Saturday, December 31, 2011

Is it really almost 2012?


So long 2011! Here's to 2012 and the new memories it brings along. Y'all have a wonderful and memorable day ringing in the new year with friends and loved ones.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

A year ago...

We had our family pictures done on Monday and I can't help but look back of what our family was like a year ago. Below is a picture from our session last year. A lot has changed since then but one thing that remains the same is how thankful I am for having for having these two people in my life!

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all! I hope that the holiday season is spent with loved ones all around you.

Starlight Snowflakes Christmas Card
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View the entire collection of cards.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Cartoons & Football

Kayla loves cartoons. It's a great distraction when I'm getting ready in the morning and when I want to stay in bed a little longer. We also watch a lot of football on the weekends and I might have said "it's football Sunday" a number of times.

Here's how two convos went yesterday and today.

Scene: I'm getting ready. J's still in bed 'cause he's off. Kayla was in her room reading a book.
M: Kayla, come in here. Daddy's watching cartoons.
K: No, he's watching football Sunday.

Scene: K climbed in bed with us before we all got up to get ready for work. J turned on the tv and 3rd and Bird was on.
M: I don't like 3rd and Bird.
K: You don't like it, mommy?
M: No.
K: You like football Sunday?

Yup, we start them young with football. Ha!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Fall, where are you?

I am ready for cooler temps, a warm pumpkin spice latte, sweaters, jeans & Ugg boots. There is just no way that I can sit there and sip on a warm cup of latte while my hair is out to here due to humidity! I know the fall is coming soon but I want it NOW!











Monday, September 5, 2011

First day of school anxiety

My insomnia is at an all time high tonight. I'm off tomorrow due to a very long work-week so I'm not quite sure if my brain is playing tricks on me to stay up since it's a non-work night. I'm not even watching tv and I feel like I've played on the Internet enough.

Kayla's move to the next classroom tomorrow is giving me major anxiety and staying up longer is not helping me! I hate that I'm feeling this way. Somehow, I feel like I'm transferring my anxiety towards her and that's the last thing I want!

I know Kayla will do great! She always has. She can make friends with a quickness and has always adapted well. Yes, she's shy in the beginning but she breaks out of her shell later on. This will be her 3rd classroom move and two of her friends in her previous class will be with her. She will be with children who are a bit older than her. She will learn more and make new friends. I consider tomorrow her first day of school. 

I know she'll be just fine but the mommy in me still worries. A lot. I know this feeling will never go away even if it's her first day in kindergarten, high school and even college. So tomorrow, be thinking about my girl (and me!), that we make it through the day just fine. 

And yes, you better believe I'm scooping her up early right after nap time.

Sickies, boat & a breakfast date

Kayla is not picky when it comes to food especially when it comes to anything sweet. When she turned down M&M's on Saturday after dinner, I knew something was up. She felt a little warm and had a low grade temp. She didn't eat well all day on Sunday but her fever finally broke this morning so I took her out for a bit.

We drove over to Dunkin' Donuts for and iced coffee, a donut for her and a breakfast sandwich for me. I knew she was starting to feel a little better since she couldn't stop eating the breakfast sandwich. We drove over downtown so she can go see the big boat and finish her breakfast.









We might run out again later. Carter's is having a huge sale and baby girl needs school clothes that don't break the bank.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

1 year being in a new city anniversary!





Yup, that's right! We have been here 1 full year. Today marks the year anniversary of when we made that one and a half hour trek down 64 East. We left everything behind - our family & what we have known our whole lives (for J at least. Not in my case. I was born and raised 'til I was 16 in a totally different country) to start something new and different.


A year later, I am still discovering new things and finding my way around town. I know where to go for my basic needs of grocery store, Starbucks, Target, shopping and restaurants. I am at a job that I love in a city that I am able to tolerate and hopefully love one day.



Do I miss Richmond? Absolutely!

Do I regret moving? Not one bit.
Will I do it again? More than likely, yes, but maybe to a different city.


Ten on Tuesday

I was reading my Google Reader and saw that BB&B linked up with Roots and Rings. I am refusing to do work right now so I am linking up, too!

Bahahaha. I just realized that today is Wednesday and NOT Tuesday. Oops.

1. What is your favorite brand of shoes?
I can't live without my Rainbow flip flops or Uggs when it gets chilly out. I have branched out though and like Tory Burch Revas and TOMS.

2. How old were you when you learned to tie your shoes?
I have no clue.

3. How do you feel about freckles?
They're cute.

4. I can count to ten in ___ languages.
Four. English, Spanish, Tagalog and Chinese.

5. What is your favorite store-bought ice cream flavor?
Edy's Rocky Road!

6. Were you in ballet or gymnastics as a little girl?
Nope.

7. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
None of them. Elmo's laugh is really creepy to me and I don't watch the show enough to really have a favorite.

8. What’s your bedtime?
It varies but usually it's between 9p & 10 on the weekdays and around 11 on the weekends.

9. Do you have any jewelry that you wear every single day?
I wear my engagement ring, wedding ring, DY bracelet, earrings and necklace.

10. Who is the bug killer in your household?
Depends how fast and big the thing is. Usually me 'cause J is too wrapped up playing PS3. Ha!

Friday, August 26, 2011

'Twas the night before Irene


(source: wavy.com)

I'm writing this post in the comfort of a plush king size bed beside a snoozing toddler and an exhausted husband. The past couple of days has been occupied with thoughts of Irene and the havoc she's supposed to bring with her. I don't know what news you are watching if you're unaware of Irene.

The area of town where we live is very prone to flooding. Five minutes of rain and you have to bust out your wellies. There was no question if we were leaving or not. It was a matter of when.

It's quiet outside. No rain and no wind. For now, we wait and see what happens and hope that we can come home at some point to a place with power, running water and no flooding.

My thoughts go out to everyone up and down the East coast. Stay safe and dry. I know I'll be spending a lot of time watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, coloring and snacking on Cheerios.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

SMS @ the playground

Saturday Morning Scene

Our Saturday morning scene was spent at the playground. We took J with us this time. Kayla had fun using the big girl slide. But of course, the swing is still her favorite!



Sunday, August 7, 2011

DSLR - A week later

I haven't used my point and shoot since the day I got the big camera. The last time I touched it was this morning so I could take it out of the baby bag. Ha! I've been on a mission to learn how to use this thing. There are so many buttons and options and it's a bit overwhelming. But it's pointless to have this type of camera if you're going to stay on full auto mode. In my defense, I wasn't in full auto mode this whole time. I was on the mode where the flash was turned off. Pictures are much nicer to me when the flash is off and I was already doing this even with my P&S.

During my Google session last night in search for a pretty strap I stumbled upon Click It Up A Notch. I read posts all over her site and bookmarked this one. I really think that I'm slowly getting it a little bit. I even took the little one to the park today, armed with a little bit of knowledge, a camera & the happiest little model.





If you are still shooting in auto mode, run over to Courtney's site and read around. I'm sure you will learn a thing or two! Yes, I know, she is in sandals and white shorts. Parent fail today but she had a blast!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Today is my Sunday

I worked 12 straight days and was able to take off yesterday & today. Kayla and I have been hanging out since Sunday but I took her to school today so I can get things done (read: pedicure and groceries).



We had such a great weekend! This child is such a mess that I am either cracking up or scratching my head. She is at such a fun age right now! Her new thing nowadays is asking "adooning, mommy?". That's "what are you doing, mommy" in Kayla talk. Sometimes I am so focused in what I am doing and take a while to respond to her. This is when she starts yelling momma instead of the usual mommy. She also likes to roll-call and goes down the line to ask where everyone is.

Potty training has been wonderful. She is finally going #2 in the potty. This was a challenge in the beginning. I think it was just strange to her. She gets M&M's after #2 and this could be the reason why it's been working out so far. There's no reward in regular potty which she knows so she's been tricking me that she pooped when she really didn't. She's also curious as to where things go after we flush the toilet.

She's also been playing with her babies a lot recently. She likes to tell me that baby is hungry while she proceeds to either stuff the baby's mouth with her toy-ketchup or toy-maple syrup. She's even shoved one of the baby's in her potty 'cause the baby apparently had to go.



I also got our new camera this weekend. And no, I do not plan on going into the photography business just 'cause I now have a DSLR. And yes, I have become that mother who now takes a ton of pictures which I am so happy about. I was going through the pictures on our computer one time and realized how in one of the months there were very few pictures. I plan to change that. I am definitely in paparazzi mode and I am just glad that Kayla likes to ham it up in front of the camera. She often tells me "I cheese, mommy!".

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Recents Deals & Steals

I love to shop. There's nothing more that excites me than when I get to purchase something I've been wanting at a discounted price. I'm pretty sure that I spend a good chunk of time looking for coupons, discounts and sales. The only time this does not apply is when I grocery shop. I used to only buy items that are on sale during my grocery shopping days but then I realized that I was buying items just for that reason - - - they were on sale. Everything would sit in the pantry and expire because I never really had a need for them. I've changed strategies since and now only buy items that I have a need for. But back to the main reason of this post - deals & steals from this week so far!

1. Pedicure - I am in need of one pretty bad. The last time I got a pedicure was the beginning of the month. Our local paper does a Groupon type of deal and I was able to snag a pedicure for $14!
2. Portable Potty Seat - I ordered one this weekend and received a back-ordered email on Monday. I didn't order from Amazon the 1st time because they didn't have it available. Well, they did yesterday and I had still have a gift certificate credit available in my account. It was also shipped for free and it has already been delivered to my house!
3. Erin Condren Life Planner - EC talk was all over Twitter yesterday! I had been looking for a planner since this past weekend and I dove in and got the deal. Sure, a $50 planner for $20! The only issue I had was picking the design.
4. J's MK Watch - I gave J this watch for Christmas and the pins have been coming off. I took it in to Nordstrom and the associate offered to get it sent out. She said 6-8 weeks to get it fixed but she also said she can give me a new one instead. I took the latter offer and walked out of the store with a brand new watch!

Monday, July 4, 2011

A 2nd birthday post...3 weeks later


Oh, Kayla! Where do I begin? These past 2 years have been nothing but memorable and sweet. I don't even remember life before you! Yes, it is that good. And yes, every child has their moments, but the good ones outshine the bad ones. You have grown up to be a kind-hearted, loving and caring little girl. Your daddy and I can't get enough kisses and hugs from you. You tell us "I love you" often and it definitely melts us to pieces.

I know for a fact that the children in your class adore you as much as we do. You are quite the popular one when I drop you off in the morning. The kids are usually screaming your name and the teachers are quick to grab your hand from me. I think it is because you are so quiet and do not join in on the rambunctious play time nor do you ever fight the kids for toys and attention.

You enjoy music and movies a lot. Elmo is still a favorite but Handy Manny comes very close. We try not to watch too much of them but "I watch cartoon" is what I hear every morning when you wake up. Music is another love of yours. Justin Bieber's baby is well-played in our household & you also enjoy Taylor Swift's Mean. Very teeny-bopper-ish. You know a lot of songs. I mean a lot! You know your ABC's and a ton of other nursery rhymes. Of course you sing-a-long to your other teeny bopper songs.

We took you to the beach for the first time this month. There was a wedding we attended and we made a little vacation out of the trip. You love the sand! I honestly thought that the sand would gross you out for some reason but you could not get enough of it. You didn't like the beach itself as much. You love the pool more.

You have really grown up so much. I still see a little baby in you specially when you don't feel well and early in the mornings when you just want to watch cartoons and cuddle. You've become so independent and we are even so close to fully potty training. I hope that you are always as sweet and loving as you've always been until I am old and grey.

Kayla's 2nd Birthday

Today, we celebrated Kayla's 2nd birthday! It was very low-key, just like her & just like us.

There was breakfast...

a bike...


and what looks like cake-diving with her daddy!


Baby girl, you have turned our worlds upside down since you were born! I can't even imagine what the next 2 years will bring. You are one loving, playful, smart and caring little girl! My heart is so full today just thinking about how much I love you and how much you have changed me as a person. I am so thankful everyday that I am your mommy.


Saturday, June 25, 2011

Saturday Morning Scene


Saturday Morning Scene



A little late today...


We like to test-drive presents at TRU before buying on-line :)

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Father's Day

Today, Kayla and I are celebrating the wonderful daddy that she has. We're sad that he has to work today but we are cooking one of his favorite meals to say thank you!


After the creation of this collage, I realized how very few pictures they/we have together and I really need to change that!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Saturday Morning Scene

I am linking up with Katie today for Saturday Morning Scnene.

Saturday Morning Scene

We went to Town Point Park for CHKD's Blocks Party this morning. Kayla met Elmo and Abby. She adores them from far away and from the videos but taking a picture by herself with them was just not going to happen!


Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Summer must-haves for my little one

Pool season is in full swing and my daughter can not get enough of the water. Melt down ensues when it's time to leave the pool. You would have thought I told her Elmo is dead!



I read a good bit of information on this whole sunscreen vs. sunblock subject and you better believe that I also did my research on what brand to use for my precious not-so-little cargo. Here's a wonderful website that I found and they even have a product hall of shame!


Here are a few things that are helping me get through this very hot summer:




  1. California Baby Sunscreen - I know the price is a bit much than your regular sunscreen, but I promise that you will not regret it. This product gets rave reviews all the time and you can not put a price on protecting your little ones! The lotion goes on very well although it looks really white on Kayla since she's already dark as it is. This also comes in a stick-form for easy facial application but I use this one instead.


  2. i play Brim Sun Protection Hat - Love this hat! I bought the biggest size and it has a little drawstring so that it can fit your child's head perfectly. I tell her no hat, no pool and the hat stays on the whole time!


  3. i play Swim Shoes - I got her the blue pair because they were all out of the pink in her size. The blue actually goes better with all her bathing suits. Ha! They fit true to size and it's perfect for the hot ground and they are non-slip!


  4. Pampers Splashers Swim Pants - We have always used Pampers except for wipes, we use Huggies. It was only natural that I buy these swim pants. She has never gone number 2 (thank goodness!) while wearing swim pants, but from what I've read, they work great. Make sure you check the package when you buy yours, Pampers still has the old packaging that has a whole lot less in them than the new ones. The picture above is of the new packaging.

Oh, and don't forget to bring snacks and cold beverages to assist and get your little ones out of the water from time to time. Gotta let their skins rest from pruning up and hydrate them!


Do share if you have and summer products that you love and can't live without!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Hot. So Hot.

It is hot out there today. I really don't like what this weather does to my hair. I walk out of the house with perfectly fine, freshly straightened and nice-smelling hair (thanks to Organix's Moroccan Oil line and Solia flat iron), not even 10 minutes later, my hair is already getting frizzy. Ugh! I hate the humidity so much. I can deal with the heat, but the mugginess is just gross. I hate feeling hot and sticky!

With the hot weather comes pool season. I love that we have an awesome pool in the building and I get to layout and take Kayla to the pool whenever it's convenient without having to drive and pack up everything. My goal is to be as dark as possible. I think being super-tan helps me look slim-ish. Ha!


And just in time for pool season I went ahead and ordered a canvas tote with my married monogram. I've been married almost 3 years and have never gotten anything with it. I know I'm 10 years late to the party but I ordered this LEC/LE canvas tote. Super cheap for only $20-some dollars shipped!



I am working on getting a couple more bathing suits but I can't find any that I like enough that doesn't scream "Im a mom and my body is not the same since I had a baby"! I'm pretty sure that I will be doing a lot of shopping/shopping around seeing that there are sales everywhere! Kayla's need list alone is like a mile long!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Tuesday List

I think everyone has a tiny little bit of OCD-ness in them. When I obsess about something, I tend to never let it go until I've accomplished it or bought it. Like the one time I obsessed over a pair of white jeans and scoured ebay and the internet until I could find a pair that was priced within my budget. Sometimes they linger and I just keep on doing it or keep on buying it. Haha. So, here is my current list of obsessions:


(Collage was created with Picnik, duh! All images were borrowed from respective website.)



  • Smocked dresses and bubbles - Kayla has/had some pieces since she was a baby but I feel like I'm in overdrive buying these nowadays. Facebook, of all places, has some pretty good companies that does nightly flash sales. Of course, deals can be had from ebay. My favorite right now is Posh Pickle. Holly is super nice and currently clearing out summer stock and prices are really good.


  • DSLR - Yup, I still don't have one. Why you ask? Cause I'm cheap and I need to be able to find one that I really like at a price that I like even better. Every time I read about Canon this and Nikon that, I get so confused that I don't know what brand to go with anymore.


  • Picnik - I see collages on blogs and the internet in general that are made really well and I wonder how they are done. Well, here's the answer. You don't even need an account to use the site and no need to upload photos to their site.


  • Trader Joe's - Trader Joe's and whole foods were 5 minutes away from me back in Richmond. Now, the closest TJ's is about a 20 minute drive. This is probably for the best or I'd go really broke if it were any closer. They have the best stuff when it comes to snacks and frozen foods.


  • White iPhone & iPhone 5 - I love my iPhone and I don't even have the 4. I google iPhone 5 on a weekly basis because I just need to know when it's going to come out and if it's too far from now I just might cave and get the white iPhone 4.

Clueless. That's me.

Oh, Mondays! You come way too fast and I'm dreading this very long, 7 day work week ahead of me. Thanks a lot, prom season and social events! But I do have a 4-day weekend come Memorial Day weekend.

The weekend was wonderful. We braved breakfast. Kayla behaved well but refused to eat anything but turkey sausage. Oh, and she also liked her daddy's sausage gravy. I had eggs benedict for the first time since I had Kayla. I think this is a no-no when you're preggers so I never had it when I was pregnant. We stopped by Trader Joe's on the way home. I wish this was closer to us but glad that it's not 'cause I spend too much money in there every time. Have I mentioned how much I miss Richmond's shopping and grocery store choices? Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Short Pump all within 5 minutes from me! Hello?? What was I thinking agreeing to move here. Ha!

Last night, before bed, Kayla kept on asking me to sing Wheels on the Bus. So I pulled out the iPad and watched nursery rhyme vidoes with her. While watching Twinkle, Twinkle, baby girl srarted singing - hand gestures and all! I was so shocked that she knew the song. Hello, she's not even 2 and shen can sing songs?! It was so crazy and I might have gotten teary eyed while this was all happening.


(and because a post is not the same without a picture, this is Sunday while grocery shopping at HT)

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Weekend, Mother's Day and Losing Weight

The weekend was relaxing and busy all at the same time. I worked yesterday and today but was also able relax, take care of chores and hang out with J and Kayla. I had two events at work and had to go in for both but I practically spent all day with Kayla yesterday and with her and J today.

No crazy plans for Mother's Day this year. All I wanted was to spend the day with my family and a zoo re-do but of course it was rainy and gloomy all morning. By the time the sun came out it was nap time for all of us. Ha! We did go out for yummy Skinny Dip right after.

After our outing we took some pictures and I realized how chubby I've gotten again. I lost all the baby weight and some (20 plus!) thanks to breastfeeding but I have since gained all of it back. The pediatrician told me that I could gain some of it back but I wasn't prepared for all of it. So I have decided that I really need to get my weight in control.

I need to lose some weight. I liked being the size I was after the pregnancy. I was comfortable and didn't feel the need to wear loose fitting shirts. I work long hours and don't really have the time to work out. I'd love to but that means less time I get to spend with Kayla which is not a lot as it is. I can possibly wake up super early and work out before she gets up in the morning but I'm not sure I can commit to that.

My plan for now is to eat healthier. No more sodas. More water. Better food choices. Oh, I also plan to buy a scale. I'm thirty and have never had one. Ever. My goal is to lose at least 15 pounds. For now. We shall see where this goes. Bathing suit season is right around the corner and I need to get it together!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

My 22 month old toddler is so close to 2!

I adore this child. So much. She gets a little confused when it comes to pants and shirt but we are working on that.


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Wednesday list


  • It's getting hot out there. It's not so much the heat that I don't like, it's the humidity that comes with it most days. Feeling sticky and crazy hair just sucks!

  • Baby girl was under the weather all weekend long. She stayed home with my mom who was visiting on Friday and then stayed home with me on Monday.

  • We dealt with high temps, wheezing & coughing and missing the zoo trip on Sunday.

  • This meant a trip to the doctor's office and an hour later and one blood test, we had a prescription for Albuterol and iron supplements.

  • I did take her to the mall playground for the very first time. Ever. This place freaks me out. I feel like germs and sickies are everywhere in this place but it was really early and I'm hoping the the playground was cleaned and disinfected thoroughly the night before.




  • She was unsure of what to do in the beginning and was just following me around but she warmed up pretty quick and had a ball. And I mean screaming on her own because she was having such a good time!


  • It's almost May and I haven't done anything for Kayla's birthday party.


  • The Voice premiered last night. We watched a little bit of it. I think it's better than American Idol. Javier was AMAZING! I didn't even see him perform, my co-worker told me about him so I had to watch it online.









  • This week is super slow and I have to work on Saturday. Boo.


  • My mom is gone for the next 3weeks. Kayla is going to miss her a ton! She already asks for "gama" everyday.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Children's shoes

I love Salt-Water sandals. They are super cute and can be worn in and out of the water. The color choices are great and there are a lot of styles to choose from. This will be Kayla's second pair and she wore her first pair all summer long last year. I've purchased both pairs from Zappos because they offer free shipping and I've found that they have the best price. Oh, and the wonderful customer service rep upgraded me to a VIP account so I should get the shoes by tomorrow!


They're obviously fashionable sandals specially if little Ms. Suri Cruise has been spotted multiple times rocking them!









Friday, April 15, 2011

During my Google session for birthday party ideas this recent weeks, I found some really awesome websites and vendors that I want to share. I have been stalking their blogs and get really inspired that I can be crafty myself.


Chickabug - super cute printables and some are even free! Her invitation designs are awesome and there's even coordinating labels for bottled water, cupcake toppers and all sorts of other fun stuff for your little one's party!


She's {kinda} Crafty - "crafting made simple"! I truly hope so because I plan on making some ribbon topiaries that I saw on her blog for centerpieces. There are tons of other crafts on her blog that I want to try also. The wreaths are super preppy and cute!


Polka Dot Market - I love polka dots! I used polka dotted balloons last year for Kayla's birthday. But this website has an array of products from balloons to stationery! You can search for items for theme, color or products. They also have a blog with real party pictures from their customers.


Blooming Babies Boutique - I haven't decided if I'm buying a birthday shirt this year but this is where I got it from last year. The first shirt she sent me had a little snag. I couldn't even see it but she was not happy with the product that she sent me another one.


And if you haven't discovered these sites, here you go...Party Like A Kid, Pizzazzerie, Sara's Party Perfect - just to name a few. A simple Google search will give you a lot more.


Thursday, April 14, 2011

Let the party planning begin!

I realized in the beginning of the month that baby girl's second birthday is right around the corner. I panicked for a little bit. J had mentioned once that maybe we should have it in Richmond but that's just not happening. We live here now and even if I'm not that big of a fan of the area it's just too much - not only is it a holiday weekend but it's also a big beach weekend and sitting in that traffic is not fun.

The internet is my obsession. I find all sorts of fun stuff on a daily basis but for some reason this second birthday party research is not going very well. First, I'm stuck on what theme to do this year - J said beach theme but I want it to be girly and the colors are too bright for that to happen. Perhaps I can put a bow on everything. I thought maybe a princess theme. Pink galore and bows. That got shut down.

I had a no-Elmo-rule (and Barney, too!) when I got pregnant. I just thought that he was too obnoxious with his tickle-me-Elmo laugh and Elmo's world song. But, this party is about baby girl and what she likes and my child is all kinds of obsessed with Elmo! I'm pretty positive that every almost 2-year old out there knows and loves Elmo. We have books, a piano, a cup, plate, bowl and even socks. And you can't forget about the DVDs that she watches at least once a day. J and I even know some of the words to the songs 'cause it plays that much!

So yes, it's going to be an Elmo party but I am not plastering Elmo on everything. I'm sure he'll be on the cake and maybe balloons. I might even get napkins with him on it. But that's it. Everything else will either be plain or polka dots.

My next post will hopefully be an inspiration board and/or vendor list that I have found so far.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Amazon has let me down




I've been an Amazon user for years. I can't say that I was a big supporter of the site until a couple of years ago. My first purchase from them were skins for my then Blackberry. They have books, furniture, diapers and even screws!

A big chunk of my day is spent in front of a computer at work. It's quite easy to just jump on the site, browse around and buy things. I did more than half of my Christmas shopping on Amazon this year. The convenience factor has really made me a loyal fan. I can't even remember the last time I walked into a store and came out with a box of diapers. Not only does Amazon have everything but their prices are pretty amazing. They also put out coupons in magazines and offer free 2-day shipping if you join the Amazon Mom program (free also!).

I've told moms and moms-to-be about this wonderful site. It's my go-to place even for pens! But that might have to change pretty soon.

I was browsing one night on my Amazon iPad app this past week for some blue ink pens and every time I would add an item to my wish list I kept on getting an error. I brushed it off, came to work the next morning and tried it again. I had to change my password 'cause it wouldn't let me log in. When i finally did I realized that my account information was all gone - address, my maiden name is back, order history gone and prime membership gone.

I called customer service and was told that they might be doing some site updates but she wasn't really sure. I even gave her a recent order number and it wasn't showing up in the system. She told me to wait it out and try back a little later. I logged out and logged back in hours later and it was still the same. I did an online chat with a cs rep. The gentleman who helped me still had no clue. He said he was going to escalate my case over to tech support and they should contact me.

This was on Friday and as of today I have yet to hear from anybody. I really want Amazon to get this figured out. Not only is it really strange but it's quite annoying that a company this big can't figure out what happened to my account.

Saturday Morning Scene

I'm linking up with Katie from Loves of Life for the 1st time.

Saturday Morning Scene

Kayla and I went out to Chick-fil-a for breakfast.





Yes, she's smiling there! I believe over-smiling is the right description here :)

We then hit up Target for some necessities. I'm loving all the summer stuff they have out right now. I wish I knew what theme we are going with for her birthday party so that I can start buying things for it.



Wednesday, April 6, 2011

iPhone photo dump

This little toddler is 3 months away from turning 2! Where did the last 21 months go and how can I make time slow down?!

Obsessed!

I have a slight obsession with designer jeans. Before I had Kayla, I had over 20 pairs of jeans where the cheapest pair, retail, was more than $100 a pop. Now, I never paid retail, although J did for a couple of pairs he bought me for presents. eBay, denim forums (slight obsession, remember?) and online retailers with super duper sales were/are my sources for cheap designer jeans.

I'm a whole lot better now. The last time I bought a pair was during my work trip to Massachusetts. 7FAM was having a huge sale and I could not NOT buy a $180 pair of jeans for less than $50! Lately, I've been searching for a pair of white jeans. Of course they had to be designer. I don't know why. So I searched all over eBay but couldn't find a pair cheap enough for me. I was getting ready to put an offer in for a pair of 7's until I remembered reading a couple of blogs raving about LEC's white jeans.

With my luck, by the time I was ready to buy a pair, the jeans were nowhere to be found on their website. I went on their Facebook page and whoever is responsible for their page told me that the stock is very low but I can call their CS department and they will help me. I don't like calling people so I did the second best thing and did an on line chat with a rep. Five minutes later, the rep sent me a special link with a special order form and I was able to place my order.

I'm super excited for these jeans to come in the mail! The closest I came to owning white jeans were my cream maternity pants. I figured I was already huge and since white is supposed to make you look bigger than you really are, then why they heck not!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

A to Z

Saw this post from Virginia Belle and I'm jumping on the bandwagon.

{a} Age: 30
{b} Bed size: Queen, but we really need a king since Kayla refuses to sleep in her own bed.
{c} Chore you hate: Cleaning the bathroom. I'd rather do dishes by hand any day than clean the bathrooms!
{d} Dogs: Used to. But we gave them up to J's grandpa before we moved.
{e} Essential start to your day: Coffee! A lot of it.
{f} Favorite color: Pink & Blue
{g} Gold or silver: Silver
{h} Height: 5'7"
{i} Instruments you play: I played the piano when I was younger but not anymore.
{j} Job title: Event Services Manager
{k} Kids: Kayla Marie
{l} Live: Hampton Roads and I don't like it.
{m} Mom's name: Florisa
{n} Nicknames: Gie
{o} Overnight hospital stays: Yes, when I gave birth to Kayla.
{p} Pet peeve: Drivers who speed up when they see a merge sign.
{q} Quote from a movie: "We're going streaking" - Old School - I'm not good with remembering movie lines and it's really sad that this is the best one that I can come up with.
{r} Right- or left-handed: Lefty
{s} Siblings: Older sis - Kathryn, younger sis - Iya
{t} Time you wake up: 6:20 on weekdays and 7-ish on the weekends
{u} Under your bed: Shoe boxes
{v} Vegetables you dislike: Olives
{w} What makes you run late: My husband and my child
{x} X-rays you've had: My teeth
{y} Yummy food you make: Spaghetti and pot roast - not together.
{z} Zoo - favorite animal: Monkey!

Friday, March 18, 2011

I think it's working

I bought the bracelet. I've looked at it enough and I decided to take the plunge. J is doing better already (crossing my fingers he comes home this weekend) & maybe it will bring luck to my beloved VCU basketball team this evening.




(source)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Luck. It's St. Patrick's day after all

You always hear luck of the Irish on St. Patrick's day but it feels like today has been all sorts of unlucky.

I really thought J was coming home today. But of course that's not the case or I wouldn't be writing this. He called me around 10am at work and I bolted to the hospital shortly right after we hung up. It has been a very emotionally draining day for me. I don't really need to get in to too much details here but long story short, there's another complication and we have no clear answers after multiple tests today. I'm really hoping that it can't be that serious or the doctor would have already told us what the deal is. I talked to him tonight and he sounds fine but I'm pretty sure he is so ready to get better and to come home.

A few weeks ago I was catching up on my Google Reader and saw a post about an elephant themed party of some sort. There was an Etsy seller whose product was featured on that post. The picture that was used was just so nicely taken and next thing you know I had spent an hour trying to decide what bracelet to order. Well the cheap girl in me decided I didn't need the bracelet and I would join in on the blog contest of the seller to hopefully score a free one instead. Well, i didn't win but days later another contest was posted. The winner hasn't been announced on that one but I'm thisclose to ordering one.

(source)

Maybe I'm just hoping that this bracelet will give me luck. Would everything have happened had I bought the bracelet initially? I'm not one to believe that something or someone can bring you luck but it doesn't hurt to try. After all, the bracelets are cute and if it brings me luck, even better!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Great Sunday!

Aside from the whole DST thing, its been a great day!

Tomorrow will be a week since J was admitted to the hospital and had surgery. I've been waiting for him to get better since the day after surgery but it felt like he was getting worse day after day. What made it harder is that we are on our own here without help and its been tough trying to take care of Kayla and be there for J as well. I'm never at the hospital when the doctors would come by to his room and J was usually drugged up and/or half asleep during rounds that he can't tell me what they told him.

On Thursday I was finally able to get some answers. Not what I wanted to hear but answers nonetheless.

But today, this afternoon, was a great one! J is finally feeling better and the NG tube did what it was supposed to do. It was a complete 180 minutes after it had started. J was sitting up which he couldn't do for days until now. He told me he was feeling better already and we even exchanged high fives!

I'm ready for him to come home as much as he is. I'm sure him and Kayla are missing each other like crazy. I hope to get an update tomorrow morning as far as his progress and when we he should be heading home.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Spring pretties

I've been sitting here all morning "window shopping". There's really nothing on tv that I want to watch and there's not a whole lot to do in a hospital.

I love it when it's cold and snow doesn't bother me one bit. But I'm ready for spring!

Crazy. That's all.

  • I was in Massachusetts from Thursday to Sunday of last week for work. It was the very first time I've left Kayla (and J) for that long.
  • We did well. I missed them like crazy and the 4 days were so busy that I didn't have the time or energy to be sad about being away from them.
  • Sunday was a super long day. I worked and my flight was delayed. I was so nervous they were going to cancel my flight due to the storms but I was home safely right before midnight and I couldn't be any happier seeing my little girl again.
  • Monday was spent catching up on laundry and hanging out with the little girl.
  • It was turning out to be a great day til J told me he was going to the ER and finding out hours later that he had to have surgery for appendicitis.
  • The past week has been a blur and I can't wait to be back to our normal life.
  • It's sad that normal to me is going to work and hating it for the most part. But at least nobody is in the hospital and we are all together for the most part.
  • It's Friday and I usually look forward to the weekend. But everything is so up in the air right now with J not being well that I'm not really sure what's going on anymore.

I hope to leave early from work today so I can spend a little time with my husband at the hospital. I think that it makes him feel a tiny bit better that I am at his bed-side even if I can't do anything for him. I also need to be able to spend time with my daughter. She needs me as much as he needs me.




2010 in review

Last year brought some change in our lives, some were good and some were not. Overall, 2010 was good to us. We grew together as a family and individually accomplished certain things.

January to March
- Kayla had surgery days after we welcomed the new year.
- I turned 29 and celebrated the best way possible with take out, at home, with my husband and 6 month old baby.
- Kayla started going to Romp n Roll and had a ball!

April to June
- First mother and father's day.
- My position at work was eliminated, I was demoted, took a pay cut, worked less hours and got to spend more time with my baby girl.
- We had family pictures taken by Tisha McCuiston.

July to September
- Kayla turned 1! We celebrated her first year of life with close family and friends.
- J received a job offer and we decided as a family that this is a great opportunity for all of us.
- We packed up and moved to our new city - found a new home, I started my new job and Kayla went to day care for the very first time.

October to December
- We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary and got another Apple product. This time an iPad. Jewelry would have been fine but my inner geek was thankful for the iPad.
- I cooked up a storm on Thanksgiving for the 3 of us. Kayla ate everything and it was the first time in 4 years that I didn't have to work. J wasn't as lucky.
- We drove back to Richmond for the first time since moving and celebrated Christmas with our families.

Life has been busy to say the least. It's the second week of March and I just now got this done.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Reflection on a Sunday afternoon

Come Friday of next week, my little girl will be 20 months old. I've stopped telling people the month age and have been saying that she's a year and a half. In the first year of her life, her age
was measured by months and now I'm going by halves and years. Ive always found it a bit ridiculous when people would say 24 months or 36 months. It's 2 & 3 for crying out loud!


I didn't realize til now how close she is to turning two. TWO! Where did the last 20 months go?! Becoming a parent is truly one of the most exciting, rewarding, difficult and happiest thing in my life thus far. I don't think anything can top this one off. I look at her and see how much she has changed. She walks, talks and does all these silly little things that melts my heart.

{this is her "say cheese" face}

She asked for help earlier this morning when her foot got caught while walking around in one of my maternity shirts that she had put on all by herself. She says thank you and please. She goes to the pantry and looks for a "nack" every night after dinner. She makes up her own songs with the words mommy and momma in it all the while dancing and clapping at the same time. She runs as fast as she can towards me when she sees me walk into her classroom at day care.

{enjoying an afternoon "nack" of nectarine}

I wonder what's next for her. She's one lovable and strong willed toddler now. She knows what she wants and will try her hardest to make sure she gets it. She is the light of my life and the best present I have ever received!

{her dress - my maternity shirt}

Please escuse the awsome quality of the pictures. These are all from my iPhone.