One of the things I miss most now are my lazy days, my real lazy days of curling up on the couch after a really long week in my “I wound never leave the house with these clothes on” and watching a marathon of my favorite shows or some mindless tween movie or the we already know what’s going to happen romantic comedy – in hindsight I probably spent way too many hours watching tv – looking back I laugh that sometimes my biggest worry some evenings was what I going to watch on tv…days of the WB – gilmore girls, dawsons creek and my beloved veronica mars – oh how I miss veronica mars.  These days my dvr is ready to explode – I usually only make time for scandal and nashville.   If we are lucky tony and I get to indulge in a redbox movie, so we try to be selective but sometimes I just need the mindless entertainment of those tween movies. I stayed up way too late but these two hit the spot –  –pitch perfect surprised me, it was I thought really funny and the music was good and a decent storyline.  Katy Perry I had no idea what to expect – I had a little more respect for her at the end and actually felt bad for her hoping she would find herself love again one day.  But then I remembered she was dating John Mayer – talk about setting yourself up for disaster – again.

the love list

in honor of valentines day and inspired by katrina my love list

Five for Friday

1} i just post about my clean eating habits and now all i am obsessed with is superbowl food -
damn food blogs! thinking i must include this & this...

2} we obviously have said no to lauren way too many times...all she likes to say back to us is no no no...and so the backtalk begins

3} the best thing about the new year - out with old, in with new - last week it was my kitchen - i have done some major purging (anyone want cookbooks? - i get rid of like 25 of them) which means i can shop for new goodies..i got all new spices, got rid of some old crappy pans - used christmas money and credit card points for this and next weekend some new make up - barb - are you ready?

4} this weekend i have to take down my christmas decoration, i really need the room in the house but honestly i do not want to haul out boxes and repack..its the worst part

5} its friday, that alone makes me happy enough

2013

goals.resolutions.new plans

this year my intentions are just to hold myself accountable and continue what i started in 2012

clean eating

no processed food. it will not come into the house

only real food or food with 5 ingredients or less (no chemicals, preservatives, coloring etc)..

buy organic & local...i finally found a local source ( farm fellowship)...i now get all my meat, eggs and some dairy from local farms..i pick up my order 1x month.  The quality, cost savings and convenience has been huge!  I know exactly where my food is coming from and this summer we plan to take Lauren to a couple of the farms to visit.

continue to reduce soda intake..no miracle is going to happen.....my only source of caffeine.i no longer buy it and try to only indulge when i go out to eat or an early morning at work

continue to make homemade...tortillas, crackers, pita, salsa, salad dressing etc.

My goal last year was 80/20, try to eat clean most of the time at home that way i wouldn't feel too bad when we went out to visit other people, special occasions, birthdays etc.   But lets be real...its hard...the cost, real life and the time committed doesn't always work out.  I love to cook at home but I hate the clean up...so coming after a long day of work..I had no desire to be in the kitchen and sometimes a little one at my feet made it somewhat difficult.  I ordered pizza a few too many times and I let the "special" occassions, holidays, birthdays etc. carry over way too long - hence why i fell over the wagon in nov/dec.

work out

plain & simple - i get lazy, i get comfortable, i want to sleep 15 more minutes

i feel better when i do it- i just need to do

work.life.friend.marriage.family.mom.me time...find a balance or a new routine?

one i'm sure we call all relate to

a vicious cycle

i think i'm doing good in one area and well everything else falls off

my work schedule not impossible but very inconvenient being gone 10 hours a day

coming home to dinner, playing with lauren, bedtime drama, time with tony

tony absolutely hates it when i'm on the computer or my phone when we are on the couch

we try to have some quality time

i resisted getting the internet in my house because i knew what a timesucker it is for me late at night

until i got a new cable package and there it was

when i should be doing the dishes, laundry or project life

i have great friends who get sent to the back burner, who i love and adore and need to spend more time with because they are just wonderful and help keep me sane

i'm trying to get better at email and stay connected

but its ridiculous..the amazing Em lives just minutes from me and I hardly get to see her

this darn work schedule keeps getting in the way...I think we need to try a playdate for a weekend soon!

i have to work

it sucks

i hate it but its whats best for my family

especially if we want to expand the family

#2 in 2013..maybe!?

but with 3 adults and a 1 child in our house now

we will need a bigger house

which means i have to stay full time

no flex time work which means my schedule stays the same

which stresses me out

so i need find a routine and stick to it

welcome to real life, welcome 2013

the holiday

where my money went all season - target
holiday happiness in my favorite red cup
holiday baking - a day with my mom and a couple late nights for me
shopping with lauren - what can i say she has good taste #michaelkors
she was obsessed with a charlie brown christmas and LOVED the display at the mall
christmas eve & day was at my parents - lots of love on her cousins
a cell phone that grandpa keeps giving her because he hates to see her cry #spoiled
a superhero christmas for my newphew - highly highly recommed this etsy shop - she was amazing
help with chrismtas dinner, christmas stories with grandpa
christmas pjs and late night snuggles while falling asleep to christmas music - my favorite night
christmas morning was a success - she ran out and loved to unwrap
much to my mom's dismay she got a "princess" castle - it has music and spins around that's all lauren cares about
her favorite gift - her own set of "keys" - stainless steel,she can chew, nontoxic, made in usa - kleynimals 
our homemade stockings - lauren is the 5th generation to get them
our family ornament 2012
christmas brunch - must have mimosas
this spinach & cheese strata - we added roasted red peppers and olives - its now will be a new tradition

today

i sit, still trying to understand such a tragedy
hug and kiss my baby even more
hope she will never witness another of its kind
wish there was a mommy bubble to protect them
grieve so hard for the families of all those involved

my heart aches for those babies and the horror they went through
their parents and the nightmare they are experiencing
friday night - thinking of those babies not with their families

no more news, i can't stomach any more details
unimaginable

holly jolly christmas

*loving philosophy peppermint bark shower gel 
*a new mini santa = childhood nostalgia , my husband finds it creepy, lauren loves it - the girls win, it stays
*introduced lauren to the muppets, i'm sure i enjoyed it more but she loved dancing to the songs
*lots of time at home this year - blankets, twinkle lights,  pajamas, playtime
*where did my baby go? little miss independant
*going to see santa = a total fail.  lauren would not let go of me but i did manage some pictures in front of the gorgeous tree because well my tree will never look like this and in case you are curious i still have no ornaments on mine

i did manage 1 christmas craft (thank you pinterest)
again i let go of expectations, as you can see from my horrible cutting job (it was 1am and i of course couldn't find any good scissors) - i kept telling myself, she's only 1 and wouldn't care
she still liked it, best $3 i have spent - it has kept her very entertained in the kitchen while i cook
 next year i will definately make a nicer one