Stay tuned (Tomorrow) for the big 1-0-0. 100th blog post that is...

I can't believe we have hit this mark already!  In some ways it seems like it has been forever in others it flew by.  Blogging is definitely harder than I thought it would be.  

It seems so easy and trivial to put a little blurb out there everyday (every other day for me and Heather) because we experience many "blurbs" each and every day.  

There are those days where I stare at the screen thinking, "There is not one thing that anyone could possibly be interested in hearing from me".  There are others where I truly enjoy it!  Either way....there are many more to come.

On to a DIRTIER note.  I am getting ready to sign up for THIS: 

Wahoo!!  I am super excited!  It is going to be a blast.  You in Heather?  ;)

Stay tuned for tomorrow we turn 100....in post age that is! 

Meet My Newphew

My niece gave birth to her sweet little baby boy on Thursday.

He is absolutely adorable.

Check out this hair!



Can you believe how much hair he has?  I haven't seen that much hair on a baby for a long time, myself.

You forget how tiny newborns are.

Here we got to take a peek at his little legs and toes.  His feet are no longer than my pinky finger.

I could have held this little one for hours.  He smells so new and his skin is velvety soft.  He's just super sweet.  Poor little guy was exhausted (mom, too).  He had nursed and went right out.  Of course, the nurses wanted him to eat every 3 hours....but he wanted to sleep.  My niece even tried to entice him with some formula, but he wasn't having any part of that.  I didn't blame him one bit.  He had a long day!

What a doll! 

Aren't babies just amazing?  Miraculous, really.  To think of how this little human being has been growing in his mom's belly for 9 months; everything that has come together so perfectly from just the tiniest of cells...hands, feet, mouth, skin, organs, his brain....the ability to instinctively know to nurse, to cry...just AMAZING!

Welcome, baby M!  We love you!

**********************************

On the Biz ....

Check out some of the cute fabrics Jody has tracked down for little boys:

It has been quite the endeavor to locate really cute fabrics for boys AND to find cute fabrics for boys that coordinate.  Jody rocks when it comes to tracking them down, though.  She has even gone as far as locating fabrics out of Australia and Japan.  She may not freely admit it, but she has a very keen eye for color, coordination and designs that are simply VERY cute. 

I'm loving that lime argyle.  How about you?

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Learning to fly....but I aint got wings.

Indiana Jane is learning to fly these days :).  Give her a ledge....a couch arm....a bed....an elevated surface and she is taking flight.  I had to take a moment this morning to document her flight training :).  

  

Priceless! 

She will jump off the couch and say...."uhhhhh I wish I could fly so bad!" whenever she lands.  I remember the days when I was "Learning to Fly".  I used to steal my brother's Superman underwear and jump off the living room couch, each time thinking "This will be the time".  I was always a little let down each time I came down.  

Tom Petty said it best: Comin' down is the hardest thing ;).  

Happy Friday everyone!  

State of the Union or "Dis"-State of the Union? That is the question

Oh politics....

I know...I know...I am trying to refrain but these guys are KILLING ME!

I am not sure what to talk about first......

Maybe Newt Gingrich's reaction to the statements made by his second ex-wife regarding his request for an open marriage.  I think Jon Stewart already did a pretty good job of this one......

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-flips-out-at-gingrichs-nerve-in-attacking-john-kings-open-marriage-question/

Or maybe the tax returns released by Mitt.  Hmmm....we have a president saying raise MY taxes and a nominee basically saying "Yeah I paid under 15%....and" 

Once again thank you Jon.....

 http://www.mediaite.com/tv/pain-capital-jon-stewart-destroys-mitt-romney-over-his-tax-returns/

Or maybe Jon Boehner's "sunny disposition" at the State of the Union last night  (I will take the comment on this :).  Can you even imagine sitting behind the president of your company (let alone the President of the United States) while he was on national television looking like John Boehner did last night (regardless of how you truly feel about the guy)?  No, because like every other American you are too worried about the unemployment lines.

Oh and last but not least.....the Republicans choice to end their "response" to the State of the Union on the subject of....LIGHT BULBS!!  Are you kidding me?  With the current economic state of our country and ineffective state of our government, having the right to choose between efficient and in-efficient light bulbs is the LAST thing on our mind.

And the Nominees Are....

I'm excited to see the Academy Award Nominee List this morning. 

Hubby and I actually saw 3 of the movies nominated for "Best Picture"!

How did that happen?  We hardly ever get the opportunity to see movies anymore....well, I should say movies with a rating higher than "G".  The three we have seen were all great:  The Descendants, The Artist and Moneyball.  Of those three, my vote would go for The Artist.  We really liked all three and raved about Goerge Clooney's acting in The Descendants...prior to seeing The Artist.  In fact, we just saw The Artist last Friday.  What an AWESOME movie!  Have you seen it yet?  If not, you need to!

Talk about taking a risk.  Knowing that almost the entire movie is silent, we were a little sceptical.  But, wow, what a fantastic job they did and the acting was exceptional.  The little dog is just the cherry on the cake, too.  Very cute.

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A morning to make the Facebook friends J-E-A-L-O-U-S...

So, on Friday I posted my "Best laid plans" post...well this morning was my "best laid plans" SUCCESS STORY.  

4:30 am: woke up....not the highlight of my morning (couldn't sleep)

5:00 am: made coffee and breakfast for the hubby (maybe it was instant oatmeal, but even that is STILL a first for me)

5:30: logged in to work

7:00: woke up the Coyster early...this actually makes him happy

7:10-7:20: 10 minutes of YOGA

7:20-7:30: 10 minutes of Cardio

7:46 am-working on the blog post.

YES!!!

So, on to the FACEBOOK Title.  Heather and I have had this convo (She HATES Facebook by the way) about everybody posting their glorious accomplishments and ONLY their glorious accomplishments on Facebook.  (Well there are those cry for help Facebook poster's but that is a WHOLE other blog post) 

Those oh so annoying posts like:

Just got done at the gym......

Just lifted weights at the gym (at 6:00 am on a Saturday).....

Off to the gym.....

LML...

LML...

My family is the best....

My husband is the best...

My life is the best....

 

Blah...blah...blah...

Don't you wish it was like the "Truth Book" it would be much more amusing (and equally depressing) to see posts like:

Thinking about getting a divorce....

Stayed home in the PJ's and ate ice cream all weekend....

Oops forgot to pay the phone bill....again

My kid is getting held back this year....

I have a drinking problem....

I SO have to lose 20 lbs....okay maybe 40...

My husband is SO going bald....

I haven't showered for three days...

I cried myself to sleep last night....

I hate my job....

I have REALLY let myself go....

Blah...blah...blah 

I know if I am so cynical about Facebook why don't I quit looking at it right??  I know, I ask myself the same thing.  It is one of those love hate things like: Walmart or Fastfood. 

One GREAT thing about Facebook however, is finding gems like this: 

I LOVE THIS!

I am feeling like this blog post sounds a little "Facebook" LML'ish....(sorry for that) however my day starting in success is a rarity I must share, who knows maybe even on Facebook ;).

LML

Not envious

Looks like today's headline is that Newt will take South Carolina, beating out Romney.  Wow.  Very interesting....  NOT! 

Does anyone really care much about the Republican Primaries?  Seriously.  Okay, of course there are thousands upon thousands of people that are watching this race closely and certainly the candidates care.  But, it seems to me that the media has more interest in it than the average Joe.  There has not been one conversation at my work (mostly die hard Republicans there) about who they would like to see win.  Nothing amongst play group, friends, family.  Even me, the news junkie, doesn't bother to click on the story for details. 

For me, they all seem the same.  Politicians.  Left side, right side, middle.  I am so tired of the political circus in our Nation's Capital.  There is not one potential candidate on the right that I believe would or even could make any significant or necessary changes needed to kick this country back in to high gear.  I am having a difficult time seeing anything of substance past their desire for fame and power.

Speaking of fame and power.....nope, I'm not envious of Mitt Romney.  HAHA.  Did anyone catch Romney's "envy" remarks the day after winning New Hampshire?  In his N.H. victory speech Romney called President Obama "a leader who divides us with the bitter politics of envy."  The day following a reporter asked Romney to clarify his remarks:

QUESTIONER: Did you suggest that anyone who questions the policies and practices of Wall Street and financial institutions, anyone who has questions about the distribution of wealth and power in this country, is envious? Is it about jealousy, or fairness?

ROMNEY: You know, I think it’s about envy. I think it’s about class warfare. When you have a president encouraging the idea of dividing America based on 99 percent versus one percent, and those people who have been most successful will be in the one percent, you have opened up a wave of approach in this country which is entirely inconsistent with the concept of one nation under God.

Before I continue on with a novella on this issue and post more of Mitt's comments that day (and Jody has a near heart attack for the politics post), I will say this to end:  While I can't ever remember voting for a Republican President (yes, I have voted for Republicans), I can say that had I considered voting for one this time, it will not happen if the candidate is Mitt Romney.  For that comment alone, he will never receive my vote.  If I were in my young 20's I'm sure I'd be pretty amped up by it, calling him a few choice words.  Older now, I will show my complete disgust with a vote to someone else.

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You know what they say...."best laid plans always fail"

Heather and I have been talking about our mutual goal of getting up early everyday.  For me I feel like the only hours I am awake my kids are OR I am working.  Which leaves ZERO downtime for me.  I have been working on it....however so have my kids.  I was awake at 4:30 am yesterday morning and 5:30 am this morning along with my two girls.....sigh.  There is nothing worse than waking up that early WITH your kids, not BEFORE them (Okay I know there are plenty worse things...I am just not thinking of them at the moment :). 

I went to be early (in bed by 10:00), set my alarm for 5:45 am.  I was going to: wake up, do my blog post, work, do some business research and be done before my son had to leave for the bus......hence the blog title.

Here was my morning instead:

5:30 am.  Woke to two girls in my bed......

 6:00 am: "B"'s chasing Jack around....Already.

 6:30 am: Yep they are playing Wii.....Already.

 7:30 am: The "Cosyter" made a bed dummy....yep....Already (In 2 ways, I thought only teenagers did this :)

7:35 am: Indiana is pummeling the dummy.....Already.

 7:45 am:"B" is making her usual breakfast mess.....you guessed it.....already :)

Gotta love this picture!

 

The silver lining(s) to this morning: The Coyster watched the girls while I took a nice hot bubble bath (hence the dummy mastermind time).  I found myself a new motto...........

And to finish the timeline and begin my plan "B"-9:19 am.  Blog post done......girls asleep.....Coyster off to school and now it's time to work!

Have a good day everyone!

28 Weeks!

I am officially in the home stretch....I have entered the third trimester!
Hooray!

I'm ready and then I'm not.
It sure seems like this pregnancy is going much faster than the last!  Don't know why.
I'm VERY ready to get rid of the double chin, knee pain, back pain....and to meet the little guy, of course!
We are definitely not ready to bring him home, though.  Eeek.
I need to deep clean, purchase more diapers, wipes, clothes.....oh, what a list.
I'd love to come up with a way to replace the carpet in our bedroom before he comes.  He'll be in a bassinet in our room for awhile.
We (my hubby) still needs to renovate our bathroom, paint the kitchen, paint our bedroom.....
Hmmm.  That's quite a long list for 3 months.  Looks like it's time to prioritize.
Oh, why paint the kitchen because a baby is coming home?  If you've been pregnant you understand.  If not, don't try to understand.  It has to be those crazy pesky hormones.

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Oh Billy......

Billy the Exterminator that is.  Indiana is OBSESSED with this show (and him).  Not a proud parenting moment, but just a tad bit hilarious I have to say.

Her daddy loves these kind of reality shows (unfortunately): Billy the Exterminator, Wild Hogs, Swamp People (you know the hillbilly shows :).   I myself am not a fan.  Little Indiana however is a true hillbilly tomboy at heart. She absolutely loves Billy the Exterminator and when you ask her what she wants to watch she will say "Billy" almost every time.  Not Tangled or Cinderella or Little Mermaid.....nope it's "Billy".  

***Parenting disclaimer here, she is not allowed to watch this show by herself, she only gets to watch it with her dad.  She loves to see the animals that he catches (and most of the time relocates) and the main TV time she gets is USUALLY PBS kids or "child appropriate" subject matter :).***Okay I feel a tiny bit better about my parenting skills now ;).

She also has just a little crush on him, which makes me TERRIBLY worried for what kind of guy she will bring home in the future :).  Her daddy will say "Do you want me to call Billy?"  At first she said "No dad".  Well, the shy phase has gone and now she will say "Dad call Billy...please!"  I also caught her talking to her "boyfriend" (on her play phone) last night saying "Hi Billy, I really like you".  I laughed for a good five minutes at least!  

Kids....you gotta' love 'em!  

1-2-3

I had a great weekend.
Got to have dinner and see a movie with a good friend on Friday night.  Saw "New Years Eve".  Not even worth talking about.  Why is it that the more mega stars are in a movie, the worse it is?  It is as if all the budget is spent just obtaining the stars that nothing is left for a good writer, director or editor.  Oh well, it was still fun to get out and see a movie.

Saturday I got to have brunch with my oldest bestest school friends.  I love those ladies and am so fortunate to say that I have friends that go back 27 years!

I was also entertained by my little Rock Star this weekend.

A few months ago she decided she likes Hello Kitty.  I have no idea where it came from, but when Santa Clause asked her what she wanted for Christmas she said, "Hello Kitty and a book."  Who knew?  So, my dad bought her all things Hello Kitty, including a guitar.  She loves it!

Something else she does that I have no idea where she got it from is before she starts playing a song, she will say "1, 2, 3" or "And a 1 and a 2, 3".  Just like a rock star.  Hilarious! 

Speaking of Rock Stars,

My all time most favorite song in the world came on the radio while driving home on Saturday.  I was alone, so I got to turn it up!

Now anyone that knows me knows that I have 1,000 "favorite" songs.  But, this TRULY is my all time number one favorite.

Life's a gift.  Don't waste it!

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Twi-Night

So this month was my month to host our BUNCO group and I asked if I could change it up just a bit.  After searching (unsuccessfully) for ANY event in Utah County on a Thursday night I decided to plan a "Twi-Night".  

We headed to one of my favorite restaurants Wingers and to the new (or not so new anymore) Twilight movie.  

To go along with the cheesy theme of the night I threw in a "Best dressed Twilight fanatic competition".  

Even with my thrift store youth size, glow in the dark, t-shirt  I still did not win the fabulous prize: Chocolate and a Bella & Edward make out scene poster.  I was crushed ;).  

Heather told me I had to get some incriminating photos of myself.  Well.....here they are :). 

What I was sad I didn't get a pic of, was my too tight, too small t-shirt.  It was pretty hilarious.

While I laugh at the theme I have to admit I am a Twilight fan.  Not one of those bumper sticker wearing, Forks vacation planning, Movie quoting fanatics but I DID read all the books and watch all the movies.   Not one of my proudest confessions I would have to say but hey.....I think we all participate in some kind of mindless entertainment from time to time.  Right??

Sisters......

My little girls have such a love hate relationship right now.  I would have to say every woman with a sister could probably relate....I know I can.  When me and my sister were little, I (three years younger) used to RAIL on my sister.  I would hit, bite especially scratch.  We both wanted to be models when we grew up and there was a time when she said "Thanks a lot, now I can't be a model".  It has been our joke for years that I ruined her modeling career.  Sad but true! 

Well now my girls are giving me a taste of my own medicine.  Little Indiana is constantly picking on her baby sister.  She is pushing, hitting, yelling, not sharing....the list goes on and on.  I have lost count on how many times she has visited time out and now "B" is starting to fight back :).  When Indiana falls asleep on the couch "B" takes full advantage of the opportunity by pinching,  pulling out handfuls of hair and poking her in the eye (thank goodness it is closed).  It is some serious sibling rivalry.....and I know the end is nowhere in sight! 

I have to keep reminding myself that sisters are the best of friends.  Mine are!  I only hope my two girls will be too.  They do have their rare moments where I catch them playing with each so sweetly or giving each other a hug in between the pummeling :).

This is encouraging......

Good ol' Indiana is an AVID thumb sucker....and to make the matter even worse, she has to suck her thumb with batting! Yes batting!  She calls it "Fuzzy".  I think it is a weird genetic disorder inherited from my hubby's side of the family ;).  That however would be a WHOLE other blog post....the lineage of the thumb suckers. 

"B" has now adopted the fuzzy addiction.  She doesn't suck her thumb (thank goodness) but she loves fuzzies because her sister does.  She doesn't quite know what to do with them but she rubs them on her face.  

Her all time favorite thing to do is steal them from her sister!  

See Heather, aren't you glad you are having a boy?  ;)

Ahhhh

I had the best morning yesterday!  I had an early morning doctors appointment and glucose test.  Blood draws are NEVER fun.  And, as tired as I have been lately, getting up extra early was not fun either.  But, there happened to be a silver lining to dragging my butt out of bed to get stuck in the arm:  An hour at the mall......by MYSELF!

After my appointment I realized that I didn't have to be back to work for another hour.  I needed to grab a gift for a friend so I headed to the mall.  The last time I was at the mall I drove around the parking lot for a good 30 minutes, couldn't find a parking spot and finally said "forget it!" and left.  That was in December.  Holiday crowds filled the every nook and cranny of the shopping emporium.  Today I found a spot right in front of one of my favorite stores:  Nordstrom.  Hooray!  I walked in, took a nice long breath....Ahhh.  The holiday crowds were gone.  No one pushing or shoving.  Not a stroller within 100 feet.  I walked over to the MAC counter and found three employees waiting to help ME.  I was able to buy some makeup in 10 minutes flat. 

Since I still had plenty of time, I headed for Nordy's barrista and bought the best coconut flavored latte I have ever tasted.  Okay, it probably wasn't the best ever, but it sure seemed like a little bit of heaven.  That and the slice of pumpkin bread was divine.  It was then that I realized that not only were the pushing ugly crowds gone, I was actually enjoying my latte without having to say "Wait just a minute" or "We will look for the green car stroller after mom looks in this one store".  I was ALONE!  Of course I love my little bug more than anything, but to enjoy a little QUIET time was absolutely wonderful!

I savored the rest of my hour at the mall.  I actually got to browse.  I found the perfect gift for my friend and left feeling like a brand new woman.  If I wasn't carrying an extra 15 pounds on my front side, I probably would have jumped as high as I could throwing one fist pump in the air and clicking my heels behind me.  No serious, I would.

Photo courtesy of Shannonigans

****************

On another exciting note, M had her very first dentist visit on Wednesday.  It went great!

She was a little apprehensive at first. 
The Hygienist was very smart, though.  She cleaned my teeth first so that M could see that it didn't hurt at all.  M was adamant that she did not want her "teeth scraped with the metal thing."  But, she was ready to ride in the "Fancy Nancy Chair" and get her teeth "sparkly".

She was so proud and couldn't wait to tell her dad how brave she was.
Success!

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PS -  Don't worry, the latte I had yesterday was decaf.  Now that tells you how good it really was.  Decaf AND delicious!