THE Weekend

I haven't blogged in over a week. There is not really a word to sufficiently describe how busy we have been since coming back from our trip. Life has been crazy hectic, and that's about the biggest understatement of the year. I feel like the moment we left for Knoxville, I was set into this alternate universe where there are only 12 hours in each day. Because suddenly no matter how much I do, or how hard I try, there's never enough time in the day to finish it all. And after arriving back in Nashville and meeting with a center that wants me to teach a couple of Zumba classes there each week, I have been working tirelessly on getting together my music and routines for the new class. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. It's much more work than I anticipated looking at it from the student's perspective. But it's a blast putting my class together, and Will is really enjoying jumping around the living room and doing somersaults with me each night. (Note to any potential class attendees: There will be no somersaults or tumbling included in my class. Will is pretty disappointed about this decision.)

Another new task that I decided to add to my list recently is coupon shopping. I'm sure you're thinking, "Okay, so what? Coupon shopping can't take up that much time." And you may be correct, normal coupon shopping where you clip coupons out of the Sunday paper and use them at your favorite store doesn't require much time and effort. But the kind of crazy, mega coupon shopping that I've gotten into where you match coupons to sales, stack coupons, use e-coupons, print online coupons, participate in rebate programs, and request rain checks and competitors price matches does take some time and effort. It's totally paying off though and I love seeing how much money I'm saving. I'll come home on a coupon shopping high, wild eyed and be all "LOOK HONEY! I BOUGHT THESE WAFFLES FOR 19 CENTS! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? 19 CENTS!! AND THIS MUSTARD, GUESS HOW MUCH IT WAS?? JUST GUESS!" And Rob is like, "I don't know, 18 cents?" and I'm like, "NO, IT WAS FREE!! FREE! CRAZY, HUH?" And then he just nods his head in agreement, and moves away from me slowly so that his shirt doesn't get all messy when I explode from excitement.

So, between putting a 13 to 14 song Zumba class together, working a full time job, trying to maintain a (somewhat) clean house, being a crazy coupon lady, nursing a 6 month old and chasing after a 3&1/2 year old (who I swear keeps a sugar stash somewhere, b/c OMG that kid has some crazy energy) I've been just a smidge preoccupied. Just the thought of writing a new blog post last week was too much for me to even entertain. My brain was like, "Oh, no you don't! There's not room in here for anything else, missy!" So, I had to wait until I was able to put together complete sentences again. And even now, I'm probably not entirely meeting that requirement.

But, I digress. I must update about our trip to Knoxville since it was our first night away since Avery was born. I was all worried about how she was going to do without me that night, and much to my surprise, she was awesome. She didn't go to sleep quite as early as normal, but once she did, she slept ALL NIGHT. I couldn't believe it. She was, for the most part, a pretty happy baby while we were away. It's a huge relief to know that I'm able to leave her and not feel guilty because she starts screaming as soon as we pull out of the driveway. (That's not an exaggeration either, that used to happen any time I'd try to go somewhere without her.)

Our hotel room was really nice and comfortable. I keep going back and forth on what my very favorite part of it was, and I just can't decide. It's a toss up between the warm chocolate chip walnut cookies they give you upon checking in (YUM!), or the king sized bed that I would rate among the nicest I've ever slept in. Both were fantastic! The bathroom wasn't too shabby either. I'm not hard to impress, however, when it comes to bathrooms, considering that I hate ours with every fiber of my being, and want to curse it straight to the recesses of hell each and every time I step foot in it. (If you can comfortably fit more than one person in your bathroom without elbowing them in the crotch, you've got me beat and I'm extremely jealous.) I stood in the shower for a good 35 minutes, and even dried my hair and got dressed in the bathroom! That's a luxury around our house.

Here are a few shots of my favorite things in the hotel.



And this was Rob's favorite part of our room. Men aren't too hard to please, and he was beyond happy to be able to crank the AC down as low as it would go and not have to foot the bill for it.



After checking out our room, we decided to venture out on the town and have some dinner. We set out with my Google Map directions, and were excited to go have a nice meal together. We got lost on the way there and I made Rob stop at a hole-in-the-wall pet store so that I could ask for directions. Here's how that conversation went.

Me: I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for this place. (points to map) Are you familiar with it, because we went west and didn't see this street anywhere.

22 year old pet store guy: Hmmmm....yeah. I do know where that place is. Let me see........Yeah, my dad plays there a lot. (looks back at me like this information is suppose to help)

Me: That's nice. So are we on the right street or....?

Pet store guy: Yeah, yeah. Uh, let me think.....hmmmmm.....when you go there from my house, it's just a straight shot right too it. (looks at me again like I know where he lives and can find it from his house)

Me: Okay. Hmmmm, well....So I just stay on this road, then?

Pet Store Guy: Yeah, just stay on this road until you see some warehouses. It's right after that. It's about 2 or 4 miles from here. If you see the mechanic shop, you've gone too far. The restaurant is right across from a playground.

Me: Okay, thanks a lot.

I jump back in the car, tell Rob that we need a GPS, and to just keep driving until we see a playground or pass by Pet Store Guy's house, since you know, it's right down the road from him! We go about 5 miles and realize that we're nowhere close to the place and are, in fact, headed out of town. I call the restaurant and asked for directions from them. After turning around and several more rights and lefts, we arrive at the restaurant (which is, in fact, across the street from a playground). I'm so hungry at this point, I want to chew my arm off, so I order a steak sandwich. I figured since I was going to be doing lots of physical exercise and cardio the next day, I might as well load up on protein. Apparently, I was more hungry than I even realized, because once my steak arrived, I proceed to take a bite of it and pretty much swallow it whole, thus lodging it in my throat. I tried several times to swallow it down. Nothing. I put my hand on my throat and tried to swallow really hard. Didn't budge. I took a drink of my beer in the hopes that some lubrication would slide it on down. But apparently, it hit a big ol' steak roadblock in my throat, because it came right back up out of my mouth. By this point, Rob has caught on to the fact that I'm choking. I'm not sure if it was the beer foaming out of my mouth or the crazy eyes I was giving him with the telepathic "OMG, GIVE ME THE HEMLICH!!" looks that he picked up on, but he told me to get up and come outside. Luckily, we were sitting right by the back door of the restaurant, and when I stood to rush outside so that he could help me, the steak went down. Gravity, I suppose? Either way, there I was with beer spit all over my outfit thankful to be alive. It freaked us both out pretty bad, but at least we came home with a story to tell. (I'm a glass half full kind of girl.)

The next morning, I had to get up bright and early to get ready for my Zumba training. It was a long, but fun and exciting day. I learned a ton and did so much Zumba, I thought my legs might fall off. We headed to my folk's house as soon as the class was over, and I was anxious to see my babies. Will was at the rodeo with my dad, but our girl was there to greet us with smiles.



And as soon as I saw that face, I knew I was right back where I was suppose to be. I think I'll stay put for a while.

Don't forget to chew your food.

L

Friday's Photo (Zzzzzz...Edition)

I'm really on a roll this morning. I think this is the first time that I've ever posted in the AM. (No, I didn't drink more sugar.) I've got a very busy day ahead, so I thought I should get this post in before things get crazy.

This is a rare sight.

It's not that she's sleeping that makes this photo rare, it's that she's sleeping without me. You see, my girl has always been really attached to her mom. Since she came out and pressed her tiny little feet onto my belly to work her way up to my breast, she's been hooked. So for that reason and the many other benefits of co-sleeping, she has always slept snuggled in beside me to sleep every night. It makes it SO much easier to nurse, as I pretty much sleep through her breastfeeding at night. It's wonderful bonding time for not only she and I, but for she and Rob as well. We've talked about how nice it is to wake up and see her sweet face first thing in the morning. My heart melts every time.

So, when I say that I'm nervous about tonight because this will be the very first time that she and I have slept apart from each other, maybe you'll understand. Rob and I are taking a short overnight trip to Knoxville so that I can get certified to instruct Zumba. It's something that I've been wanting to do for a long time, and I finally got the guts to quit putting it off and just do it. I'm really looking forward to attending the class and having a night for just Rob and I. I must admit, however, I am afraid of how my girl is going to handle it. I keep having these terrible visions of her screaming all night and my dad and step mom pacing the floor with her. I really hope that doesn't happen. It would be awesome to feel like I can leave her overnight every now and then should Mommy and Daddy want some Mommy and Daddy time. Cross your fingers, pray, do Hail Marys, or whatever it is that you think may help Sis (and I) get through this night with as few tears as possible.

I'll update with a full weekend report on Monday.

Happy Weekend,
L

Weekly Wish List

Don't you love how I just up and changed the name of my wish list? Thing is, I can't commit to doing it on a certain day each week. You would think a person as organized and anal as I am could make it happen, but I seem to be failing miserably. On Wednesdays I work from 8 to 5 rather than 9 to 6, and I swear it feels like I have less hours in the day. Of course, in reality, that's not the case, but my crazy brain tells me that it is. So I've titled this week's wish list "Weekly" because, uh, it's not Wednesday. (I'm a real brainiac.) (I just had to spell check the word "brainiac".) Anyway, I'm doing a wish list and here it is.

P.S. Can you tell I've had a lot of sugar today and that I never drink sugar? I made punch for a party at work and drank approximately half the punch bowl by myself. One minute I feel like running around the building and the next I fear I might start snoring at my desk. I'm a hot mess right now.

Anyway, on with the wish list.

P.S.S. Today's list has no theme. It's full of random stuff. I just can't get my brain to slow down and cooperate long enough to put together a theme.
::: shakes fist at sugar :::

P.S.S.S. I'm really wearing myself out.

Remember last week when I talked about the cottage in the woods with the white decor and crumpets? Here is something else that I'll string in our "girl hut." This Shakespearean paper garland of hearts makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. It's so delicate and romantic. I love Shakespeare. I love this garland. The end.



I need this Je T'aime pillow for my bedroom. (Ahem, cough, cough, hint Rob, cough) It is the color of my sheets, and would look divine with my fluffy white down comforter. I adore everything about this pillow, and for that matter, all the other handmade goodies in HoneyPieDesign's shop. Gorgeous stuff!



Have I ever told you that I love bath bombs? I used to have a pretty serious addiction to the ones from Lush. Then I got married, had kids and had to stop spending all my money on myself. Funny how that works out. Every now and then, however, I think every woman should indulge themselves, and there's no better way than a nice hot bath with a bath bomb. (Note: Wait till after your toddler goes to bed so that you won't spend the entire time answering, "No, I'm not done yet." "Nope, don't need any help in here, Will." "Just taking a bath right now, bud." "I'll be out in a minute.") My favorites are the Big Blue and the Sex Bomb, but they are all amazing. Their bubble bars are great too!




If you read this blog much, or know me at all, you probably realize how passionate I am about breastfeeding. I'm not going to rehash the many benefits of breastfeeding now, but basically, it rocks on so many levels. I think this Peace, Love & Breastfeeding tank is super cute, and would love to have it to show my support of nursing moms.



I had a hard time deciding which bag in bayanhippo's shop was my favorite. Seriously, I would carry all of them. But I'm particularly fond of this Abanoz in apple green. It's big enough to hold all of my junk and the color is bright and lively. One of these days, I'll retire my old bag, and this shop is where I'll buy my next one.


Off to take a nap. Or maybe run laps. Decisions...

Till next time,
L

Cinderella

Will and I went shopping this past weekend, and I told him that if he was very good while in Target, he could pick out a $5 toy. He was excellent. He didn't get out of the cart once, played quietly with his monster truck he brought along, and no whining the entire time. (Shocking, I know!)

So, just as I promised, we ventured over to the toy section for him to pick a reward. We looked at Buzz Lightyear stuff, water guns, bubbles, balls and super heroes. We spent a solid 15 minutes scanning the aisles as he looked for that perfect toy. As we rounded one of the aisles, he looked on the end cap and saw it. His mind was made up immediately. This is what he wanted.



I reminded him of the other things that we looked at, and asked if he was sure this is the toy that he wants. (Not because I wanted to change his mind. I just wanted to be sure he knew he wouldn't be getting any of the other toys that moments earlier, he was freaking out over.) "Yes, I want Cinderella. She's pretty." So, that's what we bought. Will has gotten several funny looks since then. Even the cashier in Target did a double take to make sure that he wasn't a girl, and then commented, "A Barbie? Okay, then," like it was the most bizarre thing she'd ever seen. Call me crazy, but I just don't buy into this whole, "these toys are for girls/these are for boys" idea where everything is so gender specific. I'm not going to limit my kids on what toys they can play with because of this crazy notion that there are girl-only toys or boy-only toys. I bought Will the Barbie because that is what he wanted. And if Avery asked for a GI Joe or a race car, I'd buy her one without hesitation. Believe me, she already chews on her fair share of trucks since she just so happens to live with an older brother.

Will is really proud of his Cinderella, and has been sleeping with her at night and taking her to his friends' houses. He does however also crash her into his cars and knock things over with her head. I give Cinderella about 2 weeks before she loses an extremity.

Wednesday's Wish List coming this afternoon...

Cheers,
L

Wish List and Apology

I'm a bad blogger. I've really been slacking on updating, but....no, no excuses. I should be updating here more often. There are things happening that I need to write about, so you'll be hearing more from me next week. In the meantime, I'm going to do a wish list since I didn't post one on Wednesday. I'm also going to post Friday's Photo later this afternoon. I'm really on a roll today.

This wish list is very colorful and happy. I chose these things because it's beautiful outside, and when the day is this pretty and vibrant, I gravitate towards bold colors. You'll never catch me in a bright colored shirt on a rainy day. True story. I just can't do it. More proof that I'm a certifiable weirdo.

So here we go.

I love this magazine lampshade from 1oakfinds. When I was younger and living alone, I actually made collages from magazines and newspaper. I never showed them to anyone, but it was a sort of therapy for me clipping and arranging and pasting all my different little finds. This lamp reminds me of that time in my life.




I am drawn to this Rainbow Umbrella photo because of the sharp contrast in it. Everything around the umbrella is so dark and dreary, yet the umbrella is so bright and striking. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I really enjoy this photo. It has a sort of mystery about it.




One day, I'm going to win the lottery and build a little cottage in the woods where I can take Avery and all the women in my life to have tea and eat crumpets. (Note: I don't know what a crumpet actually is, but doesn't it sound good??) The cottage's purpose would be solely for girl time and frilly girl things. No boys allowed. I can't have them getting my beautiful white space all messy. When I get my cottage built, I'm going to put decor like this 12 Volume Set of The Book House inside. I love this set of books from DJandPvintage so much, that I might actually just decorate everything around them.




I'm coming back down to Earth now, and going with a more practical item that I really do wish I had now. First let me preface by saying, I have an almost 6 month old who is very fascinated with everything that is going on around her. I love to watch her little eyes scan the room, and take it all in. Since she's become so curious however, she likes to look around while she's nursing. If someone walks into the room and says something, she turns her head to look for them. If she hears the TV click on, she turns her head to see where the noise is coming from. If she sees any ol' thing out of the corner of her eye, she turns her head to check it out. Did I mention that each time she turns her head, she never breaks her latch and continues to hold on to my nipple?? So, yeah, for the sake of my boobs, I need this Mommy's Rainbow Nursing Necklace to give this child something colorful to play with while she's eating. Isn't it pretty?




And last by not least, have I told you how much more fun it is to dress a girl than a boy? If not, this Rainbow Lollipop Tutu should give you an inclination as to why. Enough said.



Until this afternoon,
L