Sand and Water

This weekend it was a little too hot to go out to the park or the beach to play. The sun was beating down mid day and the humidity was awful. To get some outside play time in I set Connor up with a sand and water play area on our front porch. HE LOVED IT.

Around Christmas time I picked up some water beads from the dollar store. They lived in my car in the bag until it was time to clean out my car when I traded it in for the Mazda...... yes...... bad....... I know. So now that I had them out I've been wanting to play with them. I used one of the packs for flowers for a coworker and had one pack left.

I put a bunch of sand that I picked up at the beach the last time we were there and put it in a shoe box. I pulled out some sea shells from mine and Kevin's travels over the years and tossed them in too. Then, in a plastic tupperware container I put in the water beads with some extra water and tossed sea shells in too. I grabbed an extra tupperware container for mixing. We took them out to the front porch in the shade and played with shovels and mixed it all together.

When all was done and it was time to come in for lunch and nap, I packed up the sand and seashells but the water beads looked gross. The were sandy and muddy and just plain yuck. Once Connor was taking his nap I pulled out the pasta strainer and poured the beads in. They rinsed off clean!!!! I just added them back into their original container and added water so they wouldn't dry out. They're ready for next time!!

Enjoy the pics!

Let the games begin!

A rock!!

He LOVED the water beads

He only touched the sand to mix it in the water.

Mixing back and forth

He said, "Feels silly mommy"

Muddy mess

Watching the birds fly by

Alllll clean! Ready for next time!

Carnival!

Still catching up from my time away from blogging. In the time that I was gone we went to the Riviera Beach Carnival. We went last year with Connor and he did ok. He didn't really understand what was going on but he enjoyed getting on rides with mommy and daddy and playing the ducky game.

The Riviera Beach Carnival

This year... was different. Since the carnival was in direct sight of us when leaving our neighborhood and coming home, Connor could see the top of the Ferris Wheel and kept asking me, "What's that?" He was very excited when he asked and we told him AND he got to ride it.

We ventured over to the Carnival with some the Dena's Finest of Pasadena's local neighbors. We dropped 20 bucks on tickets and brought our son much happiness that evening. The first ride was of course the Ferris Wheel. He watched as he waited for his turn to ride and started to tantrum off and on because of the excitement.

Once on the ride, his face lit up as we went AROUND and AROUND and AROUND. He absolutely LOVED it. I totally love it when we can make his face light up and see him experiencing things for the first time. Yes... we went on the Ferris Wheel last year... but he doesn't remember it so it's like the first time.

On the Ferris Wheel

From there Connor got on his first ride ALL.BY.HIMSELF. OMG. It was the Alligator ride. He walked right up to his Alligator, let me put him in, buckle him in and walk away. My inner mommy was sad that he was growing up to be such a big boy and then all at the same time my heart was melting with seeing the excitement on his face. Being a mom is totally tough on the emotions!

Riding an Alligator named "Fred"

After the Alligator ride, Connor and I went on this car ride that is bumpy and attached to a train track. Not my idea of fun and made me feel kinda sick but his little face was just as happy as can be!

Riding Jalopy Junction.

Me wanting to barf and Connor doing the jig.

We ventured over to the games and let Connor pick some duckies and win a prize. After a while we circled back and let him play again. We were able to trade in our small prize for a big prize. Connor picked out a stuffed animal cow and named him Steven.

Before leaving, Connor and I rode the Merry-Go-Round. Last year we rode this and he had a complete meltdown at the end because he didn't understand that his turn was over. This year... it went much smoother. He rode it, loved it and then got right off like a big boy.

More going around and around and around.

This was such a great trip for him that the rest of the week whenever we drove by it, Connor pointed out the "Carminal" and told me he rode the purple one. Hot damn he has a good memory because we DID ride in the purple cart on the Ferris Wheel!! After it was packed up and gone, he noticed right away and asked me where it went! I told him the Carnival had to pack it up and move to the next fun place. He replied, "Oh ok, Mommy. I like the Carminal." Ahhhhhhhhhhhh what a wonderful child. <3

Mother's Day... Finally

Finally gonna tell you about Mother's day weekend! Better late than never I always say :)

That Saturday morning was Connor's last day of gymnastics. Kevin and I both went in hopes that he'd be up for playing and following directions. He did pretty good and we got some cute pics. He wasn't a fan of the mat exercises but he walked the balance beam, hung from the bars and ran/jumped on the mat like a pro that day. Kevin and I were super happy he enjoyed himself.

Walking the balance beam with Mommy

Cheesin it up waiting for the hanging bars

JUMP!

From there Connor and I were going to hop in the car and drive an hour and a half up to Elkton to visit family. Kevin stayed at the house since he was on call for work but Connor and I had a nice drive up 95 in the new car. Connor didn't get antsy until the last 15min on 95. He started begging me to get out of his seat and come sit next to me. :)

We spent the afternoon in Elkton playing inside, outside, eating lunch and visiting my Aunt and Uncle's Garden Center. Afterward we packed it up and drove back home. Connor napped allllllllllllllll the way back home. I drove with the music up and the sun roof open. I came home to find that Kevin did a ton of yard work, the dishes AND started laundry. He also ran out and got me my Mother's Day flowers.

Checking out the trees in Elkton

Mother's Day morning I woke to a pancake breakfast made by Kevin and it was yummy. After breakfast I opened my cards and we relaxed until it was time to go to Kevin's mom's house for lunch. Lunch was nice. We enjoyed yummy sandwiches, mac n cheese, cantaloupe, strawberries and a yummy dessert. We left with just enough time to get us home in time for nap time.

During nap time Kevin and I watched a movie from his very large collection of movies (I'll have blog about that at another time). The movie was longer than we anticipated and Connor just kept on sleeping. The next thing we knew the movie was ending, Connor was just waking up and it was 5pm!!! We threw together/packed up a picnic and headed off to Ft. Smallwood Park for a picnic. We ate our dinner... We being Kevin and I. Connor was way to distracted to eat his dinner. From there we went to the park. IT WAS CROWDED. I'm guessing everyone had a similar plan to what we were doing for Mother's Day. Our time at the park was spent avoiding children who's parents weren't watching them unfortunately.

Connor started out wanting to be in the swings. When we put him in the swings another little girl's mom had put her in the baby swing next to Connor, gave her three or four pushes and then walked away...... after a few minutes the little girl came to a stop and she started asking Kevin and I over and over and over again for us to push her. I kept telling her that I was playing with my son and her mommy should push her. WHERE WAS HER MOMMY?? It finally came to a point where I just flat out told this sweet little girl that I wasn't going to push her. I felt bad but these days you never know whose parent is going to get pissed at you for trying to help... plus why should I have to step up for this girls mother???

Sigh... ANYWAY. We enjoyed the rest of the time at the playground and then headed off to Kevin's dad's house to visit for a bit. From there we ventured home, it was getting to be almost bed time, Connor STILL needed a bath and we STILL needed to Skype with my mom. We tried Skyping with my mom on my new MacBook Air that I had JUST got but since my connection kept dropping in and out we couldn't have a decent conversation. Sooooooo I tossed Connor in the tub and then into bed with just enough time left to relax before my bed time.

My flowers and cards

Woman of the hour :)

The reason I'm mommy and the man I love :)

At the playground!

Soooo Mother's day weekend was jam packed, busy but very memorable and lovely. It took me most of the next week to get caught up on everything I didn't do over the weekend but totally worth it.

Love

One of my fav pics from the ceremony

Getting a new laptop has me moving files over from one system to the other. I have an old laptop and my old eMac. Going through everything I came across two files that had mine and Kevin's wedding vows and the readings from the ceremony. Unfortunately the files had been corrupted and I haven't been able to pull the info from them in quite some time aka... even look into the issue.

Tonight I sat down and opened the files in Notepad and dug through the crazy text and found the true text. I have my vows and readings back!! I've always wanted to print our vows and hang them in our home as a reminder to each other of what we're working towards and the love that we felt on the day that we married. Now I can!!! ...... If I buy ink for the printer :)

Enjoy the readings from our wedding.

Reading One:

Untitled

Spirit of love and life, out of the whole world, two souls have found each other. Their destinies shall now be woven into one design, and their perils and joys shall not be known apart. Kevin and Amanda, may your home be a place of happiness for all who enter it; a place where old and young are renewed in each other’s company, a place for growing and a place for sharing. A place for music and laughter. A place for prayer and a place for love.

May those who are nearest to you be constantly enriched by the beauty and the bounty of your love for one another. May your work be a joy in your life that serves the world, and may your days together be good and long upon the earth.

Reading Two:

On Marriage

Love one another, but make not a bond of love;

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone.

Even as the strings of a flute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.

For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.

And stand together yet not too near together.

For the pillars of the temple stand apart.

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

-Kahlil Gibran

Instagram Update!

Here's the last week or so's Instagrams. Not too many but just enough! Enjoy.

Mother's day weekend we went up to Elkton to visit family

Friday evening we went to the neighborhood beach and played in the sand

On the way back from the beach. He's such a big boy now :)

Water Beads + Wine Glass = This

Bought flowers for a coworker this week and this was one of them. AWESOME!

I'm Back!

I've been MIA for over a week now. I haven't blogged about Mother's day, my new laptop gone wrong, my weekly Instagram photos and other fun quirky toddler things.

I'll start off this blog with the new laptop gone wrong since that is what has been holding back from blogging. About a month ago I bought a new MacBook Air. I LOVED it. I've always been a Mac lover at heart. My first computer that I bought myself was an eMac when I was in college and doing design work for my degree.

Once I became a web programmer I switched back to PC because it made it easier to log into work from home and it was in our budget. That laptop started dieing a year ago and I've fought with it off and on. Last month it was finally replaced.

At first the Air was great. BUT THEN slowly but surely my internet connection slowed to a crawl and wouldn't connect in certain places in my house. After a while the only place I could get connection was in the basement. I did a bunch of research and found that my the wireless issues are pretty wide spread and Apple refuses to acknowledge that the issue is their fault. I tried different things suggested to resolve the issue and it was working.

I wanted to keep my Mac very badly. I debated on returning for another one BUT I would be risking getting another one with the same problem. I don't have time to deal with problems like these. Zero patience and zero energy.

Sooooo imagine the surprise of the Best Buy employees as I walked in there today and exchanged my Mac for a PC. As I was waiting for different things during the exchange process random employees were wandering up and asking me, "What's wrong with the Mac Air?", "Why are you returning the Mac Air?", "Don't you just want to exchange it?" I felt like I was the only person in the world that would be trading in a Mac for a PC.... but for me.... a laptop is for using wherever you want not wherever you get connection!

Now I'm back to being connected with my Dell XPS and so far I'm loving it. More blogs to come soon!

We Are All Mom Enough

To the left here you see the cover of Time Magazine this week. It has stirred up quiet the controversy since being released. Some people don't like the fact that breastfeeding is right in your face for shock value, some people don't like how the mother looks more tough than motherly, and some people just don't like it without a good reason.

BUT for me............ its none of that. I won't lie...when I first saw it I thought, "WOW that's a little awkward." and then I thought it was pretty awesome that breastfeeding was getting that kind of attention. What I don't like is, "Are you Mom Enough?" I mean seriously?!?!?! The whole statement makes every mom that sees it doubt themselves as a mother or come up with excuses and reasons for why they do what they do. Gee.... Here's some Happy Mother's Day with a side of guilt and regret. No thank you!! I'm proud of how I parent and don't need to give excuses/reasons for doing what I do and neither does anyone else!

I did like enjoy the interview with the mom Jamie Lynne Grumet on the cover of the magazine (read the article here). She wasn't preachy or condescending to those who don't do what she does/did and is very down to earth. Its just the headline that drives me batty. 

The headline just feeds the judgment that gets passed back an forth from mother to mother about how they are parenting. WHO CARES!!! In my book I don't care what "type" of parenting you follow... just snuggle your kid and make sure he's has food in his belly and is happy as he can be. If you do that.... then switch those two first words around and get rid of the question mark...YOU ARE MOM ENOUGH. Instead of doubting ourselves or judging others we need to be a support system for each other. We are all moms. We all know how exhausting and tiresome it can bed. We all know the greatness it is to be mom. We all know the rewards of being mom. So why must we tear each other down.

Happy Early Mother's Day to allllllll the mom's who are doing what they are doing and getting along just fine. Remember.... YOU ARE MOM ENOUGH. The next mother you see juggling her kids out and about stop and tell her, "You are mom enough."

Instagram Overload!

I did a lot of Instagraming this week. When my mom and I went to London Town Gardens last week I was juggling my camera and my cell phone camera so I could play with the pictures of the flowers and Instagram. Fun fun fun! Part way though I just put away the cell phone so I could just look around and be in the nature instead of focusing on "capturing" it. Enjoy!

Last Tuesday I took this pic through my sunroof on my new car

At London Town Gardens - Reminds me of The Giving Tree

At London Town Gardens - Not sure what flower this is but its beautiful!

At London Town Gardens - LOVE how it turned out

At London Town Gardens - Very fun. I want to print it out and hang it up

I fancied up the pic I took of the finish line this weekend.

Me, Myself and I

***GASP***

I did something for MYSELF tonight! Its been a long time since I've done it. It felt great. It brought back memories. It felt good. And the best part?? I get to wear it tomorrow!!!!!!

Hoot Hoot!

I made earrings!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't touched my beads in a long time. AND I haven't touched them and made something for myself in an even longer time. I used to bead on a weekly basis. I made bracelets, earrings and necklaces. Right before Connor was born my mom taught me bead weaving and I know how to make some really beautiful things. My mom can make even more beautiful things... she's got talent. I continued to bead after Connor was born but after he went from two naps a day to one... I just stopped beading... there was no time.

When my mom was in town last week we went to Beadazzled and she bought me two cute owl beads. She bought them with the stipulation I actually turn them into earrings. I promised I would do it before she even left MD...... yeah..... that didn't happen. Sooooo here they are. I LOVE THEM. Thanks Diva!!!

Visitors!!!

We had visitors last week! Diva and G-Bill came to visit last week. We had a great time this trip and Connor LOVED having them visit.

I was able to take off work on Monday and Friday so my mom and I had two full days to go and do as we pleased while Connor was in daycare. Connor was also home sick with a fever on Wednesday so we had some extra time with the grandparents as well.

Monday, Diva and I ventured to Bedazzled in downtown Baltimore and then made our way up to The Owl Bar for lunch. Diva bought me two cute owl beads to make earrings out of. As soon as I'm done this blog I'm going to put them together...... we'll see... I just yawned.

During the week we played games, blew bubbles, went for walks down to the beach and played lots and lots and lots and lots of Nertz. By the end of the trip we had our fill of Nertz. Diva was zoning out and my wrist was getting sore and achy.

Friday Diva and I ventured to London Town Gardens in Mayo, MD. It is an old historical town that has archeology sites, old buildings, the William Brown House and beautiful gardens. The William Brown House was pretty interesting and I learned about how they treated poor/mentally crazy people back in the 1800's/early 1900's. From the London Town Gardens website, "In 1828 the Brown House and 10 acres were acquired by Anne Arundel County for use as an Almshouse. It continued operation as the "poor house" until passage of the Welfare Act in 1965. In the 1970s, it became part of the Anne Arundel County parks system." CRAZY!!!

We walked through the gardens even though the we could hear thunder getting closer and closer. There were some beautiful flowers, trees, gazebos and views.... not to mention huge home across the South River. When we started to see lightening we made our way back to the main area, took a few more pics and then hopped in the car right before the rain started coming down. From there we wandered Annapolis mall and grabbed a late lunch before picking Connor up from daycare. It was a very very wonderful day.

Saturday I participated in the Fiesta 5k and then came home to relax. Saturday evening Diva, Connor and I went out for pizza and then headed over to Down's Park for some outside time with Connor. We stopped by the turtle pond and saw how huge the turtles were BUT we didn't have any food to throw over to them. Soooooooooo Sunday we came back with all the left over rolls from Monday's dinner and they had QUITE the feast.

Sunday evening came way too fast and I found myself driving them to the airport with a heavy heart. Sigh.... there's just NEVER enough time. This trip didn't FLY by but it sure wasn't long enough.

Enjoy our pics!

Learning how to use the iPad

BUBBLES!

On our way to London Gardens... doggy riding in style....

The cooking house at London Town Gardens

Butterfly!

My fav spot at the gardens

Pretty cool!

Love it!

At the neighborhood beach :)

Connor was here so was G-Bill...

Connor's first snowball with Diva

At the park... it's allllllll his.....

My First 5k

I participated in my first 5k this weekend! BUT......... I didn't run it... I walked it. In the last month I've only been running once a week (if that) and I just didn't feel prepared. My dad was also going to the 5k and was planning on walking so at the last minute I just decided to go with the flow... figure this new adventure out and walk it. Thankfully my good friend Alice was there to help me along with learning about attaching my bib and timing chip. I didn't have a clue of what all that was and why it was needed.

The 5k was the Fiesta 5k and it was for the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research. My team was Frank's Fast Friends. Our team captain was interviewed right before the race. You can listen to the audio here. Poe (the Ravens mascot) was out and about as well as Captain Defense.

My dad and I had a great walk and caught up chatting about everything. The weather was beautiful (slightly hot because our team shirts were black ---- but super cute). I finished in 1063 place and in 55:15 minutes. Not bad I suppose :)

After we finished the race we headed back to meet up with our team, enjoyed some water and oranges and then headed home to enjoy some of the last days with my mom and Bill while the visited (blog on that to come soon).

What going to this race did for me was light the fire under me to get back to running. I needed inspiration to dedicate myself to exercise again and this did it for me. Driving home I was a little disappointed that I didn't run the course. I totally could have but my nerves and lack of preparation held me back. Looking back at the course I totally could have ran at least half, walked a bit and then finished it.

Soooooooooooooo now I'm back in the groove and ready to get started again. The Baltimore Women's Classic 5k is on June 24th and I want to run it and complete it feeling great! Wish me luck!

Alice and I ready for the race!!

Pops and I ready for the race!

Most of our team with Poe and Captain Defense

Let the games begin!

Pops ready to roll!

Annnnnnnnnnd we're done. :)

O.J. Brigance, former Ravens player diagnosed with ALS