Family Photo Shoot

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be able to gather together my parents and my kids and head up to our favorite park and take some family photos.  Ever since I got my camera a few years ago, I have enjoyed taking pictures and pretending like I'm a professional.  Yet as amazing as they turn out, I know that I owe most of it to how fabulous my camera is.  All I'm really doing is pointing and clicking.  My mom had wanted to get a nice family picture of all of us (including my brother and his family) on Thanksgiving, but as most holidays go, it was too hectic and before we knew it, the night was over and we hadn't gotten that much desired pic.  So heading to the park was the next best thing and boy did I get some good photos! Enjoy.....

It was the perfect day!

Thankful

Yesterday was Thanksgiving.  And for the first time, I hosted it at MY house.  The funny thing is everyone who heard, thought that I was actually cooking!  Um......no.  That would still be my mom's number uno job.  I just invited the people over.  She did the rest.  Granted, I spent about a zillion hours cleaning - my house hasn't been this spic 'n span since I moved in.  All in all, there were 9 of us (parents, bro, sis-in-law, 2 nieces, me and my kiddos).  Nice time.  Too much food.  And to be perfectly honest, I'm not even a fan of the Thanksgiving Feast.  I'd rather just cook up some pasta and call it a day.  Or better yet, I saw (courtesy of Facebook) that a few "friends" chose to go out to dinner.  Yes, a little on the pricey side.  But no cleaning, no prep, no clean up. It's sounding better and better!  But do you know what the best part of the whole day was?  It was getting to spend 11am - 3pm with my mom.  She came over early to start cooking.  My kids were still at their dad's so it gave her and I a chance to just hang out and chat - no interruptions, no kids, no needing to spell out words, you get the picture. I love my mom! 


And with that, here are some of the things I am thankful for this year:

1. My kids
2. My parents
3. My health and that of my family
4. My friends
5. My job
6. My house and neighborhood
7. My new love of exercise (yes, you heard that right!)

I realize most of those are kind of generic but they are honestly what I am most thankful for! Hope everyone's turkey day was a good one!  Now onto preparing for Christmas........

Better get some more cats!

So I was in bed last night and all of a sudden I had a realization: I actually may end up single for the rest of my life....and I'm OK with that.  I'm at a point where being on my own with my two little loveys sounds perfect to me.  They are really all I need (along with my family and good friends).  Do I need a man in my life?  No.  Do I want a man in my life? No necessarily.  Of course I wouldn't turn away Josh Duhamel (see last post) but it's not something that I'm wishing for at this point.  I used to pray and wish and hope that I'd meet my prince charming.  I'd worry that I'd be single forever and live alone for the rest of my life.  And although that still is a very real possibility, it doesn't scare me.  I'm happy right now.  I'm content. I mean, look at us.... aren't we the cutest little family of three??? 

But then as I was about to fall asleep and dream sweet dreams of me and my happy little family of three, my mind fast-forwarded to about 15 years from now when both my kids are grown up and most likely living on their own.  And there I am. In my house.  By myself.  Ok, now being single doesn't sound so appealing.  It sounds lonely and too quiet. 

Better get more cats!

I'm done....for real this time...

So I've decided that online dating isn't for me.  I mean, seriously, it really isn't for me. 

I think I'll just meet boys the old fashioned way - meeting my "Josh Duhamel look-a-like" while 

randomly walking amongst the produce section at the local grocery store. 

 

Yummy!

Back in the saddle...

So I did it.  I signed up for online dating...again.  I am a bit surprised that I did.  I mean, about three years ago when I did it the first time, it was not a successful venture and I swore (swore!!) I'd never do it again.  But for some reason, here I am once again...... 

The thought to sign up again first started a few months ago when my friend and I were moaning and groaning about how pathetic it was that we were single and there were no eligible bachelors around...anywhere!  I mean, we are above average in looks (she's beautiful!) and we are all-around great catches.  It's ok to toot my own horn, isn't it? So why were we still single?  Maybe it is because we are past the bar-hopping stage in our lives.  And when we do go out, it's with our girlfriends and we just want to hit up happy hour and relax from our busy week.  And as for meeting people through friends, well that's a complete bust.  All my friends are married with married friends. And the ones that have single friends, admit that even they wouldn't set us up together.  I guess I can thank them for looking out for me. 

So when online dating came up, I admitted that I had already ventured down that road before.  But that I might be interested in doing it again since it's been a few years and obviously I am still single as all hell!  It makes me nervous to accept the fact that I'm back online. I am experiencing all sorts of different emotions: nervous, anxious, embarrassed, scared... you name it.   I can understand why I might be nervous or anxious, but why am I embarrassed?  I think it's because by clicking on "accept", I am admitting that I can't meet a guy on my own.  But why should that be an embarrassment? It just is.  I am weird.  I admit it. 

Anywho....so begins my second (and hopefully last) hurrah into the world of online dating.  I am going to try and blog about the good, the bad and the ugly.  Hopefully there will be more good than bad or ugly.  But regardless, it will be documented. 

We're MOVING!!!!

So it's official: after waiting for so long, we are finally moving to __________! Yep, I can not wait.  I always told myself as soon as Eli was in kindergarten, we'd make the move to ____________ to be closer to work, school, friends, etc. 

Pros
Close to work
Close to school
Close to friends
No commute
Not so rushed in the morning
More time in the evening to spend at home
I can walk to work
Easier for playdates, momdates, etc.
One story house
Big backyard
Culd-a-sac
Quiet neighborhood

Cons
Further away from my parents - there is only one con but it's a huge one!  Being so close to my mom and dad is a dream.  Not only when it comes to their help with the kids, but also just as simple as things like going to dinner and then only having to drive 5 minutes home, knowing they are so close for any reason, having the comfort of my mom being able to come over at a moment's notice, the list goes on. 

But aside from the one negative of moving, the positives are so worth it.  I have been waiting for this move for so long and I can't believe it's finally here.  We have found the perfect little house: it's a one story, on a court, on a quiet street.  The neighborhood is so kid-friendly.  I hope to be in this house for awhile. 

In the past 8 years, I have moved four times already.   That means Sophie has also moved four times.  That's enough.  She is going to be in third grade and has already established good friends.  I feel it's more important now than ever that she is able to settle into a community with her friends.  And now that Eli is entering into K, he will also begin to build friendships and settle in. 

We move in three weeks and boy is there a lot to do!  Thankfully, a friend of mine has given me all of her moving boxes (Thanks, Donna!), so that is one less thing I need to worry about.  I figure that between now and moving day, I will pack little by little.  This will also be a good time to clean out and purge all of that stuff that we no longer need or use.  Oh, that's another PRO to moving - a chance to really go through stuff and discard. 

Keep you posted........

Happy Father's Day

Here's to the best Daddy in the whole world.  Thank you for always loving me, supporting me, allowing me, encouraging me, advising me, comforting me, trusting me, understanding me......  I love you lots!

 You're the best Papa in the world, too!

 

Blog a Day Posts are DONE

I have decided to stop doing the whole "Blog-a-day" thing.  I felt like I had an assignment to do everyday and it made blogging not as much fun.  Although some of the topics are fun, I still started to dread having to do them.  That is NOT what I had in mind when I decided to start up my blog again.  I want to WANT to write, not feel like I have to.  So, from now on, I am  no longer following the "Blog-a-day" format.  Instead, I'm just going to write whenever the heck I feel like it.  Dunzo!  And with that, I'll leave you with this little pic:

Always take the time to relax and enjoy the silence.

Monterey is like a little piece of heaven on Earth.

We have just returned from our annual trip to Monterey, CA.  Anyone who has ever been there knows how beautiful it is.  The weather was perfect (mid 60's) and the house we stayed in this time was amazing.  The views from our living room windows were spectacular! My children and I are lucky enough to be able to go with my parents.  They have generously offered this trip to us for the past few years and my children have come to love it just as much as the adults do.  From the Aquarium to the Wharf, there is so much to see and do.  And as the kids get older, it only becomes that much more fun and enjoyable.  Here are just a few of the MANY pictures that I took:

 The beach that was right across the street from our house

Visiting the Aquarium

Fisherman's Wharf

 A random piano was set in the middle of the pier for anyone to play.  So cool!

Other random pictures from our trip

This was the amazing house we stayed in!

Blog a Day #7 - The things I'm most afraid of...

So I wrote a post to go with this topic, but then I deleted it.  It made me sad and anxious. Dumb topic, dumb post.  I'm skipping it. Blah.

Blog a Day #6 - If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?

I am a Mommy.

 

 

That just about says it all.