The Fetching Life

Wake Up Moms!

2012-05-16T15:09:00.001-04:00

Quite a few people have asked my opinion about the now famous Time article about attachment parenting.

Why? I don’t know, maybe it is because I am a mother. Maybe it’s because I always seem to have an opinion. Maybe its because I am a mother who always has and opinion. That’s probably it. Whatever the reason I would like to say that this response by Michelle Littlefield on Moms in Maine is my new, official response. Yep, I am ripping it right off of her (and giving her full credit of course). I think we all know I have issue with the mean mommies of the world, but by god this woman is 100% completely right, we are fighting the wrong fight!

Go, read it right now. Then sign the PETITION.

A Few Friday Randoms..

2012-05-11T12:11:00.001-04:00

1. This has been by far the craziest few weeks since Aiden was born. I have had a feeling things were “off” with him for a while, as my usually happy boy was getting fussier more often and for longer periods of time. A lot of small things weren’t adding up, and even though our pediatrician was insisting nothing was wrong and that all of his ailments were typical baby things he would grow out of, my mommy alarm was going off. We made the decision to switch to an entirely new pediatric practice and had our first appointment on Wednesday. Two days later and I can confidently say it was the best decision we could have made. The new doctor we saw was wonderful, and immediately diagnosed Aiden with both severe reflux and a dairy allergy. New (super expensive!) formula and a prescription for Zantac have done wonders already! I’m dealing with and processing the guilt for not figuring this out sooner, especially now knowing the obvious symptoms that he was having that I never realized. Mama guilt is no joke, but I’m trying to focus on being grateful that our guy is feeling better than ever!

2. In addition to all of the baby craziness this week I also decided to take on two big mother’s day projects! Both of which I thought would be easy and quick and instead turned out to be super time consuming. Cranky baby, plus two overwhelming projects means I didn’t get much sleep this week. I hope to share both completed projects with you next week, you know if I actually pull off getting them completed.

3. I started Weight Watchers again. Something has to happen about this baby weight I’m still dragging around. Ok, let’s be serious, some of it is PRE-baby weight, but still it has got to go. I haven’t decided if this is something I am going to openly blog about, but if anyone is interested..?

4. House projects have pretty much come to a screeching halt around here. I’m obviously still planning them, but with other crazy projects (see #2) and all extra funds that are normally designated to fun projects and decorating now going to the previously mentioned SUPER expensive allergy formula, things are on hold. Hopefully our insurance will cooperate sooner than later (ha!) and start picking up the costs of that stuff so we can start getting back to the fun stuff!

5. Fifty Shades of Grey; worth the hype? My Kindle is empty but I am wondering if this book is worth it or just been talked up. Thoughts?

So, how was your week?

The State of Our Stairs

2012-05-09T11:01:00.000-04:00

We have a serious situation going on in the main hallway of our house. Maybe pathetic is a better way to describe the area you first see when you walk into our little home..

BOOOOORING! View from the front door on the left, and from the kitchen on the right. Not exactly screaming warm and comfy is it? No, it looks more like we just moved in. If you remember what it looked like when we did move in, very little has changed.

Yeah, same dingy carpet, same strange border/molding situation. I did paint it (Toasted Almond by Valspar, color matched to Behr Premium Plus) and put up a gallery wall going up the steps, but it still isn’t anything special. In fact the frames are a set you can buy at Michaels and were put up approximately 30 minutes before our housewarming party began. Every single one has one of our wedding pictures in it. Vain much? I am also shamed to say that curtain rod has been up for OVER A YEAR now, and still no freakin’ curtains.

Please don’t get me started on the brass light fixture either. It makes me want to cry. Big brassy tears straight out of the 70s. And no, I didn’t even try to take a good picture of it, no amount of photography skills will make that thing look good. Bleh.

It’s time we try to make this area look a little more presentable. Originally we didn’t mind the border/molding that was happening. It goes all the way up the stairs and top hall as well, but now it makes me angry. I don’t have a real reason why, I just can’t stand it anymore. I know it’s going to be a huge undertaking to actually get rid of it. It seems to be a raised wallpaper border surrounded by molding that, and judging by the way the former owners did things around here it is probably super glued to the plaster walls. So removal is in more of the long-term plan. As for now this is what I am thinking..

1. Update the gallery wall (source) I’m over the matchy-matchy black frames. I’m thinking spray paint and Ikea frames are both in my future. And I think it is a given that more than our wedding pics need to be displayed.

2. New rug (source) I love Dash & Albert rugs, we have two already that still look brand new and one was a floor model before I bought it! These colors really tie in from the rest of the house too. I would rather just a 2’x3’ in front of the door, but hubs is pushing for a long hall carpet.

3. Storage! (source) The little pile of junk that happens behind/next to/in front of the door isn’t cute. I think something like this will fit right behind the door, but would require us to pull off some of the molding. If the wall is destroyed at least it would end up hidden behind this, right? If not I would at least settle for a mirror and ledge combo for keys and things.

4. The long overdue curtains (source) I LOOOVE the striped curtain look, the question is do I try to be crazy and paint them (like this?), or suck it up and just sew those suckers up? This is where I think I can win my rug argument, too many stripes?? Do you see why the rod is naked, I still can’t decide.

5. Red door. Period. (source) This is happening. No question, I’ve already bought the paint. For now I’ll just deal and spruce up the existing sad door until we can replace it with something that has more glass like this one to brighten things up. A good seal would also be a nice upgrade from what we have now.

6. Obviously a new light (source) I’m not sold on this one, but we have to do something. I keep hoping I’m going to run across something perfect for cheep-o but no dice yet. The clearance isn’t great either, so as much as I would love a chandelier, something semi-flush is as low as we can go.

The rug on the stairs will stay, it is in decent condition, it just needs a serious scrub down. I do like the look of naked stairs, but I’m pretty sure I would bust my face going down them too fast in socks. My clumsy self needs traction.

Did I mention the budget for my little hallway makeover is next to nothing? I still can’t wait to get started, anything is an upgrade at this point!

The Finale – Bump Watch 2011

2012-05-04T08:43:00.000-04:00

Last you saw me things were looking pretty large. So large in fact I was sure there was no way I could possibly get any bigger. I was wrong, so, so wrong. (Feel free to click back right here to see the bump that scared the kiddos on Halloween.)

See week 36 up there? That was Thanksgiving, I was so confused why I kept spilling food on my belly. I guess being a foot away from the table might do that! And to think I was still walking around wondering if people could tell I was pregnant.

Those pictures are fun, but I have to say week 40 is by far my absolute favorite of the bunch..

I’m so glad that I followed through on this project, and can proudly say I only missed one week (damn you week 32, damn you!) I owe my hubs a huge thank you for humoring me with this whole thing too. His job as camera man wasn’t always fun, especially since for every weekly pic you see, there were anywhere from 10-40 outtakes that the crazy pregnant lady vetoed!

Don’t worry, this is not the end of my weekly picture taking plans. As always, I am behind on the new project, but updates are coming!

Baby Products We Love : The First Four Months

2012-05-02T10:03:00.000-04:00

Granted we have only been doing this parent thing for a few months, so experts we are NOT. But, we do happen to have a little expert living among us. That’s right, our little mister is quite the expert on what works for him. Here’s how things tend to go around here: I do hours and hours of research when I think we need something. For example, swaddling blankets. I read everyone’s advice and opinions and decide on our best option, then purchase. In the case of the blankets I decided on the famous aden + anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets.

So little man comes home, and we swaddle him up. Within moments he had pulled a little Houdini and busted out of the tightest swaddle any man has ever made, hit himself directly in the face, and woken up screaming. Product research fail. So we have started listening to the expert, even when he disagrees with my research. The only problem is, every baby is different. So I’m going to give you all my big fat non-expert opinions, and you can take them or not. But maybe your little expert will agree with my little expert and we can all be happy, because you’ve got to start somewhere right? Ok, so let’s get to it.

Miracle Blanket Since we are on the subject of swaddling, let me profess my love for the appropriately named, Miracle Blanket. We would literally spend ten minutes wrapping the man like a burrito, so tight it was questionable if his breathing was affected and in two minutes flat a tiny hand would emerge from said swaddle. No bueno. Enter Miracle Blanket. Even Houdini is stuck in this little baby straight jacket, comfy, cozy, and fast asleep for hours. Baby loves swaddling, Mama loves sleeping. Its a win-win.

Nosefrida Or as we call it in my mommy group, THE NOSE SUCKER. Yes, in all caps. Those stupid bulbs they give you in the hospital don't hold a candle to this thing. Sure, the idea of sucking snot out of your kids nose isn't a fantastic one, but it can't get in your mouth. And unlike those bulbs, you can CLEAN this thing. If I don't want the snot in my kid’s nose, I don't want it hanging around my house later. Yuck. Plus its super satisfying to see something coming out. Ah, motherhood and the joys of snot. Bonus, A doesn't scream bloody murder when I use this. Hell, he barely notices.

Cooshee Changing Pad I hear that some kids are good with their pee. They go in their diaper, and after their Mama changes it, they go in the next one. Aiden, however, did not get the memo on how this all works. He thinks it is better to not only fill every single diaper to the brim, but also pee while one diaper is being removed and the other is being put on. While we are working to get this operation down to a 2 second switch, things happen and every so often their is pee all over the changing table. And the wall. Sometimes the floor. The kid has range. If I had a "regular" changing pad with a cute little cloth cover, it would spend its entire life in the washing machine. Instead I keep Clorox wipes on hand, all I have to do is wipe this pad off and in minutes we are cleaned and ready for the next attempt at containing the urine. They say babies this young don't know better, but I am pretty sure he is laughing at me. Especially that one time it almost hit the ceiling.

Hygeia EnJoye Breast Pump Breastfeeding didn't work out for us for a number of reasons (reasons which we will save for another post, on another day) but none of those reasons included a lack of milk production. So I made the decision to join the club of mamas known as "exclusive pumpers". Luckily I had bought this pump before I delivered from a pal who didn't end up needing it anymore. That is one of the bonuses, Hygeia is the only brand of pumps that are FDA approved to be used by more than one user. So I got a deal, and can resell it later. Since I am cheep, this makes me happy. I also think it is pretty close to being as effective as the hospital grade monster I was using before we came home. And since I was definitely too cheep to spring for the rental, it all worked out!

Dr. Brown's Bottles We started with the cheapest bottles we could find with the same nipples A was willing to use in the hospital (my cheapness is becoming a theme here, no?). All was well for a while, until we realized the large amount of screaming our little man was doing had a lot to do with the large amount of gas he was holding in. Poor little gassy boy. Lesson learned, the expensive bottles are worth every freakin’ penny. Less baby gas = less baby screaming. Yes, they have a million parts to wash, that’s why we now own a ton of them. And I took my Mom’s smart advice and went ahead and bought the large 8oz size off the bat. That way I didn’t waste money buying the 4oz size he would grow out of. Cheep again. Damn.

Aden + Anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets Wait, didn’t I just say these didn’t work for us? They didn’t, not for swaddling. BUT they are pretty fantastic for damn near everything else. Covering the car seat, warming him up, propping him up for his newborn pictures (yeah, we did it). I carry one in the diaper bag because they roll up pretty small and don’t take up space, but then are HUGE to lay down anywhere and everywhere. It doesn’t hurt that they are super soft and come in the cutest prints. The stars from the “Oh Boy!” set is my personal fav.

BumGenuis One Size 4.0 Cloth Diapers (Snap) I could (and will) write an entire book about my cloth diaper love. But let’s sum it up for you here, we have yet to have a blow out. Or a leak. Of any kind. Yes, I did just knock on wood. Everyone thought I was crazy for getting on the cloth train, even B was pretty skeptical. Now he writes Facebook statuses about which color Aiden has on that day. B’s favorite part? No rashes or irritation on little man’s behind like we had from the disposables in the hospital. I figure keeping his but clean and comfy is the least we can do for him. Bonus points that the snaps make fitting them really easy and the colors are way cuter than any disposable diaper any day.

JJ Cole Car Seat Cover Most people have heard of JJ Cole’s Bundle Me, which goes under the baby and keeps them nice and cozy. But when I was having my car seat installed the guy doing the check warned me that those aren’t as safe for the baby in the car(something about the material being between the safety of the seat and the baby’s body) and since I was almost 40 weeks pregnant at the time and convinced I might just kill this kid on accident by using the wrong thing, I returned it. Well it took one trip out of the house with A and a stupid blanket that blew off of him every time we got out of the car for me to start exploring other options. I picked up this car seat cover and it hasn’t come off his seat since. He’s warm, it doesn’t blow off, and I feel better about the safety thing. I have also recently become paranoid that he is going to over heat or freeze at any moment so the fact that it opens and closes with a quick zip help keeps my crazies at bay.

Moby Wrap The rubik’s cube of baby carriers. The first time you put it on you will feel like you have just conquered the world. Always a good feeling for an overwhelmed new mama. Aiden loves this thing, he gets nice and cozy in there and almost always falls asleep. And I get two free hands to fold laundry, or write blog posts. Priorities people, priorities.

Baby Connect for Android When you are in the hospital with your newborn, or when you go to your first few pediatrician appointments, if you are like me you are a frazzled mess. And everyone keeps asking you ridiculous questions like how many times has your baby pooped three days ago, or how many ounces he ate at 4pm last Friday. They might as well be asking you to solve the hardest math problem on the planet because you can’t even remember if you brushed your teeth that morning. Just me? Whatever. Luckily I downloaded this app (and had hubs do it too) right before Aiden arrived and we started using it on day one. Now, B stalks us from work to see what we are up to with it, and since it works on the computer and iPhones/iPads also, when Aiden stays at his Gemma’s house she can put his info in from her iPad. Unfortunately I still have trouble remembering if I brushed my teeth.

Arm’s Reach Co-Sleeper As a Mama who values her sleep this thing was a lifesaver in the beginning. I know, every parent values an extra five minutes, but I am talking about the extra 30 seconds that it would have taken me to walk to Aiden’s room in the middle of the night when all he needed was to have his paci put back in his mouth. I was not about to give those precious seconds up. It was so nice to just roll over and there he was. The Co-Sleeper is similar to a pack and play, except the top sleeper part is a solid bed surface with a side that comes down to be at the same level as the parent’s bed. And since after having a C-section it was nearly impossible for me to lift him from certain angles, it was really nice to have him literally within arm’s reach (get it- ha!). Roll over, check baby, roll back over and Mama is back to sleep. (As a side note, they sell a mini version of this item as well. We opted for the full size since it will convert to a regular pack and play later.)

What products can you not live without? Anything you thought you would love and ended up hating? Ok, better yet, suggestions for us on items we HAVE TO HAVE for the coming months..?

*I was not paid or perked to review or try any of the above products, these are just my own personal opinions.

April – Photo-A-Day Challenge

2012-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

I’ve always wanted to document an entire year with one photo each day. I think it is such a cool idea to look back at such small things that made up a year in your life, as opposed to just looking at the “big stuff” that would normally photographed and scrap booked. I liked the idea so much it’s even number thirteen on my Thirty Before 30 project. Unfortunately, I suck at it. I think I took three pictures in January. Fail. So I decided to jump on the bandwagon of Fat Mum Slim’s Photo A Day Challenge. I work better with structure apparently. I’m so proud that I made it through April without missing a day! I hope me posting this won’t jinx my progress, we all know follow through isn’t always my strong suit after all..

Fun, right? Is it obvious that I am slightly obsessed with my little guy? I tried really hard to not make every picture of him, but even his diaper bag managed to sneak in there..

Are you taking photos everyday? Follow me on Instagram (user name: thefetchinglife) to see more of my crazy photos, and of course that cute face! And of course so I can stalk you back, since I’m only a little addicted.

Whoops..

2012-04-30T08:45:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, even for me an almost six month blog disappearance is a bit much. But something happened. Something really, really big. Something really, REALLY, cute..

iden Michael, born December 15, 2011 (7lbs, 13oz & 21½"inches)

Yep, I popped out that baby I was blabbering about. And I forgot all about my blog. I also forgot how to feed myself regularly, sleep on a normal schedule, or take a shower that lasts longer than 2-3 minutes, but these are all topics for another day. For now, I apologize for the disappearing act and hope I haven’t lost the maybe five readers I had before I jumped ship. Updates and more cute baby pictures coming soon (as soon as I figure out how to balance this new Mama thing).

Two Years

2011-11-07T08:34:00.000-05:00

When I first started blogging it was to update our friends and family about our lives. The blog itself pretty much sucked, and if you didn’t know us it wouldn’t have made any sense at all. Then we started planning our wedding and I started blogging to document all of that madness. Then I got a silly little idea in my head that I would apply to write for my wedding blog obsession, Weddingbee.com. I never thought I would be accepted, and when I found out I was I screamed loud enough at work for a coworker to come check if I was ok. Who knew that all this time later I would still be blabbering on the internet about my life.

(I love that dress so much I would wear it every day to Target if I could. And you know, if it somehow fit over the baby bump..)

This post is titled two years, even though all of that happened more than two years ago. I titled it that because it was exactly two years ago today, that the little wedding I was planning, the one that really got me into this blogging mess, actually happened. I’m going to be a corny ball of mess right now and say that I got super lucky and got to marry my best friend. Lucky for me he is a great guy who laughs with me instead of being concerned that I need to be committed, and lets me blabber on and on about absolutely nothing even more in real life than I do in the blog world. Oh, and he even offers to proof read my posts when even I start to think I’m not making sense anymore. That, my friends, makes him a keeper.

(He’s so handsome, enjoying his GQ moment.)

I know that our third year of marriage will probably be our hardest yet. Not that moving to a different state during the first, and then buying and owning our first home in the second was necessarily a cake walk either of course, but I’m pretty sure this kid I am growing is really going to keep it interesting. But this husband of mine, with his level head and “I’m the calm one” attitude, makes me think I might just be able to pull off this motherhood stuff. So here’s to year three and all of it’s new adventures!

(If you are interested in reading all about my journey in the wedding planning world, you can find all of that goodness right here! And if you are just finding me here on The Fetching Life for the first time from Weddingbee, welcome! Feel free to leave a comment with a link to your own blog, especially if you are still planning your own big day. It’s no secret around here that I am still wedding obsessed.. :))

All images courtesy of our AMAZING balls wedding photographers from Oriole Photography. Yes, I said amazing balls, because they are just that good.

The Nursery That Wasn’t...

2011-11-05T16:58:00.001-04:00

We found out I was pregnant with a little boy and within the hour I was planning what the nursery would look like. We already knew which room we were going to transform for the little man, and luckily B gave me free reign to do whatever I wanted for decor. I was super motivated, lots of internet searches, wandering through baby stores, I even pulled it together enough to make a mood board!

I think Husband always knew it was too good to be true, I am NEVER this organized, and certainly not that far in advance. But I really liked what I had come up with. The colors would be striped on the wall, there would be punches of red accents, I even narrowed down the type of carpet we were going to lay to replace the nasty stuff that was in there. But I just couldn’t stop. I had to keep looking for ideas. Damn you Pinterest, you always suck me in. And sure enough I saw an idea I liked better, and even though we had already picked up paint samples, ordered the crib (which was backordered anyway- that’s a sign right"?) and had Home Depot coming to measure for new carpets, I was starting to have second thoughts. A nagging little thought in my head that was telling me I had to go in another direction. And poor B was realizing my second thoughts were going to mean a LOT more work on his part. Whoops.

I am pulling things together now, and can’t wait to show you the direction we went in instead. I’m so glad I can’t seem to ever make a decision though, the nursery that is actually happening is WAY better than the one that never did.

Week 33 – Bump Watch 2011

2011-11-04T10:03:00.000-04:00

This “take a picture of yourself once a week” stuff is hard. Especially when you feel fat, or sick, or fat and sick. I have to hand it to my poor husband though. Sometimes we take two pictures and I’m done and don’t care what they look like, but other times I make him take a hundred and stop in between so I can criticize myself over and over again. Did I mention I am also growing out what might have been the worst haircut of my whole life? Yeah, don’t cut all your hair off on a whim while with child. But the hubs, he is so good. He just smiles through the whole thing, lying and telling me how great I look. He is quite the keeper.

In the past, when I was slacking on my weekly updates I would share previous weeks, well not this time. You just have to squint to see them small because some of them are just not pretty. Hell, take a close look at week 26, sunglasses were involved. And not as a fashion statement. A preggo lady who is facing the worst cold of her life and can’t take anything for it, does NOT make for pretty pictures to publish in a large format on the internet. So there you have it, I am officially huge. And yes, I know I am still going to get bigger. Let’s just not talk about that, denial is fun.

Number 23 : Participate in NaBloPoMo (GULP..)

2011-11-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

I really miss blogging. I used to look forward to sitting down and writing regularly, especially when I had post going up on Weddingbee and I was writing about something I really enjoyed. But it was like after I got married I lost focus, or relative topics, or some other important part that kept me going and I fell right off the blogging train. Now I have this fantastic little space and I still keep finding reasons not to sit down and write what I want to say. Excuses, excuses. When I originally put number 23 on my Thirty before 30 list I figured it would be the kick start I really needed, and now its finally time to hold myself to it. So I signed up over on BlogHer.com (making it official of course) and here we go!

So this is where the big GULP comes in. Blogging every day for a month is a huge undertaking, especially when your belly is getting bigger and bigger and you are already overwhelmed by preparing to welcome a new little life into the world. But my hubs and I had a chat recently and he seems to be under the impression that I might just be underestimating myself sometimes. Who me? No, never! Ha! Ok, I can admit to being a Debbie Downer, so I have decided I am going to do this and prove MYSELF wrong. And prompts will help, so now I have NO excuses!

Follow all of my posts for NaBloPoMo by clicking here. A month long of random bloggy goodness!

The Perfect Lamp {Wish List Wednesday}

2011-11-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to finish my home office space for EVER now but life gets in the way and it pretty much looks like it is in shambles most of the time. The biggest eyesore is the one and only light source currently in the room, a floor lamp that I stole from our living room. Also awesome since if you come in our back door you walk directly into this mess of a room. And now I have been dreaming of this lamp for weeks now since I spotted it on Pinterest. Dreaming, I tell ya!

Ahh, the Tortoise Silver Bottle Neck Glass Table Lamp from Arteriors Home! How do I love thee! Unfortunately my dreams will NOT be coming true any time soon with a whopping price tag of $525! Nope that was not a typo, for just over five hundred dollars this beauty could be mine from this lovely little site. Hey, they have free shipping right?! Of course if I actually ordered this lamp, I would no longer have a husband because he would die of a heart attack so I guess I will have to hunt for a lovely look-alike. But it’s just so beautiful it makes the wish list anyway.

{As with all products featured on Wish List Wednesday, I have received no compensation

to feature this item on the blog. My heart just went pitter-patter when I saw it.}

Happy Halloween! (Uh, A Little Late..)

2011-11-01T19:54:00.001-04:00

I love Halloween, I love to see kids get dressed up, I love passing out candy, and I especially love getting to nibble on any leftovers! But, I have been slacking on the dressing myself up part of things for the past few years. Not this year! I was determined to do something, anything. So all day this year I walked around wearing this awesome little number, and am quite tickled by it if I do say so myself..

I don’t know how, or why I originally came across Inspire Your Walls, and this cute shirt decal but I am glad I took the time to order and iron my little costume together. Oh, and in case you are wondering, the vinyl decal was solid white, I just colored the heart in with a red Sharpie to make it stand out a bit more. :)

This post was not in anyway sponsored by Inspire Your Walls. I just liked what I got and thought I would share the goodness!

Yes, I Am Still Alive!!

2011-11-01T09:34:00.000-04:00

It’s funny how when you get pregnant you think 40 weeks is SUCH a long time. You think you can sit and relax for a while before things get really crazy, before you are huge and have a million things to check off your “before the baby” list. It’s also pretty funny how wrong, wrong, wrong you are! Time is flying and I am pretty sure I woke up one morning and my belly had doubled in size (as had that to-do list). So I have been a busy girl trying to get this house, and our lives, together before little man arrives.

I’m such a rebel, preggo and on a ladder! With my fluffy assistant of course.

One would also think that I have a lot of extra time on my hands since at about the 25 week mark I officially became what I like to call a “waiting-to-be-SAHM”. After weighing the options, and considering the consequences (both physically, mentally, and financially) B and I decided that it would be best if I went ahead and left my job now. I am one lucky girl to have such an awesome husband to do whatever it takes to make this work with me. And while it has been a HUGE adjustment for everyone (including Bella who often looks at me like “what are you still doing here?!” every now and again) it has been completely worth it, especially on how I have felt physically. I do have a lot to share about baby preparation, and stay-at-home life, now I’m just working on managing all that extra time and finding time to blog!! :)

Fall TV Love

2011-09-18T14:50:00.001-04:00

I love a good TV show. Hubs always laughs at me when I get really involved with the characters, and genuinely laugh or cry along with the storylines. I can’t help it, good television sucks me in! I like to think the fact that the same thing happens to me when I read a great book offsets how bad that sounds.. But regardless, to say I look forward to fall premiere time is an understatement! Here is what is on my must watch list so far this year..

Desperate Housewives (Returns Sunday, September 25 at 9pm)

I’ve been watching the crazy ladies on Wisteria Lane since the beginning, and I won’t be missing the final season. I love the crazy shenanigans the housewives always get into, and I can’t wait to see how it all ends!

Glee (Returns Tuesday, September 20 at 8 pm)

Does this even need an explanation? I love some Glee, even though B sits this one out. I just can’t get enough, and I always spend the next day walking around my house singing (and scaring the dog because I can’t sing, at all).

Grey’s Anatomy (Returns Thursday, September 22 at 9 pm)

I have to admit I don’t love Grey’s quite as much as I used to, I know some people have even stopped watching all together. But I still feel like I need to see what happens next with the characters (although I don’t think I will ever get over George being killed off, even all these years later).

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Returns Wednesday, September 21 at 10pm)

I know there are some all out boycotts going on since Stabler has left the show, but as a diehard Law & Order fan for over twenty years (all versions except Criminal Intent, I just couldn’t get on board with that one) I vow to remain faithful until the end!

Pan Am (Premieres Sunday, September 25 at 10 pm)

Maybe its the costumes that have sucked me in, but I am really looking forward to this one! The life of a flight attendant in the 60’s is bound to be exciting right?

Parenthood (Returned Tuesday, September 13 at 10 pm)

Hubs and I both love this family drama. I feel like I need to watch and cheer on the characters we have fallen in love with. The gorgeous set designs don’t hurt either, I would love to move right into Adam’s house!

Private Practice (Returns Thursday, September 29 at 10 pm)

Grey’s sad, less medical drama, more relationship obsessed younger sister. I love a good soap opera so I watch and get sucked in. Hubs hates this show. Maybe if they had more hospital shootings he would give it a shot, but the who-is-dating-who drama is good enough for me!

The Office (Returns Thursday, September 22 at 9 pm)

Michael might be gone, but we are going to give The Office a chance without him. I feel like I’m cheating on a friend, but if they can pull the show off and make it as funny without him, I’m in.

The Playboy Club (Premieres Monday, September 19 at 10 pm)

Is it terrible of me to admit I am fascinated by all things Playboy? As in the Playboy of the 60’s, not the nakie ladies and old wrinkled men of today (unless that’s your thing- and to each his own of course) so I’m going to check this one out.

Up All Night (Premiered Wednesday, September 14 at 10pm)

I missed the preview and need to get caught up online before next week. Considering I might just be living this show (only less funny) pretty soon, I feel like I have to give it a chance!

So you might notice a few of these shows overlap a bit, but not to worry! I have a plan! Years ago, before DVRs were the norm, my family jumped on the TiVo bandwagon and have remained faithful ever since. In fact, we now use our TiVo (with a lifetime subscription) for regular TV watching and only switch to the straight Verizon box if we are watching something we want to see in HD. Oh yes, the horror, I rarely watch anything in HD. It kills my husband, but we aren’t in a position to spring for a new TiVo HD, and I hate the Verizon DVR with a passion. But I do set it to record a second show if need be. So I watch one show live (or record it on TiVo) while a second show is recording on the Verizon DVR. Or I catch something on hulu the next day. Obviously I have way too much time on my hands to obsess over getting this all planned out.

What shows are you looking forward to this fall? Any new shows peaked your interest, or are you sticking with your old favs?

*all images found via hulu

Never Forget.

2011-09-11T08:02:00.000-04:00

I grew up right outside of Washington, DC. On September 11, 2001. I was a senior in high school and walked into a computer lab just in time to see the second plane fly into the World Trade Center. My dad frequently travelled to New York City for business, and for a few very long moments that day I did not know where he was. Many students in my school had parents who worked in the Pentagon, and as our first period of classes let out many people were crying in the hallways. Some had not been as lucky as I was, and had yet to locate their parents.

I remember every moment of that day as if it were yesterday, and not a decade ago. The area where I lived was quickly placed on lockdown. No one knew what the next target would be. The fear was very, very real.

I have recently been wondering how I will ever be able to convey what happened that day to my son, who will (hopefully) never really know how it felt to witness such a tragedy. I have decided that I will tell him what it was like to be an American that day. How the United States came together to heal after such a horrible attack. I will tell him about the first responders who became heroes, desperately trying to save lives before thinking of their own. I will tell him about the armed forces who have continued to fight the war on terror, to make sure he can grow up in a free, safe country. He might never know what it was like to be so close to the fear that day, but I hope to make sure he knows how to be a proud American, as proud as his Mama is.

It’s Fall Y’All!

2011-09-06T09:09:00.000-04:00

I am choosing to ignore the fact that the weather forecast (and calendar too for that matter) still say we have a little summer left and am instead going to start celebrating the beginning of September, and my favorite season, FALL! I’ve been busy with my own little party on Pinterest, pinning all kinds of fall decorating goodness. I have a few spots that need some love as well as a new little spot in my dining room to decorate (a project I have yet to share, shame on me), and obviously I need to obsess over what I am going to do before actually pulling the trigger on anything!

I always love a big fat initial! This wreath makes me swoon, and the fact that it was DIY is even better!

Source: blog.petitdesignco.com via Kate on Pinterest

Pumpkin topiaries? Yes please! One would fit quite nicely on our front steps.

Source: google.com via Kate on Pinterest

Since my hanging plants didn’t make it trough the hurricane (whoops) I think mums for the fall would be perfect. And who doesn’t LOVE white pumpkins?!

Source: bhg.com via Kate on Pinterest

More white pumpkins and gourds would make such a pretty centerpiece or display on a shelf.

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Kate on Pinterest

Another set up that doesn’t scream “FALL” in the traditional colors, but is still so warm and inviting.

Source: hgtv.com via Kate on Pinterest

An easy pillow to make that would spruce up my couch quite nicely.

Source: kasiascrafts.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

Who doesn’t love a pretty printable (especially a FREE one)?

Source: adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

I love everything about this mantle. Simple and beautiful. (Follow the links to her blog too, her mantle is stunning through every season!)

Source: sweetsomethingdesign.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

Last, but certainly not least, mirrors and wreaths. Love.

Source: thesweetsurvival.blogspot.com via Kate on Pinterest

A little much? Ha! That's not even the beginning of it! See the rest of my pinning madness here. Is anyone else as excited as I am for the season change? What are some of your favorite places to find holiday/seasonal decorating inspiration?

(PS. Word on the street is that Pinterest isn’t passing out invites as easily as it used to. If you are in need of one please leave me a note with your email in the comments and I will send you one ASAP. Trust me, you are missing out on a fantastic new addiction!)

Weeks 23 & 24 – Bump Watch 2011

2011-09-05T21:47:00.001-04:00

The weeks are starting to fly by, and every day it’s like a new little adventure happening inside my body. A few random observances from the past two weeks...

1. Little man has finally started to share his kicking adventures with others. He now gives a nice swift jab whenever his daddy gives my belly a rub.

2. I do not have any more of a birth plan now then I did when I was at four weeks. I feel like I should be stressed out about it, yet I avoid even thinking about the subject. Denial is a peaceful place to be.

3. My feet are swelling faster and faster every day. The left still gets bigger than the right and now my hands are getting in on the action too. I haven’t been able to wear my wedding/engagement rings for a while, but now even my “stand in” (which is two sizes up as is) is also tight by the end of the day.

4. I regularly dream about what our guy’s little face is going to look like. But he is different in every dream and I always wake up and for a moment am nervous that I won’t recognize him when he is born. Which is ridiculous of course.

5. Registering for baby stuff is way, way, WAY harder than I thought it would be. I am trying to be smart and do research but at the same time I feel like if I pick the wrong item/brand/style/color/whatever I might end up killing my kid. Also ridiculous, but what’s with reviews of baby stuff either being “I LOVE THIS!” or “This almost killed my baby, STAY AWAY!”? Dramatic much? More than enough to give this Mama-to-be some anxiety!

I Don’t Know How She Does It

2011-09-01T13:55:00.000-04:00

I have got a pair of free movie passes burning a hole in my pocket (for the past six months actually), but I didn’t have to pay for them I feel like I need to save them for something really, really good. And I’m thinking this might just be it.

Image Source

I’m guessing that the Hubs is going to be super excited. Ha! I am a Sarah Jessica Parker fan, and a woman who is constantly trying to figure out how to do it all. Plus I find myself giggling at the previews, always a good sign.

Anyone else excited for this one? Better yet, has anyone read the book? I’m debating downloading it to my Kindle before the movie comes out.

Outrageous.

2011-09-01T10:54:00.000-04:00

The pregnancy dreams are starting to get pretty out of control these days. Last night in the course of one dream I gave birth to a puppy that looked a lot like Bella. I freaked while Hubs calmly explained to me that it was ok because we were going to save a lot of money on diapers and wipes.

Then Hugh Heffner offered to let us borrow the original Playboy limo (think a 70’s-like limo with red leather and a disco ball, perfect for baby transport) to give us a ride home. Apparently we were pals since the mansion was located right down the street from our house. Right next to our town fire station, of course.

Like I said, out of control.

I’m An HP Convert...

2011-08-25T09:34:00.000-04:00

I think I might get flamed when I admit this but until recently I had never watched or read an entire Harry Potter movie or book. Yep, apparently I have been living under a rock. I guess I was just never really interested in the whole wizard thing. Then last week B suggested we take a break from my Thirty Before 30 goal of watching AFI’s Top 100 Movies (let’s be serious, some of the movies on that list are just downright boring) and check out what all the Hogwarts chatter was about.

So cute when they were little babies.. image via Google.

I am officially a fan. We have now seen all but the two most recent movie (the only ones my brother doesn’t own) and it only took us a little under a week to get through the first six. We were that hooked. I have dreams about butterbeer, I wish the stairs in my house moved, and I am ashamed to say I had no idea that Edward Cullen was a wizard before he was a vampire. Please tell me I am not the only one who jumped on the HP bandwagon late? Do you love (or hate) these kids and their magic powers?

Nursery Glider {Wish List Wednesday}

2011-08-24T09:20:00.000-04:00

I’ve been a little obsessed with planning the nursery for our little guy recently. Many hours have been dedicated to cleaning out what used to be the “junk room” (yep, we still have unpacked boxed almost a year after moving in..) as well as researching decor and furniture. And I have decided that in case our budget has a random thousand dollars left over I want this bad boy...

The Pottery Barn Kids Comfort Grand Swivel Glider, and if we are getting specific here I would like it in white. Unfortunately, the entire nursery budget is LESS than the price of this lovely glider, but a girl sure can dream! Oh, and both B and I have tested the chair out in the store for good measure, and it really is the most comfortable thing I have ever put my pregnant behind into.

{As with all products featured on Wish List Wednesday, I have received no compensation

to feature this item on the blog. My heart just went pitter-patter when I saw it.}

Barbie & Ken Get Hitched

2011-08-23T09:31:00.000-04:00

It’s no secret that I love weddings, and when I was little I more than once made Barbie and Ken get married (sometimes Barbie married G.I. Joe too, but that’s besides the point). So when I saw this recent post on Rock n Roll Bride, I had to share.

A French photographer not only put on the best Barbie wedding ever, but took some fantastic pictures that had me giggling for quite a while. My Barbie weddings were certainly never this chic! Click over to check out the entire fabulous little wedding.

Let’s Call This The “Before” {First Floor}

2011-08-22T11:23:00.001-04:00

I know I kind of left you hanging after my last post about our house (this little one about our master bedroom). I have wanted to write about our house since I started this blog, but I have been having trouble figuring out how to “kick things off”. I feel like it is hard to show you where we are going if you don’t really understand where we came from. So I’m backing up a bit and we are going to start with a tour of the first floor and move our way around, the way we first saw it. All the pictures are from either the website listing or our first walkthrough. Well, with the exception of this, which I made on FloorPlanner.com. You would think I have extra time on my hands or something..

It is hard to tell what a house looks like from a floor plan, so we can start at the front room, or what we refer to as our front porch. Its actually a three season room and not a porch, but it is mostly just a hot mess and needs a LOT of work. We have big plans for this room... eventually. What you can’t see is the paint that is chipping off the walls, or the windowsills that are rotting. It’s not a cute situation. This view is as if you walked in and looked to your right, and would go straight to go through the front door and down the hall.

When you walk through the front door you can either go straight down the hall back to the kitchen or office, up the stairs (which I loved the first moment I saw them) or right into the living room. Yep, that is one PEACH hallway. Peach halls + one million holes from one million pictures = repainting/spackling nightmare.

If you go right into the living room, this is your view. It reads a gold color in the picture but it was really more of a brown/orange that made me cringe a little. The door you see is just like the rest on the main level (and there are a lot), beautiful glass doors. Since you can’t get an open floor plan in a hundred and forty year old house, at least you get pretty doors.

What is now our dining room was what the previous owners were using as an office/den. It is a pretty narrow room, but actually fits a table nicely.

The door you can see in the picture goes back to the living room, and directly across from that is the door to our one and only bathroom. Yep, right off the dining room, what a fantastic location. Again I apologize for the awesome picture quality, but in case you can’t tell the bathroom was pink. Very pink. B was not a fan of the color, but we were both pretty excited about the size. Old houses normally mean small bathrooms.

If you back up and go into the kitchen this is your view. I love the kitchen, and did the moment I saw it. I loved how bright it was (with two huge windows on one wall and another small one above the sink) and immediately saw the potential of what it could become. B loved that it was twice as large as the last apartment kitchen we had, and that we could both be in it at the same time and not bump into each other.

If you walk through the kitchen towards the back of the house (or come in the front door and walk straight back all the way down the hall) you make it to the sunroom. I guess it really isn’t a sunroom, since it is four seasons but it has tons of windows so that’s what we called it originally. Now it is my office, and who knows what the previous owners used it as since it was empty by the time we walked through. These pictures are actually from our house warming party, we didn’t normally keep ten extra chairs in there. You also can’t see the twenty random holes in the back wall from who knows what. We should have bought stock in spackle before moving in.

Well there you have it, an in depth tour of our first floor with the bonus of all the previous owner’s furniture. I can’t wait to start showing you all the progress we have made so far, so many rooms have already come so far! Have you ever moved into a house/apartment that was completely not your style to start with? Where did you start?

Week 22 – Bump Watch 2011

2011-08-20T22:21:00.001-04:00

Random observances this week...

1. I’m pretty sure I grew a considerable amount this week. I mostly noticed it when I felt like I was tipping while wearing heals.

2. I have always kind of wondered what the bottom of my very deep belly button looked like. Turns out it isn’t very exciting, and I am now praying it doesn’t pop all the way out.

3. Short road trips are much more difficult when you have to stop and pee every few hours. Or when your husband hits a huge pot hole and you feel like you might pee your pants.

4. We have officially picked a name for our little dude. But we are waiting to share it publicly for now. No real reason for the big secret, just because we decided to be greedy with this one last detail.