Happy Halloween

Hope your day is filled with sweet treats!

1st Birthday Party

The 1st Birthday
I tried to keep it simple
No theme, just colors - pink orange and yellow
Pinterest deserves a big thank you
as does my momma - who made all the cakes
and helped make my vision a "reality"

If you follow me instagram you have seen most of these but here is recap
I took 3 days off of work prior to the party- partly to work on my wannabe projects, bake and decorate but really just clean (aka move all the piles in my house to an overstuffed closet) 
I was so off schedule those days and survived on cherry coke, halloween candy and homemade chex mix

My big project that I really wanted that actually got done was her highchair (mainly thanks to my dad who will do anything for his granddaughter) it was my first purchase ever off of craigslist it was a steal for $20

I prayed and prayed for good weather because 50 people will not fit in my tiny house or garage
I got so lucky, it was a little chilly but beautiful. And Lauren got to enjoy the bounce house for the first time.

Since I am not Amy Atlas nor her friend or have a budget to afford such service this was our dessert table.

The details - the now must have stripey straws, polka balloons, cookies, rice krispy treats on a stick, cakes by my momma, mini cheesecakes (original, oreo and twix), the mix station (my favorite) homemade caramel corn, chex mix, peanuts, m&ms, candy corn, & reese pieces.  Since it was chilly I had a coffee station and hot chocolate. The hot chocolate went over well, I made three batches.  It was definately sweet but so tasty.

The little one enjoyed her cake - but she was very dainty and neat. I didn't even have to change her shirt.  Daddy did smear cake in her face but she took it well.

It was a wonderful day and I can't thank everyone for their help and coming to celebrate.

Thanks to this girl for taking what is my favorite picture and bringing her adorable little ones.

the BIRTHDAY

after a night of no sleep
my husband finally told me we have to go back
i did not want to get out of bed
i told him, i am going to stand up and this baby is going to come out
its going to be one of those crazy birth stories at home
i was crying
going back to the hospital was at 30 minutes
i knew we had to go over 4 train tracks and numerous potholes
i cried some more
i finally got up and shuffled to the car
matted greasy hair, looking like a zombie
totally different agenda than last night, i did not care what i looked like
i went from crying to cursing all the way there
i didn't even call the doctor, i just showed up in labor and delivery around 10am?
i was the crazy woman in the wheelchair
how just a few hours ago, i walked happily into L&D
my husband pushed me in and i said to the desk clerk
i was here last night they sent me home...my pain on  a scale of 1 to 10 is 100 and i'm bleeding
no wait off to the delivery room
waiting for the doctor, my momma showed up
i was clutching the side rails on the bed
the nurses were puzzled, still no contractions on the monitor
finally the dr comes in and checks - oh wow you are at 7 almost 8
Dr - "did they really send you home last night?"
Me - uh yes, when can i get drugs?
the epidural, 45 minutes of poking all while having toe curling contractions and being told not to move
but then - relief!  the fog was lifted i was a whole different person
labor - this is easy i just needed drugs
i now had an internal monitor and my contractions were off the charts
the resident from last night came in to apologize
i didn't care i was in lala land very relaxed
finally at 4:30 it was time
i could not feel a thing, the dr told me i was squeezing not pushing
seriously i was completely numb
at 6:30 we were almost there
6:43pm my beautiful little girl arrived
i had no idea, i was still pushing with my eyes closed
my dr told me to stop
but wait -wasn't she crying
i was supposed to holding her
they had rushed her over to the table
a million "bad" things went through my mind
and finally after a few seconds i heard the crys
then i held my baby girl
and life was perfect
and still is today

one year ago today

the weather was unseasonably warm as it is today
i was 37 weeks pregnant and having a miserable day at work because i was so tired
my exciting evening plans were to go to costco and the grocery store with my mom to stock up before the baby came
i called her on the way home from work that i was too tired to go
came home and went directly to bed
i woke up around 8 because of a sharp pain
and then decided i was hungry for dinner
i stood at the stove and made homemade cheeseburger macoroni
and told my husband it was very uncomfortable to stand
and i thought i was having contractions
i finished dinner, sat down to watch tv and the contractions got more intense
called the doctor on duty
who told me to come in since i was already 3 centimeters dialated and was told to stop working out last week
so i "prettied" myself up, packed the car and happily walked into the hospital
checked me into labor and delivery
after an hour of no progress and no contractions on the monitor
even though i swore to the resident the contractions were horrible and intense
they told me "its your first baby, you have plenty of time"
you could stay but go home to your own bed
it was painful to change into my own clothes and i kept thinking it was a mistake to leave
but maybe a night in my own bed would be good
it was  a bad ride home, my poor husband who i yelled at for going over every pothole as i cursed the city of chicago
by the time we got home i was miserable and thought there is no way i can make it another day
this has to be labor
off to bed i went
i didn't sleep at all
i was in a place i never wanted to return to
swore to my husband there would be no more kids after this if this is what labor is like
it was a very LOOOOONNNNGGGG and painful night

My Fall Favorites

I have spent the better part of the last 2 months working (well thinking mostly) on someone's 1st birthday.  I decide to reward myself with a few splurges for making it through the first year, also to teach my husband a lesson for never getting me that "push" present I wanted.  As he probably still has no idea what that is and why I deserve one. 

Michael Kors Ring, Watch, Link Bracelet
Fossil Bangle
Bobbi Brown Lipgloss
Kerastase Hair Products ( the absolute best!)
New Hair Color

 I am still trying to download party pictures, hopefully tomorrow a recap.

Best Halloween Movie Ever

Lots more coming soon including a party recap

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Of course this is not a totally "healthy" treat but it is so much better than what you find in the squeeze bottle.  It takes your chocolate milk and ice cream to another level.  It is so simple and a little goes a long way.

Chocolate Syrup
  

1¼ cups sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*

1 cup water

¼ tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp espresso powder **

*I have made this both with Hershey's cocoa powder and Ghirardelli cocoa powder - both come out great but I recommend ghirardelli.

** express powder is totally optional, i have made it without but if you have it - it deepens the flavor of the chocolate

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cocoa powder and whisk briefly to break up any clumps.  Stir in the water and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in the vanilla.  Let cool before you refrigerate. I store mine in a mason jar. 

dear....

dear running shoes,
we are doing it

only 3 months together and we've logged a lot of miles and many crossfit workouts

we still have a lot more to go, we hit our first obstacle with a 38 degree run on saturday morning

you thought i was going to give up but i finished

dear holiday catalogs,

thank you for reminding me how i poor i am

dear pinterest,

you are so so addicting but dangerous

i really really want to turn away

but you have introduced me to so many wonderful things

dear bobbi brown,

thank you for awesome lip gloss

dear project life,

i swear i haven't given up on you
i have all my pictures, thoughts and momentos tucked away
just not together - i will find the time

dear sweet baby girl,

how are you going to be a year old?

this has been the fastest year of my life

and i have loved every minute of it

but please please will you try to sleep in your crib more than 1.5 hours a night

i love holding you and snuggling you and waking up to your low whisper..hhhhiiiiiiiiii
but i am becoming very very sleep deprived
even though staring at your sweet face makes up for it

dear clean eating,

you are hard to keep up

i'm going for the 80/20 rule because if you know me i will not turn down an invitation for

pizza, nachos or ice cream

cut me some slack

i'm down to one cherry coke a week

i know i cheated last week and had one at 9am instead of my smoothie but it was a really really bad morning

dear halloween candy,

why are you tempting me

not just in the aisles of target or giant bags at costco

but everyday at work at every meeting at every luncheon

ugghh

dear kitchen table,
why can't you stay clean?

dear fall,

thank you for always being beautiful

things that me smile # 465

opening my cabinets to see this

hello fall fiestaware colors, come stay for awhile

we have lots of good stuff to look forward to

late night cereal binges, lazy weekend breakfasts, hot drinks,

quick lunches, soup nights, hopefully some hey josie cooked dinner meals

and THANKSGIVING

letting go

i've always had high expections, i have learned over the years i need to just be real and set the bar a little lower otherwise i will constantly be disappointed
(come on - who doesn't dream of a martha stewart christmas, in a pottery barn house, where you can go outside and take a walk down sugarplum lane?)

as a mother - the bar is really low - i can't control the weather, when babies get sick,  flat tires, photo locations under construction, rose bushes popping all my balloons, incomplete projects and well an eleven month who doesn't want to sit still

i had hopes of something like this

the day went like this

but thats okay nothing in my life maybe picture perfect but its pefect for me and i couldn't be happier