First comes Love

Its funny and a little coincidental that one of Working Mom Wednesday's inspiration topics is birth stories because I had already started a draft on a path to that story. But I feel as though that's not really the type of story you can just jump into, so that's why this is a 3 part post. To give you a little back story before I tell you the in's and out's (literally) of my uterus.

Growing up I was always on the hunt for love. I was a boy crazy tween, crushing on Kirk Cameron and plastering my walls with the latest Bop pictures of New Kids on the Block. I was always looking for love and as I grew from High school to college I always was searching out that perfect relationship. You know, the relationships you see on TV or in the movies-the kinds of relationships that never really exist. Then one day I realized that you can't wait to follow someone elses love story...you have to write your own. So this is mine.

I take you back to 2001...

If only I had that body again...but I digress...
Back in 2001 I was a bit of a wild child. Not to the extreme of  Lindsey Lohan or anything, but I was still stumbling to figure out who I was and where I was going. I had just decided to take a break from college, had a volatile relationship with my mother and was kinda flying by the seat of my pants. Looking back, I guess you could say I was "sowing my wild oats", though I  am pretty sure that other people might have some other choice words for my actions at that time.

As far as my love life was concerned, well it was pretty much as complicated as you'd expect any 20-somethings love life to be. There was an ex turned friend with benefits and a boyfriend. And at one time, as ashamed as I am to admit it, the timing on those two relationships may have overlapped. (like I said...I was sowing oats, ok) I am not proud to admit it, but 2001 was a rough year for me. I had just experienced the death of 2 close friends and had a rocky relationship with my family at the time. That summer, all I wanted was to have fun and let go a little.
When I met my husband we had no interest in each other whatsoever. At least not in "that" way. We were in totally different places in our lives at the time. Kevin was out of college starting a career in restaurant management and I was a free spirited newly turned 21 year old with a boyfriend that was just looking to go out and have fun. We worked together-yes, he was my boss-for 3 months before we even talked outside of work.  But the summer of 2001 my boyfriend and I began to grow apart. His idea of a fun Friday night was dinner and a movie, which was ok the first 3.5 months of our relationship, but  it got old real fast. Plus the fact that we were opposites was becoming more and more clear by the minute. He was a soft spoken, play it safe, straight edge kind of guy. He didn't drink, smoke or stay up past 9 o'clock. And for as much of a nice guy he was, in retrospect I wonder how we managed to last as long as we did. Truthfully, he bored me. I worked hard and wanted to play hard when I got off work. I wanted to stay up late and drink and dance and go out and meet people and have fun. So as the summer wore on that's what I did. Boyfriend stayed home and I went out with people from work. He was ok with it, so so was I.

Pretty soon a tight little work group formed and we had a routine. Work. Out for drinks and Golden Tee. Out to see a band play. Out to close up the 5 am bar. Walk to Laura's house. Sleepover.  And as the summer wore on Kevin and I become better and better friends. Yet still, I didn't really see anything beyond that.

A typical night out!!

Then, as the summer neared its end, I started to see it. Suddenly I found myself wanting to see him more and more. I had decided to go back to school in the fall, and as my move back there drew closer I began to regret my decision. It was crazy and at the time I still didn't fully grasp it, but I now realize that was when I was starting to fall in love.
Neither of us had yet to acknowledge any feelings for each other when we all went out one night the weekend before I left for school. Kevin and I were back at Laura's settling in for the night. I usually slept in the couch and he, ever the gentleman, slept on the floor. But that particular night I was feeling a little uninhibited and asked if he wanted to share the couch with me. And he did. And then in the bustling of making room for him it just happened. Our lips met and we shared our first kiss. But this kiss was unlike any other I had ever felt. There were fireworks and butterfly's and it just felt right.  It felt bigger than the two of us. Like the stars had all aligned and this was meant to be. Kevin and I stayed up all night talking and he told me how his attraction to me had been building and building too. We both shared how we were starting to have feelings for each other but didn't know what to make of them.  I suddenly began to feel that all that time, fate was leading up to this moment.
 
The next day I met up with my boyfriend and broke up with him.

Thus began sort of a whirlwind. Things with Kevin moved very fast. We did the long distance thing for a few months while I was at school and when I was done, I moved in with him. People always say "when you meet the ONE, you just know" and I finally knew what that meant. It was crazy because when we started dating we really knew very little about each other. I felt impulsive. But I also felt right. My heart felt at home, and I had this over powering sense that I finally found the direction in which I was supposed to go. For the first time in my life I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.
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So where does your love story begin?? How did you find "the One"??

And stayed tuned for Part 2: Then came marriage. Coming soon!!

Ask and you shall receive

I was just talking about feeling uninspired so I am grateful to have read one of my favorite blogs today, Last Splash. Her latest post directed me to the Working Mommy's Network where every Wednesday she gives 2 questions to inspire a post. Now I'm not sure if my part time working status qualifies me to be a member of the Working Mommy network, but it seems like a nice place without too many rules, so I am hoping that no one will punish me for only being a Part Time Working Mommy. So without further ado here are today's questions:

#1. What is your most stressful time of day and why?  This is a tricky question for me because our house doesn't really follow the Monday-Friday, 9-5, to the tee schedules that most households do. My husband and I work in industry's with more crazy hours, it's hard to follow a schedule to the nose. But most days I would say this time is probably between 5pm and 8pm- right before Jack goes to sleep. This is the time that I am either: dropping Jack at my sister-in-laws so she can watch him until Kev gets home from work and I am at work, trying to make dinner for us and Jack while also making sure he is content and out of trouble, or if Kev is working a late shift then I am doing the latter, just quicker so I can also get Jack into bed at a decent time.


#2. If you could have one day all to yourself, how would you spend it? That's a loaded question, but I think it would probably go something like this... Sleep in, meet girlfriends for lunch and then get a pedicure and a massage. After, we'd sit at Starbucks and chat for a few hours. Then I'd go home, read a little, catch up on some DVR'd shows and relax- maybe even take a midday nap because midday naps are the best. Then I'd go out to dinner with Kev and some friends. A long dinner. Complete with appetizer and dessert. Also a few bottles of wine. And then we'd go out afterwards and let loose, maybe with some 'bombs.


How about you?

Trying to be inspired

I think I am in a blogging funk. This may be caused by several things. Like the fact that this is what my kitchen looks like:

We are about 95% done with the major part of this renovation-the flooring. But this last 5% is the real tough shit- pardon my French. I say that like I'm the one actually sweating over this whole shin-dig, but I'd like to think that living in a saw dust filled haze and having to live with everything up in arms for the past week and half entitles me to a certain amount of bitching.

Not that I'm bitching.

Truth is the progress is admirable when you factor in all the things keeping the dear husband from working on it. Like work, spending time with Jack and the usuals like eating and sleeping. I guess I do have to allow the guy some rest once and awhile right?

But I can only blame my saw dust induced funk on this renovation so much.  Other things contributing to my mind blockage:

Allergies- Fall is my favorite season but it is also the season I get the sickest. I have a mean allergy to Ragweed and this time of year always sends me into a tailspin of runny noses, itchy eyes and sneezing fits. As if that weren't bad enough, I am almost always lucky enough that these symptoms manifest themselves into a full blown sinus infection. And it's inevitable. I've taken OTC medications and seen allergy doctors to no avail. I've just learned to suffer thru...

Life as a part time SAHM** is kinda boring: Let's review my routine. Get up, feed Jack. Play with Jack. Put Jack down for a nap and try to cram in as much housework/blogging/eating/insertotherwantorneed here as possible. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Since I refuse to be one of those mommy bloggers that tells you what color my child's poop was today ( Brown- in case you were wondering) that doesn't leave much room for inspiring blog material. Me thinks I need a mommy group, or to make some more mommy friends so Jack and I can break loose and get out of our funk sometimes! **SAHM-means Stay at Home Mom for all you non bumper's out there.

The computer has been relocated: In the midst of rearranging and re-doing everything we decided to move the computer back downstairs. While I do like the fact that this a.) gives me more room in the living room and b.) makes for a nice little "office" area downstairs the downside is that it's not as convenient. I can't just hop on the computer while Jack quietly plays anymore. Mostly because he doesn't play so quietly anymore which brings me to...

My child eats everything in sight: Jack is teething...hardcore right now. And everything. EVERYTHING goes straight into his mouth these days. Case in point for all you non-facebook friends out there: Thursday we were driving home from Jack's 9 month appointment when I heard him coughing in the back seat. When I looked back at him he smiled at me, so I just assumed he was doing the whole I'm-coughing-to-get-mommy's-attention thing and we went on our merry way. Then we got home and I realized that the tiny band aid they put over where he got his shot was missing. After a quick search of his car seat and surroundings I came to the realization that there may have been more to his earlier coughing than I originally thought! So a typical day here is spent with me eyeballing every nook and cranny to make sure that there is nothing Jack with find and eat. And even though I do this vigilantly he sometimes still manages to find something. Sigh

So here you have it. Somehow I got inspired by being uninspired.

Go figure.

August and Everything After

Fall is approaching and it is my absolute favorite time for all-and probably more than I am forgetting-these reasons:

*The humidity of summer fades away and walking outside between the hours of 10am-8pm becomes a little more bearable.
*Fall Fashion-need I say more?? Fall fashion magazines are my favorite because they are so thick and filled with wonderful pictures of the new fall fashions. I received my 1st one today and it was so heavy I had to sit up in bed to read it.
*Boots-every year I think I am good on boots and don't need anymore. And then I read said magazines and realize I want 5 more pairs. It's kind of an obsession.
*Fall TV- Finally all the shows that left you hanging in June are back! And new shows too!!
*Kevin's birthday is in August. Our anniversary is in September. Halloween is in October. Good times for every month! And then November is Jack's birthday and Thanksgiving and December is Christmas...before you know it the New Year is here!!
*Fall food is the best. The nights start to get a little colder so we always start cooking more comfort food. Pot Roast and Chili are my two faves! And the apples are the best in the fall. I can't wait until the Honeycrisp apples come back!
and of course...FOOTBALL SEASON!!
I have an upcoming post that expands on this, but Fall wouldn't be Fall without football. I got my first fantasy football league invite yesterday and it got me all giddy with excitement!

And that is why August and everything after -great album by the way- is the best time of the year for me.

So what's your favorite season? And what makes it your favorite??

Monday and some Must Have's

These past few weeks have been busy. Between work, finishing the house projects, and other obligations it's been hard to squeeze in relaxation somewhere. Other than enjoying the company of my husband and baby boy, these are some things I'm enjoying these days:

OPI for Sephora: Read my Palm- I'm like a kid in a candy store in Sephora and I stumbled across this lovely shade of nail polish on a recent trip. Kevin always complains that I wear too dark of shades, so I decided to give this green hue a try. So far...me likey!! ( it's the second one from the left!)

Angry Birds iPhone App: This little game has been such a stress reliever these days. The concept it that you launch your "angry birds" and break stuff in order to kill what I think are supposed to be pigs or something. I think I am somewhat addicted though...it has kept me up way past my bedtime these past few nights!!

My Scentsy: My sister in law gave this to me for my birthday and I finally just took it out of the box and plugged it in. Instant LOVE!! I love Yankee Candle's but IMO Scentsy is way better. If you aren't familiar with them they sell wax burners that are powered by light bulbs rather than votive candles. So they are safe to leave burning at night or while you are out. And they smell amazing. I plugged mine in our up stairs bathroom and it carried the scent thru the whole house!! Beach is my favorite scent by far, but they have a lot of other good ones. My sister in law loved it so much she started selling them. Check out her boutique at: http://joannamaas.scentsy.us/

Covert Affairs: There isn't a lot of good TV shows on during the summer which is a good thing because there is way to much to do. But I just found a show on USA that really intrigues me. I am a sucker for Crime/Spy/Suspense shows and this one is a pretty good one. Piper Perabo plays a CIA agent plucked out of training because of her superior skills. It also stars Chris Gorham who previously played Henry on Ugly Betty. Yummy!! Not a bad hour of TV if you ask me!

and last but not least...

Dog Days are Over by Florence and the Machine: You may have heard this song in the preview of  Eat Pray Love or in a few other commercials but this song is my new favorite way to unwind. The video is a little strange, but the song is good nonetheless.

So there it is! Good news is the paint it dry and phase one is complete. Once the transformation is fully completed I'll post some pictures!!