My Closet is a Sad Place

Once in a while I walk into my room and catch a glimps of something from my past and I get a little sad; shoes.....well not just any shoes, but beautiful wonderful leather boots. I have always wanted a pair of nice leather boots and finally got a pair and they are perfect! They have a beautiful shine that keeps them from looking cheap while also keeping them from looking too....."Pretty Women". My mom is a sweetheart and a few years ago bought them for me because I think she got tired of seeing me wearing flip flops with my skirts and I have treasured them ever since.

But then I got pregnant and that changed everything.

It is hard enough that I still don't fit into my perfect jeans or all the cute shirts that I love, espesally since I was told that breast feeding help to "melt of the weight", but it is the boots that kills me. I can workout and loose weight and I slowly see myself getting closer and closer to those skinny jeans with every pizza slice I pass. But it kills me knowing that no matter how much I work out, my feet wont shrink.

So how long do I hold on to hope. Do I need to wake up from this dream and face reality? Hope for a mirical? ....... (Give my boots to my sister?)

From the Beehive State to the Last Frontier

Well, I feel like an official adult now. You would think I would already feel like one since...I'm married, have a child, can stay out late without calling mom and dad about curfew, but no....none of the above. You may ask yourself, "What was the momentous occasion that pushed this young girl into womanhood?".......the answer is.... MOVING.

I'm not talking about the hinky dinky packing of a U-haul...I mean hiring movers moving, picking up our lives and truckin' them across country, not from Utah to California.....but Utah to ALASKA! :) Is this is all so exciting? New? Adventurous? ANNOYING?...oh yea that's the answer.

I have never really moved anywhere. I was born and raised in the same house and even had the same bedroom my whole life. So this has been a whole new experience that has really opened my eyes as to how much you can root yourself into one place. I have been racking my brain about what offices/hospitals/schools that I need to call and get records/bills/forwarding addresses. This whole thing is making me want to get out of here sooner and settle in to our new place...and fast.

But as much as I am looking forward to moving back to Alaska, my home town, I am really going to miss a bit of stuff here in Utah that I can't get in Alaska...


1. Super Hot Summers
Don't get me wrong, I love Alaskan summers, but I get hot kind of easily and then cranky, but sometimes I really do love being outside and feeling that intense heat and just laying their in a hammock or grass letting it drain me. Alaska gets heat, but always with a nice light breeze and cover, not that desert/soon to see a mirage type of heat.


2. Outlet Malls
Utah has a lot of outlet malls and some pretty good ones too; Banana Republic, Old navy, Carter's, Oshkosh, Gap, and many many more. But as for Alaska....we just got some of these stores maybe 5-8 years ago. So I don't think there is a chance that we are having an outlet boom up there. But seriously there is nothing like getting a compliment on a cheap shirt and being able to say " Thanks, got it for $7 bucks!" It is a natural high for me.


3. Carpool Lanes
To have a carpool lane you need a freeway...and sad to say that Anchorage has no freeways, just highways. Who doesn't love that feeling of seeing a traffic jam, having your heart sink a little then....WAMMIE... you remember that your little one is in the back seat and you swing your car into that lane of freedom! Pure bliss.



4. Road Trips
My husband and I take last min trips all the time. We love sitting there trying to decide what to do for the weekend and then....bam....lets go to Vegas, Logan, California. We are spontaneous people who like having options. But, sadly to say, Alaska is a tad cut off from people....I mean there is always our neighboring Canadians, but I don't usually take a 15 hour drive to pick up authentic maple syrup and see a good hockey fight.. ehh :)


5. IKEA
Don't laugh at me unless you have been there! Men have their Home Depot, Women have their IKEA! It is a haven to all. It is a two story warehouse filled to the top and bottom with everything from couches and beds to children's tea sets and stuffed animals. You can find everything to supply your room. Walk in and they have the top level mostly with rooms already set up so you can walk through and see everything out being used. You can literally buy everything in that those rooms....even the handles on closets and pencil holders on desks! Everything is labeled with a letter and number so later on you can go downstairs to the warehouse area and find your lamp in aisle B, number 23. Everything in the store is cheap cheap cheap. They do have some pricier stuff if you want, but as a whole, easy on the pocket book. They even have a restaurant there so you can take a break and eat while you shop. But ladies the best part is, is that some of them even have daycare to watch your children so you can shop in piece!

So goodbye my hot heat, carpool, outlet malls, and my IKEA. I will visit soon and wont forget you.

The Cleaning Power of Queen!

I don't know about all of you, but I like having a clean house, but cleaning it may be a different story. Not that I am lazy and wont clean...well maybe sometimes...but mainly I had no idea how much time my little girl would take and she isn't even a demanding child. She is pretty good about playing by her self, laughing at things, and such, but still; I find myself running between changing diapers, cleaning bottles, feedings, cleaning spit up, flipping her back over, and much much more. So it is hard for me when I finally get a large chunk of time to really get things done (aka Lucy's Nap Time) I find my self with a dilemma; do I....


A. Take a shower
B. Work out
C. Nap
D. Clean



I feel bad to admit it, but cleaning usually takes a back seat to showering, working out, and nap/break time for me. So by the time I FINALLY break myself down to clean, I am pretty worn out from the rest of the day. But that is where "Queen" steps in.




I am a young child of the 80's barely born in the 80's, but with being the youngest of 6 kids I was car pooled by my big sisters and brothers listening to Inxs, Erasure, Duran Duran, They Might Be Giants, ABBA, and Queen. And I can't get enough. There is nothing like washing the dishes to "Fat Bottom Girls' by Queen or washing windows to " New Sensation!!!!" I find that I actually will look for more chores if my 80's play list isn't done on my iPod.

So maybe next time you find that you really don't have the energy to clean, load, washing, sweep, or any other physical labor, just play that funky play list mommas!!!!

How To Do Date Night

Lucy is now 3 1/2 months old and I think Curtis and I have had maybe 4 dates....and that's if you can call them dates. We have gone to a movie once, dinner once, and then two full-blown dates. We have really tried to go out more and have some alone time, but here in collegeville there aren't very many teenage girls that you can hire for babysitting. But the saddest part of this whole situation isn't that we haven't had more alone time, but that there are couples out there that have it worse than us!

Date nights are super important for you, your marriage, and even your child. I find that I am a lot more patient with Lucy when I have had some breaks. Also Curtis and I are much more loving and understanding with each other when we gets some alone time where we aren't saying "Can you pass me her blanket" "Did she poop last time we changed her diaper" " Oh that rash is getting worse" ...... as you can see the life of parenthood is a nightlight lit evening filled with diapers and baby monitors.

Date nights are not only good for you and your husband, but for your child as well. It is good for you baby to get out and be around new people, see that there is a world away from mommy and daddy, and to learn something different from their routine. It is good for babies to get use to being around different environments and situations. It will help your child be more flexible; which to me is very important. I have seen too many of my friends kids get too attached to mommy to the point they have a hard time getting things done cause the child can't be left alone, held by someone else, or handle a shift in their daily routine.

So if not for you, for your baby. Go out there and get back into the dating world with your husband! You deserve it! Plus it is always good for your children to see that their parents are in a loving and a stable relationship, that they care for each other and take time for each other!

Little Lucy Goosey

Lucy has been really cute lately. We think she has been teething cause she has just been munchin' and gnawing on her fingers. But her attitude is "The more, the merrier" So I will turn around and check her out to see that she is just being cute cute CUTE!

Ignore the drunk look!

Finding Toys for Your Tot

Curtis and I decided that we needed to get a better toy for Lucy. She can't quite grab things to really entertain herself yet, but she is old enough to get board by just sitting there in a bouncy for a significant amount of time. I went in to Babries R Us and was looking for one of those interactive activity gyms where they lay on their back and play with all the dangley toys. But they are ridiculously expensive.


I went to Babies R Us and such and couldn't really find anything less than $50 and found some gyms as much as $80. So I said " NO THANKS" and was stuck. I needed something to entertain Lucy that didn't cost an arm and a leg and would entertain her more than a month.

That is when I stumbled across the 2-in-1 Infant Gym. It is a plastic three legged toy that works for baby laying on their backs and for older kids that can lay on their tummy for a long period of time AND for kids sitting up and playing. It has lights, music, toys, rattles, and ever a MP3 player that you can buy for it that will up load your songs and play those instead of the computerized nursery songs. Which isn't a must have, but it is a pretty freakin' cool addition, cause I would love to download the Jack Johnson soundtrack to Curious George so Lucy could listen to it....and maybe me too :)


It has everything you could possibly think of. Lucy will lay on her back and stair up at herself in the mirror and the toys hanging down are actually in reach so she can grab them and pull them , which starts the music up again. There are also lights that will shine different colors. PLUS a puppy and bunny toy hanging down. There are also rattles, clicky things, spinny things, and roller toys that are lined up along the lower extended arms that are stuck in place enough so they wont fall off, but easy enough for a kid to pull them out and play with them if wanted. But I really do love the fact that it has a volume button that actually goes up and down a bit of different levels and....here's the kicker..... IT RUNS ON TRIPLE A BATTERIES!!!!!!!


So if you are looking for a new addition for you little one, might I suggest the 2-in-1 Infant Gym; made by Playskool. I got mine at Toys R Us for $39. Hopefully yours will enjoy it has much as mine.



http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2632092

Our New Addiction

This weekend Curtis and I drove down to Vegas to visit his sister and brother in law. It was their daughter's 1st birthday and it was just great to see the family and to join the party. But besides having to experience a 6 hour drive to Vegas with our little Lucy, we had something beautiful entered into ours!


Our brother-in-law got a video game called Guitar Hero for Christmas. I don't knoww if you guys have seen it or not, but it comes with a guitar that has 5 buttons on the guitar neck; a green, red, yellow, blue, and orange button. With these buttons you play along with classic rock songs like Barracuda, Rock Me Like A Hurricane, One, and Hit Me With Your Best Shot. You also get to rock out with bands like Metallica, Weezer, ZZ Top, Audioslave, and even Eric Clampton.

The point of the game is to get your band to play at gigs and to get money and a music contract, but later on in the game you find out that you basically sold your life to the music company. Through out the game you are battling here and there rock legends, but at the end you have to fight for your life and win your soul back against the devil...ohhhhhhhh. And get this....you battle out over the song "Devil Went Down To Georgia". And man it is tough! But Fun!

It may not sound that good, but all of us were up till almost 1 A.M. trying to get our band past the next level. We were having to battle Slash with a guitar-off and we just couldn't quit. My hand actually started hurting a little and Curtis and I both had sore necks from getting so into it! It was great!

Can't live without my Bumbo

Every mom has something that make their life a little easier. That one special item that will calm your little one or help her go to sleep or keep her entertained so you can try to get something done ...like....... showering.

My life saver lately has been Lucy's Bumbo. Bumbo? you say. Well it is this foam seat that helps your child to sit-up and keeps them in place and she loves it. I have her in a bouncy chair a lot but sometimes that just doesn't do it for her and then I place her in the Bumbo.

I don't know how many mornings I try to get ready so I place her in her bouncer and I can make it through a shower and then she starts to get fussy....but no problem here. I just pick her up and place her on the washing machine next to me in her Bumbo and then we do make-up together and get ready. She is happy cause she is up and seeing the world, plus it is easy for me to just turn to her and talk, keeping her entertained long enough to curl my hair.

It is great too while I am blogging and checking emails cause I can place her right on this desk while I work. Actually Lucy is in on the desk in her Bumbo as I speak...well I should say as I type. Cooking....no problem also!!! As you can see this list does goes on and on of possibility! So thank you mom and dad for buying her the Bumbo, life has become a little easier.

I know you can get Bumbos at Babies R Us, Burlington Coat Factory, On-line too. They cost about $39.99. But you may have a hard time finding one right now because there is a recall on them; not because they aren't safe, but parents were leaving their kids unattended on furniture and kids were getting hurt. So they are putting MORE stickers saying "Don't leave your kids unattended". All I can say is DUHHHHH

Fit For Your Little Princess

This Christmas my family had a cousin exchange...and not we didn't swap kids, but each cousin got another cousin a present. My nephew David had our daughter Lucy. His mom (my sister) Michelle helped him make his present and I have to say that.... IT WAS THE CUTEST THING EVER!

She made a travel/quiet play box. This toy is perfect for church, doctors office's, and hey just quiet time at home (of course this reason is more a plus for you than them) You can let your
little darling play rescue the princess wherever she wants to.

All you need is to go to a craft store like Michael's, Roberts, or Joann and pick up a few things...

Box, preferably with lock to not spill toys

Wooden Pegs (you can use clothes pins also if you wanted) for the people

Felt Fabric for cloths, crowns and box liner

Flannel fabric to play the pieces on

Yarn for princess and witches hair

Pearls for the princess

Wood burning tool to burn an image into the box lid

Black paint for eyes (they have little tiny bottles of puffy paint that will work)



And whammy, you have a cute little portable play box.

One thing that is great is that if you don't have a little princess of your own, but a darling prince you can make this for him. Just substitute people for cars, dinosaurs or such and just burn a cave for the dinos or track for cars on top. If you girl isn't into princess than you can get animals and burn a farm.....getting the idea?

But I have to say that my favorite part of the play box was the witch... she just crack me up and I thought it was just cute cute cute...also the little mini pearl necklace on the princess.


If you are loving these toys, but may not have the most creative thumb you can by them soon from my sister Michelle at http://www.scribbit.blogspot.com/ or at Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5167493

An Issue You May Not Want To WEIGH In On.

Well this time of the year is one that many may fear....post Christmas gorging awakening. If your family is anything like my family, the way you socialize is by eating, show you are having a good time by eating, want to show your love for one another? You guessed it....BY EATING!



Well this normally wouldn't be so bad, but when one has maybe ....lets say....had a little girl named....lets call her Lucy, you really don't need to throw on 5 Christmas pounds on top of the other 45 baby pounds one has to loose.


So I have been really trying hard to undo the damage from Lucy and Christmas. My problem is that with being a stay-at-home mom I have a bigger temptation to snack while I am home. Because of this I have really found some nice tricks to help keep myself on the wagon. My big theory is that eat health for breakfast and lunch and don't worry about dinner. I don't mean go crazy, but don't freak. Especially if you are in my situation where you are trying to watch what you eat, but you don't want to force your husband to eat what you do. Here is just a small list of things I love to eat for my meals that also keep me on that wagon.



Slim Fast
I love slim fast, but not a dinky little can that aren't filling, but the shakes. I will make the shake, but then also blend in fruit to make it have a nice kick, plus filling and I am bad about eating fruit so this is a nice way to sneak in frozen berries or bananas. I will also throw in some fiber...which brings me to my next trick. I find the the chocolate flavors work best with this option.

Fiber
Fiber is a wonderful little thing that grab on too extra stuff in your body and flushes it out. And I like that sound of that....so I will throw fiber into my breakfast food or in dinner. These is this wonderful product called Fiber-sure which is a tasteless powder. One serving is 5grams of fiber and a daily recommendation is about 20 grams I believe. But please start with a low dose of fiber or you will be regretting it the next day. You will have to build your self up to a fiber level on your on time schedule :)


Yoplain Yogurt
Love love love yogurt! Yogurt with granola, yogurt with fruit, and yogurt WITH yogurt! I find the tasty dessert flavors like, Boston Creme, Key Lime, Lemon Moraign, or Strawberry White Chocolate. All I can say is yum yum yum!


Scrambled Eggs
I feel pretty this is pretty self explanatory, if you like boiled eggs then that too, but hard yoke? Yuck! Sandwiches
I love sandwiches. Get the money to invest in some serious sandwich food. Deli meat, deli cheese, and keep frig stocked with all the veggies you love in ready to use. There is nothing like a really really good sandwich with the perfect amount of cheese, mustard, onions....ohhhhh I don't think I should keep talking...I'm getting drool on the keyboard.

Besides eating good foods for two of you meals I also don't buy the bad foods. I wont buy snacky foods, cause if there are not snacky foods in the house...you can eat them. SO basically I will try to make sure that there are only healthy snacks in the house so if I need to snack I can, but on fruit, yogurt, string cheese, not Oreo or cheese-its.

But my big believer is don't eat cereal...I know I know...please don't cry. I love cereal too. I could eat it for every meal of the day and just be happy...maybe even a pure bliss kind of happy :) But cereal is a sneaky devilish food that gets you eating more than you should. A normal serving of cereal is about 150 calories for 1/2 a cup-3/4 cup and that is without the milk. Who eat 1/2 a cup..... more like a 1 1/2 cups. So for the cereal alone you are looking at300-450 for the cereal, plus the milk of 1 cup-1 1/2 of milk.....100-150 calories...sooooo your nice bowl of cereal ends on being 550-700 calories (give or take more of less milk and skim to %2 milk) And if you are like me you might eat your one bowl for breakfast but what about later at night. I love a late night bowl of cereal...and WHAMMY! 1,100 to 1,400 calories for cereal in ONE DAY! It is a horrible trap I can't fall into. I just don't buy cereal. I can't have that emotional battle every morning of cereal or not.

But these is my lay out of post Christmas damage. And of course excising and portion watching. But hope you all had a Eating Christmas and a Fatty New Year!

Eatting Time

So we thought we would try giving Lucy some solids and seeing how those would work...and it was some what of a success. We tried some yummy mixed veggies one day, then a tantalizing sample of apple sauce. She seemed to like it, but it did make us feel like she was growing up so fast.

She is really kind of starting to laugh and starting to talk a lot. The drooling has been some what of a situation, so we think that she might be getting a tooth here next month. Her fingers should be rubbed to the bone with all the chewing she does on them.

But things have been graet and just fun fun fun!!!

Long Time No See!

Okay so it has been a little while since I have last done a post on our website...so you will have to excuse me! Sorry sorry! But lots have happened. This Christmas we went up to Alaska to have my family see our new baby Lucy and she was a bit hit. We had a great time at The Gees espesally when we were playing Settlers of Catan till 2 in the morning and watching the Mittons play Wii...espesally Lillian trotting her leg like Thumper! Everything was just great. We even got to go a a sweet fancy date with The Nichols. The only thing that was bad was leaving.

But things have been crazy and busy for us. Between trying to still get a routien down with Lucy and us working and going to school we havn't had a real break and this trip helped.

But now we are back in the real world and setteling down.

Lucy has been great by the way. She has been sleeping wonderfully mostly with 6-8 hour streches, but last night she slept the whole time...a nice 10 hour strech! IT WAS AMAZING! I loved waking up before her. I never realized how much I could get done before she wakes up! ha haha! Now I just have to wait till she is old enough to help with chores! No more vacuming for me!!! ha ah ahah

But things really have been great and she has been wonderful. School is going smoothly and so is Curtis's job. He actually has an interview this Tuesday for a new position which we are excited about.

But enough about this...I will warn you though...because it has been a while we have a lot of photos to post so hopefully you will enough them!

This is my nephew Miles and Lucy compairing sizes. Miles is about 6 months older than Lucy!This is Claira and Miles and Lucy all crawling together

This is us at The Mittons playing the Wii. They are all running at the Sonic Olympics

This is Lucy meeting The Nichols for the first time and LOVIN" IT!

This is Lucy playing Settlers of Catan with Carinne, Kendall and Curtis

Lucy is kicking our butts! She has amazing stratagies!

Lucy trying out her swing again and it doing much better than before in it.

Lucy just started really grabbing things and here she is holding her bottle...it is really cute but also really annoying since she will move it out of her mouth just for fun!

This is Lucy helping me in the kitchen with dinner...notice the baby spatula

Us cooking some more