Taking a Blogging Break

Hello everyone. I signed in and noticed I lost two readers, which is completely understandable. Since we've been back from vacation things have been crazy busy with our family.

I will be back to blogging sometime in the next four weeks, but right now I need to take a break. Hopefully you all can understand, and after my little break, I will be back into blogging full swing. Thanks for understanding.

Ultimate Mom's Night Out

Last night, I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity to attend the Ultimate Mom's Night Out with a few friends of mine. The event was put on by Amy from Deals For Dayton and Kate from Savvy Little Women. I was definitely in dire need of a night out, especially after a long two weeks trying to help my baby fight a terrible ear infection (a completely different blog post for a different day).

The evening started off with delicious sandwiches from the Submarine House, crackers and cheese, yummy macaroni and potato salad, chocolate fondue from The Melting Pot, and they even had frozen margarita's. They also passed around these fun little cake lollipops that were absolutely divine from Lulee's Lollies. After my girlfriends and I finished eating, it was time to mingle.

They had an entire table set up with various giveaways (you were given, I believe 20 tickets at the beginning of the evening) from a Boogie Wipes giveaway, to Thirty One giveaways, and they were even giving away tickets to COSI (Columbus | Dynamic Hands-On Science Center). You could put one or all your tickets into one box (I put over half in the one for COSI, love that place). I wasn't lucky enough to win any of the giveaways, but I did end up going home with a fabulous swag bag filled with goodies and coupons.

Besides given the opportunity to win free stuff, they also had representatives from Mary Kay, Lia Sophia, and Beaute Box (she was doing free shellac manicures). Not to mention, a massage therapist was there giving us free massages, which was probably the best 10 minutes (not sure if it was that long or not) of my day.

It was a fabulous evening filled with yummy food, amazing company, and swag bags. This event also gave me some neat ideas. I was thinking, "how much fun it would be to have a "night out" like this for my fellow military wives and mommies?" I've spoken about this idea to a few others, and maybe/hopefully we can get something in the works to have one.

All mommies (and daddies) are well deserving of an evening out every once and a while. I know I am!

Traveling

I'm blogging via cellphone from our Honda Odyssey. We are currently traveling home from Nebraska. I hope to get back.into blogging as soon as we're home and settled.

Off the Grid

I'm going off the grid for a few days. Hubby arrives tonight and I'm super excited to see him. Then, we're heading out of town to our cabin on the lake for the weekend. Anywho, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to enter my 100 Follower Giveaway!

100 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY

Where the Magic Never Ends

Last night I was given the opportunity to return to a summer camp where I had worked for five years (2000-2005) and was a camper for six years (1994-1999). As soon as I entered the main gate, I was flooded with old memories. Not only memories of when I worked on staff, but my camper days as well. The smell... the fresh smell...the nature smell... the smell of camp... it's still the same... it hasn't changed.

As a camper, I remember waiting in the long car line...waiting for the gates to open...waiting for my first camp experience...waiting for my life to change forever...and it did!

In Elementary school, I really didn't have a ton of friends, in fact, most of the friends I did have were on the lower end of the "popularity totem pole". I was always the nice one... bringing in candy to give to the popular kids, so maybe just once I could sit at the popular table...always reaching out to help, etc. Well, doing that always made me an easy target to get picked on. I yearned for a place where I could "start over", be myself without being judged, and be able to express myself in a way that wouldn't be a target for bullies. That place was YMCA Camp Kitaki.

I can remember my first week as a camper like it was yesterday... I remember my cabinmates, my counselor (she broke me out of my shell and made a huge impact on my life), my cabin (Potawatomi), the clubs I was involved in (Great Lakes and Silver Spurs), and even my very first vespers... the story and the song (Return to Innocence by Enigma). That week gave me a chance to meet new friends, friends who had no idea of my popularity rank at school, friends who worked together as a team, and friends who never once judged one another. Camp was my home away from home, and called it home during the summer for the next 10 years!

Knowing what a huge impact some of my counselors (Jill, Meggo, Kel, Zog, Heather, and Mike) made in my life, I knew I wanted to "pay it forward" and start making a difference in the lives of children just like the many counselors before had made a difference in my life. I joined the YMCA Camp Kitaki Super Staff in the summer of 2000 and continued for the next five summers. I was a cabin counselor, lifeguard, wrangler, and unit director). I watched many campers come and go, many of them returning summer after summer, campers who were once quiet at the beginning of camp to being rowdy and enthusiastic by the end, and campers who made a difference in my life. Having the opportunity to work with such variety of kids has really shaped me into the mother I am today!

Last night I was given the opportunity to share what I just shared with you all to this year's YMCA Camp Kitaki Super Staff. Some of them returning, but many of them getting ready to experience their first summer. As I looked up into the crowed of staff, I recognized quite a few faces... some of them were my campers. They joined staff for the exact same reasons I did.

As I was getting ready to leave, a few of my "campers" came up to me to give me a hug. One of them looked extremely familiar, but I just couldn't remember her name (I really feel bad about that). She told me, "I'm not sure if you remember me or not, but I was one of your campers. I want to thank you for making a difference in my life. I have never forgotten you". Those words meant so much to me. I achieved something I set out to do during those years on staff, which was to make a difference and an impact on the lives of my campers. It's such a wonderful feeling knowing they will have the opportunity this summer to "pay it forward"...just like I did.

YMCA Camp Kitaki Super Staff 2011

Thursday Ten

I really want to play my tiny violin for a second....okay maybe not a second, but for many seconds...

...**warning, do not read the following if you don't want to hear me complain**...

... I'm giving you one last warning...

....Here are ten things that are seriously annoying me right now:

1. If you are looking for something on craigslist and interested, don't email once, make an offer, and not reply back after making said offer... you either want to buy my jogging stroller and car seat base, or you don't! Stop wasting my time!
2. Stupid Urgent Care center closing at 8pm, but wait a minute... the door says you all close at 8, but then the receptionist rudely tells me, "I'm sorry, you'll have to leave, we take the last patient at 7:30"... well, then maybe you should change your sign on the door to 8am-7:30pm... oh, and why did you ask me why I needed to be seen before you told me you wouldn't see me!?
3. Not having my hubby here, I miss him so much!
4. How hard is it to text back?!
5. My ankle... it's been bothering me for almost 4 weeks now, and currently it's the size of a golf ball. I seriously have no clue where my ankle went to (hence the reason for the urgent care visit).
6. Not having a car while staying with my parents. I hate asking to borrow their car, but I'm going through serious cabin fever. Thank the good Lord for amazing weather so I can take the boys on long walks and trips to the park.
7. Have I mentioned my ankle?!
8. Allergies... wow, I honestly thought my allergies would improve once I left the #1 city for severe allergies and sickness... I was wrong!
9. Boob sweat, 'nough said!
10. Having out of control hair due to the Nebraska humidity.

Okay, it really wasn't that bad, right!? Sometimes I just have to write things down to feel better, and honestly, I actually do feel better. Now that I've gotten all of that off my chest, what are some of the things that are annoying you right now!?

Pssst...I wrote this post at 30 to midnight, can you tell that I'm just a wee bit tired and cranky?

Change: Sometimes It Can Be Unwelcoming

One thing I dislike about getting older is how many things change...your body...your appearance...your energy level...your patience...friendships/relationships, etc. Being back in my home state of Nebraska has definitely made me stop and think about how things are just not the same anymore. My old room is now a room for my two boys. Instead of walking in and seeing a full sized bed with a purple comforter on it, a desk filled with college homework and a computer, and a dresser with old memories... I now walk into to the same room where two twin beds are placed to make room for two sweet little boys. Closets are filled with old clothes I used to wear or I guess I should say, used to fit. Pictures and old high school and college memories are stored away in old shoe boxes. High School Yearbooks are covered in dust (I've now been out of high school for 11 years... yikes). Where has the time gone?!?!

Another thing I have come to realize is how friendships change. Coming home, not only do I have the excitement of seeing my family, but being able to catch up with old friends. Now, not many of you realize this, but I'm horrible about keeping in touch. My days are filled with keeping my boys entertained, keeping up with the housework and laundry, and honestly by the end of the day I'm ready to relax with my husband, or have some "me" time. Now, I know that sounds selfish, and I need to be better and making phone calls, emails, texts, etc. With that said, I may be horrible about keeping in touch, but I do know once I am back, I want to be able to spend a huge chunk of my time with those I miss. I've also come to realize people's lives just don't stop once I come into town...some of my friend's have full-time jobs and are working 60+ hour work weeks... some have planned vacations, etc. We are all on different timelines, which is understandable, and one of my "excuses" as to why I'm horrible about keeping in touch.

There are times I wish I could go back when I had half the responsibility, to come and go as I choose, to stay out late, to have all the time in the world to be on the phone, or just being able to sleep in. Last night, I went through all my old photos from different milestones in my life (high school sports, high school graduation, the college experience and graduation, summer camp, etc.) and many of those included people I thought would still be actively involved in my life today, and I look at those photos and know why that is. People move on, take different directions in life, start families, have challenging yet successful careers, travel the world, finishing college, etc. Would being able to stay in touch through all of that mean things would just pick up where they left off?! Unfortunately, that's not always the case. I guess I'm blessed with the few people who are still in my life, and for that am extremely blessed.

Time will always tick away, wither you're ready or not, and sometimes it can be welcomed as a good thing or a bad thing. Being a military family, I've come to accept change. My husband's schedule constantly changes. I know the house where we're currently living in is only temporary. The friendships I make being in the military will constantly be challenged, especially by every PCS (permanent change of station). Change happens, and I'm starting to finally welcome it with open arms. I love being able to come back to my "old" life and home, but now I have this new and amazon life, and realize home is where ever we go. It may only be temporary, but it's home. It is what it is, and it's up to me how I will challenge the ticking time clock. I'm ready to accept whatever life throws at me, even if it's grey hair and wrinkles.

The Good, The Bad, The Evil of Social Networking

I have this love/hate relationship with Facebook. I joined Facebook back in 2007, after they finally opened up the networking site to everyone with a valid email address. See, I never joined in college, because I never set up my university email. So, I ended up joining MySpace instead, which I thought was the best thing since sliced bread. It was great being able to "find" people and "catch" up with those people I haven't seen in many, many years...kind of like a mini high school reunion. Anyway, being pregnant with our first child, I thought MySpace was a great way to document my pregnancy with pictures, updates, and show the world how excited I was about becoming a mother.

The more I "liked" being on MySpace, the more addicting it became. I found myself commenting on MySpace walls more than I was making telephone calls. The time spent on there was quickly adding up, and the time I should of been spending with my amazing husband, cleaning the house, doing laundry, cooking, etc was pushed aside. I couldn't believe I've been "infected" by the social networking bug!

Once I learned about Facebook, I quickly stopped updating my MySpace page, and was constantly on Facebook. I found more people were on Facebook, compared to MySpace. I was connecting with more people. Plus, I loved how I could keep my family and friends updated with my life, especially since we were gearing up to move to a different state. It was mainly family, close friends, and co-workers who were on my "friend's list". However, I couldn't get over how that small list quickly grew to over 500 people. Do I really know THAT many people? That's when I realized my social networking was starting to become a tad bit out of control.

As the popularity of MySpace and Facebook grew rapidly, so did my need to find old connections, update my status (numerous times a day), add a butt load of pictures, etc. It was more of a bragging right, a time for me to express myself to the "world", to get feedback and acknowledgement, and to be this "new and improved" individual in cyber space. Did people really care if I cleaned my house top to bottom in two hours?! Probably not! However, it gave me a sense of accomplishment by seeing those little "thumbs up" pop up one by one.

On the subject of status updates, it was those 10-20 word sentences that always catch my attention... "Pregnant and Due In June"..."It's a Boy"..."So and so just purposed, we're engaged"..."Getting ready for a romantic date with my hubby"..."Packing my suitcase, sooo looking forward to laying out on the beach in Hawaii", etc. I was so drawn into the lives of other people, and sometimes finding myself quite envious. My expectations for my life were changing, because of what was going on in someone else's.

Facebook does have it's positives. I love being able to get birthday updates. It's fun being able to wish people a happy birthday, and receive those well wishes myself. The connections and being able stay in touch are a definite plus. I do enjoy seeing "breaking news", especially pregnancy, engagement, and wedding announcements. It's easier keeping up/stay in touch with everyone, especially amongst the busy days wrangling two handsome, yet busy young boys. It's a great tool to get feedback and advice (one of the top two statuses I really enjoy) on things from baby gear, vacation destinations, parenthood advice, etc.

A negative that goes along with the positive listed above is how social networking prevents and takes away from daily social face to face interaction. It's easier to get on and type a few words like "how are you?" to someone's wall compared to just calling them up on the phone, meeting them for lunch, etc. If you disappear from the Facebook world, don't count on receiving a phone call to see if everything's okay, just check your Facebook inbox (or email for that matter). I'll be the first to admit, I wish we could go back to telephone calls and handwritten letters...both at which I need to be better about doing. Have you ever stopped and thought about how life was like prior to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace?! In all honestly, I truly believe things have become more complicated, more feelings have been hurt, especially due to everything being typed out there in black and white. Opinions, disagreements, confrontations are easier, especially when you don't receive and immediate reaction like if things were discussed in a face to face interaction. With me, it's easier for me to bring up something that's bothering me over an email, or Facebook message compared to calling that person up and talking it out... I guess it's a little cowardly of me and a tad bit immature. However, it's the "easy way out".

As my wise mother puts it, " As many things that you find "good" about FB...you will find twice as many things that are "bad" about it. It's infectious...and not always in a good way.

I'm going to challenge myself. I know it's going to be difficult, but I'm going to say goodbye to Facebook for five weeks starting on Sunday, May 22nd. I want to really see what life was once like without having to surround myself with eight blue and white box letters (ie. Facebook logo). I want to rely on the old fashion telephone to keep everyone posted on exciting news, meet ups, celebrations, or just a "hey, how are you?". I want to MAKE time to do these things, because I know not only will this help myself in the long run, but hopefully set a positive example for others. Are you willing to make the same challenge?!

Almost to 10,000 Hits!

My blog page is almost to 10,000 hits! Once I hit 10,000, I may be doing my own personal giveaway. I'm not sure yet what item I'll be giving away, but I would love some input. What type of giveaway item would you like to see!? Now, this has to be financially reasonable, I don't think my husband would like me to giveaway an IPad. hehe :) Let me know by leaving a comment! Thanks!

The Week Ahead...

Here are a few things I have planned for the upcoming week:

• My hubby's perspective on cloth diapering
• Review on a minky pocket diaper with a zorb insert made by Plum Crazy for Cloth
• Fluff around-the-world, taking a look at a cover and inserts sent to me from Japan
• An update on the cooties
• Motherly Support, Don't Judge!

Of course, I'm still planning on the "wordless Wednesday" and "Flashback Friday" posts. Now that everyone's healthy (tap on screen) and I'm not planning a birthday party/family coming into town, I can finally get back into blogging. Thanks so much for being patient with me. I hope you all are enjoying your weekend.

MIA

I'm going to be MIA over the next few days. The cooties has found W, so my goal right now is to get him feeling better. I will discuss our cooties in my next blog post. Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

T-Minus 72 Hours...

I just wanted to give you all the heads up that I'm still here, just really busy with my family, and in party mode! I have done a ton of crafts today to prepare for P-man's big day!!!!! I can't wait to show you all when all is said and done. I may add some teaser pics before the big day, but I'm not sure yet. In case some of you don't know, we're doing an Airplane theme birthday party. You can find a post on the upcoming bash here: Airplane Birthday Party.

I hope all is well with you all!!!! Happy Hump Day!

~*FYI*~

I wanted to let you all know things will be slow around here starting tomorrow. I'm preparing for all of our family to come into town to celebrate P-man's first birthday, which is Saturday, March 19th. I'm actually not planning on being on the computer at all, as I want to take full advantage of spending time with my everyone. Oh wait, there is some party planning in there too. My head is spinning in each and every direction. Wish me luck!!!! The next time I blog, I will have a one year old.

It's been a busy few days...

Wow, it's been a very busy few days. A lot has gone on, and I will fill you all in very soon. So, I will make a long story short... Friday, Jesse was off, so we ran some errands, and I got a brand new laptop (MacBook Pro). Saturday, my girlfriends and I made a trip to Columbus to meet the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. Today, has been as busy with church and brunch. I was't able to make it out to the nurse-in, but a friend of mine has offered to write up a small post about the event as a "guest blogger". Speaking of "guest bloggers", a friend from high school is living in Japan (her hubby is in the United States Air Force) and offered to send me a few prefolds and covers made of course by Japanese manufacturers. She also agreed to be a "guest blogger" and talk about her experiences cloth diapering in Japan. I can't wait!!!!!

So, stay tuned for some fun and informative blog posts. Oh, and I almost forgot. "3 Men and a Lady" will be launching a brand new layout design, button, and header. You will have to tell me how you like it. I can't wait until it's done.

Until then...