every weekend this month has been consumed with weddings. however this year, it is behind a lens......WHICH I LOVE!!!! i thought i loved weddings before...now they really do ROCK!
this past thursday, genya and i had the opportunity to step out from behind the cameras and do a little strutting of our own. kylene who owns Forever Photography out of Tallahassee, came over to our neck of the woods to play with us for a bit! let's just say she captured us in all our crazy glory! when genya and i saw the pictures we were amazed and fell absolutely in love with them! here are just a few quickies of me...check out a few of the others with both of us on her blog:
10:43 PM
8:44 PM
today began on a good note: sleeping in until 10am! granted brayden woke up at 6am, but he drank his bottle in bed next to me while practically asleep so i slept as well. after waking up and getting ready, haley, baby b and i went to eat at our favorite little place, Liza's Kitchen, for lunch. sitting outside in the sunshine and 75 degree weather eating my hot muffaletta made my day! brayden sat in his seat and carried on his own little conversation while we ate. we then went grocery shopping...which much to my surprise wasn't the nightmare i expected it to be during spring break.
(side note: my annual spring break tirade will be posted at a later date!) as i unloaded the groceries, brayden took his 3rd nap of the day. have i mentioned what a wonderful baby i have been blessed with?! after he woke-up i fed him his bottle and squash. i refuse to taste baby food in fear i will never be able to forgive myself for giving it to my child. it is better just to not know!
while baby b watched american idol (we want to make sure he is a well rounded child!) i made my infamous peanut butter kr
since i am on a roll of having a productive day, i thought i might take it a bit further and share my ever beloved recipe with everyone. it has only taken me....well i won't tell you how long...to give this out. i apologize for those who have been asking for it for quite sometime!
here goes:
Peanut Butter Krispy Bars
1 stick of butter (creamy)
2 cups of peanut butter (Jiff - because all moms choose Jiff!)
3 cups of Rice Krispies (i used the store brand...i mean can you really tell the difference?!)
3 cups of powered sugar
1 package of milk chocolate morsels
mix softened/creamy butter and peanut better in a large mixing bowl. add in rice krispies one cup at a time (this is easier than pouring all 3 cups in at once). then add in the powered sugar one cup at a time (for the same reason...your hand will be very sore if you don't). then spread ingredients into a 9x13 pan. put chocolate morsels into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 min. 15 sec. and then stir until melted. pour and spread chocolate over top other ingredients in pan. refrigerate for 5-10 minutes. cut into squares and serve.
promised to be a crowd pleaser....old men love these ;)
now i must go do a little arm and shoulder P90X .....
12:26 AM
8:55 PM
this week has been so jammed packed, it makes me tired just thinking about. therefore, i won't recap. from the moment i walked through the door each afternoon this week, i was ready to put on my favorite pair of sweats (yes, i still wear my college sorority sweat pants to bed....jared has lost all hope) lock my door, turn off the monitor, let jared and baby b fend for themselves and call it a night.
having these spurts of extreme exhaustion gave jared and i cause to worry that brayden may be a big brother much sooner than we would ever like to even subconsciously think about. my 7:30 bedtimes, blank stares, and asking for people to constantly repeat themselves, was the dead giveaway this time last year. thank the good lord that pee stick read 'not pregnant' or i would have been trying to undo that etch-a-sketch. had i been, jared and i would be firm believers in immaculate conception. i mean seriously, give me a break. no one , including myself, wants another year of my pregnant ramblings regardless of how easy i had it in comparison!
disclaimer: now if i was on round 2, we would be absolutely thrilled knowing we were meant to have one more little blessing. obviously now we know that another blessing is meant for later. my body and pocketbook are both grateful!
so with it being a long week, i came home today turned on a little itunes and heard one of my favorites as i laid lifelessly on the couch. yes, i have posted this little tune before, but i can't get enough and you know you can't either. don't hate, you know it makes you smile!
Ordinary Day - Emilie Mover
8:50 PM
today marks the 4 month mile stone for baby b. after his 4 month check up we can conclude that he is quite the trooper when having needles flying at him as well as being a rather advanced little fella.
doc stats:
Weight: 14.3 lbs.
Length: 23.5 in.
Head Circumference: 42 cm.
Stage Advancement: extremely advanced
Warning: early crawler and loud talker
What to look forward to: solid food adventures
today we spent the afternoon at the studio. he's becoming quite a fan!
11:54 PM
Having moved this past week and no cable/internet until monday, here I sit updating on my blackberry. Call me bored, desperate, or determined....you decide. I prefer determined...do you have any idea how small these buttons are? Thank goodness I don't have fake nails or this would just be a lost cause!
Happy Valentines Day! More importantly, Happy 17th Birthday Haley (little sister). Because Jared is in the restaurant business, he had to work...lucky for him over the years I've realized what a nightmare it is to try and go anywhere on this Hallmark Holiday. So last night after unpacking boxes we had strawberry cheesecake, wine, and watched an old favorite! Tonight however, consisted of outback take-out, wine, nap time for baby, more wine, chocolate and a good chick flick!! Personally, I don't know if it can get any better than that! Monday night our unpaid live-in nanny (aka Haley) is going to watch Brayden while we go out...we'll see if it trumps tonight...which will be hard to do!
Speaking of baby b... Here are his updated stats:
Almost 4 month...on Tuesday
Continues to sleep through the night
Wakes up between 7:30 and 8 like clockwork!
Rolls over 24/7...its all a game to him
Has been introduced to rice cereal...(video to soon follow)
Has discovered yelling gets attention from everyone which he finds to be hilarous
Has found his true comforts: passy, blankey, and mommy
....My thumbs now need a serious break!
10:51 AM
don't ask where i have been hiding for so long.....quite frankly i'm not really sure. i always think this time of year is the slowest part, however i have been proven wrong by 2009. the truth is, busyness abounds. perhaps most of that is due to having baby b + working full time + a husband + a house + the every now and then attempt of having a social life. blogging has taken the very back seat on my list of things to do. i apologize.
the past week has really thrown me to the dogs. you would think that by now i would have learned my lesson to keep my mouth shut and not gloat in unfavorable mishaps not occurring in my life......well, God might as well struck me with a lightening bolt yet again. last friday, brayden came down with his 1st cold. tuesday night, i caught the 24 hr. flu.....the kind that involves severe hot flashes, numbing chills, resurfacing meals, and a sore, achy body (which was not a result of a vigorous gym workout). i have now learned my lesson. no more will i boast in saying i usually am unscathed by any flu epidemic and perhaps succumb to the inevitable flu shot.
one reason i have continued to remain m.i.a. is that i was waiting for a certain announcement to be made on another end. now that it has been made, i can can make mine! after the new year, i started working with genya at VUE photography. i know you have all heard my continuous babbling raves.....so when i was asked to join on with her, i was like a giddy little girl on christmas morning! as hard as it may seem, before i ever wanted to plan wedding, i wanted to be a photographer. after studying it a bit on college i fell even more in love with photography, but the doors opened up in the wedding business first. so now, not only am i continuing on with weddings, but i get to do it all from behind a camera. sometimes i have to stop and take in how truly blessed i am. i married the first boy i ever fell in love with, i wake up to warm weather and sunshine just about every day, i have the job most could only dream to have, i have the most precious little baby, and a family who i adore. life doesn't get much better than this!
so here goes.......
3:17 PM
who would have thought that i would be able to keep my news years resolution of 2008. so here i sit 87 posts later in 2009 and still going strong...at times.
this past year has been a year of ups and downs, tears and laughter, but most of all a year of blessings and miracles. even though jared and i planned on having a baby in 2008, a year ago, it was something that was just a dream and hard to imagine what it would be like as a reality. with brayden actually hear and already 2.5 months old, i couldn't imagine life any differently.
the holiday festivities came and went faster than i could say "merry christmas". i could barely get out christmas cards! Let me just say, for those who make a holiday in and of it self with christmas cards, i commend you! this was our first year and we went the easy route: jared designed, snapfish printed, and out went our christmas postcards (who really cares about the envelope anyways....besides i thought i would give all your postmen something to look at!) I apologize if you did not receive one, we didn't plan very well and only ordered 50....i guess we know more people than we thought. i'll plan better for this year's christmas....that will be one of my resolutions.
as is everything in my family, there was never a dull moment this christmas and new years! poor baby b was passed around like a sack of potatoes and left tired and cranky. i'm sure if anyone is glad for the holiday season to be over, it is him, hands down!
in signing out, here is a rundown of my new years resolutions:
1. continue blogging - whether anyone reads or not (and as much as i had the word 'blog'), it helps me keep my sanity and is exciting to look through old posts and see how life has unfolded.
2. be more proactive - keeping the house clean and life in order as become quite the task...hopefully i'll be more on top of it this year. unfortunately, i no longer have the pregnancy card to play!
3. get in shape - as over rated as this is, i still have pounds to shed from the little blessing that pasted pounds on me the entire year of 2008.
4. take in every moment - now with a little one, i know time is precious and i want to enjoy every moment
5. work hard - i love my job and i want to grow and succeed
6. spent time with family - at the end of the day, they are all i have
7. live a life of passion - i desire to be passionate about my job, my family, life, and most importantly, Christ.
3:04 PM
we may live in the redneck riveria, however that doesn't mean our hearts don't still bleed black and gold! baby b and i are ready to watch our beloved pittsburgh steelers take on the number 1 seat for the playoffs. "Here we go...Pittsburgh's going to the Superbowl!"
11:32 AM
as many of you know, the month of november was full of indian and ethnic weddings. what an eventful and exciting experience it was! sapna and guido were so wonderful to work with. indian weddings are full of traditions, rich with vibrant colors and never a dull moment!
climie+co (click link to view pictures) from atlanta, took pictures from the entire weekend's events and did an amazing job.
here are a few pictures i took that will take your breath away:
sangeet (friday evening's event):
wedding ceremony:
saturday evening's reception:
11:28 AM
as if this poor little guy has not been blinded by the camera flash enough, mommy had to go and mess with him again last night. he is a trooper!
8:12 PM
so here i am the night before the big day and rather nervous! have you ever tried to plan a multiple wardrobe change for a photo shoot for your entire family? thank goodness i don't have more kids, i would have given up by now...not to mention bald! perhaps i'm being ridiculous, but i think i care more about these pictures than my own wedding pictures...which by the way i was not impressed with.
back to my dilemmas: blue or black pants? polo or button up? curly or straight hair? pants or dress?
too many choices. i must go decide.
12:30 AM
i've come to realize that weddings are a free for all...you never know what to expect and at times will never be able to prepare for what may happen.
example 1: the wedding ceremony has begun. turn around to send the first bridesmaid down the aisle.
problem: bridal party is M.I.A.
location: the bar taking shots
solution: yank shot out of hand and loudly reprimand
result: drunk bridesmaid falls down stairs on @$$ while walking down the aisle
example 2: you know you are in for it when the first guest to walk through the door is a man wearing holy jeans, a nasty flannel shirt, has a ratty mangled ponytail and when asked what he would like to drink asks for a "natty light."
example 3: wedding guests ask for to-go boxes to go through the buffet line.
example 4: there is something horribly wrong when people over the age of 50 begin grinding on each other on the dance floor and try to dance dirty....the fact that all rhythm is obsolete is the least of anyone's concern at this point. please. if you are old, no one wants to see you trying to act like a horny 17 year old in front of the poor flower girl. not to mention, most would appreciate to not have their already digested wedding cake resurface.
enough said.
7:19 PM
you know how you'll be going about your day and a song pops into your head that you heard while watching tv? that's the story of my life...or should i say song? anyways, you get the point. when a song fron a show or commerical is forever embedded in my memory, i end up searching franticly for the download.
this was my latest search. the bounce fabric softener commercial...with the girl in the subway with the blue t-shirt that comes to life.......yes, that one.
emilie mover. mission accomplish.
2:34 PM
last tuesday i went to the pottery bar with a couple girls from church to paint pottery with our kid's hand/foot prints for christmas presents. we had so much fun that jared and i went back on wednesday night for their buy one get one promo to make christmas presents for our families. brayden did surprisingly well as we lathered paint on his little piggies. not only we were able to acomplish the task of finding christmas presents for everyone but it was a great little family outing!
2:26 PM
last night we learned that brayden found his new favorite place. his peanut shell. until now i wasn't able to use it due to nursing and it not fitting....if you know what i mean. had i registered for a larger size i could have put this sucker on and had 2 free hands. i must say i have learned to do and accomplish a lot with just one hand!
i suppose i don't have an excuse anymore for not cleaning the house.
12:28 PM
since brayden was born, the only issue we've had to battle is his reflux. and a battle it has been. poor little guy has had a hard time keeping his food down. we've had to try many different routes, but i'm starting to wonder if this is something he is just going to have to grow out of.....and no solution until then.
we found that bottles worked better than nursing. Formula works better than breastmilk. Cereal in his bottles works better than just formula. dr. browns bottles work better than all other bottles. keeping upright it better than laying down.
s
o for now, this is what my life has become. incessant wardrobe changes for baby b and i both. if you have seen four christmas, you probably found those scenes of projectile vomiting to be quite humorous. i laughed and almost cried at the same time.
time out. i need to first apologize to my dear little boy. brayden, let me just say that i am thankful you will never remember this stage in your life. formula is absolutely repulsive. in every aspect. not to mention your diapers are now blowouts that smell like a raw sewage infestation and your burps cause severe dry heaving for your victimized parents. you really are 'all boy!' don't worry, i got your daddy gagging while changing one of those blowouts on video. we will save it in order to show your future wife what she is in for when that day arrives. at least you remain content through all these traumatic episodes. your smiles and giggles help me keep my sanity. in the mean time, i'm sorry that this is all you can eat for the next couple of months. it will get better, i promise...or at least that's what i tell myself!
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