I Love You More Than Carrots

Just Ducky Originals {C's Awesome Pirate Shortall Details}

2012-01-27T07:00:00.001-05:00

Let me start off by saying have you ever seen anything cuter? And for once, Loyals, I am not talking about the child. I am talking about the Just Ducky Originals Reversible Shortall he's sporting. I am so in love with Carter's new shortall that I could go on and on and on about just how much I love and adore it. And that's exactly what I'm about to do. Mostly because it's only fair that I share with you the amazing company that's responsible for the cuteness.

When Just Ducky Originals reached out to me inquiring as to whether or not I would be interested in reviewing a piece of their incredible children's clothing, I pretty much had to stifle my excitement with every fiber of my being as I immediately responded to the Asheville, North Carolina email.

With just a quick glance through their Spring '12 preview I was smitten. The pages of their Spring catalog are chock full of classic children's clothing, preppy fabrics, coastal colors, adorable kid prints and most importantly? Quality product.

It is evident that Just Ducky Originals is all about timeless, quality, classic and custom children's clothing. Exactly what I look for when dressing my handsome little toddler boy.

I had the pleasure of working with a few members of their incredible customer service team and I have to admit that once I finally decided upon an item, a custom item at that, (believe me, there are way too many cute things to choose from), everyone was so easy to work with. Patient, friendly and always willing to go out of their way to make sure both Carter and I were satisfied with the result of our order!

One of the great things that I immediately loved about Just Ducky Originals is the ability to create a one-of-a-kind custom piece of clothing. This means that not only do you get to pick the style of the item, but also the fabric, the colors, the patterns and any specific applique or personalization that may tickle your fancy. You literally get to design your child's clothing down to every last little detail. We're talking right down to even the ricrac and buttons! It's almost as if you're working with your extremely talented Granny who's making each of your child's custom clothing pieces with the utmost love and care.

And let's not even talk about how ridiculously cute and amazing their Just Ducky Originals designs are! I could be here all day. I cannot encourage you enough to visit their website and check out their catalog. With so many styles to choose from, I can guarantee you'll want one of everything! From Capris, Dresses, Bubbles, Bloomers, Overall to Swimsuits, and more!

I was dying to show you a picture of the reversible side of Carter's shortall, but when I politely asked him if I could turn his shortall inside out, this was the face I was met with. You'll have to believe me when I tell you that the inner navy madras fabric is just as cute as the outer seersucker! Two outfits for the price of one. You just can't beat that, Loyals!

Before I share even more adorable pictures of Carter in his new shortall, I also need to tell you about an incredible opportunity with Just Ducky Originals, one that I am eager to get involved with. Just Ducky Originals offers us Moms an incredible opportunity to get involved with the selling of Just Ducky Originals products in the form of their Home Shows Program.

Moms are offered the chance to hold trunk shows comfortably in their homes and receive discounts and rewards to use towards their very own sweet Just Ducky Original purchases.

Some of the incredible benefits of joining the Home Shows Program include the following:

Earn cash commission and a 40% discount on your clothing purchase.
Just Ducky Collections include affordable cotton knit Essentials lines from sizes 6 months to 7/8 so every child in your house and their friends can look just as adorable!
Easy-to-use training materials will help you make your Just Ducky Home Shows successful as ever!
Consultants have access to an online design page where you can show your customers what specific garments will look like in different fabrics.
Last but not least, if you become an Area Consultant and manage other consultants you can earn both cash commission on all parties and a 40% discount on your clothing purchase.

Too busy to be a consultant but want a little “bonus?” You can simply host a home show and earn 10% clothing credit based on your sales!

Interested? Click here to check out their Home Shows Program information page and read information on how to become a Consultant, Area Consultant and even find local shows in your area!

Don't let his face fool you, Loyals. Carter is just as in love with his brand new Just Ducky Originals shortall as I am. In fact, we've already sat down and picked out the next few pieces that we plan to welcome into our Spring and Summer wardrobe. Want a sneak peek? Here's what you'll soon find in Carter's closet:

Be sure to like Just Ducky Originals on Facebook and stay up to date with their latest and greatest children's wear! Not to mention if you're extra lucky, you may even catch a fantastic flash sale or two!

Thank you so much for your adorable, incredible, affordable and classic children's clothes, Just Ducky Originals! We cannot wait to add to our collection!

Happy Shopping, Loyals!

It's Time For Sass and Open Letters.

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Dear People Who Insist On Proclaiming, "Wow, And You're Already So Big!"

I get it. I have a belly. I am nearly 19 weeks pregnant. Yes, there is a child in there. No, I will never be one of those mothers who winds up on TLC's "I Didn't Even Know I Was Pregnant," because the second I peed on that stick? I got a belly. Do you not remember the 9lbs. 10oz. man-child that I gave birth to in 2010? I get it. Please. Now shut your face before I tell you how big I think YOU look.

Love and Hugs,
AP

Dear Toddler,

Remember that day (Monday) where you climbed out of your crib and walked down an entire flight (12) and a half (6) stairs to surprise Mommy while she worked on the computer? Please don't do that again. Mommy doesn't need to know what it feels like to have a heart attack at twenty-eight. I sure hope you weren't playing in the toilet either.

Your Big Boy Bed Arrives Next Week,
Your Mother

Dear Husband,

If you'd ever like to sleep with a sane woman again (I'm speaking about myself, your wife here, so to avoid any confusion), our child will be sleeping in a Big Boy Bed by next week. Don't worry, I already ordered the bedding off of Pottery Barn Kids. And yes, it already arrived. I'm about to pull the trigger on the bed, too.

Pregnancy, Heart Attacks and Grey Hair Do Not Suit Me,
Your Loving Wife

Dear Victoria's Secret,

Please replenish your stock of adorable cotton pajama sets. Blissdom is coming up and I'm pretty sure my roommates don't need to see me wearing my husband's ratty (and inappropriate) fraternity t-shirts to bed. Remember, I need to make a good impression on these folks and a T-shirt bearing the phrase "We (picture of a screw), We (picture of a nut), We (picture of a bolt) does not scream, "nice little girl from Maryland."

Jennifer and Whit Will Love Me More,
AP

Dear Makers of Heath Toffee Bits,

Please don't ever discontinue these delicious bits of toffee-heaven. Perhaps, however, you may want to include a large straw with your bags as to facilitate their movement more quickly from the bag to my mouth.

Your Loyal Devour-er of Bits,
Pregnant AP

So, What's Carter Thinking? Caption Contest.

2012-01-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

For those of you who are new to these parts, this past June I launched a little passion of mine. It's called little joys. photography and it allows me to do more of what I love. Capture your life's little joys. Recently, little joys. and I have been partnering with various retail companies for vendor shoots. This means companies will send me (ahem, Carter) clothes and accessories in exchange for professionally edited pictures for them to use for marketing/sales. Really, it's a win-win and I'm so happy to have connected with so many amazing companies in doing so.

Yesterday's session was a little different. An incredible smocking company from Asheville, North Carolina reached out me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing a children's garment on my blog. Was The Toddler born a man-child? Heck yes, I'll review your adorable children's clothing! And as soon as the garment arrived, I set out to capture Carter wearing his new threads.

I attempted to capture these photos after a morning FULL of "modeling" various t-shirts and shorts for an upcoming vendor's Facebook auction. Needless to say, I may or may not have pushed my limits. What do you think?

You tell me. What's Carter thinking?

The Husband and I can't wait to read your thoughts. I have a feeling I may even pee my pants a little from laughing so hard. Who knows, we may or may not even gift the funniest commentor a little something, something for their efforts!
Happy Wednesday, Loyals!

Because We All Love A Good Party.... Showering The Bride!

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

I adore my future SIL. In fact, we're kind of the same person, albeit she is the blonder, slightly younger and way more athletic version of my former non-mom self. In fact, we even went to the same all-girls high school together back in Hometown, New Jersey. And now? She's about to marry my youngest brother-in-law. I mean, do we have great taste in men or what?

I am so honored to be standing with her as her Matron of Honor in her upcoming New Jersey nuptials and as her MOH, I fulfilled one of my matronly duties this past weekend as I planned and hosted the first of her two bridal showers. It wouldn't have been possible without this girl, my other SIL and fellow New Jersey-ite. As a matter of fact, she even acted as my very own sister-wife, staying over the night before the shower to help with last minute details, prep and set-up.

So, how did it go? Just fabulous, if you ask me. I had such a blast planning the small details- everything from the decor to the favors to the food. And thanks to Pinterest, it was fairly easy and tons of fun!

From colorful pennant banners to beautiful fresh carnations and a personalized burlap wreath...

... to the delicious French Butter cake ordered from a nearby bakery, adorable mason jar cupcake favors (my favorite!) and delicious chocolate-dipped pretzel rods...

... and even personal self-serve crudites...

...the bride was thrilled and so incredibly thankful that so many of us came together to shower her that day. Isn't she gorgeous?

The bride also happens to be C's godmother and he absolutely adores her. Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited for her to marry my little brother-in-law but I cannot WAIT for them to start having babies of their own! And word has it that my BIL wants quite the gaggle of little kiddies in future!

As hectic as it was to plan and pull together an event at my home while 4.5 months pregnant, wrangling The Toddler and during a weekend where The Husband was off galavanting with The Bachelor and his friends, I'm so glad that it came together the way that it did and I can only hope the Bride could feel how loved and adored she is!
Between C's Carnival Themed First Birthday and KL's Bridal Shower, perhaps a touch of Party Planning is in my future?
HA... How about I just have this second baby, first...

Monday, Monday. You Kind Of Stink. So? Here's A Bumpdate! 18 Weeks.

2012-01-23T11:03:00.000-05:00

{ 18 Weeks, Baby #2! }

Wearing: JCrew striped ruffle top and Paige Premium Denim Maternity Jeans

Total Weight Gained?: Somewhere around 8lbs. Hoping for a nice, healthy gain of about 30lbs this time. Did you hear that? Not 48lbs. NOT FORTY-EIGHT POUNDS, BABY!!

Maternity Clothes: These weekly questions are getting a little redundant. And if I can't stand to fill them out? I'm imagining you can't stand to read them. I mean, if I was in maternity clothes at weeks 8 and 9, as well as last week, I'm fairly certain I'm still in them this week. Managing to get by with a few non-maternity tops but even now they're few and far between mostly because they just aren't long enough! I did buy a new pair of jeans this week (off eBay, don't worry Husband) to add to the rotation. Paige Premium Denim. Not too shabby. So they're now among my Mavi Skinnies and 7 bootcut jeans. Invest in a great pair of jeans. Believe me, they're worth the money when your pregnant tush looks that good!

Sleep: Not waking up nearly as much overnight as I have been the last few weeks, but still waking up with the most awful hip-pain ever. An arthritic hip at 28? Awesome.

Best Moment of the Week? Showering my future SIL at her bridal shower over the weekend! I planned and hosted around 18 guests and it was perfect. Except for everyone remarking, "wow, you're so big already!" I could have done without that.

Movement? More and more each day now! M2 is most active in the evenings. Still feels like little inside-pokes and the occasional roll. The Husband is jealous that he can't feel baby yet.

Food Craving? Candy. Sour candy. Sweet candy. Chewy candy. Candy, candy, candy. Yogurt with granola. Chipotle/Qdoba burritos. Spicy sushi. Milkshakes.

Food aversions: Whatever sounds good at the moment works for me. No real aversions this time around.

Morning sickness? The nausea is waning! Praise the morning sickness gods. It's still there if I'm not eating throughout the day- but as long as I nosh on a few crackers or a chocolate covered pretzel rod here and there? I'm golden.

Gender? C's going to have a little BROTHER!

Labor Signs? No thank you.

Belly Button? Out. Like way, way out. Already.

What I miss? Non-pregnant clothes. Being able to bend over and get up from the floor without a shooting pain or ache. I can't believe I feel like this already and I'm only 18 weeks.

What I'm looking forward to: Our anatomy scan on the 30th!

Okay, Baby M2. You Clearly Need A Room Of Your Own.

2012-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

I'm so thankful to have Pinterest while planning M2's nursery. Just like I wished I would have had it while planning my wedding four and a half years ago and C's nursery two years ago.
Better late than never, right?
I've been posting a few hints to Twitter here and there, offering up subtle sneaks at the whole shebang and figured, "ah, what the heck. I might as well throw it all together in a post." So, Loyals? Here's the sneak into planning M2's nursh.
As you can see, there is no "theme" to this room which is pretty much all that I'm going for. I'm planning to use a variety of textures as well as bright colors, specifically blues and greens with pops of orange and grey, to decorate the room.
The crib will be C's current Espresso crib. The wall color? Behr's Porpoise. Throw in a shag rug, the above bedding and curtain panels from Carousel Designs and I'd say we've got ourselves a pretty good place to start, no?
Thankfully, there isn't a whole lot to do for M2's nursh. Aside from the major things like clear out the current jumbled office space, completely revamp the closet, install the chair rail on one wall and re-paint the entire room. But I mean, other than that? I'd say it's coming along swimmingly.
As in, I haven't done anything else other than order fabric swatches and create this inspiration collage.
Good thing I'm only 18 weeks pregnant and have a few months to go. Oh and did I mention I'm also planning C's Big Boy room at the same time? Because clearly, I love a good challenge.
And the Husband wants to talk about a No-Spend month coming up. Oh, boy. Is that even possible when planning two rooms and having a baby? I'm going to go with... negative, ghost rider.
Happy Thursday, Loyals!

Can You Guess What I Do...

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

...Standing up?

...In the kitchen?

...On the couch?

...In the car?

...Faster than I should?

...And sometimes even in the bathroom?

C'mon, guess!

Give up?

Okay, fine. The answer is...

I EAT!

I came to this sickening realization yesterday, while I was literally inhaling my breakfast while seated on the couch watching Curious George for the 4,786th time. All while turning back to the kitchen to make sure that Houdini hadn't yet Houdini'd himself out his high chair.
By the way, in case there was ever any doubt, you know you're a Mom when 37% of your DVR space is taken up by Curious George episodes.
I know, shameless really. Like I was saying, yesterday, as I was literally breathing in my breakfast (I'm actually not quite certain that I even chewed it) I got to thinking about the last time I actually ate a meal, seated at the dining room table, during The Toddler's waking hours. And to be honest? I'm not sure that's ever happened.
By the time I've made Carter his breakfast, gotten him situated in his high chair, finished throwing together my own and am finally really to pour a cup of coffee and sit my tush on the couch to enjoy the fruits of my labor, a chorus of "awwwwwl DUN, Mo!" awwwwwl DUN, Mo!" is literally ringing in my ears.
All the while, The Toddler is starting to shimmy out of his high chair harness. You know, the five point one that is supposedly Toddler-proof? Ha. I laugh at the phrase "toddler-proof." Whoever coined it clearly does not know my child.
So, what's a Mom to do? Eat while standing of course. Selfishly sneak into the bathroom with a bowl of yogurt and granola. Perhaps even grab that bag of apple crisps and take to the car for a little "field trip" around the block- just so she doesn't have to share with The Toddler.
Now, Loyals. Don't fret. The Toddler is an eating machine. There is rarely a minute when the child is starving let alone a second when he isn't eating. Forget saving for college, I always say to The Husband. We might as well start saving for his pubescent hunger years.
You think I'm kidding? For breakfast this morning, Carter ate the following:
3 cheesy scrambled eggs2 pieces of raisin bread french toast with the crust cut off, smeared with jelly1 ENTIRE orange
And? four heaping spoonfuls of my yogurt with granola.
And that's just breakfast.
I hate sharing, Loyals. Especially when it comes to food. So can you blame me for hiding in the bathroom with that bag of Cheetos? Please tell me I'm not alone..
Happy Wednesday, Loyals!

$50 Scentsy Gift Certificate Giveaway And Jane Warmer Review!

2012-01-17T07:00:00.003-05:00

When the fabulous Scentsy Consultant, Sharon, emailed me last week about reviewing one of her full-size Scentsy warming products and scent bars, it was as if Christmas up and decided to come to my house all over again.

I can't even begin to tell you how long I've been dying to hop on the ol' Scentsy bandwagon and Loyals? I am SO glad that I did. Shame on me for not buying into Scentsy earlier! It's amazing!

Scentsy began with a simple idea—a safe, wickless alternative to scented candles—and quickly grew into one of the most successful direct selling companies. This wickless concept was born when two stay-at-home moms began selling decorative warmers designed to melt scented wax with the heat of a light bulb instead of a traditional wick and flame.

As a SAHM, becoming a Scentsy consultant would not only be a great way to earn a little extra income, but it's an ideal job for a SAHM like me because you can work as much or as little as you want to, depending on your goals for your business. Click here to read about how to become a Scentsy Consultant. It only costs $99 and during the month of February, new consultants will receive both Fall and Spring testers and catalogs in their start up kit- that's a huge advantage for joining during this particular month.

With a wide variety of warmers to choose from, I knew I had some decisions to make! Perusing Sharon's online catalog, it was so difficult to narrow down my choices! Full-size warmers, mid-size warmers and plug-ins, Oh My! And such a variety of designs and finishes. I could have easily picked a warmer for every single room in my house that would have matched the decor perfectly! Finally, I ended up choosing the Jane full-size warmer. Isn't she beautiful?

With a rambunctious toddler and another baby on the way, we're all about safety here in Casa de Carrots and I'm so happy to be making the transition from traditional flame candles to the Scentsy warmers that use a 25 watt bulb to heat, melt and distribute delicious scents throughout the house.

Speaking of delicious scents, I was lucky enough to bring home 3 of Scentsy's yummy fragrances. Choosing scent bars was a whole other affair. It literally took me over an hour (and a multitude of Twitter advice from other Scentsy-lovers) to narrow down my options. From delicious Corner Cafe flavors to fragrant Fall and Winter flavors to even Romance and Spa flavors, Scentsy offers fragrances for every palette.

I ended up choosing Welcome Home, Cucumber Lime and Sunkissed Citrus and as soon as that package arrived on my doorstep I didn't waste a minute tearing into it and setting it up. Within minutes I had my warmer assembled and was reading the easy-to-decipher directions on how to break off a small cube of the scent bar and toss it in the top tray of the warmer.

Before I knew it, my entire first floor smelled deliciously of warm cinnamon and spices. If you must know, I chose to melt Welcome Home first and I am so glad that I did. When my sister-in-law stopped by the house later that afternoon, she was immediately struck by the yummy scent and wondered what I had spent all morning baking! Ha!

As for long-lasting durability? I have been burning the same two tiny cubes of scent bar for more than four days now and there isn't an end in sight! To change scents, all you need to do is heat the wax, pour it back into the container is arrived in and store in a cool, dry place! Then you'll be able to burn those same cubes at a later time! Incredible.

Lastly, one of the other great things about Scentsy that both Sharon and I like is that twice a year, Scentsy comes out with a special warmer or Buddy and net proceeds from the sale of that product go to a charity. For example, right now Sharon is offering Sasha the Bear. Proceeds from Sasha sales go to Ronald McDonald House Charities. As consultants, Sharon writes, "we are encouraged to give more than we take. I am proud to be a part of such a company."

Here's where it gets even better, Loyals. Sharon is graciously offering one of my readers a $50 gift certificate to shop her Scentsy Catalog. Be sure to use the Rafflecopter Giveaway Entry system below to log your entries for the giveaway! Good luck! And many, many thanks to Sharon for reaching out to me and making me a major Scentsy Fan!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

** Edited To Add: Congratulations, Randi on winning the $50 Scentsy Gift Card giveaway! I've gone ahead and contacted Sharon with your email address and she'll be getting in touch with you shortly! Before I go, I wanted to fill you all in on some new and fabulous things happening around the Scentsy World!

Scentsy announced 2 new product lines that will be available March 1:

1. Sincerely Scent: an online greeting card store featuring over 150 original, customizable, SCENTED greeting cards. Customers will be able to order cards online and have them delivered to the recipients' addresses without buying stamps or going to the post office.
You can personalize cards with a customized message, your favorite photo, a digital signature, AND a scent sample from the Scentsy Favorites collection. That's right--each card will be mailed with a sample infused with Scentsy fragrance, allowing the recipient to experience Scentsy as soon as they open the envelope.

http://www.sincerelyscent.com/

2. Layers by Scentsy: personal AND laundry care products infused with your favorite Scentsy fragrances and custom-designed for Scentsy. We worked with the best suppliers in the industry to bring you personal care products you will LOVE.

With Layers by Scentsy you can create a fragrance ...experience that is uniquely yours, and layer your life with fragrance.

New personal care products include: Shower Gel, Shower Cream, Body Lotion, Body Butter, Hand Cream, and Body Spray.

In addition to world-class personal care products, two new laundry care products allow you to extend your Scentsy experience to your clothes. Washer Whiffs is a perfume for your laundry. Simply add it to the wash cycle with your detergent to scent your clothes. Then, toss your laundry into the dryer and add a Dryer Disk. The Dryer Disk is made of plastic infused with fragrance that has anti-static properties. It will scent up to 15 loads of laundry.

http://scentsy.net/layers.aspx

And last but certainly not least, a new brand: Velata, a Scentsy, Inc. Brand

On May 1, Scentsy will launch Velata, a fun, easy-to-use, and absolutely DELICIOUS fondue experience.

You already know that warmers + wax = a simple system. With Velata, warmers + CHOCOLATE = a simple, incredible, EDIBLE party experience.

We flew to Belgium and met with the oldest and most prestigious chocolate manufacturers. We selected the highest quality, purest chocolate that would melt perfectly and taste divine. We will launch with velvety milk chocolate, creamy white chocolate, decadent dark chocolate, and indulgent caramel milk chocolate. Velata chocolate will come in convenient 6-ounce pouches with pour spouts. Simply microwave, pour into the Velata dish, dip your favorite foods, and enjoy.

There are 14 Velata fondue warmers to choose from that range from contemporary to traditional design. Velata fondue warmers use the same technology as other Scentsy warmers. Simply plug them in and their 25-watt bulbs will keep Velata chocolate at the perfect temperature. Velata fondue warmers will sell for $40 (USD) / $48 (CAD); chocolates will sell for $7 (USD) / $8 (CAD).

The difference between Velata fondue warmers and Scentsy warmers lies in the silicone dish. It's a simple dish that has a patent-pending technology to keep the chocolate at exactly the right temperature. A metal plate wrapped in silicone absorbs the heat from the 25-watt bulb. The silicone keeps the heat from escaping, prevents the chocolate from scorching, and can go from the refrigerator to the microwave to the dishwasher with ease. You can't do that with a fondue tower, or a traditional fondue pot!

Picture a quick, delicious, family-fun night. Or a romantic date night with decadent treats. Or the "grab some chocolate and a warmer" addition to a potluck. Just imagine the possibilities!

http://www.velata.net/

It's Time For Pictures Of Carter Because Well, It's Been A While.

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

I love that the natural light that comes pouring into our front living room between the hours of 3pm and 4pm is absolutely as perfect as perfect natural light can get. I love that I continue to drag Carter into that room to take his picture day in and day out since he was only a few months old.
I love that the Crazy Toddler Wildebeest will only sit still enough for a picture for approximately .27 seconds and only if I'm balancing a blue rubber fishy bathtub toy on my head and singing "John Jacob Jingle-Heimer-Schmidt" at the top of my lungs.
I love that my Dad specifically requests an "off center picture with Carter to the right" for his personal computer's desktop image. As you can see, that's the reasoning behind these pictures.
I love how there is practically not a single ounce of baby left on that boy's face.
I love how the curl's above his ears fan out into little "wings."
I love how I never have to edit or "brighten" his eyes. What you see is what you get with him. Amazing, isn't it?
I love how you can still see the crusties from this morning's bowl of oatmeal hanging out above his eyebrow.
It's Monday and I'm so in love. Happy Monday, Loyals!

Bumpdate :: 17 Weeks and Growing!

2012-01-13T08:52:00.001-05:00

Top: A Pea In The Pod, Bottoms: Black (Beneath The Belly Band) Slacks, Old Navy

{17 Weeks!}

Total Weight Gained/Loss? I've gained 5lbs since my first weigh-in at 8 weeks. I've said it before and I'll say it again- I cannot gain another 48lbs. with this pregnancy. At least I could blame 10lbs of it on baby the first time around, but still. I just. can't. do. it.

Maternity Clothes: I've been in maternity jeans since 9 weeks. I'm still managing to squeak by in some of my pre-pregnancy tops from JCrew but let's face it- maternity is just more comfortable. My favorite jeans are my Mavi Maternity Skinnies and a few of my favorite tops are from Isabella Oliver, A Pea in the Pod and trusty Old Navy.

Sleep: Kind of shoddy. Since I'm relegated to sleeping only on my side now, I've been waking up throughout the night with the most awful hip pain ever. Since I've had C, my right hip tends to ache and feel stiff a lot, but I've easily attributed that to carrying around a nearly 10lb. child. With C, my hip pain didn't start until much later in pregnancy- it's nice to know it's rearing it's ugly head already.

Best Moment of the Week? Last week, we found out M2 is going to be another sweet baby BOY! Does that count?

Movement? Definitely. I know I said I started feeling it much earlier this time around- closer to 12 weeks rather than the 18 week mark with C. I definitely feel him in there and I can tell he likes to stay curled up on my left side. Lot's of little pokes and the occasional "roll" feeling. So incredibly awesome.

Food Craving? Candy. Sour candy. Sweet candy. Chewy candy. Candy, candy, candy. Yogurt with granola. Chipotle/Qdoba burritos. Spicy sushi.

Food aversions: Sadly? None. I'm pretty much game for anything and everything this time around. Nom. Nom. Nom.

Morning sickness? For the love of all things holy, WHY am I still nauseous? It was not like this with C. 17 weeks and going strong. Woof.

Gender? C's going to have a little BROTHER!

Labor Signs? No thank you.

Belly Button? Out. Like way, way out. Already.

What I miss? With all of the burrito-eating I've been doing lately, I could REALLY go for a margarita. I even asked The Husband to whip up a batch of virgin margs the other day. Shameless, really.

What I'm looking forward to: Hosting my future Sister-in-Love's Bridal Shower on the 21st of this month and our anatomy scan on the 30th!

Happy Friday, Loyals! Have a great weekend!

I'm Gonna Get My Bliss On! .... Are You!? Who's In?

2012-01-12T10:48:00.000-05:00

So, in just under 45 days, I'll be leaving C-face and The Husband behind to board a large plane bound for a weekend in Nashville. What's there, you ask? Oh, just this tiny little blogging conference known as Blissdom.

Not only will it be the first time I'm EVER leaving C-face overnight, but it's also the very first blogging conference I'll be attending in the 3+ years that I've been writing I Love You More Than Carrots. Let's just say that I've never been SO excited and yet so nervous to attend a conference in my entire life. Why?

Because I'm looking forward to meeting and connecting with so many of the amazing women that I've been reading, sharing stories with and finding inspiration from over these past few years. I'm also looking forward to meeting and connecting with so many new women bloggers as well!

Good god, I hope everyone likes me.

Nervous first-timer butterflies aside, I've been doing a little bit of research into the schedule of events and what I'll need to pack with me for the weekend.

For instance, I already know I'll need a pretty, little fun black dress for Girl's Night Out and some rockin' pajamas or something equally stylish and comfortable for Girl's Night In. I've read about the necessity for comfortable flats because the Opryland Hotel is apparently ginormous. Of course I'll be bringing along my trusty DSLR, as that baby rarely ever leaves my side.

But what about the other stuff? What are some must-haves and don't forgets?

I read somewhere that I'll need business cards- roughly 250 of them! Now, I love me some personalized stationary, but what exactly goes on them? I mean, obviously my blog name and social media links, but what else?

C'mon, help a newbie sistah, out! I know I can't be the only one with these questions, right?

Have you written about your experience at Blissdom in the past? Shared perhaps your two cents on packing, planning and having a blast? Link up your posts here and let all of us newcomers sneak a peek into what it takes to plan a successful first Blissdom trip!

Let's Talk About.... Toddler Mom'ing And Second Pregnancies.

2012-01-11T11:36:00.004-05:00

The past few days, all I could think about is sex. No, not that I want to have it (much to my husband's dismay, it's the last thing I want to have) but that I've been dying to write a painfully truthful post about the "S" game from my perspective as an exhausted Toddler Mom and pregnant wife. Unfortunately, there are a few people in my life who read this here little blog that I wouldn't quite want to share those details with. So? Until I find my cajones and finish that post, I'm going to write about... second pregnancies. And just how much fun it is to be pregnant while chasing around a Crazy Wildebeest Toddler-Man.

When I was pregnant with C, I was working full-time as an outpatient chemotherapy nurse up until I was six months pregnant. There were days when I would curl up in a chemo chair during my lunch break and close my eyes for forty minutes. A welcome, welcome rest when The Pregnant Exhaustion would hit. Around 6 months pregnant, we made The Move to Maryland and I hung my RN hat in the back of my closet.

Although I was no longer working full-time, I was ridiculously busy. Packing homes, painting rooms, planning nurseries and figuring out how to live this new life in Maryland. Although at times it felt like I hadn't any energy left to breathe, I will never forget the almost-daily 2-3hr naps that Sheepie and I would take on the couch. It was glorious.

On the days when even the simplest of tasks would make me dry-heave? I didn't do them. I slept-in, ate candy for lunch, decorated our new home and made feeble attempts to have dinner ready for The Husband at the end of the day. When a craving would hit for a milkshake and fries at 11am? Off I'd go in search of the nearest McDonald's.

Fast forward almost 2 years. Here I am with a 17 month old Evil Knievel who doesn't stop for a second between the hours of 7am and 8:30pm. There are no naps. On the rare occasion that he naps? I write. I edit. Or I clean. Usually it's more of the former and much less of the latter.

Did you know Toddlers need to eat, like ALL THE TIME? Yeah. They do. And so that gag-feeling that I've got going all day long? Well, that doesn't go away when I'm fixing apple and cinnamon oatmeal or cheesy eggs. And let's not talk about the smell of microwaving a hot dog. I can practically feel the bile rising in my throat.

And C's new favorite game? Horsey. As in, when I'm laying on the floor, face down trying to close my eyes for a hot minute, within seconds I feel a 30lb monster climbing into my back for a "ride." Because that doesn't make me want to vomit all over the playroom carpet..

Do you think I could hire someone to change diapers for me? You know, just between the hours of 7am and 7pm? Because when those cheesy eggs and hot dogs come out the other end? It is not pretty.

Let's just say that walking the dog and picking up after Sheepie has left me dry-heaving on the neighbor's lawn a few times. I can't even begin to explain how horrendous diaper changes can be. If it wasn't for the fact that my child poops at least 4 times a day, I would leave them all for The Husband.

Second pregnancies and Toddler-Mom'ing are no joke.

When those cravings hit at 11am? It takes forever to corral The Toddler, pack the diaper bag, secure the iPad and load him into the car. By then, I've usually forgotten my wallet, lost the keys or a completely new craving has blindsided me so that I don't even want to leave the house anymore.

By the end of the day, I've waved the white flag more than once. My eyes have glassed over and I don't want to talk to anyone let along sing another verse of The Itsy Bitsy Spider. As for the "S" game? HA. Fat freaking chance.

Thankfully, C and I have discovered the wondrous powers of Curious George which allow for a small reprieve in the middle of the day when I'm teetering on the edge of a small mental breakdown.

And Loyals? Don't remind me. I'm only 17 weeks pregnant. We have a long road ahead and clearly, many, many more episodes of Curious George to watch. Toddler Mom'ing and Second Pregnancies are not for the weak.

Happy Wednesday!

Cravings, Curlers and Beautiful January Weekends.

2012-01-09T11:27:00.002-05:00

I spent much of the weekend giving into cravings. Which, if we're being honest, is how I've spent most of this pregnancy so far. Although, I'm thankful for the recent shift in cravings from the high fructose corn syrup laden kind to the more... natural, healthy kind.
1. Drinking water sucks. It's for the birds. I hate drinking water to start with and since it's like the number 1 mandate while pregnant, I hate it even more. So, what's my solution? Throw a few teabags in there and a heap of sugar. Okay, so maybe they're not all that healthy cravings.
2. BaNilla yogurt with fresh raspberries and vanilla toasted almond pro-biotic granola may be my new favorite snack. I won't even tell you how many times I ate this over the weekend.
3. I still can't let go of a nice cup of whipped cream with a little bit of hot cocoa. At least I laid off the giant marshmallows, no?
4. Cinnamon Cheerios with sliced banana. Go try some. It will make your morning.

I'm not sure who to thank for this glorious weather we've been having but if I could kiss them on the mouth, you darn well know I would. This gorgeous January weekend lent itself to a myriad of outdoor activities and fresh air. Hallelujah.
5. Carter and I took a couple of trips to the park- you see, in our neighborhood just a little over a block away is a brand new tot-lot. Complete with swings and slides and bridges and lots of other nap-inducing toddler activities.
6. Naps. Need I say more?
7. Okay, so I still have some pretty intense candy cravings. These often hit in the form of an overwhelming desire for something chewy and fruity and preferably sour around 10pm.
8. Sheeps got a bath this weekend. Here he is proclaiming his disdain for all things bath and haircuts while standing on top of the ottoman. Bad dog, Sheepie.

I love a good excuse to bust out the hot rollers. Mostly because I haven't quite mastered the curl-down on the right side of my head. So when Family Dinner was planned for Sunday evening, I figured "what the heck?" And so this is what happens when Mama gets 15 minutes to herself.
9. For those who've been dying to know, the curlers are from Walmart, Conair brand and I'm pretty sure they only cost $25. Two different barrel sizes and they heat up within minutes. Love.

Finally, I've been taking part in the "Instagram App" #JanPhotoADay series. This morning's prompt was "routine" and I couldn't have through of a better way to depict a typical morning here in the M house.
Wake-up. Grumble. Brush teeth. Change a diaper. Siphon caffeine.
Go ahead and look me up on Instagram at "LvdMoreThnCrrts." Follow along- I'd love to sneak a peek into your January days.
Monday morning always comes way too soon. Happy Monday, Loyals!

It's A....

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

Although I practically had to twist The Husband's arm into finding out the sex of Baby M2, we are both SO ecstatic that we did! Admittedly, we were both a little nervous driving to the boutique ultrasound place. We couldn't help but laugh at ourselves! Weren't we seasoned pros by now? We were JUST in the same place a little under two years ago!

So, why did we have butterflies and why were our palms sweaty?

Not once did it cross my mind that M2 may not cooperate. We had no trouble finding out C's gender but learned quickly that might not be the case with M2. Already, this one has a mind of it's own! For the first 10 minutes (which felt like an eternity, by the way) M2 had his little legs crossed at the ankles in front of the goods. Speaking of legs, woooh are they long ones! It took a little coercion and a lot of bouncing around on my belly before we got him to give up the goods.

And as soon as he did, I knew it. I even said, "I SAW IT," out loud and I knew the tech had, too. Asking "are you ready?" We both replied in unison, "YES!" And that's when she broke the news- we would be having another little boy!

Needless to say I've been feeling extra blessed. By now I'm sure you all know how much I adore being a "Boy Mama" and I cannot wait to have another sweet little gentleman to love all over! It just melts my heart to think of Carter and his little brother growing up, becoming the best of friends, sharing a room, a team, hobbies and love for all things dirty and slimy.

Two sweet boys. I can't help but wonder if this little boy will have Carter's blonde curls and ice-blue eyes. We already know he'll have his ears and hopefully, like Carter, he'll grow into them by the time he's a year old!

I know what you're thinking. "Do we have a name yet?" And the answer is no. C'mon, Loyals. If you know me at all, you know that it took FOREVER to decide on Carter's name, mostly because The Husband is the pickiest man on earth. You see, I've already chosen M2's name and I am so in love with it, I cannot wait to share it with you. The only pickle? I need to get The Husband on board first.

So, say a few prayers for me, couldya? I need all the help I can get! ;)

Happy Friday, Loyals! Have a great weekend!

Two sweet boys. M2, we cannot wait to meet you in June!

5 Rules To A Successful Blog Post.... C Style.

2012-01-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Happy writing, Loyals! And Happy Thursday!

...On Resolutions.

2012-01-03T13:39:00.000-05:00

In case you've been living under a rock, it's a new year. Blogger, Facebook and Twitter are all abuzz with everyone's resolutions, goals and plans for 2012. Bombarded with healthy fitness hopes and eating well wishes, I sometimes feel compelled to change. To make a goal or resolution of my own. Even Husband caught a case of the "Resolution-itis" because while unwinding on the couch late last night, he too turned and asked what my goals were for 2012.

I said I didn't have any. And it's the truth. I'm kind of a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl.

Actually, I do believe I said my goal was to deliver another healthy baby, a goal that was immediately vetoed because I "don't have any control over that."

Hey, you can't say I didn't try, right?

Truth be told, I do have one goal. And it's to make more time for myself. To work determinedly towards setting aside some time each week where I leave my little sidekick behind and spend some time focusing on myself. As much as it twists my mom-heart to do so, I know it's imperative. Sometimes, I can feel small bits of non-mom AP slipping away. Blech. Have I really become that mom? Or rather, MY mom? The one who cast herself aside and focused solely and intently on her children for twenty-eight years?

It certainly appears so.

Although I don't set "resolutions" at the beginning of the year, that doesn't mean I don't accomplish anything. Take for instance launching my own business. I never thought I would do it. I never, ever thought it would take off the way it has. And although I didn't necessarily plan it? It happened. And it's been awesome ever since.

See what I mean? I fly by the seat of my pants.

So, what are your plans (or non-plans!) for the new year? Perhaps I'd love to hear a little inspiration of sorts... Happy Tuesday, Loyals!

What A Year.. ILYMTC Wraps Up 2011!

2011-12-30T14:05:00.000-05:00

I hate New Years Eve. There, I said it. Okay, wait. That sounds a bit harsh. I don't hate it, per say, but I am rather impartial to it's coming and going. I'm excited at the prospect of a new year and all of the exciting things it will bring for our family. The second year in our new home, the birth of our second baby, the celebration of Carter's second year of life and our 5th wedding anniversary. Oh and did I mention The Husband will turn the big Three-Oh?

I have no doubt that 2012 will be an incredible year, but before getting all excited for the new-ness of things, I thought it'd be fun to take a look back at how I Love You More Than Carrots and The M Family grew over the last year. Here we go!

In January, Carter turned six months old and I decided to write about my new full-time job, becoming a stay at home mom. Which, after wearing that hat for a year, can we talk about the word "stay?" Because there is nothing "staying" about being a stay-at-home-mom. Just saying.

I also wrote about my Mission for Mom-Friends and am so incredibly thankful for the handful of awesome Mommies that make me feel like I'm really doing a great job at keeping my child out of the ER before his second birthday and also out of therapy later on in life.

I also joined Twitter. Oh, Twitter.

February rolled in and brought with it the first nice day day of the year. What did we do? Along with every other Mommy on the northern eastern seaboard, C and I ventured out for his very first trip to the zoo.

Not only did I become "officially" a dot.com as I bought my own domain but I also became an "official mommy" whose expensive handbag became overrun with baby crap. I lovingly referred to my brand new Kooba as my mom bag.

Lastly, I wrote all about how people's manners seem to fly right out the window once you have a baby. My biggest pet peeve? Not holding the door for a stroller.

In March, I wrote about how I don't deserve nice things. The reason being, I lose them. A lot. You, sweet Loyals, got a kick out of the post I wrote about how I could never hack it as a 1950's housewife.

I also discovered this month, what it feels like to be a Yardwork Widow. It's a tough job to have. But not nearly as time-consuming as making your own baby food. As much as I loved playing "Baby Chef," in retrospect, I think about how much time it actually took to steam, puree and freeze those countless batches of baby food. I must be crazy because I plan on doing it again for baby #2!

Do you remember when The Husband made me go to traffic court for getting a speeding ticket? I almost forgot about that one, but quickly remember how my bench-mate tried to woo me for a meal! Speeding Ticket? More like Speed Dating!

In April, I was feeling particularly sage-like when I decided to share my thoughts on Debt, Travel and Wishful Thinking. I wrote all about our life as DINKs and how it drastically changed when we had Carter. Everyone tells you "life will change," but until you're there? You have no idea. So listen up, all you DINKs out there!

I also shared The Husband's strange obsession with cutting up our kitchen sponge into itty bitty pieces. Because god forbid, we use an entire sponge to clean our dishes. Once again, I believe this was one of your favorite posts, Loyals! I know the girls on Twitter rarely ever let me live this one down.

C also turned 9 months old this month and started crawling and saying, "Mama!" What a month!

In May, I gave into the Planning Crazies and began diving head first into planning C's Circus-themed First Birthday. I started by making the infamous Balloon Wreath. I'm pretty sure I still lack feeling in a few fingertips due to all of the pin pricks!

I celebrated my very first Mother's Day (with an "outside baby") and a trip to the Inner Harbor. I also shared a few of my favorite tips and tricks for first-time Moms.

June was a major milestone month, as C took his very first steps! I'll never forget watching him toddle down the foyer hallway like it was no big deal.

C also ventured back to The Beach House this month for his second trip to Ocean City, Maryland. We had a blast spending the week splashing in the waves and eating all the sand his little belly could hold. C's favorite part? The splash pad at the local country club. I, however, was still amazed at the lack of decency had by many beach-goers.

C finally became the Newest Little Catholic this month as he was baptized at our family church and I dusted off my rusty nursing skills as I ran to the aid of a major car accident.
In July, we celebrated Carter's First Birthday in a major way. I started the day off by sharing the letter I had written to him, my little One-Year-Old.

I also got my very first tattoo and shared the story behind I Love You More Than Carrots. This was also quite the month for Rebel AP as I also eagerly jumped on the feather hair extension bandwagon.

Let's see, June was a pretty busy month after all. Not only did I introduce you to Floor Corn but I also launched my very own business, little joys. photography, "Because Everyone Wants To Be A Photographer."

In August, I stumbled upon my high school e-boyfriend's engagement pictures. Sometimes there are no words, especially when Burberry polos and gay-boy flip-flops are involved. Speaking of poorly dressed boys, I wrote a whole post about where I find C's super cute threads. Whoever said dressing a boy is no fun was clearly mistaken and hasn't gone shopping with me!

I'll never forget the time I locked myself and C out of the house this month. Why? Because it resulted in my going door-to-door, hoping against hope that someone would be home and let me use their phone to call The Husband.

In September, I shared my secrets to 3-Day Dirty (but Fabulous!) Hair. I also wrote about the time I wanted kidney punch a stranger.

C shared his killer dance moves and I shared how I might be just a little socially awkward when wining and dining with friends sans baby.

I also shared my very first Vlog. And? You still read. So that's good news.

In October, The Husband and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary and I shared a few pictures of us walking down memory lane.

This was also the month we found out we were expecting Baby #2, shortly before I wrote this post about how Parenting and Hangovers Do Not Mix!

In November, I wrote about the days when I'm Not The Best Mother. How do I make up for those days? By taking C-Face on Mommy-Carter breakfast dates. The best ones are the ones where I forget to bring my wallet and have to call The Husband to come bail us out.

I also got a little fired up this month when I wrote about SAHM's and Cleaning Ladies.

None of those posts are as funny, however, as the time I spent our grocery money on Christmas Carol Mickey.

Although I will say, I'm fairly certain your favorite post this month was the one where I accidentally hit publish on our big secret...

And finally, in December, I went on a long overdue date with The Husband and shared the Big News with you. I threw a fabulous dinner party at 13 weeks pregnant and shared my Dad's hilarious two-cents on C in a longall.

C celebrated his second Christmas and shared with us his many uses of his toy barbecue. I finally got my act together enough to share with you the beginning of "Bumpdates Part Deux."

Whew. What a year it has been Loyals. Thanks so much for following along with me and the rest of the M Family and my many {mis}adventures in parenting! I cannot wait to kick off 2012 with you!

Finally, A Bumpdate! {15 Weeks}

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Forgive me, Loyals and Second Child, but for those first few weeks? Haphazard recaps and iPhone photos is all I got. I promise to get better at this. I promise to have my proverbial shit together by the time you arrive. Maybe next week? I'll even get a bit fancy and compare #2's belly bump with #1's! Okay, don't get your hopes up.
{15 Weeks, Hoorah!}

Total Weight Gained/Loss? I have no idea. My next appointment is January 3rd and I'll step back on the scale then. The day I found out I was pregnant, I weighed 2lbs. more than I did on the day I found out I was pregnant with C. I cannot gain another 48lbs this pregnancy. I cannot. I cannot. I cannot.

Maternity Clothes: I've been in maternity jeans since 9 weeks. I skipped the bella band this time around and went right for the whole enchilada. In the beginning the full coverage bands were a bit loose but by 10 weeks? They fit like a glove. I've been living in my Mavi Skinny Leg maternity jeans. Best investment ever.

Sleep? I can no longer tell the difference between pregnant-tired and chasing-around-after-a-toddler-all-the-live-long-day-tired. I figure I'll never have a decent night's sleep until this baby is what, 18? 30?

Best Moment of the Week? Scheduling our gender ultrasound because I'm the most impatient person in the world.

Movement? I swore I started feeling #2 around 12 weeks. Which is pure crazy considering I didn't feel C until much closer to the 18-20 week mark. But I definitely feel the little one in there- mostly when I'm sitting at the computer!

Food Craving? In the very beginning it was sour candy like it was going out of style. Sour Patch Watermelons and Haribo Gummy Bears, to be exact! Then it quickly became mashed potatoes and Chipotle/Qdoba burritos. Which I could eat every single day.

Food aversions: None this time around! With C I couldn't fathom the idea of eating chicken or red meat, but with this pregnancy? I'm game for anything and everything.

Morning sickness? I prefer to call it Functional Nausea. Okay, so I gag a little from time to time, but no real pukage. Just nausea. All day. Since the beginning.

Gender? We find out on January 4th!

Labor Signs? No thank you.

Belly Button? Pregnancy has ruined my outtie. That sucker will never, ever be the same. It's already borderling turkey thermometer status.

What I miss? Chardonnay. Margaritas. Beer.

What I'm looking forward to: Finding out if #2 is a boy or a girl! I have some pretty interesting feelings this go around- which says a lot since I had zero feelings with Carter. I'll be SO interested to see if I'm right!

New Jammies And Christmas Morning {In Pictures}.

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

Can you tell that we have very few words this week?
Carter's expression upon seeing all of those presents beneath the tree on Christmas morning just kills me! He was clapping and yelling he was so excited. And he quickly became a blur of Toddler Frenzy as he went around the living room opening not only his presents but everyone else's! Oh, those curls...
It certainly looks like cinematography/photography just might run in the family, no?
Hopefully I'll be back Friday with my very first {second} pregnancy Bumpdate! I mean, it's never too late to start, right? And 15 weeks seems like a great place to begin documenting this poor second child's existence...
Happy Thursday, Loyals!

Eggnog Soaked French Toast Casserole

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

I always knew I wanted Christmas Morning Breakfast to be a really big deal in my house. You know, once The Husband and I started a family and painfully began melding our individual traditions into a smorgasbord of our own sweet M Family traditions. Thankfully, this was one tradition we could easily agree on!

Among the many delicious dishes that flooded our table Christmas morning, I would venture to guess that the Eggnog Soaked French Toast Casserole was the family favorite all around. It's a really simple and sinfully delicious recipe that I adapted from Paula Deen's Baked French Toast Casserole.

Feeds 6 with leftovers. Don't forget you'll want to make this casserole the night before and refrigerate it overnight.

What You'll Need:

- 3 loaves of Pepperidge Farm Swirl Bread. You can substitute French or Challah bread for this recipe although for Christmas morning, I chose to spice and sweeten things up a bit with the swirl breads. I went with 2 loaves of Raisin Cinnamon Swirl and 1 loaf of Cinnamon and Brown Sugar Swirl.
- 9 large eggs
- 1 1/2c half and half
- 1/2c eggnog. You can substitute an additional 1/2c of eggnog for the 1/2c half and half mentioned above. I was afraid it would be overwhelmingly noggy but it wasn't! I will certainly add more eggnog next time!
- 1c whole milk
- 2 shakes vanilla
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar and additional brown sugar to crumble over the top of the casserole prior to cooking
- 3 shakes ground cinnamon
- 3 shakes ground nutmeg
- Dash of salt
- Maple syrup for serving
- Whipped cream for serving

What You'll Do!:

1. Generously butter your 9x13 casserole dish
2. Cut or tear your slices of bread into halves. Assemble and layer them in the casserole dish in 2-3 layers. I used a slightly larger casserole dish and ended up with 2 layers and then a small 3rd layer in the center. Be sure to overlap the slices.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except maple syrup, whipped cream and extra brown sugar and blend thoroughly. You do not need a hand mixer for this- I just used a large whisk. Do not over whisk.
4. Pour mixture over bread slices and be sure to evenly coat every slice. Spoon mixture between slices if you need you. use the back of a spoon to press down on the slices to ensure maximum delicious coverage.
5. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning:

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. Sprinkle light brown sugar over the top of your casserole.
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until puffy and light golden brown.
4. Top with whipped cream, maple syrup and serve!

Enjoy!

The Post-Christmas Funk But With Cute Pictures?

2011-12-27T11:07:00.000-05:00

Just like that, the Christmas Crazy is over. The Holiday Hullabaloo has dissipated as quickly as the stores have begun lining their shelves with Valentine's Day merchandise. Say what? My thoughts exactly. After a quick dash to the local drugstore for some extra cold medicine yesterday, I quickly noticed the barrage of red, glitter, truffles and doilies lining the aisles.

Well, that was fun.

If it weren't for the current status of my living room, I could believe that Christmas never even happened. It truly looks as if a Toys R Us and cardboard box company threw up all over the hardwood floor.

Santa, as well as Santa Husband and Santa Gammy and Poppy were incredibly generous this year. More so than I ever imagined. And Carter had an absolute blast. It was a hoot to see him carefully tear open each gift, ripping the smallest shred of paper from the present at a time. Of course, The Husband and I immediately jumped in so that we wouldn't be opening gifts until next Thursday!

My parents and brother returned home to New Jersey yesterday evening and their absence has left us all in a sort of funk. It was a laughter-filled long weekend with them and it's always a little bit painful when they leave!

I hope you're all recovering from your Christmas comas! So, what was YOUR most favorite gift that Santa left you?

And You Thought It Was Just A Barbecue....

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Apparently, when compiling C's list for Santa Friends and Family this year, I was way off. When I thought he'd love to have his very own Little Tikes Grill Set, he clearly had other things on his mind. I just had to share these pictures because they literally make me laugh out loud every time I see them!

Here are just a handful of uses for his brand new toy:

Use #472: Houdini's Box

Use #479: A Horsey

Use #501: A Space Shuttle

Use #511 and My Personal Favorite: A Jamaican Bobsled

Who knows, maybe one day, he'll be back to wearing his Hugh Heffner robe and cooking Mama a burger.. but until then, I can't wait to see what else he comes up with!

Well, Loyals, this is it! The last time you'll hear from me and C until after Christmas! We wish you and yours the merriest of Christmases!
XOXO, The M Family

"WTF... A "Longall...."

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Crazy Toddler Wildebeest was refusing his nap. As punishment, I decided to dress him up in what will be his Christmas Day longall and have myself a little Carterito Fashion Show. Complete with toddler-man-sized Chuck Taylors. I mean, have you ever seen anything cuter?

Here is one of the 37 pictures I took of him with my iPhone. In nearly 20 of those pictures he is a blur of Toddler Fury. In 10 of those pictures he's crying big, fat, crocodile tears because I put his Chucks on without socks. And in the remaining 7 pictures, he rocking an expression similarly noted in the picture above- The Befuddled Frowny Face.

As if to say, "Am I really going to wear this?"And the answer, sweet Carter, is yes. Yes, you will. Until you think you're old enough to rock Justin Beiber pants and look like a complete and utter fool, you will wear what I say.

So of course, I had to share the hilariousness with my Dad. So I sent him the following picture with only the tagline, "Modeling his sissy Christmas longall..." And here is my Dad's awesome response...

Now, if my amazing screen shot and picnik skills have failed you, his reply was, "WTF... a "Longall".... That should have been your first clue it wasn't going to turn out well."
Spoken like a true New Jersey-ite. Because, it is the truth. Up until moving south of the Mason Dixon Line, I hadn't the foggiest idea what a longall was. Or a shortall. Or a bubble and god forbid, I had never heard of smocking before. Those are all foreign concepts to those of us who live within earshot of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
So, Dad? Thanks for the laugh. We needed that today. Hope it make you giggle, too, Loyals! Happy Wednesday!

Sometimes, I Forget That I'm Pregnant. But I Do Entertain!

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Apparently, I sorely underestimated the craziness of this time of year. I mean, I always knew this time of year could, or rather would, be a little extra crazy. I mean, there's the hustle and bustle of card-sending and gift-buying and gift-wrapping and gift-hiding and then there's some cooking and baking and event-attending and dinner-hostessing and the like. But I mean, I'm super-mom, right? I could totally handle all that.

Not.

Throw being 13 weeks pregnant, nauseous and exhausted all the live-long day and Mama to a Crazy Wildebeest toddler in there along with the fact that I also run a small little business and you basically have a recipe for disaster. One that culminates in a giant case of The Sickies for both Crazy Toddler and Exhausted Mama.

But? Hosting the 2nd Annual M Family Christmas Party? Was a raging success. I'm so glad I offered to host this year because you see, I'm always full of these grandiose plans that in my head involve Martha Stewart decor and Paula Deen cooking.

In reality? It's more work than I'm truly cut out for. I vote that next year we host a Progressive Dinner. I can host a mean cocktail course.

Have you forgotten that I'm pregnant? I have. On more than one occasion lately. And no, don't fret, dear Loyals, my forgetfulness did not allow for lines of coke, bottles of wine and listeria-soaked deli meats- I mean, I just forget sometimes. It slips my mind.

If you were to ask me how pregnant I am? I would most likely answer, "Um, around 12 or 13 weeks-ish." If you were to ask me how pregnant I was during any given time during my pregnancy with Carter? I would basically spout off to you just precisely how pregnant I was down to the exact minute.

Already, this child is cursed with "second baby" syndrome.

Such is life, I suppose. Baby M Numero Dos, I promise to better record your existence.

Oh, and Loyals? I'm pretty sure I'm 13 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I think...

Does Little Tikes Make A Toddler Jaws Of Life? {And The Oreck Vacuum Cleaner Winner!}

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

If not, they really should. One more shoulder in that sucker and we would have been cutting C out of that barbecue play set...

Never a dull moment, I swear!

Thanks SO much to everyone who entered to win the Oreck Forever Series Gold Vacuum and Ultimate Hand Vac! I'm SO thankful that I used Rafflecopter for this giveaway as it made logging entries and choosing a winner a piece of cake!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations, Laura! I will be passing along your email and contact information over the fabulous folks at Oreck and you'll be receiving your brand new shiny vacuums shortly! Merry, Merry, Merriest of Christmases to you!