Blog Feed: Nesting With Niall

You always wonder what your first serious 'mom freak out' is going to look like and what will have caused it-- or maybe that's just me and my well-known gift of perpetually going to the dark place. > read more

Between 2 worlds

Published on 2012-05-23 12:51:00

A toddler's life can be tough. > read more

Garden Gurus

Published on 2012-05-18 14:48:00

One of my favorite things about the spring is starting anew with our garden. > read more

The Mother of All Mother's Days

Published on 2012-05-14 20:22:00

When I was little, I would imagine myself as a mom on Mother's Day and what it would be like... in my little fantasy, the day would only be complete with a giant bouquet of bright, beautiful flowers, a heartfelt card with touching messages from each individual family member, breakfast in bed brought to me on one of those little wicker trays, and the whole family would be smiling and holding hands as we sauntered into church in our prettiest outfits. Oh, and pictures... lots and lots of family p [..] > read more

Food Wars

Published on 2012-05-09 14:45:00

Dear Niall, You have won so many battles. > read more

Ellen's Mother's Day Dance Dare

Published on 2012-05-01 14:08:00

I hate to break it to you, Ellen, but I've been doing dance dares since you were in diapers (or maybe high school... no, you were probably well into your 40s... but the point is, I've been dancing behind people like an idiot long before you had this segment on your show.) So I was prepared for the challenge when she put out a dance dare for mamas. > read more

What a zoo-inkydink

Published on 2012-04-25 13:27:00

I think there may be a biological clock ticking away somewhere inside of me-- no, not the one that tells you it's time to have more kids... > read more

Spring Fever

Published on 2012-04-21 09:44:00

Spring has sprung, and where I would usually be jumping for joy this time each year, I'm having a bit of a love-hate relationship with this crazy season of rebirth. I've been beyond blessed that I have never suffered from the dreaded "A" word, but poor Niall has pollen fever beyond belief. It's hard to watch. This poor kid can't even walk from the front step to the car without his entire face becoming covered in gooey snot. > read more

Things That Make Me Happy

Published on 2012-04-17 13:00:00

I've finally gotten a little better about taking pictures-- although my camera has become this dusty heap at the bottom of my diaper bag, I've become quite the sly fox with the smart phone shots. It's the only way I can capture a moment fast enough with these little guys on the move. So the quality of the pix are probably not as great as I'd like, but it's better than not having any, right? I've been looking back through my photos from the last 2 weeks and trying to find the common thread to [..] > read more

No more nappy

Published on 2012-04-11 07:07:00

As I'm sitting here at my refuge-- I mean, computer desk-- all I can hear from upstairs is loud thuds, banging on walls and some kind of screaming/singing about climbing and Kermit the frog. > read more

The Hunt

Published on 2012-04-04 20:27:00

What could be better than watching a bunch of kids on an Easter egg hunt?... When those kids are all 2 years old and can't seem to find eggs that are staring them right in the face. It was so dang cute and hysterical. The assisted living community in Kensington hosts the egg hunt for my mom's club every year and this was my first time going. > read more

Brendan's Baptism

Published on 2012-03-27 15:50:00

We were wandering into uncharted territory that morning... things could have gotten really ugly and we just weren't sure what to expect. > read more

Cherry Blossoms

Published on 2012-03-23 14:28:00

Wow, am I ready for spring. Not that we had a bad winter-- I'm actually pretty sure that it was the onset of global warming in full effect (which I prefer to blissfully ignore and enjoy). But something about the winter months just makes you want to hibernate and find excuses not to do anything outside. Maybe it has something to do with the sun going down at 4pm and I feel like I should be in bed by the time 6 rolls around, or maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have a newborn ba [..] > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Luck o' the Irish}

Published on 2012-03-21 16:02:00

Happy Belated St. Paddy's! So nice of drunky McDrunkerson to drop in on our photo ;) Niall loves your votes! > read more

too tired to deal with it

Published on 2012-03-18 20:53:00

...that describes my now 3 hour battle with my blog header, which is a really bad draft version that I am currently not able to remove. > read more

More to Love

Published on 2012-03-16 13:19:00

I honestly thought, while I was pregnant with Brendan, "how am I going to love another child as much as I love Niall?" > read more

Wordless Wednesday {the boys}

Published on 2012-03-14 13:05:00

> read more

Freaky Flashback Friday

Published on 2012-03-09 13:12:00

Take 2... so crazy! Niall: Brendan: Niall: Brendan: I'M NOT KIDDING YOU- THESE ARE DIFFERENT CHILDREN! I'm going to have to put them into different folders and write names on the back of all my pictures or I won't know who is who! Niall loves your votes! > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Power Nap}

Published on 2012-02-29 14:05:00

Seriously, how do they sleep like this? I remember Niall did the same thing-- it takes some serious muscles to snooze with your hands in the air! Ahh, it must be nice to be able to take a nap whenever you want :) Niall loves your votes! > read more

1 month in

Published on 2012-02-23 13:45:00

I'm not gonna lie, I had no intention of putting any time into this blog for at least 3 weeks after Brendan was born... but I didn't expect that once I decided to come back to it, I would wake up determined to post something 7 days in a row... and never actually do it. Time is the prized jewel these days and I definitely don't have a lot of it right now. Every day, I try to make myself a mini schedule with just 2 or 3 small tasks on it, in the hopes that I can get back to "normal"... and ever [..] > read more

Something's Gotta Give: A Birth Story

Published on 2012-02-01 19:56:00

If my birth story were a movie, I feel like this name would be most appropriate-- Something's Gotta Give. But apparently, nothing would give. What-So-Ever. Not with Niall and not with Brendan. I was convinced that Niall's disaster of a birth story was a fluke, considering I was induced and nothing happened. I figured that my body just wasn't ready and you can't force a baby to come out if he's not ready. So I chalked it up to the intervention of the OBs, not me. Now I'm convinced that my [..] > read more

Baby Brendan Is Here!

Published on 2012-01-27 19:06:00

Elated, exhausted, delirious, melting with joy and disappointed all at the same time... Baby Brendan is here- happy and healthy and cute as can be, but he came into this world by the dreaded c-section. I'll give the full birth story next week, when I have a chance to sit down and do it right (after some much needed rest). We're all safe and healthy, so I know that's all that matters. It's just that it's going to be a long, rough recovery- especially when Niall wants me to pick him up all the [..] > read more

The Home Stretch

Published on 2012-01-16 14:22:00

Well, this is it. Game time. 4 days to go until my due date and I'm completely in the zone. I'm trying to visualize every detail and hoping that my undeterred focus will help Brendan to get his little cute butt moving. I don't want a repeat of what happened with Niall. For those of you who don't know, I planned a natural, drug-free birth for Niall, but was forced to be induced when he was 6 days past due. I lasted 24 hours with cytotec-induced contractions but soon found out that I had on [..] > read more

Quality Time

Published on 2012-01-12 14:59:00

I realized last week that the time is really ticking for some QT with Niall before baby Brendan arrives. So yesterday, we went for a really special outing-- one that probably wasn't the best idea for a 9 months pregnant woman to take on with a couple of 2 year olds. My friend and I took our boys to their first movie in front of the big screen... but not just a 'hop in the car and go to the nearest theater' movie. We made a full day of it and rode the metro into DC (another first). Double wha [..] > read more

True Love at the Aquarium

Published on 2012-01-10 14:29:00

I hope this never gets old. The whole "My kid's having so much fun that I'm having fun" thing. I was probably more excited to be at the aquarium this weekend (as a 27 year old) than I ever was as a kid-- just by watching Niall's reactions to everything. Like, for instance, this is pretty cool-- a sting ray that is bigger than a person. I didn't even know they could get that big... but something about Niall yelling "WOOOAAAHHHHH" made me appreciate it that much more. And you can imagine t [..] > read more

What happens in the chimney stays in the chimney

Published on 2012-01-06 12:39:00

After sitting by such a lovely, crackling fire at my in-laws' house over the holiday, Matt just couldn't let another year go by without lighting a fire of our own. The only problem: our 65 year old house has never once hosted a warm winter fire. How would we know if it was safe? The people who lived here for 60 years before us said they were too afraid to ever light one because some neighbors down the street had a house fire caused by their fireplace. So last year, Matt asked me to have the [..] > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Firestarter}

Published on 2012-01-04 12:43:00

How many dudes does it take to start a fire? Niall loves your votes! > read more

Cookie Monster

Published on 2012-01-02 07:59:00

It's been kind of tough since Christmas cookie season has officially come to an end. I find myself wandering around the kitchen, wondering "what am I going to do after breakfast, lunch and dinner now?" "WHERE'S MY COOKIE??" But I know this is a good thing. 2 straight weeks of 5+ cookies per day probably doesn't bode well for avoiding gestational diabetes. Or getting back into shape after the baby comes. So I'm switching to tea, which tastes exactly the same as Christmas cookies ;) But in [..] > read more

Lights

Published on 2011-12-29 14:07:00

I've seen more Christmas lights in the last month than I probably have in my entire childhood. Unfortunately, capturing good footage of all these magical strands of color means you have to know how to operate a camera at night... which is just not my thang. Just FYI, for all the other amateurs out there, the flash is not the answer. But I did my best to get the gist. This was at the Mormon Temple down the street from our house. It's such a beautiful building- I thought it was a castle when [..] > read more

Christmas Recap Part I

Published on 2011-12-27 14:35:00

We've seen lights, we've watched movies, read books, baked cookies, written letters, trimmed trees, drank egg nog, stuffed stockings, lit fires... a little too much to squeeze into one post. So let's cut to the chase and talk about the big day. We worked really hard on Niall's letter to Santa- to make sure that he conveniently/ coincidentally asked for all of the things I had already bought for him around Thanksgiving. Then, we put out the cookies and milk and woke up to see that Santa had [..] > read more

4th of July Weekend

Published on 2011-07-05 13:28:00

This weekend was extremely low key, which is how we roll these days in general. We're definitely due for a long beach weekend or something out of the ordinary soon before I go cabin crazy. I usually convince myself that it's not worth a 3 hour > read more

Flashback Friday

Published on 2011-07-01 13:26:00

Flashback to last night. I had an unbelievable nightmare that truly horrified me. I woke up trembling and had to run into Niall's room, wake him up and just hold him. Niall was riding one of those little toddler bikes; a three wheeler, l > read more

The Other Side of the Zoo

Published on 2011-06-30 13:12:00

The weather has been so hot and humid here that I find myself constantly coming up with excuses to keep Niall inside. "It's so buggy out there," "but 2pm is the peak of the sun's dangerous rays," "we'll go out when the moon comes up." So I knew tha > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Tree Huggers}

Published on 2011-06-29 18:51:00

Niall loves your votes! > read more

Mommy Confessions

Published on 2011-06-27 15:06:00

No joke, it has been 2 weeks since I've attempted a vegetable with Niall. Horrible. I'm ashamed, I'm disgusted, but mostly defeated. This little guy would eat anything I put in front of him from 6-12 months old. I pureed all o > read more

Flashback Friday

Published on 2011-06-24 13:46:00

This is a flash wayyyy back to the day Niall was born. No wait, typically this would be the photo taken a few hours after a baby is born. But I typically miss these important moments and have to re-create them by doing a fake version of what was re > read more

Wordless Wednesday + Giveaway

Published on 2011-06-22 12:32:00

Little Table Monkey **And hey, it's my first giveaway! Just leave a comment below and I'll select someone to receive a free copy of this really cute board book from www.wonderdads.com. It's called "Goodnight, Dad." Good luck! Niall loves > read more

Bugs

Published on 2011-06-21 12:28:00

I never thought I'd see the day. We've discovered something that has captured Niall's interest as much as trains. Bugs have officially taken over. We still play with trains, of course, but the second we set foot outside, Niall drops all > read more

Happy Father's Day!

Published on 2011-06-19 11:05:00

Niall loves your votes! > read more

Happy Father's Day!

Published on 2011-06-19 11:05:00

Niall loves your votes! > read more

Social Media

Published on 2011-06-16 12:52:00

An Ode to Social Media Oh, social networking.... you are the bane of my existence. Nobody cares that I'm making a PB&J sandwich. Nobody cares that I'm cleaning up another wad of crusty baked beans of the wall. Nobody cares that I'm LOL'ing or OM > read more

Social Media

Published on 2011-06-16 12:52:00

Chasing Shadows

Published on 2011-06-15 12:50:00

**Father's Day Contest** I am a big fan of the Make-a-Wish foundation, so I wanted to jump at this easy way to help: Get WonderDads to donate $1 to the Make-a-Wish Foundation on your behalf! Simply register for our free weekly email featur > read more

Chasing Shadows

Published on 2011-06-15 12:50:00

Foot Fetish

Published on 2011-06-14 12:48:00

Niall has had his fair share of odd favorites. He will gladly share any color chalk with you-- except pink. Don't you dare touch his pink. He is also obsessed with Dora. Every night, we ask him if he might want to read a diffe > read more

Foot Fetish

Published on 2011-06-14 12:48:00

My First Letter to Niall

Published on 2011-06-10 19:13:00

I'm not sure why I've never written directly to Niall on this blog. I've seen a lot of other moms do monthly letters and I really like the idea, but I just have never gotten the spark to do it until today. I'm starting to realize how truly spe > read more

My First Letter to Niall

Published on 2011-06-10 19:13:00

Wordless Wednesday {No Napping!}

Published on 2011-06-08 12:04:00

Niall just loves his time with daddy, so he wasn't about to let him nod off for an afternoon snooze ;) Niall loves your votes! > read more

Wordless Wednesday {No Napping!}

Published on 2011-06-08 12:04:00

Niall just loves his time with daddy, so he wasn't about to let him nod off for an afternoon snooze ;) Niall loves your votes! > read more

Don't Bother Me, Mom

Published on 2011-06-07 13:04:00

Sometimes, it's frustrating to be interrupted when you're right in the middle of finding the perfect stick to poke through tree stump remains with-- as you can imagine. I get that. Which is why I decided to take advantage of our new fence and > read more

Don't Bother Me, Mom

Published on 2011-06-07 13:04:00

Keepin Busy

Published on 2011-06-06 13:10:00

I remember the days when I would start the weekend with dinner and a night out, wake up on Saturday to meet someone for breakfast, trek off to a festival an hour away for the day, go out again that night, and then meet up for brunch with friends on S > read more

Keepin Busy

Published on 2011-06-06 13:10:00

Flashback Friday

Published on 2011-06-03 16:00:00

I love this picture of my mother-in-law with Matt, about 27 years ago. I'm guessing he was only about 9 or 10 months old, so we're a little late in recreating the moment with Niall. And Maggie is only about 23, while I'm a shriveled old 27 y > read more

Flashback Friday

Published on 2011-06-03 16:00:00

Wordless Wednesday {♥ Ice Cream}

Published on 2011-06-01 20:05:00

Niall loves your votes! > read more

Wordless Wednesday {♥ Ice Cream}

Published on 2011-06-01 20:05:00

Niall loves your votes! > read more

Big Bird

Published on 2011-05-31 20:38:00

I just about died the other day when I walked in my family room and found this: I didn't set this up in any way, shape or form. He just decided that Big Bird needed a friend (or maybe the other way around), and the rest just came naturally. It d > read more

Steppin' Out

Published on 2011-05-30 13:35:00

So it's been a little while since I've posted. Unfortunately, my excuse was not that I was away on some incredible Memorial Day beach vacation or just enjoying some much needed R&R. It's that Blogger has been seriously messing with me > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Starbucks Boy}

Published on 2011-05-25 11:27:00

A boy after his mama's own heart... No, I didn't let him drink an entire frappuccino; just the last sip :) Niall loves your votes! > read more

Guest Blog: staying fit with a baby

Published on 2011-05-24 11:05:00

Today I have a guest post up over at "The Juici Life" blog. Jessi is a really funny, quirky (in a good way) blogger who writes about trying to live life to the fullest. I'm really excited that I was able to do this post for her. Che > read more

Can't catch a break

Published on 2011-05-23 11:48:00

Niall is one heck of a trooper, that's all I can say. The last 6 months have been a whirlwind of: bad reactions to vaccinations flu chicken pox 2 emergency room visits stitches 4 upper respiratory infections allergies (too young to be tested; > read more

Flashback Friday

Published on 2011-05-20 14:29:00

How bout these apples? 11 months ago: One week ago: The only thing that kept me from crying, looking back on the ones from a year ago, is that I think he may be even cuter now in that swing than he was back then.&n > read more

Wordless Wednesday {step into my office}

Published on 2011-05-18 10:38:00

Niall loves your votes! > read more

The Old Station

Published on 2011-05-17 20:16:00

Here she is... Ol' Bessy. Ok, I made that up. I have no idea what this old train station's nickname is. Whatever it is, she's a beaut. And still running like a champ. It's a commuter train station that takes passengers anywhere from Wes > read more

Niall's One True Love

Published on 2011-05-16 05:41:00

There's just something about being a mother. Something instinctive; protective. You never let that child far out of sight, always throw yourself in harm's way for the sake of keeping him safe, and he's the first thing you think about when you wake > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Watching Planes}

Published on 2011-05-11 20:20:00

...and trains, of course ;) Niall loves your votes! > read more

Sour Cream Face

Published on 2011-05-10 13:35:00

Yes, that is sour cream smeared all over Niall's face. To say that Niall hasn't been eating well lately would be a complete understatement. Between 6-12 months, this boy would eat anything I put in front of him-- avocado, banana, sweet potatoe > read more

The Perfect Gift

Published on 2011-05-09 16:01:00

Everybody who knows Niall knows that he is his daddy's boy. All I hear all day long is "DAD!" Any time a car pulls down our street, every time the mail man drops the mail through the door, and he always gets himself set up in front of the > read more

Steppin' Out

Published on 2011-05-08 15:46:00

We don't do well with "lock down." Mostly, I don't do well with lock down. So I've been desperately seeking places where we can be both outside and secluded from the world until Niall's chicken pox are no longer contagious. We found this adora > read more

Flashback Friday

Published on 2011-05-06 05:19:00

It was last November, just about 6 months ago, when Niall went in for his first chicken pox vaccination. This photo was taken the morning of; the poor guy didn't even see it coming... As much as it kills me to see a smiling, unsuspecting baby su > read more

Wordless Wednesday {mommy & Niall}

Published on 2011-05-04 12:36:00

Crayons are our new saving grace for outings. I rarely put myself through the torture of Niall climbing out of his high chair for an hour, just so we can go out to eat. But coloring really seems to do the trick for now :) ...and Thomas > read more

My Top 5

Published on 2011-05-03 20:34:00

Ok, I know I've posted a lot about our vacation in SC, but I still have a whole slew of photos that need to get on here somehow. And I feel like the other posts were just random stories that happened to include vacation pix. So this will > read more

Good Conquers All

Published on 2011-05-02 21:32:00

Today was a day where good conquered evil. We were able to breath a sigh of relief, knowing that we are all now a little safer than we were before. And this is not just about the death of Osama bin Laden. I had my own little battle > read more

Steppin' Out

Published on 2011-05-01 13:42:00

It's always hard to come back from vacation-- especially one where your days are filled with perfect weather, great food, and long stretches of beach. But it's always nice to reminisce :) If we were like the rest of the Sullivan's Island popul > read more

A Royal Wedding of Our Own

Published on 2011-04-29 13:30:00

I don't know if this is just me, but do any of you married women remember the first couple of weddings after your own big day being kinda hard? Maybe you felt the slightest smidgeon of jealousy that your ship had already sailed. It's like the ange > read more

The Best Part of Waking Up

Published on 2011-04-26 12:37:00

...is surprisingly not Folger's in your cup. It's the sun coming up over glistening waves right in front of your beach house, while sitting on the porch in complete silence, holding a vanilla chai tea with honey in it. Just to clarify. How c > read more

Flashback Friday

Published on 2011-04-22 12:33:00

One year ago last month, we were in Charleston, SC. Soaking up the sun (or for Niall, soaking up the shade under the umbrella), dunking little pale toes into the "ruffles" of the ocean, and digging through the sand. Even the flight > read more

Emergency Room: Round 2

Published on 2011-04-21 18:00:00

It feels good to just sit. I say this a lot, but it rings especially true today. After another trip to the emergency room- second time this month- I really needed to just relax and take a breather and say "the rest can wait." Toda > read more

Wordless Wednesday {actin like a fool}

Published on 2011-04-20 20:45:00

"wit yo pants on da ground" Hey, what gives?? How am I supposed to chalk this place up with my pants around my ankles? Niall loves your votes! > read more

The Main Difference

Published on 2011-04-19 20:19:00

...between being the first time mom of a 10 month old and a 16 month old is this: When they're 10 months old, you want to make sure that you enthusiastically read every line of every book-- begging your little one to stop flipping the page before yo > read more

Workin' Like a Dog

Published on 2011-04-18 20:35:00

For almost a year and a half now, I've done my work at our dining room table. We don't have an office, so I keep a neat stack of papers on top of the china buffet and I pack up the laptop at the end of each day when we're ready to eat dinner.&n > read more

Stepping Out

Published on 2011-04-17 11:00:00

"Stepping Out" Saturdays with Harper's Happenings We stepped out in style this week-- well, at least I did. But babies/toddlers can pull off sweats like no one else can, so Niall still looked cuter than me :) I'm just going to go ahe > read more

Click, Snap, Shoot

Published on 2011-04-14 16:11:00

I knew it was going to be a 487 pictures kind of day when it started with this: I even love the purple weeds scattered all over our yard. They drive Matt nuts, but I think they're so pretty. Cheerfulness was just peeking its head out of > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Tree Hugger}

Published on 2011-04-13 17:53:00

A few weeks ago, we spent an afternoon in these gorgeous public gardens and I completely forgot to ever post pix. This place is so great! Niall loves your votes! > read more

Mama Lioness

Published on 2011-04-12 15:51:00

I almost punched a kid in the face today. Is that inappropriate? Immature? Well, some of these little brats make me revert to child-like tendencies. I can't help it. Another train incident. [Maybe we should find a new > read more

My Guest Post: Life's Little Adventures

Published on 2011-04-11 13:09:00

Happy warm and sunny Monday! I feel like a new person. Spring is finally here. And in the spirit of new beginnings and the new adventures that come with the ability to play outside, I am excited to announce that I wrote a guest post > read more

Black and White

Published on 2011-04-10 13:22:00

So, as I've mentioned before, I'm no pro-photographer. But just like the mom bloggers who dress up in cute clothes and fun accessories, I've been inspired by some of the other ladies out there. It has motivated me to try to be better with > read more

Now and Then

Published on 2011-04-08 17:16:00

I can't remember the last time Niall did this: He doesn't like being tied down in any way, shape or form these days, so it's rare that we can get him to stay in his high chair for more than 5 minutes-- which explains why he is borderline emaciated > read more

The Years Teach Much...

Published on 2011-04-07 14:34:00

I am truly in need of some inspiration today. Not for blogging material, but just for getting through this seemingly never-ending day. And as I'm sitting here, trying to pull myself out of this funk; jumping around inspirational quote websites > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Hot Towel Shave}

Published on 2011-04-06 12:57:00

P.S. I had to "mosaic" Matt's chest hair out of this pic because he threatened to kill me if I posted a shirtless photo of him on this blog, so please divert your eyes from the forest :) Niall loves your votes! > read more

Baby Stunt Pilot

Published on 2011-04-05 13:20:00

These are the kind of days that make me turn my nose up at dolls and glitter and lace, and say "being a boy's mom is the coolest!" (as much as I would kill to bust out the dress up chest and nail polish with Niall sometimes)... Strangely enough, I' > read more

When Life Throws You Lemons...

Published on 2011-04-04 15:11:00

Well, I can't exactly say there was any lemonade made around here, but I tried. It's been an interesting week, filled with lots of ups & downs, highs & lows... Low: It started with my laptop battery dying- bummer, no bloggin > read more

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Published on 2011-03-30 12:11:00

Stopping in for a quick post. My old laptop is working hard to get me through the work week, but it's like asking a 90 year old to run a marathon. Unfortunately, I just don't have the patience to wait 5 minutes for my words to pop on the > read more

Bummer

Published on 2011-03-28 16:35:00

Well, what do you know? I've barely had my laptop for a year now and the battery conked out today. I don't know how long it will take for me to have the new one shipped, but I may be out of commission for a while. I'm on someone els > read more

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Published on 2011-03-25 14:33:00

From the Mouths of Babes I've been on my fair share of trips to the zoo, but for some reason I don't remember any of this! Maybe I was asleep most of the time, or maybe the animals were hiding... but mommy says it's because I couldn't even sit > read more

Moms Who Make Me Mad

Published on 2011-03-24 12:37:00

You would think my biggest concern taking Niall on public outings would be handling a wild temper tantrum; that I would spend more time doing damage control than enjoying the actual activity, itself. But no, that's never really stopped us from doing > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Windows Down}

Published on 2011-03-23 15:45:00

Nothing puts a baby to sleep like a gentle breeze and a moving car. Ok, I'm so busted-- it's been freezing all this week. A Happy Spring pic from last week :) Niall loves your votes! > read more

Cafe on the Terrace

Published on 2011-03-22 12:24:00

Whenever I see a movie that has a little European cafe in it, I can't help but let out a little "ahhh, why can't I live in a town overlooking the water with a terrace and flowers and French pastries?" sigh. But I started thinking about it an > read more

Doctor's Orders

Published on 2011-03-21 14:32:00

I had a teeny tiny bit of an emotional breakdown yesterday. I honestly don't even know what exactly caused it, but it was probably a combination of things. Niall cried and threw temper tantrums all day, petty little things kept going wron > read more

Stop that Train!

Published on 2011-03-18 13:22:00

From the Mouths of Babes I was sure that it was a 2 o'clock departure time. I checked my day planner and everything. I looked to mommy for some reassurance... But sure enough, I showed up right there on the railroad tracks and it was > read more

Top O' The Mornin'

Published on 2011-03-17 12:13:00

Who doesn't love St. Patrick's Day? Well, actually, one of my friends has a serious vendetta against all things Irish because she finds our green pride brutally annoying. But she's just green with envy (you know who you are). Ther > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Go Eagles!}

Published on 2011-03-16 15:19:00

Future classmates making Gonzaga proud... Niall loves your votes! > read more

To Laugh or To Cry

Published on 2011-03-15 14:58:00

Sometimes I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Like this morning, for instance, Niall wanted to eat the top of my deoderant stick. When I told him "no mouth" and gently pulled it away from him, he looked me dead in the eye and let out th > read more

Death of a Lobster

Published on 2011-03-14 14:40:00

I've always been a cram your day full of a zillion things kind of girl. I like to take Niall to the library in the morning, for a walk in the middle of the day, to the park in the late afternoon, and throw an art project in there at some point > read more

Arsenic Hour

Published on 2011-03-11 16:21:00

I've asked myself how it came to this quite a few times lately. At what point did I turn control over to Sesame Street so I could go about my day? Seriously, this isn't me- I'm the mom who takes my kid to parks and libraries every day, I swe > read more

Lent

Published on 2011-03-10 13:10:00

Sweets. The single, most difficult thing I could think of giving up for the 40 days of lent-- seriously? How is it possible that I could have cared less about dessert 2 years ago and now it's all I think about while I'm eating my meal?&nb > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Multi-tasker}

Published on 2011-03-09 12:34:00

eating ice cream AND drawing with sidewalk chalk maneuvering BOTH push toys at the same time playing football AND collecting mulch just pondering... but too cute for me to leave out Niall loves your votes! > read more

Thank you, Uncle Sam

Published on 2011-03-08 13:35:00

Dear Uncle Sam, Thank you for sucking us dry every paycheck of every year. I'm not being sarcastic; I say this in the most genuine heart of hearts. You see, every 2 weeks, you trick us into thinking we owe you wayyy more than we actually do.& > read more

Snot Rag Troopers

Published on 2011-03-07 12:58:00

It was a hit the town kind of weekend. Even when sinus pressure is pounding you between the eyes and you're coughing so hard, you have to gasp for breath... you just have to go galavanting on your birthday weekend, right? Well, maybe it was mo > read more

Chapter 27

Published on 2011-03-03 13:51:00

Every year, on the night of March 2nd, I suffer from reflection block. I should be able to look back on the last 365 days that have passed and name a few meaningful moments that defined the year for me. What made 26 different from 25? Did we go > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Yardwork}

Published on 2011-03-02 16:14:00

Just helpin daddy whip this place into shape :) Niall loves your votes! > read more

Stack o' Pancakes, please :)

Published on 2011-03-01 16:09:00

I feel like you can't be a stay at home mom and not take your kid to celebrate national pancake day at IHOP. (I love the ridiculous holidays people are coming up with these days.) So when I heard about it on the news this morning, I knew we'd be sh > read more

Boogies and Rain

Published on 2011-02-28 16:22:00

There's something about a baby being sick that is just so... wrong. Projectile vomiting, eyes swollen shut, and red blotchy skin that has been rubbed raw from wiping that never ending stream of boogies. It just makes me want to cry. Don't get me w > read more

Photoholic

Published on 2011-02-25 12:38:00

Impulse buys are generally not in my nature. I write a very specific list when I go to the grocery store, I avoid walking by cute shops in the mall (or the mall altogether), and I convince myself it's kind of cool that I'm still sporting some of the > read more

Wordless Wednesday {♥ KETCHUP ♥}

Published on 2011-02-23 15:00:00

... by itself-- no need to dip anything but fingers ;) Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

Spring Sprang... and then it left

Published on 2011-02-22 16:06:00

Spring had sprung, even if only for a hot second, so we sprang with it last Friday. 75 degrees, t-shirts without jackets and the lightest pants we could find (since those summer clothes bins are still stacked against the moldy basement walls). We w > read more

Things you just can't child-proof

Published on 2011-02-18 16:14:00

Secretly, part of me has always wanted to spin an entire roll of toilet paper until the waves of soft white sheets unfurl into pretty ruffles. Now I have an excuse (and someone else to blame it on)... The only problem is that I saw it as more of > read more

Princess Boy

Published on 2011-02-17 15:40:00

There was a time, not long ago, when I was pretty confident that I wanted all boys-- 6 of them, to be exact. I soon came to the conclusion that we'd have to throw one girl in there at some point, just to round things out a bit. Flash forward a > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Beep Beep!}

Published on 2011-02-16 11:33:00

Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

Cruise to Nowhere

Published on 2011-02-15 16:14:00

I don't think I've ever been off mommy duty for 3 full days before. Naturally, I spent the first hour or two wondering how much McDonald's my husband would pump into my sweet angel's pure, untainted body. But after that, I honestly comple > read more

Happy V Day!

Published on 2011-02-14 15:11:00

Sidewalk chalk style... Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

No Girls Allowed!

Published on 2011-02-11 12:57:00

From the mouths of babes No offense, mommy- you're pretty fun to hang out with sometimes... But I am so psyched out of my mind for boys' weekend! Just me, daddy, and maybe even Uncle Pat. Chillaxin' and eatin' junk food. You shoul > read more

Gettin' Crafty

Published on 2011-02-10 16:45:00

Cabin fever is a dangerous illness. It can make you do crazy things; things you didn't know you were capable of, like: dance in the family room to the "Top Hits" music TV station, trying not to accidentally kick your toddler in the face while > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Shoe Clapping}

Published on 2011-02-09 14:56:00

Shoes on your hands is the hottest new trend, so you should probably get with it... Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

Mommy Confessions

Published on 2011-02-08 15:06:00

I really try not to be that mom who quarantines her kid during flu season, constantly wiping him down, afraid of every little particle that is floating through the air. But once they get really sick that first time, it's kind of hard not to. I used > read more

The Sick House

Published on 2011-02-07 15:25:00

I probably jinxed myself-- and I knew it right as I was doing it. Never get cocky when you're the only one in the family who isn't sick. It's coming for you sooner or later, believe me. I had just finished tucking sick Niall snug into his crib, > read more

Not So Fast, Big Boy

Published on 2011-02-03 14:58:00

I guess I knew this day was coming. Niall has been a climber since day one, and I can honestly say I'm a little shocked that he didn't figure a way out of the crib months ago. This morning, I walked in the room to find him half way hoisted over the > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Unconventional}

Published on 2011-02-02 13:11:00

Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

Where was I?

Published on 2011-02-01 13:50:00

Ahh yes, blowing chunks. The way that Niall projectile vomited Sunday evening was something straight out of an exorcist movie (the poor guy was throwing up the entire weekend). I looked into my rearview mirror and saw the white sludge shooting > read more

Mommy Confessions

Published on 2011-01-31 13:51:00

I've run out of ideas. We've only been married for 2 1/2 years and I've completely run out of ideas for Matt's birthday. We're both the sentimental type, so he's not just looking for the newest, coolest gadget (which would actually make > read more

Our First Family Snowman

Published on 2011-01-28 14:17:00

I typically look forward to power outages; forcing me to enjoy the often forgotten pleasures in life: reading, writing, painting, pretending I am a photographer, etc. But they can be deceiving, those "fun" power outages; those little escapes from > read more

Wordless Wednesday {In Control}

Published on 2011-01-26 13:18:00

Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

Let the Creative Juices Flow

Published on 2011-01-25 13:53:00

It's time. Play time, that is. Just as I was wallowing in my post infant blues, thinking about how Niall was no longer my little baby (and feeling a little jealous of my friends with newborn babies), we entered into this new and exciting phas > read more

Moving On

Published on 2011-01-24 12:40:00

I guess this is the part when life goes back to "normal." This is the part where everyone gets back on their planes or back in their cars and gets on with their lives. It just feels too weird to go back to telling cute stories about what Niall did > read more

A Life Cut Short

Published on 2011-01-20 09:31:00

There are so many questions that have been running through my mind the last few days. Why did this happen? How did this happen? How is everyone supposed to move on? And deep down, I know that none of those questions will likely ever be answered > read more

Mommy Confessions

Published on 2011-01-17 13:22:00

So it's January. So Christmas day came and went almost a month ago, and Thanksgiving almost two. I get it. I just don't see why I have to waste all these perfect little outfits just to correspond with Hallmark's greeting card schedu > read more

From the Mouths of Babes

Published on 2011-01-14 14:49:00

I used to get pretty annoyed with people thinking I was a girl. I mean, come on-- my favorite outfit is a pair of cargo pants with a skull and crossbone t-shirt. But I've decided to put all that behind me. Today, my girlish features fina > read more

Cougar Chaser

Published on 2011-01-13 16:31:00

Well, how should I put this?... Niall seems to have a new found {hmmmm}, let's call it "affection for women." If by affection, we mean gawking and staring-- and by women, we mean 20 year old girls in nothing but their undies. He has suddenly becom > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Snow Baby!}

Published on 2011-01-12 12:43:00

These may or may not be little girls' snow pants, but blue is blue, right? Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

Layin Down the Law

Published on 2011-01-11 12:59:00

I always pictured myself as being a pretty strict parent. Even when I was a teenager, I knew that certain things would be important to me when it came time to raise my own child. And even though Niall is a little young to start thinking about thi > read more

Mommy Confessions

Published on 2011-01-10 14:38:00

I'm not gonna lie, I get a little jealous of the mom bloggers who snap amazing photos of their kids using amazing cameras and then use amazing editing software to make the photos even more amaze-afied. I never claimed to be a good photographer and I > read more

From the Mouths of Babes

Published on 2011-01-07 12:48:00

So I'm pretty excited about my new set of clubs. Grampo calls golf a "lifetime" sport; something I'll be able to enjoy 50 years from now and make lots of friends while doing it. I guess that's one way of looking at it. I call it g > read more

Outgrown and Outworn

Published on 2011-01-06 13:25:00

I didn't even know it was possible for 2 1/2 people to outgrow a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in less than 2 years. And yet here I am, tripping over fake lawnmowers and rolling my ankle on stray bouncy balls, attempting to make it to my "living" room. > read more

Wordless Wednesday {Rockstar}

Published on 2011-01-05 12:59:00

You like these pecs?? Click it or ticket! Just kidding, but please vote for us :) > read more

2 Birds of a Feather

Published on 2011-01-04 13:29:00

From day one, it has always been all about daddy. "Dadda" when he wakes up and frantically searches for Matt in our bedroom; "Dadda" when he hears a door open; and "DADDA!!" when Matt finally gets home from work. He went through a short phase wher > read more

Mommy Confessions

Published on 2011-01-03 16:17:00

There's just no denying it: winter makes me lazy. It always has and it probably always will. December to February, it ain't happenin no matter how hard I try. I went from happily taking 40 minute morning walks with Niall 6 days a week... > read more

Some Twisted Resolutions

Published on 2010-12-31 13:44:00

A lot of people dread making New Years resolutions, others think they're cheesy and pointless, and a small group of people actually commit to some significant life changes that they will accomplish in the next 365 days. I don't fall into any of thos > read more

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