Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Why Can't I Just Jump In?

I definitely classify myself as technologically challenged. Yes, I can use a computer--obviously. Mostly only for it's basic uses. Uploading photos, using the internet, word documents--those sorts of things. For some reason even though I have grown up with technology--like always had a computer in my home--it was never huge interest to me and I never delved too far into learning everything I could.

Fast forward to now and I still like to only do the basics. However, getting into blogging has kind of opened me up to a lot of the possibilities of utilizing technology. It kind of intimidates me though. I don't ever really want to be all-consumed by social media which I think can very easily happen in today's world. I have a Facebook. I have a Twitter. I have a blog. I am not obsessive about any of these accounts though. It's like I am on the edge.  I could just jump. But I don't.

Source: alsc.ala.org via Cathy on Pinterest


Intimidating right?!

It seems like so many bloggers build such a network and community by utilizing these media outlets and I don't. It's like I just can't bring myself to put it all together. Sometimes I blame it on my phone. I got my first smart phone last fall. When I asked my husband if a Blackberry is a smartphone he answered with, "Well, do you think it's very smart?" My answer was no. I think if I had a more user friendly phone I may be able to get it all going in the right direction but then I question that.

I already check my Facebook quite often on my phone. I read blogs quite often throughout the day. I do have a newish baby who sleeps and I am home a lot so that could be why. It is also winter. The computer is really easy to play on during the winter. I don't ever want to be someone who let's social media take over her life. There has to be a balance. For a lot of these women, though, blogs are their jobs and getting the blog out there through Facebook and Twitter is important. Who knows if I will ever get to that point {I think I may have to blog daily and with interesting substance for that to be the case} but if I do I want balance for sure. My husband goes away to work everyday and I don't ever want it to be the case that I am putting social media before him in the evenings or on weekends.

As I have pointed out, though, I am really no where near these points. I guess I am just curious what will ever tip me over the edge. I feel like it all interests me, I just don't know how to get going. Or jump. I really respect a couple of ladies who started their blogs long after me and have grown them, jumped into the social media world with both feet and haven't looked back.

I guess it's kind of like starting a new job. Or a new school. It sounds fun and interesting--I just have to do it.

What made you take the plunge? What do you love about social media and what do you hate? What is your favorite source--Facebook, Twitter, solely blogging? Does any of this even make sense?!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

I've Been Tagged


Twice. I have seen this blog post going around and I was tagged by two ladies, Katie and Whit. I was tagged awhile back and feel a little bad that I haven't gotten around to this but now I am. 

The Rules
1. You must post the rules.
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4. Tag eleven people and link them on your post
5. Let them know you've tagged them!

Facts About Me:
1. I was a Junior Olympic Champion in karate when I was 8 years old.
2. I've never seen Star Wars or Jurassic Park and my husband wishes he would have known that before he married me...
3. I am not very good with anything having to do with technology. In fact, I think technology is out to get me--you know, computers, cell phones, the cable box, etc.
4. I traveled to Europe and enjoyed all my time there during the daylight. I was a basket case at night.
5. I met my husband while we were neighbors in our dorm in college.
6. I would love to have my own restaurant.
7. I had seven jobs within seven years of working for the same company.
8. I believe in attachment parenting
9. I think I am a lot nicer and more accepting than I was in high school. I don't think I was intentionally rude or not accepting, I just think I have grown up a lot.
10. Along those lines, I think people can mistake my shyness/quietness for rudeness. I wish I could change that about myself. I was once told by a manager at a job that when I am not smiling I look mad and that I need to smile more. I had never been told that, consciously worked on it and he made sure to tell me how much of a difference it made. I now smile more. I was never unhappy, I just wasn't always smiling. Amazing the little things that can make a difference. 
11. I would love to be a teacher but am a little nervous that I would go to school, start the job and not like it. I also think the profession has changed so much due to standardized testing. Hence the fact that we do consider homeschooling our child/ren. I guess time will tell if this will be the right thing for our family. 

I decided that since I was tagged from two people I am going to answer the first 5 questions that each of them asked.

Katie's First 5:
{1.} If you could go anywhere tomorrow, where would you go? If I could bring my baby with me and it wouldn't be a challenge I would definitely hop the next flight to Hawaii. I haven't been since I graduated college and I love it there. Some heat and sun would definitely do me some good.
{2.} Why did you start your blog? I had read other blogs and thought I could start one to record our day to day life, recipes, crafts, etc.
{3.} Whose your favorite Disney Character? I would have to say Aladdin.
{4.} What's your biggest pet peeve? As of right now it is going to bed with dishes in the sink. I know, silly.
{5.} How many pets do you have? A yellow lab named Holly.

Whit's First 5: (Actually I skipped the first because it is question # 2 of Katie's)
What is something that the your blog followers would be surprised to know about you? I probably have to stick with fact #1 about myself and being a gold medalist at the Junior Olympics. I know it was only when I was 8 years old, but not many people can say this about themselves. I was a very dedicated athlete and still get sad sometimes that I gave up karate for "cooler" sports like soccer and softball. I totally understand why athletes of sports like gymnastics, ballet, karate, etc. feel isolated because it is so fun to do team sports with other people especially when you are at the age where you want to be social. Needless to say, that was a fun time in my life.

If your life was a sitcom, which one would it be? Why? A sitcom. Hm. Well, maybe right now I would say the new show "Up All Night" because we just had a baby. We are kind of reversed roles though because I stay home but I like to think Ben and I are kind of quirky, sarcastic, joking with each other a lot. We are learning about this whole "new parent thing" just like the couple in that show. And, of course I'm just as stylish as Christina Applegate in the show, right?!

If you won the lottery, what would you do with the winnings? I always feel like this is a hard question because I feel like if you don't answer with "give some to charity or sharing with friends and family" you sound selfish. So, I will just say that I would definitely give some away--hard to say how much because I don't know how much I've won ;)--and then I think Hub and I would want to buy a piece of land, try to start our own business and, obviously, put some away or invest because we are practical and rational like that.

If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? Right now, my superpower would be to grow another set of arms when I need them. Let's face it, my reality right now is being a mom so even if I was a superhero mom, there are just times when it would be pretty darn handy to have two more hands!

If you could sit down and have dinner with ANYONE (alive or dead) who would it be? Why? This may surprise some people but I will say my mom's dad--my grandpa who is no longer with us. I only met him when I was little so I don't remember him. My mom always talks about him like he was a great dad to her so I think it would be really nice to get to know him a little better. 

I Am Tagging:

Kaitlyn {just us.}

Questions for you Ladies:
1. Why did you start your blog?
2. Who is your biggest blog crush and why?
3. What is your favorite go-to meal to cook and where did you learn it?
4. Where is your favorite vacation spot you have been and who were you with?
5. What is your biggest accomplishment over the past five years?
6. What is your opinion on social media (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, blogging)--do you love it, hate it, think it's out of control, etc.?
7. What is your favorite memory as a child?
8. If you had a whole day to yourself, to do anything you wanted, what would you do? 
9. What is a trait about yourself that you are most proud of?
10. What is your husband's favorite meal that you cook?
11. If you could go back and change one thing about your wedding what would it be?

Disclaimer: This post took me awhile to get around to so don't feel back if that is the case with you as well. We are all busy ladies but I do think this is a fun post and a way to get to know each other a little better!



Monday, February 6, 2012

2 Months


Dear Miss Eleanor Grace,

You turned 2 months old on February 1st. You are truly the light of my life. With the month of January came a lot of alone time for you and I due to your dad's work schedule. I feel as if we got to know each other very well and settled into a bit of a routine. A routine that of course would have bumps here and there wasn't anywhere near being set but a slight routine nonetheless.

In your fifth week of life I was delighted to experience a smile. I remember it as if it were yesterday. You and I had come out of the bedroom in the morning and were sitting on the couch together and I began "clicking" my tongue and you smiled. It melted my heart. It seems as though you never looked back after that smile because you are smiling often now. A couple of weeks after that, I began hearing you "talk." The sweet coo's that come from you are enough to brighten even the darkest winter day here. Instead of your head just "going" on my shoulder, you will now snuggle up on your own and also give a couple of "squeezes" with your hand. You are still a snuggler and love being near Momma and Dad or sleeping on our chests.

You are still sleeping in our bed and we tried a couple of naps in your crib but they didn't last long. We usually wake for the day around 8 a.m. and you go quite crazy when I let you out of your swaddle. You love kicking your legs, swinging your arms all around, smiling and talking in the morning. Usually you will be awake for about an hour at that time, will take about a thirty minute nap and wake to eat. This all varies a little depending on when you ate last in the early morning. You will then be awake for another hour or two and the past couple weeks have been taking about a two hour nap mid-day. This was an adjustment for Momma because I would wonder when you were going to wake up! We then go about our day the same way, you being awake for an hour or two, eating and taking thirty minute cat-naps for the rest of the day. We have been going in the bedroom about nine o'clock and you are usually asleep by ten. You usually have a 4-5 hour sleep stretch (there has been one 6 hour), eat, another 3-4 hour stretch, eat and another 2-3 hour stretch. We have been just fine with this sleeping schedule.

Another exciting event of this month is that we got you into your cloth diapers. I think we began using them just after you turned 6 weeks old. I like them a lot and you appear to as well. The only crazy thing about them is that they took you from newborn size clothes to three month clothes in a lot of outfits. You are in some 0-3 month sizes but for pants and such you definitely have to wear three month. It is a little sad. I was especially sad when I realized that even if you weren't wearing cloth diapers you had outgrown the newborns and I put them away. We saw your pediatrician today and you weigh 11 lbs. 8 oz. and are 22.5 inches long. You are a growing girl! We also had two shots and an oral vaccine--none of which you cared for. It made me so sad to see you cry like that but you recovered quickly, ate a little bit and fell asleep.

You continue to be such a happy baby enjoying your bath, the carseat, your playmat and tummy time, going for walks in your stroller and generally liking people. We have experienced you being a bit upset in the evenings but I think it may be because you get a little bit over-tired. I want to try putting you to bed earlier and seeing if that helps.

I also have experienced a big change this month in that everyday I feel a little bit more confident as your Momma. I know you better than anyone, we do everything together throughout the day and just the look you give me lets me know that I am doing things right.

You had many playdates this month because you have so many friends that are close to your age. I think as the months go by, playdates with continue to evolve and it will be so fun to watch you and your friends grow together.

We all continue to learn, as parents, as a family and of course you as a baby. This month you turned into an infant, not just a newborn. We love you so much and couldn't be more blessed with you in our life.

Love,
Momma

Friday, February 3, 2012

Sunny Day Randoms

I know. I had to put "sunny" in my title because in our part of the world, it is a beautiful, February day that I have to celebrate and acknowledge!

First and foremost it is truly amazing what a little Vitamin D does for the mood, soul, skin, hair, etc. Okay, maybe a little carried away but this girl is getting a little tired of the short, dark days so I love a little brightness in my life. I also love introducing my baby girl to one of my favorite things--Mr. Sunshine!
Source: etsy.com via Allyce on Pinterest


It is so fun having friends with babies. We can get together and not feel weird about staring at our babies. Or being a little distracted because you are paying more attention to your baby than the friend you are visiting with. Swapping stories, advice or even some weird emotions you may be having is also nice.


It has been a long time coming but I am enjoying my Toms. I have wanted them for awhile. Tried them on and couldn't decide. Couldn't decide on a size or color. Thought they looked strange on my feet but good on everyone else. But I have finally decided and I love. And I can't wait to get a pair for Baby E.

 I have discovered the true meaning of coffee now that I have had a child. I have only been having one cup in the morning as opposed to the two maybe three in the past but I truly look forward to it and it is a nice start to the day while Baby E is at her happiest and we are waking up.


I am falling more and more in love with my cloth diapers everyday. Okay, well, not my cloth diapers. But Eleanor's. They are so cute, actually surprisingly easy to deal with and so much less garbage.


The sunshine peeking out is really getting me excited for spring and our garden. Also for summer and being warm and grilling and being on the water and introducing E to nature and more.

I would love a garden that looked like this!

These are my thoughts for the day. I mean, I have more, but sometimes it is hard to get them organized with a sweet babe kickin' next to me so this is all for now. 

What are your Friday random thoughts?


Thursday, February 2, 2012

Liebster Award

I am proud to announce that I have been the recipient of this award:
Liebster is German for loved, beloved, dear, favorite, or something like that.
and this award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers to bring attention to their blog.

The lovely Katie at Katie Lately has given me this award and I was so surprised. I started blogging two years ago really just for something to do. I enjoyed reading blogs so I figured I could do it too. I wasn't really actively trying to gain followers, I just enjoyed sitting down to get my thoughts out, post recipes and crafts and whatever else would come to mind at that time. I slowly began joining link-ups, commenting on other blogs more and even emailing bloggers. It is really fun to see what kind of connections you make and I have been so thankful for "Mommy Bloggers" while being pregnant and since having Baby E. I am slowly building a community which I am enjoying and hope it continues. 

So thank you, Miss Katie, for acknowledging my blog and continuing to read!

The rules to this award are as follows:

#1. show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
#2. award the award to five of your favorite bloggers with less than 200 followers & link them.
#3. post the award on your blog.
#4. bask in the love from the most supportive people on the internet - other bloggers of course!
#5. and best of all - have fun & spread the LOVE.

I choose to spread the love by awarding:
Whit at Willis&TBoff
Kaitlyn at just us.

Some of these women I know in real life and some I have been getting to know through blogging. I enjoy reading all of their blogs and I hope you will check them out as well!


Wednesday, February 1, 2012

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Happy Mid-Week! I am linking up with this kind of love with some of the tidbits I am loving this week.

I am loving that I get a full weekend with the Hubs this weekend including a fun Superbowl feast and get together with the fam!
Source
I am loving waiting for the delivery man this week. I got fitted for nursing bras this past weekend. I have not worn a real bra since before I had the baby. I should be expecting those any day. I also returned our Baby Bjorn carrier and ordered the Ergo. I think it will be the right choice. My mom also ordered us some more diapers which we received yesterday.


I am loving that the sun has been peeking out here and there. Not everyday but it sure is nice to see when it does!

I am loving my new coffee creamer. Not just like Ghiradelli's White Chocolate powder but still tastes pretty good.
Source
I love that my best friend got engaged two weeks ago and now all we can talk about is wedding ideas! I sure wish Pinterest had been around when I got married!
Source: people.com via Lindsey on Pinterest



So fun!

Celebrate Wednesday by linking up and sharing what you're loving!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Makeover Monday

I am linking up again today with Katie for Makeover Monday.
Us gals are chatting about our foundation today.
For about three years I was smitten with:
Source
I absolutely love this stuff. Great coverage, evens out the skin, does not feel like super-chunky-cakey-stage make-up. I am not a huge make-up person but when I find something I like, I love it. However, the downside to the is that it is a little spendy. Maybe not for some but for this new stay-at-home-mom it is. So, in anticipation of my new role, about 6 months ago, I thought I would venture to Target and see what I could come up with that may be along the same lines.

I tried this:
Source
I do like how light it is and doesn't feel like I have anything at all on. The price is better but I don't think it has great coverage which I don't really need for blemishes but more for the even-ing out of the skin-tone. I am almost out so I have been thinking I may try another of their formulas like:
Source
This is described as a creamy, loose powder so maybe it would have better coverage.

Head on over, link up and drop off your tips at Makeover Monday!

Any foundation suggestions for a budget-minded, powder-wearin', needs-some-coverage type-o-gal?