stop me if you've heard this one before...

i am so overwhelmed right now!

seriously, i don't know how some moms manage to do it and look so put together!  i haven't showered in 2 days and i'm still in my pj's...  yikes!

we just got back from our 2nd long weekend trip in a row (which, i wish i could say was a vacation).  we love our families dearly, but since they live so far from us, we don't get vacations- b\c the cost to see family is the cost of a vacation.  worth it to see family/friends, but i would like to say that we're going to take a vacation some day...  so our entire house looks like we were out of town...  my suitcase is still packed w\ my stuff (and ian's)... and i keep avoiding it- b\c if it's in a suitcase, then it's not all over my room.  our living room still has a couple bags that aren't completely emptied, and i need to do laundry- the story of my life.

our room also looks like a warehouse.  we are desperately trying to de-clutter, so we've been selling some things on ebay (b\c if i'm getting rid of it, i might as well try and make some money) and i've got boxes that are ready to ship, and boxes filled with stuff still awaiting payment, and boxes with stuff that is currently up for auction...  i have sold only 1 thing on smashion, but i've traded several things which doesn't help when you're supposed to be getting rid of stuff...  we are giving some stuff away however, so we've got to sort through that too.  it's amazing how many things you accumulate in your life...  aaaaaah. 

i'm also trying to sort things out from our car accident- waiting on insurance checks, trying to find out when i can get repairs, getting a rental car, buying a new car seat.  ai yi yi.

well, i've done all my office work, made a grocery list, gotten the car stuff taken care of, packed boxes and blogged.  it's a regular miracle...  i just need to shower and i might feel like a normal person...  dare i even say super mom?  i wish i could just clone myself- and then have my clones do the stuff i don't like doing, like cutting coupons and cleaning the house- folding my laundry and actually getting to the grocery store.  one day people, one day. 

what are your tricks for getting it all done?  certainly i can do all this stuff without staying up until 3 am.  i need tips, people!

15 months ... and a winner(s)

ian turned 15 months old on april 20!  i can't believe he's already 15 months old... it's going by so fast! 

ian still isn't walking... i sound like a broken record, don't i?  he's really making strides though- he's started walking with his push toys, he'll actually let you hold his hands and walk him around, and he's standing on his own on other surfaces besides our bed!  he even took single steps a few times this weekend! 

ian is no longer eating pureed baby food, with the exception of a few times when we are out and it's easier to feed him- and he loves almost all foods!  there are a few things he doesn't care for, or only eats on occasion.  he loves sweets too- which we don't normally give him, but we have been out of town this last few weekends where there has been cake, and he cries as soon as he sees cake... how does he even know what cake is?!

ian had 3 shots at his 15 month appointment and a blood draw.  this was the most upset he's ever been- and i was pretty upset myself.  a blood draw was done to check for anemia, however, ian has iron levels comparable with an adult... 

ian is still super tiny.  he measured in at 30", which is only up 1" from his 9 & 12 month appointments.  that puts him somewhere around the 10-25th percentile.  his weight is now 17 lbs 12 oz, which is only up 11 oz from his 12 month appointment.  this was part of the reason he was checked for anemia.  so, he's just going to be tiny for now.  dave & i aren't very big either, so it's to be expected. 

he's is talking more too!  he now says baby and bye-bye.  he's waving "bye" more too, but usually not until the person is completely out of sight...

tooth number 7 has broken through the surface... we're still waiting on its arrival.  he's becoming more of a toddler and less of a baby every day.  ::sigh::

and now for the winner(s)(!!!) of my vera giveaway! 

commenter #3- cutiepies said...  I already follow you and I just posted this on my FB!!! I love all 3 things... hope I win!!

Congratulations!!  email me @ melissalmcfadden (at) gmail (dot) com with your address and which shopping bag you'd like

and since i had 2 shopping bags... someone gets the other one!  and that winner is.....


commenter #12 -Allison W said...  Posted to FB wall: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/awishs5200 

email me with your address, and i'll get the other bag out to you!!


congratulations girls!!  and if you didn't win, come back!  this was so much fun, i hope to do more giveaways soon!!

happy easter

up from the grave He arose

with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;

He arose a victor from the dark domain

and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.

He arose!  He arose!  hallelujah Christ arose!

-lowery

happy easter everyone!

last day to enter my vera giveaway!  i will draw the winner when we are back from atlanta!  good luck!

mommy reads: BUtterfield 8

elizabeth taylor is one of my favorite actresses, and i saw the movie BUtterfield 8 several years ago.  i felt it was a fitting tribute that i was reading BUtterfield 8 when she passed away.  i'm not even sure how i found out it was based on a novel- but i received the book recently and was really excited to read it.  i wish i could say my excitement followed me to the end of the book...  john o'hara based BUtterfield 8 on the death of ny socialite starr faithfull.  this book is definitely a character study, but sometimes it studied the wrong characters.  it started off soooooooo slow- i didn't think i would ever get into it.  there were characters that didn't have anything to do with the story, and it studied them in depth, and then you never heard about them again...  the main character, gloria wandrous is glamorous, yet promiscuous girl who gets involved with a married man, weston liggett.  the book follows their tumultuous relationship.  as i already said, the book was difficult to follow, especially when it was following characters that had nothing to do with the story.  also, BUtterfield 8 was mentioned many times in the movie, but never in the book, other than to explain that it was the name of the telephone exchange.  there isn't too much else to really explain about the book- it's considered an american classic, but it definitely had mixed reviews from what i could find.  

i saw the movie again after reading the book- it's definitely easier to follow than the book!  the movie has a really interesting back story though.  it was the last movie elizabeth taylor (28 at the time) made for mgm in order to finish fulfill her contract and allow her to move on to 20th century fox to make cleopatra.  eddie fisher, who plays gloria's best friend steve- had just left his wife debbie reynolds to marry taylor.  fisher & taylor hated the movie, calling it "butterball 4."  she hated it not only b\c she was being forced to make the movie, but because the american public saw her in the same light as her character gloria, after stealing fisher from reynolds.  although she hated the movie, taylor won the 1960 best actress academy award- which also wasn't without drama.  taylor nearly died while making cleopatra (which nearly bankrupted 20th century fox) and many people feel she received the "pity vote."  while making cleopatra, taylor began a public affair with her costar richard burton, which later led to her divorce from fisher.  

anyway, there's your movie history for the day...  as far as the book goes 2\5 stars.  movie 3\5.  

have you entered my giveaway yet? 

My 1st Giveaway!- ENDED

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED!

I'm so excited to be hosting my very 1st giveaway after nearly 2 years of blogging!!  This weekend i attended Vera Bradley's annual outlet sale.  This is my 3rd year attending- my mother-in-law goes every year- and it's a really fun thing for me & her to do together!  She manages to outspend me every year though- and that's probably a very good thing!  Anyway, they have amazing deals, and with such amazing deals, I couldn't resist picking up something for you guys!  So here's what i'm giving away!

Vera Bradley metal reusable water bottle in Simply Violet. A great alternative to plastic bottles!  

Vera Bradley Shopper Tote.  Sturdy reusable bag!  Stop bringing home grocery store plastic bags!  I'll let you choose which color you want!

Vera Bradley Birdie Wallet

One lucky reader will walk away with ALL of these items! 

So easy to enter (2 ways):

1.  be a follower of my blog via Google Reader or Bloglovin' (required- leave your follower name).  new followers are welcome- but i'd love you to actually read my blog!

and for an additional entry

2.  Tweet, Facebook or Blog about this giveaway (link back to your blog- or leave your twitter name)

make sure you leave a separate comment for each!

I will announce the winner, which i will let random.org choose- on monday or tuesday after we are back from atlanta!  i will stop taking entries sunday @ 11:59 pm.

good luck!!

this giveaway is not sponsored by vera bradley.  i am not affiliated with vera bradley in any way.  the gifts were bought with my own money!

Adventures in vera!

I'm away in ft. wayne, indiana at the vera bradley outlet sale, but I haven't forgotten you dear readers! I will be back on monday with an exciting giveaway! I've picked up a few things that I hope you will love! Come back on monday!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!

perfect weekend

spring decided to give us a 2 day visit this weekend (don't worry, the temperatures will be back in the 50's with promises of snow to come).  it. was. amazing.  you know, a little something to prepare me for how incredible it's going to be when we're in georgia (knock on wood).

saturday, we had lunch with friends at chick-fil-a.  but before we left, someone practiced walking around with his push toy for a while..

so close!!

after chick-fil-a, we all headed over to our favorite ice cream shop!  i was so excited for ian to try ice cream for the first time.  we decided to go with banana since that's his favorite fruit!  he loved it!  he gobbled down his entire kiddie cup and cried for more!

when we got back home, he took a short nap, had dinner and then we loaded up in his wagon for a ride around the neighborhood (i forgot the camera)!

sunday was 85 degrees!  i was in heaven wearing a skirt and open toe shoes!  dave's hockey team had their championship game.  unfortunately, they lost in the championship for the 3rd straight session.  they played a really great game though.  

 go yams!

after the game, we hung out for a little while.  ian had a great time with his friend margaret!

look at those skinny little legs!

then we headed to grammy & grampy's house for steak, baked potato and veggies.  ian looooves steak.  after all this, he was a pretty tired little boy, so it was home and to bed.  we start our next swim class in the morning.  i can't wait.  he was really getting the hang of things by the end of the last class, so i know he'll really be enjoying it this time around!  

how was your weekend?!