"It's Ok" Thursday

Linking up with Neely & Amber again this Sunny-ish Thursday

It's Ok...

...That I still don't have my DC post ready

...That I have the worst headache of my life

...That Jack and I stayed in our pajamas ALL DAY yesterday (he is on his third pair)

...That I saw a bright pink nail polish chip in Jack's poop this morning... ok maybe it's not ok, but I didn't even notice I was picking off my nail polish- I may need to abandon this trend and leave my nails naked... 

...That my stomach is full of anxiety butterflies and I don't know if it's because I have a ton to do around the house, I feel super unorganized in life, or that I'm having lots of "blog envy" lately (Which sucks and makes me feel stupid and silly and 16 years old)

...That I'm struggling to find my "positive place" today

...That Jack's "pajamas" this morning don't match

...That Jack is on the move like cray cray and just wants to be standing up/pulling himself up on things/putting everything he sees into his mouth

...That I am about SEVEN days behind in my April Photo A Day Challenge

...That I have no desire to shower/get dressed/grocery shop

...That I am having unexplained anxiety like WHOA today

Alright - stopping now. I need to just get up, shower, clean my house, get some fresh air and hopefully I will feel better, happier, and less "wound up". Anyone else having days like this lately? 

What's ok with you today?

p.s. have you checked out my new facebook page (shameless plug)? 

Quick D.C. Update!

We're home! We had the most amazing trip!
Bubba was absolutely fantastic in the car, both ways! He barely fussed and stayed pretty much on his normal schedule the whole trip! I ::TRIED:: to do my best at taking pictures... but at the end of the day I am just too "in the moment" to remember to take the camera out of my purse! I am in the process of uploading and editing for a full recap of the trip... it should be ready to go by tomorrow!Until then...
My favorite parts:Seeing my sister in her BEYOND GORGEOUS wedding dress.Just Dance dance party with my mom and sisters.seeing the "residential" side of Washington D.C. (as opposed to the "tourist" side).
Bubba's favorite parts:His screamy voice echoing in the parking garage.His screamy voice echoing in my sister's hallway.His screamy voice echoing in the hotel hallway.His screamy voice echoing at the Lincoln Memorial....AND MOST OF ALL...Early morning snuggles with AuntE & Uncle J
If you don't already follow me on Instagram, here's what you missed over the last 5 days:

In other news, I bit the bullet and made a facebook page for "Life After...", check it out! "Like" it!Hope everyone is having a fabulous Wednesday, we are still in our pajamas and ignoring all the laundry/unpacking/cleaning there is to do because I don't feel good - hurray!

Baby Mama #3: Dana From Five30Three!

We are on our way home as we speak (I just had technical difficulties with this post and had to copy and paste HTML via iPhone.. The worst!!) I am so happy to have Dana taking over for me :) make sure you head to her blog too and show her some love :) bubba and I will be chillin' in the backseat home to MI!

Hi, I'm Dana.  A wife and first time mama from Chicago.  I recently became a stay at home mom to care for my precious baby boy, Jacob.  Also know as "Mr. Man".  And "Munchkin Man".  And "J-A-C-O-B", sung to the tune of "B-I-N-G-O." Seriously, my baby nickname-creating has become its own full-time job.

I blog over at five30three, mostly about the randomness of my life and things I think are cool.  The name comes from the address of the building where my hubby and I first met.  Yep, we were neighbors.  So when he asked me on a date, I knew it would be horribly awkward if it didn't work out.  I already said he's now my hubby, so I think you can figure out how that went down.  (You're a smart cookie, right?  Mmmm, cookies...)


My blog was birthed out of my late night insomnia episodes during the last few weeks of my pregnancy in December 2011.  I had dreams of making the blog about my love of crafting, decorating, organizing and cooking but as a new mom I simply just didn't have the time to do all those things...and blog about it.  Oh yeah, and I don't cook.  (Except vegetarian chili and pumpkin pie.)  So instead I ramble about the things that make my life fun and fulfilling.


I have a close friend who tells me that I "know how to do everything."  Flaterring, sure.  But I feel like the pressure is always on.  So today I thought I'd share with you my mantras for keeping it together and having fun when everyone in your world expects the world from you.  (Something I know Kay talks about often!)

---

:: DO take time for yourself each and everyday.  Uninterrupted.  Even if it's just to take a bath.  Or write your blog.  Or go on a run.  Or read the next installment of the Hunger Games on your Kindle.  And even if it's just a half hour of YOU time, do it.  You'll thank me later.

:: DO make time to reach out to your family and friends on a regular basis.  With your job, school family, running a household, walking your dog or what not, you may think you are the busiest person in the world.  Newsflash: You're not.  Years from now it won't matter if you left the laundry in the dryer for an extra day (or week), but your friend that you reached out to will likely still cherish you (unless you do something to really tick her off).

:: DO be direct about what you want.  Drop hints on your blog/Facebook/Twitter pages about cool things that you have your eye on because, heck, you deserve something nice!  I posted a few gift guides around the holiday about some cool clothes, accessories and home appliances that I was lusting after.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that any of those gifts arrive sometime soon.  I think Santa just misplaced my address.  But my husband darn well knows where I live, so I can't explain that one.

Hey husband!  I really think my ring finger could 
use another thin diamond band above my 
engagement ring too.  Just sayin'...

:: DO create things that you can be proud of - a recipe, a craft, a home renovation, a really polished outfit with all the right accessories, a baby perhaps.  Even if your creations are not as monumental as makin' a tiny human, do something unique that you can show off...whatever that may be for you.

The unique and personalized baby blocks I made for my girlfriends' babies.

:: DO take pictures.  Lots and lots of pictures.  Don't worry about being that girl who stops in the middle of a crowded sidewalk to take that perfect picture of that flower or that skyscraper or your adorable little baby bundle.  Heck, I'm that girl and proud of it. 

:: DO connect with and learn from others that inspire you.  Don't be threatened by smart, powerful and creative people.  Instead, take note of what they do well and mimic those traits.  That's the method I took with my career and I'm taking now as I grow this lil blog o' mine.   So let's connect!  After all, you can never have too many friends.


:: DO be true to who you are.  While it's okay to learn from others (see above bullet), don't try to be someone or something you're not.  I mean, shoot, I'd love to be a fashion blogger who gets free trendy clothes just for looking cute.  But instead I don solid colors and actually wear my clothes more than once (GASP!!!).  Stand up for yourself and the things you believe in and be proud of who you are.  If you don't, who will?

Via Pinterest

:: DO find things to smile and laugh about each and every day.  Being happy makes life a lot more fun.  'Nough said.

----

So that's what I've figured out thus far in my nearly three decades of life, few years of marriage and nearly 4 months of motherhood.  Hopefully you have some other tricks that help keep you sane and if you do, I want to hear about them.  Drop me a line on my blog and help a sista out. 




Want your daily dose of Dana? 
Yeah, that's what I thought.  Pay me a visit and let me know that Kay sent you.  She will get one homemade pumpkin pie for each new follower.  (Hope you like pumpkin, Kay!)

// Blog // Facebook // Pinterest // Twitter // Instagram //

And I apsire to be one of those bloggers that hosts sweet giveaways because who doesn't like to win free stuff?  Maybe soon, when I figure out how to do that.  And can find someone who wants to give something away.  Until then, you can follow along with my photos and sarcasm and a whole lotta cuteness from Mr. Man.

"WHO, ME??

Baby Mama #2: Megan from The Memoirs of Megan!

Right now we are probably out visiting some monument or museum (or maybe eating a delicious Georgetown cupcake!) So I have Megan from The Memoirs of Megan here to keep you all company :) She was one of my very first followers and my FIRST non-family commenter.. MAD love for Megan, her blog, and her sweet baby girl (even though she's a UofM fan.. woof). Since Megan is a past resident of the Great Lakes State I asked her to write about her favorite Michigan memories.. Enjoy!

Happy Monday!

Kay asked me to write a little about my favorite Michigan memory. A little back-story: I moved to Michigan (Thumb) when I was 10 years old from Palm Springs, CA. I went to middle school and high school in Michigan, and stuck around for a year after graduating high school until I moved back to Southern California.

I am always reminded of one thing when I think back to my childhood in Michigan: Summertime. Summertime when you are a kid has a whole different meaning. For me, it meant boating with my grandpa and cousins. It meant camping out underneath the Blue Water Bridge watching the 4^th of July fireworks. {Which everyone knows is actually on July 1^st because Port Huron does it in collaboration with Canada Day.}

It meant going to the beach, which ironically I would always pine for the ocean, and now that I live by the ocean, I find myself wishing for my beloved Lake Huron, again!

I find myself wishing to have the childhood excitement for summer back in my life. I think fondly of lifeguarding during Michigan summers {Selfridge Air National Guard Base! Woot woot!} and having the joy of being caught in a downpour of a rainstorm, to be followed with sunshine two hours later. Uncertainty of weather; what a notion, as I am now spoiled by the predictability of California weather {ie: hot, and hotter.}

I cannot wait until I visit Michigan this summer with my daughter, Vivien, who will be 8 months old when we are scheduled to be there. I want her to experience fun Michigan summers, including beach days and walks down by the water. We will even be there for the “July 4^th” fireworks! Even though she is too young to legitimately enjoy her surroundings, I can’t wait to show her a part of my life that I hold so close to my heart. I am excited to introduce her to 15 cousins, her Great Grandma, and Aunts and Uncles! And it helps that I get to dress her in this insanely cute bathing suit:

What are your fond summer memories? Do you have any experiences that you are excited to share with your children for the first time?

Sincerely,

Megan

Megan writes a Mommy Blog over at The Memoirs of Megan. She is a first time mother to her 6 month old daughter, Vivien, and blogs about her daily parenting experiences, and attempting to find the humor in parenting. (Along with tons of adorable photos of her kiddo.)

Liebster Blog Award

The lovely Miss Michelle over at My Book of Love was sweet enough to nominate me for a Liebster Blog Award. Thanks girl!
Here's the skinny:

The Liebster Award is for up-and-coming bloggers (200 followers or less) that you think deserve recognition for their fabulous blogging abilities.  

Each nominee should:

1. Choose five blogs to give the Liebster Award to.

2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

3. Post the award on your blog.

4. List the bloggers you gave the award to with links to their sites.

5. Leave a comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.

6. Share five random facts about yourself.

Okay, 5 random facts about me??

-I have not gone a day without wearing pink since 7th grade.. that's TEN YEARS. It's not always visible but I've always got SOMETHING on in my signature color.

-I have a tattoo. I got it when I was 18. It's on my hip and easy to cover up in a bathing suit, basically no one ever sees it. I regret it x1984098098. I don't mind the actual tattoo (it's a celtic shamrock the size of a silver dollar) but I just don't like that I have one - make sense?

-I get OCD about odd numbers. The volume of the TV, Radio, whatever, always has to be either an even number or an increment of five. This is weird, I recognize that. It also drives my husband crazy, because sometimes the perfect volume is 17!

-Sometimes I think about awkward things I did YEARS AGO and still feel embarrassed. It's the worst! 

-My favorite movie of ALL TIME is Beauty and the Beast... yes, the Disney cartoon. I even brought it and watched it in the hospital while I was in labor with Jack... 

The Blogs I Nominated!

Marci from A Smile a Day

Dana from Five30Three

Clara from Happy in Life, Young in Love

Erica from Midwesternita

Sami from Sami's Shenanigans

Baby Mama #1: Britt From Gettin' Fritzy With It!

Hey everyone! Da Bubba and I are currently en route to Washington D.C. (prayers that Bubba is surviving this 8+hour trip!). I set up a few "Baby Mama Bloggers" for while I am away! I am seriously SO excited about this- these three women are amazing and I think know you are going to really enjoy these posts! :) 

First up is Britt from Gettin' Fritzy With It! She is a mama to two BEAUTIFUL little ladies (and step-mama to TWO MORE!) It's a lot of girl going on over there and I LOVE IT! Her blog has my ovaries aching for a little pink bundle of joy (Ohhhh Joooooohn!) I hope you all enjoy, and stay tuned for a couple more guest posts Monday & Tuesday! 

TGIF :)

Hi everyone! My name is Britt and I blog over at Gettin' Fritzy With It! I'm excited to be blogging for Kay today! We've recently become bloggy friends and I already love her blog so much and her boy is too cute for words! Anyway, Kay gave me the "free for all" on topics for today, so I decided to get a little controversial! I hardly ever get controversial... I'm a people pleaser ya'll... but with all the awesome comments lately about my girls' adorable matching outfits, I wanted to touch on the subject a little bit. So first things first: If you don't know me or my blog very well, I have two girls! They were born 1 year and 11 days apart. (Yes, I'm crazy.) The husband and I were convinced and praying that our second child would be a boy. But at 20 weeks, the ultrasound tech said... "ITS A GIRL!" God has a funny way of giving us what we want though right? Of course we had a girl, but little did we know that our "girl" would take on the personality of a little boy! Anyway, I was shocked when I found out Carly was a girl, but at the same time excited! I was excited that I didn't have to buy a whole new wardrobe and excited for my girls to grow up best friends. But what I didn't think about, was how fun it would be to dress the girls up in matching outfits as they grow up. And let me tell you, it is fun! And expensive. But sometimes the cute outweighs the expensive, am I right?!

So this is where the controversial part comes in. While I love dressing the girls up in matching outfits because it's cute and fun, and people always comment on how cute they are. (us moms love that right?? dont lie!) I also keep the matching to a minimum, because I want my girls to be individuals. I want them to have their own personality and sense of style. And like I said before, Carly is a boy. She doesn't like to wear dresses, while Lidia is a princess and refuses to wear anything but a dress! I will put it out there and say that I'm not a fan of matching children in the same clothes EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. There. I said it! Do you hate me yet??

I'm going to take this a little bit further too. (oh boi!) I have 4-year-old twin step-daughters. I love them with all my heart. They are beautiful, funny, and simply amazing. When these two dress alike (or when any twins dress alike), I think it's the cutest thing ever!! My only concern is that my stepdaughters dress alike EVERY SINGLE DAY. Besides the fact that it's way too expensive to do, I hope it doesn't have a negative impact later on, ya know? I hope they realize that even though they are twins and should be each others' backbone, that they are still their own individual person. They are both special. They are both unique. And they are both loved very much, for who they are seperately. Ok, I've said plenty right? You want to see these gorgeous, matching, twins don't you??

and just for good measure... all 4 girls dressed alike on the twins' birthday!

So what do you think? Do you agree with me? Disagree??

Thanks to Kay for letting me guest post today!!!

Please stop by my blog and say hi, I love meeting new blog friends!

Also, I'm a ThirtyOne Consultant and I have an online catalog party going on right now, and if you buy 31.00 in products, you get a purse for half off! This is our most popular deal of the year!

Blessed.

Excuse me while I ramble a bit, but my heart is so full right now, I need to just jot down my thoughts.
With yesterday's amazing news came some clarity. I have been kind of building up to this "clarity" all week, and so many things were pointing me in this direction.
I feel a little ashamed over my impatience and how much I complained about just wanting to "know". Even though I feel a TINY BIT vindicated over my call to admissions, as the mailbox was yet again EMPTY this morning- I am still feeling kind of... shallow. 
We spend our lives waiting on things. I hate waiting. When I was in the thick of my grad school pity party this week I kept thinking, "Why am I ALWAYS having to wait?". Let's list the things I have had to wait for in the past year:
1. Jack's arrival2. My wedding day3. John's promotion and then his raise4. Approval to move into our new condo5. Grad school decisions
Probably a few more... but seriously?! Poor me (insert sarcasm) how spoiled am I?! 
I was watching Giuliana & Bill on Tuesday and the whole episode was centered around their wait for her lumpectomy results. HELLO PERSPECTIVE! I felt this same twinge of embarrassment over my brattiness as I read (and cried) over Kelle's birth story to sweet baby Nella in her book, Bloom. Both examples are of people who have exuded so much positivity and strength in the face of unexpected bumps in the road!
I could be waiting on TERRIBLE things. Instead I am waiting on things that make my life so full! I have a husband that I am madly in love with, who has blessed me with the ability to stay at home for the first year of our BEAUTIFUL son's life. I have the most amazingly happy and easy going baby that God could every bless me with. An AMAZING family that supports me to the ends of the Earth! The best part? We are all healthy and happy! Life is so sweet. 
I have a smile that I cannot wipe off of my face. Last night I felt light and full of laughter. Seriously, I laughed out loud several times last night over funny tweets or facebook comments over my silly naiive purchase of Fifty Shades of Grey - I seriously though it was just the next Hunger Games or Twilight craze.. but when I got home and read the back cover to find the word "Erotic" THREE times I was a tad bit surprised... (I'm already on chapter 3). 
This smile and the laughter are maybe partially due to the pure joy I have in knowing that I have accomplished my goal of getting into graduate school.. but mostly I think it has come with the perspective of just how truly wonderful my life really is. Perfect? Not a chance, but wonderful!
Molly is so great at putting things in perspective- her post today really just reinforced everything I have been feeling the past 24 hours. Remembering what the important things are, even when life gets crazy, is what is MOST important. 
When John and I did our pre-cana classes (these are required by the Catholic church before you get married!) our teacher kept saying this, "The most important thing, is to keep the most important thing, the most important thing."  A little confusing, definitely a tongue twister, but SO true!
So here are a few things making me smile on this gorgeous Thursday... 

 This silly goofball and his varying personalities in the morning. He's either snuggly and sleepy and hogging my bed or sitting next to me on the couch all giggly and hyper. I love both moods equally :)

I'm not much of an animal print girl.. but throw in some pink and I am happy. Man, I love Toms!

Trips to Barnes&Noble with Husby & Bubba... why yes that's a book on tape cd. It's a long trip to D.C. and Mom, Meg, & I will need a break from solving the world's problems at some point..

It's official! My "blate" with Allie is on for next month - I could not be more excited :) We decided to make it a family affair and invite the husbys along.. who doesn't love a trip to the zoo with 6 boys?!

Tomorrow, EARLY morning, we leave for Washington D.C. 

I am so excited to spend quality time with my 3 main homegirls and Da Bubba. 

I am so blessed to have my best friends be family as well.

It makes time with them mean time WELL SPENT! 

...too bad I am FAR from ready to go, I am a few loads of laundry, a trip to Target (oh no!), and two LONG packing lists away from there.

I have a treat for you all Friday, Monday, & Tuesday! 

& I cannot wait to give you the D.C. recap when I return :) 

I will leave you with a couple pictures of the last time I was in Washington D.C.

What's up 16 year old Kayla on a choir trip?

2005... when belts and too short Lacoste polos were all the rage!