End of my Wedding Season

I took a week off for a little vacation to celebrate my cousin getting married and it was fabulous!  This wedding marks the end of my being a guest at weddings for the year.  Officially, I was supposed to be in attendance in 5 weddings this past year, but 2 got erased from the list (one couple eloped- boo, one broke up- yay!).  I had a blast at the remaining 3 though. 

This past wedding was a destination wedding and the first of this type I have ever attended.  It was held at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas (you'll get a full report on this place later).  I will say the major perk of the resort was the discounted room fee, it was like 60% off which was awesome since most are only around 15%.

The wedding itself was beautiful, but still traditional.  I think I would've opted for the 100% beach theme if I were to do it versus having the traditional dress for myself and the wedding party.  Also, I know it is a public beach, but I think security should've stepped in to block people from walking in the back during the ceremony.  Some people have no respect (cue Rodney Dangerfield).

Anyhoo, it is great to be back for a little bit before I'm off on my final family vacation this summer.

It Takes a Village at the Pool

Summer time at the community pool is a frequent activity of mine but I've made several observations especially now trying to keep track of 2 kids.  Here are some tips for taking your toddler to the pool.

First off, it takes a village of parents and caregivers to look after the little ones at the pool, especially the toddler pool.  It is also nice to be trusting of other adults.  I get it.  I am a neurotic mom who doesn't want my boys to drown but that kind of hysteria causes me not to have fun and makes it all work at the pool for me.  I was putting the boys on the little water slide running going back and forth helping them go down and them get back up without drowning.  Why should I run around like a crazy woman when there is another fully capable mom there doing the same thing with her kids.  Let's help each other out.  We both worked together and enjoyed ourselves as the kids safely were are on the slides.

Moms, I beg you to stop sitting by the edge of the pool updating your Facebook status while your kids (most of whom are too old for the toddler area) go around acting like bullies and splashing both adults and little ones that are just trying to enjoy themselves.  "At Pool, hope the kids haven't drowned yet, but damn I look like a MILF today."  I know you want to look hot, but remember you are a parent too.

Speaking of slides.  There are some serious social lessons to be learned here.  Wait your turn you little twerps.  Don't Push.  If you see a baby/smaller kid, be patient.  Wait until the child isn't at the bottom any more.  The MB (Momma Bear) in me had to correct and hold a few kids (again too old for the Nemo slide) back so they could be socially aware of their surroundings.


Some other tips for the pool with a toddler(s)

• For the love of all that is holy, wear something on your feet in the bathroom.
• Pack Snacks, Snacks, Snacks and then bring some more.  I love the ones from Thirty-One.
• If your baby/toddler isn't potty training yet but fits into Pull-Ups, bring those to change into instead of a diaper.  I find them so much easier to get on a wet baby that is standing vs. having to lie them down some place and wrestle with putting a diaper on them.  These don't hold as much as a regular diaper, so don't leave it on as long.  Actually I think someone is now making a pull on diaper.  Not sure what the difference is between that and a pull up, but you get my point.
• Sunscreen.  I love NO-AD because it works and is cheap.  My go-to for the little faces though is Neutrogena Sun Block Stick. 
• Wear a suit that fits.  If you have a rocking body great.  If you don't great.  I'm not saying you need a "mom suit" with a skirt or anything, but you'll be working picking up your child and they will most likely grab at every part of your suit at some point, so just be sure it fits you properly and you don't constantly have to adjust yourself in it.

I hope this helps you at the pool this summer!

Meal Plan Monday -- Off Duty!

We are on vacation this coming week so it is Freezer Dash until we leave.  Have a great week everyone and I'll be back with a new menu in two weeks!

Slimming Down Sunday - Week 24

Week 24


Weight Change:   .6 pounds

Total Difference:  -7 lbs. since Thanksgiving

Notes: Figures, a slight change this week and I broke my no pop streak. I started tracking my sugar intake too this week so I'm going to see if I notice any trends in that area that might be related to me not losing weight like I'd hoped.  I'm sorta in a funk today.  I am going to a wedding this weekend and am having an "ugh this dress is ugly" day, even though I've loved it since I got it and have spent way too much money on the ensemble.  We'll see how it turns out.

Goal Date: 10/15/12 - my 7 year wedding anniversary

Goal Weight:  18 pounds from where I am now, aka the weight I was when I said "I Do"

Wish me luck!

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

My Boudoir

Kelly's Korner is continuing her Show Us Your Life Home Tour and this week is bedrooms.

This furniture was our first major purchase after we bought our first house.  It was way too big for our old house, but now we have plenty of space.  However, some walls that are too short and a window not exactly even in the center of the wall have the furniture arranged not exactly how I'd like to see it.
That said, two weeks ago we rearranged our furniture after 3 years living here and it feels like a brand new room.  I can't tell you how much space we gained from this simple job.  Too bad I didn't take before and after photos. We didn't take anything out, but our new arrangement is so much more spacious and bright.  Our bed used to block one of the windows and thus nearly all of the daylight. I love having a brighter room now.  I haven't gotten to hanging up pictures yet either.  Any ideas for something above our headboard or is it good the way it is?

I'd eventually like to paint, but I'm on the hunt for a new bedding set that will knock my socks off. I love the design of this current set, but the silk shantung isn't as comfy as we'd like it to be.  Also, I'm saving up to buy another crystal lamp vs. the wood one on the dresser.

Our bedroom also has the on-suite bathroom design layout that was so ever popular in the 70s.  The toilet and shower are contained in their own room but the vanity and sink are on the outside and exposed to our bedroom.  A little more privacy would be nice so as not to disturb each other when getting ready in the morning, but we are making it work so far.  We also have his/her closets which is nice.  Mine is the double and his is a single :)

Buffalo Chicken "Muffins"

Since DH loves all things Buffalo flavored, I thought I'd put a spin on it this week.

I put this on the menu this week and thinking it would pair nicely with salad.  My oldest boy loves spicy things too so he enjoyed it too.  My little guy is Mr. Picky so I'll just let him nibble on something else.

 

The 2nd picture gives and idea how to roll, but BEWARE!  I originally didn't spread the mixture out as a pizza and there wasn't enough dough make it spiral properly.  In the last picture you can see what the difference is if you spread the mixture in the center versus all over the dough.

Before the Oven

 Yum!

The one on the left was more of a filled cup since I just had the mixture in the center of the dough while the one on the right was more spiraled after I spread the mixture out all over and re-rolled it.  Both versions were tasty, but the right had a better presentation.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and chopped *time saver-you can even cheat and used canned, I'd say a big can, 10 oz., and rinse it in water to get the extra sodium off
• 1/4 cup or less of Hot Sauce (Frank's Buffalo is what I used)
• Frozen Pizza Crust (I tried the new Pillsbury Artisan one for this, delish!)
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 2-3 tbsp Cream Cheese
• Blue Cheese Dressing (or Ranch)
• Cheddar Cheese (or any cheese mixture)
• Muffin Pan

*if you want just buffalo chicken and no creaminess to it, omit the cream cheese, dressing and butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. In a small pan, mix the chicken, cream cheese, butter, and hot sauce (add as much as you like) until warmed through and butter and cream cheese have melted.
3. Spray your muffin pan to grease it
4. Roll out dough into a large rectangle onto a sprayed baking sheet
5. Place cheese on the dough followed by the chicken mixture onto the dough as you would if you were making a pizza
6. Roll up dough with mixture inside so it looks like a giant log (the longer side)
7. Slice evenly into rolls that resemble cinnamon rolls and place into muffin pan
8. Sprinkle more cheese on top (optional)
9. Bake for 11-15 minutes until golden brown

I didn't freeze these because they were all eaten, but I think they would freeze well too.  Enjoy!

My Summer Life Has Changed

This week's TAT on Growing up Geeky is how things have changed in life since the arrival of kids, marriage, or anything life has thrown at you.

Let's see, this time 5 years ago I was still teaching summer school and getting ready to go study at abroad.

Back then my summers were spent sleeping in as long as I wanted, professional development for teaching, planning spontaneous get away trips with girlfriends, and romantic week long vacations with my husband with no added stress about who could we get to watch the kids for that long. Ahh, life was good.

However, life is great now. Being home during the summer with my boys is great. We are only a couple of weeks into this summer and already I'm having a blast. Cameron, being mobile now, is much more interactive and enjoys playing with his big brother.  We have the back yard all set up with a kiddie pool, club house, sprinkler and water table.  Add in field trips, play dates and lazy rainy days and we are all set. 

I'm trying to channel my inner domestic goddess, but trying to entertain 2 toddlers and have the house all cleaned, laundry all done, meals on the table, keeping up preschool enrichment is exhausting.  I'm beat by the end of the night.  I think some days I was less tired when I was working.

I love being a seasonal SAHM, it is the best of both worlds. What has life thrown you that has changed it?  Feel free to share.

Garage Sale 2012

I held my sale this weekend with hopes of putting some extra cash into our pockets before vacation.  We made about $550 which will buy me plenty of fruity drinks on vacation next week.  I followed my tips and it was pretty successful.  I had amazing weather and Thursday was my big day of traffic and this was my big money making day.  By the time Friday late afternoon rolled around I was tired and slashing prices left and right. I stayed open Saturday only until 1 because traffic was super light I wanted to play outside with the boys.  I have a big trip to make to donate what is left, but overall I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Once I've decided we are definitely done having kids, I'll have another sale.  I'm sure that one will be spectacular given that I have about 6 bins of clothes and way too many toys!

Meal Plan Monday

sunday: Tacos w/ground turkey

Monday: Pepper Steak w/Rice

Tuesday: Chicken Ravioli & Vodka Sauce

Wednesday: Cheeseburgers & Oven Baked Pickles & Potatoes

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Buffalo Chicken muffins & Salad

Saturday: Crockpot Potato Soup

Slimming Down Sunday - Week 23

Week 23


Weight Change: No change again this week

Total Difference: - 6.4 lbs. since Thanksgiving

Notes: Ugh, no change. Still getting frustrated that my weight isn't falling off since I've been tracking my calories daily and am still always within my goal (1600 or less).  I had a Coke this week and I don't regret it b/c it was fabulous!  Ahh, cold sugary caffeine.  Anyways, trying not to get frustrated but also realizing that my next goal will be here before I know it.

Goal Date: 10/15/12 - my 7 year wedding anniversary

Goal Weight:  18 pounds from where I am now, aka the weight I was when I said "I Do"

Wish me luck!

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

Citrus Kitchen

I'm continuing the home tour over at Kelly's Korner and this week is kitchens.

The current color pallet of my kitchen I feel would make Rachel Ray of the Food Network proud. I inherited these lovely sunshine yellow counter tops and white walls when we moved in.  And yes, the yellow blinds also came with the house.

And now for the after.  On a limited budget and not wanting to do a kitchen overhaul yet, I simply painted the walls.  I did a granny smith apple color on three walls and a clementine orange on the forth wall.  It is bright and compliments the counters nicely, but I can't wait to redo it and rip it up someday. 

The layout is nice, but I'd love more counter space which is why I don't have many decorative items.  We have two closet pantries which is very helpful for storage.  

TAT- Mom Guilt

Growing up Geeky's topic today is "Your Mom".

I'm pretty sure she doesn't want us to write sophomoric jokes that go something like "Yo Mama's so dumb that she tripped over a cordless phone", but rather reflect on relationships that we have with our mother.

This is still a pretty raw subject for me given what is going on with my mom currently.  There is a complicated dynamic between my mother and I, not that it makes me a special snowflake, don't all mother and daughters have this?

I'm really struggling with how to even write this post.  Do I write about what I love about my mom and what I'm going to miss about her?  How the anger/hurt has returned to me with my mom right now?  About how fortunate I am to have had other motherly influences in my life?  About the guilt I feel that my brother has been burdened by her more than I because I moved away?  How I'm sad I won't can write about how she is my BFF and all the fun shit we do together and how I can't go two days without calling her?  How I don't have a picture of her with her grandsons and can't rave about her grandmotherly ways?  How every time I talk to her I just expect her to say "it's almost time"?   I should just grab the tissues now.

We had her Life party a couple of weeks ago.  I was fine during the party, but before and after I was an anxious mess.  It seemed so surreal.

I feel like things are so superficial with us.  I feel like I'm a horrible daughter for being selfish and how I'm feeling about her illness.  Guilty for how I feel I need to process it instead of pushing it all aside, all the years of anger and hurt, and just focusing on her.  I feel so weak. I feel so cruel.  But I've never been good at faking my feelings.  I really wish I could right now.

I can't even look at her in the eyes.  It hurts too bad.  She physically doesn't resemble the mother I grew up with anymore and I know that the cancer is going to make her deteriorate even worse before this is all said and done.  Tick. Tick. Tick.  Time is ticking by.

I feel so confused about the present and future with us.  I had everything settled.  I was OK with the relationship we had created now that fights were no longer a daily occurrence. Now I just feel this incredible amount of pressure on us.  Pressure on me as human being in general and how life, forgiveness, and love works in general.

Sorry this kinda turned into emotions being thrown up.  Thanks for reading and saving me a trip to my therapist this week.

Head over to Growing up Geeky for more stories on moms, don't worry, they are more light-hearted :)

Meal Plan Monday

sunday: lasagna & salad

Monday: Slow cooker Pulled Pork & Pasta Salad

Tuesday: Chicken Shwarma w/Tzatziki yogurt sauce

Wednesday: Left Overs
 

Thursday: Pizza

Friday: Chicken Lettuce WRaps

Saturday: Out to Eat

Notes: From my last post for the Dijon Lemon Chicken I just made it in a skillet for fear it would be too dry in the slow cooker and the pizza muffins were a hit!

Slimming Down Sunday - Week 22

Week 22


Weight Change: No change

Total Difference: - 6.4 lbs. since Thanksgiving

Notes: Ugh, no change.  I am now officially 3 weeks off of pop, but oh I miss it.  I'm still tracking daily my food intake and am usually under or right around (within 100) of  my calorie goal.  I wish weight would be falling off faster.  I thought it might since I've stopped the pop (and no sugary coffee) this week and up'd my water intake.  Guess I need to get my butt moving more.

Goal Date: 10/15/12 - my 7 year wedding anniversary

Goal Weight:  19 pounds from where I am now, aka the weight I was when I said "I Do"

Wish me luck!

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

Preschool - 1 year down, 1 year to go

I've been meaning to post that Alex finished up his first year of preschool a couple of weeks ago.  He didn't "graduate" per say since we are doing two years of preschool for him, but he is switching schools in the fall.

It is bittersweet because he was attending where I teach so I could pop on in and say "Hi" or observe him for a minute or two when he was there.  He had a love of fun and made some friends this year too.  He seemed to do well with all of the curriculum and activities too.

Here he is at the end of year carnival they held.

Oh great, we won a fish.  And it is still alive. Grr.

I was good this year and didn't cry, but I don't know if I'll hold it together when he enters the "Big K".

Designer Challenged - Living Room

I was excited to see that Kelly's Korner was doing a home tour of living rooms this week.  Mine is a design disaster and I'm hoping to get some ideas and input from readers. 

Where do I begin?  We moved in 3 years ago and I've done zilch with this space.  It is large and white.  The general space is probably 25x14 feet with a large picture window that lets in lots of light which is nice because there is no lighting in the ceiling.

I recently bought the couch (sleeper sofa) for our basement, but about 6 months later I moved it upstairs because a friend sold me her sectional for a steal and I didn't mind the boys ruining it versus this couch.  So, the couch stays.  The orange/rust leather chair is also a great piece from Lay-z-boy that my sister-in-law gave to us.  The rest of the furniture in the space can take a hike as far as I'm concerned.  My husband made the one table, but I'll just move that to a different room.

So what ideas do you have for me?  Lighting-Paint-Color Schemes-Tables?  I'm looking for the works!  It is so much easier to design a house on The Sims :)

Excuse the ladders and mess, I was having our air ducts cleaned. 

Looking towards Front Door / Foyer

 Picture window view from Dining Room

 View from the dining room

 View head on

towards the Dining Room

2012 Goals -- 6 month check up

So it has been about 8 weeks since I wrote my post that listed out my initial goals for 2012.  Let's see where I stand....

1. obtain my pre-pregnancy weight by February --- DONE!
2. obtain my wedding weight by October and my 7 year anniversary -- On my way
3. participate in at least one 5k walk/run -- Still only planning the October one so far
4. take a vacation with just the hubby -- 3 weeks left!
5. read 3 "fun" books  -- 5 down, Thank you Hunger Games Trilogy & 50 Shades
6. de-clutter this mad house --  Garage sale schedule for this coming week.
7. start saving for the kitchen remodel (this goal I hope to have in 2017) -- my new SAH Business is making this a reality
8. retire wearing my judging pants.  I wear them far too often and I'll probably post about them later. -- If people would just stop making it so dang easy for me!  Really I'm not being judgey as much as i am more STFU to people.
9. Blog more.  I love reading blogs and I really want to put more out there in the blogosphere, but for the right reasons which is what I sort of struggle with currently.  -- Thank you continued readers!
10. Adopt a family next Christmas. -- got some time on this one, but I'm thinking about other directions for this one too.

Spring Goals:

1. Collect evidence for Master Teacher Application and begin writing narrative  my student teacher bombing totally put a kink in these plans seeing as I actually had to teach the remainder of the year.
2. Complete my 2010 Scrapbook -- about 2 layouts left to go
3. Begin my 2011 / Cameron's Baby Scrapbook  -- started Cameron's book
4. Buy a new swimsuit -- Done! Thank you TJMaxx!
5. Play outside! -- this is occurring thanks to my Mother's Day Present & a TRU gift card

Summer Goals:

1. Summer Bucket List