Dino Addiction

Ever since the dinosaur expo on Mother's Day, all I have heard about is dinosaurs. "I want to watch dinosaurs," "where's my Chomper?" "Lets play dinosaurs," and best of all, "I'm going to see dinosaurs tomorrow."

Every night he tells me that he is going to see dinosaurs tomorrow, while this is incredibly adorable, it's also a bit sad - because the dinosaurs probably won't be back again until next year.

Lucky Aiden though, he has one of the greatest grandpas in the world who decided to take him to see the next best thing yesterday. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

He had a harder time understanding that the skeletons were dinosaurs - especially the ones without photo displays next to them, but it was still something new to explore.

Along with all the other exhibits, they were there for hours and Radalicious STILL had a hard time getting him to go home.

It blows my mind to see how truly tiny Aiden is next to the skeletons - at the Merchandise Mart they were to scale, but much smaller, so this really put things in perspective for him.

He was a pretty happy guy by the end of the day.

Especially since he got to have dinner with some of his favorite people - Aunt B and Dave!

Eating like a total gentleman of course.

We swung by our new place on the way home to pick up my empty boxes so I could refill them and went home to keep packing - it was very strange, by 10pm I was walking around looking for things to pack and having a really hard time finding them!

So now I have been thinking about what to do with Aiden's room at the new house - I think I am gonna save up for a nifty loft bed from IKEA that he can put his train table under and have a bigger mattress. But in the mean time, he really needs his bathroom put together, because that will also be the guest bathroom - I will no longer allow anyone into mine - yay!!

Anyway, I have decided that fish for kids bathrooms are way over done, and we are better than that ;) Plus, I am so not about the cutesy factor, I get it: fish, water, bath tubs, what a match...well not for us.

Aiden has always been into monkeys, it hasn't been just a passing phase for him, so I seriously considered a monkey themed bathroom. But now, with this new found interest in dinosaurs I have been wondering about making his room dino-themed and worried a bit, that if I spend all that money on a dino room, he'll want bears a week from now. So, to put it to the test, we are going to do a dinosaur bathroom!

Most of the stuff has to be ordered online - dinosaur bathrooms are not in high demand as it turns out, so they don't get stocked.

 But look how cute!

I've decided I can get the basics super cheap at IKEA (a green trash bin, green towels, etc.) and just use these accents to pull it all together.

We have a serious case of Dino-Fever at our house.

Just Charming Dahling...

I had a very productive weekend, and by productive, I mean I spent a great deal of my time on Saturday bopping around town and shopping with my best friend Kelly.

Besides being Clinique make-up buddies, I also needed to get to the craft store and Kelly has been telling me about this FABULOUS place in Belmar called Charming Charlie. Just like she said I would, this store made me feel like a little girl!

It's full of hair accessories, purses, shoes, jewelry, etc. All the merchandise is sorted into sections by color (Silver, Gold, Purple, Black, White, Pink, Red, and on and on) then in each section there are rows of hair pieces, earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, all grouped together.

It has a very classy, upscale look and feel with the chandeliers and displays, and it helps that everything is so sparkly, but to my utmost enjoyment and surprise, the average item price ranges $4-9!! 

I was able to walk away with a sizable amount of "princess-ness" in my bag without breaking the bank or feeling bad about spending money on accessories.

It's silly how funny this stuff looks just laying on the jewelry dresser, but oh so fun and flirty when put to good use.

Here's to all the little princesses at heart <3

Our Last Day Off Together

Every year, I am fortunate enough to get off the entire week between Christmas and New Years which Aiden's birthday falls smack dab in the middle of. This year we really took advantage of the time together and did lots of fun stuff. Went to movies, Casa Bonita, played with all of our new toys, watched all of our new movies, cooked together, napped together, and  found all sorts of mischief to get into.

Unfortunately, the time off slipped away far to quickly. Yesterday was our last day home playing together, so we tried to make the most of it.

Started the day off with a delicious waffle breakfast with Randalicious, then off to the barber for a haircut. Since his hair has been getting shaggy, his face looks younger and more round, when I got him all clippered up and outfitted with a faux hawk for going back to school, he looked so much older in his face.

But adorable none the less :)

After his haircut, we did a little shopping. Aiden picked out some big boy underwear which were on sale for "buy one get one half off." I justified the purchase two ways - 1. I have really been pushing the potty recently with positive rewards so I figured with these big boy under pants around maybe the extra motivation would be good. 2. We're going to need them soon anyway, the smallest size is even a bit big for him and he has to be potty trained for the 3-4 year old class at school this year anyway.

After shopping I thought he might take a little snooze on the couch at Randalicious' house so I could get in a little reading, but I ended up snuggling up with him anyway.

Before heading home I made a grocery store run to get us all set for the week, buy stuff for lunch and all the mid week meal necessities, then I had the guys meet me at home. Aiden finally crashed. Since it was almost 7 I thought, maybe I'll just slip his PJs on and get him down early. But when I took his hoodie off, he got pretty mad at me - mad enough not to go back to sleep.

So we ate dinner and played blocks. Aiden showed Papa how to build houses and tunnels, and he used his new craft table which I am LOVING! No more play-doh on the coffee table :)

 Inspecting his handy work.

Luckily, because of the busy day and the short lived evening nap, Aiden settled down early and we got lots of rest. Until he wet the bed around 4 am that is...I think he knew I had to go back to work today ;)

In Her Shoes

Is an awesome movie, if you are a girl. With a sister. And it's complicated. And you really like shoes.

I find as my sister and I get older, that our bond grows stronger and stronger. We have definitely not always been on the same page. In fact it is very fair to say we have taken drastically different life paths, but I think that was always sort of to be expected.

In my few years as a parent, I think I have matured greatly, and I think my sister recognizes it and can maybe even appreciate it, she can probably even take a little credit for it. However, I am just as much a child as I have always been, and I love to laugh. I particularly love to make my sister laugh. There is something very rewarding in seeing her smile (because between us, she gets a little stressed sometimes).

Anyway, what does this all have to do with In Her Shoes?? Well there is a line in this movie, where Toni Collette (United States of Tara anyone?) says,"When I feel bad I like to treat myself. Clothes never look any good...food just makes me fat...shoes always fit."

So, to handle my stress this week. I went shoe shopping. With my sister.

And boy did we giggle...

This was the first pair I fell in love with, and I think my sister dear thought maybe one pair would do the trick. But I had a bigger picture in mind. As the boxes started stacking up, we continued to giggle.

These suckers were her idea, 4 1/2 inch heel, 2 inch platform. I needed help balancing to  put them on. And after I tried them, I made Bre try them too. We discovered that the platform actually helps you balance - clever strippers have known this secret a long time I suspect.

The doofy things actually kinda grew on me a bit....not to worry, I didn't get them. That would be silly. And this was a serious shoe rampage...

Next, I set my eyes on these sparkly gems. This may sound weird. Especially because they are closed toe heels - but I liked the way my toes looked. So I added them to the pile.

Even though Bre wasn't buying, I got her to try some on too.

After I had these two pairs, I decided I wanted to revisit the idea of spiked heels...I don't have a picture but it was similar to this: 

Don't worry, I talked myself out of it. But while I was checking them out, I found the most magnificent shoe specimen I have ever had the pleasure of trying on...

I have no idea when or if or with what I will ever wear them...but I am in love.

Now, with three boxes and Bre about to pee her pants, I headed to check out. Out the corner of my eye, I saw boots! Boots! How could I not try on boots. I changed course...but alas found no boots I wanted.

As I headed back toward the register for the second time, I let out a big sigh of relief.

"Feel better?" Bre asked.

I smiled. 

I feel good. 

Things are going to be just fine.

Things are also going to be a bit sparkly....

I cannot contain my excitement for spring!

So today it is a sunny, beautiful 60 degrees, I have the sunshine pouring in my office window, and flip flops showing my painted toes for the first time this year. Life is good. I am not even letting tonight's looming Anthro Exam or the depressing movie that is "The Romantics" get me down today.

A couple weeks ago, while on a binge shopping trip with one of my gal pals (I had to cash in my Christmas gift cards eventually...) we stopped by Burlington. I have no problem admitting that one of my biggest fashion secrets is wholesale/mark down super stores (a la: Ross, TJ Maxx, Burlington, etc.) on my Mommy budget, fashion requires creativity. Creativity means stretching your money by investing in flexible pieces that can be the center or the accessory to any outfit. Looking in my closet you might think, hmmm all this black, white, and grey is kinda drab! I myself am surprised when someone tells me how much they like something I am wearing. The reality is, all I do is stock up on these very simple pieces in large quantities and varieties. Alternately, I pick up a couple colorful things here and there and *Ta Da!* I have a million outfits for the cost of one or two.

Anyway, as I mentioned, a couple weeks ago, my shopping binge (this usually means $60 or so) led me and my friend into Burlington. I saw some nude colored, peep toe pumps that I kept circling back to. I had no reason to buy them, it was snowing outside (not conducive to heels at all much less peep toe pumps) and my number one rule for "fashion" is that if you aren't comfortable, it doesn't matter what label you're wearing - it won't look good. But for whatever reason, I kept coming back to them and thinking, "If I get these, all I am going to hear is how boring these flat colored shoes are and what a waste..." but my second rule for *fashion* is follow your gut. I am not one to hear what color looks good with my complexion, or does/doesn't compliment my blue eyes, even if someone says what I am wearing isn't flattering....I don't pay much attention. 

If you can't please yourself when you're looking in the mirror, that is the root of your problems. And if you let someone else tell you that you don't look good, the problem is proliferated. As funny as it sounds, the major person who I have gone to for fashion advice has always been my dad...cue your hysterical laughing now.

But really, my mom wasn't around when I was getting ready for school for 12 years - my dad taught me not to mix brown and black, he told me about clashing, he even acted as a personal stylist once when my sister told him she was tired of looking so athletic and wanted help dressing more feminine. I realize how silly this all sounds, I do, but it makes sense - until I was about 15 he was buying all my clothes so he had a great deal of say in what I wore. That's not to say I didn't branch out into the much less classy realm of clothing when I started shopping for myself, but to this day, Dad's voice is still right there with me when I shop.

It doesn't surprise me so much I guess, because I am sure any sort of fashion sense he found trendy was that of this lovely lady -- Arline Cormack. And she, like many women in her trendy days, got their fashion inspiration from Jackie Kennedy:

Unfortunately, being a preacher's wife, she didn't get to go out and buy all the lovely things she saw Mrs. Kennedy wearing - but there are stories of her standing a while at store windows, admiring dresses, then going home and making them herself. This must be where I get my disposition, to spend a little and make a lot out of it fashion wise.

This is all just a really long way of saying - wear what you like, love what you wear and trust yourself when it comes to fashion because no one will tell you the truth - unless you take my dad shopping with you....

In fact, I think it was him in my head at the store saying, go ahead, get the pumps! After all, rule number 2 is *follow your gut* and so I walked out with a pair of lovely knock off pumps for about $18. I haven't worn them yet, because it really does need to be sunny for your toes to be exposed if you ask me (note - I never claimed to be an expert!) and this morning my ever trustworthy Yahoo! told me....

http://omg.yahoo.com/photos/2-hot-2-handle/4642?nc

OMG! Nude pumps and mini dresses for spring! Talk about luck...or coincidence...or intuition...me and my pumps were destined to be together this spring!

Revel in the beauty that it my new shoes <3

Mid-Week To-do List...

Some things that need doing....

1. I need to clean out my blog queue - I have so many blogs that I don't actually follow that I am following. The only blogs I really need are: Abby's because I love hearing about her kids, and her cooking blog because it makes me feel like I want to cook something more than mac n cheese ;). Also, my college room mate's because she is such a good writer/thinker, and a friend's from high school because sometimes a blog is the only way to keep in touch and have the conversations you never have time for. I will be doing away with all other cooking blogs because there is no way I will ever live up to them, and New Dress A Day has kind of run it's course for me, so it's out. I do want to keep those of close friends though - there's only one now but I'm sure more will follow...they always do. I think its time to ditch the photography blogs and the anonymous motherhood blogs because I am not feeling so alone as a mother as I used to be so they don't do me much good anymore.

2.Homework - I give myself a freebie this week because I have been sick, but it is officially on my checklist to never be working on unfinished homework the day it is due again! After today...

3. Buy a new camera - not in the market for anything fancy, and waiting for my finances to level out a little but I think at the end of the week I will have a 100 dollar budget for a new one. The fact is, Steve needs one for work and I can't be documenting every moment of Aiden's life without one so it's time.

4.  Cooking - As I mentioned being so inspired....I picked out three recipes to whip up this weekend (whip up is not quite accurate because one needs to cook for almost 8 hours) but I am determined to domesticate myself in this way...especially since we deep cleaned the house late last night, I need a new home-endeavor.

5. Time for an attitude check - I need to remind myself usually every week about half way through that I can not control the actions of other people and that being upset doesn't do me any good. Everyone will do what they will no matter what and it's best to focus on yourself. Okay maybe this should be on my daily checklist...

6. Keep up with the girls - Sometimes we go a week without talking, yikes! And if anyone knows this fact, it's me: a lot can happen in a week. I want to try to check in with the girls each at least once a week until it becomes so established that I am checking in every day (okay that's ambitious...at least every couple days). Sometimes being there is done by being proactive!

7. I want to check my book list every week mid week - right now it is huge! And it helps that I read 4 at a time but recently a couple have fallen victim to others (because lets face it some books are just better) but I want to implement a new system where mid week, I swap one of the better of the four for one of the worse and give it a fighting chance, thus putting a bigger dent in my book list. In case you were wondering - currently reading The Romantics (ironic since one of my friend's is planning a wedding right now), The Historian (I've been going to bed with Dracula A LOT recently - soooo good!), World War Z (finally have it down to 100 pages left - anxious to see Brad Pitt in the part of the reporter....also the website is so fun: http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/worldwarz/) and finally Waking the Tiger (it's all about how humans and animals deal with trauma...very good read! I really hope Peter Levine gives another talk in Denver soon).

8. Enjoy more family time - this is hard because by mid week I am swamped with school and if I am going to be getting my homework done on time from now on it will be even harder. But I want to maintain dinner with my dad one night a week and color with Aiden as much as I can and even if I have to double up on somethings I want to prioritize my time with Steve because as I noticed last night, sometimes a hug is all I need from him to make me feel better, so I want to ensure a good daily dose, even if I am just making him watch Desperate Housewives with me...

9. Ask for apologies - Probably doesn't belong on my mid week check list...but sometimes I feel slighted or hurt and I just let it go. Not always bad but after talking with a good friend this morning I wanted to remind myself that it's okay to ask for an apology when I feel I deserve one. Besides, most people will not change nor feel sorry unless they are told they need to.

10. I want to do 30 days of truth - and I think I will do one a week.

Anyway, as I mentioned I need a new camera, so the next blog will hopefully have photos - possibly photos of my cooking success!!

*Here's hoping I make it to next week*