Welcome to Slob-ville

Does the fact that I watched What Not to Wear while wearing my pjs and eating my lunch at 1pm say anything good about me at all? I don't think so.

It's just one of those blah days. The party went well last night, but I'm not sure how much I'll get free yet. I finally cleaned up the crumbs off the counter while I was getting my lunch ready.

One of the highlights of the party was catching up with a couple of friends (one of whom I hadn't seen in YEARS) and comparing ways that we make a few bucks from home. We're compiling our lists now to share with each other. Both of them are now considering starting blogs - yay!

What's your best tip for a site with a) freebies (whether to sample, or just because) or b) cold hard cash!

Your Mission...

Rock the Vote! (Does MTV say that anymore?)

Vote for Canape for best music blog.

And vote for Girl (Memoirs of a Mommy) for best diy blog.

Ten on Tuesday

I've been so busy running around with..well...everything! That my posting seems to have fallen by the wayside. So this morning I hit The Daily Meme for inspiration. From there, I found Ten on Tuesday. Today's topic?
Ten Places You’d Love to Travel To (That You Haven’t Gone to Yet)
This is kind of a hard one for me, since hubby loves to travel even more than I do, and because we traveled A LOT in the RV when I was younger. To make it a little more bearable, I'm going to modify my list to be places I'd love to travel that I haven't gone to yet - since I've been an adult. K?

1. Salem, Massachusetts - this is one of those places that I did visit with my parents (I think), but I'd like to go see all the old historical, touristy stuff with an adult's perspective. This actually applies for most of the east cost of the U.S.A.

2. Neuschwanstein Castle - this is at least one of the inspiration's for Cinderella's castle at the Disney theme parks. Since Neuschwanstein is in Bavaria, it was one of the places we considered visiting on our Germany trip, but it was a little too far in a car with an infant. We'll make it back sometime, though.

3. Boldt Castle - I'm not sure if this is Canadian or American. It's in Alexandria Bay, and we've seen it from the boat, but never actually gone to it. I want to see the real deal :)

4. Hawaii - I love the island climate, and I can't list Bahamas, since we just went there a couple months ago. I've never been to Hawaii, though. Let's go!

5. The west coast of the U.S.A. - while I think I was in California when I was younger, I don't think I've been all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Weird thing about me? I don't like getting in the water, but I like seeing it. Go figure.

6. Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC - this is already on hubby and my list of places to visit. The big catch for us has been its size - they recommend a couple days to see it all, and we're usually just passing through.

7. Charleston, SC - hubby says this is somewhere I'll like. Also, either here or, well, anywhere else, I'd LOVE to go on the night walking tour where they tell you about ghosts and stuff. I just think it sounds like fun.

8. Sunset Bat Flight - okay, so I wasn't actually thinking of this as a 'location,' but I like bats, and would love to go someplace to see them and learn more about them. There was a thing in the U.P. of Michigan that I'd considered going to years ago. This link is to a place in Texas that claims to have the largest public population of bats.

9. Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis - just cuz Mae and Tara have gone there with their kids and made it look like so much fun! There's probably one closer to home for me, if I had the time and wasn't working so much :(

10. I want to go visit all my wonderful bloggy and mommy friends who are all over the map! (If I win the lottery, I'll be on my way! (Sorry for anyone I left off - this linking stuff was getting exhausting! Hahahaha)

Wow!

What a week so far...I've got old friends coming out of the woodwork :)

Yesterday I noticed a message from a friend saying that another friend had sent me a message on a forum we used to frequent. I went to check it out, and sure enough, they were telling me about another site to check out. Done! I've reconnected with several friends from wayyy back in my pre-married days. (well, pre-this marriage, anyway...)

Today I was in the kitchen getting my lunch ready, and the phone rang. It was a friend I used to work with over ten years ago! She got my married name from another friend I email with infrequently. We caught up for a few minutes and plan to get together soon. She kept getting really stuck on the fact that I have a baby. See, I knew her back in my very independent days, when I didn't plan on having kids. Surprise!

And this is all thanks to the internet. It's a week I really needed all this extra feeling of 'connectedness.' Our weekend trip was with a bunch of people who have known each other for years and years. They are totally cool and welcoming of us, but sometimes I miss not having friends that are really 'roots' to my past.

I don't really talk to people I went to high school with (other than the one who messaged me on MySpace last week - yet another blast from the past!), and my college experience was non-traditional. I was a commuting student for a while, then went into an accelerated/adult program, so I didn't make the sort of life-long friends a lot of people talk about from college.

How long have you had your friends?

Another Contest!

Check out Lisa Leonard Designs. There's some very unique and cool jewelry. It's not just great bling, but a great opportunity to express yourself at the same time! Did you pick out your favorite? Excellent! Now head over to Andria and Co. before Thursday night to enter for your chance to win the Open Circle Necklace from Lisa Leonard Designs (there's a picture of it at Andria's site...).

Good luck!

Thursday Thirteen - Sixth Edition

I turned to hubby for advice on this one. I loved my mom's Thursday Thirteen list, but I figured I should wait and copy her theme another week. ;)

This week, I'm taking hubby's suggestion of Thirteen Things I'm Looking Forward to Doing This Summer. Yay! I can hardly wait til summer!

1. Playing outside with my baby girl.
2. Taking a swimming class with my baby girl.
3. Checking out the stroller aerobics group that meets in the next town over.
4. Going to THREE weddings (that we know of so far...)
5. Celebrating Maggie's first birthday!
6. Getting a tan.
7. Seeing my parents' pictures as they travel to/through Alaska.
8. Having our new patio installed (and old ratty deck torn down).
9. Getting my Cricut for either Mothers' Day or my birthday.
10. Going for boat rides.
11. Visiting with friends in South Carolina and maybe again at the Tail of the Dragon.
12. Meeting up with our Canadian friends for the 1000 Islands Poker Run.
13. Being able to go outside without thinking about coats/shoes/etc...

What's that? You want to WIN too??

Then here's a little sumthin-sumthin for ya. Head on over to Andria and Co. for a chance to win an adorable Keepsake Journal. It's a great idea for getting as much of your history as you can.
Go on now, you only have til Thursday night.

Contest Time!!

Need some new make-up, or sparklies, or kids stuff, or a Mothers' Day gift? (I could go on and on here!) It's all available at Tara's Avon site. Want to get something for FREE? Go check out Tara's blog. You can definitely get something for free - even if you don't win the contest, she's offering free shipping this week!
It's the last day - HURRY! The free shipping code is on her site.

(and check out that adorable baby while you're there :) )

T&P

Today I bring you a nice, short post.

Use the rest of the time you would have spent reading this entry to send your thoughts and prayers, or peace, or healing energy, or white light, or whatever it is you send for someone to have a thorough, fast and comfortable recovery to Hayleigh (who is having heart surgery today) and Brynn (who is having eye surgery today).

Thanks!

Sometimes Tears are Okay

I'm not sure if everyone knows, but I update my reading list as I finish reading books. Not nearly as many books as I used to read, but I'm usually reading something.

This morning, I finished reading The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney. It really got to me. It was a story of four women who had been friends for over ten years. They each had their personal struggles, but one they pretty much shared was Isabel's battle with breast cancer. It talked about her reactions to chemo and radiation, and her eventual death.

Just a few years ago I lost my best friend to breast cancer. I wasn't there for her like Isabel's friends were, but I was absolutely never made to feel guilty about it. My friend, Suzanne, and her husband were so, so wonderful to me, even through their very tough times. She wasn't the first friend I'd lost, so my reaction to grief was a total shut-down.

When Sue had her first diagnosis, we still hung out. The chemo would knock her out for a few days, but then she'd be back in the game. She pulled through and was cancer-free for a spell.

After her diagnosis that the cancer had returned, we still hung out. When she was still out and about a little bit (but obviously getting weaker), we went out for lunch a few times, and talked on the phone somewhat regularly.

After treatment was stopped, I called her a few times, but as she got weaker and couldn't really talk much, I didn't go visit her. And they understood it just wasn't something I could bring myself to do. Her husband even said he'd understand if I didn't go to the funeral. But that, I made it through. I just couldn't watch her be miserable and know she wouldn't be with us much longer.

The book brought all that back so fresh. I'm jealous of those with long-time female friends. I feel like I have mostly acquaintances, but no one I really see on schedule, or talk to on a regular basis. There's a group of us that gets together once a month, or every couple months, but we don't really talk much in between. I'm jealous of the closeness of the women in the book.

Am I just imagining that other women have 'best friends' like this? How long have you had your best friend? If you're married (especially) is there still a friend besides your husband that you call when you're excited, or upset, or whatever - to tell things to that you have to tell or you'll burst? My husband is my new best friend, but sometimes I wonder if there's something else to be had in a best girl-friend.

You Could Win!!

My friend Andria has started a Friday giveaway!! Woo-hoo!!

For your chance to win Dr. Seuss board books, go enter now!

And Yet More Bahamas

We rented a small 25’ motorboat from Port Lucaya and did a little exploring in the canals and eventually out to "Peterson Cay." Here’s Maggie showing her Dad how it’s done. He's so proud.




She loved the boat! and I love this picture!!





Maggie would always start off the day full of energy and enthusiasm…





…but more often this is how she looked once we finally make it to the beach.





Eventually she would wake up. Sarah was super cool about watching Maggie while hubby and I would take off for a while down the beach.





Awake from her nap.




This particular beach we were visiting had a short pier off the beach. Daddy and Maggie went for a walk while Mommy actually took a few minute to read.

Avon Calling!

Remember the good ole days when the Avon lady stopped by every couple of weeks and brought her suitcase of stuff to show your mom, or left the catalog at the front door if no one was home? Whatever happened to that?
If you're missing visits from the Avon lady too, go see her instead! Tara's waiting for you to stop by her new Avon store to stock up on your old favorites, or check out the great new stuff available from Avon now :)

More Bahamas!

With all the time we spend traveling, alarm system monitoring is a good investment, eh?



Maggie, me and Sarah on “Baraby Beach.” One mile long and all to ourselves.





Family Portrait Time.




Family Beer Time! When eating out, Sarah would try to take us to all of the hole-in-the-wall places that only the locals know about.





Hubby went snorkeling at the local beach with Jeff. (I'm never crazy about actually going in the water.)



Maggie and I hung out on the beach and watched. She never complained about wearing her sunglasses and hat outside! Hahahaha...





Later that evening, we drove into Port Lucaya (the resort area) for dinner. Here I am standing in front of Jeff and Sarah’s townhouse. We got lucky and the baby usually cooperated on our little 'field trips.' It's sometimes exhausting just to make it out, with all the baby accoutrements.

Bahamas!!

Last week was our fantastic Bahamas vacation. We stayed with a good friend of mine and her husband (and their dog ;) ) for seven nights. It was cheap and laid back.



First stop on the tour, my husband and my friend's husband went to the Grand Bahamian Brewing Company. They hung out at the brewery and a had a few glasses straight from the still. :cool:



Why didn’t anybody ever tell me about these “Reef Shoes”!?!? The notion of never again being stranded on a beach without an opener… brilliant! Here we see my friend's husband cracking open a “traveler” for the ride home. Driving around with open containers is perfectly legal in the Bahamas. :rock:



Later on, we took the dog “Luc” for a stroll on the beach. The beach was about 500 feet from the townhouse and almost always empty. The cool lens effect is actually a plastic bag over the camera to protect it from the falling rain.



A very rusted industrial sized chain on the jetty. Lots of garbage on the island. Litter is a big problem.



The beach at the end of the street just after a good rain.











The next morning was B-E-A-U-T-F-U-L!!! 76 degrees, not a cloud in the sky and almost no humidity.

Maggie all dressed up and ready to go.

Home Again

What a fabulous vacation! Hubby brought the camera with him to work today, so I don't have any pictures yet, but Maggie looked soooo adorable in her little sunglasses and sunhat!!

Unfortunately, I expected to get home and be all rested and refreshed and ready to go, but I feel really ucky to be home :( My friend that we stayed with was so on the ball, I feel like the worst wife/homemaker/mommy ever. To my credit, she doesn't have kids yet (but she does have a dog, which definitely adds something). Her apartment was neat and organized, and she cooked three healthy meals a day (well, except when we insisted on going out). And then she cleaned up too. I feel completely inadequate.

To make matters even a bit worse? I think Maggie and I picked up a bit of a small bug on the plane. My tummy is wonky, and she's blown out twice so far today and is super-fussy :( With all the messes, our bathroom faucets are getting a workout today.

Success!

Well, the party is (pretty much) over. As the nice ladies left, I was at $115 free, plus two items at 50% off and two items at 60% off. Not bad. Not bad at all. Then a friend of mine called and said when she took the catalog home, her aunt decided she needs some stuff...like $200 worth of stuff. Yikes! That's going to add like $50 to my free spending. Woo-hoo!!

I love doing home shows sometimes. For an afternoon with friends, I get free stuff! This show will enhance my kitchen like Macys coupons could enhance my and Maggie's closets. Hahaha...

T-Minus...

Ten minutes til par-tay time! Yeah - we're having a good ole Pampered Chef party here. Last count of RSVPs said there's like a dozen people coming - yikes! That's a houseful around here!

So I'm off to finish wiping down the counters one last time, make sure there's t.p. and kleenex in the bathroom, get the clean clothes of the folding table (since our laundry room IS our bathroom...), and sort out the right ingredients for all the cooking to commence!

Can You Cover All Fifty?

States, that is. I just Googled that old BFF, and she's in Texas - huh. I know a lot of people in different states from the internet, but I don't think anyone from movers New York besides my sister-in-law's sister. (What does that make her to me, anyway?) Maybe I'll make my way through all the States and see where I know people...hmm...Alabama...Nope. No one comes to mind. I'm at a dead end already! Another project lost to my waning enthusiasm! Hahaha

Less than a WEEK!!

I'm only at the overwhelmed point so far, but excited is starting to creep in! We have a busy weekend to go before we leave.

Saturday is a baby shower for (pay attention, now) the wife of my husband's friend's younger brother. Didja get that? I also grew up down the street from the same friend and younger brother. My mom and sister-in-law are going too. So hubby is going to drive me and SIL the half hour or so out there, so he can show off baby and then give me a few hours where I can pay attention to what's going on instead of paying attention to baby.

Sunday is my Pampered Chef party. Yes, it is happening after all. I think the consultant is pretty surprised at the expected turn out, but she's not used to the fact that I used to do these things for a living, and know how they should be done. And everyone is coming just to see my cute baby :P Hubby will carry the torch on that one too, and keep her out from underfoot so I can visit with my friends. Yay for helpful hubby!!

Between Saturday, Sunday and Monday, I also need to work at least 10 hours. Then - at long last - we leave at like 6am or some ungodly hour to fly to Ft Lauderdale, then on to Freeport, Bahamas. Biggest YAY!!!