Senin, 28 Mei 2012

Monday





Photos by S. Gray.

Monday

My birthday weekend was really amazing, definitely the best two days I have had in a long, long time.

I made a plan to do something fun on Saturday so that I would NOT sit around feeling sorry for myself about being old, alone and unaccomplished (like I do almost every year on my big day).   I took Violet and two of my sisters to a petting farm about an hour from home.  Violet and I had visited last year and she really really loved it.  I admit that I love it there too.

Here are the photos of the day and a couple short videos: (some taken by my sis S. Gray)



Awww wee goats.

My sister S, the photographer, and Miss Violet.

Her favorite part of the trip: the baby chickens.



Goats!






A big, mean turkey was squaking like crazy at us.

Baby bunnies!

My sis K and her new friend, Phil.

Jumat, 25 Mei 2012

Friday



This is so true. 

Friday

Violet's garden is growing:

I added some violas, hawaiian blues and roses.
What a little ham! Look at that beautiful grin.
I love you Violet, my little flower.

Senin, 21 Mei 2012

Monday

Weekend photos:

Slushies at the park...








Chillin' at home.








Creating our own bead tattoos...
































And scooter time with Auntie Sara:




**************************************
**************************************
**************************************
**************************************

An Update:

Food: The worst!  Currently eating any and all bad foods.
Exercise: No.
Work: Very busy.
Home: Ahhh so many bills, so little time with Violet! 
Mood: Ghastly.
Violet: Hates school. Period.
Random: It is almost my birthday.
Bliss: The few and far between QT with my girl.
Wish: I was still a stay-at-homer.

My mind is all over the place.  With this new job (just gearing into full season!), my lack of time with my beloved daughter and the ever present marriage woes, I have not been feeling that great.  I have been trying to find the path of least resistance by making decisions based on less stress and commotion in our lives.  But so far, no improvements have been seen.

Kamis, 17 Mei 2012

Thursday

On Sunday my family shared a special birthday/Mother's Day dinner.

Three of my Mom's girls are born in May.  (My special day is coming right up -- inching closer and closer to my mid-30's!  Yikes.)  So being that three of us are mothers and three of us are super special birthday girls, we had a dinner that encompassed all the events happening in May.

Here are some photos I captured during the family outing:

My Mom and little A

She is getting so darn big.  Stop growing baby A!!

Auntie K, Auntie S and V-spot

V, A and Auntie J. Violet LOVES to hold A!  She begs me to let her the whole time.

Auntie J is expecting in November and I CANNOT WAIT!

Selasa, 15 Mei 2012

Tuesday



This morning was a good one.  Before school dropoff (which was downright awful), Violet was a very joyful, high spirited little lady. 

Each morning she has taken the time to water her petunias.  She takes this job very seriously and I love to watch her care for her flowers.  I wish I had a garden for her to tend.  For now though, these little potted friends on my mini-porch will do.

Senin, 14 Mei 2012

No use crying over spilled milk

This has always been one of my favorite motto's. To me, it means: What's done is done. You can't change it, and there's nothing you can do. So why cry about it? Just move on, and look to the future with a smile on your face.

Why I haven't been able to apply this to my weight loss journey, I have no idea. 

I was doing fantastic with the 17 day diet in December. I went from 190 to 176 in less then a month. Then I don't know what the bleep happened, but I fell way off track. I got so frustrated and angry at myself for gaining 2...5...10... pounds, that I punished myself by eating junk. I knew I was hurting myself... and really, that's exactly what I wanted to do. It has been a viscous cycle of gaining, punishing, gaining, punishing, gaining... for the past 3 months.

I've realized that I need to forgive myself, and stop punishing myself for yesterday's mistakes. I need to stop crying over the silly milk that spilled, and move on. I can't change what I've done, nor get back the time that I've wasted, but I can do better from here.

So right now I'm in the middle of cleaning up my mess, and learning to let it go.

Monday

I had a lovely Mother's Day. 

I was spoiled by my loves, ate delicious food and drink, and enjoyed quality time with my girl.

I took one photograph (on my cell phone) of dinner:

Auntie S, Violet and Baby A!

Kamis, 10 Mei 2012

Mother's Day Post


Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is this Sunday, so today I want to give a huge, loving shout-out to my own Mom -- Lady *S*.  She is kind of a maniac but she deserves props for putting up with the SIX of us kids.

































Today I take the opportunity to tell the world why my Mom is special:

- She is ALWAYS there for me and my sibs when we need it the most.  When we need help she
  is the first person we call.  She lends us cash, advice or whatever she can at that moment.

- She used to take me out to lunch all the time for delicious food and paid every time too.

- She is willing to go to Bikram yoga with me!

- She has always told me the ugly truth about people before I was ready to hear it
  and now I am thankful for that.

- She gave me my siblings!! I didn't appreciate this as a youngster but now I certainly do.

- She has shown me that life goes on after relationships fail. Love comes and goes sometimes.

- She isn't an Over-Achieving-Mom and I thank God for that. 

- She was there to help support me through all 43 hours of Violet's long and strenuous labor/birth.

- She drops F-bombs like a drunken sailor and it makes me laugh.

- She is not afraid to get her freak on, on the dance floor.  This also makes me laugh, hard.

- She brings me coffee at work - not just any coffee, SB pumpkin spice.

- She introduced me to the likes of Queen, Patsy Cline, Peter Gabriel and Carly Simon when I was
  a child.  I think it helped to shape my love of good music.

- She tells me that "she feels happiest when she has all her children around her".

- She isn't afraid to speak her mind or be herself, regardless of what anyone says.

- She has a sweet job, takes care of herself and is an independent woman.  This strong
  spirit definitely has a positive effect on the kind of person I strive to be.

- She makes yummy spaghetti sauce, fried dough and donuts.  Her best recipes are our favorite
  meals.  Stuffed Shells. Best. Ever.

- She is the matriarch of my fam and she keeps us together through everything.  I feel lucky to have
  this given.  

- She reminds me through example how scary it is to text and drive. (Mom, please put down the
  phone and stop driving with your knee - we fear for you.)

- She always takes us apple picking every autumn and buys us those hot apple cider donuts! Yummm.

- She does her best to "accept" and like the partners we choose.

- She started the most awesome tradition of candy apples at Christmas. Mmmmm.. so good that I
  think about them all year.

- She definitely leads by example of what *to do* as much as what *not to do*, which is pretty
  much the natural position of any parent.

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING MOM!

I would also like to take this time to share why I like being a Mom.

Obviously having the most beautiful, spirited and intelligent little girl for a daughter is reason enough!  But of course, there are so many reasons I love being Violet's Mother...

















- The moments of just us, the quiet or laughing times when we share joy, make me feel the best I've 
  ever felt.

- I love her smile, her dimples and her little buddha belly.

- I love dressing her. Shopping for her is waaaay more fun than shopping for myself.

- Her discoveries are amazing! 

- I love her love of bugs, unicorns and fancy dresses.

- Her sense of humor is awesome.

- Her drawings are incredible to me.  I love that she loves art.

- She likes chocolate and yummy sweet treats thanks to me.




















- She likes to read books and I love to hear the stories she creates.

- She reminds me daily not to take my job, my problems, my gripes or myself too seriously.  She IS  the most important thing in my life afterall.
















- She makes me want to be the best Mother and woman I can be.  Which is the very definition of   love.  She is love personified.  She is the reason I exist and the reason I do what I do.

- Being a Mom is crazy and sometimes I still can't believe it.  I don't know if it was my best idea because very honestly I don't know if I am really cut out for it most days, but I am so thankful it happened.