No Shame

It's amazing how much time I can waste sucked into Facebook.  Usually I am busy stalking checking out other people's pages, reading through past posts and checking out past pictures. And yes, some of these people I literally don't even know...just end up there from a friend of a friend  or something..amazing time sucker I tell you!  Please tell me I'm not the only one?!?
But the other day I took my Facebook patrolling somewhere new: to my own page.  Somehow I ended up looking back at my own old pictures and things.  I joined Facebook sometime close to when Josh and I got married.  Since then, I have updated my albums pretty regularly.  With about 6 years or so worth of pictures to comb through, then, I was left with some observations: some painful and some not so painful.  But hey, I'm an open book, so why not share them with you guys, right?  Enjoy a good laugh at my expense...
1.  French Maid Costume was a very bad idea...
                       
2.  Josh and I have the same general pose in just about every picture ever taken of us...and we took a whole lot before we had children, but now rarely take one of just the two of us (btw: I could show you more, but I think you get the idea)
                      
                      
3.  Chipper was just about the cutest puppy EVER!
                     
4.  I should never, ever, ever again wear a hat (this was taken at a Kentucky Derby party years ago...)
                    
5. Chipper had a really good life before the boys came along.
                    
6.  I gained a lot, a lot, a lot of weight when pregnant.  I knew this, of course, but for some reason, I convinced myself it wasn't visible on my face.  Um: wrong!
                    
7.  My kids are freaking adorable (sorry I just had to!).
                   
8.  I am a lucky, lucky girl...

Happy weekend:)

Thankful 2013

Every year that I have blogged, I have done a little Thankful post on Thanskgiving Day.  One year I did my ABC's, one year I did one thing for each day of the month, and last year I did a photo challenge.  I wracked my brain this year to come up with some creative way to express my gratitude this year, but in the end, I really couldn't come up with anything great.  I figured what was more important was that I actually document the things I am thankful for this year.
So here they are...the Baker's Dozen of things I am thankful for this year in no particular order

1.  My Boys.  Oh these two.  They bring me so much joy and make my heart swell with pride (and also bring a bit of frustration, but we won't dwell on that right now!).  They are truly my greatest gifts in the world, and I am absolutely enamored with both of them.  Colton and Levi have very distinct personalities which leads to different things I appreciate in each of them.
Colton is sweet, smart, and mellow (usually!).  He is a rule follower and generally does exactly as he is told. He talks a lot these days, and usually amuses me...or impresses me...with the things that come out of his mouth!  Colton really is a "good kid"...one of those that make you look like a parenting genius (when really it's just dumb luck).
Levi, on the other hand, is a bit feistier than his older brother.  While that spunk has led to an increase in our disciplining, it has also brought a bunch of rewards.  Levi is funny, and makes life fun.  He's constantly into something and kind of reminds you that sometimes you just have to just smile and enjoy life!   He's a lover in every sense of the word and gives the best big squeezes and kisses around.  When he's happy, he's really happy...and when he's not, well, it's pretty obvious too!
Both my boys are very much momma's boys, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I am 1000% grateful for every kiss, hug, laugh, tickle, "wuv you," and snuggle I share with these two.

2.  My husband.  Josh works very hard to provide me and the boys with a certain life, and while I am thankful for that of course, I think I am more thankful that after 6 years of marriage (plus another few of dating), 2 kids, a crazy cockapoo, and all the stressors that come with that I can still say my husband is my very best friend.  He makes me laugh, is there to support me when I have something to vent about, and we truly have a really good time together.  I have come to realize recently that not everyone is that fortunate.  Sure, Josh and I have our issues, but we are both all in...all in for each other and all in for our family.  I am thankful to have a life partner who I enjoy living life with.

3.  Chipper.  My first child.  Chipper has always been a bit of a handful, but he's also one of the sweetest pups you'll ever meet.   He's an integral member of our family and gives the best, slobbery kisses just when I need them most.  He is an amazing brother, and our family just wouldn't be the same without him!

4.  My family.  I feel so fortunate to have family members who not only give us unyielding support, but are also people we genuinely enjoy being around.  My family has given me so much throughout my life, and now continue to do the same for Josh, Colton, and Levi.  We are pretty close (like talk to my mom and sister at least once a day close) and really do have a good time whenever we are together (not that the above picture shows that...plus I just realized Josh somehow blocks my mom out of it!).
As much as I am thankful for the support, love, and friendship my family gives me, I think I am even more grateful (or at least equally) for what they have given to my boys.  My parents have given my boys countless opportunities that Josh and I may not have been able to provide ourselves (at least not yet!).  My sister is hands down the best aunt in the world and would do absolutely anything for my kiddos (chipper included).  And even though I sometimes question why, my boys absolutely adore their Uncle Ryan!
I'm also really thankful that my boys now have their cousin Riley to grow up with.  I didn't really have cousins I grew up with...the ones we were closest to were in Florida, and we didn't see the ones that were local very often, but I was always envious of families that did have close cousins.
Basically, my family is our support system and our best friends...a combo I am extremely grateful to have!
5.  The business.  My dad started a business 34 years ago.  He worked really hard to build it into the success that it is today.  Josh now works there, so the business is directly responsible for our livelihood and thus provides us with many of the opportunities and luxuries we have.  I guess more appropriately I am thankful my dad worked so hard to have such a phenomenal opportunity to hand down to us.
6.  Being a SAHM.  Sure, there are rough minutes and even rough days, but I am so thankful that I am fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my children, watching them grow up and being there to share in their experiences.  I know there are a lot of people who would love to be able to stay at home, but can't afford to, so I really don't take it for granted.  Plus, being able to go to the gym every morning or meet some friends for coffee while my kids are in school are pretty nice perks!

7.  My friends.  I've always been the kind of person who would rather have a handful of really good friends than a whole bunch of acquaintances.  And over the years, I have maintained a few very close friendships with girls from various stages of my life...girls who I can talk to once in a blue moon but still be as close, girls who would be there for me at the drop of a hat, and girls who I have a blast with whenever (no matter how rare) we see each other.  I am so thankful to have these life-long friends that know me through and through.
But this year, I also became close with another group of girls that I met through Colton's former preschool.  There are about six of them that the boys and I spend our Tuesdays and Thursdays with, that I do girls nights out with, and that even Josh has hung out with (with the other husbands).  Basically, they're my little clique right now (in a totally non-snobby way), and it's really nice to feel like I have a group!

8.  The boys' friends.  As I just said, I made a really nice group of friends this year (well we technically met them at the end of last year, but got close over this year).  But the best part about this group is that every single one of them also happens to have two boys around the ages of my boys...crazy, huh!?!  So now, Colton and Levi have official "friends."  While Levi doesn't quite realize it yet (although he does seem to recognize his buddy Leo who is only one month younger than him and the only other one right around his age), Colton is very much aware of his new buddies and gets very excited about seeing them and doing things with them...as they seem to do with him.  Colton has always been a bit shy and reserved, but not around these guys!  It is so nice to see Colton come out of his shell and have a really good time.
9.  Naptime.  The key to my sanity.  I already said I love being a stay-at-home mom, but let me tell you, these boys are utter chaos these days, and I cherish those two hours of so of peace and quiet.  Plus, it gives me time to craft, bake, check Facebook, and catch up on my reality tv.  It's my special two hours of each day, and I don't know what I would do without it!
10.  DVR.  Speaking of naptime, my guiltiest pleasure during the boys' naps is catching up on my shows.  Most of my shows come on way too late for me to watch "live," so DVR has become my best friend.  Every day I have something exciting to look forward to watching, so thank you DVR...and Bravo for that matter!
11.  Kerry.  She's my Muscle Blast instructor.  I've never before enjoyed doing group exercise classes, but ever since I took Kerry's class for the first time over a year ago, I have been hooked and have missed only a handful of classes!   Even though the workout is a tough one and has made me more toned than I have ever been (we do 200 push ups every Wednesday just to give you an idea), she makes exercise fun and keeps me motivated to be there.
12.  Edy's Chocolate Peanut Butter Loaded.  This stuff is the absolute best, and it's technically frozen yogurt so it's better for you.  I think I've sung it praises a few times before, so I won't bore you with the details but it's my nightly sweet treat.  Oh and a big thank you to Food Lion for actually stocking it after the Harris Teeter had stopped!
13.  Health.  Health issues scare the absolute bejeezus out of me.  I feel so thankful to have my health and that of all my loved ones because I know how quickly that can change!  My parents have both (mainly my dad) had a few issues over the past few years and my grandfather had a really rough year, but things for everyone are looking up, and I am so grateful.

I could also probably give an honorable mention to Pinterest, Kids Nights Out at the JCC ($20 for four hours of babysitting for both boys once a month!!!), and Target!  But mainly, I am just thankful to have so many things to be thankful for!  I am so blessed in so many ways and while I try to remind myself of that daily, it is nice to take the time out to think about that once a year with all my favorite people surrounding me.  I hope you and yours enjoy a fantastic Thanksgiving.

This is Me: Food

Even though I haven't been very diligent about it, I'm still trying to knock out my self-imposed This is Me Challenge.  I figured since it had been awhile I should get on it and tackle yet another chapter.  After all, we all know food is near and dear to my heart, so this should be fun....right?
What are your favorite foods?
Put simply: nothing healthy...and lots of carbs. I love sweets, cheeses, breads, pasta...super, huh?!?  Nachos and Mexican food in general also top my list.
What are your favorite desserts?
Um, pretty much all.  Seriously, I have over 100 in my recipe box as ones I have personally tried and loved.  It's a little embarrassing.  But let's try to narrow this down some.
Ice cream, particularly chocolate peanut butter, is definitely my go to for something to have at home.  I'm also a sucker for warm chocolate chip cookie kind of things.  Other desserts that really entice me: pecan pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, cupcakes, chocolate peanut butter anything, key lime pie, eclair cake...the list could probably go on and on.
Do you like to cook or bake? What are your favorites to make?
I love, love, love to cook and bake. I make dinner for our little family about 4 nights a week and honestly enjoy doing it.  Some of my favorite dinners: chicken fajitas, asparagus carbonarra, honey pecan pork chops.
I try to limit my baking because I end up eating too much bad-for-me stuff when I do it!  I really love trying out new recipes, though, so I eventually bite the bullet and then try to convince Josh to bring my goodies to the office!  For the most part, I tend to love everything I bake (!) and then log them away for when they fit an event in the future.
Do you have any food allergies?
Nope!
What are some foods you have a hard time saying "no" to?
In case it hasn't already been well established, my major weakness is sweets.  If they're around, I"m more than likely going to attack them.  I'm also a big dip person.  And I'm a sucker for some bread and butter.
Which foods do you HAVE to name brand?  Which can you go generic?
I tend to buy name brand for just about everything.  Honestly, I've never really realized that until this question.  Funny thing is I don't HAVE to buy any of them name brand (I don't think); I just do it!  So, mental note moving forward maybe search out some of those generics.
Do you try to eat healthy?
Yes.  I actually try very hard to eat healthy, and considering what I've already disclosed, you can probably pick up on the fact that eating healthy is really a struggle for me.  I would say Monday-Friday I do an awesome job at it, and I do a mediocre job of it Saturday-Sunday!
Do you prefer eating out?  Where?
I grew up eating out frequently (like my parents don't eat a single meal at home...ever!), so eating out is definitely something I am very much accustomed to.  Unlike my parents, though, I also enjoy eating at home. Usually we eat at home Monday-Thursday, and eat out Friday-Sunday.  I'm not a big fan of fast food or national chains, so most of the places we go are local.  Some favorites in our rotation (as in non special occason places) include: Wild Wing Cafe, Chicks Oyster Bar, Lubo, Manninos, Zia Marie, Luna Maya,  and Bakers Crust.  I do do some chains: California Pizza Kitchen, PF Changs, Yard House, Gordon Biersch, and Chipotle.

This is Me: The Teenage Years

I started documenting my life a few weeks ago using the "This is Me challenge" I found on Pinterest.  So today I continue...moving on to my teen years (brace yourselves people...at least this was pre-Facebook so I don't have any pictures to scare you with).
What activities did you participate in?
I swam.  That's an understatement actually...swimming was my life.  I was on a year-round team, ODAC, for which I practiced 9 times a week: before school, after school, Saturday mornings.  As dedicated as I sound, I really did it more for the social factor.  I met most of my friends (at least through my first couple years of high school) swimming and continued to do it for so long because of those friendships.  I also swam for my high school swim team.  Because swimming took up so much of my time, I wasn't really involved in too many other activities.  I was technically in the Key Club, National Honor Society,  and French Honor Society (cool, huh?!?).
How did you learn to drive?  What was your first car?
My parents had no desire to teach me how to drive.  They claim my driving was so bad they couldn't stomach it.  I claim it was so bad because they never bothered to let me drive!  My first boyfriend, who was a year older than me, was actually the first person to teach me to drive.  He would let me drive through the neighborhoods and stuff.  Other than that practice, I had no experience until my driver's ed class...pathetic, right?!?  I passed, but barely...seriously!  And then I slowly started driving.  My first car was a 1981 brown Volvo...yes, the same year that I was born.  My dad had bought a shiny new Mazda sports car which was supposedly going to be mine, but he ended up keeping it for himself and I got the infamous Volvo...it was truly legendary among my friends.
Who were your friends?
Like I said earlier, my best friends through the early years of high school were my swim friends.  I met my best friend (who remains one of my good friends to this day) swimming and my first boyfriend swimming.  There was a group of about 6 of us (including best friend and boyfriend)...3 boys and 3 girls (how cute, huh?) that did pretty much everything together...until boyfriend and I broke up!  It wasn't immediate, but after that, I started spending more time with my school friends.  I was really close with a group of 5 girls.  And I also spent a lot of time, at least during the season, with my high school swim team mates.

me and one of my high school best friends at my birthday dinner last year

Did you have a boyfriend? Talk about him.
As I've already mentioned, I did indeed have a boyfriend.  We dated for about a year and a half, which seemed like a really long time back then!  He was definitely the over-the-top romantic kind (well as romantic as a high school guy could be), surprising me with gifts constantly.  We went to different high schools, so he would call me each morning before school, write me a note over the course of the school day (and I would write him one as well) that we would then give to each other at swim practice/my house in the afternoon, and frequently pick me up from school (I don't remember how/why he got out earlier than me to be there...).  It's funny how now I would think that stuff was way over the top, but back then I ate it up...he was definitely my first love, and I'm ok, even now, saying that!
What was your first paid job?
I taught swim lessons through my swim team for awhile, but my first real paying job (that I got on my own and all) was as an umbrella girl on the beach.  Basically, I set up umbrellas and beach chairs each morning (which was way harder work than you would think!), sat there all day to collect money if people wanted to rent one, and then cleaned them up in the afternoon.
What were your chores at home?
This sounds lame, but I don't think I had chores at home.  I made my bed each morning...

This is Me: Part 2

A couple of weeks ago, I started a little challenge that basically involves documenting every detail of my life...past and present.  There are about 15 different sections, so I have decided to tackle one at a time.  Today's will be Growing Up, the Early Years
Where did you grow up? Describe it.
I have lived in Virginia Beach my whole life (well, except the years I was in college) but did live in a few different houses/areas over the time.  I was born in a town house (well, I was born in the hospital obviously but we lived in a town house) that's actually only a few minutes from where I currently live.  I don't remember much about it besides the fact that there was a Baskin Robbins across the street that my dad used to take us to!  When I was about 3 or 4, we built a house in a neighborhood closer to the beach.  It was a new development and there weren't many houses around us.  We got robbed there...they stole our VCR and my favorite tape at the time...and moved shortly thereafter.  Other than the robbery, the only thing I remember about that house is that it was near the "world's slowest McDonalds" as named by my dad (I'm a little embarrassed, but not at all surprised, that my memories involve food).  When I was in Kindergarten we moved to the house that I would grow up in.  It was in the Great Neck section of the city in a very family-friendly neighborhood.
What was your earliest memory?
Ya know, I was asked this question once in a college class, and I could not, for the life of me, recall an early memory.  And even now, I still can't do so.  I have memories of things we did frequently...go to my Grandma's cabana/pool/beach, go to Baskin Robbins (as mentioned above!), play with my parents or siblings, but I can't remember one specific event as my earliest memory.  Sad, huh?!?
What games did you play as a child?
As the oldest, I would orchestrate a lot of imaginative play scenarios...where I was, of course, in charge.  We played school, house, houseboat (a creative spin on the couch!).  We also did a lot of sports type games.  I remember kickball being a big one in the neighborhood.
Where did you go to school?
I went to private school for Kindergarten (Cape Henry Collegiate) because we were in the process of moving and my parents didn't want me to have to switch schools mid-year.  From first grade on, though, I went to Trantwood Elementary.  Most of my friends came from my school with a lot of them living in my neighborhood, although I did have a couple of friends left over from my preschool play group.  I remember Jodi (I'm not going to use last names because some people may not appreciate that!) as one of those, and I recall sleep overs, tuna melts (seriously...the food!), and shopping trips with her and her mom.  My first best friend that I can remember "choosing" was a girl named Brooke.  We were best friends from 2nd grade-4th grade (I think).  If I remember correctly, she was pretty cool and therefore I was pretty cool because we were friends.  Beyond 4th grade, we remained friends, but not nearly as close, and looking back on it, I'm pretty sure I was replaced with someone who was cooler!  That's OK...she snored anyway (or maybe it was her twin sister), so I always hated sleeping over at her house!  I met my friend Claire in 4th grade too.  We weren't particularly good friends then (although I do remember spending the night at her house once), but became better friends in high school, and remain close (as in bridesmaids in each other's weddings close) to this day!

Claire's little boy, Waid (5 days younger than Levi) visiting from California

Who were your favorite teachers and why?

I really liked school, so I pretty much liked all my teachers, especially then.  My first grade teacher, Mrs. Dingle, was a favorite.  I don't remember much about her personality-wise, but I do remember a lot of the fun things we did...like publishing books with wallpaper sample covers, a Halloween play (where I was the starring role!), making chocolate-peanut butter easter eggs (again with the food).  I also really liked my third grade teacher Mrs. Wood.  I remember her as being funny.  And I have a very vivid memory of her foot falling through the floor of our portable floor...on Friday the 13th...as she was wearing red!

What were your chores?

It may not have been until high school, but we had a rotation where weekly we each had to clean the bathrooms, dust the living room/kitchen/dining room/play room, or dust the bedrooms.  None of us did as good of a job as my mom wanted, though (she's the type that cleans before the cleaning lady gets there), so it didn't last long.  I had to make my bed each day if that counts as a chore.

And I guess that concludes that chapter.  Kind of fun, huh?!?  To me, at least...

Happy Friday and weekend all:)  Any fun plans out there:)