Flashback Friday

I've been super busy this week. Between going to our church's preschool open house to recruit for our MOPS group and getting everything ready for Gibbie's birthday party tomorrow I am finding it hard to stay awake at this point. If I can make it to 6pm tomorrow I'm going to take a disco nap.


Let's get to pictures.

This was when we moved into a bigger apartment on her first birthday:

She loved kissing her reflection.

 Here's me messing around in same apartment:

I am pretty sure I was avoiding physical labor by messing around.

 Look at that face! Those cheeks! My GOD!:

 Always a princess:

 Getting ready for a date night about a year ago:

And now I want to cut my hair. I just love having short hair!

 This must have been just before or after last year's birthday party judging by the balloons:

I love that face!

Birthday party outfit. The sleeves and shoes were part of an Olivia treasure chest. The dress was Harajuku Mini of course:

 I get bored easily:

The Hubs and Gibbie playing with toys she got for her second birthday last year:

OK, back to decorating!

Wordless Wednesday - Old School North Pole Edition

Tuesday Topics - Catering to Your Kids

It's quite possibly the biggest fight you'll ever have with a toddler. I used to dread this time of the day because I didn't know if it was a battle worth fighting. DINNER! Seriously, I can't even with this fight. I always said I would never make two dinners to please us and our kid but it has come to that lately. I tend to try recipes on the fancy side that attract a more grown up taste so I end up making the kid a grilled cheese or a pb&j so there's no fight over her not eating dinner.

This past weekend I decided that this is just ridiculous and it needed to stop. My goal is to make more kid friendly meals and maybe only have one night of making her something separate. This week it will be Friday. I'm just making us fried rice with shrimp and Gibbie hates rice so she'll get her sandwich.

I've definitely let it become a habit for too long. Tonight we had tacos and black beans. Gibbie loves beans and has always eaten a deconstructed taco with us. She did end up eating some of it but not before asking for a sandwich twice. Proof enough for me that I need to break this habit immediately.

I met a mom through MOPS two years ago who basically said she wasn't going to have the battle. She put dinner in front of her husband and three sons and they could decide if they were going to eat. If they didn't eat what she put in front of them then they just didn't eat. Upon hearing this I thought it was a great idea but never stuck with it. The Hubs is pickier than Gibbie so there'd be a lot of nights of me eating alone. Best friend J once said that she had heard that anyone needs three bites to tell if they like something. The first bite was to see if their taste buds liked it, the second to see if their stomach liked it, and the third to see if the two agreed.

My Facebook friends gave me a wide variety of answers for this one. One friend said she makes the kids something to eat at 4:30pm and then have dinner with her husband later. Sometimes it's the same meal, sometimes she does a more grown up recipe. I actually did consider that at one point but I don't think it really fits us. Another mom said 95% of the time the kids eat what her and her husband eats. She even has a rule that if one of the kids says they don't like whatever it is then he has to eat a bite of whatever it is for each year. (Example: Kid is 6 years old, kid says he doesn't like green beans, kid has to eat 6 bites of green beans.) She goes one step further and doesn't let the kid have an after dinner treat unless he eats it all. My lovely Best friend M plainly says, "Eat or go to bed hungry...kids are not gonna starve in one evening."

I am totally leaning more towards how Best friend M feels about it. I think The Hubs is feeling a bit more lenient though. I even tried for a while to implement a sort of three bite rule. Three bites, if you don't like it, I'll make you a sandwich. Truth be told, Gibbie can handle a meal she isn't thrilled about it. The Hubs and I do it on occasion when a meal doesn't come out as well as I had hoped for it. So why should I, as the main cook of the house, have to do extra work? I am starting to think that the point of this topic is to talk myself into it. OK, I can do this.

Here's a cute picture to show you why I have a hard time not giving in:

Finally, if there's any topic suggestions you'd like to know my humble opinion (as well as my Facebook friends) leave a comment and let me know.

Weekend Review

Exciting stuff! Well, maybe not to you young people who don't have kids. For me, going to a movie is super exciting!

OK, OK, I'll start on Friday instead of skipping ahead to the fun parts.

The Hubs is having a lot of fun teaching his class in our backyard. The Gibbie kinda hates not being allowed to go outside with her papa but I'm trying to distract her as much as possible.

We entertained ourselves with bath time, Brave, and games on an old iPhone that is no longer a phone:

By the way, that phone is going to disappear sometime this week. I freaking hate how addicted she has become to it.

Then, after the student left we let her play with a wooden sword on the mats:

I said she could train as soon as she was taller than the sword. Not quite there yet:

We played peekaboo a lot this weekend:

Allow me to interrupt these adorbs pictures to let you know how freaking awesome my Saturday afternoon was. I got all gorgeous while Gibbie slept and The Hubs rested and we headed out. Gibbie went to grandma and grandpa's house to play with all the cool stuff they brought her back from their Alaskan cruise and The Hubs and I went to the movies.

THE WORLD'S END!!! So freaking good! A little background here as to why I was so giddy about this movie: This was the last installment of the so called Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (aka Ice Cream Trilogy, Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy, or Cornetto Trilogy). The Hubs and I saw the first one, Shaun of the Dead, on our very first date. We'd known each other for a few years but because he moved up to Chicago just after I met him that first date took a while to work out. During the time the second movies came out we were on a break though I think we might have seen it on one of our secret dates (no one knew we were contemplating couplehood again). Now, the last one is here! We're married, we have a beautiful goblin princess daughter, and life is awesome.

Also, I can't even remember the last time we saw a movie in a theater. Afterwards, it was very hard to not stop off for a pint somewhere but since we were on the other side of town (they only have sports bars over there, ugh) and we needed to get our kid we decided against it. Go see it, you must, it's freaking amazing. I don't want to give too much away but it was an interesting change to see Simon Pegg's character as the one mucking things up and Nick Frost's character being the successful grown up. The ending is not what I was expecting considering how the other two ended but it was good nonetheless.

Back to the weekend...

Gibbie has decided she loves Spider Man and found this mask at Target:

We didn't buy it but she had fun wearing it for two minutes.

We actually have no idea where she even saw Spider Man or why she loves it but we're going with it. Maybe she'll be Spider Man for Halloween! That would be so cool.

We also went to Lowe's where we ordered new flooring and I'm super giddy to get rid of the nasty toddler stained carpet soon. I just wish we could get it done before Gibbie's birthday party next weekend. It's a bit embarrassing how nasty it is. I'll definitely have to post some before and after pictures of it once the furniture is out and before we put it back.

How was your weekend?

Saturday Link Party

There's so much to do this weekend! Later The Hubs and I are dropping Gibbie off with his parents and going to see World's End (I'm so giddy)! I'm hoping to wear my new dress which is a size 14! I have to mention that because it's been 10 years since I've been a size 14 and it's a wonderful feeling! The Greek Food Festival is also going on so I may make a point to get us there tomorrow after church. We have Sunday School Rally Day tomorrow at church to get the kids excited for the Sunday school year to start next weekend. Exciting stuff!

Here's some links to keep you busy:

A better way to give money as a gift. Sticking a 20 in a card is so over!

Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Cheer up! This blog also has some awesome money saving tips.

I really want to make this family birthday chart but I wouldn't know where in the house to hang it. The Hubs and I are always asking each other when family members' birthdays are and usually end up texting his mom to find out.

Have you seen these photos of Barbie and Ken? I mean, we always knew Ken was a little "left handed" as my southern mama used to say. I obviously love these!

I love the Everyday People cartoons. This one is one of my favorites of the moment.

And now I'm crying.

I'm really into lemon right now and I'm dying to try these cookies.

Enjoy your weekend and here's an old picture of Gibbie to get you through:

Sometimes she wears fezzes now. Fezzes are cool.

Flashback Friday

It's been a wild week around here. My muscles absolutely hate me after two stroller fitness classes. I'm also about to head over to Best friend J's house where we will be watching a total of seven kids including our own! Enjoy some pictures in no particular order!

This is my favorite wedding photo:

Look at those teeth:

Gosh I miss this time:

She would eat Gerber carrots but not the ones I boiled for her:

Gibbie and Best friend M's kid last year at her birthday party:

I think I may have posted this photo with a different filter but I love it:

I would pack a box, she would unpack it, this is our old apartment:

I still remember this, she grabbed that banana out of my hand and started munching:

Kissing her baby Ariel that she got for her birthday last year:

Exciting weekend planned over here! We are going to try to pick out some wood laminate to replace our toddler stained carpet and I think The Hubs and I are going to go see World's End! I can't wait! Shaun of the Dead was our first date so I was very excited to see that the last of the trilogy was coming out! WOO!

Thankful Thursday

*The Hubs being an amazing father. I watch them play and see Gibbie's imagination grow with his help. He gets down on the floor and makes her toys come to life with her. He's not the "machismo" type that was disappointed with having a girl. He has embraced her with all her princess tea party girly tendencies.

*Understanding moms. I'm sure we've all had moments where we scream and yell and then feel absolutely terrible about it five minutes later. I have the most amazing circle of moms around me. Best friend M is the one I go to when I just need someone to listen. Best friend J is the one I go to when I just need someone to remind me that I'm not the only one who wants to pull their hair out. Best friend E needs to have a kid already so I can maybe be the one with the wisdom for once (please refer to this post).

*Pretzel sticks. I seriously count out 28 pretzel sticks and put them in a bowl in the kitchen. I take three at a time and leave the kitchen. That way I don't eat them all in one sitting. They are filling and satisfying when I want to stuff my face but don't have the points (Weight Watchers) to do so. I'm so incredibly thankful for pretzel sticks.

*Johnson and Johnson's No More Tangles Leave in Conditioner. Seriously, you might think this is silly, but seriously! I bought the stuff for Gibbie because her super fine hair tangles more than what's natural. I've used it twice on her and she looks like she just walked out of the kid's salon. So, this morning, after I got out of the shower, I though I'd give it a try. My hair has been amazing today. I let it dry naturally and the curls are soft, there's not much frizz, and it smells so good. I doubt I'll ever buy any other product for my hair again!

Wordless Wednesday - Milkshake Edition

Tuesday Topics - When Ya Having Kids?

So, when are you going to have kids?
So, when are you going to have another kid?
So, when are you going to try for that girl since you have eight boys?
So, when are you going to stop having so many damn kids?

Seriously, why do people ask these questions? OK, OK, I know that it could be a conversation starter but might I suggest changing it up a little. DO YOU WANT to have kids? DO YOU WANT to have another? DO YOU WANT to try for a girl even though you already have eight boys? DO YOU WANT to rival Michelle Duggar?

Having an almost three year old daughter I hear the question of when I'm going to have another one very often. Of course most are family friends but it kinda gets to me that no one asks if I want another they just ask when I'm having another. Don't worry, I'm not mad at you, but I just want to put it in a way that maybe you'll understand why you maybe should consider rewording this question.

*NOTE: This is completely hypothetical (as far as I know).* What if I was suffering from infertility but didn't want the world to know. Every time you ask me about when I'm planning on having another child it's a reminder that I can't.

Seriously though, I don't think I'm infertile but I haven't tried getting pregnant in over three years.

When asking my Facebook and Tumblr friends I either got heated answers or indifference. A friend of my sister's says she only asks me because she loves us and wants us to have another beautiful baby. Flattery will get you everywhere unless the place you want to be is a delivery room watching me have a second child. I love you too but pregnancy sucks, yo. Another Facebook friend said exactly how I feel about it. She had a very long labor (like me) and issues with high blood pressure (like me) and was terrified to have another (like me). It took her five years to have her second and now she has four. She said she is still scared towards the end of each pregnancy though. If I do have another I will definitely be scheduling a c-section and having them tie (or burn or yank out) the tubes while they're in there.

I should mention that I am actually guilty of this too. Ask Best friend E, the only female best friend who doesn't have a kid (yet). She is like a sister to me and we've been friends for 19 years now. She's been married twice as long as I have and there are no plans for children in the immediate future. That does not stop me from reminding her constantly that Gibbie needs a "cousin" to play with. She doesn't even live here, she is in San Antonio, but she still needs to get on the baby making train. In all honesty, she's doing it "right." She does not want to go into debt just because people think she needs to have a kid just because she's married. And she is totally right. We are still paying off that hospital bill and Gibbie will be three in two weeks!

Some have commenting saying that it's a seriously personal question people should steer clear of. One person said that it's basically asking a person about there sex life, and, well, yeah, that's true. One person said it's just a way of getting to know someone. Why not ask a question that can link you with the person? I'm a mom! Do you want to be? Makes sense.

I do sometimes wonder if we're cheating Gibbie by not giving her a sibling now but I don't think it's a smart move. The Hubs and I both have siblings who are much older (mine are much much much older) so we didn't have anyone that wanted to play what we wanted to play. When I'm being emotional about it I want one now. Like, right this second, now. When I'm being level headed about it I want to go back to school and finish my nearly complete degree before considering another. When I'm being really selfish about it I can't help but think I've lost 25 pounds and I have 50 more to go and I'm not ruining that progress with a baby in the belly.

What do you think about the issue? Mind your business or start a conversation?

Here's some links to further your thoughts:
-If this doesn't make you want kids, nothing will.
-Secondary fertility is a thing.
-Too many kids?

Here's a picture that makes me want to have another:

Weekend Review

What a week! I haven't seen your lovely face, well ever, but I haven't written a post since last Wednesday! We had a crazy storm Wednesday night and I'm assuming the lightening blew out our modem. Somehow, we survived from Wednesday night to Saturday evening sans Pinterest!

We entertained ourselves as best we could:

We stuck around the house for most of the weekend. I did go to Best friend M's on Friday and J's on Saturday. M needed help with a craft project so I was thrilled to help. J and I are trying so hard to get everything ready for MOPS. We're very last minute people!

She's so moody.

But I love her so much.

Saturday morning I woke up so tired. I had very little sleep but someone was up and ready to play. I moved her rocking chair into the play room and let her make me breakfast.

She makes great coffee on Saturday mornings.

After her nap she work up in a mood! Actually, I think she woke up in April in a mood and it just hasn't gone anywhere.

She helped papa clean up the backyard so that we could