Where has the time gone....

Here a couple of pictures to tide you over.... 2010 will be a different year on this blog...I have something exciting planned for it...and I can't wait to share....

Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Slacker!!!

Yes that term describes me when it comes to the blog...however, not when it comes to life in general. I've been sewing up a strom. Playing with the new WALKER that I call my Bear, and overall just enjoying our life. In less than 2 weeks the little Bear will be 1. I can't believe I just typed that. It seems that not to long ago i was just posting a 2 months post, or a 5 months post...and I'm fixing to have to type a 12 month post....

She is more amazing every single day. And I am so blessed to have her as my daughter...this is short and sweet I know, but here is a couple of pictures, so you can see how amazing she is for yourself....love to you all...

It's Thursday and All is Well....

Only 1 more day until the weekend. And I'm excited for this weekend. We are going to a small town up the road to have some BBQ with a girl I went to High School with. We were headed that way, so asked if her family would like to join us. I'm excited...I haven't seen her in ummmmm...10+ years or so...Facebook is a good thing sometimes. :)

I'm actually pretty tired today. Bear had a rough night :( She it cutting MORE teeth and they are giving her fits. Once again my child is waking up in the night. Only once but she stays up for several hours. Last night she woke a smidge before midnight, and went back to bed at almost 3am!!!! This makes mama a little on the tired side, especially when the alarm goes off at 6. Oh well she's only little once. I'll cherish these times just as I cherish her giggling happy times.

What else is new.....OH!!! Yesterday I actually got to sew some. Nothing spectacular, but I did get all my curtains hemmed. And with the extra that I cut off, I am making tie backs. I do need to go buy some ribbon though to finish them off. I'm just glad that they are no longer dragging on the floor. 8 panels was a lot to do...and each one was the same process. Cut the amount off, fold up 4 inches, pin, iron, unpin, then fold in an inch, iron, refold and pin, then flip over and fold back 1/4 inch and iron...THEN take to sewing machine to do a blind hem stitch (this is the type of hem that is on dress pants/slacks). When all was said and done, I'm very happy with the outcome. They look great :)

Other than that...nothing new. My next project is to trace off my mom's jacket and make a muslin for it. Just to make sure it fits correctly. Then I'll have to decide on what fabric to purchase and sew up. I'm excited about it. I also have a dress shirt that I want to make for her as well. Lots to do...lots to do..

For now...I'm out of here.

Happy Tuesday... :)

One of these days I will be able to keep up with this...*sigh* I have so much to write about, but never seem to have much time to get it all out there.

I just posted a post that I had written almost a month ago. I'm sure at the time there was more to say, but hey I got out what I could. Right now the Bear is asleep so I thought I'd see what I could share with everyone now...

My dad is officially moved in. We have found him a place to build his boat. It's only about 5 miles from our house so that's nice. We have moved some of our things out there for storage just so we could have some extra room :) It has been so much fun having my dad around. He is retired, so he doesn't have to go to work. It makes my days seem less lonely at home. We get to do simple things together, like go to Costco, and the grocery store...and he'll run errands with me so I don't have to take the baby out all the time.

It's been a bit different trying to adjust, but we are really getting the hang of it. Dad doesn't take up much space, and he is just using the guest room and the guest bath. Which we weren't using anyways. He does his fair share around the house. We don't expect anything but he does LOVE to cook, so he usually cooks 3-4 meals a week for us, and I cook the rest of the time. It sure has saved on our "going out to eat" bill. He does the dishes most nights which is nice. But most of all it's just nice to have him there. I know he's safe...not like he can't take care of himself, but I worry. He's had a quintuple bypass almost 10 years ago, and several shunts put in in recent years. So it's nice to have him close in case he needs something. He also is suffering from the results of getting red mold...so the breathing isn't the best...but he does really well. He has slowly improved over the years :)

Tori is loving having Grandpa there. He gets down on the floor with her and plays...she pulls on his shorts while he's on the couch to tempt him to "tickle" her. It's so much fun to watch!!! I'm just glad he's here :)

Now on to the Bear...she's getting SOOOOOOOOO BIG!!! She'll be 10 months in 4 days. So hard to believe. She crawls like there is no tomorrow, pulls up on everything, stands by herself, and is cruising around holding on to the wall and the couches. I foresee her walking before she is 1 or by the time she is 1. She's got 2 months to get there. She's got a mouthful of teeth, and knows how to use them. She's eating tiny pieces of meat, all veggies, yogurt (her absolute favorite food), cheese cubes, all fruit that is not citrus, and loves to "share" Grandpa's ice cream. She is self feeding snacks. But I refuse to turn her loose with the spoon just yet. I did once and we had mashed potatoes in her hair, eyelids, my hair, the floor, the wall, you name it, there was potatoes. So for now, we stick with the diced foods... She says "da da", "ma ma", and "hi". She knows who we are and will call to us with her arms up. She waves and says "hi" to people when you ask her too. She's really starting to love books. She loves books with shapes and animals. She can handle "story time" for about 15 mins now. Then she looses her focus...For simple words, we are teaching her the Spanish version has well. Slowly I think I am learning them too. I have my list that Vic has written down for me. And I go by it. We just keep adding to it. And I repeat everything in English then Spanish...or sometimes Spanish then English. Daddy is better at it than me, but I'm trying :)

Other than that, things are really going great. We pulled the carpet out of the living room and hallway. Laid tile down. I bought new curtains that are hung, but I still need to hem them :( In a couple of weeks we will be pulling out the vinyl in the kitchen and putting new tile down in there as well. It's a lot of fun, but a lot of hard work too. I'm still on the prowl for rugs for my living room. I had bought some, but they have since been returned, they just didn't "do it" for me. :( Oh well, such is life.

Well that's all for now...here are a couple of pictures of Bear....

Two New Roommates...

Yes I know, I'm late in posting...no need to remind me...but...well there is no buts...

We have a new roommate. They moved in last Wednesday...and have decided to make it a permanent home for a little while. We don't have a lot of space, but we are making do. And for me, it's exciting. A little nerve racking but it is going to be fun. We'll have to rearrange some things, and things will have to go out in the shed, but it's no big deal at all....and we are happy to move the things out, so that they can stay.

I am talking about my Dad and Freida. My dad will be living in our spare bedroom while building his boat. Yes is making a boat so that he can sail up the eastern seaboard. A dream that he has had for a while now. And Freida will be sharing the space with him...now now, don't get to excited, Freida is my Dad's 11 week old Boston Terrier. She is an amazing little pup, and a great companion for my dad.

It will be nice that my dad is back in town....we didn't have the greatest relationship when I was younger so now maybe things will change. I'm an adult now, and don't need to please. I have my own opinions...and so does he...and we might just have to agree to disagree. I'm glad that Tori will get to know her grandpa...he has so much to teach us.

Yes I am a slacker once again...but I have good reason...LACK OF SLEEP!!!! Little Miss Thing is becoming such a big girl. She now has her 2 bottom teeth in. However they are still bothering her. And the top ones are on their way. We can see them, they are on the verge of pushing right on through. Two teeth in less than a week is a lot for a little one to handle. I'm just happy that she hasn't been running a fever. She's just been wanting to gnaw on everything, and a little fussy. Nothing that a little bit of Tylenol/Motrin won't fix. After about 20 mins, she's as good as new again.

It's hard to believe that this month she will be turning 9 months. I don't know where the time has gone at all. My baby is getting so big. She's crawling, pulling up, and starting to "let go" to stand by herself. She can last for about 10-15 seconds, and then she falls down/ or sits down. She cruises around the couch and her crib. It's adorable...

I haven't gotten much sewing done :( I did make her a little skirt last Friday... It was something simple, but yet a lot of work...hrmm that sounds like an oximoron comment. It's a little Knife Pleat Skirt. It has an elastic waistband. I have made her a matching T-Shirt as well. I cut her initial out of the same fabric, and appliqued it to the front. I need to get a picture of the shirt. But for now, here's a picture of the skirt. I also did a French seam on the inside. It is tucked into one of the pleats so it's hidden. I was so proud of it. Here's a picture of the seam. Just and fyi, a french seam is a seam that is incased in itself. So there is no raw edge material showing. The waist was folded over, then I applied single folded bias tape to the raw edge and stitched it down to make a casing for the elastic. It's simple but it did the trick.

Title???

Well I really didn't know what to title this post today. There's a lot of thoughts running through my head and yet none of them have any organization. Thoughts from how amazing God is, how wrong some people are, Christmas thoughts, I'm exhausted thoughts, thoughts that "wow it's almost 1:00 where has my day gone"...like I said I'm all over the place today. Trying to focus..but not being able too....

Yesterday was an eye opener for me. It amazes me what God puts in people's lives for them to endure. Some are capable, and some are not. I look at Mckmama, and she amazes me. She has been faced with so much this past year and a bit, and still she holds so strong to her Faith in the Lord. She is a true servant to God, and proclaims Him every minute of her life.

Then I look at the news here locally. And I am disgusted by what I read. Physically made ill by someone who was blessed with one of God's miracles and then committed a heinous crime against the child. (for my own peace of mind, I will not go into details, if you want to know, you can read our local news at http://www.woai.com and do a search for "baby scotty") I have know words to express my anger and sorrow for this woman. That is all I'm going to say.

I am a little on the tired side of life these past couple of days. Tori cut her first tooth on Friday, and last night we have seen/felt the 2nd tooth as well. 2 teeth in 3 days is a lot for a little one. And low and behold, the top 2 teeth are probably going to make an appearance shortly. You can see the "white" lines already. Anyways...needless say I'm exhausted...my wonderful baby that sleeps through the night was up at 9:20, 11:45, 2:15, 4:20, and 5:50...and then I got her out of bed at 7:25...all she wanted to do was comfort nurse....at least I was able to soothe her pain away...

And last on my list...Christmas thoughts. This year I'm making gifts. I'm tired of spending so much money on gifts that seem so impersonal. I have my list started, and I'm going to have to start hunkering down and get a move on things....4.5 months to go. And with a little one under my feet, my time is precious in front of the sewing machine. Things to be made

1. table runner w/ 6 place mats (S&S)
   
2. table runner w/ 4 place mats (A&N)
   
3. jacket (must make muslin first) (BD)
   
4. knit shirt (either wrap style, or bias cut) (AD)
   
5. bolster pillow w/ beading (KM)
   
6. 50's style apron w/ flavored oils & sugar (KM)
   
7. pillow friend for boy (BM)
   
8. pillow friend for girl (AJ)
   
9. pillow friend for girl (VP
   
10. hooded towels (3) (BM, AJ, VP)

The items in ( ) are only for my reference so I know who I made things for....I'll still have to buy a couple of things, but it will be hopefully somewhat cheaper. At least it will be more personal...

...Off to see the wizard.....

My Heart is Breaking…

That is all I can say….please pray for Stellan…. http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ it is a grave/dire circumstance right now. Please let your prayers be heard for Jenn and her family.

What One Has...

Over the weekend Vic and I had a long discussion about how our life is being lived. And it really made me start thinking about a lot of things.....surprisingly they were mostly all good.

Growing up, I came from a family that was established. My dad was the bread winner, my mom was a SAHM, and we (children) were pretty spoiled. Not to the point of being bratty, but to the point of not going without. My dad growing up, didn't have much, and it was his goal to make sure that he gave us the best things possible. So that we would not have to go through the hard times that he did. And he did just that. He provided very well for us. We had a huge house, nice cars, good clothes, was able to be in every extra circular activity known to man. And he supported it all...I had the silver trumpet when I became a freshman in high school, I had the private lessons, I had the car when I turned 16 along with the gas card to go with it. But there were rules that went with it all. No buying things other than gas w/ the card, grades must remain at A's, be home when told, do my chores ect. My mom was always with us. She finally got a job when we both were in school. And even that job was at the school. So she was always off when we were off....

Looking at it now, I was spoiled...very spoiled, and I was materialistic....

That leads me to our conversation.....so I'm going to put it all out on the line....it's more for me to reflect back on....

We don't have much. And you know we might not ever have a lot either. But that's perfectly alright with us. We don't live in a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, brick house, with a big back yard. We live in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath mobile home, that's paid in full. And that's fine for us. We don't drive brand new cars. Vic has a 1997 Honda, and I have a 2006 Scion. But they are perfect for us. We don't take lavish vacations, we enjoy going camping on the weekend. I don't have a lot of extra money to go spend $50 bucks on a new blouse, but you know a $10 top from Wal-Mart will do me just fine. We don't have cable anymore, b/c of the added expense, but we can see almost anything on the Internet these days. Tori doesn't have a lot of toys, but a set of old pots and pans she loves the most. Even though there is the most gorgeous dress on the rack, it's not on sale or clearance; therefore, it will not make it to the check out stand with me. These are the things that make me who I am....

Our biggest issue in our conversation was our dwelling. You know, it's really not that much. But it's ours. It's paid for, it was a gift from my mom, and it's perfect for us. But for Vic, it's not enough. He wants to do more for us (meaning Tori and I), and he's having a hard time accepting that he can't. He says it makes him feel lesser of a husband/father, because he can't provide more. This saddens my heart. He feels that some might think less of us because of where we live or what we drive, or the clothes we wear, or the fact that we can't always go places with others because money limits this. He fails to see that WHO we are is what people should be looking at. If they only look at our material things, then they are missing what is in our hearts. He is an amazing husband, and an even more amazing dad to Tori. These are the things that people should be looking at. We could have the nicer things if I went back to work without a doubt. But the only one that would be missing out is Tori, and that's not fair to her. I CHOSE to have her, I CHOOSE to raise her. We do without, so that Tori may be raised in a loving environment, and be raised with the values that we want her to have. I don't want anyone else raising her. If she fails at something, it's because WE did not teach her right. WE will be the only ones to blame.

So after our conversation, we decided to do a little cleaning/reorganizing of our home. And it has made a world of difference. But we have decided there are some things that we want to change about our home. First, we will be ripping up the Hunter Green carpet, and the linoleum in our kitchen. I've found some vinyl tile at Lowe's that I am in love with. It will definitely brighten the house. Then we will lay area rugs down. Buy a $25 buck rug and changing it when you're tired of blue or burgundy is a lot cheaper than redoing the flooring again. I will also be redoing our curtains. I've found a pretty easy pattern for Roman shades, and we both agreed that that's what we want. The kitchen and den will be done first, then I'll do a room at a time, to cut down on expenses....but that's neither here nor there....

I guess my main reason for this post was to realize that what I have, may not be the best, may not be the most expensive, but it's mine/ours, and I need to be proud of what I do have. I have an amazing marriage, I have the most amazing little girl I could have ever dreamed of having, I have a roof over my head that can't be taken away, I have a job that I can take my daughter too, my husband has a great job, and I have a wonderful family. So to be honest, I have a perfect life. Yes it has it's ups and downs, but it's perfect for me. God has blessed me with so much, I just needed to take a step back and count my blessing....

A New Adventure…

    Well I took the plunge and have sewn my first knit garment.  I’ve always thought it would be hard.  But it’s AMAZING to sew on.  I have to agree with a couple of other people, I think I like it better than wovens, and this was just my FIRST experience. 

I just made simple summer dress for my sister.  Nothing fancy at all, just plain Jane but she loves it, so that’s what matters….Here’s a couple of pictures.

Finished product

Bubble hem… My finishing…

Yes, it has been 8 months already…

And where has the time gone???  Tori turned 8 months yesterday.  I just can’t really believe it.  It truly seems like only a couple of months that I gave birth to her…

She’s doing so much these days…

• Crawling
• Sleeping through the night
• babbling and saying “mama”
• Pulling up on objects (couch, pants legs ect)
• eating stage 3 foods (as of today, no choking or anything)
• using her “pincers grasp” (however mom has a couple of tiny bruises from this
• recognizing peoples voices
• realizing that objects are still “there” even when they are behind a sheet or something..

She’s absolutely a joy in my life.  My true love without a doubt.  I’m so blessed to have been given the opportunity to be her mother, and I thank God for that, and her.

Happy 8 month Birthday baby girl…I love you….

 

Yes I know, she’s a carbon copy of her Dad!!!

The Mailbox….

So, how many times do you go to the mailbox and dread opening up?  It’s usually the electric bill (ours is $175 this month..lovely), the cell phone bill, the car payment, or the ridiculous JUNK mail…..but today, I had the BEST “mail run”. 

One of the blogs I follow… by Katie, is amazing.  She has the cutest two little ones, but on top of that, she SEWS!!!.  There’s other really neat facts about her, but for those, you’ll have to go to her blog to see for yourself.  Several weeks ago, she posted a “Pay it Forward” blog.  All you had to do, was be 1 of the first 3 commenters on her blog, and agree to “Pay it Forward”.  I was one of the lucky ones…And today….I got my surprise.  A beautiful bag sewn by Katie. 

Here’s a couple of pictures to show you.  I love it!!!  Her craftsmanship is wonderful.  I can’t wait to start using it…  Thank you so much!!!!

The outside is a black denim…and the inside is lined with a soft purple fabric…I’m thinking it might be a linen.  It’s just beautiful!!!

My Bear….

Just of the Bear….she amazes me every single day….and she’s getting so big and trying to be independent!!!! 

She’s already scheming against us!!!!

Now we all know that there is absolutely NO reason to SLEEP!!!

This picture is one of my favorites…I know she looks a little washed out, but there’s just something about it…makes my heart just melt…..

Better Late Than Never….

As promised here are a couple of pictures that I took at my cousin Rick’s wedding…..Enjoy….

This is my little sister, Amanda, and her significant other, Nick.

Tori, with her Great Uncle Larry

Tori, with her Great Aunt Karen

This is the groom, my cousin Rick

The groom (far left), and the groomsmen.  The gentleman 3rd from the left is Rick’s brother, TJ

Nicole getting ready to walk the isle

Nicole and her Dad walking in…

  Joy, Rick’s mom, reading a passage…

Mr.. & Mrs.. Rick Dyer, Jr.

This is my favorite picture of all…..I love it!!!

There are more pictures, but blogspot is being a pain, and it’s not letting me upload…grr!!!!

Should have been a Monday post....

Happy Tuesday everyone!!! Well this should have been a Monday post; however last week was one of those weeks that I don't want to relive anytime soon :)

I posted several posts last Monday and all was great. Then later in the afternoon I started to feel a little yucky. Not bad, but just not great. By the time my hubby got home (8pm) I had a fever of 101+. Mind you I went from awesome to crappy in about 4 hours :( . My fever broke Tuesday morning at around 4:45 or so. Needless to say I was exhausted and called in to work. [Thank goodness I have an awesome boss, who is also one of our amazing friends, and he just laughed at me, and said perfect timing beings our whole office was out of town.] I finally got up around 9 or so, and I felt GREAT. So totally weird in my mind. Then later that afternoon, I started to feel like crap again. Hubby got home, my throat had started to hurt, and then the dreaded look in the mirror....SPOTS!!!! BIG WHITE SPOTS ON MY TONSILS!!!!! Needless to say, after almost 4 hours in the after hours clinic, a swab test, I had strep. So that was my Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday was recovery.

Thursday, I went into work for 5 hours, just to catch things up.

Friday, my cousins wedding. Although it was 105 outside, and it was an outside wedding at 7:30 so it was only 101 by then, it was beautiful. I was lucky enough to get to shoot some photos, and I can't wait to put them up for all to see. Nicole was GORGEOUS, and my cousin, was so very handsome. I love them both, and only wish them the happiness that I have with Victor, with many many many more years to come.

Saturday, hrmm we went over to my sisters for BBQ. And then came home and went to the local park for my tiny city's fireworks. For being a town of only about 15k they sure know how to party. It was so much fun.

Sunday, church and time with my mom.

That leads us back to Monday...which this post should have been...but anyways. Yesterday was weigh in day, and I'm proud to report that I lost 3.8lbs. I'm sure some of it had to do with me being sick, but a loss is a loss, and I don't plan on gaining any of it back. Tomorrow is my 1month anniversary, and I have lost 11.2lbs. I'm very proud of myself. The baby is loving it too, we are going for walks at least 5 times a week. She's always so peaceful and content in the stroller. I love the fact that she enjoys it so much. I take a sippy cup with ice water in it, and we are out the door. We walk anywhere from 45 mins to 2 hours. Just depends on the loop I want to do.

Hrmm what else....oh yeah....you know how you love to do something...and then it gets put on the back burner for whatever reason. And though you long to do it again, there just doesn't seem to be any time left to do it?? That's how I've been feeling lately with my sewing. I LOVE to sew. I find it therapeutic, relaxing, it's a way for me to let my artistic side come through. Well lately I haven't been able to sew. It's one thing or another, but it just hasn't been happening. Well I've decided that it is truly something that I LOVE to do. Just like exercising, and eating better, these were things that I had to make time for. I've decided that that's what I need to do for my sewing. There are so many things that I want to make. And I need to make time for the things that I truly love to do. My sister has asked me to make a dress for her, and that will be my beginning again. There are things in my sewing life that I want to get better at. And the only way to do this is through practice. So right now I'm in the process of picking a dress for my lil' sis. She's in love with the maxi dresses only she wants a shorter version. So I'm combing through the patterns to see what I can find....

Well for now that is all....I'll add photos tonight to this post, just so you can see my little one. She's getting so big...OH and she's now crawling!!!! She's slow at it, but she's got her knees under her and is going in the forward motion!!!!

Recipe??? Cumin Chicken Salad....

For my own thoughts, and to have it in case I lose a computer or something goes crashing away. I just made the most amazing Chicken Salad....if you want to try it, here's the recipe. I have a different palette. I don't do "plain" at all. If it looks odd, make a small batch and see what you think :)

Chicken Cumin Salad
8 oz chicken tenders
1 yellow bell pepper
3 celery stalks
1 large pear
1 large apple (I used a Cameo, sweet, crisp & a little tart)
2 cups non-fat PLAIN yogurt

Before you begin, take the yogurt put it in a coffee filter and set it in a strainer. You want to drain the whey out to make it thick. I will be thicker than sour cream. Sprinkle the chicken tenders with garlic power, onion powder, sea salt, ground cumin, & pepper. Put in hot skillet w/ 1 tsp of Olive oil and cook. Once done, remove from pan, and set aside to rest. While chicken is cooking, dice all veggies to a small dice. Then dice chicken to small dice. Put all item in large bowl and add the strained yogurt. Season to taste with black pepper, sea salt, and a couple of sprinkles of garlic powder and cumin. Let set in fridge for at least an hour before eating to let flavors meld. Before you eat, make sure to stir before serving. Serve on lettuce leaves, or in lettuce leaves.

I know this sounds weird, but it's AMAZING!!!! So refreshing, and so very healthy!!!!

Monday Once Again...

Well once again it is Monday, and here I sit....Last week was not to shabby. Not to much happened. It was actually pretty quiet in our house.

Tori is now pulling herself up on the side of her crib. She can go from laying down on her back , to flipping over, grabbing the side of the crib, to arched back position, to up on her knees, to a 1/2 stand. So yeah, I'm in for a rude awakening pretty quickly. *mental note, must find child coral* She still doesn't have any teeth yet, but I know in good time they will come in. Every child is different.

This weekend we drove to Graham. It's 300 miles one way. It was my Aunt's 60th birthday. She was totally surprise to see us there. We stayed for the party, and then started our trip back home. Roughly 11 hours in a car is way to long for one day. But to see the look on her face, it was priceless!!!!

The weight loss journey is going GREAT!!! I weighed in this morning, and I lost 2.8lbs this week. So in 3 weeks, my total is 7.6lbs. I'm very happy with those results. I'm really trying to get the processed foods out of diets. The only thing processed that is still left is bread, lunch meat and cereal. I'm not going to count yogurt or cheese, because well I can't make cheese, and yogurt is yogurt. I buy the plain stuff w/ no sugar or anything and just add chopped fruit to it. We are really limiting our going out to eat as well. Unfortunately there's not that many healthy restaurants around. However yesterday for lunch we did go to Panera Bakery. OMG it was wonderful. I had the 1/2 + 1/2 combo. I had the Strawberry Poppy seed salad, and a cup of their Vegetarian Black Bean soup. Was light, but very filling, and was just a great experience and I felt good about my dining experience.

We are really getting into an exercise routine over here. The only bad thing is that we have to go REALLY early, or LATE at night. Unfortunately we are having triple digits days and it's not conducive to having a baby out in it, or for that matter an adult. Last week the baby and I walked over 21 miles for the week. (Monday to Sunday evening) I'm really happy with it. She loves being out in the stroller and looking at the trees and the people. We wind through a neighborhood and end up on a great road. One side is a sidewalk, and the other is a wide strip of asphalt for jogging strollers, bikes, skates ect. It's lit all the way up. And on top of it, there are some hills to climb on it. So it's not just flat land!!!!

Here's to another week. I have pictures to upload, so I'll do that sometime this week....

Wow What a Week!!!

That is the only thing that I can say....it was a CRAZY WEEK!!! Let's see. I had a birthday to celebrate every other day, starting on the 13th and concluding on the 21st. And then there was Father's Day as well......I need a couple of weeks to destress, but that won't be the case. This weekend I have a 5 hour drive to a surprise party. and then the following weekend, my cousin is getting married. When will it all end????



Over all it was a wonderful week. My husband turned 40 on Monday, my sister turned 24 on Wednesday, I turned 31 on Friday. My birthday was wonderful. I went to see my grandpa. It's what I wanted to do. So we loaded up the baby, and off we went. Hubby had to work, so it was my mom, sister, and I. It was a surprise for my grandpa, and I'm so glad. He was surprised to see us all sitting in his living room. It's wonderful that we don't have to call and tell him we're coming, (my step-grandma) new so we were in the clear. I was just so glad he got to see Tori. And as always, she was the perfect happy child. No meltdowns or anything. She just giggled and laughed, and made everyone smile. Life is wonderful.



Yesterday was Father's Day, and although we didn't do anything spectacular, it was fun just to enjoy the company of my husband and daughter. We went to church, then to breakfast, then we came home and took a nap (stayed out to late on Saturday night), then got up, went to the grocery store for fresh ingredients for hubby's dinner, ate, then went to the swimming pool, and ended the evening with a 6.2mile walk. Simple, but so enjoyable...

Random acts of kindness have turned into little gifts for you. A great opportunity to get some MoXie swag and pay it forward. I would especially like the opportunity to create for people I've never met (but I'll make stuff for the people I love too!!)

The first five (5) people to respond to this post will get something handmade by me.
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.

2. What I create will be just for you, with love.

3. It'll be done this year (2009).

4. I will not give you any clue what it's going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something strange.

6. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to blog. (So obviously you have to have a blog. If your blog is private, tell me so in your comment and I will trust you.)

7. Send your mailing address - after I contact you. (Be sure to include some sort of contact info if your blog profile doesn't link to your email or blog.)

IMPORTANT: This offer is null and void if I do not see you post your own blog to pay this forward.

Week 1 Complete...

Well week one is complete. And I'm very happy with the results. I didn't get to exercise as much as I wanted, but there will be more time for it this week, I hope. This week is CRAZY BUSY. Today is Vic's 40th birthday, Wednesday my sister turns 24, and on Friday I turn 31. Like I said it is crazy this week. But I am determined to keep with the program.

My first weigh in was today at Noon. And I'm proud to report that I have lost 3.4lbs. or in a more visual aspect of it all, that 16 sticks of butter. GROSS!!!! I know this is short and I will post more later, but for now, I have cheesecake bites in the oven for the hubby. (They are reduced fat and everything... Now lets hope they taste good :) )

What Can I Say....

I'm horrible....My goal in starting this blog was to make it so when Tori got older she could see what I was thinking when she was "x" old. And well I've slacked....but as of late, I'm making some new strides in my life and I'm getting back on the band wagon....Today is a few "firsts" for me....and I've made a couple of decisions for my life, and the betterment of my/our family.

I'll spare you all the details, and try and give it to you all in a nutshell....This month, I will be turning 31. Not a bad age at all. I didn't freak when I turned 30, so why freak out on 31? I guess I'm like my mom, age is just a number, and as long as I feel great, that's all that matters. The problem, I don't feel great....but that's neither here nor there. So here it all goes...I'm airing my laundry for all to see.....grab some popcorn and have a seat, and I hope you'll stay for the whole show.

In August of 2004, I woke up, looked in the mirror and was DISGUSTED. There I was, beyond the point of being pleasantly plump, and I resented myself for letting me get this way. So I acted upon it and did something about it. I joined Weight Watchers Online program. I exercised at least 5 days a week (my company had 3 gyms on location and it was dirt cheap) so I would exercise before I went to my desk. I loved it...and the pounds melted away. By February of 2005, I had taken up cycling. (Yes the kind that has 2 wheels and I have to use my feet to get it to move) and we (me, hubby, & my mom) were cycling about 200-250 miles per week. By the time that I got married in April 2005, I had lost 92lbs. And felt AMAZING!!! That July I had to have hand surgery, and it kept me from riding, but I also contracted a lung infection, that after 2 months of steroids I had gained 60lbs. I was miserable, tired, and just lost. I had given up. I kept off the last 32lbs though....but it wasn't the same. At the end of 2007 I decided to get back into things and was on a roll. I was slowly losing the weight, and it felt great, I had started cycling again and was up to about 100 miles a week. A far cry from my 200+ but it was a start. Then I started not feeling well in April 2008....and well you know the rest of the story. That's when I found out I was pregnant. A true blessing from God. I tried to keep up the exercising, however being put on bed rest at 20 weeks, eliminated that....So....after all that....here I sit today. The heaviest I have ever been in my life. Down and out about it, but WILLING to make a change. This morning I woke up, got Tori dressed, dropped her off at my sisters, and headed down the road.... I attended my 1st WW meeting today.

This road is going to be a tough one. I will have setbacks, and I know this. But it's not just about me anymore. I have the most amazing little girl to be healthy for. I don't want to be the "tubby" mom that can't go on the school field trips...or the mom who can't roll around on the floor with her. I want to be the mom that takes her jogging in the stroller, or pulls her in the trailer behind the bike. The mom that teaches her about self discpline, that exercise can be fun, and that when you are good to your body, it is good to you. I don't want her to grow up with a weight issue. I want her to be proud of her body, and the things she can do with it (ie: soccer, softball, swimming, cycling ect). I want her to be healthy....

Okay I said I wasn't going to get long winded but I did anyway...SORRY. But now you know what's going on in my world.

So this blog will now contain, my first time mommy experiences, my photography, and my road to a healthy new me....

I hope you all stay with me....it's going to be a roller coaster of a ride.....

Cousins....

There's something to be said about cousins. Sometimes they look alike, and sometimes they don't. Sometimes they get along, and sometimes they don't....

My little sister and I never really grew up with our cousins at all. 2 lived about 6 hours away and the other 2 lived 2.5 hours away. So it's not like there were day trips to see them and things of that nature. Which it was kind of a bummer, because I would have loved to be close to them. But that's not the case for our children. My sister lives about 8 miles away from me. And she watches Tori 2 times a week for about 4 hours each day. And her 2 children I adore. Her first born (Ali) I watched from the time she was itty bitty until about 18 months. She was my "first" born. And to my sister I am Ali's second mom. I love her to pieces. Her son, Brandon (aka PB) I was in the delivery room to see him take his first breath. Although I'm not as close to him, beings I didn't get to watch him (my sister is able to be a SAHM now) I will always have that connection with him.

Well anyways, with that being said, I did a mini photo shoot with everyone yesterday. Here's a couple of pictures for you to see the group. I love them all so much.....

One of these days I hope to get the hang of this and make me some $$$.... but until then, I will be happy knowing that I have captured beauty at its finest....the innocence of children...

Rain, Rain Go Away...

Well today we wanted to take the Bear out for some pictures, but unfortunately Mother Nature had other ideas. However, we did get a couple......Enjoy my little Princess!!!!