My Next Thirty Years…..

Wednesday I turned 30. 30 years old (or young). I don’t really have an issue with it. Now granted, there are things I feel I can no longer do because of my age (personal opinion only – and specific to me – so if you do any of these things – all the more power to ya!) – I don’t think it is acceptable for me to shop in the juniors section anymore – I mean I would before Tyler for the shirts because they were cuter than the “Mom” shirts in misses but since Tyler, they just don’t fit like they used to (not that anything does), but I would still try, however I think there is some sign that says – “you may shop here if you are in your late 20’s, 30 plus need not enter”. I don’t think I can do a back bend anymore – not that I have tried recently – but I’m positive I am not that flexible anymore, I can’t (WON’T) wear shorts with an inseam shorter than 5-7 in., and the tankini is about as revealing of a swimsuit as I will wear (and still it reveals far too much!), I’m pretty sure NO one will mistake me for a young 21 coed – I didn’t even get carded the last time I bought an alcoholic beverage, and I put on a pair of jeans the other day which I love – they are all ripped in the knee (I bought them that way – yep – paid big bucks for a cool hole in the knee) and I thought to myself – I think I am too old for this look!

I think turning 30 isn’t a big deal for me because when I was younger, I couldn’t WAIT to be this age. I just thought @ 30 I would be married and have a family of my own. Growing up I really really just wanted to be a mom. (I don’t mean “just be a mom” – you know what I’m saying). So here I am, 30 and @ a place in life I really really want to be, it’s a GREAT place – not that the other years weren’t, but where I am right now really suits me well, I am comfy cozy and lovin’ it!

My sister gave me a great card! It was a Hallmark card, the ones that play music when you open it, and it played that Tim McGraw “My Next 30 Years”. I love that song and had kinda forgotten about it till I opened the card – it just made me smile – it fills you with all these great emotions that you can’t even begin to express in words – like how thankful you are God has let you make it this far and experience all that you have, how much love you have for your family and friends in your life, how much greatness there is in the little everyday things – in the small and simple moments, and just the fullness of life – kinda the same thing I feel when I hear Natalie Merchant’s “These are the Days”, it’s like you are standing in a ray of warm sun light and your heart may just explode with happiness Sappy I know….anyhoo…..

Some highlights: On Tuesday, a newish fantastic friend took me to lunch and I got to have an adult conversation and food that I didn’t have to prepare, cook, or clean up, my mom gave me some new comfy PJ’s, Craig got me Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and Pizza Hut for dinner, after Tyler got up in the morning he was all snuggly and snuggled with me for much longer than usual, it was sunny, my sister’s card, and my mom made me a cake with Bunny Cake Frosting which is this delicious frosting that iced every cake she has ever made since I was a wee little one.

In my next 30 I’d like to…..OK, 30 is waaaayyyyyy too long of an increment – I’ll be 60 then – I could be a granny by then….let’s go in increments of 10….In my next 10 I’d like to have more kids, hang out with my hubby who is my best friend, spend less time worrying about if I should clean and do laundry (wifely/motherly duties) rather than just sit and watch little Tyler grow – usually I pick the latter – he’ll only be small for such a short time – but while I sit and watch him I wonder if I should be actively DOING something – you know, something you can check off your “To Do” list, I’d like to worry less period in my next 10 years – I worry far too much about useless stuff – like the laundry and crumbs by the toaster, I’d like to workout more – not to look a certain way or be a certain size – just for the sake of being healthy, I’d like God to show me more of what He has in store for me and hopefully willingly follow, I’d like to have more family fun days with our parents and siblings like bonfires, the zoo, fairs – at which I’d like to eat more elephant ears and lemonade shake-ups, I’d like to dance more, I’d like to do more things like you did as a child that are just fun – rolling down a grass hill, merry-go-rounds, swings, catching lighting bugs and sticking them in a bug barn, I’d like to go skinny dipping in a lake (but not get arrested for it – not that either of those things have ever happened before – maybe in my next 10 – not the arrested part), I’d like to worry or care less about what other’s opinions of me are and feel more free to be my complete self – not that I’m not myself – I just don’t want other’s opinions to create as much of a wave in my life as I let them – or matter as much to me, I’d like to ride more roller coasters, I’d like to be a better friend, get a dog, and have my kids think I’m a great mom….just a few ideas about my next 10 years.

Bump Day…..

So, I was originally sitting down to write a little ditty about turning 30….I was thinking 30, hummmm that is alot of years, but then again not that many, 30, what else has 30…..then I thought about Baskin-Robbins and their 31 flavors – I’m just short 1 flavor, then I was talking to Craig who swore it was 33 flavors, so in attempting to prove that I was right, I looked it up and found out that (not only was I right – it’s 31 flavors) but Baskin-Robbins has Bump Day Wednesday, May 21st. I thought this was so cute, the whole Bump Day as with the Indy 500 Bump Day and all (which I really know nothing about because I don’t follow racing) but this is a Bump Day I am interested in! This is so great! Not really great for me because I am not pregnant, but then I figured I have plenty of clothes in my closet that fit weird perhaps suggesting I have a baby bump and I can waddle a little….then I thought, I must be a sad sad little person if I am going to fib about being pregnant just to get some free ice cream….but I REALLY LOVE ice cream….so anyway, if you are pregnant, make your way to Baskin-Robbins for your FREE ice cream cone on Wednesday!

Happie Auntie Day….

There are 9 years difference between my sister and I – I am older – and unfortunately – I DO look like the older one! Kim is everything I am not – she is incredibly funny with a great dry sense of humor, she is so so beautiful with an awesome smile, perfect teeth and beautiful blue eyes, she has long nails which don’t break, she has a great sense of fashion and trends which not only does she sport well – but she can always pull stuff together to look fabulous! She gets to spend alot of mom and dads money because she is the youngest (although Nathan and I swear it’s because she is the favorite), She likes heels, she doesn’t seem to worry and worry like I do about stuff that doesn’t warrent worrying in the 1st place, she is incredibly self confident, she is a Kappa Delta (KD that is), she tells it – straight up – like it pretty much is, storms don’t bother her, and she has a tattoo! (Come on Kim – you had to know that was going to make the blog eventually didn’t you!?!?!?) It is very tasteful and for a spectacular cause – but Kim – “Didn’t you ever read Leviticus 19:28!?!” I think that you should check out this website for ideas on your next one! So even as an older sister – there are parts of me that wish I was more like her – I love her oodles and just think she is the best! She can always make me laugh and there is always a good story when Kim is involved!

Tyler thinks she is pretty rockin’ too! If you lined up myself, my mom (Grandma), and Auntie Kim and made Tyler choose one – hands down he would always pick Auntie Kim – I probably would pick her over me too if I were him – she is just THAT cool! Anyway, Kim is awesome with him and it is always a treat when she visits us – although she, as the typical college student, always brings her laundry with her which somehow I end up doing – as if I didn’t have enough laundry to do! – but we’ll still take her – even though you are a wee bit high maintance So, because there is no “Aunt’s Day” like Kim was petitioning there to be yesterday (Mother’s Day), here is our tribute to you Auntie Kim! WE LOVE YOU!

Snips, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails…..

Raising Boys
by Roberta I. Teague

I scrub the wall of fingerprints,
Pick up the mounds of clothes.
I sweep the dirt that shoes track in-
Wish I could use a hose!
Meals are served from dawn to dark,
Dirty dishes crowd the sink.
Just when they’re washed and put away-
Everyone wants a drink!
The washer pulls the dirty grime
From pants worn thin and patched.
They look so very neat and clean-
Yuck, look what the pockets hatched!
Broken bones and bloody knees,
I should have been a nurse.
I take it all in shaky stride-
Just grateful it’s not worse!
Screams and shouts and arguments
Test the keeping of my cool.
They left the neighbor’s faucet on-
See their new front yard pool!
A soothing bath is ecstasy,
A reward at the end of my rope.
Raising boys isn’t really bad-
But first I must wash the soap!
A rose can say I Love You,
Orchids can enthrall;
But a weed bouquet in a chubby fist,
Oh my, that says it all!

I know that all that this poem includes – I have not even began to experience with Tyler, but I am just so so thankful for him – I can’t imagine our lives without him. Craig and I say to eachother all the time “What did we do before Tyler?!?!?” I am personally fond of this line “Yuck, look what the pockets hatched!” because Tyler already shows a certain level of affinity towards ants and dirt – though who wouldn’t as a 14 month old?!?!? Craig assures me many creatures and crawly things with millions of legs will be found in misc. boxes, pockets, and “safe places” for Tyler’s slimey, buggy treasures! EWE!!!

I feel so so blessed to have a boy! Not that Craig and I cared weather we had a boy or girl – we didn’t find out (nor do we plan on doing so for the next ones) and the anticipation of what God would bless us with was so exciting! We were so so excited when the Dr. said “It’s a BOY!” Seceretly I think I wanted a boy more than a girl. I just thought to myself that I know what to do with a boy! They seem simple, straight forward, less complicated than girls – I don’t know that I really believe this – but I was just afraid of a high maintance girl! I told Craig – I don’t know what to do with a girl! I’m sure I do – but I don’t do high maintance well – and not that all girls are high maintance – that’s not what I am saying – I love little girls too – and if the rest of our children are girls – that would be fantastic and I would love them to no end – but I am Jello – simple – and a boy just seemed to fit. I worry about things with girls such as I don’t do long hair well – how will I do my little girls hair? I don’t want her to be the frumpy girl because I can’t do her hair! I would get tired of pink – can I put her in blue? Then all those middle school girl fights and all the mean girls – how could I handle that as a mother if someone was picking on my little girl or what if SHE was the “mean” girl!?!? What do I do then? I know silly – boys come with thier own set of issues – not to make generalizations – but hopefully you know what I mean! Anyway, I am beyond blessed for the precious gift of my little boy who brings more joy to our lives than I ever thought possible – and although the years to come will have their share of frustrations, hiccups, pocket “surprises”, and boy related issues, I enjoy every moment now and look forward to all those moments to come!

Here are some pics of my little boy being well…….a BOY!

Exploring the great outdoors

dirt + water = MUD

kicked back, relaxed and enjoying a little Elmo

More cheese please!

Tyler and i were @ the dinner table tonight. I had put some cheese crumbles on his tray…..wait, before we go any further you should know that the boy LOVES cheese! Craig swears it is because while I was pregnant with him there was a period where I could eat 1/2 a cheese ball myself in one sitting – and that’s only because Craig made me stop – seriously, @ times I didn’t even bother with the cracker – just licked the cheese right off the knife! I blamed it on pregnancy but the sad truth is that I probably could right now eat 1/2 a cheese ball! I love cheese – cheese and carbs – bread – I love bread – especially the bread you get when you eat @ Bravo! If Craig and I want cheese on top of whatever lovely feast I have prepared (ha ha, tonight it was a turkey sandwich for me and hot dog for Craig) we have to sneak it on our plates – you can’t let Tyler see the bag or hear it crinkle – otherwise that is ALL he wants.

But anyways……back to Tyler – so I had put some cheese crumbles on his tray, then placed the crinkly bag back in the fridge. He just full fisted started shoving it in his mouth. It was gone in a few seconds – I don’t even know if he chewed it – he did it dustbuster style – open mouth and inhale! So when there was only cheese dust left on his tray he pointed to the fridge.

I said “What? Cheese?”

He did the sign for “more”.

I said “Did you want more cheese?”

He in an exaggerated fashion shook his head “YES!” grinning from ear to ear.

As soon as I got the crinkly bag from the fridge he started clapping, laughing, and kicking his legs in his high chair.

Now this may not seem to be too much of a big deal to many, but it is huge to me! I have been trying to get him to shake his head “yes” because all he does is shake it “no”. He walks by stuff he knows he can’t touch and looks @ me and shakes his head “no”, he holds my cell phone and puts it up to his mouth and shakes his head “no” because I have told him a gazillion times not to put it in his mouth, you’d think the only thing I do is follow him around saying “No”, “No”, “No.” So for the past week or so I have been trying to get him to say “Yes” and he would mimic me but this was the first time he used it not mimicking and “in conversation.” It’s also fun and amazing to me because we have done the sign “more” for quite a while but just this week he has started using it appropriately and not just mimicking.

It just amazes me that they are so little and you catch yourself thinking they don’t understand yet but they do! I am in constant awe of him and every new stage that we enter. A few nights ago I was cooking yet another fabulous meal and Tyler was watching an Elmo video which I usually put in @ this time so I can cook without him under my feet and out of the kitchen for safety purposes! I am cooking and in front of the stove stirring something and Tyler is calling out to me in a loud and primitive sort of animal noise as he is “running” from the family room into the kitchen, arm extended up, wooden spoon in hand like a torch held high. This is his wooden spoon he found in the family room among other toys and clearly has come to help me cook. He comes up to my leg, pulls on my pant leg, and put his other arm up clearly saying “up”. I pick him up and he is trying to make his wooden spoon reach the stuff on the stove and moving it around and around like he is stirring.

Clearly this means we have GOT to be more careful about what we do in front of him – he’s watching – always watching!

Ticket to Heaven….I mean the Vera Bradley Outlet Sale

I am pretty sure….no positive that in Heaven, the female angels sport Vera Bradley bags and purses to carry cloud fluff, extra feathers for their wings, and the info pages about those they are responsible to be a guardian for here on earth.

If you have never been before – you simply must go! It is not an experience which can be put into words that would fully describe how glorious it is – and how dangerous it has the potential to be (physically and for your bank account!) The Vera Bradley sale is an annual event. It used to be called the “Tent Sale” way back when it 1st began and was actually outside under a few of those big party tents. I can remember going to the 1st one with my grandma and mom (brother in tow also). There was stuff for $0.10!!! Granted it was the little stuff – like the small little credit card holders and coin purses but still – Vera for $0.10! Now, if you are hoping for a particular bag or a particular pattern you’d better get a pre-sale ticket (cost of which benefits the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer) and if you are looking for a particular bag IN a particular pattern – well you better just hope the Vera Bradley gods are smiling down upon you that blessed day!

This year I was lucky enough to go the the Friends and Family sale which you need a ticket for, one that can not be purchased, but given to you by an employee or passed down the food chain – the latter is how I got mine. Craig’s mom and sister had some extra tickets which they got from a couple different friends and were kind enough to pass them on to my mom and I. The 4 of us went this past Tuesday night and had a great deal of FUN! Funny how you go thinking “I don’t really need anything, I’m just going to look.” But once you enter the doors and you see all that Vera stacked up high, crisp and new, just piles of bags, purses, luggage tags, PJ pants, hats, small purses, large purses, ones with a button, ones with a clasp, two straps, one strap in a rainbow of colors and array of patterns – well, suddenly you just MUST have it all!!!

PS: For budgeting purposes, you should know that product purchases are limited to $2,500 per person!