Dancing

Well, I meant to post on Nickel's birthday, this past Tuesday, but the day got away from me and not in a good way. Unfortunetely, my little guy has been feeling under the weather and I'm working hard to get him better for his FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY THIS SATURDAY! I put this all in caps, because I'm super excited. Of course, his theme is "Yo Gabba Gabba"...because that show makes him smile and dance! I love to see my baby boy dance! We dance every single day.

One time I had a friend named Devorah. She was such an earthly and hippie soul and I loved hanging out with her. I was probably 16 and she was probably 20. She had a little boy, named Josh, and one day when I went to see her, she was holding her 1 mth old baby and dancing to Fleetwood Mac. She had such a free flowing happiness and I remember just watching her and her baby boy and feeling her love for him. Whenever Nicholas and I dance, I often think of her, because I feel that love. It's a special time we have and Nicholas has developed such a love for music.

I just thought I would share.

Red Bugs or Red Skin?

I notice frequently that there are ladybugs in my bathroom. Of course, we've all heard how ladybugs are good luck, so I never shoo them away. They don't bother me....I don't bother them. So, today I decided to look up a few ladybug myths. I didn't realize there were so many. I found this site and if you scroll down, you can read all sorts of ladybug superstitions from all over the world. Why can't a ladybug mean luck? It sounds good to me.

Also, here is a tip that I recently read:
"You should moisturize your skin after a hot shower, within 3 minutes of getting out of the shower. That is when your skin is most acceptable to the qualities of the lotion to lock in the moisture."

This made sense, but I had never thought about it. I often use lotion, but sometimes don't get around to it until after I've done the hair or make-up. Since I read this, I've been moisturizing as soon as I towel off and I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin! It's not drying out like it normally does. Of course, if you tend to have dry skin, you'll want a good lotion. I've been using Moisture Therapy by Avon. It's affordable and really works. I always thought it was too "heavy", but since I've been using it straight out of the shower, my skin soaks up the lotion and it leaves it feeling soft...not greasy.

That's my thoughts for the day. =)

The Ramblings of a Tired Woman

I felt like I should "check in" and write a little bit....although, I have not much to say.

Tonight, I made Chicken Fried Steak for the first time. It is very labor intensive. It turned out ok. Joy and Mike liked it, alot! But, you know...you're always your own worst critic. I see lots of room for improvement.....but somehow, I feel like I've earned a star or something for trying something out of the box for me and succeeding at such a feat. I remember when my idea of cooking was Hamburger Helper (which I know REFUSE to eat!)...or sausage, green beans and new potatoes (which is STILL a favorite of Joy's!!!). So, somehow Chicken Fried Steak, is a whole other level! Yea me!

I start back to school tomorrow. I'm taking Medical Terminology and Anatomy. I REALLY need to make good grades this semester to keep pumping up my GPA. I need it to be as high as I can get it, for when I apply for nursing school. After this semester, the only class I lack for nursing pre-reqs is Microbiology. I'm getting CLOSER!!

Nicholas is so super cute. Tonight, Joy and I were trying to coach him to walk and instead, he would rather dance! So, he just stands there and moves back and forth and up and down and dances! It's hilarious! He LOVES music. He ALWAYS has! Maybe it was the music we played in his room when we brought him home as an infant? Classical. He loves it!

This was a GREAT weekend. Real quality time with my kids and hubby. It was a good way to end my Holiday break (from school), especially since it didn't start out very good with medical stuff consuming my entire month of December.

I'm excited about this week, because I'm going to go shopping and finish up purchases for N's 1st b-day party and get his present.

Well, enough rambling . . . I'm sleepy . . .*yawn*

Goodnight!

Momma, Hold me all the time, please. - Nicholas (if he could talk)

Webster's definition of separation anxiety is = a form of anxiety by a young child (8 to 14 mths old) and is caused by the separation of the child and the significant nurturing figure in the child's life. Mainly a mother. And/or from their familiar surroundings.

MY definition is =

- when my child follows me from room to room like a puppy

- when my child pulls on my pants leg, as I'm standing at the sink, preparing dinner and/or doing the dishes and won't allow me to take a step without him clinging on

- when I'm sitting in church service and about 20 minutes into it, my baby beeper goes off. I go to the nursery, only to see my son SCREAMING....and when I pick him up, he immediately stops, looks the nursery workers and smiles

- when I get up to go to the restroom during the day and all of a sudden he realizes I have left the room, and has a COMPLETE meltdown


Nicholas's way of dealing with separation anxiety is even better . . . he just decides to glue himself to me and won't let me put him down at all. Unfortunately for him, this only works for brief moments during the day....because at some point, I DO HAVE TO PUT HIM DOWN!

Ahhh...the joys of motherhood!

I have been blessed by being able to stay home with my baby boy and being his care provider and I'm enjoying our bonding and one on one time together. But for everyone's sake (his future teachers included), he WILL be in a preschool program when he is the right age. He will benefit from a structured environment with socialization and will be better prepared for school, when the times comes.

And maybe by then, I'll be able to sit through the entire service at church or even get to go to the bathroom in peace every once and awhile. =)

A Day to Celebrate Love...aww or ugh?

After chatting with my friend, Britta, today and reading a few pages of my Feb. issue of Rachel Ray, I'm reminded....Valentines Day is coming. The day that men LOVE to show off when courting you, but as soon as you have the ring....the complaining begins. "Valentines is so commercialized......I thought you said you didn't like getting flowers.....I didn't think you would want chocolates, since your dieting......The restaurants are too crowded.....this holiday is just for women...blah, blah, blah." Come on, ladies...we've heard them all.

Well, 2009 opened my eyes alot on the important things in life. Kinda HAD to be creative with a tighter budget, one income and baby expenses. I can't remember what we did last Valentines Day. I know we didn't go out. Nicholas would have been less than a month old. I probably just asked for an hour of sleep.....haha.

Anyways, Rachel Ray has quite a few good tips in her magazine and I've been inspired. Yummy homemade dinners, love letters, love songs, etc. I think we will celebrate Valentines on a MORE CREATIVE NOTE this year....love letters, hand made cards, or favors for each other. After all, cards eventually get tossed away, flowers die, chocolates just add the pounds. I'm inspired to do something different this year. So, I think I'll challenge the hubby with a very low budget for each of us (just in case we need construction paper...hehe) and see who can be the most creative.

Sounds good to me! Guess all I need to do know is let the hubby know the game plan and start thinking about what I'll make/do/give hubby for the upcoming day of LOVE!

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

"A true friend is someone who thinks you are a good egg, even though he knows that you are slightly cracked."

-Benard Meltzer

I have been blessed with such beautiful friendships in my life. These are two people who are very special to me, My Jen Jen and My Head aka Heather. These girls have seen me cracked, splattered and squashed! Yet, they think I'm a good egg! I love you, girls!

Happy Plate!

Like I mentioned before, my blog will sometimes be pretty random. Along the way, I will share my love for cooking and new things I try. Since I married in 2007, I've become quite a good cook. If you need proof . . see pics of my hubby's tummy. . . lol! I LOVE trying new recipes. Over the past couple of years, I've inherited and bought several good cookbooks, but the best thing I've come across is this site. I have found some of the BEST recipes here! My favorite thing to do is to find a recipe and read the reviews, to know how to "tweak" it. It also has a search feature where you can search and narrow down recipes for what you have ingredients for. That feature has come in handy and time or two, when I didn't feel like making a trip to the store, but was at a loss of what to make for dinner. I also get ideas on creating my own recipes.

Tonight I tried a new marinade on some pork chops. It was delicious! I did make twice the amount of marinade and marinaded the pork chops all day. Then I added minced onions and garlic salt, cooked covered with foil at 350 for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I made a second batch of the marinade (doubled). After it cooked thirty minutes, I took them out, drained the juice, and basted with the new batch of marinade, cooked covered again for another 20 minutes. Then removed foil and broiled for about 5 minutes to help "attach" the marinade. It was WONDERFUL! I wish we had extra for leftovers, but the family ate it all up! Overall, I think this is a wonderful marinade for future uses as well....I'm thinking chicken next time! YUM!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

I told Santa Claus one of my goals for 2010 was to learn how to make soap. Fortunately for me, my Mother-in-law has a direct line to Santa....check out my loot! I'm SO excited about this new hobby! I've made a little list of things I need to get, which are mainly supplies from the dollar store. Kitchen type supplies that can JUST be used for soap making.

This was in my new book "Soaps" by Elaine Stavert:

Why we love soaps

Splashing with water, creating a lather
A natural soap; I know I would rather!
By making my own for family and friends,
A luxurious time I know they will spend.

With recipes fashioned to soften and soothe,
And exotic aromas, inspiring the mood
For an evening relaxing, an ideal aim
After working all day or a tennis game.

Present all your loved ones with gorgeous soap
And encourage the children to bathe (you hope!)
So that house in the bath may now be spent
With sumptuous bars in your favorite scent.

Use an artistic palette of imagination
To mould and to shape a unique creation
In the shades of a rainbow or kaleidoscope
You too will find out why we love making soap!


I'm also looking forward to including my fresh herbs in my soaps. Plus, we're going to a new Ren Fest Faire in February, where I can stock up on essential oils at a good price! Overall, I think this will be a fun and affordable hobby. I'll keep everyone posted when I begin and a look at some of my finished products!

For the Love of Books

Lately I've been contemplating the purchase of an eReading device (such as a Kindle or Nook). I've done my research and asked just about everyone I know their opinion on this new technology. It seems so cool to me to have all this information right at your fingertips! Anyone I know who has one, raves about it!

So, last night I'm laying in bed, curled up with my book and I started thinking about my love for books. To me, there is nothing more relaxing than being nestled in your warm bed with a good read. You drift off away from your reality and for minutes to hours, you're somewhere else....anywhere you want to be. You're a part of another story....one that isn't yours, but at the time you're so engrossed in the plot, you become a character or a fly on the fall watching it all unfold. It's magical.

Last year when I decided to stay home with my little one, my bookstore trips to Barnes and Noble and online with amazon.com, was one of the sacrifices (there were many) that I had to give up. I frequented the bookstore often and sometimes had very expensive trips. My husband had to "nicely" remind me we did have a library and if all else fails an occasional trip to Half Price Books was ok. So, I rolled my eyes, grabbed my purse and headed for the library to renew my long expired library card.

As soon as I walked into the library, I was captivated. I remembered the familiar smell of old books and musty air. I remembered how solitude felt in the peace and quiet. I remembered my love of a good book and I was surrounded by them.

When I renewed my card, I was told they have an online system for searching and requesting holds on books and I was excited. So, from my home, I can search a book and request it to be held for me. Then, when I am notified, I can swing by the library to pick it up. Take it home, read and return....at no cost. It's like borrowing from a friend. It's free. It's easy. It's like knowledge RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!

When I thought about this last night, as I was reading . . . I knew now was not a time in my life for an eReading device. How could I give up my bi-weekly trips to the library? How would I justify the expense when I currently read for FREE? How will I share my love for reading with my kids, by being hovered over a "mini-computer" reading....what looks to them like any other device...a phone, a laptop. They need to SEE me hold a book. They need to understand the joys of falling in love with a story/character and being so engrossed in a novel, that you can't wait to get back to it. They need to experience having all that information at their fingertips!!!

So, for now, I will continue reading my lovely, musty, comfortable books with spines and that makes me HAPPY!

So, I'm starting a blog . . . not sure if anyone is interested, but it might be a fun way to spill out my whimsical thoughts. I'm not planning on any sort of specific blog. Instead, I think I'll just write about my day/week or whatever is on my mind. Some days it might be a deep thought and other days it might be the most random thing you've ever heard, but in a nutshell, that's ME! I'm genuine and flighty at the same time.

For a bit of background, I'm a mother of two children (11yrs and 11mths) and one step-daughter (17). I've been remarried since June 2007. I'm a new stay-at-home mom, since my son was born. That was a tough decision for me, but in the end, it's enabled me to go back to school to pursue my long term goal of becoming a nurse. I'm lucky to have a supportive husband who believes in this goal and encourages and supports me to reach it!

Anyways....enough...blah...blah...blah....because I'm assuming most of you already know the details of my life and if you don't...then you can just ask.

Today I think I'll make a list of things that I'm looking forward to over the next couple of months (January thru February)

1. My son will turn 1 on January 26! Wow. Time flew. We're planning a Yo Gabba Gabba Birthday at my house for a few family and friends to come celebrate his big day!

2. The release of the movie, "The Lovely Bones". I'm currently reading the book and I'm interested to see how the movie relates. Of course, I've already heard that the book is SOOOOO much better (as is most of the time the case).

3. I'm anxious for classes to begin again. I would love to say I've enjoyed the break, but unfortunately health issues have eaten up all my down time....so, I'm ready for routine again.

4. I'm ready to put the Christmas stuff UP! I love the decor, but when it's over . . . it's OVER!

5. My daughter will turn 12 on February 26th! We'll celebrate her birthday at the new Ren Faire outside of Austin. It's the first year and opening weekend, so we're excited to "get in on ground level and watch it either succeed or fail" (hubby's words).
http://www.sherwoodforestfaire.com/index.htm

6. Date night with hubby. Our new years resolution (well one of them) was to go on a date each month, EVERY month! If money is tight, it's a cheap date...McDonalds or something....but we HAVE to go on a date every month! I think it's important to get alone time with your spouse and sometimes life gets so busy, that is something that gets pushed on the back burner.

7. I believe my son will be walking in the next couple of weeks/month. He already takes a few steps before lunging forward toward me. The other night, he took FIVE steps to his Dad. So, anytime now! When we're all feeling better, we're headed to Brown's shoe store for his first pair of shoes! He has Fred Flintstone feet, so far none of the shoes he got for Christmas fit him!

8. I'm planning on getting a Henna tattoo at the Austin Ren Faire. oh yeah.

9. I'm learning how to make soap.

10. .......hmmmmm...why does my list need a #10......it's ok to end with #9. haha


Well, that's it for now. I'll be back soon with an interesting story/topic or just random quirkiness.