30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 14-A picture you love

LOVE this picture by Ivy Studios. It was taken this past May and I think totally was a prelude to how E's personality would develop in the months to come. He wasn't such a goofball then but NOW is a total ham! Loves to bounce around and make silly faces. Oh and me and DH look pretty happy too :P

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 13-Goals

As far as short term goals I have a few: 

-LOSE WEIGHT. At this point I'll take any loss!

-Learn about photography

-Move out (we're working on this one!)

-Spend more quality time with DH...alone...lol

I know I've got more but I'm drawing blanks (thank-you overnight 16 hour shifts on the weeknds....). BUT here's a reminder on the LONG list of goals I am working on.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 12- What you believe

I believe in 2nd chances. 

I believe that being a mom is the most wonderful "job" in the whole world.

I believe that as long as you learn from your mistakes and commit to not repeating them most can be forgiven.

I believe that family is more than those that are blood related.

I believe that college is better the 2nd time around :)

I believe its ok to eat dessert after every dinner.

I believe it's ok to spoil your child as long as they don't become a brat about it.

I believe manners matter.

I believe in marriage.

I believe in God.

I believe that sometimes you just need a good cry.

I believe the bad times help you appreciate the good times.

I believe that blogging is therapeutic :P

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 11- Favorite TV Shows

TV is a favorite DVR past-time of mine. I don't get to sit down and watch it very often so I have a nice little collection piling up! Here is MOST of what is saved on the tube right now:

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 10- Something you're afraid of

Typing this entry sends shivers down my spine and makes me feel the need to turn the lights on.

I have two fears. Heights- hate them, but I deal with them.

Then there is this :

OMG I LOATHE clowns. My parents let me watch "IT" when I was little and ever since then the sight of them sends me into a panic attack. I freak out during Halloween cause they're everywhere and forget the Circus. If one comes near me I run the opposite direction!!!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 9- A picture of your friends

I like this one :) But at the same time it makes me so sad.

I have the world's BEST friends. They're like family to me and I couldn't imagine my life without them. Two of my BFF's in AZ have been through so much with me, and I am so grateful they are in my life. They fit so perfectly in my life cause they're my "go-to" people for different things/reasons...so it works out quite nicely :) Plus we're in the same group of friends so it makes life easier lol.

Sonja has been one of my closest friends since basically I moved to AZ. She started dating her DH around the same time I started dating mine and that's how our story began :) Ever since then our lives have been pretty in-sync...her's less dramatic of course haha. She got engaged....then I got engaged...she got married...I got married...she got pregnant...a few days later I found I was. That's when the craziness happened. It wasn't enough that our friendship was so tied together, that our in-utero children were even more so connected. It was nuts! Once one baby did one thing, within a week the other would mimic. Sonja went into pre-term labor at about 28 weeks, then I did at 29 weeks (both weekends these incidences happened were of course the weekends of our baby showers!). I gave birth Sept 4th, Sonja did on the 5th. And to this day they still do things one after another...love it!

 A week before we both found out we we're pregnant!

Two weeks before the babies we're born!

Then there is my dear Sheena. We became friends a few years ago but weren't super close like me and Sonja. When I got pregnant something clicked and we "chatted" daily. She listened to my complaints, gave advice, support, eased my mind when I was a nervous wreck...you name it and she was there! Total lifesaver, and no idea how I would've kept sane without her. She is now preggo herself and I can't wait to meet baby Alli!

Here's one of the group of girls:

 Sheena, Sonja (baby Makayla), Laura (baby Blake), me (baby Ethan)

 Mommies and their babies (we found out baby Alli was coming a few days prior!)

And the daddy's (and uncle Ethan lol)

I have made some wonderful friends in WA that have made the move here so much easier, but apparently I'm not as camera happy anymore cause I don't have any pics of us :( YIKES! 

30 Day Challenge Catch-up! Day's 6,7, AND 8!

Yikes I am so behind on this :(

But I DO have an excuse...worked 16 hour overnights Friday and Saturday and a normal 8 on Sunday THEN got super sick Monday with a 102.5 fever. Soooo I wasn't just being lazy I swear!

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

This was taken when Ethan was about 7 months old. I LOVE his big, wet, slobbery kisses. He wakes up every morning and grabs my ears and lays a big one on me. No matter WHAT is happening at that moment, those kisses make every tear, every struggle, every pain in my rear worth while.




Day 7-Favorite movies
I love movies. Me and DH watch them all the time...at home that is. See there's this cute thing called a baby that prevents us from leaving the house at the same time (alone that is lol). Date night is few and far between these days but we're ok with that. Here are just a few of my favorites:

I'm sure there are more but at this moment I can't think of them :P

Day 8-A place you've traveled to

While nannying in AZ I got the pleasure of traveling with families (or without if they had to leave me and the kids there :D ) on their summer vacations. And each year it was the same place! Cornado Beach in CA. I just love it there. It's so pretty, peaceful, and just plain relaxing. For the life of me I can't find any of my pics anywhere but here are some pictures of the beach area that I basically would spend the whole week. One year we even stayed on the hotel on the beach...HEAVEN!

Fall Fashions

I figured it'd be a nice change to throw another post in there that wasn't part of the 30 Day Challenge :)

I don't know why but ever year when Fall comes around I feel the need to add something Leopard print into my wardrobe lol. Weird huh? Now I'm not one of those crazy women who dresses head to toe in animal print. EWWW gross is all I gotta say! But I feel a dash here and there is acceptable (right?!?!). I used to be SO fashion savvy back in the day and now I dress like a total mom. It's sad people, really really sad.

I recently decided that I want to get back to my fashion savvy self. I may be bigger but I can still rock it! So last week I bought this:

And tonight I bought this :) :

The robe is a little much I know but no one is gonna see it other than DH :P And I saw one like it months ago on Khloe and Kourtney take Miami and wanted one so bad lol!

So what do you think? Am I stuck a few years back with the Leopard print accessories? What are YOUR fall fashion favorites?

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 5-Your siblings

I love my sisters. And I miss them dearly. 

Me, Holly, and Sandy 

As you can see we look nothing alike lol. They are both from my dad's first marriage hence the paleness they both are rocking hahaha. Although they are my "half" sisters I never for one second have thought of them as anything less than my sisters. I didn't get to grow up with them unless my dad had them on the weekends or they were coming to visit but I remember some great times of them playing forts with me or taking me to get ice cream. 

As we grew older I became closer with my sister Sandy. She had a baby when I was 10 so I did a lot of babysitting. The average difference between us is 7 years so I think it was easier for her to tolerate me growing up lol jk. Holly is 10 years older than me and I loved her just as much but I do admit we didn't have the closeness until older when I could relate to things she was doing (marriage, babies, etc).

They both live in Chicago which sucks cause I never get to see them or my nieces and nephews. I really wish they would visit up here but hopefully sooner rather than later I will see them (and they will meet their nephew!) 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4-Your parents

My parents. Oh boy. What a subject. A HUGE part as to why my life can/was/is a roller coaster. And not just my adult life, teenage years were all sorts of special too. I like to believe that I BELIEVED my childhood was good. I don't remember too much fighting, and I have fun and happy memories of family vacations. So I don't think the drama was recognizable until I was older.

My parents are divorced. They split up the summer after I graduated High School and it has been a long. traumatic. horrific.ordeal every step of the way. There's been picking sides, checking up, dirty gossip the whole road to court and then some after. I hate it. I hated it when they were married and I hate it even more now that I am an adult. I've learned to just put my foot down and say that if I have to have a conversation regarding the other parent that lasts more than a minute I'm walking out/hanging up. Fun times.

I don't have many pictures of my parents as you can guess. The ones I have are only from when they are with E. Sad, huh?

My dad (paw paw) and E.

 I've been a daddy's girl my whole life. EVERYONE knows it too. I don't like the things my dad does/did but he's my dad and I'm his princess. If he has the power to do whatever I want/need he will make it happen. And I love him for that. I just wish the choices that were made we're better. He's dying and it could've been prevented and/or prolonged and it infuriates me. 

My mom (grandma) and E

Oh my mother. We butt heads more than any other mother/daughter combo I know. I'm more like her than I want to admit but it's true. I work like her, I act like her, I shop like her. The one thing I don't do it parent like her. She worked 24/7 while I was growing up so I NEVER saw her. I don't remember her coming to my school for things, she (or my dad) was rarely at my games. Neither came to my state cheerleading competition. It is what it is. I cried and was heartbroken, but I got over it. I know that she had to work to support us, but I can't lie and say I was/am resentful for her not being there for me. I feel like I got jipped in that whole mom/daughter bonding experience. We're working on it now though, and I am thankful for that. 

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 3:Your first love

Oh boy.

Yeah well I'm LAME and didn't really have a lot of "experience" in the guy department when I was in HS. I wasn't allowed to date til I was 16 and even if I was I was so frickin' shy I don't think I would've. I dated a few guys my last two years but nothing significant.

College came and I met DH. Hate at first sight is the best way to describe it. He moved to WA my freshman year and that's when we started talking. When he moved back, it all went pretty fast. The roller coaster of our love began in March 2004. Like most things in our relationship I knew I loved him first. Then we broke-up (one of a zillion times) and that's when he realized it. We've had our moments but the love is real. I can't say I wouldn't change anything cause there are DEFIANTLY things I would've done differently or not have done at all that affect(ed) our relationship but when I look back, it made us who we are today. And man am I glad we got all the BS out of our system when we were younger. That crap WILL NOT fly with me these days.

During my adulthood there were severe crushes, little flings that usually fizzled out cause DH wanted me back, and I really only believe there was "one close call" that could've competed with DH but I knew better. My heart knew better....he's always been the one <3

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 2: Meaning behind your blog name

It's pretty much self-explanatory. Our life the past few years has been one GIANT roller coaster. With the up's we've had many, many down's. At least there's never a dull moment :P

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1: Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

My name is Ann, and I am 26 years old. I have a wonderful DH that drives me CRAZY, but I love him dearly. We have an AMAZING one year old that I love more than I ever thought I could love somebody. Currently I am finishing my courses to apply to Nursing School, and just got done with the C.N.A. program and will be done with the Phlebotomy program in a few weeks. Right now, I am working as a CNA at an Adult Family Home and while I REALLY like the place, Geriatrics just isn't for me in the long run. But for now I am more than happy to learn my skills there. I hope to one day work in a hospital either in L&D or Pediatrics :)

15 Interesting Facts:

1. I'm 4'10 which legally makes me a midget

2. Yes I have implants, judge if you must, but I did it to make myself feel better not for a man. But they don't look fake :D (not sure if thats good or bad lol)

3. Me and Chris have broken up between 10-12 times. Again, judge if you must. We we're young, made stupid mistakes, and learned from them.

4. I have been pregnant 3 times. I'm a mommy to one beautiful, rambunctious baby big boy, and 2 angels in heaven that mommy misses more than words can describe.

5. Ann isn't my first name. If you don't know then I'm not tellin' :P

6. I make piles of things around the house. Drives DH up a wall. But I sort through mail and make a pile, gather E's toys and make a pile, gather up all my crap and make a pile....you get the picture.

7. I am the youngest of 3 girls. I have two half sisters from my dad's first marriage. There is a 10 year and 7 year age difference.

8. I am currently studying to be an RN. This is my SECOND time in school :/ I got to the very last pre-req in AZ and freaked out and quit :( Now that we have E I am more motivated that I imagined to power through it and graduate.

9. I am a work-a-holic. I used to do 60-70 hour work weeks before I got pregnant with Ethan. Once he was born I cried and cried when DH said it was time to get back to work. I eased myself in and worked one day a week. Now I am back up to working 40-50 hours a week. Thankfully I get to bring him with some hours.

10. I'm a spoiled brat. I like nice things, and I am not going to care what people think about it. Unfortunately my parents bought me basically anything I wanted when I was younger and the habit stuck. I work(ed) very hard to buy the things I want and thankfully have a hubby that will entertain my shopping habit...most days ;P

11. Along with #12 I am a purse whore and own close to 25 bags. Most of them being Coach.

12. I waited til I was 19 to lose my "v" card. And it was to DH...

13. I had a cheerleading scholarship in college. I only lasted my freshman year before it became too much physically.

14. I am terrified of being THAT mom and/or having THAT kid. Although I am pretty sure I will end up being both cause E has a habit of knowing my fears and publicly humiliating me.

15. Weight is my biggest battle. I have struggled my whole life. Now that I have E it seems like it is harder than it ever has been but one day I WILL lose it.

30 Day Challange

I'm taking a page (or a post should I say :P) from Ambie who took this challenge from Katie's Journey and starting the 30 day blogging challenge. I'm hoping this will make me a "better" blogger and get some new follower's while I'm at it .

Here's how it goes:
Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite tv shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

I've decided to start on Monday so wish me luck :) And if you decide to follow the challenge as well please feel free to post a link!

How much is too much?

After reading my friend Lisa P.'s blog, I got to thinking about how another mommy friend of mine said I was doing too much with Ethan (as far as social activities). I know she didn't mean any harm by it but it kinda stung.

Me and DH always agreed we wanted to encourage our children to be social. We firmly believe that social skills are just as important as an education. You can graduate from Harvard Law but your not gonna land a gig at a predominant firm if you can't hold a conversation with charisma and gusto, right?

E most defiantly has my "go,go,go" personality. He likes to be busy but enjoys the few moments he gets to himself as well. This fall there was an opening in the Toddler Pre-school by our house that I heard was really good. I had opted to take E out of Kindercare (cost was WAY too much and it just wasn't worth it), and enroll him in that. He was also signed up for Kindermusik's Sign and Sing class, and at the last minute I saw that the YMCA had gym classes so we enrolled in Toddler Gym.

This is how Ethan's week goes:

Monday- Toddler Pre-K: 8am-11am
Tuesday- Toddler Gym:  10:30am-11:10am
Wednesday- Toddler Pre-K: 8am-11am
Thursday- Toddler Gym:  10:30am-11:10am THEN Kindermusik-11:30-12:10
Friday- Toddler Pre-K: 8am-11am

Do you think this is TOO much? I really haven't had any issues with E yet about the schedule. He really enjoys the activities, especially his Pre-K and Gym classes. Kindermusik is OK with him but I think next session I won't enroll him cause he's not a fanatic about it like the others.

I know in the end what me and DH thinks is all that matters, but I do worry that maybe I push too much on him. I don't want to end up being THAT mom.

Wordless Wednesday

Excuse the crappy quality but when the boy performs ya gotta act ASAP :P

Sad thing is I was standing right next to him doing dishes while he was climbing into the drawer and I didn't even realize it!! 

Have you ever felt..

...just DONE with the situation your in at the moment?

Cause thats EXACTLY how I feel now. Done, overwhelmed, are ready to get the hell outta here!!! I wish I could explain more but due to certain circumstances I can't :/ But those that know me IRL can always e-mail me for their daily drama delite :P

On another note, I am working like a mad man and hoping we can save a good chunk of money for any future plans we may have (moving, baby, etc). As much as I miss E and DH I know we need this right now. Plus my class is over in a month so I'll gain an extra night back (the other night will go to adding another work day).

Halloween is around the corner and I can't wait to dress E up for his 1st real Halloween celebration! Last year he was still too tiny to do anything all though we did dress him up. This year's costume is WAY cute (and a surprise!) and I can't wait til everyone see's him!!

The Mullet is GONE!!!

If you know/have seen E in real life you know that his hair is um interesting lol. It's normal on top but the back it's still patchy and then has these spots that are SUPER long. Like mullet long. Uh NOT ok in my book! My in-laws protested and I gave in for a while about not cutting it but the day me and Chris got Ethan ready for his 1st day of Pre-School we both looked at each other and were like " So cut his hair this week???" lol. 

I mean he's ADORABLE no matter what (so I'm biased eh), but come on look at this :

Before

As soon as she started cutting the locks in the back I started bawling my eyes out and had to walk away lol.

He was such a good boy though! We gave him a wrapped sucker to distract him at first and he just played with it giggling then figured out how to unwrap it so we let him eat it and he didn't cry until the sucker was gone and then he was DONE...no more sitting still for him but she was thankfully pretty much done :)

Here's the finished product:

I must say he looks pretty darn handsome to me :D

Ethan's 1st day of toddler Pre-School

E has been in daycare off and on for about 2 months. We enrolled him at Kindercare and at first he seemed to really like it but as of late he cries and cries the whole day. Not OK in my book, so I started searching for something that wasn't too time consuming. I really only wanted him there half day 3 days a week for the social aspect and to give me some "mommy time".

I found a local learning center that fit perfectly for us! E was to go to the toddler preschool room 3 days a week for 3 hours each day and I was still playing less than what I paid for 1 day at Kindercare! SWEET!!

They feed him breakfast, do circle time, play outdoors at least once a day, and do lunch.

Me and DH got him ready for his first day of school and I couldn't believe what a little man he looked like with his back pack.

Daddy insisted he have a hot wheel backpack

Ready and waiting to take off!!

 And I'm off....

 Walking with dada to the car. Oh how big he's getting!!

 Just after pick-up. He LOVED it :)

I just love when he wears the back-pack! Hehehe