My {Crunchy} Life

Divorce

2011-11-26T15:09:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time. While trying to think of things for my 5 year olds school Time Line project, I decided to look through my old blog for ideas. Boy did that get emotions going!

Last Oct of 2010, My husband told me he wasn't sure if he loved me anymore. It was tough, but we decided we would make our marriage work. In Dec, he told me he wanted a divorce. In Feb I found out he had been having an affair with his boss. He was in love with her. All the late nights at work were actually spent with her at the bar drinking and what not. There is so much more to the story...things that happened throughout this whole time. A lot of mind games. A LOT of lies.

Needless to say, we are in the process of divorce. 14 years down the drain. He ruined a good thing, tore our family apart and is now not even being a good father. He's become a very selfish person that only cares about himself. With his new cool hair, designer clothing, cologne and social life. He's living single life with a bachelor pad. My how people change. I don't even recognize him.

I'm Still Alive!

2010-12-06T22:27:00.005-05:00

Wow. It has been a long time!
So much has been going on since my last entry. Kieran turned four Aug 8th, Chloe turned one Oct, 11th and Nevin just turned 13 on Dec, 4th! I have a 13 year old, People!! CRAZY!

Lately I have been going through some very emotionally taxing times. So please send happy energy my way. Hopefully I'll look back at this time and think...man, that was rough, but we made it through and look at us now! :)

Today we went to my friends. We've been doing this every Monday(or try to at least). It's so nice. Her oldest is Nevin's age her 2 middles are Kieran's age and she also has a baby. The boys play, practice guitar and we all have dinner together. LOTS of boy energy but, fun! I'm really enjoying it.

We got our tree tonight(man it's cold out there!) and I'm SUPER excited to decorate it tomorrow!! Yippee!!! I'm like a kid at Christmas. I just love it. I really need to get a move on my shopping and get better at being sneaky with packages being delivered. Kieran insists on opening boxes and we can't have that!

We'll be visiting Santa sooon! I'm not even going to attempt getting a picture with Chloe on his lap. I know she'll want nothing of it. She gets upset with just normal people tak to her...let alone sitting on a creepy looking mans lap ...hehe! Kieran loves Santa, though. I'm excited for him!

Before I go, here are some recent photo's!

Another Give Away and I've Been Featured!

2010-08-17T20:42:00.005-04:00

It's that time again! Time for another give away! When I reach 300 fans on Chloe Bowie's Facebook page. I'll be giving away a set of two clippies of your choice. These can even be custom made if you'd like. Please tell your friends! :)

I also wanted to share that I've been featured on Etsy Mom's A Few of Our Favorite Things treasury! It's the pink flower headband. :) So cool!

Give Away!!

2010-07-28T00:41:00.003-04:00

I created a page for Chloe Bowie on Facebook and decided that when I reach 75 "fans" that I will do a drawing for a free hair bow of choice. If you want a chance at winning a super cute bow, or just want to check things out...please visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chloe-Bowie-Boutique/120463011332570 and "Like" my page! We are so close...already at 65 fans!

Raw

2010-07-12T22:01:00.003-04:00

I'm once again feeling inspired to go raw. Maybe not 100% raw, but close enough. I tried this about...2 years ago? I failed miserably! So I'm doing more research and looking into going raw while breastfeeding especially. for any raw foodies out there...is it super time consuming to make meals? I'm really worried about that since we lack time for that sort of thing here. Well, baby steps...starting tomorrow. Going for a green smoothie in the morning and fruits and nuts during the day. Also, time to start weaning off the coffee...not looking forward to that. I have a SERIOUS iced latte addiction. Sometimes(well honestly, almost everyday) my day revolves around getting that latte! I'm going to try. Here I go...again. :)

Fourth Of July

2010-07-06T19:41:00.004-04:00

We celebrated Independence Day by going to my father in law's house. It was nice to see family and the kids had fun with sparklers and those cool growing snakes(my fave as a kid!). The men set off some cool fireworks too! Oh, only bad part of the night was when I set my thumb on fire! Ouch! FIL had no ice so I kept my thumb on a cold water bottle until we left, then headed to a 24 hour pharmacy for some lidocaine gel and popped some motrin...that helped so much! Yeah, so that happened while trying to light a twentieth sparkler, that was being stubborn.

The weekend before we went to the Spree. A local carnival our city has and ended the day with fireworks! We thought for sure Chloe would be terrified. She's such a sensitive girl and scares easily, but she surprised us and wasn't afraid at all! Just a little jumpy in the beginning. It was a perfect evening!

Hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July!!!

I'll end this post with some pics. My friend http://www.etsy.com/shop/ccbaby?ga_search_query=ccbaby&ga_search_type=seller_usernames made the tutu that Chloe is wearing and of course I made the bows ;).

Father's Day

2010-06-28T19:08:00.003-04:00

We had a pretty chilled Father's Day. It was nice!
Kieran made Josh a cute hand print picture and Nevin walked up to the store on his own and bought him T-shirts and socks..hehe! I sent my Dad's card a day late and included some pictures. He bought a cute little outfit for Chloe that says I love Grandpa. So I had her wear it in the pics.
I'm very glad to finally have a relationship with my Father. I'm glad that I'm able to put the past aside and have in in our lives.

So I Did Forget A Few Things - And Beach Pics

2010-06-21T20:02:00.008-04:00

Chloe leans in to give kisses now...so sweet! Oh man. I forgot the other thing! Jeez, talk about Mommy brain! Haha!

Some pictures I wanted to share from our beach outing the weekend before last. Of course they are mostly of Chloe since my two boys are completely against having their pictures taken these days :( .

Where Have I Been?

2010-06-21T00:02:00.003-04:00

Man, seems like forever since I blogged last.
So much has been going on! Where to start.

Chloe is now 8 months old...can you believe it? She gives high fives(sometimes can't get her to stop hehe)she says, nunununu(for num num which is what we call nursing and this was actually her 1st real word!), kitty(been saying that since about 6ish months) and dada. She can army crawl to get what she wants and she finally got a tooth! She waves her hand up and down on her mouth to make silly sounds and loves playing with her brothers. Just so many new things! I'm sure I'll remember something later that I forgot to mention.

I started an Etsy shop! You can see pics on the side of my blog. I'm selling hair bows, hair bow holders, clips and hopefully more soon. I just started it so I'm still getting the hang of it all. If you have an Etsy account, please add me as a favorite! :)

I'll be back to post some pics and things tomorrow. Now it's time to wind down before hitting the hay.

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex

2010-05-17T23:22:00.008-04:00

Finally, there is a name for what I've been going through! Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex
My friend posted this on a forum and as soon as I started to read it I began to cry. I've been dealing with this for so long now and it's nice to know that I'm not crazy, this is an actual condition and there is a name for it!
I'll be trying some of the suggested natural remedies asap.
I hope others suffering from Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex(D-MER)stumble upon this information so they know they are not alone and there is help.

6.5 Month Chloe Update

2010-05-03T20:04:00.004-04:00

These kids just change so darn fast!
Well, Chloe can now sit up unassisted! She only lasts about 20 seconds or so before toppling over, but we are so excited about it and so proud!
I *think* she's been saying "Dada" but it could just be babbling..hehe. She loves to eat now! So far she's had banana, avocado, sweet potatoes, apples, squash and peas. yum! I think her favorite are the sweet potatoes.
She can actually scoot a little now! She doesn't go far...just kind of pushes with her toes, butt goes in the air and ends up rolling over.
Oh! She started making a noise with her tongue. She mimics how we call the cats. Hmmm...how to explain the sound in text. Oh well, hopefully you know that cat calling sound..ha! Oh, she LOVES the cats so much!
She knows what jump means and will usually jump if you say "jump, jump, jump".
So she can't crawl yet but, she sure can get to what she wants. She uses a combo of rolling and short scoots. So cute.
She is really ticklish on her neck and rib area. Love her giggle!
It's funny, but she is so much more sensitive than the boys were at this age. I didn't think there would be that much of a difference between boys and girls, but there is here! We avoid loud sudden noises here...well, other than Kieran(he's a walking loud and sudden noise hahaha) but she's so use to him. He rarely scares her. If Josh shouts across the house ans Chloe is near him she will totally lose it. It's so sad! So we don't really do that anymore. Not so loud anyway. ;)
She is so great in the car now. Josh has even taken her(without me :O) on short trips to the store. She still doesn't like to be in the car anytime after 8pm.
I just can't get over how fast she is growing. It makes me sad and happy at the same time.
She is our last baby so I'm just really savoring her!

New Blog Look

2010-04-24T16:43:00.002-04:00

I got my new background from here Simply Chic Blogs. Check them out. They have some super cute backgrounds!

Job Update

2010-04-23T20:00:00.001-04:00

Well, it looks like he'll be there longer than 2 weeks but, he doesn't think he'll be hired on after the 3-6 month contract period. Ugh. A job hunting he will go! I hate the unknown. Stresses me out!

Life

2010-04-14T19:57:00.003-04:00

We are so stressed right now. My husband recently went on an interview, got the job and with higher pay...awesome, right? We were very happy. Then they decided they wanted him to be hired on for a contract position. It was to last between 3-6 months and after that he would probably get hired on for a permanent position. Today, his first day there, they told him they will only be using him for two week a trial run and that they are not sure he's right for the position!! WTH? I'm so freaked out right now. So in two weeks he could be jobless. He went from getting a new job and being told this in the matter of a few days. If they do keep him on for the 3-6 month period he gets no benefits, no paid time off...even for sick days. So we went from happy and excited to worried. Ahhh! Please send good vibes our way!

Chloe's Six Months and New Job Updates

2010-04-11T18:11:00.004-04:00

Wow. It's been a long time since I've blogged.
There has been so much going on lately!
Josh just started a new job...well in two days he will be starting. the pay is higher but, it's a contract position that lasts anywhere from 3-6 months and after that he may get hired on permanently. Also...he found out after he took the offer that he may not be getting any paid time off, such as vacation and sick days. So that part really sucks. He doesn't get any benefits either. Well, he has a job...that's the important part! His current job is not stable. People have been getting fired left and right! Scary.

Chloe has been growing so fast! She is now 6 months old, weighs about 18lbs. She's now into 6-9(or 6-12) months clothing, though she can still fit into some 3-6mos. She loves to babble. Her new favorite things to say are Babababa, diydiydiy(sounds like "die" but didn't want to type that haha). She is a rolling around pro and tries to scoot with a little success sometimes! As far as food. Well, we have tried frozen mango in a mesh bag thing and have spoon fed smashed up banana to her twice. It's really just to let her try something new and for fun. She doesn't eat it every day. I think pretty soon I might try some avocado. So pretty much exclusively breastfed with a little food once in a while. She loves playing with her brothers. Kieran is her constant source of entertainment! Hehehe. She gets really excited around the cats. She loves her jumperoo and exersaucer, playing on the floor with her toys and of course being held or worn. She likes bath time but, only if it's with Mommy. She gets scared and cries if I bathe her without getting in as well. so we try to avoid that. Hmmm...what else. She likes to make sounds by patting her hands on a table on clapping on ours hands. There is just so much that I know I'm forgetting some. I just can't get over how quickly this 6 months has gone by. It seems like I just had her!

Well, I'm thinking about making this blog private. Of course I'd invite people to join it. I really don't want to have to do that. But some things have come to my attention and it makes me a little uncomfortable with being so 'out there' and having pictures up for just anyone to copy and use as they wish. I can't go into it but that is part of it. For now I'll just add my name or email address to my pictures.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!! :)

Vlog?

2010-03-08T22:33:00.001-05:00

I'm actually blogging...say wha??
I just feel so drained by the the end of the night, which is the only time I can actually sit down and think. Even now I'm nursing Chloe and typing one handed.

So. I've been watching video blogs on You Tube since I was in the beginning stages of my pregnancy with Chloe. Mostly just following women who were due around the same time. I find it intriguing and something I might like to try but, at the same time I don't know if I'd be comfortable putting myself "out there". I mean, I know I'm already doing that here, but I'd be on video. For some reason I think that would make me feel more vulnerable. I don't know. I also have no idea how to connect my channel with any kind of community. I don't even have a webcam. So if anyone out there reading this knows anything about vlogging, vlogs, or just wants to share an opinion on it, please do so!

I'll try to update more on the happenings around here soon. Hopefully tomorrow!

More Birth Pictures

2010-01-20T14:52:00.005-05:00

My Doula and friend came over on Monday and we had really nice visit. She brought along some pictures she took during Chloe's birth. I know I already shared some, but I couldn't help but to share these too! I love these two. That moment right after a baby is born is so magical! I can't even describe the wonderful feelings. Just amazing.

Josh helping be to sit up

Pure joy!!

I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to writing my birth story. I want to, but things are so fuzzy and it's hard to remember it all in order and what times etc.
I'm also suffering from the Baby Brain! Haha! Maybe with a little more sleep and a little more time to think I'll be able to write a little something out.

My Birthday and Chloe is 3 Months!

2010-01-12T00:53:00.005-05:00

Today(yesterday..it's 1am)was my birthday. I'm 32...wow. 32. Feels weird typing that out! It was a great day. I had some yummy vegan cupcakes with pineapple frosting. I love that frosting! I was surprised with a couple gifts. Didn't expect anything! While at the mall on Sat I mentioned I liked these shoes

Josh later went back and got them! I love that they are 100% vegan. No animal products or by products, are made of hemp, organic cotton, recycled soda pop bottles and the soles are recycled tires! So awesome.
The boys got me the Glee Volume 2 CD. I guess I'm an official Gleek? Haha!
Pretty cool birthday indeed!

Chloe turned 3 months old today! Man, where has the time gone? She is growing so fast. She now smiles, coos, laughs(I've gotten her to do it twice), she's a drool machine and loves to sing along to songs(so dang cute!). :)
I ordered her a little tutu from Etsy and can't wait to use it for her 3 month pictures! She is such a super sweet baby.

Mexican Lasagna

2009-12-30T16:05:00.002-05:00

This stuff is the bomb. We had it a few weeks ago and I've been meaning to blog about it. I've been craving it like crazy so maybe we'll have it for dinner tonight. Seriously...sooo freaking good!

Once again, I got this from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen website.

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
corn tortillas--at least 12
3 cups (28 ounces) fatfree refried beans
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tsp. chili powder, divided
1/2 tsp. cumin, divided
3 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup salsa
1 can enchilada sauce (or 1 1/2 cups homemade)
sliced black olives

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a non-stick pan with a little water (1 tbsp.), sauté the peppers, garlic, and onion for about 3 minutes, or until softened. Set aside.

Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the bottom with a layer of tortillas (you may cut some of them to fit). Make sure you cover the entire bottom of the pan.

Stir the refried beans and spread half of them evenly over the tortillas. Cover the refried beans with half of the pepper-onion mixture and half of the tomatoes; sprinkle with half of the seasonings and half of the black beans.

Add another layer of tortillas and repeat the layers of the other ingredients. Spread the cup of salsa over the final layer of black beans. Cover with a final layer of tortillas, pour the enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with black olives. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes or until hot throughout. It will be easier to cut if you allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Note: Fresh corn is a great addition to this. I use about 2 cups of uncooked (or frozen) corn and add it as one more layer. You may need a deeper pan, though.

Crazy Dreams

2009-12-29T19:40:00.002-05:00

I've been having such crazy dreams lately(not abnormal for me). The night before last could have been a sci-fi book!
Well last night I had a vivid dream that I was pregnant again. I was about to give birth and decided to go to the hospital and have an epidural. Josh was upset with me and trying to talk me out of it and I had a lot of guilt about making that decision.
I was telling him that I could not go through the pain of natural child birth again. I felt so afraid in my dream. So odd since I've had two home births and I'm all for them!

And Just Like That...It's All Over

2009-12-27T10:41:00.003-05:00

For some reason I don't feel ready for Christmas to be over. It seemed to come and go so quickly! We did have a lovely Christmas though! Christmas Eve we spent time with family...it's my favorite part of the holiday! We spent Christmas day in our PJ's all day long. It was wonderful! The kids loved their gifts. Kieran was so surprised that Santa brought him a trampoline! As much as I tried to cut back on the amount of money spent on gifts...I think I may have failed a little. I think we still spent less than usual, but not like I'd planned. I tend to get carried away with the fun of the shopping for them. I get so excited thinking of all the things they will love. Now I just need to pack up a bunch of Kieran's toys that he never plays with and save them for when Chloe gets a little older.
I didn't get what I asked santa for( digital rebel camera), but that's okay. There is always my birthday, or next year. We really need to put money into fixing up the house more. I did however get some pretty awesome gifts! I got a new Mother's bracelet with each of the kid's birthstones. They have such pretty birthstones! I just love it. I also got a CD from the show Glee. We were all totally spoiled by my Dad. We made him a calender with the kids pictures on each page of the month. Josh got one from the kids too, but his is a desk calender for work.
Our tree is wilting so we need to get that down. Boohoo!! I'll miss it so! I just love the lights and seeing the kids handmade ornaments on the tree everyday. I'll miss it! I am looking forward to having more room in the living room though!
I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas!!

Christmas Tree Ornament

2009-12-13T15:18:00.003-05:00

I got this idea from my friend Shannon. She had one like it hanging on her tree.
Kieran and I had so much fun making this together! If you're going to attempt this you'll need some good scissors to cut the Popsicle sticks. ;)

Supplies:
Popsicle sticks(we used one larger tongue depressor type for the trunk).
Pipe cleaners
Green paint
Glue

That's it! Super simple. I already had all of these things in our craft box so it was great.
Of course you can do this a number of ways...you don't have to go by the way we did.

Nevin's 12th Birthday

2009-12-10T01:14:00.006-05:00

Nevin turned 12 on Dec.4th. My little boy is twelve! It really does seem like yesterday that he was five. Every time I think about it I want to cry! It also makes me feel pretty old :P. I'm so proud of him. He really is a good kid with a kind heart. He'll always be my baby...hehe!
He had the choice to either have a big party or get a big gift. He chose the big gift. He wanted Drum lesson's so we signed him up! He starts next Thursday right after his guitar lessons. I'm excited for him!
We had a fun day. We took him to see A Christmas Carol and on our way home picked out our Christmas tree. For dinner he chose Pizza(with vegan rice cheese). We had cake the next day.
It was also Chloe's 1st time at the movies. She didn't make a peep during the whole thing. She was either nursing or sleeping.:)

and I can't leave out sweet Kieran!

Chili Mac

2009-12-07T20:52:00.003-05:00

Tonight we had Chili Mac for dinner. It was pretty darn tasty! I added a lot of salt to my bowl, but that's only because I'm a salt addict...ha! The hubs said it was good, Nevin liked the noodles :P and Kieran wasn't in the mood to try it...so I'm not sure what he thinks. If I can get him to have some I'll let ya know!
We will for sure be making this again.

I got the recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

Chili Mac

2 cups elbow macaroni
1 onion, chopped
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
4 teaspoons mild chili powder*
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
10 ounces frozen corn kernels
1 16-ounce can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
5 cups thinly-sliced kale (thick stems removed before slicing) or other greens**
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until tender. Drain. Sauté onion in a large non-stick pot until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, as well as cooked pasta. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

*This is chili powder, not pepper, a mixture of mild chili peppers and cumin that adds no heat to the dish. If you want it spicy, add cayenne or additional
chipotle chili powder.
**If you use a faster-cooking green such as spinach, add it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Feeds about 6.

Meal Planning

2009-12-03T18:44:00.003-05:00

So it's come to my attention just how much we've been spending on groceries. I won't say, but just know it's a ridiculous amount! With Christmas coming up we really need to cut down on the spending. So no more $5 peanut butter...no matter how good it is! I've also decided to meal plan and stick to it. I'm hoping that by buying things we know we need instead of willy nilly buying and then going back for the things we need...it will save some moolah.
So here is what I have as far as meals so far. Let me just say that this would have been easier if I weren't avoiding soy products!

-Spaghetti w/ garlic bread and salad
-White bean and kale soup w/ french bread
-Veggie Chili w/ french bread
-Barbecue Seitan w/ fries and corn
-Chili Mac /w some sort of side
-Cauliflower Mushroom Marranca
-Veggie cabbage rolls w/ side of green beans
-Mexican Lasagna w/ rice
-Veg French bread pizza w/ side of asparagus
-Veg Tacos w/ mexican rice
-Veg "Field roast" with mashes potatoes and corn

So that's what I've got so far!

Whoa Buddy

2009-11-24T21:10:00.002-05:00

I cannot wait until our vegan Thanksgiving!! Yum yum yum. Putting together the recipe list made my mouth water.

On another note. My brother is in town from CT! Hoping to see him soon!

Vegan Celebrities

2009-11-19T15:26:00.002-05:00

I came across this list of vegan celebrities and wanted to share. It's so neat to see just how many there are out there! I'm sure there are even more that are missing.

Vegan Actors, Actresses, Comedians, and Producers

•Alicia Silverstone
•Alyssa Milano
•Carrie Anne Moss
•Casey Affleck
•Casey Kasem
•Daryl Hannah
•Demi Moore
•Daniel Negreanu (professional poker player)
•Elijah Wood
•Ellen DeGeneres
•Emily Deschanel
•Gillian Anderson
•Ginnifer Goodwin
•Heather Mills
•Jennifer Connelly
•Joaquin Phoenix
•Keenan Ivory Wayens
•Kevin Nealon
•Mutt Lange
•Natalie Portman
•Pamela Anderson
•Portia de Rossi
•River Phoenix
•Sandra Oh
•Tea Leoni
•The Artist, formerly known as Prince
•Toby Maguire
•Vanessa A. Williams
•Weird Al Yankovic
•Woody Harrelson
•Zooey Deschanel

Vegan Athletes

•Brendan Brazier (ironman triathlete)
•Carl Lewis (Olympic Track Star)
•Ed Templeton (pro skateboarder)
•George Laraque (NHL)
•Jack LaLaine (fitness guru)
•John Salley (former NBA player)
•Lucy Stephens (triathlete)
•Mac Danzig (Ultimate fighting)
•Martina Navratilova (tennis)
•Pat Neshek (Minnesota Twins pitcher)
•Ronda Rousey (judo)
•Sally Eastall (marathoner)
•Scott Jurek (marathoner) •Tony Gonzalez (American football)

Vegan Leaders

•Benjamin Spock, M.D.
•Coretta Scott King (Martin L.K., Jr's wife)
•Dennis Kucinich (US Congressman)
•Ingrid Newkirk
•Leonardo Da Vinci
•Mohandas Ghandi

Vegan Musicians

•Alanis Morissette
•Andy Hurley
•Anoushka Shankar
•Anthony Kiedis
•Barry White
•Brandy
•Brian Bell
•Bryan Adams
•Erykah Badu
•Fiona Apple
•Jason Mraz <--- love this guy.
•Joan Jett
•K.D. Lang
•Michael Franti
•Moby
•Morrissey
•Phil Collins
•Shania Twain
•Sinead O'Connor

2009-11-15T13:48:00.001-05:00

Woohoo!

2009-11-13T00:15:00.003-05:00

I can fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans. Awesome!! I had been dreading and putting off trying them on. Whew. Of course they are a little snugger than they were, but I'll take it. I gained much more with Kieran and I don't think I did anything differently this time around. So weird.

Chloe is here!!

2009-10-15T19:40:00.006-04:00

Chloe was born on Oct.11th at 12:07am weighing 6lbs and 18 3/4" long. She is beautiful and perfect! I'll write up my birth story when I have more time and not typing one handed ;). For now...here are some pictures!
Kieran helping(??) me through a contraction..hehe.

Belly Painting

2009-10-05T19:42:00.003-04:00

I thought it would be fun for Kieran to paint my belly today! I picked Halloween colors and let him go to town finger painting. He got really into it and eventually all those colors turned into one big grey..haha! I think Chloe really enjoyed it too. She started moving a whole lot. What a beautiful way for us all to connect. Maybe when Nevin is feeling better(he's sick) he'll be interested in partaking in belly painting. I won't hold my breath though :P. What am I saying....I have 12(more like 11 now) days until my EDD!!! I never make it to my due date so we'll see. We might not even have time to do this again. Anyway, Kieran had quite a lot of fun and we made a big mess.:) While in the bath and after cleaning my belly off he said "Lets do that again!".
Here are some pictures. I think my belly looks bigger in these than it actually is. I had to hold the camera out myself and got some weird angles.

Please ignore the boob grab. I was holding up my shirt and wasn't thinking...ha!

The Stages Of Grief

2009-09-27T19:07:00.002-04:00

I was just reading about the 5 stages of grief...

Denial and Isolation:
At first, we tend to deny the loss has taken place, and may withdraw from our usual social contacts. This stage may last a few moments, or longer.

Anger:
The grieving person may then be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if she's dead), or at the world, for letting it happen. He may be angry with himself for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it.

Bargaining:
Now the grieving person may make bargains with God, asking, "If I do this, will you take away the loss?"

Depression:
The person feels numb, although anger and sadness may remain underneath.

Acceptance:
This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality of the loss.

I seem to be stuck. It's been 4 years since my Mom died and I'm still mostly angry with her, though I also get very sad and depressed. So I guess I'm going back and forth between Stage 2 and 4. When will number 5...the acceptance kick in? How can I learn to accept what has happened?

Full Heart

2009-09-25T15:39:00.002-04:00

Wow. I'm just amazed at the generosity of others. My heart is so full today!

I just got a package in the mail from a fellow blogger. Someone I've never met before. She made a baby wrap and mailed one to me! How awesome! Thank you so very much, Misha Lee. You are one wonderfully generous Woman. :) I cannot wait to put my lil' babe in it! I'm so grateful!

Last night was my Mother Blessing. It was wonderful. Great friends, great food. laughter, blessings, beads...just fantastic. It was great being surrounded by so many wonderful woman. I got to snuggle some babies too, which was great!

I am feeling very blessed. Now I might cry..haha.

Cute!

2009-09-20T11:21:00.001-04:00

I want this cute lil' dipe so bad!
http://hyenacart.com/prod_details.php?id=36687&vid=2948

Sleep

2009-09-20T10:51:00.002-04:00

Sleep would be nice.

Maybe in another 3 years.

Kieran

2009-09-18T20:18:00.003-04:00

He is the cutest stinkin' kid ever! I don't think I'm just biased, but it could be...hehe!

He has a little table that he stands on and calls his stage. He likes to put on performances for me. He is so funny! Great imagination, says the cutest things and is just so full of life. 3 has been quite fun and adventurous so far.

He had been begging to go to preschool for months and he really seemed to know what he was talking about. He told me he wanted to play with friends and make me things.
He'd see a school bus and say "yay! Now I can go to preschool!". He brought it up every day, several times a day. I started to feel bad that he wanted something so bad so I decided to look into preschools, still unsure. I made arrangements for a visit and off we went. When we got there they were getting ready for Circle Time...he went right up, sat down and joined in. He sang along with songs and everything. They sang a names song. They went around the circle and had each child take a turn standing in the middle of the circle while they sang a song about his/her name. When it cam Kieran's turn he went into the middle and started dancing along to them singing....so adorable! He just had a blast while he was there.
He did have an accident and the teacher handled it so well. It really set my mind at ease knowing how she handles situation. She was very caring and discreet.
So if all goes as planned he starts on Tuesday!! I'm going to cry, I know it. He's only 3 and I preschool had never even crossed my mind. It's only 2 hours a day, twice a week...so he won't be gone for long. It's also a co-op, so if I can manage to make it work...I'll be volunteering every so often. I'm so excited for him!

Contractions

2009-09-17T13:31:00.002-04:00

Since yesterday I've been having contractions...not the usual braxton hicks. I haven't really been timing them or anything, but they seem to be within 5-10 mins? They around my lower abdomen and in my back. They aren't super painful, but definitely don't feel good. I wonder if these are going to do anything, well I know they are doing something, but are they leading anywhere soon? Will I have Chloe soon or will I be having these contrax for another 3 to 4 weeks? I'm getting nervous. Deep breaths. I'll be 36 weeks on Saturday!!!

Baby Stuff

2009-09-09T17:49:00.003-04:00

I've decided to make a list and separate things we need from things we want for baby
Chloe.

Needs:
Car seat
Birth supplies

Wants:
Swing
Bouncer
More Cloth Diapers
Moby Wrap

Okay, my brain must be fried from the day because I had a big list in my head and now can't think of anything! Ha!
Someone feel free to help me out. :P

I'm sure I'll be adding more as I think of them.

Mad World - Tears for Fears

2009-09-07T21:36:00.001-04:00

Love the dancing in this...haha. I can totally see someone doing this dance at City Club(a club I use to frequent back in the day).

Getting so close!

2009-09-04T10:57:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I will be 34 weeks along. It's crazy how quickly this pregnancy has gone bye! I had a bit of a panic 2 days ago when I realized how soon Chloe could be here(Kieran was 2 weeks early). I've been having contractions like crazy. It's not the real deal, but they are getting more than uncomfortable, slightly painful lol, but no real pattern to them. I'm feeling lots of pressure so I'm wondering if she has dropped...or maybe it's just that she's gotten so big! She is running out of room! I've also been having what feels like menstrual cramps. I'll be sitting there and for a split second I'll get the thought that maybe I'm about to start, then quickly remember that I'm pregnant and that can't happen..hehe.
So my panic set in because we are not prepared yet, so very many things need to be done around here and we can't seem to get any of it done...not to mention everything keeps going wrong in the process and adding more stress. It's one after the other...could timing be any worse?

Nevin starts "school" on Sept. 8th! I'm pretty excited about this upcoming school year! I've gotten his homeschool shelf organized and have everything ready.
We have him signed up for a Homeschool gym class that he's excited about and we'll also be signing him up for a Mad Science class and swimming lessons(his fave)...he already takes guitar. I'll be doing some preschool work with Kieran, but we are pretty relaxed here and love the idea of natural learning so we'll be doing a lot of that.

We've got an exciting time ahead!!

An Interview With Mayim Bialik

2009-08-29T22:13:00.003-04:00

Watch here.

She's awesome.

One of the Hardest Things

2009-08-28T18:59:00.003-04:00

Last night while laying in bed Kieran asked me who my Mom is. I told him her name is Rebecca and that she is his Grandma. Then he asked me where she is, said he wanted to go see her and wanted her to come to our house. He's 3 so it was hard trying to explain why we couldn't do those things. I explained to the best of my ability that she isn't here anymore, that she had to go far far away and we can't see her. He kept asking questions so I told him that she died and it's sad...that it means we can't see her. He started getting upset and yelling saying she didn't die and we CAN go see her. Every time he said that I felt my heart break. He doesn't know what death is so he was just frustrated and over tired, but he does know what a Grandma is. He knows other people have Grandma's, knows all about Grandparents from watching Caillou(lol) and knows about Grandma Weber(who is his Great Grandma), but the poor boy doesn't have a Grandma and wants one.
He'll often ask about HIS Grandma while seeing or hearing about someone else's.
It saddens me most that he never met her, and she never even knew he would exist. I wish they could have at least known each other. Same for Chloe. Life can be so unfair. I'm glad Nevin knew her for as long as he did and has memories.

My Anger Go To Song

2009-08-27T18:51:00.000-04:00

Makes me feel better..hehe.

Tired of my belly pics yet?

2009-08-21T21:08:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow I will be 32 weeks! Wow...I can't get over how fast this pregnancy is going by!

Belly and Party

2009-08-09T22:03:00.006-04:00

Man, I don't know what it is about me being pregnant and not blogging. I just can't seem to find the will to do it! I will think about something I want to blog about, but then never do it. I'm going to try to do better.

So...I'll start with my most recent belly pic. Here I am at 29 weeks(I'm 30 weeks as of Sat).

I can't imagine getting much bigger, but I will!
Chloe is a strong little baby. She even hurts me from time to time while jumping around in there...hehe! I really can't wait to meet her, but 2 months seems so soon. I'm not ready for this pregnancy to be over, then again...ask me again in a month and a half...ha!
Things are going really well. My only complaints are major acid reflux and back pain. Actually, my back hasn't been hurting quite as much as it was before...I hope it stays this way.

Last Saturday(the 8th) was my little boys 3rd birthday!! 3! Can you believe it? My baby is 3. We had his party outside at a park and it was pouring rain and thundering, but eventually stopped raining and the kids were able to play. I'm so thankful that my awesome friends and family didn't cancel due to weather..not one of them! :) Fun was had by all! I was so proud of our cake. Josh baked it(with some help) and I decorated it. This was my 1st attempt and decorating a cake in this fashion. I really like how it turned out! We used the vanilla cupcake recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and just made it into a whole cake. It was so yummy!
Here are some pictures from the party.

24 Week Belly

2009-07-01T15:58:00.002-04:00

And a super cute picture of my boys...just because. :)

2009-06-29T12:40:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we went to the carnival...had a great time, which I'll talk about in another entry, but I just want to talk about whats bothering me.
So I was sitting at a picnic table in the middle of everything. There was a pigeon that had been walking around eating food off of the ground. Not bugging anyone when these 3 teenage boys walk by and one of them says something smart and hits the bird with a bat!! The rest of the boys started laughing and saying mean things about the bird. Luckily the bird seemed okay. A man next to me kinda shooed it and it flew off. Now what kind of people do such a thing to a defenseless animal who was minding it's own business. Please, can somebody tell me what is so funny and amusing about abusing animals? I can't even begin to understand.
When I told Nevin about it he was so upset. He couldn't understand why someone would do that. Nevin is a pre-teen and has lots of compassion for animals. What do the parents of these boys teach them? That animals are beneath us, don't matter, or maybe even have no feelings and emotions? Of course parents may have nothing to do with this. It's just so upsetting to me.

Father's Day

2009-06-21T19:09:00.002-04:00

Today was a pretty busy, stressful, but fun day!

It started out by going to lunch at Sizzling Sticks Cafe. Kinda like BD's Mongolian BBQ. It was yummy! Then since everything was closed downtown, we decided to go to the book store. We got a Mad Libs for Nevin, a sticker and a Hands Are Not For Hitting book for Kieran(much needed and hoping it helps lol), a pregnancy journal and baby names book. On our way back from the book store Kieran fell asleep so Josh dropped me off at Target while he read a book and eventually fell asleep too(hehe).
Thank goodness, since I hadn't had the chance to get him a Father's Day gift(don't have a car and rarely have money on hand), It worked out great and I think surprised him! I got him a fancy coffee thermos and a little book for him to read to Kieran and Chloe called Daddy Loves Me(we already have a Mommy Loves Me and I've never been able to find the Daddy one!) It's so cute. And of course a card. So there I was in the bathroom stall of Target assembling his gift..hehe.
The boys each made him homemade cards. Very sweet!

On a side note....whats up with Target never having my size in maternity clothes? Jeesh!

Now we are home and having Taco Bell for dinner, though the smell is making me nauseous. Might not be able to eat it!

Cute Little Dress

2009-06-09T18:11:00.002-04:00

I bought this over the weekend. I couldn't help myself. It's the cutest little dress, sweater and shoes ever! I can't tell you how happy this makes me!

Universalist Unitarian Church

2009-06-07T16:14:00.003-04:00

What a great day we had. We went to a non-denominational church today, though I don't think I'll be calling it church. We met some great people and had a really nice time. It seems like somewhere we'll fit in and will be great for the kids! I'm agnostic as is Josh so it's nice to find a place like this. It's all thanks to my friend Michelle :). After the meeting the kids played on the playground. Later an awesome singer named Joe Reilly put on a family concert. Talk about FUN! This guy is a great performer and really knows how to get kids(and parents) really into it. The kids were so cute dancing and having a great time. Not to mention the guy is not too bad on the eyes ;).
It's really earthy music too. I love that.

Panic Attack

2009-06-04T22:49:00.004-04:00

Tonight I had a panic attack like I've never had before. I've always dealt with anxiety and panic attacks, but never ever to this severity. I was at a Blessing way for my friend(had a fabulous time by the way!), but when it came time to read our blessings and it was MY turn I suddenly freaked. I had a poem that was sort of long.
Suddenly I was shaking, sweating, my skin felt like it was on fire, I couldn't catch my breath and felt as if I couldn't breath. I was trying not to cry and my voice was shaky. There was nothing I could to to control it. Three times while reading it I felt the urge to just stop and leave the room. I didn't think I'd make it through. I stopped a few times to take a deep breath and I'm not sure how much people noticed, but it was quite embarrassing. I've always gotten nervous while reading or on the spot in front of large groups. I knew I'd be nervous, but I never imagined this would happen.

Can I Just Run Away?

2009-06-01T19:14:00.002-04:00

Sometimes on days like this I'd like to jump in my car, drive to a hotel and stay there for 2 days lol. All by myself. It's just been one of those days. *Deep breath*.

Update

2009-05-20T13:13:00.007-04:00

I'm sorry. I've been the worst blogger!

Well, I had my ultrasound on Monday and everything looks good. Based on the u/s my due date is Oct. 16th...I had said Oct. 17th. We decided to find out the sex of the baby and....it's a GIRL!!!!. We are over the moon! I was really hoping for a girl since this is going to be our last baby. I'm so excited1 I can't wait to start shopping ;).

I had my appointment with my midwife last night. I mentioned how ridiculously tired I've been. Way more than even my 1st trimester. It hits me everyday around 3 or 4 like a ton of bricks. I get to where I feel like I'm just going to pass out, dizzy, nauseous it's not fun. Well, she took my blood pressure and thought it was way too low, so she tried the other arm and it was low too. Which is weird because I've never had problems with my BP. So we talked a bit about what might be causing it and it turns out I'm not getting enough fluids. I knew I wasn't getting enough. I have a weak bladder and with being pregnant it's even worse, so I avoid drinking a lot. So this explains the tiredness and all as well as my braxton hicks(which I forgot to mention to her). So I need to up my fluid intake and just deal with the many potty breaks. I'm so you all wanted to know about my weak bladder..haha!

Well, without further ado...pictures of our beautiful girl!!!

Her cute little legs!

Cute Sayings Of A Two Year Old

2009-05-07T16:08:00.004-04:00

I'm sure I won't remember everything, but I just wanted to jot down some cute things before I forget.

We've recently discovered that Kieran calls lines(as in standing in line) "Lions"...No Mama, I don't want to stand in a Lion!"...hehe. It's adorable.

This morning before our walk, I asked him if he wanted to take his toast with us and he said "No, I don't want a picnic!".

Later on I asked him if he would throw something away for me and he looked at me through the corner of his eye and said "Whatever" and walked away. A smart mouth already? Hehe.

He also calls me "Sweetie" from time to time...got that from Josh.

There are just soooo any funny things that he says on a daily basis. I need to start writing them all down. I think most of it you'd have to hear for yourself as it's got a lot to do with the tone of his voice and expressions.

I just remembered another one. He likes to talk to the cats and asks them questions. Today he was asking Willy if he wanted to come with us. While waiting for an answer I explained that Willy doesn't talk like we do. So he said "Yes he does. Willy meows to talk...he talks with meows". Hehe! He's right. What a smart boy!

I've Been A Bad Blogger

2009-05-04T22:26:00.003-04:00

Sorry I've been MIA. With being sleepy and dealing with morning sickness I haven't felt much like blogging. Plus I usually blogged while Kieran took a nap or after everyone was sleeping, but I have been napping with Kieran and not able to stay awake at night and just fall asleep while putting Kieran down. I'll try to be better! There are so many things I've wanted to blog about and pictures I've wanted to post over the last few weeks, but I'll just start fresh.

1st of all I am now 16 weeks pregnant! Time sure is flying.
Here is a recent belly pic that my hubby took on Saturday.

It's kinda funny, but I think I looked bigger at 11 weeks! What do you think?

My friend Shannon came over today with her little girl and we had a great day. The weather was beautiful and we ended up going for a walk to the park. I also got to hear my babes heartbeat, since Shannon brought her doppler over. I love hearing it. It really puts my mind at ease. :)

Banana Baby Food...Hey, It Worked!

2009-04-06T20:30:00.003-04:00

So everyone knows that I have morning sickness. Well, sometimes I just can't figure out what to eat because everything makes my stomach do flips. Last night while wracking my brain, I finally settled on a veggie burger and sweet potato fries, so Josh went and got me take out. When he gave me the food I suddenly started to gag at the thought of eating it. I couldn't even bring myself to take one bite. I felt bad that he had gone and gotten me take out and then I didn't even eat it. He was happy to eat it for me, though. :) So...still thinking of what to eat(I was starving) we came to the conclusion that a veggie stir fry might work. Smells and all that don't sit well with me at the moment so my loving husband made me a stir fry. When I tried to eat it I knew right away that it wasn't going to work out, but tried to eat it anyway, since he made it for me. Well, after 2 bites I just couldn't eat any more of it. Do you know what I finally ended up eating? A jar of banana baby food! Something so simple and easy..hehe!

11 Weeks and Already Big

2009-03-29T19:06:00.002-04:00

I think I'm looking more like 20 weeks than 11 ..haha. I love it, though. I seem to be smaller in the morning than in the evening...this was taken in the evening.

Photo courtesy of Nevin. :)

Flowers Are Blooming

2009-03-27T18:23:00.002-04:00

Today we saw our fist tulip of the season in our front yard. I was so happy! Then Kieran swiftly picked it... just after I said "Kieran, don't pick that flower...we want it to grow strong". Well, it was pretty while it lasted. Ugh. I guess this is what I have to look forward to? Hopefully I can convince him to leave them alone. Haha.

Easter Bunny Rap

2009-03-25T14:53:00.001-04:00

I thought was so cute and funny! The kids love it too. Hehe!

We Have A Heartbeat!!

2009-03-23T21:40:00.004-04:00

We got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the 1st time last night! It was nice and strong. Music to my ears! It really set my worried mind at ease and it seems so much more "real" now.

I am now in my 3rd month. 10 weeks and 2days to be exact. My belly is already starting to pop!

Pictures From Disney

2009-03-23T14:12:00.003-04:00

We took so many pictures. I wish I could share them all!

Back From Disney

2009-03-16T15:44:00.005-04:00

Well we are back! Ah...home sweet home.

We had a great time. There is so much to see and do there that we will for sure have to go back some day!

I think my favorite part was the eating at chef Mickey's. Nevin's favorite part was going on the Aerosmith ride and Kieran's favorite was probably getting soaked while playing on the splash pad in the Pooh play area...hehe! I'm not sure what part was Josh's fave..I'll have to ask. We also had a really nice time hanging out with the Murray family and meeting up with Rachel and her kiddo's!

My morning sickness wasn't TOO bad the 1st two days or so, but I did have a couple bad days. It was just hard with the limited food choices(boy am I glad to be back to our regularly scheduled diet)and walking so much, plus constantly chasing after a rambunctious 2 year old :P. I do think that we were so busy that it helped to keep my mind off of it.

I am glad to be home, though. Now I can get some rest. :)

I'll post pictures very soon.

On another note. I'm 9 weeks pregnant! My baby is looking like a real baby now! So cute! I get so excited looking up info on the baby each week.

An Update

2009-02-27T21:08:00.003-05:00

Since I haven't been feeling well, I haven't felt much like blogging. Mostly because my blog would be filled with whining and complaining...lol. How fun is that?

So I figured I'd blog about everything that's been going on.

I met a wonderful midwife named Stacia. We talked about all my concerns with postpartum hemorrhage amongst many other things and she is very confident that she can handle it. We are going to be very prepared and take precautions. So I'll be having my 2nd water, home birth! So exciting and I'm much less worried.

Stacia wanted me to have my iron levels and progesterone checked(she thought that by me having such a long cycle that it might be low). So she called with the results and told me that my blood is awesome. She said that it's funny, but with all that she hears with people complaining that you can't have a healthy pregnancy while vegan, she said that the woman with the best blood have all been either vegetarian or vegan! How cool is that? I can't wait to tell my family members this when that start getting on my case about it..hehe! So then she went on to talk about my progesterone. She said its a little on the low side....kinda borderline on when she would worry. I guess normal progesterone for a pregnant woman is between 9 and 50 and mine is 11. She said best is anywhere above 15-20. So I guess I'll be getting some progesterone cream.

Morning(all day and night) sickness is still in full force. I have found some things I can tolerate, though. Blended ice with ginger ale poured over top, eaten with a spoon and baked pita chips or carrots dipped in hummus. Yay!
I feel bad for the kids, though. I can barely keep my eyes open and the only time I don't feel as miserable is when I'm laying down. I feel like a rotten Mom. Luckily Nevin has been so understanding and has helped out by playing with Kieran and occupying him.

I do have one main worry and that my friends is Disney. We leave for the magical world on March 8th. How am I ever going to get through a plane ride and then 8 days walking through amusement parks? At least I'll be puking in the happiest place on earth AND escaping this cold weather, but I still have concerns. I mean, I'm sure they don't have ginger ale slushies and baked pita chips and hummus available on demand...haha!

I'm sure it will all work out.

Well, that's all I can think of for now. I'm so happy to be sick for such a wonderful reason and still so ecstatic!

2009-02-25T15:08:00.003-05:00

Anyone have any tips on what to do when drinking water is enough to send you to the porcelain goddess?

It's Officially Arrived

2009-02-23T10:19:00.002-05:00

Morning sickness that is. I apologize in advance if from here on out I complain a lot about how I feel. :P I'm kind of a big baby that way. On the plus side...they say MS is a sign of a healthy pregnancy!!!

Happy Belated Valentines Day!

2009-02-15T16:55:00.006-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful V-Day!

Ours started out with giving the boys little treat bags filled with goodies that I put together for them.

Then the boys handed out the Valentines they made!

Kieran made these:

Nevin made these:

Aren't they cute?

We finished our day by going to see Sesame Street Live!!

It was a lot of fun, but can I just say that $10 is a bit much for a balloon?? I was shocked lol. Kieran sat through the whole show, but tried to run up to the stage a few times. He really wanted to get to Elmo and the gang and didn't understand why he couldn't! Hehe.

Tagged!

2009-02-15T12:02:00.006-05:00

I've been tagged by The Little Mama of The Little Lads to play along in a photo game. The idea is to open the sixth photo, in the sixth folder in your computer, blog about it, and tag six others. Sounds fun!

Here is mine.

Oh so sweet! This is a picture of Kieran in his sling when he was just itty bitty!
I can't believe how much he has grown in just two short years! <3 Love.

I tag:
Jenn
Leah
Shannon
Kristina
Terri
Sarah

Amazing Experience

2009-02-13T21:48:00.003-05:00

Wow. Yesterday was one of the most amazing days of my life!
I was able to witness the birth of my cousin's baby! It was so fast and went so well. I never knew birth could be that way. It made me question some of my choices for a split second ...haha. I'm so proud of my cousin...she was fantastic!

Jaycee Hope weighed 6lbs 7oz and was 19 inches long. She is perfect, strong and beautiful!

I feel so honored to had been there.

Welcome to the world baby Jaycee!!!

October 17th Is A Vey Special Day

2009-02-08T15:19:00.003-05:00

Wanna know why?? Because it's my expected due date!!! That's right...we are pregnant with #3!!!! We are over the moon thrilled. We had just stared TTC and are in shock that it happened so fast! :)
I have some cute stories to share about how the boys reacted to the news, but I'll have to share later...I'm NAK'ing at the moment.

Stupid Leaking Walls

2009-02-03T23:11:00.002-05:00

So while standing in front of the mirror a couple days ago...I noticed my foot was getting wet. First I thought Kieran spilled some water, but then as I moved over, the floor was still wet. Well, turns out water is leaking in and down the wall of our closet. We cleaned everything out of the closet tonight and I had a box of pictures and other memories on the closet floor. Some of them were wet(but will dry out), and some are ruined. A few that are very dear to me are now destroyed. Pictures of my Grandparents wedding...ruined. You can't even see an image. They are just a brownish red. They must have reacted weird to the water. They are so old. Now they are forever gone. I can't get any new ones. I won't be able to show my kids and grand kids these pictures that I saved for them. So anyway, we threw a lot of stuff out. Josh was on the roof getting rid of the ice that caused this and is going back up tomorrow after work.

Ellen & Portia Celebrate B-Days

2009-02-01T20:37:00.005-05:00

Ellen and Portia had a Vegan Birthday Bash! I think they are so cute together. I bet the food was terrific!

Ellen & Portia Celebrate B-Days

By Pernilla Cedenheim

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi know how to double their fun!

The couple celebrated their birthdays with a joint bash at their Beverly Hills house Saturday, PEOPLE has learned.

DeGeneres turned 51 on Jan. 26. Five days later on Jan. 31, de Rossi celebrated her 36th birthday.

The party kicked off around 8 p.m., with many guests partying in the backyard, where deejay Samantha Ronson, who brought along girlfriend Lindsay Lohan, spun her own mix for the birthday pair.

According to a partygoer, "This is their first big party together as a married couple. [Ellen] and Portia seem very excited to have all their friends here."

Those pals included Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox Arquette and husband David Arquette, Drew Barrymore, Ben Stiller and wife Christine Taylor and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Guest were served a vegan dinner. Mindy Weiss, who also planned DeGeneres and de Rossi's wedding, coordinated the party.

Earlier in the week, the happy couple celebrated DeGeneres's 51st birthday at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood.
*Source*

Stress

2009-01-30T12:24:00.002-05:00

Everyday this week I have had nightmares. The stressful kind in which you wake up with a headache that lingers throughout the day. I also broke out into little bumps on my palms, which seem to only come when I'm majorly stressed. I think it's mostly due to family stuff. I'm a sensitive person and I sometimes I wish I wasn't. Then I could just go on with my life without a care. Why do I care so much about what people think or how they feel about me??

Dentist

2009-01-25T12:06:00.003-05:00

Nevin had a few teeth removed by the dentist yesterday. He was so brave and I'm so proud of him! Later when he was feeling a bit better, Josh took the boys to Chuck E Cheese. :)

Speaking of that. Why does insurance have to be such a pain in the butt? The receptionist at the dentist told us our balance(which to our surprise is a lot!)so we asked why it was so much as there must be a mistake. Well, evidently our dental insurance doesn't want to cover my wisdom teeth removal. They are saying medical should pay for it. Ummm..what?? So my dentist is saying they can't even bill medical for whatever reason and that we'll need to call dental and work it all out. So frustrating.

Amazing!

2009-01-23T19:56:00.002-05:00

This morning Kieran was helping me cut up an apple when he excitedly blurted out "This is amazing!". It was so cute! Nevin, his friend and I couldn't help but giggle a little. He's learning so much everyday!

I'm Officially A Twilight Fan

2009-01-22T19:10:00.002-05:00

Create your own FACEinHOLE
I look pretty good in Edwards arms...dontcha think? :)

Disney Here We Come!!!

2009-01-22T15:25:00.001-05:00

We are going to Disney on March 8th! We are all so excited! I can hardly wait!!!

Fabulous Blog Award!

2009-01-20T23:20:00.003-05:00

I got my 1st ever blog award!

Thank you Kristina!! You can check out her blog My Creative Scraps for lots of scrapping inspiration!

I need to list 5 addictions that I have and then nominate 5 other blogs...

1. Coffee
2. Scrapping(when I have my mojo)
3. Internet
4. Crocheting
5. Bed time snack of peanut butter toast

I nominate these 5 fabulous blogs:

1. Notes To Self
2. Peace, Love and Applesauce
3. Wake Up and Live
4. Scraps of Me
5. Chocolate Covered Vegan ...Mmmm...vegan goodness!

Disney?

2009-01-20T18:32:00.005-05:00

Could we really be going to Disney World? Ooohhh I really hope so! A childhood dream could be coming true very soon! Yippee!! I'm so excited!!!

When you wish upon a star...makes no difference who you are....

2009-01-17T16:22:00.001-05:00

Turns out it was the battery. So nothing major. We did get it flushed and an oil change too, though.

Car Trouble

2009-01-16T23:58:00.002-05:00

UGH!! So Josh calls me at nearly 6:00pm and tells me the car won't start. He's called AAA (at 5ish,was on hold for a 1/2 an hour) and they are sending a tow truck out. they should be there anytime between then and 8:49. Okay, great perfect...just what we need. So he waits and waits and waits. 9:00 rolls around and still no sign. Finally at around 11:00am they call to say that they didn't get the information that the car was in a parking garage and the only truck they have that fits in one broke down. WTH? He told them it was in a parking garage!!! So another company finally came at nearly midnight and he's on his way home. It only took like 6+ hours. Luckily he wasn't stranded on the side of the road freezing. He was in a nice warm office. I guess they are really busy today. It's so cold that everyone is having car trouble.

We have no idea whats wrong with the car. Josh said it's not the battery(which kinda sucks since that's a pretty easy fix) and the car wasn't giving us any warning signs.
I just hope it doesn't cost a lot to repair.

It's My Birthday!!

2009-01-11T23:23:00.003-05:00

Well for another half hour anyway ;P. It was a great one. My hubby made me cupcakes and I got cards and a Wii Fit pouch. I never have pockets when I'm using it so this will be so handy! Then my Friends Shannon and Shaun(thanks so much!!!) watched the kids for us! I know...we actually went and did something without the kids! How crazy is that? Haha.
We went to the movies and saw Yes Man. It was pretty darn funny! Well, all but the dead chickens part. That part pissed me off. :( But we had a great time together! It's nice being able to talk and reconnect without little voices interrupting us..hehe. So. I'm 31. Wow.

George the Giant Lobster

2009-01-11T12:55:00.002-05:00

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A giant lobster named George escaped a dinner-table fate and was released Saturday into the Atlantic Ocean after a New York seafood restaurant granted him his freedom, according to a statement from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

George the lobster was a "sort of mascot" for City Crab and Seafood in New York.

The lobster, which PETA said was 140 years old and weighed 20 pounds, had been confined to a tank at City Crab and Seafood restaurant in Manhattan when two customers alerted the animal group.

The PETA statement did not say how the extraordinary age estimate was determined, but restaurant manager Keith Valenti told CNN that lobsters can grow a pound every seven to 10 years, and he put George's weight at 18 to 20 pounds.

"I've been here for 12 years, and that's the biggest lobster I've ever seen," Valenti said.

He said the lobster had been "sitting in the restaurant's tank and acting as a sort of mascot," but when PETA got involved and requested the release, it "seemed like the right thing to do."

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement, "We applaud the folks at City Crab and Seafood for their compassionate decision to allow this noble old-timer to live out his days in freedom and peace.

"We hope that their kind gesture serves as an example that these intriguing animals don't deserve to be confined to tiny tanks or boiled alive."

Shedding the tight confines of his old restaurant display tank, George was driven to Maine by PETA members and was returned to his natural habitat on the ocean floor Saturday, the organization said.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/10/maine.lobster.liberated/

Alanis Morissette Goes Vegan

2009-01-08T14:49:00.001-05:00

I love to hear such good news! And I love me some Alanis. You can read all about it here .

Twilight

2009-01-08T14:26:00.003-05:00

So I got the book Twilight for Christmas!! I'm only into the 2nd chapter, but so far it seems pretty good! I'm pretty hard to please when it comes to books. I tend to lose interest pretty easily(mostly with fiction). I'm excited to finish it and see the movie! I'm sure I'll love the book...I've heard so many rave reviews!
Nevin told me a lot of his friends have read or are reading it too. I told him after I'm done he can read it if he wants. Hopefully it's suitable for 11 year olds?I guess I'll find out. :)

The Best Sugar Cookies

2008-12-28T13:48:00.003-05:00

My favorite cookies of all time are sugar cookies. I use to love eating my Grandma's on Christmas Eve before I went vegan and decided to find a vegan recipe. I found this one called Just Like Granny B's on Vegweb and let me tell you...I think they are the best I've ever had! I took them to my my families holiday party and everyone loved them. Of course everyone is always hesitant to try any of our vegan food, even though they are always pleasantly surprised! I loved the look on their faces after taking a bite and asking about the recipe and I informed them that tofu is in them,haha.
My brother jokingly asked "there isn't any meat or anything in here is there?" being smart, of course. He took a bite, and I said "nope, just tofu" lol.
They are really soft too, which I love. I think I'll be making some again soon. The only problem is that I can't seem to stop eating them because they are so yummy!

Holy Freaking Cold

2008-12-21T15:43:00.003-05:00

We attempted to go sledding today. K had a huge meltdown before we left and refused to wear his snow boots, said it was too sunny outside, you name it. Well, after showing him pictures of Gwen with her Mommy and Daddy sledding...he calmed down and decided he wanted to go sledding too...a box of cookies later and we were in the car and on our way!
When we got to the hill we realized that today probably wasn't the best day for sledding. It was 10 degrees outside and very windy. Unfortunately the hill faced the wind...ouch. It was painfully cold. Certainly not a good idea for a 2 year old. We went down a few times and then Kieran and I sat in the car while Josh and Nevin went down one more time before deciding they had enough.
Oh and I hurt my tail bone...badly. Nevin and I were sliding down together and hit a bump, went flying and my tail bone landed on part of the sled sticking out. I'm still in pain, hours later. I think Nev hit his too. The hills were more like ice than snow from being used a lot. So anyway, it was a fun, but very short time. We'll be going back on a not so windy day. ;)
This is the best picture I got..haha!!

Zoom!

2008-12-20T19:37:00.003-05:00

Today I had my teeth professionally whitened with the Zoom! technology. They like to do four 15 min sessions, but I only made it throuh two. Boy am I ever glad I stopped at 2! The dentist told me it might tingle or burn a little and not everyone can made it through all 4 of the sessions. Well, they got me all set up and put the heating lamp on. Almost instantly I could feel a tingle that then turned into burning, towards the end it was getting pretty painful. Then he came back, asked how I was doing and applied more bleach for my 2nd session. The 2nd one got to where it was unbearable and after that was over I told him I had to stop. He told me there would be some sensitivity to my teeth and gums for a few days and that it was normal. He also told me not to eat anything with color for 48 hours...ummm...what? Haha.
So I came home and did some research online. The only things popping up in my Google searches were horror stories. Things like lips swelling and not going down, blisters, one lady mentioned parts of her gums turning black and eventually to yellow and them falling off with new gum underneath. Yuck, I thought...glad that didn't happen to me! Well, I was wrong...later on I looked in the mirror to find that parts of my gum(at the tips where my teeth meet) were dark brown to black! Luckily only on the sides and not the front so it's not so noticeable, but still! I also have some tiny blistering. The only thing that ticks me off is that at my consultation they didn't tell me any of this. They make you pay when you schedule your appt, so after going over everything at my consultation, we paid(and got a great price, btw). They only told me of some of these things after I already paid and right before they started. My teeth are whiter, though. So I'm happy about that. I really wish they would let you come back for the sessions you weren't able to finish, though since my teeth aren't as white as I'd like. They did send me home with trays and a home bleaching kit.
So, would I do this again or recommend it to a friend? Well, I'm torn. It seems to work well for some, but some people have had some serious complications. I think I'd suggest getting some molded trays and bleach for at home use from the dentist instead.

Nevin's 11th Birthday

2008-12-18T21:19:00.004-05:00

I just love how he was so sweet to think of his brother. Kieran had said earlier that he wanted to blow the fire "please I blow fire?" and Nevin saved him a candle to blow. He really is the best big brother! I'm so proud of my sweet 11 year old boy.

Cinnamon and Applesauce Ornaments

2008-12-11T16:52:00.011-05:00

The boys and I had a lot of fun making these and they smell oh so good!

Here's what you'll need:

Cinnamon- enough for about 2 cups
1 large jar of applesauce
Cookie cutters
Parchment or wax paper

Mix equal parts of applesauce and cinnamon in a bowl:

Have a little taste if you'd like:

Mix until it's a dough consistency:

Roll it out with your hands and/or rolling pin onto the wax or parchment paper:

Use cookie cutters to cut fun shapes:

Use a straw to make holes in the tops:

Then let dry over night:

After they dry, thread ribbon through the holes and hang from your Christmas tree!

With a Corncob Pipe and a Button Nose

2008-12-10T20:01:00.001-05:00

Printable Address Labels

2008-12-08T21:57:00.004-05:00

I was planning on ordering some Christmas return address labels... when a the thought crossed my mind that maybe, there are some free ones I could find online and print!
After many searches, I found some.
http://www.worldlabel.com/Pages/holidaytemplates.htm
This link above has many different kinds...as well as gift labels at the top.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC011001891033.aspx?CategoryID=CT101467671033
These are fun and festive too!
All you need is a printer, scissors and adhesive! I used my little Xyron, but a glue stick would work just a well.

Vegan Thanksgiving Feast

2008-12-06T11:51:00.005-05:00

So I'm finally getting around to posting pictures of what we had for Thanksgiving!

We had Tofurky, stuffing, mashed potatoes,carrots, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, roasted veggies, mac and cheese, yams, rolls and last, but not least...pumpkin pie! It was all so good.

Happy Birthday Nevin!!

2008-12-04T12:06:00.002-05:00

I can't believe my little 5lb 13oz baby boy is now 11 years old!!! It truly amazes me how fast the years have gone by. What a blessing he's been.

We are having a small get together tomorrow with pizza and cake, but we already gave him his present...a laptop! He's always wanting to borrow ours and since he learns at home...it seemed like a great idea and we got a great deal on it! He loves it.

Happy birthday my sweet boy!

Mama Num Num's Are Delicious!

2008-12-03T19:40:00.002-05:00

This is Kieran's newest saying. He was nursing and out of the blue said "Mama num num's are delicious!". Usually he says "Mama num num's are so nummy!". It's so cute. He's been saying it for about a week now...at every nursing session. It's pretty rewarding to hear that... not to mention adorable!

A Night Out

2008-11-29T18:35:00.002-05:00

Last night I actually went out! I went to my friends holiday party and had such a great time. Being a Mom that does everything revolving around her family, I forgot all about the fun girl I can be. It was nice being her again for a while. Kieran didn't go to sleep until I got home, which was late...kinda thought that might happen. An early bedtime sounds good! :)

Our Thanksgiving was fabulous! I'll post pics of our yummy vegan feast soon.

Thankful

2008-11-27T17:33:00.004-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!!

A Video of Kieran

2008-11-26T20:49:00.001-05:00

Best Friend Mommy

2008-11-18T14:33:00.001-05:00

Kieran has recently started calling me his best friend, Mommy. It's so super cute! I don't know where he learned it. If Josh wants to take him to the store without me he'll run to me and say "I want to stay with my best friend Mommy!" or yesterday when he was having pictures taken, he asked the photographer "please, I see my best friend Mommy?". I just love it! He also says please before almost everything. This kid has great manners...saying please, thank you and your welcome. He must have just picked it up from hearing us, as I've never told him he HAD to say them. LOL!

Healing

2008-11-16T11:23:00.005-05:00

I am so glad that I will never have to have my wisdom teeth out again. Well, hopefully not! The dentist that came in to remove them decided against removing the top ones because they are so close to my sinuses. It seems to be taking forever for me to heal. The pain is practically gone, but I still have a hard time opening my mouth and it's hard/hurts to chew. It's been about 8 days since they were removed. When I went in for my checkup...the dentist told me the reason for that was due to having extensive work done...he said it was difficult getting the teeth out so they had to do a lot more work in there. They were very impacted and completely sideways. He went into detail, but I won't bore you :P. He seems to think I still need my top out(he's not the one who removed them), but I don't think so! LOL! I have lost a few pounds from this, which is a plus, I guess..haha. I can't wait to eat real food again!
There is only so much smooshed food a person can handle.

Blog Giveaway

2008-11-15T23:32:00.007-05:00

Everybody loves free stuff...especially when it's something so pretty!
My very talented and crafty friend, Sarah is giving away a beautiful pair of earrings!

Check out her blog at Wake Up And Live for more details and good luck to you!

Also...check out more of her awesome stuff at Simply Sarah's