3 Blogging Goals - November Blogathon

Happy Tuesday All! We are in week 2 of our November Blogathon and this week is all about blogging....

#novemberblogathon

Since I'm a blogging novice I am going to keep my 3 blogging goals small and attainable:


*** I'd like to blog regularly - I know this seems really trivial but I think blogging regularly is the first step to attaining all of the goals.

*** I'd like to grow a loyal following - The reason I started blogging was to chronicle my life, marriage, and my son but being a loyal blog follower I've grown to enjoy reading about these women's lives and learn about their families. Reading and even adding my own comments has shown me what an amazing gift it can be to have loyal followers who believe in you and your story.

***I'd like to get out of this clothing rut - Being a first time, stay-at-home, mom was an interesting title that I've had for a little over a year now. I've started part-time job at financial firm and I'm trying to find a happy medium between sweats and flip-flops and pencil skirts and heels. I'd like the accountability of posting my outfits and stepping outside of my comfort zone will help to grow my closet and comfort in my new mom body. 


Lucky for you I don't have any pitiful clothing photos as of yet but they're on their way in posts to come and thank you for being a reader. I'm so grateful that you have graced my blog with your presence. 

And because he's so gosh darn cute... Dean....

Until tomorrow!!

 

So Crafty - November Blogathon

There's nothing like the feeling of fresh sheets, a sleeping baby in the next room, and snuggling in to watch some reality TV when you suddenly realize you didn't blog today and your laptop is all the way in the living room - Oy Vey! But here I am... I made it.... #novemberblogathon

There's something that happens when you're a mother. You become obsessed with little tiny fingers and little tiny toes, and you want to take those tiny fingers and toes, paint them, stamp them on paper, and hang them all over the house or send them to, eagerly waiting, grandparents. 

If you've ever tried to paint the foot of a toddler than you're also familiar with how to wrestle a badger without getting paint all over them, yourself, and your kitchen. For the first several months of Dean's life I would make "month appropriate" crafts. I would buy a 6 pack of month appropriate cards from Target for $4 and send them with craft included to family members. 

Please observe the smudged foot prints. He was only 6 months old at the time and I did this while my husband was at work. I decided to stop doing the foot prints solo after this....

Is he the cutest lucky charm you ever did see? This one took A LOT longer than I'd planned. Lots of cutting, tiny pieces, and gluing - during nap time, of course. I purchased the shamrocks at the Dollar Tree for a dollar for a pack of 12.

We made the crab with our Mommy & Me group. The other children were making butterflies but I felt like Dean was more of a crab-man. Even with another mommy helping me we managed to get red paint all over one of Dean's hats which had to be trashed. Strike 2! 

Now that Dean is a little older and more willing to sit still for a mili-second I'm feeling brave. Below are some of the ideas that I've got swirling around in my head for the holiday season. Grandparents beware!! There are more foot prints headed your way... 

Find out home to make this here....

Find out how to make this here.....

I want to start making something that is a little classier that we can put out for the holidays year after year. Possibly make it tradition of reindeer feet on canvas - sounds chic, no? What are some of your favorite crafts? Any tips on how to wrangle a baby honeybadger? 

Until tomorrow my crafty friends!!

Holiday Traditions - November Blogathon

Three days in a row!! I'm so proud of myself for actually keeping this up. #novemberblogathon

 This third day of the November Blogathon is all about Holiday Traditions. The one Thanksgiving tradition I can say for certain is arroz con gandules (rice and beans). If there isn't arroz con gandules than it isn't really Thanksgiving and Christmas morning hasn't really begun until I've listened to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers Christmas Album. Oh, yes, it's real, and it's as magical as you could ever imagine - You're Welcome. 

Dean is still young and last year he was 3-4 months old during the holiday season. That didn't leave much for us to do in the traditions department. My mother bought him a set of footie PJs that she's hoping to turn into a tradition.
Last year we took Dean to Santa at the Bass Pro Shop. They will give you a free photo with Santa and let you take pictures with your camera at no charge - You're Welcome, again.  My friend, Allie, and I took Dean to see the giant ginger bread house at the Grand Floridian Hotel down at Disney. I'd really like to keep that tradition going as well.

Once he gets older I'm looking forward to carrying on the tradition of retelling the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve with our hand-made nativity set.  We also have an Elf in the Shelf that's just waiting to make an appearance.

As he gets older I hope that he has magical memories of the holiday season and I hope that the traditions we created with him are passed down to his family... I know that's getting crazy and thinking WAY in the future but, I feel it.

What are some of your favorite family holiday traditions? Maybe there's something out there that we'd like to start this year....

Until tomorrow dearies!!

Favorite Fall Recipe - November Blogathon

Day two of the November Blogathon and here we are talking about our Favorite Fall Recipes. Let me start off by saying I am not a cooker, or a baker, or even a candlestick maker. It's one of my least favorite things to do but this time of the year really stirs something up in a gal.

My go to recipe, not just for fall but for any gathering of people that I'm invited to, is my mom's potato salad. It has turned the biggest nonbeliever into a potato salad fan. Step aside Publix, sit down Wegman's, here comes my potato salad....


INGREDIENTS- Serves 10 people

2 lbs of red potatoes , diced

4-5 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup of mayonnaise (Hellman's is my person fave)

4 kosher dill pickle spears (Again, Mt. Olive is my favorite but it's up to you), diced

Salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS

Place eggs in a pan and cover with cold water. When the water starts to boil, reduce the to low and simmer uncovered for 1 minute . Remove from heat and let stand for 20 minutes.

Wash and dice potatoes into 1 inch pieces.

Cover them with water and bring to a boil. When you take a piece of potato out and it crumbles then it is ready.  Drain in a colander.

 In a large bowl start mixing and mashing the potatoes. You'll want to leave some chunks.

Add the pickles and eggs - mix again. Add some pickle juice from the jar

Then salt and pepper to taste

VOILA! There you have it... My mother's delicious, delicious potato salad. Every dinner party you attend this holiday season will thank you for it.

 ****************************

 Now that the weather is actually bearable outside the little man  loves running around and exploring

 Until tomorrow lovelies! 

30 Facts About Yours Truly - November Blogathon

It's finally here! Welcome November and welcome Blogathon...

I've been thinking about this post all day. Mostly because I have no idea which 30 facts I'm going to share. Then I started listing ridiculous things: I'm right handed - yawn... I have brown hair - obvious. So bear with me. Hopefully this list will be more fruitful and exciting than the aforementioned snoozeville facts.

HERE WE GO...

1. I was born with cleft lip and palate
2. I used to be obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer between 5th grade - Sophomore in high school. Super embarrassing! 
3. I have a hippie dream of owning a summer camp. I love the camaraderie between the campers and the counselors. Camp was always a magical place for me. 
4. On that note, I used to go to craniofacial camp. It was a camp where all the campers had craniofacial deformities. Such a great feeling to be "normal" and around people that were just like me for a few days. 
5. I have a fear of Gary Sinise. It's not logical but it's a real deep down fear.... Blegh
6. I have the strange talent of being able to tell what mixes most dogs are. I have yet to discover where this talent comes in handy in my life. Although, it has impressed my husband from time to time.
7. I miss reading! Having a one year old does not leave me much time to sit and crack open a book. At least, a book that's author isn't Dr. Seuss. 
8. I have a guilty pleasure of reality TV. Bravo is my secret drug... 
9. My husband and I celebrate the day we met as our "friend-iversary".
10. I always wanted to move to NYC. I got as close as Syracuse.... Brrrrr...
11. I have my bachelor's degree in Psychology
12. I changed my major 3 times: Public Relations, Aesthetics Specialist, and Business ... I'm still not sure I made the right choice.
13. I love being a mother more than I ever thought I would. I thought I would miss going into an office, wearing heels, and sending emails... Turns out I don't but benefits talk.
14. Thank God for Pinterest because my family would be so sick of the only 2 meals I could make - spaghetti and breaded chicken cutlet.
15. I love a parade. Especially if there's a marching band in it. 
16. I want to be a snow bird when I grow up... Mountains in the summer and beach in the winter... Sign me up, please!!!
17. I want to be a tough girl when I'm out on the farm but the quick movement of a bug, animal, piece of grass and I will jump out of my skin because I'm obviously being attacked.
18. I think I only want one child. Not sure if this is a fact considering I'm not sure how I feel about it yet but I'm putting it out there. 
19. I make fake trips on Expedia so I can have a number in my head of how much I need to save for - if I ever got the chance to travel to Europe. Then something in the house breaks and my Europe money turns into A/C money. 
20. I used to be a really good singer. I performed in school, church, and summer camp.
21. I have to wear special earplugs on an airplane because I can't regulate the air pressure changes
22. I really enjoy cleaning my ears with a q-tip. 
23. I'm a cryer. It's my reaction to anything in life. Happy - cry. Sad - cry. Scared - cry. Excited - cry. Nervous - nausea and probably cry. 
24. I can play the spoons. Thank you Dollywood and our family vacation circa 1996.
25. I really want to find a church that I feel at home in. I grew up in church and I haven't found one that I've been comfortable in since I left Syracuse 2 years ago. 
26. I'm a matching freak. I think it hinders my fashion daring-ness
27. When I was a bartender, I could blow fire. 
28. I used to be a bartender... Is this one cheating?? 
29. I'm my parents' only child but I have 4 siblings from my dad's other marriages. 
30. I was born in Brooklyn, New York, moved to Florida when I was 3 years old, and I still consider myself a New Yorker. 

There you have it! I did it... Phew! My husband even popped his head into the room to offer some facts. None of which I used - thanks anyway, babe. 

Until tomorrow my friends... #NovemberBlogathon

November Blogathon

With October drawing to a close and my blog at a stand still, I'm looking forward to being part of a November blogathon. One of my new favorite blogs The Mrs and The Momma is hosting this event and little did she know it was prayer answering. This will give me the chance to blog every day and really get into the groove of things. Also, with holidays fast approaching it will be nice to sit and reflect on the year past and the year to come. #novemberblogathon

But since October isn't over just yet..... Bring on the Pumpkin Patch photos!!

Welcome to Limbo...

    Recently, I've been feeling as if I'm in a strange place. A type of limbo, if you will, where I've got my toe in so many pools but I have yet to jump into just one. I'm part of this late-twenties-married-stay-at-home-mom-working-part-time-who-am-I-now? type of limbo. How can it possibly be that I was more self-confident at 19 than I am at 28?? I've known myself 10 years longer! Part of me wants to turn the music up! While the other part of me wants to turn the music down because the baby is sleeping. A limbo where my unmarried friends still invite me to bars on a random Tuesday night. (Yes, Taco Tuesdays, I still remember you and no I can't go). 

      I lost several "friends" - I use the word loosely- when I got pregnant and decided to get married (in that order). Then I joined a Mommy and Me group once Dean was born and I made a new set of mommy friends. Now that I've started working and I can't attend as many mommy meet ups as I used to, I feel as though I'm starting to pull away from those new friends. I admit, I don't try as hard to be a good friend. I don't reach out daily. I don't keep tabs of the goings-on in my friends' lives. I  use Facebook as a crutch... I worry that I can't give them as much attention that a good friend deserves. Also, I'm tired and usually up to my eyeballs in toys and chasing around a toddler.

     So, like many other Limbo drifters, I'm turning to a blog to help me re-find myself. To help me realize that I can have my toe in as many pools as I please and it doesn't make me any less of a person because I can't commit to just one thing. To help me get out of this rut... Let's start with a haircut....(rhyme not intend but appreciated)

I hope you'll join me on this journey out of Limbo. I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences about being a new parent, new spouse, new coworker, new friend....