“George” visits, girl codes, fads, fashions and other reflections from a mom as she watches her daughter grow.

My daughter, a toddler, is learning words right now and she recently started saying, “Wow! Wow! Cool!”

Time warp… I’m 15, in 9th grade, and my best friend and I are goofy. We talk like “Valley Girls,” need ways to talk about our monthly friend in code, so we affectionately name him, “George.”

Why, “George?” I’m not exactly sure. Perhaps it was just the first goofy name we could think of. But, it had to be a guy because no female would ever be so cruel and demanding toward another female. We came up with other code names to identify various “George necessities”, such as, “hot dog” and “hamburger”.

We had conversations about who is coming to visit and what we are having for lunch, or we discuss meals we might be hungry for. We’d talk about when “George” is coming, how long he typically visits, whether he overstays his welcome and what his personality is like…if he is really nice or mean, if we barely see him, or if he won’t leave us alone. Code – It gave us a way to safely communicate in our own language and allowed us to connect and bond as females as we experienced life’s changes.

Ahhhh, the days gone by! When we were twitterpated about a boy, mortified because the teacher asked us WHY we needed the pass to go to the bathroom when “George” was visiting, when we tried to get the pass to go to the bathroom and went out of our way to wave at friends and boyfriends through the slim rectangular window in the classroom door while class was in session, when we got excited about school dances, when cell phones and texting didn’t exist and passing notes was cool, when we carried Esprit purses, wore K-Swiss shoes, talked in pig latin, and had our make-up in Kaboodles! We learned the words to every song on the radio and everyone knew the Roger Rabbit, The Butt, Cotton-eyed Joe, and swooned over NKOTB.  

Being a girl was so much fun and now that I’m a mom I get to see my own daughter eventually go through her own teenage years. It’s a long way off yet, but I look forward to seeing what her code words will be, what she will get excited or embarrassed about, what fashions will be all the rage, and what music and dancing she’ll enjoy. She’s only a year old now, but I’m sure that it will seem like it was just yesterday when the time finally comes.

What fun it will be fun to see what the future holds! Wow! Wow! Cool!

Tags: being a mom, blast from the past, girl stuff, teenage years, the 90's

Chocolate pretzels, anyone??

(Eating Chocolate Pretzels as I compose)… It has yet again been a while since my last post.  I just put our little darling down for a nap (though she’s currently only playing in her crib), and I’ve got a moment to respond to some other people’s comments and to share my thoughts.

Regarding my pregnancy weight gain… before moving in with my parents to save money for building our house I weighed approximately 130 pounds.  After moving in with dear mom and dad and my mother’s wonderful home cooking and baking, I weighed 140 pounds.  This is when I got pregnant. 

After nine months of pregnancy, I had gained more than 50 pounds and felt like a whale, but really had few qualms about it because it was for pregnancy.  Yeah right…some of that statement is true, but the other part of my reality was that I also engaged in intense silent sreaming regularly in my closet as my clothes shrunk on what seemed like a daily basis.  There was an upside to this battle after delivery though, which I am quite happy to report, because for years it has been my fear as to whether or not my body would bounce back after pregnancy.

Delivery alone let me lose nearly 30 pounds!  Woohoo!!!  Then breast-feeding helped shed even more pounds and I got down to 150 pounds fairly fast, which was amazingto me.  It was the final weight loss of at least 20 more pounds that I struggled with.  I did home exercise and walked as much as possible.  My family played on the WiiFit for fun, which was actually quite fun! 

And…My loving husband even supported me by taking walks with the baby and I after work a couple times a week too , but I wasn’t really losing. 

My mother surpised my husband and I after we talked about it for weeks, and bought the P90x program.  We decided to share it with her and my father because we live so close.

Extreme Home Fitness…THEY ARE NOT KIDDING!

This program was INTENSE!   It’s supposed to transform your body in 90 days and it probably would have if we would have stuck with it, but after three weeks, we quit.  I think I mentioned this before, but maybe not…My husband had to go out of town for a few days for work and after he returned, we just didn’t feel up to resuming the workouts.  Isn’t that the way?!

While he was gone, I ate ice cream happily out of the container I purchased it in, while sitting on the couch, and at the end of that week after stopping our workout, I DROPPED five pounds!  Woohoo!!!  I jokingly swear it was the ice cream – heh, heh. 

I started working more hours at my job and the weight continued to drop on it’s own, without working out and without dieting.  The last time I checked, which was two weeks ago, I was THRILLED to find that I weighed 136.  What an amazing feeling!  Not trying and it was working! 

I’m sure that it was all due to the muscle that we built while on the P90x program in addition to how much busier I was kept by Aubrey because she had learned to walk!  I think this is God’s way of helping us mommies lose the weight!    And thank goodness for it because I can’t imagine having more energy left over for more p90x! 

 

We have been trying to get pregnant since my post about losing weight before getting pregnant, and at this point, we have had no luck.  I have continued to breast feed, though I’m presently weaning our daughter, and I think this is the reason we have not had success.  At this point though, I’m ok with waiting until God decides it’s time.  We will continue to try and enjoy the time that we have with just one baby because I’m SURE that two will be so much more of a handful!  A wonderful handful, of course, but still quite a handful!  My husband and I have talked about resuming our p90x workouts, but not sure if or when that may happen.  I will certainly keep you posted.

Thank you to the few who responded!  It’s a great feeling to know I’m not alone!    I love to hear about other womens’ progress or struggles as well!   Please keep sharing!  And let me know if anyone else out there has a husband interested in working out with them who wants to team up on the P90x program with my husband an I!  I think that would be fun to have some buddies!

Tags: breast feeding and infertility, breast feeding and weight loss, husband supporting weight loss, p90x, pregnancy weight loss, second baby, second pregnancy, surviving toddlers, trying to get pregnant after first baby

106 views and NO comments???

I just don’t get that. How is it that 106 people have read my post and they did not post a comment or response??? If you’re out there, can you help me feel less alone in my blogging world?

Tags: blog comments, blogging, blogs, views without comments

Lose Weight Before I get pregnant again???

 

I'm not fat, I'm fluffy Pet I.D. tag

Ok, so I gained 50 pounds when I got pregnant with our first bundle of joy and I  have since lost all of the weight.  The problem?  When we moved in with my parents while we saved money and built a new home (before baby) I put on an additional 15 pounds.  It’s those 15 that won’t seem to come off and I want to lose.  I feel like I’m in college and I’m talking about the “freshman 15″ again and it SUCKS. 

Except the baby is OUT, in my case.

My husband and I have already started to try for baby #2 and I am still haunted by these 15 pounds.  I WANT SO BADLY TO SHED MY FRAME OF THEM!  We started the P90X workout program six weeks ago and, let me tell ya…It’s hard core!  Three weeks into the program, my husband left for Chicago for work and we took a week off.  I took a week off and ate cookies and cream ice cream.  Funny thing about that?  I lost 5 pounds after being stagnant for weeks!  I credit the ice cream!  I think my body felt like it was in starvation mode because it missed it’s frozen goodness.   

Little Girl Carnival Cone Hair Clips

So, anyway, I’m still not successfully pregnant and a friend and I were talking about weight loss again today.  We talked about how we both want to lose more weight before we get pregnant for the second time but, we are just tired and unmotivated.  Ugh!  As much as I would like to see this happen, I balance this ideal with the idea that it’s not important.  Mom’s all go through the battle of the bulge (or at least most do) so I am also almost resigned to the fact that I’m not alone and eventually I’ll be done having babies and I can lose it then.  I also have this notion that I will not gain as much weight with baby #2 because I won’t be eating each meal like it’s my last.  Am I dreaming?  Should I even worry about it?  It’s  just 15 pounds, right?  Who cares if I still haven’t squeezed my tush back into the clothes I once wore pre-pregnancy and pre-parents house!  Who cares if they’ll be out of style when I eventually fit back into them!  That’s just all the more reason to shop for a new wardrobe, right?  Should I just throw them out or would you say there’s still hope?  Is anyone out there?  I have yet to receive a comment on my blog since I started posting again so I may be typing to the air.  If you are out there and have some feedback, suggestions, opinions, or help, please share! 

HOPE DICTIONARY scrabble tile pendant by Wickedly Mod Pendants

Let me know your thoughts…even though I’ve eaten six cookies, while I’ve typed this, I’m seeking encouragement, wisdom, or direction!  There is a problem with my puzzle…I do know that I need to examine my eating habits and eliminate what isn’t working (um…six chocolate chip/butterscotch chip cookies?).  I also know that I need to exercise more and those two things combined, will likely work to help me achieve my goals.  I just can’t get motivated.  Perhaps the other mothers out there, who have successfully lost the weight before baby #2 can offer advice?  Are you one of them?  Are you out there?  Give me a holla! 

Set of 12 "holla" notecards $16.00beforeMcDonald's does!I'm lovin' it

Tags: handmade notecards, how to lose weight after pregnancy, little girl hair clips, lose weight before second baby, maternity clothes, motherhood, pet I.D. tags, pregnancy weight, scrabble pendants, shed pregnancy weight, tired, unmotivated, weight gain, weight loss

Creative Treats and Fun For Halloween

Halloween is on it’s way and I thought it might be fun to post some creative ideas. Over the course of the next two weeks, I plan to post recipes and ideas for treats that you can enjoy or give to the “goblins” that come to your door, appetizers for the friends you may have over for dinner or game night, crafts for the home, crafts for the kids, themed gifts, and unique decorating ideas. If you are not the crafty kind, I’ve included links to items available to purchase from my Etsy friends. Hope you enjoy my Spook-tacular week!

LET’S KICK OFF THE WEEK WITH IDEAS FROM MY ETSY FRIENDS…

A FANTASTIC ACORN NECKLACE by A Fine Distraction!

FANTASTIC PIECE FOR FALL!!!

 And now, onto …..YuMmmm –> Candy By Vanessa!!!  Specifically, White Chocolate Candy Corn Bark. 

A Delicious Halloween Treat! 1 pound for $13.00

She’s got more treats in her store, but this just looked so colorful and fun that it is what I chose.  Culinary arts are her passion.  Check out what else she has to offer too by clicking here.  You will find things like biscotti, chocolate covered pretzels and more!

Cool Decorating idea — A Jack-O-Lantern Switch Plate Cover!  (Minimal handy-man skills required for installation)

Great Idea for those who enjoy truly having a THEME in their home!

 Switch Plate Cover is available from “Turn Me On Art” on Etsy for only $10!

 Many other styles are offered…check them out now by clicking here!!!

  

 Next up… A fun craft to do with your kids!

Super Cute Idea for Kids Parties!!!!

 

Well, that’s all for tonight!  I think that was a decent way to kick off the week!  Let me know if you liked any of these, or if you have requests for more in any area! 

Tags: fall crafts, fall decorations, fall recipes, halloween appetizers, halloween crafts, halloween decorations, Halloween ideas, Halloween meals, halloween recipes, halloween treats, harvest treats

NLA Bracelet featured in Etsy Treasury…

Happy news! A fellow Etsy crafter featured my Whimsy Mimsy Bracelet in her fun, accessories focused treasury!

Unique, Lightly Colored, and Fun!

 

Check out her treasury BY CLICKING HERE before it expires!

Thanks BizimSupplies! I’m always happy to get added exposure!

Tags: etsy, Featured Crafter, Pink and Grey, Treasury, Whimsy Mimsy Bracelet

The BEST chocolate chip cookie recipe MANY have ever had!

A Soft and Chewy Piece of Heaven!

I was gifted with a baker’s dozen of chocolate chip cookies for no reason from a delightful woman I know about four months ago and from the moment I took the first bite, I was struck with amazement that these cookies were homemade, and that they had NOT come out of a plastic sleeve from the grocery store’s refrigerated foods section! I have cursed this woman since that day because I can’t stop making them! They get RAVE reviews from everyone and as such, should be shared and enjoyed by others too! Sooooo…I’m giving you the recipe! The trick, I’ve found…is to bake them to the point at which they almost still look underbaked and gooey in the middle, then take them out and immediately remove them from the pan to a cooling rack. Oh! They are soooo good! The funny thing about this recipe is that it is basically the recipe that was on the bag of chips that I had at home, but it does have some tweaks…those tweaks, I’m CONVINCED…make all the difference!

DIVINE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.  (You may have to adjust the temperature of your oven, depending on how it heats.)

Mix together in a medium  bowl:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

Cream together in a large bowl:
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup butter flavored crisco
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Add to creamy mixture:
2 large eggs

Slowly add flour mixture to creamy mixture.  After it is blended well, add a little bit of milk (maybe 2 teaspoons, but that’s it).  Add 1 bag of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Scoop dough onto cookie sheet by mounded teasponfulls and bake.  Don’t judge doneness by time…judge by color.  Take cookies out when they are LIGHT tan around the edges and they appear to be slightly underdone in the center. 

I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!  Remember that all ovens are different so you may need to adjust yours.  The lady who gave me the recipe was baking hers at 375 in a gas oven and when I tried the recipe in my electric oven at the same temperature, they burned.  I eventually decided that 350 worked for me and I watch these cookies closely after 6 minutes to ensure that I catch them at the right doneness.  Please let me know if you make these!  I’d love to hear your feedback!  Also, I’ve made these with many different kinds of chips…they’re always delicious, but the mini chips just seem PERFECT! 

Give me these with an ice-cold glass of Milk and I’m in HEAVEN!

Tags: baking, cookies, soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, The best chocolate chip cookie recipe

Find one thing you’re good at and FOCUS ON IT!

Well, once again, I am thinking of something that one of my old bosses once told me about his secret to achieving success… “Pick one thing that you are good at and focus on it…master it. Don’t be a jack of all trades and master of none.”

I often feel like I am that cliche’, “Jack of all trades and master of none.” I have SO many crafts that I do and many talents that I enjoy. I’ve got big dreams and lots of goals, but I frequently find myself sidetracked and bored with one thing and move onto another. The problem is that I am spreading myself too thin with all of them and do not reach the level of success that I could reach if I could just focus all of my energy and time on one thing.

A Bracelet I made this October 2010

After about a year and a half, I’ve finally started back to spending time on my crafts. I am making jewelry, which is going well at craft shows, but I do not have the kind of time that I used to have to be able to promote my store online. I was painting glassware when I was in Maryland, which went pretty well. I was selling my wine glasses in three venues and people enjoyed them. I love both the jewelry and the glassware, but I fear that I’m beginning to spread myself too thin again. Is it wise to do both? On top of those crafts, I recently agreed to wood burn a plank of wood for an Amish carpenter to use in a bench. If he likes what he sees, we discussed contracting regular work. Again…I’m not staying focused. On top of all that, I also maintain a full time job and have a 9 month old daughter and husband who also require my time and attention. Jeeze Louise! When I type it all out, I really feel quite dizzy!

I am very goal-oriented and I will do well if I can create a clear picture with a concrete, measurable objective in my mind.  I will write it down and…viola!…it happens.  My problem is that, with my artistic talents, I have trouble being decisive and focused, but I’m getting better.  I used to feel as though, when I made a decision, that it meant the DEATH of all other options.  I was employing “all or nothing” thinking, which was not effective.  I’ve since learned that I can focus on one thing and dabble with others in my free time, which keeps me happy.  But, with my jewelry and glassware, I feel confused.  My business cards even indicate that I do both.  I’m just wondering if I should take the advice of an old friend and focus on just one? 

A lady called last night and said she was interested in carrying my wine glasses in her store. I also recently spoke to a winery that is interested in them so I wonder if my time might be better spent on glassware, rather than jewlery?

NLA Tra La La Hand Painted Wine Glasses

I am going to give this some further thought and perhaps you all, who are reading, can give me some of your thoughts on the matter…to pick one or not to pick just one? Would it be too much to do both? 

Also, please share your experiences!  I love hearing from other people!

Tags: art, crafting, distraction, dreams, goals, jack of all trades and master of none, lack of focus, secret of success, success, when is too much too much?

WOW! Time DOES FLY!!! A HOUSE, NEW JOB, AND A BABY LATER

After a long hiatus, I am back! In the time since my last post, we FINALLY solidified our house plans – didn’t end up being the plans I posted, but we built our home and moved out of my parents house…woohoo! I love them, but all good things come to an end, including the hospitality of parents. I also changed jobs AND we had our first child!!! We had a beautiful daughter and we’ve been busy, but it is all very, very good and we are VERY, VERY BLESSED!

I’m back in the saddle again and I am making jewelry after way too long! I did two craft shows the past two weekends and the new area we live in is proving to be quite different from Maryland! Rural America HAS to have people who enjoy quality jewelry…I just have yet to find them and where they live. hahaha. The two craft shows that I did were profitable, and although not as much as I would have liked, they brought in cash that I didn’t have before the shows, so I am happy. The other thing that has happened is that my Aunt Barb started making jewelry with me. We get together every Friday and craft together. It’s quite enjoyable to have crafting company! Having a baby has changed things as well…making time for my crafting is arranged around the baby’s schedule, which is challenging at times, but I’ve found it has made me more productive! I think that the saying stays true… “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.”

With my new job, I’ve returned to my educational roots and I’m back to being a professional counselor. I really enjoy where I work at and the people are great…not to mention that the stress levels are better than my job at Alfred Angelo! One month after I changed jobs, we got pregnant! We are trying again for a second baby now, so we shall see what life has planned.

It’s late, so I’m off to bed, but I’m back and I believe that it is finally for good…ahhh, it is good to be back! Hope some of you are still out there!!!

Tags: building our home, changing jobs and getting pregnant, first baby, Homecoming, Life happens, moving, return to crafting

Plans…what happens to them when LIFE HAPPENS.

So, it has now been about NINE months since we moved from Maryland to Pennsylvania. N-I-N-E. The economy has put a bit of a kink in our original plans, but we keep plugging along.

In those nine months, my job has changed, our house plans have changed, and the weather has changed. I loved my job at Alfred Angelo Bridal, but it consumed most of my time and I had little left for my faith, family or my friends, so I made a difficult decision to find other work. So, I am back to mental health — something I did for 7.5 years before I left Pennsylvania for Maryland. I’m counseling and it’s nice. I have lots of time for the things I was missing out on and I even have time for me. I still miss my Afred Angelo job…think of it a lot, and sometimes it even brings me to tears — I know, I’m a sap. But, I truly enjoyed the work, the people, and I did well at it. I just didn’t like the whole, “eat, sleep, breathe work” part. So, I’m still accepting it and I’m working on moving on. I think that will only come in time. I’ve never had a job I enjoyed that much before, so this is very different for me.

On other matters, our house plans have changed a bit. The floor plans anyway. We are still planning to build, but as we have time to explore our options and different builders, our plans have evolved. It’s frustrating to watch our house sit on the market, and it’s frustrating to feel a bit “stuck” in limbo with our living arrangements too, but I am hopeful that it will all work out. I am happy to see the mortgage rates are dropping…one benefit for us. Also, it gives us lots of time to make a calculated decision and to prepare without rushing into anything. I’m doing my best to look on the bright side, because it is easy to fall victim to the negatives and I don’t like how I get when I go there.

The weather is finally warming up here, which is really nice to see. We were outside this past weekend. I planted some flower seeds on a bank across the road from the house. It will be interesting to see if they turn into anything. The seeds were mostly from a near ancient collection that my mother had put together. Heh, heh. I planted a multitude of flowers…now it’s just a waiting game…hmmmm – sounds familiar!

Also a new mention since my last entry, I have started working as an independent beauty consultant for Mary Kay Cosmetics. So far, it’s going really well and I’m looking forward to using the money for a down payment on the house when we finally build.

Well, until next time…I’ll be enjoying the weather…It’s supposed to get warmer as the week progresses! WooHoo!!!

Two home plans we are considering at this point in time. are below:

Cape With Wrap-Around Porch

Log Cabin

Tags: Cap Cod, economy, Houses, Housing Market, Independent Beauty Consultant, Life happens, Log Cabin, Mary Kay Cosmetics