Vintage Pearl Giveaway

In the midst of the craziness that is my day (last minute shopping, school parties, cleaning house) a giveaway by the Vintage Pearl (http://www.thevintagepearl.com/blog/2011/12/last-minute-giveaway/) caught my eye via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/thevintagepearl).
I absolutely LOVE their customized jewelry. I own one piece but aspire to own several :)
My current favorite would have to be the eclectic charm bracelet. Check it out here! http://www.thevintagepearl.com/products/eclecticcharmbracelet_p206 --check out all their great stuff for that matter. While you're at it enter their great last minute giveaway!
Merry few- days- before- Christmas!! :)

pregnant in heels

Here I am days before my due date :) Did I think I would have had this child by now. Not really.
Here are a few answers to some questions I've heard...
Are you ready to have that baby?
Well, I'm about as ready to have this baby as I'll ever be I guess. Do I REALLY have a choice at this point? :) But I'm actually really enjoying being pregnant. I'm even WANTING pictures taken because I know this is "it" for me. Of course I can't wait to meet my little boy but whenever he's ready is fine.
Do you have a name?
Well, we have a few names picked out but haven't fully decided on THE name yet. The middle name will be Michael after his daddyo. I am anxious to name him but Mike wants to wait until he sees him. I don't know how that works but he thinks he'll just "know". I hope we both "know" the same thing and can agree on his name. We'll make it work I'm sure :)
How can you wear those heels when you're pregnant?
Well, have you seen "Pregnant In Heels"? I'm really not the only one!
I don't normally wear flats. The only flats I have that don't hurt my feet are my TOMS but they do not fit me right now. THAT'S RIGHT! My feet have widened and my "Tommys" don't even fit me right now.
I actually had to go out and buy 1 pair of shoes that I can wear with skirts and jeans, etc. to get me through the end of my pregnancy because my feet are SO wide. I got a cute pair of wedges. My saying was "Pregnancy can take my clothes but not my shoes" well this time it did take my shoes--all of them! Sigh...
I was told my legacy would be the shoes (HEELS) that I wore during pregnancy. I felt a little shallow when I was told this. "That's my legacy?!" But I guess it's pretty cool. Hopefully it's not the ONLY thing I'm remembered for!
Well these are just a few close to my due date "thoughts". In all "seriousness' I'm thankful that God has brought me through this pregnancy so safely and healthy. I'm thankful He has even blessed us with this third child. I just pray that I can be the mother I was created to be to my precious boy as well as my sweet girls that are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their little brother!

loser cruiser or swagger wagon?

So, we are pregnant with our 3rd child. We are very excited about our little boy! A 3rd child does mean some changes. The girls will be sharing a room again and the NECESSITYof the dreaded....yes, you guessed it--MINIVAN (cringing as she says it). I'm reminded of the saying, "NEVER SAY NEVER"--always comes back to haunt me. I thought we could fit all 3 children in the back of our "normal" car but those boosters the girls are in make that impossible--I've tried. (I could fit 3 car seats! I've done that before!)
Just as I'm coming to "terms" with this new "vehicle" there is a segment on the TODAY show (here's the clip: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/41231866#41231866) about the Minivans. As you can see from the clip some people's perception about minivan moms are that they are: "soccer moms, not cool, frumpy"...need I say more? I also heard the saying that minivans are the "sweatpants" of the car world. You know comfortable but not stylish....
I am not convinced by any "cool" minivan commercials. I would NOT choose a MV over lets say---a cool gas guzzling SUV (yes I said it) but I will be driving a MINVAN soon (very soon) so here's to trying to make my minivan a little cooler than sweatpants--pajama jeans anyone??

I'm Ba-a-ck

So I just accidentally posted an unfinished blog--then I deleted the whole thing....fun times. Trying to get back on the wagon here and defeat that four letter word B-U-S-Y that keeps me from sitting down and transporting my thoughts from mind to "matter". There is also the other four letter word S-I-C-K and that five letter word T-I-R-E-D. It doesn't help that I'm pregnant and mommy to 2 very active girls. But here I am...groceries on the counter and laundry awaiting--not to mention the "Clean House" level of clutter that calls to me. (I turn a deaf ear for now).
I just got done reading a GREAT book, "Orange is the New Black" by Piper Kerman (http://piperkerman.com/). It's about a gal that went to jail in her 30's for a crime she comitted in her 20's. It took me a while to read as my "reading time" consists of "bathroom time" :) however thanks to a Thanksgiving road trip to AL I was able to finish it sooner than later in the car. It is not an "easy" read but I love the way it really made the humanitarian in me want to work with a group that helps women who have been imprisoned--especially moms. EVERYONE HAS A STORY!
I'm on to a new book called "This Day: Diaries from American Women" (http://www.thisdayinthelife.com/). It is a compilation of diary entries of women across the US from all different walks of life--age, socioeconomic backgrounds, race, etc. They all had to write for one whole day on the same day, of the same year. This is challenging me to keep a daily "diary" (blog?) and maybe even challenge a group of friends to all write on the same day and come together and share. I think it would be wonderful to see that regardless of how different we are we still have so much in common.
OK, well I can no longer ignore that which needs to be put away and put in the washing machine. I SHALL return--tomorrow I hope!

vintage (part 1)

I have some old blogs on myspace I thought I would post on here.

I'm a cow...and other random thoughts. (november 6, 2006)
Last Monday I took the girls to the Pumpkin Patch. The night before I realized I had not taken them so I did some on line searching to find one and the only one open on Monday was in Conway, MO. So I planned out the day--eat lunch, girls nap in the car on the way to the Patch--it'll be fun. Saturday and Sunday were beautiful warm days...Monday not cold but pretty windy. We eat, load up and off we go. The directions just said to get off at a certain exit and I guess I thought I'd see a sign. We arrive in Conway --po dunk--MO and no sign. I stop at the gas station--you know complete with diner and you leave smelling like a french fry--to get directions. At this point I have drank a whole bottle of water while driving and am about to pee my pants. I unload the girls as fast as possible, take care of business then try to get directions. After asking a few people I finally get someone who knows. Just a little side note here--Conway is not too big and from what I gather this pumpkin patch might be one of the biggest things it has going for it so why no one knew where it was is beyond me....anyway! We finally are on our way. We get there and it's not looking so open. I'm about to get a little ticked off when a man comes out--it could've been a child of the corn out there in the middle of nowhere--but thank God it was the owner. He said they were closed (the internet said it was open until 9.00 PM) but he would let us pick out a pumkin, do a maze, hayride, etc. It turned out to be a very nice time ( you can look at the pics under my pics). After doing a maze in the garage and Carson and Chloe played with some kitties (Carson begged to bring one home--I wish we could've) the man asked Carson if she wanted to see a calf--born the day before. We said yes and went to look at it. This man is talking to me about heiffers and cows and the difference in the sizes of their calves--like I know what he's talking about. OK, for all you smart people I thought a heiffer was a type of bull. I didn't tell him that though I just asked him what a heiffer is. A heiffer is a cow that has never had a calf. A cow has had a calf. SO, therefore I am a cow and not a heiffer. I left there feeling like the saying "you learn something new everyday" finally applied to me. Hee Haw!

where's the lipstick? (march 19, 2007)

My little Carson had to miss a ballet class a few weeks ago as her instructor (Mr. Kenny) had a stomach flu AND food poisoning. We had not been able to make it up until tonight. As we were getting ready I told her "We are going to your make-up class for ballet because you couldn't go when Mr. Kenny was sick" and off we went. She said something about make up in the car and I told her it was a make up for a class she missed--assuming she totally understood. As I'm observing her, half way through the class she walks over to the door with a puzzled look, opens it and says to me "Where's the make-up?" Much to her dismay there was no one there to put make up on her and pamper her during her ballet class. I tried to explain again and encouraged her to finish her class out and we would talk later. After class I kept trying to explain it to her in different ways. I'm not sure she quite gets it still--I think she's still wondering why she didn't get her makeover today!

bow wow old friend bow wow

This past weekend I made a sad discovery--my family is not ready for a dog--especially an adorable oh so sweet puggle. We had our Bella Brees for about 72 hours--72 eye opening hours. It wasn't the "potty training" (been there done that), it wasn't that she was a puppy (obedience school was already lined up as well as a trip to the vet and groomers). I sat her down and told her "It's not you, it's me." I simply did not want to commit to a lifetime of taking care of a pet--that sounds so harsh but, I'm just being honest. I already have two human "cubs" plus a husband and some days they are not completely taken care (a pile of laundry waiting to be folded stares me down as I type this). SO, with a huge lump in my throat and tears welling up in my eyes I drove Bella to Mike. I told him he had to take her back--I couldn't handle it. Carson and I held each other and cried as our Bella walked to the car. Those big sad eyes made it so hard not to change our minds. There is still a little void in our home and my heart yet I know it is all for the best--hers and ours.

testing 1-2-3

I have been wanting to blog for a few years now...yes, that's right years. I tell people all the time that I "write" 2 or 3 everyday that just never make it from my mind to my fingers to type. I have tried to blame my husband for not buying me a laptop--yet--but that's really not a great excuse. Good maybe, but not great. So, here it is--no excuses. I am officially naming myself a "blogger". I guess by doing so I am making myself accountable to mankind--or just to myself. Either way...let's see how committed I can be.
That's it for tonight. You'll have to wait for the other 2 blogs in my brain.