Well....last week was a pickle. You know how bad things usually happen in 3's? I guess Fate decided to give me a bonus, because I counted 4.
1. I stubbed my toe and broke it on my husband's big ass "muckle" shoes.
2. Mackenzie woke up one morning at 5:30 ready to eat. (She usually sleeps until 6:45 - 7:00.)
3. Someone from work turned to me one day and said, "Umm...you're not...you're not expecting are you?" (Seriously?!?!?! ~ FYI Men, if you do not know for a FACT that a girl is pregnant, DON'T SAY ANYTHING!!) My "No" response was professional and light-hearted as to keep from losing it.
4. Lastly, which is the worst, I found out someone I know passed away of a heart attack. I didn't know him really well, but it was just really sad. He was such a happy guy and too young to die.
However, in spite of everything that happened there was a good ending. The weekend was relaxing and fun. Chris, Mackenzie and I went shopping on Friday, I cleaned our house on Saturday and on Sunday Mackenzie and I went to the Infantry Museum with my parents.
Also, after much deliberation and weighing of facts, Chris and I purchased a new laptop. (Which I am using right now!!!) I have been wanting to get either a laptop or a netbook for a little while now so I can sit my lazy ass on the couch and check e-mail, play on Facebook, continue my vigilant search for organic facts and, of course, blog. Chris was able to get a sweet deal from Big Lots and it actually ended up being cheaper than the netbook I was looking to buy. Already I am totally addicted to it!! I wish I could take it to work with me, but I'm sure that's against policy and plus I doubt I would get any work done. How did I ever live without it?!?!?
Overall, everything ended up pretty good and I think I have to dedicate it to my husband, Chris. It may have started badly because of his shoe, but his knowlegde, help and advice about the laptop was wonderful. I'm going to believe that an optimistic attitude will carry me through to the next week and hopefully further.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Organic or Non-organic? That is the question.
Ever since I got pregnant, and even before then, I knew I wanted to try to give my baby the healthiest food I could. I'd always heard of the benefits of organic, but didn't really jump on board until I got pregnant. I decicded I was going to make it a priority to give Mackenzie only organic baby food and really try to find local organic meats and veggies for Chris and I.
However, organic food is definitely more expensive and now there are all these studies saying that organic isn't nutritionally better than conventional food. So I decided to take it upon myself to unearth the TRUTH about organic food and spread the word to all......basically, I googled it.
I skimmed the links and clicked on the links that "looked good." (You all know what I mean and you do it too., don't deny it. You can't explain it, but some links just "look" better than others. Like you just know their information is going to be more accurate or widely known.) Now, in the time I have been searching, I have found it very frustrating. Most of the studies are several years old or have no date to reference at all. And really, I just see one website that states organic food has not been proven to have an increase in nutritional value and another one that says it clearly does have more nutrients. Errrr?!?!?
Even with all the science and nay-saying, I am still very drawn to the idea of organic food. Have I been sucked into the ultimate conspiracy to steal consumer's hard-earned dollars? I am following the uber cool fad just because others say its healthy? I'm trying to be diplomatic and unbiased. I can't knowingly spend the money for something that may or may not have any real benefits to our bodies, the environment or animals, but I really want to give Mackenzie the best beginning to a healthy life.
I will prevail!!! Constant Vigilance!!! I will continue my tireless search for the FACTS about organic and hope I end up armed with the knowledge to make a well-educated decision to choose organic or non-organic.
However, organic food is definitely more expensive and now there are all these studies saying that organic isn't nutritionally better than conventional food. So I decided to take it upon myself to unearth the TRUTH about organic food and spread the word to all......basically, I googled it.
I skimmed the links and clicked on the links that "looked good." (You all know what I mean and you do it too., don't deny it. You can't explain it, but some links just "look" better than others. Like you just know their information is going to be more accurate or widely known.) Now, in the time I have been searching, I have found it very frustrating. Most of the studies are several years old or have no date to reference at all. And really, I just see one website that states organic food has not been proven to have an increase in nutritional value and another one that says it clearly does have more nutrients. Errrr?!?!?
Even with all the science and nay-saying, I am still very drawn to the idea of organic food. Have I been sucked into the ultimate conspiracy to steal consumer's hard-earned dollars? I am following the uber cool fad just because others say its healthy? I'm trying to be diplomatic and unbiased. I can't knowingly spend the money for something that may or may not have any real benefits to our bodies, the environment or animals, but I really want to give Mackenzie the best beginning to a healthy life.
I will prevail!!! Constant Vigilance!!! I will continue my tireless search for the FACTS about organic and hope I end up armed with the knowledge to make a well-educated decision to choose organic or non-organic.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Not Sure What to Think
As you many of you know, I am the proud mother of a beautiful 6 month old girl, Mackenzie! Unfortunately, we did not win the lottery before I the end of my maternity leave (shocker I know!!), so she is in day care. Now, don't get me wrong, day care is a wonderful way to take of kids and allow them to interact with others and to learn and grow, but like most Moms, I would love to be at home with her. Also, Chris and I really like our day care and feel totally comfortable leaveing her in their care.
Well, I pick her up from day care on Thursday and when I get home I start the ritual of getting ready for the next day of work and day care. For Mackenzie, we pack her bottles in a lunch box and all her extras, like a pacifier, bibs, burp cloth, change of clothes, etc in a little diaper bag. As I am getting her bag ready for the next day I see some papers inside. I take them out and begin to read. The papers are a notification letter and form for a day care fundraiser. We have been asked to sell a few pastries to help raise money for supplies. It's not a lot, we've been asked to sell just five.
However, I'm not sure what to think. I'm not offended or anything, but I guess I just thought that kind of thing happened when your kids were older. Maybe I'm showing my ignorance as a new mom, but I really was surprised. I know that our money goes to pay, not only for salaries and bills, but for toys, cleaning products, cleaning equipment, craft supplies, snacks, etc. And I know times are hard and this is a relatively easy way to bring in some funds, but I was still not expecting it.
Still not sure how to feel about this, but needless to say, we will try to sell our 5 pastries. I don't want to be "that mom" who won't help out these poor innocent children who just want a toy to play with and some crayons to color with.
Wish me luck!!
Well, I pick her up from day care on Thursday and when I get home I start the ritual of getting ready for the next day of work and day care. For Mackenzie, we pack her bottles in a lunch box and all her extras, like a pacifier, bibs, burp cloth, change of clothes, etc in a little diaper bag. As I am getting her bag ready for the next day I see some papers inside. I take them out and begin to read. The papers are a notification letter and form for a day care fundraiser. We have been asked to sell a few pastries to help raise money for supplies. It's not a lot, we've been asked to sell just five.
However, I'm not sure what to think. I'm not offended or anything, but I guess I just thought that kind of thing happened when your kids were older. Maybe I'm showing my ignorance as a new mom, but I really was surprised. I know that our money goes to pay, not only for salaries and bills, but for toys, cleaning products, cleaning equipment, craft supplies, snacks, etc. And I know times are hard and this is a relatively easy way to bring in some funds, but I was still not expecting it.
Still not sure how to feel about this, but needless to say, we will try to sell our 5 pastries. I don't want to be "that mom" who won't help out these poor innocent children who just want a toy to play with and some crayons to color with.
Wish me luck!!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Best Mates
I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world because I am blessed to have a TRUE best friend!
As we ended the first week back to the everyday routine after the beach I looked forward to seeing my "best mate" Brandy. She and I have known each other for about 10 years now. We meet in college and really got to know each other while we were both Resident Assistants in a female freshmen dorm. She is now living in Europe attending medical school. With the 6 hour time difference and limited travel opportunities, we haven't been able to see each other much for the last 3 years. She does come home about twice a year and we always manage to squeeze in a visit. She came down this weekend and we had a great time!!
I took Monday off, just to have the extra time we always want. We stayed up late every night, talked, watched movies, ate, drank, visited with family, went shopping, just all the things you do with your girlfriends. She shares my addiction for the ab fab British soap opera, Coronation Sreet, so we watched some recent episodes and she caught me up on the drama. (I swear, we talked about the characters as though they were real people we knew.)
She retold her exciting and hilarious adventures in Rome, Italy where a creepy Italian man tried to kiss her while she was at the Vatican and Edinburgh, Scotland where she did a pub crawl with some cute atheltic type. I'm totally jealous of all the traveling she gets to do - she's been to almost every country in Europe. I don't wish to be attacked by creepy Italian men and I am married to my own cutie from Scotland, but I would LOVE to travel like that, so I live vicariously through her.
Through all the chatting and laughing we decided that we should round off the weekend with nothing better than a box of do-it-yourself at-home hair dye. My "honey" highlights turned out a bit more like platinum blonde, so we had to tone it down with an all over color of medium brown. Now it looks like I have a wonderfully natural auburn color highlighted through out. I love it!!! It's so natural and subtle that no one said a word about it at work today. (Not sure how I feel about that.) As far as we could tell, her color (thankfully) turned out okay...whew!!! (I don't really have much, or any, hairstyling talents.)
It was a wonderful weekend of spending time with an amazing friend! We have so many good times in the past and a million to come in the future. She is like a sister to me. We don't have to talk everyday and as soon as we see each other, it's as though no time has passed and we can pick right back up from where we left off. I hope that everyone is as lucky as I am to have a best friend like Brandy.
Cheers!!
As we ended the first week back to the everyday routine after the beach I looked forward to seeing my "best mate" Brandy. She and I have known each other for about 10 years now. We meet in college and really got to know each other while we were both Resident Assistants in a female freshmen dorm. She is now living in Europe attending medical school. With the 6 hour time difference and limited travel opportunities, we haven't been able to see each other much for the last 3 years. She does come home about twice a year and we always manage to squeeze in a visit. She came down this weekend and we had a great time!!
I took Monday off, just to have the extra time we always want. We stayed up late every night, talked, watched movies, ate, drank, visited with family, went shopping, just all the things you do with your girlfriends. She shares my addiction for the ab fab British soap opera, Coronation Sreet, so we watched some recent episodes and she caught me up on the drama. (I swear, we talked about the characters as though they were real people we knew.)
She retold her exciting and hilarious adventures in Rome, Italy where a creepy Italian man tried to kiss her while she was at the Vatican and Edinburgh, Scotland where she did a pub crawl with some cute atheltic type. I'm totally jealous of all the traveling she gets to do - she's been to almost every country in Europe. I don't wish to be attacked by creepy Italian men and I am married to my own cutie from Scotland, but I would LOVE to travel like that, so I live vicariously through her.
Through all the chatting and laughing we decided that we should round off the weekend with nothing better than a box of do-it-yourself at-home hair dye. My "honey" highlights turned out a bit more like platinum blonde, so we had to tone it down with an all over color of medium brown. Now it looks like I have a wonderfully natural auburn color highlighted through out. I love it!!! It's so natural and subtle that no one said a word about it at work today. (Not sure how I feel about that.) As far as we could tell, her color (thankfully) turned out okay...whew!!! (I don't really have much, or any, hairstyling talents.)
It was a wonderful weekend of spending time with an amazing friend! We have so many good times in the past and a million to come in the future. She is like a sister to me. We don't have to talk everyday and as soon as we see each other, it's as though no time has passed and we can pick right back up from where we left off. I hope that everyone is as lucky as I am to have a best friend like Brandy.
Cheers!!
Monday, August 3, 2009
I'm On a Boat
Metaphorically speaking, the boat that took me and the family to St. George Island for our family vacation finally made it back home to the daily grind. We spent a week on St. George Island enjoying a beautiful view from our fantabulous house and wonderful weather!! We couldn't ask for a better atmosphere. It was a week of "firsts" for us as well. For Mackenzie, it was her first beach trip.
(That is actually ocean water in the baby pool with some sand, compliments of Alden.)
"OOhhhh, auuuuwwww!!!!!" (Mackenzie)
"I'm on a boat!"
"Sensuous?!?!?"
"Where's my drink?"
Needless to say, it was a great trip!! We definitely made some great memories. Here are some of my favorites.
(That is actually ocean water in the baby pool with some sand, compliments of Alden.)Mackenzie also had baby cereal for the first time while we were on vacation.
Emma Kate also swam in the deep end of the pool by herself with no floats or anything. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of that. Sorry Emma!! :(
Now that small children are involved in the annual trip, our comings and goings are slightly adjusted to meet their needs, so things are not always movie-perfect. People....we are our own freak show!! If someone watched a movie of our trip, they would probably come away from it saying, "What the hell?!?!" or "Holy crap!!" There was a kitchen island that my mom designated for booze only, special ice for the margaritas, a keg in one of the bathroom showers and various baby items thrown about the house. If someone had heard the common conversation, they would have inevitably heard the following:
"Alden no!!"
"Millie, Sunday...Chill!!"
"OOhhhh, auuuuwwww!!!!!" (Mackenzie)
"I'm on a boat!"
"Sensuous?!?!?"
"Where's my drink?"
Needless to say, it was a great trip!! We definitely made some great memories. Here are some of my favorites.
I would actually add some more pictures, but I am somehow adding them the hardest way possible and it's taking forever. If you want to see more pictures and you are my friend on Facebook, check them out there.
And now, I am off to bed with my nautical themed pashmina afghan. Night!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)