Check it out!

I am blogging over at Elsewhere now! Hope to see your lovely faces soon!

No more posts on here (except for reminders to go to the new page)

Of all the toys he has...

He chooses as his favorite to be...

A springform pan ring?!?

After a trip to the kitchen cupboard this is what he chooses to carry around (literally around his neck) ALL THE TIME. I think he looks like an astronaut.

Spring, for a day

The terrential rain let up for one glorious day. Its gonna start again tomorrow I hear. I plucked Oz up and plopped him onto the front yard to grab a few updated pics. Enjoy!

Fill in The Blanks Friday

Link up over at The Little Things We Do

1.       Something that makes me a great friend is I feel like I accept people for who they are. Good, bad, agree with it or not.

2.       I am always in some sort of transition it feels like.

3.       I am not happy with myself these days, I need to find my previously held motivation. Where did it go!?!

4.       If I had to describe myself in 3 words they would be funny, honest, driven

5.       Something I am really cheap about is EVERYTHING!!  I am always looking for the bargain.

6.       Something I am willing to splurge on is  Shoes!!

7.       I would trade our Jeep  for a mini cooper in a heartbeat

Happy Friday! It's gorgeous here today. I am hoping at the very least it doesn't RAIN tomorrow so we can head out to the tulip fields for some family time and of course... some pics!

I am loving my hair today. Hopefully I am over my uncertainty and can embrace the change and admit I may have more fun as a brunette!

Yes this was taken in the car, and I know that makes me a huge dork. I am ok with it and you should be too.

What are you doing this weekend?

Sorry...

For the wonky blog. I lost internet access I was playing around with new layouts!

Will be all better tomorrow :)


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hello!

Just popping in to say hello and Happy Thursday!

ps... When did Oz get so big?!?!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This is how I do it - Beth Anne - aka Blair

Hey Y'all! (I am taking a page out of our guest blogger's page with the twang)

This week I am thrilled to be able to share with you Beth Anne... otherwise known as Blair, from Heir to Blair! Unless you have been living under a rock I am sure you've read her fantastic blog, if not... get on it! I was excited to hear from her as she is such a great example of figuring out a way of getting it all done while striving to maintain a happy life balance. She is one busy Momma!

Enjoy!

Hey, y'all!  I'm Beth Anne from The Heir to Blair - that's right, I write under a pen name but the cat's been out of the bag for about a year now on my real name.  I live in the lovely state of North Carolina with my smokin' hot husband & our tow-headed toddler, Harrison.

 I'm pretty lucky to get to hang out with such hunks, right?

A little bit about us:

Nate (the husband) & I have been married for almost 5 years & although I swear I gave birth yesterday, Harrison is 18 months old.  I like cupcakes, he likes golf, & the baby is currently on a Little People jag.  Nate & I both work full time, Monday through Friday.  He's in purchasing & I'm in marketing, so we make a comfortable living but last time I checked, we won't be moving into the Biltmore Mansion.  We live in a small town so we rock a commute that takes about an hour each way if we do it in regular traffic.

So who takes care of the kid while we're slaving for the man?

That would be my little sister, who is our full-time nanny.  Long story short, she's living with my parents while balancing the occasional class & two jobs.  Harrison adores her & I think they're really good for each other.

Harrison & Auntie at his first birthday party.

The day-by-day:

6:15am:  the first alarm rings.  hit snooze button.

6:23am:  Nate & I drag out of bed.  I start to get ready while he feeds the dog & wakes up Harrison.  Harrison hangs out with me while I finish getting ready.

6:50am:  pull out of the driveway.  We carpool together 4 days out of the week, which cuts back on gas & gives us more family time.

7:30am:  arrive at my parent's house.  Nate hops in his car & drives off while I eat breakfast with Harrison.

8am:  plop down in office chair.

5pm:  Hallelujah, we're done!  race to my parent's house to get the guy & finish giving him supper.

5:30pm:  start the commute home

6:10pm:  arrive home.  sort through mail, feed dog, start dinner, play with Harrison.

7pm:  bath time.  Both Nate & I do the bedtime routine together in full.  It's a good family time for us.

7:15pm:  Harrison is down for the count.

7:15pm:  finish & eat dinner, do a chore or two (like toss in a load of laundry, take out the trash, or do a load of dishes)

8pm:  MOMMA TIME!  go for a run, sit down to blog & email, or just veg in front of the television with Nate.

9pm:  shower, lay everything out for the next day, crawl in bed with a book or for some good lovin'

9:30pm:  lights out.

Do you & your husband work as a team?

Absolutely.  It's necessary, along with strong coffee in the morning & good wine in the evening.  I take longer to get ready in the morning, so Nate does most of the morning grunt work but I usually manage dinner & toss in the laundry at night.

What is your current struggle as a working mom?

My biggest & most current is probably the most popular struggle - EXERCISE.  There's not much left in my schedule for daily exercise.  I do go to Zumba on Monday nights & I try to squeeze in a run or two, but that means that either chores, blogging, or time with the husband is sacrificed.  It's hard to keep a balance but still get fit & lose weight.

What do your weekends look like?

Like a bowl of fluffy, sugary ice cream topped with sprinkles & cherries & chocolate sauce.  They're THAT GOOD.  We sleep as late as Harrison will allow, then make breakfast in the mornings & eat around the table together.   When the weather's nice, we're outside on a walk or at the park.  & we always make an after-nap run for Sonic's Happy Hour to get tots & a tea.  It' s a sweet little family ritual.

What is the hardest thing about being a working mom?

oh, boy.  This question is a doozy for me.  Emotionally, it's hard to be away from Harry.  I feel like I'm missing so much of his development & I feel like I could do more for/with him if I wasn't in my office.  Logistically, being a working mom can be a nightmare.  What if the cable company needs to come out but you have a client meeting & then the kid starts running a fever all in the same day?  Or when Nate's out of town on a golf trip & a client wants to see me on Saturday, but I don't have childcare - I've had to turn down appointments & that never makes the boss-man happy.

What is your secret to making things work?

Not having a choice.  Ha!  I don't mean to be cheeky, but I don't have the option of it not working.   I'm big on casseroles & crock pots for dinner & I don't wear anything that has to be ironed.  I run about three different to-do lists at any given time (work, home, blog) & I pre-write & schedule posts on the weekends during nap time.

Would you stay home with your kid if given the opportunity?

In a heartbeat.   But we chose our lifestyle before having children & at this point, we have the responsibility of a mortgage & student loans.   Maybe someday that will change, but for now I'm learning to be comfortable as a working momma.

Because this kid is the cat's pajamas & regardless of how we do it, I'm still his momma.  & we love each other best.

Thanks so much "Blair" for a peek into how you get it all done! If you are interested in contributing to this series send an email to pfausphotography(at)gmail.com.

Not letting it get me down.

Yesterday I hit up a meeting at my local WW center. After weighing in at a weight I thought I would never see again I was in a pretty piss poor mood. Bitchy to be exact. I have gained back every effing pound I lost last year plus 1. Fuck.

To make matters worse the meeting I went to sucked. The leader was flat, uninspired, and about as un-motivational as possible. There was a really irritating woman (the typical WW know it all) sitting behind me and a bunch of women I gained nothing from.

Am I spoiled by my last leader and group? Shelly started every meeting with a blurb about herself. How many lbs lost, how long she had kept it off, and a funny anecdote for the meeting. I felt like she led the meetings with the scheduled topic in mind, but made it her own. The group that attended that meeting was helpful with tips and tricks without being “smarty pants”.

I’ll go back next week, but I am choosing a different day and time in hopes of finding a meeting that fits better.

I am feeling much more positive this morning. I am tracking and my back feels SO much better. I may even try and get a walk with the babe in tonight after work, depending on the weather. I am also putting away the scale. now that I'll be weighing in weekly at the meetings I don't wanna think about numbers except for once a week. The numbers that swirl around my head related to points at enough thankyouverymuch.

In lighter topics… I am starting to get used to the new bangs and hair color. It’s nice to be able to wear a ponytail and still look professional. You likey?

Getting back to what works

I tried. I really did. Weight Watcher's online is a great program. For some people they can use it and be VERY successful. For me... it's about so much more than the points. I need accountability. I need people to celebrate my success and support my hard times.

I am headed back to weekly meetings. I had a lot of success last year while going and that stopped the moment I stopped. Not a coincidence. Not even close.

I have moved across town, so I am headed to a new center, with a new leader. I really hope the leader is as fantastic as Shelly was. I'll report back tomorrow!

Oh and in adorable baby news...
He is pulling up on EVERYTHING and standing like it's no big whoop. Way to go little buddy.

We had his orthopedic eval yesterday and it's all good news! Yes he's got a short leg. No it doesn't seem to be a big deal. We'll be checking back in 6 months and the Doc fully expects that he'll be running around like a mad man. Yipeee!!!!














Sunday we ventured to a toddler playland and he had a ball. Climbing over everything and watching all the big kids.

This was dinner last night. Oh buddy. Momma should have taken my shirt off huh?

I am behind, but glad I finally figured it out!

I used to have another blog. I was a little pissed when I had to switch to this blog because I feel like I missed out on over a years worth of posts leaving them behind on the old blog. Apparently I can export that blog... and them bring those posts over here. Guess what? I figured it out! I am happy to say that all my old blogs are now on this site. Woot.

I am sure I am the only one who cares... but whatever.

If you are a newer follower and would like to start at the beginning (Oct 2009)... click HERE. Scroll to the bottom for the first post ever!