We are the Millers

This week, I'm saying so what if... I have no pictures to show for our Memorial Day weekend because 1. Baby Girl was sick the whole time and, therefore, naked and I don't like to post naked pics that she could yell at me for later, 2.  We didn't do anything worth taking a pictures of! The bouncer I have been dying to buy for Baby Girl is sold in none of the stores I have been willing to travel to so far.  I'm thinking an online purchase will be made in the very near future.   I am not taking off Friday for my birthday now since I had to take off last Friday for Baby Girl's illness.  Still taking a half day! I am more tired now that when Baby Girl first came home.  Her little sickness is kicking my ass more than it's kicking hers. My phone is making this weird noise every time it rings or I get a message.  My phone is making that noise because I threw it across a room because I was angry that I didn't realize the Chinese food I ordered wa...

Do you ever find yourself actually wanting to watch sad movies?  I do sometimes.  I'm not really sure why.  Maybe it's because there are so many stupid and pointless movies out there that I would rather bawl my eyes out at the special and sad meaning of a movie than waste my 2 hours starting at something meaningless. Here are a few of my favorite sad movies (and by favorite I mean movies that make me cry so hard my eyes might actually pop out of my head) in order by release date: (2010) Not the best movie in the world but I was ridiculously shocked and saddened by the end because I just didn't see it coming. (2009) Ok, I admit, I didn't actually see the movie.  I saw a few bits of the movie but I knew I wasn't going to be able to see the whole thing so I turned it off.  I have read the book, though, and I cried like a baby. (2008) I don't even know what to say.  Every time I watch this movie I cry but I can't NOT watch it.  It...

If I was going to be that overprotective, I-will-stab-you-in-the-throat-if-you-come-near-my-kid, crazy Mom, this would be a valid reason as to why: Etan Patz  - READ THIS ARTICLE I mean seriously? Do we remember this one?  Leiby Kletzky  - READ THIS ARTICLE When I was growing up, my sister and I walked to the bus stop every day.  Our parents didn't walk with us, we walked on our own.  And we were usually fighting so one of us was always ahead of the other.  My ten year old nephew is not allowed to walk to the bus stop on his own.  It's not because he's not old enough.  It's because of articles like the ones I posted above.  You can't let your kids go anywhere or do anything without the threat of them being kidnapped by some maniac! I get nervous if my nephew is outside playing and no one is out there with him.  I mean really?  My husband was chasing his brothers and sisters through the woods at the age of 5, not setti...

Last week's schedule and menu: Click picture to make larger Monday: Hamburgers and hot dogs at the church softball game  - Yes, this happened Tuesday: Pork Chops with Garlic Parmesan Crust and Twice Baked Potato Casserole   - This did not happen.  I think my husband came home way late from work so I made this Wednesday instead. Wednesday: Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake   - Pork Chops with Garlic Parmesan Crust and Twice Baked Potato Casserole   and it was awesome!  I put a little too much garlic in the crust but it actually came out great.  I also put a little too much sour cream in the potatoes but they weren't bad either.  They really tasted like baked potatoes! Thursday: Frozen pizzas (softball game) - I think we actually ate leftover pork and potatoes Friday: Out - I honestly can't remember what we ate but I know we didn't go anywhere.  Wendy's maybe? Saturday: Red Potatoes and Ham Casserole ...

These idiot parents >> Worst Parent Week   Please watch the video!!  What is wrong with people?! Mummas Day 2012  >> "I am not the keeper of my own heart."  Isn't that the truth.  I love the Mother's Day aprons and her story on  Miss Tay  really did me in.  This video >> What a beautiful young woman and she was so humble.  I hope they go far.  This article >> Mom makes eleven year old shoplift  >> Can you imagine how that little girls must have felt, first, being forced to steal, second, being abandoned by her mom?! I feel like there's more but I just can't think of what they are!! What brought a tear to your eye this week?

Kudos to the thermometer making people who felt the need to make a thermometer that scares the shit out of unsuspecting new Moms.  I mean this thing flashes red and beeps like there's a friggin fire burning in the house directly at my feet.  And.it.scared.the.shit.out.of.me.  Story... So we got this really cool thermometer that has three changeable heads: rectal, mouth and arm.  It takes like 2 seconds to give me a temperature and it has always been pretty accurate.  The only kind of thermometer I trust at Ashlyn's age is the rectal (never thought I'd ever hear myself say that).  Well the battery died and we can't find this f*ing battery anywhere.  I call it an f*ing because we have looked at the grocery store, the pharmacy stores, Wal-Mart.  We have been on a hunt for this dam battery for like two months! So I bought this $5 thermometer at Wal-Mart just to hold us over.  Well this thing was junk.  I don't doubt that the...

Ashlyn's being Dedicated! According to Christianity.com, "A Baby Dedication is a ceremony in which believing parents, and sometimes entire families, make a commitment before the Lord to submit a child to God's will and to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways. Christian parents who dedicate a child are making a promise to the Lord to do everything within their power to raise the child in a godly way, prayerfully until he or she can make a decision on his or her own to follow God. Parents who make this vow of commitment are instructed to raise the child in the ways of God, and not according to their own ways. Some of the responsibilities include teaching and training the child in God's Word, demonstrating an example of godliness, disciplining according to God's ways, and praying earnestly for the child." I was not raised religiously so this isn't something I completely understand but apparently it's a pretty big deal....

Not only am I now trying to plan our dinners every week, I'm also doing a full on schedule of everything we have going on and everything I want to do.  I need to get myself into a better routine.  I keep saying I want to go for walks after work with Ashlyn but I never do.  I keep saying I want to make sure we have a dinner schedule but we never stick to it.  I keep saying that I want things to be more organized but they never are.  So here is my weekly schedule: Want to see the schedule a little more clearly?  Click on it to make it bigger. As you can see, there are already some things crossed off because of schedule changes.  For example, on Tuesday, while I did take Ashlyn for a walk after work (and she slept through the whole walk), my husband didn't get home until 7 and then had more running to do for work so we did not get our pork and potatoes for dinner.  So, even though I was seriously irritated, I guess I'll just make it tonight ...

I just linked up with Shannon at Life After I Dew  to start "So What Wednesdays."  I think this will be good for me.  Let me know what you think! This week, I'm saying so what if... I want to start pawning some of Ashlyn's stuff onto my Mom to keep at her house so I can get new stuff.  New stuff is cuter! I set a dinner schedule each week that gets ruined by my husband because he works more hours than anyone else in the world. I threaten to secretly put our Black Lab in our neighbor's yard and hope they don't notice. We have NO plans this Memorial day weekend.  We have a kid and everyone forgets about us! I feel like I need something extremely significant to happen in my life right now because I have been nothing but bummed lately. I can't keep my eyes open past 10pm, even on the weekends. Ashlyn turns 6 months in a few weeks.  It's not like she's growing up or anything. The shower almost completely overflowed this morning because the...

I've been seeing a lot of stuff out there about these "Mommy Wars" that are going on, especially since the Times released their latest issue with the breastfed kid on the cover (more on that later).  I wasn't sure what "Mommy Wars" was so I Googled it.  I guess it's all about how Moms judge each other based on their parenting styles and what choices the make?? Stay at home mom versus a working mom.  Breastfeeding mom versus bottle feeding mom.  Co-sleeping mom versus a crib mom.  The list goes on.  Are we really judging each other for these things?  Isn't it hard enough just being a mom? I subscribe to a blog called Red Pen Mama and she posted a blog about this, stemming from the Times cover.  Read Hot Button .  It's all about what she did as far as parenting choices go because it was what was best for her family.  I find that I completely agree with her. There are plenty of times when I hear something about a friend and the way ...

Last week's menu: Sunday: Mother's Day - No cooking! - my Dad cooked us Italian chicken and baked potatoes! Monday: No plans = McDonald's :( - Oh well Tuesday: Whatever we had left in the house = baked steak and chicken and roasted potatoes - Not my favorite thing to do but we didn't have time to go shopping. Wednesday: Spaghetti - That's it.  Classic spaghetti with meat sauce. Thursday: Not sure what's happening here! - My husband's softball game ran UBER late so we wound up not doing anything for dinner here.  Friday: Pork? - I did not make the pork.  I honestly can't remember what happened this night! Saturday: Mini Lasagna Cups - Maybe....we have a busy day so if not today then definitely Sunday! - I did make these Saturday night and they were AWESOME!  Sunday:    Out - We had a busy day and wound up picking up so KFC for dinner.  Oh well! We don't have any plans for Memorial Day Weekend yet so here is this...

Happy Birthday Avery  >> Posted on Facebook: Happy 6-month birthday Aviator...keep flying! To my baby on your 3rd birthday  >> Tripp would have been 3.  I made a donation in his honor.  A League of Their Own >>  You know that part when they are in the locker room and the guy comes to give the telegram about someones husband dying? Yea....that part. Your 5 month old week 1  >>  "As your baby gets older, he may start to cry when you leave the room and get excited when you come back in. He may also raise his arms when he wants to be picked up and give you pats on the back." OMG If Ashlyn raises her hands to me or pats me on the back, I am going to cry.  I started tearing up just reading this!  My best friend >> Once again, she is freaking awesome.  Not only does she try to reassure me that I'm a good mom, she supports me always.  Here's to our new girls nights! This P&G video ...

I think that's what I'll call this from now on:  Menu Monday Of course that would require me to post this on Monday now wouldn't it!  Well, Sunday was Mother's Day so I didn't do any cooking or planning so this week has been a bit of a bust but we'll see what we can do. Last week's menu: Monday: 20 Minute Skillet Lasagna  - this was awesome!  It was so good and so easy to make.  I will be making this again for sure. Tuesday: Garlic Parmesan Crusted Chicken Legs and Mashed Potatoes - The garlic Parmesan crust was pretty dam good if I do say so myself.  I will use this recipe on pork next time. Wednesday: Chicken Wraps - These were pretty good.  Pretty simple.  My husband likes them because I make his with lettuce, tomato and onion and he doesn't get that very often. Thursday: Meatball Sandwiches - Meatballs are one of my favorite foods.  And they are so ridiculously easy to make. Friday: Leftovers - We actually stopped at ...

Ashlyn's gift to her Nan (Grandmother) and Gran (Great Grandmother) was a pretty planter that she sat and sortof kindof helped to plant.  Here are the pictures from her gardening experience. Ashlyn and her Gran She wanted to kick the plant And she wanted to pull it back out of the dirt I got a planter for my nephew as well.  He was even less enthusiastic about it than Ashlyn was! I guess we'll try again next year when Ashlyn is old enough to want to play in the dirt! Happy Mother's Day anyway!

I'd like to say that my first Mother's Day was the most amazing day of my life and I can't even believe how awesome it was and that it blew away every expectation that I had.  Sadly, this is not the case.  So, instead of focusing on the what-we-dids and what-we-gots of Mother's Day, I'm going to focus on why I am so incredibly lucky to be a mommy Ashlyn's mommy.  Let me start by saying that every day is Mother's Day when you get to wake up to this sweet little face.  I mean, there isn't anything more amazing in this world then opening up the nursery door to see two little feet sticking up in the air and being greeted with a HUGE smile!  She melts my heart from the second I lay my eyes on her. Unfortunately, my eyes were layed on her at 6am Saturday morning!  And there was no sleeping in like normal because she was AWAKE!  I guess she just wanted to get our weekend started a little sooner. We spent the whole day Saturday playing, napping, eatin...

Does anyone even read this blog anymore?  I started this thing out as a way to document my pregnancy.  A way to let all my friends know everything that was happening without having to text them all or email them all or message them all on Facebook. It has become 'my place' - the place I go to share my frustrations, my dreams, my hopes and still share everything there is to share about Baby Girl.  I don't write posts for anyone other than myself.  But I think I'd like to.  I kind of want to have more than 2 followers.  I kind of want people to leave me comments on how great they thought my post was for the day.  I kind of want people to tell me that the Pampers commercial makes them cry too. But how?  I follow all of these blogs that have have professional graphics and nice ads and giveaways.  How does all of this work?  How do you become a 'professional blogger'?  Is that even a profession? I think it would be fun.  I cou...

Tear to the eye Friday: - Avery >> Yup...she made me cry again with her beautiful letter to her parents.  Averys Celebration of Life - "EB"ing a Mommy  >> Like waterfall crying here people.  The story of Tripp is so sad.  I can't imagine losing my little girl. - This video >> I mean, OMG!  That little girl is so adorable!  And when she went around the corner and said "Oh Daddy" I just lost it! - This video >> This is the kind of love I have to look forward to! -This video >> Episode 6: JR Martinez Surprises Wounded Airmen and His Family I mean, what a beautiful family! - My best friend >> She is freaking awesome.  She always tries to make sure that I know that I am a good friend and a good Mother and she has no idea how ridiculously awesome that is to me. What brought a tear to your eye this week?

I am addicted to Pinterest.  One place to store all kinds of crazy ideas that I will probably never use?  It's awesome!  The first section I always check is the 'Kids' section and I have a ton of things posted to my 'Baby' board.  I really hope to take some time and use some of these ideas because there are some pretty cool things on there!  I have provided the link to each idea's original page under each picture. This is my favorite by far... Project Nursery Partially because it's something that is easy to create and also because it's true!  Every morning I wake up, my little girl makes me smile.  She always makes me smile!  I might go with something like this to match her room. This has to be the most beautiful shadow box I have ever seen. Make it: Gorgeous Shadow Boxes I think it's adorable.  It has the onesie and hat the baby came home in, the first picture and the first letter of the name.  Other than cha...