I Did It!!!

This morning I started "running" again! I started running over a two years ago, but had to stop when I became pregnant with Gage. Needless to say, I was a little nervous about going this morning. We meet at 5am and I had to get up around 4:20 am in order to pump before going.

We did circuit which made it easier on me. Of course I was very winded and sore while running, but I was soooo proud when we finished! Although I hate running, it really does help me lose weight so I am hopeful that the weight will start falling off (if that's possible!!).

The only bad thing is that the kids didn't cooperate this am. Gage usually sleeps until at least 6:30-7:00 and Lilly gets up after 6:30. However, this morning Gage woke up at 5:30 and Lilly followed shortly thereafter. When I came home Carl was sitting in the recliner with Lilly on his lap and Gage taking a bottle in his arms. I felt so bad. Hopefully they will be better tomorrow!!

Aniversary and Vacation

This past week we traveled to Kud Jo Key for a weeks vacation with the kids. We enjoyed our time relaxing, fishing and even diving (saw two sharks!!). I actually got in a lot of reading and ate like a pig!!! While there Carl and I celebrated our 8th anniversary. Hard to believe it's been that long. We ate dinner in Key West and had our nephew (Anthony) as our sidekick. We all had fun together!!

I also had to include pics of the kids!

Where I've Been

So I have been absent from posting for a while, but I have a good excuse...a new baby!! Gage is already 12 weeks old and it's hard to believe. I was looking at pics when he was first born and he has really grown. Thankfully he's a really good baby with a great disposition. He loves to smile and is sleeping through the night (thanks to following Babywise)!!!!

And thankfully Lilly is adjusting well to being a big sister. There hasn't been any jealousy and she's really sweet to him and helpful to me!

We are enjoying our summer with pre-school looming in the not so distant future. I know Lily will enjoy it, but it still makes me sad...I am sure I will cry!

So, I look forward to blogging again, but can't promise how often!!!

Easter Pics

I know I haven't posted pics in a while, so here are some.

Lilly all dressed up for Easter Sunday.

My ever growing belly and Lilly.

Napping Dilemma

When I was first pregnant, Lilly was just about to change over to a "big girl" bed. But for naps I still wanted her caged in. The only problem, though, was that she would climb out. Since I was completely exhausted, all I wanted to do at nap time was sleep and I just couldn't bare to wait a half hour for her to fall asleep. So, I decided to take her to bed with me.

Now seven months later, we are still napping together. And while I absolutely love this time together, I am also worried how it will all work when the baby arrives. My concern is that I won't be able to take a nap each day with her and that she won't sleep by herself.

So my questions are: do I allow her to still sleep in my bed or make her sleep in her bed? I feel like I should at least make her sleep in her bed at least once a week, but then I just forget to do it! And let's be honest, I love sleeping with her (currently she likes to cuddle up against my back and fall asleep...so sweet!).

So, what should I do?!?

Baby Check-Up

Today I had another check-up. I just love my 5 minute check-ups where nothing has changed, I have no questions and it just seems pointless!!! I learned, though, today that my Iron is fine...very normal. I had it checked because I have been feeling really tired, but I can't blame my low energy on my Iron level. So I guess it's just the pregnancy!!

Thankful Tuesday's

Today I am thankful for my independent daughter, Lilly! Most of the time she is very good about entertaining herself and while it usually means she's creating a mess, at least she's good about not being under my feet. Lately she has been into playing in the water. Whether she tries to wash the dishes or just washes her entire body in the sink, she's obsessed! Most times I will let her play a while until the water starts flowing over the counter, then it's time to STOP!!

I am praying she will keep her independence up especially since #2 is coming in May!!

Feeling Really Tired

So I am not sure if I am just feeling sleep deprived or if I am entering a new baby phase, but either way, I am really TIRED! It seems I can't make it through the day without a little nap and then unfortunately that sleep keeps me up way too late!

Today my dd had a friend over. I thought (silly me!) that a friend would help keep her occupied and out of my hair...WRONG! While they were really good together, it just simply meant that I had two kids to attend to. They both needed this or that and every time I was turning around I was doing something different. So needless to say, I got nothing accomplished and felt miserably tired the entire morning!

Thank goodness for my afternoon naps, although I am still feeling rather tired! But I guess that's just life!! Just think, in a couple of months I won't be getting any sleep at al:) Better enjoy these last couple of months!

Tigger-Pooh Bear

So my daughter has found a new friend...a large Pooh Bear. She calls it her Tigger-Pooh Bear. She also told him today that he's her "Best friend in the whole world." The funny thing about this Pooh Bear is that it was a gift from a boyfriend WAY back in High School. It has been shoved in a drawer for a couple of years and I just came across it and thought Lilly might like it!

It's just funny how something that meant so much to me at one time, now means so much to my daughter!!

Thankful Tuesday's

Today I am thankful for modern technologies! I just started using a Sprint Aircard which allows me to use my computer wherever I am! I love this concept because it's a little cheaper than the service I am currently using and it also allows me to utilize my time!

On Tuesdays my daughter takes two dance classes. Since she's only 2.5 years so I always sit and wait for her (we have to change shoes in between classes!) which means I sit for 1.5 hours. But now that I am using the Aircard, I can bring my computer along with me and get work done while I wait! I just love this concept because now my time at home can be used for other things...like cleaning!!!

Bragging!

Before having kids I swore I would never be one of those moms that bragged about how smart their kids were. I just found it to be so annoying! But now that I have a little one, I just can't help myself. I really do try not to brag that much, but I thought I would share how amazed I am with my little one!

Lilly is almost 3 (so sad!) and we love to read together. One of our favorite author's is Sandra Boynton. I love her books because they are short, have cute rhyming stories, and the animals are so cute. I think Lilly likes them because they are easy to memorize!

Our new favorite book is What's Wrong Little Pookie? After reading the book only a couple of times, Lilly knows the title and even tries to read it to me! With most of the other Boynton books, she can finish each sentence (because we've read them that much!). It just makes me so proud of her!!

So, if you don't have any Boynton books, be sure to get them all! They are the best!!

Thankful Tuesday's

I just posted on our 4FabMom blog that I am thankful to my friend for initiating our ebay contest.

Several months ago my friend, Kim, challenged us to sell as much as we could on ebay for one month. The results were amazing and I even won! The better news, though, was that I finally forced myself to learn how to list and sell on ebay and I haven't been able to stop!

I've been bitten by the ebay bug and I love it. I guess I just appreciate the fact that I can sell things from my house that I would otherwise give away and make a little money back on it. And while listing my items is a little time consuming, I also enjoy the process!!

If you're in need of some cute girls clothing, be sure to check out my items: 1plumbher is my name.

Thankful Tuesday's

This past weekend I traveled to Charleston, SC to surprised my college roommate, Jessica. Her husband and mom set the whole thing up and she had no clue! I hadn't seen Jess in 5 years and it had been too long. So when I received the email invite, I knew I had to go!

Our other roommate, Lindsey, also came to surprise Jess as well as another close friend, Abby. We all hadn't been together in 6 years so you can only imagine all the fun we had.

The amazing part was that it seemed like we had always been together. We have all stayed close through the years (thanks to email and cell phones!) but it was super fun being together again. And since 3 of us are mommies, we had so many more things to talk about. Of course we did our share of reminiscing and laughing so hard our stomachs hurt, but it was also fun just sharing about being a mom! Our poor friend, Abby, who is neither married or has kids, learned a whole lot!!!



















Birthday girl, Jess














Girls Night Out!! (Jess, Abby, Me, & Lindsey)














Spotted, Lucy Liu at the Charleston Airport!!














Amazing! We also saw Jennifer Aniston!

Jessica's adorble son, Austin!

Christmas Trees Don't Sink!

Before I explain my whole learning experience, I have to first give you a little background!!

This morning, my hubby made me mad. And it just wasn't a "I'm mad and I'll get over it." Oh no, it was more like "I mad and I'm going to get even." I mean he really pissed a 6 month pregnant women off and I thought he ought to know it!!

Back to the tree!! After Christmas my dh removed our tree and wreath and promptly dropped in our flowerbed in front of our house (I should mention that there aren't any flowers in the bed since our dogs have destroyed it!). So for the past month I have been watching the tree turn various shades of dead! I've mentioned it to him several times, but it was still there this morning.

So, I thought I would take matters into my own hands and I dragged the tree and wreath over to our pond. One of my friends suggested that the tree would make a nice sanctuary for the fish, so I thought "Why not!" Well after prompting dumping it in the water, I quickly discovered that it wasn't sinking. At first I really didn't care. Hey, at least it was moved!! But then my mother-in-law came down and told that as the tree decomposed, it would create a fungus in our pond and that it had to be removed. So she removed the tree...since I am prego, she wouldn't let me get it out.

So the tree and wreath are again in my yard, but I've decided that I will burn it. Of course it's been raining today, so I will have to wait until it's dry. But at least I have a plan!!! Burn baby, burn!!!

Thankful Tuesday's

In following the 4 FabMoms Thankful Tuesday's, here is my post!

Tonight our niece, Kassie, was in a Jr. Miss Pageant and was not only 2nd Runner Up, but also won Miss Photogenic! It was a great time and I was so thankful we could be there to support her. She had a really large cheering section and it was so cool to hear everyone cheering, especially all of her friends from school and youth group!!

Way to go, Kassie!!

Disney on Superbowl Sunday

I know this post is rather dated, but with life being so hectic, oh well:)

About a year ago I heard on the radio that a great time to visit Disney World was on Superbowl Sunday. The caller said there were no lines and hardly any people. So since we have the yearly passes, I logged this into my memory and reminded my husband of it a couple of weeks ago.

Well, the caller must have been calling on April Fool's Day and I missed the punch line! We arrived an hour after opening and my first clue should have been the parking. But we had made the almost 2 hour drive, so we were going in! The lines just to get in were rather long and that wasn't a good sign. After fighting the crowds, we finally made it to Dumbo (since that line is ALWAYS long) only to find a 30 minute wait. So I stayed in line with my dh and dd had three buckets of popcorn (and I'm not kidding). 45 minutes later we finally got on our 2 minute Dumbo ride...at least my dd was happy.

Next we went over to It's A Small World...thinking that the lines are never long. WRONG! At this point my dh says "Forget it, we are leaving" and we start to head out. Then our dd says, "But I want to see the pirates." So off we go, fighting the crowds again only to discover the line outside and weaving for Pirates Of The Caribbean. Now, I have to tell you, I have been to Disney more times than I can count and I have NEVER seen a line like that. So after seeing that line, I agreed it was time to go and we left.

Our poor dd was heartbroken, though. But at least we have the passes and are going back this week...my fingers are crossed:)

Favorite Rituals with Your Kids

I am participating in a contest for one of my favorite blogs, Preschool Activities Everyday.

My favorite ritual with my daughter is right before nap time and bed time. We always crawl into bed together and read some books. I love it because it's time that just the two of us spend time together and I also know how important it is for me to read to her. It's been fun, as well, to see her memorize some of the words as we read some books over and over again!

I certainly hope that this ritual will stick for many years to come!!

Thankful Tuesday's

In following the Thankful Tuesday blog posts from the 4FabMoms, I too wanted to share what I am thankful for!

It's sad to admit, but every Tuesday I have to think long and hard about what I am thankful for. So weeks it' easier than others, but sometimes I really have to think! Plus, I try to think of simple things to to be thankful for and that's not always easy!

So today, I am thankful to my husband for weed whacking our yard last night. It has been needing it for about a month now and finally I said something. So he came home early last night (which means before 7pm!!!) and just did it. I was totally shocked and thrilled at the same time:) Now the yard looks so much better, but just has to be mowed (the only down side to living in FL...you have to mow year round!).

Thanks, honey:)

I.C.E. In Your Phone?

So perhaps I am the LAST person on earth to hear of I.C.E., but I thought I would still blog about it! The other night my sis, Kate, told me about putting I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency) numbers in your phone. At first I thought she was going to tell me about some new device they've come out with, but I was pleasantly surprised with what she told me! It is recommened that you have emergency contact numbers in your phone in case you're ever in accident and can't make a phone call. She said that it takes authorities an average of 5 hours to contact family. So, if you have reprogrammed an I.C.E. number, then they will know who to call immediately!

So, I guess this is one more thing I've learned this week and one more thing to add to my "to do" list. And if you haven't done it already, I encourage you to enter an ICE number into your cell and talk to your friends and family about it as well!

Thankful Tuesday's

I am following along with the 4FabMoms Thankful Tuesday's. It's been a fun following along! Today I am thankful for our big yard! I know it sounds funny, but I am! We have 5 acres with the 5 adjacent acres that are owned by my in-laws. So pretty much we live on a compound!!! The nice thing about it, though, is that there is no traffic on our private road and therefore, I feel really safe about my daughter being outside. Although she's too young to be outside all the time by herself, I will occasionally let her play in the sandbox on her own while I look on from the house.

While I do miss living in a neighborhood, it is nice to have lots of land where it's always peaceful and quite! And there's lots or room to play and roam! So, there you have it, I am thankful for our big yard!!!

A New Blog

The 4 Fab Moms are at it again! We have started another blog (Family-Fun-Time) centered around family fun activities. This blog will coincide with our Family-Fun-Time website and will give weekly ideas on fun activities, recipes, and other ideas to inspire family togetherness.

We are super excited about our new adventure and hope that you will join us!

A Cool Find

My friend, Rebekah, has been telling me about this cool club online, but as always, I have put off looking into it! It's called The Brands Club and it's an online club that has over 250+ stores you can shop in and receive discounts. Stores like Gap, Old Navy, Babies R Us, Toys R Us and so many more!

I have several baby showers coming up and she sent me an email reminding me to buy online (since we don't have a Babies R Us close to us) through The Brands Club. Not only it is free to join, but I made 5% back on my purchase. It's not a ton, but at least it's more than I would have made if I hadn't joined!

Another great incentive is that once you join, you can refer your friends and if 5 join, you make $5. It's simple, free, and so easy! So check it out today. And if you sign up, please be sure to use my Membership Code so I will get credit: BC04275. Many Thanks!!

A Fun Magazine for Kids!

If your kids are anything like mine, they absolutely love to get mail. Everyday my dd looks forward to getting the mail and seeing if there is anything for her (I usually just give her my junk mail and that seems to keep her content!).

Last year for her birthday, Lilly received a great gift, Wild Animal Baby. It's a monthly magazine full of great pictures, stories and more. She loves getting her magazine each month and we read it over and over again!

So, if you're looking for a unique and inexpensive gift, you should check Wild Animal Baby out!

Manners, Are They Important?

So I was reading an article today in my Cookie Magazine that was talking about manners. The author had some very insightful points and thoughts. Like, are all manners really necessary or pertinent to our lifestyle. She used the example of breaking bread rather than chomping into it. Her thought was perhaps breaking the bread was done eras ago for some health reason (looking for mold or bugs!!) and perhaps it was never meant as a manner at all.

While I appreciated her thoughts, I still walked away with the feeling that she doesn't place as much emphasis on manners as I would and do require. I was raised with manners and have always prided myself on being well mannered. I think it's polite and shows that you have some sophistication if you use manners. And since I cringe whenever I don't hear a child use "please" or "thank-you" I have instilled these manners in my toddler. Of course I will teach her more as she grows up, but for the time being, it's just the simple manners that I require!

And since we live in the south, I do require my dd to use "sir" and "ma'am." My mother cringes when she hears this, but it's something that I have grown to realize is important in our little hill-billy town (okay, we're not that bad!!). There just seems to be a difference in the kids that are required to say it vs. those that aren't. And since it's polite, well, my dd is required to say it! Plus, right now it's really cute coming from a two and half year old!!

So, I was wondering, do you find manners to be important and if so, what do you require of you kids? And do you find a difference in kids that are well mannered vs. those who are not? Looking forward to your comments!!!

Thankful Tuesday's

The 4 Fab Moms post a weekly segment on thankfulness. Since I think it's so important to be thankful for everything we have in life, I thought I would tag along and use it here on my blog as well!

Enjoy!! Thankful Tuesday's.