Paralysis by Analysis

Have ya'll ever heard about this? Oh my gosh, there couldn't be a more perfect description of me! Literally, I over think things and then I short wire.

Yesterday I started looking at playroom inspiration on Pinterest, because I think we're finally ready to convert the man cave (sorry Price) to a playroom and make a room for Temple. We want to make the playroom fun and maybe make a stage for the girls to perform for us (their favorite pastime these days)! But I started thinking so big (shelves, lighting, paint, new floor, etc) that I seriously started becoming anxious....about everything...Price admiring his new guns out on the table(don't even get me started, don't EVEN get me started), the house being messy, the laundry piles, the Costco surplus I don't want to go to waste, the pictures I need to edit, "that damn stupid dog", the new (to us) dresser I wanted to go pick up and refinish, spring break planning, summer vacation planning, and I could go on and on. From the least of my worries to the biggest! It took me a minute or fifteen to snap out of it.

The "cure" to this analysis paralysis? To not think BIG! (According to google, anyway.) But in yesterday's case, that WAS it, and good to know what caused me to go into that tizzy (playroom overhaul and then shuffling of rooms). I can't think about too many things at once.

That explains why I have to pick up the house before I sit down to work on the computer and clean the kitchen before I can cook. It explains why I pick up a few articles of clothing at the store, carry them around and then decide against everything at the last minute and leave with nothing. It explains why I'm so "right now" (as Price calls me) when I get my mind on one thing and I must. do it. now. And it's all I can think of. Because, IT IS all I can think of!! (Drives him crazy!) (And me too!) It explains why I had to make three grocery store trips for Presley's school valentine's day party. It really explains why I'm a procrastinator. I have to have that added pressure to MAKE me make a decision!

Ya'll. I seriously feel like I know myself better right now!

Hello, me. Nice to meet you.

May I?

May I take a moment to document a pregnancy memory/complain?! Everyone has been asking how I'm feeling. Well pretty much like crap!!

I've been so weak and exhausted the last few months. And its only getting worse! I thought it was my iron at first. Had to supplement with the other two, so I started that early and got an A+ when that got checked. Then I thought it was my blood sugar, but passed my glucose tolerance test that I insisted I take even though I hadn't been spilling glucose or had a big weight gain between visits (my midwives screening criteria to even do the GTT).

Now I can barely stand for any period of time without feeling like I'm going to pass out. My legs get weak and I HAVE to sit! I can walk without feeling like that but I have no stamina. Evenings aren't as bad, but are rapidly becoming like the rest of the day. It makes me really feel for people who are chronically ill. And on that note I feel silly for complaining about anything when some pregnant moms are on bed rest their entire pregnancy. I do have a light at the end of the tunnel (in addition to lil Temp) and should feel better soon.

I'm trying one last thing to try to make these last 2+ weeks more pleasurable. B12 supplements. B12 deficiency can be another type of anemia. But I read that it can take up to 2 months to replenish and get rid of symptoms. So we'll see.

Another thing is at the last appointment with Tina, she said Temple is trying to go posterior. So she gave me some exercises to do and recommended going to the chiropractor to try to get her in a more favorable position. Then it all came back to me! Presley was posterior (came out face up instead of face down). Basically it just means a harder labor and delivery. Granted the third is bound to be easier. So they say!

This is the last time I'm planning on being pregnant and I'm trying to savor these last days. But on the same token, I'm so ready to meet this little sister. Price and I both think this is going to be our brown eyed girl!

We're eager to see how much she weighs. Price calls my big babies 'gargantu babies'. I'm aiming for the 8's but mentally preparing for the 9's and praying that it's not the 10's.

So anywho, if you're the praying type, please say a couple for us!

At a glance

We sponge rolled Presley's hair for school. Can't wait to do it again! Pretty much one step away from Toddlers and Tiaras! (Do y'all watch that? Oh my!!!)



Teagan and I took a stroll one morning in our new (to us) stroller. Hand me down from my SIL. I'm not used to strollers that roll that easy. Had to learn the hard way to always use the brake. Sorry Weegie!



Saturday was busy, long but fun! We went to a fair here in town, then to a birthday party, then Octoberfest, and then met Price's fam at Kobe steaks. It was a long day and I thought I was going into labor at one point.



Dad was designated rider. This so got us in the mood for the state fair!!



Warning: if you have claustrophobia, look away. I had to look away! This was some attraction the girls had to ride!








Last but not least, my belly is hanging out of everything! I was JUST hanging around the house in this, but my clothes options are dwindling. I've only bought one Target shirt, borrowed some, and reused a lot! Thank you hoarding gene!



Speaking of hoarding, I've been hard at work washing baby clothes and getting things organized (not my strong suit). For now, we've brought the changing table in our room and are using a chest of drawers that was already in here. Still need to get the baby bed set up or bring the cradle back from storage. I also have a pack and play we could use. We haven't decided. Price installed another clothes rod in the closet. So I have lots to hang and move around. With both the older girls we worked right up to the due date. I wonder if I were to finish early, if she would come early. At this rate she'll be two weeks late!

31 and 32

That's how old Price and I are now. Price being the elder. My birthday took place while I was on my blogging hiatus! So I thought I would fit it in strategically while telling about Price's birthday, which is today. But if I have to spell it all out like that, then that's not very strategic, huh?

Anywho! We went to Lone Star Park with my whole family. While I did not get a big group picture, here's what I did get! My family of four was representin' some independence day being it was July 3rd.








We were right on the glass and the kids spotted a snow cone stand outside right below us by the track. So in an effort to kill some time while we waited for the fireworks which didn't start until after dark, we ventured down there through the crowds and braved the stifling heat to get these munchkins some shaved ice.



That was the best shot I got! Fireworks were awesome! If you're ever looking for a great firework show you can watch from a cool seat, you can't get much better! Oh and to top it off, Price actually won some races and came home with over five hundred dollars!

So today was Price's birthday. He started it off taking his little big girl to preschool. He predicted a category 1 when we dropped her off, but she was such a big girl and walked right in without so much as a slight hesitation! We were so proud!





He then had to work. Boooo, and also thank you! After work, he wanted to take the girls fishing again. Something to do with some country song... Of course the girls were game!











Presley put this skirt on because she wanted to "match the birthday boy". She was very into fishing and really wanted to catch one. But it wasn't in the cards this time.



Teagan preferred throwing rocks, playing with the dirt, sticking her hands in the mud, and making a trip to the bathroom.



We left Mav at home this time, so I could help a little more, but I was like Teagan, and ADD'd out.



I wanted to do a family shadow shot, but could only recruit my fellow ADDer, Teagan.




So after dinner, bath, and bedtime, the highlight of his day was about to start - opening game of football season. And this is what I have to look forward to for 16 more weeks!




Price watching the game, with his laptop open to his fantasy football league so he can quickly pick up players, with his phone nearby so he can talk trash with his fellow leaguers.

Happy birthday, Babe! I love you lots!

My little big girl

Here's some of what me and Weegs have been doing.

Playing. (She carried a full 12pack of diet coke from the kitchen to put under her grocery cart like we do at the grocery store.)




Puzzles.



A little park action. (She picked out her shirt, bow, and shoes this day.)



More puzzles.




Errands. (In Sister's car seat, of course!)




And even more puzzles!




One thing I haven't taken a picture of her doing is watching tv. She's weaning nicely. She gets a fix in the morning and another in the late afternoon.

Both girls have been horrible at getting in our bed in the wee hours every single night. Some nights before I've even fallen asleep. We've been letting them sleep with us on the weekends since P started kindergarten. They love to and I'm sure the reason we let them has to do with all the nostalgia I mentioned a few days ago. That's the only thing that makes good sense. Because four folks (and one big o' pregnancy pillow) in one bed sure the hell doesn't! Anyway, my point is this is how Teagan was sleeping the other morning when I got up.




In a pregnancy pillow cocoon!

She starts back to preschool tomorrow. Hopefully she'll do well with the drop off! That's the hardest part for her. Her teachers were awesome with her on Tuesday so I'm sure she'll be fine!

My babies

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. These two have a close bond. They've slept in the same bed since they were 3.5 and 2 years old and we have no plans of separating them anytime soon. Most nights it takes them a while to stop talking/fighting/playing/requesting things and actually go to sleep. One particular night they were talking and it was taking a while and Price went to go listen at the door and he heard.

T: I'm scared, Sister.
P: I'll hold you, Teags.

My babies!!! I don't know why I'm feeling so nostalgic right now. Maybe because Temple will be here in five weeks (or before), Presley's in big school now, and I've had a lot of one-on-one time with Teagan in the last two weeks and have just marveled at what a big girl she is!

This may be no big deal, but she can do major, 100 piece puzzles like a champ! That's big around our house.



I've missed this sleepy-headed, too-talkative-for-the-morning child over the last two weeks.


I've missed leisure mornings all together! They start off with a bang (or an alarm) and don't stop! All day! On one hand it's nice to start the day early and get going. But it's also nice to have nowhere to go and nothing to do! That's the lazy in me!

So speaking of my babies. This summer we went to the beach with Price's family and we snuck some pictures in one evening. This is just one of me and Price showing the (much smaller) baby bump, aka lil Temp.



I need to still edit the other ones of the girls with their cousins. So cute! Will share soon. There was some really sweet ones!

Texas fall y'all!

It's not fall yet, but today was gorgeous!! Oh my word! We started the day with the labor day parade in Garland. Price and I enjoyed it more than the girls. Then went to lunch at a vegan pho place that had this right outside.



We thought it was ironic.

Then we decided to head back towards home with lawn care in our future. Until!! And thank goodness! We saw some people fishing in the dried up lakes on the way home. So we moseyed over to walmart grabbed some kiddie poles and went to the park. It was like a scene from a movie. People were out flying kites, playing soccer, riding bikes. They were smiling and having fun! It just felt good!





I wasn't much help with the fishing. First, because the stink bait was STAAAANK-KAY! And secondly because I was too busy regretting we brought this fella.



He was a handful as usual. We finally made our way to the dog park and playground. Hit up some snow cones on the way home and called it a day. I had even forgotten it was a school night until it was about 6 o'clock.

Back to the grindstone tomorrow. Presley said, "I think I'm not going to feel good tomorrow." Nothing a little pep talk about her friends and the playground can't cure, I'm sure!

Thank you, Lord for a beautiful day!

Teagan's Birth Story

The Birth Story of Teagan Astelle

Here’s the short version. I woke up at 4:00am with contractions. I woke Price up at 4:30am. We called Tina at 5:00am. She got here about 5:30am and I got in the tub. Started pushing a little before 6:00am. She was born at 6:12am. She weight 8 lbs 14 oz.

Here’s the long version. Because I like details.

When Presley was about 6 months old, we found out that I was pregnant again. Presley’s birth was hard and long. She was so big that my cervix stayed very low afterwards causing me to be achy for months after she was born. I was literally “to’up from the flo’ up”. Six months was almost not long enough to fully heal for me let alone forget the pain of labor. Forgive me if I made Presley’s birth story sound peachy. It hurt like hell and I was scared to do it again. I knew I wanted to do it at home, but I just hoped and prayed that it would be faster and easier with it being my second. My prayers were answered. Thank you, Jesus!
(Side note: In my last trimester of pregnancy with Presley, Tina was over for a monthly checkup. After seeing a bag of snickers on the coffee table, and maybe hearing I had a major sweet tooth, Tina told me that I should try not to eat too many sweets from that point on because it all goes straight to the baby. I didn’t really believe her. But after Presley was born at 9 lbs 2 oz, I became a believer. And I was bound and determined to cut back on the sweets the whole dang pregnancy with Teagan.)

We had decided that we would labor in the tub and if I wanted to actually deliver in the tub, we would. We were just going to play it all by ear. The one plan we had in place was to call Alison so she could come be with Presley if she were to wake up. (Kenzie had just had my nephew not even three months prior, so she kind of busy to be calling in the middle of the night!) We didn’t know how I would handle the labor and Pres was still such a baby, I didn’t want to scare her. And I knew from round one that I needed Price to be with me.

The last four months or so of my pregnancy, I had lots of Braxton hicks contractions. So many that I thought I might be in a labor a few times. But my uterus was just practicing. Enough so that the day before I went into labor, at my scheduled appointment, Tina checked me and I was at a 4 not in labor. So that was a good sign. We ended up going to a high school football game that evening. I woke up about 4 in the morning with some pretty heavy duty contractions. They had never woken me up and required me to get up out of bed. So I timed them for a while and they never stopped or got less intense. It’s so weird because even a day after my due date, I continued to ask myself, is this really it? And then I actually doubted that it was. I finally woke Price up to get a second opinion. He immediately tried to pull the “let’s see if you can go back to sleep”. Which caused me to have another “massive change in demeanor”. Because damn it, it hurt and I was NOT laying back in the bed. So then I think he fully woke up and realized, oh my goodness, this could be it!! So we timed a few more and decided we better call Tina. We gave Alison a call as well. Tina made it here about 5:30am or so and checked me. I was about a 6/7 and she said I could get in the tub if I was ready. So I got in and it felt divine. Alison and Amanda, Tina’s midwife-in-training, arrived shortly thereafter.

While I was having a contraction in the tub, I would lie on my side and move up and down the tub using my legs to kick off the bottom of the tub. It worked to get me through each one. It’s weird because your body just kind of does what it needs to do and what gives you some relief at the time. Another fascinating thing about labor is that during a contraction your brain doesn’t think. Your body just takes over. But then after each contraction is over, your brain starts working again and you then actually engage in conversation.

At some point Tina broke my water which is never pleasant. But it wasn’t long after that I started having these grunty contractions that meant it was time to push. Tina checked me and again, just like with Presley’s birth, I had a little cervix left. So she manually pushed it back while I pushed Teagan’s head past it. Ouch. But it was all pushing from there. But then a new problem arose. The tub was so long that I couldn’t hold my legs, push and stay above the water. Price had made it clear that he did NOT want to be in the tub. And I don’t blame him. There were lots already floating around. We tried a few things to prop me up, but nothing was working. Price took one for the team and suited up and got in behind me. He basically held me up while I pushed. Once again, being my rock!

I suddenly remembered that I wanted a mirror down yonder so that I could see my progress as I pushed. (This would have been a great thing for me to have had while I was pushing Presley out, but in ALL the hubbub I nor anyone else thought of it.) I hadn’t thought about it beforehand so all we could find was this little mirror that was in our bathtub that’s fog resistant, so it wasn’t clear and I kept asking whoever was holding it to move it up or down. But it still worked fairly well and before we knew it, Teagan’s head was out. We had to wait until the next contraction to push the rest of her out, which seemed like eternity. Finally she was out and up on my chest. Her umbilical cord went on for miles so Price could have held her from behind me!

Teagan’s first few breaths sounded very wet. So Tina used some sort of contraption to suction out probably about 50cc’s of water. Afterwards they put some oxygen on her for a few minutes. When she first came out, we thought she looked JUST like Presley. But then over the next few hours, she had her own look and no longer looked anything like her big sister.

After a little bonding time in the tub, the cord was cut and they took her into the next room to clean her up and do her APGAR score and get measured and weighed. That’s what I was most curious about!! She weighed 8 lbs 14 oz. Whoo hoo!! I saved myself 4 whole ounces and I appreciated every single ounce. I still can neither confirm nor deny the validity to the whole ‘sweets go straight to the baby in the last trimester’ thing, because it really makes no real sense. (I’m assuming it’s not just sweets, but any additional calories above what you and the baby need.)

After Price and I cleaned up, Presley woke up a big sister! Perfect timing!! She was curious about the new baby that just appeared! She might have had a few moments over the next few weeks where Price and I looked at each other and asked, “is she acting out”? But she did great!
Teagan was a great nurser from day one! Pair that with the fact that my milk came in super fast and we ran into a little bit of a problem. Teagan would eat and then get way too much and then projectile vomit. There was no amount of preparation that was suitable to catch or contain it. It went everywhere!! So when she was three days old we had to take her to the doctor. It finally got better as my milk adjusted. And then she never spit up again. (She preferred massive blowouts!)

We went into raising baby number two with the assumption that we knew what we were doing. We quickly learned that what worked for the first, did not always work for the second. We had to learn Teagan and find out what she liked. For example, she didn’t like to be rocked and cuddled to sleep. She wanted to be put down and left alone. She didn’t want to be held like a baby in the crook of your arm, she wanted to be held upright so she could keep an eye on everyone. And the biggest shock of our lives – she did not like a pacifier! (Presley was literally obsessed with ALL of her’s!) I tried every make and model manufactured to no avail. Overall, we worked it out and are still learning what works and does not work for each of the girls.

Before I had Teagan, I got a nice hand-me-down pump to use. I didn’t pump much with Presley and I was looking forward to being a little more free to leave Teagan knowing I could pump and she could have a bottle. Well! First Teagan wouldn’t take a bottle. It was like poison in her mouth, just like with a pacifier, tried every make and model. Second, Teagan wouldn’t go to anyone except me. She didn’t even like Price for a good little while. While flattering, you can imagine that this plum wore me out!! When I would leave her with someone, mostly my poor mother, I would pick her up saying “Thank you and SORRY!!” It wasn’t easy for them, her, or me to leave her. But oh how I was refreshed after I picked them back up! (She didn’t quite feel comfortable with others, even family, until she was a good 18 months old. She still doesn’t like big crowds and remains weary of new faces. She’s 3 ½.)

Having the girls so close together, I look back and it’s literally a fog of memories. When both girls would be crying at the same time, Price and I would look at each other and laugh. That’s all you could do! My motto soon became “whatever works for now”. Some things that worked included co-sleeping (all four of us), naptimes in the baby carrier (I would put her in there, cover with a blanket, and give it a shake), nursing on demand (I WAS the pacifier! Price called it ‘the silencer’!), late nights and late mornings, glasses of wine – oh wait, that was what worked for me!!

Pointer funny...

It still makes me giggle just thinking of it!

Like with everything I have to give you a little back story. We are simple people. I come from a long line. "Don't need it!" is our philosophy! (That has a back story, in itself!) Of course sometimes we stray from our simple path in every day things, but for the most part we don't get all overboard, especially about Hallmark Calendar days and really even birthdays (except for the kids, because their kids!). It's just another day to me. If you want to do something nice for me, don't' wait until Mother's Day, do it today!! I'm so NOT high maintenance! Well Price comes from high maintenance. He's not (or not anymore...), but his mom and sister, Shelly, will be the first to tell you, they're high maintenance. It's who they are! And we love them for it!


(giggling)

So this past mother's day weekend, I've already mentioned that we went to the lake with my fam. We got home late Saturday night and on Sunday evening, we went to Shelly's to celebrate Mother's Day and Jacqueline's (P's niece) birthday. We decided to just go eat some barbecue for dinner. After I had come back from the restroom for the second time during dinner (gotta love potty trained children), I caught the tail end of a conversation between Price and Honey and Shelly. They were saying something to the effect of "I can't believe you didn't get anything for Tay for mother's day." And I said, "Well did you tell them what I got you for Father's Day?" And he said, " Oh yeah, uhhhh - NOTHING!" Then we both laughed and gave each other knuckle bumps!

The look on their faces! (giggling) Maybe you had to have been there, but obviously I'm still laughing!

I say Price isn't high maintenance 'anymore' because there was a year early on (it's been so dang long, I don't know if we were dating or married) that he did get his feelings hurt that I didn't get him at least a card. I think he figured out my love language is not gift giving. However. HOWEVER, there have been many gift giving incidents gone bad that deserve a little attention here. When we were first dating, I scrapped up all the money I had and bought him a nice watch (in the $100 range, which at the time was like $1000), which never once graced the likes of his wrist. Then he lost it somehow. Well then it turned into the watch that wouldn't die. (giggling) We STILL talk about that watch. Well then there was a guitar. He didn't ask for the watch, but he asked for the guitar. Did he learn? Hell no. Then his dad gave it away from a storage we shared with PASCO (or PASCO shared with us). I still have storage insecurities. I'm a hoarder by nature. My offspring doesn't even like to leave her dresses at the dry cleaner.

So anywho, there was a time I tried. And he's tried to get me gifts too. He still does, bless his heart.

BUT in all seriousness, Price is such a great husband and father and no gift could compare to what he does for me and the girls every single day. Sure, he's a real stinker sometimes, but so am I - way more than he is, if I'm being honest! And he puts up with me! He's my best friend and I am so thankful that he's my husband....

So babe, all this horn tootin' I'm doing on your behalf, consider it your early Father's Day gift!

Oh my...all this husband-appreciation-talk made me just realize our anniversary is coming up.... By the way, Price and I made a pack that we'd remind each other along the way that our anniversary is coming up and we'd never let the other one forget. (Because I'm the person who'd forget!)

Me Time

What's going on with me in lists:

1. I'm so enjoying my 'me time' in the pm.
2. My calves, in their lactic acid state, do not allow me to tip toe around the house while they are sleeping however.
3. I did not work out today even though Presley said I want to watch the movie that jumps. It was cute but I said NO!!
4. I'm totally having issues with 'wanting' right now. Usually when I start wanting, I can turn it off in a few days. But this time I'm having a hard time. I need to pray for contentment tonight.
5. I'm watching Heroes online while I type this while I'm laying comfortably in bed (awesomeness!!) and there's a totally ridiculous scene going on. Some would say the whole show is ridiculous, but I like super power stuff. I'm only like 8 episodes behind!
6. Presley is finally better and going to be going back to school.
7. Teagan didn't have a nap today and maintained a pleasant demeanor all day!
8. I tried to dye some lap shades in the washing machine today for my niece and the material literally dissolved and the metal parts scratched up my washer! DIY project bombed!
9. My CALVES!!
10. I had a moment of weakness at Sonic today... The good news, I got a grilled chicken wrap, the bad news, I ate half the fries from the girls' kids meal. And they were delicious!

Ten things took me a while and I like to end on even. Here's to enjoying your 'you time'

omg

(and by omg, i mean 'oh my gosh'. just for the record!)

At my family's white elephant gift exchange that we celebrate on new year's day each year, I already selected my gift and on Hubby's turn, I asked him to steal two work out videos. My thinking was a) we already vowed to eat good in 2010 and b) it's always good to have that type of thing available, you know just in case you get the urge to stimulate the ol' heart and c) it was the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred that I had heard so much about on Big Mama's blog. So he reluctantly stole it for me. So we took home a pretty glass jar full of Hershey kisses and two work out videos. (I thought that was kinda ironic.)

So anywho, I've had a bad crick in my neck for about two weeks. A visit to the chiropractor, a number of pain pills, lots of advil liquid gels, and bootin' the kids out of our bed later, it's finally gotten a little better. I felt like today was the day to break out the 30 day shred. (And by the way, it's going to take more like 90 days to 180+.)

I really don't know what I was thinking. I still had my PJ's on so I just threw a sports bra on and started. Hand weights and an exercise mat were needed. I couldn't find my hand weights I haven't used in 8+ years, so I grabbed two cans of baked beans and an afghan for my makeshift workout mat. I don't know why I didn't feel the need to put on tennis shoes, but I didn't.

Which brings us to the 'omg'. My lower leg is SOOO sore already! I don't even want to think about how it's going to feel tomorrow and the next day which usually gets worse before it gets better. I blaming the immediate pain in my lower legs on working out with no shoes, but technically it could be because I haven't worked out since....(sigh)...I can't even remember when. I mean I've gone on fast walks not too long ago, but nothing like trying to 'shred' pounds and get chiseled. (hehe)

Now I'm not even sure that my tennis shoes that I had this morning would have even helped. I started thinking about it and my main pair I wear 97% of the time, I got when Pres was like 6 months old or something. That's three years ago!! The other pair I wear on occasion because they are somehow a little less dingy looking, Hubby gave me for our two year wedding anniversary! (Romantic, I know!! But it was a thoughtful gift because I needed some at the time.) So those are 4 and a half years old.

So me and the girls made a trip to the sporting goods store and found a pair that were nice looking, comfortable, and were 50% off the lowest ticketed price. SOLD! (They could have been ugly and uncomfortable and I would have still got them, I'm such a sucker for clearance items that are marked down even more!!) We also picked up some pink wiffle balls that we had some fun with in the living room. I'm just glad they aren't great batters just yet!!

Anywho, wish me luck in my efforts to shred. Tomorrow, if I can muster up the energy to try it again, I'm going wear shoes. And I might also eat before hand because afterwards I felt like I was going to throw up and pass out.

In other words, I have a long way to go!! :)

What I love!!

When the girls lay down for nap time, I grab a hot drink and head to the computer. Sometimes it's a "spot of tea" and sometimes it's a microwaved cup of coffee. Today I opted for no caffeine and had some hot chocolate. It was delicious.

And lately since it's been so cold, I grab my snuggie we got for Christmas that I've kept at the computer and throw it on. (I really don't get the snuggie. Like I heard someone say, "why not wear your robe backwards?" And I really don't appreciate the static. But it's been nice!! And I'm liking it more and more!)

Hot cup of something + snuggie + quiet house + computer = my happy place!! What's your happy place??

Fresh Flowers

Is it just me or do fresh flowers just make you happy!? I really don't buy flowers unless I'm hosting something at my house. But oh how I enjoy them once the festivities are over! These have just gotten prettier and prettier! And they motivate me to keep my dining room table cleaned off, which is the place that catches EVERYTHING, especially clean and folded laundry. Putting away clean laundry is my nemesis! It is my most dreaded domestic duty! And Hubby always gives me a hard time about "our second dresser". AND once I was visiting with my sister's neighbor (who both live in my neighborhood - or we live in theirs?) was saying how she wants to come see my house sometimes and that she drives by and always looks in the windows and loves our big piles of laundry. I was like....

So, it's official! I'll spend the 10 bucks every couple of weeks or longer and keep my table clean!

Hmmmmmm, I just thought about it further. Yes, my table has been clean all week. However, I haven't done laundry all week. So maybe the flowers inhibit doing the laundry. Either way, I like it!! (But I'm paying for it today!)

Why the new blog?

In an effort to speak my mind more freely (lucky you!), I've been wanting to start a more intimate family blog. A me blog. A blog about my life that I don't necessarily want to share with everybody. Because sometimes a girl has to be unprofessional, damn it! That's right, folks, now that I don't have so many readers looking to me for professionalism, I might swear here and there because...my vocabulary is limited? And my humor is nothing without the occasional expletive.

So in the words of the great woman who made it all possible, "shit, fire, hell, damn". Thanks, Mom! It DOES comes in handy every once in a while!