forever88

some bunny.

2013-12-30T23:32:00.003-05:00

what's that? a blog update?

that's right -- hell is freezing over.

anyways, enough about that.

2013 (the year of less than 15 blog posts, hah) is almost over.

here's to 2014 -- I have a feeling it's going to be an amazing year for oh-so-many reasons.

one in particular?

we'll have somebunny blue joining our family in march 2014!

here's to becoming a family of four and welcoming a sweet baby boy to the mix! we're beyond excited (and let's get real, petrified).

thanks 2013 for being awesome in oh-so-many-ways, here's to an amazing 2014!

lately.

2013-07-28T21:47:00.000-04:00

welp. life has been pretty uneventful in the best kind of way. the P is growing like a sweet little weed, I am still obsessed with eating cookies and I'm already looking forward to Friday.

lately we've been spending tons of time in the sun [don't worry, we're wearing sunscreen]...

we've been cuddling all over the place...

we've [okay, okay, just me] been eating cookies like they're going out of style...

I know.

my life is thrilling.

off to online shop [aka fill tons of carts with tons of clothes and maybe pull the trigger on one of them]

five on friday.

2013-07-19T15:43:00.000-04:00

happy friday...here are five awesome things that I can't wait to share.

ONE: DJ finally comes home today. I can't freaking wait, he's been away on business all week and though I love the me-time, it's also going to be great to have him back! I also cannot wait to have someone else in my house change diapers... #overit

TWO: I'm pretty sure that P is even more excited than I am -- every night at dinner/when we get home/when she gets up/after she blinks "da da? DA DA!" yes siree - we have a daddy's girl.

THREE: Lindi was in ATL last night and came and had a girls night with P & I... it was perfection (aka we ordered Chinese food, she helped me fold laundry, watched Revenge of the Bridesmaids (no judgies) on netflix and then laid in bed talking before bed. It made my heart happy. Also, If you like terribly awesome ABC family movies then Revenge of the Bridesmaids is right up your alley.

{via}

FOUR: we are so ready for football season. someone is working on her TOUCHDOWN! 42 days until Gamecock football!

FIVE: I'm going home, eating leftovers, putting P to bed and diving into a book [DJ is going to a concert with friends so I'm enjoying one more night to myself]. Can't wait for a night of relaxation and not setting an alarm [you better believe DJ is getting up with P tomorrow and that I'm sleeping in!]. Hooray for one more sloth night!

happy weekend everyone!

shoe shopping...

2013-07-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

remember that time that I bought five pairs of shoes in twenty-four hours and none of them were for me.

I mean... really? WHO AM I.

oh wait, that's right... I'm the mom of a WALKING toddler.

PJ is walking like a freaking champ and you know what that means -- baaaaaby shoes.

want to see what I bought? of course you do...

first, yes... I bought three different pairs of TOMS...

these adorable little blue shoes, perfect for school...

last but not least... this pair is named the "Penelope Sandal" -- I mean, I had to buy them...

...In my defense -- these five pairs span three different sizes (we have a growing girl!), so I'm stocking up for awhile AND I only spent less than $70 on all five pairs (thank you Zulily!).

AND... I'm scared for myself (and my checkbook) because PediPeds is on Zulily today... If anyone ever told me I'd have more fun buying P shoes than buying myself shoes I would have laughed, but now...

I want to make sure I'm buying her good quality shoes because she's learning to walk/her feet are developing
Let's get real her feet are WAY cuter than mine [her everything is way cuter than mine].

so... if you're in the market for adorable baby shoes head to Zulily before I do [please, buy all the cute shoes before I do]

also, someone please tell me I'm not the only one?!

[crickets....]

penny's fist birthday: the birthday gal herself...

2013-07-16T22:40:00.001-04:00

last post about Sweet P's first birthday -- here are some of my favorite pictures of our sweet girl at her actual birthday party... seriously, she's so. freaking. sweet.

get ready for a cute overload...

did I tell a lie?

I mean...

come on.

sweet as pie, right?

penny's first birthday party: food & decor

2013-07-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

Penny's first birthday party was one of the most fun parties I've ever planned. We didn't want to do something outrageous, and lets be real, Penny isn't at the age where she really plays with other kids and will remember the party so it was really for us. BUT, all the same, we wanted to have a celebration. So we had originally planned a picnic with family and close Atlanta friends, but unfortunately the weather did NOT cooperate. So, we were nimble and hosted the party in our apartment. It was tight, but fun. We didn't have a real "theme" just wanted to go along with the bright colors that we had picked for her room/style (or at least what I think her style is, hah).

so, without further adeau -- Penny's bright, fun and festive first birthday!

thanks to the amazing Aliya Rinaldi Designs for the invites -- we loved them! (I highly recommend her for any and all of your invite/design needs)

bright colors incorporated into the napkins, straws, etc.

rainbow cake! yes -- I'm insane and made two of them, one for the cake smash/photoshoot and one for her party. in retrospect, I wish I would have made rainbow cupcakes for the party but you live and learn [[many thanks to Penny's amazing Godmother Tiffani for helping me with both cakes, and let's get real, most if not all of the food]]

pink lemonade cupcakes...

party food! mini sandwiches, fruit kabobs, chocolate dipped pretzel rods, fruity pebbles/rice krispie treats, chips and salsa...

mini fruit kabobs and a mimosa bar (few types of champagnes and juices in pitchers)

beers for the non-mimosa drinking adults and izzies for the kids [and Oliver]...

...and P's favorite -- bubbles as favors! [[fun fact, Penny said "bubbles," her first non mama/dada word AND walked seven steps for the first time on her actual birthday]]

so there you have it! such a blast and I can't wait to plan P's next party... only ten months of planning. ;) I'll post pictures of the birthday girl enjoying her party next (aka soon)!

p's one year photos.

2013-07-11T08:43:00.002-04:00

I know, I know.

Insert lame apology about not blogging here. I've decided that I'm just going to blog when I have a chance and not feel anxious about having to "update" since the last blog post... [thanks Julie for the nudge to get back in the saddle, haha].

so let's just say from February to July have been awesome. Hah. But really. I'll try and update a bit here and there (Penny's first birthday, etc).

To start -- I have to share her one year pictures from the fabulous Shannon Leigh Studios.

Enjoy!

I mean.

seriously?

I die.

more coming soon... promise (hah).

saint valentines...

2013-02-15T20:33:00.001-05:00

a glimpse into what my sweetest valentine day yet looked like...

....yup. I'm one lucky gal.

giggles.

2013-02-13T21:23:00.001-05:00

i'm annoying.

she's adorable.

school = lots of sickies, boo.

on that note... enjoy.

feb '13 - giggles from annahitaj on Vimeo.

whoopsies.

2013-02-08T23:20:00.001-05:00

oops... I.... did it again. fell of the face of the earth that is. whoopsies.

well, I'm done groveling/making false promises of being a better blogger.

truth? I'm swamped.

I don't know when I'm not going to feel like I'm drowning and until then -- blogging is likely to be sporadic. not to say I don't miss my sweet little space on the interwebs. I do. I always think about how I should blog and what I want to blog about (seriously? SO MUCH)... but, alas, time is not on my side.

oh well.

here's to making a conscious effort at getting back at it [who needs sleep?]

with all that being said - here's what's going on....

though life is busy, life is grand.... AND I'm 30. what? 30. seriously? I remember when that seemed so far away and I got anxious about the idea of getting older -- now? I'm thrilled. I am so excited for my thirties and can honestly say I am so content and excited about where I am right now.

I have an amazing family, beautiful daughter, handsome and sweet husband, fulfilling career and a smile on my face.

so what else is going on? well, I don't talk about work/my job a lot on the blog, but I will share that I recently got a promotion! so exciting and just makes me thrilled to know that my hard work did not go unnoticed and all of the hours and effort were worth it. I feel like I'm leaving my mark and my career is taking a turn that is serendipitous and fruitful. BUT, with all that being said -- I am swamped, my plate is full and I feel like I'm constantly going, going, going when it comes to work [hence the lack of blogging].

Ms. Penelope is so fun, so sweet and so interactive - she brightens up our days more than words could ever describe. I feel like it's so cliche and something that we always say but she just keeps getting more and more fun. She truly is a little person now and I love the time I get to spend with her. I feel so blessed that she goes to school the building over from my office and that I am so close. We've been going strong with nursing for the past nine months [another area where I feel so blessed, I know that we've been so lucky to have such an easy time with it and I do NOT take it for granted]. I love the time that I get to spend with her during the day nursing her and I'm so proud of us and our journey [another thing I WANT to blog about, hopefully eventually].

What else? DJ -- oh DJ, where do I begin. I love that man. He drives me crazy, but I love him. We're settling into our roles as parents and this new part of our partnership. I love having him as a husband and I love watching him as a dad - Penny is definitely a daddy's girl in the making. Her eyes light up for him and I love their interactions. I am also so proud of DJ and his work, he has been definitely putting the hours in as well and it is paying off - he continues to grow and thrive in his career and I am so inspired by his drive, creativity and intellect [cheesy, but SO true].

why do I feel like I'm writing one of those Christmas letters to family? barf. with that - I'll stop here. more soon. I promise to post seven & eight month Penelope updates [aka picture dumps] soon and maybe I'll finally finish my 2012 in review post -- considering we're a month and half into 2013. oops.

anyways, I'll leave you with a few adorable pictures of my almost NINE month old (?!)...

until next time - goodnight poodles....

Penny's Six Month Photos/Our Family Pictures!

2012-12-30T13:00:00.000-05:00

remember Penny's adorable newborn photos?

well, the amazing Shannon Leigh Studios has created magic again...

I mean, could she BE any cuter?!

Also, Shannon was amazing enough to capture some family shots of us - here are three of my favorites!

aren't they great?

If you're in the Atlanta area and looking for a newborn/child photographer we have nothing but AMAZING things to say about Shannon Leigh Studios! Shannon is amazing and so great to work with!

Penny's First Chrismakkah Season!

2012-12-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

that's right friends, this month Penelope celebrated her first Chrismakkuh season, here are the highlights...

first up, we went to DJ's parents house for their annual Hanukkah party, Penny rocked a huge headband, so silly but I loved it AND she had her first taste of latkes [she loved them, just like her mama and daddy]...

Penny and I also went to the Botanical Gardens and saw the lights! Such a fun night (though someone was a little sleepy)...

Penny was also my date to my work holiday party... she was quite the hit!

enjoyed sleeping in with me (and cuddling with her pup) during our vaca (we're both home from school for two weeks!)

then we took PJ to meet the big guy, yup, SANTA! she was clearly, not impressed... oh well, she was still on the nice list, I promise!

from there, we woke up on Christmas morning and celebrated Penny's first Christmas!

so there you have it. it was a ton of fun - PJ was definitely more interested in the boxes and tissue paper than the actual gifts but it was so great to celebrate the holidays with HER, she truly made the whole season more meaningful, exciting and special. we're so excited to mark another "first" off the list - and now onto plan her valentines outfits ;)

Sarasota Sunsets...

2012-12-30T01:26:00.003-05:00

I know I already did the two part recaps to our Sarasota trip (part 1, part 2) but I wanted to share a few of my favorite sunset pictures (so yes, I had to do a separate post... I like to split things up, sue me!).

Anyways, there's nothing like a sunset on the west coast of Florida... actually, I had never experienced a Sarasota sunset before and I was not disappointed! here are a few of my favorite shots from that evening...

how lucky is penelope?

within her first six months she's experienced some of natures masterpieces including a beautiful sunrise on wrightsville beach and now, added to the list - a beautiful sunset on Lido Beach!

hopefully we can continue to share natures wonders and beauties with her!

Sarasota Sunshine: Days 3 & 4...

2012-12-30T01:16:00.001-05:00

[check out our first two days of vacation here]
so after the holiday party friday night - we woke up saturday morning feeling a liiiiiittttttle under the weather [ahem, hungover]. of course, Penny wanted nothing to do with it. she was WIDE AWAKE and ready to play...

we headed out to brunch with my mom and then from there walked around downtown Sarasota a bit, hit up the farmers market [which we LOVED, if you are ever in Sarasota on a Saturday morning definitely check it out!]

then we headed off to the beach for a bit and took in the beautiful sunset...

from there we headed to dinner and walked around St. Armands Circle (thanks Melissa for the recommendations!). we headed back to the hotel, put PJ down and hung out for a bit and then crashed. The next day we woke up and met our friends Mike & Carin for brunch and met their son Mason (aka Penny's future boyfriend). It was a blast to hangout with them for a bit, swap baby war stories and just catchup.

such a fun and relaxing weekend! we had a great (but exhausting) trip home and by the time we landed in ATL Ms. P was down for the count!

luckily she went down easily when we got home and wasn't thrown off too bad from the trip as far as her schedule, mood, eating, etc. Thanks Sarasota for the sunshine & relaxation! DJ has already been back since our trip and I'm looking forward to getting back there sometime in the Spring (more time on the beach, yes please!).

fingers crossed it's sooner rather than later! I would do anything to be in a warm sunny location rather than rainy cold and grey Atlanta right now! BRRRRR... is it Spring yet? anyways, happy almost last saturday night (sunday morning?) of 2012!

penny girl: 4, 5, 6 & 7 months! {aka catchup time}.

2012-12-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

so remember those monthly recaps I was going to do? hah. yeah. about that. well, in case you were wondering Penny is not still 3 months old - she's over 7 months already [holy crap, what?]... anyways here is what the last few months have looked like over here....

Penelope at 4 months...

Penelope at 5 months...

Penelope at 6 months...

Penelope at 7 months...

oh man. time really has flown by and Penny is getting more fun every day. I can't even begin to express how much fun it is to be a mom [yes, and sometimes stressful, exhausting and overwhelming - but lets focus on the positive right now]. Penny is at such a fun age - she is sitting up and babbling and just such a little PERSON. She's started saying dada and mama - not necessarily at us but you know still. I'm on the edge of my seat just waiting to walk in the room and have her see me and say MAMA. she's such an expressive little gal - she waves her little arms, talks, smiles and oh yes - she has mastered the "stank face" there are definitely times when she is not happy and she is NOT afraid to share it. I'm so excited for the future and what else is coming our way but also trying to soak up every little second. I was going through her old clothes and trying to decide what to keep and what to donate and I could NOT believe how small her clothes were and that she was that small once... I remember how huge her 3 month clothes seemed and then her 6 month clothes and now she's starting to wear her 9 month outfits! GAH. SLOW DOWN. anyways, here's to living in the now and soaking up all her itty bitty baby moments and milestones.

Sarasota Sunshine: Days 1 & 2...

2012-12-29T02:37:00.003-05:00

earlier this month we took a fun family vaca to sunny Sarasota, FL! we went down for DJ's holiday party and to spend some time with my mom - it was win-win. My mom hadn't seen Penny since she was a week old so it was so fun to watch them together and for her to see how much P had grown/changed in six months. Also, since DJ works remotely it was great for him to spend some time in the "office" and for me to meet his co-workers!

here are the highlights of our trip - there are a LOT of pictures so I decided to break the posts up... get ready...

first up, the flights! yup, it was P's first flight and she was a little champ! she did great the first flight. I nursed during take-off and landing and she slept for the majority of the flight, the second flight was not bad - she wouldn't nurse during landing and cried for the last five minutes or so before we landed but hey, could be worse!

on the plane --

we had a quick lunch with DJ before he headed off to work...

I headed off and checked into the hotel... BEAUTIFUL. just what we needed!

then PJ and I headed to Target to pick-up the essentials (diapers, wipes, baby yogurt, etc.) that I didn't want to fly with. P was beat and she took a little siesta in her stroller (ermahgawd - her thighs)....

we had a relaxing dinner with some of DJ's coworkers that night and then put P down -- we got a little creative... bathroom, nursery? all the same!

the next day we met up with my mom and she was smitten from the start...

mom spent some QT with PJ while I got a much needed haircut...

and then, off we went to the holiday party - which was a blast! so fun to dress-up and have a fun night out on the town (thanks grandma for babysitting)!

so those were our first two nights in Sarasota - another post with our next day of vaca coming up soon!

Penny's First Thanksgiving!

2012-12-29T00:48:00.004-05:00

yes, I know. I'm terrible. oh well, moving on...

I'm here now... finally posting about Thanksgiving - I know, it's the end of December but I figure better late than never. We celebrated Thanksgiving with Danny's folks and both of his brothers and their families. Ms. P had a grand ole time playing with her cousins or just staring at them, haha. She also got her first taste of Thanksgiving dinner... I think she's a fan (homegirl likes to eat, gets it from her mama).

here are a few of our favorite shots from Penny's first Thanksgiving...

yup.

time flies when you're ~~stuffing face with mashed potatoes~~ having fun!

I promise to post about Christmakah before 2013! :)

new mommy confessions...

2012-12-11T12:00:00.003-05:00

I'm a new mom.

I am NOT perfect.

I hate my post-baby bladder.

I change diapers in strange places...

want to hear more?

check out my new mommy confessions over at Running from the Law!

a FREE treat from treat!

2012-11-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

In the age of emails, twitter and text messaging sometimes the "thought" gets lost in the holiday season (and lets be real, all seasons). personally, there is nothing that makes me smile more than a heartfelt card from a sweet friend. SO I try and do the same and send cards to my loved ones near and far. I love me some snail mail!

which is why I love Treat -- their cards are cute, affordable and you can make them personalized for all sorts of events/occasions. Treat is Shutterfly's exciting new greeting card brand that makes it easy for people to create and send one-of-a-kind greeting cards. It’s super easy. And it’s completely personal.

they have cards that you can personalize for all sorts of occasions, including --

anniversaries...

friendship/just because...

birthday cards....

thanksgiving cards...

The amazing folks at Treat have a great deal for you (today and tomorrow ONLY) create and send a totally personalized greeting card from Treat for FREE.

Whether saying thanks for Thanksgiving, wishing a best friend a holiday birthday, or simply sharing the holiday cheer with a just because card, Treat lets you create a one-of-a-kind card that is sure to impress.

Use the code TREATBLOGR today (11/19) or tomorrow (11/20) for your free treat card!

**This is a sponsored post, many thanks to Shutterfly/Treat.

thankful.

2012-11-18T21:45:00.002-05:00

I should be working (I know on a Sunday night, lame but I have a LOT to get done on this short week) but instead I felt called to blog, particularly since this week is one that is so near to my heart. three years ago this week I took a huge leap of faith, followed my heart and flew over 700 miles to go visit a friend.

as cheesy as it sounds - I still remember the feeling that ran through my body, heart and soul when we saw each other for the first time when I got off the plane. I knew that instant that my life would be completely changed. I keep saying I'm going to finish our love story and I WILL, eventually. I just want to do it right instead of rushing to get it up just to finish it [and someone, ahem DJ - needs to write his sections... not that I've done mine, oops]. anyways, this post from two years ago feels like yesterday and forever ago all at the same time. I'm still overwhelmed with love for my sweet flannel wearing hippy.

any-the-ways, I figured I'd try something new and linkup with Neely on this chilly fall Sunday and share my list of what I'm thankful for this fall season -- I wish I could say my post will be as humorous and entertaining as Sara's post earlier this week [genius and amazing!] but my creativity is just not currently flowing... so here you go...

I am thankful for....
- coffee: oh the black tar aka the good stuff that gets my blood pumping and heart beating every morning... CAFFEINE I LOVE YOU.
- beer: after being pregnant and not drinking for almost a year I have come to appreciate a nice cold beer, it's definitely been my [daily] drink of choice lately!
- for la croix: thank you for giving my fix when I have my "fizzy" bubble cravings without being a real soda
- my snooze button: because on most mornings 6am just is not happening...
- for our bumbo: sorry penny but seriously, I cannot hold you ALL the freaking time!
- for my iPhone: little mini computer in my hand aka the ultimate distraction... I love you.
- for pacifiers: sometimes when nothing else will do you just need to do as my dad would say and "plug it up"
- for instagram: aka instamakeup... thanks for making me look better than I really do and for making my lunch look cool.
- for google: thank you for giving the answers and making me seem smarter than I am
- for the James Patterson Women's Murder Club series: I want to be Lindsay Boxer
- for my fancy pants camera: for making me think I'm a better photographer than I really am
- for my job that offers me the flexibility to be a professional and the type of mom that I want to be without having to choose between the two or sacrifice [too much]
- for scarves: because who likes a cold neck?
- for oliver: thanks for the snuggles bud. you make me smile. you are my dream come true in a ~~fat lazy~~ little bulldog package.
- for my friends: you love me even if I'm a bitch.
- for my family: for just being you - I couldn't ask for a better support system of crazy quirky folks.
- for ms. penelope rose: for making a mommy, filling my heart with love and bringing a smile to my face [and lets get real for sleeping through the night starting at six weeks - THANK YOU for being a good sleeper and giving me the gift of SLEEP!]
- for danny j: for being my best friend, my partner, my love, the washer of my dishes [and bottles and breast pump parts], for walking the dog, being an amazing daddy [and for taking me as I am - for better and for worse... or lately, for bitchy or cranky, oops].

so that's that.

what are you thankful for?

**also, congrats to chelsea from The Curly Cues for winning my Shutterfly giveaway!**

one year ago.

2012-11-14T10:15:00.000-05:00

it's crazy to think that one year ago... I made this fun little announcement on the blog. and now we have a six month old....

one year ago, I was three months pregnant with our beautiful baby girl.
one year ago, I was overwhelmed with the idea of becoming a mother.
one year ago, I had no idea what was coming my way.
one year ago, I only dreamed of the happiness and love that I feel right now.

today - I am the mother of a beautiful [two days shy of] six month old girl, the wife of the best daddy in the world and overwhelmed by love for the two people that I get to share my life with.

I just have to smile and think about where I was, where I am, and where I'm going. I can only imagine how I'll feel one year from today.

holiday cards 2012 AND a giveaway!

2012-11-12T23:23:00.002-05:00

oh November - I was shocked when you appeared [out of nowhere] and now you're almost halfway over!?

It feels like yesterday that Sweet P was born and now she'll be SIX MONTHS on Friday!? You know what that means... yup, photoshoot! we're heading out to a local park to take P's six month photos as well as some family pictures for our holiday cards... that's right - holiday cards! This will be our third holiday card that we're sending out as a married couple and our first as parents so let's get real, I'm SO excited about pimping sweet p out.

so I've done things a bit backwards - I picked out a few cards that I like and we're in the midst of "styling" ourselves to fit the bill - fun, casual outfits, a little fall/plaid/relaxed, not so traditional... so of course, I turned to Shutterfly (check out their special offers page for some great deals!)

here are a few of the Shutterfly Holiday Cards that I have my eye on....

which one is your fave?

what is your holiday card style? traditional? modern?

any tips for getting babies to cooperate in family photo shoots

[please send me happy baby vibes on saturday afternoon]?

do you want to come over and pick out my outfit and do my hair and makeup?

are you over all of these questions?

okay, here's your reward for reading all my jibber-jabber...

Shutterfly has generously partnered with me to host a giveaway for forever88 readers!

what's in it for you?

An extra $50 off your order of $50 or more

(excluding tax and shipping & cannot be combined with any other promos)
(expires 12/14/2012 – no extensions)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

good luck lovies, I'm off to attempt to find something for me and P to wear on Saturday - I got the hardest part done, DJ has picked out his outfit!

**This is a sponsored post, many thanks to Shutterfly.

election day.

2012-11-06T11:49:00.000-05:00

hope you've gotten out there and voted! DJ, Sweet Penny and I battled the weather and the lines and hit the polls this morning.

this time of year is always exciting - and it's crazy to think this is the first election in 12 years that I won't be spending the evening watching the results roll in on a college campus (2000: freshman year of college, 2004: grad school, 2008: residence coordinator). It's a bit bittersweet to not be spending this evening with college students... but hey, I'm also VERY okay with watching the results roll-in in my sweats, drinking beer with my husband. here's to an interesting night. hope your guy wins - but only if he's my guy, duh.

penny's first halloween!

2012-11-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Another holiday under Penny's belt (onesie?) -- Halloween, check.

PJ was an adorable kitty at school and then we broke out her real costume and strolled around the neighborhood and headed to the park to have a little photoshoot.

here are some of our favorite snapshots of PJ's first halloween - enjoy!

up next?

thanksgiving!

can't wait for PJ to be dressed in her fall finest and get her first taste of turkey and mashed taters!

eventful halloween week...

2012-11-02T00:24:00.002-04:00

what have we been doing all week? wearing all of our halloween outfits, duh!

more pictures to come of our sweet little Penny in her halloween outfit/costume but these were too cute not to share right away... oh and big news -- guess who started SITTING UP BY HERSELF this week?!?!

that's right ---

that gal!

crazy huh??

time flies, I can't believe she's 5.5 months already.