Taking a Blogging Break

Sorry for the lack of posts the past couple of months! I am still here, just setting time apart to take care of home! I'll be back in the new year with new layout & updates! :)

Have a Happy Holidays!

The Anatomy of a Toddler’s Tantrum

Pissed off one minute...
Happy the next ...

I just wish I would have known, how soon these start! He’s 17 month for goodness sakes!

He's still cute though! :)

Milestone: First Haircut

The baby ain't a baby no more!

At 17 1/2 months old we took the bug for his first haircut! He did great, I didn't. He sat in the chair as if he was in spa getting a massage and I cried watching my boy go from baby to toddler!

It also looks as if he loves his new look, he loves to go look at himself in the mirror and is just being a little show off.

Here is a quick before shot:

and here is his after:

sniff sniff. My Big Boy!

Household Duties

How do you guys go about getting household duties done in your house?

Jason & I waited until we were married to live together, and I'd like to think that after 3.5 years we have a pretty good rhythm going. It's not perfect & sometimes we have to change it up but it’s working for us & we've been able to learn about each other's habits & needs when it comes to cleanliness in the home.

I thought I would give a snapshot on who does what & when; I thought the "when" would be helpful because it's coming from a household of 2 full time working parents.

HIS "CHORES"	TIME OF DAY	HER "CHORES"	TIME OF DAY
Take out the trash	Daily around 7pm	Cook Meals	Daily
Wash Clothes	Once a week	Kitchen	Daily - leave dishwasher machine running in the a.m.
Dishes (sometimes)	Whenever I'm too tired	Wash clothes	When hubby's out of town
Quick Pick up	Daily. Picking up toys, magazines etc…	Baseboard	Monthly
Make the Bed	Daily	Quick Pick up	Daily
Vacuum	A couple times a week	Going through mail & random Papers	Monthly
other	Anything I ask :)	Vacuum	A couple times a week

I put the word chores because I couldn't come up with a better term. I will say in the beginning of our marriage it did think of it as a chore because it wasn't fun (yes, I have the mentality of a 2 yr. old), but now I have changed my outlook and I like doing these things to make our home a HOME.

Yes, there are days when we're tired and we don't feel like doing anything but it helps that there are two of us, and I am lucky that my guy is so willing to help, maybe it's because he's the clean freak in the relationship but I am not complaining!

Would love to see to hear how other households work when it comes to maintaining a clean home, especially with full time working parents & children.

Dedicated to the one I love...

I love this! Except my guy does think about me every moment. ;)

image via pinterest.

Blog posts to check out

A couple of the blogs I followed posted some interesting things that I've actually been thinking about and though I'd share.

 

Transitioning Your Home For Fall

Artwork for Boys

Decorating With Portraits

New Study Find  Early TV Watching has Detrimental Impact on Literacy & Language Skills      !!!

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Liebster Blog Award

MK over at Tactile Necessity has awarded me the Liebster Blog Award. Woo Hoo! You must head over to MK's blog, you'll be inspired by her pics alone, but she also regularly posts about interior designing, food and life here in DC after moving from Michigan, you''ll be hooked, promise!

The Liebster Blog Award highlight blogger's that have up to 200 followers. There are a few rules but their simple.

1. Link back to the awesome blogger that nominated you
2. Nominate up to 5 other blogs

Here are five of my favorite blogs that I am awarding the Liebster Blog Award to:



1. Mommy Chase

2. Vanity Rich

3. Two Become One

4. Everyday Glimpses

5. Back to Domestics

Now it's your turn! Spread the love and nominate your favorite blogs (don't forget to let them know you did so)!

Member of the Dirty Thirty Club

I turned 30 July 31st. I was depressed. My sisters hosted a dinner (true blood theme!!!!), that helped. But it still hasn't gotten better! This year wasn't a great one at all. I am just thankful for my little family who put a smile of my face everyday!!!! I can't wait to make our little family of three to four then maybe one day five!

I love the West Coast

My summer vaca was spent in Pasadena. Ww went there for our honeymoon three years ago and hubby was going for a couple days for work so I tagged along. That was the week the DC area got hit with an earthquake & hurricance!!! So our flight got delayed and our 5 day turned into a 7 day trip and I think I want to move there!!! I am ready to go!

 View from the Westin Pasadena

 Santa Monica Beach - about 30 min drive from Pasadena

 Santa Monica pt. 2

 Cutest Restaurant ever!

Summer is Basically Over :(

We have had a really hot summer in the DC area this summer and all of a sudden today was in the 60's and you saw sweaters all around. Oh well, all good things must come to an end but I'll have this pic to keep me warm :)

Sorry for my absence the month of August, I needed to dedicate some time to my family but I'm back and energized! :)

 

July Giveway: IHeart Organizing Printables

We have one more giveaway to this month and I am excited about this one! I have been following the IHeart Organizing blog for a year now and being a new mom & wife, I get a lot of inspiration from this blog!!!

Jen makes is easy for her readers to tackle her projects in their own homes!  Seriously, Jen's before & afters' just motivate me to get off my lazy ass and get my home in order!

But my favorite is her Household Binder, I Love it! It's just a great way to manage your home and I am going to make one myself!

Jen is participating in this month's giveaway and one lucky reader will get two printables from her shop:

1. The customized laminated meal planning calendar &
2. The grocery inventory printable

These will definitely help get your household management binder started!

All you have to do is comment in the box below, be sure to leave your email address.
For additional entries:

Follow this blog & the IHeart Organizing blog (you will need to comment for each additional entry).

This giveaway ends on August 1, 2011 at midnight (EST). Winner will be chosen using random.org  

Good Luck!

It's LOVE!

We did nothing but spend time together and with family - it was a great weekend. We listened to some Jill Scott as we drove from here to there and enjoyed each other's company! I love her!!

They all sit and wonder why this feelin I can not hide

It ain't a question of pride, ooh

It's love, ooh it's love

loves to pick up sticks now

trying to feed him while the wiggles is on tv = impossible!

The little gym!! he loved it!

<3 thank you for coming to 19&M!

How do you calm a toddler?! YOUTUBE.COM - Don't judge me!

Firt carousel ride - he was concerned!

his & her's

Love Motherhood

Even though I don't need anything other than my son to tell me how to love motherhood, this is a nice quote! I love pinterest!

Source: ohmyhandmade.com via Ann on Pinterest

Media Mondays: Media & our Walk with God

I decided to participate in Women Living Well's series on how Media is affecting our lives. I love this blog; a lot of the posts that Courtney writes about really challenge me and are a great inspiration. When I saw this series I had to participate because this is something that I feel can be a struggle in many areas of my life.

The first topic is Media & Our Walk with GOD.

One area of my life that needs to be worked on is my dependency on God. While the media (TV, Internet, android phone, ipad, etc...) isn't to blame for why I am not Dependent on God, is one thing that is distracting me from setting time away from the everyday tasks and talk with God.

But it's not only my walk with God that is affected, other areas of my life as well such as work & home. I find that if I am having a slow day at the office, I tend to wander to social media outlets, I go to blogs & Facebook to pass time instead of being productive & maybe finding a new project to work on. It also takes away from time with my family when I am home - but that is something I'll go more in depths to later. The same is my walk with God.

• Instead of praying and reading the word I check my emails and Google.
• Instead of asking God for direction, I look for solutions online.
• Instead of asking God for inspiration, I turn to Google.

But I am now conscience of this! I intend to change this! I intend to not let today's technology take away my dependence from God. I found a verse in John 15:5:

"apart from me you can do nothing."

What do I intend to do about it?

1. I am going to make a point to pray & read the bible every morning before checking my emails.
2. After I had aaron, I purchased the New Mom's Prayer Bible, I plan to read through it's devotionals.
3. I also plan to participate more in the bible study group I belong to: Women of the Word.

I intend to post my progress so I can be accountable.

Click here to see Courtney’s & other women’s posts on this topic.

 Psst: Don't forget to enter this giveway!!!

my comforts

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe

Giveaway: What to Expect When You’re Expecting book series

First gift I received when everyone found out we were pregnant was What to Expect When You're Expecting, my cousin gave it to me with a nice note inside. It got me thru 9 months of pregnancy and after. It answered almost every question that entered my mind as a first time mom.

I was excited to see that there is now a What to Expect: The Second Year, which is now answering all my questions of life with a toddler- like why this boy, at 14 month old, isn't walking yet.

What to Expect is generously teaming up with me to giveaway a set of their new and revised copies of their What to Expect series. This is a great gift for a mom to be - she'll be covered from pregnancy-to-toddlerhood.

One lucky reader will win a copy of the following books:
-What To Expect When You're Expecting
-What to Expect: The First Year
-What to Expect: The Second Year
yup all 3 books!!!

What do you have to do to win?
All you have to do is follow this blog and comment in the comments section with your name & email.
If you are already a follower, simply comment below.
Please don't forget to leave your email.

You can also earn extra entries:
Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway
Follow What to Expect on Twitter
Post giveaway on your blog (post link in comment section)
Be sure to comment and leave name and email address saying you completed each action.

This giveaway is now closed! Congratulations Terri!

I took 85 pictures last night

I took little guy to the park last night after I got off work. Weather was perfect. Sun was still out. He loved it. I'm happy I had my camera with me. I got to capture that smile of his. That smile that I think about 24/7.

Have a Happy 4th & Stay Cool!! It's supposed to be close to the 100's in the DC area so I'm thinking POOL!!!

July Giveaways in celebration of my Birthday!

I turn the big 3-0 in July and in celebration of that, my blog will be hosting a couple giveaways. Make sure you are following and stay tuned, first giveaway coming up after the 4th!

:)

I Pin! Do You?!

I (like everyone else & their mama) am addicted to Pinterest! I am new to it but I just love it! One place to store all the things that I come across that inpire me! No more having to take up space in my hard drive! No morre making that favorite list longer! I heart U Pinterest. Come see the cool stuff I've come across lately. Also, I'd love to follow you so send me your profile.
If you are new to pinterest and need an invite, comment in the box below - I have several left.

see you there!