FromOurPlaceToYours

DIY Backsplash Kit Installaion and Review

2012-01-29T15:58:00.001-05:00

You know me, always looking for the next household project to work on.
Let me introduce you to my kitchen.

Kitchen. Meet blog readers.
Blog readers. Meet kitchen.
Kitchen's about to get a facelift.

I've been wanting to do "something" to my kitchen for awhile. It's nice. But it's a bit plain. MrB and I have talked about replacing our countertops with a beautiful granite. We've also discussed having our kitchen cabinets refinished. Both of those cost money. And a lot of it. Money that we work hard for. Plus, even though our countertops and cabinets are builders grade, they're in pretty good shape for a house built 15 years ago. And it's really hard to part with money for an aesthetically pleasing granite countertop or dark walnut cabinet finish.

So what could we do to spruce up our kitchen.
Cue DIY Backsplash Kit.

I've had my eyes on it ever since I saw it on tv. It almost looked too good to be true.
A DIY kit. Containing peel and stick tiles. Premixed grout. A float. A utility blade. Extra tiles. Gloves. Measuring tape. A sponge. Seriously - everything you would need to cover 15sq ft. So I researched. And read reviews. And vowed to one day adorn my kitchen with the beauty of it.

Here she is. Bamboo Mosaic Tile. I was like a giddy schoolgirl when UPS came knocking on my door. The color is absolutely stunning.

But I couldnt jump right into it. I had to do the prepwork first. My countertops had a back-countertop/backsplash piece installed. I can guarantee most of you have it too. I peeled it off. And by peeled, I mean shimmied and pried and strengthened those ab muscles while leaning over the counter to get it removed.
I wiped down the walls and removed the coverplates. So boring, when all I wanted to do was start playing with my shiny tiles! So I layed them out on my countertop - measuring and aligning and prepping everything beforehand. I wanted to do it right!

And then I started to stick. What an exciting moment! I knew I was going to love the difference!
The adhesive backing on these tiles is no joke. You better hope you get it right the first time because once it's in place, it's staying there. Or you'll be spackling some accidentally removed drywall. Trust me.
The best technique is to peel a small section of red backing off, line up your tile and slowly start removing more backing as you're lining up the backsplash onto the wall. It was also incredibly easy to cut out assorted tiles, like around the outlets or lightswitches.

Once the tiles are in place, it's now time to grout.
I will be completely honest ...

It's at this point that I curse myself. I dislike grout. Very much. But the DIY Backsplash Kit makes it so convenient and easy to use. Cut the bag, squeeze some onto your float and grout away.

Only grout small sections at a time because it will dry quickly and be difficult to wipe away. Take a wet sponge and start wiping the tile down. And again. And again. You can see below the difference between a grouted section of tile on the left, and the ungrouted tile on the right.

After grouting is all done, a slight film will appear on the tiles. You'll want to wipe them down once more to remove that haze. And the final result?

The size of my kitchen did require more than one kit. There are expansion packs that can be purchased which supply you with an additional section of material for a smaller cost.

So who loves before and after shots? I've put some together for your viewing pleasure. It makes an incredible difference, no? My kitchen feels so much more expensive.

What do you think? Are you amazed at how easy it appeared and how stunning it looks afterwards? Have you been thinking about purchasing a kit for yourself? Has this review helped you in your decision?

Here's why I ask ...
I was gifted a limited number of coupon codes for the online store. And I would love to pass it along to you, if you're truly serious about making the decision to purchase a kit for yourself. And I'd love to see your before and after photos, as well. You can follow DIY Backsplash Kit on Facebook HERE or on Twitter HERE.

Snowy Weekend Fun

2012-01-23T14:51:00.003-05:00

It finally snowed! And we decided to take the sleds out of the attic, bundle each other up, and head outside for some snowy fun. Luciana couldn't move, but for her first time playing in the snow? Success!

Thoughts Swirling Around My Wedding Anniversary

2012-01-20T12:46:00.007-05:00

For those that never knew this random tidbit ... MrB and I married on Leap Day.
Yep, February 29. 2008.
It's an awesome day.

It was an awesome wedding, too.When we chose to marry on Leap Day, we were of course bombarded with questions like "When will you celebrate?" "Will you celebrate February 28 or March 1?" To be honest, this was all new to us and we weren't quite sure how we were going to celebrate. We thought we might do/buy something "special" to celebrate those February 29th anniversary dates. Like a hot tub. Or vacation somewhere warm. We even thought of throwing a hell of a party each Leap Day - getting our family and friends back together to celebrate the day.

Three years and eleven months later I can say there has been no rhyme nor reason as to the day we remember our vows. I'm pretty sure last year MrB had class on February 28th ... which meant we celebrated our anniversary on March 1st. And by celebrate, I mean I made a nice dinner. (Actually, I'm pretty sure I burned it, if I remember correctly). We dont do anything crazy to celebrate. A card, some kisses. That's all. We're pretty boring.

We honeymooned at Sandals Regency in St.Lucia. It was amazing. It was during this trip we decided that we just couldn't wait another four years to enjoy the unlimited sun, sand, food and drinks. We returned home (to a cold and snowy March) and started saving for Honeymoon #2, to be taken the following year. And then Honeymoon #3. Aaaand Honeymoon #4/Babymoon. Our thought process was "let's enjoy a few years as husband and wife in the most beautiful locations before we start our family". And so we did.

It's no surprise that Leap Day comes every four years. We had plenty of time to figure out what we were going to do on February 29 2012.

Yet as of right now ... nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zip.

We were hoping to head down to Baltimore for the night - glam up for a fancy dinner out. Rent a hotel room. You knowww.

Childcare we could arrange. We could even take a couple vacation days from work. But graduate level courses? They kinda frown on those that skip class. And MrB has class both Tuesday and Wednesday night. Yes, we could still drive down to Baltimore after his class Wednesday night, but this momma is asleep on the couch by 9:00pm most nights. I'd never make it to Baltimore.

I'm pretty disappointed. I never wanted a February 29th to pass by like any other day. Here's hoping I can still glam it up and we can hit our tiny town for a romantic dinner out after class lets out that night.

To be continued ...

Tuesday Tidbits

2012-01-17T08:12:00.007-05:00

Wait, it's Tuesday, right?
I worked a Bridal Show this past Sunday and MrB took a sick day yesterday, so my days are confused.

* Oh my goodness ... my baby girl is actually napping ... in her crib. And I'm getting stuff done. Well, I'm blogging. I guess that's 'getting something done' - right?

* I watched The Hangover Part 2 last night. I was disappointed. I knew I would be - there's really no way to top The Hangover. If you havent seen Part 2 yet ... it's basically exactly the same movie. Except instead of a baby, it's a monkey. And a missing tooth is now a missing finger. And Vegas is Bangkok.

* My resume has been sitting (in pieces - thank you daughter) on my kitchen table for weeks. I'm in the process of updating it. Enough said, for now.

* I am eagerly awaiting a response from a company who is trying to send me some product for a review. I wont lie - I will die of excitement if it comes through.

* A wedding professional asked me this weekend "Who did you take your daughter to for this photo?" I may/may not have felt incredibly proud telling her I took it myself. I guess those long hours in the darkroom paid off ... (nevermind the fact the cute boy I made out with in there, true story)

* One of my "New Years Resolutions" this year was to meal plan. 17 days in and I'm still doing it. Go me!

* I'm consulting 2 Tastefully Simple parties this weekend and 1 next weekend. Plus, a regional conference in Baltimore AND a booth exhibit at a local scrapbooking event are all within the next couple weeks. I'm working on signing up a 2nd team member. One more team member and I'll promote to Team Leader - earning me commissions on their sales. This would be an amazing blessing (that I've worked hard for)

* Come on, January. Where's the snow?

Girl's First Shoes

2012-01-13T21:10:00.007-05:00

When did my baby get big enough for her first pair of shoes? How did this happen?

Bedroom Closet Makeover

2012-01-12T13:07:00.002-05:00

I like to tackle household projects. It's no secret I watch too much HGTV.

I also spend way too much time on Pinterest.

Our bedroom closet wasn't a disaster. But it certainly wasn't living up to it's potential.
(it's a walk-in closet. imagine standing in the doorway and panning from left to right)

So I took my Christmas money and headed to Wal*Mart. I bought matching hangers.

And about 30 stacking shoeboxes.

We emptied it out.

Threw it all on the bed.

Painted.
Rehung the shelves in a more organized manner.
And voila.
(stand again in the doorway and pan left to right)

A little bit more work needs to be done, like hanging a full sized mirror on the back wall. Our clothes are sorted into sections: dress clothes, casual clothes, dress pants, etc. And it's all ROYGBIV, of course. Wouldn't have it any other way. But that's cuz we're organized like that.

A Day At The Park

2012-01-11T17:59:00.004-05:00

The weather this past weekend was unseasonably warm.

I will admit ... it was nice to open the windows and soak up some sun.

With that being said ... I'm also eagerly waiting our first big snowstorm. You know, normal January weather.

But since the sun was shining and we have an adorable child, we decided to visit a local park and enjoy the day. And of course, document with lots and lots of photos.

Motherhood Questions ... Answered

2012-01-08T07:24:00.002-05:00

People are curious. Or maybe they're nosy. Either way, I've been asked several questions over the past couple weeks about motherhood so I decided to address them here, for your enjoyment.

Q: Where'd your daughter get those stunning blue eyes?
A: Certainly not from me. I've got the dominant Italian brown. Just like my sister. Inherited from our (very) Italian father. Our moms eyes are hazel. MrB has 'green eyes with a blue sparkle'. At least that's how he explains it. They tend to change color based on what he's wearing and the weather outside. It's pretty cool. Anyway. His mom has green eyes. And his dad has blue which I guess is where Luciana has inherited her blue eyes from.

Q: Why are you taking so many home videos all of a sudden?
A: Yes, asked by a family member. Not so much in a negative tone. I think moreso curiosity. And there's a simple and pretty morbid reason. My dad died at 33 yrs old. I was 5. My sister was 1. My dad had received a video camera when my sister was born. One of those honkin' cameras that sat on your shoulder and weighed 10lbs. Yeah. We had just under two years of home movies with my dad in them. Two Christmases. One summertime bday celebration. This is our only insight as to the type of person he was. And my sister and I cherish these videos.
So, to answer the question why I'm videoing so much these days, it's because I want to document our daily life. Our family. Our home. Our pets. Because one day, they'll be gone.

Q: Are you still breastfeeding?
A: I am. And I really haven't discussed this much. Breastfeeding (fortunately) came easy and naturally for me. And we are still doing it, maybe 5 times a day? I'm not sure how long we will continue but I'm kinda hoping Luciana gives me the signal when it's time to move on. Because truthfully, it will be a sad sad day when this stage has passed and I'm not sure I'll be willing/able to make the decision myself.

Q: Do you call her Lucy?
A: No. Right now, we call her Luciana. Will we EVER call her Lucy? Who knows, maybe. She has a great-grandpa that calls her Lucy and an uncle that calls her LuLu. And we're ok with that. But for now, if we wanted to call her Lucy, we would've named her that to begin with.

Q: Have you lost all your pregnancy weight?
A: Ok so ... I don't own a scale. I never put the pressure of 'numbers' on myself. It's personal preference, I guess. But I did have my weight checked during my pregnancy and I will admit, I enjoyed watching it change each week ... even if it DID scare me at the same time. My pre-pregnancy weight was 135. At my last checkup before Luciana was born, I was up to 174. Yikes. And the other week, as we were switching our life insurance company, I was weighed in at 140. I'm also wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans, which I haven't worn in two years. So I'm pretty damn satisfied with that. I've continued to eat (mostly) healthy food and I still eat breakfast every day (something I did NOT do before I started prepping my body for pregnancy). I sadly do not exercise. Maybe if I did I'd have more energy but I've just never enjoyed it. Yes, there are 'trouble spots' that I'd LOVE to get rid of. But for 8 months postpartum? I'll take it.

Q: Are you going to have more babies?
A: Isn't this the most commonly asked question by everyone, even strangers?
Yes. As long as God will bless us with more. I promised MrB I wouldn't ask about BabyB2 until Luciana's 1st birthday. And we'll revisit it then.

Letter To Luciana: Eight Months Old

2012-01-07T15:18:00.000-05:00

Dear Luciana,

Today, you are eight months old.

What a great month it was. You were able to experience the magic that is Christmas!

This month, we packed up all your 3 month onesies. The only thing that kept me from crying was when I pulled out all your 9 month outfits and got excited for your my, I mean, your new wardrobe. You're still in size 2 diapers, but I think that will soon be coming to an end. We weighed you (at the veterinary office, so what?) and you're about 17lbs.

You want to eat anything and everything that your daddy and I eat. And we let you taste almost all of it. And you're convinced that whatever food you're eating tastes better off of daddy's "grown up" spoon. You're starting to use your imagination, which is amazing to watch. You will use your spoon to feed yourself, then pass it onto me, to which I nom on your spoon and enjoy whatever "imaginary" food you're feeding me.

You stand with ease, which means you'll be starting to walk any day now. Lately you've been testing your limits with the cat food and candle in the window. You hear the word NO but do not quite listen to it. You have learned to flush the toilet. And you love to open cabinets/drawers.

Changing your diaper has become an olympic event. I'm seriously exhausted after wrestling you. Most nights, I let you streak around the house. We often do it when Daddy is cleaning up from dinner and he needs a laugh. So off you and go, strip you down and we run through the house yelling "We're streaking!" and you giggle the entire time. You're funny. You also love to play "rocketship" with Daddy and "Horsey" with Momma.

We had a little rough patch waking up in the middle of the night this month, but that's ok. You still fall asleep around 8pm and wake up around 6am. Each evening, we try to settle you down by watching a Shushybye and giving you one last feeding for the night. You love to have your head rubbed and will almost always fall asleep to that. Just like your momma.

Five ... count them ... five teeth.
Your kisses nowadays are a bit more slobbery and contain teeth. But I'll take 'em anyday.

Happy eight months!
We love you, Luciana.

Christmas Morning Recap In Pictures

2012-01-02T09:43:00.006-05:00

Year In Review - 2011

2011-12-31T21:00:00.002-05:00

2011 is on it's way out.

And it was a good year.

A damn good year.

If I remember correctly, 2011 started with me sound asleep ... on the floor ... of a friend's house. I had a full belly of both delicious food and a baby.

We bought a brand new camcorder to start documenting life. Like our Honeymoon 4/Babymoon to Sandals Royal Bahamian. Gosh we love it there. And MrB and I are a little saddened that there is no tropical vacation on the calendar for 2012. Yet.

We prepped a nursery! And then I accidentally destroyed it when a box came crashing through the ceiling five weeks before my due date. Oops. After all was said and done, it looked beautiful.

I partied hardied with over 100 of my family and friends at two baby showers - one in NJ and one in PA - all of whom were so excited to meet BabyBee.

We watched our due date pass. And pass. And pass some more.

And then? She was born.

I could re-live that day over and over again. It was the perfect delivery and I would do it a million times over. I am so blessed.

We got some professional photos taken of our new daughter - and have them proudly displayed in our living room.

We bought another new toy - Nikon D3000 - and have used it almost every day since.

We lost our saltwater aquarium inhabitants. I am still upset about this but ultimately happy that it's one less project for me to work on each week. We also lost a parakeet - who had been struggling with the use of his legs for months. It was his time.

I won tickets through my local radio station and took my mommalicious on a "girls night out" to see NKOTBSB - and it was amazing. MrB and I also went on our first "date night" after Luciana's birth - which was not as amazing.

I turned 29. Yikes. Here's to celebrating the last year of my twenties.
We bought one more electronic toy - the new laptop. And I filmed my first vlog. I really enjoyed that and I think I should plan another one soon.

I struggled with a range of emotions when my employer cut my hours in half. To be honest, I still struggle with that range of emotions.

MrB continued to work on his Masters program and nailed down a timeline for graduation. Spring 2013. I am so proud of him.

We worked on some home improvement projects. We installed a ceiling fan. And an over-the-range microwave. And this weekend - we're tackling more attic flooring and some closet organization.

We celebrated weddings, new life, baptisms and death in 2011. I traveled to see family I hadnt seen in awhile. I lost some friends. And I gained some new ones.

And I wouldnt change a thing. Adios 2011.
I cant wait to see what 2012 brings.

Great Debate

2011-12-30T10:50:00.004-05:00

I started a pretty heated debate last week on Twitter about peanut butter preferences.

There is a clear and definite winner in my opinion, but I'd like to hear what you have to say.

Weigh your votes with your comments, will ya?

Guest Post

2011-12-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

Today's Guest Post was thoughtfully written by Heather. You can find her on Twitter HERE.

When you reach the ripe old age of 92, you earn the right to say whatever crosses your mind. So when I introduced myself to my new neighbor, I wasn’t at all surprised when upon hearing that my husband and I have three small boys, she said “Too bad that last one wasn’t a girl.”

I secretly believe that is what everyone is thinking when they discover I am daughter-less. Most of the time people ask me if we are going to try for a girl, so rather than getting into the gory details of why we can’t do that, I just say “Well, life is full of trade-offs.” Although I would have loved having a little girl of my own, I am blessed with three amazing boys who are the very heart of me. We may not get to buy cute little dresses and bows, but I really feel like we aren’t missing out on much more than that.

My 5 year old asked for a Zombie Lab for Christmas, but he also wanted an Easy Bake Oven, so I still get to eat those terrible little cupcakes that are baked by a light bulb. The 4 year old loves Lego, but he also likes to paint his toenails with the few colors I have kept around from my pre-poopy diaper years. Our 9 month old started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks (seriously.) They prefer Dora over Diego and the older two ‘mother’ their baby brother just as well as any sister would have.

I feel a little guilty that my husband won’t have a “daddy’s girl,” because these guys are all momma’s boys. I must hear “I love you, Mommy” a hundred times a day. They are generous with their hugs and kisses and they are the best snugglers in the world. When someone’s tired or not feeling well Mommy is the only one who can comfort them. But, they love their daddy too. If you ask them what they want to be when they grow up, you might hear scientist or astronaut, but they’ll probably say they want to be a daddy.

Occasionally, I’ll feel a little pang of sadness that I’ll never help my daughter pick out a prom dress, and I worry that my boys won’t be as close to me as a daughter would be when they’re on their own. But for now, I am their everything and they are mine, and that’s something I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Heather Dempsey-James is SAHM of three boys 5 and under. No, she didn’t plan on having them that close together. It happens. She has the best husband in the world but refuses to join the competition for that title on Facebook. Born, raised, and rooted in West Virginia.

Guest Post - A Day in the Life

2011-12-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hello! I’m Sonya from A Day in the Life. I am excited to be guest posting for Mrs. Momma Bee today!

A little about me: I’m a wife and teacher. I have been blogging for over 5 years. I started blogging when I spent a month in the UK; it was my way of keeping in contact with family & friends. After that I decided I didn’t want to give it up! I blog about my Project Life album, books, my wardrobe, and lots of other things in my life. I hope you’ll stop by some time!

Now onto my thoughts for the day!

For the last two years I have written goals for the year (see 2010 & 2011). I’m not a resolutions person but I do like goals. I feel it’s more like I’m forming a habit. They say it takes 30 days to make something a habit, well I like to give mine a year!

I was smart in 2010. I only set 5 goals for myself. By the end of the year I had completed all but one.

In 2011, I got carried away! I set about 3 goals that had too many parts to each one! I had 13 bullet points and I’m going to accomplish about 7 of them.

So as I look to 2012 and my goals for the year, I plan to keep a few things in mind. If you plan to set some goals, I hope these tips will help you.

1. Make a list.

Make a list of some goals that you would like to accomplish. Think about habits you would like to have. Think about projects you would like to finish. Consider what your priorities are in your life. Revisit goals from last year and revise them. I had some last year that I’d like to try again, with some expectation adjustment.

2. Set a reasonable number of goals.

Like I said, I went overboard last year. It was too much to focus on. I thought I would do a lot of it in the summer, but even though I’m not working, I had a long list of cleaning to accomplish and I also wanted to just relax.

So this year I’m only going to set 3-5 goals. I think that is reasonable. Thirteen was not reasonable!

Pick these 3-5 goals from the list you made. Pick out the ones that you are pretty sure you can accomplish and that are most important to you.

3. Make the goal measureable.

I teach and in order to know if my kids are making progress I have to be able to measure it in one way or another.

One of my goals the last 2 years has been to read a particular number of books. The first year I aimed high based on the number of books I read the previous year. I only got half way there. So this year, I looked at how many I read the year before and then added 5 more. I could always do more, but I knew I needed to be reasonable in order to feel successful in the end.

4. Print them out or write them somewhere.

I actually keep my goals printed out in my daily binder. I always carry this with me to school so I can refer to it any time I want. I may write them in my Erin Condren planner this year too. There is plenty of room! You can also keep them written on your blog, I do! The first year I even did monthly updates of my progress.

I think writing/typing them is a great way to not only remind yourself, but having something in print makes it a bit more serious too. Plus, if I don’t write it down, I’m bound to forget or I may end up actually doing something different than I intended to do!

5. Reward yourself for your accomplishments.

I think we all like to be rewarded for a job well done. It doesn’t have to be a big reward, do something to celebrate when you accomplish a goal. I honestly haven’t rewarded myself in the past, but I might change that!

I hope this will help all of you set some goals for 2012! Check my blog on January 1st for my 2012 goals!

Thanks Mrs. Momma Bee for letting me take over your blog today!

2011-12-25T19:25:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas, from our place (and crazy family!) to yours.

Guest Posters Will Be Stopping By Next Week

2011-12-23T15:09:00.005-05:00

I wanted to try something new and open up this little ol' blog of mine to some guest posters. I've lined up a few ladies who've volunteered to share their time with you and I ask that, when the time comes, you do the same for them.

I enjoy each of them tremendously and appreciate their willingness to participate.

I Can See The Headline Now

2011-12-22T12:34:00.006-05:00

Local Woman Stumbles Over Cat, Dies From Injuries

What is it with cats and needing to dart out infront of your feet as you're walking? Or walking directly infront of you - but just a smidgen slower than your pace? Or stopping dead in his tracks altogether?

source

There have been several failed attempts recently in my household. It's usually in the middle of the night/wee early hours of the morning, during a half sleepy walk from my couch to the fridge - full bottle of freshly pumped milk in hand.

It's dark. And I've learned to tightly close that lid on the bottle, for fear of losing my efforts over the kitchen floor. And then be stuck wiping up the floors during that dark, middle of the night, half sleepy state.

Another one of their favorite times to ambush? With baby in tow. When, you know, I cant really see what's underneath my feet, and assuming it's all clear in my path. That's usually the "lemme stop dead in my tracks and plop on the floor" maneuver. Leaving me to trip (again, baby in tow) and leap frog over the cat without toppling over or dropping Luciana to the floor.

Anyone else know exactly what I'm talking about? I know someone else has a cat plotting to kill them.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-21T13:26:00.001-05:00

Christmas Card 2011

2011-12-18T18:16:00.005-05:00

And by now, most of my family and friends have received their Christmas cards. And since most of my family and friends live too far away to see Luciana on a regular basis, they dont fully know her awesome personality.

I think this snowy October photoshoot sums her up.
She's pretty freakin' adorable.
(And that ear? Sticks out in every photo I have of her. The view from behind? OMG it's the best. I love a stick-outy baby ear.)

Thank you to TinyPrints for allowing me the opportunity to promote their new holiday line. I had a blast putting together this year's family Christmas card.

A Very Bloggy Christmas - Swap Reveal

2011-12-13T13:21:00.012-05:00

Today is finally the day! The day when I can reveal my A Very Bloggy Christmas gift exchange details. Many thanks to Laura and Lil Woman for putting together this exchange. I had a blast!

I was paired up with Call Me Kate - a very beautiful and very talented mother and photographer. I was worried that I would be a horrible exchange partner, but Kate made it easy on me. After spending a brief amount of time on her blog, I had the bulk of her gift picked out. Phew.

And her gift to me?

She wrapped it. Duh, how could I have not thought to wrap her gift? For that, I fail.
And I'm sorry.

Those chocolates? Didnt last long.

(And neither did the wrapping paper).

A gift card to Target. Key to my heart.
Kate told me to put it towards some sort of accessory - and I promised her I would.

I must've been just as easy to shop for - check the book she got me.
Perfect.

And she even had a gift for Luciana!
Handmade felt hairbows - how adorable!
(See one in her hair and one on the floor.)

Sorry she didnt sit still long enough for a photo.

I had a wonderful time participating in this gift exchange and I value the new friendship that's begun with Kate. Til next year, my exchange friends!

Letter to Luciana: Seven Months Old

2011-12-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

Dear Luciana,

Today, you are SEVEN months old.
This past month has been chock full of excitement in your life! You celebrated your first Thanksgiving. Actually, you celebrated your first three Thanksgivings. One at home. One at Grammy's. One at Oma and Papa Joe's. You loved it! You sampled sweet potatoes, white potatoes, turkey and gravy, pumpkin ... and ate it all. I'm pretty sure you're eating less and less milk nowadays. And wanting more and more food. This makes me both happy and incredibly sad. It means you're growing up.

You took your first road trip to North Carolina to visit your great-aunt and uncle and your great-grandma and grandpa. They loved meeting you! I'm sure they're still talking about how beautiful you are. Overall, you were a wonderful travel partner.You now have three teeth. Two bottoms and one top. And you grind them. And that sends shivers down my spine. You can chomp on Puffs with those little teeth and it's absolutely adorable.

You're mobile. Mobile enough that you now have little bruises on your knees from knockin' around on the laminate flooring. Poor thing. Footie pajamas are no match for you - you can pull yourself to a standing position anywhere! My pants. The toilet. The bed. Your crib. The couch. Your toy. Any opportunity for you to stand up - you're on it!You flop around like a fish while on your changing table. A naked baby is a happy baby! And you're so funny! You crack yourself up (in addition to momma and daddy!) I really do love when we're looking at each other, and you just start to laugh. At what, I have no clue. But something is funny,
You still give the.best.kisses.ever! Slobbery and right on our cheeks. You're awesome.

Aunt Melissa gave you your first haircut! She trimmed up those wings and the rat-tail down the back of your neck. So much cleaner and you looked beautiful for your Baptism.

Your favorite game is "I'm gonna get you" and you will scurry away or dig your face into the pillow mountain to escape us. And your favorite tv show is Shushybye Baby. As soon as you hear the music your face lights up and a big smile forms. It calms you down right before bedtime, which is great. You're falling asleep most nights between 7-8p and wake up almost 8 hrs to the dot of when you fall asleep. You take a quick little feed around 4am and back to sleep till 7am. I can handle that. You're actually doing quite well falling asleep in your crib. And momma's doing quite well putting you in there to nap.

You're still in size 2 diapers and can fit in most 3 month onesies, although they'll probably be on their way out very soon. You're much more comfortable in 6mth onesies. You're in 9mth pants and pajamas. And girl, those feeties are big.

This month will be full of more celebrations - Christmas! I've been told a 7mth old baby wont enjoy the holiday season and unwrapping presents at all. They clearly have never met you, Luciana. You are one active and smart little lady. And we cannot wait to celebrate your first Christmas this month.

Happy seven months!
We love you, Luciana.

And She's Baptized

2011-12-04T17:04:00.007-05:00

It was a whirlwind of a day ... but full of wonderful celebrations!

Here's a snipit ...

Luciana and her sponsors. Look how color coordinated we are! Looks great!
And back at our house to party!

And at the moment ... our party girl is sound asleep. She partied hard.

What Will Santa's Handwriting Look Like?

2011-12-01T10:34:00.003-05:00

Last night MrB and I had a realization that, for the first time, we would be playing the role of 'Santa Claus'.

Those are some big shoes to fill.
And pants.

I got excited for the thought of 'cookies and milk'. I imagine a new tradition of Luciana and I baking cookies a couple days before Christmas Eve - a bonding moment between mom and daughter. We'd set the homemade cookies out on a 'Santa' plate (you know the kind, the ones specifically for Santa's cookies) with a cold glass of milk. And I'd have to make sure we have some sort of vegetable for the reindeer.

MrB has already claimed the cookies and milk.

And get ready for my response.
'That's ok. I don't really wanna get up at midnight to eat cookies and milk anyway. Oh wait. We could probably eat them after we set her down for bed, huh. Oh, and that's when we can setup her presents under the tree. Yeah, that makes sense.'

And as I rambled that entire thought process, all I saw from MrB was a blank stare.

'I had no clue Santa arrived at exactly midnight.'

I'm not sure I ever put much thought to it, but I always assumed midnight was 'THE' hour. Anyone else? Is that a lyric in a Christmas song, that would make me think this?

So ok, we've got the homemade cookies, milk, Santa's cookie plate, vegetables for the reindeer ... now? Santa's letter. The one that Santa leaves next to the plate, with cookie crumbs and a half sip of milk left in the glass. I found a FAB 'Santa Stationary' from Pinterest this morning - so of course we'll have to use that.

But the all important question ... what will Santa's handwriting look like?

If anyone has seen my handwriting, you know that it's insanely perfectly neat and straight. And at some point at a very young age, my child will learn quickly that 'Santa and momma have the same handwriting.'

Maybe MrB can write it.
No.
He won't put as much thought into the letter as I would.
'Dear Luciana,
The cookies were delicious. You should've made more.
Love,
Santa'

I can just see it now.

We joked that eventually, Santa will probably text his thank you's. Ha.

I think what we decided will be my cursive handwriting. But, at what age do kids learn to read cursive? Or is that a dying breed?!
Moms with elementary aged children ... Can you give me some insight?

Xmas Card 2011 Sneak Peek

2011-11-29T12:26:00.002-05:00

Wanna see?
I blogged the other week about my opportunity to promote TinyPrints new holiday card designs. Did you read it?

I took full advantage of our late October snowfall this year - grabbed Luciana and some Santa pajamas and had ourselves a photoshoot. So glad I did. Because they were PERFECT for my card.

I will also say, so proud of myself for getting them addressed, stamped and mailed last week. Family and friends are starting to receive them ... and messaging me their approvals.

And give it another week or so and I'll post the un-blurrified photo for all to see.

Three Thanksgivings In Four Days

2011-11-27T19:01:00.009-05:00

And I am t.u.r.k.e.y.e.d out.
And so is MrB.
And so is Luciana.

Thursday was spent as a relaxing day at home ... just the three of us. And it was lovely. Although it didnt feel much different than a regular dinner at home, but it was such a relaxing day of Thanksgiving dinner and football.

Buffet style. Because if it was on the table, it'd be knocked onto the floor. It's amazing how long a baby's arms can reach!

And even though Luciana is a JETS fan - she still make a pretty cute Miami Dolphins Cheerleader.Most of Friday was also spent at home. Which again, we enjoyed greatly. We wound up having a funeral to attend ... which is always a bummer. And especially during the Thanksgiving holiday. It really made me appreciate what I had and thank God everyday for it. Hit WalMart for some quick pickups. And headed home to relax.

Saturday was spent at the MotherInLaw's house - where the amount of food could feed a small army. And so the seven of us ate ... and ate ... and ate.

My BrotherInLaw's girlfriend and I got to chatting about photography and she has lent me her 50mm camera lens. So I played around with it. Love.
(See? I even had a model to play around with during this beautiful day!)

Christmas gift, maybe?Today, Sunday, was the third Thanksgiving celebration at my moms. A group of 11 squeezed around the table for another round of delicious fixins'. Lots of laughter, wine, food, desserts, stories, zingers. You know, the usual.

It's now 7:23pm. Luciana has been asleep since 6pm (and hoping she continues to sleep through the night??) MrB and I are watching the worst Vince Vaughn movie I think I've ever seen. I know, I know. Which one. I'll admit - most of his arent great. But this one? The worst.

My eyeballs are so heavy. And I *should* be looking up appetizer snacks for Luciana's Baptism this coming Sunday, because it'll be here before we know it. Instead ... I'm blogging.

But that's important too, right?