Play Kitchens

With Little Miss B's personality shining through more and more these days, I am convinced that she needs a play kitchen to be a mini mommy at. And how cute are these?!

This one might be my favorite. How cute is that? And it says they made it for LESS than $50!!! Amazing when Little Tykes kitchens are SO expensive!

You can pretty much go to Google and search DIY Play Kitchen

and the possibilities are endless.

Looks like I may need to get purge some junks to fit this in the house somewhere and M might have a new project on his hands! :)

Semi-Normal

I finally have things back to normal...

well,

semi-normal.

My house is still a mess

(think crap EVERYWHERE!)

but I am slowly disinfecting everything

and washing laundry and getting things together.

Thank goodness

and today I may

just MAY

get out of the house

WHOOPEEEE!!

Hopefully my blog will return to regular schedule programming tomorrow

or next week

We'll see how lazy motivated I feel

It's good to be back

where has the week gone?

It's Thursday?

THURSDAY?!

Just as I was starting to feel a little better

and get my strength back

thinking it was probably food poisoning that hit me...

BOOM!

Little Miss B got hit.

And let me tell you

it's no fun

watching your 19-month-old

throw up and look at you for answers

and/or relief

I spent a good part of my day yesterday

1) crying

2) cleaning up

3) crying and worrying some more

4) cleaning up

5)...

you get the point.

Where has this week gone?!

I don't even think I've been outside this week

except for a quick walk around the neighborhood the other day

and a quick run to the library last night to pick up some Elmo DVDs.

I need civilization

and sun

and...

and...

and...

healthiness and NO germs!

Until then...

1000 Hits

I've had over a 1000 hits on my blog since I started blogging about two months ago. WOOHOO! That's amazing. Thanks everyone for keeping it going and for following this crazy lady along! :)

Hit...

I was hit with the flu.

or food poisoning.

either way...

no bueno

BLEH.

Meal Planning

We're (I'm) trying to stay within our budget. M is pretty awesome at it. Me...not so much. But after a couple months of settling into our new groove of life...I'm ready to crack down and start saving. The one, easiest place for us always to start at is the column labelled Food.

It's so easy to get caught up in easy meals...i.e., picking up something that is fast, unhealthy and that adds up (calories and $$). So when we aren't meeting our budget, that's one of the first places I look to. Cracking down on my menu and picking up only what I need. What are my tips and how do I do it?

First off, I bought me a recipe book, I compiled all of our favorite recipes and kept them for safe keeping. (Also great for sharing with friends and family!) Then I started pouring over recipe books, bugging my mom and gramma for old favorite family recipes, picking M's brain for meals that he enjoyed that my MIL cooked, traded recipes with friends and scouring the internet for good recipes. (All Recipes is by far, my favorite)*

* Note: I always found that watching the Food Network and other popular chef's recipes were a little out of my budget.

Once I had a handful of favorite recipes, it made it a million times easier to grocery shop. When we had two car payments & insurances, credit card bills, rent, and all the other living necessities, our budget was much stricter. Meaning we absolutely, in no way, could go over X amount of dollar a month. I made sure we stuck to our budget by collecting grocery store ads and planning my meals around that. And whenever our local grocery store had a good deal, I stocked up as much as I could. This was especially helpful with canned goods.

But now that we are debt-free we have much more leeway in our budget which makes everything so much easier to plan around.

So how do I do it?

1) First I balance our checkbook every couple days and keep track of EVERY penny we use towards Food for our budget. Excel and Mint.com are great for this and it's especially helpful when the 15th and M's 2nd paycheck rolls around. That way I know exactly HOW much I have to work with. And I do NOT allow us to go over the X amount allocated in our budget.

2) After knowing how much of the food budget is or isn't used, I go through my recipe book and make a list of meals for the next two+ weeks. I list out a main dish, a starch and a veggie. Rice is a staple in our household so this is easy and helpful and always remember a basic good meal if ever our budget is stretched thin is grilled chicken, rice and veggies. SO easy and there are millions of different ways to marinate and season chicken. I also keep in mind easy lunches and snacks as well but my main meal planning is dinner, which many times produces a plethora of leftovers for the next day's lunch.

3) After I have figured out my list of meals, I figure out what I need to complete the meals and make my grocery list. I look over grocery ads and figure out what's on sale and if there are things I can stock up on as well. For example, a lot of stores have rotating sale items. i.e., canned soup usually goes on sale every 3-5 weeks. So that's a perfect time to stock up and easily saves you $$. I also use grocery store sales to stock up on my meats and poultry. Like if chicken thighs are on sale for $1.97 / lb or cheaper, I am sure to buy a couple extra trays to freeze. I also, at this time, am sure to pick up my fruits and veggies based on what's on sale. (More to come on this in a later post) The key to saving the most money is knowing your prices. I know that my local Stater Brothers market has some of the cheapest prices around which helps save money. But that sometimes if I frequent the aisles of the 99 cent store or local Big Lots, I can find even CHEAPER prices on snacks and some canned goods that I buy at Staters. Also remember that every store has a marked down section. Be sure to find it and hit it up every time you go to the store. Many times you can find popular marked down items that you frequently use.

4) Next, I comb thru my list a couple times and go through coupons. If there is anything I can use, I cut them and pack them up for the trip then I head off to the store. Don't be intimidated when your cart starts filling up quickly. Remember your meal planning is meant to feed you for however many meals you have planned for which usually means a LOT of food.

5) Then when I get home I tape my list of planned meals on the refrigerator and cross them off as I make them. It's always important to keep in mind what you buy. For example, on my list of 16 meals is stirfry which uses a lot of fresh veggies. It wouldn't be smart for me to keep that til day 16 to cook because my fresh veggies won't keep that long. So that's something that needs to be cooked within the first week. So keep mental note of what you have and when you need to use it by. Also freeze whatever meats you can and don't forget to take them out the morning you plan to use them so they can defrost.

And there you have it...one of the easiest ways we save money.

This past week I planned out enough for 16+ meals which will take us through M's next paycheck. My cart was overflowing and the total came to $280. That comes to less than $20 a meal for three of us!!!!! And the amazing part is that I didn't even use coupons or wasn't strict on scouring my ads. I also picked up great meats like rib-eyes, a few trays of chicken, fish and huge shrimp to marinate and grill.

The key is to be patient and know and work with what you have. Don't get discouraged and experiment. There are some great recipes that I have that when I read thought, "Boy, that does not sound good at all" but turns out we love them. And on the flip side, remember that not all recipes will be great as well. Just work with what ya got!

Happy Planning!

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of these companies, blogs, organizations or sites, nor have I been approached, asked or compensated for the information or opinions shared in this post.

Eating, Praying, Loving and fearing God.

*Someone near and dear to my heart needs this and this is dedicated to them.

"If I'd had any way of knowing things were - as Lily Tomlin once said - going to get a whole lot worse before they got worse, I'm not sure how well I would have slept that night. [...]When I finally made that decision, I thought the worst of it was over. That only shows how little I knew about divorce.

There was once a cartoon in The New Yorker magazine. Two women talking, one saying to the other: "If you really want to get to know someone, you have to divorce him." Of course, my experience was the opposite. I would say that if you really want to STOP knowing someone, you have to divorce him. [...] I believe that we shocked each other how swiftly we went from being the people who knew each other best in the world to being a pair of the most mutually incomprehensible strangers who ever lived. At the bottom of that strangeness was the abysmal fact that we were both doing something the other person would never have conceived possible; he never dreamed I would actually leave him, and I never in my wildest imagination thought he would make it so difficult for me to go." (Gilbert 17)

Ain't that the truth.

I've been trying to get into Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" for months. After a few good friends of mine raved about it, I thought I'd better jump on the wagon and see what the fuss was about. So I opened it up in January and started reading. Nothing stood out to me. Her writing style was ok but I wasn't really captured like I always hope to be with a good book. So after 40 pages in...I put it down and never picked it back up. It just was not for me.

But a few weeks back, I was chatting with some of my friends (some who love the book and an equal amount who hate it) and for some reason, I got it in my head that I HAD to try and read this book again. I just HAD to. I didn't know (until now) why I got this notion into my head but I did and I was determined to get into it.

Mind you that I am once again 40 pages in but it's a much better start than the first time around and I am determined to not put it down. But this time, there's something different about the book. I don't know what but I'm a huge believer in universal signs, manifestation, karma, deep spiritual connections, etc. and something is striking a chord with me.

You see, Elizabeth Gilbert is fighting her husband to end a marriage that he will not peacefully let go. I just finished the part where Elizabeth describes fighting her inner desire to divorce her husband and tries to conform to societal beliefs of marriage and parenting. And then when she realizes she can no longer fight this and decides to go forth with her divorce, she gives the above quotation of her experience. And honestly how much more perfectly worded could it possibly get?

But this petition that Elizabeth Gilbert writes to God gave me the ultimate sense of calm and I want to share:

"Dear God,

Please intervene and help end this divorce. My husband and I have failed at our marriage and now we are failing at our divorce. This poisonous process is bringing suffering to us and to everyone who cares about us.

I recognize you are busy with wars and tragedies and much larger conflicts than the ongoing dispute of one dysfunctional couple. But it is to my understanding that the health of the planet is affected by the health of every individual on it. As long as even two souls are locked in conflict, the whole of the world is contaminated by it. Similarly, if even one or two souls can be free of discord, this will increase the general health of the whole wide world, the way a few healthy cells in a body can increase the general health of that body.

It is my humble request, then, that you help us end this conflict, so that two more people can have the chance to become free and healthy, and so there will be just a little bit less animosity and bitterness in a world that is already too troubled by suffering.

I thank you for your kind attention.

Respectfully,

Elizabeth M. Gilbert"

(Gilbert 32-33)

She goes on to imagine various people (dead and alive) believing in and signing her petition. And a few hours later, almost two years after leaving her husband, her lawyer calls to confirm that her husband has finally agreed to a settlement and pretty much takes her for everything. She starts a new journey, new fortune finds her with a book deal and she begins her search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia.

There's something comforting to me in these two passages and I find that it takes me back to a conversation I've recently had a couple times with a beautiful woman in my life. Following a similar path, she described her troubles, her fears and what her heart truly desires. Which ultimately is peace and happiness. A strong woman, she fought her fears to the core but eventually broke down in acknowledgment that they were there. And they shouldn't be, she explained. Because the only thing for her to fear was God.

Coming from someone not overly and openly religious, it was a strong, bold statement to make and it has definitely stuck in my head throughout the passing weeks. I find comfort (especially in my own fears) knowing that the only thing she fears is God as she faces the unknown and takes on battles bigger than she can handle. There's a sense of peace and serenity in that and I think I envision her a lot in Elizabeth Gilbert's book thus far.

For that woman who fears God...Remember to keep fearing God. Keep your strength, don't let go of your faith and hold your head high with pride as you march into battle. Petition and pray to God for the wellbeing and sanity of you and your family. Know that this is your path and you are not alone. Don't be afraid; just keep fearing God. And only God.

Works Cited [forgive me if this is wrong...it's been awhile :) ]

Gilbert, Elizabeth. Eat, Pray, Love. New York: Penguin Books, 2006.

Wordless Wednesday.

I'm exhausted.

And on edge.

Oh, and I took a xanax.

Three dangerous combinations.

And I'm watching Tim Burton's Coraline.

Weird.

I want to sleep.

Zzzzz.

Sesame Street Hats

Elmo and Baby Signing Time are staples in our house. Every day, from the minute she wakes up B asks for either Elmo or Baby. She's even learned how to open the xbox 360, put the disc in and shut it. And if you ignore her too long, she'll bring the dvd and remotes to you. She's a girl who knows what she wants.

So when I saw the tutorial to make these...I knew the Elmo hat was being added to my to-do list. The project doesn't sound so fun with our horrid 105+ degree weather but maybe it will be a cute Christmas of Birthday gift for her.

So cute and something sweet little B loves. Doesn't get better than that!

A very big, green surprise

This past weekend, as I was checking up on the grass and my plants, I took a quick peek at my cucumber plant and found these bad boys:

WHOA!

I totally jumped (and screamed) since I thought it was some sort of creature living in my backyard. After a momentary panic attack I couldn't believe my eyes!

Just a week or two ago these big guys were hardly an inch long!

Only problem...it's a Boston cucumber we bought and planted. Which I guess is good for pickling. Ooops. But we'll try it out anyways. We are just waiting a couple days before picking and eating them.

But how exciting!

Cruisin'

Baby weight is funny thing. It's not about thinking I'm fat or have any issues with my weight. I'm fine with what I weigh, I'm confident in my skin and LOVE that my body was used to house my daughter for 9 months and then went on to feed her for another year. It's an amazing, sexy thing. But every woman wishes she could lose a few pounds here or there (and if they don't wish that, than we hate them! jk...kinda) and after gaining about 40 lbs when I had Little Miss B, my body changed and I was feeling like I wanted to exercise and feel a little more comfortable in my "new" weight.

Luckily for me a lot came off with my breastfeeding. What an amazing diet! I had lost about 20 lbs of my weight within the first 6 weeks just due to breastfeeding. That baby was sucking the weight right off. But when she stopped sucking around her 1st birthday, the weight stayed put.

So, I went out and bought this bad boy...or is it girl? ;)

A darling pink Schwinn beach cruiser. Seriously, I feel like I'm 10 again when we go riding around the local regional park or down the Santa Ana river bend. It's an relaxing ride and I love it! It's a great non-impact workout and such a fun family activity! Try it!

My Summer Lifesaver

This has been my summer lifesaver. Little Miss B loves to ride along and kick, eat snacks, play in the baby wading pool and pull leaves from the bushes while I get to enjoy some Vitamin D and keep her busy. Cheap and easy. Best part is that it wears her out so good that she passes out the minute we get home for a nice, looooooong nap. Love it and baby bikini tan lines are adorable!

Bath Toy Bags

A few months ago, when I decided I wanted to be a professional seamstress (yea right!) I started finding some fun blogs to follow and get inspiration from. I can't believe how

many talented people are out there!

One of those talented people was Ashley at Make It and Love it. I quickly tagged her in my RSS feeder and became obsessed. Her ideas are so cute! One of those cute (and very simple) ideas was this bath toy bag. And it couldn't have come at a better time since Little Miss B's bath toys were overflowing from the bathtub and we needed to make sure those toys were in one spot.

So as one of my first sewing projects, I gathered up all the materials. I'm not very frugal yet when it comes to my crafting, so I picked up all my materials at my local Joann's Fabric Store. The light mesh was like $2! And the ribbons came to about $5. It was definitely cheap but I'm sure I could have found it a little bit cheaper.

I rushed home and within an hour I had this:

I had so much fabric I was able to make 2. This one ended up being our bath toy bag...

and this one is perfect for the pool and beach!

Super cute and oh, so easy!!

Disclaimer: Ashley nor anyone else at Make it and Love it has no idea who I am and I am in no way affiliated with this company, organization or site, nor have I been approached, asked or compensated for the information or opinions shared in this post.

Balding

Disclaimer: Contrary to what you might be thinking regarding the post title, this post has nothing to do with my husband and/or his hair. Thank you.

My garden has me down. After all my rototilling and digging and flooding and finally planting and seeing some pretty green, I came out and realized this:

My yard is BALD. I have a plethora of plush grass on the edge and sporadically throughout but somehow in the middle, no bueno. I watered and watered and watered, thinking that maybe the seeds were late bloomers to no avail. They were no shows and I had a bald yard to show for it. So I rogained reseeded the problem areas on Thursday and am praying for green to be sprouting up in the next week. What a bust!

On top of that, I went a little overboard with the rest of my plants and ended up with a small nursery.

Note to self: Do not go to Home Depot unsupervised!

And I just can't stand the way it all looks and just sits there. I had originally planned for the plants to be in the planter along the grass where the salvia and zinnia now are (which by the way, are drooping and depressed looking too and I have no idea how to revive) but then I got to thinking. What happens when we move? Aren't I going to want to take all these prized possessions with me? Of course! And I'm all about uniformity and having this mixed arrangement of plants in the planter didn't cut it for me which is why there is a even number and perfect pattern of zinnia, salvia, zinnia, etc. So I decided to put the lost plants in pots. Only problem with pots is that they take up room and unfortunately, we don't have a lot of that. I'm trying to brainstorm with M about storage ideas and he's talking about building me a wood table/shelf thingy but idk. So all in all, it's making me depressed. Isn't gardening supposed to be a relaxing, uplifting hobby?

Rosettes

So yesterday I posted about how crafty I've been feeling. I have so many ideas and things I want to get done. And since Little Miss B has a newfound obsession with flowers and headbands in her hair, I took the opportunity and ran with it. And here are a couple of my finished projects :)

Ribbon Rosette, tutorial found here. I didn't think it turned out as cute as I had hoped but once I wore it in my hair (yes, I wore it and not B, hehe) I was totally sold on it. It's adorable. I'm hoping to make some smaller ones for B's hair.

And then I crocheted up a few of these. I love the way these came out but they are a little bulky in the hair. B loves them but it doesn't look right in her hair yet. I'll have to keep working on it. I think on of the problems is I used a 2.75 mm crochet hook when the pattern calls for a 1.75mm one. I decreased the amount of chains but it definitely had to do with the width of the hook.

Aren't they adorable?! I love having a little girl!

Feeling Crafty

Recently I was hit by a crafty bug. I scoured books and blogs and etsy shops. I hit all the local thrift shops for vintage-y clothes that I could re-purpose. I looked for lots of home decorating ideas and thoughts about what I wanted my house to look like. I pulled out one of my two sewing machines and fired them up (even though everything I know about sewing is self-taught) and basically have been RACKING my brain trying to think about all the things I can do to put my own personal touches on.

Some project on the list:

- Vinyl

I got in contact with such a kind woman, Joanne Ledbetter, at great vinyl company called Uppercase Living and went a little overboard ordered some awesome saying and graphics for around the house decorations. I am SO stoked for them to arrive on my doorstep any day now!

- Crochet and Knitting

A few months ago I got involved with my Mommy group's monthly Stitch and Bitch, where we get together one night a month and craft (and of course, bitch). And with that I learned to crochet and knit! I have tons of yarn to use up before M will let me go buy any new yarn so I am getting all sorts of creative and making lots of scarfs and blankets, like this one which is almost done (and claimed as M's I might add). M also has some beanies custom ordered with me but he's not getting any priority for being cute.

-Headbands

My little Miss B is 18 months old and growing up and with that she is showing lots of personality and girlyness, which I absolutely LOVE. It's all about hats and headbands and "Pretty, pretty" to her and I am thrilled. So headbands and flowers and prettiness she will get with these pretty, pretty things. (And maybe I'll throw one or two in for me too :winkwink:)

- Sewing

Even though I have no sewing experience AT ALL, I'm determined to learn and with that I have a stack of patterns that need to be whipped up soon for little Miss B and I. I hardly begin to show you all of them because there are so darn many!

- Family Rules Canvas

I'm no where close to starting this one but this one is so cute, I can't leave it off my list. So I've started brainstorming all our rules and ideas. I'm sure this will come out darling!

-Furniture

With all my searching of the web and blogs for cute ideas, I got a fabulous bunch of ideas to refinish some recycled thrift store furniture and various knicks and knacks for around the house. I mean, c'mon when you see something like this for a whopping $8, don't you want to get on board?! That is gorgeous!! Well unfortunately, our thrift stores are lacking in some areas and much to my disappointment, I wasn't able to find much. So I decided to focus on the things I did need. Ok, I don't neeeeeed them, but I do WANT them. More on this later in the week.

- Photos

I am a huge photography fiend. I dabbled in professional photography for the better part of the past 12 years and I love it. I've always been into casual, individual/family photos and I love getting that perfect shot and capturing tons of memories. It drives M (and little Miss B) crazy but I don't care. I love it. But what are you supposed to do when you have thousands and thousands of photos to pick through and decide what goes up in your house and where. So this is a big project to go through and figure out what is going up and where. Especially since M and I don't always agree on what we like.

- Scrapbooking

And with photos comes scrapbooks. Managing a scrapbook store years ago ignited my creative side and resulted in tons and tons of scrapbooks documenting life into my early twenties. But I've failed since I've gotten married and had little Miss B. So hopefully one day soon, I'll get with the newest craze of digital scrapbooking and get some books done. One day...

So where to start? I have no idea. All I know is I'm not good at staying focused on one project at a time, so I'm determined to finish some of these and NOT create a big mess in the process. Wish me luck, I have lots of crap to get done on top of all my wifely and motherly duties of being awesome. Life's rough but somebody's gotta do it!

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of these companies, blogs, organizations or sites, nor have I been approached, asked or compensated for the information or opinions shared in this post.

RIP Coach.

Tonight I found out my first basketball coach passed a couple weeks ago. He played such a huge role in my basketball career and was such an influence in those pivotal elementary/pre-teen/junior high/early high school years, that it's hard not to be hit a little hard about the news of his death, especially with the untimely coincidence of my GG's passing. He kept me focused, believed in me when I was nothing and was never afraid to tell me what needed to be told. One of my fondest memories of him was a weekend tournament where we took 1st and I won MVP. He had a huge grin on his face as he handed me my trophy and told me that after all my hard work, I deserved it and I finally got it. It was one of my proudest basketball moments.

We lost contact after that. His daughter and I and our families went our separate ways but every once in awhile he'd run into my Poppy at the golf course and ask how I was. Last he had heard I was pregnant and about to be a mommy. He couldn't believe it.

We may not have been as close in the past few years but he helped shape a big part of my life, which eventually lead me to where I am today and for that I am grateful and he'll always hold a special place in my heart and memories.

RIP Coach.

I'm pooped

I'm bored. And lazy. I keep wanting to blog but I'd rather nap. Hey, at least I'm honest. So maybe I'll get around to blogging...or maybe not. I'm in a food coma. Ok, maybe it's a beer coma. But nonetheless, it's a coma. And I'm pooped. 4th of July is my kinda holiday. Now time for a nap.

RIP.

Earlier this morning, at 8:30A, my Great Grandma Dorothy Lee got her wings and became an angel. We all knew it was coming but there really is no way to fully prepare yourself. Her health has been failing for awhile, and being one hell of a fighter, she stuck through it, held on and fought like hell for the past few months. There are really no other words than to say we're blessed to have her watching over us.

RIP GG

18 months!

Little B is officially 18 months. Don't ask me when that happened because I really have no idea.

Here are some fun facts about her:

-She talks all the time. One of my favorite things to hear her say is "Oh NOOOOO!" It's especially cute when she says it when things like her DVD skips. She makes it sound like it's the end of the world.

-She loves to say "Hiiiiiii Da-da!" or "Hiiiiiii Ma-ma!" whenever we greet her. One of the cutest is when I tell her "Hi Baby!" and she replies, "Hiiiii baby!" (or Mama, whatever she feels like at the time)

-If she's in bed with me in the morning, she wakes me up with lots and lots of kisses and hugs which totally start my day right.

-She's starting to show interest in potty training! Now if I can only get my butt in gear and get her going. I'll admit, I'm scared.

-She loves the pool, especially with daddy. And has the cutest bikini tan.

-Her hair is so long and she is FINALLY letting me put headbands and pigtails in her hair because she looks "Pretty pretty."

-She loves the weekend when daddy is home and trying to find daddy when he's hidden in the bed.

-She loves french fries. And fruit. And cookies. And almost everything else.

-She loves to dance and sing to herself.

-She is constantly asking us to watch "Baby" which is Baby Signing Time and/or "Momo" which is Elmo. Myka and I (and everyone else who comes to our house) are tired of both.

-She sucks her thumb still but is slowly weaning herself off with our help.

-Whenever I tell her we are going home she yells "DADA!" and associates home with Daddy which I find adorable.

-Every Monday morning when Myka goes back to work, she wakes up and runs through the house yelling for daddy.

-She loves the dog and is constantly bossing him around, telling him "No, NO!" and trying to pick him up even though he is terrified of her.

-She loves babies. And also big kids. She's so social and has tons of friends. All ages and sizes. I love it!

-She signs SO much which is so fun and is starting to put together sentences. Myka and I have really had to start watching out language! ;)

- She loves to read to herself and can read books all day.

-She hates when I pull out the camera and the stinker constantly closes her eyes when I take pictures of her!

-She copies everything I do and is truly a mini Mommy. It trips me out.

-She loves her GMA (who she renamed MiMi) and is always running to the door and yelling for her

-She is full of hugs and kisses and hates when anyone leaves her behind

-She loves walking to the corner liquor store with her Poppy for ice cream

And SO much more!

She weighs in at 24.6 lbs (50th percentile) and is 33.75 inches long, which is still off the charts. I absolutely LOVE the stage she is at now and wish I could keep her this age forever. :(

And now for the pictures:

Ready for the pool in my new goggles

Smiling and ready to go before her 18 month shots
Has to sit in the big girl chair just like mommy!

Her imagination is incredible. Playing in her diaper box.
We didn't make it to the pool yet with her goggles, so she wears them in the bath :)

Daddy taught her to smile so he could send me a picture of her and she does this weird face scrunch. It's adorable.

Sweet B
Kisses for Daddy
And hugs too!

She's got him wrapped around her finger ;)

All tuckered out from the pool

Is it possible for her to be more of a troublemaker when she wears this shirt?!
One day she'll kill me for this. But here's my big girl on the big girl potty!
Her favorite game to play: Run away from Mommy when she says "come here!"
Mommy and mini Mommy ;)

Copying mommy and putting lotion on her feet

Playing in her box with Daddy

Her daily naptime ritual. Don't ask my why, but it helps put her to sleep.

4/21/10 - Trying to put on her own shoes :)

4/21/10 - Pro shopper, just like her mommy ;)

Randomness

I can't keep my house clean.

My laundry basket fills up faster than it gets clean.

I am craving chocolate.

And Weinerschnitzel chili cheese fries, which I have deemed as the best.

I am watching a retarded movie called Troll.

It seriously looks retarded but it doesn't have my full attention.

My babygirl went to sleep before I got home tonight which always makes me sad.

I need to shower.

I went to the park today and I forgot to put sunscreen on my chest and face.

I'm searching for the perfect wood patio set and am coming up with nothing.

It frustrates me that the one I want is from Ikea and they are out of stock til Apr 2011

Why do they call it seasonal when it's still summer?

I am excited for a long 4th of July weekend with my husband and little B.

And my BBQ, the pool and lots of beer.

I am tired and still need to shower.

night night!

PS - If you follow our personal family blog, be sure to head on over there for a big 18 month update on Little Miss B and our family, full of lots of pictures, videos and fun things. :) It's about time I got something up on that one :) And if you aren't on the list and want to be, leave me a comment with your email and I will send you an email for access ;)