Christmas is over ?! :)

I enjoy the holidays..... really I do. But after this holiday I'm a little happy, sad... and relieved! I managed to finish my Christmas presents... most of them on time... others should be getting mailed out today! Now hopefully I can tell you all about them!

I wanted to be crafty this year and make most of my gifts. I was watching Martha Stewart one day and came across these pet sillouette bags! I try my best to use the "green" reusable bags, so I thought why not make my family some bags! They're cute b/c they have their pets on them, and its green too. Now my husband is a bit morbid... so after I'm buying all the materials and getting to actually making the bags he says "what are you going to do when the pets die?" Well I hope they were beloved pets and you'd still like to remember them even after their gone. But anyway here's how some of them turned out!

Now as you can see.... some bags were a little more detailed than others. Depending on what color the animal was. Charlie, the cat up top, was all black so his was fairly easy to make. Now Boomer in the middle... he was a little more detailed with the white patches of fur and it took some finessing to get it the way I wanted. But all in all it was a fun project! I requested photos of the pets, had them printed off at Copyworks, cut them out, and then traced them on the fabric and cut those out as well. I used suede fabric to kind of mimic fur. Once I had the basic outline of the pet in the most prominent color of fur, I then cut out the more detailed portions and glued the contrasting color of fabric on top!

Along with my bags I also made magnets. I used a heavy duty magnet and adhesive along with those glass beads that are flat on one side and rounded on the other. I cut out various designs or words from magazines or ads. Here's what those turned out like....

I figured you can never have enough magnets for your fridge, and well they're pretty cute too. I made several Iowa State ones for my husband! I like smaller magnets that don't cover your entire fridge too. I have to keep these up high so my lil guy doesn't try to eat them though!

Finally the last present I included were the chocolate covered pretzels!! I wanted to go with the holiday pretzels instead of just regular ones and that proved to be a pain in some situations. Those little trees are hard to get covered! I have a ton of almond bark and pretzels that still need to be done... but at least I had them finished for the presents. I just wanted to eat some myself too!

All in all I'd say it was a successful Christmas present... it was alot of work and very time consuming! I hope everyone enjoys the presents... and realizes how much time and effort I put into them too. I know its not quite like a big screen tv... but it is the thought that counts right?!

tired of being politically correct?

I know I am.... Get ready to listen to a rant... just cause its been one of those days I guess...

Why do people have to be overly sensitive? Why do I find myself walking on eggshells trying not to offend someone? When did we all lose our sense of humor?! Ugh. I get so annoyed sometimes having to censor my reactions or thoughts on a subject. If you ask my opinion of something I would love telling you what I really think! Then again... some people just can't handle it. I'd love to be "House" for a day. For those of you who are wondering what in the world I'm talking about... its Gregory House main character from the Fox TV show HOUSE. He rarely censors himself, almost always telling you what he really thinks on something. Personally I find it refreshing. And it makes me a little jealous. How nice it would be to be able to do that for a day (with no consequences). Ahh but in the real world we can't act like that.

Let me tell you, when I ask your opinion on something, I really truly do want your honest opinion. I rarely fish for compliments (my husband would probably beg to differ). The other day my mom stopped by after being gone for a few days. I'm preggo and feel huge! Its like I've gained 20 lbs in a week. So I said I'm huge now look at me! She responded how I wanted her to... "yea, you are getting kinda big!". I like to know I'm not crazy... I like to know there are other people on the same wave length that I am. Therefor, I wanted to hear that yes, I do look huge, and its not all just in my head. I didn't need the "Oh no you dont... you look great... its your 2nd baby... blah blah". I wanted the exact truth, yep, you're a huge cow. It made me feel better.

Are there people out there like me? Who also like to get peoples honest and real thoughts on something? Cause lately it seems like we have to be all politically correct..... well life's too short. If you didnt want my honest opinion why did you ask me? Maybe I'm too cynical. My mom thinks I'm too young to already be thinking this way in life.

There are exceptions... Like for instance if you have an ugly baby. If someone you know has an ugly baby and they say "isn't he just the cutest?!" you pretty much have to say "yes, yes, he is!". My nurse at the hospital when my son was born once said "if we have a not so cute baby we usually say something like 'that's a fine baby you have there'". So keep that in mind I guess... but yea you better say my baby's cute, cause well I couldnt handle anything else said in that matter. If I ask you if I look ok in an outfit and I dont, feel free to wail on me and tell me what you really think, cause I can handle that! And while I might disagree with you, I usually ask cause in some way I think I don't look ok and I need to hear it from someone else.

You've all seen Tommy Boy right?.....

Tommy: Does this suit make me look fat?


Richard Hayden: No, your face does.

While Tommy Boy was probably hoping it was just the suit... he knew deep down he needed to lose some weight...
 
So all in all I guess I just want to say STOP TRYING TO SPARE MY FEELINGS OR WHATEVER. I'm an adult and I can handle it. If I were back in Jr. High or High School I would probably be thinking differently... but I'm all grown up now. If I ask your opinion of something, please say it like it is!? Life's too short... I dont want to be one of those American Idol rejects who were told sooo many times they could sing when in fact they cannot...

Freecycle

Have you heard of Freecycle?! If not you need to look it up. My sister is the first person to tell me about it. Which if you know my sister... she's like the cheapest person I know so it totally makes sense that she would know about it... anyway....

Freecycle is a group that is trying to reduce garbage in the landfills and help the earth! If you become a part of it you get emails from people in your area trying to get rid of their stuff! Now the name is FREEcycle for a reason. Its not like craigslist where you barter a price for items, it is strictly something you are wanting to gid rid of for free. For example, I have gotten rid of an automatic cat/dog feeder and electric can-opener. While I could have possibly taken these to goodwill, or tried to sell them at Stuff, it was so much easier to just post it online and have the "buyers" come to me. All I had to do was set it on my front porch and tell them where to pick it up and they were gone! In addition to getting rid of some unwanted stuff, I have gotten free stuff as well. (Maternity clothes and a firewood holder). Along with posts offering things you can request items as well... I haven't done this yet, so I'm not sure how well it works.. but you'd be surprised what some people want to give away for free or have if you request it! I've seen things like kids clothes and toys, formula, coupons, christmas decorations, washers and dryers, strollers etc... You also have to post your location to know if its worth it to drive across town or not.

My only let-down is you get tons of email posts with items people want to give away... it can be an overload if you haven't checked your email for a while. But I dont usually give my yahoo account away for regular emails... it's kind of my "junk" email address.

Money

Money is the root of all evil... right? Isn't that how one of the sayings goes? I know its the number one issue/argument most people have in a marriage. We all need it to survive... yet it can cause so much heartache.

I love Ellen Degeneres! I try to watch her show every day. She's always dancing and giving away free stuff. I so wish I could go to a taping one day! Lately with these hard economic times she has been helping those "less fortunate" people out. I have quotes around that for a reason. I know in certain situations people can't help themselves. For whatever reason they aren't able to pay their bills, provide for their children, have a decent car. But I can't help but feel discouraged when she gives away thousands of dollars to these people to help them get out of debt. Everyone has debt. That's just pretty much a fact of life (owning a house, car, school loans... you name it, most people have debt). But it almost seems like she's helping the people who weren't very responsible! I mean anyone can get themselves into debt and not choose wisely. That's the easiest thing to do!? So it kinda makes me mad when I see her give these people $25,000 and a brand new car... along with a chance to go to one of her 12 days of giveaways! I know its selfish. I should just be happy for these people and not jealous. But we live a simple life... we manage just fine, but I can't write her a sappy letter telling her how hard times are b/c I know I'm fortunate. Am I terrible or what? My argument is simply this.... while it is nice to help those in need... isn't it nice to reward those who live simply and more wisely too?

10 things every grandmother should have

Now I don't want all you grandmothers to get mad at me... I know I said "should" have, but really these are just convenient for your children when they bring the little ones over! And of course this is for new grandmothers..... if your grandkids are older these won't really work out.

1. Pack-n-Play: this is so important to have! While they are usually pretty portable and your child could bring them over every time they bring the grandchild over.... It is sooo nice to have one at grandma's already.

2. Sippy cups: Sometimes us mothers are in a hurry and forget things... its nice to know grandma already has a cup there for your child to use just in case she forgot one! This one could be converted to bottle as well depending on the stage of your grandchild.

3. Toys: While most of the time diaper bags will have toys stuffed in them, grandkids get bored easily. Please have some toys there ready to be played with! Even if they're not actual toys (spatulas, wooden spoons, tupperware, monkey statues... whatever works).

4. Snacks: Once again us mothers can be a little flaky on packing if we're in a hurry. We don't want the little ones to starve! Please have some age-appropriate snacks on hand.

5. Baby wipes: I know you might be thinking really?! on this one... but yes they are vitally important. Sometimes our wipes stash in the diaper bag is depleted w/o us realizing. You can get those resealable to-go wipes that would probably work best so they don't dry out in the meantime.

6. High Chair: While this can be a bit on the pricey side... its so much easier to feed grandkids when they're strapped down. Depending on how often you see your grandchild this really is a must! You don't even have to buy a brand new one! You can find some of these items at consignment stores that work just as well.

7. Boo-Boo buddy: If your child/grandchild is anything like mine he is very clumsy. He's still falling into things and bumping his little head. Have a boo-boo bear or buddy in the freezer or fridge for those ouches! My son gets distracted feeling the coolness that he usually forgets he was even hurt in the first place.

8. Pictures of you and the grandkids: My son loves looking at pictures of himself and other family members. It lets them know how much you care! And of course us kids like to see that you're proud of your little grandkids too! He'll spend hours pointing at each person, and it helps him learn names too.

9. Baby monitor: This one isn't necessarily a must... but it is nice if you have a larger house, or if you're planning on being in a room where its hard to hear them when they wake. I have mine on at the house all the time!

10. Patience: If you're with my son you'll need it at times! This one is kind of a no-brainer... but most grandma's are more patient than the mother's themselves!!!

Thanks to all you grandma's out there. I know I have wonderful ones, and I appreciate the grandma's of my lil guy. I always know he's in good hands with them :)

hot or cold... nothing in between please

Is it weird that I love hot tea... and iced tea, but cannot stand luke warm tea? For example... If I'm drinking a nice hot cup of tea and I get side-tracked and it gets cold... I can't finish it. Its just gross! The same thing goes for coffee too. I love hot coffee. Oooo and speaking of if you haven't tried the Pumpkin Spice coffee creamer from International Coffee you really need to because it is delicious!!! But again, I love hot coffee and I also love iced coffee. Especially McDonald's french vanilla iced coffee. But when my iced coffee gets too warm I can't stand it... and when my hot coffee gets luke warm its just so gross!

Does that make any sense at all?

Good to the last Drop

I hate to waste things... (well except the butt-ends of a bread loaf... I don't mind throwing those away... no one really likes to eat those do they?). So I try my best to use every last bit of something. For example.... I have probably 4 different bottles of random things that are practically gone but I keep scraping more out.

I love pump lotions because of the convenience. No worrying about taking a lid on and off... or turning it over and squeezing it... just pump and its right there! This is also great for hand soap too. The only problem is it always leaves a little bit at the bottom unused! Hence my half-empty bottle strewn about. Now I don't really mind taking the extra time to get my money's worth... but I think my hubby might be a little annoyed. Oh well... I'm just trying to save us cash!

Also I like to use the last drop b/c most of the containers now-a-days are plastic, and you want to use the last bit to recycle once you're done! I am soo thankful Marion has a recycling center for its residences. My sister lives down in TN and she has no recycling whatsoever... Well I take that back, she might but its not convenient. And well I dunno if I would recycle as much as I do if it wasn't as convenient for me as it is. All I have to do is put a bin out at the end of the driveway with my trash every week. They come by and pick up the trash and recycling all in one trip! Now they do not take glass.... but the center is not far from our house so we usually stock pile that and take it in later. Which I don't find that inconvenient... we don't seem to have as much glass as other recyclables anyway.

I really do encourage you to recycle!! Its so important for our planet. Lots of things can be recycled that you might not even know about! Look for this symbol and check with your local city/county rules!

Bacon

Ok so I get that everytime I eat meat it use to be a cute little chicken... or a pig... perhaps a cow... even a turkey (although are those really cute?) for the upcoming holiday... I get it. But I like the way they taste! Who doesn't like bacon?! I mean honestly? It is sooo good. I could probably eat it at every meal! Its good by itself... in omelets, on salads, in addition to other meats on a sandwich. BLC's are one of my favorite sandwiches of all time! I know what you're thinking... BLC's? Don't you mean BLT's? Nope actually I dont.... I prefer to have Bacon, Lettuce, and Cheese on mine.. Then the other day I saw these!

How cool are those?! Especially for those "low-carb" people. I mean personally I think y'all are crazy... I love bread and other carb-related foods, but hey you can still enjoy your BLT's or BLC's with these!!

Vegans are something else too... Can't even eat dairy products! What do they eat then? I don't think I've ever had tofu... at least none that I can remember... but what exactly is it? I love watching Ellen Degeneres who happens to be a vegan.. she has her chef on there sometimes whipping up the food he makes her... its always got fake turkey or ground beef, fake cheese, fake sour cream. I mean what is this stuff coming from?! And yea I'm sure rich people like her can afford to buy these specialty items, but the rest of us really cant. Organic stuff can even be too much!

Anyway, all I gotta say is I love bacon. And I can't imagine why other people don't!?

Favorite Dip

I'd have to say one of my all time favorite dips is very easy to make. I usually call it my "chip dip" but you can use it with many other things as well.

First you take a tub of sour cream.... 16 oz preferrably... then you take a packet of Ranch Dip.. mix.. and wha laa! You have a yummy dip!!!

The best thing to dip into this delicious dip... are Lay's Classic Potato Chips.... It is soo yummy and addicting you'll eat the entire bag in one sitting... ok maybe YOU wouldn't eat the entire bag... but I would.

This dip is also yummy for all sorts of vegetables... I prefer carrots, cucumbers, green or red peppers, and celery!! I've heard its good with cherry tomatoes but ick, no thanks! So if you're looking for something to snack on... this is a great choice. Of course its better for you with the veggies... but the chips are delicious!!

Update on life...

Saturday was awoken by my son crying at 4:30 am (Thank God it was the weekend and I could make my husband get him!!!) Fever by 10:00 am was 101 and climbing... dosed him with tylenol... called the Dr.'s office and took their advice to go to a walk-in urgent care... After spending hours waiting... saw a nurse practioner (dont know how I feel about these people.... I know that sounds back... but I prefer Doctors...) who looked in his ears said they were fine.... temp had gone down (obviously b/c I dosed him w/tylenol) he was still very lethargic though... they did a influenza test that came back negative, but that was inconclusive....

Sunday, stayed home from church (I was suppose to be in the nursery but would rather be with my sick son and frankly tired after getting up every 4 hours to check on his temp and give him more tylenol b/c it was high every time...) to tend to my sick son. He was doing better (meaning not as lethargic) but still the temp was there.. took time off and went to choir... then proceeded to wake up every 4 hours and check on his climbing fever... giving him tylenol.. etc.

Monday, actually went in to my old job to help out with data entry. My mom (a nurse) came over to watch the babe. When I got home he was pretty lethargic again, sick of it called his doc and got an appt. that day....... Turned out he has an ear infection and his wonderful doctor mentioned Motrin is better than tylenol... b/c you can give it to him every 6-8 hours... in stead of 4. His temp was practically gone with the Amoxicillin he started...

Tuesday, pretty bad day. Babe was very irritable.. thought I noticed a rash around his neck.. He didn't want to eat anything I presented him with and wanted to be held all day when he wasn't napping... Asked hubby if he thought it looked like a rash... he told me he saw nothing...he gave him a bath and put him to bed while I took a break and showered and went to the store.....

Wednesday, still noticed a rash on his neck... proceeded to continue the Amoxicillin and my mom called to check in on the patient. Told her about the rash, she told me to call Dr. Made an appt... turns out he was having an allergic reaction to the Amoxicillin... great... changed meds and went on...

Which brings us to today... He is doing much better, actually ate a decent breakfast this morning and even though I'm suppose to discontinue the bottle I introduced it back b/c he's lost weight since his check-up 2 months ago. He chugged that milk like nobody's business... He has another appt later this month as a well child visit... I do not enjoy going to the Dr. 4 times in one month though... not cool.

Dear Daylight Savings....

I hate you... you have ruined my week.. thus my life. Now instead of waking up after 8:30 my son decides to get up before 7:00 am. You suck. What gives you the right to make all of us change just for you?! Its not fair... I doubt you're losing any sleep at night... I'm sure you sleep as they say "like a baby". Well the rest of us haven't been sleeping well. We're all tired and groggy and can't wait til we finally adjust. I hope you're happy....

For Women Only

So I was looking for a book to read... and decided I'd try this one b/c it was on a book club list... While I was reading it I thought it had a lot of insight and all that... but then after talking to my husband (to check and see how accurate some of the things this book said) it seemed like it was a load of crap. Now technically the book was backed by statistical evidence and all these blind surveys of soo many men and so on.....

I'm sure the book really does have some truth to it. I know it did in certain areas. It just seemed like my man was the exception to every rule in it!? Which honestly, I thank God for. I guess it makes perfect sense.... I mean my husband is NOT "most men". Which is a GREAT thing. I mean I didn't wait around for most men... I waited for the perfect one!

I read this a while back.. and well with pregnancy brain its a little hard to focus and remember exactly what the book said.... but I do remember a few things. I won't tell you if my husband is just like what the book said... or the exact oppisite.... I'll keep those things to myself... but its interesting anyway!

1. Looking good for your man.
Apparently this was a subject most men could not seem to talk to their significant others about..... Basically a lot of men out there get frustrated and down when their woman doesn't try to impress... Grant it they say they don't expect their wife and mother of 3 to look like they did when they met in high school (that's just not possible.....) but they want them to make an effort. Now I do agree with this to an extent. Honestly... after I gained 50+ pounds with my first pregnancy I did try to lose the weight... Not at first! I mean I had a newborn to deal with... but eventually I came around, did my workouts, and looked as good as I could.

In this book the author's husband talked about how he was disappointed every time he saw the same chocolate donuts sitting on the counter every morning. He "knew nothing was going to change as long as he saw those donuts". Seriously? The woman can't eat a freaking donut?! She had just given birth to your son! She deserves a donut... maybe 3! Now I guess I don't know for sure how long the donut eating had gone on... or how old the son was (the book didn't specify). But for her husband to think like that?! It just makes me glad I can't read men's thoughts.....

The other thing was making an effort not to dress like a slob. Ok ya know what... I'm a stay at home mom... Meaning most days I don't even leave the house. Yea I'll do my best to shower...(I do almost every day!) and most of the time I put a little make up on... but do you expect me to dress to the hilt?! I don't think so... I'll stick to my comfy clothes thank you very much. What happened to the "its what's on the inside that counts."?

2. Respect your husband
I'm sure most christian married couples have heard of the Love and Respect series, and it does make a lot of sense. This book made some specific remarks about respect though. Most women never try to deliberately disrespect their spouses, but still manage to. One main statement mentioned disrespect in public, and how even a little teasing really isn't playful but VERY disrespectful. If your wife can't respect you in front of others how are they going to respect you....... just some food for thought!

3. Men are Visual
Yea yea yea... we all know men are visual... We can see the wandering eyes daily. Oh but apparently they're hard wired this way.... they can't help it... don't be mad at them for using their God-given gift! You should embrace the "gifts" God gives them and basically give them a free pass. After all they just can't help themselves...... This seems like a load of crap. Like when people use excuses like "oh I'm sorry... I just can't help it... its how I am!" Pretty much like I'm not going to even attempt to work at changing... so deal with it. I guess all in all as long as its just a wandering eye... and not going farther than that what's the harm... but still!

4. Men have a distinct drive to provide
If you're like most moms....... you probably have the instinct to worry a lil bit... just about your children in general... if they're developing correctly, if you're a good enough mother... if they get hurt you hurt as well... I'm not sure why but it seems like that's the norm. Well apparently most men have this worry... but as it pertains to providing for their families. They are at a constant alert wondering if they are doing a good enough job at supporting the family. Now I can imagine in a single-income home this burden can be even greater.... but apparently men living with two incomes still have this burden.

While this does seem to ring in some truth... it seems like I still know some free-loaders out there too....

OK apparently that's all this brain can remember right now..... in general I did enjoy reading the book... it was fairly short and did have some interesting points....

Halloween pedicure

Yay for Halloween!! Can't wait to carve pumpkins and show off my lil guy in his costume :)

Can you Excel at Everything all at Once?

Personally I KNOW I can't excel in every area every day. Its just not an attainable goal for me. The past two weeks I'd have to way I'm excelling great when it comes to cooking! Last week it was lasagna, BLT's, tacos, then Sunday it was ham and cheesy potatoes, chicken quesadillas and 7-layer salad, and I even made pumpkin bars to take over to dinner at my sister's tonight. I have to say we have eaten very well the last couple of weeks. Well... maybe not super healthy.. I mean there was a lot of butter and heavy cream involved.... but it beats grilled cheese sandwiches. But in the mean time... other things have definately gone to the wayside.

How do people do it? Or do people do it... I mean my house is a pit! I need to mop the kitchen floor soo bad it is not even funny.... sure I've cleaned the kitchen counters... showered almost every day.... and picked up around the house. But it is in no means up to par. I don't even get how working mom's can do it! I'm home all day and I can't even get this stuff done. Now I'll admit... I've been kinda lazy lately... being tired and worn out (I'm totally blaming the pregnancy). But I just can't get it all done. I usually try to get on top of laundry before things get low... but I have not been on the ball.

I am no June Cleaver... or super hero... I hope there are more out there like me... and I'm not the only one who can't excel in everything. I feel like if I take more time cleaning.... then I'm not spending enough time with my son. If I spend more time with him... then I'm not cooking, or showering, or getting chores done! I guess I need to work on my balancing skills... I'm sure it wouldn't kill me if one day I focus on cleaning... and the next focus on playtime... then the next a little me time... but I just can't seem to balance it all. I watch those shows like The Nanny and think how can they have a schedule?! But maybe I should look into that.... It seems to work for them.

Starter of Projects

I love starting projects. I love getting the materials all ready to go. (Especially if there is any shopping involved). I like coming up with an idea and preparing a plan. The only problem is.... I rarely seem to finish the projects I start.

For example:

1. I have a scrapbook that I started in college that is strickly a "college years" book. I left pages blank along the way with the idea that I would print certian photos off and finish the book... Well the other month I decided snapfish was having a sale on prints... so I'd print a bunch off and get going! Well I think I did about 4 pages... and whoops... it fell to the wayside.

2. This past summer I decided it would be fun to try and make a t-shirt quilt out of all my old high school t-shirts. Shirts from my involvement in show choir, volleyball, etc. I recruited my aunt Sandra, my sisters, and my mom to help me. Its a very long process... We had to cut all the t-shirts, iron on this pellon stuff to make the material thicker, make a template and cut each panel out my hand. They helped with the cutting of the t-shirts and ironing on... and that seemed to take long enough. I mostly did the tracing and cutting with the template. There's a lot more to it than just that... but I'll spare you until a later post when the quilt is actually done! Right now I have started sewing the panels together... but still its yet another project that is not complete....

3. I came up with this idea for Christmas gifts this year. I'm not going to go into details in case the people receiving the gifts read this blog... but there are several things I want to do... most of which I have started on, but again have not completed...

Why is it so easy for me to start something and so hard for me to see it to the end?!

Frustrated

Why is it that my 14 month old child refuses to eat..... I really hope its just a phase and it will be over soon. Cause I am so frustrated trying to feed him. Its not like he only eats once a day either... he eats anywhere from 3-6 times a day... So here I am, frustrated at least that many times per day. I prayed and prayed this morning for patience and guidance b/c I don't know what to do about it. It bothers me b/c I know how important nutrition is for his development and growth! He's already a little guy as is... I don't need his not eating to hurt that more....

For example. Breakfast: 1/2 container of yogurt, 1/2 piece of peanut butter toast

Lunch: 2 slices of canned peaches 12 gerber veggie crackers

and that was it! I fixed him some baby food, but he wouldn't have anything to do with it... waving his hands in front of his face over and over not letting me get a spoon in. He wouldn't eat carrots either, and he use to love those.

I know it can take a while when introducing new foods... but old foods that he's eaten and loved in the past... now throwing them on the floor over and over! I dont want to encourage bad behavior... but I want him to eat too... Ugh its just really hard right now.

Clutter

So here's the thing about clutter... I really don't like it in most cases. It kinda drives me crazy. I hate clutter on countertops. That is by far the worse. It seems like my kitchen counters ALWAYS have clutter too. No matter how many times I clear it, and clean them... next thing I know its piling up again. Its a vicious cycle like everything else in life!!??

But here's the other thing about clutter... we have this shelf unit in the kitchen. I like to call it the "green thing". I can pile so much crap on there and it doesn't even phase me. Although it drives my husband crazy. He HATES the "green thing"; you could probably even say he loathes it. He's threatened getting rid of it several times.

And there it is folks! Pretty bad huh? I'm sure those of you who have been to my house know exactly what I'm talking about... You probably want to start throwing stuff away on there yourself! Its hard to justify clearing the countertops 24/7 when that's staring ya in the face! But its just so weird that it doesn't bother me! It's kinda like that episode of friends where Monica has the secret closet that no one gets into.... Finally Chandler breaks in to find absolute chaos. And of course for Monica its terrible cause she's such an OCD freak everything has to be in order... but then she has this messy closet! Then the real kicker was Chandler wanted to throw some stuff in there too and she replied "But I'm worried you'll mess it up!"

I'd like to say in most cases I try to be organized... I try to put things back in their perspectives places after I use them. This just makes sense for future use... And in fact I have several things on the "green thing" at any given time and I can find them... usually...

Upcoming Concert

Chorale Midwest is having our first concert as follows........

A Festival of Song

October 30, 2009 - 7:30 PM

Free Will Donation

First Lutheran Church - 1000 3rd Ave SE

Cedar Rapids, IA

So in case you're free that night we would LOVE to see you there. We have been working very hard on the music!!! If you'd like more information feel free to leave a comment. But as listed the concert is FREE, with a free will donation.

Junk Food

Do you ever see a commercial with those kids eating Chef-Boyardee ravioli and wish you had some? I know there are better things for me to eat.... But have you noticed how you try to be healthy... you buy a bunch of fresh fruit and veggies and next thing you know they're rotting away in your crisper drawer! Why is it that the things that are better for you cost more and don't last as long?

I had that ravioli for lunch and it really hit the spot... sometimes I'll go with Spaghettio's (with meatballs of course) too. I really like Totino's pizza rolls! Although I saw a commercial for bagel bites that said they didn't have all that artificial stuff in them like the rolls do.. so I bought some bagel bites to try out sometime. I always use to make those when I was younger but it seemed like that bagel part would be rock-hard and then the pizza part was cold! I'm hoping since I have a toaster oven now they'll work out better. Toaster ovens are just awesome! Jeremy introduced me to them... I don't know how I ever lived w/o one! Microwaves are good too... but toaster ovens just work so much better for certain things. Like for instance I also love mini-tator tots... and it can be such a pain waiting for the huge oven to pre-heat so I make them in my toaster oven sometimes for a smaller portion!

Ok back to junk food though.... If it wasn't for junk food I don't think I would eat at all somedays. Its not like I eat it every day, all day... but sometimes I just don't have the energy and that's the easiest thing to make!

Weight

So I pretty much just got back down to weighing what my body will allow (apparently I am unable to get back to "pre-pregnancy weight"). I'll just pretend my boobs weigh the difference :) I think I got down to this weight around May.... I had to work on it too. And now it all feels like a waste... considering all I'll be doing is gaining weight. I already feel bigger... I bought new jeans this summer and they are already getting uncomfortable. That's why I'm so thankful I bought in-between-jeans....

These are jeans that I treated myself to after I had Johnson. I did lose most of the weight once he was born. And then a couple weeks later when all the water-retention went away. But I still couldn't fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans. I was so sick of wearing sweatpants, and workout clothes I had to buy some jeans that were a size up from my usual ones.... Man am I glad I did that! I'm wearing them right now.. Its kinda sad to think I can't already fit into my newer jeans... but its all for a good cause right? And technically I can still fit into them.. they just aren't comfortable.. and right now that's all I really care about.

Well I just broke down and bought some belly bands! Here's what they look like....

I'm hoping this will help my situation... Cause I can't button some of my pants!! These are suppose to help keep your pants up if they're too big, or conseal un-buttoned pants also! I'm looking forward to getting them and trying them out :) I had to go for a 3 pack... that way I had some choices for color ya know?

Another thing I want to invest in eventually is this post-pregnancy wrap thing. I'll just give you a link b/c the pics are a little risque..... http://www.babooshbaby.com/tauts.html It supposedly helps get your belly get back to its firmness or whatever after baby... It took me forever last time.. so I think I might need a little help second time around... we'll see though cause its pretty pricey!

To find the right shampoo.....

Have y'all seen this website.... myhusbandisannoying.com? Its pretty funny... some of the things on there I can totally relate to (meaning my husband does the same thing!) and some I'm thankful my husband isn't like that..... I mean I like the idea... but honestly who's husband isn't annoying? (if you don't have a husband feel free to insert boyfriend, girlfriend, wife, significant other... boss... the opportunities are endless) I know I can be annoying too, I'm not absent on that list. Everyone can be a little annoying at times ifa certain subject comes up....

So Jeremy insists on using conditioner... he says he likes the way it makes his hair feel. But then right after showering, he slaps on hair gel... which makes his hair stiff... so in a way doesn't that defeat the purpose of using the conditioner in the first place? I mean I guess I could understand using conditioner a little more if he had long, flowy hair like Fabio (which by the way I would hate... guys with long hair gross me out...); but really he basically has a crew cut. Not to mention he doesn't use just a little bit of shampoo and conditioner... he uses a palmful!

I have been wanting to try this shampoo I saw on an infomercial a while back... Its called WEN shampoo. It apparently is awesome.. but a little on the expensive side. Jeremy refuses to let me try it in the off chance I'll like it and want to keep buying it... (This coming from a guy who uses the $1 Suave shampoo, and conditioner of course). He coasts through this stuff, so I keep saying hey... if he'll give up conditioner... and use a normal amount at a time (like a quarter size at the most for him...) then we'd end up saving enough money so I could afford it! That is if I even like it in the first place... Is it too much to ask to even try the stuff? Jeez.....

New seasons of TV are approaching!!!

I know... its kind of sad to be so excited for season premiers on tv shows. But I just can't help it. I love getting lost in a show... discussing them with friends... like the characters are real people or something! Its just kind of fun ya know? Not to mention entertaining too.... I have waaaayy too many shows I'm involved in. And I'm talking just the kind on network TV. That is what you call it right? Just the usual NBC, CBS, ABC channels. Here's what I enjoy watching... and of course being a mother, I do not always get to watch these when they originally air, but thanks to the internet I can view them online when I have the time :)

MONDAY NIGHT

7:00 pm How I Met Your Mother CBS

Its a comedy... which I love. You always feel pretty good after watching a comedy... at least one that's funny anyway right? Neil Patrick Harris is histerical... the other characters are pretty good too. They're all 20-30 somethings, living in New York. One couple is married but all the others are single... Its a flashback to their early years :)

7:00 pm House FOX

I've been watching this show since the beginning :). A medical show... Jeremy says I watch too many of those too... I'm sure most of you have heard of it or at least watched it once or twice. Dr. Gregory House is just a great character... sometimes I wish I could be like him and just be blunt, say what's on my mind! He's so mean though.. but you still love him. One of my favorite characters is his best friend, an oncology doctor Wilson. This season is going to be a little weird though... since House has gone crazy. We'll have to see how the 2hr season premier goes (I might just have to watch this and miss my cbs shows!!)

8:30 pm Big Bang Theory CBS

Once again another comedy... This one is about a bunch of nerdy boys... a couple are roommates living in an apartment where a hottie happens to move in across the hallway. Penny's her name, she's an aspiring actress who works at the cheese cake factory. I swear she'll end up with Leonard, but who knows! Leonard and his nerd crew remind me waaaay too much of my husband and all his nerdy engineering type friends. They would get into these discussions that were way over my head (or just too boring for me to care) and the show does the same.

9:00 pm Castle ABC

This show is about an author who is writing his next best-seller based on a lady detective. He joins her while she's trying to find the killer so he can get the inside look for the book. Jeremy says I watch way too many shows about murders.. I hope that isn't suppose to mean something, but its just so good! He prolly won't admit it but he does watch it with me sometimes.. and he laughs and enjoys it! There's always some comic relief between the author and detective... a little sexual tension between them as well. Somehow he always helps her solve the case!

TUESDAY NIGHT

Tuesday is kind of an off night for me... House use to be on Tuesday, but now its moved to Monday. I'll prolly watch so you think you can Dance... and of course when American Idol comes back I'll watch that.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

7:00 pm America's Next Top Model CW

Now I know... this show is pitiful... Tyra is something else... but I love it. It's kind of my guilty pleasure... like perezhilton.com. Girls cooped up in a house trying to win a modeling contract... reality tv at its best :) I don't always watch it... sometimes I'll watch So you think you can dance on Fox too.

8:00 pm GLEE FOX

My mom got me watching this show... I still haven't watched the pilot episode... need to get online and watch it sometime... It reminds me of show choir back in high school... those were the days! I love it. I love the singing and the dancing... its right up my aisle. Its pretty cute too :) It's about a high school Glee club that's trying to get jump-started.

THURSDAY NIGHT

Thurdays are very hard for me.... there are just too many shows I like, they're all on at the same time.. and I can never decide which ones I want to watch!!

8:00 pm CSI Las Vegas CBS

Here's another one I've watched from the start. One of my crime-solving, dead-people shows. I love all the characters... last season got real weird though... they killed off the hottie Wartwick, and my favorite character of all time Grissom, is gone... so we'll see how this season kicks off...

8:00 pm Fringe FOX

Here's one Jeremy likes... so I tend to watch it with him if I can get him to enjoy the same show as me! It's very sci-fi, reminds me of X Files that I liked back in the day. Joshua Jackson stars in it... his father knows many of the mysteries they come across in their weird discoveries.... they have some great banter during the show....

8:00 pm Grey's Anatomy ABC

Love it! Love the drama... the suspense... all the intermingling is insane. Another medical show. Patrick Dempsey's hott....

8:00 pm The Office NBC

Jeremy and I both enjoy this show. Its just too funny. I can't relate that much anymore... what with not working in an office... but its still good. Pam and Jim are getting married... and she's preggers!! It should be a good season :)

9:00 pm The Practice ABC

This is that spin-off from Grey's. Another drama filled intermingling medical show! The cliff-hanger from last season was INSANE!!! So I have to at least watch to see what happens. It has that hot guy from Wings too... he just gets better with age :)

FRIDAY NIGHT

8:00 pm Medium CBS
This show use to air on NBC, but for whatever reason changed over... personally I'm happy about it b/c of stupid digital NBC can be spacey with their signal and it doesn't always come in. Thanks to CBS I get their signal no problem most of the time :) This is one of my favorites. I love her and her husband. They're about the cutest couple there is... and all their little girls. She's a sort of psychic.... works for the DA in town. She helps solve murder cases... another one of my weird murder shows... I guess maybe Jeremy's right I do watch too many.... She has dreams about the murders and helps solve the case!! This was another great cliff-hanger from last season... she's in a coma..

And there you have it..... I hope you don't think less of me... tv is free... so that's usually why I choose to entertain myself that way (well my tv is free...). Let me know if you watch any of these shows too!!

Best Audience in the world...

So as you already know... I started back singing with my Chorale Midwest Group. I am a little bummed b/c our first concert is on a Friday night... and neither my mother-in-law or mother will be able to come!? We're kind of required to sell at least 6 tickets to keep things funded... and there goes a third of my sales!!! So frustrating...

Anyway, so the other day I took my music out and was reading through some of it... I was singing out loud (of course...) and when I stopped Johnson acutally started to clap! It was the cutest thing ever. He is by far the best audience I've ever had (no offense to anyone else out there....). So now whenever I practice there he is sitting beside me waiting for me to finish so he can start clapping!

P.S. I didn't realize I had members only who could post on my blog... so I changed it. Feel free to leave comments! I'd love to hear from you. :)

Blessed

I am so blessed. There's no doubt about it! I know I don't feel as blessed as I really am.. but I know I am. I have a wonderful husband who provides for our family and allows me to stay home with our beautiful son (is it ok to call your son beautiful? Its not too weird is it? Well he's just so cute... handsome... whatever...) I have wonderful in-laws and parents who are willing to pretty much drop whatever they are doing to babysit when we need a helping hand...

I even have a cat who can entertain my son for me!!!

God has blessed us with another pregnancy!! Sometimes I think Jeremy and I might be a little crazy to have our kids so close together... but people have managed... I have friends and family who have had them closer. God can only give you what you can handle.... right? I do apologize if someone is reading this and they find out through my blog... its just well... I don't really know who all wants a phone call from me just to say hey... I'm preggers again... I know some people react differently towards the news so this way they can get the initial reaction out... and then hopefully alter it if need be. Just so its clear though... we are very excited and happy to be pregnant again! We can only hope the pregnancy/birth/baby will be as great as it is with our son Johnson :)

Sleepy

This is literally what I wanted to do ALL DAY LONG today... well and yesterday too, come to think of it.. I had a great time visiting friends in Ames and tailgating for the ISU/Iowa game, but this old woman is not use to being up so late!! Friday we didn't go to bed until 2:30 and then we got up at 5:30! I am too old for that stuff I tell you what.

Then of course it doesn't help when you get a cold either. Every time my son wanted to take a nap... I just took one too. Of course that means I got absolutely nothing done today. The house is a pit. I can't even remember the last time I mopped the kitchen floor.... But one thing did make me feel better about everything... watching "Grey Gardens". This is the newer movie, with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. It is based on real people... I liked it... don't know if I'd tell everyone I know to go out watch it or anything... but you definitely should see the old documentary first. But what I mean by making me feel better is the fact that those women lived in filth... like squatters.. it was insane. And at one time they had it all! They're even related to Jackie O and were living in a house that should have been condemned! So at least my walls are still intact... I don't have fleas.... or random strays living in my attic peeing all over everything I own!! So yea my house is dirty... but its not that bad!

I of course had to watch this while the husband's out of town. I don't know what he has against her.... but he absolutely loathes Drew Barrymore. I don't really have anything against her.. I mean she's all right... but he can't stand watching anything with her in it. He's gone until Thursday :( and then when he gets back he's leaving again on Friday! Work picked a great week to have him gone.... I had no time to recoup from the weekend, and the son and I are both sick. Not cool......

Let's just hope the week itself goes by alot quicker than today did...

What Really Grinds My Gears

I'm sure a few of you have heard this phrase before... yes, I'll admit I watch the Family Guy. It can be quite crude and offensive... but it is pretty funny too.

So on behalf of Family guy.... I'm here to bring you this segment of what really grinds my gears.....

DRIVERS WHO DO NOT YEILD TO AMBULANCES

Ya know what really grinds my gears? People driving totally oblivious to the fact there is an ambulance trying to get by them while they're a. talking on their cell phone b. jamming to their radio station c. yelling at their children in the back d. picking their nose... e. etc.

Ambulances are there to help people! What if that ambulance was going to the aid of your friends, or family members? What if the ambulance didn't make it in time? I try to always be aware of my surroundings when I'm driving. I don't have my radio so loud I can't even think, let alone not hear a siren. It's not that hard to notice flashing lights in your rear view mirror either!

The other day I was waiting at a stop light watching while an ambulance was approaching the intersection. The ambulance was approaching the red light, but they don't have to stop at those because they're an emergency vehicle... Some woman (now I hate saying woman b/c we tend to get a bad rap on driving in general... but it was a woman this time) was just yacking away on her cell phone, pulled up waiting to turn left at the light. Of course she is oblivious to why the oncoming traffic stopped flowing (B/C there was an ambulance approaching...) and she started pulling out right in front of the ambulance! I had my window rolled down and started waving my arms around trying to signal her to stop... which she did just in the nick of time.

Pay attention when you're driving... and please, please PLEASE yield to ambulances... where ever you happen to be headed is most likely not that important if you are a little late... but ambulances need to get where they are going fast.

TV

Oh I am sooo mad right now! I was so looking forward to the season premier of the Ellen show this morning when I turned it to channel 2 like I usually do... and the People's Court was on?! Don't get me wrong... I like Judge Milian and everything... but I like watching her at 3:00! Not 9:00 am! I get on tvguide.com to find out Ellen is now apparently airing on channel 9. Well ever since the "conversion" from analog to digital, we don't get channel 9. I don't understand why she changed stations!!!!

Why can't KCRG channel 9 just increase their signal strength so poor people like me (a.k.a. people w/o cable) can still watch their shows? It really doesn't make any sense. I mean isn't it all about ratings for them? If they would just increase their signal strength more people would be able to watch their channel and their ratings would be higher. It really seems like a win-win situation to me....

Now not only will I not get to watch Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, or Castle... but now Ellen is on that list. SO NOT FAIR! The only good thing is I can watch them online... but that is really less convenient for me.

Singing

I love to sing! I sing along with commercials, the radio, sometimes I burst out in song even when no music is playing!

I was in show choir in junior high and high school... I have to say I have very fond memories from it. I even joined choir in college. My whole family is musical as well. We all sing... my mom plays the piano. When we have family get-togethers we usually end up singing songs or watching musicals for hours!

My husband on the other hand... is not a musical person... well I guess I shouldn't go that far. He likes music just fine (most of the screaming kinda where you can't understand what they are saying....) he just isn't one to sing randomly like me. I think the first time he met my family we were singing away and it scared him a little bit!!

I'm in a group called Chorale Midwest right now. I enjoy it a lot! Sometimes singing along to the radio and at church just isn't enough!!

go to www.choralemidwest.org for more information on concerts!

Perfect French Tip Pedi

I love painting my toenails... don't get me wrong... I'd much rather have someone else pamper me... massage my feet and legs... but hey, we all can't afford those luxuries... so instead I give myself pedicures!

Here are a few things you'll need to give yourself the perfect french tip pedicure..... white polish, clear polish, foam toe spacers, and some nailene perfect tips.

First make sure your nails are trimmed and filed to your liking. Make sure you've cleaned the nail area well and removed any remnants of other polish.

1. Place the perfect tips directly onto your nail just under where you want the white tip to start.

2. Paint one coat of white polish on the tips of your nails and let dry. Make sure to go up right to the line of the "perfect tips" (you can even paint on it a little bit).

3. Paint a second coat of white and let dry.

4. Remove each "perfect tip" slowly and carefully. Make sure not to pull too hard or it will pull the polish off your nail as well.

5. Paint 2 coats of clear fingernail polish on top... and tada!

You should now have a perfect, classy, french-tip pedi all for practically nothing!!!

Nap Time

Well he's down for a nap... hopefully for at least an hour... I don't understand how one time while he's napping I can get so much done... mop the kithen floor... do my workout... start some laundry... even shower... and then the next nap time I can barely eat a snack?! I guess its all about motivation. Some days are better than others.

Rainy days are NOT good motivaters though! That's all we've had around here for the past three days.... Ok, grant it, it is not actually raining right now... but its cold and cloudy out. That doesn't make me want to get up and get ready for the day... once again I just want to crawl into a warm bed and snooze!

Naps are great... they are practically the best thing on earth... so why do kids fight them so much? My son crawled around.... fell on his face several times... before deciding to give in to his much needed nap. Why fight it? It feels so good?!

Whirlwind

Its been a crazy few days...... my son just turned 1 year old yesterday! I can hardly believe it.... It seems like just last week I was carrying him around in my belly! He is such a doll... its going to be hard disciplining him when he's a little older. He just looks at me with those eyes... and that smile. It just breaks your heart! He's already walking around. Pretty well most of the time. He still tends to fall on his poor little head though. He's covered in bruises from falls right now. One on his cheek... three on his forehead. Honestly we have hardwood floors and he's just accident prone I guess!

We're having his birthday party tomorrow. Just a small get together... grandparents and aunt and uncle that are in town. I was hoping to have it outdoors... but lately with this rainy weather I don't think that is going to happen!

I am so exhausted lately... just want to sleep and lounge around.... the weather really isn't helping either. Still doing well with the gdiapers for now! Its more work than the regular disposals.... but I do feel better about using them. I can't wait til they come out with the gCloth inserts again!

Anywho... he's napping right now... and I think I might just have to nap a little myself.. unless my husband decides to come home for lunch soon that is!

Being Green

I am all about being green for our planet. I do my best to recycle, reduce, and reuse! I'm not sure what got me so gung-ho about it... maybe since becoming a mom and seeing how many diapers/outfits my son goes through a day. And of course how many outfits and burp rags I went through for the first six months of his life b/c he was a spitter! Man that boy could spit up... Its a wonder he gained any weight at all.

Anyway... back to being green. I have been wanting to use gdiapers from the start with my son. I heard about them through one of my many sign-ups online when I first found out I was pregnant. They are such a great idea!


The following information was taken from the gDiapers website!

gDiapers stand for green diapers. They consist of a washable, cotton outer little gPant and a plastic-free biodegradable diaper gRefill. They are made of breathable material just like sports clothing. So, babies stay dry and are less likely to get diaper rash.

You can flush, compost, or toss the gRefill insert. They are plastic-free, so you can toss or flush them. You can even compost the wet ones if you'd like They break down in 50-150 days vs. the regular disposable diapers {Huggies, Pampers, Luvs} that can take up to 500 years to break down.


Like I said... I wanted to use these things from the start... but I had to convince the husband... well actually apparently a guy he works with had to convince him cloth was the way to go! Right now I'm using cloth inserts inside the little gPants instead of the throw away gRefills. Today is the first day I've used them, and so far its going pretty well I think! Its a little messier then using regular disposable... but I'm hoping in the long run I'll be saving the planet little by little :)

visit gdiapers.com for more information. :)

Recycling

I can't believe there are still cities out there that do not provide recycling bins and recycling options for you. It is just insane to me! I recycle anything and everything that I can. From paper, plastic, cardboard, old food containers, and more. We have a recycling center in our town that is very convenient. We can't put our glass containers on the curb for pickup like other recyclables... but I (or my husband) can go the extra mile and take them. If everyone would just be more open to being green, it would really make a difference.

Netflix

Netflix is amazing... if you enjoy watching movies... for cheap and on your own time... its perfect! Not to mention, if you have a nerd for a husband who has to have an XBox Live account... it is actually beneficial for Netflix users! You can watch any instant movies on your netflix account from your Xbox! That way you can watch it from your big screen instead of your tiny computer moniter.. and you can even relax and lounge on the couch instead of in your uncomfortable computer chair..

Now I know you're thinking but... everyone has laptops nowadays... and you can take that anywhere! But you have to worry about a power supply with that. But the thing I love the most about Netflix is all their sweet work-out videos you can watch. My favorite right now happens to be the one on the right here. I gained 50 lbs when I was pregnant with my now 1-yr old son.... Yea 50! This workout was easy and beneficial. The lady can be a little annoying sometimes... but it really gets the job done! And hey it only takes 10 minutes... I usually do two a day... and everyone has 20 minutes right? Even if you have to get up early its totally worth it :)

my first blog

Well technically... this isn't my "first" blog...... I blogged during college a few years back. I let it fall off the radar after graduation. It just seemed like I never logged on! But now I log on alot... too much probably... but it's a way to get some adult content... not that kind of adult content... just not kiddie stuff ya know? I love staying home with my son... I just crave adult conversations and banter sometimes.

So here I am... I don't know if I totally get the hang of this just yet, but work with me. I have a feeling I'll be ranting my frustrations of parenting... sharing my favorite recipes... getting the latest gossip off perezhilton.com... you name it, it will probably be here.

Hopefully my son will take his regular naps so I'll be able to post frequently :)