Gratitude Day 11

Gratitude Day 11 (a day late)

Yesterday I was thankful for being able to go to to the Raven's game and seeing an AWESOME game. My father gave Kevin two tickets for his birthday and we were able to see a record score setting game. Raven's beat the Raiders 55 to 20! Not only did I get to see a great game but I got to spend the day with two of my favorite people. Kevin (of course) and my friend Alice. We had a great time tailgating, laughing and watching the game. Life is good for sure.

Gratitude Day 10

Gratitude Day 10

I'm grateful for new friends. I don't make new friends very often. I'm set in my ways and enjoy the long time friendships that I have. Taran and PJ changed that for sure. This past March I signed up Connor for a gymnastics class. Connor and PJ were the only boys and they instantly hit it off. The end of the classes came and Taran and I exchanged numbers. I didn't know if she would be a crazy mom, or a judgey mom, or have anything in common with me but she turned out to have lots in common with me and totally fun. We can't have a play date without something strange or bizarre happening but that's the best part!

Gratitude Day 9

Gratitude Day 9 (a day late)

Day 9... I'm grateful for the fact that I finally took a step towards something that I've been thinking about doing for about 6 months. I kept dismissing the idea but finally decided to move forward. This week I became a tastefully simple consultant. I've always loved going to taste testing parties and enjoyed their food. I decided that if I were to become a consultant of something it would something that would get frequent returning customers and something that I love. Enjoy the holiday specials ;)

Gratitude Day 8

Gratitude Day 8 (a day late)

I am so grateful for having some of the best girlfriends anyone could ask for. If need a giggle, help, hug or a good vent, I have some of the best reliable and dependable friends in the world. Love to them all!

Gratitude Day 7

Gratitude Day 7 (2 days late)

I cannot express much more gratitude for this little dude coming into my life. He has changed mine (as well as Kevin's) life for the better in so many ways. Just when I think, "Oh this is my favorite stage"... BAM we hit another milestone and that is my favorite. I'm thankful that he is healthy and happy. He blows us away constantly with how smart and witty he is and I just can't get enough of him.

Gratitude Day 6

Gratitude Day 6

Today I am EXTREMELY grateful for my right to vote. Its been a while since I reviewed the history of women's suffrage but I did the other day on wiki just for some inspiration and growth in my heart. It amazed me that Saudi Arabia STILL does not allow women to vote! My jaw dropped. Maybe I should have known that but I didn't.

I took Connor with me this morning. Left the house early so we could have plenty of time before work but we had to wait an hour! I also had to do a provisional ballot because I had forgot to change my address. All of that with a 2.5 year old. For the most part he did good and enjoyed his sticker afterward.

Go VOTE! Get your sticker! Be thankful we can do it!

Gratitude Day 5

Gratitude Day 5 (a day late)

I didn't get to post my Gratitude post last night because after Connor went to bed I laid down on the couch for "just a minute" around 8:30 and woke up 2 and half hours later. WOOT! I was also able to go right back to sleep in bed and slept through the night. So for day 5 I'm totally thankful for peaceful feeling that sleep gives me and how easily it came yesterday.

Gratitude Day 4

Gratitude Day 4

  

Today I am thankful for Daylight Savings Time. Not for the extra hour of sleep (my toddler didn't get the memo that you're supposed to sleep in)... but for the fact that there is now 2 hours between my mom and I rather than 3 hours. I don't know what it is about that extra hour but some how it makes me feel mileage closer to her even though its only time. I guess I don't have to wait that extra hour to call because she might be sleeping :)

Gratitude Day 3

Gratitude Day 3 (A day late)

On my facebook page last night I posted, "Didn't blog today but day 3 I'm grateful for my wonderful hubby that totally saved the day at about 3am this morning!"

Well Kevin and I got to experience toddler puke for the first time on Friday into Saturday morning around 3am. I do not handle dealing with puke at all. It causes me panic attacks. I thought it might be different with my child... but it wasn't. I took one look at Connor when I went into his room to see why he was crying and ran out to get Kevin. He totally took care of all the yucky laundry while I bathed Connor. He also got our self install for TV FIOS working this weekend. Moving TV's around, climbing up in the ceiling and making it all work. So Nov 3rd, I'm grateful for my hubby who knows just when to swoop in and save the day!

Gratitude Day 2

Gratitude Day 2

I am grateful for the extra time I got to spend with Connor this week. Work was closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday due to the storm and power outages. It was great time just the two of us watching the storm coming and going.

Gratitude Day 1

Gratitude Day 1:

We had minimum damage from the hurricane. As bad and as ugly as it could have got in my area in Maryland... we had a trash can move from the side of the house, squeeze past my car and end up in our front lawn, some siding came off, some shingles look a little off and we're missing a plank on our privacy fence. We were fortunate and for that I am grateful.

Horse Appreciation Day

The day after Movie Under the Stars we (Lindsey, Hunter, Connor and myself) ventured over to Dublin's farm for Horse Appreciation Day. It was perfect weather, felt like a gorgeous fall day and Connor was having a melt down over almost everything single thing. At least the pictures make him look super happy.

Before leaving the house Connor looked so cute and the weather was so nice we decided to do an impromptu photo shoot. He's such a ham these days.

We took a look at the horses when we got there and then headed over to the pony rides. Connor had a blast riding the ponies. From there we stopped by the ambulance that Lake Shore Fire Department had for the kids to get in and look at. Connor did not want to get out. He was fascinated.... future EMT on our hands? Maybe....

From there we saw and pet a few animals and then Connor saw it.... the holy grail.... the...... MOONBOUNCE...... once he got inside he did not want to come out. The attendant had to go in and "help" him get out when his turn was up! From that point there was a bunch of screaming and yelling and a lot of tantruming. I decided we needed lunch. While buying lunch they played the National Anthem.... my son screamed and cried through the WHOLE National Anthem. Lindsey swore she couldn't hear him from where she was but I felt like everyone was staring.

We got lunch, played on a tractor and headed BACK to the ambulance because they now had a fire truck there too. More tantrums, another pony ride, more tantrums and another few bounces in the moon bounce and mommy was DONE. I couldn't handle the meltdowns any longer... it was time to go. Sooooo I dragged my screaming toddler out of the event, into the parking lot and took him home. Nap time didn't come soon enough that day. Whew. So, like I said, at least the pics make it look like he had a great time!

Movie Under the Stars

In mid-September I took Connor to an event at the college where I work. Each year they host a Movie Under the Stars. They have an inflatable screen and you sit out in the atrium under the stars and watch the movie. I used to go in my early 20's when they did the drive-in movies out in the parking lot.

I was very excited to take Connor. While daycare has taken Connor to the movies many times, Kev and I have never taken him! We had friends coming to meet us and some of Connor's friends came too. We got there early to get a good seat and we were right up front. I had packed us chairs, blankets, dinner, snacks and they sold huge bags of yummy kettle corn. We were totally ready for Movie Under the Stars!

Even though it stated that the movie was going to start at 7 it didn't really start until 7:45. But that didn't matter, we had plenty of entertainment watching the kiddos running around and dancing to the music they had playing.

Connor did so well watching the movie. Even though he hopped from his chair to my chair and back a bunch of times he did awesome. We saw the movie Brave. I really didn't know what the movie was supposed to be about beside changing your fate but I figured Pixar was safe and Connor would be ok. I also had no clue about the huge angry bear that was in the movie either. The bear gave Connor a little bit of a scare and when you asked him what the movie was about he said, "Her mommy turn into bear. Angry bear."

I already can't wait for next year!

Ravens Game!

My dad and I went to the Game 1 of the Ravens football season. It was great! They played great, looked great and I had a great time (is that enough "greats" in one sentence?).

I'm pretty sure I hadn't been to a Ravens game since Connor was born. I know I went when I was pregnant with him because there's nothing like being big and round and walking the ramps of M&T bank stadium.

It was nice begin back in the stadium and seeing all the purple after 2.5 years. Because Art Modell had recently passed away the Ravens dedicated a chunk of their time to him and his legacy. The air was cool for it being in early September and at one point I thought I was going to need a hot chocolate. Looking back at the game now, I think it was one of the Ravens best games this season. I haven't seen a game since where they looked as good as they did then.

It was especially nice getting away with just my dad for the evening. We are usually spending time together with friends and family or Kev and I are dropping Connor off for a night out.

We took time to pose with our angry faces... apparently I really can't make an angry face without my nostrils flaring.... totally embarrassing. :)

Beautiful Fall

Beautiful fall is upon us. Football is back in season, Baltimore got to experience October baseball,  the cool weather is around every morning and most of the day, wonderful colors in the trees, my open toed shoes have been put away, I bought my first huge pack of apples and made apple sauce, and I'm already planning on cooking my first batch of chili for the season very very soon. The Renaissance Festival / camping trip has come and gone. We've hit up the pumpkin patch and now Halloween is right around the corner. Next thing you know Thanksgiving will be knocking at our door! Slow down Amanda, slow down.

Our busy fall season is surrounding us! We've been doing soooo much and having soooo much fun that well... again I fell off the blogging bandwagon. If I could just hang on when we get busy!!!

So what have we done since Labor Day? Hmm... I went to a Ravens game with my dad, I took Connor to a movie under the stars, we went to a horse appreciation day event in our area, completed our annual camping and Renaissance festival trip, Kevin and I went away and celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary and my mom and I took Connor to the pumpkin patch.

Since Labor day I also completed my four credit eight week Javascript class that seemed to suck the life out of my evenings between reading, homework and quizzes. Totally thankful that is over and I walked away with a 90/89%

Next couple of days I'll do a post for each big thing that has come our way this fall! Stay tuned!

Labor Day Love

Labor day is one of my favorite long weekends out of the year. Don't ask me why... I've just always looked forward to this particular weekend at the end of a long summer.

This summer didn't go by too slow. I thought it was going to when it got super hot early in July. I was worried it was going to be THAT HOT alllllllllllll summer long. Thankfully.... mother nature got my memo and it cooled off. Not a lot but enough to make it tolerable. If only she'd get my memo about my dislike for humidity, life would be just fabulous.

So what did we do???

Well... Friday evening I picked up pizza and after dinner I went and got a hair cut. A much needed haircut. It was lovely. I came home to find Kevin slowly being taken over by the cold/virus that hit our house earlier in the week. Boo.

Saturday Kev got his sick butt up and out of bed to go to a softball tournament. I wished him good luck and off he went. Connor and I had plans. BIG plans. Plans to party.

Every year my dad's side of the family and another side of the family get together. We grill and cook up really yummy food and BAM! the party gets started. This year we had Alligator and Crabs on the menu. SCHAWEET!

Sunday..... Ahhh... Sunday.... I was supposed to get together with a girlfriend to do a yard sale. Late Saturday night we decided to cancel because it was supposed to rain off and on all morning long. Well.... the rain was off all morning long. OH WELL! All three of us pretty much vegged around the house like a lazy bump on a log. It was wonderful.

Monday Connor met up with our friends Taran and PJ for a play date. Apparently the air port in our area has an inside viewing area that the kids could watch the planes. There is also plane pieces for them to play on (if I read the website correctly). We got to the air port with toddlers in toe. Dodging people and their bags, down escalators and looking for air planes. When we asked someone where this awesome place was.... we were informed it was closed for renovation! OH NO! Toddlers wanted to see air planes! It was rainy outside so we couldn't do the outside viewing area!  Luckily we found an area off to the side with windows and a beautiful glass crab statue. The kiddos could see some planes and were memorized by the crab. From there it was off to the mall for lunch and playtime.

Our Labor Day weekend wasn't over the top, we didn't travel somewhere exotic or party hard.... but we spent time together and with people we care about. Those....are the BEST kind of weekends for sure.

Gluten Free?

In the last several months I've been looking into gluten free options of eating. I had a few colitis flare-ups last year. I have medicine that will prevent them but I don't like being on medicine every day if I can prevent flare-ups with my diet.

Research that I have done is coconut oil and milk is VERY good for your digestion and overall health. Coconut oil does a bazillion great things for your body inside and out (maybe I'll post a blog about it soon) and coconut milk has lots of nutrients for your digestive tract and coats it if you're having issues.

Next is yogurt. I'm not a HUGE fan of yogurt but I've noticed that yes... it does help my digestive tract out big time when I eat it.

Lastly, is a gluten free diet. When I first looked into going gluten free this winter I felt very overwhelmed a thought that it would be impossible with our crazy lifestyle. BUT in the last two months I'm finding out more and more that gluten free is finally becoming "popular" at the grocery store and there are A LOT of options. We've switched to eating Quinoa and fresh vegetables rather than preprocessed noodle sides or frozen sauced vegetables. We've always been a fan of eating Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta BUT I've also now discovered gluten free pasta made by the Quinoa brand. It is surprisingly good!

For lunch this week I made Crustless Quiche. It was gluten free, easy to make and VERY YUMMY! I found brown rice flour in the grocery store last trip and I thought that is what I would need as flour. Apparently you need to mix other things with that flour for baking. I got disappointed at first but then found gluten free flour with everything mixed together for me. Sooooo this morning... I made gluten free blueberry pancakes. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd they tasted exactly (if not better) than my other pancakes that I make from scratch! It even passed the Kevin and Connor taste test. Score!

I started with the basic pancake from scratch recipe that I found on line. I swapped the gluten free flour mix that I bought with the flour in the recipe. Then I added the blueberries, a big splash of vanilla extract, a regular splash of almond extract, a sprinkle of nutmeg and a big sprinkle of cinnamon. Like I said... they were gooooooooooooooooooood.

I'm started a board on my pinterest for gluten free cooking. I'm looking forward to it!

Call Me Maybe?

I'm finally starting to feel better and enjoying the Labor Day weekend. Working on a post of our Labor Day Weekend but here's a quicky post to make you smile.

Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen is a catchy little tune that gets stuck in my head if I hear it. Its a song that my 2.5 year old son knows some of the words too. Its also a song that has a bunch of parody spin-offs on it as well. My inner nerd secretly loves them.... well... maybe now its not such a secret. Here's my top two favorite parodies.

Buzzzzzzzz...

I took Connor out for a hair cut on the way home from work/daycare on Thursday. USUALLY we get a level 3 along the sides and blend it up to the top and then trim the top.... well... in my congested head I got it confused. I said.... Level 3 on the top and blend it down. So..... my little boy's new nickname is Buzz. Oops!

When Mommy Is Sick....

When mommy get sick from staying home with a sick toddler and daddy has his first night in his bowling league and can't be home....

Mommy still has to make dinner regardless if she has an appetite or not

Mommy still has to deal with temper tantrums and timeouts

Mommy has to keep her eyes open while sitting on the couch

Mommy still has to play Ker-Plunk.... over and over

Mommy still has to play Memory..... over and over

Mommy still has to smile and wrestle

Mommy lets toddler watch as much TV as possible but its the one night he's not interested

Mommy still has to do bedtime routine right down to reading every word in every book

Mommy is still mommy....

So why am I here blogging instead of sleeping now that I can go to bed? No clue. Good night!