On the cusp of change

I am completely and utterly torn… kind of floating around right now not attached to one world.  Hovering in between two.  Where one identity is on the verge of being somewhat replaced by another.  My former self etched into something more… something better.  But yet – I am not quite there yet.  I am 11 days away from my due date.  I will be doing the most important thing I’ll ever do in my entire life in one of these next 11ish days… giving someone life.  Bringing someone into this world and giving them everything I have and more.  And I’m scared, excited, nervous, anxious… I am torn between wanting to get started with this new life.  With our son in it.  And hanging onto my life now.  Quite.  Independent.  Free.  I want to so badly meet him and kiss him and hold him close and let him know he is what I was supposed to do in life – be his mom.  I want to go on adventures with him to the park and nurse him to sleep, I want to hold his hand and chase after him.  I want to teach him things I was taught when I was younger and teach him important lessons in life.  I want to dress him in adorable outfits and school boy caps and smell that baby smell.  I want all these things and more which is why I got frustrated today at a weekly appointment to find out I haven’t progressed at all from the last appointment.  Hurmph.

But I also want to so badly sit here in silence for another couple months.  I want to go grab my purse and keys and get a venti iced chai late and sit outside in this gorgeous weather we have been having while reading a book.  I want to go get a manicure/pedicure when I want and blast my favorite tunes through the speakers in the living room.  I want to go play and giggle and make last minute plans and go out for a drink.  Not responsible for anything and anyone but myself.  But then I feel that reminder.  That kick or jab in my belly reminding me that we are getting so close.  I sometimes will stand in front of the mirror from the side and just stare at how large my belly has gotten knowing he is in there growing and counting on me and listening to Mimi bark or me laugh so hard his little home shakes like crazy.  So am I sad for my former life? Yeah I am… but I think that’s normal.  Change is never easy no matter how beautiful it is and how much you cant wait for it or even been wanting it.  And he will be worth it.. hearing him for the first time and holding him close and my former self will wave goodbye and a better, stronger more important self will emerge ready for this next stage.

So until that moment comes, I’ll sit here in silence enjoy a last solo manicure/pedicure without having to worry about anything else and blast my favorite song.  Because once that moment is here – it’s going to be the most magical moment I’ll ever experience.  I know it.

Brain Dump

Source: wordsoverpixels.com via Positively Present on Pinterest

Holy moly! So much has been going on! To start I am 35 weeks and 3 days but there is room for discussion on that since my last ultrasound showed a rather large baby already! 6.3 lbs! I am hoping I go early, but everyone keeps telling me not to get my hopes up since most 1st time pregnancies go full term even post-term. I don't care though, my hopes are high and they are staying there! C'mon baby!

I am taking this Thursday and Friday off of work, why you may ask? Because I can. I feel I have been an exceptional trooper during this pregnancy and would like a little "ME" time before the baby actually arrives. All by myself. Doing "me" things like sleeping in, reading, cleaning, shopping, movies, lunch dates, and whatever my little heart desires. So I am pretty excited about that :) I plan on finishing a couple projects around the house as well and to still be incredibly productive.

We are about 95% done with Baby's room. All his clothes are washed and put away, I have two outfits ready for him for the hospital. I have to hang a couple poms my mom made for our shower in the room above the rocking chair - I think it will be the nice final touch that will pull the room together. I'll make sure I take pictures to share soon.

Work has been absolutely crazy. There is so much going on between in state branches, out of state branches, keeping up morale since there have been so many changes, workers compensation, unemployment, manuals, employee relation issues etc. I am on my toes literally ALL DAY! I am not complaining though because my hectic work schedule forces me to stay on a good schedule of eating, drinking, etc while growing this baby. Would I love to sit at home in peace and eat ice cream all day? You bet! But I think this is for the best. Only 16 work days till I go on maternity leave. Yippie!

Yesterday was Paczki today. I am not Polish, but my husband is and he was sweet enough to go pick up a dozen of them for my office and another 1/2 dozen for us at home. I am not going to tell you how many i've had. But I will tell you they were delicious!

Some of the things I am hoping to get accomplished on my days off and into the weekend are:

• Finish baby's room
• Really clean up house
• Finish Thank you cards and send them out
• Clean out car/fill up/wash (if weather is good)
• Get caught up with all laundry
• Pack my hospital bag
• Install baby car seat

There you have it. Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!

Lust List

Since we found out we were expecting, we put ourselves on a budget and as we have been getting closer and closer to the due date, our budget has been getting tighter and tighter in preparation of me taking off 3 months to care for our little one. Even though my spending has been on lock down that hasn't stopped me from lusting after a couple different things and the funny thing is even if I wasn't on lock down I couldn't afford half these things anyway hah!:

1.) Bare Escentuals Powder Foundation: I recently ran out of this and that makes me sad. I usually apply this over my liquid foundation to smooth everything out. It's wonderful.

2.) Misikko HANAair Hair Dryer: This beauty comes with a hefty price tag of $194.99 but i've been reading it's magical. I have so much hair and usually spend about 20-25 minutes drying my hair on the days I do wash it. Plus my old dryer is harsh on my strands. Drool.

3.) Clarisonic Mia: Ever since I was about 17 I started a skin care regime - nothing too crazy usually just moisturizing, trying not to go to bed without taking of my makeup and washing my face with an exfoliater in the morning. Well I want to take it to the next level and heard this Clarisonic Mia does wonders for your skin. At $108, it's not too bad. Maybe for my birthday!

4.) Frye 'Jane' Tall Pull-on Boot: Pioneer Woman has made it very obvious of her favorite boot. The Frye Jane Boot. I've always wanted a simple, classic looking boot to pull over a pair of jeans that was very versatile. I love the color and look so much but at a $297.95 - $327.95 tag, it aint happening anytime soon. Goodbye lover.

5.) Sephora Immediate Wrinkle Filler: I haven't tried this yet, but I've heard this product is ahhhmaaazziinnng. It really helps fill in gaps especially with concealer giving you a more polished finish look.

6.) A vacation: Hah! I have been fortunate enough to cross off two BIG destinations on my list of places to travel. Hawaii and Italy. But lately i've been really wanting to check out Paris. I am part French you know, oui oui! The culture, the clothes, the architecture, the people, the FOOD! How lovely would it be to get away and soak in all the culture. One can only dream!

7.) Bringing up Bebe: Going along with the french culture, I've been hearing wonderful things about this book Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. It's about an American journalist who moves to France and is amazed at the differences in parenting between the french and Americans. I heard about it first in a blog than in people magazine and then again on another blog. It's a sign I think! I don't think it would break the bank to pick up a $13 copy, don't you?

8.) Kitchen Aid Hand-mixer: Believe it or not, I do not own one and would like one. The end.

9.) Tarina Tarantino Brush Set: I think every girl should invest in a nice brush set. I only have a couple cheapy one's that feel harsh and I'm not a big fan of. After much research, I read these beauties are a wonderful investment! And actually they aren't THAT much at $69.

So there you have it, my lust list. Ranging from $20-a couple thousand. Got a nice assortment of realistic things and not so realistic things. What's on your lust list?

My Valentine

Mike and I don't celebrate valentines day. We don't buy each other gifts or cards or do anything crazy. In fact I think our plan today is to cook dinner together than go grocery shopping. No joke. I am very grateful for my valentine though, he knows I don't need a day like today to know how much I love him but I am going to tell him anyway.

I love you because...
you love me for me
you're the father of our son
you make me smile and laugh everyday
you send me text messages every morning letting me know you got to work safely.
you're incredibly patient
you kill all spiders and bugs after I freak out
you empty the dishwasher almost every morning
you leave me the last bit of milk in the carton so I can have something to eat for breakfast.
you help me off the couch if I cant get up
you take my glasses off if I fall asleep with them on
you know all my tickle spots
you're full of interesting information and facts
you love your family and mine immensely
you have the softest spot for Mimi and that makes me smile
you're incredibly devoted and loyal
you see lots of chick flicks with me, even at home
you try hard everyday
you know how to cheer me up
you know how to calm me down
you are silly and have the best laugh
you are the best conversationalist I know
you have your own life outside of us
you have your own passions which I love
you want to share your passions with me
you put on a good meal
you give good back massages
you help a lot around the house
you want whats best for me... for us.
you're my best friend
you get me
you are you always...

I love you Michael.

Monday already?!

The weekends go by far too fast which bums me out. Lately the weekends have been so jam packed with the hustle and bustle of preparing for Baby. I am really trying to push through it because the sooner I get it done the sooner I can spend the next 5 weeks 6 days in peace!

Friday:

I got out of work a little early and Mike and I immediately left the house to go out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Bonefish in Novi. I got their Bang Bang shrimp and a bowl of their Corn and Crab chowder. So delish! We also tried their Chocolate Creme Brule - it was SO rich we couldnt finish it. After dinner we headed over to the theatre and saw The Vow. It was your typical sappy love story but let me tell you, it was SO fun to stare at Channing Tatum for the duration of the movie. After the movie we stepped outside to a full on blizzard! And I was still wearing my flats, FASHION FAIL! We drove 35 mph the whole ride home. Scary!

Saturday:

Saturday morning we slept in which was so wonderful. We lounged in bed reading, playing on our phones, cuddling. It was perfect. After lounging we grabbed a big bowl of cereal and played pinball on the xbox 360. Around 11:30 two of my co-workers came by so we could head out to the volunteering event we signed up for. It was for the Junior Achievement Jackson school district. We all raised money and bowled. I couldnt actually bowl since I am preggers but I had a lot of fun watching the fun. It was a crazy bowl meaning the first game was normal bowling and the second game was the crazy bowl where they team had to do a bunch of crazy things like get on all fours and toss their ball down using the palm of their hand or do a zumba line down. It was cute. After the event, we headed back home and I immedietly headed over to my parents house since I the bedding I picked out for baby v's room came in. I hung out there for a couple hours and headed home - LONG DAY!

Sunday:

Sunday was for getting things in order. I spent the day cleaning the house, washing and folding all of the babys clothes, doing our own laundry - 3 loads worth! Took a little nap, Mike put together the swing, we made dinner - baked chicken drumsticks and rice pilaf. As we were sitting down having dinner we hear a knock at the door. And since I am not a fan of strangers I was like we are NOT opening the door. But the knocking kept coming and so did the door bell. Finally Mike was like I'm just going to answer it! It was my in-laws! They dropped by since they were in the area to drop off a baby gift that was sent to their house and our valentines day cards/treats. We sat with them for about an hour - it was really nice! Afterwards I finished cleaning, putting away dishes, and folding more laundry until I collapsed on the couch.

It was such a fun and productive weekend. Glad I am still feeling well enough (energy wise) to get things accomplished. I am already feeling sluggish and not moving as fast. To be expected for 34 weeks, right?! This week is going to be busy at work so I am going to buckle down.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy Friday!

+

Friday is finally here! This week was a good one. Very busy with work and baby preparation stuff. I am looking forward to this weekend even though it's supposed to be cold and even a little snowy. On the agenda this weekend:

- Date night with the hubs. Dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and then a movie. Any recommendations?
- Returning some duplicate gifts we got through the two showers.
- Volunteering on Saturday afternoon.
- Saturday night keeping in low key
- Sunday is for reading and decompressing.

What are your plans for the weekend?

Your perfect day...

Source: flickr.com via Mariabot on Pinterest

I get so wrapped up in work and life and my every day to do's and responsibilities that I sometimes forget that that stuff is just a part of life - it's not everything. I got to thinking how nice it would be to schedule a day off and have a perfect day. Then I got to thinking, what would my perfect day look like?

I'd wake up around 8:00 to an already perfectly clean house.
I'd shower, get ready, my hair - would be perfection. Makeup - flawless
I'd go to Starbucks and grab myself my favorite drink - lately it's been a Vanilla Latte. I'd sit in Starbucks people watching as I savor my drink.
From there i'd go guilt free shopping. I'd buy what I wanted (nothing too crazy) some new makeup, maybe a new top, or how about a new pair of shoes. No guilt!
Afterwards I would get a manicure/pedicure - the works with a major scrub. Afterwards I would a full body massage and slip into a state of EXTREME relaxation.
Afterward that I would meet up with a friend for lunch, preferably somewhere outside to enjoy the weather and a glass of wine.
After lunch I would go see a movie, something heart warming and thought provoking.
After the movie I'd probably head home where I would sit outside with a fruity drink and enjoy the sun.
As dinner approached I would have a Deluca's pizza and bread sticks because on my perfect day there would be NO cooking.
After devouring the most perfect pizza I know, I would snuggle up on the couch surrounded by pillows and blankets and my little puppy in my lap.
I would be nice and toasty and warm where I'd sip on some tea and i'd catch up on my favorite shows.
Once 10:00 rolled around, I'd wash my face, get my PJ's on and read in bed till I fell fast asleep.

How glorious does that sound? What does your perfect day look like?

Lack o' Motivation

Source: a-fitspirational-blonde.tumblr.com via Christina on Pinterest

Lately I've been more drained than ever. I feel as though I only do three things:

1.) Work
2.) Eat
3.) Sleep

I work all day, dealing with some pretty stressful things too lately... I come home help put on a meal and eat it then I promptly fall asleep on the couch until the hubs comes and wakes me up and I move to the bed where I lay awake for an hour or two and eventually fall back asleep. Riveting! I know this isn't going to last. I know my body is preparing for this little one and I should be grateful that I am getting as much sleep as I am now. And I am. But I'm ready to feel like my old self again. Motivated, productive, inspired...

Today although I feel like crap (got little sleep thanks to my neighboors kids having a party) I have some major motivation to get my house/baby stuff in order. I hope that by the end of the day today when I get home I still have that motivation - you never know.

1.) I have three baskets full of clean clothes to fold/put away
2.) I have another basket full of clothes, blankets, towels, bibs etc for Vincent that needs to be washed and put away
3.) I want to order his bedding today
4.) I need to sort and organize all of our wonderful gifts from our latest shower
5.) Put together items that need to be taken back (some dupes)
6.) Take back said dupes
7.) I need to start Thank you cards
8.) I should pack the hospital bag within the next couple weeks because hey - you never know.
9.) Make a list of things we still need to get before his arrival
10.) Deposit checks/money from shower to buy said gifts.
11.) Put the finishing touches on his nursery.

I reallllly hope I find and hold onto some motivation because we have less than 7 weeks and I still have a lot to do. I am ready and not ready for him all at the same time. I am ready to meet him and kiss him and start our lives together but I dont think I am quite ready mentally and emotionally for this. This experience is going to be life changing for both Mike and I and I think I need some more time to prepare for what it all means. I just need to do it, right? I just need to wash his clothes because i'll be happier once he is here and I dont have to worry about it. I just need to sort through the heap of gifts because once it's all organized i'll be able to enjoy the last couple weeks before he arrives in peace. I'm just going to do it. No matter how tired I am. Ok i am going to go take a nap now. Hah just kidding.

Yes.

I am not going to lie to you. I didn't watch the Superbowl. I was far too tired to even care. I heard the game was pretty good, the half time show was meh... but I kept hearing everyone talk about the Clint Eastwood commercial. Being a Michigander and living right outside of Detroit, this commercial really struck a cord. Take a watch for yourself.

How things have changed

How things have changed in the course of a couple years. My early twenties were filled with days of traveling between school and work and hanging out with my family and friends and boyfriend (at the time) and spending copious amounts of time at the movies or at the bar. Making plans and taking names. I had a decent group of people I could call on to grab a bite to eat or check out a new bar or club. I use to get excited about a new pack of cloves to smoke or a shot that was bought for me. I lived out of my car and I was never home. Most weekends consisted of the drunk pirate look - behold:
The drunk pirate: a.k.a. I have been drinking too much to be able to see straight out of both eyes so I have closed one so I can see straight out of at least one eye. Done and done. Also gotta love the signature duck lips. So maybe I should call this the drunk pirate duck lip look. Who knows. Over the past couple years a lot has changed from this picture. I've graduated school, I bought a home, I got married, I started my career, I'm pregnant and due in 50 days... I've grown a part from a lot of those friends I've held very dear and in my circle. And that's OK. I don't believe we are in a bad place these old friends of mine but we've simply out grown each other. We still encounter one another whether it be in person or electronically and we are sweet with one another, but it's just not the same. They're in a different place in their lives and so am I. I guess that's life though, right? Nothing ever stays the same good or bad.

So what does life look like right now? It's a lot different at 26 than it was at 21. My traveling consists of no more school but my daily to commute to my job. I hang out with a small group of friends rather than that bigger group. I spend copious amounts of time at home or with family. I get excited when my husband empties the dishwasher or snow blows the driveway. I am more of a home body than I ever have been in my entire life. Being pregnant has also changed me in ways I never thought possible. I'm excited to be a mom. I think it's what I am supposed to do in life, be a mother. I think it's going to open my eyes even more and nothing is ever going to be the same. Most weekends now consist of cleaning and chores and spending time with family. It consists of a movie here and there and earlier bed times. It consists of Saturday morning breakfasts and doing laundry. It's different. But I love it. I love how my life has evolved in such a short period of time into what it is today. Is it glamorous? Maybe not, but it works for me. Is this life for everyone? Not at all. But it's perfect for me.

Feb Photo a Day

So I was kind of late on joining the January Photo of the Day challenge but I am sure as hell not missing the February Challenge. Starting tomorrow will begin a month long photo taking adventure of these challenges. Join in and we can share pics :)

It's a Jungle Out There!

Yesterday, my mom threw us the most amazing baby shower I could have hoped for. She really outdid herself by making all the poms, hand painted a canvas drawing of our invite, came up with all the fun details down to the decorative chargers that sat underneath the favors. We had such a wonderful time talking baby talk, eating and of course keeping warm due to a little blizzard that decided to make it's way through. We got so many wonderful gifts for Vincent and I cant wait for him to arrive to put it all to good use. Here are a couple pictures of the wonderful day.

My handsome hubby!

My beautiful mom!

This jacket was my older brothers when he was a baby boy. My mom passed it on to her sister in law when she had her boys and yesterday, my aunt gave it back to me. It brought tears to my eyes.

Wishes for baby from everyone.

Friend, Erin who is due one week before me. :)

My favorites.

Happy Friday!

Source: ohhappyday.com via Joy on Pinterest

So happy today is Friday! This week was incredibly busy at work which left me coming home each day cooking and promptly falling asleep on the couch. Poor husband, i've been pretty bleh the last couple days. This weekend should be super fun:

+ Friday, hanging out with one of my longest dearest friends to catch up. Here's to hoping I dont fall asleep at 8:00!
+ Saturday morning manicures/pedicures with my mom
+ Getting my eyebrows threaded
+ Shopping
+Cleaning the house and getting everything organized
+ Sunday getting my hair did
+ My first baby shower is on Sunday!

I am so excited to see everyone and eat some delicious food. What are your plans for the weekend?

Quote

One of my favorite blogger over here at Life as an Artistpreneur posted an article on her twitter page that I was so blown away with. She recently gave birth to her first child recently, a baby boy. I frequently drop by her site because she is going through what I will be going through in less than 2 months. And when she posted this article on Being a Mother of One - I decided to read it for myself and was in awe of it's moving words especially this:

"Dear mother of only one child, don’t blame yourself for thinking that your life is hard. You’re suffering now because you’re turning into a new woman, a woman who is never allowed to be alone. For what? Only so that you can become strong enough to be a woman who will be left."

Book Review: My Year with Eleanor: A Memoir

I have been in a reading rut! I'll pick up a book and put it down - never to finish it. And i'll be honest with you, it took me for what seemed like forever to finish this book. My Year with Eleanor follows the story of a young woman with a high salaried, high stress position, jobless after getting laid off. As she sat in a coffee shop she read a quote from the chalkboard that read

"Do one thing every day that scares you."
—Eleanor Roosevelt

She began to do a lot of research on Eleanor Roosevelt and the woman she was. She fell head over heels with her accomplishments, goals, how she handled herself, carried herself and how she did so many interesting and daring things. It was then that the author Noelle decided to take the year off to conquer a fear everyday. Some of those fears were simple others were daring like going swimming with the sharks, do a stand up comedy routine, conquer your fear of heights and she even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Despite the obvious things she wanted to conquer she realized how scared she really became in life. How her fears stopped her from going out and meeting new people, sticking up for herself or trying someplace new and exciting. A couple of my favorite quotes:

"Mindfulness will help you stay in the present, where fear does not exist. Fear exists in the past, like worrying about the dumb thing you said to your boss yesterday, or in the future, as in fretting over whether your plane will crash"

"Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people"

"Fear can paralyze our lives. Fear of making the wrong decision keeps us from making any decision at all"

"Do things that interest you and do them with all your heart. Don't be concerned about whether people are watching you or criticizing you. The chances are that they are paying any attention to you at all."

The most unhappy people in the world are those who face the days without knowing what to do with their time. But if you have more projects that you have time for, you are not going to be an unhappy person. This is as much a question of having imagination and curiosity as it is of actually making plans."

"Procrastination is the lazy cousin of fear. 'When we feel anxiety around an activity, we postpone it - whether its doing our taxes, working on a project we're not sure we can handle, or having a painful conversation' You'll never feel ready. You have to do things now - even if you dont feel ready."

I really enjoyed this book though it took some time to finish it because it's something I am going through currently. Lots of fear is clouding my head because I am afraid of the unknown, afraid of what someone will say, afraid of the failure, afraid of disappointment. This book taught me some valuable lessons. It was a great read for the beginning of the year for a fresh start and a fresh outlook. Loved.

*****

An Interview with a Puppy

What is your name? Mimi

What kind of dog are you? I am a Yorkshire Terrier

Are you a boy or a girl? A beautiful lady dog thankuverymuch

How old are you? Human years I am 1.5. I was born July 6, 2010. If you're thinking about sending me a gift, I love socks and doggie treats most.

Where do you live? I live with my mom and dad in Michigan.

Do you have any nick names? Mimoo, mooloo, mimi moomoo, mims, moomooloo, moo to name a few. Humans are weird, aren't they?

What do you like to do? I like to be with one of my parents all the time. I love to sleep with them too, eat my food and look adorable so my parents will give me some of theirs, play tug of war with a sock, give a ton of kisses, do tricks, bark at nothing...

Speaking of tricks, what can you do? I sit, lay, play dead, roll over, dance, high five, stand to name a few

What's the best part about being a dog? Sleeping whenever I want, getting scratched and rubbed all the time, treats for doing tricks and pooping and peeing in the right spot, sleeping in a big comfy bed

What's the worst part about being a dog? I'm stubborn just like my mom and we get into fights sometimes, don't worry we love each other too much. I sometimes forget my size and think i'm a big scary dog that could tear you to shreds.

The Bump

I don't think I posted any bump pictures on here. But hey - figure I might as well share one with you today. Here is my 31 week 2 day bump pic:

Updates:

Lately I have definetly felt a difference in how i've been feeling and moving. I've been feeling more stiff, my lower back hurts like a motha, I've been experiencing Braxton Hix contractions a little more frequent and for the sake of keeping it really real on here, my groin hurts really bad. The last appointment I had he said everything is looking great, my blood pressure has been steady the entire time, glucose is good, weight gain is on the lower side (not that i'm complaining) so I need to pack on some lbs. Cue the 3 ice cream drum sticks I had on Sunday. No shame. I'm moving a little bit slower and I just feel really - stiff.

This weekend is my first baby shower. I am excited to see everyone and get excited about our little boy and go crazy over all the adorable boy stuff out there. I am excited to get the room in order. All the big pieces are in and up. Crib, dresser and glider - THANK YOU JESUS! The stroller is also put together and car seat is ready when he is. And tomorrow will officially be 60 days till he arrives. Yowza!

I am very fortunate how well things have been going so far, thankful for a healthy baby who is busy growing and moving. Thankful that my husband has been so patient and understanding. Thankful for all the support I get from both our families especially my mom (words can't describe the love I have for that woman) and Thankful for this beautiful gift. I can't wait to meet him and kiss his sweet cheeks.

I'll be posting pictures of the showers as they happen, should be a great time!

Favorite Beauty Products

Here are a couple of my favorite beauty products I have been using lately. Especially in the winter months number 3,4 and 5 are especially nice.

1.) Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes - I dont know about you, but I use to be terrible about taking off my makeup at the end of the day and would wake up looking like a freaky deeky raccoon in the morning. With these towelettes, I use one at the end of the day right before I got to bed and it takes off all my makeup while leaving my face feeling and smelling wonderful.

2.) Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash - I am so happy I stumbled upon this face wash! I use it every morning before I put on my makeup and it smells so good and it really has left my face feeling smooth and glowy.

3.) CoverGirl Lipslicks in Daring - This is by far my favorite lipstick/chapstick. My lips get really chapped (especially in the winter) and as much as I looove lipstick/glosses it just doesnt moisturize the way I want/need it too. These lipslicks not only moisturize my lips but give it a fun color as well. I cant tell you how many compliments I get when I wear this!

4.) Wen Pomegranate (Gluten Free) Cleansing Conditioner - Holy moly this stuff is amazing. My hair is notorious for being super dry and super itchy. One day as I was itching my head in a fury my mother in law introduced me to Wen products. She gave me a bottle to try and seriously, it works! It doesn't foam up like a shampoo and this is all you use. I use about 15 pumps for the amount of hair I have and I just massage it in reallllly good. Let it sit for about 2-4 minutes then rinse out. Immediately you can tell the difference in your hair. I give it one last pump before I'm done with my shower for extra smoothness.... smells divine as well.

5.) Wen Pomegranate Replenishing Mist - I use this stuff in my hair for extra volume or on my face for a quick pick me up and the smell, as you can imagine, is glorious! Or if I didn't wash my hair and I have my hair up in curlers for second day hair, i'll mist my hair while it's still in the rollers with the mist which leaves it smelling fresh and gives a little boost. Love!

6.) Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo - Dry shampoo is my BFF. I have so much hair that I just dont wash my hair everyday. I usually go every other day and this dry shampoo and I get along great. It's gentle on the scalp and really helps leaving hair looking brand spanking new and freshly washed while making styling just as easy.

Be Daring...

I know we are almost done with the first month of 2012, but I wanted to take a moment and post a couple of my hopes/goals for myself and 2012. In 2011, I did a lot of things that were new to me, I went to a book signing of a favorite blogger, Quit my job of 3 years and started a brand spankin' new one, I went to Chicago with my mom (our first mother/daughter vacation) Mike and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary with one another and we continued to settle into our lives together, we found out we were pregnant end of July with our first child, visited Washington DC and some friends and saw some great monuments and history. It was an whirlwind of a year! However, I felt as though I didn't challenge myself enough. So for 2012 my theme is to:

I want to challenge myself in new ways. In 2011 I became a huge introvert - and not that there is anything wrong with that, but it became unhealthy for me. I didn't get out there. I didn't meet as many new people as I wanted, I didn't experiment with new adventures, I didn't read as much as I wanted, I didn't try new recipe's, I didn't get off my ass and work out, I didn't work at keeping my house in order the way it should, I judged too much, I didn't stand up for myself, I was stagnant when I should have been mobile, I didn't give people a chance, I was let down, I let myself down, I waited for others to act before I did, I played it safe. I let others dictate my own happiness, I wasn't as giving as I should have been. I didn't pray as much as I should have. And I worried far far too much.

This year I am going be daring in everything I do, even the small stuff like cleaning out my kitchen cabinets. I am going be daring and raise my son the way I planned on raising him. I am going to be daring and try new recipes and meet new people even if it scares the crap out of me. I am going to make my house a living breathing well old machine. I am going to work hard on myself and be the best version of myself physically, mentally and emotionally. I am going to push myself harder this year than ever because if I don't who will? I wont count on anyone to get the things I need to get done, done. I will be more independent and spend my precious time on things that truly matter. I want to be daring with this blog and grow the non-existent readership into something. I don't have a vision as to what I want to do with the blog but I want to make more time for it and write out more meaningful post. I also want to put myself out there more and comment more on the blogs that I follow and love, growing my friendships through here would be wonderful. I want to be daring with my looks. I want a new cut and color, try experimenting with new scarves, jewelery and accessories. I want to live a more authentic daring life. That's the dream for 2012.

What is your theme for the year?

MLK

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Kristen on Pinterest

Here is to a man who stood up for what he believed in despite the hardships, pain and persecution. Thank you Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hoooooch!

Last weekend we celebrated my brother in law's 30th birthday with some bowling and arcade games. We had such a great time (even though I was unable to bowl) lots of drinks and laughs had. Hooch is his alter ego and he definitely came out to play after a few drinks/shots.

LOTS OF OWLING GOING ON

We went to Lucky Strike in Novi. I was shocked at how nice their bowling is, it's on the second floor, very classy and clean. From what everyone told me the lanes were pretty amazing too! We'll be back!

Who I Hope to Be...

I haven't written anything in my little spot in the blogging world for a couple weeks. It's intentional. I've logged in and logged out. Read through my list of favorite bloggers (but never comment) I've jumped on twitter and poked around. I'm just hanging out... with no plan. I've even started a couple blog posts but then deleted them... what gives? Has this ever happened to you? You have so much to say but don't even know where to begin? You don't know how to organize your thoughts into a meaningful post? That's where I am at. I'm also trying to figure out my voice on this blog... do I want it to be a collection of pictures and video's and small thoughts here and there? Do I want it to be where I write down some meaningful posts about meaningful things going on in my head? Do I want it to be a thought catalog of random whatever, or a lifestyle blog where I plug in a bunch of pictures of my daily life.... I just dont know. I would like it to be more of a meaningful blog where I can go back and read through what was going on in my life at that time. I think it's more authentic and I want to be more authentic.

So in an attempt to be more authentic, I want to share with you who I hope to be... I am constantly changing and evolving and the one thing about me is my mind is never stagnant which is a good and bad thing. I hope to always grow and evolve no matter how scary it may be. I hope to never settle because it's the easy thing to do. I hope to always stand up for myself, because if I don't who will? I hope to always push myself to do better and to be better. I hope to always try to handle myself with grace. I hope to to continue to work hard in my job because I have always reeped the benefits of hard work and dedication. I hope to never settle. I hope to continue to understand how much I've grown in the last 2 years and how the choices I have made, no matter how difficult, have been the best decisions I have made. I hope to grow in my marriage to be a better person and wife to Mike, I hope we continue to grow closer and closer to one another everyday and appreciate the good and the bad about each other. I hope to be the kind of mother I had(have) growing up, I hope our son grows up knowing how much he is loved and how much I want to see him be the best person he can be. I hope to be the kind of mom who doesn't take the easy route in raising him. I hope to be the kind of mom who puts in the time, energy and effort with him so he raised the way Mike and I intended. I hope to be more patient and not loose my temper. I hope to be better at managing my home. I hope to be more organized and diligent with household chores, I hope to coming up with a system and sticking to it till it's stuck. I hope to try more things this year, I hope to find peace within myself. I hope to be more calm and let negative thoughts that creep into my mind to leave just as fast. I hope to be the best version of myself I can be. I hope to be more me than I ever have.

Who do you hope to be?