tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32336577763353186512024-03-06T05:26:50.331-05:00A Little Bit of RainAudrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.comBlogger455125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-63982676835547293062016-07-22T13:51:00.000-04:002016-07-22T13:51:10.287-04:00The Last TimeGrowing up, one of my favorite movies (if not THE favorite) was "The Chipmunk Adventure" starring Alvin and the Chipmunks. Hey, no judgement on the taste of a young toddler. We all had our moments of regret (hello, 90s fashion).<br />
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Anyway, for Emerson's birthday a few years ago I bought her a copy of this movie on the off chance she might like it too. She watched it once or twice, then got bored of it very quickly.<br />
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Fast forward 18 months, and my growing, vocabulary-expanding-by-the-day sweet princess Anna finds The Chipmunk Adventure and loses her mind. This girl <b>loves</b> the Chipmunks, and this discerning mama (who at this point <i>cannot stand</i> their terrible high-pitched voices) loves that she loves it. I love the innocence of my girls. They laugh and laugh at jokes that aren't funny, they love bubbles like I love coffee, and they're just so happy all the time.<br />
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Anyway, there's one song in particular in the Chipmunk Adventure called "My Mother." It's about needing your mother (you see, they sing it to a baby penguin who's been stolen from his family and shipped off to Egypt. Very upsetting). Anyway, my Anna-boo cannot get enough of this song. She makes me rewind it again and again and again.... and again.<br />
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And almost every night, she makes me sing "Da Mudder" song (as she calls it) to her before she goes to sleep. And not just one line, but the whole thing. While I sing it to her, she plays with my hair or my face, smiles, giggles, sings along with me, or all of the above.<br />
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There are some nights when I think "This song AGAIN?? Do you really want Mommy to sing that whole song AGAIN??"<br />
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But then I remember that this time could very well be <b>the last time.</b><br />
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You see, I know there will come a day, probably not so far in the future, when Anna won't want me to sing to her at night. She won't want me to tuck her in. She won't want to play with my hair and face, and in fact probably won't even make eye contact with me, unless it's rolling her eyes at something I said.<br />
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<b>So every night, you bet your bottom dollar I am going to sing that damn song.</b><br />
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Because I will never know what the "last time" for this special moment between me and my youngest daughter will be, and these are moments which I treasure more than anything in the world, I would rather spend 2.5 extra minutes a day singing a song that I'm sick of, hoping that some day Anna will remember this and will share these moments with her family too.<br />
<br />Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-51689703645211407192016-04-08T13:07:00.000-04:002016-04-08T13:49:04.968-04:00Moving OnIt's so weird logging into Blogger - I almost forget how to actually blog these days. But I thought it was time to dust off this old blog and provide some life updates. I want to keep this blog as a diary for my family, but when you're so busy with your family, it's sometimes to to sit down and reflect isn't it? But I am making an effort today! I actually have a few posts up my sleeve... here's hoping I find the time and energy to give this blogging thing a chance again.<br />
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Now where were we.. oh yes, Moving On.<br />
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As you might have seen if you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/Audra5909/">Instagram</a>, we sold our house! And we're moving in 7 days. Say whhhhhat?!?! Let's back up a bit.<br />
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A few months ago, Jon and I were up drinking a bottle of wine (as most of our brilliant conversations involve a bottle of wine, obviously) and we tossed out the idea "Hey, what if we sold our house?" Random, right? We LOVE our current house. We love the neighborhood, the location, and we love all the updates we've done to make the house more modern. But after renovating every single room in the house, we were left kind of twiddling our thumbs... no more projects? What to do? Take on new hobbies? Bahaha.<br />
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We had it in the back of our minds that this house was not going to be our "Forever" house, and we knew we'd want to move before Emerson started Kindergarten. So, it was either move this summer or next summer. Meanwhile, we were watching the real estate market in our area and noticed that houses were <u><b>flying</b></u> off the market, usually within a day. So we decided, heck, let's give it a try. With these exceptions: we'd only move <b>if</b> we could find a house that was an upgrade from where we were now (because like I said, we LOVE our house), and <b>if</b> the house was in a great school district and zone and <b>if</b> it was a house that needed work. After all, neither of us are very good at thumb twiddling. We wanted to get our hands dirty and put our stamp on a new home in a big way.<br />
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Well, as luck would have it, about a month ago, we got the sign we needed that this was the right time. I had been looking daily (sometimes hourly) at new listings that would pop up on the market, but nothing felt like *our* house. But then I randomly stumbled upon a 'For Sale by Owner' listing, and I recognized it immediately. I had seen the house on Realtor.com back in the fall, and I had actually made Jon drive past it with me. I've never done anything like that before, but I was so intrigued by the house because it was in a beautiful neighborhood and was WAY undervalued. It was obvious that the house needed work from both the inside and outside, but I saw so much potential in it that something compelled me to drive past it.<br />
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Anyway, while browsing Zillow that night, I saw that the FSBO house was actually the same house I drove past last fall. I just assumed it sold and that's why it wasn't on the market, but it hadn't. I reached out to our neighbors, who are realtors, to ask if they could set up a showing for us. This was on a Tuesday. We went to see it on Thursday. We both walked in and <b>knew</b> it was the one for us. We listed our house the next day, and received a full price offer half a day later. Such a whirlwind, but just like with love, when you know, you KNOW. And though we have a TON of work ahead of us, we are giddy with excitement at the potential of this new house. I could see this being our "Forever" home, and I can't wait to get the keys and get started on it.<br />
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So there we have it. The story of how a bottle of wine turned into two very large transactions and a ton of boxes. And my first blog post in months. Phew. That wasn't so bad.... maybe I should try this more often??? <br />
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And also, here's a sneak peek of our new digs (landscaping happens on day 1):<br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-83787843350028207212015-12-31T15:56:00.003-05:002015-12-31T15:56:37.826-05:002015: A Year in Review<br />
It seems a little bit silly to be posting a year in review on this blog, considering I've made a grand total of 13 posts on it all year. But, these posts are refreshing and timeless to look back on, so I'm gonna take a stab at it nonetheless.<br />
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Odd-numbered years are always seem to be such a conundrum for me. On the one hand, the BEST things in my life have happened in odd-numbered years (Wedding 2009, Emerson's birth 2011, Anna's birth 2013), but these years also seem to be dotted with one or two huge challenges that we've had to overcome. (2009 = Jon's architecture firm going under and him being forced to change careers; 2011 = me changing jobs while 6 months pregnant and having a pregnancy wracked with anxiety after losing our first baby, 2013 = Anna being in the hospital).<br />
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2015 was no exception. Though I was reminded day in and day out that I am <b>incredibly</b> lucky and <b>incredibly </b>blessed, the good times in 2015 will be flanked by the loss of one of the two most important men in my life.<br />
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However, being the eternal optimist that I am, I am taking a look back at 2015 and recounting all of the food, friends, fun, and family that made this year so special.<br />
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<b>January </b><br />
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In January, I <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2015/01/we-finished-finishing-our-basement.html">revealed</a>
our Basement Renovation. I love the value that it has added, as well as the
size, space and function to our house, and it continues to be one of my
favorite spaces in our home.<b> </b><br />
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Even cooler? Our basement was chosen as one of 3 spaces featured in the
Columbus Monthly Home & Garden Magazine's summer issue. I felt a
little like Charlotte York as they were taking the pictures, and the
whole experience was pretty cool! As always, major kudos to Jon for
taking on such an insane project and turning it in to something
spectacular.</div>
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<b>February</b><br />
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February was the month I <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2015/03/review-home-chef-meal-delivery-service.html">discovered Home Chef</a>, and my life has never been the same. 10 months later and we still get a box almost every single week. I know it's not a practical choice for everyone, but for this busy working mom whose daughters eat like birds, Home Chef was a gift directly from Heaven. Or Chicago. Where they're located. Whatever.<br />
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<b>March</b><br />
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In March, I started my new job. Though I was incredibly sad to leave my coworkers and a job I loved, I am very happy with the direction my career is headed in, and I also love all of the new people and friends I've been able to make. Not to mention the discounts on clothing and candles - hard to compete with that! ;-)<br />
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<b>April</b><br />
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In the midst of learning a new job, most of my April was spent outdoors with these two cuties:<br />
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After being cooped up all winter, it was nice to get to play outside again, and (though this is hard to believe) it was Anna's first spring as a walker, so it was fun to watch her explore the playground and increase her confidence.<br />
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April was also super fun because I got to visit Geneva-on-the-Lake for the first time for my friends Stephanie's bachelorette party. What a gem of a place that is just tucked away on the shore of Lake Erie. We stayed at the <a href="http://www.thelodgeatgeneva.com/">Lodge</a> and it was just gorgeous. I honestly didn't know water could look that blue in Ohio. Color me impressed!<br />
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I had an absolute blast wine tasting and enjoying the perfect weather with some of my best friends. My favorite stop was definitely the South River Winery. I could've sat in that Adirondack chair all day, drinking in the sun. And the Merlot.<br />
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<b>May</b><br />
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May is always a jam-packed, fun, and wickedly awesome month, and May 2015 certainly did not disappoint.<br />
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Because May 9th is also Anna's birthday and our wedding anniversary, Jon surprised me a week early with a very thoughtful Mother's Day present. The girls love being on their bike<span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"> <span style="color: black;">(though honestly just sitting it in more than riding - haha)</span></span></span><br />
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On Anna's birthday we celebrated with a simple brunch birthday party, because this girl loves her waffles. It's crazy how much this sweet girl has grown, even since May. Her vocabulary is ridiculous and her personality is really shining through. I am in love!</div>
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Also on May 9th (why not?) we attended Stephanie and Mike's wedding at the Westin downtown. Such a gorgeous venue, such a beautiful couple, and such a fun wedding and a way to celebrate love with people you love. Love fest all around.</div>
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I got to go to New York City a couples of times in May for work, so I took advantage and checked out Serendipity 3 with my favorite (former) NYC resident. I wonder if the owners of that place are grateful for the publicity that the movie brought it, or not? Deep thoughts. </div>
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We also got to attend our good friend Brian's wedding in New Jersey with our whole family, which was so fun!</div>
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<b> </b><br />
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And for May wedding #3, we flew to Puerto Rico. It was terrible.....<br />
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Just kidding, it was amazing and I loved every second of it. Also, I can confirm that Puerto Rico has the best pina coladas in the world.<br />
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<br />
<b>June</b><br />
<br />
June was pretty easy and low key after a busy May. Emerson started ballet lessons, and I enjoyed Food Truck Wednesdays at work.<br />
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<br />
<b>July</b><br />
Then toward the end of June, I got a call from my sister that changed everything. My Dad was in the hospital, and we weren't sure what was wrong. After 3 weeks of driving up to Akron and praying for a miracle, we <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2015/07/my-dad.html">said goodbye to my wonderful father</a> on July 14, 2015. Not a day goes by that I don't think of him. July 2015 was tough to say the least.<br />
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I am eternally grateful for my friends whose sweet gestures, calls and texts during this time really lifted my spirits. I am a very lucky girl.<br />
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<b>August</b><br />
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Most people turn to normal things like exercise, reading, or watching movies to take their minds off of their grief. I turned to Home Renovation. We (well, mostly Jon) spent much of August ripping out our old carpet and installing new dark bamboo floors on the first floor of our house. It was quite the undertaking, but I am IN LOVE with the finished product. A little before and after action:<br />
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<br />
<b> September</b><br />
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In September we enjoyed (what we thought were) the last remnants of summer, went to Cedar Point (after my company bought it out for the day, which was SO cool!), and my big girl Emerson had her first day of preschool! I can't believe I have a daughter big enough to be in school! Crazy. I also had several awesome (and very needed) girls nights. <br />
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<b> </b><br />
<b>October</b><br />
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We had a blast doing fall things in October. Pumpkin patches, playing in the leaves, and Trick or Treat. Both girls wanted to be princesses for Halloween, which works out well, since we booked a weeklong trip to Disney in May. I am so excited to take them and watch their eyes light up when they meet the characters. They'll be 3 and 4, which I think is the perfect age for this trip. We can't wait!<br />
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<b> November </b><br />
November was a blast! We hosted a baby shower for my bestie Holly, with an "Adventure Awaits" theme. It was so much fun to plan, and her baby girl got spoiled!<br />
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<b> </b><br />
We also took a huge leap and booked a trip to Europe. We used our United airline card for everything, and were shocked to see we could fly directly to Switzerland for free, so we went for it. Sometimes, you just have to book it. We both want to see Venice and Tuscany, we decided to stop making excuses to just go. Our girls are at a good age where, though we'll miss them, we know they'll be in good hands with Ma and Papa while we're gone.<br />
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<b>December</b><br />
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Lastly, December has been busy and magical as always. Filled with food, friends, family and fun. We celebrated Emerson's birthday with a quiet little Ariel party, took Jon to Third and Hollywood and Hofbrahaus for his birthday, and celebrated Christmas with the most wonderful gifts I have ever and will ever receive, my beautiful daughters.<br />
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Phew. That was alot. If you made it to the end of this post, bless you.<br />
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All in all, 2015 was a <b>wonderful</b> year. Though it will be a year I'll never forget for one really sad reason, there were so many bright and happy points that I can't help but feel blessed looking back on it.<br />
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In 8 hours, 2015 will be over and we get to start anew. I am <u>very much</u> looking forward to everything 2016 has to offer!<br />
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Happy New Year!<br />
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xoxo<br />
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<b> </b><br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-63198179262897840612015-11-28T15:08:00.001-05:002015-11-28T15:12:09.796-05:00Fall-ing in love with FallIs it bad that when I went to create this post, I completely forgot how? Meaning, it's been so long since I've posted something that I forgot the url to Blogger? Yep, that's pretty bad. But what can I say? I'm only human.<br />
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Since the last few posts on this blog have been pretty heavy, I thought I'd share some photos of what we've been up to the last few months. We've had a wonderful fall, and even though it's been borderline crazy and very busy, I wouldn't trade it for anything.<br />
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I swear I say this every year, but my girls are are in the MOST fun stage right now. They're playing together, they can both communicate their needs and wants, they can entertain themselves but also like playing with Mommy. It's just so fun!<br />
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This fall, we went to two different fall festivals, one at the Stratford Ecological Farm and one at Hidden Creek. Though Emerson LOVED flying kites at SEF (in fact she asked for an Ariel kite for her birthday she was so smitten), hands down I thought Hidden Creek was the best pumpkin patch we've been to in Central Ohio. We went there with Emerson's preschool and there were just so many activities for little kids. We could've stayed all day.<br />
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And yes, I usually let my daughter dress herself, and I love it when she picks crazy getups like this ;-)</div>
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We also had a BLAST at Halloween. Both girls wanted to be Disney princesses, so we took advantage of the 50% off sale at the Disney store and stocked up on dresses for our trip in May...more on that later! :)<br />
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I've never been a big fan of Halloween. I was such a chicken I would practically rip my friends arms' off when we went to haunted houses, and I am still scared of clowns thanks to Stephen King. But Halloween as a mom is a completely different ball game. To watch them absorb the new experience, to see all of the costumes, and to delight in the fact that strangers give them candy just for saying "Chicken Cheat!" (at least, that's what Anna thinks you say! ;-) It has been so amazing, and like many things with them I am soaking it all in since I know it won't last forever.<br />
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Well looky there! I ripped off the Band-Aid and made an entire blog post! I have lots more memories from this fall that I'd like to capture on here (Holly's baby shower, planning our 2016 trips, all of our home updates, etc.), so hopefully this motivates me to get cracking on that. I can't lose sight of my reason for keeping this space in my teeny tiny corner of the internet.... to help me remember all of the happy parts of this beautiful, blessed life I've been given. I'm working on it :)<br />
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<br />Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-5902262422632803882015-09-22T08:23:00.002-04:002015-09-22T08:33:30.608-04:005 years<br />
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5 years ago today, everything I knew about life, love and the world around me completely changed.<br />
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5 years ago, I experienced the most significant, most debilitating pain and sorrow a human could feel. To have to say goodbye to the son that we loved and wanted SO BADLY. To say goodbye to a life that hadn't even begun. To watch our dreams of starting a perfect life as a family of three shattered before our eyes.<br />
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You would think that 5 years later I've reached acceptance. That my grief over Jack is gone because I have my two sweet, perfect daughters here to take the heartache away.<br />
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But no. It's still there. It will always be there.<br />
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I don't know if I'll ever get to a point where thinking of Jack doesn't immediately make me cry. Unlike losing my Dad, which has been <u>so</u> hard these past two months, I don't have any of the happy memories with Jack to get me through the tough times. Jack never got to take a breath, meet his siblings, or get bigger. <br />
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September has never been a good month for us. It's the month we lost Jack, the month of Anna's scary ordeal two years ago, and now it's the month where my Dad will no longer celebrate his birthdays because he's gone. It's also the title of a really horrible song by <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2010/11/songs-in-my-head.html">Daughtry</a>. When September 1st comes around, I find myself wishing the month would just be over because there are so many painful memories.<br />
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With all that said, I know one thing for absolute certain. My Dad and Jack would NOT want us to waste one second of this beautiful month being sad. Dad would insist that we go outside for hikes and enjoy the cooler temperatures. And I know in my heart that Jack would want to watch his little sisters play in the leaves and enjoy the time outside.<br />
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5 years later, I am still hurting over the loss of our sweet baby boy. But his tiny little life and perfect soul have absolutely served a purpose and will continue to do so. I know there is no way I could be the kind of mother I am, wife I am, and person I want to be if I hadn't had Jack.<br />
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I want to continue attempting to (and usually failing, but attempting is the most important part) live a life that would make them proud. To love others, to do good, and to be happy.<br />
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I started this blog 5 years ago to document my grief, and from this point forward, I only want to document the joy in our lives. I want to keep the memory of the most important people I have lost alive, and use their image to make a happy life for our daughters.<br />
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So September, from now on, I am turning over a new leaf.<br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-20252570324547678182015-07-24T11:27:00.000-04:002015-07-24T14:47:53.410-04:00My Dad<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On July 14<sup>th</sup>,
2015, Heaven gained one of its brightest angels. My Dad was one of the most
wonderful people I will ever know. No one can say they didn’t like Rex. He was
kind, generous, compassionate, and <u>very</u> passionate about so many things.
He was hard not to love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To say I am
devastated just doesn’t cover it. No one can possibly prepare you for the death
of a parent, especially at 31 years old. Even on my last day with him, I was
still in such denial that he might not make it through his illness because I
always, always thought Dad would be a centenarian. I never imagined my Dad wouldn't be here for me and with me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many of us spend
our entire lives saying we don’t want to end up like our parents, or at
least don’t want to be just like our parents, but as I have reflected on my Dad’s
life and legacy, I have been blindsided by how many lessons, blessings and
happy moments in my life have been and will be directly orchestrated by this
wonderful man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">His <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ohio/obituary.aspx?pid=175299491">obituary</a>
captured his life so well, but I want to take a few minutes to share some of
the hundreds of things I loved most about my Dad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPRWhC5KiwHuSrmMOMPAAjnpWeMedNEOHjpSUtlcU4gJGOVAMzEqbG2Fw1RsYNuu5Kb5fQEvvhvj_9EoYE2-83SvTyEWQ-FquF_KFDpSWOjtwNW6LVGtCqHRYZ5T3cepJuUZPheJptw/s1600/mail.google.com.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPRWhC5KiwHuSrmMOMPAAjnpWeMedNEOHjpSUtlcU4gJGOVAMzEqbG2Fw1RsYNuu5Kb5fQEvvhvj_9EoYE2-83SvTyEWQ-FquF_KFDpSWOjtwNW6LVGtCqHRYZ5T3cepJuUZPheJptw/s400/mail.google.com.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidZ5__yiDvekum4Hb6aVJyHHnL6wyWz3BAg4XXM_ovGWZBSWyozE4fXRlaJByDQgRKnMd5mSxSXS-ievKICQYDzN6WPKR_3cbdytvNBB-2eymOqNDFBgIF-NzvA5-YMHFo6L9ZD6yCA/s1600/426148_10100607299992974_67352447_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidZ5__yiDvekum4Hb6aVJyHHnL6wyWz3BAg4XXM_ovGWZBSWyozE4fXRlaJByDQgRKnMd5mSxSXS-ievKICQYDzN6WPKR_3cbdytvNBB-2eymOqNDFBgIF-NzvA5-YMHFo6L9ZD6yCA/s400/426148_10100607299992974_67352447_n.jpg" width="400" /></a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He was adventurous.
I climbed mountains and hiked trails and camped in more campsites by the age of
12 than most people will in their entire lives. Now make no mistake, I am not
an outdoor girl, as anyone who knows me knows that my idea of “roughing it” these
days is staying at a Best Western, but what his adventurous <span style="font-family: inherit;">spiri<span style="font-family: inherit;">t</span></span> stirred in
me was a love and appreciation for nature and all things beautiful. And yes, that is a photo of him swinging from a vine in the middle of the woods at age 77.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTWH_ekLfbu1nD3v-TlSl0OTjcTKE4jb1o15Kcnltzq_EAc4qb09GR1FTlENAxI-MFbEeDH-x0LH943BkLv9Sw0Swtykbuyw-tQfO66n10mB_bOzyLcrkuO5WTLukHXkXAg5Gyv5H2A/s1600/11742873_10103569120081774_7200439683162095876_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTWH_ekLfbu1nD3v-TlSl0OTjcTKE4jb1o15Kcnltzq_EAc4qb09GR1FTlENAxI-MFbEeDH-x0LH943BkLv9Sw0Swtykbuyw-tQfO66n10mB_bOzyLcrkuO5WTLukHXkXAg5Gyv5H2A/s400/11742873_10103569120081774_7200439683162095876_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OTbo0dbCriU_tLmjIj1u4Xu241WOn1H1WDMIb32T4ZKgD6tRo3BNWOwF3HTt9skvDHN-DvOjFRJwcondxBrudlFlVJQO0lkMSGSjUuo0t7H7LpAfIpCnNBXWbEtzs0X_S0BAwo1UkQ/s1600/3341_665879669874_2130311_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OTbo0dbCriU_tLmjIj1u4Xu241WOn1H1WDMIb32T4ZKgD6tRo3BNWOwF3HTt9skvDHN-DvOjFRJwcondxBrudlFlVJQO0lkMSGSjUuo0t7H7LpAfIpCnNBXWbEtzs0X_S0BAwo1UkQ/s400/3341_665879669874_2130311_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">He was
protective. He did some crazy stuff in his day, but when it came to his kids,
he always played it safe. We wore helmets and seatbelts. He didn’t let us drink
pop and always made sure we had each food group covered in every meal. He
taught me to drive with expert skill. He wouldn’t let a boy honk the horn and
have me run out. That little sh*thead had to pick me up at the door thank you
very much. I was Daddy's little girl and no one was allowed to disrespect me in any way, ever. I guarantee he is the reason I didn't settle for some loser and waited until I found the man my Dad could trust with my heart. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM14u-8JO5sOD1i6K-7f_Bk-IPZ2RrYPogGSHdkMtyHURWANohVCw1S0a4tNlaMFRjZxltLBj4m-0QZaW-tw5ZMvP5JilgPSEYtcknFTPA2JJ36bYWUU5j6gD6LCw7mQvXYxRxWPCiRQ/s1600/413991_10100607130492654_1050149867_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM14u-8JO5sOD1i6K-7f_Bk-IPZ2RrYPogGSHdkMtyHURWANohVCw1S0a4tNlaMFRjZxltLBj4m-0QZaW-tw5ZMvP5JilgPSEYtcknFTPA2JJ36bYWUU5j6gD6LCw7mQvXYxRxWPCiRQ/s400/413991_10100607130492654_1050149867_o.jpg" width="271" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He made sure to always capture the moment, and I am so grateful he was our family photographer. Even though we teased him relentlessly for not making the switch to digital (yes, he still had his film processed at CVS), he always said it was important to keep every memory, every picture, even the less than flattering ones because it was a part of your life that you can't ever get back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He always did
the right thing. He took us to church every Sunday. He picked up litter. He
helped little old ladies with their groceries. He donated to so many types of
charities. He never raised his voice. He didn’t let us get away with things we
shouldn’t get away with. He absolutely showed me the difference between right and wrong, but also knowing when to live a little. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7dSzRLQ_UorggATzb-E0HA0p8MCXS3oRdeOmms16Rq6WKR5AyeHGBgDe8BKsoR-QGdydilxctV7w0ZXt5mpbbQxipIL6xFNeUwOSAgdQEU75uqDGDs3P5DdJqgYtAVWQghrI5cTxFQ/s1600/421225_10100607304713514_922547801_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7dSzRLQ_UorggATzb-E0HA0p8MCXS3oRdeOmms16Rq6WKR5AyeHGBgDe8BKsoR-QGdydilxctV7w0ZXt5mpbbQxipIL6xFNeUwOSAgdQEU75uqDGDs3P5DdJqgYtAVWQghrI5cTxFQ/s400/421225_10100607304713514_922547801_n.jpg" width="272" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZ0WenZWtD3-oELfbUXPXarp9bIjlDZyFQ4ZlyVeDf-cP5k3dM44b-JdqXuPBhir-HYIzAMRary06p8xsyU3lWile69ymikbWaS3gd6WqKilX2ZhQBkiz84sTs25E5T-xJ4mEVBdEdA/s1600/1930297_565805130054_3728_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZ0WenZWtD3-oELfbUXPXarp9bIjlDZyFQ4ZlyVeDf-cP5k3dM44b-JdqXuPBhir-HYIzAMRary06p8xsyU3lWile69ymikbWaS3gd6WqKilX2ZhQBkiz84sTs25E5T-xJ4mEVBdEdA/s400/1930297_565805130054_3728_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He had a passion
for food that is rivaled only by me. Rex and I lived and breathed for food. It’s
at the forefront of our minds at all times, and every meal we eat is THE BEST
EVER. It makes me smile that I inherited that critical aspect of life from him
:-) The only difference is that he chewed each bite 60 times and was always the
last one to leave the table, whereas I inhale my food in 60 seconds or less. But
maybe I’ll try eating slower in his memory…. maybe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yMP_iQ0A-FHHOP6jizBAvb-UkixW-tgQHHCWCC3-9J9IBOkiuSHJhyrp_ZQjtQ-R8pTmQQGWHrAMK3Mkoshp6EzV7QHtOURxlviBREzwI75a09mNRIm3lbeCf0BVyZd48vjj2w1BWw/s1600/3LgHAf3Zv55MmL8zLxcmvtlpaJ91Qep2t5kXSpEyj6eGQN9M7U5eAomocUKP6D0cj_9gOVZGmf4myw%253Dw863-h414.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yMP_iQ0A-FHHOP6jizBAvb-UkixW-tgQHHCWCC3-9J9IBOkiuSHJhyrp_ZQjtQ-R8pTmQQGWHrAMK3Mkoshp6EzV7QHtOURxlviBREzwI75a09mNRIm3lbeCf0BVyZd48vjj2w1BWw/s640/3LgHAf3Zv55MmL8zLxcmvtlpaJ91Qep2t5kXSpEyj6eGQN9M7U5eAomocUKP6D0cj_9gOVZGmf4myw%253Dw863-h414.jpg" width="640" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He never missed
a holiday or occasion. He showed up to <u>everything</u>. My first half
marathon? He was waiting there at the finish line. He sent me birthday cards
three days in advance, always with a lottery ticket inside, and always with a
message of “I love you Audra, and I will always be your friend.” My heart breaks thinking that I'll never get one of those cards again </3</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the rest of my life, I'm going to have to live with a series of "shoulds." I should have called him more. I should have written him more letters and sent him more cards. I should have been a better daughter. But that is my cross to bear, because I know that is he in Heaven and is not suffering, not sad, and not resentful. His last (very weak) words to me were "I Love You" and I will never, ever forget that moment for the rest of my life. Even in his final hours he showed his love to me. I will miss him every single day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To be with family and to be outside were Dad's favorite things. I'd like to believe he's relaxing by the mountains up there, taking in the beauty and spending time with his grandson Jack. That is an image I can live with.</span><br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-66163239877666308992015-07-10T10:46:00.001-04:002015-07-21T16:20:34.298-04:0029 Kisses<div style="text-align: center;">
Every night, we tuck the girls into bed. And every night, they go through the same routine. </div>
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Anna wants to read evvvvvvery book in her room.We usually settle on 3 or 4. But it's never enough. The girl loves her books. So when we finally say "Ok Anna, it's time for night night!" she loses it. LOSES it. Cries so hard.</div>
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But then, we turn on her noise machine and start singing "Twinkle Twinkle" to her, and she drops the act. She lays her head on my shoulder and twirls her hair. I sing it three times so I can have that head on my shoulder just a little longer. </div>
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With Emerson, after bargaining and pleading and making excuses, we finally get her in bed and I blow her kisses. We've made a game out of it. I ask her every night how many kisses she wants, and she counts to 29. For some reason, she has landed on 29 as the ideal number of kisses. So, in rapid succession, I kiss my hand 29 times, take a huge breath in, and blow 29 air kisses to my sweet girl. Sometimes she asks for one more for good luck.</div>
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Very small, insignificant moments to anyone else, but as their mother who knows I won't get to read to them or blow them kisses every night before bed forever, I <b>live</b> for these moments. </div>
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I am the first to admit that I'm tired at the end of the night, and that it's nice to have them go to bed so I can get things done, clean, work out, etc. But I wouldn't trade that hair twirl or those 29 kisses for anything in the entire world. </div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-9038218252563390572015-06-11T11:54:00.000-04:002015-06-11T14:53:56.703-04:00I want them to remember how much I played<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Emerson has been
going through a phase, well, I guess every toddler goes through this phase,
where she comes up with <u>every</u> excuse to not have to go to sleep. </span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“My belly hurts!
I have to go potty! I need to brush my teeth again! I need water! My bed isn’t
comfy!” We’ve heard every excuse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the midst of
this back and forth the other night, I was laying in bed with her, and she
started “booping” my nose. She’d boop, I’d laugh, she’d CRACK UP. Like, guttural,
undeniable deep belly laughs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pretty soon we were both in tears, all because
she booped my nose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The other day, I
pretended to be a horsey and rode Anna all around the house while she squealed “Go
Horsey Go!” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My knees are covered in bruises.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week, we
were drawing with chalk outside on the sidewalk. Emerson told me to lay down so
she could draw an outline of my body on the sidewalk. So I did. Work clothes
and all. Then once Anna saw that I did it for Emerson, she had to do it too, so
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time so little Anna could mimic her sister. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our neighbors were probably really
confused.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every night at
dinner, these two tiny girls make a PROPER mess. I mean, it looks the garbage
man came and dumped his truck contents on our kitchen table. Emerson’s favorite
habit is dumping the remnants of her dinner onto the table and playing with it
like Play-Doh, claiming that she’s “making a cake” for me. When Anna is done
eating, she just starts throwing what’s left on the floor. </span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I try to
maintain a tidy-ish house. I never go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. I sweep
the kitchen floor every night. I vacuum more than most people. Jon does laundry
almost every day and picks up the toys at the end of the night. But I am brave
enough to admit that my house isn’t always spotless. If you come over today,
you’ll see dust lining every bookshelf and toilets and bathtubs that could use
a good bleaching and scrubbing.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But when my
girls get older, and become mothers themselves, I don’t want them to remember their Mom as the frantic, obsessive-compulsive cleaner. I don’t want them to
remember the house they grew up in as a sterile environment. I don’t want them
to remember Mommy as the one who never let them get the toys out because it
would make too big of a mess. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I want them to
remember that I always dropped what I was doing to play pretend. I want them to
remember how much I LOVED the fake food concoctions they made up in their play
kitchen (“Pie Soup?? Sounds delicious!”) I want them to remember how I danced
and danced in the family room until I got dizzy and then danced some more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want them to remember how much I played.</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
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<img alt="post signature" class="centered" src="http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag104/scrapcakes/Audra_signature_zps145c1de7.png" style="width: NaN%;" /><br />
<br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-65141840179092180042015-05-21T11:06:00.000-04:002015-05-21T11:08:26.343-04:00Anna is 2, and thoughts on having two<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This beautiful, beautiful, sweet angel is 2! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdo-uPnMJ_iAeGlFMLKQpE87NyIChrPbHXcubcXLWI1UsbYqkR-WRl_krT4W9LfUnsMWxuC27aoqLZURM84bHekLHNwL1oNheWMj9WFVpAdBTmy2A9k9EiWrzQKbmJ-jKQCfPvi2juA/s1600/11255825_10103400311580364_8753890069632905126_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcdo-uPnMJ_iAeGlFMLKQpE87NyIChrPbHXcubcXLWI1UsbYqkR-WRl_krT4W9LfUnsMWxuC27aoqLZURM84bHekLHNwL1oNheWMj9WFVpAdBTmy2A9k9EiWrzQKbmJ-jKQCfPvi2juA/s400/11255825_10103400311580364_8753890069632905126_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Most of the time, people will say about their children "Wow, I can't believe he/she is <insert age>!" but for me, I actually can believe it. To me, Anna has just always been part of our family, and 2 years doesn't sound long enough. 2 years is not long enough to make the impact on my heart, mind, and soul the way she has, but yet, it's only been 2 years. Crazy town.<br />
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Looking at her, interacting with her, watching her... you would have no clue, NO CLUE, what she went through as a baby. This girl is so beautiful, so smart, so <b>happy</b> that it actually makes me cry sometimes. I can't imagine feeling more grateful for anything in life than the health and happiness of my family, and Anna is such a perfect showcase of that gratitude.<br />
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As she approached 2, she has become a chatterbox! I am obsessed with her sentences. The way she communicates and interacts with others around her is so fun to watch! It's also indicative of having an older sibling, and some of her first and most frequently used sentences include "I had it first" "Emerson/Mommy/Daddy don't do that" and "Hey, that's mine!" Hahahaha, I love it. I love a girl who can stand up for herself ;-)<br />
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She's also now, officially, completely caught up! She was on track with all of her milestones (behavioral, fine motor, etc.) but was still behind on the gross motor skills. She couldn't even hold her head up at 5 months old, so we knew we had a tough battle ahead. After 18 months of weekly physical therapy, Anna is now tracking in the 24-30 month categories of every milestone, and even higher on some! We are SO PROUD of her! The baby who they thought might never recover from this is kicking butt and taking the world and our hearts by storm.Gah, I just love this little girl!!!!<br />
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Recently, one of my best friends had her second baby. I wondered if she felt the same fear that I know most second-time moms feel when they find out they're pregnant again. I have this baby, my first baby, and he/she is so perfect, how could I possibly love another child as much as this one?<br />
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I told her, and I could shout this from the rooftops, that this fear will be completely obliterated once you meet that new baby. I simply cannot fathom a world without Anna in it. She makes our family better, more complete, and she has made my already sappy heart overflow with love.<br />
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Sometimes I look at Anna and think she is truly an angel sent from heaven. I could not love you more than I do, and I am SO PROUD to be your mommy.<br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-14583416746872310822015-05-12T11:03:00.002-04:002015-05-12T11:03:15.570-04:0031<br />
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The greatest gifts I'll ever receive, all right here.</div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-54004169553705591062015-03-30T09:00:00.000-04:002015-06-05T16:16:05.714-04:00Review: Home Chef Meal Delivery ServiceGUYS. This is serious. You KNOW how I feel about food. I love food. I worship food. I fall asleep thinking about food, wake up thinking about food, and think about food all day.<br />
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But though I love food, free time is not something I have much of. With 2 kiddos, a husband, a full-time job, friends that are so pretty I want to see them all the time, and a 5 day a week exercise routine, I feel like I’ve got about 17 minutes a day to myself.
This is one of the MANY reasons why I am categorically obsessed with HomeChef.<br />
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As per their website, they are on a mission is to make cooking fresh food at home as easy as possible.
<i>“Our chefs shop for you and plan your meals, allowing you to choose from a new menu every week. We offer a meal delivery service that includes all of the fresh ingredients and instructions needed to cook restaurant quality meals for 2, 4 or 6 people in the comfort of your own kitchen. We eliminate recipe and food hunting by sending you a flavor packed kit along with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, turning you into a top chef.” </i><br />
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Top Chef? Where's Tom Colicchio? I'd love to meet him ;-)<i><br /></i><br />
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Anyway, I first dabbled in the meal delivery service industry after seeing Blue Apron promoted on a few blogs I follow. A sweet friend of mine sent me a referral link, and we tried it for 2 weeks. I thought the food was good, but my husband is a <i>bit</i> of a picky eater. (A bit being an understatement, but let’s not throw shade at the father of my children). One complaint that he had, which I did agree with, was that Blue Apron’s ingredients were just too exotic. He’s open to trying new foods, but every ingredient seemed to be new to him, and the food just wasn’t appealing.<br />
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However, I LOVED the premise of meal delivery. I didn’t have to think about what I was making for dinner 3x a week, and most importantly I didn’t have to go through every aisle at Kroger to get what I needed. So I set out on a mission to find a happy medium. The meal delivery service at a reasonable cost, but foods that were “normal” enough that Jon would like them yet were different than the same old foods that are on our typical monthly rotation.<br />
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AND THEN I FOUND HOMECHEF. (Thank you Google).
I just cannot stress my love and affection for this company (they did not pay me to say that, I swear). The meals are soooo good. They taste like restaurant-quality meals, but without the price tag, and as a bonus unlike at restaurants I can wear sweatpants and I don’t have to tip.<br />
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Check out a few of my meals from this past week. These are meals I wouldn't have thought up on my own, but were so good I nearly shed tears. Actually I may have. <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Pan-Seared Chicken Bruschetta</span></span></h5>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZPLUuu-LFJ6nJHj9I99jdmSRtPDP9fWFi0f07p2HmoTGPudw-z4AX83PK8pSus8kPQtyTHa4eYq0Xza2GqY-lB0Tz6YUFUysoElPQecn69QjPNWgOjws1AwkgsBODJJzY-v0LW5FDQ/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZPLUuu-LFJ6nJHj9I99jdmSRtPDP9fWFi0f07p2HmoTGPudw-z4AX83PK8pSus8kPQtyTHa4eYq0Xza2GqY-lB0Tz6YUFUysoElPQecn69QjPNWgOjws1AwkgsBODJJzY-v0LW5FDQ/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sherry Wine Demi-Glace Flat-Iron Steak</span></span></span></span></h5>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">They also provide the calorie count and suggested wine pairings on each recipe card, and I can confirm that their wine suggestions are on point ;-)</span></span></h5>
I feel like HomeChef and other meal delivery services are perfect for working professionals and parents because it takes the guesswork out of meal planning. 3 nights a week, I know we’ll get to have a healthy home cooked meal, but it still leaves a few nights for wiggle room (like if Jon has a late night meeting, we had big lunches so don't need a big dinner, we go out to eat with friends, or I just need to slam a box of Mac and Cheese).<br />
So if any of that sounds appealing, try it. Just try it! The nice thing is you can cancel at any time without a cancellation fee, you can skip as many weeks as you want, and you get to choose from 11 delicious options every week so there’s always enough options for everyone in the house. If you’re nervous about the $9.95 per serving price tag, a) Keep in mind that often by the time you buy every ingredient for a dinner dish, it’s usually way more than that and b) Follow <a href="https://www.homechef.com/invite/0EzXHVW9GXj">this link</a> and you’ll get $30 off your first order, so you’re only looking at $5.00 per serving, which is even better.<br />
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If you DO try it, which you should, come back and let me know what you think! You won't regret it! :) <br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-66807029015850527932015-03-18T07:15:00.000-04:002015-03-18T07:15:00.250-04:00March-ing Into SpringHi blog friends!<br />
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I know it’s been awhile, but I have great excuses:<br />
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1) I started a new job<br />
2) My entire household was affected with multiple illnesses per person<br />
3) The weather has been amazing, which means we’ve been spending more time outside, and less time on the computer.<br />
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But because a sweet friend reminded me that Sponge Bob frightened them every time they came to check in (from <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-little-bit-of-this-little-bit-of-that.html">this post</a>), I decided it was time to clear him out of the way ;-)<br />
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Latest Updates:<br />
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<b>Job:</b> LOVE it! Though making the switch from higher education to corporate America was an adjustment, the culture and environment here are incredibly positive. People love working here, they love what they do, and that feeling permeates throughout the organization. Now granted, I’m only on week 3, but so far, I’m settling in quite nicely.<br />
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<b>Fitness</b>: I had to take a 2-week break from Kayla Itsines due to illness. I was going to keep going through to week 8 (this happened at the end of week 7) but I felt too weak, so I went back to Week 5, and now I’m back on Week 6. You follow? Probably not, but it’s okay. I barely do either. Still loving the progress so far and how much better my pants fit.<br />
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<b>Girls</b>: The best things ever. Both are going through phases right now, which are <i>mostly</i> fun. Emerson loves SINGING. It’s all day, every day. Singing, singing, singing. She turns everything she sees into a song. Anna-Boo is into dare-deviling. She’s climbing, running , and throwing herself into anything and everything, taking my breath with her.<br />
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<a href="https://www.homechef.com/invite/0EzXHVW9GXj"><img alt="https://www.homechef.com/invite/0EzXHVW9GXj" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnud1n6qg332amXmOo8zuAH20shDhxP57sOza30pBpAxLLl2RX5aEAKnZDYXvmTdaedXkr4AYd4umkdQtv8rYPSBqiqM736hhfYGIum4JrQgieoR5Yefm5d58V3rjlhTJNFx_1wg7-w/s1600/homechef-TM-f92dbbf475e29b1d7502eb099ca7720c.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Food:</b> I have about 3 hours of quality time with my girls every night. I try my hardest to use those hours wisely. One source of stress that I’ve been trying to eliminate is the time I spend grocery shopping. So, I dipped my toes into the water of a meal-delivery service. I swear these things were designed for people like me. I love cooking, I love trying new foods, I love showing my girls what fresh ingredients look like (even if they arguably will never eat what I cook). But I don’t want to have to think about it. I just want the food to appear on my doorstep. And, like magic…. It does. We tried Blue Apron based on a friend’s recommendation, and it was good, but the food was way too exotic for my picky husband. Recently, we started using Home Chef and I am IN LOVE!!!! L-O-V-E. Like big fat heart love. Full review with pictures coming soon (and no, they didn’t pay me to say that, though if you <a href="https://www.homechef.com/invite/0EzXHVW9GXj">click this link</a> we both get $30 off your first order… so.... you’re welcome ;-)<br />
<br />
<b>TV:</b> Fortunately or unfortunately, I don’t have many shows on TV
that I actively watch. When my kiddos are awake, it's eitherDisney Junior or bust. Well, actually, Emerson likes
watching basketball with Daddy, which I love.<br />
<br />
I binge-watched the new season of House of Cards, and because that’s such an emotional
roller-coaster, regular TV just can’t hold my attention anymore. Now that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bachelor </i>is over (which, btw,
#TeamKaitlyn), and with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scandal</i>
wrapping up here soon, I guess I’ll just have to…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>work out? Watch more HGTV? Take up knitting?
<br />
<br />
Ummmm, that's about it I think? April and May are going to be crazy-busy, so I'm going to soak up the last few weekends of non-packed schedules.<br />
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<i>I hope you're enjoying March as much as I am!</i> :-)</div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-77943676002506647262015-02-11T07:17:00.000-05:002015-02-11T08:25:55.209-05:00A little bit of this, a little bit of thatHey friends!
It's been awhile, so I'm checking in on the good old blog here.
January and February have been lovely. Here are some updates in Audra-world:<br />
<br />
<b>Fitness.</b> I'm on Week 6 of the Kayla Itsines guides. I'm not <i>quite</i> ready to share my progress photos (maybe next week) but OH MY LAWD. It's really working! Kayla herself is a tall, thin young girl who hasn't been pregnant three times, but I swear she made these guides with a mother's body in mind. I'm noticing the biggest difference in my waist and stomach, which are huge problem areas for moms because, well, our stomachs have been stretched beyond comprehension. Dare I say you can actually see my abdominals now? Well, my obliques at least. I think the last time I saw mine were in 2009, and even then they weren't all that impressive. Seeing the progress is keeping me motivated, plus the workouts are so different every week that I can't get bored.<br />
<br />
But seriously, I almost die every time. This about sums it up:<br />
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<b>Health.</b> Still loving zucchini pasta, and mixing in some stuffed peppers, chicken chilis and fish tacos to keep life interesting. I will never give up coffee so don't even ask.<br />
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<b>Daughters.</b> Oh my sweet, sweet daughters. I live for them. Is there something in the parenting handbook that says you're supposed to love everything they do and say? Because I feel like I do. And I'm obsessed with the way Anna always looks at Emerson. She waits for her big sis to make a move before she can make a move. I <b>love</b> that they are guaranteed BFFs.<br />
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Anna is talking SO much, and can count to 10! Emerson blows me away with her reasoning skills and vocabulary. They are going to be two chatty Cathys in a pod, that's for sure. Sorry Jon! ;-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKJbMxrvhsLMN8iL4eWyO6vbgGQ3w2Op45YqgJ4FOvSDa9GFovOEMe0jV_SHaedr_TGp_TrGcX3KyEJe0GlqArpBtXuPrce9YHzKrazca2LDtakDtywF9TKBGQgT82VSoAeLpNugLpA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKJbMxrvhsLMN8iL4eWyO6vbgGQ3w2Op45YqgJ4FOvSDa9GFovOEMe0jV_SHaedr_TGp_TrGcX3KyEJe0GlqArpBtXuPrce9YHzKrazca2LDtakDtywF9TKBGQgT82VSoAeLpNugLpA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stole Daddy's shirt, still pulls it off like a boss.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37tc1n8mQ3n2xGJYfyF-Wf_IpirFz-iKijSAheDcq3udayVPI-hrRbIBc_IiDziYGI22lr3UjJ7Gd_HI4WWXXTWz_o6XA5M6ckbYoR8PDt4q8qafPOCehdWa2gXFcA9kT1wsRCnGTtw/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37tc1n8mQ3n2xGJYfyF-Wf_IpirFz-iKijSAheDcq3udayVPI-hrRbIBc_IiDziYGI22lr3UjJ7Gd_HI4WWXXTWz_o6XA5M6ckbYoR8PDt4q8qafPOCehdWa2gXFcA9kT1wsRCnGTtw/s1600/photo.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emerson at <a href="http://www.cosi.org/">COSI</a>. Future mechanical engineer? Probably. She would have stayed here all day.<b><br /></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b><br />
<b>House Updates.</b> Nothing major. We (Jon) need a breather after the basement renovations, but I have been doing a little redecorating. <br />
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<b>Before:</b></div>
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<b>Now:</b></div>
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Before </div>
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<b> Now: </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfHXCZHXRH2opCPtXCrvyxS2GFQmKgorjo8-chpQN-lzpLsmjclB0-TefPXRIIsx19s6-mhPmuDz42R6qubPx7Q1frdugeQHBf4DaBDGyImal3KgA4CXXk29oCaDrNELAYUdxvYeanw/s1600/10519566_10103164241461774_7227509106284960531_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxfHXCZHXRH2opCPtXCrvyxS2GFQmKgorjo8-chpQN-lzpLsmjclB0-TefPXRIIsx19s6-mhPmuDz42R6qubPx7Q1frdugeQHBf4DaBDGyImal3KgA4CXXk29oCaDrNELAYUdxvYeanw/s1600/10519566_10103164241461774_7227509106284960531_o.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Life Events</b>. 2015 is like the new 2009. 2009 was the year of weddings. We had 6 in 2009, including our own. This year we have 5, and since as of now I don't plan on getting remarried in 2015, so 2009 still wins. We have three in the month of May alone. But thankfully, I <b>love</b> weddings, so I'm pretty excited. It's Gonna Be May, man. Andplusalso, one of those May weddings takes place here, so, yeah...<br />
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<br />
<b>Drinking. </b>Lots of wine. Napa has ruined me in the best way.
There is just nothing better than a bottle of wine on a Friday night. We
finally got to open a bottle we brought home from our trip last Friday
(from our friends at Twomey) because...<br />
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<b>Career. </b> ...I got a new job. Ah! The whole process has been taking up much of my free time and space and energy, but it's official. I start on March 2nd. I am thrilled about this new opportunity, but scared because I love my current co-workers and work environment SO much, and I will miss them terribly. However, I know this is the best move for me, personally and professionally.<br />
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Welp, that about sums it up. What's new with you, internet?<br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-85096250845401161352015-01-14T10:02:00.001-05:002015-01-14T10:03:40.588-05:00Healthy things I'm currently loving<div style="text-align: center;">
As I mentioned a few posts back, I'm using the New Year as an excuse to recalibrate my health and wellness goals. I know most resolutions don't stick, but if you don't have goals, what do you have? Or whatever.</div>
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So far, the no-sugar thing is going extremely well. I knew once I got over the hump, it would be so much easier. The first week was very hard, and I had headaches almost every day. But now, the cravings are gone, and I just don't need that sweetness at the end of every meal to feel like my life is complete. Honestly, I don't even think about it. I'm sure there will be lots of temptations, but so far, so good.</div>
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Here are a few other health-related things that are changing my life as of late.</div>
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<b>Kayla Itsines </b></div>
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My co-worker introduced me to this lovely and terribly mean woman. Check out her <a href="https://www.kaylaitsines.com.au/blog/">blog </a>and follow her on <a href="http://instagram.com/kayla_itsines">Instagram</a>, and you'll see why I'm doing her 12-week Bikini Body Guide. The <a href="https://www.kaylaitsines.com.au/transformations/">transformations</a> are incredible, and the workouts are SO FUN! I mean, they're actually terrible because they're hard, but it's exactly the type of workout I love. It's efficient, you change your routine every day, and you sweat like you've never sweat before. I <b>love</b> how I feel after each workout, and I think this routine is very sustainable, even for a working mother of two. </div>
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I agree with her entire approach to health and fitness. I love that she doesn't even try to act like there's some secret to looking and feeling good. You work hard and you eat clean. It's that's simple. Love her.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4y210vf4mA5wsT1_owESVhyLP97aLnU0nKV8_YKq6RWUEYzPg5iQkfk1cEk_6RvpyThupfQS9K5aEuAWEft3qbS1l1GGgi2YCoilV5cHNRxHn5svsML9-1zlaqjJiJ8WJjKr8V-bbQ/s1600/71v6iaVXK3L._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4y210vf4mA5wsT1_owESVhyLP97aLnU0nKV8_YKq6RWUEYzPg5iQkfk1cEk_6RvpyThupfQS9K5aEuAWEft3qbS1l1GGgi2YCoilV5cHNRxHn5svsML9-1zlaqjJiJ8WJjKr8V-bbQ/s1600/71v6iaVXK3L._SL1500_.jpg" height="400" width="142" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001I7MVG0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001I7MVG0&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=CEZ3QS6ED2YDWFFQ"></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001I7MVG0" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001I7MVG0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001I7MVG0&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=WGJJOFX32US57BTI">Raw Apple Cider Vinegar </a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001I7MVG0" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Have you ever read about the <a href="http://authoritynutrition.com/6-proven-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/">health benefits</a> of this stuff? I add a teaspoon of it to hot water 3x a day, and I'm addicted. You have to buy the raw organic kind (they sell Bragg's
on Amazon), and for $6 and no negative side effects (because it's made from apples, not chemicals), how could you not give it a try? The reviews had me convinced. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005M1P85O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005M1P85O&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=NZTFA3EPC2F2WMWS" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B005M1P85O&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=alibiofra07-20" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005M1P85O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B005M1P85O&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=HILC2SSJOZJMMBQD">Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor </a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005M1P85O" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005M1P85O" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040EGNIU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0040EGNIU&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=DLMBCXVYQ5WTZUVP" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0040EGNIU&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=alibiofra07-20" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040EGNIU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0040EGNIU&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=3IO2W6XEPHG7XZQ5">Foam Roller</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0040EGNIU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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How have I gone this long without using one of these? This weird little cylinder is amazing. It really helps stretch out my muscles and it kinda feels like I'm giving myself a massage. <br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0040EGNIU" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007GOR3OY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007GOR3OY&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=OT26UAWVKSB6OEE7">Clinique Age Defense BB Cream </a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007GOR3OY" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007GOR3OY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007GOR3OY&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=TEWBAVIL4XM4C6OF"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B007GOR3OY&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=alibiofra07-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007GOR3OY" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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No, this isn't going to make me skinny, but in thinking about overall health and wellness, I have to remember that I'm 30 now.I need to be using sunscreen every single day (I really should have been all along, but it's never too late to start) and I love the way this stuff makes my skin look and feel. <br />
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What healthy things are you doing this year?<br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-64997131855971340822015-01-09T09:35:00.003-05:002015-01-09T10:45:27.118-05:00We finished finishing our basement!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
We're done!</div>
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What started as a wild idea to finish an "unfinishable" basement turned into an amazing space for our whole family to hang out. </div>
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Here is a little glimpse into what it looked like before. Dark, junk-filled, maybe even a little creepy?</div>
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The house was built in 1987, and though people learned by then to make the ceiling height higher than 6 feet (unlike our old house), basements weren't really designed to be finished. They're designed to hold all of the mechanicals of your home, hide all of the pipes, and serve as a place to store your crap.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgrcvH-hAVQ6a3tpOwizVAHYV4R9EbljXYu4RU8oWuxHyQKP3AMK4GGN0hBuS1vFXx9WDaJDiLbUrLkw8wAfLCTqtFELCzvLcwujHyX-zUvYYlfNiAdJxPHr1GLHDDDKQxqD_bYxjZA/s1600/10931162_10103081560190704_6862115916235261337_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgrcvH-hAVQ6a3tpOwizVAHYV4R9EbljXYu4RU8oWuxHyQKP3AMK4GGN0hBuS1vFXx9WDaJDiLbUrLkw8wAfLCTqtFELCzvLcwujHyX-zUvYYlfNiAdJxPHr1GLHDDDKQxqD_bYxjZA/s1600/10931162_10103081560190704_6862115916235261337_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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But not anymore!</div>
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Here it is today!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-GPG25KheIXsquceKZegb8BcEd_Dp_IWreTwT7jXPIHo21XCAg0jBi3YmT0iMregJmQipfN2rDjjNWgygKqt6mahne4cscUBtp3Q8Ps-LhQWUX95SOqM8Oe9IajYJJwdRQTav4EfGw/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-GPG25KheIXsquceKZegb8BcEd_Dp_IWreTwT7jXPIHo21XCAg0jBi3YmT0iMregJmQipfN2rDjjNWgygKqt6mahne4cscUBtp3Q8Ps-LhQWUX95SOqM8Oe9IajYJJwdRQTav4EfGw/s1600/photo.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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The most incredible part about this transformation is that my husband did it <u>completely</u> on his own. Well, obviously the carpet folks installed the carpet, and the countertop man installed the countertop, and I painted, but seriously. The framing, the drywall, the electrical, the plumbing, the trim, the baseboards, the railing, the insets, the wood wall, the cabinets, the door - I mean, honestly??? Who can do all that (and do it REALLY well) unless they actually work as a general contractor? Well, apparently Jon can, and I can't stop telling him how amazed I am. He's done some pretty incredible things to the houses we've owned, but this is the most extensive project we've taken on from start to finish, and I can't get over how gorgeous it turned out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17OM4wOTZCjFvO6cYK0taB3VYLM4_6R_2ftCeow9Tw249xXH4G2C4ksvM19lR614EchYOR0ReTlUx3C5ZrvNhsJnilByrUuObB4zoE9Mt6QdKXYTUgxS5GbJoJOt1TTTe7YnUVBpAwQ/s1600/042.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17OM4wOTZCjFvO6cYK0taB3VYLM4_6R_2ftCeow9Tw249xXH4G2C4ksvM19lR614EchYOR0ReTlUx3C5ZrvNhsJnilByrUuObB4zoE9Mt6QdKXYTUgxS5GbJoJOt1TTTe7YnUVBpAwQ/s1600/042.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
A place for all of the toys! This has been life changing. </div>
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Jon's new office space. Yep, I've relegated him to the basement. Sorry honey!<br />
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I cannot get over how well this wet bar turned out. This spot was where our washer & dryer and utility sink were when we moved in. And now it's a gorgeous place to store all of our glasses, and it helps separate the adult space from the kid space. </div>
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I am obsessed with this backsplash. I now want to re-tile our kitchen backsplash, but I'm going to give Jon a break... for now ;-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6VjqcKlkNwfluJ6vaUrUZ4CTLKhrdhANF3xufxS9hU5oaF_8Si6ZRYKVzVPzWZpSsT-x0_mriIWyLahFyOGJaSDpPqHHmSxcfPwkJBYQimCY9wCLYChqV3u0ltPPkQCFnYz5S6fY_g/s1600/005.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6VjqcKlkNwfluJ6vaUrUZ4CTLKhrdhANF3xufxS9hU5oaF_8Si6ZRYKVzVPzWZpSsT-x0_mriIWyLahFyOGJaSDpPqHHmSxcfPwkJBYQimCY9wCLYChqV3u0ltPPkQCFnYz5S6fY_g/s1600/005.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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It was Jon's idea to build these inset things. It was alot of extra work and effort, but I love the character it brings to the basement. We stained the back walls to match the beam that runs through the middle of the room.</div>
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For Jon's birthday, I found a giant (but sadly empty) bottle of Silver Oak (one of our favorite wineries in Napa) and it came in this awesome case. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYdLNtqfFzQxTuOwgdilzsiU2twPirXZVEJOT4B-3vplKVTAqfClFApzwmH5nkcfe19CoGOiX0Unu3Z95wwzJ6nde707wtn8GTjUyA33O1cnLGdohe8WBccALF4NKmHB2mO0jt5SzKw/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUF8AbPxW2CHLRKrLx5dV1x0B1vZa6ydT9kcnLTtcGjaE8Fr5tibV9IoUS8yqW-1S26OVqTgWBgEcLvOqDs0EfQ9jruaH8YuyFUQKIEuVGxRGcJ3meyKxTgcCnsKTfs-D3dMHJmYIoQ/s1600/010.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUF8AbPxW2CHLRKrLx5dV1x0B1vZa6ydT9kcnLTtcGjaE8Fr5tibV9IoUS8yqW-1S26OVqTgWBgEcLvOqDs0EfQ9jruaH8YuyFUQKIEuVGxRGcJ3meyKxTgcCnsKTfs-D3dMHJmYIoQ/s1600/010.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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Back in March, this area:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYdLNtqfFzQxTuOwgdilzsiU2twPirXZVEJOT4B-3vplKVTAqfClFApzwmH5nkcfe19CoGOiX0Unu3Z95wwzJ6nde707wtn8GTjUyA33O1cnLGdohe8WBccALF4NKmHB2mO0jt5SzKw/s1600/040.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYdLNtqfFzQxTuOwgdilzsiU2twPirXZVEJOT4B-3vplKVTAqfClFApzwmH5nkcfe19CoGOiX0Unu3Z95wwzJ6nde707wtn8GTjUyA33O1cnLGdohe8WBccALF4NKmHB2mO0jt5SzKw/s1600/040.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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Looked like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCYOS6EGAIESBDB5qGXEDEmBW2OdeJXLqo0Djoq1AgPnaxVsyhBrSKlvm2Iu4oOoyd8rSDV84T9A61KgBOyggwFToeqL6S-kyacagOenVZo8E23k6ao3X4CQkmSjvGptVNtxYrDDvHA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCYOS6EGAIESBDB5qGXEDEmBW2OdeJXLqo0Djoq1AgPnaxVsyhBrSKlvm2Iu4oOoyd8rSDV84T9A61KgBOyggwFToeqL6S-kyacagOenVZo8E23k6ao3X4CQkmSjvGptVNtxYrDDvHA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Big upgrade. Big. Huge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdF9lNvbR1xWEUlUwo_CexQ2GOOu17nwb8FOukfZJwZQXAwXs-4Rw5XXiUbl0KCgnWOmLPu-KZWlrxTTR41a_RWxA4ylwL8wyFgJQm5usoHsOrKCcMp_shxxe6YPNKozPuOzQkbzI3A/s1600/043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJdF9lNvbR1xWEUlUwo_CexQ2GOOu17nwb8FOukfZJwZQXAwXs-4Rw5XXiUbl0KCgnWOmLPu-KZWlrxTTR41a_RWxA4ylwL8wyFgJQm5usoHsOrKCcMp_shxxe6YPNKozPuOzQkbzI3A/s1600/043.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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My favorite! A wine crate coffee table (DIY instructions found <a href="http://diy-vintage-chic.blogspot.com/2012/05/vintage-wine-crate-coffee-table.html">here</a>) that costs less than $50? Sold! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrP-XkKa9T3puGeYV9tpTY4FxUA-SNGQPwhqdTvt-YCuGCBy1VuVFyvK4o53gFahZQXuumrkIDr20VYWTJJSbgt3sdToaG2LLQCVAA8PttB_4DW1G1t5mtGIKfhdjo2CdjaSDopIdg7A/s1600/047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrP-XkKa9T3puGeYV9tpTY4FxUA-SNGQPwhqdTvt-YCuGCBy1VuVFyvK4o53gFahZQXuumrkIDr20VYWTJJSbgt3sdToaG2LLQCVAA8PttB_4DW1G1t5mtGIKfhdjo2CdjaSDopIdg7A/s1600/047.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I want to fill this handy little cubby with corks from every time we drink a bottle of wine together. Every cork a memory, right? Looks like we have some work to do! ;-)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPtqdA-scg9VxwfgaXFx_Ot3YrRcjFtkwcymfAyiz87V-Y00YZGhpE1sN0r1SA1GZby1AHNBES-4NMZy3KLrnKsXyxaMA98VwG4MiwYhYTz_7gO2p-7LY9KJHjhS383vqDPN7EjBD9w/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPtqdA-scg9VxwfgaXFx_Ot3YrRcjFtkwcymfAyiz87V-Y00YZGhpE1sN0r1SA1GZby1AHNBES-4NMZy3KLrnKsXyxaMA98VwG4MiwYhYTz_7gO2p-7LY9KJHjhS383vqDPN7EjBD9w/s1600/photo.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I love this little TV nook for the girls. They sit/lay down next to each other and cuddle up watching movies, and my heart melts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfF5zcGHY3mIlrt530twspjgvcKI6Emf9LtVIc3N74EEw_zv-cP5S1TBxVb_p-_uH6Cr-sN3YAg6m_hDWU6YMHLvVYI3UpfcpaaROCJ40OiLkrUrhMtmd2FYcVbc7zr3w5p3MddugT1g/s1600/049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfF5zcGHY3mIlrt530twspjgvcKI6Emf9LtVIc3N74EEw_zv-cP5S1TBxVb_p-_uH6Cr-sN3YAg6m_hDWU6YMHLvVYI3UpfcpaaROCJ40OiLkrUrhMtmd2FYcVbc7zr3w5p3MddugT1g/s1600/049.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Every day when we get home, Anna wants to immediately "Go Dow Sares" to have her "Cup" at the table. <3</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsLBYzsVTOMo10vI2oaPzts5HtRCtfE0XIy25aM-w4eWyZOrTCvbrNLtmZWqMO3K4TnGVCY_IoGceVufIBXSuLb8G_e17ukH5ikm_ZQsFU70PNeBXnIW5g0ZhoFxIngfyGzq7sX-mKA/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsLBYzsVTOMo10vI2oaPzts5HtRCtfE0XIy25aM-w4eWyZOrTCvbrNLtmZWqMO3K4TnGVCY_IoGceVufIBXSuLb8G_e17ukH5ikm_ZQsFU70PNeBXnIW5g0ZhoFxIngfyGzq7sX-mKA/s1600/050.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruler: <a href="http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/large-oak-ruler-growth-chart-985937/">Hobby Lobby</a>; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TZLAZE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001TZLAZE&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=5Q34AWYZDOB2SXSX">Kid's Table: </a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TZLAZE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001TZLAZE&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=5Q34AWYZDOB2SXSX">Amazon</a></td></tr>
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I half-joked with <a href="http://heyhollywoodblog.blogspot.com/">Holly</a> that I should start renting Jon out for side projects. As I mentioned in my <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/12/2014-year-in-review.html">2014 recap</a> post, I am amazed that Jon was able to do all of this with the schedules that we have. Sure, it may have taken us 11 months (a <b>lifetime</b> according to HGTV standards), but we got the basement finished for a <i>fraction</i> of what a contractor would have charged. Plus, we got to design everything, and make our own choices. </div>
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I know it was incredibly difficult for Jon to get home from a long day of work and go down to the basement to work on this project, but it was <u>so</u> worth it. I couldn't be more grateful for his expertise, and now that it's all said and done, I keep telling him it was kind of fun. Right??? RIGHT??</div>
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Now, on to the next project! ;-)</div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-32698049880448426132015-01-05T11:33:00.002-05:002015-01-05T11:35:03.666-05:00"Veggie Spaghetti" and a 2015 Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
I, like probably 30% of the population or more, have committed to eating healthier in the new year.</div>
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<a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2012/09/sugar-sugar-oh-honey-honey.html">Once again</a>, I am committing to removing as many added sugars from my diet as possible. It's the way I feel the best, and has had proven results on my health (i.e. my triglycerides dropping by 50 points!)</div>
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I recently watched the documentary <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MRHFA72/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00MRHFA72&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=VKBVWL5W563O6EW7">Fed Up</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00MRHFA72" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />and it only reinforced my feeling that sugar is the devil and it's killing us.
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One thing with eliminating added sugars is that is incredibly
difficult to give up processed food. I'm not a big chip/cookie eater,
but I LIVE for pasta. I may or may not have eaten an entire box of
spaghetti in one setting once. Or twice. <i>Or more than that</i>. I don't keep
count. It's embarrassing. Let's just say I can eat a metric ton of spaghetti and not
even bat an eyelash (or barf for that matter).</div>
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Even when I eat whole wheat
pasta, I just cannot eat the recommended portion size. I always go back
for a second (or let's be honest, third) bowl. So I knew I
had to find a good substitute for pasta, otherwise I'd fail at this. It was through Googling
that I found the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IIVRB3W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00IIVRB3W&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=LUBTJFW6Y4GDDJJL">Veggetti.</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgBJAPFm_RjEpHdvhsKn7xzHDyc72OwPcXeHLDfWABNEF2rOUgbJDpuG0_WBf5LSuz4saimUGcn-KE2VvF6g6IMzU9vw3m-7KX9BjOSMpbd4VGcqLnyYBdW4iWVwrKKftnuPhKZd71Fe9EW0Q6JXZMEAR_RniDV4p-OaB_uGfDfGLH6GXr_onhccSreFDY=" imageanchor="1"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00IIVRB3W" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=alibiofra07-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00IIVRB3W&asins=B00IIVRB3W&linkId=5BTDRIA53ECV2ILG&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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This thing may look a little crazy but it was seriously the best $12
I've spent this year. (It's only January 5th, but you get the idea).</div>
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I took one large zuchinni, spiraled it out (which was SO easy!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq1sge_GA8I109x4Fw_42w3n0Jm-dl-YhdNLoOtPsNfguJ-QzD4hioWSLZtvtNwd34LvqTYFpqXSpyb0DKrZqax9AjhlMpVyXSJ1UVBH6eDEg-QN2NunS71PB1FaJegsAZuKg_e_u1Q/s1600/photo+4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq1sge_GA8I109x4Fw_42w3n0Jm-dl-YhdNLoOtPsNfguJ-QzD4hioWSLZtvtNwd34LvqTYFpqXSpyb0DKrZqax9AjhlMpVyXSJ1UVBH6eDEg-QN2NunS71PB1FaJegsAZuKg_e_u1Q/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Threw some garlic and olive oil in a pan. And then added more garlic because garlic is awesome and wards off vampires.</div>
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Sauteed the zucchini, added some sea salt and cracked pepper, and then a generous tablespoon of parmesan cheese.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT6EKk1Puzmus-3ZlTBcTYBhKQl-H1HzE8FHSjqDFpvWf5BykrpQrxu2j7lOxarfK9zNZp3d-GWzJlZJNYEBXLURwsQUisNe9l5s4MB7Mgt9p_1hm_4dJmDllLJNkYVBujtW97Zx8ug/s1600/photo+3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT6EKk1Puzmus-3ZlTBcTYBhKQl-H1HzE8FHSjqDFpvWf5BykrpQrxu2j7lOxarfK9zNZp3d-GWzJlZJNYEBXLURwsQUisNe9l5s4MB7Mgt9p_1hm_4dJmDllLJNkYVBujtW97Zx8ug/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="640" width="480" /> </a></div>
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Note: I am not a food blogger, so this doesn't look that fancy, but </div>
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O</div>
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I immediately texted my best friend and told her I was never eating pasta again! And then she immediately ordered her own because we are co-dependent and we like to be the same. </div>
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While it may be too early to say I'll never eat real pasta again, this zucchini substitute was seriously SOOOOOO good. It completely removed any craving I had for pasta, and I will now be eating it several times a week, without feeling guilty.</div>
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Good luck to all those getting started with eating healthy! 2015 is your year!</div>
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And seriously, go watch <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MRHFA72/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00MRHFA72&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=VKBVWL5W563O6EW7">Fed Up</a> - that's a swift kick to making a good choice. </div>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fir-na.amazon-adsystem.com%2Fe%2Fir%3Ft%3Dalibiofra07-20%26l%3Das2%26o%3D1%26a%3DB00IIVRB3W&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgBJAPFm_RjEpHdvhsKn7xzHDyc72OwPcXeHLDfWABNEF2rOUgbJDpuG0_WBf5LSuz4saimUGcn-KE2VvF6g6IMzU9vw3m-7KX9BjOSMpbd4VGcqLnyYBdW4iWVwrKKftnuPhKZd71Fe9EW0Q6JXZMEAR_RniDV4p-OaB_uGfDfGLH6GXr_onhccSreFDY=" -->Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-20901447524888249802014-12-30T09:43:00.000-05:002014-12-30T09:43:42.532-05:002014: A Year in Review<div style="text-align: center;">
I've been saying this for several months now, but after the <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2013/12/2013-year-in-review.html">emotional roller coaster</a></span> that was 2013, 2014 has proven to be one of the best (probably THE best) years of my life. </div>
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January brought the beginnings of our basement remodel. I CANNOT wait to show you the finished product! We just have a few more touch-ups to do here and there, and I haven't gotten around to taking photos due to sheer and utter laziness, but I promise to get them up in 2015!<br />
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A little reminder of the before: <br />
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I am IN LOVE with this basement and even more in love with Jon for making such a cozy and happy place for our family- and for alllll of the toys to be in one place, out of sight ;-)<br />
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In February, I did a <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/02/my-friends-are-so-cute-people-want-to.html">little photo shoot</a></span> with some of my girlfriends. What a blast! I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for us, but I know there will be weddings, wine, and widdle babies to name a few.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/03/do-you-want-to-build-snowman.html">March</a> </span>was spent avoiding time outside and seeing the movie 'Frozen' for the first of over 500 times this year. Okay, maybe not 500, but pretty damn close, especially if you count listening to the soundtrack in that total. The Polar Vortex of 2014 was fierce and had us seriously contemplating moving outside of Ohio, but thankfully the spring DID actually come, so we've decided to stay put for now. Ask me again in February when it's -11 though.</div>
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In April I got very deep and insightful with you all. See <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/04/how-your-words-can-change-someones-life.html">here</a></span> and <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/04/get-in-picture-mom.html">here</a>.</span></div>
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And then came May. Oh May. May 2014 - you rocked my socks. </div>
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First we celebrated my 30th birthday with a <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/05/derby-30.html">Derby 30</a></span> birthday party. It was a total BLAST and I also learned that I tell people I love them alot when I drink wine.</div>
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I shared <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-proposal-story.html">our proposal story</a> (and shed quite a few tears writing it).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhr_8ta0loyBUk_mqKkg5SCZMrwXokS8WNsDDihyphenhyphenzcr0kFFw7syFH_ubHZEnV-MGv_tSgpu9fxzM3w9tKm83UR0TMJlmZi8c96tr84oy_AdXWkcbrBuRPIakHFkxF__95YYIo9DUlIFw/s1600/254_554722674384_4844_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhr_8ta0loyBUk_mqKkg5SCZMrwXokS8WNsDDihyphenhyphenzcr0kFFw7syFH_ubHZEnV-MGv_tSgpu9fxzM3w9tKm83UR0TMJlmZi8c96tr84oy_AdXWkcbrBuRPIakHFkxF__95YYIo9DUlIFw/s1600/254_554722674384_4844_n.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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We celebrated <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/05/happy-birthday-to-my-beautiful-anna.html">Anna's 1st birthday</a> with a <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/05/you-are-my-sunshine.html">sunshine-themed</a> birthday party.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">We also celebrated </span><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-proposal-story.html" style="text-align: center;">5 <b>wonderful</b> years</a><span style="text-align: center;"> of marriage and Jon's MBA graduation with a trip to </span><a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/05/california-trip-part-1.html" style="text-align: center;">Northern California.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wrlJmoISzXegUKmnfVYwcfhBWlqVOQvIa6jtgFvqIlYDMYliTtFGDwtS7Fona4gbwou0V4CqQd_Q_X1S6IXApe3rrJzM3AIwGP_p7x-lRVh9cQ4cGl9cn5wNbLkfpL7umvXOp8oVLA/s1600/May+2014+090.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9wrlJmoISzXegUKmnfVYwcfhBWlqVOQvIa6jtgFvqIlYDMYliTtFGDwtS7Fona4gbwou0V4CqQd_Q_X1S6IXApe3rrJzM3AIwGP_p7x-lRVh9cQ4cGl9cn5wNbLkfpL7umvXOp8oVLA/s1600/May+2014+090.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Let me tell you something right here and now. If you asked me today "If you could go anywhere on vacation every year for the rest of your life, where would you go?" I would say Napa Valley, without a doubt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkjk2waWbwG5D4e8LPJaxutqZz1MWXGzvQP2RV89bwINvmpf9P3h7sFfoESKOAT1gjng8FzFFNaqwSVEAJsBszvEnbF0IX5pwwjkJQMO6yvyNWkFyQBlb6jT0NFo2aob7dfj6eoyIRg/s1600/May+2014+305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkjk2waWbwG5D4e8LPJaxutqZz1MWXGzvQP2RV89bwINvmpf9P3h7sFfoESKOAT1gjng8FzFFNaqwSVEAJsBszvEnbF0IX5pwwjkJQMO6yvyNWkFyQBlb6jT0NFo2aob7dfj6eoyIRg/s1600/May+2014+305.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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We had <u>the most amazing</u> time. Napa was everything that I love in this world (outside of my children of course). Amazing wine. Amazing food. Beautiful scenery. Clean, unspoiled air. Fantastic photograph potential. I felt like I was in Heaven that week, and I can't wait to go back!</div>
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See my recaps <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/05/california-trip-part-1.html">here </a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicItW2RQjovKBPREOS5iF4j6o5v2mxymowUH8qDzXwtkBf6yByxT2-zDF6pYL6F45I_NuWFnOtfdChojccl8GX6X3XliHwILFIVS3URcuCm0t4lpFyVih2Znq-fdA2M3ot7M6JgjeV8Q/s1600/May+2014+099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicItW2RQjovKBPREOS5iF4j6o5v2mxymowUH8qDzXwtkBf6yByxT2-zDF6pYL6F45I_NuWFnOtfdChojccl8GX6X3XliHwILFIVS3URcuCm0t4lpFyVih2Znq-fdA2M3ot7M6JgjeV8Q/s1600/May+2014+099.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/06/muir-woods-and-downtown-napa.html">Here</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qpVATEI0cMHNuTYw9uVzCRL2sqq2RUzZRuVZhiyqv0cjBF0aVwpZFXqx7bHtIvKsd8cFzh0r13tIN4dqcK0-iXmYqeGxrNOl0cjGdfq4HuOHabAuWVNJHXMHItQ9Wmg7asHuiDENFA/s1600/May+2014+178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6qpVATEI0cMHNuTYw9uVzCRL2sqq2RUzZRuVZhiyqv0cjBF0aVwpZFXqx7bHtIvKsd8cFzh0r13tIN4dqcK0-iXmYqeGxrNOl0cjGdfq4HuOHabAuWVNJHXMHItQ9Wmg7asHuiDENFA/s1600/May+2014+178.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/06/napa-valley-day-1.html">Here</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQaPLxr19Ck0GhSywuzhSSuOlRDVRXFBMwoYiSbnG8ZQHoLfpV4DCiHH_g-mVwy44vgj_I9CvTYiz_q4_adUTZG8U5hmc4wv5VUl6p-9JLy3dWSxQcu5j7Xas893cOTVi2SuSunSDfg/s1600/May+2014+205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQaPLxr19Ck0GhSywuzhSSuOlRDVRXFBMwoYiSbnG8ZQHoLfpV4DCiHH_g-mVwy44vgj_I9CvTYiz_q4_adUTZG8U5hmc4wv5VUl6p-9JLy3dWSxQcu5j7Xas893cOTVi2SuSunSDfg/s1600/May+2014+205.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/06/napa-valley-day-2.html">Here</a><br />
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and <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/06/napa-valley-day-3.html">here</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-PYFn59c6bzYlPaHEoePcDVlgMqTvngImuy4v8E_4nhgJsi4A6kJEwrevpgWqhNh8Xu_EQs0-fm1sc3W3pqwXPC1pIjQ-S52eCDaPzye84GkqJ3w9Yb6xCR5tjiN64AlFtegEt8iKQ/s1600/May+2014+488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-PYFn59c6bzYlPaHEoePcDVlgMqTvngImuy4v8E_4nhgJsi4A6kJEwrevpgWqhNh8Xu_EQs0-fm1sc3W3pqwXPC1pIjQ-S52eCDaPzye84GkqJ3w9Yb6xCR5tjiN64AlFtegEt8iKQ/s1600/May+2014+488.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ahhhhh, somebody PLEASE take me back. Please. Pretty please?<br />
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As if summer wasn't perfect enough already, I got to <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/07/so-cal-with-my-gal-pals.html">return to California</a> in June to attend a conference, and three of my best girlfriends tagged along and the result was the most fun trip that has ever been! (without my husband and children). It could not have been more perfect, and I will forever cherish the memories made with these girls.<br />
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In July, I watched the fireworks for the first time since moving to Columbus (whhhattt?!) and enjoyed lots of family time out in the sun, including an awesome and stress-free trip to the <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-columbus-zoo-aquarium.html">Columbus Zoo & Aquarium.</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's cool Jon, don't look at the camera.</td></tr>
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In August, I reflected <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/08/ive-finally-reached-that-point.html">on time spent with my children</a>, and how time is a completely different concept to me now.</div>
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August also took us on an impromptu road trip to Disney World. Read <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-24-hour-detour-to-disney-world-and.html">here</a> for my sage advice on not taking your toddlers to Disney World in August. We had a blast though and I can't wait to go back and spend more time there.</div>
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From Orlando, when then spent a week in South Carolina. As stated above, any time spent with my family is <u>the best time ever</u>, and this trip was no exception. </div>
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At the end of August, we <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/09/an-anniversary-surprise.html">surprised my in-laws</a> with a 40th Anniversary Party on Kelley's Island. We had such a good time! Just wait till you see what we have in store for their 50th ;-)</div>
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In September, I <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/09/what-difference-year-makes.html">reflected on the one-year anniversary</a> of Anna's scary ordeal. My God, this child is an absolute miracle, and even today I tear up when I look at her and see how far she's come. She is braver than I will ever be.</div>
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This girl is now walking everywhere, talking up a storm (she says SO many words!) and is defying every odd put in front of her. Just a reminder of the gift I was given by being her mother.<br />
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In October, we drove to Washington DC to do a little sightseeing and watch my incredible husband run the Marine Corps marathon. He. is. a. stud.</div>
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Did I mention that he trained for this marathon while going to school, working full-time, renovating our basement, AND being a loving, doting, and hands-on father? Yep. I know I'm the luckiest. That's a fact. </div>
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We also got to celebrate our first coherent Halloween. Meaning, Emerson is old enough to really "get it" and Anna wasn't in the hospital like she was this time last year. </div>
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The girls went as Anna and Elsa, naturally, but swapped costumes because Emerson likes the Anna costume better and (our) Anna didn't really care. They had so much fun, and though I thought Halloween was overrated until now, I have to say that these holidays are WAY more fun as a mom! I love watching their unspoiled joy and excitement over the littlest things.<br />
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In November, we hosted Thanksgiving at our house, and though I love some good food and wine, I could not be more thankful for my family.They make every day better.<br />
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We also picked out our Christmas tree and decorated the house because, Christmas!<br />
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Lastly, December was chock full of fun! <br />
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We went to the Snowflake Castle. SO MUCH FUN! The girls look indifferent, but I swear they loved it. They're a little skeptical of Santa though. Who wouldn't be? If you asked me to sit on a strange man's lap to get presents, I'd meet that request with an appropriate amount of apprehension and terror. <br />
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Then we had Emerson's 3rd birthday party, the <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-non-pinterest-worthy-tangled-party.html">Non-Pinterest-Worthy Tangled Party</a>, and it was so special. I can't believe she's 3!<br />
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The next day, I hosted our (5th?) annual Friendsgiving. See above. I love these girls like WHOA!<br />
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We spent Christmas day at my in-laws, and they spoiled us and the girls rotten.<br />
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If you learned nothing from this incredibly long blog post, you will have learned that as long as my family is involved, I am the happiest I could be.<br />
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My entire heart belongs to these people.<br />
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So there we have it. The best year of my life, in pictures and clipped sentences. I can't put into words how grateful and happy I am that we had a healthy, happy, exciting, adventurous, crazy and beautiful year.<br />
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2015, you have A LOT to live up to. Let's see what you've got! ;-)<br />
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Hey blog!</div>
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What up. It's me, Audra. Your author. Remember me?</div>
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Anywhoo, just checking in to share some photos from Emerson's birthday 3rd birthday party this past weekend. </div>
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And just like most of my posts these days, there's also some reflection in this one. So, if reflecting isn't your thing, please feel free to skip that part and just look at my beautiful daughters. </div>
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I work full-time. I leave the house every morning by 7:30am, drive 30-40 minutes (depending on traffic), work my 8 hours plus a little time for lunch, leave work at 4:30 and usually arrive home at 5:15pm every day. I don't see my girls in the morning at all (they usually don't wake up until 8:00, so Daddy gets them ready for daycare, feeds them breakfast, gets them dressed and out the door). </div>
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They're usually ready to fall asleep by 8:00, sometimes 8:30pm. </div>
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If you're doing the math, that means Monday-Friday, I only see my daughters awake for 3.25 hours a day. </div>
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<i>3.25 hours!!!</i></div>
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Now, if you're a mother too, I know you feel me. Because whether you are a SAHM, work from home, or work full-time, motherhood brings a constant stream of guilt. That guilt manifests in different forms for every mother, but my personal guilt resides in those 3.25 hours per day. </div>
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When you only have 3.25 hours a day with your children during the week, the best advice I was given is to make it <b>quality</b> time; you don't have the option for quantity, clearly, so make those hours TRULY count. </div>
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And for the most part, I think we do a pretty good job at this. Sure, I try to do dishes, cook, clean, etc. in between, but for most of those 3.25, you will find me laying on the floor, playing puzzles or dress up, chasing, pretending to be a monster, playing hide and go seek, coloring, singing, and any other activity that a 1-3 year old enjoys doing. I would like to believe I am pretty good at this whole "Be Here Now" concept. </div>
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But "Being Here Now" also involves some sacrifice. I can't be everything to everybody, and I can't be perfect at everything I do. I have always loved having and attending birthday parties, so it would make sense that I'd give my daughters the coolest/funnest/most magical parties around. </div>
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But remember, I only have 3.25 hours with them per night. Which means I have only about 1.5 hours to myself per night. <b>In short, I just don't have the time to be perfect. </b></div>
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And guess what? I am totally, completely okay with this. </div>
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We hosted a small party for Emerson on Saturday, and the "theme" for this party was Tangled, because it's one of Emerson's favorite movies and she loves the color purple. I saw so many Rapunzel-themed party ideas on Pinterest, and it stressed me the hell out. I just can't justify spending Emerson's college fund on $100 invitations to a 3-year old birthday party. Because what does 3-year old Emerson care about more? That her Nana is at her party, or that Nana was invited to that party via cardstock instead of email? It's kind of ridiculous when you say it out loud.</div>
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Still, I wanted it to be fun, and I wanted her to feel special. So, I took cues from what I KNOW I'm good at (food, always food) and nixed ideas where I have no real skill or expertise (DIY-anything) and the result was a perfect party. It wasn't fancy, it wasn't expensive, it wasn't the most extravagant 3 year old birthday party ever, but it was so unbelievably perfect. </div>
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<b>Because it was us. </b></div>
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We woke Emerson up at 9:00am (yes, the girl slept until 9:00am on her birthday) and surprised her with one of her gifts, a Rapunzel dress and shoes.</div>
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Emerson is my girly-girl, and I knew she would love it. I had no idea just how <u>much</u> she would love it, but she wore it 24 hours a day for 3 days in a row, so yeah, good choice. Watching her twirl around in a circle singing "I'm beautifuuuuuuuuul, I'm a princesssssssss, I love my mommmmmmmmmy" I mean, come on! I can't handle it. </div>
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Nope, I didn't take a cake-decorating class and use my own piping bag to create this lovely concoction. I walked right over to the Kroger bakery counter, chose a stock design, happily paid my $35.00 and walked away with this cake.</div>
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I ordered Rapunzel plates and napkins , and also the purple lanterns and tablecloth online and never had to step foot in a Party City.</div>
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For food, this is where the <b>real</b> fun came in. Well, fun for me. Themed food is a weakness of mine.</div>
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Specialties were:</div>
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"Maximus" apples and vanilla yogurt dip<br />
"Golden Sun" grilled cheese sandwiches (using <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000VLON6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000VLON6&linkCode=as2&tag=alibiofra07-20&linkId=GTEZF4EQAWLRQN3Y">this</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=alibiofra07-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000VLON6" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> cookie cutter) <br />
"Long Hair" spaghetti pies (a red and a white)<br />
"Hazelnut Soup" (Rapunzel's favorite food, though technically it was butternut squash soup with hazelnuts on top because that sounded better)<br />
Salad (no theme, just thought we needed some greens)<br />
Bread (because spaghetti needs bread)<br />
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The food was a big hit, but the best part is that it required little fuss. I got everything accomplished before they woke up and during their nap time. <br />
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Emerson was a little apprehensive during "Happy Birthday" (our harmony must have been off) but she was super excited to eat her cake.<br />
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We had to blow out that candle 100 more times throughout the weekend.</div>
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The only shot of mom, and I look super weird, but the mom is never in the picture, so here you go.</div>
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My oldest friend Nikki, her husband Ray, and their precious baby Oliver.</div>
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(and also a sneak preview of our basement remodel!)</div>
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The lovely Kristen and sweet Sam. I love Sam's face in this photo!</div>
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My beautiful girls!</div>
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Emerson opening her presents. It was so fun to watch her discover what each item was, and she treated every present like it was the best thing ever. Love. </div>
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She wasn't sure what this was, but she ended up loving it.</div>
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So like I said, this was a totally normal party, on a totally normal day, but my 3-year old had a BLAST, I didn't stress over it, and I imprinted a few memories. </div>
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I'd call that a win.</div>
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Happy birthday my sweet girl!</div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-31644024498938636372014-11-07T13:50:00.000-05:002014-11-07T13:54:29.107-05:00Our "mini-me" daughters<div style="text-align: center;">
Checking in on the good old blog here. How have you been, internet?</div>
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Every day, I see more and more of my girls' personalities come through, and I can't get enough. They are smart, beautiful, happy, and healthy, and that's all a mom can ask for, am I right?</div>
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It's funny to see their similarities and differences, and we're starting to see a little bit of us in them. </div>
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Actually, alot. </div>
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In fact, we're starting to see that each girl is a "mini-me" version of one of us. </div>
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So what do you get when you take a blue-eyed boy and match him up with a hazel-eyed girl??</div>
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Short answer: The two sweetest girls in the whole wide world. But let's break it down.</div>
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Let's start with our sweet Emerson. She'll be 3 next month (cannot believe THAT) and she is slowly but surely turning into her mother (HAHAHA and also AHHHHH!)<br />
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She's got my eye color, my hands, and my coordination (or lack thereof). Instead of getting mad, she cries when she gets in trouble (a trick I totally used to pull all.the.time). She tells everyone she's "shy" but she will talk to anyone (another trick I always pulled, because we all know I'm the <b>opposite</b> of shy).</div>
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She sings, dances, and acts out every movie we watch. She can say and sing every line of all of her favorite movies, and makes me act them out with her. Ask my sister Annie how often I did that as a child. Let's just say I had a flair for the dramatic and truly thought I was going to be an actress for the first 15 years of my life. The apple did not fall far from the tree, and Emerson is <u>totally</u> an actress-in-training. My family thinks I'm getting my just desserts, but I am secretly so proud, and love acting and singing with her more than I care to admit. </div>
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There is nothing she doesn't say. Seriously, she freaks us out sometimes with her communication skills, reasoning and logic. Coincidentally, my mom tells me that I used to freak her out too with my word count when I was growing up. Until I was in 5th grade, I went up a grade level for English and Writing classes. Apparently I had a lot to say back then. Maybe that's why I never shut up now. <i>(Before it sounds like I'm tooting my own horn, please know that any verbal skills I may or may not have had were totally cancelled out by my complete lack of athleticism and grace, and also no talent in math or science whatsoever. It's all about balance in life.)</i></div>
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And then there's Jon's mini-me, our sweet Anna.</div>
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This is the closest picture I could find to give you an idea of just how much Anna looks like her daddy. I love it so much. </div>
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Other than being about a month or two behind in gross motor skills, Anna is meeting and excelling at her milestones just like a regular kiddo. THANK YOU
GOD. She is officially walking now (though not 100% of the time) and is so adventurous. She has no fear, and cares not if we think she should stay in one spot. Nope, she's too busy exploring the world. She's also our sparky one. You tell her no, and she'll yell at you and keep doing whatever she was doing, because you're not the boss of her. I love her spark because it shows that she is definitely not affected
by everything she went through. It doesn't hold her down; it gives her a
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But she's also SO sweet. So so sweet. She twirls her hair when she's tired, cuddly, or overwhelmed. Sometimes I catch her twirling her hair in her sleep and it's so cute I just want to cry. </div>
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She's going through a verbal explosion too. Lots of new words and phrases like "Thank you" and "Chee-Os" but there is <u>nothing in the whole world</u> like the sweet sound of her saying "MAMA!" and lighting up when I walk into the room. They validate my existence every single day. </div>
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She's also going to be the introvert (the counterpart to Emerson's obvious extroverted personality). Just like her daddy, Anna is quiet, introspective, and curious. </div>
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I seriously cannot get enough of these two. </div>
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And it further proves the point that you need to pick a partner that you could see as the future parent to your children. Because, odds are, at least one of your children is going to be just like them, they better not suck as a human being. </div>
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I am the luckiest. </div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-79388649988941903642014-10-15T09:11:00.001-04:002014-10-15T09:18:47.627-04:00A 24-hour detour to Disney World and a week in Folly Beach<div style="text-align: center;">
Yeah, I definitely realize it is October. And that we went on this trip over two months ago. But, since this blog serves as a diary for my girls, I want to make sure I recap it, even if it happened weeks ago, and the warm days of summer have been swept away by the chilly fall air. So, let's put on our metaphorical sunblock and go back to the first week of August.</div>
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My amazing in-laws booked us a beach house in the Charleston, SC area for a week. Our reservation was for Sunday-Sunday. A few days before we were supposed to depart, I get a text from my crazy husband saying: "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we drove down early and took the girls to Disney World, then drove back up to Charleston?"</div>
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A few hours later, a plan was hatched. Mind you, Orlando, FL and Charleston, SC are <b>not</b>, by anyone's definition, close together. </div>
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But, when presented with the opportunity to take my girls to meet their favorite Disney characters, I mean, <i>I'm not gonna say no right???</i> </div>
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So, we packed up the car, the girls, 500 snacks and DVDs, and took off, heading south at 6:30pm and arriving in Orlando around 9:30am. Exhausted, but excited. </div>
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We checked into our hotel, took showers, got the girls dressed, then set them on the bed, full of anticipation because we knew they'd be SO EXCITED. We even taped their reaction.</div>
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Weeeelllllllll, we <i>thought</i> they'd be so excited. And I guess they were, in their own way. Oh well.</div>
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So, we drove over to the Magic Kingdom, and our first stop was meeting Rapunzel and Cinderella. Now THAT got Emerson's attention.</div>
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At first she said "Mommy, I can't! I'm too shy!!!" She was immobilized.</div>
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But then she saw the princesses, and she FREAKED.</div>
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They look totally unimpressed, but I swear Emerson was beside herself with excitement.</div>
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Rapunzel took the "baby" and I thought Emerson would hate her forever, but instead, it endeared her to Emerson.</div>
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<span style="color: black;">Sweet, sweet Anna-Boo was loving the attention</span>.</div>
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Huge hugs!</div>
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Side note: This little scene in Fantasy Land is serving as my inspiration for Emerson's 3rd birthday party.</div>
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Hungry, tired and thirsty (did I mention it was 100 actual degrees that day???) we decided to go to my favorite restaurant in all of Disney World, the <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/crystal-palace/">Crystal Palace</a>.</div>
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Air conditioning? Check. A full buffet? Check. Get to meet the Winnie the Pooh characters? Checkity check. </div>
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What could be better??<br />
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Except Emerson was having NONE of it. She thought Piglet and Pooh were devils from the underworld. Oh well.<br />
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Our last
attraction of the day was "Enchanted Tales with Belle." Emerson had been
watching Beauty and the Beast on repeat (still does, actually) so I
knew she'd be excited to meet Belle.</div>
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Anna and Jon stayed outside because some people just can't do Disney.</div>
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Emerson
got to play the part of "Chip" the teacup at this attraction, and she
still brings it up ALL THE TIME. Every time we see Chip or a teacup in
general "Mommy, I WAS CHIP! REMEMBER MOMMY?!?!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGUlSC32K6hUDeg4YB4c6EFCcDu9JU8p4NNEHN1HG02vM30-AXPK2gRuYVjMdzYCxKFC9R5ZfH4koa_QStt8UflGlbEzgEK6JFkfk17mEgBwy6-KHqfFNO33MIJNXsAMZEU1myqKmcg/s1600/photo+3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGUlSC32K6hUDeg4YB4c6EFCcDu9JU8p4NNEHN1HG02vM30-AXPK2gRuYVjMdzYCxKFC9R5ZfH4koa_QStt8UflGlbEzgEK6JFkfk17mEgBwy6-KHqfFNO33MIJNXsAMZEU1myqKmcg/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a> </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="415" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/9js9_SqnFlo" width="520"></iframe></div>
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Our one and only family photo from the day. Not pictured: Copious and uncomfortable amounts of sweat.</div>
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After 7 hours in the park, where it felt like I was truly melting, we decided to take the girls back to the hotel to swim and cool off. </div>
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On the monorail: </div>
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The question I've been asked by many is: "Would you do it again?" As in, "Would you ever drive through the night again to only spend 24 hours in Disney?"</div>
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My answer is no. I can't WAIT to take them back to Disney World, and soon. Just not in August. And if you're gonna make a 14-hour drive, you should probably just go ahead and spend more time at the place than it actually took you to get there. Just a rule of thumb.</div>
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But because I'm an eternal optimist, I am <b>so</b> happy we did it, I don't regret it, and even though the girls probably won't remember this trip, <b>we will. </b>Memories, man.<br />
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On the way home. This picture totally sums up their feelings at the end of the day.<br />
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The following morning, we slept in a little, got a big breakfast, and headed on up to Folly Beach.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tZWpO1K_Wk2tT1Oxus0HVqXw0ise71NTfNqWmDtqUPa6svQMgbhxwHp5THkECD9PTOsdjcCPUiGJNnc-mg68h5cJfQp6wB8TESYQzcLErnLtIrPJXXfvVxqtu72MBsfgFoPQHLaWsA/s1600/6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tZWpO1K_Wk2tT1Oxus0HVqXw0ise71NTfNqWmDtqUPa6svQMgbhxwHp5THkECD9PTOsdjcCPUiGJNnc-mg68h5cJfQp6wB8TESYQzcLErnLtIrPJXXfvVxqtu72MBsfgFoPQHLaWsA/s1600/6.JPG" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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The first few days were a little cloudy and rainy, but I'm never gonna not love being at the beach, so for me, it was awesome.</div>
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My sweet sweet nephew Leo and his mommy :)</div>
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A HUGE thanks to Ma and Papa for taking us on this wonderful vacation!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiZ3KBTvxXD7MxC7LcpTSg5oNPWanc1aXK7GSS2v4iBu2fe-UaCwObwDBfj2M2-kocJu7bDExaBWK25qgoLt6e-X1mkzB-v1qzlp7JKQg6jY-FLESpmfNDpwELkCJYAiT3nwnT1gWbg/s1600/August+2014+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqiZ3KBTvxXD7MxC7LcpTSg5oNPWanc1aXK7GSS2v4iBu2fe-UaCwObwDBfj2M2-kocJu7bDExaBWK25qgoLt6e-X1mkzB-v1qzlp7JKQg6jY-FLESpmfNDpwELkCJYAiT3nwnT1gWbg/s1600/August+2014+090.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What an attractive couple, right???</td></tr>
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On our second day there, the whole caravan decided to explore the city of Charleston a little more.</div>
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The babies of the trip. Best buds and super adorable.</div>
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I have an obsession with doors. Is that weird? Probably.</div>
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"Daddy, daddy! Wait for me!!!!"</div>
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Rainbow Row!</div>
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I <3 stone streets. Any stone. Cobble. Pebble. Rolling. Whatever.<br />
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Love and marriage. Love and marriage. Go together like a horse and carriage.</div>
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Charleston is a completely charming city. I could never live there in the summer, due to humidity and bugs, but I would love to go back and explore even more. </div>
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The rest of our week was pretty low key, which is exactly what we wanted and needed, but on our last day, we did sneak away for a few family photos on the beach.</div>
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You know, my whole heart, just hanging out on the beach. I love these three people more than you could ever imagine. </div>
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The closest we could get to an all-girls picture. </div>
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Sassy pants. (her, not me)</div>
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I would like to think she's thinking "Oh Mommy, you're so funny and silly and you're my best friend and always will be."</div>
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That hair.</div>
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The cutest two-year-old in human existence. </div>
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There are loads of other places I'd like to explore in the U.S., but honestly, I could be anywhere in the world, and as long as I'm with my family, what's in the background is just scenery.</div>
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For me, this is what life is all about.</div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-72310388641979045282014-09-18T12:40:00.002-04:002014-09-18T12:43:18.406-04:00What a Difference a Year Makes<div style="text-align: center;">
September 18, 2013. One of the <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2011/09/one-year-ago-today.html">two worst days</a> of my life. </div>
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I don't want to re-live it, because even when I started re-reading these posts (Parts <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2013/09/why-ive-been-mia-part-1.html">1</a> and <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2013/09/part-2.html">2</a>) I started crying immediately.</div>
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I will never forget the indescribable feelings of utter helplessness and fear. The love of a mother for her children is an aching, consuming, throw-yourself-in-front-of-a-train-to-protect-your-child type of love, but that day, we were faced with my worst nightmare: losing my precious Anna. </div>
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We had already lost our son, and here we were. Faced with the real possibility that once again, our sweet, loved, wanted baby was going to be taken away from us.</div>
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But, as we know, my little Anna is a brave, strong, beautiful FIGHTER and is happy and healthy today.</div>
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Perfect. Growing. Normal. A few scars, but no signs of the pain she experienced and as sweet and sassy as could be.</div>
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Despite what your beliefs may be, you can't look at that sweet girl happily swinging and not think someone is watching out for her. </div>
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I know I do.</div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-6256977862917706402014-09-11T13:28:00.000-04:002014-09-11T13:28:03.693-04:00Our Labor Day Weekend<div style="text-align: center;">
Whoops. I started writing this post last Monday.... I'll just pretend it's still Tuesday the 2nd, how's that sound?<br />
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Though parts of our Labor Day weekend were quite laborious (fittingly), I must say that it was a fitting ending to what has been maybe the best summer of my life. Summer recap coming soon! :)</div>
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To start, we had the opportunity to go watch "Frozen" on the Jumbotron at Ohio Stadium. As if I haven't seen Frozen literally 150 times and could recite it line by line, getting to view it in this completely different way was such a cool experience. I love my job!</div>
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Anna watching intently.</div>
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The girls were beside themselves, and Emerson is still talking about it! </div>
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"Mommy, I'm so happy I saw Frozen on the big screen! Mommy, the screen went all the way up to the ceiling!" Too cute for words. </div>
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After sleeping in on Saturday, we decided to take advantage of the long weekend and do some projects around the house. While Jon and his dad laid tile in the basement, we took the girls to Home Goods for some pillow shopping. </div>
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I wanted to add some more color to the family room, because the purple and gray was getting boring after a year, so these fun pillows and a few new accessories really spiced things up in there.<br />
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The real problem started as my eyes gazed from our new colorful family room into the kitchen. All of a sudden, the dark brown that was perfectly fine a week ago HAD TO GO.<br />
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Before:<br />
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And then once the brown was gone, the hallway color that I wasn't completely sold on as it was suddenly looked SO WRONG as well, so it had to go too.<br />
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And then I couldn't paint the downstairs hallway without painting the upstairs hallway right?</div>
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And then I couldn't ignore the fact that we never re-painted the guest bedroom after we switched it with Anna's room, so it was still the same baby pink, which is fine for baby girls but not for a guest bedroom, so naturally it had to go too!<br />
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We're just putting the finishing touches on it this week, so look for a before and after photo next week!<br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-17052052851440784022014-09-02T09:41:00.004-04:002014-09-02T09:42:50.872-04:00An Anniversary Surprise<br />
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A couple weekends ago, we hosted a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party for my in-laws on Kelley's Island. Jon's parents took their 1-day honeymoon on Kelley's island 40 years ago but haven't been back in ages. They've spent the last 40 years putting all of their time, energy and attention into their children, so their children decided to pay them back in a small way. </div>
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We invited their close friends and family for a celebration, and my awesome friend Jean-Marie was on-hand to take photos of the event. She was the best investment ever! I love how many candid moments she captured, and these are pictures and memories we'll have forever.</div>
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Confusion. Then surprise. Then happiness. We pulled it off!</div>
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Anna is too cool for Hollywood.</div>
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Who let that girl have chocolate???? ;-)<br />
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Emerson is <u>obsessed</u> with golf carts now. Birthday gift idea???</div>
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Though we were nervous that we wouldn't pull the whole thing off without suspicion, it all fell into place and was the perfect day. </div>
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<b><br />Happy anniversary you crazy kids!</b></div>
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-31299474704544968232014-08-20T09:02:00.002-04:002014-08-20T13:08:14.263-04:00I've finally reached that pointMy entire life, I've been counting down to something. Always waiting for the next big event, the next milestone, the next, way-more-exciting-than-what-is-happening-now thing to happen. I even wrote <a href="http://itsalittlebitofrain.blogspot.com/2011/01/countdowns.html">an entire blog post</a> dedicated to countdowns almost 4 years ago, when I was at a very different place in my life.<br />
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When I was little, the "big things" were so innocent:<br />
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<i>"I can't wait for that sleepover at my friend's house."</i></div>
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<i>"I can't wait for Beauty & the Beast to come out on video."</i></div>
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<i>"I can't wait for our trip to Disney World." </i></div>
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When I reached adolescence, it was all about wishing my youth away so I could be "older":</div>
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<i><i>"I can't wait to turn 13 so I can be a teenager." </i></i></div>
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<i><i>"I can't wait to turn 16 so I can drive."</i></i></div>
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<i><i><i>"I can't wait to turn 18 so I can be an adult'" <b>(HA!)</b></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i>"I can't wait to turn 21 so I can (legally) drink alcohol."</i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i>"I can't wait to start my first 'real' job." </i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><b> </b></i></i></i></div>
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And then into adulthood, it was all about hitting the "adult" milestones</div>
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<i><i><i>"I can't wait to finish grad school!"</i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i> </i></i></i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait to buy a house!"</i></i></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait until our wedding!"</i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait to have babies!"</i></i> </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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And finally, the journey into parenthood:</div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait to be pregnant again."</i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait to hold that baby in my arms."</i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait until she sleeps through the night."</i></i></i></i></i></i></i> </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait until she walks"</i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i> </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i>"I can't wait until she talks" </i></i> </i></i></i></i></i></div>
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See a theme here? Waiting, waiting, waiting. Lots of waiting. 30 years of waiting in fact.<br />
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Some would argue that I'm simply a future-oriented person who gets excited over the little things. This is true. But on a 14-hour drive in the middle of the night on our way back from Charleston, I had a revelation of sorts.<br />
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I was lamenting to Jon that our summer vacation was over, the last of 3 trips I've had the privilege to go on this summer, and that meant fall was right around the corner. Fall is an extremely busy time in the life of a college career counselor, so I knew the "lazy" days of summer were coming to an end.<br />
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But then I looked in the back seat, at my sleeping babies, and all of a sudden I had this overwhelming urge to freeze time. They both looked so angelic, so peaceful, and I will have that beautiful image in my brain for the rest of my life.<br />
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<b>Because I finally realized: "I don't want this time to end."</b><br />
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I've spent 30 years waiting for the next big thing, and now, I realize the biggest and best thing is right here, right now. I've always wanted to speed things up, and now, I am at the place in my life where things are so good, I'd be content to stay in this bubble for the rest of my life.<br />
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I'm not saying my life has reached it's peak; far from it. There are goals to achieve, memories to make, and I still want to contribute to the greater good in a way that I have not discovered yet. I'm still going to look forward to events with the same joy I always have. <br />
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But after all of the waiting, the wondering, the struggles, and the pain, <b>I don't want to wish away one more second</b>. Every second I have on Earth, and every second I have as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend is a second worth cherishing. I get it now. <br />
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Audrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08958962413010383113noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3233657776335318651.post-54385174683216405522014-07-29T09:32:00.000-04:002014-07-29T09:34:39.755-04:00The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium<div style="text-align: center;">
This was one of those super busy, amazing weekends. Not one minute was wasted.</div>
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We have been wanting to go to the Columbus Zoo all summer to check out the new <a href="http://heartofafrica.columbuszoo.org/">Heart of Africa</a> exhibit. Though it can be pretty crowded at times (it is always within the top 10 zoos in the country), we decided to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and go early on Saturday morning. We had a blast!!!</div>
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First stop: the petting zoo. Emerson was scared of the animals at first, but once she found out she could brush the goat's hair, she was all in.</div>
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The Heart of Africa exhibit was just so cool. You almost forgot you were in Columbus, Ohio. </div>
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Apparently, the lion doesn't just sleep tonight. He sleeps during the day while hundreds of people watch him and his friends. </div>
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Did I know that was a warthog simply because of Timon & Pumba? I can't say.</div>
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It was hard to get a good shot of this, but that is a Labrador playing with the cheetahs. They are being raised together. Is that not the cutest thing you've ever heard of? I loved watching them play together!</div>
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Emerson loved the bears.</div>
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And the "pink ducks"</div>
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When asked what animal she <b>really</b> wanted to see, Emerson said penguins, so we walked around a great portion of the park trying to find these little guys. </div>
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Anna and Leo (my nephew) had so much fun they passed out. </div>
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My first carousel ride! </div>
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She kept looking for Nemo. </div>
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"Is that Nemo, mommy? Is THAT Nemo? Which one is Nemo mommy?" </div>
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Soon, sweetheart. Very soon ;-)</div>
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"Hey Leo! Wake up and check this out!"</div>
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When she finally woke up, Anna LOVED watching the fishies in the aquarium. Her squeals of delight made the whole trip worth it. </div>
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Aunt Kiki!</div>
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If you are anywhere near the area, definitely go check out the Columbus Zoo! Fun for the family, inexpensive, and the Bavarian pretzels are pretty tasty! :-)</div>
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