Double The Fun

Calling All Mamas!

2012-01-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

Exciting news over here in these parts ladies! Not sure if you follow Jen over at A Girl in Pearls (And if you don't, you should. She's fabulous, has a cutie patootie of a little boy who is only a few weeks older than Ky, AND I plan on dog-napping her little Batman because he is too sweet for words!)

I digress.

When Jen was pregnant last year, she started a fantabulous series called "Monday's Mama" where each week, she would feature a soon-to-be mom, baby details, nursery pics, etc... I LOVED this last year when I was pregnant because I found that I was able to connect with so many other mamas in the same stage as me... and THREE of the ladies I found through Monday's Mama even had their babes the same day as Ky! It's been so fun keeping up with their blogs and watching all our sweet babes grow together. (Sidenote: Jen had a blog issue when her blog combined with Windows Live Writer and ALL her Monday's Mama posts got deleted! Sads!)

With that said, recently Jen has been a busy little mama (opening her awesome Etsy shop and all), and decided Monday's Mama was getting to be a bit too much... so I offered to "inherit" it from her! I thought it was such a great resource and I hope to keep her Monday's Mama legacy going and unite many other moms and moms-to-be!

If you're interested in being featured as a Mama, contact me! I would love to hear from you and all about your baby on the way. I currently have EIGHTEEN wonderful ladies lined up and seriously cannot wait for you all to meet them and their sweet babes on the way! I'll start featuring Mamas next week!!

8 Months Old

2012-01-26T11:00:00.000-05:00

My baby turned 8 months old this week.

WHEN did that happen?

Only around these parts would you see a 20week Bumpdate followed all-too-closely by a monthly baby post. It's funny. It's funny, right?

Honestly... If I wasn't KU again so soon, I'd be way more sad about little man growing further and further away from the teensy little babe he was the day we brought him home. The little babe that just laid there, smiled, cooed and did not much of anything else.

Now, Ky is a crawling/moving/bubbly mischievous machine. I love seeing him grow into his personality and watching him ~~destroy~~ learn new things everyday. I cannot believe the little man he's become in just 8 short months.

8 Month Stats:

Weight: 21.2 lbs
Hair: Dark and growing like a weed! I sorta want to cut it around his ears and the back is getting close to mullet status...
Eyes: Dark Brown and big as ever. Everyone always compliments his eyes... can't take credit for that, he definitely got those from his Daddy!
Diapers: Size 4
Clothes: Mainly 6 - 9 and a few 9 - 12, still... depending on the brand. Solely in 9month pants 9mo sleepers which are a little big so his feets always get caught in them.
Eating: Still taking four 8oz bottles a day and eating solids twice a day... he's a fruit guy through and through. Still not a huge fan of his veggies, but we've started mixing carrots with his fruit and so far, thats gone over like gangbusters.
Napping: Continuing to nap twice a day, usually 1.5 hours in the morning and another hour to an hour and a half in the late afternoon. He fought me for a few days on his 2nd nap, but thankfully that was just a phase. Praise. The. Lord.

This last month was a big one for little Kybaby! Here is what he's been up to:

• Got his two bottom teeth in! They popped up about two weeks ago and now are sticking out of that sweet smile and just look oh-so-cute. Thank goodness that teething wench has gone into hiding for the time being... although, I feel like the upper two are going to be just as bad.

• Sitting up like a pro. Recently learned to sit himself up from a laying down position... this makes going down for naps LOTS of fun. The first time he did this, I turned around to grab his blankie and when I looked back at the crib, he was sitting up staring at me.

• Started crawling officially at EXACTLY 7.5 months. The first time he crawled more than 3 consecutive steps, I totally cried. Now he's a little bug scooting and crawling all over the place! It's crazy how quickly they learn and pick up something and then the next day, it's like they've been doing it forever.

• Crawling means he's now getting into e v e r y t h i n g. We baby-proofed the house this past weekend because I couldn't take my eye off him for a second. His favorite things are any type of cord/cable (I KNOW), the vent register, our entertainment center drawers, and the dog's toy basket. I can't tell you how many times I've caught him eying her Kong and trying to take it to the face. Gross.

• Speaking of Dora, now the poor girl is really in trouble. One of his favorite things to do is tease and chase her. He crawls right up to her and lunges at her face or pulls at her tail. I think it's funny... Dora? Not so much.

• He gives kisses! A few days ago, I was rocking him in the glider and he had his head on my shoulder when all of a sudden he sat up, gave me the biggest smile, grabbed my face with both his hands and just started smothering me with slobbery kisses. Granted, he pulled my earring out in the process, but I didn't really care... it was so sweet and it brought tears to my eyes! Now I say, "give mommy kisses!" and most of the time he'll start smooshing my face. I melt.

• Started saying "Dada" a couple weeks ago... all the time... round the clock... like a broken record. I don't think he knew what he was saying, he was just saying it constantly. Then one day it stopped and he hasn't really said it since.

• He loves to scream and wail for fun. He sounds like a little parakeet. He just screeches at all different decibels. I have no issues when he's doing it in our home, but when he starts doing it out in public, I can't help but turn bright red... I hope a little screeching is better than a baby screaming his face off, but STILL! He also makes this humming sound when he's trying to "talk"... like he's having his own little convo with himself. He is also a huge fan of blowing raspberries.

• Pulling himself up onto anything and everything. LOVES to stand. Can "walk" when we hold his hands.

• Changing him has become almost impossible. He is CONSTANTLY moving/rolling/trying to sit up. I probably shouldn't even be typing this to the internets... but last week... Ky catapulted himself right off the changing table. Thankfully I was standing RIGHT THERE and literally caught him in mid air... by his pants. I'm not kidding. One hand grabbing his pants, and my other hand palm up to catch his face. I immediately fell to the ground with him in my arms and thought I was about to have a heart attack. He barely even whimpered because he wasn't hurt... but I shudder to think what would have happened had I not put my cat-woman like reflexes into effect. We do most diaper changes on the floor now...

I think that's about it! He's just such a happy, giggly boy and he loves just being held and snuggled. We always say, "he's a lover" because he loves cuddle time and nuzzling into our necks when we hold him. He cracks us up daily with his noises and expressions and now that he's moving and becoming more curious, it's such a joy watching him learn and explore.

Here are our 8 month pics!

LOVE that dimple!!

20 Week Bumpdate

2012-01-25T11:30:00.000-05:00

Holy cow, kids! We're half-baked!

I feel like the first time around it took EONS to get to this point... now, time is just flying. Literally. Halfway to meeting our sweet girl.. I cannot WAIT!!

This week has been a rough one... Hubs and Ky and I AND my mom all got hit with a wretched stomach bug. We were totally incapacitated all day yesterday and I didn't even have enough energy to post Ky's 8month update! Thankfully, we're all feeling much better today and starting to get on the mend.

We had our anatomy scan this morning and baby girl looks amazing and perfect! Its such a relief to hear those words... esp when the sono tech is clicking and measuring away and you have NO idea what things should be/look like. I walked away feeling so thankful and blessed for a healthy, squirmy, wiggly little babe! :)

Here is our precious girl!

And, for funsies... Ky's 20 week profile pic!

I think they have the same sweet button nose! :)

To the survey!

How far along are you? 20 weeks

Total weight gain: still +9 lbs... prob because I lost a pound or two the last few days from being so sick!

How big is baby?: The size of a banana

Maternity clothes: Leggings mostly. MUST give props and major thanks to Heidi over at As the Forest{e} Grows for her tip on BeMaternity Leggings from Targé. LOOOOOOVE. Love. I want a million pairs. They only had one pair in my size when I first went, but I even went back this weekend to buy more and still no new shipments! I am also wearing some maternity tops/tanks. My maternity jeans are still a tad too big!

Stretch marks?: Nothing new

Sleep: Falling asleep is NBD, but I've been having a bewitching hour lately. Most nights I pop up wide awake between the hours of 3 - 5am. It's a blast. (not).

Best moment this week: Hubs got to feel Bunny kick for the first time! He didn't feel Ky for the first time till about 23 weeks, so this is huge!

Movement: Lots of movement lately! Little pops and rolls here and there... a few nights ago, I was feeding Ky his bottle and she kicked him. Obviously he didn't know what was going on but he jumped a little! It was really cute :)

Food cravings: This week: buffalo wings. The hottest and spiciest ones I can get my grubby little hands on. And also, Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill. YUM.

Food aversions: I was mashing up a banana the other day for Ky and the sight of it made me want to yak. Other than that, nothing really.

Labor signs: No... and Hopefully it stays that way for 28 more weeks!

Belly button in or out: Sadly... its more out than in at the moment.

What I miss: This week it's sleeping on my back

What I'm looking forward to: Going to California in a couple weeks to visit my bestie!

Milestone: Reaching the half-way point! Thats a bigums if you ask me!

Let's see, what else... STILL no decisions on Baby Two's name but we've definitely narrowed it down to two. We keep using them interchangeably when talking about her to see which "fits" and is more natural. Stay tuned for more on that!

Here is my ever-growing 20week belly... ignore the sickly/pale face and baggy undereyes. Woof.

Not Your Mama's Tuna Noodle Casserole

2012-01-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

If you followed my blog before the big hiatus, you know I love love LOVE to cook. Well, having a baby hasn't changed that one bit... in fact, I almost love it even more now as I picture teaching our kids how to cook and wondering what their favorite meals will be when they are older.

We got snow in Virginia this weekend and to me, snow always means Tuna Casserole. My mom used to make her famous Tuna Casserole every snow day when my brother and I were little. Now, my mom can cook and her casserole is an oldie but goodie and once in a while, still a nostalgic treat. But... (no offense, mom)... I wanted to make grown-up casserole. I didn't want to use condensed soup, or tri-colored rotini noodles, or SPINACH (my brother will only eat his casserole with spinach which makes the whole dish so one-note. I need the broccoli crunch!

And, nothing against condensed soup, but being pregnant and all, I try to avoid the extra sodium and processing wherever I can. Making my own cream sauce was a pinch and I appreciated the big slices of mushrooms instead of the piddly little bits you get in canned soup.

So here we go...

Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan

Add one package mushrooms (sliced), a small diced onion (I had red onion on hand, but you can use whichever you like) and a couple cloves of minced garlic. Saute until onions are about translucent and mushrooms look cooked through.

Add about half a cup of light cream. Let cream come to a bubble and reduce 5 - 8 minutes, or until it coats the back of a spoon.

Meanwhile, boil your noodles. Any short noodle will do... I had a whole bag of egg noodles so we used those.

Add a dash of salt and a sprinkle of pepper to your cream sauce mixture. I also added some paprika and Sriracha since we like things spicy. Then toss in your chopped broccoli and two cans of chunk tuna. I went the easy route here and used frozen because we had a ton... if you get the "Steamfresh" kind like us, steam it for about 5 minutes before adding it in so it's not totally frozen. Toss everything to coat. If it's a little dry and you want your casserole "saucier" just add more cream.

Put your sauce mix and noodles in a 13x9 casserole dish and mix in a little cheese of your choice... I like Monterey Jack.

And then, um... top with more cheese.

And breadcrumbs. You know, for good measure.

Bake in a 350* oven about 25 minutes or until top is crispy.

Yummers. This is so comforting and hearty... and perfect for a lazy Saturday snowed in afternoon. Enjoy! :)

Fab Find Friday!

2012-01-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

TGIF Lovelies! Is it just me or was this the longest week ever?? I think that has to do with the fact that Little Man is having a procedure done today. He's being tested for an enzyme deficiency and the only way they can test it is to do a "Skin Biopsy Punch-Out".... ouch :( Luckily they'll numb the area but I'd appreciate good thoughts and prayers for my little guy! And of course, hoping all the results come back a-ok!

Today's Fab Find is a goodie! I'm sure you all have seen the craze around Urban Decay's latest eyeshadow palette... Naked2. I'm pretty sure this is the most anticipated sequel to anything in the fashion world since Sex & The City. Well after seeing this baby pop up on every style/makeup/fashion blog that I read, I just had to see what all the hype was about! My In-Laws got it for me for Christmas and let's just say it did NOT disappoint!

I am obsessed with these eye shadows. I mean sometimes I just sit around and do my makeup for fun, even when we aren't leaving the house. I love how all the colors go with anything, compliment every skin tone, are perfect for a trip to the store or a girl's night out or date night.... they are just the PERFECT combo of colors. And the quality for Urban Decay's shadows are unprecedented... they are perfectly pigmented (a little goes a loooong way), and stay on for hours. I wore it for the first time on New Year's Eve and my makeup was still looking fab the next morning! (Yes, I usually don't take my makeup off. I'm lazy).

This is a must-have and even though it might SEEM pricey.... you get 12 different colors for around $45 bucks. I'm terrible at math, so I'm not sure what that equates to, but I'm pretty sure it's much less than buying them separately. All in all, I definitely recommend this palette... That is, if you don't have it already.

What is in a Name?

2012-01-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

I love names. Always have. Can't explain it. I love sounding out names, knowing the meaning of names, hearing different names... names just fascinate me! Again, can't explain... I'm weird like that.

When people tell a story and say, "and then her sister..." or, "and my cousin said..." I always rudely interrupt and ask, "what is their name?" because I just love hearing different names and the wide variety of names out there.

I feel like names say so much about a person. A guy can be SUPER hot... like, the hottest guy you've ever seen. But if his name is Milton, it's just not going to work. (No offense if anyone's hubby's or children are named Milton, haha). Same goes for a girl! I don't think I've ever seen a "Harriett" on the Victoria's Secret fashion show runway, if you know what I mean.

I'm not one to "judge a book by it's cover" so to speak... and I don't think its the actual NAME itself that makes these judgments... it's the associations we have with those names. For example, I actually really, really love the name Eliza, and almost considered it for baby girl. But every time I say it out loud, I think of "Eliza Doolittle." I LOVED My Fair Lady as a kid... but I don't want anyone to associate our daughter with crazy Eliza Doolittle! Nor do I want her introducing herself as "Eliza... you know, like 'Doolittle'?" .... Insane? Maybe... but these are the things I consider when choosing a name for our child.

I remember in high school, my friend Mika (Hi, Mika!) and I made a list of baby names we loved... (and, Mika, if I'm not mistaken, your #1 girl's name was Margarita... I think you need to change little Sofi's name!)

Since then, this list has changed... grown-up, grown-down, been shortened and then lengthened. Today's popular names have been removed and new names have been added.

I have just always had an affinity for different, beautiful names. I never really "loved" my name growing up - mostly because no one could pronounce it - but I did love that it was different and I was always the only "Aliya" in my class, and people always told me how unique it was.

Choosing a name for Kyran was HARD. Like, wicked hard. Boys names in general are SO MUCH harder, I think... For us, it was hard to find the balance between something cute that will grow with them, but also masculine and professional.... Not too common, not too wacky.. it was impossible for Hubs and I to come up with his name.

When we found out we were having a girl this time around, I was ecstatic because I already had a list of Hubs-approved girls names in my back pocket. Now that we actually need to decide on one, it's proving impossible. We're having the opposite problem than we did with Ky... we love too MANY names and can't narrow it down!

I think the ideal girl's name for me would be unique and elegant, adorable on a little girl, sound beautiful when I tell people what her name is, have an exotic bounce to it when she introduced herself to friends in college, look killer on a business card, and still be classic enough that when she was a mom herself it would stick with her and not be too babyish. And something easy to pronounce is a must. A high bar to reach, right?

So what is in a name? What takes precedence? Uniqueness or Pronunciation? Should it be trendy or classic? Exotic and Different-sounding or something out of a Henry James novel? Should we name her after a fruit like Apple Paltrow or steal Beyonce's "Blue Ivy"? (Vom, btw). What makes a name THE perfect name? And with so many beautiful names out there... how do you choose?!

Her Nursery

2012-01-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

I've already gotten the ball rolling on Bunny's nursery and I'm pretty sure I know (in my head) exactly what it will/should look like. I'm starting early this time around because last time we didn't even move into our house until 3 weeks before Ky came along so we were rushing to move, paint, set up the whole house, AND take our time putting together his sweet nursery and I never really felt ready.

Well after all that hard work putting together Ky's nursery, he'll soon be moving into what is currently our guest room. Reason being is that our guest room is the smallest room in the house and won't comfortably fit a crib, changer and glider... I know the glider should be in the newbie's room so unfortunately Ky has to sacrifice his bigger room for his little sis.

My inspiration for her nursery is "The Secret Garden." For as long as I can remember, I've always wanted to do a "Secret Garden" themed nursery if we ever had a girl. Well my thoughts and images have been swirling around in my head (and, um... on Pinterest)... and I finally got my butt in gear and put together an inspiration board so I can see it all laid out. It's not really so much "Secret Garden" as it is just... well... garden.

We have been given a round white crib from my aunt who saved it for me when my littlest cousin grew out of it and I'm thrilled... I think round cribs are beautiful and girly and I can't wait to see how it looks in her room. The only issue I had was that round crib bedding is usually ugly, expensive, or both. Thankfully I found a shop on Etsy that custom-makes round crib bedding. I'm going to be using the "Big Bloom" sheet set from Pottery Barn Teen (which is on sale for $50! Score!) to turn that into a bumper and crib skirt for the crib to go with simple, solid-colored sheets. I think it'll turn out beautifully!

The walls will be painted a neutral beige to off white color, save for an accent wall which I want to do a deep punch pink. That's the wall the crib will go against.

I also want to hang colorful poms above the crib that match the colors in the bedding. Reminds me a little of the Bellagio Flower Ceiling which I have always loved!

Our glider is a cream color and that will stay the same... but I want to accent it with this pretty floral pillow that I saw on (where else?) Etsy.

via

And how much do you LOVE that rosette lamp?? That's also from Pottery Barn Kids but the colors don't match the bedding so if I really want it, I might have to get my DIY on. I found this tutorial on Pinterest and I might just have to copy it!

via

We still need to find a white dresser and finalize the rest of the wall art, but other than that I think everything else has been decided! We probably won't transition Ky to the other room and get started on the nursery until April but I wanted to start collecting items and finalizing my thoughts so I didn't get frazzled at the last minute.

Overall, I want her nursery to be bright and peaceful while still being girly but not too baby-ish. I love the floral colors and the bedding is great because I can incorporate so many other colors as accents... I picture a white shelf with a vase of gorgeous flowers... and maybe even frame any leftover scraps of the fabric in white frames to tie the whole room together. I can't wait to see the final product and I will surely share pictures once it's done!

Puppy for Sale: $1 OBO

2012-01-16T08:30:00.002-05:00

Ok, not really. But kinda. But maybe not today because it's her birthday (oops... #dogmomfail). But tomorrow? The Craigslist post is going up...

This little muffin has recently become quite the stinker.

I'm not sure if it's because her kid brother is getting more attention now that HE'S CRAWLING (more on that later), or if it's because since she is turning 2, it really means she's 14, and that means she's a teenager, which basically makes her a bitch two times over. Pardon my French.

This weekend, Dora peed, pooped and threw up in the house. This is never happens. (Nothing has changed in her diet and she's been with us all weekend, so we know she's not sick). She's also been acting up by running off when we let her out to pee in the yard and not listening to basic commands which she has always adhered to.

A few weeks ago, she kept getting into this decorative bowl of fake frosted pears... a vase filling I had out for Christmas. She destroyed two and I punished her for it and she knew she wasn't supposed to get into the bowl. A few nights later... 3am, to be exact... I wake up to this crunch, crunch, crunch sound. I turn on my side table lamp and look down to see that not only had she gotten into the vase AGAIN... but she'd actually brought the pear UPSTAIRS, to our bedroom, to my side of the bed nonetheless, and sat next to me crunching on it. Talk about guts.

While we understand having a baby does take attention away from our first-born Furbaby.... I assure you Dora still gets PLENTY of attention. She snuggles on the couch/bed with us (no judgies), gets at minimum two walks a day, plenty of treats, and she gets more backrubs from Hubs than yours truly. She's also recently started smacking us in the face if we stop rubbing her mid scratch session. I'm telling you... the girl is a B.

Has anyone else faced this issue? She has always been such a good dog, listened to us ALL the time, never had any problems or issues, and not to mention, was totally fine the first 6 months Baby Boy was around... she's just recently started becoming more feisty and troublesome. And she KNOWS what she's doing is wrong because as soon as she does it, she runs for cover under the nearest bed/couch/chair. We've tried the usual training techniques when she does something wrong but it hasn't seemed to be helping! I guess she gets a freebie since today is her birthday, but Dora.. if you're reading this.. you better get your act together soon or else I might forget to put your leash on tomorrow.

Just kidding.

(Kinda).

Fab Find Friday: The Baby Edition

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Baby Products: The Best and The Worst

(AKA: The longest post of my life)

This Fab Find Friday is a special edition! This post has taken me forever to write... there are SO many things I wish I knew before registering for what I thought our baby would need... and so many things I wish I had put on there (like, um a highchair) that I didn't because it was "down the road..."

Granted, every baby and parenting style is different so these products may not apply to everyone... I might love and live by something another parent deemed useless and vice versa. But these are the things that we personally couldn't live without or wish we had never even bothered with... stuff that Ky LOVES and stuff that hopefully his little sister will love as well! I wasn't asked to review any of these products... again, this is just my opinion. Also all the links go to Amazon.com because that's where we were registered.

**Sidenote for Soon-to-be first time Mommies: I definitely recommend registering at Amazon because they have EVERYTHING... shipping is usually fairly cheap... anyone can easily access it... and they even let you add links to other websites! Its great.

So, in no particular order...

1. Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets

This list isn't in order by greatness, but if it was, these babies would be numbers 1, 2 and 3. Ky has been using these blankies literally since the day he was born. My friend Melissa put these in the care package she brought me in the hospital after I had gave birth. They are the softest, sweetest, biggest blankets out there and my baby is OBSESSED with them. To this day.. 7.5 months old and he won't fall asleep with any other blankie. I've had to stock up on a bunch and I'll def be getting more around Bunny's arrival. We never even bothered with SwaddleMe's.... I found them annoying, to be honest. I swaddled him exclusively in these blankets until he could roll over and now he just snuggles with them to sleep. I have one in my car, one in our bedroom, one in his diaper bag.....

And if you need proof as to how much my child loves these blankies...

2. Sleep Sheep

We have 2 of these cute guys. One large one which stays in the nursery and a small one for travel. Ky loves the soothing sounds and I find that especially when we're away from home, the soft, familiar sounds help him fall asleep in unfamiliar areas. I definitely recommend this or some other sound/white noise machine... He doesn't "need" it to fall asleep, but it definitely helps.

3. Fisher Price "My Little Snugabunny" Collection: Bouncer and Swing

When Ky was a teensy little nug, the My Little Snugabunny Bouncer was a god-send. He loved that thing. He would sit in it, chill out, sleep, relax... he loved the vibrations, the music, the chirping birdies, and its SO soft and cozy. We used that thing until he literally couldn't fit into it anymore.

Once he grew out of the bouncer, the Snugabunny Swing took it's place. He's almost at the weight limit for the swing, and I will probably cry the day he officially outgrows it because that, too keeps him calm and relaxed for hours on end. When he had a cold a month or so ago, we brought the swing up to our room and he slept SO peacefully in it at night since his head/chest was elevated and that helped with the congestion. This swing is an automatic narcotic... I just hope Bunny loves these items as much!

4. Avent Pacifiers

At exactly 5 months old, Ky decided that pacifiers were for suckers (haha... I made a funny). He just up and stopped liking them randomly the week of his 5month birthday. Up until that point, these were the ONLY pacifiers he would take... and I tried tons. I have about 100 of these in every size and every color imaginable. They're great because they come with caps, fit all paci clips, and they don't have to go in baby's mouth a certain way. Talk about a narcotic... two seconds with these things and he was the Mayor of Naptown. He LOVED them.. that is, until he hated them.

5. Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumparoo

This is one of the things I never registered for that I wish I had... Honestly, I thought it was too bright and gaudy and took up too much space. THEN we went to California to visit Hubs' sister and Ky tried out his cousin Aiden's jumperoo... We had to pry him out of that thing. He stayed in it... for HOURS. I'm not even kidding. He cried when we'd take him out. My in-laws sent us one promptly once we returned home and he still loves it. He'll jump around in it anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour at a time which makes this momma's chores go a lot more smoothly.

6. Baby Bijorn "Babysitter Balance"

I never registered for this either and had never even heard of it until it was given to me at my shower. But man oh man, this thing is amaze-balls. The best thing about this bouncer is it's portability. I take this with me EVERYWHERE... to friend's houses for dinner, when we travel out of town, when we go for a picnic... it folds up to almost nothing and its great for Ky to sit or sleep in anytime. Since it's so lightweight, it's great to scoop up with one hand while you're toting baby with the other. I used it a ton when he was immobile for when I was showering, putting on makeup, etc... and little man can just sit in our room and play with a toy while he rocks away. It also came in handy before we got a highchair and I used it to feed him his solids for the first two months. It's pricey... but worth it.

7. Monitors

We have two: The Angel Care and the Summer Video Monitor...

I love both these monitors and I don't think I could live without either of them. Before Ky was even born, I KNEW I would be the neurotic parent who would wake up and check on baby every 15 minutes to make sure they would still be breathing... isn't that every parent's biggest fear?? This monitor has given me SO much peace of mind. It tells you the temperature of the room, too which is also nice... but most importantly, the thing goes berserk if it doesn't sense breathing or movement for more than 20 seconds. We've had a few random scares (if he's in a really deep sleep or something) and I don't think Hubs or I have ever flown across our house to his room so quickly with our hearts beating out of our chests. Thankfully, nothing was wrong... but it's nice to know that the monitor is doing its job.

The video monitor is also something I adore. I hadn't registered for this, either... I forgot about a monitor... oops! It's great because my baby especially sometimes has bad dreams or stirrs in his sleep and will cry out for a few seconds... I just glance over at the monitor and I can see if he's really awake and upset or if it's just a passing cry. (No joke... this literally JUST happened as I was writing this post... ha!) It also helps for when his head is too far in the crib bars, if his face is covered by a blankie, etc. AND, you can link multiple cameras to one handset so I only need to buy another camera for Bunny's room! I don't think I could ever use a sound-only monitor after having this!

8. iBabyFeed iPhone App

Not everyone has an iPhone, but for those that do, this App helped me tremendously while breastfeeding. I think it was a couple bucks but seriously worth EVERY penny. It records every feed, how long, which side, and even how many ounces when you pump. Then, it gives you a daily, weekly, and monthly summary about the average amount your baby is eating and how much you're pumping, etc... It was a great tool for me to track his feedings in the very beginning when he was eating around the clock and also during growth spurts. It even lets you set a custom timer to remind you when to feed baby. Genius.

9. Boppy Pillow

You had to know this infamous pillow would make the list. Not only was this great for nursing, but Hubs even used it, too (shh!) when he'd give Ky a bottle when he was really small. After I stopped nursing it, the Boppy went into his closet but I've brought it out again recently for when Ky was first starting to sit up on his own... it was the perfect support pillow to go around his little tush and catch him when he tipped over :)

10. Sugarbooger Diaper Bag Organizing Pouches

These things are great! I love knowing which clothes are clean and which are dirty without having to sift through a ziploc or grocery bag. Even Hubs can pack Ky's bag and not have to ask me, "where do the clean clothes go" or, "which shirt is dirty?" when he needs a change. And the little pouches are great for packing socks and toiletries when you travel and I'm sure will come in handy once Ky starts snacking!

11. The First Years Night & Day Bottle Warmer

This bottle warmer is awesome. When I was breast-feeding, I was over-producing a ton... so I was pumping constantly. That turned into us giving Ky pumped bottles during his night feedings so that Hubs and I could take turns feeding him and since in the middle of the night it took him 30 - 45 minutes to nurse but only 15 - 20 mins to take a bottle

This warmer was great because it comes with an icepack to keep breastmilk bottles cool and then ready to warm when you want to use them. Our kitchen is on a lower floor and since I was recovering from the C-Section, it wasn't easy for me to run downstairs and hit the fridge up for a bottle of milk when baby was screaming his face off. This thing saved us many trips downstairs and it heats the bottle SO quickly... by the time his diaper was changed, it was warm and ready.

12. Activity Mat

Any mat will do, but this is the one we have. Ky has loved this from the very beginning... he rolled over for the first time on this mat. Sat up for the first time on this mat. and Still loves looking in the mirror and playing with that monkey. It's a great thing to put down anywhere and it's soft and keeps little ones entertained forever.

So there you have my fave baby-must haves! I hope that for all you moms and moms-to-be this was helpful! Again, I'm sure all babies are different... this is just what worked for us!

There are also a few items that didn't work for us... not many, but a few. I'll mention them here and give my opinions as to why we/Ky didn't like them...

1. SwaddleMe Wraps

Like I mentioned above, these didn't really work for us. I registered for and bought a ton of them in the beginning but Ky just didn't like them and I didn't have fun trying to fit a squirmy baby into the little Swaddle pocket. The Aden & Anais blankies are huge and perfect for swaddling... I had no issues swaddling him in a regular blanket... in fact, I preferred it. It's so easy if you just ask the nurses to teach you in the hospital or if you take a baby class, they usually cover it.

2. Itzbeen Timer

When I first saw this thing I was so excited and it was one of the first things on my registry. I think I used it for about, um... 5 minutes before deeming it useless. I like the idea of the timer... in theory. But when the baby has a wet diaper and needs to be changed immediately or if he's hungry and needs to be fed, the last thing you think of is finding a timer and pushing a button. I found the iPhone app way more helpful because I always had my phone on me and knew where it was.

3. Sleeping Gowns

Ky didn't care for these... he didn't like his legs exposed and I always felt like he was cold in them. We tried a few different brands because all in all they DID make diaper changes easier... but now we try and just use zipper footie pajamas and he prefers those much more.

4. Bumbo Seat

I still think this is adorable and I really wished he liked it. I've mentioned he isn't much of a fussy baby so when he would cry and cry when he was in this thing, I knew it had to be the seat and not him. I think we used it twice... he just didn't like it. Plus he is Super Pudgers and his chunky thighs wouldn't fit in it all the way, haha :)

5. The PUJ Tub

My SIL swore by this thing so I added to my registry. It was useful a couple of times when we were out of town because it's much more portable than the baby bathtubs... but I found it flimsy and it didn't fit in our bathroom sink so we had to use it in the kitchen. The bottom is pointed so if the sink is deep, it doesn't sit up and you have to hold it with one hand which makes bath time almost impossible. I don't think we used it more than a handful of times... I found the newborn sling in the tub much more user-friendly.

18 Week Bumpdate

2012-01-12T08:30:00.000-05:00

Am I seriously 18 weeks already?! I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is flying. I don't know if it's because my days are busy with Ky ~~or because we didn't know I was pregnant the first two months~~ but I feel like it's coming and going SO quickly.... I just can't wait to meet our baby girl.

Sidenote: I officially feel like a heffer. Last night I was like, "wow, this is really happening" because I just felt SO pregnant. I hope I don't become the size of a house this time and that my belly evens out and I'm just showing more in the beginning since it's my second... but holy cow.

How far along are you? 18 weeks

Total weight gain: +9 lbs from my post-baby weight... but around the same I weighed when I got pg with Ky. Which.. is sad, really.

How big is baby?: The size of a bell pepper

Maternity clothes: Still living in leggings and my Gap maternity jeggings. Jeans don't fit anymore... even with the ponytail holder. Gotta break out my maternity clothes this weekend!

Stretch marks?: Still nothing new

Sleep: Sleep is still good... takes me a min to get comfy but once I'm there, it's lights out!

Best moment this week: More movement from baby girl and did some shopping for her :)

Movement: Nothing from the outside yet, but last night she was moving more than she's ever moved yet... I could feel little jabs and kicks all over the place for like an hour before we went to bed. I've also been starting to feel her push and curl up on the sides of my tummy.

Food cravings: Chocolate chip cookies and rice krispy treats (which is weird, bc I am NOT a sweets person)... and fried chicken. And tacos. And french fries.... ok, let's be honest, I want to eat everything.

Food aversions: Really? I'm eating everything in sight.

Labor signs: Nopey

Belly button in or out: UM... I've had an innie forever and even during Ky's pregnancy it never went anywhere but just yesterday I noticed it's becoming an outie?! wtf?!?!

What I miss: Red wine and spicy tuna rolls. Seriously, I would KILL for a "freebie" meal...

What I'm looking forward to: 20 week anatomy scan coming up and starting work on the nursery! I'll post our ideas soon :)

Milestone: Finding out we're having a girl!

Excuse this awful 18week bathroom pic! I feel like a teenager on MySpace... but Hubs ran out the door before I could coerce him into snapping a shot.

Monday Morning Mish Mash

2012-01-09T08:00:00.004-05:00

I can't seem to get my weekend mush of a mind together enough to write a decent post today... so here is a little brain dump to kick-start this week!

• Our Christmas tree is still up and frankly, I'm embarrassed. I keep thinking "today is the day I'll take it down!" but watching Chopped on DVR and staring at the tree is much more appealing...

• Speaking of Chopped, Hubs and I have recently become addicted to this show. I literally can't stop watching it. I've DVR'd all the marathons and just watch episodes all day long.

• I have two resolutions/goals for this year. One is to meet Geoffrey Zakarian and/or eat at his restaurant. The other is to not get pregnant.

• I'm pretty excited about the Dance Moms Season two premiere tomorrow night. Prettyyyyy excited.

• I made Rice Krispy treats this weekend for the first time in what has to be like 15 years. They were just as good as I remember them being as a kid.

• I was 99.5% sure we had Baby Girl's name locked and loaded until I fell in love with a new name yesterday. Now I'm torn!

• Having a girl is going to be bad news and I foresee it starting many arguments between Hubs and I. Especially since I just spent ~~a ridiculous amount of~~ money on hair bows and headbands from Etsy this week. Lord help me.

• I've started planning Ky's 1st birthday party. I know, he's not even 8mos old yet, but by the time his birthday comes around, I'll be 36 months pregnant so I want to get as much planning done before I refuse to take my heffer ass out of the house.

• Why do we buy babies toys? Lately, Ky's favorite things to play with have been plastic cups, a spoon, my sock, the remote, and my sunglasses case.

• I really wish I had some spicy buffalo wings right now.

• In my next life, I want to come back as Greek. I just love everything about Greece... the food, the country, the traditions, the music... Maybe we'll just move to Greece.

• Scratch the buffalo wings. Now I want a gyro. Actually no... I want meatballs and orzo from the Greek deli near my old office. But they only make the meatballs on Wednesdays. Dammit.

• After weeks of teething and midnight (and 2am... and 5am....) Orajel fixes and Tylenol snacks, Ky's two bottom teeth have finally poked through! He celebrated by finally going back to his ways and sleeping 10 straight hours last night. We are all very happy/well-rested today.... Hallelujah!

Ok, I think that's enough Mish Mash for one Monday morning! Also, I want to announce the winner of my MyMemories Giveaway is Stacy!! Message me with your email address and I'll hook you up!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Fab Find Friday

2012-01-06T08:30:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday Lovlies! Hope everyone has some fun and exciting weekend plans! My plan is to FINALLY take down our Christmas tree.. (no judgies). All our other decorations have come down but for some reason I can't bare to take the tree down! It's just so pretty :)

Anyways.. with the holidays falling on the weekends this year, Fab Find Friday took a backseat to more appropriate posts. But today it's back, and boy is it a goodie!!

First and foremost, I can't take credit for this Fab Find.... but it's amazing and something that every mom should have tucked into the depths of their bathroom cupboard. Since Ky was born, I haven't been able to live without Batiste Dry Shampoo...

My dear friend Melissa (who also took our amazing birth pictures, btw...) brought me a "care package" in the hospital after I gave birth to Ky. It included granola bars, fruit snacks, face wipes, a baby fab find that has been my life line the past 7.5 months (I'll include it in my baby faves post... in the works!) and this dry shampoo.

I'd used other dry shampoos in the past and was indifferent on them. Sometimes they helped, sometimes they left my hair feeling dry or even greasier... sometimes they didn't do anything.

This stuff works EVERY TIME. It's like magic in a bottle. I don't use it every day, but sometimes when you have an early appointment or meeting, or the baby is sleeping in unusually late and you want to join him, this little spray can is a lifesaver. A little goes a LONG way and it leaves your hair shiny, soft, sweet-smelling and with that freshly washed look. Plus, it's SO much more affordable than those expensive salon-brand dry shampoos. As much as I go through this stuff, I can't be bothered spending $20 a can... I think Batiste is around $7 a can. Works for me! I seriously don't know what I would do without it!

I've found it at Ulta and Ulta.com... and you can also get it on Amazon. Trust me, you and your hair will thank me! :)

**ALSO, don't forget today is the LAST day to enter my MyMemories Giveaway!!**

Not So Sweet Peas...

2012-01-05T08:30:00.001-05:00

Kyran had his first experience with peas last night...

It didn't go over well.

Giveaway Reminder!

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

A reminder if you missed it... enter my MyMemories Scrapbook Software Giveaway before the end of the week! Not many people have entered yet which means your chances of winning are pretty good!! :) Even if you aren't a scrapbooker, this could make a great gift for a mom or MIL! The giveaway ends Friday!

Kickin' Off This New Year with a Rockin' GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Hope all you wonderful ladies had a fabulous {safe!} and happy New Years Eve! We sure did and I'll post some pictures of our celebration soon! But first and foremost I wanted to kick-start this New Year with an AWESOME Giveaway that I just love and I know many of you will love as well!

When the fine folks at MyMemories contacted me to host this giveaway I was so excited for a couple reasons... 1. I LOVE giving people things, 2. Even if you don't win, you are still a winner (I'll explain!), and 3. I have been hunting for the perfect digital scrapbook software FOREVER and I know everything I've been looking for is in MyMemories and I'm so so excited to use it!

Basically, this software program rocks. Its such an easy, affordable, and amazing way to document all those moments we never want to miss. Who has time for REAL scrap-booking anymore? I know this momma doesn't... and I have done my fair share of scrap-booking back in the day! This software makes it SO EASY to drag, drop, design and create gorgeous scrapbook pages in minutes! Plus their site offers tutorials, examples, creative ideas and more... what more could you ask for?

Here is a little Christmas montage of pictures that I put together in no time using MyMemories...

Cute, right? And I love how its such a modern approach to scrap-booking. The best part about this is that there is no huge box, no crazy installation instructions, no shipping involved. If you're the lucky winner, I'll just email you a code and you can go to their site and download your copy in seconds... how great is that?! PLUS even if you don't win... you're still a winner since MyMemories even provided me with a $10 off coupon code for every one of my wonderful readers... how great is that?!

So do you want one yet?? Here is how to enter...

• Follow "Double the Fun" and go to the MyMemories Website... leave me a comment with which digital paper pack or layout is your fave

**FOR EXTRA ENTRIES**
• Follow The "MyMemories" Blog: http://blog.mymemories.com/
• "Like" The "MyMemories" Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/MyMemories/140359372717593
• Tweet this Giveaway and Link to the "MyMemories" Twitter page: http://twitter.com/#!/mymemoriessuite

That's FIVE chances to win!! I don't know about you but one of my New Year's resolutions is to be better about not just taking pictures but actually DOING something with them. I have hundreds of thousands of pictures just stored on my hard drive doing nothing... this is a great way to display them, make gifts, even print and frame a single page and use it as wall art. The possibilities are endless!

The giveaway ends this Friday, January 6th so enter while you can! I'll use a random generator this weekend and announce the winner on Monday! Good luck :)

A Year in Pictures

2011-12-30T10:25:00.002-05:00

2011 has surely been a year for the books. We bought a house. I left my job. We had a baby. We got pregnant with another baby... I think it's safe to say that this year alone has brought me more joy, tears, love, hope, anxiety, excitement, stress and pure thankfulness than any other year of my life. Here are a handful of pictures for every month that just make my heart squee, to highlight the best moments this year has offered us...

January

We had our anatomy scan for Baby One and found out we were having a boy! Everything was perfect and baby was healthy... horray!

February
We took a much needed Babymoon to Mexico and spent 5 days doing absolutely nothing on a warm, sandy beach. It was divine.

March
We started the tumultuous process of house hunting and began packing up our one-bedroom apartment... the only home we'd ever known as Husband & Wife!

April
We were showered with love and gifts at our baby shower and we took maternity pictures during the cherry blossom festival in Downtown D.C.

May
May '11 was a big month for us! We bought our first home and a short three weeks later, welcomed our son Kyran Luca into this world.

June
We took newborn pictures with the fabulous Melissa Manzione and began learning the ropes of this crazy adventure called Parenthood!

July
We celebrated the fourth with friends and fireworks and Kyran went on his first trip to the beach with Hubs' family in Sea Isle City, New Jersey.

August
Kyran attended his first wedding! Hubs' brother got married in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

September
We marveled at how big our little man was getting as we celebrated the end of an amazing summer and also the one-year anniversary of the day we found out we were going to be parents.

October
We took our first vacation as a family and flew to Orange County, California to visit Hubs' sister. Kyran saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time, went wine tasting (haha) and attended his cousin Aiden's first birthday party!

November
HOLY CRAP. We're going to be parents... AGAIN!!! We also celebrated Thanksgiving at Deep Creek Lake with my family... one of my favorite childhood vacation places.

December
Ky was mesmerized (and spoiled) by his first Christmas, celebrated in Philadelphia with his Italian Family. We also found out that Baby #2 is going to be a little girl!

What an incredible year! We are so thankful for all the amazing things that have happened to us this last year and cannot WAIT to see what 2012 brings! Happy New Year to you and yours! See you next year :)

Gender Reveal!!

2011-12-29T13:00:00.000-05:00

I've felt your flutters and your kicks... wondering everyday, what you would be...

Would you be another lively little boy like your brother..?

Or would you be the beautiful little girl I've always dreamed about..?

Well the wait is over! And now the secret is out....

IT'S A GIRL!!!

And I could not be more thrilled, excited, thankful and happy. I had a small inkling all along that it was a girl. Aside from the THREE "it's a girl" dreams that I had, this pregnancy so far has been very different from the first... I was much more nauseous and vommy, MUCH more sensitive to smells and tastes, and just overall felt more tired/sluggish. But now that we know for sure, I'm ecstatic! I finally get the baby girl I've always wanted since I was a little girl myself. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a "boy mom"... but I know that a mother-daughter relationship is something so so special and I cannot wait to share the joys of shopping, baking, sparkles, glitter, hairbows, proms, a wedding, etc... with my soon to be daughter.

Baby girl is measuring 4 days ahead and looking perfect. She was swallowing and sucking during the ultrasound and we could see her little mouth open and close... it was so crazy! I'm a teensy bit sad that Ky won't have a little bro to boss around but I know he's going to be an amazing big brother to his baby sis and take care of her! I just hope she doesn't want to date all his friends... Oy!

Let the shopping commence!! :)

7 Months and a Baby Mohawk

2011-12-27T10:00:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday weekend! I'll have a Christmas re-cap soon once I get around to uploading and editing the pictures... amongst unpacking, putting gifts away, cleaning up, etc... I wish you could get days off from housework :)

In the meantime, our little guy turned 7 months old on Christmas Eve. I feel like the first three months were slow and steady but the last four months have flown by... maybe because more of my day consists of making sure he doesn't roll off the changing table or under the entertainment center...

Here are Ky's stats:

Weight: about 20ish pounds if i had to guess. He was 19.6 at his 6mo appt...
Hair: Dark Brown but seems to have been getting darker lately
Eyes: Still Dark Brown.. but starting to lighten a bit, I think
Diapers: Size 3... but I think we're close to switching to 4's since he's pooped through his diapers a couple times this week. Oops.
Clothes: Mainly 6 - 9, but a few 3 - 6 and a few 9 - 12, depending on the brand. He's got a chubby belly so only 9month pants fit him now and he's also in 9mo sleepers.
Eating: He takes four 8oz bottles a day and eats solids twice a day. So far, he LOVES pears, apples and bananas, and he hates sweet potatoes. I've tried three times and he just makes this awful looking face, gags and then spits it out. Stinker.
Napping: Two longish naps (1.5-2 hours) a day, and then a few cat naps (30-40 mins) throughout the day.

Misc:
• Sitting up fully unassisted. Sometimes he gets a little wobbly so I put the Boppy around him to break his fall... but the other day he sat for a good 30 minutes straight and just played with his toys... NBD.

• Crawling is definitely around the corner. He doesn't like being on his back too much so he'll flip onto his tummy and lift himself up and start doing "the rock". He can move about one and a half crawls before he falls but I bet within the next couple weeks, baby-proofing will be happening. Dang!

• He LOVES songs and music. He got this baby xylophone for Christmas and his eyes just light up when it plays. He can also be soothed by singing... whenever he's upset or cranky, I just need to break out Itsy Bitsy Spider or Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain" (don't ask...) and he starts rocking back and forth and smiling. I also have to sing to him now whenever I give him a bottle to keep him distracted or else he looks around too much and doesn't finish eating!

• He is obsessed with our dog. He only started noticing her about a month or so ago, but now whenever she walks by it's like Christmas morning. He starts giggling uncontrollably and lunging for her. Dora has caught on by now though and sits far enough away so he just barely can't reach her... I think she likes torturing the poor kid.

• He's a drooling machine. Still don't feel any teeth coming in but he's been sleeping horribly lately, chewing on everything, and drooling like a madman so I'm hoping something cuts through fast because this preggo momma needs her sleep!

• He giggles out loud now and it's the sweetest thing. He has a dimple on his right cheek, and his smile gets so big and he just scrunches up and giggles out loud. I love it.. I'll have to post a video soon!

• Still loves bathtime but changing his clothes is getting harder now bc my rollypolly wants to just flip over and crawl away... no more turning around to grab something out of the closet while he's on the changer!

I think that's about it! He's getting so big and his personality is really starting to shine through... He's also getting a little bit of an attitude! Last week I was feeding him pears and when I took the bowl away from his grabby little fingers, he looked me right in the eye and screamed. Excuse me?! I was thrown... I didn't know what to do so I laughed. His little mind knows what it wants, that's for sure!

And without further ado, here are the 7mo pics of my not-so-little man. Tears.

Sooooo big! And how much do you love that little Fauxhawk?? :)

We find out bunny's gender TOMORROW so keep those guesses coming before the reveal! Eeeep! Can't wait :)

Holiday Card 2011

2011-12-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays

From our family to yours

15 Week Bumpdate

2011-12-20T17:32:00.006-05:00

15 Weeks isn't a huge milestone, but it means a lot of things. It means I'm smooth sailing from the 1st trimester. It means baby's gender can be determined now. And it means flutters turn to flips and also that now I actually look pregnant and not fat or like I haven't lost the baby weight... (Up until this point, if I left the house with Baby One, I'd wear something super baggy or super tight so that there'd be no mistake that I'm not still carrying around a post-baby belly with a 7month old baby. No judgies.)

How far along are you? 15 weeks

Total weight gain: errmm.... no idea. I tend to shy away from the scale...

How big is baby?: The size of an apple

Maternity clothes: I seem to be living in leggings lately since my maternity jeans are still a bit too loose. However, I can still squeeze into my regular jeans with the help of my good friend the ponytail holder!

Stretch marks?: Nothing new, thankfully... but the few I got from Baby One are starting to rear their ugly heads again. Bah.

Sleep: Sleep is good! Once I'm out, you'd need an earthquake to wake me up... or Hubs nudging me, same diff :-P

Best moment this week: Feeling what I know to be distinct movement.

Movement: A little rolling around here and there! I didn't feel Baby One's flips and kicks til about 17/18 weeks to when I knew for sure.. but now that I know what it feels like, I think I can tell sooner.

Food cravings: Still creamy, cheesy pasta. Also... fried chicken. And Pho. Mmmmm, pho. Oh, and anchovy stuffed olives. I know, VOM.. but they're soo super salty and delish :)

Food aversions: Finally over the egg disaster of 2011. I didn't have a SINGLE aversion with Baby One, so when the sight of eggs made me want to hurl, I was super confused at first... but I had eggs for breakfast yesterday, so I think we're good!

Labor signs: Uhh I hope not!

Belly button in or out: Innie

What I miss: Still missing wine. And sushi... my sister-in-law is visiting and was eating a spicy tuna roll from Whole Foods yesterday and I almost leapt across the table to get it.

What I'm looking forward to: Finding out Bunny's gender ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!

Milestone: Getting through the first tri and feeling movement.

In ONE WEEK we find out whether Bunny is a He-Bunny or She-Bunny. At my last u/s the tech gave us a "guess" and said she was 95% sure what it was.. but I want her to be 150% sure before sharing the news :) Don't forget to take the poll in my sidebar if you want to guess! We are going to be thrilled either way... I've lusted for a little girl since I was a little girl myself, but being that the babies will be so close in age, a boy would be a lot of fun and SO much easier since we are already equipped! We'll find out soon enough... I can't wait! And here is a 15 week picture..

Santa and Traveling

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have a predicament that I wanted to ask you fine readers about. Hubs and I got into a discussion about Santa the other day, and it got me to wondering... WHAT do people who travel every year for Christmas tell their kids about Santa?!

A little back story: Growing up, my family didn't really celebrate Christmas. Oh sure, we'd hang Christmas lights and we'd bake cookies and we'd even exchange gifts once in a while just for fun, but since we aren't Christian, we never had a tree or any memorable traditions or anything like that. My mom and I discussed putting up a tree once in a while, but it just never happened.

I always knew I'd want to make "Christmas Morning" a big deal once I grew up and had kids. I always envied my friends talking about rushing down the stairs bright and early, wearing Christmas PJs, listening to holiday tunes while eating fancy French Toast, seeing the cookie crumbs left by Santa, and then excitedly opening all their presents... I wanted that picture perfect "Christmas Morning" ensemble for my kids since I never got to experience it for myself.

The one good thing about the fact that my family doesn't celebrate Christmas is that there is never any dispute over where to spend the holidays. Every year we travel to Philadelphia, PA where Hubs entire family is. Now talk about going all out for Christmas... if any one knows how to celebrate this holiday, it's Hubs' huge, Italian family. The food, gifts, wine and laughter are plentiful and I love love love going to Philadelphia to share in their Christmas traditions. We usually drive up Christmas Eve morning since Christmas Eve is a big night with the fam.. we do a "Pollyanna" (Secret Santa) gift exchange with all 30 members of his family.

So here is where my predicament comes in... now that we have children(s), I started wondering how this whole "Christmas Morning" routine was going to work if we're in Philadelphia every year. We live 3 hours away so it's not like we can come home and go back so easily, and we usually crash in his uncle's basement or grandma's attic or wherever we can squeeze in. Ky is obviously still young and won't understand the concept of Santa Claus for a couple more years, but what will I tell him then?! What will I say when he wonders why he can't open his gifts from Santa on Christmas Day? Why we can't leave him cookies/milk? Or, do I tell the kids to write Santa a letter and have him forward all their gifts to Philadelphia? (I actually found this ADORABLE "Mailbox to Santa" at Pottery Barn Kids that I almost bought, just in case....) Does that take the "fun" out of the morning?? Or, do I lie to my kids and pretend Christmas is really Christmas Eve?

SO many people around the world travel to be with loved ones on Christmas... HOW DO THEY DO IT?! I'm totally stumped. Help!

And just for fun, here are some pics of my Little Man in front of his very first Christmas tree... drool-soaked shirt and all! :)

(I think this is when the dog ran by...)

(This last one is from visiting the National Christmas Tree in DC last weekend... too cute not to share!)

First Christmas in Our New Home

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Happy Friday, Lovlies! I hope that all of you have some fun weekend/holiday plans in store! The last weekend before Christmas... egads! I still have some shopping to do :)

Today I've decided to skip Fab Find Friday and Link Up with Erin over at Blue-Eyed Bride for the Blog Hostess "Oh What Fun It Is" event! Being that this is our first Christmas as parents AND in our new home, there was a lot of decorating to do this year and I just love how cozy and festive our new home feels. I always decorated in our apartment, but it just wasn't the same with a mini-tree and one rogue garland... decorating our home was so much fun and I love the Wintery touches throughout our living space that constantly make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Let's start with our entryway... We have a console table right when you walk into our home and I donned that up with a pretty cherry red runner, sparkly candles, and a vase full of cranberries. I thought a cranberry garland would jazz up the mirror a bit, too...

I change out the pictures on the console table depending on the season and that was our Holiday card picture from last year. And of course I had to add a newbie picture of my little Squishy.

Moving through our foyer, you get to our staircase. We don't have a mantle on the main level so I hung our stockings on the banister using gold ribbon and then just wrapped a garland around it so you couldn't tell.

For the first time we have matching stockings which I ordered this year from Pottery Barn. I got the Velvet Stockings and I LOOOOVE them and I'm so happy how they turned out! They're cute and classic and simple... and I know they'll have the same design next year when I need to order Bunny's :)

(Somebody already has ~~a ridiculous amount of~~ treats in their stocking...)

From the entrance you first arrive at the kitchen. I didn't do a whole lot to the kitchen this year... just a fun centerpiece, some seasonal dishtowels, and the best smelling candle in the universe...

I got these gold place mats from Bed, Bath & Beyond last year and I'm obsessed with them. I only use them around the holidays and I randomly scatter them throughout the house -- side tables, under our fruit basket, etc... it adds just the right amount of festive sparkle to dress up any small space!

One of my favorite thing about the holidays is sending and receiving holiday cards... I just LOVE getting a stack of snail mail everyday thats chock-full of well wishes, cute family photos, and holiday cheer. My mom got me this little Santa card holder and I love it!! It hangs on our pantry door in the kitchen where I can display our cards for all to see...

Our tree sits in the corner of our family room and is actually pretty boring this year.. I underestimated on ornaments and procrastinated getting more so it feels pretty thin to me... I'll have to stock up at after-Christmas sales for next year :) However, there are a few special ornaments on our tree that I just love:

It seems as though someone likes our tree....

(Notice the holiday collar...! Cuteness overload.)

Finally, there are a few little details places sporadically around our home that just bring a little holiday cheer. On the shelf above our couch, I have a glass vase full of gold and red ornaments...

And our TV stand is adorned with a small candle tray that is nested with decorative gold balls.

My main guideline for decorating for the holidays (or anytime for that matter) is to keep it simple... it doesn't have to be over the top to be beautiful and classic. I also love a very modern approach to decorating so that it maintains the theme of decor I already have going in my home. I also love using natural elements wherever possible... hence, the garland, cranberries, pine cones, etc... I love bringing the outdoors inside and those cinnamon pine cones just smell divine! :)

And there you have our Holiday Home! I wanted to get a Charlie Brown tree for Ky's room this year, but never got around to it... next year him and Bunny can share one! :)

Birth Story: The Finale!

2011-12-14T07:00:00.003-05:00

Final installment of the Birth Story! Catch up with Part One and Part Two here :)

Because of my high-blood pressure and preeclampsia, my OB wanted me to have a 24 hour magnesium drip. At first, I was so doped up on a Percocet cocktail that I was like, "Sure, more drugs?! Hand 'em over!" What I didn't know was that the magnesium had to be carefully monitored on a different floor where there wasn't a nursery or any pediatric nurses. In other words... we couldn't be on the same floor as the baby the first night.

Once this all sunk in, I was devastated. I wanted to spend his birthday evening snuggling him all night long, learning to nurse him, and soaking in every feature, wrinkle, and tiny fuzz of hair that graced his little body. However, the MagDrip wasn't optional so I had no choice but to say bye to the baby for the evening. Another plus about the drip? I couldn't eat or drink while I was on it. Keep in mind, All I'd had that whole day because of the surgery was a glass of OJ at 9:30 in the morning... I didn't even want to eat because I was still queasy/loopy from the surgery, but I was PARCHED and dying for a glass of water. The most they could let me do was crunch 3 mini ice cubes an hour and suck on popsicles. Yum... refreshing.

So here we are, our first night as parents, away from our baby and I am munching away on ice crystals imagining them to be double cheeseburgers. Needless to say, it was miserable. I barely slept the whole night, I'd get up every hour and look at the clock, willing the sun to rise faster so I could be reunited with my baby again. He also had to be supplemented with formula during the first 24 hours which was another blow since I was planning to exclusively breastfeed from the very beginning.

Finally, after what seemed like a LIFETIME.... it was morning. I requested them to bring us the baby as soon as they could. I still had to be on the MagDrip and couldn't BF him and STILL couldn't eat or drink anything but I just wanted to hold him again. Around 7am, they brought him in.

He had gained some more color in his chunky little cheekies and some of his swelling from the pregnancy had gone down. He was wide awake, opening and blinking his eyes and looking around at us.

Hubs gave Ky his breakfast and then subsequently changed his very first diaper as a Daddy...

After 24 excruciating hours of the Magnesium Drip, I was finally able to go down to the labor and delivery floor and get our "real" recovery room. It took me about, um... 30 minutes to get into the wheel chair because standing up for the first time was the WEIRDEST feeling ever. I literally thought my uterus was going to fall out from the way it felt once I moved out of the bed.

We lucked out and were put in a double room but were told that no one else would be admitted there which meant Hubs had a bed to sleep in, too! Score.

Hubs was amazing during our whole hospital stay (...I think he was making it up to me for passing out. HA, jk honey, love you xoxoxo). Being that I was basically bedridden the first two days, there were very few things I could actually do. I couldn't change diapers... I couldn't walk around and rock the baby if he was fussy... I couldn't get up and grab this, or get that if I needed something. Hubs did all of that and more. He didn't leave the hospital room once the entire 3 days we were there. I don't know what I would have done without him! He was already a seasoned pro at this whole newborn thing before we even left the hospital :)

As I've mentioned on this blog a gazillion times, I have a wonderful friend who is an incredible photographer. Melissa was sweet enough to drive an hour from her home in Maryland to come and capture some priceless moments of our little family, just two days after Ky's arrival. These images mean more to me than she will ever know, and it totally made up for not having "birth pictures" in the OR :)

Friday evening, we were discharged to go home. Of course it was raining and sticky outside but we didn't care... we couldn't wait to get home and begin our lives as a family of three. It was so surreal putting Ky in his "going-home" outfit that I had lovingly picked out months before, bought, washed, and kept for the day our son would be brought to our home.

It was so nice to be in our own home and to sleep in our own bed! My mom stayed with us the first few nights which was a huge help since it wasn't a breeze for me to jump out of bed when Ky needed to be changed or fed... and Hubs had the whole following week off which was just as great. The weekend we brought Ky home was Memorial Day weekend so we had tons of family and visitors flock in to see our little babe. It was wonderful and the perfect way to begin what was a great summer!

As far as BFing goes, once I was able to begin, we had no issues at all... Ky's latch was great, and I was producing a ridiculous amount from the very beginning which was awesome. It was painful the first few weeks, not going to lie... I wanted to cry sometimes when he first latched on because the pain was unbearable, but one day it just magically went away and we had no further issues. I was scared of having a baby that wouldn't take a bottle down the road so I pumped diligently every day, froze a ton, and we gave Ky about 2 pumped bottles a day so he would get used to it. It worked great for us, and we never had a problem weaning him once I stopped.

So that's that! It was a roller coaster ride for sure, but it definitely had a happy ending and there was nothing sweeter than bringing our happy, healthy baby boy home! Here are a few more images from the beginning of our adventures...

The day my husband fainted. Oh, and I had a baby.

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Part Two of the birth story continues! You can catch up on Part One Here.

You should know that Hubs is healthy as a horse. He's barely set foot in a hospital his whole life, never broken a bone, never had surgery on anything... he rarely, if ever, even gets sick. So for someone like him, hospital is a dirty word. I knew he'd be a little weirded out from Day 1, but just HOW squeamish/uncomfortable, even I couldn't predict.

Once the screen went up, I could tell he was getting fidgety. He kept twiddling his fingers and looking around nervously. I tried to calm him down (ummm aren't I the one being cut open here?!) by reaching for his hand which was cold and clammy. I tried talking to him to distract him but I could tell he wasn't paying attention.

Finally, I said, "Are you ok?" And this is the last I remember of the situation...

Hubs: "I'm hot."

Me: "Hot?"

Hubs: "Yea... is it hot in here?"

Me: "Um no... its COLD in here... thats why they gave me like 14 blankets when I came in... are you sure you're ok...?" {Keep in mind, we're mid-surgery by now...}

Hubs: "I'm just hot." He was wearing a surgical mask and he pulled it away from his face to breath down under it

Me: "Um, I think that defeats the purpose of the mask....."

The next thing I know, two nurses swoop in and I hear "I think he should leave" and "Sir, come this way...." and before I even realize what is going on, Hubs is whisked out of the OR.

My thoughts?

UMMMMM are you JK@TG$KIJS# kidding me?! Where the hell did he go?! WHY would he leave?! Why wouldn't he say, "no, I'm fine... it's ok, I'm good...."

At that moment I felt like I was going to vomit. I told the nurse I felt nauseous and she ripped open an alcohol wipe and let me sniff it until the feeling went away.

Part of me was waiting for him to come back in the room. Part of me was expecting him to walk right up to his seat again and be like, "Weird sorry... I'm fine now." That didn't happen.

I kept asking the nurses where he was but no one would give me a straight answer. Finally, the doctor asked me if I was ready to become a mom. Those words were all it took to snap me back to reality.

All of a sudden I felt the strangest feeling. I couldn't feel anything from my chest down, obviously... but I could sense this pulling and tugging going on and for some reason I felt it all on my chest. It felt like someone was pushing down on my rib cage and before I knew it, I felt light as a feather.

Kyran didn't cry right away. I saw them carry him over to the warming table and he was curled in a ball and purple. I know thats what babies look like right when they are born, but it was still instinctual for me to be like, "Is he ok?! Is everything ok??"

Then I heard it, and saw it. He didn't open his eyes, but his wee little mouth opened as wide as it possibly could and he started screaming and crying and I just lost it. I could barely see him anymore from the tears that were clouding my vision but I continued to crane my neck and look over at the warming table where they were cleaning him up. The nurse turned him around so he could see me and she picked up his little fist and waved to me and said, "Hi Mom!" I remember crying even harder at that moment and saying, "Hi Baby..."

Finally they wrapped him all up like a little burrito and brought him over. He was wearing a pale blue hat and a white blankie. I smothered his face with kisses and told him I loved him. Then they took him to go get checked while I got stitched up. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of his birth since there was no one there to take them... but I'll never remember that first moment when his little purple fist waved at me :)

Once he was gone, I immediately asked for my husband. I told the nurse they should have let him come back in after the baby was born, he would want to be here...

Finally, the nurse quietly said, "Sweetie... your husband will have to meet you in recovery... he's currently in the ER."

Me: "Umm... WHAT?! WHY!?!? What happened?!?!"

Nurse: "Well... we could tell he was a little uneasy so we took him into the hallway. Once he walked outside, he fainted. And, um... he hit his head on a table. We had to wheel him down to the ER to make sure he doesn't have a concussion..."

I was speechless. Here I was furious and so upset that Hubs wasn't in the delivery room and the whole time he was in the ER. I didn't even know what to say.

Finally they wheel me into the recovery room and there, waiting for me, is my baby. The nurse said his temps were a little low so they wanted me to do some skin-to-skin to bring him back up. She barely even finished her sentence before I started removing my hospital gown, eager to just clutch this little one to my chest as fast as I could. I held him as close as possible and kissed his forehead and his face and cried even more tears. It was surreal... I couldn't believe it. He was finally here laying on my chest, resting his sweet little head on me. It was just amazing.

Our first picture together, moments after he was born

I called my mother who was in the waiting room and she was shocked when she answered the phone and it was me. I asked her if she was ready to meet her grandson and she screamed (of course). Within moments she was in the recovery room with me and we were both staring, in awe, of our newest little family member.

Then my phone buzzed and it was a text from Hubs: "Sorry babe. I love you."

A couple minutes later he stormed into my recovery room saying, "I'm so sorry, are you mad?" I couldn't help but laugh and say, "No, I'm not mad, are you ok?! And umm... do you want to meet our son?"

Hubs was fine after that... they gave him a roast beef sandwich and some water in the ER (He hadn't eaten all day). We both spent the rest of the evening loving all over our baby while dozens (seriously, DOZENS) of friends and family members stopped by to meet our little lovebug.

Coming up: Our hospital stay and C-Section recovery!

"I can't have a baby today... I'm supposed to go to the movies!"

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

I never actually wrote down Baby One's birth story. Looking back, I wish I had. I'm sure there are little, fleeting moments about that day that I'll never remember... but that's sort of what makes it all special, right? Being in the moment, experiencing that first touch, kiss, smell... and not remembering EXACTLY what it felt like because the feeling is just too amazing for you to ever reenact. All I know is that at the moment, time stood still and it was perfection.

It all started on a hot Tuesday in May. I was going to the doctor for my 38 week appointment. Ironically, I got a phone call that morning saying my doctor was at the office located in the hospital and I was to go there for my appointment. At the time I was annoyed because it's a little more out of the way... looking back, it was good because I didn't have to drive anywhere while in panic mode.

I didn't have much of an appetite that morning so I just drank a glass of Orange Juice. My appointment was at 10:30 so I figured I'd pick up ~~Chipotle~~ something on the way home. I was also planning to catch a movie with my cousin that afternoon. (That, of course, never happened... and I STILL haven't seen Something Borrowed!)

I put on my fave comfy maxi dress and laid on the couch before it was time to leave. I took this picture randomly since Puppers loved to curl up on my belly and feel the baby kick :)

As I mentioned previously, I had started developing preeclampsia. I won't even show you a picture of my legs/cankles/feet because they would frighten small children and I really don't want to be reminded of when my bottom half all too closely resembled Shrek's... minus the green, of course.

When I got to the doctor's office and checked in, I waited forever until I was seen. A nurse took me back and took my blood pressure (high), checked my legs (swollen), and then wanted to run some labs (positive.... for whatever it was that they were looking for). They took me to another room to do an u/s and saw that my fluids were low as well... basically all signs pointed to the preeclampsia worsening.

When the doctor called me into his office to chat, it took me a minute to figure out what was happening....

Doc: "so... what all did you have to eat today?"

Me: "umm... just a glass of OJ..."

Doc: "good, good... umm... how far does your husband work from here?"

Me: "huh? about 25 minutes... whyyy....?"

Doc: "Well I want to get you admitted and scheduled...."

Me: ::derr...:: "Scheduled for what?"

Doc: "Aliya... you're having this baby today."

Me: "What? I'm supposed to see a movie later...."

Doc: "Call your husband. See how quickly he can get here..."

Me: "I have groceries being delivered in an hour!"

Doc (checking his schedule): "How does 3pm sound?"

I quickly called Hubs who was on his way to lunch and shared the news. I also called my mother who screamed, freaked, and then ran to our house to pack the rest of my hospital bag. I remember sitting in a gown, in a lab room, on the phone with my mother saying, "Don't forget the Boppy! THE BOPPY MOM, it's a pillow shaped like a U!"

Mom and Hubs met me at the hospital. The doctor checked my cervix to see if there was anyway to avoid the C and induce me instead. I was barely 10% effaced and 0cms dialated. When he said, "we COULD induce... but... you could end up being in 15 hours of labor and then we'd have to emergency C anyway...." it was all I needed to hear before telling him to do his thang. (Induction + Pitocin + HOURS of Labor and ending in a C was pretty much my worst nightmare from day 1).

I sent a mass text to all my besties and close family while we waited for our turn in the OR. (I also called Safeway to cancel my grocery delivery....they said Congrats.)

It was so surreal and it all happened SO fast that I don't think it really sunk in. I was sitting there with my mom talking about who to call, and who would let out the dog, and if my dad could leave work early.... it was so weird and it felt like I was moving in slow motion.

Finally, I get called in to pre-op. They trussed me up in all the gear and I sat on the table ready for the epi. I remember being nervous and scared, but the nurses were all so nice and were chipper and asking me questions about baby names, and if we knew what it was... I remember as soon as my legs went numb, they spun me around on the table so quickly I barely knew what happened. The next thing I remember is asking the doctor if they could cover me up because I was "exposed" (from the belly button down, might I add), for all to see. She laughed and said, "Honey, you've got nothing we've never seen before!"

The last thing I remember thinking before they sent Hubs in was "Great, all my junk is hanging out... how super awkward...."

Finally, Hubs comes in dressed head to toe in paper. I whisper to him that I feel really awkward about my junk hanging out. He gives me the classic "Oh, Aliya..." look, rolls his eyes and sits down next to me. The screen goes up, and it's show time.

Stay tuned for Part 2! :)

Fab Find Friday

2011-12-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

TGIF! I personally am extremely excited about this particular Friday for a number of reasons.... my bestie love is coming to visit from California, my in-laws moved back to the East Coast last week and are coming to visit today, AND I'm gearing up for the Ladies Holiday Brunch I mentioned on my bumpdate post! Can't wait to show you guys all the adorable pics that will surely surface from our little festive get-together :)

If you followed me before, you know that I did a weekly feature called "Fab Find of the Week" where I would share with you a fun beauty product, food item, appliance, gadget, etc that I loved and most likely couldn't live without. I loved sharing these finds and definitely need to bring this feature back because I have discovered SO MANY new ones in the last year and a half! I'm switching it up to "Fab Find Friday" to make weekend kick-offs that much more enjoyable! :)

So without further ado.... I proudly present....

My first Fab Find is something not baby-related, but sort of baby-related because 1. I could have probably lived without it before baby, but now after baby... god forbid if the house ever catches on fire I'll have Ky in one arm and this in the other. (Hubs and the dog have legs, don't ya know...)

Keurig Platinum Brewing System

I never really drank coffee until about, um.... 2 years ago? I don't know why... I just never got into it. And when I did drink it, it was always a treat, not an everyday, first thing in the morning thing like most people. Hubs was never a huge coffee drinker either (until recently) which is why the Keurig is PERFECT for us. We can brew as many or as little cups of coffee as we want, any flavor, it makes the perfect amount with no wastage and it's fast, easy and for a momma on the go, its a God-send. Now that I'm PG, I have cut my coffee in-take to barely one cup a day, but even then its so nice to have a steamy cup ready to go in a matter of minutes, with the push of a button, in a variety of options. And now Starbucks even has K-cups!! Their Sumatra Dark blend is AMAZEBALLS. Just saying.

So if you're on the fence about whether or not to invest in one of these babies, I say go for it... you will not be disappointed!

13 Week Bumpdate

2011-12-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

It all started one chilly Saturday morning in October.. we got SNOW here in Virginia and if that wasn't weird enough, I woke up with a bloody nose. I know people, especially kids, get bloody noses all the time but I had never had one my whole life. Except... when I was pregnant. I barely even thought twice before walking to our medicine cabinet where I knew I had one leftover pee stick from the same package that Baby One's came in. I pulled it out of it's shiny wrapper and took to the toilet... Hubs was still sleeping.

What I saw look back at me in that moment changed our lives forever. I wasn't expecting it to be positive. I was barely even paying attention to it because I could hear Baby One happily bouncing away in his jumperoo and it was making me giggle... but there it was... no mistake... clear as day:

As I mentioned previously, I stormed out of the bathroom, simultaneously waking Hubs from a deep slumber and scaring the baby. I was scared. REALLY scared. I was nervous. REALLY nervous. But deep down, I was a wee little bit excited.. and over the last month that excitement has grown ten fold. And while this surprise was unexpected... I'm now more than ever thrilled and ready to meet the little one who will complete our family.

I have a thing against odd numbers and I really, REALLY didn't want to start my pregnancy updates at 13-weeks butttttttt, I'm letting my OCD take a backseat for now so I can just start documenting it. Looking back, I feel silly for not really writing down all my milestones and pregnancy memories with Baby #1. I wish I had so this is a good reason for me to start documenting #2! So here goes nothing!

How Far Along: 13 Weeks today... sooo close to second tri, woot!

Size of baby: Baby #2 is the size of a 'medium shrimp' (haha... weird)

Total Weight Gain: +3.5 lbs from my post-pregnancy weight... but still less than I was when I got pg with #1!

Maternity Clothes: Ashamed to say yes... broke out the belly band on Monday. The jeans just couldn't do it anymore... I swear, it happened overnight!

Gender: We'll find out at our 16w appointment! Only 3 weeks to go... Check out the poll in my sidebar if you wanna guess :)

Movement: A few flutters here and there but only when I'm laying down.

Sleep: As good as it can be with a teething 6mo old..

What I miss: Wine Wine Wiiiiiine. I was also majorly craving a huge salami hoagie the other day... I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Cravings: PASTA. Cheesy. Creamy. Alfredo-y. Pasta. Gimme.

Symptoms: Nothing really this week... a couple bouts of nausea here and there, but no actual sickness which is good!

What I’m looking forward to: Besides getting to the 2nd Tri... Christmas! My in-laws move back from California this weekend and are coming to visit... and my girlfriends and I are throwing a Ladies Holiday Cocktail Brunch this weekend!

So there you have a 13 week Bumpdate. With Baby One, I took pics every 2 weeks and it was fun to see the progress, but boring overall. I want to do something different this time around. I saw this Maternity Book on Hanna Mac Photography and fell in LOVE!!! I think I'm going to try to do something similar for Baby Two. I have started taking pics and documenting the first few weeks... but I'll probably stop if it's another boy. I don't think my grown son would care to much to know that his mama had pasta on the brain 24/7 while he was growing earlobes. But, for the sake of the blog, I figure weekly belly pics are a must... so here you go!

Back. With A Vengeance.

2011-12-05T07:00:00.002-05:00

Hellooooo? Is anyone out there?

Not sure how many followers I still have around these parts, but crank me to the top of your Blog Roll ladies, because I'm back! That's right... apparently getting knocked up twice in one year makes a gal feel like the blog fodder will just come pouring out. I've decided to take on this project once again... new name, new design, and oh, new baby. Times two... Did I mention that? Let's have a recap shall we?

• I stopped blogging July of 2010 when I was working my arse off and barely had time to eat, sleep, repeat, let alone blog.

• In September of 2010, we saw two pink lines. In true Aliya fashion, I was too nervous/excited to plan a cute reveal for Hubs and instead stormed out of the bathroom waving my BFP screaming, "HOLY SHIT, I'M PREGNANT!" Classy, huh?

• Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote an update post, sharing our baby u/s with you and spreading the news.

• In February, we went on a babymoon to Mexico. It was amazing.

• In April, we took maternity pictures and I had my baby shower. I also started showing signs of preeclampsia and the doctors began to keep a close watch on me.

• In May, we bought our first home and I left my permanent job to contract full-time. Our closing date was three weeks shy of baby boy's arrival... talk about stress!

• May 24th our little prince was born, 2 weeks early by emergency C-section. Hubs fainted in the OR. THAT is a whole 'nother post on its own...

• I concluded the summer is the perfect time to have a baby/be on maternity leave. We spent days by the pool, I didn't have to bundle him up to leave the house, and we lounged on the deck every night. It was perfect!

• Our baby is amazing. I know everyone says that, so it's a give-in. But he really is the best baby... we're very, very lucky.... and we know it. The kid could sleep through a tornado, loves his "alone time" and doesn't cry unless he's famished. I don't know what I did in another life, but I'm appreciative for it!

• In October we went to visit Hubs' sister in California. I went wine tasting and to a brewery. It was awesome. Little did I know that...

• In November we found out we were pregnant. Again. And AGAIN... I stormed out of the bathroom, brandishing a two-line pee stick screaming, "HOLY SHIT, I'M PREGNANT!" (I'll never learn...)

• Soon after we found out that I was EIGHT WEEKS pregnant. Due only 10 days after Ky's original due date. We conceived when he was 3 months old. Cue: freak out.

Which brings us to the here and now. I have a baby and I'm having a baby. They are going to be a year apart. There will be tears. There will be sleepless nights. There will be lots of love. There will be screaming matches. There will be photo sessions. There will be fights. There will be kisses. And there will be two little bundles of joy for us to spoil with affection.

And... there will be this blog which will document all of it.

Stick around... it's going to be an interesting ride.

The Announcement

Santa is an A$$hole and the time I got pee in my ear...

2011-12-02T07:30:00.002-05:00

This probably isn't the best post to start out with from being on a ~~one and a half year~~ blog hiatus, and it PROBABLY isn't the best post to say, "I'M BACK Y'ALL" (especially because I don't say y'all... like, ever), but I thought it was the best post to sum up the #1 reason I have decided to re-name, re-establish and re-open this blog for business.

Before I get into a whole re-cap and all that jazz, let's start with the reason for this post. Yesterday we decided to take Ky to see Santa. Hubs came home on his lunch break and we met up at the mall. Ky was dolled up in a brand new cable-knit sweater, baby jeggings, mini loafers and his new pea coat. (cue: swoon). We waited in line amongst other parents and finally got to the top of the line where Head Elf (aka, a pimply teenager with braces.. ps: why isn't he in school right now? It was the middle of the day) asked me what I want for Christmas. I told him I wanted the line to move quicker. (Not really. I told him I didn't want anything and he said, "Not even video games?!" I didn't know how to respond to that...)

FINALLY we get to the part where you get to meet The Fat Man. And I'm pretty sure this particular Santa didn't need any extra stuffing in his suit. Whoa.

So Ky is looking like he's about to pass out hard core. He's rubbing his eyes and has "Sleepy Face" to the max. I quickly have Hubs pull him out of the stroller so we can get a good picture before the kid takes off for Naptown. We take him over to Santa and let me tell you, Santa looked miserable. I mean, granted if I had to have a bunch of snotty-nosed kids sit on my lap all day I wouldn't be the happiest person either... but thats why I'm not Santa. And he is.

Santa barely cracked a smile. He didn't try to make Ky smile for the picture. He wasn't even holding him properly! I asked them to take another picture because in the first one it looked like Santa was about to let him faceplant into his overly large thigh. The final picture turned out cute and we got the baby to smile... but Santa was seriously disappointing. HE ISN'T EVEN LOOKING AT THE CAMERA!!

It's a good thing Ky is 6 months and not 6 years because he would have probably walked away stomping and crying "SANTA IS MEAN!" ~~like I did~~.

When we got home, I went to go put baby down for a nap and did our usual change diaper/bottle/blankie routine... When I went to go change his diaper, projectile pee proceeded to squirt EVERYWHERE the moment I removed it. Thankfully, I still had the diaper in one hand so I was able to contain most of it, but a good amount went on my hands, the changing table, and the baby. Right as I was switching diapers and wiping everything up... I got the sudden urge to itch my ear. It was an annoying itch, the kind you absolutely HAVE to scratch right then and there or else the world will implode... and right inside my ear, nonetheless. Without even thinking, I reach up to scratch my ear and feel a cool, wet sensation go in...

Awesome. Pee in my ear. There is a first.

Normally on frustrating days like this I'd take to a ~~bottle~~ glass of wine... but I'm pregnant and apparently drinking while pregnant is frowned upon. So I turned to the next best thing.... fried chicken. Obvi.

Stay tuned for a much more appropriate "Return from the Dead" post and a pregnancy update! It feels good to be back...

Introducing....

2011-06-03T14:13:00.002-04:00

Kyran ("Ky") Luca

May 24, 2011

6 pounds, 13 ounces

20.25 inches long

We are smitten :)

One. Month.

2011-04-26T15:27:00.003-04:00

Yes, you read that correctly. ONE MONTH. As in... one month until our precious little prince swoops into our lives and changes everything we've ever known.

Because my pregnancy is high-risk and I've had a few recent complications (major swelling... as in, elephantiasis to the MAX. I won't even show you because it's that scary), my doctor wants to induce me on May 26th. Which (again... in case you missed the memo) is ONE MONTH FROM TODAY.

In between moving, buying a house, buying a car, working crazy hours and having a baby we have been QUITE busy around these parts. Being busy has actually been good because it doesn't let me sit and stew in thoughts of "but what if I'm in labor for FORTY HOURS?!" (you know, my biggest fear ever....) I would love all your thoughts/prayers as "B-Day" approaches.... maybe some well wishes will calm this Nervous Nelly over here :)

I will update again soon with house/nursery pictures (you know, once we unpack our lives) and then hopefully introduce you to the little monster that's been baking in my belly the past nine months :)

And to close, here are some pics from my beautiful baby shower that my mother threw for me!

I requested Funfetti cupcakes.... ask, and you shall receive!

Hilarious
My Best Friend since Kindergarten!

Tracy and I went to High School together and now we're due a month apart!

More of my fantastic friends! :)

Our babe has NO shortage of amazing Aunties, that's for sure!

One more month! Holy crap....

Belly Love!

2011-04-05T15:12:00.003-04:00

Happy Tuesday, Friends!

I'm still alive over here!!! Just thought I'd drop a line and share some belly pics, courtesy of one of my very best friends Melissa of Melissa Manzione Photography -- She's amazing and captured some wonderful pics of Hubs, I and baby-to-be!

It also helped that our beautiful city decided to show off some pretty gorgeous cherry blossoms this year :)

Bumpdate! :)

2011-03-06T21:30:00.007-05:00

Hi lovely ladies! I thought I'd show my old face around these parts and update you (or should I say, bumpdate you!) on our goings-on! This weekend we were lazying around and Hubs oh-so-cutely said, "You should post an update on your blog. I keep checking it randomly to see if you've posted and you haven't..." After I giggled, I realized he was right... I promised periodic check-ins and it's been months! So here you go...

If you caught my last post, you know that Hubs and I are expecting our first little babykins this summer! We were extremely lucky and got a BFP after our first cycle TTC -- wasn't expecting that at ALL, but it was definitely a nice surprise! :)

Since then our lives have been extremely busy! We are buying a house and moving from the only "home" we've known together as husband and wife... leaving fast-paced "city life" behind for a little something more relaxed as we adjust to becoming a family of three. I decided to do one of those standard "Baby Surveys" just to knock out all the basic questions first! So here we go..

How Far Along: 27.5 Weeks!

Size of baby: Baby R is an Eggplant! (yum)

Around 14.5 inches long, and weighing in at about 2 pounds.

Total Weight Gain: 11 pounds as of my 27wk appointment last Wednesday

Maternity Clothes: Mixing it up! All my jeans and pants are maternity, but I can still squeeze into pp-leggings. Tops are a little bit of both.

Gender: it's a boy! Hubs is beyond excited for his little leaguer..

Movement: He has our dancing genes, that's for sure! This kid is a moving machine.

Sleep: Sleep was great up until about last week. Now finding a comfortable spot seems to take forever! Annoying.

What I miss: No judgies? Spicy tuna rolls and red wine. Going out Fri/Sat nights without getting stares from on-lookers like, "ew.. you have a BABY in a BAR." and being able to fall asleep in .2 seconds flat without any disturbances in the night.

Cravings: Surprisingly, I have had few to no cravings at all so far.. which is weird because I feel like I craved certain foods more when I wasn't pregnant. This week however, all I want is fresh fruit -- just got back from the grocery store and picked up a ton of plums, peaches and blackberries... yum-o!

Symptoms: Something I like to call "rib burn." I'm carrying pretty high and after I eat, this kid and all my innards like to push into my ribcage. It's sorta the same feeling when you put on a bra a couple notches too tight... not fun.

What I’m looking forward to: Third trimester milestone this week! :)

Phew, so there are the basics! I know, I know skip the boring stuff.. you want belly pics, don't you? Here is a little montage from my pregnancy so far!

8 Weeks

14 weeks

18 weeks... and I've popped!

20 week anatomy scan results are perfect!

26 weeks -- most recent belly pic

We were also able to escape this weather for a few and partake in our very own Birthday/Babymoon Extravaganza Vaycay in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! It was so wonderful and relaxing to get away and enjoy each other on what everyone told us would be our "last responsibility-free vacation for a whiiiiiiile" -- haha... here are some pics!

I think that about covers what has been going on in our little neck of the woods over here... Only around 12.5 weeks until we get to meet our prince, and I'll be sure to update again with pictures of him once he makes his appearance! Until next time! :)

Long Lost Bloggy Loves!

2010-12-08T19:14:00.003-05:00

Hiiiiii to anyone/everyone out there who might still be listening. I know it's been FOREVER since I last wrote, and I just wanted to throw a little holiday cheer your way and let you know I haven't forgotten about you and I still keep up/read blogs and comment on a daily basis! I do miss blogging and have considered starting up again... sometimes... but before I do, life throws a curve ball and before you know it, it's three weeks later and I find myself wondering where the time is gone.

I hope that all of you are enjoying this wonderful season as much as you can. Another reason I wanted to write a little cameo catchup post is because....

(drumroll pleaseeeeeee)

WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!

Hubs and I are beyond excited to proudly announce we're going to be parents to a bouncy, hairy bundle of something due in the beginning of June. I'm 15wks along and we don't know the gender yet, but we're anxiously awaiting to find out (come on, you know how impatient I am! yeah, RIGHT like I could wait). I'm feeling absolutely great... a little tired and constantly famished, but other than that I've been very lucky and haven't had a day of morning sickness or nausea which I'm so thankful for!

I hope you all are doing well and everyone is looking forward to some time off with family, friends and good food. Happy Holidays to all! :)

Until We Meet Again....

2010-07-23T10:26:00.003-04:00

Hello lovely, lovely blogger friends.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the end of The View From My Shoes.

tear...

This blog has been an unbelievable outlet for me... to vent, share, cry, celebrate, love, pray, laugh... with hundreds of friends and fellow writers just out there wanting to get their voice heard. And I've thoroughly loved and enjoyed every minute. Every post. Every comment.

However, today... literally 2 years to the day that I opened this blog, I am closing the doors. Mainly because my crazy and busy life doesn't allow as much time for Blogging anymore as I had once hoped. And although I could make time and squeeze it in here and there... I've decided that the whole joy in blogging is wanting to write, not feeling forced into writing just because. Am I right?

Two years. 333 blog posts. 29 Fab Finds. What is sure to be thousands of pictures. One wedding. TONS of friends and family. One fluffy puppy. THREE jobs (oy). Dozens of recipes. And I thank you for being a part of it all.

I am without a doubt going to continue to read and comment on all of your blogs, so this isn't goodbye forever. And perhaps one day in the future I'll show my face again... somewhere :) And of course, you can always find me at my design blog (which... is also seriously lacking. Don't look now).

Infinite hugs, kisses, love, and mushrooms. Because, you know.. who would I be without leaving you with something crazy/food-related? :)

So, until we meet again.... peace!

Fab Find of the Week!

2010-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

(orr... of the year? sorry, I know it's been a while!)

This Fab Find has been more like a Fab Savior. It's the PERFECT find for summer as it helped me get through our Bahamas trip, 4th of July, hot/sticky/sweaty days on the metro, and I'm sure many other future beach and summer trips.

It's Neutrogena's Deep Clean Sport Cleansing Wipes.

Here is the thing about these wipes.. they aren't a makeup remover. They aren't an oil dabber. They aren't medicated. They are a sweet smelling, simple, refreshing wipe just meant to cleanse and clean your face. I have been keeping handfuls of them in my purse, beach bag, pocket.. you name it. It was GREAT in the Bahamas after a long day at the beach to get sticky sand grit and salty water residue off my face. Plus, I LOVE the way it smells. I love these things so much I've been handing them out to friends/family to try. Definitely stock up on a few before any beach trips this summer! :)

45 People. 5 Days. 1 Boat.

2010-07-06T08:34:00.000-04:00

I am SO BEHIND on Blogging that it's killing me, but I am finally getting back on a regular schedule after starting the new j-o-b, which by the way is fantastical! However, after not having worked in an office for close to 6 months, it definitely took me a bit to figure out how to re-juggle Hubs, Pup, Work, Friends, Family, Chores, Holidays, Summer Plans, etc.. etc.. the list goes on.

More on that later. This post is dedicated solely to our recent little getaway that doubled as a family reunion with my side. I had family visiting from Pakistan, and it was the first time in a loooooong time that all those peeps were coming here the same time that my local family was also in the same area. So, the elders put their heads together and decided the best thing to do would be a giant family reunion cruise to the Bahamas.

....in theory, the thought is nice.

However, once executed.. it became a little more of a crazy experience than I think anyone intended.

There were 45 people total, so managing anything was obviously chaotic. The youngest person was 18 months and the oldest was 85 years old, which made coordinating events somewhat difficult. And there were 22 "kids" under the age of 18 which made wrangling the group up a logistical nightmare. But, overall we had a fantastic time. Hubs got to meet a lot of my aunts, uncles and cousins that live in Pakistan and India that he'd never met before. I got to see my cousin's newest baby girl. We spent hours lounging near the beautiful, crystal-clear beaches of the Bahamas. And I got to spend lots of time catching up with my little cousins who I once used to baby-sit and are now 18, 19, and 20+ years old... crazy how time flies!

Here are some pictures of our fun, crazy, unbelievable, once-in-a-lifetime adventure :)

Me & Momma!

My mom is so chic, haha :)

Ignore the people in the photo behind us, haha...

Escaping the chaos to go to Senor Frogs... Spring Break, whaa? :)

Hubs, me, Bro, Momma, Daddy :)

Fave spot!

Take me baaaack! :)

Parasailing!
My beautiful girl cousins

JUST the cousins and grandparents... what a group, huh?

Stay tuned for more posts including a FAB fab find, and our 4th of July adventure :)

M.I.A...

2010-06-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

We escaped for a few days...

Details to come... as soon as I unpack, catch up on work stuff and survive DC's current BLISTERING heat.

Where, oh where, did Aliya go?

2010-06-08T08:07:00.002-04:00

Oh where, oh where, could she beeeeeeeee??

Between traveling, starting a new job, weddings, graduations, a puppy, family in town, and the trials and tribulations of basic daily life... I feel like I haven't had time to breathe. I miss blogging, being lazy, catching up on my favorite shows and doing absolutely nothing. Hopefully I'll be able to do that soon! Until then, here is a little sneak peek into what we've been up to..

ok... maybe I had a little down time...

Ro*tel Across America!

2010-05-24T11:49:00.003-04:00

Hey ladies! Want to earn some free cash and make some yummy food?? Look no further than this blogpost!

Ro*tel is hosting a recipe contest and you can submit YOUR yummy Ro*tel recipe (or, as many as you want), and $2,000 will be awarded to the best one!! Click HERE to submit your recipe! (Or you can click on the "Ro*tel Across America" button on my sidebar) How easy is that?

I make a TON of things using Ro*tel, but I think I'm submitting my recipe for Spicy Turkey Chili Dogs.

Here it is!

Spicy Turkey Chili Dogs

Ingredients:

1 - 1.5 lbs. ground turkey meat
1 medium sized onion diced (red or white... I used a mix of both)
1 - 2 garlic crushed garlic cloves
1 can Ro*tel
1 can of kidney beans (drained)
1 small can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon each of: oregano, paprika, cumin
1 chicken boullion cube
6 hot dogs/hot dog buns
Sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook onions in a big saute pan until translucent and remove. Brown turkey (in same pan) and drain fat. Add onions back into pan with turkey and add all remaining ingredients except the hot dogs, buns and cheese. Bring to a simmer, cover and let sit for 20 or so minutes.

Meanwhile... cook the hotdogs (you can do this however way you prefer... I boiled them in beer and then grilled them on a griddle with some butter so the skins got a little crispy). I then added the hot dogs to the chili while it finished simmering. In a shallow baking dish, line up hot dog buns and toast for a few minutes. Add hot dogs, spoon chili over the dogs and sprinkle with cheese. Place under the broiler for a couple minutes until cheese melts.

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

2010-05-21T10:48:00.004-04:00

Big news today kids...

I got a [new] job!

Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, my company had to make even MORE changes and cut a few contractors, and yep... I got laid off... again. But you know how they say everything happens for a reason, and I wholeheartedly agree. Without having worked from home for 5 months, I wouldn't have this little monster:

(I know, I know... I shouldn't encourage the fact that Hubs is totally Britney Spears-ing it with Dora, but she jumped in his lap AND onto the steering wheel on her own, and it was just too damn cute to NOT document)

It is obviously sort of discouraging to say that I've literally been laid off from every job I've had since I graduated college... BUT.. After each company was left behind, I always walked into something bigger and better, and this time I'm sure that is exactly where I'm headed.

I was SO lucky that 1. Planet Green was required to give me 4 weeks notice because I was contracting, so I had ample time to put my job feelers out there... and 2. I found an amazing opportunity downtown for a really great company that gave me two interviews in 48 hours and offered me an AWESOME position the next day! I'm thankful and grateful that it worked out this way, and I can't wait to start this new challenge.

Which brings me to my next point... I've decided from here on out to refrain discussing work on the blog. I used to love sharing all my work with you guys but I think that in this specific position, there is a lot more that needs to be kept confidential and private. Besides... no one wants to read about boring work stuff in the Blogosphere, anyway, right?? :)

I don't start until June 1, and that is perfect because Hubs and I are going on vaycay to Seattle, Washington for Memorial Day!

We are both really excited because neither of us have been there before so we can't wait to experience, explore and eat our way through this awesome city. Has anyone ever been there or lived there? If you have any tips or ideas on what we should see, where we should eat, etc.. please let me know!

Til then... TGIF!!! :)

Summer Bags

2010-05-19T14:19:00.005-04:00

This summer, we have a couple trips coming up and plenty of the usual beach excursions and I am itching to find the perfect summer tote bag. I love all things nautical this summer... stripes and anchors are showing up everywhere and it gets me excited for beach and summer fun.

From what I've seen, this season's trends bring straw textured totes, bright white leathers and navy blues with those delicate gold details... love! I mean, really.. who doesn't love a big white bag? To me, it just screams summer. I always feel like I have much more to tote around in the summer... Some how, 8 bottles of sunblock, bottles of water, 4,000 pairs of sunglasses and allergy medicine, tissues, etc, etc.. always end up at the bottom of my purse which is why I really want something big and hefty that can hold all my crap but that is also cute and classic to last more than one season. Not to mention, for traveling, a large tote is a must. My requirements include airplane to beach in 60 seconds flat.

Here are a few bags I have my eye on... Click on any image to go to the site!

Rampage "Gigi" Faux Leather Tote
This is definitely one of my faves! I love all the white, and the gold chains remind me of Chanel. This might or might not already be in my shopping cart....

Tianni Cindy Tall Tote

This bag is pretty standard on the outside, but I love the pretty floral surprise on the inside!

Nautical Straw Tote
This is everything I could ever want in a fun and fashionable summer tote. It makes me want to put on white shorts, flip flops and my bathing suit. I just love it!

Nordstrom Straw Tote
This tote is a summer must-have for any tropical getaway! I can just picture wearing it on a plane and landing in some fabulous, crystal-blue water destination. It comes in a yellow and also a pretty teal color.

Neves Shopper Tote

This flower tote was too adorable to leave out of the list. Don't you just want to throw on a printed sundress and take to the beach immediately?

J.Crew Jericho Tote
This bag is definitely NOT in the budget but I love the color and style so much, I couldn't resist but to show it to you all. Maybe it will go on sale before we go to the Bahamas this summer?? One can hope!

Fab Find of the Week - iPhone App Edition

2010-05-17T12:08:00.002-04:00

I know not EVERYONE out there has an iPhone, but I've thought about doing this post for a while and I decided to finally take the plunge, even though it probably excludes a large percentage of my readers. The reason being is, that a lot of these apps relate to online websites that you might or might not have already heard of and can still check out... iPhone or not.

So, without further ado... my Top 5 Favorite iPhone Apps that I positively couldn't live without. In no particular order:

SHOPSTYLE

I know I said no order, but this has to be my all-time favorite app. Seriously. I use it to find EVERYTHING. If you've never heard of this site before, I just became your new best friend. Its a whole database full of almost every article of clothing, piece of furniture, shoe, etc. out there.

Not to mention, you can refine searches by color, price, size, keyword... you name it. Honestly, I actually like the ShopStyle iPhone app better than their website because you can just scroll down (ad free), select favorites, save for later, and with one click... email them to yourself or a friend. It's genius. I wish I had thought of it.

SHAZAM

This app changed my life. It made me believe in magic.

Simply click on the Shazam app while you're listening to a song, and it'll "tag" the music and tell you the name/artist of it. I can't tell you how many times I've used this app... my favorite moment was when I got in the car and my fave "song of the moment" was just about to end. It was pretty new so I didn't know who sang it, or what it was called... I'd only heard it a couple times. I quickly grabbed my phone, Shazam'd the song, and it told me who it was. Not only that, but it linked me directly to iTunes where I downloaded the song and within seconds was listening to the full version thanks to my iTrip. I tell you, technology these days astounds me.

TFLN

Have you ever been abandoned in a Dr.s office waiting room? The DMV? Waiting for a late friend or family member? Bored in class or on a long car ride? Forgot your book on the subway, etc.. etc.. etc..

If you answered yes to any of these, than this app is for you.

Textsfromlastnight.com gained popularity overnight, and while some might argue that these texts are fabricated, I politely disagree since most of them are positively hilarious and try to maintain the glimmer of hope that somewhere out there, some guy really DID not feel like drinking anymore and mixed his vodka with his applesauce and ate it at a frat party. Needless to say, this app has kept me highly entertained on more than one occasion.

GOOGLEMAPS

This app is my personal GPS system, yellow pages, atlas, lifesaver all in one. Not only does it give directions (either driving, walking or bus), but it also maps out approximate time of arrival, distance to location, detours and more. You can look at it in a "map" view (pictured) or a "list" view. AND, hit the little compass button and it pinpoints your exact location. I'd literally be lost with out it. (teehee)

ALL RECIPES

All Recipes' Dinner Spinner app is great on those nights I can't decide what to make for dinner. It lets you lock in items you do have and then you "spin" it and it pulls up a large list of recipes complete with ingredients and instructions. You can save favorites, email them, and search as well. I have used this countless times in the grocery store.... "oh, Ground Turkey on sale? Let's spin and see what we can do with that." Pure genius!

Who Knew...

2010-05-06T08:26:00.001-04:00

That little old hairy Hermione would end up being such an uber hottie?

ummm... Hello, Gorgeous.

Fab Find of the Week!

2010-04-27T10:15:00.004-04:00

Ok, I should probably re-title this little series to "Fab Find of the Month" since I've TOTALLY been slacking on my finds... but in my defense, I have a bunch of cool ones coming up that you guys will LOVE!!!!

Up this week, I decided to do a double feature! My Fab Finds are totally awesome singles snack packs of some of my FAVORITE foods ever: guacamole and hummus. And I have to share that both these Fab Finds were given to me courtesy of my friend Sarah who loves anything in snack-pack form.

Now, we usually make guacamole at home whenever we can, but on days when we don't have all the right accoutrements or I'm just plain lazy, Wholly Guacamole is a FAB alternative. This is the best pre-packaged guacamole on the market (IMO). It's got the right blend of flavors, it has actual chunks of avocado in it, and its creamy texture is just delicious. It's definitely not the kind you buy in a packet and mix with water (woof). This stuff is the real deal. My mom first discovered it at Costco and I would buy it by the tubful. Of course then you have the issue of it going bad quickly and you're throwing out more than you're eating. Until...

Umm... GENIUS! Pure genius. Sarah loves these for her on-the-go lunches or to snack on mid-day without going through an entire tub of guacamole.. and while it's great for that, we also love it at dinnertime because one or two packages ends up being the PERFECT amount for us. And then.. you don't have to worry about storing opened guacamole and it turning all brown and gross on you. You can even freeze these and take them out of the box the day you want to use them! I wish I had thought of that...

My next item is a similar find (and also, I have to thank Sarah for this...). Sabra Hummus Singles!

Once again, Sabra is one of our favorite brands of store-bought hummus. (Minus of course, Whole Foods or Wegman's hummus.. but that's a whole different post). I love making hummus at home, too (recipe coming soon!!!), but it is just not as convenient or easy as buying it in the store. We love our hummus, and I'm not really exaggerating when I say Hubs and I can sit and devour an entire tub along with a bag of Stacy's Pita Chips. These single packages are perfect for picnics, snack time, to take to the office, etc... and it definitely helps that you aren't eating an entire tub of hummus!

So far I've really only seen these at Costco, but I'm sure local grocery stores will start carrying them soon.

Thanks, Sarah! :)

And the Winner is....

2010-04-26T12:46:00.002-04:00

LAUREN at Shooting Stars Mag!

Come on downnnnnnn!

Congratulations, Lauren and thanks again to everyone who entered!

I hope you enjoy your new flat iron!! :)

Giveaway Reminder!! :)

2010-04-23T10:15:00.003-04:00

Hey kids! Happy Happy Fridayyyy!!! :)

Don't forget to enter my PINK Hana Flat Iron Giveaway!! It ends Sunday, so this weekend is your last chance!

And to celebrate the weekend and that today is Friday... I present you with this week's Cuteness of the moment:

(How much is that puppy in the window?) :D

Product Review and GIVEAWAY!!

2010-04-19T08:00:00.002-04:00

As warmer weather approaches, along with the heat and humidity come frizz and static cling. What better way to kick-start this summer than with a brand, spanking-new (and hot PINK!) flat iron, courtesy of Misikko.com!

When Misikko contacted me to review their flat iron, I was a little skeptical since I'm a Chi-Devotee all the way. However, once I saw the pretty pink iron, I knew I would love it. This Hana Professional "PINK" is a ceramic flat-iron that gets the job done quick. It has adjustable heat settings, too which I LOVE and is one of the Chi's downfalls. It's also lighter, thinner, smaller, and more compact than the Chi which makes it perfect for traveling. I can't wait to tuck it away in my weekender bag for trips!

The thinness of the barrel is also great for when you want to curl your hair with the flat iron, which I do on a regular basis. All in all, I def recommend this iron. And, the good fellas at Misikko were kind enough to provide an extra to give away to a lucky reader! If you want one for yourself, enter my giveaway below! :)

This Pink Edition gift set includes:
1 Inch Ceramic Flat Iron
Travel Pouch
Heat Proof Silicone Mat
Tin Carrying Case
A $205 Value!!

Here are the rules!!
To enter the giveaway, follow my blog and comment below with your name/email address

For EXTRA Entries:

1. Follow Misikko on Twitter (1 extra!)
2. Blog about the giveaway on a personal website (2 extra!!)
3. Join Misikko Newsletter (3 extra!!!)

GOOD LUCK! You have until SUNDAY AT 12/pm EASTERN TIME TO ENTER!!!
I'll choose a winner on Monday!

More from Misikko:
Chi Straighteners
The Corioliss Flat Iron
All Flat Irons

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!!!

2010-04-14T14:01:00.002-04:00

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!

I'm so so SOOOO excited to FINALLY be able to announce... I'm going to be an AUNT!!! Hubs' sister and her husband are expecting their very first bundle of joy this fall... and I could NOT be happier. This will be the first grandbaby for my in-laws and also the first niece/nephew for all of us.

I have wanted to be an "aunt" my whole life... almost as much as I want to be a mom. I was so lucky to grow up with the coolest aunts, who were almost like sisters to me... and I'm so close with all of them. I love spending time with my aunts and I always thought it must be SO much fun to be an aunt... all the fun with half the responsibility of being a parent! I can't wait to ~~spoil this kid rotten~~ be the best aunt ever. :)

Nicole is only about 12 weeks along, but their last ultrasound seemed to be leaning to the baby being a BOY, but I'll of course keep all of you updated on the latest news! So excited :) :)

And of course, congrats to my wonderful Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law!!!

What I LOVE About Warm Weather...

2010-04-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

Baseball games, hot dogs, and beer... (even though I don't really keep up with baseball..)

Long walks with little paws... (even though she stops to sit about every 15 feet..)

Our Farmer's Market opens with the freshest of flowers... (and yummiest buffalo summer sausage... mmm)

Sunday Picnics at Gravelly Park with my favorites... watching planes land at National Airport is a favorite past time...

(excuse the scruffy-ness... someone had been rolling around in grass ALL day and desperately needed a bath... and the dog was dirty, too...)

The arrival of bright pink cherry blossoms... even though they leave almost as fast as they get here..

Southern-Style Sweet Iced Tea.. extra sweet :)

Fields of Dandelions... even though they make my eyes water, throat itch and nose run, something about them still makes me smile and reminds me of plucking bunches of these weeds and tying them with ribbon to give to my mom as a little kid..

What do you love?

Strawberry Brain

2010-04-06T15:24:00.004-04:00

I am sure that I have mentioned I have an addictive personality.

It's kind of ~~obsessive~~ annoying.

When I get something in my head, I have to have it. When I like a song, I love listening to it on repeat. When I have a favorite food item of the moment, I eat it everyday until I'm sick of it. I can't explain it.. thats just what happens.

A couple days ago I walked into Whole Foods to get some soy cheese (which, by the way... gross) for my vegan friend who was visiting. Whenever I walk by the produce aisle at Whole Foods, I immediately go weak in the knees. I can never seem to walk out of there without a bouquet of asparagus, a bunch of flowers, or a box of berries. I don't know if it's the display, the music, the marketing ploy... whatever the case, I'm a sucker for it all because it works. Everything is just arranged so beautifully and its all so colorful and it smells FANTASTIC... I just love their produce section.

Anywho... back to my point. So I was in there, and I walked past an entire display that was nothing but strawberries. HUGE, plump, deep red, juicy, sweet smelling strawberries. I had to have some. I bought the smallest box they had and rushed home salivating. I could barely contain myself and practically opened the box as I walked into our apartment and devoured... the ENTIRE thing. They were THAT good. The first good berries of the season. And I'd been dreaming about them ever since.

Today, I had serious Strawberry Brain. I'd been thinking about them all day, and I wanted more. I came into the office today and there is a Whole Foods about 2 blocks away... so finally I surrendered to my cravings and walked there in the torrid heat, straight to the strawberry section. I carefully perused each box, looking for the one that had the biggest, reddest berries, and after about 4 minutes (seriously), I picked one up and walked to the cashier.

The cashier scanned the berries three whole times and each time the buzzer made this annoying beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep sound that did not sound good. Finally, she turned to the cashier next to her and said, "these berries aren't ringing up."

(Of course, in my head I was like, "come ON, woman! I just want my berries!!!")

But I composed myself and jokingly said, "Oh! I must be the One-Millionth Customer, I guess they're free!"

The 2nd cashier tried ringing them up again and then said, "Oh, I guess these are the new shipment of organic berries and they aren't in the system yet... go ahead and take them. Have a great day!"

Ummm... Jackpot?! I didn't even look back. I mean... I thought about it. I thought about saying, "Nooo! Here's $5" or "Oh, ok... well I'll pay you double next time!" or, "Don't be silly... let me buy this pack of gum and you can charge me for 6 packs."

But I didn't say any of that.

Nope. I said, "Oh, thank you! You, too" and I ran out of there before she could change her mind.

And then I got to my desk and devoured my strawberries in the most lady-like way. And they were divine.

Greek Lamb Burgers

2010-03-31T12:09:00.004-04:00

Honestly? I don't remember what I put in this burger. I'm pretty sure I threw in everything but the kitchen sink. That's the great thing about burgers.. you can mix, mingle and toss in any vegetables, herbs, spices you want to create a delicious concoction.

My inspiration for this burger was a Greek theme. I used ground lamb instead of beef to give it that extra depth of flavor. I added traditional burger ingredients: a handful of breadcrumbs, an egg, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. I also added ground cumin, allspice, oregano, lemon juice, and some sauteed mushrooms/onions that I chopped up super fine.

I grilled these on our grill pan to about medium/medium rare, and then topped it with a creamy garlic sauce and tangy bits of crumbled feta cheese.

In short... it was heavenly. I think this picture says it all.

I can't wait til warmer weather promotes more grilling. I love burger season :)

Meet Dora!

2010-03-28T07:49:00.006-04:00

This weekend we added a new addition to our little family... this 5 inch, 3.2 pound ball of complete fluff and love.

Dora is a 9 week old Shichon (Shih Tzu/Bichon Hybrid) and we are already completely and totally in love with her. We had talked about getting a puppy for about a month and a half... once I started working from home and was going a tad bonkers throughout the day by myself. After a TON of research, talking to friends with pets, reading, etc... we decided on her breed because Shichons are easy to train, eager to please, and perfect for condos/apartments. They're small so they don't need a lot of room to run and play, and she's also hypo-allergenic and shed-free. Not to mention, once we saw her little face, we were hooked.

So far, she's done FABULOUS with her potty training and she's a huge cuddlebug. She is also obsessed with Hubs and I'm pretty sure I've been replaced....

AND... as much as he joked that he'd look a little silly carrying around/walking with a 3 pound fluffy dog... he adores her...

Its only been two days, but it's been fun playing with her, learning together, and enjoying her constant entertainment. Not to mention, its pretty cute to watch a grown man melt to mush when a little fluffball runs into his lap, haha! So far, she's been a dream. And I love the daily dose of distraction... that is currently napping on my feet :)

She Works HARD For the Money...

2010-03-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

I appreciated every SINGLE one of your comments on my rant post yesterday. I'm so thankful that I can use this blog to not only talk about my latest obsessions and discuss celebrity goss, but also as a forum to discuss things that are really, truly important in our society. (I'm not saying that what Demi Moore wore to the Oscar's wasn't important.. obvi it was. But you know what I mean) :) Thank you all for your kind words, feedback, criticism, and support. I genuinely soaked in every word.

As some of you may or may not know, I was laid off from my job in November of last year. And, well... this post was a long time coming. I wanted to write it a while back, BUT, I got caught up with life and I was also keeping my options open as far as job hunting went, and had sent my blog address to a few potential employees. In my field, blogging is a definite plus to get you ahead of the game. In fact, a few of the jobs I'd applied for even said, "Personal blog is a big plus!" in the job description. For that reason, I thought I'd keep my work situation hush, hush for a little bit...

Anyway.. I digress..

The last few months of the year were not as stressful as I thought they'd be. I was distracted by the holidays and still getting paid through January so it really wasn't until my last paycheck cleared that I was hit with a little anxiety and concern for our future. I kept telling myself that January would bring better things: Companies would re-do their budgets, everyone would be over their holiday lull/laziness, and actually begin getting back to the people. Thankfully, I was right. Like clockwork, mid-January brought a slew of opportunities. I had numerous job interviews in person and by phone weekly. In the end, I got two offers from two very different companies and VERY different career paths.

Long story short: I had to decide between a position that (to be honest, I didn't really want...) but with great pay and amazing benefits... or an excellent job that was more in the direction I wanted my career headed... but a little less money, and zero benefits.

I was torn between what I should do and wanted I want to do.. and god bless Hubs for dealing with me during this period. I was cranky, irritable, stressed, upset, and everything else a girl could be when trying to make one of those big decisions that no one wants to make. I asked him, and my mom, and my best friend, "What should I do? Just tell me what to do?" And they all said the same thing... "I can't tell you what to do... you have to do what you think is best."

In the end, I went with my gut. I always told myself I'd rather have a job I LOVE and get paid less... than a job I HATE with a fatter paycheck. Money isn't everything... and I wanted to be happy everyday, doing what I loved. If I took the other job, it would have been a HUGE detour from my career goals... and that wasn't something I thought was worth it.

So, with all that said... I'm THRILLED to announce that I am currently working for... Planet Green!

Planet Green is actually owned by The Discovery Channel. Yup.. I'm still working for the same company (weird, I know). I'm a Producer for their website, doing what I was doing before and loving it. I get to write about food, travel, green living, health and fitness and so much more. Its a WONDERFUL network that promotes eco-friendly living and I've already become more of a Greeniac since I've started!

The best/worst thing about this position... is that I'm contracting independently.. which translates to: I work from home. Full time.

This definitely has its ups and downs. It's great on the days I don't feel like getting ready and I can throw on sweatpants and get stuff done. But on the flip side, its quiet, lonely and I sort of miss human interaction. Hubs comes home, and I'm stuck to him like superglue since sometimes he's the only person I see for days. But, it's getting better, and I'm starting to develop more of a routine which is nice. Not to mention, I'm CRAZY busy.. this job is demanding (in a good way) and there is always stuff to do, which is great. So far, I've really enjoyed it. The flexibility also allows me to focus on my design work, part-time which is another huge plus!

So thats the latest update on me and my goings-on! I want to thank all of you once again for being so kind with all your encouraging words, thoughts and prayers as I was struggling to regain confidence and (let's be honest) hope, during that time. I appreciated every single comment! And hopefully you'll be seeing/reading a lot more of my work for Planet Green :)

A Little Personal...

2010-03-24T08:30:00.003-04:00

Ok... Today I'm scrapping the usual blog fodder about furry animals, new boots, European Vacations, and recipe posts. I'm ignoring the little voice in my head that is telling me the Blogworld is supposed to be happy, vivacious, sunny and rainbows all the time. Maybe it's because I'm fed up of everyone saying stuff they don't know about. Maybe it's because I just need to vent. But whatever the reason, I'm breaking down the barrier between the internet and my very personal, very intimate little world. And talking out loud about something that I never, EVER talk about. Ever.

Let me preface this post by talking about something everyone is talking about. The Healthcare Reform Bill. Now, before you jump all over me, I want to say two things:

1. I'm being completely 100% Honest: I DON'T know all the facts. I haven't read the entire bill. I don't know every detail, every stipulation or every truth/fact. I don't.

2. I'm NOT making an opinion. I am not one side or the other. I'm not for or against it. I don't believe I can make an informed decision because I'm not 100% informed.

With that said.. This is the Healthcare Reform Bill. Meaning.. The bill to change or improve Healthcare. And whatever your stance on the bill is... the first thing our Healthcare system needs is improvement.

When I was 8 months old, I was diagnosed with a genetic blood disorder. The gene runs in both sides of my family.. and I'm the first and only one (as far as we know) to have it.

I've been in and out of hospitals since the day of my diagnosis. On average? Once a month. Every year. For 26 years.

In fact. I'm in the hospital at the very moment this post is being written.

My blood disorder is called Thalassemia Major. Basically, my body doesn't produce as many red blood cells as the average person. For that reason, I have to get monthly blood transfusions which is basically a "temporary" blood supply. Because of all my hundreds of transfusions, I developed iron overload when I was about 7 years old. Anyone who has over 20 transfusions will develop it. For that reason, I'm on a very strict medication regimen that helps remove excess iron from my body. Until I was 18, this medication was only available through nightly injections. After that, an oral medication was developed, but it's not as efficient as the original.

What's my point, you ask? I need health insurance. I've needed health insurance my entire lifetime. I've never NOT had health insurance for even a split second. I've been dealing with doctors and insurance companies, and medical bills my entire life. And needless to say, it's been a nightmare.

Not until I moved out and got my first job did I realize how costly my medical bills and medicine really was. When I was born, my dad was a pilot. Once they discovered my disease, he changed professions so that he could have a good solid job with outstanding medical insurance for me. No one should ever have to make that decision.

I've been laid off twice and both times, as I was sitting in the HR office, listening to the representative tell me the details of my elimination, I zoned them out and immediately thought, "What am I going to do about my health insurance?" No one should ever have to think that.

Hubs' health insurance isn't as good as mine was at Discovery. They told me under his insurance, I'd have to pay SIX times as much for my monthly medication. I opted to continue my Cobra coverage so that I could continue on my old rates. No one should need to do that.

If I didn't get a job right out of college, my health insurance coverage would have ended when I turned 24. If I wasn't married and didn't qualify for Cobra, I'd have no coverage. My medical bills would be out the roof, and I wouldn't be able to afford them unless I paid a ridiculous monthly premium for independent insurance. No one should be in that situation.

The truth is, I'm lucky. I'm lucky my parents are so amazing. I'm lucky I found a great job right out of school that had good health insurance. I'm lucky I married a wonderful man who is always there for me when I need him. I'm lucky that I qualified for the Cobra subsidy and can afford my monthly payments so I can continue my health insurance coverage.

Some people are not so lucky. This bill is for them.

I haven't decided how I feel about this particular bill. About every miniscule detail. I'm sure there are things I will dislike (higher taxes, government control, etc...), and I'm sure there are things that I'll love (raising the age to 26 for being insured under your parents, allowing people with pre-existing conditions to be insured, insurance companies can no longer drop patients because of serious illnesses and insurance companies will have to submit justification for rate increases). And no matter how you feel about it, whether you're yay or nay... whether you, too have a constant medical need that requires health insurance, or whether you're like Hubs and have been to the doctor once in your life and are as healthy as a horse... change needs to happen. And hopefully it will.

All About... Me!

2010-03-23T08:30:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all my lovely readers who left a question in my 'Ask Me Anything' post... You guys asked some doozies, so I'll try and answer as best as I can!! :)

1. What Is Your Favorite Place to Travel?
This is really a tough one because as you know I'm ADDICTED to traveling, and to be honest, I don't know if I have a favorite "place"... if you gave me a ton of money right now to go anywhere in the world, I don't know where I would pick... but I can tell you, it would probably be somewhere I've never been before. (Actually, it'd probably be Australia to visit KATE! haha). I think my "favorite" place would be somewhere I've never been... as in, whenever I go somewhere new, that's always my favorite place of the moment... if that makes sense. I think that there is SO much to see in the world and for that reason, I try not to visit the same place twice. I love trying new places, cultures, foods, experiences, etc... Every experience is different, and the people you're with makes a huge difference, too... So, my favorite place is... wherever we go next :)

2. What's your make-up and hair routine? That's a super nerdy question, but you always look so pretty, so I'm curious!
Well, whoever 'Anonymous' is, I thank you and I'm flattered. I had to laugh when I saw this question because a lot of bloggers have answered this with a precise list of products and schedules and to be honest... I don't have a hair "routine." Everyday, I do something different. This might be kind of weird, but I like matching my hairstyle to my outfits, so I always pick out what I'm wearing first. Since my hair is so dark, if I'm wearing a dark top, I like to put my hair up. I also love hair up (ponytail or low messy bun) when I wear strapless tops... but I like it down for tank tops. I can't explain my brain, I wish I could. But as far as products, I can tell you I wouldn't be able to live without my Chi Flat Iron, Tressemme volumizing mousse, and my rat tail comb which I probably use every day... either to tease, straighten my hair, or divide my part if I'm doing a fun style. Thankfully, my hair listens pretty well, and is naturally curly, so I straighten, scrunch, curl, twist, etc... depending on my mood.

As far as makeup is concerned... I can tell you that everything I know about makeup, I learned from my friend Lauren. She's loved makeup for as long as I can remember, and is now living in NYC to pursue professional makeup artistry! In college, she was my guru, always telling me the best products to buy and giving me quick and easy tutorials.

For products... well, I take pretty good care of my skin, and for that reason I've always been wary to try generic-brand makeup. I just don't trust a $3 compact full of powder that I'll be rubbing all over my skin. I start EVERY DAY with a coat of (my first fab-find ever!) Clean & Clear's Dual Action Moisturizer. If I run out, or don't have it with me... I simply don't wear makeup that day. I CANNOT put my makeup on without it because it irks me to put makeup on dry/bare skin! Also, I don't know much about makeup, but if I can give you ONE tip... it is to invest in a GOOD set of makeup brushes. I love Bobbi Brown's Brush Set, and swear by it. Good makeup without decent brushes and applicators is pointless... in my opinion, anyway.

My make-up "routine" is pretty basic, and then I just change up whatever shades of eyeshadow, depending on what I'm wearing/the occasion:

1. After moisturizing, I start off with Clinique's Quick Corrector under-eye concealer (a little dab under my eyes and on my lids) and let it sit for a minute before dabbing it in.

2. I then use Mac's Studio Sculpt SPF15 Foundation (dabbed all over with a foundation brush)

3. I finish of my face by using a big powder brush dipped lightly in Clinique's "Almost Powder" makeup SPF15 and I lightly brush that all over for a rounded, even finish.
4. For eyes, (this might be weird), but I start off using a medium-sized blush brush, dipped in Clinique's Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo (in "Double Scoop") and brush that all over my lids as sort of a primer/base. This color combo goes well with my skin tone, and it adds just enough color/shimmer. Sometimes if I'm just around the house, or running errands, I'll leave just it at this.. but most of the time, I'll put some color shadow over it.

5. As I mentioned, my eyeshadow totally depends on my mood/outfit/occasion. But again, I only use top-of-the line products... Makeup is the one thing I don't feel guilty splurging on because I'm paranoid about my skin and my eyes and I don't want to put stuff on/near there that I'm not 100% comfortable with. My eyeshadows are mostly Clinique, Chanel and Mac.

6. I also wear eyeliner every day. Can't live without it... I have a bunch of different favorites, but right now I'm glued to Sephora's Waterproof Retractable Eyeliner. I also have it in "black glitter" which is fun for going out, haha :)

Ok, wow... way too long on one question! I hope that helps! On to the next..

3. Have you ever been to New Orleans? If so, what did you like about it? If not, do you ever want to visit? What was your favorite thing about Paris? What was your favorite meal in Paris? What's your favorite color?

I have never been to New Orleans and I would LOVE to visit... I've heard of this little celebration every year called Mardi Gras?? :) I think I'd want to go then... My favorite thing about Paris was being able to spend 24 hours a day with Hubs, no phone, no email, no work... just us, walking around, enjoying the city, and spending hours at cafes just talking and drinking warm, delicious cappuccinos! My favorite meal would have to have been the Boeuf Borguignon we had one of our first nights there... the meat was like BUTTER. My favorite color is purple :)

4. What is your PERFECT date night with the hubby?
Hmm... perfect date night... Probably cooking a yummy meal at home together and then watching a movie or playing a game of some kind (nerds). Kind of boring, but we enjoy cooking together and we don't do movie nights enough because we're always so busy, but this spring seems to be less eventful, so I'd like to start!
5. What's your favorite thing to do in the D.C. area? What's your favorite book? What's your guilty pleasure?
My favorite thing in the D.C. area... probably going to Georgetown during the day in the middle of the week. The weekends are SO packed with tourists and shoppers, that sometimes I just go randomly at noon on a Tuesday, grab a coffee or some ice cream and walk around. Its lovely when it's quiet and bustle-free! I love all the little boutiques and shops and streets.

Favorite book.. I'm not sure if I have a favorite, to be honest, but I really LOVED Eat, Pray, Love. (Maybe because I was in Italy while I was reading it??). Its a wonderful story about courage and wisdom and strength and travel and food and love... it's a great book. And they're coming out with a movie and Julia Roberts is playing the lead! Can't wait.

My guilty pleasure? I really don't think I have one! If I had to pick, maybe shopping? haha :)

6. I want to know if you're looking for a new job or if you're going to do your design work full time! :)
A couple people asked this... stay tuned for an announcement soon! :)

7. I want to know what your most favorite thing to cook is, and what food purchase can you not go without every week?
This is a hard one, too!! My favorite thing to cook... hmm. I would have to say salmon, probably. We are salmon fiends and eat it at least twice a week. I love it because its always delicious, its SO easy/quick and there are a million things you can do with it.

My staple grocery item would have to be mushrooms. Weird, I know. But we put them in everything (eggs, pasta, soup, chicken dishes, etc..). And I like snacking on them, too (I know, weirdo).

8. What was your absolute favorite memory of your wedding?
Equally tough question! (Thanks, Eve, haha..). Umm... my favorite memory of our wedding..(there are sooo many!) would probably be (this is SO cliche, my apologies...) our first kiss. But, thats only because since my family is SO super conservative, we didn't do a whole, "you may kiss the bride" scene in front of everyone. Within moments of being married, I was whisked away to have my hair re-done (LONG story...) and I didn't get to really see Hubs at all... and then we went to go take pictures he was MIA. I was hiding in the hotel's gift shop (our ceremony was private to JUST family... so, guests had begun to arrive at this point, and I didn't want them to see me before our "entrance") with one of our photographers and I said to her, "Can you do me a favor and go find my groom?! I haven't even kissed him yet!!" And she said, "Don't kiss him! Wait until we get outside for pictures so we can capture it... do you really want your first kiss as husband and wife to be in a hotel gift shop?!?!" And so we waited... and it was perfect.

9. How do you find creative motivation and ideas for your design business and what programs you use to design?
I use a lot of stuff for motivation... photographs, personalities, seasons, occasions, colors, themes... Some days I have creative juices flowing like crazy and others I'm empty. It depends on the situation, and the project. To design, I mostly use Adobe Illustrator, and occasionally Photoshop.

10. Since you're in the DC area, did you run into the Real World crew at all?
We did NOT run into the Real World crew, although we passed their house a couple times. There was a radio blogger here that befriended them and found out where they were going every weekend so people could go there... we thought about it a couple times but the places they usually went were pretty lame (to us locals), and would have probably been SUPER crowded so we decided against "stalking" them, haha.

Thanks for all your questions, this was fun! I hope you got to learn a little more about me... and also that I didn't bore everyone to tears :)

Spring is in the Air! :)

2010-03-22T09:31:00.005-04:00

Which means I need to update my wardrobe! I always get so frustrated with my clothes between seasons because it's "too cold" for this, yet, "too hot" for that... so I took full advantage of some early spring sales and added the following pieces to my clothing collection:

With all that on it's way in the mail, who WOULDN'T be excited for Spring?? :)

Wives Against March Madness

2010-03-18T10:51:00.005-04:00

I've mentioned before that I am NOT a fan of March... for a number of different reasons, all of which can be found here.

However, the number one reason I dislike March... is because every March... for the last SEVEN (yes, count seven), years... I have lost Hubs to March Madness.

Might I ask... WHAT is the deal with March Madness? Why does everyone get all up in arms about College Basketball for a month, and then not give a crap about it the other 11 months of the year? No, really.. never have I seen anyone excited about college basketball from April - February. But in March.. ooh, look out! It's March Madness. All Basketball, ALL the time. HOURS a day... weekends wasted. I mean, the only way I get any attention around this time of year is if I'm carrying a bowl of chips, the remote, or dressed as a cheerleader. (Just kidding about the last one...)

I just don't get it. Now, I'm NOT a basketball fan, so that probably heightens my sense of hate for March Madness... and I didn't go to a big basketball school, or grow up watching basketball.. so maybe I'm just out of the loop. But for whatever reason, I still can't stand it. And because of that, I have decided to declare April... The Wives AGAINST March Madness Month.

Seriously.

For as many hours of Basketball Hubs watches (Oh, and you better believe I'll be keeping track), I'm going to watch THAT many hours of Sex and The City. I'm going to make mini tea sandwiches and fruity cocktails, and for all those hours I've spent bored to tears sitting next to Hubs at bars PRETENDING to enjoy myself? I'm going to drag him to an art exhibit. Or shoe shopping. Or to go see Miley Cyrus in The Last Song... which, by the way, I don't even WANT to see, but oh it's the greatest of payback.

After, we'll come back and discuss. Maybe we'll even take polls to guess which Nicholas Sparks book-to-movie will do better.

Ok, all of this probably won't happen. But it's a nice thought, right?

I love you, Hubs. See you in April.

Ask Me ANYTHING!!

2010-03-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ladies and Gents, we've come to the question and answer portion of the evening... Haha, just kidding. But, really... a TON of my favorite bloggers have recently stepped up to the podium for a Question/Answer sesh with their readers, and I for one, have LOVED reading and learning more about them. I thought I'd also extend the offer to see if any of my followers had any burning questions for me. Feel free to ask anything, and I will (attempt to) answer as best I can!! I probably won't post answers unless I get more than 5 or so questions, so knock yourselves out, blog stalkers!! I know you're out there... :)

I Heart Pancakes

2010-03-15T11:28:00.003-04:00

Growing up, my dad always made wicked awesome pancakes. He was the pancake maker in the house... and we always got them on the first day of school, lazy saturdays, and other random occasions. I always thought making pancakes was a huge ordeal that took a ton of time and energy, so I never bothered learning how to make them.

After we were married, Hubs was the pancake maker. Truth be told... I SUCKED at making pancakes. They were always either over cooked or undercooked or burned. My batter was always lumpy, I NEVER knew when to flip... it was a disaster. And Hubs reveled in the fact that he could make pancakes.. and I couldn't.

Well my friends, that all changed a couple months ago when I went to New Jersey for my friend Pam's wedding dress shopping experience. Pam's mom is known in our circle of friends to make unreal pancakes, and while we were at their house, I was determined to learn from the master. I watched her every move and when I came back home, I casually told Hubs I wanted to take my turn at making Pancakes... (under his supervision, of course)

And much to my (and his) surprise... They. Were. AWESOME.

I was flipping them like I'd worked at iHOP for years... and gloating that he wasn't the only one who could make pancakes anymore. And it shouldn't come as a surprise that we've had pancakes almost every weekend since then... yum.

And this morning when I got up, and Hubs wasn't here.. I decided I wanted pancakes and turkey bacon. (which is highly unusual because I rarely eat a big breakfast during the week). And make pancakes, I certainly did:

As a pancake making novice... I can tell you that these are the two tools I wouldn't be able to live without:

Pancake Spatula
This large, round spatula helps scoop and flip pancakes like it's nobody's business

Reversible Double Griddle
This thing is a godsend, and we honestly use it more than ANY other item in our kitchen. The grill side is perfect for steaks/burgers, and the flat side is ideal for fish, bacon... and pancakes :)

You want a pancake now... don't you?

Cupcake Friday?

2010-03-12T12:56:00.004-05:00

Hi Ladies!!! I am sorry for my lack of blogging this week, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have more than one thought of flinging myself off a building... THATS how busy and crazy this week has been! I didn't have a chance to write all the posts I wanted to write about, so I figured I'd just share this darling picture from my friend Pam's engagement party a couple weeks ago...

We did a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Theme (I made her invitations and they turned out SO cute!), and a couple of her bridesmaids and I BAKED Red Velvet Cupcakes with Tiffany-colored frosting, embellished perfectly with engagement ring toothpicks. Tell me this isn't the most adorable thing you've ever seen?!

Photo courtesy of Amanda Joy Photography :)

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

My Oscar's Best Dressed Picks

2010-03-08T09:30:00.003-05:00

I just adore Oscar night. It's so glamorous and "Old Hollywood" with everyone so dressed up, stepping out of limos, grazing the red carpet and greeting old and new friends. When I was younger, my mom and I would always have an "Oscar Party" and make appetizers, and drink sparkling cider and guess who would win in which categories. I must say that DVR has made the Oscars 100x more bearable since you can ffwd through commercials, performances and the boring and long speeches for certain categories and get to the good stuff. (Although I did enjoy watching the dancers and their spin moves... it was pretty impressive).

Every year when I watch the Oscars I have a glimmer of hope that some day, some how I'll be able to attend one... even from the rows all the way in the back! I think it would be such a fun experience. Until then, I'll have to be a judge of clothing and character from my own couch. This year's show was by far one of my favorite Oscar's ever. Since I was young, my two favorite actors have ALWAYS been Steve Martin & Sandra Bullock. Having them both star front and center in these Oscars was a dream! I thought Steven & Alec Baldwin did a fantastic job keeping their banter both short and funny. Now then, let's get to my top 5 favorite dresses of the year.

I have to say, I was very impressed with this year's dress selection. There were only a few that made me go, "Woof, WHAT were you thinking, ~~Charlize Theron~~?!" (I'm sorry, but I didn't think her boobs neeced to be accentuated with roses. Not to mention.. pink dress+red lipstick?! Nopey.)

Here are my top five faves, and it is just so fitting that I love love LOVE all these actresses and think they represent the best of Hollywood.

Sandra Bullock (obvi)
This was SO her night. I thought Guiliana said it best when she said Sandra looked like an Oscar. This Marchesa column gown fit her like a glove, was totally perfect, and I loved that she paired a simple hair style, light makeup, and bold lips with such a glittery dress. Love, love, LOVE everything about this ensemble.

Demi Moore
Could she look any better at her age? I mean really, it's kind of sickening. I hope I look HALF that good when I'm 47. (YES, she's 47!!!). If they ever did a remake of Striptease, she could play the lead again. I absolutely LOVED this Versace gown on her. When I saw it I melted. If I had that figure, this is the kind of gown I would want to rock to the Oscars -- flowy, a unique color, strapless and timeless. I thought she pulled it off magnificently with her loose hairdo and stunning jewelry. She is a total rockstar.

Cameron Diaz
We know how much I love Cameron, and this dress made me love her even more! I loved all the silvers, golds and pastels at this year's Oscars... it's as if everyone is just itching for Spring. Her gold Oscar de la Renta gown was simply fabulous... although I think I would have preferred her hair up. The dress had a lot going on and I think her hair up in a classic updo would have been the cherry on top. She's still gorgeous though!

Rachel McAdams
Although I prefer Rachel as a brunette, I think her gold locks were a perfect pair with this awesome Elie Saab gown. The bandage strapless top reminds me a little of Demi's gown and I love it.. again with the pastels! Although I'm not a huge fan of big prints, I thought she pulled this off wonderfully and looked amazing.

Elizabeth Banks

To me, this dress is a combination of Demi and Rachel's gowns. (Apparently, I really like this look). Elizabeth Banks rocked this Versace gown and looked like a mannequin with her flawless skin and sleek updo. 5 stars!!

And while the women all looked amazing, we can't forget the men, right? (Although EVERY guy seemed to be wearing a Tom Ford tux...).

My Oscar for best dressed guy goes to none other than my husband.. Bradley Cooper.

What, you guys didn't know I was married to him?

Who did you love??

Fab Find of the Week!

2010-03-05T08:06:00.001-05:00

Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat

Some of you might remember when I went through my whole acrylic nail phase and then decided to strip my hands of fakes forever and start painting my nails like a normal human being who lives in the year 2010. Welp... 10 long, sad months later... I've FINALLY found a routine I can live with. Yes, friends... it took me TEN MONTHS to figure out how to properly paint my nails. Some days I just gave up and went to the salon to pay for a $12 manicure (and yes, it killed me to think I could actually have bought a whole bottle and a half of a nice OPI nail color with that $12.. plus $3 tip!)

Other days, I spent a good HOUR or so on my nails... painting/fixing/repainting/messing up/RE-painting/going with a remover-soaked Qtip around the edges to clean up the mess and then repainting AGAIN when my hand slipped or my wet nails had cotton stuck all over them.

There was the day I dropped the nailpolish bottle and it shattered all over the bathroom floor.

Or the ONE TIME my nails looked perfect for, um... 23 hours before I washed my hands and then they all chipped off and my fingers looked homeless.

But alas, I've finally figured out the secret to perfectly manicured nails, at home, that lasts for days and always looks salon-fresh. It is this product, Seche Vite. I didn't believe it when I was told and read that this top coat was life-changing, but oh it is my friends. This stuff makes even my old lady hands and amateur polished nails look as if I just stepped out of a Beverly Hills salon. Here is my new 8-step nail routine and I'm sure if you try it, you're nails will look just as awesome.

1. Remove all polish, clip/file nails, use an orange stick around the cuticles, etc.
2. Lotion hands
3. Dab a little more remover on nails to remove excess lotion that might have gotten on nails (polish will last longer that way)
4. Paint nails slowly, doing both hands and then repeating (don't do one hand at a time... the longer drying time between coats, the better).
*TIP* if you mess up... leave it! Polish all the nails and let dry first
5. Wait 2 - 4 minutes before spraying a light mist of a quick drying nail enamel spray. I prefer DeMert Nail Enamel Dryer... I bought a mini bottle for like $2.50 at Ulta. Worth every penny.
6. Wait a couple minutes after you spray and do one coat of the Seche Vite Fast Drying Top Coat. This stuff is kind of hard to find... I literally went to 4 stores before finding it at Ulta. I'm sure you can get it at any beauty supply store, and I just recently saw it at CVS. Now its a bit pricey... about $8 - $10 a bottle. I think its worth it, but if you don't want to drop that kind of cash on a mini bottle of polish, thats understandable. However, Amazon sells it for about half the price, and even when you pay shipping, it still ends up being less than what you might find it for at a store.
7. Wait another 2 - 4 minutes before misting another quick round of the drying spray. Wait 5 minutes before moving/touching anything
8. After a couple hours, once nails are DEFINITELY dry either use a Q-tip soaked in remover around the edges to remove excess, or pick it off with your fingers the next morning. I've learned to get over it and just wait... I was always so anxious about removing the mess up around the nails, I messed up the nails even more. Be patient... it'll be worth it!

I painted my nails with this routine Saturday afternoon and they have BARELY chipped since then. They looked absolutely perfect for a good 5 days before I even noticed the first chip. Which definitely makes it the newest Fab Find of the Week.

Winner, Winner... Chicken Dinner! (Or, Blog Makeover... Whatever)

2010-03-02T14:31:00.008-05:00

CONGRATULATIONS to the winner of my Blog Layout Giveaway....

JENN, from JEANS FRIDAY!!

Jenn, I'm SO happy you won this giveaway because not only are you such an amazing and loyal follower, but I also totally and completely love YOUR blog and can't wait to design it for you!! Email me asap so we can get started :)

To all you other ladies, thank you so much for participating and I promise to host another Blog Layout Giveaway eventually. (Hey, nothing like a little free advertising, right?)

In the meantime, if you still want a blog re-design, email me: aliya{dot}rinaldi{at}gmail{dot}com.

I will still be plenty happy to design your blog, and if you're a follower, I'll even give you a 20% discount!

Check out my design blog, Aliya Rinaldi Designs, to see my latest work.

Thanks again to everyone for playing, I love all of you! Also, I am SO SORRY for the lack of Blogging. I should have posted this giveaway winner a week ago, but this week has been a bit insane for me! Bad blogger. I'll be back on my game soon... hopefully!

Stay tuned though, I have a lot of exciting things coming up! One of my all time FAVORITE Fab Finds, the easiest Mexican recipe you've ever heard of.. and a possible Question/Answer sesh with yours truly!! :)

Happy Birthday To Meeeee!!!!! :)

2010-02-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

wait... ew.

REMINDER!

2010-02-19T09:10:00.003-05:00

Happy Friday, kiddos! Don't forget to enter my FREE BLOG MAKEOVER Giveaway!! Today is your last chance, as I will be picking a winner tomorrow... on my BIRTHDAY!!!

Have a GREAT Weekend!!!! :D

Happy Birthday HUBS!! :)

2010-02-18T08:48:00.005-05:00

Today is Hubby's 26th birthday! I have all sorts of fun things planned but since he reads the blog, I can't reveal all my secrets just yet. I DID however surprise him with a big breakfast of his favorite foods (which, I usually do every year, but if you'll remember back to last year... that never happened since he got sick the night before). But I'm happy to report that this year, Hubs is 100% healthy and ready to celebrate his birthday in style. Yippee!

I've always been a MUCH bigger fan of birthdays (mine and his) than he has, so I tend get a little overzealous with all the birthday celebrating. Nevertheless, since my birthday is right around the corner (on Saturday that is. And if you want to get me something, I like anything pink, sparkly, or from Nordy's. Much love! xoxo) we usually celebrate our birthdays together which we will be doing this weekend with friends.

But since today is Hubs' Day, I decided to dedicate this post to him. So, my dear Hubs... here are *26* reasons (in no particular order) why I love you like crazy:

1. You make me laugh every day. Not just smile, but like laugh out loud. Daily. And I love it.
2. You love trash TV just as much as I do
3. When I try something new in the kitchen, you'll say its delicious, even when I know it could be better
4. You always kiss me goodnight and goodbye. Every night/morning... don't ever stop :)
5. You know exactly what to do when I need to get my crankies out
6. You put up with my mood swings and love me for them anyway
7. You're a great dancer. I love dancing with you.
8. You're useless trivia about random historical facts/pop culture/80's music never ceases to amaze me
9. The first 10 minutes when you wake up in the morning, are the cutest thing in the world
10. You always know exactly what to say when I'm stressed/anxious to make me feel 100 times better immediately
11. You make better chicken cutlets than I do :-P
12. You're laugh makes me laugh
13. You're a good orderer in restaurants. Whatever you get is always better than what I ordered... and when you realize that, you always switch with me :)
14. You want the same things in life that I do: kids, traveling, experiencing the world, and eating awesome food. I can't wait to continue to do that all with you.
15. You're family means the world to you, and that means the world to me
16. All my friends love you, and you treat them like you treat me
17. You're not opposed to driving 45 minutes to the nearest Wawa at 2am to get late-night sandwiches with me :)
18. I have the most fun with you when we're doing absolutely nothing
19. You secretly love Gilmore Girls and only pretend you don't like watching it (haha! :-P)
20. Your girl crush on Rachel McAdams means I can watch endless hours of Mean Girls and The Notebook with your permission
21. You make the BEST brownies in the world
22. You put up with me when I want to take a MILLION and one pictures all the time (although you don't always smile, haha)
23. When I worked at the mall in college, you came EVERY Saturday to have lunch with me
24. You love trying new things with me
25. You put out my medicine for me every morning and remind me to take it. It's pretty cute.
26. You tell me you love me about 50 times a day, and it never gets old :)

Happy Birthdayyyy! I love you :D

Birthday Week, 300 Posts and a GIVEAWAY!!!!

2010-02-16T09:00:00.006-05:00

Announcing...

YAY! I PROMISE I'll get to that in a second.. But... first things first...

I'm sure you all have heard of the MASSIVE snow storm that graced our area the past week or so. "Snowmageddon" (also known as "Snowpocalypse") has been a nightmare to say the least. I didn't even want to blog about it because I was hoping if I didn't talk about it, it would just go away. Alas, that obviously didn't work, and we've been buried by about 30 inches of white powder, ice, rain, sleet, etc. I hateeeeee it. For those of you that love snow... I get the appeal. But a dusting of snow is one thing.... 30 inches to the point where you can't leave the house is an entirely different ballgame. I heard they were ticketing ANYONE on the roads because the driving conditions were that bad. Not to mention, our mail hasn't come.. our Lobby has been closed.. our cable guy canceled his appointment.. my parent's flight to India was canceled.. and the grocery stores have been cleaned out as if it's judgment day. NOT fun. Not fun at all. Did I mention I hate snow??

Needless to say, the good thing about all this snow was Hubs was home a few days with me and we spent most of our time cooking, eating and watching movies... so I guess I shouldn't complain tooooo much. Although, I'll gladly trade movies and beef stew for a couple of beach chairs here:

ANYWHO, while I was snowed in, I worked a lot on my graphic design projects and, oh... um... did anyone notice my Spanking New Layout?? :) I figured if I was going to design blogs, I should have at least designed my own, no? It's been a year since I last changed my layout and I thought it was due for a little facelift. What do you guys think?!

With that said, I would like to introduce you to Aliya Rinaldi Designs... officially up and running! Of course, it's still a bit of a work in progress, but I think it's where I want it to be for now! So along with that, and with all the other exciting stuff going on... I've decided to do a 300/Vday/Bday/Design Launch GIVEAWAY!!! Ready for the prize??

I'm going to give away a FREE Blog Makeover!

That's right! Winner gets a total CUSTOM blog facelift... new banners/buttons/layout, I'll do it all for you.. for freebies! Your blog will be one of a kind! All you have to do is leave a comment below! Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment to be entered once.
2. If you follow my blog, you get entered twice.
3. Point to my giveaway on YOUR blog or website, get entered 3 times!

And I'll then choose a number at random and that person gets a total blog lift! I will pick a winner this weekend on my Birthday :D

Excited? Me too!! Ok, ready.. set... GO! :)

A Lot Going On Over Here!!

2010-02-12T09:01:00.005-05:00

Hey Kids! I have some exciting stuff going on over here the next couple days!! 300 posts right around the corner, the launch of my design blog, Valentine's Day, and Monday kicks off BIRTHDAY WEEK for both me AND Hubs!!! Yaaaaaaay! :D

With that said, stay tuned next week for some goodies coming your way! I hope all of you have a wonderful Valentine's Day! We have a dinner date at Ruth's Chris planned tomorrow night (yummm), and a lot of family time scheduled for the rest of the weekend. And remember... Valentine's isn't just supposed to be for your significant other... whether you're single or attached, call up your friends/mom/dad/cousin/aunt/grandma/roommate/co-worker, etc... and tell them you love them. After all, isn't that what Valentine's is really about?? :)

Happy Weekend!! :)

Fab Find of the Week.... its BACK!

2010-02-11T08:08:00.001-05:00

I can't believe I haven't done a Fab Find since OCTOBER?!?! What the heck?! I kept telling myself I needed to, but I had no inspiration. I thought and thought for daysss about WHAT I could post about and I was beginning to think I had completely run out of Fab Finds!

Then, just about 5 minutes ago, I was thinking again... what could I possibly post about?! And while I was thinking, I got parched. I reached for my water bottle, took a sip... and EUREKA! There it was...

Camelbak Water Bottle

This water bottle has single-handedly changed my life. I was always guilty of never drinking enough water. I know this is a lame excuse, but to be completely honest... I'd just forget. I'd only drink when I was thirsty, not throughout the day like the Doc says you're supposed to. PLUS, I love soda... so I'd sometimes go an entire day drinking more soda than water. Awful, right??

I tried everything I could do to remind myself to drink more water. I'd keep plastic water bottles with me (but you're not supposed to refill those, and well if I didn't have a $1 in my purse, it was a no-water day). I kept a large plastic Nalgene bottle at my desk, but I usually ended up spilling water all over me, and it was a huge pain to lug around from meeting to meeting, and whenever I tossed it in my purse, it would leak all over the place. AND, I also learned that I tend to drink more/faster if I drink out of a straw, so I was constantly tossing straws in my purse/desk and I always feared I'd be known as the weird straw girl.

Then... I discovered this Camelbak bottle. My friend Joanna brought one to the beach when we went this summer and I fell in love with it. It is thin, durable, toteable, and easy to clean. PLUS, it has a built in straw. The best part is the straw. It's kind of like a baby bottle... its a little plastic nozzle, and you have to bite the plastic down while sucking the straw at the same time. I KNOW that sounds weird, but I don't even notice it... and... let me tell you... I've never drank more water in my life. I always have a full bottle with me at all times, and even in the time it took me to write this post, I drank 16 ounces! The nozzle is fun to sip on, so I absentmindedly drink it without even realizing. It's sturdy, it never leaks, and there is also very little condensation. If you want to avoid the whole condensation factor all together, pick up one of these nifty little holsters to carry it in. It's insulated for your, uh... convenience!

These bottles can be found online, but I picked mine up at REI, and I'm sure you can get it at your local adventure store. They run about $15, which I know is a lot for a water bottle... but seriously, I loved it so much that I bought two. One for home and one for work. And they're worth it. Sooooo worth it.

Help meeee!

2010-02-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

Ok, lovely ladies... I need some advice! I'm in the market for a new Digital SLR camera since my old one is officially kaputz. I don't need it for anything industrial.. mostly for photographing my graphic design projects and the occasional vacation/familial event. I've been doing some market research and for my budget and what I'm looking for, it seems as if though I have two options:

THE CANON REBEL OR THE NIKON D40

Which is why I need your help. Most of my sources are pointing me to the Rebel... BUT, I've also heard good things about the D40. Do any of you have either of these cameras? If so, do you have likes/dislikes? Have you tried shooting with both? Or, have you heard anything I haven't? Please help me!!! :)

Bachelor Spoiler Alert!

2010-02-09T10:02:00.003-05:00

Aliiiiiiiiiiii, noooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! :(

I mean, are you FREAKING kidding me?! You picked your JOB over a man you could potentially be in love with/spend the rest of your life with?! Now, don't get me wrong.. I am all about women empowerment, and its GREAT that you love and enjoy your career... really, it is. But, unless you're planning on having that job forever.. I think you made a huge mistake. Granted, there was a chance that you could have gone home... but he told you to stay, and you could have been THE ONE! And.... AND... if he DID pick you, wouldn't you have left that job ANYWAY to move to Dallas with him?!?! You blew it, Ali. I'm sorry, but you did. I was totally rooting for you. You're the only one I saw him with!!! I hearted you. And now, I'm sadly disappointed. If Vienna wins... its YOUR FAULT!!!

Phew. ok, I'm done. But really.... I'm so sad :(

Who to vote for now?!?! I can't STAND Vienna. She makes me want to gouge my eyeballs out with a spoon. I think Gia is gorgeous and Tenley is adorable, but I find her voice semi-annoying. Ali was so the one. Ughh... guess we'll just have to wait until March 1st and see! The suspense is killing me!!

Bucket List

2010-02-08T08:10:00.003-05:00

This weekend, Hubs and I were doing some early Spring Cleaning (yes, I realize it's not spring, thats why I said early Spring Cleaning...) when we were literally snowed in to the point of no return. (I'm talking 2 feet of snow.. roads/schools/offices closed. There was nothing for us to do but clean, watch movies and drink. So that's precisely what we did. And not necessarily in that order.)

I digress. While we were cleaning, I came across a list I made when I was in high school. It was called "30 things to do before I'm 30." Well, there were only 19 things on the list (I probably got distracted by Dawson's Creek or something..). For that reason, (and the fact that even though I'm 2 weeks shy of my 26th birthday... 30 still seems to be looming over me pretty darn closely), I decided to make it into my "Bucket List." You know... things you want to do before you kick the bucket. Now of course, these aren't ALL the things I want to do, they're mainly self-indulgent things I want to do/try/experience. And yes, I have the cliche things on there like Bungee Jumping and Sky Diving, but hey... I was 18.

So, in no particular order.. my Bucket List.. (The things I have already done have a star* next to them).

1. Get Married*
2. Go to Italy*
3. Walk the Great Wall of China
4. Have at least one kid
5. Go to a taping of Oprah (Sadly... this one seems to be slipping further and further away!)
6. Go Skydiving
7. Go Bungee jumping
8. Go to Spain*
9. Go to Mexico*
10. Go to Australia
11. Get SCUBA certified
12. Own a convertible
13. Live in Arizona
14. Be an extra in a movie
15. Go on TRL* (baahahaha, this one still makes me laugh. Gotta love high school)
16. Own a dog*
17. Visit the Sahara desert*
18. Go to a Superbowl
19. Buy a summer home somewhere exotic (2010 update: buy a house. period. I don't think teenage me realized what a big deal a first house was... let alone a "summer home")
20. Buy a real Chanel chain tote.

(Ok, I just added number 20. So what. Pretty sure teenage me would have written "Buy a real cute hoodie from Abercrombie" and let's just say my tastes have changed.)

So there you have it. I'll probably add to it within the next few years, or throughout my life, depending on where this journey takes me. But for now, I think it's a pretty solid list for me to tackle within this lifespan. I just hope Hubs is up for doing all these things with me! :)

What is on your bucket list?

Dear.... Channing,

2010-02-05T08:31:00.001-05:00

Thank you for just... well... being you.

(and yes, I do realize he totally prefers men over women... but that doesn't mean I have to desist staring at his picture lovingly.. does it?)

Who else is so, so, SO excited for this?

Even if it sucks (which it won't.. duh, Nicholas Sparks is a genius... how can you dislike anything that came from the man who gave us The Notebook ?!), I'm sure I'll walk away happy. and I also love, love, LOVE Amanda Seyfried from back in her Mean Girls days, so it's win-win for all! Between this and the Super Bowl, needless to say, I'm pretty excited.

Happy Friday!!! :D

MAJOR Girl Crush

2010-02-04T09:19:00.003-05:00

I'm pretty sure I would chew off my own right arm just to look like Carrie Underwood for a week. Or even a day. I think she is nothing short of classic, gorgeous, adorable and I want her to be my BFF. How is it that someone can ALWAYS look so perfect and poised? I mean, as much as I love her, it's almost semi-annoying.

And, um... homegirl recently got engaged and have you SEEN her bling? Like, for realz.

Carrie, if you read this call me. I would love to just sit near you all the time and tell you how pretty you are. Oh, and congrats on singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl this weekend! I can't wait to see what perfect hair/outfit you'll be rocking. I heart you.

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

2010-01-25T18:06:00.006-05:00

When I saw Julie & Julia this past summer, I was determined at some point to tackle her famous Boeuf Bourguignon recipe. It looked SO decadent on screen, I just had to make it. We tasted some of the most delicious Boeuf Bourguignon when we were in Paris this fall, and since my parents had bought our plane tickets for us (and they love Paris/French food), I thought making the dish for them would be a great way to say thank-you and celebrate my mom's birthday which happened to be last month.

Because of the holiday season, we didn't have our French dinner until a couple weeks ago. I spent hours pouring over the recipe, buying the perfect ingredients, and reading reviews/tips online to make sure it was as on point as possible. Since I don't eat pork, I did end up switching up the recipe just a little... but the rest of it was followed word-for-word, and let me tell you... Julia Child had WAY too much time on her hands. This recipe is SO complicated and convoluted, I'm sure there has to be an easier version somewhere in the food universe. A few steps could have been cut out for sure, but I still tried to follow it as closely as possible.

The end result was wonderful. The dish ended up being tender and flavorful, with a deep, rich taste that echoed throughout my taste buds. The aroma of beef, wine and roasted tomatoes flowed through our entire apartment. It's the kind of meal you eat slowly with a glass of wine and great company. It is recommended that you serve it with boiled potatoes, but I made homemade mashed potatoes since the beef had a thick gravy. My parents absolutely loved it and I was so happy. I don't get to cook for them as often as I would like, and since I basically grew up in their kitchen, it was nice to give something back and have them over for a nice meal.

Here is the Julia Child version of this recipe... although, if you're interested in preparing it, I would recommend looking up a simpler one! Bon Appetit! :)

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients:

Kitchen Supplies:

9- to 10-inch, fireproof casserole dish , 3 inches deep
Slotted spoon

Boeuf Bourguignon:

6 ounces bacon
1 Tbsp. olive oil or cooking oil
3 pounds lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. flour
3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tsp. thyme
Crumbled bay leaf
Blanched bacon rind
18 to 24 small white onions , brown-braised in stock
1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms , sautéed in butter
Parsley sprigs

Directions

Remove rind from bacon, and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.

Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sautéing fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers
very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed.

When the melt is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

For immediate serving: Covet the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

A VERY Successful Weekend!

2010-01-25T11:07:00.006-05:00

This weekend was full of giddy girls, wedding talk, gossip and sleepovers! We had so much fun in New Jersey and I'm happy to announce that my friend Pam found a simply GORGEOUS wedding gown!! I can't wait to see her in it on her big day!

Of course, (as much as I want to show you all!), I can't post pictures of the gown, but there IS a picture I can post... At one of the three bridal shops we went to, Pam tried on a "Sex and The City Replica" gown, which is a knock off of the Vivienne Westwood gown Carrie Bradshaw wore in the movie! It was HUGE and of course it looked amazing on Pam, but it was just tooooo big for her to lug around all day.

The Original

The Replica

Unfortunately, this isn't the BEST picture, because it was taken on my phone since I was sitting next to the "NO PICTURES PLEASE!" sign... I know, I know... bad. But, I just had to capture this moment!

Pam and Brandon's wedding is sure to be fantastic and I can't wait until I can show you all the pictures of everything! I also made Pam an inspiration board (most of you know I really enjoy doing that, haha). Here it is -- a little sneak peek into what kind of wedding vision this bride has!

We also found gorgeous bridesmaid dresses this weekend at the same shop she got her dress, got a tour of their amazing venue, ate some DELISH food, and spent a ton of time catching up and chatting. I love girls weekends :)

Hope that all of you had an equally fantastic weekend!

Champagne and Wedding Gowns!

2010-01-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

Hello lovers! HAPPY FRIDAY! Is it just me or has this week DRAGGED on and on?? I am SO excited for this weekend because I'm heading up to New Jersey this afternoon with my lovely friend Pam for her first wedding-dress-trying-on-experience! Pam has been to and in more weddings than anyone I've ever met in my LIFE and now that it's her turn, I am so, SO excited to be there with her and I hope we find the dress of her dreams this weekend!

Since I designed my wedding gown myself, I never got to do the whole "Wedding Dress Shopping" event, which is why I LOVE going with friends and family when they're dress shopping. A few of us will also be trying on some bridesmaid options, so keep your fingers crossed that we find something for someone!

And, SPEAKING of gorgeous wedding gowns... I saw this site posted on my bloggy buddy Katie's blog, Such a Loverly Life, (LOVE her, check her out!)... its the best wedding photos of 2009, according to Junebug Weddings.... it seriously will make you drool and/or want to get married (again... if you're already married, haha).

Best of 2009 Weddings

I hope all you ladies have a wonderful weekend! I'll be sure to come back with plenty of recaps about our adventures!

New Love: ZUMBA

2010-01-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

I'll be the first to admit I loathe working out. The gym bores me to tears, I can't run to save my life, and even though I'm pretty sure I own every workout DVD on the planet, those too get old after a while.

Some of you might recall over the summer we enrolled in a Boxing Class which was fun for a few months, but then our favorite instructor left, they changed the class schedules, and getting there in time after work just became more of a hassle than it was worth. I still cringe at the thought of how much the cancellation fee cost, but it was a lot less than paying what we were for a monthly subscription.

With all that said, when my Mother-in-Law first asked me if I wanted to come to a Zumba class with her, I was hesitant. I'd heard of Zumba, but never actually tried it, and I didn't want to get roped into another monthly commitment considering my track record. But thennnnn, she said that they had that whole "first class free" hook, and that even if I wanted to join, the packages were sold by class, not by month. So, I figured... eh, what the hell. I'll give it a whirl.

OH. MY. GOD. I LOVED it!

Completely and utterly LOVED. Granted, gyrating and shaking my hips standing next to my mother-in-law was slightly ~~awkward~~ hilarious at first -- but she's been going to these classes for weeks and she was a pro! If you've never been to Zumba, I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. Its similar to Latin/Salsa dancing, but you're constantly moving, and jumping around to really energetic music. It doesn't even seem like working out, which to me is it's best selling point. It's so much fun, if you love to dance or if you're in the market for a different type of workout, this could be the class for you! Plus, I looked it up online and you can burn anywhere from 600 - 1000 calories a workout! What more could you ask for??

Does anyone out there regularly go to Zumba? Are there any other similar classes that you think I'd enjoy? Please let me know, I'm desperate!! :)

Bachelor Pick: Who Wants To Play?

2010-01-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

I've never been into shows like The Bachelor or Bachelorette or Rock of Love... Don't get me wrong, I heart Reality TV in an unhealthy way, but all those TV dating shows just seemed fake, rehearsed and 99% of the time, all the contestants are wackos!

(Ok: admittedly, I DID watch Joe Millionaire my Freshman Year of college.. but that series was a total joke).

Anywho, I was intrigued by this season of The Bachelor... a) because Jake is a gorgeous, gorgeous specimen of a man, and b) I have a thing for pilots and I wanted to see him in all his Top Gun-ish glory.

Long story short: It only took me the first episode to get hooked, and by the 2nd I was already eager for more. Am I the only one in this blog universe who watches this?? (Please, I hope not!). If you're into the show, you very well know that another episode airs tonight, and I have already picked favorites... Ali and Ashleigh are my top two, and for some reason I have an inside hunch that it's Ali. (I don't know anything for fact, this is just my personal guesstimate). Their first one-on-one date was just TOO perfect and she is a doll. She's not done up in a ton of makeup or revealing clothing like the others... she seems like a lot of fun... she doesn't have any past drama and they LOOK great together, like a couple! Plus, she could totally play the part of girlfriend/wife/mom... I just don't see some of the other women fitting that role with him, but maybe that's just me...

Who wants to pick a contestant and see who wins? There might just be a prize at the end for whoever guesses correctly!

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