that's qwest, not Q West.

i'm back online! after 9 long days of no internet, a lovely qwest man came out & fixed my cut wires & here we are- back online. great timing too, cause i've got lots to share, including a couple giveaways (one waaaay past due, thanks cut wires! and one brand spanking new one that you chicago land people are going to LOVE).

stay tuned... i promise i'm back & won't leave you hanging =)

and for you cookie lee fans, there's a catalog party going on right now, so if you want to order, now is the time! shoot me a message/email/comment & i'll get back to you!

Wordless Wednesday: these boots...

dynamite.

I came to dance, dance, dance, dance
I hit the floor
'Cause that's my, plans, plans, plans, plans
I'm wearing all my favorite
Brands, brands, brands, brands
Give me space for both my hands, hands, hands, hands
You, you
Cause it goes on and on and on
And it goes on and on and on

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying AYO
Gotta let go
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying AYO
Baby, let's go

'Cause we gon' rock this club
We gon' go all night
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite
Cause I told you once
Now I told you twice
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite

I came to move, move, move, move
Get out the way me and my crew, crew, crew, crew
I'm in the club so I'm gonna do, do, do, do
Just drop the phone, came here to do, do, do, do

Yeah, yeah

Cause it goes on and on and on
And it goes on and on and on

I throw my hands up in the air sometimes
Saying AYO
Gotta let go
I wanna celebrate and live my life
Saying AYO
Baby, let's go

'Cause we gon' rock this club
We gon' go all night
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite
Cause I told you once
Now I told you twice
We gon' light it up
Like it's dynamite

(song lyrics by Taio Cruz; pictures courtesy of the M&M wedding a couple weeks ago)

so long house.

I just nursed B to sleep for the last time in his room.  I mean, the room he knows as his... it's only been his room for a year & he's had two previous (yep, we really do move that often), but it's the room that he 'grew up' in... the house that he grew up in.  He started walking in this house.  He started talking in this house.

Tomorrow we're off to our new house... & you know, we already know it's not a permanent house.  We know it's only going to last a year or so... but hopefully, fingers crossed & everything else too, the house after that will be permanent.  Or at least multiple years permanent.  Hopefully that house will be the only house #2 (whenever he or she should arrive) knows.  Hopefully that will be the house that B will remember most from his childhood.

But I'll always remember this house & all the things we experienced here...

I'm going to miss this house.

time for a post.

i keep opening the 'new post' page & staring at the great white blank. not sure what to write. not sure what to say. not sure about a lot right now.

ever feel like you're not living your real life? instead, you're just existing? just purely existing. getting through the days. waiting for that one day when everything will magically be better? maybe you're waiting for payday (those days are always better), maybe you're waiting for your spouse/partner to get back from their business trip... or the war (I always think it's weird that we're in the middle of a war), maybe you're waiting for something that you're not sure of yet, but you're sure you'll know it when it happens.

we've been waiting. for the day when jobs would turn around, bosses would be new, houses would be new & larger, with more space for everyone (including a glorious fenced in backyard for tucker), babysitters (in the bodies of grandparents, aunts & uncles & friends) would be available & life could be, for even one second, a little bit easier... a little bit more relaxed... a little bit happier... a little bit more ours.

we went on vacation a few weeks ago to grasp a few moments of our life & to try to make it ours.  perhaps it's a normal revelation for people in their twenties who are married with kids who move constantly to feel like their life isn't their own... it's something we're struggling with.  work a job to pay the bills & do it everyday.  don't get me wrong, we know we're blessed that the huz has a job that pays well & sometimes has great perks, especially the one that allows me to stay at home with B.  the problem is, we've seen it another way.  we've experienced it another way.  & we brought on the changes ourselves.  we chose to move to this large area so often referred to as chicagoland.  we chose to ignore the people who said 'the job isn't the same there, you won't like it, it's much, much harder to get through.'  we ignored them.  & we were wrong.

we've had a few curveballs thrown at us in the last couple of weeks but last night we decided that really, it's up to us.  as my wonderful husband pointed out, we've let his job determine everything for us for the last 5 years & it hasn't really worked yet, so this time, we're making his job work around our life.  we are moving.  yes, again.  no, this certainly won't be the last time.  but hopefully we can make it work & this will be the last city we move to for quite a while.  we have a house that as of today should be waiting for us.  we have babysitters aka family nearby, for the first time since college.  there may be no new job, but we have the old one, & actually, there is a new boss coming to town... so now we have hope.  hope that we can reclaim our life & have fun again.  hope that someday we'll look back on this, while we're sitting around our kitchen table, laughing with friends, & we'll know that we made the best decision possible for our family...

we're hopeful. & that's definitely something.  this is our real life & we're keeping it.

smiling makes me happy

i'm a poor blogger right now. i mean, really.  i have almost nothing to talk about it seems.  or maybe it's just a lack of motivation.  there's actually a lot going on right now, but nothing to talk about yet.  instead, i'll revert back to an easy post & just share what's making me happy lately!

my nook. love, love, love it.  i was really unsure if i'd like it at all, but i got it for vacation & i fell in love.  i'm a total book nerd & anytime i go anywhere i take at least 2 books with me.  sometimes more like 7. the nook really cuts down on the bulk. 

my new sister (in law).  i finally have one! mike's brother got married this weekend & i get a sister now. cool, right? plus, i was her personal attendant & i had so much fun running my ass off to get everything ready in time. so much fun.

the new cookie lee catalog. the bangles. the bella ring. there's so much cute stuff, i want it all. love, love, love (just like my nook). 

the $50 coach gift card i got in the mail today.  i immediately told mike & his response? 'what will you buy?' how awesome is that? (considering i just bought a new bag on vacation a couple weeks ago...)

4 bedroom houses with fenced in back yards.

sweet leather couches found in the paper that you get an amazing deal on! go mike. 

mickey mouse clubhouse. makes b laugh. makes me laugh at him.  totally a tolerable kid's show. 

'oh toodles!!'

our fabulous couple friends.

New Cookie Lee catalog

The new Fall/Winter catalog was released tonight! Wanna check it out? Here's the link!

Here's a special piece that's not even in the catalog- very limited quantity, Bella inspired Twilight stretch ring - $24

As always, check out my Cookie Lee site for more details! 

back from the lake.

back.

we (sort of) spontaneously went on vacation at the lake last week & it was glorious.  we boated, we floated, we shopped, we ate, we drank & we got tan. b's obsessed with the boat, which is pretty adorable & pretty convenient too, since he loved it so much he willingly napped on it.

and now we're home. i've got lots coming up... big wedding weekend for my brother in law, big wedding shower/bachelorette party weekend for one of my best friends next weekend, big wedding weekend for another friend the following. august = wedding.

b's getting 5 new teeth all at once.  this will more than double the amount in his mouth.  he's a bit cranky, but i suppose i would be too, what with 5 things piercing through my gums. ugh.

i have reviews/giveaways i need to work on, as always & we have big personal changes coming up.  aaaand the new cookie lee catalog is coming out! yay!

stay tuned.