Ready and GO!

It's February 1st... Generally this time of year is cold... snowy... and we're feeling some serious cabin fever. This year is not the case. This year it's been sunny and 45 degrees or warmer this week. Today it's a blustery (no, just kidding... a little chilly though!) 40 degrees. Like I mentioned yesterday, I've been doing some projects throughout our house. Our main floor bathroom is painted as well as B's room. While I'm excited to reveal pictures, neither one is put back in order, so those will have to wait.

Instead I'll thrill you all with some pictures from the past month or so...

Enjoying the glorious January weather and train tracks leftover from his 3rd birthday party!






Target stickers rock. As do the cookies. As does Target.  

 Play place at a mall

Popcorn and a movie in a hotel (on a business trip with Daddy)

Morning Hot Chocolate

Visiting the Grant house in Galena, Illinois... Impressive 15 pound bible on the table.

 Wrestling with daddy...

Painting sneak peek... Here's B's room!

my new favorite recipe - Sour Cream Chocolate Banana Bread

Train table at the local car wash...

And also, as several of you have pointed out, yes there are 29 days in February of this year. Consider it a bonus - you can miss one day and you can still be rocking the 28 days of blogging!

So Long January...

Tomorrow is February first... is anyone thinking about doing 28 days of blogging? I'd actually forgotten all about it, but as luck would have it, I remembered this morning! Perfect timing, right? What's also perfect timing is how I'm spending this last week of January and the first week of February doing some minor... or major... changes to our house. Guess what most of my topics will be in the first few days of February? You got it- the changes in the house! I'm pumped! But I better get to work or I'll have no finished products to show tomorrow!

See you in February!

28 days of blogging finale

Well, the 28 days of blogging adventure is over. It has come to a close. I didn't succeed at blogging everyday, but I did pretty well. I learned how to mobile blog, I blogged when I didn't want to, I blogged when I had nothing to write about.

As for my March personal challenge... I think I'm putting it on hold. I want to participate in the summer edition, I believe. And for March, I'd like to just challenge myself to wear more of my clothes. It's so easy to just throw on yoga pants & a t-shirt/sweatshirt, or to just keep them on after pilates, rather than actually get dressed... I have so many tops that I love & yet, I never wear them, because I feel that they'll be wasted on a normal day. What I'm realizing is that they're actually wasted just hanging in my closet. So I'm challenging myself to expanding my daily wardrobe & then, perhaps, when summer rolls around, I won't be as terrified of the 30 for 30 challenge (seriously, I'm a little terrified).

So will I blog tomorrow? Maybe... probably. It's a habit now, even if I didn't do it everyday- I knew when I wasn't getting it done & it was simply because I couldn't get to the computer & I didn't want to just post a picture from my phone.

Also, I'm very proud of my friends who tried & completed the challenge... Alisha, KC, Abby, Janelle... Did I miss anyone? I'm so glad that you joined me & all kicked my butt. Way to go! Thanks for being amazing friends for the past, what, 4 years? And joining me on blogger & everything. You are all awesome women & I love keeping in touch through our blogs.

...

until tomorrow... (and Happy March! Does this mean Spring is just around the corner?)

A whole lotta nothing...

Just a myriad of random knowledge about our weekend:

B is still sickly. Ugh. Turns out sick two year old, especially after a week and a half, is not fun. Not one bit.

I went to Sam's Club for, something like the second time ever in my life, today. With the Hubs. And my mother in law. And it was awesome. We got, like 25 pounds of m&ms today. Who doesn't need 25 pounds of m&ms?  And also 4 bottles of wine.

Parenthood rocks. I mean, the show (not that I don't love parenthood). It rocks. And I love Minka Kelly, even if she cheated on Jason Street with Tim Riggins (any idea what show that's from?) and now helped Crosby cheat on Jasmine. I still love her.

My mom was here this weekend, which resulted in a little shopping. Yay! Look at these lovelies:

  (I love me some scarves)


The month is almost over and I haven't picked out anything for my 30 for 30. I'm almost positive I'm already failing this challenge, before it's begun.

I applied for an additional freelance writing job. It could be amazing so fingers crossed that I get it.

picture happy

just a few pictures from the other day ... one of the best things about the iPhone 4 is that you can change the view on the camera, so you can very easily take pictures of yourself (or in this case, a little on your back). This, of course, does not translate to amazing quality, but I think B's cuteness shines through! 

 Gosh, he makes me laugh.

I've already lost my challenge... Which sucks, but what can you do? Life gets in the way sometimes. I'm a little sickly, so I'm keeping it short. I hope everyone had a fantastic day with their Valentine's. I know I did.

Day 4 ... Fill in the Blank Friday

Disclaimer: I jacked this survey from my dear friend, Alisha in Cinci, because at this point in the evening and the week, I have nothing left in my brain to give, except some answers, especially on this subject.  The Hubz and I quite literally get at least 12 magazines a month... I love my periodical reading! 

Fill in the Blank Friday!

1. If I could only read one magazine publication for the rest of eternity, I would choose In Style ... It's like my monthly bible (minus the real Bible). I adore every page of it. I have a system in reading - I go through every page, without reading anything... simply looking at ads and pictures, and then I wade back in, slowly, deliberately... reading every single word on every single page. I get annoyed when they leave out the bookmark- seriously, one of the best ideas evah, and I base any subsequent shopping I do on the pages ... I always consult it before knowlingly shopping. 

2. If I were to run my own magazine it would be about like Alisha, I would say it'd have to be about something I could talk about. Certainly fashion would be one of those topics... parenting though would probably be the easiest.  Perhaps fashionista mamas? Hmm... that might be a great idea, actually!

3. I buy my magazines (at the grocery check stand or via subscription) As I said, we seriously get a ton every month.  However, today I bought one while standing in line at the HyV.

4. I prefer my magazines (in print or online) I love them in print. The glossy pages, the smell of fragrance samples ... the bookmark! In fact, I don't even acknowledge People magazine on the iPad, who cares that we can get it a day earlier there? I want the real thing, baby. 

5. The number of magazines I buy each month is Again, seriously... 12 or so. Not all are mine - Sports Illustrated? No thank you, but it's all the same moola. 

6. My favorite magazine genre is (lifestyle, gossip, home, etc...) Fashion it is. Followed closely by Lifestyle and Celebrity Gossip (although really, only People. I believe very little until I read it in People).

7. The magazines I read regularly are InStyle, Harpers Bazaar, O Magazine, Self, Parenting, People... the list goes on and on. 

What are your favorite magazines?

28 Days of Blogging - Take off!

Today's the beginning & here I am, already on blogger, before 8am. That in itself is something.

Once again, I'd like to invite anyone & everyone to join me in this. So far, there's 5-6 other bloggers challenging themselves & that's really exciting. I'm adding a Linky Tools, so we can link up & see who else is doing it too! (Of course, if you know anything about Linky Tools, you know that they are starting to charge as of February 7th, so this is sort of a trial decision maker for me - regardless the link for your first few posts will be up for now!)

Anyway, get on your blog, get inspired & embrace the challenge!


If you're on twitter, feel free to post with #28daysofblogging