Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Not  one (Cybil) but two (Paige) beautiful ladies gifted me!

Trying to give me a big head or something....  They are both fabulous and I suggest you check them out.

Also fabulous, and equally beautiful are a few of my new favorite bloggers:

Diana @ I Am Still

Renee @ It Won't Be Like This for Long

Danifred @ Sippycups are Not for Starbucks

PJ @ Infertility on the Brain

Seven things about myself:
1) I have 4 tattoos
2) In my opinion, there is no better therapy than retail therapy. Even if it is just grocery shopping. something about spending money helps me feel better. Especially at Target.
3) I hate socks
4) I also hate wind/fans etc blowing on me. even when it is hotter than hell.
5) When one of my nails break, they all break. I also can not stand long nails. (look, a bonus fact!)
6) Oreos and milk are my biggest weakness ever.
7) I quit medical school. I am getting my masters. And I think one day I will get a phD*. I like to learn...a lot.


 The rules to pass along this award are:

•Be polite, say thank you to the blogger that gave this to you & give 'em a linkback
•Pass it on to about fifteen other beautiful bloggers that you've recently discovered.
•Link 'em.
•Notify 'em.
•Say seven things about yourself

*one day when I am not in debt to the point of insanity.

Life is like a roll of toilet paper. or some shit like that.

We know, by now, that life tends to move faster the older we get.

Remember when watching a 30 minute television show seemed like an ETERNITY?

Or when summer vacation lasted so long you were actually excited to go back to school in the fall?

Or how about when taking an hour to do nothing was *just* enough time to regroup?

And now -

An hour goes by in less than 20 minutes

A month is over before it began

And each year sort of fast forwards into the next.

Why is it that as grown-ups we lose that slow pace to life we had as a child? I know what you are thinking – because we are GROWN UPS, Andrea, Duh!!  Grown-up’s have a lot of responsibility, a social life, children, bills, work, Google calendars that are bursting at the seams with PLANS!  And. If we don’t have all of these things to do – then others may judge us as unsuccessful. LOSERS if you will. 

This is ridiculous.

I can honestly not think of a time since my honeymoon where I had nothing to do. Where I could just sit. When I could truthfully answer that nothing was on my mind (even though I say it all the time now, I am lying, I just don’t like to talk). 

Now? I do not know a time where I am only single-tasking.  My mind is always going a million directions, and that is on a slow day.  So no wonder when I sit down to write or breathe or eat it feels like I have only been doing that activity for 10 minutes when really it has been an hour. Plans and due dates rule my life. Lists control it.

I miss out on things. I may be physically present. But mentally – 80% of the time I am somewhere totally different (even during sex, but you already knew that).  I need to teach myself how to just sit and enjoy a moment.  Sometimes I will just sit and watch G play with her toys (while fighting the urge to take more pictures) and I am envious of her innocence.

One of my goals is to try and be more present. to not let time pass before I have experienced it. to actually make the memories, not just capture them on camera. 

Cabin Fever

It’s blog hop time again!  This week’s topic:

Here in Cleveland we are snowed in but everywhere has days where cabin fever can creep in. What are your favorite indoor activities to do with your kids?

Being that my peanut is too young to do many craft projects or play games - I am not thinking that painting or playdough with a 10 month old would be the best use of our time…. - we explore our house. And our toys. A lot.
Mirrors are amazing to her. Or maybe she just really likes looking at herself. Practicing her surprised face.  She IS cute after all.

play Dates are always a great time. G goes for the older men.  She watched her buddy, Mr. G intently trying to figure out whatever he was doing.

Also, we make every time of day fancy.  Who says you can’t wear bows with your pj’s?

G’s cousins gave her this really really cool tunnel that she adores! So, it’s a pretty fun thing for us to do indoors.  Teaching her exercise early on.
 
Reading is always an option too.  She loves to eat books.
 
We try to teach her reasoning skills.  She is trying to figure out how to get her cat into her mailbox.  I hope she has enough postage….

Needless to say, we are very much looking forward to warmer weather, but doing our best to stay entertained.  Looking forward to any suggestions from seasoned mama’s!
Don’t forget: Anyone can join in on the blog hop. And comments are always welcome :)

4 eyes

I am sure you have noticed by now, I wear glasses. 
I have since I was wee bitty.
And they have always been expensive.
Until now!
My mom and my aunt showed me this website: Zenni Optical.
The glasses are CHEAP. Like you can buy 3 pairs at one time for FAR FAR less than one from anywhere else.
So, I went to the eye doctor, got a prescription and decided to try it out. What did I have to loose?
I picked out three (to coordinate with different outfits, duh) pairs that I liked.  I have a small face and I liked that the exact frame measurements are listed – it helped me to rule out a few pairs that would have been too big for me.  
Browsed through all of the frames they had to choose from (there are a TON!) and picked the ones I liked.
I entered in my prescription as indicated – it was really really easy.  They even offer (easy to understand) explanations of how to do this if you are confused.
Then, I got this email:
Clearly they care about the quality of their product. 
I got my shiny new glasses 2 weeks after I confirmed their email.  Packaged in individual plastic cases wrapped in lens cleaning cloth inside a bubble envelope.
SEE!!!

 
I am not too crazy about the 3rd pair, but I was going out on a serious limb with them!
I am, however, crazy about the quality of the glasses.  Sturdy. Lenses are in great shape.
And, I can SEE! Everyone is happy about this.
Total price for 3 pairs of glasses WITH lenses, shipped: $30.90.
that price is correct folks. WITH lenses.
I might just go back and order a few more pairs to match so I can be sure to match EVERY outfit.

**I was not compensated in any way shape or form for this review. Hell, they don’t even know I am writing it – someone should tell them! I am just a satisfied customer who thought she would share.**

Wordless Wednesday

Hi Internet friends!
See my toofers? can you help the top ones come in soon?
promise it will bring lots more big big smiles…..
Love you lots, Gianna

pizza & beer? toys? a car? a dj?

Gianna turned TEN months old last week. ::heavy sigh::chug some wine::
Hard to believe, yes.
But there is no time to dwell on how fast the last year has gone, because there is a PAR-TAY to plan.
I know for some 1st birthday parties are no big deal, just another day.

But they aren't from my family.  A family who throws a party when a girl gets her period and cooks for 50 people on a regular basis. (12 usually eat....for a week)

For her baptism, we had about 40ish people at the "after party" 2 areas with food and 1 pony keg. 
Her guests are expecing big things from her 1st birthday party. CLEARLY we can not disappoint them.

But I can't figure out what to feed them.  Or how to decorate. Do we need to entertain? What are good gifts for toddlers?
(I can't believe I just typed toddler in referance to my little peanut)


We are doing a cupcake theme.
With cupcakes. And an ice cream sundae bar.
They might want to eat "real" food - but I am not inspired by anything at the moment.
What do you like to eat at parties?

Decorations? Nooo clue.
I am trying to do this on the cheap creative side.
I think I want a banner of some sort, high chair decorations and a princess crown.
And for Gianna, well, who knows....
Give me your best (easiest!) craft like projects. Or places to buy craftlike projects completed by someone else.

And what on earth does a One year old want need?  the answer here is obvious.

NOTHING!
If want to make the little bug happy, here are some other options.....

A water table! 

 Mega blocks!

And a Keg for all of mommy & daddy's friends.

(kidding. we'll probably just get a few 24 packs.)

What did your one year old and older like?  Especially for the summer months.

Entertainment, well we will have the usual.
Laughter, time with family & friends, joy, a cool tunnel  kind of like this to entertain her baby (toddler!) friends and since her daddy is a DJ, music/food/beer for the rest of the party-goers. (to encourage laughter and joy)

Whatcha think? Would you come to the party? Want to make sure it is over 60 and sunny come April 10?

who doesn't love a makeover

what is better than a make-over? not much.

the ol' blog here needed a makeover too.

AND!

here you are :)

now, go click on some adds, shop @ amazon and leave me some love.

blogger background courtesy of Leelo Blogs (see button for link)
signature courtesy of this post & this website
header courtesy of Leelo Blogs (background) & my own personal creativity!

and the beat goes on

a lot on my mind, but not enough for a full post on any one topic.

so bullet points it is!

• I need to start getting ideas and plans for my masters capstone – I think I have a great idea, now to see if it fits.  this is a lot of work! and it’s not going to be happening until next year at this time.  It does give me some encouragement that the end is in sight. kind of.
• One of my very best friends ever is moving to Florida (probably as I type this) with her husband.  It is a great opportunity for them, which is so wonderful. I am going to miss her like crazy. But, there is a new vacation spot :)
• With above mentioned best friend moving, it brings back a lot of hurt and sadness over the ending of another friendship. (read here).  The three of us were “the triangle” and now we are 3 separate lines. (2 lines together don’t make much, a right angle maybe?) Sometimes I really hate how life plays out.  I said my peace on the subject but moving past it has been much harder than I expected, despite the ridiculously deep hurt that went on.  ::heavy sigh::
• the hubs and I hope to go out of town for our anniversary. where is the question right now!
• I am looking forward to finishing our taxes…. they are always such a huge pain in my ass.  I just wish the rest of the documents I need would show up already.  Wasn’t there a January 31 deadline on this stuff?!! Maybe I need to show these companies a calendar.
• It has snowed a lot.  I hate it a lot. But, no use in complaining. It didn’t make the snow melt any faster last winter…
• I am LOVING my project 365.  I almost cried the other day when i thought I forgot to take a picture. 
• my boss is a micromanager and it is incredibly frustrating to someone who likes to use her brain.  I like my job, but I could leave in a second for something more challenging. Hopefully in a year or so that won’t be a problem.
• Just getting into “couponing” as part of my frugal living approach to life these days.  This blog is freaking AH-MAZING for anyone who uses or wants to use coupons.
• My husband is working on a pregame music mix project for friends of ours and he is fantastic!  I wish I could link you to his work.  If anyone is in need of a music mix, dj or any other music work – he is SO your man.

In case you didn’t know – it snowed.

A LOT.

Since the baby was snowed in at grandma’s house - my husband made me go outside with him. (no easy feat, by the way)

Kid at heart, for sure.

   

and. time to get warm! only after i was tossed in the snow a few times.

9 months = best.ever.

I think I have said before that 9 months has been the best one so far. Gianna thinks so too. She wants to show you.

Playing with boys is way too fun. Especially this cool guy.

 

I am too awesome to hold my own bottle. But playing with the bottle cap. Nothing better!

Playing with Mommy’s lens cap is my favorite. Who needs toys?

Finally they let me get in the big girl tub. I love it in there.

 

I got to play with some other friends, Olivia was trying to give me walking lessons.  Ben & Maggie watched the action while plotting how to get across the room unnoticed.

Also, Mommy & Daddy don’t know this, but playing with the electrical cords is really fun. They should try it, maybe they will quit telling me no then….

Just thought all of Mommy’s internet friends needed an update from me.  Maybe soon Mommy will post the video of me dancing, since that doesn’t come through well in regular old pictures, because dancing is my FAVORITE!!  And waving.

Those are some big shoes to fill

Blog Hop time again!!
( Remember last week's?)
Join the fun by linking up down there.... it's fun, I promise!  Or you can just leave some comment love for me and all the other participants

This week's topic: What aspects of your parents' parenting do you want to continue in parenting your own kid(s)?

I have said it a million times - while we were trying to get pregnant, during my entire pregnancy and throughout this crazy mommyhood journey - if I can be HALF of the mom that mine is, my children will be in great shape!  My dad, is a total douche, so my mom had to play double duty, and did it without even trying.  She is amazing.  I could go through my old posts and link to all of them here, but I have a feeling that would take up a lot of time....

Since I don't want to make this overly sappy - here is a list of things I want to do with my kids that I learned from my mom

• sing the unbirthday song and let her eat a twinkie and blow out a candle
• make sure she always feels safe
• always kiss her goodnight and tell her how much I love her
• teach her to be polite
• be her best friend
• believe in her, no matter what.
• sing and dance around the living room
• laugh
• trust
• eat dinner together, and do the dishes together
• read dr. seuss books to her, in my dr. seuss book voice
• make the ordinary days special

I talk to my mom everyday. I tell her everything. I trust her with my life.  She learned it from her parents, and I strive to pass on such lessons to my daughter. There isn't one part of her parenting that I don't hope to emmulate.

Wordless Wednesday

the best way to occupy the bug when making dinner!

*photo by tami musick

I’m too sexy for my love….

 

As if I haven’t shared enough about myself to you, my internets, there is always more.

I know, right.  WHAT could it be?  the suspense is killer.

Here’s the gig folks:

Andrea’s self esteem since having a baby = shitty. Shitty shitty shitty.  Why you may wonder, what with the fluffy belly, the double chin and the cottage cheese thighs? How could that not be the ULTIMATE in sexy?

I am wondering the same thing….. 

Since my husband thinks I am still the hottest thing on the block.

(have I told you lately that I love him? I do. And he loves my fluff. ::swoon::)

Back to the unsexy, unsure part of me.  All the assholes cool people out there will tell you how they fit into their pre-pregnancy jeans on their ride home for the hospital and about how they were even skinnier 6 weeks post partum than before they were with child.  And then, there are the normal honest people of the world who tell you about how they hung on to those pesky last 10lbs until their kid was 12, and by that time, those 10lbs were blamed on nachos and beer. 

(and by people, I mean anyone who has been pregnant. duh.)

(but, this totally applies to anyone that has ever let their self esteem, for any reason, get in the way of life.)

(and no, for the record, this is NOT a fish for compliments. it is just honesty.)

I am going to be honest here and tell you all that, before I got pregnant, I was like a lot of 20-something's.  There was always an extra millimeter of pudge here or there that I wanted gone.  Always another 5lbs to lose. But. I wore a size 4 and damn, I looked good. I felt good. I liked the way I looked, 6/7 days of the week. I had a tan. I had a flat tummy. I had good hair. I still had love handles, but it’s not a perfect world folks!

Now, almost 10 months after giving birth, 2 months away from having a ONE year old. (hold me…) I still have those last 5-10lbs to go. The fluff gets in the way of my pants. (but, I am back to single digit pant sizes, so yay to that) I am whiter than white and not confident enough to use the tanning package I got for Christmas. (yes, I am well aware of the side effects of tanning. I am also aware of the effect it has on how I feel.) I work out when I can, which is not nearly enough to satisfy me.  I do have some abs hiding  underneath the fluff – trying to coax them out by eating better. Unsuccessfully.  Clearly the love handles are still in full force. I can live with them.  My thighs touch in one spot. And that makes me angry. (this happened once after college and I vowed to work my thighs ass off – which I did – and to never let it happen again. Never say never….)

I got new hair, in hopes it would lift my spirits. Which it did-ish and I like it.  None of my clothes fit right, in my opinion, and that makes the mornings sucky.

Other people have told me that I look “great” and “skinny” and I just smile and say thanks. I truly appreciate their comments, I just don’t believe them.  The thing is, my husband tells me multiple times a day that I don’t need to change a thing, but why do I feel so crappy about myself?  

How do I feel good about myself? How do I see myself as others see me? This is my problem.  I have accepted that I will likely not look like I did before I had a baby, and that is ok. Seriously, it is. But why can I not accept how I look today? What am I missing?  I would do just about anything to see myself through my husband’s eyes. 

 

^ new hair. and blue eyes!!