8.31.2012

2 Facts of Today.

Not too much to report on this lovely (and hot) Friday.
All you need to know is that I have bangs again,
& that I'm on my way to the first MSU tailgate of the season!
Go Green, Go White, & Sparty On!
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8.30.2012

Tids + Bits

+Thank you for the sweet comments on yesterday's post. I am so excited about this new adventure, and I am encouraged now to share it with all of you... I wasn't sure how the transition from a "mommy blog" to a "lifestyle blog" would go, but I am happy to know that at least some of you are interested in this new chapter we are opening!

+My first day of classes was fantastic and I am feeling so positive and reassured about the program I have chosen. The professors were engaged and really excited, and the others students are just as thrilled to be there as I am! 

+I think I have had more social interaction (outside of family) in the last two days than I have in the past year. It has been so nice to meet new people, have adult conversations, and not feel judged by. That last bit might seem weird, but after trying to make "mom friends", this is actually something I won't ever take for granted again!

+Jack is doing SO great at the babysitter. I know I made the right choice. She texts me mini updates 1-2 times a day, Jack LOVES playing with the other kids, & homegirl even CLIPPED ME COUPONS she thought I could use... sold.

+John is super dad. But really... He has taken on his new "responsibilities" like a champ and hasn't complained once. I don't get home until around 7 and he has dinner going, Jack happy, and pretty much takes over since I am EXHAUSTED and still have chores to do. I seriously cannot even talk about how much his willingness to adjust our lifestyle means to me. I think he just has his eye on the prize... dual income. 

+We are currently trying to get Jack off of the bottle and phase one of this process involves separating the bottle from sleep time. Usually we just give him a bottle when he goes down and that's how he soothes himself off to sleep... this is bad for our goal. So we have been giving him his bottle before bed and put a pillow down for him to lay on while he drinks it. This has led to the hysterical habit of him either telling us he's ready for a bottle/nap by laying down on his pillow, or running over to the pillow and launching himself onto it when he sees a bottle. Such a smart little man!

+Tomorrow is the first tailgate of the season and I could not be more excited! Go State!
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8.29.2012

The Skinny on Grad School.

I guess I have been sort of abstractly talking about "school" on this blog now for a few months. 
Many of you weren't around these parts during the drama of the application/decision process.

In the simplest way possible, this is what I'll be doing for the next two years:
I am studying for my Masters in Social Work (MSW)
I will be a full-time student
Two days a week I will have class
Two days a week I will work at a job relative to what I am studying (Fieldwork)

Fieldwork = glorified internship.
I will have two fieldwork placements (One each year of school).
My first field placement is in an adoption agency.. I am really excited to start!

For the last week I have been attending orientations & seminars. 
Tomorrow is the first day of actual classes!

Last summer I was lucky enough to meet Tara (pronounced Tar-Uh).
Her boyfriend fiance 
(homegirl got engaged this past weekend!)
 is good friends with my girl, Sarah's , husband (was that confusing?!) 

We met last year during all of Sarah & Andrew's wedding festivities. 
We were fast friends & learned we would both be applying to the same grad programs at the same time.

Now we are IN the SAME program.
Hello built in friend!
We scheduled all of our classes together so I am not awkward girl in the corner (YAY!)

Although classes haven't officially started, I think it's really starting to sink in what's happening.
Getting an MSW was my dream/goal all along.
Before John. Before Jack.
I happily put it on hold the past year... but a part of me wasn't sure if it was ever going to happen.
It's happening.

All of the teachers, advisors, & directors keep congratulating us on the accomplishment of 
getting into graduate school and the social work program.
I'm not sure if I feel like I've earned congratulations.
Does that make sense?
I feel like I spent undergrad making more time for parties and hangovers than I did studying. 

Yet, here I am. 
Living out my dream... THE PLAN! 

I'm outlining textbook chapters, 
color-coding class schedules,
dropping Bubba off at the babysitter's, 
and packing my Longchamp instead of my diaper bag. 

We are adjusting to this "new life" and I cannot help but feel incredibly blissful. 
Tired, but blissful. 

Excuse me while I nerdily get two weeks ahead in my reading 
so I can get wasty face at my sister's wedding :) 
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8.28.2012

1 Million Pictures of Jack with a Chocolate Cake.

We spent this past weekend at the lake. 
On Sunday we celebrated Jack's birthday with my side of the family and some friends!

About 6 months ago, I was all about throwing Jack a huge party. 
In reality- it would have resulted in the loss of my mind. 

Between starting school & getting ready for my sister's wedding
(not to mention just getting home from vacation a week ago)
a small family affair was just what the doctor ordered!

We still kept up a sailor theme. 
I made invitations to be sent to family/friends via email. 
My mom made a smash cake, cupcakes, & a banner. 

Unfortunately we had to move the party inside due to rain, but it was a great time!
Jack wasn't complaining either... homeboy loves him some chocolate cake. 

The festivities included a visit from my college bestie, 
live video chats with Aunt E while eating cake, 
and sliming mama with chocolate frosting. 

Enjoy one million pictures :) 

 
He may look sleepy after all of that cake... but lets talk about a baby that eats large amounts of processed sugar for the first time. Up all night. 
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8.27.2012

Show & Tell Monday

I have already done a post like this for one of Becky's link-ups but since I have some new readers now AND wedding is on the brain due to my sister's big day coming in TWO WEEKS... I thought this would be fun! 
Are you married? If so when did you get married, and tell us about your special day. If not? How would you describe your dream wedding? 
I am married :) John and I got married November 19, 2011. We had a pretty large wedding (about 185 guests) and were married in my FAVORITE church in my hometown of Grand Rapids, MI. Our reception was held at the golf course that my parents live on. We had an AMAZING band and there were barely any guests NOT dancing. It was pretty much the best party I have ever been to ;)
Show us some wedding pictures. Either yours or of some that you love.
How about the engagement? Tell us your story. If not engaged, what's your dream proposal?
John and I got engaged the Friday before Valentine's day. We were long distance at the time and only saw each other on the weekends. That weekend, he was SUPPOSEDLY staying at his house for an extra night before coming to see me. I was not pleased. I went out to eat with my roommate and when i came back my house was COVERED in roses and candles. John was in our living room and proposed. It was sweet and romantic and perfect :) 
Show us your wedding rings or an engagement photo! If not engaged/married ... show us your "dream" ring.
Tell us why you think marriage doesn't work out for so many? What can we do to make things last
I think a lot of people go into marriage thinking that their love or passion or both will carry them through life and that's all that they need. Marriage is a "next step" instead of a forever commitment. John and I both went into our marriage knowing that there were going to be good and bad times. That every day we were going to have to wake up and CHOOSE to love each other. Patience, understanding, communication... all of those things are so important in a marriage and are easy to overlook or get lazy about. John and I made a vow to each other to never get lazy about our marriage- so far so good :) 

All pictures in this post are by Emily Zoladz
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8.24.2012

Friday's Letters

Dear School, After two days of orientations... I am really ready to get this show on the road! I have all of my school supplies (organized & color coded), my books ordered, & we semi have a morning routine! Also, I am so anxious to get my field placement interviews underway and make it official! I cannot wait to be working in an adoption agency and learning about all of the different aspects of the process!  

Dear Jack, You were such a trooper going to the babysitter this week! You seemed to really enjoy it and I was glad that I didn't need to worry about you while I was away. You are such a big one year old boy, and I cannot believe how much you have grown and changed just in the last 2 weeks! I am so excited to celebrate your birthday all over again this weekend at the lake. Also, you are a giant! 99th percentile for height?! You will be towering over your mama before I know it! Your dad and I are so happy to be home with you. We missed you oh-so-much! 

Dear John, We didn't really get to ease back into "real life" did we?! I am so grateful for our long trip. I am so refreshed and ready for this "new lifestyle" we are transitioning into. Your support during these next couple of years while I am in school is priceless to me. I appreciate you wanting my dreams/goals for me as much as I want them for myself! 

Dear Readers, I apologize for the offensive amount of vacation pictures. I know that it's not really that much fun to look at other people's vacations, but I just had to document our amazing trip! I hope you can all bear with me as this blog also makes a transition. My day-to-day will no longer be all things Jack... I hope you will journey with me while I figure out how to be a student, employee, wife, and mom all at once! AH! 

Dear Summer, You are quickly slipping away. I am not too sad. It's been hot! But I will definitely cherish these last two weekends at the lake. I will miss it come February! 

Dear Erin, YOU ARE GETTING MARRIED IN TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!!
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8.23.2012

Vacation Part II

If you missed Part I you can read it here!

On Tuesday morning of vacation we woke up relatively early, took a cab to the airport and picked up our rental car. 
We then drove 1.5 hours to Anacortes, WA to get on a ferry. 
This was cool. 
How often do you get to drive your car onto a boat?! 

We took the one hour ferry ride over to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. 
It is by far one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to! 

There we had a bed and breakfast booked. 
Neither of us have ever stayed at a b & b before. 
Lets just say, I don't think it's our scene. 

We pulled up to a BRIGHT yellow farm house that was COVERED in knick knacks. 
I mean inside and OUT. 
Cat figurines? Yup. 
Fairies? Yup. 
Creepy stuffed animals on the furniture overlooking your bed? Yup. 

If it wasn't for the SPETACULAR VIEW BEYOND WORDS, our accommodations would have been a bust.  

Now, we didn't choose this b & b, it was recommended to us. 
John almost cried when he found out it was a vegetarian establishment. 

This led to shameful behavior like:
Sneaking a supreme pizza into our room and being too scared to throw it away, therefore smuggling the remains back to the car...
Completely normal. 

Also, the whole communal breakfast thing...
Okay, maybe it's fine if you are similar to the other guests, 
but John and I were clearly not the "normal" Friday Harbor visitors. 

A) We don't get SUPER into outdoorsy activities, they are fine and fun on occasion but defnitely not a hobby (i.e. hiking, biking, kayaking)
B) We don't wear outdoorsy shoes. 
C) We rented a SUV instead of Prius
D) I (GASP!) wore makeup... homegirl needs a little tinted moisturizer! 

This led to awkward table conversations. 
Like, the inn keepers telling me that their connection with their pets is as strong as a parent/child connection and that their, wait for it, PET PSYCHIC, is really helpful in helping them all to communicate. 

Other than our adventures in b & b life, we enjoyed a very sweaty hike to the beach, lots of beers, food at pretty much every restaurant on the island, pretty drives, early morning trips to the beach, a whale watching tour, and lots and lots of pretty views! 

We started our journey home (that spanned across 2 days) on Friday morning, and I was actually sad to leave the island.

Other than our... crunchy accommodations, it was a truly amazing place to relax, read, and hang with my husband! 

Enjoy 8,000 pictures... okay, more like 25ish, but still...

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Wale watching pictures via.