Completely Eclipsed

Delta Labs Vitamin Review

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

I recently had the opportunity to review a Hair, Skin, and Nails supplement from Delta Labs. Let me tell you a little bit about the product. The vitamin that I took is a mix of silica, biotin, and rutin (blah blah blah science words) that helps to promote collagen and elasticity in skin, smoother, shinier hair, nail strength, and improved circulation for the quicker repair of skin cells.

Delta Labs is a company that was started by a mother of three who was unsatisfied with the quality of vitamins and supplements available for her and her family, so she created Delta Labs where busy moms could take some time to focus on their health and well being by taking natural, herbal vitamins and supplements. How cool is that?

The verdict: I've been using the vitamis for a little over a week now and I have to say that I definitely see a difference. Most especially in my nails, they are much stronger, seem to be growing faster, and have more of a natural sheen. The horsetail extract that is in the supplements is something that you'll find in a lot of shampoos that promote hair growth and strength, and I can see that my hair seems fuller. It's weird because I was blowing out my hair the other day and I'm all like, "Wow my hair looks different" the only thing I've changed is the addition of the vitamin.

My theory is that we spend so much time working on our hair, skin, and nails by applying products to the outside: creams, polishes, goops, goo, shampoos, masks etc. Why not offer a little inside assistance to help move things along? Plus if you're not satisfied Delta Labs offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

You can shop the many vitamins at Delta Labs (they have a ton: detoxing ones, pre and post natal vitamins, weight loss, and more) by visiting www.shopdeltalabs.com

**I was given a free sample of the vitamin in order to provide a review of the product. The opinions expressed in this post are my own**

The Hunger Games

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

If you want to know why there was no Happiness Project post this week it's because I've been too busy wrapped up in the fate of Katniss and Panem to even have the time to focus on happiness. I am obsessed with this trilogy. Such a great read. I'm really jazzed up to see the movie too and I'm really hoping they don't butcher it ::cough:: Twilight :: cough::.

I love books that absorb me in another world. I love characters that are multi-dimensional, that I can relate to, that speak to me, that move me, that inspire me. I love plots that are thick with twists and turns, that keep me up until 1 in the morning until my eyes are burning and aching for sleep. Harry Potter did it. Twilight did it. A Song of Ice and Fire really really did it. And The Hunger Games did it.

But there's often a sadness for me that comes at the end of a really great book, especially a series. A sadness that that world has ended and can only be revisited in a way that is old and comfortable, not exciting. I'm always a little bit sad at the end of a series because I become so wrapped up in it, so involved.

If any of my lovely readers know of another series I can get lost in please recommend something!

I checked out the casting of The Hunger Games and I thought some were spot on: Woody Harelson for Haymitch and Elizabeth Banks for Effie, but there were some I wanted to recast:

For me there's only one true Peeta Mellark and that's Chord Overstreet from Glee. He's the only one I pictured in my mind while reading.

Michelle Trachtenburg (I'm not even trying to spell that correctly) would have made a great Katniss I think. The actress playing her now, looks really good too and Michelle might be a bit too on the "pretty" side. But I think she could have been fantastic!

Taylor Lautner for Gale anyone?

Damned Scale

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

So I've been using My Fitness Pal as a way to journal what I eat in an attempt to lose the last 10 pounds that I've been gaining and losing for the past, oh I don't know, 2 years. I like that it's free. I like that it has a user interface that is similar to facebook. I like that I can scan the barcode of food that I eat so I don't have to enter it all manually and I like that it lists out not only the calories, but the fat and protein and stuff. I DO NOT like that I don't get the flexi points that I got when I was on Weight Watchers, but to save myself the $17 a month I'll deal.

Now I've lost about 4lbs so far, saaa-weeet! But this past week I had a 1lb gain. Now I know one pound isn't the end of the world, but it shouldn't have happened. I really stayed within my caloric limit. I didn't have my period nor was it impending. I didn't work out as much, only twice instead of 3-4 times. I don't know what the deal was this week.

I was so super jazzed up to get on the scale on Monday morning and see a loss, a reward for saying, "No beer for me" the night the Giants played or "I'm gonna pass on the chips" at a friends birthday party. But I wasn't even granted a stagnant number...nope that son-of-a-bitching scale went up.

Was it discouraging? A bit. I really worked hard this week. Will it break me? Nah. I don't know what the culprit was this week, but I'll look back over my food journal to see if I can pinpoint something. And keep on keeping on.

Comments

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Comments are like blogger crack. I mean I'm sure even the big guy bloggers get that little twitch of excitement when they get a notification that someone took the time out of their busy life to respond to your words. I mean there's no greater rush right? Conversely, and I can only speak for myself, that when I write a post that I've put a lot of myself into or that asks a question or advice, goes by without a blip it makes me feel bad.

But honestly, you can only get what you put into the world and I've been a big time slacker responding to blog comments and leaving ones of my own. So I'm making a point to comment more on blogs I love and on new blogs that I'm just discovering. Also, I'm going to start responding back in the comment section here instead of e-mailing. I find it to be more fluid. So if you leave a comment I promise I will respond back in the comment section of this blog.

I've been a bit lazy when it comes to blogging lately. I haven't participated in any meme's, I've been dormant on twitter, and I haven't been sitting down to really put time into it. Therefore I have no one to blame but myself for my lowering stats (even though I swore I was going to give up obsessing over stats). I do get blog envy for some of those big gun bloggers, but I'm trying to learn from them instead of just wishing a computer virus on them.

So now is the time to pipe up and comment, I promise I'll write back. No more neglectful blogging here.

Toddler OCD

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm only half kidding when I worry about Isabella having some form of OCD. I get that toddlers are quirky and borderline psychopaths most of the time, but she's definitely on the extreme end of things. The number one crazy thing that she does is vie to be first. It's like if she's not first up the stairs, in the bathroom, in the car she completely flips her shit. I used to just acquiesce her because it was easier than the resulting 15 minute scream fest that was sure to follow, but once it started oozing it's ugly way into play dates and parties and things I completely put the kaibash on it. Because who wants to hang out with a screaming 2 year old who has to do everything first? A few time outs and early departures seems to have helped a bit in this department.

But sadly that's not where the anal retentiveness ends. She loves red. It's her favorite color. Every puzzle we have she will only play with the red pieces. She has decided that my favorite color is purple and I'm only allowed to play with the purple puzzle pieces.

She has a side of the couch, a certain pillow that's hers, and a lot of rules about what food goes where and what it touches.

I swear I can't keep up with her neurosis! I get that she's probably just maintaining control over what little she can, but man she sure does read like she has some sort of obsessive disorder.

Double Life

2012-01-17T03:28:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I got a glimpse into a life I could be living...the single life. Well not really, but kind of. On Saturday night my friends and I went out to celebrate our girlfriend's Teresa's birthday. We had a fabulous dinner and then went to boogie it up to 80's music at Culture Club in manhattan. Being responsible I knew there was no way that I would be able to drive home so I planned to spend the night at my sister's apartment. She just moved out on her own and I figured it would be fun to see what the other half lived like.

I never had the opportunity to live on my own or with a friend as a roommate and I have to say that's the one thing I always feel like I missed out on. To have a place of your own where you're free to come and go as you please. So I went in a little bit early to hang out and finish up getting ready at her place (her roommate was out of town for the weekend). And I really liked it, we watched some bad TV, swapped jewelry and chatted until the limo came to get us (we don't usually splurge for such fancy traveling, but the birthday girl's father footed the bill).

That part was fun. But waking up in an apartment that wasn't mine, that smelled like cigarettes, booze, and regret wasn't as glamorous as I thought it would be. It felt kind of empty. My life may not be perfect, but it's warm and filled with love. I may fall closer to the adjective of "boring" than "wild" (I'm not completely boring I did stay out until 4 am!) but I'm ok with that. Nights spent out with the girls, getting dressed up and dancing, are the exception rather than the norm and I'm in a place where I'm no longer pining for my wild child days, but I'm accepting of my place in the ebb and flow of life.

So that single life has it's perks: freedom, friends, excitement, and about as much sleep on the weekends as you can take. But it's not a life I'm missing and if I had to choose between the two temper tantrums, 7 am wakeup calls, and a 9 pm bedtime my cozy family life will win out every time.

Praying

2012-01-16T05:12:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that I'm not overly religious and tend to trend more on the spiritual side of things, I have to say that one of my Happiness Project resolutions for Eternity this month is to pray more. I like to pray in my car on the way to work and I can't describe it except that it fills me with a sense of peace. A deep peace that goes down way deep inside.

I forget who said it, but I heard recently someone say or mention the following quote, "Imagine if you woke up tomorrow with only what you thanked God for today." So instead of only asking God to help me sell my house (I'm sure He's up to date on his real estate license anyway) and help me get a parking spot, I've been trying to thank Him and show gratitude for the multiple blessings in my life.

I like praying. It gives me a form of comfort in a world that is really uncertain.

How do you pray?

Taking a Bath

2012-01-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not talking about the fun kind with bubbles and a trashy magazine, I'm talking about a financial bath that Andy and I are about to take. Remember yesterday when I waxed nostalgic over the warm and fuzzies I get from my townhouse. Yeah, that was sweet huh? Well today I talk about the money suck this house will be when we sell it.

I'm talking in dollars and cents here so if that makes you uncomfortable read with caution. We bought this house in 2006 at the height of the real estate market, not long before the bubble burst and the bottom dropped right out. We paid $277K for our two bedroom, 2.5 bath, townhouse with access to a full swimming pool and a tennis court. We then proceeded to build a deck, replace the windows and the central AC unit, as well as put in ceiling fans, and new blinds.

I've been tooling around on realestate.com, just looking at new houses and dreaming of the future, when I decide, ya know, for shits and giggles to see how much houses in our area were going for. Well houses identical to ours, in the same complex, were going for between $210K - $230K. Wah wah wah.

That's a serious bath right there. But above all we want to move the house and move it quickly. We're doing some fixing up right now to "stage the house", you know decluttering, removing unnecessary furniture, freshening up the paint, deep cleaning etc before we bring a realtor in the next few weeks to tell us, officially, that we're going to take a bath. We're fortunate enough to have a nice savings account and my dad is willing to lend us some money if we need it for closing costs etc, but selling this house and buying another one will deplete us financially. But it's something we're willing to do to get into our forever home.

I would really like it if you could let me know your house selling/buying stories. I'd like to hear the good and the bad. Comment or e-mail me please with any and all stories and tips!

Growing Pains

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

So apparently the hip thing in 2012 is forgoing the resolutions and focusing on a word that is supposed to be the theme for your year. I like it. Although, I did make resolutions but they are basically be healthy and don't be too fat. Not really much different from the rest of you I'm sure. Except my cousin Christie who wants to gain 10 lbs, but to each their own body issues right?

Anyway my word for 2012 is Grow.

I love my little townhouse. I love how cozy it is. I love the window seat in my bedroom. I love how when I walk through the door it feels like relief and warmth and home. I remember the memory of when we bought this place. It was about a month before the wedding and we were clamoring to get things situated and put together and how the thought of making memories in this house got me through the wedding planning craziness. I remember lazy days before baby just lounging around on the couch and watching TV. I remember burning my first dinner here and the first time I had a dinner party. But mostly this place is flooded with memories of Isabella. The first time we brought her home. Of sitting up at 2 am nursing her while watching reruns of The Cosby Show. Of rocking her in her chair on the brink of tears due to sheer exhaustion at 3 in the morning. I can hear the sound of her play gym as she happily giggled under there. I remember her first steps, first crawl, first dip in the pool. This place is filled with happiness and love, but we are outgrowing it. Bigger kid, bigger stuff.

So in 2012 we would really like to sell this place and move into something bigger. I'm dreaming of a formal dining room, a big back yard, a basement that can become a play room, and a cozy kitchen. A place where we can put down roots and grow as a family.

Speaking of that, I'm also hoping that 2012 will bring a sibling or an impending sibling for Isabella. I feel ready in every area, except maybe the financials, but that's another post for another day.

If I can achieve those two things this year 2012 will be most kind to me.

If you have a word post for the year, link it in the comment section so I can read all about it.

January Happiness Theme is Eternity....and a quick recap

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

So I've been a bit MIA as of late to finish up the finals I had to complete for my two courses. All is finished and I just registered for my last class so by May I will be saying goodbye to the "and student" from my list of particulars and saying hello to a pretty hefty pay raise. Other than that I've been soaking up the promise of a new year with my family, sans to do list and it's been great.

So back to our regularly scheduled program...The Happiness Project. This month I'm focusing on Eternity, as in God and religion and all that jazz that people caution you not to talk about during cocktail parties (that and politics) because no matter what your view someone probably feels vehemently opposed. But this is not a cocktail party, this is my personal blog and we're all big girls (and maybe a boy or two) here so I think we can discuss this topic as such. I'm sure I'll get my fair share of e-mails calling me a heathen, but I've been called worse. So let's dive in and try to be respectful. I don't mind if someone disagrees with me, wants to make a different point, or wants to point out an error on my part. I'm always up for a debate just so long as it remains in good taste.

Religion is a tricky thing for me. I went to a Catholic grammar school, a Catholic high school, and even a Catholic college. My mother was quasi involved with the Church while I was growing up. So I have a strong Roman Catholic background, however, I find that my own beliefs differ very much from what I was taught and, to be honest, had a lot of reservations about getting Isabella baptized. So here's the bulleted list of what I believe and don't believe.

I do believe...

in God. A greater power. The universal force of God.
in Jesus.
in Mary. Mary is my homegirl. I've often thought about Mary, not the Mother of God Mary, but just the mother Mary. Did she ever get frustrated with Jesus as a child? Was it ever all too overwhelming for her? Did she have someone she could vent with? Whenever I'm really down I always pray to Mary. I feel where God can be all fire and brimstone, I find her to be much more comforting.
in being good to people and finding the good in people
more in the metaphysical act of spirituality than I do in organized religion.
that thoughts have weight and that you can attract good things to you by positive thinking, and the reverse is true for negative thinking.

I don't believe...

that Mary was a virgin. I know that's a big sticking point in the Catholic faith, I just don't believe in it.
that there's an old, bearded man in Heaven judging our every movement and making plans for us to go to Heaven or Hell or Purgatory
in the fact that the Catholic Church has become a big business. $500 mandatory donation to get married in the Church. We almost couldn't get Isabella baptized because we hadn't made $700 in donations to the Church during mass. It infuriates me! You also can't be considered a parishioner unless you donate xxx amount of dollars a year.
in covering up the molestation of young children by priests
that priests shouldn't be allowed to be married. If you look up the reasoning behind that little gem you'll realize that it is once again financial.
that any one religion or belief system is better than another

I'm unsure about...

what happens after we die. But I'd love to hear your beliefs on that.
whether or not Jesus was the Son of God or was he just a prophet.
if I want Isabella to receive Communion/Religious education as she grows older. I'm not sure how much religion I want crammed down her throat. I want her to believe in something, I just don't know how much Catholicism I can take. How are you all handling the religious instruction of your children?

So my ultimate resolutions for this month is to find out more about the beliefs of other religions, practice more of what I believe in, and research some more about the gray areas.

Smooches!

2012-01-05T17:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't fallen off the blogosphere. I'm taking this week off to finish up the courses I'm taking towards my next salary step. But I'll be writing about some good stuff when I get back.

Miss you!

How Do You Measure, Measure a Year?

2011-12-31T13:21:00.000-08:00

Well it's that time again...a year in review as we bid farewell to 2011 and welcome in the new promise of 2012. New Year's to me means a clean slate, a new chance that is bittersweet as you bask in the remembrance of what was, all of the experiences and lessons learned and usher in a new year.

This year has been truly wonderful. My mom made cancer her bitch. Isabella has grown into a beautiful, intelligent, curious, independent, and precocious little girl. I made a successful transition from an out of classroom position back into my role as a third grade teacher and I tried to make the best of it. I took an amazing girls only trip to Las Vegas and got a little wild. I've put time into my friendships cultivated at work. Everyone was healthy, everyone has a job, and we didn't have to say goodbye to anyone. And while nothing "WOW" really happened, it was a lot of ordinarily precious moments.

Here is a year in pictures.

We kicked off 2011 right by celebrating the 1st birthday of Charlie and the 3rd birthday of Daniella.

A sweet dance from a special Valentine

In March we enjoyed some lollipops and puddle stomping. We also enjoyed green bagels on St. Patrick's day and found a love of finger painting.

In April we made sure to color eggs for the Easter Bunny to hide for us. We also threw my sister a birthday party and enjoyed a lot of time at museums while we waited for the weather to warm.

In May we spent a lot of time out doors at the park and going on flower hunts. We also celebrated my 29th birthday. It was very warm so we were able to visit the zoo and have a lot of BBQ's.

In June Miss. Isabella Grace turned 2 years old. We also started swim class, spent a lot of time at the pool, and started visiting Sesame Place.

July was Isabella's first plane ride to Disney World where she fell in love with Mickey Mouse, Small World, and fireworks. We also had a lot of fun with our cousins by the pool and taking day trips.

August brought our second annual beach trip to Ocean City, where we played in the sand and in the waves. We ate a lot of ice cream, danced on the boardwalk, and enjoyed a visit from my brother.

As sad as we were to see the summer go, September brought tons of fall activities and crafts, including apple picking, pumpkin picking, and hay rides.

In October we had tons of spooky fun, including a Halloween get together with crafts, lunch, and games. It was unseasonably warm so we spent a lot of time outside picking pumpkins and taking hay rides. We did a lot of baking and crafting.

In November we celebrated the bridal shower of my cousin Christie. Her wedding will be another highlight to look forward to in 2012 as will the wedding of my other cousin, Christina.

December couldn't have been more magical as this was the first Christmas that Isabella truly understood and could participate in. It included breakfast with Santa, a polar express train ride, a state police holiday party where Santa came in in a helicopter, cookie baking, gingerbread house making, Christmas carol singing, and near combustion on Christmas morning.

So here's to a year that was filled with friends, family, love, and maybe a little bit too much wine. And here's to all that 2012 will bring.

I Did Everything Wrong

2011-12-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

I like going to bars. I like getting together with some laid back girlfriends, grabbing a beer, and relaxing...maybe a little dancing if the DJ is playing something I can groove to. There are some people who think that a married woman has no place in a bar, let alone a married woman with a baby, but I see no harm in it.

Any who, so last Thursday I'm at work and it's so close to Christmas break and everyone is all crazed and stressed out with the holiday performance and the wrapping and the last minute gifts and the baking and the drama so when at lunch my friend suggested that we all go out for a drink after work instead of resorting to my usual, "Sounds like fun, but I can't" I said, "Let me see if I can work out the logistics." So I lined up my mom to babysit and told the voice in my head that told me I should feel guilty to stfu and I decided to go and have a good time. I had a hair appointment that day anyway, so I told the girls I'd just meet them there.

Now right about this point in my story I realized that, I was wearing my glasses, I didn't have any clothes to change into, and I had no makeup with me. It gave me pause for a minute, because usually when I go out in public I like to look somewhat decent, but I just as quickly decided that I didn't care and it didn't matter anyway.

So I went to my hair appointment, cut off about six inches of hair and then strolled into the bar wearing my glasses, loose fitting jeans, flat boots, a belted sweater, and no makeup except for the red lipstick I always keep in my purse and you know what? It was like I had beer flavored boobs or something. I must have gotten hit on like 10 times that night. Now I'm not a conceited person by any stretch of the imagination, you wouldn't even have to click the back button twice to find some post where I'm thinking I'm fat or that my nose is too long, or that my chin is weird or my butt is too big, I'm too unstylish.

I just wanted to point out that I did everything that the fashion magazines say you shouldn't. Don't listen to magazines that say you have to look a certain way or wear something special to be beautiful, to feel beautiful. Just saying.

De-Lurking

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

I used to be uber private about my blog. It was my own private place and it took me a long time to get semi-used to the idea of people who I know in real life reading it. But then I got nominated for some blogger award and I needed the votes so I sold out and put the link up on facebook and about 30 seconds after I hit "update" I had a mini panic attack because basically my deepest darkest secrets, fears, insecurities and all other sorts of ridiculousness were now on display to people who I had to look in the face.

But I was never ill received by anyone who clicked on the link that day. In fact everyone who spoke to me about it really liked it and said that they had similar feelings as well. That doesn't mean that there weren't haters who were making fun of me behind my back, but there's not much that can really be done about that. There are even people it brought me closer with because there was a shared ground, a commonality to lay the groundwork down for friendship. So thanks to Nicole, Michelle, Buffy, Christy, Regina, Amy, Rochelle, and Jasmine for reading.

But those are only the people I know about. What if there are people who I know in real life who read this blog and I don't know that they read it. That feels unfair. If you're reading what equates to a very personal, yet very public diary, I should know about it so I can properly avert my eyes in shame if I run into you on the street or, gasp, in the hallway at work. I don't care if you read it, I'd just like to know so send me a FB message, a comment or an e-mail and let me know that you lurk around here. Or better yet, de-lurk and get yourself in the conversation.

A Special Kind of Happiness

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

It doesn't need checklists or resolutions or a month-by-month guide because it is pure happiness in and of itself.

Here I am in my pj's and glasses all over the interwebz

"It's Zazu! Oh my! Oh my! Oh my!"

Checking to make sure there aren't any left for her

My girl

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas.

Brad's Deals Coupon = Couponer's Heaven

2011-12-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

Since December is Money Month and it's basically spent buying presents for our most cherished loved ones and, you know, the people we have to buy for even though we can't stand the sight of their faces. If you're going to buy presents and spent tons of cash, might as well use save yourself some bucks by using coupons. Brad's Deals is published by coupon and deal expert Brad Wilson who filters online deals, coupons, and printable coupons from hundreds of stores.

No joke this site gave me a coupon high. Tons of coupons for Bed Bath and Beyond, which means you know you're getting hooked up with at least 20% off, plus 50% off select fine China. You can find tons of great gifts from Bed Bath and Beyond for anyone in your family, I've got my eye on a cake pop maker from there if anyone wants to send their favorite blogger a present.

Don't even get me started on Red Envelope Online Coupons for 10%-20% off. You can pretty much find anything you would ever want to buy at Red Envelope Online, it's probably one of the most comprehensive websites for shopping.

And a website that I'm new to, but absolutely love! Zazzle, where you can shop by recipient, buy holiday cars, and create custom, personalized gifts like puzzles, iphone cases, mugs, t-shirts, etc. Coupons range from 25% off calendars, 10% of a $20 (umm...DEAL), 20% off cards (gotta send 'em out anyway), and so much more.

You can also find coupons for stores like ASOS (love, love, love), Home Depot, Zulilly, and tons more. So whether you're looking for an online code or want to print it out and take it to the store, hit up www.bradsdeals.com and I'm sure he has what you're looking for.

***this was a sponsored post, but the opinions here are my own and the website is banging***

Nostalgic

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have two things that I want to discuss with you guys today. 1: I have been a bit youth obsessed lately. 2: Most of my epiphanies/revelations take place during Glee.

I don't know why all of a sudden I'm really obsessed with youth. Maybe it's because I feel like I woke up and just started feeling my age. It takes me longer to look fresher, and it certainly requires a bit more products (ummm...hello erase paste from Sephora you magic maker). I just feel like I get run down more quickly and I don't bounce back as fast as I used to.

I look at my sister and I look at her life and how free she is. She has a really strong group of friends and they're always doing fun stuff: going out dancing, shopping, out to dinner, bars, or just hanging out at each others houses. They'll go on random road trips to nowhere and have amazing adventures. I would never trade my life for hers, partially because I don't have the energy to keep up with it, but it makes me nostalgic for the times when I was like that; for when I used to burn as bright as the sun and I had my whole life ahead of me. Mistakes were turned into legendary stories. Decisions did not need to be made. The world was open and I was ready for it.

I'm so glad I had so many wonderful, wild and carefree experiences, but that doesn't mean I don't ever wax nostalgic for those times.

When I first started at work there was a group of girls that I was so close with. We would hang out after work and just talk in each others classrooms. We would go out to dinner, see movies, go for coffee, and hang out on the weekends. It was a blast. As time has gone on, we've moved to different grades, different classrooms, made new work friends, gotten married, had kids, broken up with boyfriends and just generally moved on. We're still close, but on a peripheral level and sometimes I get nostalgic for the easy way our friendship used to be.

What are you nostalgic about?

Motherhood Means

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Motherhood means...

...thinking you are making food for yourself and realizing that you are sadly mistaken.

...that you will be 15 minutes late to everything.

...you need 3 days advance notice of any plans so you can figure out a babysitter situation and mentally prepare yourself for a night out with adults.

...you will need to find clever spots to hide your iPhone to keep it out of sticky little hands.

...hiding in the bathroom so you can do your business in peace.

...your house will never be *really* clean.

...that a really amazing day consists of sleeping past 8am, a really great day trip/playdate, a long nap, a dinner that everyone eats, and an early bed time.

...making 3 different dinners in a night even though you swore you never would.

...you are always at least a little bit tired.

...you get really jazzed up about the new Spring line at Baby Gap.

...there have been several occasions where you've forgotten to shower/brush your teeth/put on deodorant.

...that you will always be loved and you will never truly ever be alone.

I Am Not a Babysitter

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am not a babysitter. I am a teacher. I don't just sit in front of the classroom and read a book or go over a worksheet that I have the teachers guide to. I'm so much more than that.

I assess the needs of my students and plan lessons that address those needs, while keeping those lessons in line with the curriculum, and the new Common Core Standards. I plan small groups to push students thinking further or to fill in the gaps. I meet one on one with students to set learning goals. I plan projects that allow my students to exercise their creativity within the framework for learning. I find 10 different ways to teach fractions so that everyone can understand it. I grade tests, book reports, and sort post-its. I field questions from overzealous parents and I pull teeth from ones that are uninvolved. I work with staff developers to improve my techniques. I create interactive slides on the Smart Board to engage students and keep them current with technology. I scour the internet for a video of cheetahs hunting because it fits in with my read aloud.

I'm a firm disciplinarian. I'm a detective sorting out where missing pencils and silly banz have gone. I'm a mediator, trying to fix an argument between to "bff's" gone awry. I'm a motivator to get a lazy kid's rear in gear. I'm a secretary filling out tons of paperwork. I'm a student going back for several more degrees. I am not a babysitter. I am a teacher.

Baby Number 2?

2011-12-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago during an unseasonably warm December afternoon Andy and I took Miss. Isabella to the park to enjoy an hour or so of outdoor play. Usually she makes a friend and plays with him/her, while Andy and I hover on the sideline drinking lattes and taking turns making sure she doesn't eat dirt or try to slide down the pole. But no one was there, I guess they didn't get the memo that it was 60 degrees in December. Isabella is kind of going through an "I don't want to play by myself I want to harass my parents and make them do ridiculous things in public" phase, so I was on my 6th slide down the slide when I said jokingly, that we should rent out my niece Daniella so they could slide together and I wouldn't have to squeeze my big ass down a kid sized slide and he said, "Well why don't we start trying to have another baby?"

I almost lost my shit.

Now you all know that motherhood is not something that comes naturally to me. I'm selfish, impatient, and snippy. I have to really work at being a good mom and I think I'm doing a great job, but again, it's not something that just comes as second nature. But I got really excited about the thought of another baby. Another tiny little baby, a sibling for Isabella, another chance to start it off right. Sometimes it terrifies me the thought of another infant, but if I can just push through that, I'd love to see Isabella with a little brother or sister.

Now, it really is just a matter of timing. We're putting the house up on the market after the holidays. And I really don't want to be pregnant for my cousin Christie's wedding in March. So we could start trying during the Feb/March cycle. Or I could start in May after my 30th birthday, which I'm hoping to have a big bash *hint* *hint*, but honestly, now that the baby bug has been planted I don't know if I could wait that long. I know it doesn't just happen on the first cycle, but it very well could and I'd like to be prepared for it.

So it looks like another baby will be happening, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Vintage Isabella

Budgeting

2011-12-12T05:00:00.001-08:00

I'm focusing on Money this month and considering all the spending that comes along with Christmas I'd say I'm doing fairly well. I've been shopping the sales and couponing like crazy, but buying gifts for people that I know they will love is a weakness. It brings me real happiness. So it's been a bit difficult to curb that urge, but I just try to buy smart. There have been several times that I wanted to pick up another present for Isabella, even though I'm finished buying her gifts, but I had to tell myself that she's getting tons of stuff and doesn't need anything else.

I tried to wrap myself around budgeting this past week and thank goodness that I have the most awesome readers ever because I was turned on to www.mint.com where they basically budget for you. They take all of your money info and figure out a way to make sure you spend less than you make. I'm still playing around with it because it takes me like 3 times as long to figure out anything techy related as it does the average human.

The main goal is to be in a bigger house by the end of the summer. I'm beyond excited at the thought of moving out of our town house and into a place that we're going to stay in for the rest of our lives. Not that I don't love our cozy little home, I have amazing memories here. We're just outgrowing it.

The One on Vanity

2011-12-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Betty White was a fox, now she's completely
unbangable

I'm not afraid to admit that I'm vain. I think appearances are important. I like it when my hair and make up are done (I like it, doesn't mean it always happens), I don't like to run around in sweats all day, and I love to accessorize. I'm sure we've all spent countless hours fretting over our appearance. Is my stomach getting pudgy? I can't get my hair to blow out straight! Is this lipstick too much? Why is my chin so big? Ugh, these bags are never going away.

Sound familiar? Because it does to me.

But I had a thought the other day. The thought crept in and took hold and shook me way down deep. One day, I'll be an old lady and no one will want me.

Ummmm....truth bomb right there.

Men won't take a second glance at me, young people will call me an old lady, I won't look sexy, I won't feel sexy, I won't be beautiful.

Isn't that sad? It makes me really sad. It makes me understand things like botox and facelifts and tummy tucks. You're avoiding getting to that place.

Now you can spout off about aging gracefully or growing old with your husband, but homegirl...that's not what this is about. We're all going to be old and ugly one day and no one is ever going to want to shag us. I'm having a really hard time coming to grips with that. I'll just be old and dried up. Shudders. And I'm getting closer to that point...not further away.

The TV Chronicles

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

I used to feel all embarrassed about the amount of TV we let Isabella watches, but I'm over it. Some days she watches a lot and some days none at all. She'll sit and watch an entire movie, but she also does crafts, goes on play dates and day trips, colors, plays pretend, helps me cook, reads books, plays with her toys, colors and she's really really smart. So I know TV isn't ruining her. Sometimes we'll hunker down and watch TV together and sometimes I'll throw on a show and use the down time to make dinner. I'm over feeling guilty about it, because I have other, more pressing things to feel badly about.

But I'm going off topic because that's not what this post is about. Let me tell you a bit of a story. I was watching Private Practice on my DVR one weekend when Isabella was napping and it was dark, like so dark I could barely see it. So in my head I'm cursing ABC for making such a poorly lit show. So then I watch a DVR'ed episode of Dr. Oz next and he's blurry too. So I tell Andy when he gets home from work and he says the bulb is probably weak in the TV. He goes on Amazon and orders a replacement bulb, but instead of overnighting that shit he goes for some free super saver shipping so he can save $5.17. Of course the next day the bulb blows out, which leaves us TV-less for a week.

5 of those 7 days I was at work so that wasn't such a big deal for me. According to my mom and Andy there was a lot of walks, going out to lunch, play dates, and coloring. When I got home there was a lot of music and burned dinners. After she went to bed, Andy and I would play yahtzee, go on the computer, or watch TV in bed, which we almost never do.

The weekend I thought would be really difficult. I enjoy a quiet cup of coffee while Isabella watches Mickey Mouse. Instead we had a tea party and then she quietly played with her puzzles and let me drink my coffee in peace. I was surprised to say the least. When the bulb came I was happy that I could see what Top Model All Star got the axe, but I was also a little bit bummed out because I was actually enjoying a little TV-free time.

While I still watch a lot of TV myself and Isabella also enjoys her shows, I'm trying to make more of an effort to keep it off, even from background noise for a while. Everything in moderation right?

A New York City Christmas

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

There are many things I love about growing up in NYC, even if I was in an outer borough, but none of them top Christmas in New York. The display lights at Macy's, the Christmas tree at Rockerfeller Center, all of the lights and decorations, the shops, the spirit, and of course, the Rockettes!

This year we thought Isabella was old enough to really enjoy this special time in the city, so we loaded up for a fun filled day. First we hit up the Rock Center Christmas tree and she was just in awe at it's size.

Then we were off to FAO Schwartz where she was just beside herself in excitement, although honestly that store, while full of ambiance, is way overpriced. Why would I pay $54 for a Lalaloopsy doll when I can pay $35 at Toys R Us?!

Anyway...then we had a quick bite to eat and it was off to see the Rocketts Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. She was mesmerized. She would dance and bop her head to the songs and every time a song was done she would say, "Again, Mommy, more!" She loved it and she sat through the whole thing.

This is my favorite scene

And one final shot at our own humble abode.

I'm so glad that I get to make these special holiday memories with her.

December Happiness...Money Money Money

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Source

What a month to focus on cash money! In December it feels like I get a fleeting sense of what the cash feels like for only a moment before it vanishes into some merchants cash register. Le Sigh. But Andy and I are hoping to purchase a new house soon which means we're really tightening the purse strings. So this month I'm trying to balance my desire for everyone to have an amazing gift with the fact that I don't want to be recovering from a credit card hangover come January.

So here are my resolutions for my Happiness Project this month:

Create a Budget: And stick to it! Not just for Christmas, but I have no idea where all of our money goes. I need to evaluate and create a budget plan. And follow through with it.

Coupon: I've seen extreme couponing, I'm sure if I can even put one tenth in of their effort I can save some money.

Commit to Savings: I want to start putting some money away each week in an envelope just for me and putting more into our savings account.

Any money saving tips you guys care to share?

Just Like Me

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Looking at Isabella is like looking at a mini clone of myself, aside from her light hair and green eyes, she has basically my exact same face, but there are some other things that she got from me that I hoped would have eluded the gene pool. In this case I only have myself to blame because these are behaviors she picked up from dear old mom, not physical traits.

She's really anal retentive and everything needs to be just so. Some examples, there are certain foods that can't be cut up or broken, like donuts, granola bars, cookies, or apples. Then there are foods that absolutely must be cut, pancakes, french toast, and strawberries. A mistake in the wrong direction will make said food unedible.

Also, everything has to go in its right place. The DVD's have to be stacked on the left side of the TV, if you're having a tea party you have to have a pink cup, with a pink spoon, on a pink saucer. If you can't find one of those utensils, the party cannot go on until it's found. Her crayons have to go in the blue zip up pencil case, not in the basket with the coloring books. She has to go first into the house, into the room first, and up the stairs first. She has to put the light on in the bathroom herself and if you do it first she will shut it off, leave the room, come back in and put it on herself.

Post-crab walk

She's slightly awkward in social settings, for example...when we were at my cousin Christie's bridal shower, all of the little kids were playing duck-duck-goose and she was doing the crab walk by herself.

Those are all behaviors that she most certainly picked up from her neurotic mother. But she does have some qualities that I don't possess: she doesn't care what anyone thinks of her when out in public, she has a really easy time making friends, she's not afraid to say no or ask for what she wants, and that girl can boogie.

Student Moms

2011-11-30T15:29:00.000-08:00

If you're a regular reader here you know that I'm a teacher and a mom (obvi), but right now I'm also a student. Yup, that's right, in addition to commuting to work, working all day, commuting back, making dinner, packing lunch, doing laundry, and squeezing in some quality time with my family I'm also taking courses for my next salary step which requires me to take 30 additional credits above my masters.

If you're a parent and a student I just want to tell you that it's hard. It's difficult time wise, like squeezing water from a rock you just feel like you don't have anything else to give. It can be a financial burden, because classes just aren't cheap. I feel you and I'm right there with you.

Here are some tips that have worked for me in the past:

Keep your eye on the prize. Think about what that degree will reward you with: more money, benefits, upward mobility, a better job, or just plain bragging rights to anyone who said it couldn't be done.
Break up the work into reasonable chunks. This way you don't fall behind and you won't be too overwhelmed.
If you get a long block of time, try to get ahead. I take the majority of my courses online so I'll have my husband or mom take her for an afternoon so I can just work nonstop and try to get ahead.
Let things go. If you have to put off mopping the floor or doing a load of whites, then so be it. Mopping and laundry aren't all that exciting anyway.

Good luck to anyone in the same boat as me.

Intimina Laselle Kegel Exerciser Review

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

All women, especially moms, have learned that doing your Kegel exercises is really important to your pelvic health. If you're not sure what a Kegel is, it's the muscles that you would use to stop your urine mid-stream. This comes in handy if you've ever snissed (a crazy phenomenon where you sneeze and a little pee comes out). Doing your Kegels will strengthen your pelvic muscles and the Laselle Kegel Exerciser from Intimina can help.

From the website: "Laselle Kegel Exercisers offer an easy and effective way of strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor. Worn discreetly inside during daily activities, they give you the most complete intimate workout, helping you to locate your PC muscles (pelvic floor muscles) and providing a solid object for you to flex around for more effective strengthening. Within each exerciser is a weighted ball that responds to your body’s movements, causing gentle kinetic vibrations to help prompt your pelvic floor muscles to contract and relax as you walk around."

I received the Laselle Kegel Exerciser plus the Feminine Moisturizer to lube it up a bit and at first I was a little nervous. I was supposed to slip that ball into my vag and just let it hang out there? I figured I would start off slow and just keep it in while I showered. It didn't hurt at all inserting it, you just need to relax and once it was in it felt almost the same as a tampon. I've been using the Kegal Exerciser for about a week now and every couple of days I extend the amount of time I leave it in. This is perfect for someone like me because even though I know I'm supposed to do Kegals everyday, I always forget!

The Lasalle Kegel Exerciser really takes the brain work out of doing your Kegels plus it offers additional resistance to train those pelvic muscles. They're great for anyone who has had a baby or just wants to keep those muscles healthy. It's a great gift for yourself and/or at only $12.95 it can be a great gift or stocking stuffer for another woman in your life. You can purchase it at www.cvs.com where you can also browse around at some other intimina products aimed at the personal health of women.

Alive With the Season

2011-11-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Being mindful and present in life is not always without challenges. It's easy to get lost up there in your head, so that when you're giving your little ones a bath you've already mentally planned out tomorrow night's dinner, wrapped your husband's Christmas gift, and made an appointment for Holiday photos. But then you never really experience all there is to experience and I'm so guilty of that, which is why focusing on Mindfulness for this month's Happiness Project Theme was important, especially because it's around the holiday season.

Christmas brings along with it many beautiful experiences and memories to be made: sweet smelling Christmas cookies just waiting to be decorated, twinkling lights, trimming Christmas trees, unwrapping a surprise on Christmas morning, the excitement of sitting on Santa's lap, and the rush of little feet down the stairs on Christmas morning. But it can also bring along a great amount of stress: presents to be bought and paid for, long lines, traffic, where to spend the holidays, one more batch of cookies that has to be made, that last minute gift, and the bills, bills, bills.

But in trying to be mindful this season, I'm making every effort to see Christmas through Isabella's eyes. To see the magic of it all, to feel the warmth the season brings. Snuggled up with a cup of hot chocolate (that she doesn't like and it drives me nuts!) with the lights glowing in the background and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on TV.

So when I'm waiting in another never ending line, instead of being frustrated I'm going to try and remember who I'm buying the gift for and imagine their happiness when they receive it. I'm really feeling the spirit of Christmas alive inside of me.

Here are some pictures of the Santa train we took with Isabella and her cousins. It was really cute, think Polar Express to the North Pole where they met Santa, Mrs, Claus, had hot chocolate and cookies, and got that special "Believe" Bell. So fun!

Finding My Voice

2011-11-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

I was looking through old posts and just kind of browsing through my blog and I had the realization that some of my posts are really awful. Poorly written, poorly developed, and just not followed through. I started blogging as a way to get my voice across, a way to connect with other moms over shared experiences. I feel like I've sort of fallen away from that and become something of a blogging machine. I became so obsessed with getting out at least 4 posts per week and finding giveaways that you guys would love, that I'm just banging out posts without taking the time to work on my writing craft, to develop relationships with other bloggers and it comes across in my posts. The ideas are there and I'm not the most awful writer in the world, I just need to put more time into my words instead of rushing them out.

I'm going to focus on developing my voice and putting quality posts out there that really communicate fully what I need to say.

Be Careful What You Wish For

2011-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am the Mommy, even though I had man hair

Remember a few weeks ago when I was belly-aching that Isabella never seemed to want me? Well it turns out I need to eat that post because apparently now I'm the only thing that matters. I won't lie, it feels really wonderful to be wanted and loved by her. To freely receive hugs and kisses and "I love you Mommy"'s. But when she shuns Andy it doesn't seem to send him into a downward spiral of despair and self-loathing...go figure. But being first can be exhausting. I'm the only one allowed to make her food, take her to the potty, give her a bath, put her down for a nap. Maybe that's why Andy doesn't care when he's not #1, he gets a break? And maybe I need to stop keeping score and getting all dark and twisty when she goes through a phase where she doesn't give a rats ass about me. I think I just need thicker skin because when it comes down to it...who doesn't love their mama?!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. I'll be looking forward to seeing beautiful pictures and reading yummy recipes.

I Was Never Cool

2011-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

I like to wax nostalgic about how I was this really cool chic pre-baby, but I was always a bit nerdy and "uncool" in the traditional sense. It didn't matter that I hung out with the popular girls or that I had boyfriends, deep inside I was never really cool.

If you ask me if I love the new song by Rihanna there's a good chance I have no idea what you're talking about because I usually listen to traffic/news on the radio or iHeart Radio.

I'm never trendy. Unless I'm wearing something my sister bought for me. With the exception of shoes, because I'm all about that.

I love my nose stuck in a book.

I know a lot of random facts and I use a lot of big nerd words.

I've assembled every bit of electronic material that has come into this house...computers, laptops, wireless routers, cell phones, all of it.

So this coolness you see...I'm faking ;)

My 3rd Eye and 7 Chakras

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm terrible at meditating. This month's Happiness Project theme is Mindfulness and one of my resolutions is to meditate. Basically what I've been doing is trying to set aside 10 minutes each day to sit down and breathe deeply, letting my thoughts just come and go while trying to clear my mind. Its supposed to be really great for you, Dr. Oz says so! But here's the one problem...and it's kind of a big one. I keep falling asleep! Like passing out somewhere between the deep breaths and quiet thoughts.

Are there any meditating mamas out there who can point me in the right direction?

New Blogger Alert

2011-11-20T17:53:00.000-08:00

An IRL friend of mine just started a blog called Good in My Feet. Go check her out and send her some sweet bloggy love. www.goodinmyfeet.blogspot.com

Facebook Faux Pas

2011-11-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Source

You see, facebook is a tricky thing. On the one hand it brings you together with the kid whose books you dropped that one time in the library 15 years ago, on the other hand it can be really confusing especially with it's thumbnail profile pictures and the aging memory of it's users, namely me. Let me tell you a tale. I get a facebook friend request from a guy that I went to grammar school with, let's call him Thomas Smith I accept and a few moments later I get a message that looks like this:

Thomas Smith: Hey Melissa! How are you? I see you have a daughter. She's beautiful. Congratulations. How have you been?

So in my mind I remember the pilly little shit this guy was in grammar school. He was insanely smart and never missed an opportunity to make you feel stupid. He'd call you out on anything and if you asked him for help he would blow you off. He was an arrogant little shit head and I hated his guts. So I'm thinking that he's probably some sort of wizard by now or something so I craft a really great response to make my life sound awesome, because isn't that what facebook really is? Bumping up the good stuff while sweeping the ugly under the rug so people get a one sided perspective of your life and think you're awesome sauce?!?

And my response was something along these lines: Hey Thomas. How have you been? I have a beautiful little girl named Isabella. I'm teaching the gifted and talented class at a Blue Ribbon school. My husband and I own a house in Jersey. What have you been up to?

Thomas Smith: That's great! I work as a cashier at the grocery store and as a dishwasher at a restaurant. I have my own place.

Ummm...wait, what? Upon closer inspection of the thumbnail profile picture which my lazy ass didn't click on before I sent the message and it turns out it wasn't Thomas Smith the doucher from grammar school, but Thomas Schmidt the mentally slow kid who used to hang out with my group of friends. We used to look out for him.

Head meet keyboard

My next post was way more heartfelt and modest, but OMG, what an ass I am. Actually it's easier for me to just blame facebook.

Soulful Singer

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Hilarious!

Greeting Card Universe Holiday Card Giveaway

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. The holidays are upon us and there's always that one nagging thing on the to-do list...Holiday Greeting Cards. So Greeting Card Universe is graciously offering one reader 10 holiday greeting cards. There are so many options including really amazing Photo Holiday Cards so you can show off your whole family and a giant array of Christmas Greeting Cards. Of course you're not limited to Holiday cards, you can find any card imaginable and buy it as is or create a customized inside with your own verse and closure.

You can either send the, professional grade, cards to yourself and receive an envelope along with it or send it directly to the recipient. You can choose to send cards immediately or set up delivery for a later date. Personalization is free and there is a money back guarantee.

There are a ridiculous amount of options: Birthday Cards, Photo Cards, Invitations, Announcements, Wedding Cards, Thank You Cards, and Holiday Cards.

Click HERE to see their great variety of Holiday Cards and HERE to see all the wonderful Photo Card options.

One lucky winner is going to win 10 Greeting Cards courtesy of Greeting Card Universe. All you need to do is fill out the rafflecopter below. This is my first giveaway with rafflecopter and I'm really excited to try it out!

Affirmations

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

So for this month's Happiness Project theme I'm focusing on Mindfulness...being present in the moment and showing up to actually experience my life. One thing that's really helped me out a lot so far this month is Affirmations, which is positive sayings that you say over and over again or think over and over again.

Source

At first I just wanted to be aware of my thoughts. So without judgment I just noticed the thoughts I was having: "You're so fat" "You're being a really bad mom right now" "You're so lazy" "If you had will power you'd be at your goal weight by now" "That shirt is going to look horrible on you" "I'm so tired" "I'm so overwhelmed" "Did that girl just roll her eyes at me?" "My boss probably thinks I'm an idiot" "Does this person like me?" "That guy is a douche bag" It's all negative! I'm way too hard on myself and my thought patterns are atrocious. I'm of the mind that the thoughts that you put out into the world create your experiences and that if you think it, it will come to manifestation in one way or the other. Do I really want to live out experiences based out of those thoughts? I know I need to change the way I think.

And as a bit of an aside, those aren't my only thoughts, I do think a lot of good and happy thoughts as well, but it's the negative ones I'm focusing on because those are the ones I want to change.

Most of those thoughts are playing on auto-pilot but I at one point made the decision to think them and I can make the decision to stop thinking them. So I'm starting with affirmations. When I catch myself thinking a thought like, "You're fat" I replace it with something like, "You're body is beautiful and you're working hard to make it healthier" or "This person probably hates me" I'll replace with, "Everyone is friendly". I also have one or two affirmations that I write down and repeat over and over again for the week before replacing them.

It's really helped a lot. Thinking happier thoughts has made me feel lighter and happier.

Oh To Be First

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

I may have given Isabella life. Carefully guarded that precious life for 9 months and then labored to bring her into this world, but those days are long gone and I'm no where even close to the top of her list. She's obsessed with my mother, which I get...ALL kids are obsessed with my mom. She never tells them no and gives them whatever they want. She's also really into Andy right now. When he's home she's all about him and that's it, a true daddy's girl. But when either of them are around it's not like she just prefers them to me, it's like she hates me. I can't sing with her or dance with her, I can't take her to the bathroom or help her in her chair. I can't give her a bath. I can't even touch the remote control without her saying, "No daddy do it" or "I want Grandma". She's even gone as far as saying, "I don't like Mommy" or even crying when I tried to give her a bath. The only time she's ever really nice to me is when it's just the two of us.

I know that kids go through phases and I know that there are times when she does want me, be it few and far between. I work. I'm out of the house a lot. But I won't lie and say that it doesn't hurt or that it makes me worry that maybe I'm failing her in some way. Maybe she really does hate me. I don't know, but what I wouldn't give to be first in her life in some way. It breaks my heart.

A Bad Case of Bitch Face

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

I can't help it! When I'm not engaged or I'm lost in thought I get this really nasty bitch face. But it's not my fault. It's just the way my face is. My entire life has been plagued by statements like, "smile" "you're so serious" "is everything ok?" "what's wrong?" "are you upset?" I mean what am I supposed to do walk around with a crazy plastered smile on my face? I can't help it that my face is serious looking.

Do you have this problem? Are you unjustly discriminated against because of your bitch face? Maybe we should start a support group.

Neverland

2011-11-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Source

I was watching Peter Pan Return to Neverland (or something to that affect) the other day with Isabella, or rather I was watching it and she was smooshing play doh into the carpet and at the end of it Peter Pan sees Wendy all grown up and she tells him that she never stopped believing in him, to which he responds with a, "well why did you leave in the first place dumb ass you're all different now" and she says "I had to grow up."

I found this exchange to be extraordinarily profound. I think because for the first time in a long time I'm actually feeling my age and I'm finally accepting of the fact that we can't be young and carefree forever, that, in fact, we all must eventually grow up and leave Neverland, which makes me really sad. I mean being a grown up is kind of cool sometimes, like you can have breakfast for dinner whenever you want and you can pick out your own clothes and if another grown up yells at you you can sure as shit yell back. That's cool stuff. But sometimes being a grown up kinda blows. Like you have to get up and go to work everyday, you have to stick to a budget, you have to make schedules, try not to get too fat, make time for friends, get wrinkles, get ugly, get old. That's some tough stuff.

When I was a kid I was really imaginative and creative. I would read a book or see a movie and become so inspired that I had to create something just as powerful. You know that feeling of inspiration that just fills you up and consumes you...makes you feel alive. I feel like the older I get, and the further away I get from the proverbial Neverland, the harder it is for me to feel that sort of inspiration. The kind of inspiration that makes you think you can take over the world. I miss it. I just feel that I'm so bogged down and overwhelmed and overstressed and overtired that when that feeling comes it's fleeting because I don't have time to nurture it.

The thing about Neverland is that you had to choose to leave it, but here time kind of pushes us out of it. And rightly so, because don't you just have to give the old side eye when you see a 40 year old dressing and acting like a teenager or a 50 year old man with a 20 year old girlfriend. Puh-lease. But I do think that keeping a bit of childhood, of innocence, of inspiration, of being carefree is important lest we all become insufferable drolls which is where I feared I was heading.

So the moral of the story is that Disney Movies can really mind fuck you.

My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbook Software Review and Giveaway

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

I have a new obsession...Scrapbooking! I know, I know I'm not crafty in the least bit. I can't sew a button or cut in a straight line. That's fine with My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking, because it does it all for you.

My Memories Suite is the #1 rated scrapbooking software and with good reason. You can create a scrapbook in minutes with ready made templates and embellishments or you can custom design your own templates and layouts. It's simple enough for beginners, like me, but offers enough customization for veteran scrapbookers. It comes pre-loaded with design templates, embellishments, word art, etc. but they have an online store where you can purchase additional scrapbooking kits. They have many options that are entirely free of charge to download! It also offers interactive features like video, narration, and music. There's also a ton of ways to share your scrapbook once it's complete. You can print from home, save it to a jpeg (bet you didn't even think I knew what that was huh?), have it printed out from the company as an album, as a calendar, a card, you can burn it to a DVD, send it to iMovie or PC equivalent, or send it to your iPod. Think of all the great gifts you could create or just be selfish and keep it all to yourself. You can even embed links in your interactive scrapbook. So if you were sharing a Christmas Scrapbook you could link to a Christmas cookie recipe.

And it truly couldn't be easier to use. I'm a self proclaimed luddite, but it's really user friendly. I was able to figure it out in minutes, but then spent about a half an hour just playing around with it to see what it offered. The only drawback I could find was that I couldn't access my iPhoto library from the software, I had to move the videos/photos I wanted to use from iPhoto to either my documents or the desktop, but it really wasn't that big of a deal. Especially when you look at what I created. This is only a 6 page ready made template and it took me about 30 minutes. There's video and music that you can't see because I saved it as a jpeg. But just look how awesome it is!

You can buy My Memories Suite 2 HERE for only $39.97 Use my code STMMMS1356 for a $10 discount which means you can get the whole thing for only $29.97! Or you can win it right here by entering the giveaway. Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry and make sure that your e-mail address is in at least one of your entries so I have a way to contact you if you win. This giveaway will run until Wednesday November 16th 2011 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by e-mail.

Mandatory Entry: Visit My Memories Suite and tell me something you like about them (1entry)

Additional entries:

1. Be a public follower of my blog or tell me that you already are (1 entry)

2. Like My Memories Suite on Facebook (1 entry)

3. Write on My Memories Suite Wall saying that you hope you win the giveaway from www.completelyeclipsed.com (2 entries)

4. Follow My Memories Suite on Twitter (1 entry)

5. Blog about this giveaway (5 entries)

6. Grab my button or tell me that you already have it (3 entries)

7. Follow the My Memories Suite Blog (1 entry)

Good luck to all who enter!

I was provided with a free download of the MMS software to that I might be able to provide an honest review

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This giveaway is closed and the winner has been notified. Thank you for all who entered and remember you can download the software with my code on the right side bar for a $10 discount.

November's Happiness Theme...Mindfulness

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

I know I usually post the Happiness Project posts on Monday, but Monday is already the 7th so I feel like that's kind of gipping my out of a week. This month I'm focusing on Mindfulness, meaning really being aware and conscious of the present moment and of life in general.

I have a big challenge tacking this month in staying in the present moment...I'm a serial multi-tasker. I will make dinner, write a blog post, and set up my lunch for tomorrow simultaneously. This drags me away from staying in the moment. Sometimes when I'm particularly busy or overwhelmed I'll be reading a bedtime story with Isabella and I'll be mentally running through my to-do list. I know I need to work on mindfulness. Another challenge is that I can easily become lost in looking forward to future events or drown in worry and anxiety, neither of which is entirely productive.

So here are my resolutions for the month to help me stay more focused on the here and now before it's gone for good:

Meditate: It sounds a little hokey I'll give it to you and feel free to insert eye roll ::here::, but I think it's a wonderful idea to find a few minutes each day to sit in silence. Where it's just quiet, no TV set blaring, no cell phone beeping, and ideally no nagging thoughts running through my head. Just a few moments at the start or end of the day that are mine and mine alone to just sit and be.

Research: Eckhart Tolle, Louise Hay, Richard Dwyer are just some of the authors that I've read in the past that deal with new age spirituality and being in the present moment. I always feel better when I read these books as it gives me more of a framework for it. I'm a person who appreciates structure and how-to's so reading books on mindfulness will surely help to boost mine.

Keep a food journal: So many times I'm in such a rush eating my food that I barely register it's taste. Or while I'm eating a piece of chocolate I'm thinking that this will never be enough to satisfy my sweet tooth and I'll need another one, before I've even finished chewing. Food can be a sensory experience in and of itself and I want to slow down and enjoy it and be mindful of the bites, licks and tastes that I consume that are causing the numbers on the scale to creep up. Writing it down will help...Dr. Oz says so.

So this month I'm going to be mindful, I'm going to be present, I'm going to experience my life and not just hurry through it.

When the Mask Comes Off

2011-11-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Now that Halloween is winding down and the costumes and make up and masks are getting put away and we are no longer pretending to be someone else, the question arises...who am I really? Don't go rolling your eyes, this isn't another post where I whine about mourning for my pre-baby self. This post isn't really like that. Let me explain.

Think about it. How much of our adult lives do we spend pretending? We're all, "Hello, how are you? Glad to hear it. I'm fine thanks for asking. Have a great day." It's so trite, but a necessary part of being in the real world. We act one way with our boss, another way with colleagues. With one group of friends maybe we're a little bit reserved...a watered down version of ourselves. Maybe with our close friends and family we can really let ourselves loose, if we're lucky.

It begs the question, who am I? I have a fairly decent grasp of who I am as a person. I know what I like...I know what I don't like. But I spend so much time wondering and worrying about what Joe Schmo thinks about me and trying to act the part that sometimes I really just lose sight of myself.

When I was younger I used to be really outgoing and friendly and now I'm all reserved, shy, and awkward. Has time and experience just morphed me? Or is a really friendly person trapped down deep inside, hidden by a bad case of bitch face and idle small talk? I don't know. But I love being in an atmosphere of growth so I definitely plan to find out who I am when the lights are out and the masks are off.

Trick or Treat

2011-11-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

Hope yours were full of sweet treats and very few tricks. And I'm loving all the cutie pics of the little ones dressed up!

Isabella had a great time trick or treating with her cousins in Brooklyn. Andy brought her to meet me at work which was nice. It was chilly out, but we still had a good time. Her cousin Dani loves to hold her hand.

And a little treat for mom...hot apple cider with my main man Jack.

Guest Post: How to Choose Safe Toys for your Newborn

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is a guest post by Christina Jones from http://jonesbabylove.blogspot.com You can also connect with Christina on Twitter @Christinajon3s . I received no compensation for this post.

Image via Flickr

Whether you are becoming a parent for the first or the third time, you always want what is best for your baby. This concept stays true throughout their lifetime, even after the kids move out and become independent. However, it is particularly prevalent during infancy, when children are at their most vulnerable. While feeding and sleeping come naturally, elements like finding safe toys are often overlooked.

Toys are an important aspect of an infant's growth and development. However, aside from choosing options that are engaging, choosing a toy for its safety value is important as well. Fortunately, there are many options available in finding safe baby toys for your newborn. Below are a few of the most popular methods that can also save money.

Second-hand baby stores
Baby toys on eBay
Hand-me-downs from family and friends

After determining a source, consider some of the examples below of popular baby-safe toys. Each of these types of toys is both engaging for your infant and safe.

Velcro Based Attachments with Mirrors

Image via Flickr

Velcro based mirror attachments are a popular choice for many reasons. To begin with, they are versatile in how they can be implemented. You can generally place them on anything from a car seat to a crib, ensuring your baby can enjoy them in a number of situations and environments. Additionally, they are manufactured for durability to the common wear and tear associated with heavy infant use, including mirrors that cannot be broken or shattered.

Baby Safe Books

Image via Flickr

Baby safe books generally consist of vividly colored picture books that are manufactured in cardboard and other durable materials that cannot be torn easily. There are also options that include minute padding for the front and back covers that provide extra cushioning for your little one.

Plush Toys with Baby Safe Eyes

Image via Flickr

Plush toys are a popular option for infants. However, some stuffed animals can pose a safety hazard to babies that parents are often unaware of. The most prevalent of these hazards consists of the various types of eyes used on plush toys. Protruding eyes that are hard like a marble are among the most unsafe types of plush toy options available. Instead, look for options that use fabric based eyes that rest flush on the face of the plush toy. These options drastically reduce the potential for choking that is a common problem with protruding eyes.

In all, bringing baby home is a fun and exciting time for parents. Ensuring your new little addition has all the engaging toys and accessories is an important part of their overall development. However, it is important to consider the safety of the toys you are providing. Following the basic guidelines outlined above is a simple and effective way to start out on the right foot.

A Little Adult Halloween Fun

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Every year Andy and I host a Halloween party. I love Halloween. I love the spooky atmosphere and kooky costumes. I always want to put more effort into it, but it always sneaks up on me...not this year. This month I'm focusing on fun and I thought it would be really fun to take the party up a notch. So I googled and I came up with a list of great Halloween themed food.

There were mummy dogs (pigs in a blanket, but wrapped in breadstick dough so they looked like mummies), pepperoni pizza snake, and BBQ'd pulled pork intestines. Also there were, witch fingers and creepy cupcakes for dessert and some goblin goodies for snacking.

I wish I would have gotten a picture of all of it. The place really looked great. The only problem was that it was snowing, which kind of sucked especially for the people who drove in from Brooklyn. A few of my douchier friends didn't show up, but whatevs...I still had a really great time and everyone looked great in their costumes.

Tell me my sister is not a spot on Peggy Bundy?!

David Hasslehoff and me The Queen of Hearts

I had a lot of fun focusing on Leisure and I'm glad that the resolutions carry over. Next month...Mindfulness. And today, some good old fashioned kid Halloween fun, we're off Trick or Treating.

Finding my Groove

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Usually I thrive on routines. Isabella's been on a routine since she's about 8 weeks old and since she came squalling into this world almost two and a half years ago, I've been on a routine too. It just makes life easier. Until it makes life boring and then you need to throw a wrench in it, but that's a post for another day.

Being a working mom having a routine in place really helps save my sanity. I shower and set up lunches the night before. All my clothes are laid out. My coffee pot is set up. All to minimize the amount of noise I make in the morning getting ready and to maximize the number of times I can snooze. I go to work, touch some lives, make some long lasting memories, pave the way of the future, and come home. I usually hit the gym right after work if it's a gym day, come home and play with Isabella, clean out my lunch box and start dinner. After we eat and play a bit more, I take her upstairs for books, bath, and bed. Then I usually tackle a few things on my to-do list: sweep the floors, clean the counter, blog whatever. I try and give myself about an hour or two to just kind of relax and watch TV, play a game with Andy, or read a book.

That's how it usually goes. That's how it's gone my past years as a working mom. But this year I just can't find my grove. I have no desire to make my lunches or prep the meals for the week or go food shopping or sweep or anything. Dishes are staying in the sink overnight and the floors are collecting more dirt. I just can't get into the swing of being back to work after the summer and October is almost over!

I feel like I'm living in a perpetual state of vacation when I'm totally back to work. I at least usually like to put the house together after Isabella goes to bed because it's easier for me to relax when there's no clutter, but I can't even get it together enough to do that. The thing of it is, is that it's not really driving me crazy. I'm kind of all, "Meh, what's the point I'll have to just do it again in a few days anyway."

Can someone please find me Stella because maybe she can tell me how to get my groove back

A Strawberry in the Toilet

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

This story is not for the faint of heart. It's fairly gag worthy, and despite the title of the post it has nothing to do with an actual strawberry. So Isabella has been completely potty trained for a little over a month. No pull ups and only the very stray and random accident, dry through the night. But obviously when she needs to use the potty I go in with her and apparently she thinks she owes me the same courtesy. This is where this story begins.

So I walk into the bathroom to pee and Isabella is flipping through an old issue of Parents magazine, probably looking for some tips for me, maybe a recipe or two whose only ingredient is cheese. I take this time to try and hastily change my tampon. One because I don't know about the rules of periods and tampons and how they relate to toddlers. What can you say that really won't scar them? Mommy bleeds for 5 days and doesn't die? And two, it's creepy.

So if you're kind of getting the idea of where this story is going feel free to back slowly out of the post.

So I manage to take out the old tampon and put in a new one without being spotted until... I stand up. She loves to flush. "Mommy, I flush...what that?" She had caught a glimpse of my tampon in the toilet. "Mommy, you left a strawberry in the potty. It looks yuck."

That entire day she told everybody, and I mean anybody that was in our presence for longer than 5 minutes, that mommy left a strawberry in the toilet and she also hasn't eaten a strawberry since. Le Sigh.

Finding More Fun

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

When my proverbial plate is overflowing with work, child care, a home to care for, meals to prepare, a husband to deal with, lessons to plan, jiggly thighs to work out, and idiot drivers to deal with finding room for fun can seem beyond difficult, may I even say impossible? But this month for my happiness project I forced myself to get serious about having a good time.

I thought I was going to have a harder time with it, since I'm usually like a machine. BAM dinner is on the table. BAM lesson plans made for the week. BAKOW check out those squeaky clean floors. But really...having fun is a lot of fun. I had a kick ass night out with my girl friends. Spent some time with my pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. Spent an entire day out just Isabella and I at the pumpkin patch and then shopping. I've been sillier at home even though it prolongs bedtime. Do I feel happier for it? Sure. Except last week...last week was brutal and there was barely a ray of happiness in it (nothing major just a lot of little things that pissed me off combined with an informal observation at work that might have been the worst lesson I've ever taught, and a wickedly bad case of PMS)

But the biggest source of un-fun in my life is that much loved, much hated, much needed to-do list. I love my to-do list. I love making it. I love checking shit off. What I don't love is actually doing the shit that's on it. Mopping the floors is really not the highlight of my life. Uploading my pictures to facebook is kind of annoying. But I know I need it to keep my life running smoothly, but sometimes I need to just say screw it.

Like right now as I type this, it's Sunday night and the only 3 things I have left on my to-do list are to sweep, mop, and dust the furniture in my bedroom, but that sounds like the most pathetic evening I can think of so instead I've decided to just say fuck it and I poured myself a glass of wine, curled up in bed with Hell House, and am about to savor the last few moments of the weekend in a way that doesn't make me want to rip my hair out. I mean really, when I'm an old lady I don't want to look back and say, "I really did have clean floors." They'll keep until tomorrow.

Fun Fall Photos

2011-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Whitman Farms- apple picking, pumpkin picking, hay ride, corn maze, play ground, and pumpkin tunnel

Playing with the spooky decorations outside our house

Sesame Place Spooktacular

Hayride with grover at Sesame Place

And just a little fun with picnik! Happy Fall!

Spooky. Creepy. Strange

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

So the Halloween season is upon us and aside from trick-or-treaters and 5 lbs worth of candy corn, there's a darker side of Halloween. I've always kind of been fascinated by the paranormal. Things like ghosts, demons, seances, etc. And it might just be because I'm reading a lot of horror books and watching tons of scary movies and going to see a haunted house attraction that I have all of this freaky stuff on the brain, but there have been a lot of weird things going on around here lately. Let me break the spooky down for you.

Source

1. The other night we had just finished putting Isabella in her crib and Andy went to turn on the video monitor and he kind of jumped back a bit. He said that he saw a small black circle move from the corner outside the crib to behind the toy box. 30 seconds later, she starts crying.

2. Isabella has been complaining lately that she's scared of the tunnel in her crib. Maybe something freaky or maybe just a toddler attempt to dodge bedtime? I guess we'll never know.

3. I put a paper towel down on the counter after I dried my hands on it. I turned around and it was on the stove. The windows were closed and the fans were off.

4. It's almost like I feel eyes on me, like I'm being watched. It's really creepy.

5. I've been hearing weird noises, almost like whispering or rustling.

Like I said, I'm fairly certain that I'm just hyper aware of every little thing because I have the spooky, creepy, and strange on the brain. Have any of you guys ever had any sort of brush with the paranormal? You know I'd love to hear it.

Have You Ever Been So Drunk...?

2011-10-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been so drunk that you think McDonald's is a great idea at 3 am?

That you have a "Dougie" off with a giant, black man and win with an entire bar cheering you on?

That you rename a gay man Ezekiel so his name is just as biblical as his life partner who is named Jesus, even though Ezekiel's real name is John, which is one of the four books of the Bible?

That you get a shoe shine from a man in a tin foil hat and a purple suit?

That you drunk text someone completely inappropriate, like the girl from work to tell her that you just schooled some dude at doing the Dougie?

That you saw a girl slide on her ass all the way down an entire flight of stairs and you're first reaction was to laugh, and wondering if she was ok was a distant after thought, after checking to see if your friends saw it too?

Well I have. Don't worry folks, this was just one really drunken/really fun night this past weekend, not a bunch of different days. A few girlfriends and I went out this weekend to some dive bar in the Village section of Manhattan. I'm practically married to my house in the sense that I'm a super anti-social homebody so when I do get out for a night out of drinking and dancing with the girls I tend to go a little hog wild.

But you know what's the pits after a night like that? When you wake up and you're hit with that, "Holy fucking shit, how embarrassed am I right now. WTF was I thinking trying to Dougie in public, I know I have no rhythm and I probably woke up poor Danielle to tell her about my exploits and she probably doesn't even believe I won because she knows I'm clumsy. And that McDonald's will take me exactly 172 hours of running to work off. And OMG, why did I stay out so late, when I have the breast cancer walk so early. I'm such a hot mess. I swear this is why I don't go out. I'm too old for this crap."

But even remorseful and a little embarrassed, I had a kick ass time.

Some Unexpected Fun

2011-10-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Source

This month the area of my life that I'm focused on for my happiness project is leisure. Honestly, I was so looking forward to this month because I figured that it's my job to have some fun. Easy peasy. Well it's not so easy because, honestly, my life is fairly boring and routine and I don't exactly have a ton of free time to spend doing the things I love. But really making a conscious effort to try and do more things that I find fun has really boosted me in my leisure and I'm happy for it.

For example, I love to read. I'm a straight up book nerd. I wrote recently about my love affair for the Ice and Fire series, which I finished. I could sit with my nose in a book and a hot cup of tea or apple cider, curl up on the couch and be content. I also love Halloween and all the spooky things that go along with it; the ghosts, demons, haunted houses! So I combined my two loves and bought a few scary books on my Nook. I just finished Come Closer, by Sara Gran and I'm starting Hell House by Robert Matheson. That makes me happy.

But I really wanted to share with you guys is a moment of unexpected fun that I had this week. I'm not alone in my love affair with Fall. I love the leaves, the weather, the clothes, the fall activities, and the foods that go along with the season. Many of you guys have made Fall inspired posts of recipes or photos and the like. But it really feels like fall when I have my first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. I'm almost obsessive about how and when I have them, delegating them to perfectly sublime moments of bliss where I can savor every sip. You can read about the Pumpkin Spice Latte Debacle from last fall by clicking HERE. So, Isabella, Andy, and I just spent a lovely afternoon at Sesame Place Spooktacular. We watched a show starring all your favorite Sesame Street Muppets, went on some rides, and ended the day with a hay ride with our good friend Grover. And I'm glad it wasn't Cookie Monster, because he just seems deranged, like in 10 years I can see him going postal on Elmo over a Tag Along cookie. It's happening.

Anyway, the weather was perfect; a cool chill, but sunny and the leaves were just right. The leaves have to be just right for the first Pumpkin Latte of the season. I like them crimson and burnt orange, not craptastic brown. Isabella fell asleep as soon as we put her in the car seat, she was probably relieved to have made it out of Sesame Place without running into Cookie Monster and his wayward eyes. So I looked at Andy and said, "Pumpkin Spice Latte?" He agreed. He has a weakness for them as well, although he doesn't share in my obsession for the perfect latte moment. Whatevs.

So my plan was, go into Starbucks, order the lattes with two pumps of pumpkin syrupy goodness, because the three they usually put overwhelms the flavor with sweetness (See I told you I have an unnatural obsession with these lattes), high tail it home so I can sit on the stoop and drink it and soak up all the Fall goodness.

Things didn't go on exactly as I planned. First of all, Isabella wanted to come in with me. Fine...we all went in. Then she insisted on a cake pop. Fine, they're deliciousness and if I wasn't going to drink up my fun calories for the day, I would have eaten one too. But she insisted on a pink cake pop and they didn't have any left, but the barrista behind the counter saw Isabella's little lip quiver in disappointment and offered her the display model. Fine, we'll take it. Andy and I got our lattes and headed for the door, but Isabella didn't join us. Instead she climbed up on a cushy brown leather chair, took of her jacket, and started eating her pop and making eyes at the people sitting across from her. So we all sat down, had a conversation with two old ladies, and drank our lattes. And it was super fun!

Sometimes fun creeps up on you when you least expect it. Although, I am planning on spending some time alone with a pumpkin latte and a good horror story in the near future. Any scary book recs?
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Oh, and a very happy birthday to my cousin Nicole! Have a great day. We'll do Char again soon.

Acceptable Reasons for Tantrums

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

A Toddler's List of Acceptable Reasons for Tantrums

1. I wanted a red lollipop and all you have left is yellow.
2. My peas touched my mashed potatoes
3. You won't let me drive the car.
4. You won't let me have chocolate covered pretzels for dinner.
5. You're washing my hair when you know I prefer it dirty.
6. That little girl looked like she might try and take my toy
7. You put my hair in a headband when I waned it in a ponytail, but I want you to put it in a ponytail without brushing it while I'm running around the house.
8. You sang along to the theme song of Olivia and I can't abide tone deafness on my favorite show.
9. Anytime I have to leave a party/park/show/museum. It's happening.
10. Whenever another kid gets too close to you because even though you're a huge pain in the ass and you try to run my life, you're my mom.

An Adult's List of Acceptable Reasons for Tantrums

1. You're stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and are going to be late for work because of people rubber necking a fender bender pulled off to the shoulder.
2. There's no more coffee.
3. There's no more wine.
4. You brought a salad to lunch because you had every intention of being skinny this week, but now that lunch time is here you want to throw the salad at your skinny co-worker and tackle her for her plate of left over pasta.
5. You run into that bitch from high school with her pencil skirt and high heeled pumps, while you're wearing stained sweat pants and your husbands T-shirt.
6. You're having a "fat" day. Your pants don't fit, you feel bloated and gross and what do you find on your door step? BAM! Your husband's copy of maxim with a perky boobed, flat bellied, cellulite free Jessica-Minka-Christina whatever staring you in the face. And the thought that they're probably air brushed brings you no comfort. (This is only on a fat day, on a normal day it might have no effect whatsoever, which will keep the man of the house wondering if maybe you really are crazy)
7. You can't wait to try out a new recipe, just to realize half way in that you're out of the key ingredient.
8. Anything that involves traffic, the road shoulder, and a douche bag.
9. When you get dressed up looking all pretty and go out with your girlfriends and no one even leers at you suggestively.
10. When you spot that first sprout of silver hair on your head.

The Sadness of the Happiness Project

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

As I'm focusing on Leisure this month for my Happiness Project, I'm realizing there's something sad about focusing on fun. That's realizing my limitations.

There are things that have simply passed me by that I'll never get to have experienced. I'll never graduate as valedictorian. Never mind that I never aspired to graduate as valedictorian, it's just realizing that the option is closed to me. I'll never fly into outer space or open a restaurant or be a famous actress. It's not that I even want these things, it's just that I know I'll never get to experience them.

Then it's realizing my own limitations on things that maybe I feel I should be doing, but that I don't generally think I would enjoy. Living in such close proximity to NYC and working in an outer borough, I feel that there are so many options for "fun." So many wonderful, cultural, unique, and exciting things to do that I feel guilty when I'm not out there experiencing them. Like going to a smoky jazz club at midnight or taking a pole dancing class or going to see the ballet at The Met. Those are examples of things that I think should be fun, but I don't have the inclination or the energy to do it. And that's a bit sad. I mean maybe I should be doing more novel and adventurous things, but I really want to stick to Being Melissa and trying to find novel and adventurous things to do that are more within my realm of interests.

It can be a little bit sad to realize your limitations, but also a little bit liberating.

Flashback Friday - Rock Band

2011-10-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Picture it. It was a summer night back in 2007. All of the girls decided to go out for sushi at Fushimi and then head back to Crotch's house to play Rock Band. None of us can sing. None of us can play an instrument. Christie can dance...a little. Just look at Teresa hunched over her drums trying to keep the beat. And I'm pretty sure I shattered windows trying sing whatever song I had never heard of before into the microphone. Epic Rock Band Fail. Epic.

Vegas

2011-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

You know what's fun? A weekend in Vegas for one of your bests bachelorette parties. Here's the short version.

85% of the people in Vegas are hot.
At one of the pool parties the Maxim Hometown Hotties were there and I couldn't even console myself with the fact that they are probably air brushed in the magazine because these girls were gorgeous.
Day parties at the pool are completely awesome. So is having an acceptable excuse to get tanked by noon.
Dressing up and going out is a lot of fun, especially when you're staying in a cushy suite and don't have to worry about waking up early.
My friends got drunk and most of them fell and I laughed.
You can totally exist on a diet of chicken fingers and Grey Goose
The higher the heel the better.
Getting a few days to blow off steam was a much needed respite.

If Moms Ruled the World

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

...There would be a designated lane on the highway called "The Mom Lane" in which there were no pot holes to jostle a sleeping baby awake, it's sound proof to avoid obnoxious horns, and the speed limit is like 15 mph to ensure that you can drive slow enough to make sure that baby gets a long enough nap.

...Maternity leave would be 3 years, fully paid instead of 3 months or 6 weeks if you're a teacher like me. Being a mother would mean you were valued at work, not lessened. I mean really, being a mom has a certain built in skill set: organization, delegation, creativity, and routine.

...There would be days built into the work year that you had to take off: recitals, holiday shows, school functions, doctors appointments, and report cards. No need for an uncomfortable conversation with your boss, the day is just yours,

...If you have a crying baby or a squirming toddler (or both) you skip right to the front of the line at the post office/grocery store/drug store/clothes store etc. Anyone failing to allow you to cut to the front of the line will receive life imprisonment because there's nothing worse than that.

...Anyone who gives you and/or your tantrum throwing child the stink eye will lose said eye.

...High quality day care would be completely free.

...Stay at home moms would be compensated for "staying" at home. Which means they would get paid for cooking, driving, cleaning, crafting, and filling the day with fun activities for kids with the attention span of a fruit fly on its death bed.

...Kids would be appreciative of all of our sacrifices and love or else they would find themselves in some sort of detention or containment camp.

...Our children would love us half as much as we love them.

Move over Obama, I think we need a mom in office.

When The Fog Lifts

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I wrote about having the Bad Mood Blues and in case you were thinking I was hiding in a closet somewhere crying into my green tea, I just wanted to let you know that the fog is lifting and I'm feeling much better, or at the very least, much more like myself.

Sometimes I just get like that. I was rereading my blog a few weeks ago, like from the beginning and I've noticed that I tend to go in cycles. When I'm up, I'm really up and when I'm down, I'm really down. It appears I have a moody personality. Also, the overarching themes that are apparent in my writing is that I have issues with friendship, I'm really insecure, I hate my body, and more than anything I love my daughter and want to be a good mom even if I don't always know how.

I think when I'm in a bad mood or when I'm having an "episode" as I've grown fond of calling them the best way for me to get through it is to just feel it deeply. Some people seek retail therapy, others talk it out with friends, while others ignore it completely, while I need to just allow myself to feel sad, maybe indulge in a glass of wine or two, watch a sad show and have a good cry. It always sets me right again.

October Happiness - Leisure

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Whew! September is over and I'm still in one piece, relatively. While the challenges at work aren't lessening, I am getting back into the swing of things and I'm ready for the next chapter of my Happiness Project. In October I'm getting serious about play and focusing on Leisure.

I'm talking about carving out and focusing on the things that I do for myself, for fun, and for my "me" time. Which means that one of the first things I needed to do was think about what I like to do in my free time. Where do I find my fun?

I love to read. Browsing in bookstores, getting lost in novels, learning from non-fiction, perusing magazines all makes me super happy.
Shopping is fun. I like to window shop and put together new outfits, although I don't know how well this is going to fit in with my budget.
Pretty much anything that gets me out of the house. I tend to brood when I'm indoors too often, so spending time in out of doors activities or at places that provide a change of scenery gives me the greatest sense of fun.
Watching TV and movies. Loves it.
Cooking. Especially new recipes.

It may not be the most sophisticated list, but I'm not exactly what you would call a sophisticated gal. And honestly, it took me a long time to kind of puzzle out what I find fun. I also need to remind myself that just because someone else finds something fun, doesn't mean it's fun for me. Here are my resolutions for the month.

Find more fun: It's so easy when I have a free moment to throw in a load of laundry, do a quick mop of the floor, or unload the dishwasher, that sometimes the whole day goes by and I haven't done one thing that's just fun for me. I need to try to do one fun thing a day. Maybe it's watching Mike and Molly instead of dusting or getting a mani-pedi after work instead of rushing home to make dinner. I'm worth one fun moment a day, and I'm sure that the people around me will benefit from it. I'm so over feeling guilty about doing things for myself, especially since no one else in my household shares that affinity.

Be silly: So what if Isabella spills the paint on the floor or if dinner gets burned because we had to sing Hakuna Matata again for like the 10th time. Honestly, sometimes I'm so consumed by the running to-do list in my head or overwhelmed by the amount of crap that needs to be dealt with that I feel glum and humorless. Sometimes I need to just be silly. Instead of cajoling Isabella to take the underwear off of her head and put them on her butt, maybe I should just go with it.

Go off the path: Research shows that introducing novel activities into your life can significantly boost happiness. I want to try new things. Even if it's just once. For example, I've always been terrified to drive in Manhattan. The crowds, the traffic, the parking, so I've always cabbed it or if I really had to, taken the subway. But recently, when I took Isabella to the bubble show I decided I would do it and it was a little bit scary, but I did it and it felt great. I was so inspired that I took her to go see the Lion King by myself the following day just the two of us and it was great. I really want to try to do something novel at least once a week.

I'm ready to get down with leisure.

Flashback Friday - High School Senior

2011-09-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you're looking at this picture and can't figure out which one of those bubble jacket clad lovelies I am...good! This picture was taken during a senior ski trip. It wasn't school sanctioned of course being as I went to an all girl Catholic School and this trip was basically referred to as Cancun on ice. These were some of the girls that I hung out with, including my all time bestie. It really was such a super fun trip. Making out, getting tipsy off of bud light, and feeling alive, and full of promise.

Man I hope I didn't peak in high school. And I'm the one in white :)

A Broadway Review

2011-09-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Recently I had a big broadway bonanza where I gave a bunch of tickets away. I finally got to go and see two of the shows, ImaginOcean and The Gazillion Bubble Show

The Gazillion Bubble Show was fantastic. Deni Yang, who was pretty handsome by the way, created a spectacular show of bubbles. There were bubbles inside bubbles, big giant bubbles, bubbles filled with fog that burst into little tufts of smoke, colored bubbles, and at the beginning and end, a wall of bubbles that covered everyone in the audience. Throughout the show, there were clips of Deni performing and backgrounds on his family. Also, there was a part of the show where he brought up children from the audience to take part in the fun. I took Isabella, my mom, and my niece and we had such a great time. The theatre in NYC where it's held (New World Stages) is small so everyone had a great view of the stage. If you're ever in the NYC area I definitely recommend seeing it. There's a great chance I'm going to take Isabella to see it again because she talked about it to everyone for like 4 days afterwards.

ImaginOcean also started and ended in a great way...with bubbles! Apparently kids really go nutso for bubbles. But ImaginOcean was cool because it was puppets all in irridescent black light, so you couldn't see the people controlling the three fish. The colors were really bright and it told the story of 3 fishy friends trying to find a hidden treasure, and, of course the true treasure was their friendship. This show was less than an hour so it might be a great way to start out with a little one who you're not sure how long they will sit for.

The Bad Mood Blues

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

The past few days I've been in rare form. I've been in a super bad mood with no real reason other than I'm in a bad mood. I'm back into my work routine and it's starting to feel like a rut. I need some excitement in my life but don't know how to go about getting that. I feel fat. I feel ugly. I feel old. I feel boring. My house is a mess. I hate my Fall/Winter wardrobe. I haven't gone for a run or hit the gym in like 3 weeks. I'm having a hard time adjusting to being back at work. I have a nagging to-do list and no motivation to tackle it. Just feeling blah.

I know that if I called a friend and chatted on the phone or over a cup of coffee I'd feel better. I know if I went for a run or hit the gym I'd feel better. I know that if I did my hair and make up and found an outfit that didn't make me want to hide under the bed I'd feel better. I just don't have the "ooomph" to get up and do it. The dreary rain doesn't help either.

I'm just feeling a bit lost and not of my self right now. I know it will pass. It always does. But for now I'm just in a really foul mood. How do you guys banish the bad mood blues?

Surviving September- Work

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Picture Source

Ask any teacher and without a doubt they'll tell you that their most difficult months are September and June. Basically because you are inundated with paper work and bogged down with assessments. The only difference between the two is that in June you don't mind as much because a long summer is ahead of you. In September there's still 9 more months of work, so it can be a little daunting. This month I focused on Work for my Happiness Project. My resolutions were get organized, ask for help, try new things, and work smart.

I've definitely spent a lot of time organizing. Just taking 15 minutes of a prep, coming in 15 minutes early or staying 15 minutes late, and rarely giving up 15 minutes of lunch can really put a dent in the mess of papers, books, and miscellaneous hodgepodge. So even though I have a lot more to do, I'm going along nicely. I always feel like I can work better in an organized, streamlined environment. I think it will probably take me through October to get it the way I really want it.

I've been making sure to work smart and ask for help when I need it. Asking for help, proved a lot easier than I thought and I'm lucky that my co-workers are also very close friends of mine so they generally don't think I'm an idiot if I've forgotten something. I also make sure to offer help when I can. Although, honestly sometimes by the time I explain what I need help with I could have just done it myself. I haven't tried anything new yet, but I have some great ideas for projects in upcoming units.

Basically at work in September I felt like I was constantly drowning. Now I feel like I'm just struggling to keep my head above water, but before I know it...I'll be coasting.

Free Pregnancy Planner App

2011-09-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

No, it's not for me I still have some time before I cross that bridge unless one of you wants to jump start my ovaries. There's a free pregnancy planner app on facebook that is completely free. It's from Delta Labs which is a company I've worked with before and absolutely adore.

You can find the free app http://www.facebook.com/bundles.health. The Pregnancy Planner is a place to find some great tips and advice on getting through the pregnancy period. From pre-pregnancy through all three trimesters, to post-pregnacy and breastfeeding, you'll find a wealth of information.

And plus also, in celebration of the Pregnancy Planner launch, they are giving away ten Prenatal Vitamins EVERYDAY in the month of September and October. You can enter from the Bundles page by clicking the "Prenatal Giveaway" tab.

Just some information I thought I'd pass along.

Freedom

2011-09-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

There are many things that I had pre-baby that I still long for, sleeping in, a backseat that isn't covered in cheerios and goldfish, thighs that don't rub together like a cricket. But of all the things I miss, there's one I've been missing a lot more lately. Freedom ::cue Mel Gibson with his blue face and plaid skirt::

Freedom to go where I want and do what I want. I guess this would even extend to before marriage. Oh what would it be like to go shopping without nagging thoughts of a house payment, a car payment, and a Fall wardrobe for Isabella. To buy something just because it was beautiful and I loved it without worrying if I'd have to live on Ramen noodles for the week or if it would go on sale or if they had something that doesn't look as great, but was cheaper.

Freedom to stay out all night without worrying about quizzical looks from my husband or worrying about how to nurse a hangover and meet all the demanding needs of a toddler. To not have to leave a night out early because I have to wake up with the baby the next day. To feel beautiful, not stretched out and saggy.

Freedom to stay in my pajamas all day long watching Teen Mom, Jersey Shore, Glee, and all my Housewives. Just the freedom to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted without worrying or answering to anybody.

Now I haven't gone completely bat shit crazy because I'm pretty sure that even before Andy and Isabella I couldn't really have gone out all the time, spent a ton of money on clothes, although I did have trash TV marathons regularly, but it's nice to dream. I don't know, I've kind of been in a weird mood lately. Getting back into the routine of work again feels just like that...a routine. I'm feeling chained to this routine, like I'm living my life inside some little box and it's making me nuts. I don't want to run off and join the circus or anything but my life feels a bit gray right now and it desperately needs a splash of color. I have to shake things up a bit before I start feeling like a prisoner in my own life.

Flashback Friday Twihards

2011-09-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

To say the girls and I were obsessed with the Twilight Saga is akin to saying that John Goodman is chubby. It just ain't the truth. We would read, re-read, and dissect the books and the movies ad nauseum. We discussed the pros and cons of being with Edward as opposed to Jacob. We worried if Charlie would ever find love. We cursed the abomination of Stephanie Meyers imagination that allowed Edward to produce sperm despite the fact that his lungs do not produce air nor his heart blood.

This picture was taken on opening night of the first movie. We waited in line with the twelve year old girls (and their twihard moms) clad in t-shirts. Teresa and I are the only Team Jacob's. We like Edward, but Jacob's happiness means more to us.

This was Isabella's first movie...I was 2 ish months pregnant or so

My Obsession

2011-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hands off ladies he's all mine!

I have a serious, serious obsession. It's with George RR Martin's epic saga A Song of Ice and Fire. I can't get enough of it. I watched Game of Thrones on HBO and something (I won't give any spoilers) happened that had my hoisting my jaw off the floor and so I googled to make sure that what I saw actually happened and it wasn't a flashback of a bad ecstasy hit that I took in 1999. It wasn't. Then I realized that this amazing show was based on a book and not just one book...a bunch of books...long books.

So I went to download them on my NOOK, but surprisingly for the 4 books that were out at the time it cost $35 to download and only $20 to order, which is weird, so I ordered them and devoured them. A Game of Thrones, A Storm of Swords, A Clash of Kings, A Feast for Crows, and the newest one A Dance of Dragons.

I'd gladly forfeit my other guilty pleasures, The Jersey Shore, Real Housewives, etc, to get lost in the seven kingdoms. I love books like these that really just wrap you up and take you along for the ride. And now I am completely obsessed with Sean Bean. So if any of you know him can you please make him call me so I can tell him that I am completely obsessed with him in the least creepy way possible.

Oh and no one is paying me to say this shit. I'm just really into it right now and I'm hoping to spread my obsession to as many people as possible.

Oh the Things that I Think

2011-09-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

The alarm clock goes off around 5:45 am and here is how the rest of the day plays out in my head...

Seven hells that alarm clock is so obnoxious. I'm not a religious person but I swear to God that is what hell must sound like.

Do I really need to wash my hair today? Nope! Ponytail. Maybe if I put a braid in the front people will think it's fancy not dirty.

This isn't wrinkled I'll wear this.

If I chew very lightly on the right side this banana almost tastes like bacon, egg, and cheese. Will I ever be thin enough to enjoy a guilt free breakfast sandwich again?

Speaking of guilt...why the hell do I feel guilty about everything? I blame Sister Jean and Sister Lora for years of guiltwashing me.

Why is there always so much traffic in Staten Island? If the toll goes up again I swear I'm writing my congressman.

I have so much paper work to do.

With each passing moment I spend in this classroom with these kids I'm starting to believe that the old addage, "There's no such thing as a stupid question" is a giant farce.

I'm tempted to change my name just so I don't have to hear these kids say it 50 times a day.

Thank God it's lunch...oh wait, hummus and carrots...lame sauce.

I'm so happy I'm home so I can squeeze my Isabella.

Why won't this kid hug me? Maybe she has some sort of hugging disorder.

Nevermind, she's hugging Andy. What the hell? I was with this kid nearly every day for 10 weeks, I'm back to work for 2 and I'm dirt. Maybe I'm just a shitty ass parent. Does this kid even love me?

Should I have wine tonight or tea? I really want wine, but Dr. Oz is constantly extolling the virtues of consuming green tea. Oh fuck it I'm having wine.

September Happiness...Work

2011-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've been really dragging my feet writing this post, as you can tell that it's September 12th and I'm just sitting down to focus on my September Happiness theme of work. But as a teacher, there really is no better time to focus on my work then right now.

I really love what I do. I can honestly say that I couldn't picture myself doing anything else, except maybe writing or being a Beverly Hills Housewife. But this year I'm really dragging. I'm adjusting to the fact that I'm back in the classroom after a year of doing a job I loved as a Reading Teacher. I'm adjusting to the fact that I have a really big class. And I had such a great summer that I'm really adjusting to not being home with Isabella...of drinking my coffee in the car listening to Elvis Duran and the Morning Show instead of curled up on the couch flipping through a magazine while Isabella watches Alice in Wonderland. But like it or not, I'm back at work and it's time that I focus on bringing my happiness there.

Since I already love my job I feel like that's a plus, if you were doing this happiness project and hated your job maybe you could focus on finding one that you like, not that I think any of you are actually doing this with me, but if you ever feel that urge. Here are my September resolutions:

Try New Things: I'm good at what I do, but I think I need to shake things up a bit. Sometimes I'm afraid to try something new in my classroom because I'm scared that it won't work out or because I already have all the "stuff" to do it the old way. I want to branch out and try new things and if it doesn't work it doesn't work. I think I'm ready to grow a little bit professionally. Maybe integrate more projects and group works and vamp up my lesson plans.

Ask for Help: Picture this, a classroom overrun with new supplies. A to-do list that is two pages long. A stack of papers needing to be looked at. A cup of pencils that need to be sharpened. Someone walks in and says, "Hey you need some help?" And what do I say, "No I'm ok, but thanks." That's nuts, sometimes I need to just let people help me. And I need to learn to delegate. Andplusalso, I need to check my pride and ask questions if I don't get something right away.

Organize: I'm a pretty organized person, but I'm back in a room that I haven't been in in a year. In that year, it was occupied by one general ed teacher, one long term sub, a para professional, a special education teacher, and about 20 3rd graders. To say the room is not as pristine as I left it is a giant understatement. I need to get busy organizing and streamlining my room. Even if I just dedicate 15 minutes 2 or 3 times a week just to organizing I'll make a big dent in what I have to get done.

Work Smart: Work smart, not hard. I bet I could accomplish more if I stopped stopping in the middle of one task to start another or farting around with my Smart Board software or chit chatting with co-workers.

Here's to the start of a great year!

Flashback Friday When I Felt Pretty

2011-09-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

It was December 31st 2007. New Year's Eve. All of my bests and our men (those who had them) were celebrating at Sirico's Catering Hall in Brooklyn. This was pre-baby so I was still getting lots of girl time: dinners, dancing, bars, movies, game nights, even a day at The Painted Pot pottery shop. I felt good in my place in the world. Andy and I were over that first year struggle in our marriage and we were really happy and I felt really close to all of my girlfriends. But more than that, this was the first time, including my wedding day that I actually felt beautiful.

Not just pretty. But really beautiful...and thin. This was the only time I can actually recall loving my body. I was newly vegan and had dropped about 15 pounds in a little less than three months and I felt fantastic. You can't see it in the picture but the dress has a cut out back, which is something I would shy away from now because of unsightly back fat. But at that point in my life I was healthy, thin, beautiful and surrounded by people who made me so happy. I know I'll never get down to that weight again, unless I go vegan again, but I'm hoping to one day love my body and my life like I did that night. It really was one of my very best memories.

And my girls looked pretty good too (from left me, Crotch, Christina, Christie. Meg, Teresa and Lara are not pictured)

When Giveaways Go Wrong

2011-09-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

In April I hosted a giveaway from Skin MD Naturals. I reviewed the product, hosted the giveaway, and promoted it on facebook and twitter. I did everything I said I was going to do. BUT they never mailed the prize out to the winner. I have sent several e-mails to Sarah Macgregor-Scott, who is the woman I dealt with, and she has ignored every. single. one. of them.

I said the product was great and it's true, but the lack of respect and customer service and the lack of fulfillment to our deal is inexcusable in my opinion. I know many of you who read this may host or participate in giveaways on your blogs, so what do you do when shit hits the fan and companies bail on holding up their end of the bargain? I feel angry and cheated and I hate the fact that one of my readers is disappointed. It makes me look bad even though it's the company that botched it.

If this makes you angry, please e-mail sarah@skinmdnatural.com and tell her that you find this unacceptable. I'm calling all bloggers to arms to take up this cause (ok so that might be a bit melodramatic), but maybe they'll actually do what they said they were going to do if people speak up and tell them that it's not ok.

I will gladly now step off my soap box and thank you kindly in advance.

It's Almost Costume Time

2011-09-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween, like I decorate my house on October 1st from top to bottom. It might be our favorite holiday. But usually around this time of year I start stressing out about what I want to dress up as. Every year we host a Halloween party with our friends and we have a costume party. Some years I rocked it (Cleopatra) and some years I completely botched it (that Marge Simpson wig would just not stay up). But this year www.BuyCostumes.com has made my life a lot easier.

I was offered the opportunity to review any costume I wanted from the TV and Movie section of Buy Costumes website. That in and of itself took me about a day and a half to decide. Do I want to be Angelica from Pirates of the Caribbean? Could I pull off Wonder Woman? Would the Cruella DeVille dress make me look hippy? Seriously, there are a ton of costumes to choose from for men, women, and your tots. In the end I decided on The Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. We're currently in the middle of an Alice in Wonderland obsession over here so I figured it would make the wee one happy.

I love the costume. It fits, it's comfortable, it's age appropriate and it comes with everything I need to rock it. It fits true to size and it's reasonably priced. I don't know many people who want to spend a ton of money on a costume they're going to wear for one night and I have to say that the prices at www.buycostumes.com are appropriately priced. The costume is made of quality material and it doesn't look cheap at all. I'm very satisfied with my costume and I can't wait to wear it at the Halloween party this year.

Just in case you wanted to see what it looked like on a tall, thin, good-looking model

So when you're thinking of what you want to be for Halloween this year, take a look at www.BuyCostumes.com

I was given a free costume so that I might provide my honest opinion. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine alone.

Falling off the Happiness Bandwagon

2011-09-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

September's Happiness Project Theme is Work, but since I haven't started back to work yet I thought I'd do a general Happiness Project post. I love the focus that starting this project has brought into my life. I love how it gives me small, structured steps that lead to happiness in different parts of my life. But this past month I've kind of fallen off the bandwagon.

I've been a little slack checking off my resolutions for each month. I think since I knew August was my last month of vacation I kind of threw caution to the wind and really just enjoyed myself. I ate what I wanted, drank a lot of what I wanted (cabernet anyone?), slothed, and hermited myself up. And even though it felt great, I'm feeling the effects now. I'm a bit fatter, not running as fast or as long as I was, and I'm starting to get text messages from friends asking why I still haven't called them back. Times like this happen and I'm being gentle with myself, but I'm ready to get back on the program.

Going back to work I think will be a big time buzz kill, but it does keep me more on schedule and I thrive on routines. So I'm ready to start treating my body nicely, treating my friends nicely, and treating my home nicely.

The First Night Out

2011-09-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

So Blair over at Heir to Blair does this Flashback Friday and I'm kind of digging it, so I decided that I'd jump on the bandwagon, for today at least.

This was a picture from my first girl's night out after Isabella was born. She was only 2 weeks old (which is why I'm not showing you a full body shot). The reason I strayed from my nest of spit up, squalling, and sleep deprivation was because one of my besties was moving away to Israel and it was only fitting to have all of us girls there to give her a proper Brooklyn send off. You ca see the empty glasses, my stink eye, and Teresa laughing at something I said that for sure was cutting, even in a martini induced hazed. Check out the short hair too!

And a big welcome back to Lara, who after a 6 countries and years of absence has returned to us.

Ummm...Who's Too Cute?

2011-09-01T19:45:00.000-07:00

Potty Training Begins

2011-09-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote about how I'm feeling really lazy about potty training (Click HERE to read all about it). I wasn't up for it and I didn't think she was. However, lately she's been really into the potty. She likes to sit on it and she loves the toilet paper, and then I went to pick her up at school at the beginning of the week and on her sheet it said that she sat on the potty like 3 times. So even though I'm still feeling really lazy about it, it seems that she's getting revved up by it so I decided to take her lead and plunge into potty training.

For those of you living under a rock, the north east was pounded by Hurricane Irene, since I live in Jersey, we were slated for a direct hit so I figured I would use those 48 hours indoors to really tackle the training. So in an effort to prepare myself, I googled. The results were so numerous that I really just didn't know where to start. Some said to start at 18 months, others said 36 months, some said use pull-ups, some said run around naked. But they all seem to say that if you don't keep potty training positive you will shame your kid into being a sociopath. So I closed the computer and asked my real live cousin Nicole who has been there and done that with her daughter. She said that she kept her bare bottom and took her to the potty a lot and used M&M's to help with incentives.

Ok, that seemed simple enough. So Saturday morning I took off the diaper and let her run around bare assed. She peed on the potty no problem and once she saw she was getting a treat (candy, TV show, craft etc) she was even more into it. We lost power on Sunday so she was a little hesitant to pee in a darkened bathroom even with a flashlight, so we had a few more accidents on Sunday than Saturday, but she still did a pretty decent job. Although, we went for a walk late Sunday afternoon once the weather cleared up and she peed in her shorts, which struck me as kind of funny.

So here is what's going well: she'll sit on the potty whenever I ask her to (I try to have her sit on it every 30-45 minutes), if she has to pee she does, and sometimes she'll go in herself without me if she has to go before the timer goes off.

Here are the challenges: she will not poop on the potty. It's been several days and she will poop on the floor or outside on the deck like an untrained poodle. I'm not sure if she's scared to poop on the potty or if it's a sign she's maybe not ready. She'll still have pee accidents on the floor sometimes (1-2) a day.

Here are my concerns: What happens if we have to take her for a long car ride? We've been lying low this week to get her into the swing of things, what happens when it's time to go on an outing? I'm going to send her to school in pull-ups, but other than that I'm planning to just stick with panties (except for nap and bed time, I'll tackle that after day time is established).

I'm accepting any and all potty training stories, advice, and answers. Now excuse me while I scrub the poop off my floor.

That's Just Me

2011-08-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I put myself on blast on the interwebz. I divulge highly personal information where any one can find it. I embarrass myself on a regular basis. Sometimes I'll write a really personal post or I'll write from a frame of mind that is really down in the dumps or I'll wonder about what so-and-so from real life will think when she reads it, and I'll hesitate to hit publish but I always do. I don't really care any more who reads this blog and what they think. This is my place to be exactly who I am and if that makes you feel like you're not alone or if it makes you want to make fun of me or if it makes you think or if it makes you hate me, that's just how it has to be.

I will talk about how I hate my fat ass. I'll talk about how I sometimes want to pull my hair out while dealing with Isabella's antics. I'll talk about how awesome my friends are and in the same breath talk about how alienated I feel from some of them. I'll talk about my snoring husband. I'll talk about my inadequacies, my insecurities, my triumphs, and the times I've owned it. I'll review shit and give it away. Some of my posts are highly personal and some are really embarrassing and sometimes I even put a link on facebook (albeit rarely). But this is me and I own who I am. No being fake, phony, or hiding. This is me.

Discipline Magic?

2011-08-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

So here's another Happiness Project post where you can read all about how I'm trying to go from a mom who is fraying at both ends to a mom who is ~~put together~~ ~~organized~~ ~~light~~ ~~unstressed~~ holding it together most of the time. And I'm really proud of my progress this month, I really am.

I've been creating happy memories and documenting them in my one sentence journal. Nothing insane, just regular stuff: making crafts together, baking, going for walks, playing silly games, etc. I've been trying to be light, and if I don't feel light I've been acting the way I want to feel, so I'll pretend I'm light even if my blood is set to boil. I've been making a big effort to bite my tongue and not snap. Deep breathing and counting to ten or just reminding myself that she's two is usually enough to calm me down. It's not perfect and honestly, I don't think I've had one perfect day this month, but it's better than last month. So now it's time to tackle discipline.

I won't say Isabella is a bad kid, but she's no angel either. She's a self-respecting two year old, which means she tests her boundaries, pushes my limits, and is insistent on getting her way. I get it. That comes with the territory of toddlerhood. But letting her get her way, giving into her tantrums, and tearing my hair out in frustration doesn't seem like the best path to take. So I did a little research and it seems like the book 1-2-3 Magic is a big favorite. So I downloaded in on my Nook and I'm about a quarter through with it. I like it so far. It seems like there's something about counting that works, but I just started that chapter, what really stuck with me is that most adults assume that kids are little adults and we try to reason with them as such.

ZOMG! That was a truth bomb right there. I can't count how many times I've had conversations like this:

Me: It's time to get dressed
Isabella: I don't want to get dressed
Me: Isabella, we have to be at swim class in 20 minutes, we need to get dressed now.
Isabella: No
Me: But you like swim class, we're going to miss it and you're going to be sad now come here and let me dress you.
Isabella: I don't want to go to swim class I want to do something else.
Me: We're going to swim class, now stop running away from me and let me dress you. It will be over in 2 seconds. Just let me dress you. Stop running around like a wild thing.

*We wind up 10 minutes late to swim class because I'm chasing her around the house like some sort of insane lunatic*

Ummm...do I really think she cares that getting dressed will be quick and we're going to be late? She couldn't care less and it's silly for me to think she can cognitively reason at that level. So I think the book will help me push beyond that little adult assumption. We'll see how it goes!

Free Diet E-Book...Because Who Isn't on a Damn Diet

2011-08-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is a guest post from Elizabeth T. on diet, exercise, and healthy living. At the end of the article find a link for a free diet e-book (note, you will need to enter an e-mail address). This is not a sponsored post and I was not compensated for it in any way.
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A Healthy Lifestyle - Food Choices, Exercise and Nutritional Supplements
by Elizabeth T
There are many factors that are necessary to successfully live a healthy life. For many, leading a healthy life is more than just eating healthy; it requires an entire lifestyle change. Better health will improve your appearance and weight, boost energy, and improve your health in the short and long term. It is important to eat healthy meals, exercise regularly, and take useful health supplements. With these steps, anyone can feel, look, and be healthier. This free health ebook provides details on all these components necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
Eating the right foods is important for your health. First, you must incorporate lean protein into your diet. Protein takes longer to burn in the body and is necessary to maintain muscle. Carbohydrates are also important as they are the main energy source for the body. However, you need to eat the right kind of carbohydrates, not those which are labeled as “empty” carbs. It is also important to have fat in your diet. But as with carbohydrates, there is “good” fat and “bad” fat. “Good” fat will help you lose weight and has been proven to promote heart health. Discover the best types of protein, carbohydrates, and fats to add to your diet, as well as meal plans that are built specifically on the best food choices for a healthy lifestyle.
A healthy lifestyle requires exercise to achieve weight loss. Successful exercise should be fun and should combine resistance training with cardiovascular exercise. Cardio will exercise your heart and burn calories. Resistance training helps to tone muscle and increase your metabolism. Learn about the many different types of exercises for cardio and resistance training. Choose from a range of low to high impact exercises and schedules that keep exercise effective and fun.
Nutrient supplements are another component of healthy living. However, not all supplements are created equal. Don’t be mislead by marketing tags; discover supplements that can be used to reach your goals. Discover how different supplements work and which ones are most effective for your health. Learn all about the key supplements that can help with weight loss and health.
Take the needed steps to become healthy. Look and feel good all the time. Being healthy is a trend that will never go out of style. It will take time to make a complete lifestyle change, but over time and with perseverance, anyone can achieve a healthy lifestyle. Take each day, one at a time. Use the meal plans and exercise schedules in this diet ebook to your advantage and stay positive.

Carla and Leo's World of Dance Review

2011-08-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently given the opportunity to review the book Carla and Leo's World of Dance, by author, fashion model, and mom Agatha Relota, and I have to say that I was very impressed. The book breaks down various dances from around the world, such as the Samba from Brazil, the Waltz from Vienna, the fox trot from NYC and a whole bunch more. With each dance it not only explains the steps, but it gives you the cultural background from the place and era where the dance originated. It tells the story of Carla and Leo who learn to dance the many dances of the world. It is beautifully illustrated and has a special introduction from Jessica Alba as well.

Here's a little something straight from the website.

Carla and Leo’s World of Dance takes young readers ages 8 to 12 on a journey to the magical dance school of the beautiful Miss Paulina, who leads 10-year-olds Carla and Leo on a worldwide tour of ballroom dance. Their journey covers ten styles: the waltz, foxtrot, swing, merengue, mambo, cha cha, rumba, salsa, tango, and samba. For each style, Miss Paulina provides its cultural and geographical origin as well as rhythmic step patterns. All this is presented with a delightful narrative written by author, fashion model, dancer, and mother of two Agatha Relota. The book pops with more than 50 colorful illustrations from Paris fashion illustrator Thierry Perez, and Jessica Alba penned the charming introduction.

Children will love this fresh take on ballroom dancing, while parents will love the educational content. Readers of all ages are sure to finish the book with a new rhythm in their steps, ready to dance their way around the world.

I can't wait to bring this book into my classroom. I think it would be a great resource for when we study communities around the world. Another great idea would be to read a dance section at the beginning of the week and then learn the moves with your child, make dishes from that region, and a related craft. I can't wait until Isabella is old enough to do that with!

You can learn more about Carla and Leo's World of Dance at www.carlaandleo.com

Today I Hate

2011-08-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm hating the battle every single time it's time to change Isabella's diaper or outfit. Seriously, it takes like 20 minutes of asking-begging-arguing-haggling-and eventually getting her to get dressed or get her diaper changed. It's exhausting and I hate it and it makes me feel like a shitty ass parent whose kid won't listen and it makes me want to velcro her to the floor to make changing time easier.

I'm hating that everything she wants to do has to be "all by myself." I get it kid, you're independent. That's great for her in the long run, but right now for me in the short term it's so frustrating. She has to buckle herself into the car seat, climb in and out of the tub by herself, put on her shoes, climb into the stroller, in fact the only thing she doesn't want to do by herself is get dressed (see above).

I hate that in order to be healthy and skinny you have to diet and exercise. Really, why can't mac and cheese be healthy instead of broccoli? I'd much rather sit around watching What Not to Wear then running or hitting the gym. I'm hating that instead of the ice cream sundae I want for dessert, I'm eating watermelon and instead of the bacon cheeseburger for dinner I'm eating citrus grilled chicken.

I'm hating that we're on such a tight budget right now. I see my sister having all these fun experiences and going shopping and buying all this awesome stuff, while I sit home and wear the same old things because I just can't afford it. I understand that we need to save money to buy a bigger house, but sometimes it really, really sucks. I was invited to do a fun thing on Thursday and a fun thing on Monday and I want to do them both, but I can't.

I'm hating that there are kid toys all over my living room. I can't keep them all in her room because then I'd have to sit in there all day when she played with them. I really can't wait to have a house that can accommodate all this kiddie toy crap so I don't have to be surrounded by it. Ahhhh, what it will be like to have an adult looking living room again.

Today I'm kind of hating on everything and not afraid to bitch about it. Tomorrow will be better, but honestly, today kind of sucks.

Excuses, Excuses

2011-08-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

We all make choices as parents. Every day, sometimes it seems like every second, we make choices for our children. Sometimes we make the same choices and sometimes they're completely different. I don't care whether you breast feed your baby until she's two or use formula straight from the get go. It doesn't affect me if you chose to sleep in a family bed or not. The only thing that does get to me is when people don't own their choices; when they make excuses for their decisions.

When I was a brand new mom, I was always really self-conscious about what other people thought about my parenting. If Isabella would cry in public I would automatically get really embarrassed and assume that people thought I was a terrible mother. I'm a stickler for schedules so when I would plan dates around Isabella's nap times and bed time I would worry that people would make fun of me behind my back. But you know what? I grew into my mommy skin and now I stand proud by the choices I've made.

I let Isabella cry it out when she was a baby. For me personally, that was what worked the best and now she knows how to put herself to sleep and sleep straight through the night. I used to tell people, "Oh, I work so I'm tired and needed something to teach her to sleep quickly." I said that excuse because I was worried people would think me cruel for letting my baby cry at night. But honestly, I just needed sleep and so did she, that worked the quickest so that's what I did. I think it makes me a good mom that I taught my child to sleep by herself, but that's my choice. Now when I talk to other moms about sleeping and sleep training comes up, I hear the excuses. "I'm scared he's going to climb out of the crib" "She just cries and never sleeps it doesn't work" "He cries so hard that he gags." And I just want to tell them that it's ok if you don't feel comfortable sleep training, but just say it. You don't need to make excuses for your decisions, least of all to me because I'm fumbling around in the dark half the time hoping to keep the child out of therapy. Just own your choices. If you don't feel comfortable with day care you're not going to offend me because I send Isabella. I won't feel slighted if you still give your 2 year old a bottle just because I stopped at 1.

Don't make excuses for your decisions and don't make people feel that they need to make excuses for theirs. We're all in this together and I think we're all doing a great job!

It's a Shore Thing

2011-08-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

We're back from a wonderful week at the Jersey Shore. Ocean City, not Seaside where I might run into my MVP, is a beautiful shore town. We went there last year (click HERE to read about it) and Isabella still loved it. She wasn't as gung ho about the ocean this year, but she still loved to wade into her calves. She loved playing in the sand and building sand castles. We also put her crib in another room this year, since when she roomed with us in Disney she woke us up at 6 am every day, so we got to sleep until at least 7:30 or 8 everyday which was nice. It was so much nicer this year that she's older and can do more and my parents and sister were there so there were lots of hands on deck to help out. Can't wait to go again next year!

Playing with the sand

Not letting a little rain get her down

Posing before dinner

Digging in the sand

Riding the boats at the Wonderland rides

Piggy backing on the boardwalk

Green Tea Plus Metabolism Booster Giveaway

2011-08-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is closed and the winner, Giveaway Junkie, has been
notified.

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I was recently given an opportunity to review Green Tea Plus Herbal Metabolites pills that help to curb your appetite and boost your metabolism. I'm usually skeptical when it comes to herbal weight loss aids, but after looking at the ingredients, everything was natural and I figured why not give it a shot and see how I like it.

The Green Tea Metabolism Booster from www.shopdeltalabs.com is a really great supplement. You take two pills a day with food and it helps to curb your appetite and boost your metabolism. At first it made me a little bit jittery, but I was taking two pills together, once I started taking one in the morning and one in the afternoon I felt much better and I really did want to eat less. Coming on the heels of my Florida vacation, I was really pleased to put off some of that weight.

Here's some information on Green Tea Plus Metabolism Booster straight from the website www.shopdeltalabs.com: "Green Tea +", a natural weight loss and metabolism boosting supplement by Delta Labs can help trim your waistline with a unique blend of fat-burning ingredients. We've combined the proven potency of seven natural weight loss aids, including two of the best energy catalysts ever - acai berry and green tea - into a unique formulation that can support your weight-loss goals safely, swiftly - and for sure!

Curbs appetite with Green Tea plus six more natural fat burners
Suppresses diet-killing cravings
Boosts metabolism
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They even order a money back guarantee! They also have lots of other stuff like pre-natal and post-natal care. You can purchase your own Green Tea by visiting Delta Labs or you can enter to win right here.

How to Enter:

1. Visit www.shopdeltalabs.com and tell me something awesome about their website (1 entry)

2. Be a public follower of my blog (1 entry)

3. Grab my button or tell me you already have it (2 entries)

4. Tell me why you would like this product (2 entries)

5. Blog about this giveaway (5 entries)

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry, for example, if you have my button you would leave 2 separate comments. Make sure your e-mail is in at least one comment if it's not linked to your profile. This giveaway will end on 830/11 at 11:59 pm. The winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is drawn. I was given a free sample of the product so that I might provide my true opinions. Good luck to all who enter.

Gone Swimming

2011-08-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

At the ocean soaking up some rays...be back in a few days!

I'm Not That Kind of Mom

2011-08-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've been paying close attention to the moms that are around me lately and I'm just different. I went to an indoor play area lately and a lot of moms were completely decked out in high heels and everything. I think it's great to look good and feel good, but is that really practical? But it's more than that. When I was growing up and it was time to leave the park my mom would holler across the play ground to tell me that it was time to go and if I said no she'd yell something else back at me somewhere along the lines of, "Get your rear in gear and let's go before I leave you here." But this is what I hear, "Mommy really needs to leave and you're hurting mommy's feelings by not coming down from there. Can you pretty please with a cherry on top come down? No! Oh you silly boy, get down from there. No? Ok, a few more minutes pumpkin." These moms give me the death look as I throw my screaming toddler over my shoulder and carry her out.

Also, I get that Isabella is the most common name in like the world. And usually wherever we go there's another Isabella. I couldn't care less. I think her name is beautiful. But people pick names for there kids that they chose specifically because they're ~~out of this universe~~ unique. I understand you not wanting a popular name, but some of the classic names are so beautiful...Sophia, Danielle, Jennifer, Michael, Jacob...there's nothing wrong with being classic. Just because the name Moon Man hasn't graced the top 100 names in Social Security does not make it a fitting name for your child. And really, they'll probably get teased if you name them Facebook Myspace Windjoy.

I'm all about nutrition. I think it's really important to put wholesome, organic food into my family, but I am not spending $9 on an organic clove of garlic. I don't know what a carbon foot print is, and while I love the idea of a farmer's market, I'd have no idea where to find one. I think breast is best but I don't want to crucify the makers of Enfamil.

Maybe it's just me. Maybe because I live in the suburbs now when I grew up in the inner city and things are different there. Maybe I'm just a little bit old school, but I'm just not that kind of ultra modern mom.

Snapping

2011-08-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have a bad habit. I'm a yeller, but it's not really yelling, it's more like snapping. I did it before I became a mom and I still do it. It's time to come out of the closet with this one. I don't like it, but I need to accept it before I can change it. In August my happiness focus is on Parenting, so I'm really trying to tackle this one.

At first I've just been trying to be aware of it. Noticing when it happens and what triggers it and this is what I've found. I'm at my snappiest when I'm deeply engaged in something, like paying bills or making dinner, and Isabella is whining/crying for no good reason. My definition of a good reason for a toddler to cry is that she's in pain, hungry, wet, has a dirty diaper, is uncomfortable, or bored. A toddler's definition of a good reason for crying can include, but is not limited to, her sticker isn't sticky anymore, the battery in her toy is dead, The Wiggles are over, there's a stray strand of hair on her arm, or she can't reach her block because she threw it under the couch. I hate whining, hate it. It's like nails on a chalkboard for me, couple that with me being engrossed in something else, especially when I'm alone and don't have someone to distract her, you have the perfect storm for snapping.

So now that I know my triggers, what can I do to avoid them? I can try to handle most tasks when she's napping. If I do need to do something when she's awake, I can try to make sure she's comfortable before hand, maybe with a dvd or a snack. But I can't avoid yelling all together. Honestly, sometimes kids just need to get yelled at a bit. I got yelled at, sometimes my mom still yells at me. I come from a family of loud talkers, snappers, and yellers. But I am trying to be aware of it. So when I can't control the outside situation, I can control what goes on inside because I always feel guilty for yelling, especially if it's loud and it startles her. And just to be clear, I'm not talking about danger yelling like "Get that wet fork away from the open electrical socket."

So I can try to stay calm and take a few deep breaths, leave the situation for a few minutes if it's safe, try and calmly talk her out of whatever nonsense she's whining about. And, I don't know I guess just practice responding in a calm way.

What do you do to stay your anger?

Flying with a Toddler

2011-08-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

The aspect of flying with my two year old was terrifying to me. It was the scariest aspect of our trip to Disney. So I decided that I would list the tips that worked for me on our flight.

1. If you are against TV, snacks, or bribery I'd highly rethink those positions on an airplane. A portable DVD player, some chocolate munchkins, and/or the promise of one will do a lot to stave off a mid air melt down.

2. I had her in her car seat. It was a little bit tight, but she knew she couldn't get out of it and didn't try. The only thing is she kept kicking the seat in front of her, so we offered for Andy to switch seats with the lady, but she declined. I tried to stop her but there really is no leg room.

3. I packed a small back pack with new toys that I bought at the dollar store that she had never seen before and a few small treats. I introduced a new toy every 20-40 minutes or so or whenever she got bored with what she had. Nothing crazy, a small book or a toy pony, just something that was novel to her.

4. Lollipops worked great for the ear popping. She never even complained about it. I practiced with gum a few days before the trip, but she kept swallowing it, so lollipops it was. Charms and Tootsie Pops are the best ones.

5. Keep your sense of humor. If a meltdown occurs there's not a whole lot you can do. Some people can be douche bags, but most people are kind and sympathetic. Try distraction or maybe a walk up and down the aisle. Or load your phone up with pre-school worthy apps and let 'em have at it.

We were flying to Orlando, so there were a lot of children on board so I figured that people would get it and at some point or another there was a child or baby crying or fussing. That's just the nature of the beast. The flight there was great. She was really jazzed up to look out the window and playing with her toys and to watch Cinderella on DVD. Plus it was a short flight, 2.5 hours. The way back was a little bit of a different story. A week of excitement had exhausted her, but she wouldn't sleep on the plane. And she had a massive diaper blow out that really pissed her off. So for about an hour we took turns trying to get her to stop being such a fussy, whiney (thank God not shrieking beast). Eventually she chilled out and the rest of the flight was fine. Happy flying.

From High Chair to Throne

2011-08-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, motherhood was a lot different. I mean aside from the fact that I had no car seat when leaving the hospital, slept on my belly from day 1, and I'm fairly certain my mother smoked during her pregnancy. Things were very different in other ways. We spent most of my time playing outside, we ate what was cheap, and, to put it bluntly, we weren't little douche bags.

I feel like many kids today, and not all of them so don't get your panties in a wad, are treated like lords and ladies of the castle and I'm wondering how they made the progression from high chair to throne?

It's not easy to say no. It's a lot easier to give in then to deal with the screaming and the tantrums (please tell me it's not just my kid). And I realize that there are many more families today where both parents work outside the home and that brings a lot of feelings of guilt with it (again, I'm not the only one right?). But sometimes I catch myself trying to coax or coddle Isabella and I have to stop and tell myself, "Hey, I'm the mother, she's two, things are going my way" Now she may not like it, but sometimes that's just tough. I'm the mom and if I need to change her diaper or if we need to leave a play date then we're doing it. It doesn't have to be mean, but sometimes I have to be firmer than what I see other moms doing.

Sometimes you just have to say the word no and stick to it. I mean heavens forbid that a child should hear the word no directed directly at them. Because, heaven knows, that as adults we never hear the word no. So when our little lordlings grow up and ask their professor for extra credit and he, heaven forbid, tells said lord "no". What happens then? Sometimes, embarrassing as it is, and it really can be mortifying. Just let them have their tantrum. Let them have their moment and drag them, kicking and screaming out of the blessed place where their at or if it's at home leave the room avoiding the urge to duct tape their mouth shut or lock them in a padded cell. Say no and mean it.

I try and make dinner as often as I can. Usually 5 or 6 times a week. Sometimes it's really healthy, organic, and nutritious and sometimes its hot dogs. Whatevs. If Isabella doesn't eat what I make she can have cereal or yogurt. I won't make her go hungry or eat something that she doesn't like, but I won't be a short order cook. If she throws it on the floor, the meal is over and thats that.

But sometimes I do find myself bending the rules to her whim and I guess that's ok from time to time, but I really don't want her to be one of the kids I see in my school who are rude, entitled, and think it's fine to talk back to the teacher and their parents have their back regardless of the heinous stuff that they've done. When I was in school my parents believed the teacher and I got in trouble if I didn't do my homework or if I called out in class. There was none of this, "Oh, she's just a kid" nonsense.

I don't know. I'm kind of rambling, but I just feel like kids have all the power and parents bend to their will.

Refresh Eyes from Tonic Care Giveaway

2011-08-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is closed and the winner, jsc123, has been notified. Thanks so much to all who entered.
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Motherhood brings along many things, unconditional love, sweet baby kisses, and unsightly under eye circles and bags. I'm telling you, I could smuggle a family of four in the bags under my eyes. I mean with a two year old, a full time job, and a small sliver of a social life to tend to, it's not like I get to sleep for those magical 8 hours a night. Most nights I'm lucky if I get in 6 and there's definitely been nights when it's 5 or less, so I take a little help where I can get it.

Refresh Eyes Anti Wrinkle Eye Serum from www.toniccare.com helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles under the eyes, lessen the appearance of dark circles, and helps to tone down under eye puffiness. Even better, for all you greenies out there, it's comprised of natural and organic ingredients and it is not tested on animals. It contains a form of vitamin A which is a powerful antioxidant that replenishes and moisturizes skin. It's completely safe for for those with sensitive skin too.

I've been using Refresh Eyes twice a day for a few weeks now and I have to say that the difference is remarkable. Even my sister, who loves to relish in the fact that I'm five years older than her by pointing out all my less than youthful flaws, mentioned that my eyes looked more alert and less puffy. My dark circles are fading and the puffiness is almost gone. It feels great. I just look more fresh and less like I'm dragging ass, even if that's how I feel.

You can purchase Refresh Eyes at www.toniccare.com, along with other amazing products or you can enter to win here.

Please make sure that you leave your e-mail in at least one comment if it is not on your blog or in your profile. Leave separate comments for each entry.

1. Visit www.toniccare.com and let me know any other product that you think is awesome (1 entry)

2. Be a public follower of my blog (1 entry)

3. Grab my button or let me know that you already have it (3 entries)

4. Enter my Broadway Bonanza Giveaway (2 entries)

5. Blog about this giveaway (7 entries)

That's it. No mandatory entries or anything like that. Just do as much or as little as you like. This giveaway will end on August 16th, 2011 at 11:59 pm and the winner will be notified by e-mail. They will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Good luck to all who enter.

I was given a free sample of Refresh Eyes in order that I might provide an honest review. The opinions in this post are mine and mine alone.

The One Sentence Journal

2011-08-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

August's Happiness Project theme is Parenting and one of the resolutions that was the most interesting was the one sentence journal. It's something that I can keep up with because it's not too demanding, but it still requires a few minutes of my time to sit down and reflect on the one sentence that best captures Isabella that day. I'm using the Happiness Project Toolbox to track it all and here's what I've done so far (copied and pasted straight out of my journal). I don't have one for every single day and some of them are more than one sentence because I am a bit long winded.

8/04/11 - We went to Sesame Place today, just me, Isabella, and my mom. She wanted me to hold her hand when she was in the carriage and she yelled and shrieked with delight at Ernie's Bouncy Bed.

8/05: After we picked Isabella up from school we took her to the park and there's this big pond here with ducks. First she chased half the ducks back into the pond and then chased the last 2 around a tree begging for a hug or a high five.

8/6: Today I'm sick, like really sick. I told Isabella that I wasn't feeling well and she tried to take my temperature, which was painful for my ear, and then said, "Now you feel all better."

8/7: My sister took Isabella to a birthday party since I'm still too sick and after she put her dress on she said, "I'm the most beautiful girl at the party." She's not exactly humble lol.

Happy Anniversary

2011-08-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

5 years ago today I married Andy and I just want to say that even though we may not always see eye to eye, I love him more today than I did when I said "I Do". In these 5 years we have bought a home, co-existed peacefully, lost loved ones, battled illnesses, shared Thanksgiving dinners, hosted BBQ's, had a daughter, worried, laughed, and I can't wait to see what the next 5 years will bring.

EPCOT and Hollywood Studios with a Toddler

2011-08-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love EPCOT. I really do. There's something about all the countries and their beer that makes me giddy as a school girl. I really thought EPCOT would just be geared towards adults, but the little miss really loved it too.

1. Don't wait on the long line for Maelstrom. Fast pass it or wait until the line dies down. It's moderately cool, but a little scary for toddlers. There's a backwards drop and an evil troll. Isabella didn't cry, she just kept saying "All Done".

2. The Finding Nemo ride was awesome. A quick line in air-conditioning and the ride is taken in a clamshell and you see a mix of real fish, special effects, and movie clips. She loved it!

3. I didn't go on Turtle Talk with Crush, but it did look really cute.

4. The restaurants are great, just beware of a picky eater. She refused her Chinese noodles and meatballs and we were left scouring for nuggets or some other deep fried greasiness.

5. The firework show, Illuminations, was awesome and a lot less crowded than the Magic Kingdom, but not as cool.

Hollywood Studios, formerly known as MGM, was a great park to kind of chill out in. They had a lot of shows to see, but not too many rides for toddlers. But we went twice because she loved the shows so much, there were hardly any lines, plus I got to ride Tower of Terror.

1. Disney Jr. Live on Stage, combined Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Handy Manny in a great musical interactive adventure. Just be warned...you're sitting on the floor so spackle up that plumbers crack.

2. The Voyage of the Little Mermaid is also fantastic. It's a blacklight puppet show that also combines live actors, special effects like bubbles and sea spray, and clips of the movie. It's only 17 minutes and we had to see it twice because Isabella loved it so much.

3. Honey I Shrunk the Kids Play area was a great place to kind of just hang out. In an oversized garden there are giant bugs to climb on, tunnels to crawl through, and slides. Isabella loved it.

4. There are also a lot of great opportunities to meet characters here so bring your autograph book.

Broadway Bonanza- Ohmies and Voca People

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is closed and the winners, Jim and Clenna, have been notified via e-mail. Thanks to all who entered.
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This is the mother load of the broadway giveaways that I've been hosting. 2 lucky readers will be winning a four pack of tickets to see both Ohmies and Voca People in NYC. That means you and your family will get to see not one, but two shows! So if you live in the NYC area, can drive there, or know someone who does then this is the giveaway for you.

A bit about the shows straight from their about pages:

Ohmies: Come join the ultimate play date, and dance, stretch and giggle with your new BFF's - The Ohmies. Get your kids moving and let their imaginations run wild as they sing along to original music, hop like a grasshopper, slither like a snake, fly like a butterfly, and help The Ohmies shake off the worries. Learn and grow with Bella Butterfly, Carlin Caterpillar and all of their friends on their way to surprise Mr. Sun and see their wish garden bloom. It's much more than theater; it's a one-of-a-kind interactive musical experience for kids ages 3 to 8. We'll have so much fun together!

Voca People: A new inter-galactic phenomenon like no other show. Amazing vocal sounds, accapella singing with the art of beat box creating an incredible range of sounds and instruments.
An evening of total excitement, music of all times, comedy and audience participation. After a millennium of space travel, The Voca People are finally landing on the unfamiliar planet Earth, sadly discovering that their precious spaceship charger - Musical energy - has completely emptied.
Slowly, The Voca People learn the strange inhabittnas, habits and music of planet Earth, and with the help of the audience, musically energize their unique spaceship.

That's two great shows! You can purchase tickets for the Ohmies by clicking HERE and for Voca People by clicking HERE or you can enter on this blog and win some free tickets to both shows. There is no mandatory entry. Just make sure that each entry gets its own comment and if it's worth 2 entries, leave 2 comments.

1. Tell me why you'd be excited to see The Ohmies (1 entry)

2. Tell me why you'd be excited to see Voca People (1 entry)

3. Be a public follower of this blog (2 entries)

4. Grab my button or tell me you already have it (3 entries)

5. Blog about this giveaway (5 entries)

This giveaway will end on 8/13/11 at 11:59 pm and the two winners will be chosen by random number generator and notified by e-mail. They will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Thank you for entering and good luck to all who enter.

Universal Studios with a Toddler

2011-08-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hogwarts Express

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure where by far my favorite parks as an adult. We only spent one day there, but I could have definitely added on another day. And not just because my inner geek was in awe in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

1. Seuss Landing is amazing. Dr. Seuss themed rides, restaurants, and shops make you feel like you were literally transported into one of his stories. Plan to spend a big chunk of time there riding the Snitch Train and the Caro-Seuss-El.

2. They have a water play area for kids, so bring a bathing suit so you don't wind up like me letting your toddler run through the sprinklers in her clothes.

3. Don't take a toddler into Harry Potter world because it's insanely crowded, the lines are crazy long, and there's not a lot for a kid to do. We learned this by an out and out tantrum in front of a butterbeer stand.

4. Universal is expensive. It's probably the priciest of the parks. I think if we would have bought a two day ticket we would have saved some money.

5. City Walk is a great place to eat with lots of family friendly options.

The Magic Kingdom with a Toddler

2011-08-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

There's something so magical about the Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom at Disney World is surely the most kid friendly park that's out there. With it's rides and shows geared towards young children, there's definitely tons to keep little ones busy.

1. Meet the characters first. Mickey obsessed toddlers will need to get this out of their systems. In an air-conditioned hall you can wait to meet Mickey and Minnie and the storybook princesses. You'll get the pictures you want and the kids won't be harassing you.

2. Dine with the characters. We stayed in a suite that had a kitchen so we could save money, and sanity, by eating in. But we did splurge for Chef Mickey, where they had an amazing buffet and all the main characters came right to your table to meet you. It was great. Kids are free because, well, they don't eat anything in their anticipation of the next character coming out to sign autographs and take pictures.

3. Fast Pass is the way to go. We would fast pass Winnie the Pooh, go on the quick moving line of Small World and by the time we were off we could skip the 60 minute line on Winnie the Pooh. Fast Pass a ride, have lunch, and then you're ready to skip to the front. It was a great time saver.

4. Stay at the park until one, go home and take a late nap and go back for the electrical parade and the fireworks because they are amazing and you surely don't want to miss them.

5. Beware of the dark rides; Peter Pan, Snow White, The Haunted Mansion, and Pirates. Isabella went on them and liked them, but she wasn't as gung-ho as some of the other rides.

August: Parenting

2011-08-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

This month's Happiness Project theme is Parenting and Lordy me it couldn't have come at a better time. I've been home for over a month now and while I'm relishing the quality time I'm getting to spend with Isabella, there are definitely some things that I'm struggling with and I'm not too proud to admit it or too full of excuses to work on it. That's really the whole point of this happiness journey, to work on the things that need to be worked on, get rid of the things that need to be gotten rid of, and continue on with the things that are working.

I love being a mom. I love the dampness of Isabella's freshly washed hair when she nestles into my arms before bed, I love that every morning when I come into her room she gives me a big smile and shouts, "I'm awake!", I love watching her and Andy wrestle around on the floor. But it would be a bold faced lie if I told you, besides love and kisses, she also gives me stress, worry, frustration, anxiety, and has been the cause of many a mommy meltdowns. There have been sleepless nights, sleep training and re-training and re-training yet again, Christmas and birthday costs have significantly increased and it takes about an hour to get out of the house because she has to do everything, "All by myself!"

I'm never going to be a super mom whose hair is perfectly blown out, whose home is spotless, whose child is a well-behaved angel, and has dinner on the table every night at 6pm. I don't know if that woman exists anywhere but in our mind, mocking us in her 50's frock and pearls. But I'm not the best mom I could be. I get angry. I yell. I get snippy. I get frustrated. There are a lot of areas that I need to work on and so I'm taking this month to become better.

Here are my resolutions for the month:

Be a treasure trove of happy memories: Gretchen Rubin talks about this in The Happiness Project book and I think it's a great idea. Life flies by too quickly, and I want to remember all of it. And while I do have this blog to look back on, honestly, it's really more about me then her. So I want start a one sentence journal where I jot down one sentence, I can't commit to any more, about Isabella that day. I also want to create a lot of happy memories.

Lighten Up: I get way too snippy way too fast. Sometimes I need to chill the hell out and realize that she's only two. I also need to realize that if she'd rather prance around like a ballerina then go to swim class, that's ok, every once in a while. Sometimes we can have pancakes for dinner and the world won't come to a crashing hault.

Lighten up: I need to stop getting so angry and be more positive around her. Sometimes I say things that are really mean, like grandma won't come today because you're crying too much. So mean! If there were cameras in my house you guys would probably hate me. Although, if there were cameras in your house maybe I'd hate you too.

Discipline in love: All children need discipline. I'll be the first to admit that I'm probably a bit too lenient and too inconsistent. I'm just not sure where to start. So I'll be spending some time research and trying a consistent discipline plan. If you have any suggestions here, I'd love to hear it.

Here's to focusing on my most important role.

It's My SITS Day!

2011-07-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know SITS is a blogging community that encourages and supports bloggers through leaving lots of comments and featuring different bloggers daily. They have given me a lot of support through the years and many of my followers are surely my SITStahs. So if you haven't checked them out you should most certainly do so.

If you're new here, welcome! I'm glad you came by. My name is Melissa and I've been blogging here at Completely Eclipsed for over 2 years. I'm a working mom to a beautiful, yet bratty two year old. Being a mother, as wonderful as it is, doesn't always come easily to me and I'm not embarrassed to chronicle my flubs for all the interwebz to laugh at. So if you're feeling bad about yourself as a mom, you can surely come here and I can make you look good.

If you want to get to know me better you can read some of these posts:

Raising a Brat - I've created my very own monster
A Day in the Life of a Working Mom - this is where the crazy stems from
Happiness - Where the idea for my own happiness project was born.

First picture as a family

Also, if you're interested and living in or around the NYC area or know someone who is, you can enter HERE to win tickets to see ImaginOcean and HERE to enter to win tickets to see the Gazillion Bubble Show.

The Brat

So hopefully if you like what you see, you'll stick around because us moms really do need to stick together.