LEAVING

On a jet plane....

I am leaving for MD in the AM!  I am going to see my girl friend and start dress shopping for her wedding that I am MATRON of Honor for in October!!

I will post pictures from my "mini" weekend away soon!

This is a big weekend for me because I left my daughter with my mom FOR THE WHOLE WEEKEND!  EEK!  I will miss her, I will miss being with her 24/7.  But I have missed my friend.  She came up for my baby shower and it was the last time I saw her.  We talk daily...and I miss actually speaking face to face!!!

Wish me luck flying...I shall be reading my Kindle the whole time!!! (the whole 1 hour 30 minutes of me time)

:)

ABC's Kinda

Privacy

Obviously I use this blog to post my thoughts, feelings and bitch a bit (or a lot). But this is why I started this blog! And hopefully others read because they like me, they can relate or even gain knowledge or support.

In real life I'm comfortable sharing my experiences with people I know. And obviously I hope if anyone reads my blog and emails me for questions or support I will always email back!!!!

But what do you do when someone asks you to share your experiences with someone you don't know? Private feelings.

I shared, I felt uncomfortable...but untimely I hope I helped this person. My friend Angela told me that I may seem like a strong person for what I have been through and that is why I was asked to talk about my feelings.

Where can one draw the line? And do I make it public that I don't like talking about certain things with strangers?!?!?

Things I wish I had done differently

Obviously everyone has things that they wish they had done differently.  And lately a lot of people are saying: "don't dwell on the past"...but how the hell do you do that?!?!

I honestly dwell.  I daydream.  I wish that things were different...you wouldn't be human if you didn't!

There are the common things I wish I had done differently:

1. Remembered my grocery list.
2. Didn't eat that dinner/lunch...and had something healthy instead.
3. Didn't agree to do dinner/ hang out...because I just want to stay in my p.j.'s 

But then there are the things that are big...

1. I wish I had gone to a state college.  I would have paid much less money.
2. I wish that I had experienced more as a teenager...I was not a party girl....and I know I never would have been.  But I should have gone out and experienced much more.
3. I wish I had been closer to my mother when I was younger.  Now we are super close, but I feel like I lost a lot of time with her.
4. I wish that I had stuck to one degree.  I would have already been in my profession and not jumping around.  I would have been settled.
5. I wish we never bought our condo.  We loved it. It was super amazing.  But now we can't sell it and having renters in it are great...but also tedious because I have to check in, and I have to be on the Condo Association Board.

Here is my list...and again I know that these things are normal to think and do...and I don't OBSESS over them...so I think I am ok!

Do you have any?

Down on your luck

I have a lot of friends that are "down on their luck" lately.  Dave and I have been struggling to get by when it seems like we take three steps forward and five giant steps back (Dave worked overtime....andddd then the dog needed surgery...really, REALLY?!?!?!). 

So I wanted to write a post to say: If you are down on your luck, you feel like you are BUSTING your asses and don't have much to show for it...or your doubting yourself...just remember...you can only go up once you have hit rock bottom.

I've been there my friends.  It feels like the universe and I don't always mesh.  I have horrible luck when it comes to important things, and other times I have amazingly good luck...of course when it doesn't matter...(for instance, walking into the store and being the 100th customer that day...and getting a gift bag...nice, but not going to pay for dinner).


We have this saying in our house: "Wish for the best, but prepare for the worst".  This motto really cuts deep.  It is true, one should always wish and pray for the best of things to happen, but be ready and prepared for the bad to happen as well.

So, I am sorry if you are there.  Or if you feel like it can't get any worse.  I hope that things get better for you.  I hope that today is a good day...and that you can always see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Ecstatically Blogging

I have had a bunch of new emails from people telling me that they have found my blog lately!  And some new and exciting PR opportunities!

SO I wanted to post and say "hi"!

• I am Stephanie.  I am 26 years old.
• I am a wife to Dave (or DH) and we have been married for 5 years.  We have been together as a couple for almost 8.
• I am a mom to Arabella (A, Bella, Bells).  She is 1 1/2 years old!  Her Birth Story is here!
• We struggled to get pregnant.  It took us three years to conceive.  Most people who struggle to get pregnant will say that is not a long time, but during that time we had two losses.  You can read more about that in the "About Me" section!
• I was a Law School goer turned into a Masters of Education student.  I miss Law School, but I would miss so much, and being a Elementary School Teacher I will get a chance to use my Undergraduate Degree as well as have some pretty awesome hours!
• I suffer from Postpartum Depression.  I had anxiety before due to the losses, but after A was born I started talking to others and my doctor and realized that I had #PPD.  I tweet about it a lot, and even join the chats.
• I cloth diaper A whenever we can.  At home.  And we use disposables when we are not home.  She has super duper sensitive skin like me...so we have to be careful and not change things up so much.  
• I was and still am a huge advocate of breastfeeding.  A self weened at 16 months.  I was more upset about it than she was.  She was using a sippy and eating everything under the sun, and decided not to nurse anymore.  I miss it.  I really do.  Every now and then she will pull down my shirt and say "eat", but sadly nothing happens :(
• I co-slept with A until she was 14 months old.  When we moved into our new house in November we stopped.  She is now in her own room.  In her own crib.
• We do not believe in cry it out (CIO).  We rocked A to sleep every single night.  Now we rock, sing and place her in her bed and she goes right to sleep.  I believe everyone can do what they want when they want and how they want it.  This is just what worked for us.
• We want to have more children but not anytime soon.  Dave has the baby bug, real bad...but we are not ready.  Financially or emotionally.
• I am a crazy couponer!

That's it really...I am on twitter a lot...so if you want to chat on there email me or comment with your username!! :)

Store Brand list (10 items)

There are some things I buy that are store brand that are just as good as other manufacturers.

Here's my list:
1. Tampons (cvs brand is comparable to tampax pearl).
2. Garbage bags (the great value is the same as glade).
3. Paper towels (great value again! Just as thick and I buy the kind that has three rips in them for sizing)
4. Toilet paper (market basket or great value 2 ply is the same as charmin strong).
5. No stick spray (market basket or great value).
6. Dough (the great value is a bit sweeter).
7. Baggies (market basket zip works amazingly).
8. Pasta (any store brand).
9. The scoop chips! (great value has the exact scoops).
10. Vegetables (the can or steam bags market basket kind). The steam bags rock my socks! We have steamed veggies very single night! MB has them for $1 a bag and some even have rice!!!!!

Some things that I don't buy store brand:
Ketchup, Peanut Butter, Tomato Sauce (I make my own or buy Hunts), cereals (some are better with brand names). Diapers and wipes (A had a terrible rash when we tried to switch).

I am a frugal shopper, and always use coupons. So if I can get my items for free or less than store brand price is the only time I will have them!!!

What are your buys?!?!

Before and Afters

As most of my readers know Dave and I bought a house in October!

It was a process, it was exhausting, and now it's still a process and exhausting.

I thought I'd share some Before and Afters!!!!!!!

Don't worry...there are many more to come!!!

Who was A?!?!

Ok I watch Pretty Little Liars and because I had to grout my kitchen counters I haven't been able to watch the season finale. But I will be staying up past 1am to know.

****UPDATE****
I saw. I loved. And I knew all along that ((spoiler)) A was a group of people. I knew it!!!!!!!

What are your embarrassing television watches? I love me some Lying Game and Pretty Little Liars!!!!

Taking a stand

I have a large mouth, big opinions and a huge heart.

My mouth and opinions get me into trouble. But mostly my heart is hurt and I'm becoming numb.

I am too nice. I say nice things. I want people to be happy so I refrain from telling them how I really feel. And basically I am stretching myself too thin.

Lately I just feel forgotten. And it's my personal life, my friendships, my classroom community, etc I'm just not respected or remembered.

School this weekend was tough. A group of woman who are "nice" were disrespectful. I'm sorry to say it ruined my weekend. I felt badly about my day. And instead of cheering for my good grade I just received I was worried about these people.

I have a friend who only calls to talk about her life and doesn't even ask me how I am. It hurts my feelings. We talked daily. Once I realized this I stopped calling.

These are petty excuses. But once they happen monthly, weekly and/or daily one grows exhausted from it. I'm numb. I am starting to just not care. To not respond. If I'm not a priority in someones life they won't be one in mine. This is MY stand!

How did we get here...

After speaking to at least 10 women in serious relationships I see a split down the middle of people who are still mushy gushy and those like me who can't remember my last make-out session. We kiss, but not the whole if I don't kiss you all night I'll die fest!

Is it time? Or lack of time? Length of years together? Familiarity? Laziness?

We still hold hands while driving and and are intimate but why aren't we still smitten!?

Picture Dump

Here are some pictures I've been taking of A lately!!!!!

Stinky Feet...

Ok so seriously nobody talks about feet. And how they stink! If you say "my feet don't stink" you're lying!

Especially when you wear UGGS without socks. And then if you wear the UGGS and then switch to something else...that new something smells too.

I have two pairs of flip flops. I wear one until they become nasty and then switch!

I have tried foot spray, socks with my UGGS, changing my diet! My feet are just stinky! And like I said, I'm not the only one!

I also love that my friends randomly text me and tell me how bad their feet smell that day! It's funny that they think of me! And I'm not upset by it! I embrace it! Lol.

Yes, I did post about feet...and I will probably convince myself I need a pedicure now...what are the new spring "in" toe colors?!??

So embrace your stinky feet! Just wash them in the sink if you have to!!!!!

Dear Tara,

{Tara is my boss!! :)  I told her about my blog!  So I know she will probabbbbblllllyyy stumble on over...if she does...I just wanted to say...}

I am crazy, you know this...but you still love me! :) XOXO

BAD REVIEW...(of a local company)

This is the post that I just posted on Facebook.  BUT I am still angry about it...so what better way to share my anger other than my blog!!!!!!!!!

I am so aggravated!  I just need a place to mind dump!  When my husband and I went into a LOCAL granite store where the man working told us that even if we did not order tile from them they would be able to half bullnose our granite tiles for a $50+ fee.  We agreed.  When my husband called the same man TODAY, he said that Marcos the owner said that he did not want to do the job now because it was "too small" of a job. 

So when I called and spoke to the same man I told him that I was very unhappy that he would do this to us.  We have someone coming SATURDAY to put the tiles in!  He pretended to not know what I was talking about, and when I reminded him that he took a very personal phone call when we were there about how he was firing an employee named Mike, he all of a sudden remembered me!  And then he said that I was still wrong about what happened.  I then said I was going to write a review on his company, then and only then did he say "well, Marcos was going to do it, but never mind" and then hung up on me  (his actual words were "This conversation is OVER"). 

It was very disrespectful and I do not think that someone like this should be working in customer service.  I was able to quickly find someone to do the job for me, and the company now doing the job told me that they too have never heard a good thing about SAID STORE.  They are horrible to their employees and to their customers.  I will be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau as well.

Thanks for reading!!! :)  I feel a lot better now!

Couponing extreme (again)

So, it has been a while since I have posted about couponing.  I used to be extreme.  And I have cut back.  I still only buy things that are "on sale", and still try to buy store brand and use the stores discounts (most grocery stores around here have a tag that you can earn points, dollars or even gas money!)

BUT with the diaper rash, and the changing of diapers and wipes (I should never have done it, and wont be switching from pampers.  We tried it...but the pedi said today that it was the change and yeast that caused this mess)...we decided to buy diapers.

So at 8:30 Monday night (after singing for a half hour to A to get her to sleep), I went to CVS!  My favorite couponing website actually gave me the heads up for this!  She can be found at Maven Of Savin! 

I bought 3 packs of Pampers 36 diapers.  Two for $19, and one for $9.50.  Then I bought Pampers Sensitive wipes, 64 pack for $3.00.  I had $8.00 worth of diaper coupons and $1 coupon off of the wipes.

Because there is a deal right now for the pampers (buy $30.00 get $10.00 in CVS Extra Care BUCKS) I was able to buy all of these items for 31.50...take off the coupons...brings my total to $22.50...subtract my $10 ECB's I paid a total of $12.50!  WOOHOO!!

I have much more diapers coupons, so I might go back and get the deal again but use my $10 ECB's... get another $10 ECB's and pay 2.50 out of pocket...HOLY MOLY...addicting! 

I know that most people would rather just spend the $31...and not have to deal with the craziness...but I love it!  It is a contact high!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Once I start I get a rush...and don't want to stop.

Other deals this week were the MONEY MAKER Crest Toothpaste at WAL-MART!  They were onsale for $.99 and I had a $1.00 coupon plus my 10% off!  And also at Wal-Mart I found some chicken breasts cut thin for $2.20 instead of the normal $5.58.  They had to be used or frozen by the 16th...so I used them tonight! :)  It's a WIN WIN in  my book!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day Light Savings...

Day Light Savings yesterday was a little hard on me...not A...but me.

I woke up at 8...and normally she does too...and she was passsssed out.  So of course I had to check on her bum and make sure that the yeast didn't spread and woke her up!

Around 11:00 we went to Wal-Mart.  A was thiiissssss close to sleeping on the 7 minute care ride.  I bought my corn-starch/cotton ball baby booty mixture for A...some paper towels...you know, the exciting stuff!

Then A decided around 11:30 to take a nap...while my "NO NOT YET" alarms were going off...So I may or may not have bribed my child with french-fries from Wendy's....yeah...how mature and responsible of me!  BUT it worked... DLS: 0; Mom: 1.  She ate fries for the 7 minute car ride home!


When we got home A had some lunch!  You think all I would feed her is french-fries?  No!  She had yogurt, etc.  And then nap time...

She was down by 12:30 and back up by 2!  So that I was a score in our book!

Bedtime...lets just say...Momma was exhausted...and didn't really get to watch her shows orrrr anything on her DVR...  There is always tonight!

All in all, this DLS is okay...A is fine, I am exhausted and DH is well...whatever he's always exhausted!

XOXO,

P.S. A now continues to say "Bless You" when someone sneezes...super cute and wicked nice except when someone we don't know at Wal-Mart sneezes andddd she continues to say it and then scream it until they say "thanks"....

Eeeekkkkkk!!!! Diaper Rash!!!

Let me preface this by saying not to google "diaper rash" because inappropriate pictures pop up! Holy moly!

A has wicked sensitive skin and well we've been battling a diaper rash that won't I away! It will go but in a few days will return again.

Any advice?! Help?!

We normally use aquaphor but that's not cutting it. We've done baking soda baths and using Lotrium!!!!

Ahhhh!!! Help!!!

5 Years Ago (Anniversary Post)

Five years ago today I married my BEST Friend.

These past five years have flown by so quick...

But not without buying our home and having our daughter!

I just wanted to say that marriage hard...

It is rewarding, it is fun, but it is a lot of work.  

Both people have to put in a huge effort to make things work.

With everything that Dave and I have been through for the past five years,

one would think that we will last forever...

with this being said, everyday we have to work at what we have.  

I love him very much!  And I am so grateful that he is my husband.

Happy Anniversary Lovey! XOXO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A reminder

Reminder to myself...

Don't waste time with people who won't give you the time of day.

Don't miss dr. appointments. They can't fit you in for months.

Don't show Harry Potter to boys who are 4 & 6 without telling them it's fake 100x's.

Don't forget to lock your front door at night. Especially when you just installed a new lock on the back door.

Shave your legs. ;p

Don't weigh yourself. It's not worth it. It's just a scale. And the numbers don't matter. The way you feel matters.

PPD is real and you have it. You need to take your meds!

Fold your laundry as it comes out of the dryer. You will THANK yourself later!

You should eat more chocolate.