Nothing compared to what I thought it would be and if I ever (and that's a BIG if) wear a bikini it will be unnoticeable.

I just started driving again last week and was cleared yesterday for exercise, baths (HOORAY!) swimming and....sex. I have not told E the last part. I'm thinking I will give my birth control pill a little time to kick in before I mention that. Besides, Conner and Abby are not quite ready for any more siblings just yet.

Speaking of siblings, yes, the next time I get pregnant I will have to have a c-section. I'm okay with this and I hear the second time around it's much easier.

Faves

2011-05-26T10:44:00.002-04:00

We had, what seemed to be, a growth spurt for the past few days. Growth spurt in our house basically means that I should just let my boob hang out all day for the once an hour feedings, a very grumpy baby, and no sleep for anyone (including Abby).

Sometimes a girl just needs her favorite things to make her feel better. Like...

An egg custard snowball with marshmallow. I promise it tastes better than it sounds. I wait all year for the perfect "snowball weather" and then I drag E to the local ice cream shop where we make a once a week trip for the rest of the summer! They have checker boards on the table and a jukebox, what's not to love.

My life now consists of A LOT of laundry. It's very satisfying to get poop stains out of onesies and spaghetti sauce out of my husband's shirts. Both of my boys are very messy. So far, this is all I have found that really does the job.

Finally...
This foot cream is better than the fancy stuff I have bought. It smells like peppermint and it has cooling relief. I only wish I had found it while I was still pregnant. My feet are ready for flip flops!

What are your favorite things?

Thank you

2011-05-18T09:00:00.006-04:00

So, thanks to Blogger I lost the comments from my last post. Thank you for your kind words and support. I have since pulled myself out of the slump, visited Target for a little retail therapy and made an appointment for some pampering. Being a mommy is harder than any job I have ever (and will ever) have. It's good to know that I am not the only one that feels this way.

I try my best to shower, get dressed, and eat 3 meals everyday. The hardest part of this is giving up power. I like things around my house a "certain way" and it's hard when I don't have the time, energy or ability to do everything. That means E gets to be responsible for the household chores. He tries really hard...really hard, but it's not always the way I would like it to be.

I had a friend over this morning who reminded me that it's okay to let go and for the house to not always be perfect. I'm working on wrapping my mind around that concept.

Our chunky monkey celebrated one month of life on the 17th. He currently weighs in at 9lbs 3oz. and is 22 1/4 inches long. He stays awake for long periods of time, he smiles and coos, and is starting to get a little personality of his own.

Obviously, as hard as mommy tried, she couldn't get him to smile in this picture. However, he was looking directly at the camera and not crying...you win some, you lose some.

The Honest Truth

2011-05-11T16:46:00.000-04:00

The truth is that I am still in my pjs at 4:45 pm because I opted for a nap instead of a shower today.

The truth is we had a rough morning.

The truth is we had a rough evening.

The truth is that sometimes I have no clue what I am doing. I do a really good job of pretending to know how to be a mom.

The truth is that I feel bad for Abby. She went from being number 1 to sliding down a few notches in our family lineup.

The truth is I am really tired of daytime television...Dr. Phil and Maury are quite annoying.

The truth is I am tired of being stuck inside these four walls. My c-section has literally trapped me in my house during the day. I can't drive, I have to try to stay on one floor for the most part, and it makes me sad and a little stir crazy.

The truth is I called E crying this morning because Conner was crying and Abby started barking and I didn't know what to do...so I started crying. He came home and saved me with a 15 minute trip to Chik Fila and a pep talk.

The truth is that I don't think E realized how stressed or sad I was til this morning.

The truth is that this may be the hardest job I have ever had and it's only been 3 weeks.

The truth is that I don't know what I am going to do when E goes to the Outer Banks for 4 days and I have to be alone.

The truth is that being a mom is not always rainbows and butterflies. It's not always as glamorous or fantastic as others may say it is. As much as I love Conner and I love being a mom, it's so much harder than I thought it would be. I need way more support from my family, especially E, than I thought I would need. I miss my work family more than I thought I would.

The truth is that I feel guilty for thinking this way. I waited and prayed and wanted this little boy more than I have ever wanted anything else.

The HONEST truth is that all of this makes me feel like a horrible mother, even though I know I am not.

The truth is that once again, in my life, I find myself taking being a mom One Day at a Time...but this time it's not just for me, it's for him too.

Mom

2011-05-08T08:00:00.002-04:00

I have written about my mom before, but honestly, I have a whole new appreciation for her after giving birth to this sweet little boy, a little over 2 weeks ago...

My mom is not very emotional, that's not to say that she does not get sad or mad, it's just that my mom is not one to "wear her emotions on the outside" as my dad says. I have seen her cry a handful of times in my almost 29 years of knowing her.

The day I moved on campus at school, was one of those days. Even then when she cried, my mom hid the tears so that I wouldn't get upset.

She cried the day I graduated from college and the day my brother graduated from high school. I think she will jump for joy when he finishes college...that day has been a long time coming.

I think my mom has showed her emotions more than usual these past few weeks.

On the 17th, after E convinced me I was in labor and called the hospital, I called my mom. A girl needs her mom when she is about to have a baby. Very calmly, my mom headed off to the hospital with my brother, since my dad was on the next flight back from his business trip.

We shared the best moment that morning. Once everyone was allowed in the recovery room, my mom ran over to the bed and gave me the biggest hug and said the one thing I needed to hear, "I'm proud of you!". She cried and held her grandson for the first time and told E and I that we gave her the best birthday present ever.

With the joy of having Conner, also came the reality of some sad news. Once I was home, settled, and my hormones were a little more stable, my mom shared with me that my Nana's cancer had grown. She again cried, but this time it was not tears of joy. She cried tears of pain and sorrow for watching her parents go through this awful diagnosis again.

I have appreciated my mom's ability to be strong in so many situations for the sake of us kids. We know that seeing her tears lately, does not make her weak in any way, it allows us a chance to comfort her like she has done for us so many times when we had boo-boos, break ups, disappointments and when life just was not fair.

Happy Mother's Day!

Our New "Normal"

2011-05-06T16:45:00.002-04:00

Our New "Normal" includes...

tummy time

keeping Abby busy

lots of smiles

late nights, dirty diapers, songs, stories, snuggles, baths, "I love you's", and

getting used to being a family of 4.

In short, we are loving our little guy.

A few pictures...

2011-04-26T11:40:00.006-04:00

Some of our favorites...

A Brief Story...

2011-04-23T13:25:00.002-04:00

As a surprise, on Sunday, April 17th, Conner Riley decided to make his appearance. A little earlier than our expected and planned c-section for the 20th. He was 7lbs 6 oz. and 20 inches long. Perfect, if you ask Eric and I.

Below is a brief story of what happened early that morning (an email I had sent to my teammates about what had actually happened). I typed it on my Ipad, so please excuse the bad spelling and grammar.

I started to have bad back pain around 12:30am Sunday. I thought it was just typical discomfort. By 1:30 we started timing them. The pain was getting worse and I could not sleep. At 4:30 they were 5 minutes apart and getting worse. Eric called the doctor, I was in complete denial. I finished packing my bag, got abby's stuff together and, yes, made Eric vacuum the living room before we left. It was dirty...and I was a wreck. We said good bye to abby...and I cried more. The car ride took 5 minutes but felt like forever. I insisted on walking all the way up to the maternity ward because I was still in denial. I made friends with a pole, a bench, and a table on the way. They admitted us and my water broke. We went into the delivery room around 7. That's when I got a spinal and the pain stopped. Eric got his scrubs on and in no time we heard Conner cry. Eric helped clean him and cut the chord. He brought him over to me and he held him while they finished up. Eventually we got to see our family. Unfortunately my dad was in Houston on business. He got the first flight out and was there by 11:30. I was so sad that he was not there, but he and I had a moment together once he arrived at the hospital. Ps. Conner and my mom share the same birthday.

Eric was fabulous during the whole thing and has been amazing since we got home. He is the best daddy. We are settling in, Conner is nursing like a champ, and Abby is getting used to her new brother. I am taking it easy because it's easy to over do it when the pain meds are working.

I will try to post pictures soon!

Finally!

2011-04-23T09:58:00.000-04:00

It's a Matter of Perspective

2011-04-12T16:14:00.002-04:00

Just a quick post today to make you think...

My special friend at school that has been dealing with cancer since she was three, made me stop in my tracks yesterday.

She came to visit me with a note from her teacher. The note read...

"We just read a book about having a bad day. I asked the kids to write about a bad day they once had. S. said she could not write about a bad day because she has never had one."

A child with terminal cancer has never had a bad day and we complain about stupid stuff happening to us everyday. I guess it's just a matter of perspective.

Photogenic?

2011-04-09T17:25:00.003-04:00

Today, we found out two things:
1. Abby is a ham and will do anything to be in front of a camera. Seriously, the entire time we were taking maternity pictures, she was posing in the background or off to the side. She was all about getting her photo taken. I can't wait to see them!

2. We are not quite as comfortable as Abby in front of the camera. Thankfully, we had a close friend taking the shots for us and that helped a bit with our comfort level. She brought over various samples of photos she has taken before and those she had seen others do. We got to chose which ones we wanted to do. Then, she put up with E's antics and silliness and ADHD tendencies, all while taking a picture with one hand and moving Abby out of the way of the lens with another.

Here are some of the poses we passed on...

And my personal favorite...

I Heart My Mom

2011-04-05T19:12:00.002-04:00

Not only does she share my joy and love for buying things in bulk, she also is a big fan of Oprah, clipping coupons and the crockpot.

This woman made my weekend. She showed up on our doorstep at 8 am with a bucket and cleaning supplies. Mom proceeded to clean our house from top to bottom. All that she asked in return was that E stay out of the way and that we get her a fountain soda at some point during the day.

She washed windows. She dusted wood work. She cleaned the fridge and freezer. Things that I could do at one point, but have gotten to the point where my "hobbit" feet and my sore back just won't allow me to do. She is even coming on the 19th, the day before my c-section, and doing a little "clean through" as she calls it.

Now our house is spotless. It has returned to a point where I can take charge and do little clean ups now and then.

I am so grateful for her and for her taking the day to clean for us.

Ps. I love my hubby too. He did laundry, took Abby to get her hair cut, installed carseats, got us lunch, and grocery shopped. All the while, I laid on the couch watching Mtv and reading Rachel Ray's magazine!

Hey...Where are my toes?

2011-03-31T17:37:00.002-04:00

I haven't seen them in quite some time, but I heard they are slightly swollen as are my ankles. I made it half way around Target today before deciding that I couldn't walk any more and that I need to leave. I did not even stop at the Starbucks for a smoothie, so you know that I was in some kind of pain! Walking, standing, sleeping have become a little more difficult these past few days. Unfortunately I have a job that requires me to walk and be on my feet for the greater part of the day.

And while I complain, I do realize that he will be worth the swollen ankles, stretch marks, and sciatica pain in the end.

I typed my letter to parents letting them know when my official last day will be. It's bittersweet that I have only two weeks left of work, but at the same time I'm ready to say goodbye until August. I've been busy tying up loose ends and preparing things for my replacement. It's hard to let go and leave, but I'm sure once he gets here I will be occupied with more important things.

Okay, let's talk jewelry...I LOVE the pieces over at The Vintage Pearl. I have been dropping hints to E. that I would really like something from them for Mother's Day this year. Not sure if he's picking the hints up, but it's worth a try. If that doesn't work, maybe I will win one of the 5 $100 gift cards they are giving away over there. Go check it out!

Best Buys

2011-03-30T17:14:00.002-04:00

Now that we have hit the 37 week point, I thought I would review the top 3 items that I could not live without during my pregnancy.

1. BeBands

Thank goodness for these things. I bought one in black and one in white. They were great at the beginning of my pregnancy because I wore regular pants for quite some time (I think til week 16). During the period where I was in between maternity and regular sizes, I used them as well. They kept my maternity pants from falling off of me. Now I am wearing them because some of my shirts are getting too short and tight. They help hide my belly!

2. Maternity Belt

I had (and still have) some really rough sciatica pains. My doctor suggested getting one and I am so glad that I did. Instant relief to my lower back and legs! I went from limping and barely being able to walk, back to normal. It's the best $18 I have ever spent. Be careful of the sizing because it is a little off. I originally ordered mine online in a medium, but realized that I needed a large.

3. Liz Lange Maternity Jacket

Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of this jacket. Let me tell you that it was a life saver. It has three buttons at the top, a belt and is made of a heavy jersey fabric. LOVE IT! My mom bought it for me and I'm so glad she did. It has grown with me and I think it might be one of those things that I could possibly get away with wearing after my pregnancy. I am thankful I had something to wear while doing recess duty.

So, those are my 3 best buys during my pregnancy. Just as an update, we are schedule for a c-section on April 20th because he is still breech. He is also most likely too big to be turned or turn himself. I'm totally okay with this and can't wait for the day to come where I can actually hold him!

Why I Love Shopping in Bulk

2011-03-28T18:15:00.002-04:00

I felt like a true grown-up when we started shopping, regularly, at Costco. In my teens and early twenties I had no need for large quantities of cheese or perogies, but as an "adult" I feel it is my obligation to make such large purchases.

We love that you can buy anything from 4 gallons of dish detergent to a pontoon boat, right there at the Costco. E loves that you can make a day out of sampling the offerings at the end of each aisle and not feel guilty. But, wait, there's more...

When our friends laugh and ask us what we buy in bulk, we rattle off a list of essentials. Such as:

Toilet Paper (you laugh, but during the blizzards last year, we were the only ones on the block with a full supply)
Paper Towels
Paper Plates
Laundry Detergent
Coffee (DD coffee in large bags because E drinks at least one full put each day and more on the weekends)
Dish Detergent (it's eco friendly)
Dishwasher Detergent
Fabric Softener Sheets (I actually bought my second box since we moved into the house 4 years ago this past weekend)
Granola Bars
100 Calorie Snack Packs
Frozen Tortellini
Kitchen Trash Bags
Big Black Trash Bags (the kind that line your outdoor trashcans, these come in handy because we have to take our trash to the end of the street)
Water
Gatorade

That's pretty much our typical purchases. We do not usually buy all of those at once, it depends on what we are low on.

Then, there are the occasional "Must Haves". For example, I may have purchased a new dish drain this weekend while picking up my contacts there. We bought our expensive electric toothbrushes there after Christmas. I also bought Baby H a new Carter's outfit that I saw at a Department store for much more than the $6. 49 I paid. I'm frugal and I want my kid to look cute and I'm not bothered in the least shopping for his clothes at a price club warehouse.

Finally, I love Costco because they have pizza and churros, which are a must for the end of any shopping trip.

Oh Costco, I love you!

A Quick Update

2011-03-25T18:24:00.002-04:00

Thankfully my job issues were cleared up this week. Someone filed their retirement paperwork and therefore I am SAVED (I will be buying him a beer at the next happy hour)! I will be back, for year number 6 (woah!), teaching kindergarten in my home-away-from-home. I will even be team lead next year, which makes me very happy. I feel like I am finally getting some kind of recognition for what I have been doing in my little part of the world.

April 15th is my last day before maternity leave. I'm so physically exhausted at the end of the day that this makes me very happy. My ankles are starting to swell and I can not get up and down on the floor easily. I try not to complain, like some of my other pregnant coworkers, because it is truly a blessing that we are having this baby.

Speaking of baby...He is not quite in "go" position. He's breech at the moment. I was told that we are going to keep checking on him and maybe he will eventually turn OR they will turn him OR we will schedule a C-section. Also my cervix is still closed. Either way, this guy is in no hurry to get anywhere...I think it's because he knows we have still not picked a name for him. E thinks it's because he's stubborn like his mommy.

Cry Baby

2011-03-20T19:26:00.003-04:00

I think that I've done pretty well holding it together during my pregnancy. I've been know to be the "crier" of the group and according to my husband a bit "overly emotional". For the most part, I have been rather even keel.

That was until today.

See on Friday, I was hit with some news that totally threw me off. Because I can't go into too much detail, I can't tell you everything. This I can say, thanks to budget cuts, my job is in limbo for next year. Granted, I will most likely have a teaching job somewhere in the county, but it might not be in my school and it might not be in the grade that I am used to teaching.

I'm waiting to hear what is going to happen. Am I going to pop the baby out and have to start "actively" interviewing for positions? Or, am I going to be okay and get to stay put? I really have no idea, my principal really has no idea.

So, here I am on a Sunday afternoon, working on my lesson plan for my observation and I lost it. Every single thought goes through my mind...how do I start packing up my classroom? How do I interview for a job immediately after giving birth? How do I leave my "family" and start over? And the scariest question of all (thanks E for asking it), What if I don't get a job?

Yes, all of this and 8 months of hormones, helped me have a crying fit like none other. At least it was a legitimate reason for tears and emotions.

Dogs are Great

2011-03-18T19:07:00.002-04:00

If you have not figured it out already, I am a dog person. I just think they are the greatest pets/companions/family members (sorry cat lovers) that anyone could ever ask for. So, when I saw this story, I had to share it with you.

Here's an AMAZING videothat has surfaced from the horrific tragedy in Japan. I dare you not the tear up!

Ultimate Loyalty

Please share with others.

Great Deals

2011-03-17T18:35:00.004-04:00

I stopped at Target today because I had to pick up a wedding shower gift. While that never actually happened, I did get some great deals and wanted to share them with you. Their store brand spaghetti sauce was 95 cents a jar, name brand pasta was $1 a box, name brand peanut butter was $1.98, and their brand apple sauce was $1.32. The most exciting deal (to me anyway) was that they had their small planners on sale. I keep a planner in my purse because otherwise I loose my mind and can't remember where I need to be and when. They were on sale for $4 and have a nice "leather" cover. I stocked up on the grocery items and looked like the crazy lady that thinks Armageddon is coming and needed to fill up underground bunker, but who walks away from a jar of 95 cent sauce?

I shared our nursery pictures a while ago, but never shared the awesome alphabet painting that one of our friends made for us. I can't begin to tell you how creative she is. She married a college friend of ours back in the fall and amazed all of the guests with the personal touches that she made for the wedding. We were both surprised and grateful for the gift, which is now hanging promintently in the nursery.

And while I was in the nursery taking pictures, someone insisted on posing for the camera.

Exactly what do you get the puppy, who has everything, for her first birthday?

Birds of a Feather...

2011-03-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

Nest together? While I was packing my bag, E was busy nesting in his own way.

On Saturday, he got up at 8 am and announced that he was going to change all of the faucets in the house. E said it would be, “easy”. I begrudgingly agreed, let me explain why.

We headed to Home Depot to pick out the new faucets for both bathrooms and the kitchen. I figured that we had measured and possibly checked into exactly what kind we should get. I was wrong. On a side note: sometimes I think I am more handy than my husband or at least I think projects through before jumping in.

I found a faucet for all three sinks, we headed home, and I left because that’s what I do when a home improvement project happens in our house. 4 trips to Home Depot and many, many curse words later, one faucet was almost installed (do you understand why I leave?).

I married an engineer. This means that NOTHING is EVER designed correctly. Not the faucets or the coffee pot, or the porch light, or even the artificial Christmas tree. Everything must be redesigned, taken apart, and sometimes never put back together. Faucets are rather important because you get water from them and thus, they need to be installed correctly and efficiently. So I was a bit concerned when I realized that he still had not completely installed the faucet and it was late in the day and he was heading out to play basketball.

Around 10pm Saturday evening the first faucet was officially installed. Amazingly it worked and has yet to leak. On Sunday, one more faucet was installed. There is still one faucet waiting to be installed and thankfully my dad will be assisting because he’s not an engineer and he’s done things like this before and because I basically begged him to help.

What an “easy” weekend(s) project to help him nest and feel handy around the house!

Help

2011-03-14T17:25:00.003-04:00

There are times when you realize how lucky and fortunate you are and these are certainly one of those times.

You can't turn on the news without hearing about the devastation that took place and is still happening in Japan. I have found myself asking, "What can I do?".

Here's how I can help and you can help too. Click on one of the links below to find out about these organizations and how they are helping in Japan.

UNICEF

The American Red Cross

Doctors Without Borders

The International Medical Corps

Packing my Bags!

2011-03-13T20:21:00.000-04:00

After some serious hesitation and pushing from the hubby, I decided to start packing my hospital bag. I went to birthing class, read numerous blogs on the topic, asked friends, but I am still not completely sure of what I should put in the bag.

Currently my bag has:

Nursing Pjs
Fuzzy socks (2 pairs)
Coming home outfit for baby
Recieving blanket
Travel sized toiletries (face wash, contact solution, toothpaste, shampoo, toothbrush, and deodorant)
Baby wipes (for me)
Nursing pads
Hooter hider (for nursing)

Eventually I will put the camera, chargers, list of phone numbers, insurance info, and undies/a set of clothes for me to wear home.

What else do I need?

Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself

2011-03-13T20:14:00.003-04:00

I really want to get back "into" blogging on a regular basis...so just a bit about us, to refresh your memory!

I'm a twenty-something gal, that is equally excited and terrified about becoming a new mom. I am ready to be brutally honest about my misadventures and triumphs that will occur when I takes on this new role. My friends have told me that, at times, I share way too much, which is perfect for some one who wants to blog. Right?!

E, my trusty husband, is in his late twenties, he's sharing this adventure (and misadventure) with me. We've been together for 10 years, married for 4 years, and he's been, surprisingly, calm through this whole process. I'm pretty sure his well planned out, organized and mathematically accurate world is about to get turned upside down...in the best possible way.

Our bundle of joy will arrive in spring, April to be exact. He's perfect in every way and already reading on a third grade level, speaking French, and was accepted to Yale. (I'm going to be one of "those" parents that every kindergarten teacher can't stand...including myself).

My biggest fear about bringing our baby home, is not lack of sleep, but the way our dog will react. Abby is our furry baby and will turn one year old in early April. She pretty much has both of us wrapped around her paw and knows it.

Expect for me to discuss everything from life to sex to babies to breastfeeding, and everything in between, all honestly and with humor...a lot of humor.

Join me in taking everything One Day at a Time.

This & That

2011-02-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

Here we go:

The only thing I crave lately is fruit and lots of it.
Fruit gives me acid reflux. It's an evil cycle that I am willing to live with.
I never ate salad before my pregnancy and now I don't mind it.
I'm so glad we had a snow day today. I needed it.
I was invited to join a mom's group. I'm so excited to meet new people, but I'm nervous too. That's exactly why I am forcing, I mean inviting, my dear friend Becca to go with me to the next meeting.
My new bra size is...38 E. I just about fell on the floor when the sales girl told me. The cups of a 38 E bra look like cereal bowls...no lie.
We watched Social Network on Saturday. That's all I really have to say about that.
This song made my day and it also makes me think of the gas fight in Zoolander... (I'm a sucker for 80's music).

Big Reveal

2011-02-22T10:38:00.013-05:00

The nursery is officially finished. Everything is put together and put away (finally). All of the thank you notes from my first shower are written and sent. The Man Cave is currently storing some of the bigger items like the pack and play, carseats, gym, and swing. We are waiting to put those out until we need them.

Here are the results of E's blood , sweat (literally) and my tears (blue paint was spilled on the rug, so I cried a little, but my dad got it up).

We wanted to keep the room simple so that he could grow into it. I have lots of storage bins in the closet and around the room for books, toys, diapers, etc... I did not take a picture of the adorable watercolor painting a friend made for us, which I will share with you soon!

All in all, we are pleased with how everything turned out. Now, we just walk by in disbelief that this is happening and that he's only 8 weeks away from sleeping in the crib and being rocked in the glider.

On a side note...this kid has more clothes than either E or I. The picture below does not do his wardrobe justice. There's even more in his chest of drawers.

E is still stumped as to why he needs shoes since he's not walking yet. My Nana seems to think that he needs a pair for every day of the week.

These onesies are some of my favorites. The blue one is from his godparents. The black one is from his "aunt and uncle" in NYC.

Cute boys clothes are hard to find. I've been looking at this outfit since we found out the gender and my mom happened to pick it up for me.

This will be Baby H's coming home outfit. It's so tiny that I hope he actually fits in it.

And because I am a good mommy, here's a picture of Abby. She enjoys spending time in the nursery and often leaves her toys in there.

Music...

2011-02-17T20:24:00.002-05:00

We're in denial that we only have 9 weeks left until our due date. However, we have completed the nursery (pictures to come soon) and went to our classes. I have not packed my bag yet, but will eventually, when I'm ready or when my water breaks, whichever comes first.

We have, however, been steadily working on an Ipod playlist for Baby H's birth. I'm all about it! A little DMB, a little James Taylor, a little Bob Marley...a little music for pushing.

We are open to suggestions on music...So, suggest away!

Ps. As much as I enjoy music and do in fact have them on my Ipod, Wu Tang is not the ideal music for my son to be born to (regardless of what anyone thinks).

Birthing 101

2011-02-10T17:01:00.004-05:00

My dad asked us why on earth we were taking a birthing class. According to him, the baby will come out one way or another with the help of doctors, we just have to show up at the hospital.

Frankly, after sitting through a birthing class from 9 am to 5 pm, I wish I had taken his advice.

Hi, my name is Kelly and I am a BIG wimp!

Almost 30 weeks

I'm definitely not like the other girls in my class, who want to birth naturally. I want the drugs. Not the kind that knock me out completely, but the kind that make me feel good. I ain't afraid to admit it, this whole pushing an 8lb turkey out of your "who-who" just sounds a little scary to me. I guess people don't really think about that part while making a baby or while shopping for cute baby clothes.

I know that I have not thought, read or watched anything on giving birth since getting pregnant. I was discouraged from doing so by friends and family and my dear hubby, who will be standing next to me during the whole process (that is if he doesn't pass out). Saturday, I was forced to face my fear and learn all about it.

We did a 40 minute simulation of what having contractions is like. There was loud music, a cup of ice, a ball, pillows, and a lot of giggling involved. Okay, we were the only ones giggling. I mean, does giving birth really compare to sticking your finger in a cup for ice for 2-3 minutes at a time, while sitting on a ball and having your hubby rub your back? Probably not.

The class did help us prepare for how to time the contractions, when to go to the hospital, what to pack, how to pick a pediatrician (it's not as easy as "eanie, meanie, miney mo") and how to get around the hospital (we get to park in a spot with a stork on it). Most importantly, I learned that Subway is open 24-7 and Chik Fil A is closed on Sundays and they do not serve milkshakes...what a bummer.

It was not a waste of time, but it did in fact scare the poo right out of me. E learned a lot too and hopefully retained more than me.

In closing, my tip for you all is: Don't take the one day EXTREME birthing class just to get it over with. Opt for the classes that are shorter and over a longer period of time.

This Saturday we (yes we, just because I have the boobs doesn't mean he can't be there) have a breast feeding class. Let's hope it's not EXTREME!

Top 2 Tuesday...Things I've learned about blogging

2011-02-07T18:05:00.002-05:00

Whew! This weekend has been a complete whirlwind! We had our birthing class from 9-5 on Saturday and then came home to put together the crib. It was an exhausting day! On Sunday, my mom threw me a shower! It was wonderful and Baby H got all kinds of goodies, but overwhelming! I will post later on the shower and the nursery and our EXTREME birthing class.

For now...

1. It's harder than it looks. I wish I was able to blog more regularly, but I do not always have something interesting to write about. It amazes me how most bloggers can come up with new ideas and topics to write about every single day (and have the time to do it)!

2. There are people out there just like you! So, when I started this blog, it was to write about my endo and the journey I was on then. I found a lot of comfort reading other blogs about those who have endo. Now, I enjoy reading about mommyhood, teaching, decorating, cooking adventure, and just everyday life. It's great to know that there are others just like me!

Thanks to The Undomestic Momma for hosting Top 2 Tuesday

Top 2 Tuesday: Things I've learned about friendship

2011-01-31T15:37:00.003-05:00

1.Friendship should be easy and not full of drama. It shouldn't be a chore to be friends with someone.

2. True friends do not need to talk to each other daily or even monthly (heck, even for a few years) to still be considered good friends. These are the people that you can just pick up the phone and call without feeling like any time has passed.

Plain and simple...

Sneak Peek

2011-01-27T10:56:00.013-05:00

The nursery is making big progress and I wanted to give you a little sneak peek. I'm in love with the color by the way!

E hard at work...He did a great job of fixing the ugly crack in the ceiling.

The window sill is the last thing left to be painted. E is waiting for the caulk to dry.

Baby H's closet, which is already packed with clothes, shoes, and toys.

The sign I ordered from Etsy. I LOVE it.

The two pictures below are of my favorite thing in Baby H's room. This chair was bought for my mom's older brother the day he was born. I believe it's 55 years old and my Nana's sister bought it for $1 . The chair has been in everyone's nursery. It's pretty much the same as the day it was bought except that my Poppy refinished the wood before I was born. Notice on the back, it has my 3 uncles' names, my mom's name, my brother's name, and along the side is my name. I always knew this chair would be in my baby's nursery some day and I can't wait to add Baby H's name to the back.

It's held up pretty well for being 50-something years old and only costing $1!

Also, the furniture has arrived (it's currently in my parents' living room) and will be put together this weekend!

The nursery was not the only thing to get a makeover this week...Dear Abby got herself a haircut and mani/pedi.

This picture does not do her justice since it was taken back at Christmas time. She was a mess and a mop before the haircut.

Before

After

I had to check to make sure this was the same dog I dropped off at Petsmart!

Thoughtful Gifts

2011-01-25T16:04:00.002-05:00

Valentine's day is fast approaching and while at our house it has never been a big holiday, it obviously is a big money maker for stores like Target and Hallmark. I never expect or ask for anything at all.

Last night, over salmon and baked potatoes (I still cook even though I am waddling around), we were talking about Valentine's gifts of the past. Roses, jewelry, dinner, massage gift certificates...those were all way before we were married. The gifts that E has given me since we were married were quite comical, but thoughtful.

There was the Snuggie. Too bad it was on back order when he decided to make the purchase, late one night. My set of two Snuggies never arrived until well into May.

Then there was the ShamWOW. You never know when you will need to clean up a spill.

I can't wait to see what I get this year... E seems to be going for an "infomercial" gift theme. I stumbled across this website and just started to think about the possibilities for Valentine's 2011.

Maybe this year, I will get Heeltastic for my dry, cracked heels!

Or some Mighty FixIt Tape to repair things around the house.

But, what I really want is Easy Feet. Great for a lady that can barely bend down to touch her feet, let alone see them!

What was your most thoughtful Valentine's day gift from your significant other?

Happy Friday & 27 Weeks

2011-01-21T16:13:00.003-05:00

Mother Nature spared Maryland once again this week. We had some ice on Tuesday and we were supposed to get a couple inches of snow last night, but there was nothing, except a dusting, this morning. Much better than last years snow, which was measure in feet!

I have made it to week 27! The baby is getting bigger by the day and so are his movements...and so are my boobs. E is almost finished painting the nursery, just the woodwork needs to be done. I can't wait to show you how it has turned out. My mom is going to steam clean the carpet on Sunday and then next weekend E will spend the day with my brother putting everything together, crib, dresser and glider.

I had an emergency doctors visit yesterday. Long story, but I was feeling uncomfortable and just wanted to know what I could do to ease some of the lower back pain, lower abdominal pain, and swollen feet and toes. The nurse said I need to come in ASAP because she thought I was having premature labor pains. Once at the doctors, she checked me over and said I was fine. I knew this, I just wanted to know what I could do to make me feel more comfortable. So, I am spending the weekend off of my feet, per my doctor.

With a whole weekend of nothing, I stopped at the library and picked up this book on the way home. Can't wait to get started!

Happy Friday! Hoping to put up nursery pictures and EXTREME Abby Makeover pictures soon!

A Holiday...

2011-01-17T09:21:00.002-05:00

I've taught kindergarten for 5 years now and I've always loved teaching about Martin Luther King Jr. It's amazing how my "friends" get the basic concept of friendship and equality in relation to MLK's teachings.

I don't get too much into detail about segregation or riots, just the basics of his thoughts and teachings. If just one of my "friends" gets it and shares what they've learned with someone else, then I have done my job.

As a side note, my favorite book to read for MLK's Birthday is Martin's Big Words written by Doreen Rappaport.

Enjoy your day off (if you have one)!

Sunday Morning Randomness

2011-01-09T07:48:00.005-05:00

Just some thoughts about my week because I don't have enough to write a full blog post...

1. We had a non-babymoon night last night. E and I went to see Meet the Fockers. As a side note, Meet the Parents was the movie we saw on our first date 10 years ago. So, we have not been to the movies together in quite some time. We got out popcorn and peanut M&Ms, settled into the empty theatre, and then 8 teenagers sat right in front of us. They had conversations the entire time and were getting up and down. Not to mention they could not stop giggling when anyone said the word "sex". It was driving me crazy and I decided to be the old fart in the movies and ask them to stop talking, in my teacher voice. E was a little embarrassed, but it was driving me nuts! Did I do the right thing?

2. I made chili with Cooking on Cloverlane's recipe. Nothing fancy, but it was excellent. I also made Bisquick Chedder Drop biscuits using the recipe below. It's a little different than the recipe on the back of the box, I omitted the garlic.

2 c. Bisquick
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Mix Bisquick, milk and cheddar until a soft ball forms. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop by balls onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. We picked out furniture this weekend for the nursery. It took me forever to decided, but it's ordered. I'm still stuck on one little thing, our glider. The room is going to be painted in a blue (as seen below). The gliders I was looking at came in WAY too many color combos. They had a blue, but I felt like it was blend right in with the walls.

The accent color in the curtains and bedding is a pale green. I found this glider and I'm still not a 100& sure if I want to go with it or something more neutral.

I know it's hard to tell, but it's a cherry wood with green chenille fabric. What do you think?

Enjoy your week!

Top 2 Tuesday

2011-01-04T16:49:00.002-05:00

This week's top 2's are my favorite items from 2010.

1.Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment
I have terrible skin to begin with, but pregnancy totally made my skin and eczema worse. I love anything by Aveeno, but honestly, I would give my right, scratchy, itchy arm over just to take an Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment some days. It's literally the best thing that ever happened to my bath time routine and heaven in a box...literally.

2. Yankee Candle.
I LOVE THIS STORE. I might have a slight addiction, but I like our house to smell nice. The coolest thing is that now, my car can smell extra nice too. In my Christmas stocking, E left me these...

You pop them in the vent of your car, turn your heat or AC on and your car smells fantastic. They are about $3 a package and so far they really work. Love, love, love them!

Close runner up...my dear BeBands that have been holding my pants up until I could finally wear my maternity pants without them falling down.

Thanks to Undomestic Momma for hosting Top 2 Tuesday!

A Challenge for 2011

2010-12-31T12:45:00.003-05:00

In 2010 we felt pretty darn lucky. Lucky to have a roof over our heads. Lucky to have jobs that we both love (okay, one of the two of us). Lucky to have great family and friends. Lucky to have each other.

It was not until recently that something hit me. How grateful am I for all that I have been given and all that I have not been given?

After reading Katie's recent blog post over at Marriage Confessions (my favorite blog to read, by the way, seriously) I liked her idea of keeping a journal of what I am grateful for on a daily basis.

All I need to do is take a moment, literally, and write down one little thing that I am grateful for each day. One, tiny, little, thing. Ideally by the end of the year, I will a 365 things to be grateful for.

That's my challenge for 2011. Please join me!

Our Year in Pictures

2010-12-29T13:47:00.015-05:00

This year has been pretty exciting to say the least...

We started with an incredible snow storm (or two? I can't remember because they all started to blend together).

The view from our kitchen onto the deck.

The front lawn and our poor tree/bush, which has recovered, thankfully.

The snow was not all that bad, in fact we had a lot of fun hanging out with our neighbors, playing games, watching the Superbowl, and movies.

In the spring, we found ourselves at the Happiest Place on Earth. A long awaited and much anticipated trip to Disney World. While this was not the first trip for either of us, it was the first time we had ever been together and one of my favorite visits.

Our last day full day at Disney.

If you ever go to Disney, all 4 parks are a must. Also, don't forget to visit Downtown Disney and Cirque Du Soleil. It was worth every penny!

Oh and make sure you give yourself plenty of time to rest!

I finished off my fourth year of teaching in June and one the very last day of school, we brought home our furry baby.

Abby after her first bath.

We had so much fun with her over the summer and even though I was apprehensive of getting a puppy, I'm so glad that we did. Abby has been a great addition to our family, even though she still sometimes wakes me up at 6:15 am to play.

Abby and "foxy", her favorite toy.

We enjoyed the rest of summer on our deck and also with a quick trip to NYC. While there, we visited friends that live in the city.

On the roof of The Met.

The summer ended with what probably would be considered the highlight of our year. After almost scheduling my second lap surgery, we decided to try for a baby. To our surprise, we got pregnant rather quickly.

Even though we found out in very, early August, we kept it a secret from most of our friends and family until October.

We found out in November that we will be expecting a little boy, which has made this all a little more real.

In December we enjoyed the last Christmas where it will be just the two of us. Abby had fun opening presents and we were just happy to finally have some time together.

Opening gifts with "foxy" by her side, as usual.

To sum it up, 2010 was a fabulous year! We enjoyed sharing in our friends weddings, births, and other celebrations. We are very much looking forward to more weddings, LOTS of births, and our Baby Boy in 2011.

Happy New Year!

Top 2 New Years Resolutions

2010-12-27T13:25:00.002-05:00

1. Don't sweat the small stuff

E will tell you that there are days that I am wound too tight. I create lists that are endless and put pressure on myself to complete everything. I tend to get worried about the little things going on that I have no control over. Heck, I'm already anxious about leaving my kiddies in April and what their parents will say. I have no control over that. I need to go with the flow a little more and let things roll off my back.

2. Live for the moment

This kind of goes hand in hand with number 1. I want to live for the now, not the tomorrow. Enjoy time with E now and soak up these last few months of being a family of two. When our little boy arrives, I want to enjoy every second of it because I know he won't be tiny for long. I don't want to worry about the endo (possibly) coming back after the delivery...I need to enjoy my time that is pain free. Mostly, I want to spend our time wisely and in the moment with friends, family, and each other.

How about you?

Baby H Update

2010-12-26T08:38:00.005-05:00

Please excuse my paleness. I have a lovely Christmas cold.

As of Thursday, we were at 23 weeks. I feel great, with the exception of some leg cramps at night. My yoga instructor gave me some ideas to help combat the cramps, which have been helping a little.

I had a mini-panic attack when I realized that we do not have a lot of time left before our little boy gets here. I think I had the same reaction when I realized that our wedding was not that far away. I hope that everything falls into place and gets finished just like with our wedding. I'm sure it all will, with the help of our parents and grandparents.

I'm going to pick some paint samples later this week so we can get started on the nursery. It shouldn't take too long to paint and once it's finished we can get the crib in.

Our theme is Winnie the Pooh, specifically this set from Target...

We don't want to go overboard with Pooh, but we have some special peices that were our own that we want to add to the room. Also, this sign from etsy caught my eye...

I love it and couldn't resist. I've been reading Baby H Classic Winnie the Pooh from time to time.

Baby H was gifted many, many, many things these past few days. Lots of clothes, shoes, toys, and even his umbrella stroller from our registry. My job today is to put them in the closet until we are ready for them. E and I could not get over how tiny the clothes were and it made us realize how tiny he will be when he gets here. It also made us very excited for the moment we will actually get to hold him. However, we hope that he continues to stay in my tummy for a few more months.

Joy to the World

2010-12-23T07:31:00.001-05:00

School is over, until 2011. With that said, my to-do list for today is incredibly long. We have lots to get finished before we head to the in-laws tomorrow for Christmas Eve and my parents on Saturday for Christmas.

I'm looking forward to enjoying our last Christmas with just the two of us and out first Christmas with Abby. She's very excited about Santa, I can tell. Can't you?

So I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and please, remember the true reason for the season.

I leave you with one of my favorite Christmas traditions, watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

Top 2

2010-12-21T17:01:00.003-05:00

I stumbled across a great blog, The Undomestic Momma

The Undomestic Momma happens to do a little something called Top 2 Tuesday. This week it's your top 2 favorite Christmas Memories.

Here's mine...

1. About 6 years ago we had the great fortune of a white Christmas. My aunt and uncle were in town for the holidays, they live in Atlanta. My aunt is originally from south Florida. She has not seen too much snow in her life, until that Christmas. We spent the whole afternoon making snowmen, snow angels, and sledding. She says it was the best Christmas ever and really it is one of my favorites.

2. Five years ago, this Christmas Eve. E proposed to me. I told my friends and family, who anticipated a proposal (we had been together for five years already at that point), it would take a Christmas miracle for anything to happen. I arrived at his parents house that afternoon, to find him hanging ornaments on the tree. He told me to look for my ornament. It took me a few minutes, but there it was...a silver star with "Will you marry me?" engraved right on it. I turned to find E on his knee with a ring in hand. I just about had an anxiety attack. There was the Christmas miracle I was looking for.

What are your Top 2 Christmas memories?

Just Had to Share

2010-12-20T16:23:00.002-05:00

This past weekend we were surprised (and grateful) to have a special visitor. E knew about our visitor, but kept it pretty much a secret from me until the night before (obviously he knew I would want to clean up the house). It was a much needed visit with one of my favorite people.

We have a great group of friends. They are ALL doing amazing things with their lives. Really, all of them are, there is not one who is just off being a slacker somewhere. It just so happens that when we were in college, E became good friends with a guy from Nigeria. He came to the states when he was 16 to study. He lived with his aunt and uncle while over here.

Somehow he ended up in Maryland at the same college as us. Over the years, we became close friends with him, even outside of college. He was at our wedding, we visited him in grad school while he lived in Philly, we emailed, called and occasionally he crashed on our couch. He is one of the most genuine, nice, kind people we know. We have tried so hard not to loose touch over the past 5 1/2 years and somehow (even if there are months and years separating our visits) we pick back up like no time was lost.

So, when E told me that he was coming to visit, I was very excited! He drove down from Philly tno see us and to celebrate his new status...Doctor! Dr. Cool, as we have affectionately called him for the past few years, finally graduated. He is going to do big things...amazing things...life changing things. Like, create prosthetic arms and legs or work on advancements in hip replacements. Whatever it is that he will end up doing, Dr. Cool will do it well and will be amazing at it.

To have him with us was a joy. He didn't care that we got rid of the bed in the guest room or that I bought bagels, but forgot the cream cheese. Dr. Cool was just happy to play video games with E, snuggle with Abby, and listen to my stories about the kids in class.

We are very proud of him and impressed. It's not everyday one of your friends gets a PHD.

Babymoon?

2010-12-18T07:44:00.005-05:00

The Bump defines a babymoon as "The last big baby-free getaway".

Does the trip we took right before we even got pregnant count?

How I love the Happiest Place on Earth

They would probably disagree and say that we need to run off to some place romantic, with no little people in sight and relax! With a budget, limited time off (I don't take sick days unless I'm dying), and the winter weather being pretty unpredictable in these parts...

Case in point, who would have thought we were going to get SO much snow last year? Look at my poor car! It only got worse as January and February went on!

we decided to do something different.

Our plan for our non-babymoon is to find something to do together at least one weekend out of the month. Just us! Us time is hard to come by these days.

We have some ideas, but are most definitely open to others as well. Because my blog fodder has been next to nothing, I am going to document our non-babymoon here.

Please send any ideas and suggestions for us and I will sure to add them to our list!

Celebrating!

2010-12-16T17:16:00.002-05:00

Two years ago, I was preparing myself for surgery (yep, bowel prep). I wasn't scared for the surgery itself, I was more scared of what could be found during the surgery. I got up the next morning, sat in the hospital, walked myself into surgery, cried a little, and woke up two hours later.

That surgery worked for a short time, a very short time. With the constant possibility of another surgery looming, we got very lucky this summer.

For the first time in two years, I am pain free . More importantly, we are expecting a little boy, something that I thought (in the back of my mind) would never happen.

More than ever, I am thankful and hopeful for things to come.

I'm celebrating being pain free...finally.

Giving to the Little People

2010-12-15T17:47:00.003-05:00

A quick apology for all of the changes...Blogger is not cooperating, so sorry all of the sudden background changes.

'Tis the season of gift giving. I do not have many little people to shop for on my Christmas list, but there are a few. This year, I've stumbled across some of the cutest gifts for kids and thought I would share. Oh and they are all under $20!

My Pal Scout from LeapFrog He's so adorable that I almost bought one to put away for Baby H (ps. He comes in different colors for boys and girls)

I am obsessed with LeapFrog's Fridge Phonics collection. They are so cool!

Fancy Nancy is a huge hit with the girls in my class. She has some pretty cute stories and she even has feather boas and tiaras to wear while you are reading.

On the rare occasion that my county allots me money for my classroom, I shop from Melissa and Doug's catalog.

I have two of their Dinosaur Floor Puzzles in my room. We love floor puzzles and their's have held up through five years of rough play!

And, if my brother were 5 (he's actually 22) I would totally buy this for him . He's the only kid that I know of, who went to bed with a wrench at night because he loved tools SO much.

Just as a side note, the above ideas are just my opinion. I was not compensated for advertising them.

Warm Winter Dinner

2010-12-13T15:51:00.004-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Kraft Food and Family magazine. I've been a subscriber for about 4 years and every time I get one in the mail, I always find something easy to make.

They have simple recipes, like the pumpkin spice and brown sugar frosting cake I made for Thanksgiving.

I've been dying to try their Creamy Baked Ziti recipe because I love ziti! I followed their recipe for the most part, but I added/omitted a few items as well.

You can find the original recipe here (both the ziti and pumpkin spice cake recipes are in the latest digital edition). Here's my version:

4 cups ziti (or more...there was only a half cup or so left in the box)

1 jar spaghetti sauce

3/4 of an 8 oz package of cream cheese

1, 2 cup package of mozzarella

Parmesan cheese

Italian seasoning

Preheat over to 375 degrees

Cook and drain ziti

Cube cream cheese and add to spaghetti sauce. Heat on stove until cream cheese melts.

Combined ziti and sauce in bowl. Mix in Italian seasoning.

Layer ziti and sauce mixture on bottom of 13x9 inch pan. Sprinkle half of mozzarella on top.

Add remaining ziti and sauce mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes.

It made enough for the two of us, with plenty left over for lunches this week. I served the ziti with Tastefully Simple's beer bread. I follow the recipe on the box and then add Italian seasoning, as well as Parmesan cheese to the mix before baking. It's great with pasta dishes and the beer bread in general is just great on it's own.

Enjoy!

A Little of This, A Little of That

2010-12-09T17:59:00.002-05:00

1. Please, oh please, let me get through the next 9 days of school. We have lost our minds in room B119. If I was not trying to save my time up, I would totally take a sick day to get me to December 22nd.

2. I really get irritated when people talk about wanting snow. I'm so over it after last years blizzards.

3. Abby is sleeping in our room now. It gets cold downstairs and I feel guilty about leaving her in her crate at night. She gets to cuddle in bed with me till E comes to bed and then, she lays on her blanket (on the floor). So far, this has worked out well.

4. My Christmas shopping list is shrinking at a rapid rate and that makes me very happy.

5. I want/need nothing this Christmas, which apparently is causing stress for E. He is at a loss for what to get me.

6. I am making homemade gifts for my teammates this weekend and will be sure to share what I whip up. Be on the lookout!

Great Gifts for Under $20

2010-12-07T16:23:00.003-05:00

All of the following fall under one of three categories: I've given it, I've gotten it, or please someone get one for me!

1. Tastefully Simple's Cozy Comfort Gift Set

2. The Last Lecture

3. Vera Bradley's On Top of Things Desk Calendar

4. Nalgene/LL Bean's Wide Mouthed Water Bottle

5. Martha Stewart Kids Collection Apron Set

6. Pier 1 Imports Penguin Mug (they have adorable penguin wine glasses too)

Happy Shopping!

Saturday Steals: Deals Galore!

2010-12-04T11:22:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Camille over at Archives of Our Lives, for hosting Saturday Steals.

I have three, yes, three deals (or steals, whichever you prefer to call them) to share.

1. I just ordered a fabulous nursing cover for just the cost of shipping. Udder Covers is offering this fabulous deal with the promo code: Family2010 They have a bunch of cute designs. This happens to be the one I chose.

Image from here

2. After I ordered my Udder Cover, they gave me a code for a free sling...again, all I paid for was shipping. Seven Slings also had some cute patterns, including the one pictured below. Make sure to check the sizing chart.

Image from here

3. Finally, my last steal is from the people at Motherhood and Shutterfly. When I needed cute maternity clothes, I headed straight to Motherhood. The nice people there had me register for deals and also sent me home with a goodie bag full of samples. Inside that bag was a gift card from Shutterfly for $20. Since it expires before our baby boy will be here, I decided to use it for Christmas cards. We ordered 25 photo cards for the price of shipping. Major steal!

Enjoy your weekend and your steals!

It's A...(part 2)

2010-11-29T17:47:00.002-05:00

BOY!!!! I have been thinking girl since the day we found out we were pregnant. This morning, I woke up, rolled over, and told E "I know it's a boy!".

I even sputtered out a name that we had never discussed, but popped into my head as soon as I woke up. As for that name, or whatever we choose, it will be a secret till April.

It's A...

2010-11-26T08:38:00.002-05:00

I'll let you know on Monday. We know it's a baby and he/she is a mover and a shaker. E and I both have our predictions and let's just say one of us will be correct. We are itching to find out (literally since my hormones have dried my skin out like crazy).

Last week we cleared the guest room out completely, leaving only the wood toy box that I purchased in college to store "crap" in. It was a little sad to watch my bed and all of my belongings get packed up or hauled away, but it's time for new beginnings. Abby agrees and we find her sometimes hanging out in the empty room just taking a nap.

Our registry is pretty much finished, with the exception of nursery decor and a few odds and ends. Creating a wedding registry was much easier. This time around, E and I were reading customer reviews and Consumer Reports to find the best and safest of everything.

Here are my novice tips for putting together a registry (from what I have learned thus far):

Do not do it all at once. It's exhausting, frustrating, and your husband will become overwhelmed.
Research, research, research. As I pointed out to my Nana, just because it's a pretty stroller does not mean it's the safest or easiest to maneuver.
Ask your friends or stalk their registries (I did a lot of stalking). I asked coworkers what they really used and what was a waste. I also asked what they wished they had put on their registry.
Ask your mom. Babies have not changed that much over the past decade or two. My mom was helpful with info about some of the basics and she was even more helpful at picking out toys that were "really cute" and the baby "has to have it" (her words, not mine).
Feed your belly and your husband's belly before going. We had breakfast, he had a coffee, we were both happy. He also enjoyed holding the scanner, even though that's how we ended up with unnecessary items that were mysteriously missing from our registry later.
Test out the gliders. We had reached our limit and found the gliders just in time for us to sit for a moment before deciding that we had done enough for one day.

What's your advice? What's your prediction for Baby H? Boy or girl?

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T18:35:00.002-05:00

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving, with lots to be thankful for!

2 am Wake Up Call

2010-11-20T12:11:00.004-05:00

We had an incredibly long night and early morning.

Let's recap.

2 am the "smoke detector" goes off (or so we think). E. changes battery and puts it back in it's place.

2:15 am the smoke detector goes off AGAIN (or so we think). E. changes battery in the other detector.

2:30 am the smoke detector continues to go off (or so we think) and we download manual to find trouble shooting guide. Not much help.

Beeping stops for a bit.

3:00 am the smoke detector starts again and then husband realizes it's not the smoke detector, it's the carbon monoxide detector.

3:14 am realize that this could be bad and I call 911, while husband puts on pants.

3:15 am I am told to evacuate house and not return. Grab blanket and Abby and car keys. Sit in car and wait.

3:20 am GIANT hook and ladder truck comes to house. Husband thinks that this is cool and strikes up a convo with the firefighters. I sit in car with Abby.

3:45 am house is declared safe and we reenter and finally go to sleep.

Moral of story: Have a good carbon monoxide detector so you don't have to wake up at 2 am and sit in your car, while a bunch of nice firefighters check you house.

Yes, the carbon monoxide detector was in fact defective. Apparently, the sensors go bad after a few years.

Thankful Friday?

2010-11-19T16:15:00.002-05:00

1. I am thankful for my students who never cease to amaze me with the kindess.

2. I am thankful for my coworkers that can always offer me a pick me up when I need one.

3. I am thankful for my neighbors. I think I might have the best ones around.

4. I am thankful for my parents. I am so grateful for the sacrifices they have made in the past and the ones they are going to be making for the sake of their grandchild. (I can't say this enough...they are SO wonderful for so many reasons. My mom is leaving her job of 17 years to take care of the baby for us, free of charge. Why? Because that's my mom and she said she's been waiting to do this for years.)

5. I am thankful for our good fortune with health. We had a scare with E last week, in the form of EKG test results, but further testing showed there was nothing to worry about. Now, if I could just wrap him in bubble wrap and convince him to keep a helmet on at all times, we would be just fine.

What are you thankful for?

17 and Abby

2010-11-14T10:43:00.004-05:00

We made it to the 17 week mark on Thursday. No big complaints, except that sleeping is becoming a little more challenging. I always somehow end up on my back and that's a big no, no. As of my last appointment, I've gained 6lbs. All belly, I assume. No big cravings and the only thing I am still not a big fan of is red meat. We find out November 29th if the baby is a girl or a boy. Any guesses?

Yesterday, I was invited a shower for a coworker of mine. She and her husband tried for several years to get pregnant and after some fertility help, they are expecting twins in March. A boy AND a girl! She was glowing and looked fantastic. So sweet to see her happy and her belly growing after all that they have been through!

And because I would be a bad doggy mommy if I didn't post pictures of our furry child, here is Abby at 7 months.

Napping while we clean out the closets

The fur on her leg never grew back from where they shaved her before her surgery. Also, please note that she is laying on our old, gross kitchen floor. Not our nice, new, beautiful kitchen floor I have yet to blog about.

Thankful Thursday

2010-11-11T19:23:00.003-05:00

Five things I am thankful for today...from The Cape on the Corner

1. The big guy I live with and the little furry dog too (even though she barked and howled all night).

2. My family and friends, who support me and remind me that even though my butt is getting bigger, it's for a good cause.

3. Pizza night, which means I do not have to cook.

4. Cannolis that come along with pizza night.

5. Fridays and Saturdays and Sundays.

What are you thankful for?

Guilt

2010-11-07T16:52:00.002-05:00

I will recap the kitchen floor soon. It looks fabulous and we couldn't be happier.

Today, I wanted to handle a more serious (sorry) topic.

The guilt I have been carrying around for four months. We just made it to the 16 week mark in our pregnancy. Yes, ours, because this is as much my baby as it is E's.

The day before we found out that I was pregnant, a dear friend of mine had a miscarriage. The circumstances surrounding the miscarriage were very unfortunate. This friend happened to be on vacation with her family when it happened. I was on the phone with her for hours, while she sat in a hotel room loosing her baby. My heart broke for her as I held her while she cried into my shoulder over what had happened. Another friend and I did all that we could to make her realize it was not her fault.

I on the other hand was overwhelmed with mixed emotions for the gift we were given.

Blessed we most definitely are to have gotten pregnant so quickly and with not much effort. I know this because I have listened as friends told their stories about trying to conceive and stood by as some lost their precious baby's. I've read your stories of struggle and heartbreak as well.

I carry a bit of guilt on my shoulders for being pregnant. We realize how lucky and blessed we are. Trust me, I didn't think it would happen this quickly. I thought for sure it would take months, like the doctors told us. I can't carry this guilt any more because, and as harsh as this sounds, I have no control over it.

I am trying to let go and enjoy what's left of my time being pregnant. I'm okay with you not understanding. I really am. If you choose to not read on that's fine with me, but know that what I say is true and that I wish for nothing but the best for you.

It's Almost Time

2010-11-02T19:04:00.001-04:00

Excitement is brewing in our house because in less than 3 days our new kitchen floor will be here!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Pictures of before and after to come!

Happy Halloween

2010-10-29T17:22:00.005-04:00

It feels like fall today for the first time in quite a while. We've had mid 70's temps and even just enough humidity to make your hair frizz (or go flat like mine). Today it was chilly, perfect weather for pumpkins, apple cider, and fuzzy slippers.

My students were buzzing today (could it have been the candy corn I incorporated into the math lesson?). I'm sure that had something to do with the fall festival the PTA conveniently scheduled for a Thursday evening or the fact that Halloween is just 2 days away. On a side note: when you're five, 2 days is an eternity.

We don't do Halloween at school. We don't dress up, we don't parade around the neighborhood, and we certainly don't sing Hap Palmer's Witches Brew, unless you're in my class and then we sing our little hearts out. I crush their hopes of dressing up for school by telling them they can write about their costume instead. On a side note: writing is apparently a punishment to a five year old and does not make up for the fact that you can't wear your way cool, muscles included, Hulk costume to school.

They wrote and drew pictures and even had a chance to share their work in the author's chair. That's when it hit me. There was always one costume I wanted have for Halloween. I begged for it. I pleaded with my mom, but when your mom makes your costumes and her sewing skills are limited (sorry mom, but they are) you may never get that one costume you so very much want. Here in front of me was a student who was going to have that costume. She was not going to be a fairy princess or ballerina like the other girls. No, she had the ruby red slippers and the little dog too!

That's right, all I ever wanted to be was Dorothy.

Image from here

That's not asking too much.

What was that one costume you always wanted?

On Cleaning & Organizing

2010-10-17T16:24:00.002-04:00

Today, I actually dread cleaning. I know it's a shock to some, but it's true. I had no intentions of doing such things, but the phone rang and it was the home appraiser. We're in the process of refinancing (thank you low interest rates) and that means our house has to get appraised. Correction, that means a stranger has to come to our house on Tuesday and take pictures.

I was smack in the middle of rearranging closets, cleaning out the guest room, and reorganizing the office (I've been starting a lot of projects lately). Stuff is everywhere. I heard they don't look in closets and I so hope that's true because that's where I stuffed all of our stuff for the time being.

When we signed our contract to have the kitchen floor redone, I told E that I was not going to bother doing any kind of cleaning other than wiping the counters down, until the new floor was put in. Yes, I spent the greater part of my morning scrubbing the floor (the same floor that will be removed in less than two weeks) and dusting (the same shelves that I was planning on dusting/reorganizing after the kitchen is put back together).

Oh well, at least it's finished and things are looking good. Now, if only I could get Abby to put away her toys that she has strategically placed in EVERY room of the house...yeah, I think that's a lost cause.

Don't Rain on My Parade {Please}

2010-10-13T18:24:00.003-04:00

An open letter to the group of downers I call my coworkers.

Dear Debbie Downers ,

I know that your life is kicking your butt right now. I realize that it's very frustrating to have a small child scream "I hate you" while you are teaching math. I've been there and it's not fun (especially when the child adds in a little chair throwing action too). Meetings aren't fun either, but we'll are in the same boat and have to sit through them with you.

We have to hear your complaints about paperwork, behavior, parents, time, workload, technology, and other coworkers on a daily basis. We step up our game when you decide to take a long weekend because you need "time away" from your job. We listen as you cry and cry some more about how much you hate life.

Please, stop raining on my parade. You have a job, you get a paycheck, it wouldn't be called work if it wasn't work. SUCK IT UP!

I've had shitty classes, I've been bogged down with work, I've needed a long weekend here and there. You aren't the only one.

Sincerely,
Me.

Ps. I still love you and I will stick cynically ask if you want some cheese with that WHINE because that's just what I do.

12

2010-10-11T21:30:00.002-04:00

Week: 12

Weight Gain: 2lbs, which is odd because my pants are certainly not fitting anymore.

Maternity Clothes: I broke down and put on maternity jeans. My jeans were not fitting or staying up. In fact, I almost lost them walking down the hall on Friday, so I gave in and put them on.

Sleep: My poor achy back...I will try not complain too much because I think it's my pillow not my belly.

What I miss: Nothing yet...a glass of red wine would be nice, but I can wait.

Cravings: I'm going to give birth to a pretzel.

Symptoms: ACNE, tender breasts

Best Moment of the Week: Showing our sonograms to a single, guy friend, who jumped out of his seat and said "I'm going to be an uncle!" He's very excited.

Things that Make me Happy

2010-10-10T17:30:00.002-04:00

1. H.OBBY L.OBBY! I'm not sure what took them so long to get to my part of town, but boy am I glad they are here. It has to be the best craft/home design store EVER!! Run, do not walk, to the nearest location.

2. A clean puppy. Some one had a lot of fun on her morning walk and then was in need of a bath. She smells so much better. *On a side note, my dear Abby has her "big girl" surgery scheduled for Thursday. E. is dropping her off because I just don't think I am capable of doing so. I can't stand watching her paw at the front door when I leave in the morning for work, let alone the idea of leaving her at the vet, overnight, to get a procedure done.

3. My special friend being back at school and having the opportunity to sing Happy Birthday to her! Oh yeah, there were cupcakes and a crown involved. She is doing well, but the treatment only half worked, leaving much of the cancer in her marrow still.

4. Dinner Theater. Today we saw RENT, it was a belated birthday gift to me. We went for brunch. The show and food were fabulous!

5. Baked ziti...in fact, I love it so much I'm off to make a pan of it right now. Yay for leftovers for lunch this week!!

6. A Ravens win.

What makes you happy?

It's Official!

2010-10-07T16:57:00.002-04:00

We are VERY pleased to announce that we are expecting our first baby in April!!!

Over the moon excited! We just can't contain ourselves, especially since we can now tell everyone about our little secret.

Here's a little history to fill you in on how we got where we are today...

April 07, problems began, but went undiagnosed, first ER visit

Sept 08, second trip to ER
Oct 08, saw pelvic pain specialist and began the bumpy road to diagnosis
Dec 08, lap surgery and diagnosis of endometriosis and interstitial cystitis
March 09 relapse of pain, thought to be scar tissue
June 09 third trip to ER, no questions answered
Feb 10 began taking prenatals
March 10 period lasted about 1 1/2 months, went off bcp, was told that 2nd surgery was imminent
June 30, 2010 began trying for a baby

August 9, 2010 POSITIVE PREGNANCY TEST

E and I have known that we wanted children for quite some time. It was just a matter of timing. Things got thrown way off course when I started having troubles and eventually had to have surgery.

This past winter and early spring were especially rough. After a trip to the doctors and discussion about scheduling my 2nd surgery for June, we decided to try and see what happened. We were warned that it could take some time and decided that if we didn't get pregnant by fall, then we would go on with the surgery.

Thankfully within one month of trying, we got pregnant. With the exception of one little scare and an aversion to chili, everything is great!

Puppies and Floors.

2010-09-23T17:16:00.006-04:00

The floor people are coming bright and EARLY tomorrow to measure the kitchen! Hopefully within the next two weeks they will be able to install and my almost four years of waiting will be over!

On a completely different subject....this little girl did something very, very bad this morning!

Is it possible for this little face to be TROUBLE!?

Abby loves water. She is kind of obsessed with it. I thought for sure we weren't giving her enough and discussed the issue with our vet. He disagreed and said she just had a bit of an obsession.

We love the toilet (thanks to my brother). We LOVE the rain. We love the shower.

Every morning, when I get my shower, Abby follows me into the bathroom. At first, she would lay on the floor, but that quickly stopped. Once she discovered water was in the shower, she was quick to run upstairs and wait for me to turn the faucet on. Let's just say, since I have been back at work, I have not taken a shower without a little friend watching me.

This morning was no exception, except Abby was a little more excited about the shower. In fact, she was so excited that she completely tore the shower curtain in half. In her defense, it was in the way and she couldn't lap up the water as it was dripping down the tile. Also, in her defense, it was a cheap shower curtain.

So the answer is yes, this little face can cause A LOT of trouble! At least she's cute!

Fall, how I love thee

2010-09-20T18:27:00.002-04:00

It is the most wonderful time of the year!

I must confess that my fall decor came out of boxes this weekend. My fall candles were pulled out the baskets I've been hiding them in. And the thought of apple cider is making me giddy.

I'm just so happy that October is almost here and the leaves are going to be changing. Although, secretly I am dreading standing outside with a puppy, who loves leaves, especially when they are crunchy and she can shred them. But, I guess that's the fun of being a puppy in the fall.

Fall will bring us a new kitchen floor!! WOOHOO!! Estimate to be done this week and then we hear whether we (and by we I mean, E., my dad and brother) have to pull up the old flooring first. We (and by we, I mean me, since E gave me full creative lisence on the floor) picked the flooring. Because this is not our "forever home" we decided to stick with vinyl, otherwise I would have went for hardwood.

It's a bit hard to see the pattern, but here it is.

Within a few weeks, it will be installed. I'll be sure to do before and after pictures. I've only been waiting almost 4 years for this to happen!!!!

I'm pretty darn excited (about the floor, among other things)!

My New Love

2010-09-14T17:28:00.002-04:00

Today was election day in our state. Schools were closed and I found myself wondering what to do with my free time...fortunately my friend J. had the same thought. We decided on a road trip to Lancaster, PA.

Our main goals were to hit up the outlets and then stop at her former college for a quick visit before heading home.

I'd like to say I got some great deals at the outlets, but all I came home with was soup mix from Harry and Davids and a candle. That's okay. The trip was well worth it.

Across the street from the outlets was a magical place, one I had never visited before, one that was calling our name...

Hello strawberry limeade! Hello mozzarella sticks! Hello servers on skates!

For years I have been teased by their commercials. The idea of a happy hour that includes half price limeades and slushies sounded fantastic, but alas, there are no Sonic's in my town..

I'm okay with a lack of purchases at the outlets because Sonic made it all better!

A Weekend of ...

2010-09-11T10:21:00.002-04:00

NOTHING!!!

Thank you! Thank you!

I'm trying to keep my head above water while balancing work, home, and life. While things are going fabulously, our weeks are chaos and therefore, our weekends should be the complete opposite. In theory, but that is sometimes difficult to manage.

The new school year has kicked off without a hitch. That's a lie, but we are dealing. I have a student that is special needs and also has some guardian issues that have consumed my planning time. Expectations have also increased this year with our new principal and vice principal. I'm doing my job the best I can and until some one tells me otherwise, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing.

I forgot how much time I spend working at school and therefore things at home totally get left undone. Thankfully, our new dishwasher arrived on Thursday! It's beautiful and no more hand washing every dish we use (I know we're lazy, you don't have to tell me). The ball has FINALLY started rolling on our new kitchen floor. Estimates will soon start to come in and then we will begin the great debate on which type of flooring to go with.

Abby got her first haircut this week (much needed). She did well and then proceeded to pee in the check out line afterward. While the woman behind us looked completely appalled, I found myself making excuses for a 5 month old puppy that just spent 4 hours getting her hair cut with no potty break. There was no excuse for the present she left on the sidewalk while exiting the store. No worries, we cleaned that up before the woman got out of the store and scoffed at us again.

So, during our "nothing to do weekend", I plan on doing just that...with a little chili making and cookie baking on the side.

Stay tuned for my midweek road trip to Lancaster PA. Nothing makes me happier than Amish baking!

Enjoy your weekend!

A PSA for Parents

2010-09-01T19:04:00.002-04:00

Hi! My name is Kelly and I am a kindergarten teacher. No, no, not a babysitter. Yes, I know your child is smart and knows all of the colors and shapes, but there's a bit more to kindergarten now a days.

Can you do me a favor? Grab a seat and get something to write with and a piece of paper. I want to fill you in on a few things...

1. Please teach your child the word "no". I find it hard to believe they have never heard this before.

2. When I ask if your child can use the potty independently, answer honestly. The first time they do number 2 at school, I will find out that they need help wiping (conveniently in the middle of a phonics lesson). I can't help them.

3. Please show your child their name before they come to school...maybe even teach them to write it.

4. A 5 year old's special interest should not be video games or wrestling.

5. Crayons are objects that should not look foreign to your child. They are cheap and a great form of entertainment.

6. I repeat...I do not help with potty issues!

7. Teacher Lady is not my name. Addressing your concerns to me in a letter in this way does not impress me or make me laugh.

8. Yes, I attended college. Yes, I graduated (with honors, thankyouverymuch). Yes, I've been doing this for a bit even if you think I look like I'm 15. No, you can not see my diploma.

9. I do not want to hear about your marital issues/woes. Not my problem.

10. Just because I gave you my email address does not mean I can read or respond to the 5 emails you sent me, within an hour, about the bag of pretzels you sent with your child to school for snack.

Thanks for listening. I hope you found this informative!

Some Things You Just Can't Live Without

2010-08-30T17:05:00.002-04:00

On Thursday, our dishwasher croaked. It was a moment of absolute disbelief. With that said, I ran the dishwasher again just to be sure and wouldn't you know it, the dishes were still dirty when the cycle was over.

The truly, truly unfortunate part was that the dishwasher was in fact full of dirty dishes that needed to be cleaned. After I threw a hissy fit when I realized that I had no plates for dinner and we were completely out of paper plates (I need to get to Costco), I ordered pizza. Then, I spent about 45 minutes washing dishes.

We headed off to the store on Saturday, after doing a ridiculous amount of research on dishwashers and purchased one. Don't ask me what model or any of that jazz, I do know it's white and it's Whirlpool. Oh and most importantly, it WILL clean dishes.

The other good "thing" that came out of our trip to the store was that we finally got the ball rolling on getting the new kitchen floor we desperately need. We did some serious browsing and are heading back this weekend to make some decisions and get an estimate. Till then, we will be hand washing dishes for the next 2 weeks, yes 2 weeks, till our dishwasher gets installed.

I realize how much we rely on that convenience...what do you truly rely on and couldn't live without in your home?

Wishies

2010-08-23T16:46:00.005-04:00

I don't cry at work. It's just a rule I have. There is no crying in kindergarten. No matter how tough or sad a situation is, I hold it in till I get home. That's when I loose it, behind close doors where no one knows how truly upset I am.

Today, I cried in kindergarten.

I couldn't help it. Last year I spent my time with a pretty incredible little girl. She is strong and tough and has lived through more than most adults. I stood at the door looking for her today, her first day of first grade. Waiting for that smile and those pigtails to come bouncing down the hall. To my surprise and dismay, she was no where to be found.

Instead of coming back to school, having recess with her friends, trying out her new locker that she was so excited for, she was receiving intense, experimental treatments to save her from cancer. She was stuck in a hospital that was no where near as fun as PE or Art. Three tumors are holding her back.

The picture I have in my mind is not one of a little girl stuck with tubes and needles but one covered in wishies. She was running around with a wishie last year, blowing the seeds everywhere. They all landed in her hair. She giggled as I teased her that she could grow a flower or two on her head and I picked them out of the sparse strands of her brown hair.

If I had a wishie right now, I would wish for this to all go away. I would wish for her to be cancer free, a normal little girl, enjoying her first day of first grade.

I'm alive & I'm crafty

2010-08-21T11:54:00.007-04:00

To say that this past week has been hectic is an understatement. I've been crashing as soon as my head hits the pillow at night.

I went back to work, set up my room, prepared myself for (wait for it) 20+ little ones, sat through meetings, labeled things till I couldn't label any more, and got to see my work friends. My class is still up in the air, while the county decides whether we need to have an additional kindergarten classroom or not. They might make a few adjustments if the staffing Gods smile down on us.

This weekend we have family in town and a surprise 80th birthday party for my Poppy.

In between all of that, I have found an opportunity to be crafty. I found a very simple project a few months back in my Sandra Lee's Semi Homemade magazine. There was no way I could pass up trying to make her super easy coasters.

I'm not a photographer, this is the best I can do.

Materials:
Ceramic Tiles (I paid $4 for 9 tiles)
Paper Napkins
Mod Podge
Sealer
Sponge Brush thingys (I'm sure they have a technical name)
Cork (for the bottom)

Steps
1. Wash and dry tiles with soap and water
2. Cut napkins to match up with your tiles (I trace the outline of the tile onto the napkin with pencil)
3. CAREFULLY cut napkin
4. Paint on a layer of Mod Podge. Place the napkin on top of the glue. Be sure to line it up the best you can, but don't worry too much about wrinkles.
5. Paint a layer of Mod Podge on top of the napkin. Don't use too much or else the napkin will rip. Make sure that you get the corners glued down good. Let it dry overnight.
6. Repeat layers of Mod Podge until you are satisfied with the finish. Allow dry time between each coat (about 20-40 minutes). I did 3-4 coats on mine.
7. Spray with polyurethane sealer.
8. Repeat step 7 several times (about 3-4). Let dry for 15 minutes between each coat.
9. Add cork pads to the bottom corners.

You can buy the corks at Walmart.

I practiced on a tile or two before I made these sets. I think they make great gifts and I plan on making them at Christmas for my teammates (because they are so cheap!).
Let me know if you give this project a try!

Summer Recap

2010-08-12T09:46:00.007-04:00

'Tis true...I go back to work on Monday and my summer is officially over. Soon it will be me and 17 little people everyday. Poor Abby will be hanging out at home, alone, which makes me feel incredibly guilty. I know that she will be super excited to see me when I get home from work and even more excited that we will enjoy a daily walk together to get out some of her energy.

In pictures, here is a recap of my summer.

We got her the very day school ended.

We are now a whopping 7.7lbs.

I saw this guy speak at a conference. Amazing...I think he needs to give me another peptalk though so I can get motivated for Monday.

I learned all about differeniation from him and the Sound of Music

We spent a great day here with friends

NYC

Which has left me craving this

I like it with Fruity Pebbles

I read this book inbetween teaching summer school

Eeh! It was okay.

Now, I'm trying to finish this before Monday

I ate LOTS of these

I'm looking forward to eating more this evening. Thanks to my dad!

Our furry baby turned 4 months and we turned into crazy dog people

Of course, I enjoyed spending time with friends and family as well. No pictures of our girls dinner...will have to remedy that!

But now, it's time for me to go back to school. It's time for brand new boxes of crayons, little tables and chairs, and lots of new smiling faces! Let's be honest, most will be crying, but some will (hopefully) be smiling!

This &That

2010-08-06T18:30:00.003-04:00

1. I was supposed to have jury duty today, but (thankfully) I was not needed and saved myself the 30-45 minute ride to the courthouse. So, instead, I spent the day reading in the sun and going through my teacher "stuff". I hope my student teacher is prepared for the amount of "stuff" I have for her.

2. The best thing about Target is that you can get a popcorn and soda for $1.50. It makes shopping that much more fun!

3. E bought me fancy root beer this evening at the fancy liquor store he goes to. I'm excited because I consider myself a root beer connoisseur.

4. I love that there is almost no humidity in the air today. It means I can open the windows.

5. Yankee Candles' Mango Peach Salsa candle is possibly the best scent they make. I just wish they would stop sending me coupons because then I feel like I have to visit and find another really nice scent or candle holder that I do not need.

Enjoy your weekend!

We Have a Winner!

2010-08-04T06:49:00.003-04:00

Using Random.org our winner is....

#3 Camille!

Please excuse the fact that it took me about 20 minutes to try to attach a picture of the Random.org box and I still couldn't do it! It's 6:30 in the morning, I'm not always at the top of my game this early.

Anyway, Camille I will be contacting you so that I may send your necklace on it's way! Green seemed to be the crowd favorite! Excellent choice!

Thanks to all of you that entered!!

On a side note, I realized yesterday while walking through Target, that I am officially a crazy dog person. OFFICIALLY. Like to the point where I at times talk about her like she is my child, like I gave birth to her, like if E gave me the choice of him or the dog, I would chose the dog (seriously, I would never do that). Crazy dog people subject their dogs to this...

And then, tell their blog readers all about it! Look how embarrassed Abby looks!

Enjoy your day! Thanks again for entering my first ever giveaway!

GIVEAWAY

2010-08-02T11:17:00.002-04:00

I'm doing my first ever giveaway today! I feel very strong about a lot of organization and causes, but I think what they are doing over at Bead for Life is amazing!

They are empowering women in Uganda to help themselves and their families get out of poverty. The women make incredibly beautiful beads from recycled paper and they are sold at parties or fundraisers (kinda like a step up from the Tupperware parties our moms attended). In turn the women can then purchase goods for their families.

Here is exactly where the money goes...

Image from here

Bead for Life has been in Oprah's magazine, Family Circle magazine, and the Today Show. I just learned about them last fall and since then have felt that what they are doing needs to been seen by everyone.

Therefore, I am giving away one of their short necklaces. Your choice...

The mauve/red/pinkish necklace measures 18 inches.
The green necklace measures 17 inches.
The blue necklace measures 19 inches.
All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me which one you like the most. Please make sure to also leave contact information. I will be using Random.org to choose the winner. Giveaway ends Tuesday, August 3rd at 11:59 pm (Eastern Time).

Good luck! And, please check out Beadforlife.org to learn more about this organization!

Etsy Love and Bargain Shopping

2010-07-29T15:57:00.004-04:00

Hi my name is Kelly and I might have a slight addiction to Etsy. I have made two purchases this week and I could make lots more if I had the money and time. Thanks to your suggestions we are going give the bell training a go with Abby. Hopefully it will work. I searched for a "cute" set of bells to hang in our kitchen and came across these at Etsy. I ordered one set for now and if all goes well, I will order another for the basement door. I went for the cute blue print with little puppies and bones. It is from SquidStuffis on Etsy.

Image from here

Just recently I have been bothered (or bored) with this small photograph we have hanging in our dining room. It's a really cute photograph of a little cottage and garden in Ireland and has a blessing written beneath. My great aunt brought it and a beautiful set of Galway crystal candlestick holders back from Ireland for us as a housewarming gift. The problem is that it's really small and the wall is rather large. It just looks blah.

I decided that it needed to be moved to a new location and it was time to find something a little more substantial to put in it's place. That's when I started looking for a clock. A clock that was not going to cost me an arm and leg and was not GIGANTIC.. This was a little harder than you would think. I searched and searched and found this....

Thank you Kohls

Perfect size, color and price! Regularly $40, this clock was marked down to $23.99 and then with a 10% code, was $21. With shipping, the total was well under $30!! WOOHOO! I can't wait for it to arrive!

Abby the Wonderdog!

2010-07-28T17:20:00.004-04:00

Abby has been at home with us for about a month now (a little over). She's managed to not have major accidents in the house. We will forgive her for the little incident in the office right before we left for NYC. She couldn't find anyone and proceeded to poo on the floor. Nothing major, just not something you want to deal with at 6:30 in the morning as you are walking out the door.

The crate training is going well too. No more crying and no accidents in quite some time. We've given her a bit more freedom in the house. She can wander the living room and basement as long as she has been out to the bathroom.

Speaking of bathroom...we have had some success in training her to go to the door when she needs to go. However, since Abby just started barking, we don't really know that she needs to go unless some one happens to peak in the kitchen and notice she's waiting. The barking only happens when she sees the two obnoxious Yorkies that live behind us. We need to get her to bark or do something a little more noticeable when she needs out. Please help! Any suggestions are welcome!

Our biggest accomplishment is that Abby can now walk down the steps. FINALLY! It takes her about 5 minutes, but she can do it on her own. Including right this second as she heading to get her fox at the bottom of the steps. The fox...yeah it would be a shame if that fox went missing...or at least the squeakers inside went missing.
Ps. I will be hosting my first giveaway next week! Be on the lookout for that!

This and That

2010-07-26T14:07:00.003-04:00

Could it be any hotter!? I don't think it's possible, but I am sure the weatherman will prove me wrong. With rolling brown outs in our neighborhood and the heat literally smothering you when you step out the door, we did NOTHING this past weekend. It was great!

I'm super excited that I have three days of babysitting, I mean summer school, left. We went from 9 boys to 5 and now I am down to 4. It's getting to be a little boring. I am looking forward to going back to work even though I am more than thankful to have 2 weeks off before that starts. We have a new principal starting this year, which is much needed and this is about the point in the summer where I start missing my work friends. I also miss my classroom. I know that sounds funny, but it's my home away from home. The building I am teaching in now is very old and not as sunny and bright as my school. We also have had some unwanted pets...like Bob, the bird and today's pets, wasps and their very own nest. That's a little too up close and personal with nature for me.

Speaking of nature (I know this is an odd transition), but I just ordered my necklace from Just Jaynes' etsy shop! Thanks to Lauren over at Life Uncluttered and her awesome giveaway. It was her birthday and she gave away a gift! How sweet is that? I went with this cute hummingbird necklace, with an amethyst stone add on. It took some time to choose what to get because everything was so cute!

I love hummingbirds. I have always been fascinated with them. Did you know that they symbolize peace, love and happiness?

Can't wait for it to arrive! Thanks again Lauren!

Enjoy your Monday everyone!