Signs of Spring

So we made it through another February. Bring on March. I like March. It's a hopeful month. Hoping Winter takes its last breath. Hoping Spring starts to spring. It actually has started to spring a bit around here.

 

Our first yellow crocus made an appearance 2 weeks ago. Now there are 3 or 4 more yellow, white and purple ones popping up around our tree. I love Spring.

 

My garden is starting to wake up. Shoots are sprouting up out of the earth with my yellow and white daffodils. I love Spring.

 

The birds are chirping up a storm every morning. I just saw a red robin today bouncing from tree to tree in our front yard. There's something so comforting about those sweet songs the birds sing each morning. I love Spring.

 

Let's not forget the cherry blossoms. Is there anything more beautiful and hopeful that those gorgeous cherry blossoms? I love Spring.

 

I'm going to try to enjoy Spring slowly this year because I know right on its heels are the dog days of Summer. I might not be using the word "love" so much in a post about that season. 

 

 

 

 

 

In Search of the Perfect Position

As the 3 year old inches toward 4, I'm starting to prepare myself for the inevitable day when both of my boys will be in school full time. A blessing and a curse.

 

Not having a little one in the house every day will be much easier on me. Getting things done and maybe even finding a job will be even better.

 

I'm not sure what the future holds, but I hope it's something along the lines of a part-time job between the hours of 10am-2pm. I know I complain, a lot, but I do enjoy dropping off and picking up the boys from school. Kissing them goodbye and hugging them hello are two of the greatest gifts of my day. I'm not ready to abandon that yet.

 

Being a mom is difficult. Being a working mom sans guilt is very difficult. Being a working mom sans guilt who also happens to be a control-freak borders on insanity. I know I can't do it all, but I really want to try.

 

And so begins my search for the perfect position to accomodate all of requirements. I fugure I have until September 2014 to find this so-called position. If it doesn't exist, maybe I'll just have to find a way to create it.

Academy Awards Fashion Wrap-Up

Awards season has come to an end, and it went out with a bang. After a blasé season thus far, I have to admit with so many to choose from last night I had a hard time coming up with my top 3 picks. In no particular order, here are my favorite looks from the Academy Awards:

1. Naomi Watts in Armani Prive. This dress fit her perfectly, and its design was very fashion-forward. I'm not usually a sparkly, shimmery fan, but this just worked.

 
2. Jessica Chastain in Armani Prive. I honestly didn't want to like this dress, but I think it looked stunning on her. Simple and elegant.

 
3. Charlize Theron in Christian Dior. She was a statuesque beauty. This dress was impeccable, and she styled it perfectly. Beautifully elegant.

I have to give honorable mention to Jane Fonda in Versace. This was a much-needed and great pop of color on the carpet. Come on, she's 75 and looks amazing!!!

 



 

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

 

Birds chirping. Music to my ears.

Friday Finds

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds. What great books did you find online, in the library or at the bookstore? What did you add to your TBR list? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!



"Good Kids" by Benjamin Nugent
"The First Warm Evening of the Year" by Jamie Saul
"Love, Loss and What I Wore" by Ilene Beckerman
"The Last Garage Sale" by Faith Bass Darling
"Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn" by Melanie Shankle

It Never Ends

Paranoid germophobe that I am, I feel like we've just about made it through flu season unscathed. The boys and I have had the usual sinus infections and coughing bouts that come this time of year, but the flu has left us alone.

 

You'd think I'd be breathing a sigh of relief. Not me. I'm hearing grumblings of that nasty stomach bug making an appearance at the 6 year old's school. Ugh.

 

 I don't like any sickness of any kind. The puking thing really pushes me over the edge though. It's bad enough when adults are sick, never mind when the little ones get it. Oh dear Lord, awful!!!!

 

The boys had a stomach virus last year. What I would give to skip that nightmare this year. Rather than think positively, I'm already anticipating it's arrival.

 

I try desperately to tell them to keep their hands off their face and wash them as much as possible. They're kids, and on top of that, they're boys. Good luck!!

 

This germophobe needs to hold out a bit longer before I can breathe a sigh of relief. Then after the stomach bug has passed, I can start to worry about the return of the mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. So much worrying, so little time.

Wordless Wednesday

This just makes me happy.

Monthly Mommy Time

One of my so-called resolutions this year was to see my friends more frequently. Since I hardly ever see them outside of school or kids' birthday parties, I set the bar low and set a goal of meeting up once every month.

 

January went swimmingly well. I arranged to have a chocolate tasting party, had a few of the girls over and had a blast. Those chocolate martinis didn't hurt the situation much at all.

 

February didn't turn out so bad either. I invited a couple of moms over with their kids for more of an adult playdate. The kids ran around and did their thing while the adults sat around the dining room table with a bottle of wine and some snacks. It was small, but fun.

 

March is next week, and I'm already struggling with some ideas. I could go the route of another adult playdate and invite a few different moms. It was simple and the kids did have a good time. I could host another adult-only party via Stella and Dot or Tupperware, but my husband's schedule is pretty jam-packed in March and I don't have a babysitter.

 

I hope I come up with something soon. The calendar fills up pretty quickly. Before you know it, there will be no time left for Mommy time. And I've come to enjoy Mommy time.

Act of Kindness #11

My son's school is collecting money for the National Children's Leukemia Foundation. The school is asking students to donate any pennies or loose change they can find. The 7 year old decided to break into his piggy bank (where he's been stashing money for years), take out some loose change and dollar bills and put them in a baggy to bring to school as a donation. The 3 year old, ever willing to copy his older brother, also opened his piggy bank and donated some change as well. I have a couple of good eggs!

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

 

Little League practice ~ Spring is near!

I Love Online Coupons

If you're like me, you want high quality products without paying high quality prices. I'm all about a deal, and I happened upon an online site with tons of coupons.

 

BestOnlineCoupons.com has promo codes, online coupon codes and even free shipping deals for hundreds of products and services, including clothing, computers and toys. Looking for some luggage for spring break? You can find some great deals here. My 7 year old is gearing up for little league baseball this spring. Equipment can get pretty expensive so I plan on using a few finds with coupon code February 2013 to help defray the cost.

 

Should you be in the market for a full color printing service, look no further than Vistaprint coupon codes 2013. Planning a wedding? In need of a birth announcement or invitation to a baby shower? Vistaprint can help, and the coupon codes won't hurt either. Here you will also find discounts for flyers, rubber stamps, letterhead, and business cards. You'll even find deals for free t-shirts, free sticky notes and free shipping. Any and all of your printing needs can be found in one location, with extra discounts to boot.

Make online shopping a little easier on your pocketbook. Speaking of pocketbook, I could use a new spring handbag myself. Plenty of coupons to choose from on Best Online Coupons. Happy Shopping!

 

Said the Pot to the Kettle

I took the 3 year old to the pediatrician this morning. He's fine, but for the horrible-sounding cough he's had for the past 4 days. I needed to get him checked out to make sure it was no big deal. Paranoid moms like me need reassurance.

 

As I sat with him in the waiting room, other kids and their parents came in for their appointments. We only had to wait about 5 minutes to get in to see the doctor, but in those 5 minutes I came to realize the other moms were deathly afraid of my coughing 3 year old. So much so, they were actually cringing as we walked by.

 

Really? You're in a pediatricían's waiting room. On the sick side of the office. What did you expect? My kid is sick, and, supposedly, so is yours since you're in for a SICK VISIT, too.

 

That was my initial reaction to the looks and faces. Then it dawned on me. I'm the exact same way. I despise going to the pediatrician - because of all the sick kids. Even when my kids are sick, I dread they're going to pick up something much worse than what they have. Lest you forget, this is a paranoid mom writing this post.

 

It just so happens that my kid sounded like the sickest kid in the waiting room this morning. Mind you, he simply has post nasal drip from a cold. That's what all the coughing is about.

 

I suppose I should find comfort in knowing I'm not the only paranoid mom out there instead of being so quick to lash out at the faces and looks from the other paranoid moms. Just visit any pediatrician's waiting room, and I'm sure you'll find a few of us there yourself.

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

 

Okay, winter, are we done yet?

Friday Finds

MizB at Should Be Reading hosts Friday Finds. What great books did you find online, in the library or at the bookstore? What did you add to your TBR list? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!




"While We Were Watching Downton Abbey" by Wendy Wax
"The Pretty One" by Lucinda Rosenfeld

Super Bowl Commercials

There's always lots of hoopla every year surrounding the Super Bowl commercials. I admit, I enjoy watching them as well. Some more than others.

 

For instance, I do not enjoy any Go Daddy commercial. I'm no prude, but this year's was just plain gross. I refuse to repost it because it's too nauseating. I don't need to see ANY people kissing up close and personal with the sound effects. Yuck!

Budweiser never fails to produce something heartfelt. The Taco Bell old folks was a good laugh, too.

 

I did enjoy the Calvin Klein Concepts commercial. Am I sexist? Maybe, but take a look in case you missed it. Come on - he's hot!!
 

 

I also enjoyed the Toyota RAV4 genie commercial with Kaley Cuoco. The mom's wish is my absolute favorite, and something I would probably wish for as well.

 

Pretty safe to say these two commercials were geared to women like me - and it worked. I remembered them and am reposting them. Mission accomplished, Calvin Klein and Toyota. Job well done.

Valentine Mantle

I've already posted about my Valentine Wreath. Here's my sweet and simple way I've decorated my mantle under the wreath for Valentine's Day. I'm sticking with all white and less is more. This has almost become my new mantra.

 

 

I have a very long mantle - it extends the length of the wall. It desperately needs redoing, but getting hubs to agree to it will take some time. I'm learning to make the best with what I've got. I actually love all the pieces on the mantle and think they look just lovely together.

6WS

Call Me Cate at Show My Face hosts Six Word Saturday. Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words.

 

An Early Spring? Praise the Lord!

February