I love this. Read and be inspired. Great message for new grads and those just starting out as well as those of us who have been doing it for a while and need something to keep us going!
So yes I’ve been quiet lately. Things have been jumping around here, and basically I just haven’t had time to sit down and write.
But I do miss it. I miss the friends I’ve made online and the comments and conversation. So I do plan to start this thing back up. I just want to write because of the right reasons.
I remembered when I first started blogging. There weren’t as many of us out there as there are now. And I wrote because I wanted to share. Sometimes now I feel like I have to write or I want to write to gain more hits, more comments, etc. and that’s not why I want to be here.
I was watching Sex and the City last night and it occurred to me that maybe Carrie Bradshaw was the original blogger. Remember how she’d write during each episode? It was for her newspaper or magazine column but it was the same thing – she wrote what was on her mind – and most of the time it was about a dude. Remember how simplistic her thoughts were, but oh so very deep at times? Here are some of my faves:
“I like my money right where I can see it… hanging in my closet.”
“When it comes to life and love, why do we believe our worst reviews?”
“But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous.”
The whole blogging thing just isn’t as fun as it used to be. There are so many mean people online that love to knock others down. There are people that blog just to push their reader’s buttons. And there are those that blog to make money. Why do I want to blog? I want to blog because I have something fun and exciting and new to share. But the pressure to have something new and fun and exciting is pretty heavy at times as there are so many wonderful bloggers out there with the same goal. And quite frankly, I’m never gonna be that good.
So I’m trying to step back and see what happens. I think I may blog more, but with less words – more pictures. Get my camera back out and get inspired.
Stay tuned…and thanks for reading friends.
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Spring break planning this year went like this:
Ok, where can we go that’s kinda warm, we don’t have to fly and will be fun for kids?
I was thinking the train to NYC – Mike said “Charleston”.
I had to think on that one a little bit because we’ve been to Charleston several times, but never with child…what could a child do in Charleston?? How can we handle being there and not eating at the fancy, yummy restaurants??? I don’t think they serve chicken fingers at High Cotton…
But, I kept thinking on it, did a little online research, and came up with some pretty good ideas.
Our spring break is so early every year – the first week of March – so there needed to be an indoor pool for sure – which I found at Charleston Place, so I knew that’s where we needed to be!
Walker loved the trip – he spent a lot of time in the saltwater, infinity-edge pool and the Jacuzzi, we went on a spooky ghost and graveyard tour at night, and a carriage ride down to the battery. We ate at Poogan’s Porch (on the front porch too so we could possibly get haunted by that cute little puppy) and Mike introduced Walker to pralines. We strolled along waterfront park and played in the fountain, watched dolphins swimming in the water and walked through the market. It was very laid back, casual and Walker said it was better than Disney!!! (I totally wasn’t expecting that one!)
We talked about going to the aquarium, but never made it there because we were having so much fun doing nothing! But that’s another great spot for kids in Charleston as well!
We wrapped up the trip back with a quick one-niter in Myrtle Beach. We hit up the Pirate Dinner show, which Walker and Mike loved, and did lots more swimming. The next day we walked around Broadway at the Beach and then hit the road. Mike hates that place and couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
Walker could have stayed two weeks.
So that’s what we’ve been up to. You guys have any fun plans for spring break? Oh and thank goodness we didn’t go to NYC last week! We would have frozen our butts off!!!
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Walker wanted to get in on all of the excitement mommie had for the upcoming 2013 Oscars show, so he decided to watch the first 30 minutes or so with me before he went to bed (much to my excitement because I could actually watch the show live vs. the DVR – when does that ever happen???)
Of course, the “We Saw Your Boobs” song by Seth MacFarlane got lots of giggles – and quite frankly, that song was more appropriate for a straight-to-DVD, low-budget film…AKA, I miss Billy Crystal as host of the Oscars…
Walker Red Carpet Comments:
( Anne Hathaway’s dress) Um, she’s not wearing a bra mom.
That girl must be a Duke fan (Reese Witherspoon)
Where’s James Bond? When is he gonna get here?
During Show:
Walker: Who’s that guy in the red coat?
Me: Mace Windu
Walker: Oh, right.
(For those non-Star Wars folks out there, Samuel Jackson)
Walker: Mom, do they have Oscar commercials like they have for the Super Bowl?
Me: No, I don’t think they do that (but what a great idea)
Sidenote: Seemed like there were a couple of commercials specific to the broadcast, but who’s idea was it to have JCPenney as the sponsor of the awards? I know they are trying to change their image, but I think that’s a bit of a stretch. At the same time, was a pretty cool commercial.
Walker (after the first award): Mom, is it over now?
Me: Oh no, there are lots more awards to come.
Walker: This is boring.
And then he went to bed. Lasted about 30 minutes. Better than I thought.
His dad lasted about 15 minutes. He could not handle the awful humor from Seth.
When did class go completely out the door at the Academy Awards?
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Like a lot of people out there, I enjoy a great DIY project.
But it almost seems like with the popularity of Pinterest, DIY blogs and home stores, the DIY projects are causing us to never be satisfied. I’ll admit, I’m the same way and I’m trying to step back and take a breather. I’m literally in the middle of several DIY projects in my house and I’ve just run out of steam.
I love doing these things myself, but wonder why I can’t just be satisfied with how things are? Why can’t we ever be satisfied with what we already have and always want more and more? Am I a bad person because I want nice things, a nice home and really nice wallpaper in my guest bath? Does it make it even more impressive if I do it myself?
I think about my parents and my grandparents. They don’t have big, fancy houses, and they are satisfied with that. My grandmother doesn’t sit around wondering if she should have granite counter-tops and my mom doesn’t constantly think about how to decorate or improve her house – because they are satisfied.
The ability to share so much of our personal lives online – is it driving us to impress even our online friends? Even though we don’t have cocktail parties, do we still feel the need to invite the world into our homes to show off our latest gallery wall or mantel design? At what point does it stop being fun and start becoming a chore to keep up, out-do and outshine each other? I admit, I get caught up in it too – and yes, I enjoy nice things, and want a pretty house – but guess what, if I don’t wallpaper, paint and re-caulk my guest bathroom all in one weekend, it doesn’t make me less than others out there that can.
Off to the Big Book let’s go to get some guidance on this…and a verse to help me remember my focus:
1 Timothy 6:6-8
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Yep, that says it all – in the end, none of this matters – and that’s where we need to keep our focus. That’s where I need to keep my focus.
So what about you? Do you DIY and why (be very honest)?
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My fair city is in the running for Southern Living’s contest “The South’s Tastiest Town”. And you gotta vote, because Durham has some awesome offerings when it comes to epicurious adventures! Right now we’re in first place, but it’s been close the whole way! You can vote every day between now and February 28th! Click on the pic below to vote!
Some of my faves?
- Well, for a romantic night out, nothing beats a night at Nana’s – and if okra is in season, see if the kitchen will whip you up a big bowl of the fried stuff for an appetizer!
- For a crazy sweet treat, check out the relatively new Rise Biscuits and Donuts. It’s so hard for me to pick a favorite, but the coconut cake donut is amazing. And the apple fritter is crispy on the outside and oh so yummy on the inside.
- Parker and Otis is a wonderful shop and eatery that Walker and I like to hit on the weekends. The shrimp BLT – yum. And their egg salad and pimento cheese competes with the best of them!
- For brunch, we usually go to Guglhupf or Elmo’s. My fave dish at Guglhupf are the eggs Benedict and Walker always goes for the pancakes. Mike loves the omelets at both places!
- Mike is a regular at Fosters Market (Owned and operated by The Sarah Foster) and Bull Street Gourmet. Both are gourmet food markets with fantastic sandwiches and daily specials. (He’s definitely a food snob, BTW)
- We’re actually staying in for Valentine’s Day tomorrow night (saving dinner out for a weekend) and Mike is picking up some awesome, gigantic burritos from Cosmic Cantina – “The Best Mexican Food on the Planet”.
Seriously, this doesn’t even scratch the surface (speaking of – there’s a great bakery downtown called Scratch) of the places to go and I’ve not even mentioned the Food Trucks! No wonder I can’t lose any weight!!!
What about you guys? What’s your favorite Durham dining destination?
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Every year I try to use a Valentine for Walker that isn’t too girly, and of course the older he gets, the more aware he is of what a Valentine really is. And it’s not cool anymore.
Last year I did these bug Valentines:
The year before, these iPod Valentines:
For pre-school, a custom photo Valentine (a little mushy, but he didn’t know the difference then):
So I’m on the prowl for a new idea this year that would be “boy acceptable” and thought maybe there were some other moms to boys out there that may be looking for ideas too, so here are some fun boyish Valentines I found online (mostly on Pinterest) with links to their creators and printables too. Feel free to share any additional boy Valentine ideas you’ve come across online! I’m going to go with the ball/bounce Valentines and gonna be working on those this afternoon and I’ll let you know how they turn out!
Wheelie Valentine: http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2011/01/valentines-day-i-wheelie-like-you/
Superhero Lollipops: http://zakkalife.blogspot.com/2011/02/its-bird-its-plane-its-super-valentine.html
Nose Picker: http://www.etsy.com/listing/122043887/i-pick-you-valentine-nose-pencil
Bugs: http://www.southernaccentblog.com/2012/02/boy-valentines.html
Whoopie Cushion: http://www.supermommoments.com/2013/01/my-funny-valentine/
Bounce: http://thecraftingchicks.com/2011/02/one-more-simple-homemade-valentine-card-free-printable.html
Cupid Cocoa: http://www.freshmommyblog.com/2013/02/valentine-freebies-from-cupid-and-cute.html
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Lucy the golden is now four and Reese the cat is 15. And they still don’t get along. For the past four years, the dog has basically lived downstairs and the cat upstairs – with a gate at the top of the stairs to separate the two.
But over the past year, Reese the crazy cat has started to mellow a bit more (in his old age) and actually lets Walker touch him now.
So I got this crazy idea to try to socialize them more. But so far, it’s been a pretty rocky go of it.
Reese hates the dog. I mean hates in that he has this awful meow sound that sounds more like a dog every time Lucy gets around. Good thing he doesn’t have front claws because we probably would be carrying Lucy to the vet for stitches as a result of some of these confrontations.
Last week, I captured one such confrontation on video. My sweet Walkie was trying to bring some peace between the two animals and I thought it was so cute. I’ve officially crowned him with the title “The Peacemaker”.
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Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide and in 2008 was responsible for 7.6 million deaths. Childhood cancer is something that I hear about so frequently these days, and makes my stomach hurt to think about it happening to my own child.
The volunteer group that I am a part of, The Pink Pacers, is supporting the fight against childhood cancer by raising money to benefit UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Pediatric Oncology Program in Chapel Hill, NC. (Learn more about the Pink Pacers here). Before Christmas, I was lucky to be able to help throw a holiday party at the clinic for children and their families coming in for chemo. It was a sobering experience, one in which I hid my face to wipe tears away several times.
The Pink Pacers (led by my courageous friend Katy) work with other local groups to raise money – and I wanted to share with you the story of Headbands of Hope and how they make the lives of children with cancer more beautiful while raising money to support research:
Jessica Ekstrom is a student at North Carolina State University. Before her 20th birthday in the summer of 2011, she did an internship at the Make a Wish Foundation of Central and Western North Carolina. Everyday, she worked to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses and received hundreds of letters from wish children that said their lives had been changed. One day, Jessica was pulling her hair back in a ponytail and she thought about the hundreds of girls that lose their hair to cancer. Not only do they have to face the risk of losing their lives, they feel that they lose a part of their feminine identity.
It was then that Jessica created Headbands of Hope! For every headband purchased, one is given to a girl with cancer and $1 is donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to fund life-saving childhood cancer research. Here’s how it works:
I have a cute pink sparkly one that I wear to our Pink Pacers events – there are tons of different styles to choose from! I hope you’re inspired to purchase a headband for you or your little one to help give the gift of beauty and hope to another. Visit Headbands of Hope online to order: www.headbandsofhope.org
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Last Monday I tried two new things. Both very painful, but very beneficial. And I’ve got to forget the pain and go back and do them again.
First up, burning laser to the face. That sounds awful, yes, and it was a little painful…let’s step back…
For Christmas this year, Mike gave me a gift card to the skin spa I like locally, so I went last week and used it to buy three IPL treatments to get rid of the yucky discoloration and sun damage on my face. Growing up, I used to tan my face just like I did the rest of my body – and until recently, wore very little sunscreen on it. I liked that glow – that no makeup in the summer fresh from the beach look. But that’s not gonna happen anymore.
It was kinda painful while it was happening, but I’m already seeing great results from the first treatment. I told the lady if I could handle childbirth, I could handle any pain. That got a good laugh. I go back two more times and hopefully that will take care of most of the spots. And for the most part, I’ve already forgotten the pain, so I’m ready!
The lady at the medi-spa said,”So you’ll just have to stay out of the sun or wear lots of sunscreen on your face and a hat.”
I said, “For how long?”
She said, “No, you’ll just have to stay out of the sun or wear sunscreen period.”
Here’s a pic of how it looked that night. The treatment basically brings all of the discoloration up to the surface and the spots eventually flake off. I will be sure to post another pic later this week as it already looks so much better.
The second thing I did last week – I finally started my Runbuds program at Bull City Running. It’s a ten week running training program I signed up for thanks to my friend Jenny. I’ve wanted to be a runner for years, but kept giving up. But I think this time, it just might work.
There were 61 women there Monday night, all at different stages in our running training. But it was so inspiring to see women from all ages, all sizes and all backgrounds to come together to do something for ourselves. It was rainy, a little cool and dark. I thought for sure I wouldn’t make it.
I was placed in the beginners group. One minute running, and one minute walking. We did 25 minutes like this, in a big group (there were about 10-15 of us in the beginners group) and it felt great. You can’t give up when you’re with a group like this – everyone was cheering each other on and we were all so proud of each other for what we accomplished.
So to keep up with my training, I was supposed to keep moving this week. So I went for a run two additional times this week, and I did the elliptical two nights.
Year 2013 – also 20 year high school reunion time. That will kick my droopy butt in gear.
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