Storm Chasers!

Last night we went to an Omaha Storm Chasers game.  The stadium was awesome.  There was sooo much to do other then watch the game.  It even had some carnival rides and bounce houses--but really good ones--and a basketball court!  We sat on the grass and watched the game.  Well, mostly we watched Liliana run around.  She's a little bit of a busy body (or normal baby, I'm thinking all babies do this at one time or another)...but she goes up to everyone and smiles at them, or tries to take something they left out, or sits on their blanket.  I think it's cute, but I'm pretty sure not everyone feels this way.  =)

But we had a fun time.  Although, Liliana didn't get to bed until almost 10pm, but she woke up a little after 8am...so that was nice.

Blog Every Day in May: A Favorite Photo

A Favorite Picture of Myself and Why

First off, I don't know why the picture isn't that clear.  I really hope I have a clear copy saved somewhere on my computer...

This is by far the coolest thing that has ever happened to me: being pregnant, giving birth, and raising a child.  And if for some reason I'm not able to experience pregnancy again, I'll always be grateful I got to experience it at all.

The picture was taken moments after my baby was handed to me for the first time.  I had no clue what to do next.  I had a relatively easy delivery, I think.  From the time my water broke the baby was out about 8 hours later.  I pushed for what seemed like eternity, but then again didn't seem that long at all.  I clearly wasn't timing it, and the hubs doesn't really remember...he thinks about an hour.  My lady parts went through the ringer, and the pushing on my belly after the baby was out was more painful then actual labor.  But even now as I think back on the occasion I get emotional.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.  And I couldn't have done it without Adam.  It was the first time that I felt I really needed him; that he was my family.  

Leading up to D-Day I had this grandiose idea in my head that I would look perfect when I got to the hospital.  (The idea being if I looked perfect when I first got there, I'd look okay when all was said and done.)  At the very least I wanted to have my hair done.  But it didn't work like that--at all.  My water broke shortly after I showered (at least I was able to do that)...and my hair was completely wet.  I tried to blow it dry a little, but my heart just wasn't in it... ;)  I should point out that my hair is NOT the kind that can ever air dry and look okay--ever.

I love this picture because it's raw and real.  No make-up, hair a mess, blood, sweat, and maybe even some tears (Adam's, not mine...j/k...kind of).  It is my greatest accomplishment.  I always said, if I never did anything else in life I wanted to be a wife and mother...and now I am.

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

In no particular order:

 1. Cookies! (and Brownies!)  I love, love, love homemade cookies.  Nothing makes me more happy then to eat homemade cookies.  I prefer the classic chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal chocolate chip.  But the MUST be made with milk chocolate chips!  I seriously don't get why everyone doesn't make chocolate chip cookies with milk chocolate chips.  I think the argument is that it will make them too sweet.  To that I say, not possible.

2. My baby girl.  She'll be a year old next month.  It's hard to believe I've had a baby for a year now.  She's cuter and smarter then any other baby I know.  (I'm completely biased.)  She is the best baby I could ask for.  She is sooo happy all. the. time.  It makes me really happy and life pretty easy.

 3. Psych.  Shawn and Gus.  The ultimate duo.  The show is entertaining without being inappropriate.  It's silly, clever, and lighthearted.  I love it.  Before we knew we were having a girl, with toyed with the name Gus or Shawn...yes, this show makes me smile!

4. Exercise.  I love working out.  I've been going to the gym since I was a teenager.  Fitness has always been an important aspect of my life.  After having a baby it was hard to figure out how to make going to the gym part of my routine.  But I've found a way; and that makes me very happy.

5. Basil.  I can't explain it exactly, but I love basil.  The smell, the taste...everything.  Tomato and basil is a GREAT combination.  Pesto is also one of my favorite sauces.  Basil is the best!

6. Fall.  The changing of the leaves, the brisk air, the cooler weather, the lingering sunshine...it's a great time of year.

7. A really good book.  Sometimes I have months between books because I'm afraid I'll start something that turns out to be no-good.  It's a weird excuse, I know.

8. Church.  My religion.  Having something to believe in.  Hope.

9. My little family.  The fact that I have a little family.  The hubs, the baby, and hopefully more babies...

10. Grocery Shopping.  I love walking up and down each aisle trying to figure out if I really need another bag of chocolate chips.  (I'm a hoarder of chocolate chips...I just never want to run out!  The hubs won't let me buy them if he's with me...so I buy double when he's not around.  My cupboard is bursting with a double-digit amount of chocolate chips...I love it!)

Another Post

Okay, now I'm just picking and choosing which prompts I actually do!  Haha...The hubs is off for the week so I haven't been doing much of anything.  I didn't even workout yesterday!  But we did go to the zoo, and Liliana loved it!  She's been do the zoo several times, but this was the first time she's been old enough to sit up in the stroller and also walk around.  The weather was perfect too.  We'll definitely be going a lot more this summer.  (Have I mentioned that the Omaha Zoo is easily in the Top 3 best zoos in the country??  It's amazing.)

Well the post/prompt I chose for today is: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)

A Time and Place I Miss...Sort Of

I have a pretty good life right now, and there's no one that isn't in my life that I wish was--does that make sense?  But there are certain aspects of my "pre-life" that I miss.  I grew up in So. Cal. and lived there until I was 25, and I loved it...so I miss that.  I miss the fabulous weather--all year-round.  I took that for granted, I think.  I didn't realize the rest of the country didn't have it as good as I did when it came to weather (and everything else).  Seriously.  Some times I think I grew up in a bubble.  I was blissfully unaware of the rest of the country, or rather I just thought the rest of the country was like California.  (Turns out, it's not...)  I miss living close to the beach (and mountains), being near some of the best shopping (hello South Coast Plaza and The Beverly Center), and I miss being on the cusp on all things Entertainment.  In Utah (where I went to college) the Pop radio stations played TuPac...from 1995!!!  They played some crazy old stuff...

Anyway, that's actually not the part I was going to say I missed.  When I was 21 I moved from Long Beach to Orange County (from there I lived in several parts of Orange County: Brea, Placentia, Anaheim, others)...I had a good job (that I didn't love, but it paid the bills and then some), I had great friends, and a fun life.  I miss going to Bagel Me in the mornings to get a whole-wheat bagel (I love all things whole wheat or multi-grain...I always have) and a root beer.  I did that almost every weekday morning for a couple months straight--at least!  I miss going to the gym...going to several gyms.  There are tons of 24 Hour Fitness gyms in California...that's not true almost anywhere else in the country!  Sometimes I miss being able to go where I want when I want.  I don't miss the traffic of So. Cal., but I got used to it and figure it took at least 30-45mins to get anywhere.  For the record, without traffic it took 15 minutes to get from my home to work.  I miss living close to In-n-Out.  

I miss a lot about California and Orange County...but I like where I'm at now.  It's not bad, just different.  But I'm really starting to feel like where I'm at now is home.

A Moment in My Day

I am wayyyy behind with this Blog Every Day in May thing....I've lost a little motivation, I guess.  The hubs has had the main computer with him this past week, so I haven't been able to do anything on the computer.  Then when the computer was available I just didn't have the drive to blog...I guess that's part of the challenge; blog even when you don't want to.

A Moment In Your Day

 

Saturday we attempted to go to a Farmer's Market, but it was colder then we thought and the wind was killing us.  So, after a few minutes there we decided get inside and check out the local Sheel's.  The store is huge, and they have everything...and it's all a bit more pricy then I'd like.  I am long over due for new running shoes, so I was able to try some on.  I found a pair I really liked...they're $110...A LOT more then I wanted to spend on shoes...so in this picture, I just thanked the sales woman for her time and told her I needed to talk to my husband before I made any decision.  So in this picture we found a little bench in the store to sit down on and talk about it.  Liliana was riding around in this ridiculous looking cart.  But she loved every minute of it.  It may look silly, but kids really seem to enjoy riding in it!...And that's a moment in my life. 

Fears

 

THE THING(S) I'M AFRAID OF THE MOST

Blog a day in May...I'm starting to like it.  At least it gives me something to blog about.  And today we're talking about our fears.  But not just any fears, are biggest ones.  For me, the thing (or perhaps things) that I'm most afraid of is that I won't be mother and wife I always thought I'd be...the one I want to be.  Well, that seems like something I should be able to easily avoid...but I know plenty of people (plenty?  probably not.  But I do know some) that start out the perfect mother and wife and turn..............crazy.  They become arguably the worst wives, mothers (that's all relative..."the worst").  I feel like I'm rambling, and not getting my point across.  All I'm saying is that I have the highest hopes for me to be the best wife and mother.  I want my husband to always be happy with me, and I want me kid (hopefully kids--plural--someday) to be think of me as the greatest mother.  I will do anything for them.  I want them to be able to count on me for love and support.  I worry that if I slack on my job to love and teach my child(ren) morals and values that they will look for validation through means that I completely disapprove of. 

To make a long story short...I'm afraid I'll fall short of my vision of the "perfect" wife and mother.  It will be hard work to obtain this goal.  But I feel it is of the utmost importance to do everything I can to be the perfect wife and mother for my family.

What I Do

Okay, I've already failed at blogging every day...but in my defense the hubs had the computer I use with him at school.  We technically have 3 computers, but two are older and in comparison they are annoying to use.  So I don't unless I have to...

WHAT I DO...or rather WHAT I DID (yesterday)

These days I don't have an tax-paying, report-to-my-boss kind of job.  I get to hang out with the cutest little girl.  Lately she's been waking up in the 6:30am range...she wakes up happy and plays until her first nap.  Shortly after she wakes up she eats breakfast and plays some more.  Usually, we get ready to go to the gym, but yesterday she seemed a little extra crabby and clingy so we didn't end up going.  (Hopefully she'll be okay today...it's not even 8am yet.)...Then we do random things, go visit friends, hang out at the library, go to the grocery store, and other stuff to keep busy.  The weather is finally starting to heat up so we'll start playing outside more.

Daddy is in the middle of his 2 weeks of finals.  Yesterday he completed his 4th final.  He comes home after the final (instead of staying to study more) and since I didn't workout in the morning I went running when he came home.  When I came back from my run I found the hubs and baby playing outside, so we hung out there for a little while.  Then we came home, made dinner (BLTs), and got the Snuggle Bug ready for bed.  After that we watched an episode of The Good Wife.  We are watching season 1 because my husband hasn't seen it...so I'm re-watching it with him.  Then off to bed...and we do it all again tomorrow.  Or a variation of it!