4 years ago today, I married the most amazing man I've ever met. We've certainly had our challenges and difficulties since I've met him nearly 10 years ago, but we always get through and come out stronger than ever. I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.
We agreed not to do anything for our anniversary - our Disney trip is our gift to each other. I am so excited! Jim is riding the bus up to Pines to meet me tomorrow, then we'll grab dinner after work and hit the road! It's going to be a great week - and hopefully I'll have lots of stories when I come back so my blog becomes lively again, ha.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
My birthday
Today is my 28th birthday. I had a great day - balloons, cake, and lunch at work, and a great Italian dinner and cake at home for dinner. Jim had to work, but Brooke kept saying Happy Bir-day, Mommy. Those words were the best part of my day.
I've been away from the blog for a while now. I have just been busy trying to make sure we get everything ready for our trip! I'm a huge planner, so it's taken me a while to feel prepared. Now I'm ready to go ;-)
We've also been busy planning the baby's second birthday party and baptism! I am really looking forward to both, and to everyone that is coming down for the event(s)!
I've been away from the blog for a while now. I have just been busy trying to make sure we get everything ready for our trip! I'm a huge planner, so it's taken me a while to feel prepared. Now I'm ready to go ;-)
We've also been busy planning the baby's second birthday party and baptism! I am really looking forward to both, and to everyone that is coming down for the event(s)!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Happy Mother's Day!
I'm a couple of days early, but I hope - expect - to have a busy, fun weekend with my angel!
Brooke gave me my gift last night - she got me a gift card for a mani/pedi before our vacation! What a sweetie, she must have listened to all the plans I had for this month. I can't wait to use them.
Today was the Mother's Day breakfast at her school. I couldn't go because I had a client coming to meet with me (sad).
So, to all my mommy friends out there, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you enjoy your day!
Brooke gave me my gift last night - she got me a gift card for a mani/pedi before our vacation! What a sweetie, she must have listened to all the plans I had for this month. I can't wait to use them.
Today was the Mother's Day breakfast at her school. I couldn't go because I had a client coming to meet with me (sad).
So, to all my mommy friends out there, Happy Mother's Day! I hope you enjoy your day!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Not much to say....
I haven't posted lately. I'm always busy and worn out by the time Brooke is in bed. Plus, I haven't had much to say.
I don't know. I've been in a bit of a funk lately. Just being tired and homesick, I suppose. That always happens around this time of year - as the weather starts getting warmer (OK, hotter) here, I forget. I forget the cool spring days of central PA. When I see the same palm trees and tropical scenery from the winter, I forget. I forget the return of the birds, the newly blooming flowers, the melting snow. And when something happens that makes me remember, it makes me miss it that much more.
I just miss it.
And I never thought I would say that. But, I do. I miss it.
Things have been good here lately, though. Brooke is such a joy, such a happy, smart, beautiful little girl - and so silly. How I wish my extended family and lifelong friends could get to know her more. She is the light of our life and learns so much every day. And, of course, I have an amazing husband who does everything for us and to make us happy - and I love him even more for it.
Brooke had her "height and weight check" on Saturday - and, clearly, I was right that she didn't need it. At 21 months, she is 28 pounds and 33 inches tall! She is in size 5 diapers - walking and talking, more a little person than a baby these days. On days that the homesickness is so strong, all I have to do is look at her, and I know - Home is wherever she is.
I don't know. I've been in a bit of a funk lately. Just being tired and homesick, I suppose. That always happens around this time of year - as the weather starts getting warmer (OK, hotter) here, I forget. I forget the cool spring days of central PA. When I see the same palm trees and tropical scenery from the winter, I forget. I forget the return of the birds, the newly blooming flowers, the melting snow. And when something happens that makes me remember, it makes me miss it that much more.
I just miss it.
And I never thought I would say that. But, I do. I miss it.
Things have been good here lately, though. Brooke is such a joy, such a happy, smart, beautiful little girl - and so silly. How I wish my extended family and lifelong friends could get to know her more. She is the light of our life and learns so much every day. And, of course, I have an amazing husband who does everything for us and to make us happy - and I love him even more for it.
Brooke had her "height and weight check" on Saturday - and, clearly, I was right that she didn't need it. At 21 months, she is 28 pounds and 33 inches tall! She is in size 5 diapers - walking and talking, more a little person than a baby these days. On days that the homesickness is so strong, all I have to do is look at her, and I know - Home is wherever she is.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Blessed
Weight lost this week: -1.0 lbs
Total Weight loss: -12.0 lbs
I'm trying to be so excited because a loss is a loss, but it's putting me short of my 20 lb goal by May 27. I need to start adding in exercise - but when?
Occassionally, I'll have a day where I wake up and I realize, I'm blessed. Clearly, I'm blessed to have a great husband, a beautiful daughter, a stable job, a nice place to live, a decent car, etc....
But it's more than that. There's always more. I'm blessed by things that I really have no control over. And it amazes me.
I have an amazing (extended) family. I've always known this - and we don't talk as much as we probably should. But we're a close family. And there's issues. Boy, are there issues... But I know, when it comes right down to it, they - every. single. one. of. them. - will be there. That doesn't surprise me. But....somehow, when I think of everything my cousin and her daughter are going through, there's this clarity and sense of peace of it all if I think about my family and how all of us - every. single. one. of. us. (including spouses - are praying and loving them, and how that is going to be what helps this little girl survive this - because none of us are ready to let her go.
But it doesn't stop there. I have unbelievable friends. Again, I've always known this. There are some I've known practically my whole life, some I've met more recently - but I know I can always, always count on them. I get sad that I don't get to talk to them much anymore (it's super hard to talk on the phone with a toddler, ha), but somehow, it feels like nothing changes between us - when we do get to talk, we can pick up right where we left off.
So if I've always known all of this, why am I feeling so blessed today? I don't know. I don't know there's much of a point to this post either, other than to say Thank you for blessing my life.
Total Weight loss: -12.0 lbs
I'm trying to be so excited because a loss is a loss, but it's putting me short of my 20 lb goal by May 27. I need to start adding in exercise - but when?
Occassionally, I'll have a day where I wake up and I realize, I'm blessed. Clearly, I'm blessed to have a great husband, a beautiful daughter, a stable job, a nice place to live, a decent car, etc....
But it's more than that. There's always more. I'm blessed by things that I really have no control over. And it amazes me.
I have an amazing (extended) family. I've always known this - and we don't talk as much as we probably should. But we're a close family. And there's issues. Boy, are there issues... But I know, when it comes right down to it, they - every. single. one. of. them. - will be there. That doesn't surprise me. But....somehow, when I think of everything my cousin and her daughter are going through, there's this clarity and sense of peace of it all if I think about my family and how all of us - every. single. one. of. us. (including spouses - are praying and loving them, and how that is going to be what helps this little girl survive this - because none of us are ready to let her go.
But it doesn't stop there. I have unbelievable friends. Again, I've always known this. There are some I've known practically my whole life, some I've met more recently - but I know I can always, always count on them. I get sad that I don't get to talk to them much anymore (it's super hard to talk on the phone with a toddler, ha), but somehow, it feels like nothing changes between us - when we do get to talk, we can pick up right where we left off.
So if I've always known all of this, why am I feeling so blessed today? I don't know. I don't know there's much of a point to this post either, other than to say Thank you for blessing my life.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Shoe shopping
I'm not a huge fan of shoe shopping in general. I always have a difficult time finding shoes I really like (at a reasonable price). I love pointy toe, kitten heel dress shoes, but I have trouble finding ones that are comfortable. Hence, I haven't bought shoes for a couple of years (other than flip flops). (When I lived in PA, I loved wearing heels and also did so in college - but I lived in flip flops during law school and, well, nothing else is very comfortable....)
Anyway, my dislike of shoe shopping is compounded when they shoe shopping is (supposed) to result in shoes for toddlers. My top reasons for hating shoe shopping for Brooke:
4) Her feet grow fast. Like, faster than my hair fast. We buy shoes every 3 months at the longest - it's only been 6 weeks since I bought them last and
3) She doesn't like to sit still to try them on. No, she puts one on and runs away, pulling shoes off the shelves.
When I try to convince her to come back, she yells, "I got you!" I know she's playing, so I don't like to yell at her - but I tell her, calmly, to come here, and she does (She's a good girl, even if it's frustrating at the time). We go through this every pair of shoes.
2) She has chubby feet. Yes, this is what makes them irresistably, I-can't-kiss-them-enough cute. But translating into shoe sizes? It means she needs wide width. Not many companies make wide width shoes for kids who aren't even 2 yet - and this makes for expensive shoe-shopping trips every time. Oh, and one foot is a 1/2 size bigger than the other (I know this is normal - but so frustrating to fit her properly).
1) She is very opinionated - and she loves crazy colors/prints. Normally, I would love this - I am so proud that my daughter knows what she wants and I love that she picks her own clothes, etc. But with shoes? I want to find neutral-ish shoes she can wear with anything at a reasonable price that fit her well - maybe one pair of sneakers and one pair of sandals. Nope, our shoe shopping trip on Sunday resulted in her getting four - yes, 4 - pairs of shoes that will fit her for roughly 2-3 months.
So, some stories from our last shoe-shopping adventure (which was the first without Daddy, because sometimes he has to miss things like this for work).
We go to Ideal Baby & Kids because they're having a great shoe sale. (Keep in mind, we just bought new shoes on Valentine's Day). Brooke finds a pair of Sketchers she loves (with Elmo and pink flowers on them) - they don't come in wide width. We try them on anyway, Brooke says, "Too tight!" and refuses to try anything else on because she doesn't like anything except the Elmo shoes. Tantrum #1.
So the next day, I take her to Stride Rite - great shoes, but pricey and a limited selection (at least of shoes that can be worn with anything). They carry wide (and sometimes extra wide) there - she continues to pick out the craziest, brightest colors and patterns. I convince her to try on a pair of gray and coral sneakers - success! She loves them! Sneakers down - and they cost me roughly $50, so we'll look somewhere else for sandals/beach shoes.
We make a stop in Payless. Brooke becomes attached to white Airwalks that look like Crocs that have purple and pink printed all over them. They don't fit right. (Tantrum #2) She picks out sandals that light up - they don't fit. (Tantrum #3)
I pick up a pair of white sandals. They fit great, she says she doesn't like them. She gets them anyway (sometimes being Mommy does have its perks).
She needs shoes to wear with her Cinderella dress. First she wants white "heels" - she's not even 2, I'm not even trying them on her. Then she picks sparkly pink ballet slippers - cute, but $20, and look more Aurora than Cinderella. She wears them around the store while we continue browsing - cries when I take them off (Tantrum #4). I decide she can wear the white sandals with the Cinderella dress, but I do convince her to get a pair of pink canvas (aka non-sparkly) ballet slippers that can be worn more frequently.
Last pair? She gets to pick whatever she wants - she picks Airwalks that are shiny silver with purple, teal, and pink printed on them, and they light up when she walks. (BTW, something I would have totally picked in my young days, LOL).
Total time spent to buy 4 pairs of shoes? Going on 3 hours. Number of full-out tantrums? 4. This girl exhausts me ;-)
Anyway, my dislike of shoe shopping is compounded when they shoe shopping is (supposed) to result in shoes for toddlers. My top reasons for hating shoe shopping for Brooke:
4) Her feet grow fast. Like, faster than my hair fast. We buy shoes every 3 months at the longest - it's only been 6 weeks since I bought them last and
3) She doesn't like to sit still to try them on. No, she puts one on and runs away, pulling shoes off the shelves.
When I try to convince her to come back, she yells, "I got you!" I know she's playing, so I don't like to yell at her - but I tell her, calmly, to come here, and she does (She's a good girl, even if it's frustrating at the time). We go through this every pair of shoes.
2) She has chubby feet. Yes, this is what makes them irresistably, I-can't-kiss-them-enough cute. But translating into shoe sizes? It means she needs wide width. Not many companies make wide width shoes for kids who aren't even 2 yet - and this makes for expensive shoe-shopping trips every time. Oh, and one foot is a 1/2 size bigger than the other (I know this is normal - but so frustrating to fit her properly).
1) She is very opinionated - and she loves crazy colors/prints. Normally, I would love this - I am so proud that my daughter knows what she wants and I love that she picks her own clothes, etc. But with shoes? I want to find neutral-ish shoes she can wear with anything at a reasonable price that fit her well - maybe one pair of sneakers and one pair of sandals. Nope, our shoe shopping trip on Sunday resulted in her getting four - yes, 4 - pairs of shoes that will fit her for roughly 2-3 months.
So, some stories from our last shoe-shopping adventure (which was the first without Daddy, because sometimes he has to miss things like this for work).
We go to Ideal Baby & Kids because they're having a great shoe sale. (Keep in mind, we just bought new shoes on Valentine's Day). Brooke finds a pair of Sketchers she loves (with Elmo and pink flowers on them) - they don't come in wide width. We try them on anyway, Brooke says, "Too tight!" and refuses to try anything else on because she doesn't like anything except the Elmo shoes. Tantrum #1.
So the next day, I take her to Stride Rite - great shoes, but pricey and a limited selection (at least of shoes that can be worn with anything). They carry wide (and sometimes extra wide) there - she continues to pick out the craziest, brightest colors and patterns. I convince her to try on a pair of gray and coral sneakers - success! She loves them! Sneakers down - and they cost me roughly $50, so we'll look somewhere else for sandals/beach shoes.
We make a stop in Payless. Brooke becomes attached to white Airwalks that look like Crocs that have purple and pink printed all over them. They don't fit right. (Tantrum #2) She picks out sandals that light up - they don't fit. (Tantrum #3)
I pick up a pair of white sandals. They fit great, she says she doesn't like them. She gets them anyway (sometimes being Mommy does have its perks).
She needs shoes to wear with her Cinderella dress. First she wants white "heels" - she's not even 2, I'm not even trying them on her. Then she picks sparkly pink ballet slippers - cute, but $20, and look more Aurora than Cinderella. She wears them around the store while we continue browsing - cries when I take them off (Tantrum #4). I decide she can wear the white sandals with the Cinderella dress, but I do convince her to get a pair of pink canvas (aka non-sparkly) ballet slippers that can be worn more frequently.
Last pair? She gets to pick whatever she wants - she picks Airwalks that are shiny silver with purple, teal, and pink printed on them, and they light up when she walks. (BTW, something I would have totally picked in my young days, LOL).
Total time spent to buy 4 pairs of shoes? Going on 3 hours. Number of full-out tantrums? 4. This girl exhausts me ;-)
Monday, April 11, 2011
A little of everything
Weight loss update:
This week: -1.0 lbs
Overall: -11.0 lbs
I'm not so thrilled with the results this week, although it does include a cupcake Saturday and pizza (Brooke's requested dinner) last night. I am so happy to still be losing - I have 6 weeks to lose 9 more pounds to meet my goal of being down 20 pounds by our vacation - the race is on!
I'm going to put off my post about shoe shopping another day - I have some exciting news to share!..................
............Any guesses?..........................
..............Am I driving you crazy yet?.................................
.................I (We) am (are).....................................................................................
..................................MOVING!!! (Bet ya thought I was going to say pregnant, right? Not yet ;-) )
Everyone knows Jim and I have been looking to move out of our current apartment for a while now - ideally, we would like to move closer to family, but for now, we just wanted another apartment in our area. The complex we currently live at has just gotten noisier and more disgusting looking the longer that the new management company has it. Everyone - including our neighbors that have lived in their townhouse for 7 years - are moving out as their lease ends. Now, they've covered a pool and are, instead, building more apartments - they've taken away my reserved spot right by our building, and I have to bring Brooke and all the junk I carry back and forth on a daily basis (my purse, diaper bag, my lunch - plus sometimes diapers, wipes, etc) the whole way across the complex (try this with a curious little monkey who must stomp in every water puddle or examine everything out of the ordinary).
Our lease is up December 31, 2011. Jim can't take time off to move during the holidays, and how stressful would it be to move on the holidays anyway?? Jim talked to them today, and they are going to try to let us out of our current lease without an early termination fee (apparently, they have to get approval from the management company's corporate office to do so).
We're going to look at a 3 bedroom apartment Saturday. I love the complex we're looking at, so I hope we like the apartment.
We're finally in a financial position to move, and we're planning on moving in September. If anyone local would like to volunteer to help, we will need all the help we can get! Otherwise, we probably will hire a moving company to move us roughly 0.91 miles.
This week: -1.0 lbs
Overall: -11.0 lbs
I'm not so thrilled with the results this week, although it does include a cupcake Saturday and pizza (Brooke's requested dinner) last night. I am so happy to still be losing - I have 6 weeks to lose 9 more pounds to meet my goal of being down 20 pounds by our vacation - the race is on!
I'm going to put off my post about shoe shopping another day - I have some exciting news to share!..................
............Any guesses?..........................
..............Am I driving you crazy yet?.................................
.................I (We) am (are).....................................................................................
..................................MOVING!!! (Bet ya thought I was going to say pregnant, right? Not yet ;-) )
Everyone knows Jim and I have been looking to move out of our current apartment for a while now - ideally, we would like to move closer to family, but for now, we just wanted another apartment in our area. The complex we currently live at has just gotten noisier and more disgusting looking the longer that the new management company has it. Everyone - including our neighbors that have lived in their townhouse for 7 years - are moving out as their lease ends. Now, they've covered a pool and are, instead, building more apartments - they've taken away my reserved spot right by our building, and I have to bring Brooke and all the junk I carry back and forth on a daily basis (my purse, diaper bag, my lunch - plus sometimes diapers, wipes, etc) the whole way across the complex (try this with a curious little monkey who must stomp in every water puddle or examine everything out of the ordinary).
Our lease is up December 31, 2011. Jim can't take time off to move during the holidays, and how stressful would it be to move on the holidays anyway?? Jim talked to them today, and they are going to try to let us out of our current lease without an early termination fee (apparently, they have to get approval from the management company's corporate office to do so).
We're going to look at a 3 bedroom apartment Saturday. I love the complex we're looking at, so I hope we like the apartment.
We're finally in a financial position to move, and we're planning on moving in September. If anyone local would like to volunteer to help, we will need all the help we can get! Otherwise, we probably will hire a moving company to move us roughly 0.91 miles.
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