Lately life around here has been less than leisurely. Especially for Justin. Besides working a very stressful, 60 hour a week job, he has been starting his own business, remodeling our bathroom and trying to give me a break from Madison whenever humanly possible. Although I have been trying to do more than my share (I even cleaned my SUV for the first and last time this weekend) I'm at a point in my pregnancy where I'm not sleeping at night and I'm tired just about all day (when I let myself realize that I'm tired). Needless to say I'm at the get this kid out of me point and at times not very pleasant (especially to Justin).
A couple of weeks ago Justin had mentioned that his grandparents would like to have my parents, his parents and us over for a little bbq. I thought it was strange because they have a huge bash for Fourth of July which is only a week away but whatever. With the bathroom (and subsequently the house) being in a total state of disarray I told Justin last weekend that we had to cancel the bbq because there was no way we were going to leave the house for a whole day when he could be spending it finishing the bathroom. His response was to say nothing, turn around a walk away. Very odd. It was at this point that I thought maybe something was up so I decided to keep my mouth shut and just go with it.
Turns out Justin got a group of my super close friends together yesterday for what he called a "Ladies Luncheon"! How sweet is that? My gf's told me that he wanted to give me an afternoon to see everyone before the baby was born and to just relax. His grandmother hosted the get together at her house and had a local market put together a super yummy lunch. i had a wonderful time and got some adorable little goodies for the baby to be. I also heard numerous times how Justin needs to give lessons to other hubbies who are less than attentive. Looks like I definitely found a keeper! Thanks babe!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
My First Gotta Have It Find!
As I begin to think of how to start this blog Oprah's favorite things keeps running through my head. Okay so maybe I don't have a billion dollars or all of Oprah's followers but I definitely know what I love when I find it!
Yesterday I blogged about this great little boutique called Bellies and Booties and mentioned that I found some great goodies while I was there. The first item that I want about 10 more of is my new Bravado nursing BRA! I've heard of them before but never actually tried one on until Thursday. I tried on the Body Silk Seamless Nursing Bra and let me just tell you that for the first time since developing mammoth mammories (ok not mammoth but pretty darn big for me!) eight months ago I'm actually comfy in a bra! I was so excited to wear the bra that as soon as I got home I ripped the tags off and put it on without even washing it first. Since I've been pregnant by the end of the day I can't wait to take my bra off and just scratch all over for a good 10-15 minutes. Not exactly a pretty site or good for my skin but everything just itches, especially where the bra band lies. I can honestly say that this bra never once bothered me during the day and I could have slept all night without even knowing it was on! Until I buy more it looks like I'll be washing it on the daily just so I don't have to put my other torture contraptions on!
If you are only able to purchase the Bravado bras online don't worry about the size chart being off. As of right now I'm a 38D which the chart says is a large and it was right on. Believe me when I tell you that your ta tas will thank you for this purchase! Have a great weekend!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Just have to share!
About a week or two ago I had posted that I was in LOVE with the Emily Storksak in Pewter. Apparently I'm not the only one 'cause it is on backorder EVERYWHERE! At one point I even tried bidding on it on Ebay but never won an auction. NO big 'cause it led me to discover even more.
I decided to see which baby boutiques in NJ carried Storksaks and surprisingly there was only one listed. It was Bellies and Booties in Lawrenceville, NJ. This happens to be about 45 minutes - 1 hour away from where I live. Most sane people would have called first to check on the bag but not me! I decided to take Madison on a road trip yesterday and check out this little shop. I am sooooooooooo HAPPY that I did.
The drive was on open roads and not at all like the summertime chaos that we are used to locally. Plus 45 minutes in our car is nothing to my little traveler. After all she made it to Colorado with a smile on her face when we trekked across the country much like the Griswalds! From the moment I stepped in the boutiques I knew I was going to have some fun in there. I didn't know where to look first. There were tons of baby bags, infant and toddler clothes, some of the most adorable maternity clothes that I've ever seen and sooooooo much more! I only wish I had discovered Bellies and Booties a few weeks ago when I was searching for a dress! The three women working there couldn't have been sweeter. Stephanie the shop owner was super helpful as well as her mom and friend. Plus they had a little play area that kept Madison occupied for more than an hour while I was in there. Unfortunately they didn't have the bag that I originally went for so I did end up with a different one just in case Stella makes her debut early but I will more than likely pick up the Storksak too when it comes in. Needless to say the bag was not all that I left with. I discovered some new MUST HAVE including my Bebe Au Lait (Hooter Hider) in Chocolat. Check back over the next few days 'cause I'll be blogging all about them!
For those of you within driving distance I really do recommend taking a trip to Bellies and Booties. Luckily for those of you who are not they have a website! Just link on any of my links throughout this blog to get there. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
How Do You Hide Your Hooters?
I really can't take the credit for finding these adorable covers but I can definitely share with nursing mommy friends. Danielle from New Mommy Rant was telling me a couple of days ago how I needed to buy a Hooter Hider. A What? Yep a Hooter Hider. Come on you know you want to say it with me Hooooooooter Hiiiiiiiiiider! It's just fun to say isn't it?
With Madison I chose not to breastfeed for a list of reason too numerous and boring to get into now but I really do have my heart set on nursing this time around. I'm not the show all type of person that is willing to whip my girls out wherever I may be though. The solution to this problem was found when I checked out all of the nursing covers over at Bebe Au Lait. From what Danielle told me about the company their original name was Hooter Hiders but since becoming better known they are Bebe Au Lait. No matter what label is stitched onto the cover the covers are sooooo pretty and definitely on the list of gifts that I'll be purchasing not only for myself but also for all my expectant friends! My personal favorite is the cream soda cover. While I'm doing my shopping I think I'm also going to pick up a pack of their burp clothes that will not only make baby spit up look good but from the pictures it looks like the clothes will actually absorb it too! If you are nursing you need to check these covers up or share the site with your nursing mommy friends because they really are too cute to pass up!
With Madison I chose not to breastfeed for a list of reason too numerous and boring to get into now but I really do have my heart set on nursing this time around. I'm not the show all type of person that is willing to whip my girls out wherever I may be though. The solution to this problem was found when I checked out all of the nursing covers over at Bebe Au Lait. From what Danielle told me about the company their original name was Hooter Hiders but since becoming better known they are Bebe Au Lait. No matter what label is stitched onto the cover the covers are sooooo pretty and definitely on the list of gifts that I'll be purchasing not only for myself but also for all my expectant friends! My personal favorite is the cream soda cover. While I'm doing my shopping I think I'm also going to pick up a pack of their burp clothes that will not only make baby spit up look good but from the pictures it looks like the clothes will actually absorb it too! If you are nursing you need to check these covers up or share the site with your nursing mommy friends because they really are too cute to pass up!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Just sharing info about a giveaway
Remember last week when I mentioned that if you purchased a pair of Isabooties a pair would be sent to a child in need? It turns out that Green and Clean Mom was blogging about it too! Even more exciting though is the great giveaway she has going right now! Four pairs of Isabooties!!!!!!!!!!! Can you tell I'm psyched? Click on my link to the blog and learn how you can be entered in this awesome giveaway too. Four pairs!!!!!!!! How can you say no?
P.S. Yes I'm posting at 2:00 am. I'm trying my hardest to sleep before Stella's big debut but I'm at the point where sleeping through the night is just not an option!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Summer is officially here!!!!
I was just reading the latest post over at Adventures in Babywearing and it was about all of the songs that remind Stephanie of summer. Naturally I started thinking of all my summer time favs. so sorry if I'm totally copying but I felt the need to share my summer time favs. too!
- Music= Sublime, O.A.R., Bob Marley, just about any kind of reggae
- Food= clams, steamers, lobster (can you tell I grew up near the beach?), Italian water ice, Kohr's Orange and Vanilla swirl ice cream, corn on the cob, fresh grown tomatoes. The list could go on. I guess I should eat breakfast!
- Smells= salty air form the ocean being blown inland, Coppertone, the funky probably carcinogenic smell of the planks on the boardwalk, sausage, peppers and onion being cooked on the boardwalk
- Good books
- Watching the bennies cruise the beach trying to look like they fit in with their giant coolers, flops w/ socks and sunburns (think John Candy Summer Rental)
- Life guards hooking up with badge checkers (oops did I just give away TMI about my high school days?)
- Crazy thunder storms that seem to blow in from nowhere
- Kayak races in the lagoon
- Crabbing
- Taking the boat out to catch some local fluke
- Bike Rides
- Mini Golf
I'm sure there are so many more but I'm at a loss for now. So now that summer has officially begun HAPPY SUMMER!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
You have to check this out!
Pretty much from the beginning of even discussing the whole bathroom remodel I've had my heart set on painting the bathroom purple. Sounds easy right? Go to Lowe's or Home Depot, find a shade of purple and paint. Not so. As I've explained to anyone that says, "Purple? Really? That doesn't sound like it'll match in your house." I'm looking for a kind of muted purple with maybe some brown or red undertones. It is at this point that I usually get a look that seems to scream "watch out crazy pregnant lady!". Well in my head I know what this exact shade looks like and it is amazing!
Last weekend while having breakfast at my parents' I was lazily flipping through the April edition of Better Homes and Gardens and I found it! My purple was staring me in the face. There was actually someone out there that had envisioned the same color! It was called French Casino and it listed devinecolor.com as the place to find it. Good news was when I went online to find out where to purchase this paint I learned about a really great company that I'd like to do business with. The bad news was I couldn't find the color anywhere on the site. Good news again was there were other shades of purple even better than the first. The worst news of all though was that there is no place in New Jersey to actually buy this paint :<
Well after doing a little research I've discovered I can actually purchase the paint online and since I only need one gallon the shipping charge isn't too bad. I'm torn between Devine Tempest and Devine Twilight from the Silver Skies Color Collection.
Now onto why I'm psyched about buying paint from Devine Color even though it is not exactly convenient. First of all I never knew that paint was 100% animal tested. Not so for this paint. The company states that it is rated 50% animal tested. The reason why it can't be completely animal tested free is because although the finished products have never been tested on animals the initial ingredients that make up the paint can't be guaranteed that they haven't been. As I've stated before I'm in no way, shape or form a vegan but this paint is! So for all you vegs out there this may be an added bonus to checking out the paints.
The founder of the company seems very cool too. This just makes me want to buy from this company more than to just hand my cash over to yet another big business. Gretchen Schauffler had me when she stated that she "wears Uggs as winter flip flops" 'cause that pretty much describes my whole family since before Uggs were worn by Brittany or Christina or whoever made them the huge item that they are now! She also happens to be the original inventor of the "mini-paint pouch". You know those cool little samples that you can use to test a color before buying a whole gallon? Yep, Devine color did that first and they filled the first 42,000 pouches in Gretchen's home! How great is that?
Oh and did I mention that the colors are AWESOME? There is a limited paint selection to choose from arranged into categories based on items such as jellybeans, ocean colors and vineyards just to name a few. Each click of the mouse brings you to more beautiful nature based colors. I can't guarantee how the paint goes on yet because but the company states that it goes on "rich like yogurt" and there are many customer praises on the site backing this statement. I just wish I had more rooms to paint (and that I new about them before painting Stella's room 'cause I don't exactly love the color I chose).
So if you are planning a painting project soon this may be the place for you to get some "Devine" inspiration (I know corny but I had to do it). Hopefully you have better luck than me and are actually able to purchase the paint in a local store!
Last weekend while having breakfast at my parents' I was lazily flipping through the April edition of Better Homes and Gardens and I found it! My purple was staring me in the face. There was actually someone out there that had envisioned the same color! It was called French Casino and it listed devinecolor.com as the place to find it. Good news was when I went online to find out where to purchase this paint I learned about a really great company that I'd like to do business with. The bad news was I couldn't find the color anywhere on the site. Good news again was there were other shades of purple even better than the first. The worst news of all though was that there is no place in New Jersey to actually buy this paint :<
Well after doing a little research I've discovered I can actually purchase the paint online and since I only need one gallon the shipping charge isn't too bad. I'm torn between Devine Tempest and Devine Twilight from the Silver Skies Color Collection.
Now onto why I'm psyched about buying paint from Devine Color even though it is not exactly convenient. First of all I never knew that paint was 100% animal tested. Not so for this paint. The company states that it is rated 50% animal tested. The reason why it can't be completely animal tested free is because although the finished products have never been tested on animals the initial ingredients that make up the paint can't be guaranteed that they haven't been. As I've stated before I'm in no way, shape or form a vegan but this paint is! So for all you vegs out there this may be an added bonus to checking out the paints.
The founder of the company seems very cool too. This just makes me want to buy from this company more than to just hand my cash over to yet another big business. Gretchen Schauffler had me when she stated that she "wears Uggs as winter flip flops" 'cause that pretty much describes my whole family since before Uggs were worn by Brittany or Christina or whoever made them the huge item that they are now! She also happens to be the original inventor of the "mini-paint pouch". You know those cool little samples that you can use to test a color before buying a whole gallon? Yep, Devine color did that first and they filled the first 42,000 pouches in Gretchen's home! How great is that?
Oh and did I mention that the colors are AWESOME? There is a limited paint selection to choose from arranged into categories based on items such as jellybeans, ocean colors and vineyards just to name a few. Each click of the mouse brings you to more beautiful nature based colors. I can't guarantee how the paint goes on yet because but the company states that it goes on "rich like yogurt" and there are many customer praises on the site backing this statement. I just wish I had more rooms to paint (and that I new about them before painting Stella's room 'cause I don't exactly love the color I chose).
So if you are planning a painting project soon this may be the place for you to get some "Devine" inspiration (I know corny but I had to do it). Hopefully you have better luck than me and are actually able to purchase the paint in a local store!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
In Need of Tips and Hints!
Hi everyone! I know I've already said my goal this summer is to create a prettier blog but there is a second part to that. I'ld really like to start doing reviews for maternity clothes, children's items, home goods. You name it. Along with that I'ld also really like to start doing some giveaways. Any advice you can give me on contacting companies and also on getting started would be great!
As for better late than never news if your little one is in need of new kicks check out Isabooties. They are absolutely adorable and an eco friendly company to boot. Plus for every pair of shoes you purchase until tomorrow a pair will be donated to a child in need! This may be a great excuse to tell the hubs if you happen to order more than your share.
AND for my big news! My c-section date has been scheduled for July 29th! The fact that this is less than 6 weeks away is both thrilling and terrifying all at once. I was apprehensive the first time around but the state of ignorant bliss at the time did wonders for the situation. Knowing what's to come is completely nerve racking! So to Andrea and Lori PLEEEEEEASE keep your updates coming about how well things are going 'cause they definatley set my mind at ease!
As for better late than never news if your little one is in need of new kicks check out Isabooties. They are absolutely adorable and an eco friendly company to boot. Plus for every pair of shoes you purchase until tomorrow a pair will be donated to a child in need! This may be a great excuse to tell the hubs if you happen to order more than your share.
AND for my big news! My c-section date has been scheduled for July 29th! The fact that this is less than 6 weeks away is both thrilling and terrifying all at once. I was apprehensive the first time around but the state of ignorant bliss at the time did wonders for the situation. Knowing what's to come is completely nerve racking! So to Andrea and Lori PLEEEEEEASE keep your updates coming about how well things are going 'cause they definatley set my mind at ease!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Diaper Bag Obsession
Remember about two weeks ago when I had my dress dilemma? Well I never found exactly what I wanted but I did find a cute longer length sundress in a really pretty color called deep space blue. It was from Old Navy (like I said I love their maternity clothes), super cool and comfy and the best part is it was only $32.50. Anyway I wore it to my sister-in-law's sweet sixteen party this weekend and got lots of compliments. If you know anyone expecting and in need of a dress that can be worn more casually or dressed up for an evening out I highly recommend it. Of course I took lots of pictures but none of myself. If I track any down I'll be sure to post! Now on to my great new discovery....
With Madison my bag of choice was an adorable Petunia Pickle Bottom. I'm not 100% sure but I think I went with the Woo Woo Roll. The full sized diaper bag had loads of pockets and little extras like a key clip and fold out changing pad to make life a little easier. When I first got pregnant I just figured I'd go with another Petunia but to be honest I'm not loving any of their current prints. I've been searching for a bag that I absolutely love and I think I found it! Earlier today I discovered Storksak. The bag that I'm most likely going to order is the one pictured above. It's the EmilySak in Pewter. It is current;y on back order but will supposedly be in by late July if I order now. I haven't decided completely so if anyone knows anything good/bad about these bags or has another Designer to recommend I''d love to hear about it!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
We've Got a Tub. . . Almost!
I've been promised that by later this afternoon I will once again be able to shower in the convenience of my own home! It's amazing how excited one can get after living a week with nothing more than a toilet for a bathroom. At one point you had to practically scale the wall in order to reach the toilet without falling into the crawl space. My dad ended up taking the day off of work yesterday to do the plumbing because Justin has been crazy busy at work this week. Unfortunatley he had to get up at the crack of dawn this morning to do a landscaping job that will probably flow into tomorrow because he has to leave early today in order to go to his sister's sweet sixteen party. Oh well I guess that is the price you pay for trying to start a new buisness while working full time. Hopefully in the long run it will work out. I've been trying to stay calm and for me I've been amazingly patient through all of this (I'm not known for my patience. More of a get it done YESTERDAY kind of girl). Those patience are wearing thin though because I can't stand living in a home that is completely upside down. It took me about 1 1/2 to find a new roll of tp yesterday.
Even though things are taking longer than expected everything seemed to be going smoothly. That was until I walked into Madison's room to get clothes this morning. She has been sleeping in our room this week 'cause we are upstairs and she is downstairs. I have not felt comfortable leaving her downstairs with all the construction stuff. Anyway when I walked into her room this morning I noticed that the wall that her room shares with the bathroom has been damaged during the construction. Nothing too major but enough that some spackle and paint are required. Of course we have every color paint ever used in our house except the one for her room sooooooo I'm off to Lowe's to buy more paint to redo her room. Fun! Fun! Fun!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Updates, more updates and a dilemma
Hi all! So I promised updates and here they are.
Bathroom- The goal was to have the tub installed and functioning by Sunday afternoon. It is now Tuesday afternoon and when you walk into my bathroom you can see straight down into the crawl space. Why? When the tub was pulled out we discovered several rotting beams in the walls and also on the floor. Instead of replacing them on Sunday Justin "had" to spend the afternoon with his friend Dave while I was at his fiance's shower. After work yesterday Justin did as much as he could but there is still a lot left to do before getting a tub. Complete bathroom in two weeks? Riiiiiiiiiiiight!!!
Pool- We've attempted to get Madison in the pool several times but it was a little chilly. Instead of a happy preschooler splashing around it looked like a cat fighting to stay out of the water. At one point she was just about sitting on my head to stay high and dry! Yesterday after much effort she got in and stayed in for 2 1/2 hours until I dragged her out!!!! Yay! Mental note - Do NOT put pressure on the side of the pool 'cause it will fold over and let the water out!
Baby- No c-section date but everything is going well. I think she has dropped and if anyone else tells me how big I've gotten all of the sudden at that I don't look only 32 weeks I may scream! I also just want to make a note here that the name Stella was chosen way before it became trendy. I care more about liking my kids' names than their popularity BUT this time around I thought I found something that was different without being weird. If you haven't heard Tori Spelling had a little girl yesterday and named her Stella and I just feel the name getting trendier by the second!
Now for the dilemma with Madison. When we got to school she went over to play with two little girls who were sitting on a bench. There was plenty of space for Madison but the one little girl said "You can't sit here. You aren't cool enough to be in our club." Madison stood there staring at them on the verge of tears not knowing what to do. She is THREE! My little girl should not have to deal with rejection already! Anyway I fought the urge to yank the little girl out of the seat by her pigtails and tell her how "not nice" she had been but I decided to call Madison over instead. I asked her what was going on. Her response was that "Barbie (real name hidden) isn't my friend. She doesn't like me anymore". She then proceeded to cling to me with her head on my shoulder. At this point I'm not sure who was more crushed. It took all I had not to run away with Madison in tow and spend the day making her feel super special. I decided to remind her how smart, friendly and beautiful she is. I then told her that what the girl did was not nice and when people aren't nice like that they are not good friends. Did she get it? I'm not really sure 'cause she is only three and I sometimes have trouble remembering that she is still a baby. I asked her if she saw any kids in the class that are fun to play with and she pointed out her little buddy Connor. I asked her if Connor was nice to her and she said "Yes, mommy he's my friend!" If fought the urge to just hold her all day and put her down. She ran off to play with him as happy as could be. There is only 1 day left of school so I decided to not mention it to the teacher. The mom of the little brat also works at the school and is super sweet. I know she would be crushed if she knew what her daughter was doing ans one of her older sisters (she is the youngest of 6 so obviously we know where she learned this) is a student of mine. Bottom line is if there were more time in school left I would mention it but for one more day what will be solved? I did check on Madison throughout the say and she was fine. When I picked her up she mentioned that this girl was not her friend but she had others so she did not forget. Madison even had me call Justin at work so she could tell him how this girl was no longer her friend.
I was just wondering what you would have done in this situation? I feel like what I said to Madison was a way to make her feel better about herself and to help her develop coping skills. Unfortunately Mommy will not always be there to step in so the next best thing will be to have a daughter strong enough to deal with these situations on her own. BUUUUUUUUT Did I mention that she is only THREE? I know kids can be mean but knowing my daughter has to learn this at such an early age is really heartbreaking. Oh well enough rambling. Let me know what you think.
Bathroom- The goal was to have the tub installed and functioning by Sunday afternoon. It is now Tuesday afternoon and when you walk into my bathroom you can see straight down into the crawl space. Why? When the tub was pulled out we discovered several rotting beams in the walls and also on the floor. Instead of replacing them on Sunday Justin "had" to spend the afternoon with his friend Dave while I was at his fiance's shower. After work yesterday Justin did as much as he could but there is still a lot left to do before getting a tub. Complete bathroom in two weeks? Riiiiiiiiiiiight!!!
Pool- We've attempted to get Madison in the pool several times but it was a little chilly. Instead of a happy preschooler splashing around it looked like a cat fighting to stay out of the water. At one point she was just about sitting on my head to stay high and dry! Yesterday after much effort she got in and stayed in for 2 1/2 hours until I dragged her out!!!! Yay! Mental note - Do NOT put pressure on the side of the pool 'cause it will fold over and let the water out!
Baby- No c-section date but everything is going well. I think she has dropped and if anyone else tells me how big I've gotten all of the sudden at that I don't look only 32 weeks I may scream! I also just want to make a note here that the name Stella was chosen way before it became trendy. I care more about liking my kids' names than their popularity BUT this time around I thought I found something that was different without being weird. If you haven't heard Tori Spelling had a little girl yesterday and named her Stella and I just feel the name getting trendier by the second!
Now for the dilemma with Madison. When we got to school she went over to play with two little girls who were sitting on a bench. There was plenty of space for Madison but the one little girl said "You can't sit here. You aren't cool enough to be in our club." Madison stood there staring at them on the verge of tears not knowing what to do. She is THREE! My little girl should not have to deal with rejection already! Anyway I fought the urge to yank the little girl out of the seat by her pigtails and tell her how "not nice" she had been but I decided to call Madison over instead. I asked her what was going on. Her response was that "Barbie (real name hidden) isn't my friend. She doesn't like me anymore". She then proceeded to cling to me with her head on my shoulder. At this point I'm not sure who was more crushed. It took all I had not to run away with Madison in tow and spend the day making her feel super special. I decided to remind her how smart, friendly and beautiful she is. I then told her that what the girl did was not nice and when people aren't nice like that they are not good friends. Did she get it? I'm not really sure 'cause she is only three and I sometimes have trouble remembering that she is still a baby. I asked her if she saw any kids in the class that are fun to play with and she pointed out her little buddy Connor. I asked her if Connor was nice to her and she said "Yes, mommy he's my friend!" If fought the urge to just hold her all day and put her down. She ran off to play with him as happy as could be. There is only 1 day left of school so I decided to not mention it to the teacher. The mom of the little brat also works at the school and is super sweet. I know she would be crushed if she knew what her daughter was doing ans one of her older sisters (she is the youngest of 6 so obviously we know where she learned this) is a student of mine. Bottom line is if there were more time in school left I would mention it but for one more day what will be solved? I did check on Madison throughout the say and she was fine. When I picked her up she mentioned that this girl was not her friend but she had others so she did not forget. Madison even had me call Justin at work so she could tell him how this girl was no longer her friend.
I was just wondering what you would have done in this situation? I feel like what I said to Madison was a way to make her feel better about herself and to help her develop coping skills. Unfortunately Mommy will not always be there to step in so the next best thing will be to have a daughter strong enough to deal with these situations on her own. BUUUUUUUUT Did I mention that she is only THREE? I know kids can be mean but knowing my daughter has to learn this at such an early age is really heartbreaking. Oh well enough rambling. Let me know what you think.
Tasty Tuesday
I am in no way shape or form a vegan or even a vegetarian for that matter. The truth is I enjoy chicken (not so much at the moment) , any type of fish or shellfish and yes even an occasional steak - rare! Or as my husband's late grandmother would say "chop off its ears, wipe its ^&* (rhymes with gas) and put it on a plate! She was from Texas and had been bitten by a rattlesnake on more than one occasion. Bottom line she was pretty tough. Anyway this weekend I was searching for an awesome mac 'n cheese recipe that I found online awhile ago and accidently lost. While doing so I came across this recipe that I decided to post especially for my friend Danielle at New Mommy Rant. To be honest I will probably never try it 'cause I also really love real cheese but never say never (especially if Stella ends up with a milk allergy like Madison had for the first 2 years)! Oh and check back later 'cause I have bathroom and pool updates and also need advice about something that happened at school with Madison yesterday but I don't have the time to get into right now!
Dairy Free Macaroni and Cheese (serves 2)
4 oz. elbow macaroni 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 T. flour 2 T. vegetable broth powder
1/3 cup dairy-free soymilk 2 T. Water
(use one with a thickening agent like Silk) 1 T. Tahini (aka sesame paste)
Salt, to tast
1. Boil about 3 cups of water in a small stockpot. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
2. Combine nutritional yeast, flour and vegetable broth powder in a small saucepan, mixing together until combined. Add soymilk, water and tahini, and turn on heat to medium-low, mixing until all the powder is dissolved and the sauce is smooth. Heat until just thickened and warm, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and add salt to taste.
3. Add cooked macaroni to sauce pan, coating pasta well. Divide mixture into two bowls and serve warm.
Monday, June 9, 2008
One Step Closer to the Wedding!
We made it through the baby shower! Yesterday was the bridal shower for a friend of mine and thankfully it went off without a hitch! According to the thermometer in my car temperatures were reaching into the 100 degree area yesterday so I was very nervous when we arrived at the restaurant and I saw a brunch line and tables set up on the wrap around porch. Thankfully this was not for our party! We had the shower at the Grenville in Bay Head, New Jersey and they did a wonderful job! It is a gorgeous Victorian hotel/restaurant one block from the beach, everything was decorated beautifully and the food was delicious (even the regular brunch line includes a chocolate fountain!). If you ever find yourself in the area you might want to check it out! Anyway the bride was super surprised. She thought she was attending a baby shower with me. Even after she saw me with camera in hand it took about 30 seconds to register what was going on! Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Of course when you have a group of women there is always one with lots of opinions but not willing to offer any help. I'm usually the quiet one who backs down but after all the hard work that was put into this shower that was not about to happen! I'm happy to say we still ran things the way we wanted and the angrier she got the tighter the stupid bun on the top of her head got! If it got any tighter I think her eyes may have popped out of her head! Sorry about the tangent I was just in no mood. All in all it was a great time! Madison and I. You can tell by my shiny nose and huge hair that it was hot even in the restaurant but nowhere near as bad as outside!
The wedding party
Me, Madison, Joni (groom's sister), Brenna (bride but you could probably tell that by the cool hat I made, Marisa (groom's niece) and Meyling (bride's friend and matron of honor)
The wedding party
Me, Madison, Joni (groom's sister), Brenna (bride but you could probably tell that by the cool hat I made, Marisa (groom's niece) and Meyling (bride's friend and matron of honor)
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Where Am I Going to Pee???
First heat wave of the season, only one bathroom, a 3 year old who waits to pee until the last possible second and a very pregnant wife whose bladder can't go more than 25 minutes without being emptied. If you were a husband that wanted a quiet, calm household what wouldn't you begin doing this weekend? If you said gutting a bathroom you are absolutely right!
We've live in our house for 4 1/2 years and have completely gutted (down to studs) every part of the house except for the bathroom. Not that it didn't need it but it was the project that never seemed to get done. Anyway I have been after Justin a lot lately about it and he has constantly put me off until now. Last night he came home with the new tub and decided to start tearing our bathroom apart. It is now 6:30 on a Saturday night and he is outside playing horseshoes and have a few cocktails with some friends instead of at least making the toilet usable. Luckily my parents live next door but overall I'm pretty cranky about the whole situation especially since I'm already stressed about the bridal shower tomorrow.
Ultimately the bathroom is going to look great (as great as the smallest bathroom in the world can look) and I'll be happy to have it done before Stella is born but for now I'm not happy. Did I also mention that my hubby has no actual sense of time? He thinks this whole huge project will be done in 2 weeks. My guess is it'll be done around midnight the night before we go to have Stella. I'll keep you posted but for now here are some pictures.
Pretty? No. Functioning? Yes!Bathtub circa 1963
and it begins (Justin and my brother Corey)
6:00 Saturday and the bathroom has been abandoned.
What the %^$# am I going to do at 2:00a.m. ? I may be checking into Casa De Mama's tonight.
My dining room may never be the same!
P.S. No, Madison and I haven't been home all day exposed to all the dust and other junk in the air!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Help Needed for Clothing Issues!
Good morning! I guess I should start out with yes I'm fine and no I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. This week has just been crazy! It was my last week of teaching although I still have a week of paperwork ahead of me (Yay!!!!! just kidding). This Sunday also happens to be a really good friend of mine's baby shower. Unfortunately I can't make it because I scheduled the bridal shower for the dreaded wedding on the same day. Ooops! Needless to say I've been running around buying shower gifts and completely errands for the bridal shower.
Anyway onto more pressing issues! If you are a frequent visitor of Celebrity Baby Blog maybe you have noticed all of the gorgeous, long, flowing sundresses that celebrity mommas to be have been sporting. I love them! Angelina Jolie and Gwen Stefani's dresses happen to be my favorites! I've been looking all over for something similar (much more affordable) for the bridal shower this weekend and my sister in law's Sweet 16 next weekend. Unfortunately my search has left me frazzled and tired of trying on moo moos made by Omar the Tent Maker! I've looked online at Motherhood and Mimi maternity but haven't seen anything I love. I also refuse to go on Pea in the Pod because I'm sure I'll fall in love with a $500 something or other on that site and that is way out of my price range. Right now I'm thinking my limit is about $100 but may increase slightly if I become super desperate. Being that this will probably be the most expensive item in my maternity wardrobe (can't seem to part with the major bucks when I'll only be preggers for a few more weeks) I'm also hoping for something not super dressy so I can wear it again. At this point I've all but given up hope for the shower and I do have a couple of so so dresses to choose from but I'ld really like something new for next weekend. If you know of anywhere that may have something that I'm looking for I'ld REALLY, REALLY, REALLY appreciate your help!
Anyway onto more pressing issues! If you are a frequent visitor of Celebrity Baby Blog maybe you have noticed all of the gorgeous, long, flowing sundresses that celebrity mommas to be have been sporting. I love them! Angelina Jolie and Gwen Stefani's dresses happen to be my favorites! I've been looking all over for something similar (much more affordable) for the bridal shower this weekend and my sister in law's Sweet 16 next weekend. Unfortunately my search has left me frazzled and tired of trying on moo moos made by Omar the Tent Maker! I've looked online at Motherhood and Mimi maternity but haven't seen anything I love. I also refuse to go on Pea in the Pod because I'm sure I'll fall in love with a $500 something or other on that site and that is way out of my price range. Right now I'm thinking my limit is about $100 but may increase slightly if I become super desperate. Being that this will probably be the most expensive item in my maternity wardrobe (can't seem to part with the major bucks when I'll only be preggers for a few more weeks) I'm also hoping for something not super dressy so I can wear it again. At this point I've all but given up hope for the shower and I do have a couple of so so dresses to choose from but I'ld really like something new for next weekend. If you know of anywhere that may have something that I'm looking for I'ld REALLY, REALLY, REALLY appreciate your help!
Monday, June 2, 2008
MeMe Monday - It's All About The 8's
I was tagged for this Meme by Dana - Thanks for giving me a topic 'cause I was struggling for one today!
Eight Things For Which I Have A Passion For:
1. I LOVE to cook - the everyday stuff gets kind of tedious but I love to have company over for a fancy meal that I can wow them with. Guess I'm kind of a show off that way.
1. I LOVE to cook - the everyday stuff gets kind of tedious but I love to have company over for a fancy meal that I can wow them with. Guess I'm kind of a show off that way.
2. Madison, I could talk about all the cute and/or embarrassing things she does and says all day long!
3. Making hand made beaded jewelry. If I weren't 31 weeks preggers I'd be leaving for a huge bead expo in Milwaukee tomorrow :<
3. Making hand made beaded jewelry. If I weren't 31 weeks preggers I'd be leaving for a huge bead expo in Milwaukee tomorrow :<
4. Anything crafty - needlepoint, crocheting, sewing (I've made all 3 of Madison's Halloween costumes)
5. My hubby - I figured I'd through him in here
6. Clothes, shoes, purses. I don;t really enjoy the crowds or searching for items but I do love to get new things!
7. Makeup and hair - probably should have gone to cosmetology school instead of college. You can't tell that I'm into hair by looking at me though 'cause I always seem to have a frizzy mop or a pony tail
8. Anything beach related- conservation, people watching, hanging on the boat. I've even been known to fish here and there!
Eight Things I'd Like to do Before I Die:
1. Move out of the town that I grew up in (I live next door to the house I grew up in)
1. Move out of the town that I grew up in (I live next door to the house I grew up in)
2. Travel to Hawaii and Australia
3. Own another convertible
4. Get a boob lift and tummy tuck once I'm done being a baby factory
3. Own another convertible
4. Get a boob lift and tummy tuck once I'm done being a baby factory
5. Sky Dive
6. Buy a house with a huge kitchen, tons of closet space and more than one bathroom
6. Buy a house with a huge kitchen, tons of closet space and more than one bathroom
7. Use the bathroom or take a shower without interruptions
8. Hire a housekeeper
Eight Things I Say a Lot:
1. Really???
Eight Things I Say a Lot:
1. Really???
2. Go ask your father
3. I'm sooooooo tired
4. Because I'm the mommy and I said so (yep, I've said it. The "Why stage" is just starting and it is brutal)
5. If I don't wash your hair you'll get bugs
6. Yes you have to go to school today and yes you have to take a nap there
7. If I had more time I could get everything done
8. It was on sale
Eight Books I Have Read Recently:
1. Guess How Much I Love You
2. I Love You Stinky Face
3. Duma Key (yep, adult books do occur sometimes)
4. The Accident Man (LOVED IT!)
5. Bad Dog Marley
6. I'll Love You Forever ( I cry every time)
7. 5 Little Lady Bugs
8. Disney Collection of Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales
(Just started the Bourne series but I'm having trouble getting into it)
Eight Movies I Have Seen Eight Times:
1. Top Gun
2. Pretty Woman (was on again last night)
3. Dirty Dancing (I have to watch it every time it is on)
4. Superbad
5. Cinderella
6. Annie
7. Goonies
8. Godfather I & II
Eight People Who Should, but are in no way obligated, Do This Meme:
I'll leave this one up to anyone that wants to join in!
3. I'm sooooooo tired
4. Because I'm the mommy and I said so (yep, I've said it. The "Why stage" is just starting and it is brutal)
5. If I don't wash your hair you'll get bugs
6. Yes you have to go to school today and yes you have to take a nap there
7. If I had more time I could get everything done
8. It was on sale
Eight Books I Have Read Recently:
1. Guess How Much I Love You
2. I Love You Stinky Face
3. Duma Key (yep, adult books do occur sometimes)
4. The Accident Man (LOVED IT!)
5. Bad Dog Marley
6. I'll Love You Forever ( I cry every time)
7. 5 Little Lady Bugs
8. Disney Collection of Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales
(Just started the Bourne series but I'm having trouble getting into it)
Eight Movies I Have Seen Eight Times:
1. Top Gun
2. Pretty Woman (was on again last night)
3. Dirty Dancing (I have to watch it every time it is on)
4. Superbad
5. Cinderella
6. Annie
7. Goonies
8. Godfather I & II
Eight People Who Should, but are in no way obligated, Do This Meme:
I'll leave this one up to anyone that wants to join in!
Check Out This Giveaway!
So for any of you that don't know Andrea at The Laughs Will Go On . . .she just had a beautiful baby girl a week ago Saturday. Not only has she been great about posting pics of her little angel and blogging about her birth story, she has also posted a great new giveaway. To be honest I really hope I win but I'll share the info with you anyway! It is for an adorable organic cotton kimono from Tomo and Edie. Just comment Andrea about which of the 3 styles of kimono you like best and post a blog about the giveaway to receive two entries into the contest! Make sure to do it by June 8th. Good luck and thanks again Andrea!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)