Yippy Skippy, I Finally Did It

WackyJacqui

 In the last few months I've spent countless hours being locked out of my blog, fixing posts that have been hacked, and trying to learn so many new things.  I finally, finally gave in and decided to get a blog designer.  I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this girl, but she had a special that was really cheap.  And she offered a Genesis Framework to boot. I  had read a lot about Genesis and thought that switching over may solve many of my problems and bugs.  The deal was really hard to pass up especially since she was offering a Genesis Framework. So who was the designer?  Her name is Jacqui from Wacky Jacqui's Designs.  I must say she's a busy lady.  But she's quite efficient.  She has a waiting list that seems to be growing quite rapidly.  Once it's your turn, it doesn't take her long at all.  She will email you along the way and the faster you respond back, the faster your project is done. I started by telling her a few things that I did like and what I didn't and … [Read more...]

Things I Never Thought I’d Say

Being a mother has changed what comes out of my mouth. Every time we go in a public bathroom, "Don't touch anything." And thirty seconds later, "Didn't I say not to touch everything?" And at least once a day, "No more jumping on the couch." My child loves to pretend to be various animals.  While she is her animal of choice, she wants to be called that particular animal. Me: "Okay, Honeybun.  Get in the car. Her: "Not a Honeybun.  I'm Miss Lizard."  (In the most pouty and hurt tone.) Me: " Okay, Little Lizard.  Get in the car." Her: "Not Little Lizard, Miss Lizard." By now she's thoroughly offended as her feet are planted firmly.  How could she have such an insensitive mother?  Okay let me try again to get it right.  Exactly right. Me: "Miss Lizard would you please take your seat in the car?" And Miss Lizard ever so slowly moves towards the car.  Her movements are hardly noticeable.  Oh, pleeeeease. I can feel my sanity slowly slipping … [Read more...]

What You Should Know Before Train Riding

To put this into context... We rode Amtrak's Southwest Chief.  We rode round trip.  It was supposed to be a 9 1/2 hour trip.  I was traveling with a three year old by myself.  At night...all night.  Both times.  It was our first time on Amtrak. I wish I had of taken pictures on the train.  It was so dark though.  And there were just too many sleeping people to disturb with a flash.  So no pics, people.  The sleeping people of the train thank me. You better get there early. The train waits for no one.  It's okay for them to be late, but not you.  So it seems.  Seriously, I don't think it was five minutes and we were off.  I didn't even make it to my seat either time before we were moving.  You don't have to show your ticket before getting on the train.  They gave us a little slip of paper that told us our seat number.  This is later displayed above your seat with your destination added to it.  Their goal is to get you on board as quickly as possible so that … [Read more...]

The Second Time I Met Him

Wedding Me

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I would continue our story of how I met and ended up marrying my husband.  There are two other parts....Love At First Sight and He Really Is Prince Charming.  To read in chronological order, you may want to read Love at First Sight first and Prince Charming last. I had three weeks off for Christmas and decided to go to my parent's for the entire time.  Crazy I know.  It was my last week visiting when the neighbor invited me to dinner.  The same neighbor that had invited me to a cookie party four years before where I met my now husband for the first time.  I declined when I realized she was trying to set me up.  You see it had been quite a long time since I had dated.  I had decided there was nothing worth dating out there.  So I wasn't interested in her sneaky blind date.  And neither was he.  I guess that would make us even. After turning her down more than once, she finally called and told me that he couldn't come because he … [Read more...]

Mommy’s Helper Cleans Too Much

Melissa and Doug Victorian Dollhouse

Every child has their naughty moments.  Some more than others.  My mother has always reminded me, "You'll pay for your raising." Which is true so far.  And I'm okay with that since I was a pretty good kid.  What I fear is paying for my husband's raising.  So far we have a little mini me.  And hopefully, when she's a teenager we still have a mini me. It's funny how a child can accomplish great things in mere seconds when left unattended.  Sometimes, these "great things" are not always appreciated by the parents.  Take the latest masterpiece on the wall.  I have only experienced a small tick mark.  I must admit I was rather proud.  She was copying her Dad while we were doing a remodeling project.  She held a pencil and a tape measure and made a small tick mark.  I thought that was very coordinated for a not quite two year old.  I'm sure it helped that it was where a cabinet would soon cover.  I'm sure that if it had been more than a tick mark in pencil, it might … [Read more...]

Suffering Through Those Potty Training Days

Photo Credit

Potty training...just typing those words leaves me exhausted and frustrated. Nothing, except maybe the actual child birth has been this difficult.  And just so you know it was a difficult birth.  I spent four days in the hospital for child birth that did not include a c-section.  Just to put things in perspective.  I was blessed with a child that everything comes easy for.  Sometimes I wonder if it really is a blessing.  It felt like it was until potty training came along.  Each well baby check up has left me thinking my child is exceptional.  I have the paper to prove it.  The doctor said so and so it must be true.  In the area of potty training she hasn't proven to be so exceptional.  My husband says she has to be normal in some area.  And it looks like it's going to be potty training.  I say, "Why couldn't you have been normal when it came to walking?"  So here we are.  She's three years old and potty trained.  I think, I hope. We were on our … [Read more...]