Let's Chat...

5 years ago, I thought I was "busy".  Between work and home and husband and friends - it seemed like I had so little downtime.  Now listen, that was all my own doing.  I was the person who chose hospitality, I chose to buy a fixer-upper house, and couldn't say no when someone asked for a favor.  Well, let me tell you that having a baby changed all that!   I'm still not very good at saying no to friends or family, our house still needs some fixing-up, and now there is a toddler to take care of in addition to my husband and myself.  

So, let's chat.  At the encouragement of friends, I'm going to attempt to revive this "hot mess" blog.  I've been told I have good recommendations and suggestions, so I guess there will be toddler-type posts.  See that squishy cheeked, bright eyed girl below?  That's our Maggie (Margaret when she is in trouble) and she turned 2 in July.  Maggie is a bundle of fun - a busy girl - and truly the most amazing addition to our families.  

Photo by Bearded Photography 

What else do you want to know/read about? 

• Food and Recipes - or are there enough other resources for that?  
• Fitness and Exercise - or are you SO OVER reading nonsense from yet another Beachbody coach?  
• House stuff - we build it/paint it/clean it over here or do you outsource the hell out of that too?  

I'd love to say I'll post a few times a week with great photos and well thought out posts, but REAL LIFE just doesn't allow that.  Let's shoot for once a week, yeah?  Maybe twice a week if I find something really awesome or if the Amazon Prime fairy has fabulous lightning deals I need to share.  OH - and there will be a post for sure in September about traveling with a toddler because we're taking Maggie to CHICAGO and Indiana for a friend's wedding.  On an airplane.  So, anyone have Southwest drink coupons you want to mail me?  

Happy Wino Wednesday Mamas! 

Snappy Swagger - Baby Girl's Got Swagger!

Oh yes, I'm back to the blogging world!  And what better way to introduce you all to our sweet baby girl than with a review of a fun product that's helping us through this new world of teething.  DROOL BIBS!  

Thanks to Snappy Swagger, I received one Car Seat Canopy Blanket AND 3 Bandana Drool Bibs!  The Car Seat Canopy is made of a great patterned fabric on the outset and a fun & soft mink fabric on the inside.  If you're not familiar, mink fabric is quite soft and Maggie loved playing with it from underneath the cover.  The large buttons made it simple to install over the car seat carrier, and was a great barrier against this awful Pennsylvania winter and wind we're currently in the middle of.  

The drool bibs were better than I expected, with two sets of snaps to allow for a snug fit for both small babies and as they grow.  Maggie has recently begun the wonders of teething (I think), based on the amount of drooling and "hand in mouth" we're currently experiencing.  With three patterns, it also means Mom doesn't have to do laundry everyday - what a WIN WIN!  

I hope you'll consider buying a Car Seat Canopy Blanket with 3 Bandana Drool Bibs for yourself, or for a gift.  I know this will be on the top of my list for gift giving, as 2016 is looking to being quite a year of babies!  Want one for yourself:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018STO00A

I did receive these products at a discounted rate from Snappy Swagger for my use and review.  

Hershey's Spreads - You NEED this!

Yes, I titled this post 'You Need This'.  Seriously though, I was so sad when my CrowdTap shipment of Hershey's Spreads was lost in translation.  I was sure that with a shipment date of 12/18 and no delivery on January 2nd that I was doomed.  So imagine my excitement yesterday  when my Hershey's Spreads delivery arrived in the mailbox!

I did my duty as a good wife, and shared with my husband for snack time! We tried a variety if dips/dunkers (hello - remember dunkaroos!) with our Chocolate spreads! 

I have to say that this stuff was more than a little addicting.  Obviously the apples were a winner - and so were the almonds!  I wasn't sold on the kiwi - and I may have only had stale graham crackers, that was kind of a buzz kill.  

Fast forward to our return from vacation, and hubs made himself a pb and Hershey's Spreads chocolate sandwich for lunch.  Guess it's a keeper!  I did want to mention that I didn't see any in my stores until after the new year, but we've spotted it in two Giants and an Acme - so I know it can be found for you to try in SE Pennsylvania! 

Unwritten & Unread

There are some days that are SO GOOD I can't wait to blog about them.  And then there are days that are just so awful it takes days to recover from the sadness.  I'm not one to write a post and hit publish though, there is always an hour or two of thinking about the post, proofreading, spellchecking, grammar-nazi behavior.  So there are currently 19 draft posts sitting in blogger.  None of them are finished, some are just a title and two lines, and there they all sit, unread.  

I want/need/desire (I cannot find the right word) to get back into the place where I could sit down with my journal and write until my hand hurt, my brain was calm, and I found peace inside my heart.  It has been a long time since I was that girl, since I have found that place, and I miss it within the depths of my soul. 

Friday was a day that was SO GOOD, I couldn't wait to share my joy with everyone I knew.  My bff at work had her baby on Friday - a sweet 6lb, 13oz baby girl with a head of hair and the cutest smile at just 1 day old.  And my little brother became an Army Infantry Sniper.   He is one of just 150 graduates from that program this year.  I was SO SO SO proud, happy, excited at the end of the day.  

And then there was Saturday, where I made a list of all the things that I wanted and needed to do before Christmas - and thought I would cry right on the spot.  Trying to be me, a good friend, a good bridesmaid, a good wife, and a good daughter is exhausting.  I wish I could enjoy our first Christmas in our home.  Instead, I'm focused on Christmas for my dad and brother - decorating their home, buying them a tree, and wrapping their gifts.  I bought a tree for our house, but it has no lights or decorations, because there isn't time.  I think Christmas this year is proving more difficult than Christmas last year, and it is exhausting.  Last year there was support from all areas of our lives, and it did lift a bit of the burden from our shoulders.  This year, not the case. I am off on Tuesday from work, and my to-do list is already so long I know it is unattainable.  I'm not sure who this sad, exhausted person is that I have become - it's not the person I want to be and I know it is not the person my Mommy raised.  But how do I find myself again? How do I find myself when my goal for 2014 (an incredibly personal one) has been turned down as a possibility by one of my best friends? How do I find myself when those I used to count on don't answer calls or respond to texts when I need them most? How do I make time for me when my suggestions of simplifying the holidays and other events are met with responses of selfishness and disrespect? 

Here's to 2013 being over.  Yes, I'm wishing away the last 15 days of this month, wishing away the last 2 weeks of this year.  I'm ready to start over for myself - to find myself - maybe?

Thankful - Day Three

Day Three

 Today I am thankful for my husband.  For his strength - both physical and emotional.  For his ability to make me laugh and smile, even when life brings me down.  For his patience, understanding, and compassion.   We have grown together beyond what I could have imagined in the last 8 years and this man just "gets" me.   See back to Number 1 for the crazy place I met him - my St. Patrick's Day lover ;)

When people tell me how lucky I am to have Kevin, I try to remember to say thank you instead of "I know".  I do know that I am lucky to have him, but I also think that it was necessary that I have Kevin.  See, when I picture myself going through the trials, devastation, and sadness of the last 4 years without him - I see myself literally crying on the floor.   I won't say that there has not been some on the floor crying, but having Kevin by my side to pick me up and dry my tears; that is what gets me through each day. 

Thank you Kevin, for every day and every moment with you.  Thank you for putting up with "in sickness and in health" more than I ever thought we would experience.  Thank you for being both my rock and testing my patience all the same.  Thank you for putting the pieces back together when I never thought I would be whole again.  Thank you for forgiving me when I spend our Eating Out budget on candy and toys for Boy Wonder.  Thank you for making dinner, cleaning the house, and paying the bills on days when I just can't do anything more than sit.  Thank you for loving me better than I ever knew I deserved.