Helpful How-to: Throwing a Baby Shower

Believe it or not, I have a friend who planned a mean bridal shower for one of our friends, but when it came time for the baby shower, threw up her hands and said, "I don't know what to do for a baby shower!  I have never been to one!"

After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I took out a sheet of notebook paper and made a list for her.

I will admit that no baby shower that I have thrown has ever been reminiscent of anything Bethenny Frankel threw for herself, but my book never hit the New York Times best sellers list, either.

So what?

Does that mean people won't have fun?

I'm sorry, but the last time you invited a group of women to catfight over word search to win the tiniest bottle of lotion you have ever seen and eat cake after some delicious hors' douvres, did anyone say they didn't have a wonderful time?

That's what I thought.

Women + baby themed games + prizes + cake = reasons to ditch your manicure at least one Saturday out of every month.

And let's face it, wouldn't most of us drop anything for a piece of cake?

Now on to that tutorial...

1.  Cake.

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Clearly, as stated above, no baby shower would be complete without a cake.  This is the most important item of the day.  The bigger, the better.  Spread the bald-faced lie rumor that Duff may be behind your culinary creation,

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and mommy-to-be will think she is the most popular girl of all time.

2.  Games.
These are only necessary if, in fact, you opt to not do mani's, pedi's, and massages for all guests at the spa as a certain (previously named) celebrity mom recently did.

As far as games go, the crossword puzzles have been done, the word searches have been crossed through, and the Don't-Say-Baby game has been played out.*  If your baby shower games are going to rock you need memorable games.  If you want people talking about this shower for ages to come, you need a fresher game.  Or maybe a less fresh game....  Every heard of "What's in the diaper?"  Google baby shower games with that title and see what you come up with.**

Or there's always the favorite, "Name that Baby Food".***

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And we could never forget the all time favorite, "Guess Mommy's Circumference".****

(That's me.  At my shower.  No credit necessary.  But look how HUGE that belly was!)

These games are sure to leave your guests remembering your shower for a long time to come.  And don't worry, cake will soothe anyone who may have been slightly off-put by your game choices.

3.  Gifts.
Ok, next to cake, this is 2nd most important rule for a baby shower.  As planner of the shower, you have alot invested here.  And once you know the #3 rule for an amazing baby shower, you will have even more invested.  Because, you see, it is your job as the shower planner to purchase the baby momma's most amazing gift of the day.

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This usually means that you will have everyone you know, including but not limited to your coworkers that baby momma has never actually met, contributing to the most expensive gift item on the registry.  That's right.  Be prepared to outdo all grandmother's, all aunts, all great aunts, and all sisters.  THIS IS YOUR DUTY.
And if you start to panic about the interest you are going to roll onto your credit card with said purchase, calm yourself with the largest, corner slice of cake you can get your hands on.  It works like magic.  Trust me.

4.  Favors.
A good favor is something that leaves everyone at the shower happy that they came.  In my book, it could be as simple as a slice of cake for the road.  (MMMMMMMM, cake....)

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(Thank you, I will take the whole thing...)

However, for most, something a little more meaningful (read, expensive) is required.  But since I am still too distracted thinking about eating cake, I will have to refer you to a site like this, or this.  And you can just leave me with the cake, ok?

See how easy that was?  I mean, 4 easy steps.

Aren't you glad you asked me for help?

Wait?  What?  You didn't?

You don't really care about my love affair with buttercream and flour?

Credit (Did I mention I like cake?)

And you don't have a baby momma to plan a shower for?

Don't worry.  One day you probably will.  And on that day you will be thankful that you read this post.

Until then, should you see me near a cake of any kind, you should probably steer clear.
Lest you end up like a drunken matador in a bull fight.

Don't say you haven't been warned...



*In reality, I love nothing more than crossword puzzles, word searches, and if you could find a baby themed sudoku puzzle, I would be thrilled.  So do what I say, not as I do.

**I am pretty much the only person I know who really loves this game.  Like really, really loves.  But probably because it's as close as I get to candy bars these days.

***There is nothing better to prep a woman's palette for cake as bland, boiled, mushy carrots.  Yumm-O!

****No, really.  There is nothing baby momma's love more than the prospect of having everyone she knows guessing how "big around" she is.  Except maybe cake.

LOST - The Finale - my take

Note:  I have not Googled the finale as yet.  My theories are based only upon discussions with friends and my all night marathon of dreams about the finale.

Originally, I was really, really over thinking it.  I won't even get into what my original theories were.  But trust me when I say, they were deep.

But here's my final (or should I say, Finale) theory.  (Come on, people!  You could at least crack a smile at my corny jokes....)

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Season 6 flipped between life on the island combined with the flashes to a life that never really was.  A false reality.  (In the excerpts of the dvd we watched, they called it the "Sideways" life.)  It was a great life, but still not perfect.  It was a life that they created for themselves.  A life surrounded by the people that they bonded with during their time on the island.

And it was a happy life, for most.  But still plagued with problems.  Kate was still running from the law, John Locke was still crippled, Sun and Jin were still trying to get away from her dad....  Even in a false reality, no life was perfect.

My assumption (after much discussion and the all night dreams...) is that the sideways life was a type of purgatory.  Life between real life and death. 

The life on the island was real.  Bizarre.  Strange.  Crazy.  But real, nonetheless. 

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That being said, they would have actually lived through the initial plane crash.  They would have "flashed" before the second plane crash and they would have actually died off one by one on or off the island.*

But in order to meet their final eternal destiny, they had to find one another in the sideways life.  They had to connect to their real lives and stop clinging to the life they thought they had in order to find something even more lasting.   

And I think it's beautiful. 

And as long as you take it at face value. 

The show was mysterious, intriguing and amazing. 

It was happy and sad, ya know? 

And personally, I think the Finale reflected all of that to perfection. 

Let's just say I have way more closure about the finale of LOST than I do about the finale of Seinfeld.** 

Now, please, excuse me while I go Google what other people are saying about the Finale.


*Again, this was not my original assumption. I didn't think this until I remembered that handful of people who actually got off the island. Not to mention Kate's words to Jack outside of the church. I've missed you so much. Meaning Kate, once on the plane, did actually make it off the island and live the rest of her life without Jack.

**I am still scarred from that one!

LOST Update - NEXT TO LAST ONE!!!

Tonight is the NIGHT!!!!

Can you sing with me, now? 

I feel it in my fingers,

I feel it in my toes...

I am speaking of course of the immense excitement coursing through my veins from being mere hours from knowing what all the hype was about....

And I am giddy. 

Almost as happy as that pig in the Geico commercial!

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! WEEEEEE!WEE!WEE!"

Watch for my updates tomorrow!

"Thanks, Mrs. A"

My Honest Opinion - U Pantiliners by Kotex

Since no one ever asks, and I just have to dole it out....

I have decided to do a weekly product review post.  They will be labeled "My Honest Opinion" posts - for easy searching....  Let's all be excited about this new development.  I know I am.  It's merely another way for me to impress my opinions on you, my 25 loyal readers. 

And if you haven't picked up from the title of the post, I have already chosen my first item to review.

And if any men have stumbled upon this post, you really don't care to read about pantiliners, right?  Just so we're clear.  You probably want to move on.

Back to the topic....

You know I do the sample thing, right?  If not, please refer to this post. 

So a few weeks ago, I received a sample pack from Kotex.com of their new U by Kotex line of products. 

And woo to the hoo. 

Most of the changes to their usual line up are pretty phenom.  Not that I would relish paying the extra $2 for them, but given that I had a coupon, I would possibly splurge on them. 

I have been a long time user of Kotex products (yes, I know this probably crosses some lines of appropriateness somewhere, but in all seriousness....  I am not mincing words here for the sake of YOUR confortability.)  Their tampons were better than the generic, but nothing in comparison to Playtex - my personal fave. 

Enter U.  The U Tampons are finally up to the standards of my Playtex faves with no funny side wrapped strings or any of the oblong shape of the original Kotex tampon. 

And finally the subject of today's post - the U pantiliner.

Specifically, the extra thin, flexible version.

Kotex accomplished EXACTLY what they were going for here. 

"Thin" isn't quite the word for this liner.  "Paper" would be more appropriate.

Flexible? It is. 

Practically invisible, it is. 

(BTW: You are not looking at any portion of my panties here, so stop feeling awkward.  GEEZ.)

Now for my personal opinion.

On the upside, you will probably never ever have a problem with this liner roaming all over your drawers because the adhesive isn't strong enough.  NAY.  This thing could make it to space stuck on the outside of the space shuttle - the adhesive is seriously that strong. 

However, unless by chance, you wear your liners for kicks and giggles rather than protection, this is probably not the liner for you.  Unless your "light" days are "nigh to invisible" days, you will want something stronger than this puppy. 

Look at that picture again.  There is practically nothing but paper until you get to that tiny patch of cotton in the middle.  If all you need is a quarter sized piece of cotton, then why in the world are you wasting your money on buying liners?  Tape a cotton ball to your undies.  It would go farther. 

Sorry, that may have come off harsh.  What I meant to say was - these are too freaking expensive to buy for that little bit of cotton and paper! 

That being said, I have ONLY tried the extra thin, flexible version, so if the regulars happen to have some of the finer qualities (i.e. flexibility, adhesive strong enough you could wax yourself with it, cool packaging, etc.) combined with my much more important qualifications (security that there is enough cotton between me and my pants that I won't end up looking like I stepped into the Nile after the first Plague) then I am ALL about it. 

But only with a coupon.

How's that for a weird new post?  Weird enough for you?

Yep.  Me too.

Cute Applause

In case you missed it, last week, Little Man learned how to clap.  And Techy posted a video of it on Facebook.

But the kid hasn't stopped in days. 

Seriously, all weekend long and almost every day since, we have woken up to his clapping.  Literally, the child wakes up and with his first conscious thought, starts clapping.

It's adorable.  I won't pretend I don't think it is.  It cracks me up. 

Over the weekend, we went to my "Nanny's" house for lunch.  It just so happened that all the great-grandchildren were there that day, and my Aunt wanted a picture of all of them together.

Here's what we got:

You see it, right?

My sister's 3 kids are on the left.

Then my cousins little boy.

Then mine.  Clapping.

My cousin summed it up most appropriately when she said, "This is just like us as kids.  Me and Sarah not caring there was a camera around and Leah showing off to get all the attention."

And that is my child.  Showing off already.

And here I am.  Showing.him.off.

Some things never change, right?

And the winner is....

Remember the giveaway from last week?

Yep.  That's right.  The one that 2 whole people signed up for.

Talk.about.popularity.

We have a winner.

Random.org says the winner is #1.

Congratulations, Kait!  Just what you always dreamed of!  Your very own hand-me-down-Partylite Wall Sconce and tealights!

Paper Perfume

Dontcha just love free stuff?

I especially love the free stuff that keeps me fresh.

Never one to pass any free item up, I have acquired a small mountain of health and beauty products using all the free sample programs floating around the internet.

For the most part, Techy and I pile them up in a drawer for guests to use while visiting.  (A neat little trick we learned from his sister and her mother-in-law)

But since visitor's don't really frequent our doorstep, the mountain continues to grow until such a time as I forget to pick up a much needed bottle of John Freida's Sheer Blonde shampoo and realize I have a free sample in my drawer that will get me through for at least 2 shampoo's.... (Sense the sarcasm here people.  I have never in my life purchased a color enhancing shampoo, much less a Blonde enhancing shampoo....)

That being said, I have decided that no guest of mine will ever use the 1300 perfume sample cards I have piled up.

And I should take advantage of the luscious designer scents before the powder wears off the card.

Therfore, you should take it on personal authority that if I happen to smell particularly delicious or distasteful on some day when we are together, you will 1. never know what I am wearing since the perfume card went in the trash right after I rubbed it all over my entire body, and 2.  never have/get to smell the scent on me again since the most expensive scents I buy are from Gap. 

Determination Made Me Bite the Bullet

Despite the fact that I travelled all morning yesterday,

Despite the fact that I immediately turned around and went to lunch with the Bestie upon my return home,

Despite the fact that after that I chased babies for 2 hours,

And despite the fact that I was so tired my eyeballs ached,

I still managed to squeeze in my workout last night. 

And thanks to a sweet kick in the pants from the Bestie at lunch yesterday, I bumped up the workout. 

That's right I stopped slacking off and really hit it hard. 

I ran on the elliptical for a full hour.  I know it really doesn't sound like much, but to be honest, it's the hardest I have worked in months for the longest consecutive amount of time. 

My goal is to make it happen again tonight, or to at least get the elliptical and 30 Day Shred back to back, so there is less down time for my heart rate to drop.  I want to keep up the burn for as long as possible and see where it takes me. 

Of course, keep in mind that the advice came from someone who just ran 13.1 in 2:18 at the Philly Half Marathon, and then tell me how wise I am to be taking advice from her....

I know, I know...I can see where this is leading....

The Dress

Oh, faithful readers...I have really screwed up.

Royally.

Remember when I talked about all.that.cake?

I forgot one very important detail....

Next weekend, I have to go to a wedding.

Meaning, I have to fit in one of these

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And after all.that.cake, the only way I am getting into one of those

Is by getting into a pair of these

So, now between pinching there and pinching here

I am pretty much going to regret having ever RSVP'd to this thing.

Oh.the.stress.

A Shower from the South

What a whirlwind of a weekend.  I am completely exhausted.

This weekend we travelled home for my sister's baby shower.

Yes, baby #3 got a shower, cause that's just how we Southern women roll.

I promise to post pics later from the shower, however, my wireless card that I am using while Techy drives down the interstate just freaked out at me when I even thought about it, so if you are interested in the pics, check back this afternoon.

I can't tell you how much fun I had or how much cake I ate.  (Pretty sure I may have gained back a few poundages...so much for that strict regimen I am on....)

I will tell you that I got the opportunity to catch up with family and friends who I haven't seen in ages, but who, despite the time and distance are still among the closest friends I have.

Little Man went to the shower with us and won over hearts, faster than any Bachelor ever could, just by batting those baby blues.

Have I mentioned my child is a flirt?  Be on your guard around this kid!  He is trickery incarnate. The sheer cuteness he spouts off makes newlyweds crave babies faster than Joe Jonas ditched his purity ring in the face of Ashley Greene.  Just sayin'....

We followed the shower with a couple photo sessions, I promise to post those pics as soon as Techy finishes editting them.  What I can tell you is that they are looking pretty awesome, even pre-edit.  I don't think that I have mentioned the fact that Techy is working on taking this photography hobby to the next level.  He's shooting backup at a wedding next weekend, and he has already scheduled several family shoots for the month of October.  To really put the pressure on him, my cousin asked him to shoot his wedding next summer, and I am thinking that as long as it doesn't go as badly as Sanjaya's American Idol performances, we should be fine.

There was plenty more that went into this weekend of fun, happy, exhaustion, including lots more cake, but I dare not post it all for fear that you will be on the hunt for the nearest bakery faster than Jeff Gordon rolls into pit lane.  Really, I am just looking out for your own good.  And your waist line, since I obviously didn't do much for mine this weekend.

And since I am talking about it, for those of you who are keeping up with my diet/exercise regimen, I was a total bust this weekend.  Haven't worked out since Thursday night.  Total.failure.  But, in my defense, there really was no time, and really I was on my feet ALL DAY on Saturday, so I probably burned twice as many calories as I do on a normal weekday when I sit for 8 hours straight.  But don't worry, I plan to hit the elliptical tonight and try to squeeze in 30 Day Shred at some point.  Should be interesting.

Until later...when I post those much anticipated pictures...

Helpful How-To: How to Create a Work Out Routine That You WILL Do

If you have been following me for any length of time, you probably know about the 60+ pounds I packed on during my pregnancy with Little Man.

(wanna know a secret?  When I met Pioneer Woman, I was 36 weeks pregnant, I drove 2 hours to see her, waited 4 hours in an uncomfortable bookstore chair, and the first words out of her mouth were, "Wow!  You almost knocked me over with that belly!"  That's me, leaving my mark on the world and giving PW a black eye with my big belly....  In fairness, I really did shove it right in her face, so she had every right....)

And if you have been following for any length of time, you probably know that I work out multiple times per day 4-5 days per week.

If you have been reading my posts at all, you probably know about my weight obsession and why I am a total freak a little cautious about my weight. 

And if you have been reading my posts, you are probably aware that I have lost just over 35 pounds of my pregnancy weight. 

And after reading all about that, are you tired or inspired?  My hope is that you too have the desire to get your rear in gear and get healthy with me.  (Look at me rhyming...Like a Jenny Craig version of Dr. Seuss)
Here are a few hints that I think are KEY to making it on any exercise regimen:

1.  Start slow. 
You can't go from 0-60 without changing a few gears, if you know what I mean.  Take it easy on yourself.  I made a big mistake when I first started trying to get back into shape - I started out running.  And 2 days in, I could barely walk.  Now after several months of strengthing my muscles and creating some endurance, I hit the streets again and ran a full mile out doors for the first time in almost 6 years.  And I felt great! 

2.  Find what you enjoy. 
Not everyone will enjoy running and not everyone will enjoy an elliptical.  Some will not thrive in an aerobics class, and some cannot stand to hit the pool early in the morning.  Point being, find something you can do that you enjoy doing.  If you enjoy watching TV every night, put on a pedometer and your tennies and walk 2 miles while watching Glee!  The point is merely to do SOMETHING.  Because anything, is better than nothing.

3.  Build a level of accountability. 
To those who are Facebook friends, you know how much I work out, how much I burn, how often I exercise, etc.  I have built a level of accountability using the Daily Mile program.  If my goal for the week is to complete 5 hours of exercise and I miss the mark, ALL of my Facebook friends know it.  (Although, I seriously hope no one is counting my totals...that's just strange)  For others, it is your friends who you meet for Yoga 3 times a week.  They expect to see you, you expect to see them.  My boss meets his best friend at the gym every single morning for a kickboxing class and they have been doing that for YEARS.  The point is, find someone who will watch you, encourage you, and root you through the workouts.  If need be, email me.  Seriously.  Bizarre, but at least 3 of my current readers do it.  Seriously, I will root for you.  And I don't count pounds, I count health!  Because I am easier on you than I am on myself....  LOL.

4.  Be consistent.
Whether it be one day a week or 3 20 minute workouts a day.  Be consistent.  Build a workout routine that you can work with.  Build a routine that you will do.  If walking or running bores you, rather than just not doing it, do it in smaller increments and supplement your workout with other things that you will enjoy.  (i.e., bike riding, aerobics classes, workout videos, etc.)

5.  Know your weaknesses.
If you know that you will not workout because of a time constraint, change the variable.  Find a workout that fits your time frame. (I highly recommend 30 day shred or any of the workouts on demand - most of them are only 20-25 minutes long, leaving the time stamp much lower and much cheaper than a class at the gym!) If you don't like to workout in front of people at the gym, stair step in your basement (or like me - in front of the tv with a step stool).  If you have bad knees and can't run, opt for a low impact workout - biking, elliptical, swimming, etc. 

6.  Set goals. 
I think this is PIVOTAL to working out.  The desire to see improvement can do incredible things.  I remember the first day I did 30 Day Shred with 3 lb. weights, I thought I would die!  But I had a goal.  I wanted to see myself get stronger, I wanted to get back to a 5 lb. weight, and I desperately wanted to button some sleeves!  I pushed myself.  And now my goal is 8 lb. weights.  The Bestie started out last spring training for a 5k, and last weekend, she ran her first 1/2 marathon.  I am not saying your goals have to be that high, but without even tiny goals, you aren't going to get anywhere.  Make the first one, hit it, and then set your next one.  It's not a big picture thing.  Your goals will change, increase, decrease, as the needs arise, but the goal is PIVOTAL to getting your rear in gear!

7.  Reward Yourself. 
I do this by allowing myself to take 2 days off a week.  I get to choose what days they are, if I need them in the week or on the weekend, they are there for me.  Your reward could be anything really, a nap, a McDonalds ice cream cone, or the weekend to rest.  But find someway to tell yourself that you are doing good.

There are about a million other things I could tell you, but I think this is really a good start to get you motivated without making you totally overwhelmed.  I hope this post helps someone out there.  Remember, the goal isn't about numbers, but it's about how you feel.  It isn't necessarily about the lbs. lost (spoken by the pot...), it's more about the health you are in now versus the health you could be in in 6 months. 

Now Go!  Get your rear in gear!  (I really like that line!  Makes me sound so Jillian-esque!)

Random Thoughts for my Friday

My thoughts are really scattered today.  And yes, I realize today is helpful how-to day, and I promise to get to it but first, let's talk about my random thoughts.

First of all, last night, I washed my second LG Chocolate II last night. Yes, you read that right.  My second one.  The first one died the same death...in my washing machine.  I assume it was a slow and painful death, since when I pulled it out, soaking wet, it was still fighting for its last breaths with every twitch and wink that poor little phone could send out.  Luckily for me, Techy has lost more phones to water deaths than anyone can even think of, so I didn't get yelled at.  And lucky for me, Techy keeps a backup phone in the crap pile on his side of the dresser on his side table for just such an occasion as this.  And lucky for me, I got this email in my inbox yesterday.

Apparently, we've earned a new phone. 
And yesterday morning I deleted the email, thinking I wouldn't need it.  Oh, silly me....
Lucky for me, (you know, as if I haven't already said that too many times in this post) I have Gmail,
(I am so thankful for Gmail...if you don't have it, you should rethink your inbox of choice.  Really.  Right now.) so I could look it up and forward it on to dear old Techy....

Secondly, I got the most amazing card in the mail today.  For those of you who don't know, I have had a rough couple of weeks.  Exhausting, stressful, get-nothing-done weeks.
And then I got this card.

Have you heard of the Edge of Motherhood cards by Hallmark?  If you know a mommy, she deserves one of these cards.  My personal favorite one says something like "Behind every great kid is a mom who thinks she is screwing it up".  Oh my gosh.  So adorable! 

All that to say that my good buddy who sent me my card, could not have picked a better time to send it.

Dear Good Buddy, I love you and pray for YOU often!

Thirdly, I got this text from my Bestie this morning, "I'm free till Monday, We need to hang!"  And as luck would have it, I am going to be in Virginia until Monday.  When I texted her back to see if they wanted to get together Monday night, she said, "only free till 2:30 on Monday". 

Fourthly, Did I mention that my kiddo woke up in the middle of the night with a stuffy/runny nose (can anyone explain how a STUFFY nose can RUN?) and ended up deciding he wanted to play.  At the same time, Techy woke up with an ingrown toenail pain that was shooting up his leg...(There IS no explanation for that...just Techy being Techy....)  That being said, I was awake for about 2 hours in the middle of the night for no good reason.... 

Fifthly, I got an email from one of my favorite bloggers yesterday, Megan at Honey We're Home, who had read my blog and commented on what a cute kiddo I had.  Megan is all over the blogosphere right now.  And SHE read my blog.  And thinks Little Man is a cutie (I mean, seriously, who could deny it, right?)!  So yeah, a little psyched about that development.  Can I just say, she knows a little bit about cute boys, too, considering she has her own version of Little Man working on crawling around her house....  Yep, so...popular bloggers reading my blog....  It's a high.  Really, a high.  (Almost as big a high as it was to be featured over at Brambleberry by another of my faves, Liz, who is desperately trying to get herself ready for an antique show.)  Now, Techy, let's talk about whipping this page into some decent shape.  I mean, really, no professional blogger is going to even blink at me with this plain old blogger template.

Finally, I took a minute to read The Crazy Suburban Mom's blog yesterday.  People, she is freaking hysterical.  Oh, to have her sense of humor.  And writing style.  But alas, I am just a rambling, discount finding, baby-momma,  writing blabbing with no real purpose at all.

P.S. Don't be concerned, I do know that it isn't Friday today.  However, it is MY Friday, and that's all that really matters to me!

Despite the rollbacks, the $1 Section is G-O-N-E

It's me again!

Your handy dandy, money saving diva, a.k.a. fanatic.

I don't know about you, but one of my FAVORITE stores ever is Wal-Mart.  I mean, seriously, who doesn't love a good deal!?

And that one stop shopping is sooooo amazing.  (My friend Sherry, says she tries NOT to go to Wal-Mart because she always ends up buying things she doesn't need....  Incredulousity!) (yes, I know it isn't a word....  Blogging causes normal people to become creative with their vocabularies, so don't mind me....)

And can we just talk about the Rollbacks?

AAAAAAAAAAnyhoo,

I live about 35.2 feet from Wal-Mart (actually about 1/2 mile, but you get the idea...)

And I frequent the store like no one else.  At least 3-4 trips a week.  The ladies in Lawn and Garden and I are practically on a first name basis. 

One of my all time favorite things about Wal-Mart has always been it's craft supplies section.

This former Home Economics major would never have survived Sewing 101 without Wal-Mart's fabric section and discount rack.

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Unfortunately, my Wal-Mart, like most Wal-Marts nationwide have done away with their fabric department, opting instead for pre-cut fabrics that are sold at a pretty high markup from their previous selection. 

I can understand it.  Businesswise, I am sure Wal-Mart's fabric center was costing them more money than it was making, but oh, how I miss it. 

Oh, how I miss my $1 rack of discount fabrics!

And I despise driving all the way to Joann's for fabric.

However, I do LOVE Joann's 40% off coupons. 

And their home decor fabrics!  Waverly, I love you!  In every shape, size, print and color you come in! 

Now, if we could just talk Joann's into having a $1/$2 discount rack, we'd be talking. 

For now, and for as long as I can keep myself away from the home decorator's fabric outlet, I will be fabric shopping at Joann's and keeping my fingers crossed for a good deal.....

Long Time Member

I have been a member of my church for more than 4 years now. 

I have been attending my church for almost 5 years.

I have been involved in multiple ministries.

Children's ministry.

Youth ministry.

Served on committees.

Spoken in business meetings. 

Helped in several different ministry efforts ranging from cleaning for events, to moving to our new building. 

And do you know that after all that, approximately once a month someone says to me, "Welcome! Are you new to this church?"

Yes, we have 2 services.  Yes, most of them are older. 

But most of them I have met multiple times, served side by side with, and still they ask me....

It is so humorous to me. 

I know their names, I know their kids' names, and I know their grandkids' names.  And they have no idea who I am.

Part of me wonders if it is because I didn't grow up in this church. 

And part of me wonders if their brains are just too full of other people's names and faces.

And part of me just assumes they are old....

And I do realize that this probably means that in 40 years, I will be JUST like them. 

Oh, the lucky youth worker that I will torture.... 

It's a Giveaway

Just what you've all been waiting for....

I know, I know, amazing, right?

I am hosting my first giveaway. 

However, it's from the confines of my "to-go" pile. 

And it's all about weirdness. 

And I know you totally want to participate. 

So what, you may ask is the prize?

1 Partylite MOROCCAN SPICE BEADED SCONCE sans box, because I lost it in one of the 1/2 dozen moves since I bought it....

and

1 dz. Partylite Tealights

2 ways to enter:

1. Follow and comment saying that you are a follower.
2. Post the about the giveaway on Facebook, your blog, or Twitter and leave me a comment saying that you posted. 

Winner will be chosen on Tuesday, September 28, by random.org.

OOOO, now be excited!!!!

And leave me a comment!

A bouquet of newly sharpened pencils for you...

"Don't you just love...fall? It makes me want to shop for back to school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

Source.



200 points if you can name that movie....

If you are new to the blog, I keep a points system and who ever has the most points wins this....

JK.  I don't keep points. 

I mean, really, who wants an unsigned giant check? 

Or even worse, a picture of an unsigned giant check?

Which is probably as good as any of my prizes will get....

But I digress...

Back to fall. 

Oh, and happy last day of summer 2010!

I can finally admit my excitement for the coming season.  So much happens in the fall....

And we have so much planned over the next few months, I can hardly contain my excitement! 

Hershey Park, foyer remodel, Halloween - yes, I celebrate the dark holiday...BOO!, dining room tweaking, Thanksgiving, furniture fixing, crafting galore, baking - even more, then Christmas, and Little Man's first birthday! 

I am so excited! 

I really should get started on the planning.  But instead, what am I doing? 

I am kicking back to watch the season premiers of all my favorite shows. 

Chuck was on last night.  I plan to watch that tonight.

Glee comes on tonight....

And SURVIVOR!!!!  (Yes, I missed the premier last week...but that will not prevent me from catching up starting immediately!)

There are lots of other exciting things in the works for the coming season at our house and I can't wait to give you the play by play! 

So, tell me, what is it you love about the changing seasons?

Date Night, The Movie

Did you know that Techy and I have almost been married for 5 years?

And did you know that before we got married, we never lived together.  We never even lived close to one another.  We had a long distance relationship for the entire time we dated....

And did you know that during our first year of marriage, we never fought even one time?

(Tired of the Techy-Me Romance saga yet?)

But now that we have been married 4 and 3/4 years...

We have a dog.

We have a baby.

We both have stressful jobs that we love.

We both have families that we love.

We both are deeply involved in ministries at our church.

Techy, being a great example to his youth....

(Try an all-nighter with YOUR teens at 9 months pregnant...you'll look like that too!)

And we both have about a hundred thousand bazillion hobbies.

We both have quirks that drive the other one batty.  (Techy likes to pour himself a glass of water and then lose it when he is halfway through with it, so what does he do?  He pours himself another to lose!  Me - I like to ask Techy to help me with anything and then not let him do it.)

I guess you could say we are co-piloting this journey through life together, and alot of times we tend to go in opposite directions.  Although in some aspects, we share the same thoughts, we haven't quite mastered the art of thinking in unison. 

Enter the movie, Date Night.

Seen it?

I laughed so hard. 

The similarity was hilarious. 

We love to go to cheap restaurants and people watch.  It's our thang. 

And we are so incredibly boring. 

Sure, none of our friends are talking about calling the whole thing off, (mostly because we have been married longer than most of our friends, but whatev) but I totally loved the premise of the movie. 

We get so busy packing lunches and changing diapers and folding laundry that we forget to make time to enjoy one another for who we are and who we are becoming. 

Because that's what it's really all about, isn't it? 

Falling in love with your husband for the man he has grown into, as opposed to the boy you married?

For the fact that he loves make time to play with your baby boy?

For the fact that he has grown so tremendously in his dedication to ministry?

For the fact that he works hard to provide a home for you to redecorate everytime you get a whim?

For the fact that he knows you well enough to know that you love redecorating and he doesn't get upset about the messes that happen in the process?

For the fact that he knows how hard you work to lose the baby weight and how much you look forward to that piece of pizza and brownie on the weekends?

For the fact that he gets the jokes about people "messaging" on others' "walls", and he laughs at it?

For all those things and many, many more, I am so thankful to be married to Techy. 
And I am so thankful that I didn't have to be held at gunpoint looking for a "computer stick thingy" to figure that out! 

So, how 'bout you?  Seen 'Date Night'?  Think it was totally corny or completely laughable?

Life Saving Prolapse

This weekend, I finally had the opportunity to talk to my sister about the birth of baby Hannah. 

This is where I make my disclosure for any male readers...graphic details follow.  You have been warned.

I am not usually awed at birthing stories, although I almost always cry at them.  However, this story took my breath away.

And I just need to get it out there. 

Because it's beautiful.

Because it shows how blessings can be so easily disguised.

Because God is so gracious.

And because it could have been so, so different.

Some of you may have heard the other version of the story that I was spreading last week...which I had heard from someone who didn't have all the details yet either.  But now, with all the accurate details in place, I sit in awe. 

Sarah went in for her induction last Wednesday night/Thursday morning.  She said they started her on the pitocin early and she had her epidural by 9 or 9:30 am. 

Things were going smoothly, she was progressing normally - already at 5 cm. 

Her nurse came in to check on her, and noticed that with every contraction, the baby's heart rate dropped and eventually, stopped.  Then, as soon as the contraction ended, the beating would resume it's normal pattern.

No one was really alarmed.  It can happen....

They changed positions. 

The next contraction came.  It happened again.

2 more position changes, and it continued.

And the nurse checked Sarah.  You know checked her. 

Then the dreaded words..."I think I feel the cord...."  a little more feeling around, "Yep, that's definitely the cord...."  Then very nervously, "Um, everything is going to be fine, but I have to stay in this position in order to keep the babies' head off of the cord.  I need to call the doctor and we are going to have to do a c-section to get her out safely."

My sister:  "That's fine.  Whatever it takes...."

Nurse with pager in hand: "I need a doctor in room..., we have a prolapsed cord...."

And within a minute, Sarah said the room was filled with doctors and nurses - all in scrubs and all moving very quickly. 

Now, let me take a moment to digress....  Do you know what a prolapsed cord is?

Source

The moment my sister told me, I knew EXACTLY what that was and what it meant.  When we were in childbirth class, a prolapsed cord became my WORST fear.  You see, just as the nurse explained to my sister, the baby cannot be delivered with the cord prolapsed.  The pressure on the cord would cut off all bloodflow to the baby....  Therefore, the only way to correct a prolapsed cord is to hold the baby's head off of the cord.  Meaning that if that were to happen at home, you would have to call 911, and one of your local EMT's would have the lucky job of getting acquainted with that end of you very quickly.  Have I mentioned that Techy's best friend is a paramedic and his brothers are both EMT's for our local fire department? 

I die.

So yeah.  Worst fear....

Back to Sarah. 

And the nurse with her hand in Sarah's hoo-hah.  At this point, the nurse is under a sheet lying on the end of Sarah's bed, while they wheel my sister into the Operating Room.  And that's where she stayed for the next half hour until the baby made her arrival. 

Once in the operating room, Sarah said she had moments of panic wondering if her epidural had really taken or if she would feel the incision.  She didn't.

Did I mention she was alone?  They wouldn't let her husband come with her in case they needed to knock her out.  Apparently, they weren't that sure whether her epidural was strong enough, either. 

The minutes felt like an eternity.   She was so nervous, listening to the doctor, but reassured by the fact that she was in capable hands.  Finally, the doctor made the announcement that the baby was out.  And within seconds, the sound she had waited for...that beautiful baby cry.

It wasn't until many hours and lots of medication later that she found out that the cord had not only been prolapsed, had not only been wrapped around Hannah's neck, but had been tied in a knot.

That prolapsed cord was a huge blessing. 

Had it not been for that, Hannah could have suffered severe brain damage during the long hours of labor, not to mention the pushing, ahead of them. 

Sarah could not get over the fact that even when things seemed so bizarre, that God had a plan and that he was taking care of them the entire time. 

She also couldn't stop talking about how great it was to have a nurse who was so willing to do her part to keep baby girl safe. 

Again, all part of God's plan. 

So, all that being said, would you say that Hannah's birth story is pretty incredible.  Or is that just me?