Initially Snowflake Christmas
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
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Initially Snowflake Christmas
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
On the Move...
We didn't do ALL of the things we wanted to do like go to a movie and hit up about every American Restaurant we could, but we did make it to Fuddruckers and Oh My Stars, was that good. I'm salivating now just thinking about it.
We shopped, got Josh some new suits, for business and the pool. I tried to convince him, he could pull off the European Speedo, but he just shook his head in disapproval. At least I tried, right? When in Rome...
Oh...sidebar.
How ironic is it that again I am on the verge of a move, with no time to spare and yet here I am wasting precious minutes updating my 18 thousand followers (in reality, just drop the 'thousand' and that will about do it for the number of people who actually follow me. I think you have to have to enter your e-mail to follow me and when that happens people get a little leery...so whatever. There has been 4,260 blog views so at least those 18 people are reading A LOT! Just kidding. Most of the views come from FB, so thank you Mark Zuckerberg.)
Back to the States: We did HersheyPark in which I applaud myself for riding every roller coaster. For not being a coaster person, I sucked it up and managed to keep my Large Rita's Gelati down and not plastered all over the other riders on the coasters. Note to self: Not a good idea to eat Rita's or anything for that matter before riding G-force type rides. Now you know. You're welcome.
We Parked it up and took Mallory and Mia to Sesame Place. What a great place! Mallory enjoyed it and frankly so did Mia. She was clapping along during the shows and waving to Elmo. So cute. Hopefully I managed to catch these precious moments on the awesome disposable camera I bought to use for the day. Yes, there I was. Amongst all of the digital parents, holding in the flash button to charge it and then trying to mask the 'click and wind' sound with a cough or fake sneeze. It was completely mortifying. But since my nice camera has a lazy lens, I had no other option. I can only imagine how ridiculous I looked. Hopefully the pictures turn out OK. Now just to find a place to develop film. Do they even exist anymore. Mamma Mia!
Let's see what else..7 trips to Target, Hershey Spa Massage and Facial, 2 Pedicures, 1 Haircut and lots of shopping...that about sums it up. Good trip all around. It was great to catch up with the usual suspects in H-town and surrounding areas. Badaboom!
So now, back in Milano where we haven't had a restful night of sleep since we returned. Jet Lag can kiss somethin' if you know what I mean? Try having 2 little ones who aren't tired from the hours of midnight-3am. Poor Josh actually had to get up for work and function in some way. I only had to appear to be awake and functioning when actually, I mastered the ability to change a diaper, nurse a baby, and supervise a toddler poop at 4am, all while still sleeping.
I've got movers coming in 6 days to pack us up and then we are off to Genoa to take an overnight Ferry to Palermo followed by a short drive to Catania, the general locale of our new residence. Did I mention it will be Josh, Me, Mallory, Mia, luggage, anything the movers won't pack, AND the dog? Haha. I'll just have to remember how funny that sounds when I am in the thick of it all.
As for the new house, it IS brand new and has plenty of room for visitors, which we already have lined up. My sister is coming. This is sure to bring some serious shenanigans along with it, as well as new blog material. My mom is coming too. Her help will be priceless as we go through another transition that holds who knows what.
The villa has a yard. Kota will be so excited...until she steps outside and realizes it is a million degrees out and she turns right around and comes back inside. We are moving during the hottest month of the year. At least I'm NOT pregnant this time. I'll be sure to take pictures with my NEW Camera. No it isn't another disposable. This one cost $6.99 too. (Just move the decimal point a few spaces) I got a Nikon D3100 somethin' or other. A little treat to myself. Now if someone could just show me how to use it, that would be great. I've been playing with it and want to do super fun pictures and get all into the photo world, but that will have to wait...realistically, a very long time. For now, the auto function will have to do for most cases until I can fully grasp the depth of all this thing can do. You can take still photos while shooting video! Pretty neato, or at least that is what the camera guy told me, not in those exact words, per se.
My Tastefully Simple Business is still Rockin'. Probably because people have to eat...I dunno, just a guess. I am currently looking for September Catalog and Mini Taste Test Hosts. Our new Fall/Winter line will be available and everyone is going to want a taste. Visit my Tastefully Simple Website to see what "Limited Time" items you'll want to stock up on before they are gone! Returning Favorites products are only available through July 31st! So get to shopping and then e-mail me with your order to get a free Bountiful Beer Bread with your order just for reading my blog! Just be sure to put BLOG in the subject line. Also hop on over to my Tastefully Simple Fan Page and "Like" it for special offers and deals! Don't delay, click here and do it now!
E-mail me Libby6423@yahoo.com
That is all for now. This one is quick and dirty, but be sure to stay tuned for the blog all about the actual, physical move to Sicily. I'm sure it will be chock full of steamy, sweaty, Italian men....literally, and other mildly entertaining anecdotes.
Ciao,
Libby
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
My Not So Happy Birthday...
I first sat down to write a little thank you on FB to all of those that wished me a Happy Birthday, all 120 some of you, and I just kept writing, so I decided to write a FB note instead, but couldn't figure out how to do that quickly enough for all of the words that were pouring out of my head, so a BLOG it is!
Thank you for all of the birthday wishes! Believe it or not, my actual birthday was not "wonderful, fantastic, glorious", or any combination of the previous (your words, not mine). It was one of 'THOSE' days. Even "adventurous, spontaneous, hot momma chickas" (again, your words not mine) like myself have a bad day every once in awhile and mine just happened to fall on my birthday. But reading your birthday wishes this morning along with a great cup of coffee helps to make yesterday just fade away and disappear like it should!
Looking back, it all started without my morning cup of coffee, you know, the one that starts the day fresh, gives you a boost of energy, but most importantly, keeps your caffeine withdrawal headache at bay? Ahh, sweet glorious coffee.
Anyway. The day started off pretty normally. Baby Mia woke up needing to be nursed, so I did. Josh leaves for work, and Mallory starts yelling from her bedroom, "MAAAAMM-A (long pause) MAAAMM-A?!" I quickly finish nursing the baby, cutting her off short I'm sure, head over to Mallory's room to tell her it is OK to get out of her bed.
Side note: It is unusual for her to stay in her bed ALL night. So we use bribery to make it happen as much as possible and when the bribery really sinks in, she follows the rules to the point. So when we say "stay in your bed all night" and she actually listens, she won't get out of her bed without permission.
So I go in and she immediately asks for her princess earrings (stick on) and matching princess ring for staying in her bed ALLLLL night. Then the next thing out of her mouth "I want chocolate. Momma can I please have some chocolate?" She asks nicely you see?
To this I reply as any good mother would, "No, you may not have some chocolate. We need to eat breakfast first." This brings about the first temper tantrum of the day. I try to redirect with the princess earrings and matching ring which somewhat works until she says, "Momma, I want a snack"
The word "snack" in our house, usually refers to Goldfish and I have a thing about not feeding my child goldfish for breakfast. I manage to get her to eat some yogurt for breakfast and she seems excited about a half of a banana, but then ends up just rolling it all over the table covering it in last nights dinner crumbs and then tells me she doesn't want her banana. So what do I do...I eat it, of course. Breakfast of champions.
I look at the coffee pot filled with yesterday's leftover coffee which was Tiramisu flavored and think about heating it up rather than making a new pot of coffee. But decide against it, considering that yesterday's Tiramisu coffee was not as delicious as it sounded. In fact, Josh and I both decided we didn't like it. I was sincerely disappointed considering 1) The flavored coffee is a delicacy from the States that we have visitors smuggle into Italy for us and 2). I LOVE Tiramisu. It is one of my all time favorite desserts and it it is on a menu, I get it. Thankfully, we live in Italy and it is on MOST menus.
"Momma, can I watch a movie?" YES, I think. I'll be able to feed Mia some baby food in silence. Silence to me is now accompanied by the VeggieTales theme song and its following catchy tunes. I'll have a moment to wake up and get my bearings about me, so yes, I put a movie on.
I'm not so sure what happened between breakfast and lunch. I'm pretty sure it took me 3 hours to switch out a load of laundry though.
Lunch rolled around and Mallory ate a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich with apples, which I ever so cleverly decorated the sandwich with. She ate half of the sandwich, all of the apples (no skin of course) and then marched into the living room with the other half of sandwich in her hand high above her head. "Momma, I'm going to eat this in the living room, and hold it up real high so Kota doesn't get it, OK?" Sadly, holding it up over her head only makes the sandwich eye level for Kota. Luckily Kota was passed out on the kitchen floor and didn't notice the sandwich leave the premises and go into the living room. Phew, crisis averted.
20 minutes later: "Momma, I'm hungry."
Did she really eat the other half of her sandwhich or is it sitting on the couch wreaking havoc on my upholstery? No, she really did eat the whole other half. OK. Goldfish it is. A bowl full of goldfish and I've bought myself some more time to wake up. I finish feeding Mia apples for the first time which finally she has learned to swallow baby food as opposed to "zerbert" it all over me. I come into the living room to find Mallory perched on top of the couch with her bowl of goldfish in hand. This perched position is to keep the large dog away from her goldfish you see. She has learned, after Kota has consumed numerous bowls of goldfish just laying around. This of course is always followed by a complete meltdown.....from Mallory.
My eyes wide as saucers, I excitedly instruct her to get off the top of the couch. This she takes as me yelling at her and she throws herself onto the floor in hysterics.
OH. EM. GEE. This is only getting worse.
It is now that I decide that a nap is not optional for her today.
Nap time is a disaster. I put her into bed, give her some books, which I know will only lead to her asking for more books, and her not sleeping, but will buy me some time.
Just as I suspected, She yells from her room, "Momma, I want some more books!" I oblige.
Later: "Momma, I want 2 blankets!" I oblige
Later: "Momma, I'm hungry." I give her a cracker.
Later: "Momma, I want some water." I tell her she has her sippy cup, but she insists on her pink big girl cup. I explain that she can't have a big girl cup in bed because it will spill. "But why?" she says. "Because I said so." Yes, I use that phrase mutiple times a day. How else do you reply? Telling her she can't have the pink cup leads to an overtired 3 year old flailing about in her bed. I leave. The screaming continues.
Kota nudges the door open and eats the cracker she has placed on her rocking chair. More screaming. I get her another cracker.
"Mallory I am not coming back into your room after this. It is nap time, you must close your eyes and get some sleep." I offer a "Princess Party" as a bribe if she naps. I am exhausted and will offer activities that will only exhaust me more just to get a tiny break. The princess party, I explain to her involves painting her nails and dressing up in her new "Belle" dress. She seems enthralled, turns into a sweet child again, rolls over in her bed like she is ready to snooze, and I take a deep breath. I've done it! She is going to nap! Now I need to lay down.
I don't usually need a nap, but I can barely keep my eyes open. No sense in making coffee now, it is 2 pm! Mia is sleeping, so I take the opportunity to ignore the laundry, the cleaning and the general mess that is my house after we return from a week long vacation. This nap is for sanity purposes. I lay down on the couch, after I clear it off of course, and close my eyes. I don't know how much time passed, not much I am sure, and Mallory was lifting up the blanket crawling up on the couch to snuggle with me.
"Aww," I think. "A nap with my baby on the couch, how sweet." NOT. SO. MUCH.
Here is what ensued.
In a loud whisper:
"Mommy, I need my froggy, and my blanket too." She goes to her room retrieves the items and back on the couch with me.
"Mommy I have to go poopy"
"Go ahead" I know she can't complete the entire task by herself, but I am wishing that today is the day.
"Mommy, I'm all done" she calls from the bathroom.
I get off of the couch, go into the bathroom.
"Mommy, I have more, but you can stay in the bathroom if you want" Gee. Thanks.
We finish potty time. Back on the couch. She lays down on the other side of the couch by herself.
"Mommy, the PHONE!" The phone is ringing, but I am still hopeful for sleep, so I don't run to get it. I hear Mandi leaving a birthday message. I'll call her back.
Next thing I know. There is a crunch of a cracker over my head followed by crumbs on my eyelids. She had grabbed a pack of crackers off the table and helped herself. At least she saved me that trip.
I close my eyes, praying for sleep.
"Momma, I need help" She has changed her pajamas and her shirt is on backwards. I help.
Then, I am pummeled by 2 baby dolls.
"Here, Momma. Here are my babies. They need you, they are crying." She is still loudly whispering. I cuddle the babies under my blanket and try to go back to sleep.
"Momma, I got it on the wrong way" She has changed her pajamas again, still the shirt is on backwards. I help and am about to blow my top.
I hear Mia. She is awake and ready to nurse. All hope is gone.
My phone rings it is my sister. We skype, trying to have a conversation in between me tending to Mallory and commanding....ok...yelling at her to stop jumping on the couch.
My mom calls while I am talking to my sister and leaves a message. I'll call her back. She calls again.
I call her back. We try to have a conversation in between me reprimanding Mallory and a time-out screaming session. She is overtired...and so am I, and a major headache is brewing. I hear Josh say in my mind...'did you drink any water today.' Drinking water is his remedy for anything, but, no, I haven't had anything to drink, not even coffee. I go and chug a glass of water.
It is now 6pm and Josh is calling to tell me he is on his way home. I haven't decided if I want to go out for my birthday or not or have Josh pick up something to make for dinner on his way home. Both are terrible options, because going out, means Mallory will be up late when she has school tomorrow, and I have a headache. Having Josh pick up dinner means it will be that much later until he gets home, and I'm not sure how much longer I can make it. I propose going out to eat by myself.
Now this seems so awful to do on your birthday when you should want to be surrounded by those that you love. But I am really not feeling the love at the moment. I just want to be by myself with a large glass of mommy juice. It sounds so nice and seems like a beautiful moment in my head, them Mallory grabs the phone and wants to talk to Daddy. I think Josh senses my desperation, I hope.
We go out to dinner, I'm craving my favorite. Tagliatelle with lime and shrimp. They've changed the menu and no longer have it. Ugh. Bring me a glass of wine...STAT!
Josh forgets my birthday present in the car. So he goes out to get it. I open it up expecting the only thing I really asked for. A certain brand of perfume that I knew I liked. What he got me, is not the perfume that I liked, but a different perfume. I try to conceal my surprise, because I know he spent a good while sampling perfumes to find one that he liked, and also smelled similar to the one that I want. Why he didn't get the one I wanted, I'm not sure. He assured me this one was Italian, and I had to laugh because the other one that I wanted was Versace. Versace IS Italian...lol. I explained this to him. Anyway. The perfume smells nice, so all is fine, and I'm thankful for the time he spent to get me something nice. If he would have got me what Mallory wanted to get me, I would have ended up with a cow. So I really am thankful.
We finish dinner and head home. Mallory sings me a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday on the way home, which melts a tiny bit of my headache away. At this point it hurts to make quick movements, and I'm on the verge of being sick because it hurts so bad. I feed Mia and crawl directly into bed at 10pm. This is super early for me, but my headache is still pounding and I know the sooner I go to bed, the sooner I can wake up and make a pot of coffee that I was so desperately in need of on this day.
Today is a much better day, as I am 3 cups deep and feeling much better just from writing down what a shlop my day was yesterday. (shlop is a made-up word)
So thank you for all of the birthday wishes, they started my 'day after birthday' day off on the right foot. I declare today my actual celebration for my birthday. A Re-Do of sorts.
Have you had your coffee yet? I suggest you do.
Thank you for all of the birthday wishes! Believe it or not, my actual birthday was not "wonderful, fantastic, glorious", or any combination of the previous (your words, not mine). It was one of 'THOSE' days. Even "adventurous, spontaneous, hot momma chickas" (again, your words not mine) like myself have a bad day every once in awhile and mine just happened to fall on my birthday. But reading your birthday wishes this morning along with a great cup of coffee helps to make yesterday just fade away and disappear like it should!
Looking back, it all started without my morning cup of coffee, you know, the one that starts the day fresh, gives you a boost of energy, but most importantly, keeps your caffeine withdrawal headache at bay? Ahh, sweet glorious coffee.
Anyway. The day started off pretty normally. Baby Mia woke up needing to be nursed, so I did. Josh leaves for work, and Mallory starts yelling from her bedroom, "MAAAAMM-A (long pause) MAAAMM-A?!" I quickly finish nursing the baby, cutting her off short I'm sure, head over to Mallory's room to tell her it is OK to get out of her bed.
Side note: It is unusual for her to stay in her bed ALL night. So we use bribery to make it happen as much as possible and when the bribery really sinks in, she follows the rules to the point. So when we say "stay in your bed all night" and she actually listens, she won't get out of her bed without permission.
So I go in and she immediately asks for her princess earrings (stick on) and matching princess ring for staying in her bed ALLLLL night. Then the next thing out of her mouth "I want chocolate. Momma can I please have some chocolate?" She asks nicely you see?
To this I reply as any good mother would, "No, you may not have some chocolate. We need to eat breakfast first." This brings about the first temper tantrum of the day. I try to redirect with the princess earrings and matching ring which somewhat works until she says, "Momma, I want a snack"
The word "snack" in our house, usually refers to Goldfish and I have a thing about not feeding my child goldfish for breakfast. I manage to get her to eat some yogurt for breakfast and she seems excited about a half of a banana, but then ends up just rolling it all over the table covering it in last nights dinner crumbs and then tells me she doesn't want her banana. So what do I do...I eat it, of course. Breakfast of champions.
I look at the coffee pot filled with yesterday's leftover coffee which was Tiramisu flavored and think about heating it up rather than making a new pot of coffee. But decide against it, considering that yesterday's Tiramisu coffee was not as delicious as it sounded. In fact, Josh and I both decided we didn't like it. I was sincerely disappointed considering 1) The flavored coffee is a delicacy from the States that we have visitors smuggle into Italy for us and 2). I LOVE Tiramisu. It is one of my all time favorite desserts and it it is on a menu, I get it. Thankfully, we live in Italy and it is on MOST menus.
"Momma, can I watch a movie?" YES, I think. I'll be able to feed Mia some baby food in silence. Silence to me is now accompanied by the VeggieTales theme song and its following catchy tunes. I'll have a moment to wake up and get my bearings about me, so yes, I put a movie on.
I'm not so sure what happened between breakfast and lunch. I'm pretty sure it took me 3 hours to switch out a load of laundry though.
Lunch rolled around and Mallory ate a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich with apples, which I ever so cleverly decorated the sandwich with. She ate half of the sandwich, all of the apples (no skin of course) and then marched into the living room with the other half of sandwich in her hand high above her head. "Momma, I'm going to eat this in the living room, and hold it up real high so Kota doesn't get it, OK?" Sadly, holding it up over her head only makes the sandwich eye level for Kota. Luckily Kota was passed out on the kitchen floor and didn't notice the sandwich leave the premises and go into the living room. Phew, crisis averted.
20 minutes later: "Momma, I'm hungry."
Did she really eat the other half of her sandwhich or is it sitting on the couch wreaking havoc on my upholstery? No, she really did eat the whole other half. OK. Goldfish it is. A bowl full of goldfish and I've bought myself some more time to wake up. I finish feeding Mia apples for the first time which finally she has learned to swallow baby food as opposed to "zerbert" it all over me. I come into the living room to find Mallory perched on top of the couch with her bowl of goldfish in hand. This perched position is to keep the large dog away from her goldfish you see. She has learned, after Kota has consumed numerous bowls of goldfish just laying around. This of course is always followed by a complete meltdown.....from Mallory.
My eyes wide as saucers, I excitedly instruct her to get off the top of the couch. This she takes as me yelling at her and she throws herself onto the floor in hysterics.
OH. EM. GEE. This is only getting worse.
It is now that I decide that a nap is not optional for her today.
Nap time is a disaster. I put her into bed, give her some books, which I know will only lead to her asking for more books, and her not sleeping, but will buy me some time.
Just as I suspected, She yells from her room, "Momma, I want some more books!" I oblige.
Later: "Momma, I want 2 blankets!" I oblige
Later: "Momma, I'm hungry." I give her a cracker.
Later: "Momma, I want some water." I tell her she has her sippy cup, but she insists on her pink big girl cup. I explain that she can't have a big girl cup in bed because it will spill. "But why?" she says. "Because I said so." Yes, I use that phrase mutiple times a day. How else do you reply? Telling her she can't have the pink cup leads to an overtired 3 year old flailing about in her bed. I leave. The screaming continues.
Kota nudges the door open and eats the cracker she has placed on her rocking chair. More screaming. I get her another cracker.
"Mallory I am not coming back into your room after this. It is nap time, you must close your eyes and get some sleep." I offer a "Princess Party" as a bribe if she naps. I am exhausted and will offer activities that will only exhaust me more just to get a tiny break. The princess party, I explain to her involves painting her nails and dressing up in her new "Belle" dress. She seems enthralled, turns into a sweet child again, rolls over in her bed like she is ready to snooze, and I take a deep breath. I've done it! She is going to nap! Now I need to lay down.
I don't usually need a nap, but I can barely keep my eyes open. No sense in making coffee now, it is 2 pm! Mia is sleeping, so I take the opportunity to ignore the laundry, the cleaning and the general mess that is my house after we return from a week long vacation. This nap is for sanity purposes. I lay down on the couch, after I clear it off of course, and close my eyes. I don't know how much time passed, not much I am sure, and Mallory was lifting up the blanket crawling up on the couch to snuggle with me.
"Aww," I think. "A nap with my baby on the couch, how sweet." NOT. SO. MUCH.
Here is what ensued.
In a loud whisper:
"Mommy, I need my froggy, and my blanket too." She goes to her room retrieves the items and back on the couch with me.
"Mommy I have to go poopy"
"Go ahead" I know she can't complete the entire task by herself, but I am wishing that today is the day.
"Mommy, I'm all done" she calls from the bathroom.
I get off of the couch, go into the bathroom.
"Mommy, I have more, but you can stay in the bathroom if you want" Gee. Thanks.
We finish potty time. Back on the couch. She lays down on the other side of the couch by herself.
"Mommy, the PHONE!" The phone is ringing, but I am still hopeful for sleep, so I don't run to get it. I hear Mandi leaving a birthday message. I'll call her back.
Next thing I know. There is a crunch of a cracker over my head followed by crumbs on my eyelids. She had grabbed a pack of crackers off the table and helped herself. At least she saved me that trip.
I close my eyes, praying for sleep.
"Momma, I need help" She has changed her pajamas and her shirt is on backwards. I help.
Then, I am pummeled by 2 baby dolls.
"Here, Momma. Here are my babies. They need you, they are crying." She is still loudly whispering. I cuddle the babies under my blanket and try to go back to sleep.
"Momma, I got it on the wrong way" She has changed her pajamas again, still the shirt is on backwards. I help and am about to blow my top.
I hear Mia. She is awake and ready to nurse. All hope is gone.
My phone rings it is my sister. We skype, trying to have a conversation in between me tending to Mallory and commanding....ok...yelling at her to stop jumping on the couch.
My mom calls while I am talking to my sister and leaves a message. I'll call her back. She calls again.
I call her back. We try to have a conversation in between me reprimanding Mallory and a time-out screaming session. She is overtired...and so am I, and a major headache is brewing. I hear Josh say in my mind...'did you drink any water today.' Drinking water is his remedy for anything, but, no, I haven't had anything to drink, not even coffee. I go and chug a glass of water.
It is now 6pm and Josh is calling to tell me he is on his way home. I haven't decided if I want to go out for my birthday or not or have Josh pick up something to make for dinner on his way home. Both are terrible options, because going out, means Mallory will be up late when she has school tomorrow, and I have a headache. Having Josh pick up dinner means it will be that much later until he gets home, and I'm not sure how much longer I can make it. I propose going out to eat by myself.
Now this seems so awful to do on your birthday when you should want to be surrounded by those that you love. But I am really not feeling the love at the moment. I just want to be by myself with a large glass of mommy juice. It sounds so nice and seems like a beautiful moment in my head, them Mallory grabs the phone and wants to talk to Daddy. I think Josh senses my desperation, I hope.
We go out to dinner, I'm craving my favorite. Tagliatelle with lime and shrimp. They've changed the menu and no longer have it. Ugh. Bring me a glass of wine...STAT!
Josh forgets my birthday present in the car. So he goes out to get it. I open it up expecting the only thing I really asked for. A certain brand of perfume that I knew I liked. What he got me, is not the perfume that I liked, but a different perfume. I try to conceal my surprise, because I know he spent a good while sampling perfumes to find one that he liked, and also smelled similar to the one that I want. Why he didn't get the one I wanted, I'm not sure. He assured me this one was Italian, and I had to laugh because the other one that I wanted was Versace. Versace IS Italian...lol. I explained this to him. Anyway. The perfume smells nice, so all is fine, and I'm thankful for the time he spent to get me something nice. If he would have got me what Mallory wanted to get me, I would have ended up with a cow. So I really am thankful.
We finish dinner and head home. Mallory sings me a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday on the way home, which melts a tiny bit of my headache away. At this point it hurts to make quick movements, and I'm on the verge of being sick because it hurts so bad. I feed Mia and crawl directly into bed at 10pm. This is super early for me, but my headache is still pounding and I know the sooner I go to bed, the sooner I can wake up and make a pot of coffee that I was so desperately in need of on this day.
Today is a much better day, as I am 3 cups deep and feeling much better just from writing down what a shlop my day was yesterday. (shlop is a made-up word)
So thank you for all of the birthday wishes, they started my 'day after birthday' day off on the right foot. I declare today my actual celebration for my birthday. A Re-Do of sorts.
Have you had your coffee yet? I suggest you do.
 |
| Family Photo in Viareggio, Italy |
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Unsolicited Relationship Advice
In celebration of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd just write a little something.
How we celebrated:
On Valentine's Eve, Josh got a fabulous babysitter and we went out (with Mia) to dinner at probably the best restaurant we have eaten at since we arrived in Italy, and it was only 5 minutes down the road! It was perfectly delicious. He had the most beautiful card for me with his inner most thoughts and feelings about me hand written inside. All it said was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. No really, he did write me a lengthy note about how much I mean to him...blah blah gushy gushy.
Seriously though, Josh has been given the gift of words (on paper..lol). He can express himself so beautifully in a card or letter. I've got a whole box full of 12 years worth of cards and notes to prove it. I keep them because one day, when I am long gone, I want there to be tactile proof for my children to see how much their daddy loved their mommy.
He also surprised me with an unnecessary but cherished gift: A Tiffany's necklace! Can a girl get any more lucky?
So here it is, the meat and potatoes of this post: UNSOLICITED RELATIONSHIP ADVICE:
I usually don't give advice or opinions unless asked. Probably because I have been given unwanted and unsolicited advice in the past and it usually annoys me. So I try not to annoy others. But just in case you've been dying to know the secrets to a happy marriage, strong relationship, or landing the mate of your dreams...READ ON!
Josh and I have been a "couple" for 12 years now! We are coming up on our 6 year wedding anniversary. We have been through a lot together and so I like to think I know the tiniest bit about being in a relationship and what it takes to make it work.
Here are a few lessons I have learned.
1. Don't judge a book by its cover.
When Josh first showed interest in me, I really wanted nothing to do with him. I even tried telling him that I didn't want to get involved with him because of his "bad boy" image. Ok, that last part was a joke, But I really did tell him I didn't want to be with him and my excuse was because he was going off to college to the fall and I didn't want a long distance relationship. As a freshman in high school, I KNEW what I did and didn't want. haha. Josh basically let my request go in one ear and out the other, which leads me to number 2.
2. Don't take "No" for an answer.
Well....let me clarify fellas (for my millions of male readers). "No" means "No!"," but sometimes you just need a little persistence in the right situation. In our case, persistence paid off for Josh. So did roses, lavish gifts, and extravagant dinners at Applebee's.
3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate, and Procreate!
I CANNOT tell you how important communication is! Holy Toledo! TALK to each other, if it bothers, angers, annoys, upsets, disappoints, humiliates, or embarrasses you, TALK about it. Make the best effort to TALK about it. Don't fly off the handle, raise voices, or throw a hissy fit. Talk calmly about your feelings. On the other side of it, let it be known when you appreciate, love, adore, are impressed, are pleased, or are thankful.
And Procreate! Children are a blessing from above, and they have only made our relationship stronger. Now, don't go gettin' knocked up, because I said it will make your relationship better. That would be bad. I'm just saying having children takes a relationship to a whole new level and you depend and rely on the other so much more that is changes the dynamic, from my experience, in a good way. I also say Procreate because it is fun to try...."EWWW gross!" (In the voice of my former 10 year old self) Moving on.
That is about all I can think of on such a whim of a blog and my creativity has dried up for the day. If you have someone special in your life, take this day and EVERYDAY to show them how much you appreciate and love them.
If you don't have someone special. Hit the alarm and throw your head under your pillow because today is the worst day of the year!
I'm totally kidding! Really though, there are plenty of fish in the sea, and despite the fact you've been through most of them...fish are always laying millions of eggs and thus there is always fresh fish out there on the open market. Does that make you feel better?........ No?! Crap.
There really isn't anything I can say to make someone who is feeling crappy about today feel any better. Except for the fact that St. Patrick's day is around the corner and there are usually plenty of single Irish gals and guys, or guys and gals pretending to be at least 1/12 Irish out at some bar drinking green beer looking for that special someone through their thickest pair of beer goggles. What does this mean for you? YOU are going to look AMAZING! Forget about those last 10 lbs, the bad highlights you just got, or that beer gut, because you are now the cream of the crop and the biggest fish in the sea! Go get em' Tiger!
Happy (or not) Valentine's Day.
Feel free to Share!
How we celebrated:
On Valentine's Eve, Josh got a fabulous babysitter and we went out (with Mia) to dinner at probably the best restaurant we have eaten at since we arrived in Italy, and it was only 5 minutes down the road! It was perfectly delicious. He had the most beautiful card for me with his inner most thoughts and feelings about me hand written inside. All it said was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. No really, he did write me a lengthy note about how much I mean to him...blah blah gushy gushy.
Seriously though, Josh has been given the gift of words (on paper..lol). He can express himself so beautifully in a card or letter. I've got a whole box full of 12 years worth of cards and notes to prove it. I keep them because one day, when I am long gone, I want there to be tactile proof for my children to see how much their daddy loved their mommy.
He also surprised me with an unnecessary but cherished gift: A Tiffany's necklace! Can a girl get any more lucky?
So here it is, the meat and potatoes of this post: UNSOLICITED RELATIONSHIP ADVICE:
I usually don't give advice or opinions unless asked. Probably because I have been given unwanted and unsolicited advice in the past and it usually annoys me. So I try not to annoy others. But just in case you've been dying to know the secrets to a happy marriage, strong relationship, or landing the mate of your dreams...READ ON!
Josh and I have been a "couple" for 12 years now! We are coming up on our 6 year wedding anniversary. We have been through a lot together and so I like to think I know the tiniest bit about being in a relationship and what it takes to make it work.
Here are a few lessons I have learned.
1. Don't judge a book by its cover.
When Josh first showed interest in me, I really wanted nothing to do with him. I even tried telling him that I didn't want to get involved with him because of his "bad boy" image. Ok, that last part was a joke, But I really did tell him I didn't want to be with him and my excuse was because he was going off to college to the fall and I didn't want a long distance relationship. As a freshman in high school, I KNEW what I did and didn't want. haha. Josh basically let my request go in one ear and out the other, which leads me to number 2.
2. Don't take "No" for an answer.
Well....let me clarify fellas (for my millions of male readers). "No" means "No!"," but sometimes you just need a little persistence in the right situation. In our case, persistence paid off for Josh. So did roses, lavish gifts, and extravagant dinners at Applebee's.
3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate, and Procreate!
I CANNOT tell you how important communication is! Holy Toledo! TALK to each other, if it bothers, angers, annoys, upsets, disappoints, humiliates, or embarrasses you, TALK about it. Make the best effort to TALK about it. Don't fly off the handle, raise voices, or throw a hissy fit. Talk calmly about your feelings. On the other side of it, let it be known when you appreciate, love, adore, are impressed, are pleased, or are thankful.
And Procreate! Children are a blessing from above, and they have only made our relationship stronger. Now, don't go gettin' knocked up, because I said it will make your relationship better. That would be bad. I'm just saying having children takes a relationship to a whole new level and you depend and rely on the other so much more that is changes the dynamic, from my experience, in a good way. I also say Procreate because it is fun to try...."EWWW gross!" (In the voice of my former 10 year old self) Moving on.
That is about all I can think of on such a whim of a blog and my creativity has dried up for the day. If you have someone special in your life, take this day and EVERYDAY to show them how much you appreciate and love them.
If you don't have someone special. Hit the alarm and throw your head under your pillow because today is the worst day of the year!
I'm totally kidding! Really though, there are plenty of fish in the sea, and despite the fact you've been through most of them...fish are always laying millions of eggs and thus there is always fresh fish out there on the open market. Does that make you feel better?........ No?! Crap.
There really isn't anything I can say to make someone who is feeling crappy about today feel any better. Except for the fact that St. Patrick's day is around the corner and there are usually plenty of single Irish gals and guys, or guys and gals pretending to be at least 1/12 Irish out at some bar drinking green beer looking for that special someone through their thickest pair of beer goggles. What does this mean for you? YOU are going to look AMAZING! Forget about those last 10 lbs, the bad highlights you just got, or that beer gut, because you are now the cream of the crop and the biggest fish in the sea! Go get em' Tiger!
Happy (or not) Valentine's Day.
Feel free to Share!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
il tempo vola-TIME FLIES!
Wow, time flies. Blogging has really been put to the back burner lately. In case you hadn't heard...uh...we had a baby...and when I say "We"...I really mean "I"...had a baby :) So much has happened in the last 3 months, that I should really update you in the shortest way possible hitting on major key points and FAQ.
Mia Rose Hunking was born October 13th at 3:44 pm.
FAQ; How was it giving birth in Italy?
Well, let me just say it was different...very different. Not in a bad way, just not what you would experience back in the states by any means. When you walked into the hospital it felt like something straight out of the 60's. The patient rooms were bare bones. No TV, no telephone, no Wi-Fi, no in room shower (I'll touch more on this in a minute) No spousal sleeping arrangements. Josh and my mom took turns sleeping on the hospital room floor on a sleeping bag. God Bless them! Just the bare necessities, a bed for me, and a table to change the baby on. Luckily, we had private insurance, so I had my own room, otherwise I would have been sharing a room with up to 6 other moms and their babies. I saw it with my own eyes. It is true....6.
When I had Mallory, my bed was the equivalent of a souped up Hummer. It had bells, whistles, and best of all a self adjusting mattress that my guess is designed to help prevent bed sores.
My bed in Italy...MODEL T FORD. It was a rough ride (period) By day 3, I was ready to run out of the hospital, which would have been a miracle, considering I could barely walk.
On another comparison note, when I had Mallory via C-section, the next day, nurses were asking if I had showered yet, and I remember responding by saying "Oh, no I didn't, I didn't know if I was allowed to with my incision and all" Then off to my in room shower I went at their urging!
Remember me saying there wasn't a shower in my room? So, I manage to ask the nurse where the showers are the day after my C-section with Mia. She blabbered something in Italian, shook her finger and repeatedly said "No" and mimed scrubbing her arm pits and pointed to the sink in my room. So the reason for no shower in your room is because THEY DON'T LET YOU SHOWER! I know, it is gross. Let's just stop there and move on, shall we?
Last but not least we have the pain medication issue. I contemplated committing what I'm sure is a Federal crime in multiple countries. I was about to hit some folks up on Facebook asking them to overnight me some narcotic drugs. I'm not saying I know a lot of people that would have the ability to do that, I mean only like 4 or 5, but that is beside the point. I digress. I was at the point of desperation when my anesthesia began to wear off, and I had this intense pain. Probably because MY STOMACH HAD JUST BEEN CUT OPEN. I called the nurses to make sure the "GOOD STUFF", going into my arm through IV was actually dripping and not kinked, because it certainly was not working at alleviating my pain. I eventually asked my doctor what it was exactly they were pumping into me and she informed me it was about the equivalent of Tylenol. Yes, you read that right. After having major surgery, I was on Tylenol folks! The reason they couldn't give me narcotics was because I was breast feeding. Yes, I get it, they do cross over into breast milk, but I popped them like candy with Mallory and she turned out just fine...I think. Seriously though, you take them when you need them and boy did I need them. Especially since I had a hacking cough that came about the night before my surgery. Incision in stomach plus coughing does NOT feel good, I can assure you. At one point, I asked for more "tylenol" and was told I couldn't have any more because it was "bad for my liver". So is drinking alcohol, but people still do it!
5 weeks after Mia was born, we headed on our first family road trip to Germany for Thanksgiving. No, they don't celebrate "Thanksgiving" in Germany. Those Indians landed in Williamsburg, VA remember? Silly. We went to visit my cousin and his family there and had a wonderful visit and plenty of gluhwein. (Hot wine) at multiple Christmas markets where Mallory rode plenty of carousels, over and over and over again. I'm dizzy just thinking about it.
In the beginning of December, Josh had a few days off work for some Italian Holiday, and we took full advantage and headed 2 1/2 hours south to Tuscany! 4 nights in a Tuscan Villa, Tour of Florence, Wine tour, and a personal chef that came to the villa to cook an 8 course meal for us...we were living the high life! Definitely and unforgettable trip. My mom was still with us and she also enjoyed herself, especially playing Pocahontas and John "Sniff" with Mallory. Gotta give thanks to that Pocahontas for discovering America you know? Mallory is only 2 1/2 and she is already learning her American history...sweet!
Did I say it was a trip to remember...yes I did. I will "REMEMBER" that my daughter is prone to car-sickness just like myself. The road to Tuscany is no straight shot, so after many twists and turns through the country side...we had an "incident" in the car about 30 minutes from our final destination. Poor Mallory and poor Mom who was in the back seat with her. It was cold and we had the windows down for obvious reasons. 'Nuff said.
We spent the holidays back in the states. Mia had her first plane ride at 2 1/2 months old. Both of the girls were so good. Not a peep out of either one of them. (Thank you Duct Tape!) We enjoyed our time at home thoroughly. I managed to only make it to Target 4 times as opposed to my original prediction of 7. Pathetic...for multiple reasons. I did LOTS of shopping. I pre-bought gifts for Mallory's birthday and stockpiled bribery items too. Ahhh....nothing like a little retail therapy, and boy did I need some therapy after spending nearly 3 weeks with my family! Just kidding...I loved every minute of being with our families. It was such a blessing to be able to spend so much time with them! Now if only they'd all come visit, that would be awesome.
Speaking of visitors, our 2012 is booking up quickly, so get your trip in ASAP. I'm looking forward to our next batch of confirmed visitors and trips! February will be an exciting month for us with a visit from our friends who just moved to Germany. Meredith and her 8 month old son will be coming to visit me for some time while Josh heads back to VA for a few days for an awards banquet in Fairfax. He has been instructed to bring back coffee, flavored powdered creamer, and turkey gravy packets....seriously.
After Josh returns home, we will be seeing friends of mine from high school, Kristin and Greg, and then at the end of February we are headed to Edelweiss in Germany for a ski week.
Now some of you may be thinking...LIBBY! SKIING?! ARE YOU CRAZY? And why would one think this? Primarily because one time, about 12 years ago, I had a bit of an accident (which turned out to be no accident at all, because that is how I met my very handsome husband). This "accident", if you will, involved skis, trees, broken shoulder, and a few broken ribs. Let it be known, I most likely will not be getting on a pair of skis, rather I will be tubing down a hill with no control whatsoever. Let the fun begin!
Oh...in case you didn't get a Christmas Card from us...here it is. I will say though how ridiculously proud of myself I am that I did get out cards to most friends and family! Thank goodness for Shutterfly! It made it super easy for this new mom to get out Christmas Cards. Photos Courtesy of: Rachel Burwell
If you like to eat...continue reading:
A bit of a Tastefully Simple Update! Thank you for all of your support. In both November and December, I did nearly 5X my sales goal. What a blessing that was! Every order counts and means the world to me, so please keep Tastefully Simple products in mind for your next gift giving, entertaining, or everyday occasion. (When in stock at our house...Perfectly Potato Cheddar soup and Bountiful Beer Bread make a weekly meal)
I am ALWAYS looking for new catalog hosts to collect a few orders from friends, family, co-workers, and in return you get FREE FOOD! I am currently in need of catalog hosts for February and March. The first 2 people to contact me about hosting a catalog party and mention the blog, get an extra $10 worth of FREE FOOD! Ready...GO!
Also, if you like to eat, please visit my Fan Facebook Page: Libby Hunking- Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant and "LIKE" it! Pretty Please?! Then, pretty, pretty please share it with your friends! You never know when I could reward you for sharing...and besides...didn't your mother tell you it is nice to share with your friends?....I thought so!
Shop the Tastefully Simple Catalog on my website!
Thanks for reading...
Ciao!
Mia Rose Hunking was born October 13th at 3:44 pm.
FAQ; How was it giving birth in Italy?
Well, let me just say it was different...very different. Not in a bad way, just not what you would experience back in the states by any means. When you walked into the hospital it felt like something straight out of the 60's. The patient rooms were bare bones. No TV, no telephone, no Wi-Fi, no in room shower (I'll touch more on this in a minute) No spousal sleeping arrangements. Josh and my mom took turns sleeping on the hospital room floor on a sleeping bag. God Bless them! Just the bare necessities, a bed for me, and a table to change the baby on. Luckily, we had private insurance, so I had my own room, otherwise I would have been sharing a room with up to 6 other moms and their babies. I saw it with my own eyes. It is true....6.
When I had Mallory, my bed was the equivalent of a souped up Hummer. It had bells, whistles, and best of all a self adjusting mattress that my guess is designed to help prevent bed sores.
My bed in Italy...MODEL T FORD. It was a rough ride (period) By day 3, I was ready to run out of the hospital, which would have been a miracle, considering I could barely walk.
On another comparison note, when I had Mallory via C-section, the next day, nurses were asking if I had showered yet, and I remember responding by saying "Oh, no I didn't, I didn't know if I was allowed to with my incision and all" Then off to my in room shower I went at their urging!
Remember me saying there wasn't a shower in my room? So, I manage to ask the nurse where the showers are the day after my C-section with Mia. She blabbered something in Italian, shook her finger and repeatedly said "No" and mimed scrubbing her arm pits and pointed to the sink in my room. So the reason for no shower in your room is because THEY DON'T LET YOU SHOWER! I know, it is gross. Let's just stop there and move on, shall we?
Last but not least we have the pain medication issue. I contemplated committing what I'm sure is a Federal crime in multiple countries. I was about to hit some folks up on Facebook asking them to overnight me some narcotic drugs. I'm not saying I know a lot of people that would have the ability to do that, I mean only like 4 or 5, but that is beside the point. I digress. I was at the point of desperation when my anesthesia began to wear off, and I had this intense pain. Probably because MY STOMACH HAD JUST BEEN CUT OPEN. I called the nurses to make sure the "GOOD STUFF", going into my arm through IV was actually dripping and not kinked, because it certainly was not working at alleviating my pain. I eventually asked my doctor what it was exactly they were pumping into me and she informed me it was about the equivalent of Tylenol. Yes, you read that right. After having major surgery, I was on Tylenol folks! The reason they couldn't give me narcotics was because I was breast feeding. Yes, I get it, they do cross over into breast milk, but I popped them like candy with Mallory and she turned out just fine...I think. Seriously though, you take them when you need them and boy did I need them. Especially since I had a hacking cough that came about the night before my surgery. Incision in stomach plus coughing does NOT feel good, I can assure you. At one point, I asked for more "tylenol" and was told I couldn't have any more because it was "bad for my liver". So is drinking alcohol, but people still do it!
5 weeks after Mia was born, we headed on our first family road trip to Germany for Thanksgiving. No, they don't celebrate "Thanksgiving" in Germany. Those Indians landed in Williamsburg, VA remember? Silly. We went to visit my cousin and his family there and had a wonderful visit and plenty of gluhwein. (Hot wine) at multiple Christmas markets where Mallory rode plenty of carousels, over and over and over again. I'm dizzy just thinking about it.
In the beginning of December, Josh had a few days off work for some Italian Holiday, and we took full advantage and headed 2 1/2 hours south to Tuscany! 4 nights in a Tuscan Villa, Tour of Florence, Wine tour, and a personal chef that came to the villa to cook an 8 course meal for us...we were living the high life! Definitely and unforgettable trip. My mom was still with us and she also enjoyed herself, especially playing Pocahontas and John "Sniff" with Mallory. Gotta give thanks to that Pocahontas for discovering America you know? Mallory is only 2 1/2 and she is already learning her American history...sweet!
 |
| Carla, our personal chef at our Tuscan Villa! |
We spent the holidays back in the states. Mia had her first plane ride at 2 1/2 months old. Both of the girls were so good. Not a peep out of either one of them. (Thank you Duct Tape!) We enjoyed our time at home thoroughly. I managed to only make it to Target 4 times as opposed to my original prediction of 7. Pathetic...for multiple reasons. I did LOTS of shopping. I pre-bought gifts for Mallory's birthday and stockpiled bribery items too. Ahhh....nothing like a little retail therapy, and boy did I need some therapy after spending nearly 3 weeks with my family! Just kidding...I loved every minute of being with our families. It was such a blessing to be able to spend so much time with them! Now if only they'd all come visit, that would be awesome.
 |
| Headed to the USA! |
Speaking of visitors, our 2012 is booking up quickly, so get your trip in ASAP. I'm looking forward to our next batch of confirmed visitors and trips! February will be an exciting month for us with a visit from our friends who just moved to Germany. Meredith and her 8 month old son will be coming to visit me for some time while Josh heads back to VA for a few days for an awards banquet in Fairfax. He has been instructed to bring back coffee, flavored powdered creamer, and turkey gravy packets....seriously.
After Josh returns home, we will be seeing friends of mine from high school, Kristin and Greg, and then at the end of February we are headed to Edelweiss in Germany for a ski week.
Now some of you may be thinking...LIBBY! SKIING?! ARE YOU CRAZY? And why would one think this? Primarily because one time, about 12 years ago, I had a bit of an accident (which turned out to be no accident at all, because that is how I met my very handsome husband). This "accident", if you will, involved skis, trees, broken shoulder, and a few broken ribs. Let it be known, I most likely will not be getting on a pair of skis, rather I will be tubing down a hill with no control whatsoever. Let the fun begin!
Oh...in case you didn't get a Christmas Card from us...here it is. I will say though how ridiculously proud of myself I am that I did get out cards to most friends and family! Thank goodness for Shutterfly! It made it super easy for this new mom to get out Christmas Cards. Photos Courtesy of: Rachel Burwell
If you like to eat...continue reading:
A bit of a Tastefully Simple Update! Thank you for all of your support. In both November and December, I did nearly 5X my sales goal. What a blessing that was! Every order counts and means the world to me, so please keep Tastefully Simple products in mind for your next gift giving, entertaining, or everyday occasion. (When in stock at our house...Perfectly Potato Cheddar soup and Bountiful Beer Bread make a weekly meal)
I am ALWAYS looking for new catalog hosts to collect a few orders from friends, family, co-workers, and in return you get FREE FOOD! I am currently in need of catalog hosts for February and March. The first 2 people to contact me about hosting a catalog party and mention the blog, get an extra $10 worth of FREE FOOD! Ready...GO!
Also, if you like to eat, please visit my Fan Facebook Page: Libby Hunking- Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant and "LIKE" it! Pretty Please?! Then, pretty, pretty please share it with your friends! You never know when I could reward you for sharing...and besides...didn't your mother tell you it is nice to share with your friends?....I thought so!
Shop the Tastefully Simple Catalog on my website!
Thanks for reading...
Ciao!
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