Day two of no cable

Still going strong! Actually, I didn't miss it today. Jeff and I ran errands this morning and then we played with Claire. While she napped, we worked in our basement. We cleaned out the rubble from the bathroom, swept out the patio underneath our deck and I did all the laundry and dishes! It's actually sick how clean my house is! I do love not being tied to the dvr or plastered to MTV.

So new years eve is tomorrow and we are actually doing something! One of my resolutions is to do more things and to not use my baby as an excuse not do to anything. Sometimes I feel so guilty because I'm working all the time that when people ask us to do something, I feel like I have to stay at home with Claire- even when she's sleeping and not able to interact with me. Tomorrow night we are taking Claire to my moms house and putting her to sleep there. Then we are going to a friend's house where he is having a Clue themed party. We all have to dress up as a character and we are solving the murder! I swear it's not as lame as I just described it. There will be bartenders and yummy food! I'm so excited! Happy almost new years, y'all!!

No cable? Are you guys crazy?!

No, we are serious! We have officially shut our cable off. We do have a HD antenna that picks up the basic channels. Sick thing is, it picks up better reception than our box! We have a dvr like system plugged into our computer so we can dvr our shows we want to watch.

We are doing this for two reasons. The first reason is that we watch too much garbage- mainly me with MTV and jeff with sports. We stopped paying attention to each other and eating at the dinner table. So this is our effort for at least three months to see if we can survive and maybe even re do our basement with our free time!
Second, we pay about $160 a month for cable and Internet!! That is crazy!! So that will be $160 more dollars a month in our pockets to save or spend on our family!
I won't lie, I was a little grouchy tonight because I wanted to watch a new show on MTV. Instead, I took a bath, read a glamour magazine, and organized my iPhone.
Pray for our family! We are embarking on a new adventure.

ARG!! I've got the bug!

No the cold bug, but the I want to be a stay at home mom/ decorator bug! Here are the really cool things that Claire has been up to: She now says, good dog, no, mama, daddy, duck, turtle, all done, more, eat, belly button, nose, eye, ear, and a few more words. She knows some things in Korean too, like her eyes, nose, ear, mouth, etc. My mom speaks to her in Korean and the rest of us talk to her in English. She loves watching TV- sometime too much and we limit it to only a few shows. She loves to jump, build with her blocks, hug and kiss on dolls, pat the dog, run, and be a sweet loving girl to her mom and dad! Today I took her to one of my favorite antique places and she did really well. I was a nervous wreck that she would cry, pitch a fit, and I'd be "that mom." But she sang and ate cheerios while I looked at over priced old crap!! It's Tuesday now and we only have a few more days together. I plan on soaking up as much as I can before going back to work next week. My mom was really cute today, in Korean she looked at Claire and said,"You're so happy this week, but next Monday you'll be sad for a few minutes and then we can play." Claire smiled and pinched my mom's cheeks! I know every parent thinks their kid is great, but Claire is hilarious! She doesn't fear anything, loves people, and is always ready to play! She is so sweet, sassy, and fun. She knows when she is in trouble and will hide, run away, or be so stinking cute that you can't help but laugh. It doesn't matter how crazy it gets at work, or how tired and annoyed I am, she is always ready to entertain and loves to be loved! Claire is such a sweetheart! I'd love to stay at home with her and have some side gig where I decorate (with other people's money).

Sigh... I just love spending my days with her! They go by so fast!

Only a few things on my mind...

And no, it's not Georgia! But it is moving to somewhere else in Georgia! We are looking to get closer to our parents (the Kennesaw/Acworth area). We have fallen in love with Legacy Park! I just read their HOA Newsletter and there is so much to do there! They have someone who is in charge of activities: soccer, T ball, tennis, running programs, and more! Then there is someone who does educational things: book readings for children, educational programs, meet and greet with local school administration. L.O.V.E. I can't wait! We are looking to move late this year (October-December ish). So we have to get our house ready to rent! We are going to be putting in new carpets, re-doing the basement, giving everything a fresh coat of paint!

I am really excited to see what's going to be in our future in 2011!

Merry Christmas!!

So what did Santa bring Claire???
A trampoline, tent, dolls, Fancy Nancy books, magnetic alphabet to put on refrigerator, balls, a doodle thingy, and much more!!!

I love Christmas! So does Claire! After we started the unwrapping process, she tore into the presents!!

I have one more week to milk with my little girl and I'm going to soak up every minute of it!!!

LOVE!

Let the break begin!!!

I'm so thankful for the break! Working at a school definitely has it's perks and these next two weeks will be worth all the other not so fun things we counselors have to deal with!

Claire has been so much fun! She says so many words now and is really funny. She called Maddux a "turtle," and the other day she knew she was doing something she should do, so when I went to say something to her, she immediately pointed at her nose and said "nose." Of course I had to laugh. My very favorite person who I used to work with, Gayle, once said, "If it makes me laugh, then you're not in trouble!" One should never live by those words, but it's so true sometimes!

My goal for this break is to detox! I'm detoxing from the sweets that everyone gave me at school, I'm detoxing the clutter that's in my house, and detoxing lots of other things!!

I can't wait to re-organize my life!!!!!!!! I LOVE WINTER BREAK!!

Here's the best part...
I get ANOTHER week off in February!!

Catching Up!

The Lussier family has been busy! Here's a recap of the month's events:
1. Cheerleading is finally over! My girls went to state for competition and our football team lost in the quarter finals this past week. So now I do the HAPPY dance after school! Today was my first non-cheerleading day and I loved getting Claire at a decent time. I came home and we had a dance party, then we grilled chicken and zuccini. Love!
2. Claire is a talker! She is absolutely funny! The things she says are adorable and she can't quite say certain words, but she's really trying!
3. We bought a trampoline and we all jump on it! It's really too much fun and I forget how high I could jump!
4. Thanksgiving was a blast! I made something from scratch- who knew I could do that.

Now it's on to Christmas festivities and I am going to soak up life with my sweet girl!

P.S.- Picture with Santa= epic failure!

MY FAV!!! Who doesn't love holiday photo cards?

Yes, I do love the holiday season! I used to think photo cards were lame, but that's before I had a family with a very cute little girl! Now all I want to do is send photo cards out to everyone! Finding the right photo card takes a lot of patience and some detective work. I've ordered from several sights and even from ETSY where someone makes a card for me. If you haven't tried shutterfly, I highly suggest you stop what you are doing immediately and spend at least an hour perusing through their holiday photo card selection. You will not be disappointed! Hundreds of cards, and there's no way you can just pick one. They have cute ones, but what I love are the preppy sophisticated cards- especially with monograms!!!! I'm very impressed by their selection and I want to show you a few of the cards that I absolutely love!



I love this card because of the monogram and the black and white photos! Very classy!


http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/initially-chic-green-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93476
Need I say more!?!?! I'd decorate my home in this print and of course, the monogram!!


http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/cool-gray-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93476
Very modern and clean!


http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/peace-and-joy-holiday-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93476
Love this one!

And finally, a fun one!

http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/snowtastic-snowflakes-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93476

And remember, shutterfly also does other things too!
Gift tags- http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/snowtastic-snowflakes-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93476
Invitations for holiday parties- http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations
And of course, the link to the Christmas Cards! http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards

Can't pick just one, but you should try anyway!!!

Just another frazzled Monday!

So I started the day late, hitting every red light, exhausted from a crappy night of sleep, etc. You name it, I felt it! I worked hard today crossing off my to do list at work, then I went on to cheer. I braved traffic to pick up my baby, who is teething and cranky, only to go through two baby CDs in the car to make her happy. When we got home, it was so late- almost her bed time. I warmed up some milk, changed her into her PJs and we layed in my bed with all the lights and sounds off. I hummed (off tune) in her ear while she drank herself to sleep. Then she snored right next to me. Quite possibly the sweetest moment I've had yet! I picked her up- still asleep, took her to her bed- still asleep, and layed her down- still fast asleep. And at the end of the day, the little things are all that matters. The great conversation I had with my BFF EClare on the phone today, the sweet facebook comment from my old co-worker Lynn, and my mom giving me a bushel of apples (along with always hooking me up with yummy food). After placing my baby in her bed, I drew a hot bath, read my Women's Health magazine, and sipped on a yummy Merlot until my hubby came home. No matter how frazzled I am, I always have the little things to look forward to!

Bye bye October!

Can you believe it's almost November? Before I wish away October, let me tell you more about what our family has been doing! This has been such a crazy month because we are in the height of cheerleading season! I'm either at practice, at a football game, or at a competition. When I'm not doing those things, I'm trying to be a mommy and to do somethings around my house. My house/decorating has seriously taken a hit! I did choose a wall color for my "fireplace room." I'm feeling the itch to be creative, but I've had NO TIME to do so. So here's what I'm thinking: I want the behr color toffee crunch on my walls, two slip cover chairs, and this fun storage bench to go along the window for Claire's toys. I want a dresser that I can refinish myself, then I want to number my drawers. This is going to house all family play items (board games, blankets, etc). Here are some pictures of what I want!

Falling for Fall!

Wow! September was exhausting and fun! I'm very thankful for this new Cobb County Calendar as it allowed a week for fun in the sun! St. George Island is gorgeous, but I really thought it was going to be busy like Destin. I was so wrong. I think we left twice to go to Apalachicola to get groceries and supplies, but other than that we just stayed at our beautiful beach house! I have to say I learned so much about myself and I really needed a week off from the craziness at work. The best part was that I got to be a mommy for one whole week! No cheerleading, schedules to be changed, nothing! It was just Claire and me! Every morning we would wake up and we were greeted with the sunrise. Then it was a dip in the pool or a walk on the beach. Followed by more beach activities. When the babies slept, the parents did nothing and it was amazing! Era slept for 3 whole hours (Lucky!) and Claire would sleep about an hour and half. We had oysters, shrimp, fish, yummy food, great company! I was so sad to go. I'm thinking about another trip in February... maybe somewhere it snows?! I feel refreshed and now it's on to October (A.K.A.- the month of cheerleading). Soon cheerleading will be over and I'll get to pick Claire up after school and be a mommy again! Love her and I love my family!

CONGRATS!!!!

Hello all!! I'd like to tell you about our friends Emily and Kurtis. Jeff and Kurtis have known each other for many years and they are really good friends. Kurtis is funny, smart, and knows a lot about sports. Sometimes I think he should have his own show because he knows WAAAAY too much! Kurtis met a girl named Emily. Now, if you know me, then you know that ALMOST EVERY best friend I've ever had is named Emily- in fact, it's my default name. I love Emilys and when I met this particular Emily, I felt the same way! She is creative, sarcastic (but sweet), and generally wonderful! I love spending time with her and I try not to be dorky and ask her to teach me how to do things- she is really freaking creative!
Kurtis and Emily got married on Sept 1st and they had a reception/party last friday. Unfortunately I couldn't go because I had cheerleading, but I can't wait to be friends with her for years to come- I'm secretly hoping they move really close to us. So cheers to Emily and Kurtis- two really great people!! :o)

Is fall falling??

When Claire goes to my mom's house in the morning, I'm leaving around 6:30am. It is so stinking dark and chilly!! Makes me super excited about fall!! I see a few orange leaves on the ground and I can't help but think about football, brunswick stew, and crisp, cool air!! Can you believe that Claire was that small (picture above) and now she is sassy, funny, and running!?! I can't believe it either! She is way too funny!

I'm smack dab in the middle of cheerleading season, but nothing is better than coming home from a long, hard day at the office/cheerleading to see my sweet girl and to get a big, fat kiss!! She is little Miss Independent and she wants to climb, run, etc on everything! For any new moms out there, enjoy every moment. I remember I would almost wish away Claire's baby time because I couldn't wait for her to hit her next milestone. Now I wish I would have made the most of every day.

Now to change the subject- I'm getting the decorating itch back! Jeff and I have talked about really doing some landscaping this fall because my yard looks crazy! Stupid weeds suck! I want to also redo my porch and to put some better porch furniture out there. So excited! Time to make a new wreath!

Until next time... :o)

SUPER MOM

Everyone has their own worries, problems, etc. So this is not my complain session, but rather one main question: How in the world do women do it? How do we- wash the clothes, pack the bags, pack the lunches, drive everywhere, work full time, make the family/hubby happy, and be good at all of it. I have this problem where my expectations for my life are unrealistic. I currently work full time as a counselor for a high school, which I absolutely love, and I'm also the Varsity Football and Varsity Competition coach. I say that I coach, but my cheer moms really do most of it. I'm thankful for them because I wouldn't be able to survive! I do have this day dream where I get to leave work at 3:45- like everyone else- and I go pick up Claire and we have a great afternoon together. After football season, I'll be able to do this! If anyone has the magical lottery numbers or happen to know how to get rich quick, it'd be much appreciated!!!

12 month Dr. Visit

Sweet Claire Bear had her 12 month check up today! Jeff and I like to guess what her height and weight is before we go in. Boy, was I totally wrong! I thought she'd be under 30" and over 23 lbs. This are the official stats:
Height: 30"
Weight: 21.5 lbs

What a skinny minnie! Part of the reason why she's not bigger is because she's a picky eater. She loves strawberries one minute, then she's throwing them at the puppy the next. She's still not talking, but she can play peek-a-boo, patty cake, and barks at the dog. She's very active and loves to run, jump, and play! So thankful for my sweet little girl!

Back to School

Going back to school is bitter sweet. Yes, I absolutely love my job and I love working with the kids; but, I really love spending time with my sweet little girl! Isn't she gorgeous! We go for her one year check up this thursday and I can't wait to see how much she's grown and developed! I love how she will hug me, kiss me, and crawl up in my lap. She loves her daddy and I even caught her petting the puppy the other day! Too cute! I know it's sad to say, but I am counting down the days until summer vacation. The positive is we have Labor day weekend in two weeks and then a full week off two weeks after that! We're going to the beach with all of our wonderful family! One whole week at a gorgeous house with a pool by the beach- can't wait!

Side note: This weekend I got to hang with my niece Era. I know that her parents know how friggin cute she is, but I never realized it until that day. She is seriously a wonderfully funny and cute baby! She would give me kisses and she kept saying, "OUT!" (from the itsy bitsy spider and how the rain washed the spider OUT!). Too cute! I love that she and Claire get to be close!

So here are the positives about school- I get to still be with my wonderful guidance gals! I have a new office that has a window! I get to be a counselor this year! I really like our new administrators and they are very efficient and wonderful! I have fun!

Claire's Birthday Party!!!

Claire's first birthday party was wonderful!! We had pink and green everywhere and yummy food! I loved spending time with my friends and family and especially the bithday girl! Here are some of the fun things Claire does now: Walk (yep, two days before her birthday), crawl, mimmick words, throwing a ball, giggling, laughing out loud, and so much more! So blessed to have such a wonderful girl!

Claire's invitation:


First birthday cupcake!


Emily Lothner is rediculously talented! Here is a pic of her cute cupcakes that were friggin' delish!


Birthday cupcake time!


Birthday girl eating her cute cupcake! She did really well- didn't really dig into it, but she would eat it if I fed it to her.

The Real Housewives of East Cobb

Yep! Bravo contacted me and they want me to be on a new Housewives show! HA! Yeah right, but don't think for one minute I would turn that offer down. As I was watching reruns of the Real Housewives of New York (my favorite housewives) today, I thought what would it be like if people could see what I really did all day? So here goes...
7:00- Roll out of bed and get baby and bottle
7:15- Play with baby and annoy her while she tries to drink her bottle
7:30- Continue to play with baby after bottle is finished and husband gets ready for work
8:00- Go downstairs and make breakfast for Claire and myself
8:30- Walking with Claire
9:30- Pull weeds out of my lawn while baby downs another bottle
10:00- Baby nap time and Mommy get ready time
11:15- Baby is up from her nap. I load up the car and baby to go to lunch with Jeff
12:00- Lunch with Jeff
1:00- Lunch done, stop by homedepot and I have to change a smelly diaper
1:30- Finally leave and I have a screaming baby in the car
2:00- Baby still screaming. My efforts to calm baby do not work so I try to distract her with a toy
2:30- Efforts to distract baby work and she is playing
3:00- Try to put baby down for a nap. After about 15 minutes of screaming/ crying/ playing in her crib, I watch as my almost 1 year old baby bonks her head on the crib sending her into histerics
3:15- I pick up baby and sing her to sleep with the 'ABC' song
3:20- Baby naps while Mommy watches Bravo
4:20- Baby wakes up histerical. No amount of holding, food, etc work. I finally get her to play with some random toy.
5:00- Desperate phone calls to Daddy start while we continue to play.
5:40- Doggie gets a little too 'playful' with baby
5:50- Feed baby pears and baby bel cheese
6:15- Daddy comes home and plays with Claire
6:30- Daddy bathes Claire, gives her a bottle, and puts her in bed while Mommy makes food.
7:00 Baby asleep, Mommy and Daddy eat and enjoy a refreshing adult beverage.

So I ask you, where are my couture costume parties and million dollar condos? Why am I not invited to some posh event in the Hamptons? Geeze, no justice in this world! But, if I had some money, I'd stay at home in a heartbeat just to do this... every day. I love every moment of it and I love seeing what new thing Claire will do next.

School is going to start soon!

Yep... school is just around the corner! The best part about my job is summer, but what comes 2nd is the fact that we get to "start over" every year. Every year we say our good byes to students who are anxious to start their post graduation plans and hello to the students who are ready to become a "teenager." One of the best things I heard from another counselor is that she never creates a "new year resolution, " but she creates a "back to school resolution." I L.O.V.E. this idea! How great! My relaxing summer gives way to a hectic, yet exciting school year and I get to start over! So what are my resolutions?
1. The top of my list is not to complain. Last year I spent most of the time upset, crying, complaining, etc over the job situation. I'm saying this now: Jesus, I'd really appreciate having another job, but I don't want to complain and have a bad year because of it. So I'm letting it go- all the stress, opinions, etc.
2. Not let really icky people get to me. I'm doing the best that I can do.
3. I will not eat cafeteria food. Nothing good comes from the cafeteria. Yes, the "government" approves it, but crapy pizza and crusty nachos are NOT going in my tummy!
4. I'm going to do more classroom guidance.
5. Stay out of other's business! When I walk around the school, people tell me things. I'm going to stay in my part of the school this year.

So what are your new school resolutions?

My summer finally begins!

After weeks of cheerleading and sporadic days in the Counseling office, I finally have my summer! It's just Claire Bear and me so now I'm on the hunt for fun things we can do together. I just signed Claire up for an Aqua Tots class and I'm looking to do a day at Gymboree soon. What else is on my list of things? Well, I'm going to drag Claire to the farmer's market on saturday morning followed by lots of park time and lots more!

I am super excited about a recent purchase from Macys. I've been looking for a new comforter for our master bedroom. Although I've been stalking the pottery barn website, I didn't find anything that made me click on the purchase button. Then I went online to the Macy's website and I found it! It's a Martha Stewart pattern that is cream, gray, and chartruse! I. LOVE. IT. Here it is online:

My project for this week is to paint my formal living room. I'm going to paint it the color called pool tides from Behr. It's a very light blue/green. There are a lot of things I have to do to the house before Claire's 1st birthday party- I'm so excited about it!
Wahooo!!! School is out!

Summer Reading

My goal for this summer was to read 4 books.
I just finished Nicholas Sparks' "The Choice." Okay, here's my opinion: Although his books are terribly predictable, yet visceral, I found that the plot twist at the end surprised me. He managed to take all a huge fear of mine and document the torment Travis (the protagonist) went through. It's a great read and I highly recommend it! It'll only take a day or two and a box of tissues to get through it.
The book I just started is Peter Walsh's "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?"
Silly title, but I LOVE Peter Walsh. First off, I absolutely love organizational things and second the way he ties in the American "values" and obesity/clutter is very clever. I'm only in the first few chapters, but I love his dry, "in your face" voice and I can't wait to see what he is going to say.
With that being said, my next book has to be a thinker. I've read a romantic, easy novel followed by a how-to book.
Any suggestions??

SAHM

So the acronym SAHM stands for "Stay at home Mom." What it should stand for is, "Sh*t! Ah! Help Me!"
I don't know how people do it! I truly appreciate my Mother and Mother in Law who watch Claire all day while I'm at work. She is everywhere! I just like to gate off where she can't go, then I can work on the dishes or getting lunch together while she pulls Puppy's ears or tries to open and shut every door down stairs!
But I wouldn't change anything. She's so sweet and she is way too much fun! I love her and I'm thankful I get to spend the summers with her.

Learning to stand

Yesterday morning, Jeff and I were in the kitchen and we were watching Claire. She crawled on the floor and just like that... she stood up! No help, no pulling up on anything, all by her big girl self! I started screaming and clapping which made her giddy and she fell. She has been practicing standing all day for the past two days! One of my cheerleaders said, "I hope she doesn't walk soon." Of course I freaked when she said that. Then she said, "I leanred in our psychology class that when a child delays in walking, it helps develop the spine better and helps to develop parts of their personality." Well, when you put it that way, I guess she could wait a little longer- but not much longer! She hasn't said her first real word yet, but she is babbling a lot more lately. I'm hoping that if she hangs out with her talkative cousing, Era, more she will pick up some words.

So now it's 7:00 (yes, my daughter usually gets up within the 6 o'clock hour) and we have a full day ahead of us. I'm thinking the lake...

Claire's 1st birthday party brainstorm session

I want to throw a lovely cupcake party for a lovely little girl! Above are a few inspriation photos that I've been thinking about. I know I definitely want to do pink and cupcakes, but I haven't thought much about anything else. I need ideas people!

Geeze, long time no post!

What have the Lussiers been up to you ask? Well here's a quick run down of the past month...or so.
I still have a job, hallelujah! I'll be back at Kell next year and I am the head cheerleading coach. I spent most of the last few months worrying about whether or not I'd actually get a contract. Sadly, we are saying goodbye to two wonderful ladies who have made my life richer the past two years. I don't think I could have been a counselor without them. They both have such wonderful and amazing characteristics and I'm wish that I can be as wonderful as them someday too! I'd like to say that cheerleading has taken up most of my time, but I feel a little immature about it (meaning, I just don't want to deal with it sometimes!). I have this wonderful cheer mom who I think should run the world! She's about 20 steps ahead of me and I am so thankful for her!
We went to the beach with some of our good friends, the Rands. They have a sweet 5 month old boy who Claire is in love with. She would babble at him and he would giggle. I think it's a match made in heaven! It was really fun to hang out with another couple and I even picked up some fun songs to sing to Claire from Meredith!
So that brings us to the beginning of my summer vacation. I spent last friday home with Claire and I was so exhausted by the time Jeff got home! She wears me out! I guess the last time I really spent a full day with her was during Christmas and she wasn't mobile. Let me tell you, Miss Claire is everywhere! I can't keep her out of anything and if you tell her "NO!" she just smiles and laughs at you. She is going to be a very smart business woman who won't take no for an answer! She doesn't play with her toys, she likes to play with doors and other things she can take apart (things with lids on it, etc). Needless to say, I'm going to have to revisit this whole watching Claire thing. It's intense!
I'm excited though about having a summer with the C-Bear!

Mi familia

Hello all! Here are some pics from Mother's Day/Dad's Birthday/Thank You for being there for Claire dinner. I am so thankful every day that Claire can be her her grandmothers and that we trust the quality of care! Love them all so much!

9 Months Old!

Claire had a Dr. appointment this past monday and here were her results:
Height: 28 inches
Weight: 18 lbs. 2 oz.
She is in the 70% for height and 40% for weight
My baby is growing up to be a big girl! The doctor said that she is very advanced physically, but not to be upset if she doesn't talk soon. Babies who are in bilingual households understand so much, but it is difficult to say what they want or how they feel back to people because they don't know what language to do it in. My Dad swears that Claire is Korean because she understands everything my mom says. She is a ham! She knows what "no" means and she will stop what she is doing, but she looks back and laughs at us. She is hilarious! She can pull up, cruise, crawl, and babble. She is also eating more solids and we are working on the sippy cup! I'm still nursing (I'm breakfast and dinner), but I will probably phase that out at around 1 year. She is just so wonderful and is giving hugs now! I love her!

Staying Calm Techniques

Part of my job as a school counselor is to talk with kids about effective ways to manage their anger, anxiety, frustration, etc. Of course when it comes to me, I stress eat, cuss, and will even complain/shut down. Mature adult, right? So I was thinking, what techniques could I use to calm myself down? These are going to be realistic (I'm not going to put "go for a run" or "read a book." These things just make me even more angry!).
So here's what I've come up with: Laughter, blogging, reading magazines (I love magazines!), watch TV, watch the same mindless movies I love (Legally Blonde, House Bunny, Twilight), play with my baby, and clean. That's right I said it, I love to clean. It's like anorexia to me. I can't control the things going on around me, but I can control my house being clean!

Spring Fling

Here's a recap of SBX!
Monday- Claire and I went to lunch with Jeff, then it was off to Town Center mall to get my oil changed (and to shop!). So we strolled around the mall and Claire cried in her stroller- because she was so tired. I knew if I held her she would want to play, so instead, I forced myself to let her cry it out. I hated that I ruined other's shopping experience and everyone looked at me like I was abusing my child, but after strolling for about 10 minutes, she fell fast asleep for over an hour. Finally, I was able to shop while Claire caught some z's.
Tuesday- I dropped Claire off at my mom's house in the morning and Jeff stayed home from work that day. So we (Jeff and I) started to work on the basement. I painted the media room, while Jeff worked on the wallpaper situation in the hallway. It's no where near being finished, but I love the paint color we used! It's called prelude in Behr.
Wednesday- Claire, my Mom, and I went to Solomon Brothers to get my wedding rings cleaned, inspected, etc. Claire loves the sparkly jewlery!! After that, it was off to Lenox Mall for more shopping! Claire loves Pottery Barn- and so do I!
Thursday- Lunch with Jeff then it was some light shopping and hanging out most of the day.
Friday- A Beautiful day at the park where Claire played on her blanket and watched some kids play soccer. We also ran around town buying presents for Theresa and Nathan's wedding shower that saturday. Being at the park was so much fun, I can't wait to do it more during the summer!

I absolutely loved spring break and I'm excited that Summer is just around the corner! Off we go to Camp Lussier! :o)

Day13- my lovie

My two favorite people... Claire and Jeff!!!

Day 12- Ruby

Ruby means a lot to me. My grandmother's name is Ruby, my daughter's birthstone is a ruby, and now one of my favorite shows stars a woman named Ruby. She is on an inspirational journey to lose weight and I love, love, love her personality. She reminds me a lot of one of my favorite sorority sisters, Brandi Shelnutt. I love how southern she is (the show takes place in Savannah, Georgia) and she is really a fun loving, flirty gal! In this past episode, her counselor, Dr. Jane, challenged Ruby to give up 5 things that are getting in the way of Ruby losing weight. So I got to thinking, what are 5 things I could give up or change? These may be long shots, but I'll list them out- and feel free to slap some of these out of my hand if you see me trying to eat one :o).

1. Sweets- my favorite thing in the world, which is also why I have such a large behindy! That's right sweets, you heard it! I am breaking up with you!
2. Ruby gave up diet drinks and I guess I can too. So as I'm typing this post, I am downing my very last Diet Coke- sad face for me, but happy face for my wallet!
3. My work out routine. First, I don't really have a routine. I play tennis on tuesday and sundays, and I try to walk or do something else during the days in between. Most of the time I'm exhausted from my day, so I try to use every excuse in the book not to get my hindey off the couch and do something. So my new goal is to do something for 30+ minutes 4 times a week. So that would only be adding two more days to my already somewhat work out routine! :o)
4. Get rid of my maternity stuff. So I admit that I still wear maternity stuff, especially pants. I love them partially because they are so easy to get on and off (no zipping or buttoning involved), but I also wear them because I'm afraid I won't fit back into my old stuff. First of all, it's just insanity that I would even think that way because I did fit into my cute old navy pre maternity jeans yesterday, but I also have to stop looking so dang frumpy (which maternity clothes can do to you). So off they go and hello new clothes!
5. Eliminating the word can't. I am always saying, "I can't lose weight" or "I can't run 5 miles." Instead, I need to look at everything as a challenge. I can lose weight, I already have! I just need to be positive and keep it up!
So as I am about to start my spring break week, I will implement these five things and I'll let you know how it comes out!

Day 11- New things Claire can do

So it's like my baby just grew up over night! Within 10 minutes, she sat up from a laying position, then she pulled up in her crib! She is getting to be an expert crawler too! I put her in the middle out our room and went to run her bath. The next thing I know, here comes Claire crawling into the bathroom! I just couldn't believe it- and now she wants to sit up or crawl everywhere! My how quickly she grows!

Day 10- My favorite things

Remember that show Oprah's favorite things? Well, same concept except I can't actually give an audience full of people these things. But I will tell you what they are!

1. Starbucks perfect oatmeal and decaf coffee. Sometimes I have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to travel across Cobb County and take my sweet daughter to my mother's house. One positive is that I also budget time (and money!) into making a Starbucks stop. I don't get to do this very often, so it's not really a latte factor, but I always get the perfect oatmeal with nuts and fruit (really raisins and cranberries) and a grande decaf coffee with splenda and skim milk. This totally makes my day and starts me off right!
2. Diva Nails. I love this nail salon and if you live over in Marietta, it's in the same shopping center as Smoothie King and Subway, by Lassiter high school. For $18, you can get a mega delux pedi with exfoliating sugar scrub and a long foot massage. Worth every penny!!
3. Target. You would be an ugly liar if you said that you didn't love Target. I love their clothes, shoes, even their target brand products. It's a great place to find everything you need... and more!
4. Progresso Lentil Soup. Lentil soup looks like mud, but Progresso makes it taste yummy for few calories! I buy at least three a week and take that for lunch!
5. My iPhone. Never thought I'd buy any APple Products, but after Jeff got one, I had to get one too! I love that you can instantly download apps- within seconds- and they are apps that help you do whatever it is you need to do! My apps range from baby flash cards to style news. I even have an app that helps me decide where to eat (urbanspoon)! Love it, I don't think I'd be the wonderful person I am today without it :o).
6. Aveeno facial lotion. I. Love. Aveeno. It makes my face feel so much better and it has SPF in it too! Love the way it smells, love what it does to my face, love it all!
7. The library. Although the concept of a library isn't new, I've recently rediscovered this trasure! I love books and I buy a whole bunch of them. I'm running out of places to keep my books! So instead of spending money to buy them, I now go to the library that is within walking distance of my house or to my school library!
8. J. Crew. If I had all the money in the world, I would totally shop here all the time. This is the look I want to achieve, but not the price I want to pay. Remember when J. Crew used to be reasonable? Not so much any more, but that won't stop me from taking out a mini-loan to cover my J. Crew habit!
9. New York. I always said I would live there. That's until I realized how much it actually is to live in NY. I still love everything about it. I love walking around the city, the great shopping, the wonderful food, and the not so friendly people. It's a great place and I'd settle for at least visiting once a year!
10. Swaddles. I know I haven't said much about my beautiful girl in this post, but one thing that has been my saving grace in her 8 months of life is the Kiddopotumus Swaddle. I think Jesus personally made it. Although she normally doesn't sleep with one now, if it's hard for her to fall asleep, we will swaddle her and then take her out of it when she goes to bed. If you are a parent and need sleep, swaddle your baby. I promise it's not abuse, it just makes her feel warm and snugglie!

Day 9- Is it spring break yet?

Do you remember being in College and going down to PC or Destin for SB? I do, I remember and sometimes I wish I could go back! I miss hanging out with everyone for a week, being crouwded into a condo with 10 other girls, borrowing clothes, getting mad because one group of girls wants to go to fudpuckers and the other group wants Pompano Joes. I also remember AJ's and Spinnaker. Oh how I miss you so... Here are my top five memories from SB- the college years.

1. I once stood in the DJ booth for hours at AJ's and I was DJ V! I remember that me and my girls closed down that bar and we didn't get home until 4am! I helped the DJ spin records and I even semi-remember helping him fade one song out and mix this song with that one. It was so much fun!
2. The last night we were in Destin, a select group of us were "just going to go to AJ's for about an hour and then go home." Our plan was to leave early so that we could get enough sleep to get up in the morning and drive back home. Yeah right! How about we were the last people in that place! We closed down the bar!
3. While staying at CDR (Club Destin Resort), we came up with a lot of fun sayings, such as, "I'm SO pretty," and "Whoop, whoop!" I remember that we went to a midget wrestling thing at this one place before making our way to AJ's. First of all, I would NEVER suggest going to see midget wrestling, it was the worst experience of my life! While sitting in this section away from chaos, my friends and I were approached by this group of guys who wanted to sit with us. Of course, I reply, "This section is only for pretty people. I'm so pretty." Our inside joke that I said to someone else! Well, those guys got up and left (as they should have) and my friends and I laughed histerically because they couldn't believe I would say that!
4. Staying out on the beach all day long! We've met so many fun people and I even got into a verbal altercation with some girl behind me (not my proudest moment). I remember being on the beach with the Tennessee Football players who were battling it out with the Arkansas football players. I remember meeting some random kid with a guitar who sang songs- Meredith and Kelly sang with him too! I remember chasing a girl down because she had an Alpha Gam bag. I found out she went to Southern Illinois. It was just so much fun talking and playing with everyone!
5. Although I have way to many memories to share, my favorite memories were hanging out with my sisters. We shopped at the beach stores and outlets, ate together, and played together! I'm so thankful for the many memories I have shared with them and I can't wait to go on more vacations with them in the future! Next time an all inclusive place please???

Day 8- cousins!

Love this clip! Two cousins playing and I love that Era is laughing! She's such a cutie!

Day 7- True love

I love Jeff! I love him for so many reasons, but here are just a few:
1. I love how funny he is. He is so witty and loves to laugh- we just love to laugh together!
2. He's my knight in shining armor. He will let me figure out things and then come to my rescue if I need it.
3. He has the cutest quirks!
4. He puts up with my craziness and lets me complain!
5. He is real with me; he will sugar coat things when he needs to, and he will be forward other times.
6. He is my best friend- I can't keep secrets from him! He reads me like a book!
7. He is a wonderful father. He's always there for Claire and likes to read up on "new educational" things to do with her.
8. He loves Georgia Tech- very loyal guy :o)
9. He lets me watch my crazy ghost and girls shows.
10. I think he's a hunky guy! I bagged me a real cutie!

Just a few reasons why I love Jeff... there are hundreds more!

Day 6- People let me tell you 'bout my friends

I have the most wonderful friends any girl could ask for. Here are just a few sentances about each person and in alphabetical order.

Ardis- I met her in high school and I never would have thought that we would end up being sisters (in law). I love the following things about her: her fashion sense (always put together and trendy), her decorating style, her sneezes that sound more like little baby chicks, she loves to have fun, and her parenting style. I don't think I could have done the parenting thing without her. She's taught me so much and I can't wait for the wonderful fun times to come!
Brandi- My big sister who is my foundation. She taught me not to stress and to think tihngs through logically and to ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN. She is the most country person I have ever met, but she loves to do city things too. She is my "treasure hunting" partner in crime. She is always willing to go on adventures and always lends a helping hand!
Emily Clare- She is my residential doctor, therapist, love guru, and all around funny friend! She is always willing to try new things with me and will drop anything she is doing to come help you. She is very blunt and will tell you how it is, but is never rude about it. She really should be a doctor- I think she'd make a wonderful one!
Emily Dickerson- I don't think I've ever heard her say anything mean about any one. She is sunshine in a bottle- always warm, sunny, and positive! She loves to go out and have fun, but would always watch crazy shows and movies with me. Through her behavior, I learn to just chill out and not worry so much. That's why I love hanging around her, she just calms you down!
Emily Hauert- She's preppy, always put together, and what I wish I could be. She is a gracious hostess and should have been named Emily Post. She does everything by the book and she is so assertive. She now lives far away from me, but I can't wait for her to move back so that she can take me shopping!
Jana- C.O.U.N.T.R.Y Girl. She know severy country song, will throw down with you at cowboys, and will always help you out. She is so sweet and is such a wonderful person. She never complains and is always looking to have fun!
Kelly- When I first met Kelly, I thought we would never get along. She and I would bump heads on sorority (and other) issues. I have learned so much from her. She is such a determined person who is assertive and so secure. She has this huge sweet side and she loves to watch reality TV. She is silly, funny, but could convince someone the sky is purple (that's why she is going to make a great lawyer).
Kylee- A voice like an angel (with cute shoes and a fun attitude!) and clothes that make Jennifer Anniston jelous. She is so creative and very talented. She really should be an event planner!
Meredith Day- I'm thankful she always let me sleep in her bed. She introduced me to the OC and Grey's Anatomy. She knows everything about every celebrity and also every word to all rap, rock, pop, and country songs. She's so sweet and always so much fun!
Meredith Rand- My newest friend who puts up with my craziness. Tennis brought us together, but we just have so much fun! We have a lot in common and I love her personality. She is so assertive (I try to learn it from her) and she throws one heck of a party.
Suzanne House- My other only child. We get each other, probably because we love attention and to be selfish (it's an only child thang!). She is so wonderful and is always willing to go anywhere!
Teresa Nicole- Hilarious. She is a comedian who also can run and play soccer. She hardly ever complains (unless I call her and start complaining first). You can always count on her to go out with you or to find a treasure amist the sale rack at Ann Taylor. She is sweet, always fights for people's rights (an advocate), and hates drama!
My friends are so important to me and they have played such a huge role in shaping my life! I'd be lost without them!! Love you all!

Day 5- Being "empty"

So I've been thinking a lot lately about balancing- being a mom, wife, daughter, school counselor, friend, and coach. Before having a baby, I would stay up late to hang out with people or even just pop by my parent's house just to say hi. When I got pregnant I said, "This baby won't slow me down! I'm still going to go out and have fun!" Then Claire came. And with my beautiful baby girl came separation anxiety and sleep deprivation. I concentrated on trying to learn how to be a great mommy and how to not freak out about everything! I learned what is important to me and what is not. Then I started to work again and at first I felt ok, but then I noticed that my quality of work went down and I was exhausted. By the time work ended and I picked up Claire, I was ready to freak out! I had nothing left to give my baby- I was empty. I poured myself into work (being a counselor can take a lot of out you!). I was so anxious about how awful my house looked or how many voicemails my phone had. Then my co-worker Gayle (one of the wisest women I know) said to me, "Years from now, when you look back you won't say 'I wish I had a clean house.' You will say, 'I wish I spent more time with Claire.'" So if you come over, my house will probably be dirty and I may not return your phone calls immediately. It in no way means that I don't love you or that I like to live in filth. It just means that I'm trying to get more giggles out of Claire, trying to get her to nap, or even teaching her how to crawl. People with babies "don't fall off the face of the earth," we're trying to take care of a human being. Please be patient and remember that one day, you too will have a precious little baby. You will also feel like you have no clue what you are doing and you will wonder why you smell bad. But it is so worth it. She is worth every moment and she fills me right back up!

Day 4- Tile

Well Jeff and I are at it again! We are going to tile our basement bathroom and I'm on a mission to figure out what I want to do. First I want subway tile and then I want to add a splash of color, like this:

I LOVE THIS! I really just love Sarah Richardson, but I also really love subway tile. So now we are going to start looking for prices, ideas, etc! We would love any advice on tile!

Day 3- LOL

Claire didn't really laugh until she was about 4 months old. Today, we had laugh out loud time! We danced- she laughed, we played with pookie bear- she laughed histerically, and we tickled her sides- thought she was going to pass out she was laughing so hard! Then I took one moment to just look at her (I mean REALLY look at her) and I thought, "I have the most beautiful and wonderful baby and I'm so thankful that God gave her to me!"

Speaking of laughing out loud, I'm finding lately that the only way I can get through some really tough times is to just luagh! The women are work are so wonderful and we are constantly laughing, my fantastic friends make me laugh, and my husband and baby make me laugh so hard I can barely breathe!

What makes you laugh?

Day 2

My friend Meredith and I went to get a pedicure today and she asked me a question. "Does the exhaustion go away or do we just become immune to it?" Great question Meredith! I'm 7 months into this mommy thing and people say it will get easier, but I'm starting to believe that they are just saying things to make me feel better! I'm still so exhausted! And even if I happen to get 7+ hours of sleep, I feel great for the first 4 hours, then I have huge bags under my eyes. Sometimes I get so sleepy that I forget to talk or even worse- forget to do something (like driving!). But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how tired I am, it just matters that I get to be with Claire. I'd take all the tired in the world just for a sweet smile and QT with her!
Being a mother has taught me that life isn't fair, my house will never be clean, and I might always look crazy, but I have to put my big girl panties on and deal with things so that my daughter and husband are happy and taken care of. That was such a run on sentance! I've got to do what needs to be done and the motto on my desk is, "After all is said and done, more is said than done!" It's so true!

30 Day Challenge

Here's my challenge folks... I'm going to blog every day for 30 days straight. I guess today would be day one so here goes.

Ten things I've learned through working at a school:
1. Once you meet a parent, you can automatically see why their kid turned out the way they did (good or bad). Very rarely do parent/kid pairs suprise me.
2. Yelling at me doesn't get you what you want. In fact, you should never yell at the person doing your college recs!
3. No, I'm not going to change your schedule because you "can't sweat in the morning." Get over it, I have nothing else to put you in other than a freshman computer class and you've already complained about that!
4. Just because our office is called "Guidance" doesn't mean that we know everything. Sometimes people contact us for locker combinations or ask us when the Varsity baseball game is. We're smart, we just don't know all of the answers.
5. Yes, counselors need counseling sometimes too.
6. You can always tell the teacher who had a horrible time in high school. They're always out to get the "popular" kids and they want to save the others.
7. No, you probably won't get into UGA. Yes, it's because you have a 2.9 and no AP classes. Don't waste your money, apply somewhere else.
8. Always make the secretaries, lunch ladies, and custodians your friend. You never know when you will need their help!
9. If you don't like kids, then don't teach. Summers off are nice, but let's try not to screw up every kid in your class please!
10. No matter how crazy, frustrating, or hectic life at a school can be, it's the times when you know you actually helped a kid that keeps you going. It makes all the crazy things disappear for that one moment.

This week has been 11th grade advisement at our school and I've seen kids and parents every thirty minutes apart. The parents are so eager for their kids to figure out what they want to do in college. It's amazing how many kids and parents aren't on the same page about college, classes, and life. Sometimes what we want for others isn't always right. May favorite thing is when parents say. "Well when I was in high school, they didn't do it this way." Funny you should say that because what we do this year is completely different from what we did last year. Nothing stays the same- can be good or bad. I'm learning through others how I want to parent my kids.

So here's the moral of my story- Be a parent. Put some boundaries in place. Say no. Check up on your kids. Don't be a cool friend, be a lame mom. And most of all, say "I love you."

Has Spring Sprung?

I wake up and I can hear the birds chirping. I look outside and the sun is rising earlier. Then I walk outside and I turn into an ice cube and I'm ready to run back to my warm bed.
Are you there spring? It's me, Viola.
In case the earth forgot, we live in the South and it's supposed to be warm here. So I'm going to need that to happen ASAP please!

7 Months

I can't believe it's been 7 months! She is now 17 lbs. 3 oz. and rolling every where! She can pretty much sit up on her own, she can roll, shimmy, and scoot to where she wants to be. A shiny top tooth is coming in and we can hear her grind her teeth (gross!). She is eating the graduate puffs and we are now on 2 foods. I feel like as soon as I get the hang of one thing, we have to learn something new! I absolutely love her and she has the sweetest, most curious personality! She is also a great jumper and I can't wait to put her in a tumbling class!

In other news, our house is about to appraised and we are going to try and put it on the market. I really want to move to Legacy Park, just for a few years, and then back out here in Pope, Walton, or Lassiter district. This whole moving thing isn't as fun as I thought it was going to be. I'm so nervous about my house because I'm afriad someone won't like it! It's almost like when you make fun of your friend it's okay, but the second someone else makes fun of your friend, it's on! So keep your fingers crossed that someone will love our home enough to give us lots of monies for it! :o)

Valentines

Hello Blog Friends!

I swore I wouldn't neglect you all, but I did it again! So now I'm going to recap EVERYTHING that has happened since I last wrote.

1. Basketball season- So I just kept thinking to myself that after last week, basketball would be over. We were snowed out on Friday night, so the region games were pushed back to this week. Wednesday night was the girls game and tonight is the boys region game. Should they lose, then basketball is really over. Just when I think it's all said and done, tryouts are coming around the corner. Tryouts are March 15-17 and then it's a whole lot of cheering after that! I think I just have to come to terms with the fact that I just won't get a break!

2. Claire Bear- She is Little Miss Personality now! I love that she doesn't say much, but when she decides to squeal, it is so stinking cute! She rolls over back to front and front to back like a champ! We really have to keep our eye on her so that she won't roll away! She great about wiggling and rolling to where ever she wants to go! Great for her, not so great for the parents (us) who haven't child proofed their house yet! She can sit in a booster seat at restaurants and she is so smiley! Love her!

3. New Address?- So, Jeff and I have been thinking about moving. I really want to move to Legacy Park because there are so many little kids and fun things for everyone to do! The cons to moving are that Jeff would have a longer commute and we are also currently in a great school district. We're still talking about it and preparing our house for the crummy market, but I'm hoping that we will figure something out soon! I've never looked for a house, but it's stressful and fun at the same time.

4. Valentines- So we didn't do much for valentine's day (I'm okay with that because I'm not much for valentines), but we did go to my friend Emily's wedding. This was the first night we ever spent away from Claire. I'd like to say I was worried, but my mom is great with Claire and I knew that she was in great hands. We slipped and slid our way to a beautiful church, Christ the King Cathedral in Buckhead. Afterwards, we went to the Marriott in Duluth for a beautiful reception! The drinks were great, the friends were wonderful, and I loved the food! But, being an old person, I did turn in at around 10:00 that night. The next day, we raced to my mom's house to find a happy little girl!

5. Valentines night- We went with Mimi and Grandpa (Marci and Rich) to see the Circus. I was so nervous that Claire would have a meltdown because the show didn't start until 7 and her bed time was at 7:30. I tried to get her to go to sleep, but she watched the show and was so excited to see all the lights and the animals! She was jumping up and down!! She did pass out half way through and then went back to sleep in the car. She went straight to bed when we got home and didn't wake up until 7 the next morning! What a fun experience!!!

6. Lent- My favorite time of year, but also a trying time. This year, I've decided to stick to my diet for 40 days. This is difficult as I've never made it past 4 days, but I figure he died for me, the least I can do is give up some sweets and bad foods. So if you see me around and I'm super grumpy, then you'll know why.

I've got the itch to decorate!

I'm itching to decorate! I once heard that you should start redecorating rooms that you live in the most. I've already done that to one room, but the room I really want to tackle is my "formal living room." I hate formal living rooms. The idea that there is a room with really expensive furniture (don't forget the cheesy plastic covering) that no one is ever allowed to sit on- is such a bad idea! So instead, I got a beautiful craft table for Christmas and my formal living room is going to be magically transformed into a craft room/ reading room. Here's what I'm thinking:

Keep it light and airy! I want the walls to be a pale grey/blue with white window treatments and bright reading chairs. I have my swatches of fabric already picked out and I've scouted some contemporary chairs. All I need is the moo-lah to put in hardwood floors (dreaming) and buy expensive furniture (another dream). So since most of my money goes towards taxes and now we might have another pay cut, I've got to design this room on not a dime, but a penny! How do you ask? Well, I could bargain with furniture stores, look for great used pieces, sew slip covers (never tried this before), or I could just imagine chairs. Needless to say, I'm going to be doing something to it soon! Here are my inspiration pictures from my FAVORITE designer, Sarah Richardson!

I will be taking some silver IKEA frames and doing this above my two reading chairs. What a cute idea!

Love the blue and cream colors from this living room.

Love this "light and airy" look. I love how crisp and contemporary the furnishings are, but they seem to have a hint of traditional inspiration.

I heart decorating!!!!

Just some more cute pictures :o)

Bath time!

Yummy toes!

Ready to go to my favorite place- Costco!

Watching mommy cook

Juming in my jumper!

Passed out! What a long day!