Friday's Letters

Dear Friday, thanks for getting here in a timely manner. I have been looking forward to you! 

Dear Bubba, You are getting a haircut today. Also, you are going to your first REAL MSU football game tomorrow (although you have been in the stadium before!) please be a good boy and let Mama stay for at least the first half! It's going to be such a fun day! 

Dear Spartan Football Team, Please don't embarrass us on Saturday. Please start playing better. Please. It would be really awesome to NOT lose to Ohio State... just saying!

Dear School, I need to start reading for you. But when I get home at the end of the day I am just so sleepy. Today is the day I will get around to it! Promise! 

Dear Husband, Thanks for the surprise brownies you swiped me from the office. They were delicious.

Dear Work, Thanks for being pretty great yesterday. Watching a 10 year old little boy be adopted into his new family, with his new big brother by his side - my heart was so full! The amazing work my office does is truly awesome, I'm excited to be just a tiny part of it! 

I leave you with pictures of Jack chilling in his daddy's MSU hat.

Sup.

Happy weekend! Go State!

Mom Guilt

 Photos taken by Allie!

At first it was fine. 

It was a new schedule. 

I was still voluntarily waking up & making 6am family breakfast. 

It hadn't sunk in that it was reality yet...

Then, last week, I felt it. 

Mom guilt. 

I dropped Jack off at the babysitter, and felt like I was about to cry. 

After the craziness of school and wedding week, I felt like I hadn't seen my baby in days! 

Let alone spent any time with him...

The thing is. He is fine. 

He gives me all kinds of kisses and hugs when I get home at the end of the day. 

I know it's hard, and that he is adjusting too, but he's as happy as ever!

It's hard. 

Dropping him off and not getting to spend all day with him is hard. 

But I know that it will all be worth it. 

Already, Jack's social development has been amazing to see. 

He loves other children, he loves to play! 

I really feel like his personality has exploded in the last two weeks! 

And I still have a day and a half a week to be at home. 

To play, to lounge, to do mama things.

I cherish that time with him WAY more now than I ever did before! 

We will all be better for this, I know, 

but mom guilt... it's no joke! 

Wedded Bliss

Allie and I have been tossing around link up ideas for a few weeks now. 
We wanted to do something that was fun and also reflected what was MOST important to us. 
While we are both mamas and love our little boys more than life itself, there are a couple other men that have our hearts even more! 
I really believe that one of the reasons Allie and I have been able to bond so easily is because we both put our marriages FIRST. 
In our world, it's easy to let yourself be swallowed up by all things "mom" or "work" (or "blog"...) But without a strong marriage at your center, all other things will fall behind!
Allie and I want to celebrate, discuss, and relate on marriage with all of you! 
So every Wednesday we are going to host Wedded Bliss Wednesdays! 
Each Wednesday there will be a set of questions to answer about your husband, about your marriage, etc. 
We are hoping that we can learn, grow, and inspire one another to take time for our marriages! 
Next week Wednesday (10/3) will be our FIRST link up. Answer the questions below, grab a button, get your posts ready, and come back next week to link-up!! 
You can vlog your questions, write your questions, interview your husbands, let your husband guest post - get creative!! We cannot wait to read/watch what you have to say! 
The Questions: Chances are, your readers know all about you! But what about your husband? Lets give our men the spotlight this week and introduce the blog world to your other half!
Is there a question on here that you want to add?! Feel free! Let us know what you think we need to know about your man!
Introduce us to your husband! (What's his name? How old? What does he look like?) 
What is your husband's favorite thing to do?
What does your husband do Monday-Friday? 
What was the FIRST thing you noticed about your husband when you met?
What is your husband's BEST quality?
What is your husband's biggest pet peeve?
How does your husband feel about blogging?
What is something you do/can do that makes your husband feel loved?
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We are so excited to get this new link-up going. Share! Tell your friends! Marriage is hard work and Allie and I cannot wait to get a network of support going in our wonderful blog community :) 

So Long Summer!

Through the hustle and bustle of the last few weeks, I feel like I didn't properly say goodbye to summer. We spent our last lake weekend up at the cottage over Labor Day and enjoyed a little bit of peace and quiet before wedding week! 

I will miss:

-Spending lots of time with family/lake family

-Bon fires and concerts by John

-Lounging on the dock with a drink and good conversation

Jack will miss:

-Swimming with Aunt Megan

-Splashing in his baby pool

-TOO early mornings with Mama and Dee Dee (Grandma)

-Driving the boat with Papa

So long summer, so long lake house - we cannot wait to see you next year! 

All photos courtesy of my brother-in-law, Justin. 

Sunday Social

Happy to finally be back in on Sunday Social... this was quite the random set of questions but, as always, it was fun!

1. What is something you have wanted to do but are afraid of?

I will have to be boring and say that I don't have an answer for this one!! I really feel like most things I want/have wanted to do, I have done or I don't feel scared about them! I was really scared to apply to grad school. I hate rejection/feeling like a failure and so it was really hard for me to put myself out there. When I got in it was a huge relief. Now that I am in school, I feel like I SHOULD be there. It's a good feeling :) 

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Working as a therapist. I see us FINALLY back in Grand Rapids and in a house that we have a long list of projects we are always adding to because I know that that will be fun for John and I :) I see another baby (or two) added into the family... and maybe I'll even be considering opening my own therapy practice by then! It's wild to me that Jack will be in KINDERGARTEN in 5 years... I know it will be here before we know it and I am in no hurry!

Currently drooling over this cute house for sale in Grand Rapids...

3. What are you looking forward to before the end of 2012?

Spending more time at home with my boys. We had a crazy fun summer, but I am looking forward to lazy weekends spent at home before the holidays come around and we get all crazy again!

4. What are your hopes for your blog?

I hope I continue to have time for it! I hope that it keeps on growing and I keep on feeling inspired to write and document our lives. 

5. Do you always see yourself living in your current town/city?

Not even for one hot second. I don't really like the side of the state that we live on now. It's really materialistic, hardened, fast-paced, and snobby. John and I both hope to move back over to the West side of Michigan (where I grew up). We think it's a fantastic place to raise a family and it's where my parents are :) 

Grand Rapids :) 

6. What is your morning routine

Depends on the day! But most of the time we are up around 7, I try and get showered/dressed/ready before getting Jack up. I feed him his breakfast while hurrying around trying to eat my own breakfast/drink a cup of coffee/get my school stuff together/get Jack's bag ready for the babysitter. When we are running approximately 5 or so minutes late I try to get Jack dressed and out of the door. It's usually a hot mess around here... we aren't quite used to the whole "up before 8 am" thing yet...

Friday's Letters

Dear Life, I don't recognize you anymore. How can what was our day-to-day 6 weeks ago feel so foreign now?! I feel like I took last year for granted. Getting to determine what I did and when I did it, and being able to choose pajamas and coffee ALL DAY if I wanted to?! I miss you... But that being said, this change was so good. I need structure. I need to be doing what I am doing now and I am so thankful we were able to make the transition!

Dear Husband, I AM SO PUMPED FOR THIS WEEKEND! We have not spent a full weekend at home since MAY. How did we let this happen? This summer was so much fun but I am really excited for us to "slow down" and spend more time together as a family of three in our home. I feel like I barely get to spend any time with you, as weird as that may sound, it's true! Can't wait for two full days of your face. 

Dear Jack, My baby. I miss you the most. I feel like I haven't been able to give you my full attention these last few weeks and the mom guilt over it is real. You need this weekend too. Your mama and your daddy all to yourself! We are going to play, play, play all weekend long! 

Dear Allie, I get to see you tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! Words cannot express how excited I am! How have we let it be so long?! Cannot wait to see the boys back together again :) Not to mention super cute photo opps at the pumpkin patch! 

Dear Ikea, See ya Saturday!

Dear Blog, Thanks for working again. I missed this little space of happiness! 

I Believe...

I believe in family. 

I believe in finding the good in every situation. 

I believe in wearing pink, everyday. 

I believe in kissing. A lot! 

I believe in Sunday afternoons.

I believe in learning every day for the rest of my life. 

I believe in baby snuggles. 

I believe in movie marathons. 

I believe in sisters. 

I believe in Green & White. 

I believe in best friends. 

I believe in hard work. 

I believe in singing.  

I believe in chocolate.

I believe in tequila.

I believe in marriage. 

I believe in long talks. 

I believe in working it out. 

I believe in planning (and sometimes saying, "Screw the plan!").

I believe in miracles. 

I believe in listening. 

I believe in laughing... at myself, at life, and of course- funny things :) 

Thanks for this fabulous link up, Erin :)

Custom.

I'm back!!

I have missed blogging and am so excited that my little internet baby is working again! 

I had no idea that when I bought a custom domain last week that is was the WOST time to do so..

oh well.

www.lifeafterblog.com is officially mine :) 

Have you missed us as much as we have missed you?! 

I feel like I have so much to share. 

Who wants to read about 

-Major mama guilt?

-How much Bubba has grown in the last month (& our major fail at getting him off the bottle)?

-Struggles getting out the door in the morning?

-That time I watched my babysitter feed Bubba a donut?

-Or the amount of nakedness I had to witness in the gym lockeroom today?

Yes I know, EVERYBODY is pumped about these posts I have cooked up in my mind. 

For now - here's our life via Instagram the past few days:

Bubba, Bubba, more Bubba, a little tailgate fun, & Bubba :) 

"It's Ok." The Fat/Lazy After Work Edition.

Haven't done an "It's Ok" link up in FOREVER... and oh, is this week deserving!

IT'S OKAY...
...That I didn't do anything school related after work last night.
...That I ate super unhealthy after going to the gym for the first time in 9 months.
...That my house is a mess, and I don't really care.
...That John and I locked ourselves out of the house last night after grabbing drinks/dessert downtown.
...That I had accidentally left a window unlocked so John was able to climb through!
...That I have been feeling major mom guilt this week.
...That I have completely neglected this blog lately because real life is so cray cray.
...That I took a blog break, but I miss my readers & their sweet comments :) 
...That I love my new job because I have time to blog stalk again! 
...That my new CUSTOM URL still isn't working (This really isn't okay, but I will pretend it is!)
What's okay with you?!