Cellulite Smackdown....

Don't you love that every year further away from 16 you get.....the more interesting....or rather bumpy your body gets...


I started noticing a few dimples here and there starting at about 22...being a starving college kid... didn't necessarily mean I was starving...just eating Taco Bell and Ramen noodles on a daily basis....which began to create that wonderful cottage cheese effect that we noticed on our moms when they were in bathing suits...and SWORE...we'd NEVER look like that....


Well, almost a decade later.....and one fabulously, bunny-eared son later....and my few dimples here and there have turned into many dimples...here, there and everywhere....


I don't think having my daily morning McMuffin run while pregnant really helped my situation....I should have found it odd that the girl at the drive thru began remembering my voice when I was ordering..."yes, I'd like a number 1,"....and she would say " and you want your extra hashbrown today right?".....ummmm....yep.....not good....


Now that I'm officially past having a new born....and seeing countless pictures of a svelte Angelina, or Jessica Alba.....or Halle Berry...who look like they were never pregnant in the first place...(I swear it's a conspiracy)...has made me really take a second look at my own post baby body....and a third look...and a fourth....


I'm trying to eat better....(it's hard when your loving husband only really likes food with cheese...and lots of it)...and excercising everyday...(see fab find from last week).....but that last 10 lbs just don't know when to say goodbye-kind of like the 11th season of America's Next Top Model....really it's time....


So last week, Pooh and I are doing our weekly run to target....We go whether we have something to buy or not...and I go through almost every aisle...(Who does this????)....just checking out the new goodies....(seriously, who does this???), and going through the cosmetic area...I run across the Soap and Glory section....Can I just say how stinking cute all their stuff is??? They have a handle on their branding like no one else does....with names like "The Righteous Butter", "Hair Supply", and "Sexy Mother Puker"...you just can't help but stop...and what did I find, while testing the hand cremes???


My New weapon to help fight my cottage cheese thighs....and my Fab Find for This Friday..(insert evil laugh here)

Soap And Glory Slimwear Body Cream

I've used it every day since I've purchased it, and I have to say I feel like I'm starting to see a difference in the way my legs look. I see a little more firmness...and the cottage cheese is a little less noticeable....I realize that only excercise and a good diet will truly get rid of those "problem areas"...but hey what woman doesn't like a miracle cream that will solve all our problems....

Wish I could find one for a smaller waist...and perkier boobs...

Case in point

Okay...so back to my new anti-flub cream....I will warn ahead of time...it does have a scent...(ah..your wondering now what kind of scent)...I'm going to stay clear of words like medicinal...(makes me think of nursing homes and hemroid relief)...but, if you don't like minty smells...you may not like rubbing it all over your problem areas....but if you can get past that....the results are worth it...it's not a cure all...but it's a cure- assister....

Go Target (tar-g-eeee)....two weeks in a row....stay tuned for what little gem I'll find on next weeks trip....

Why I am Not In Movie Production....

So a couple of weeks ago, I thought it would be so very cute to film Pooh's first attempt on the baby-swing at our neighborhood park. Especially with him wearing his fuzzy blue jacket with the bunny ears...

Daddy was not so amused when I pulled it out his closet.... His exact comment was..."He can't go out there like that"....and I think my response was..."and why not?"...and If I remember correctly the reply was "everyone will laugh at him".... I was super proud of my retort..."He's 7 months old...everyone laughs at him anyway...he's cute...makes funny faces, spits up and farts at the most inopportune times....this is the only time in his life he CAN wear a fuzzy coat with bunny ears."....

Okay...maybe not...I do remember going to a rave once when I was in College...(don't ask)...and seeing a few fuzzy coats with ears in amongst the strobe lights and ecstasy use....

So the coat stayed...and he had a great time at the park...and he got many compliments on his attire (which I promptly relayed back to a disbelieving daddy)...

My goal though was to take a really cute home movie with the camera...since I had never used the video function on it before....

Let me just say...I have never been really good at videography anyway...but when I got home and showed it to daddy...he started laughing...and kept laughing...and wiped a few tears from his eyes...then watched it again...I think just to crack himself up again...

So I watched it....and can I just say...did you see cloverfield??? Did you feel a little bit of motion sickness while watching it????....Yeah...It was like that......I'd explain...but I don't think I could quite do it justice...

So below for your viewing pleasure... (I do recomend Dramamine or a puke bag....)

I present...

"POOH AT THE PARK...WITH BUNNY EARS"...

A PROJECT MOMMYHOOD PRODUCTION"

but don't his bunny ears look oh so cute????

I've Been Booed

By the Fabulous One Wired Woman....

Now, this is how the Blogging Boo will work. Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "Boo-ed". Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture) and tell them to "Boo" their friends. Then, put the picture in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been "Boo-ed" and to send the pic to someone else. So, are you scared yet!!?? BOO!! Okay? one more time.....

1. Take picture, put on sidebar

2. Tell people they have been booed

3. Link back to who booed youOkay-

Get to BOO-ING!

Dogs and Diapers

I'm putting up a small warning with this post...if you are a bit squeemish about the topic of poo and anything related to it....this may NOT be the post for you.


So yesterday after my morning rant about the stock market and my flleeting thought about becoming a Canuck...I was in quite a kerfuffle....(I think that's how it's used)....I was in a much better mood after Pooh-nuts little girlfriend came over for a little play date...and praise be to her mama for bringing Coffee and Munchkins....My day was looking oh so much brighter....



After the full morning of baby babble and toy explosions.....and a good mid morning/afternoon nap....It was time to go to the Monster Mash party at Daddys squadron....I am trying very hard to be more social this deployment....But in true Mommy Fashion...I"m running late....so after getting him in his outfit....his whiskers drawn on with my eyeliner....the food packed...and everyone in the car....I forgot to close all the bedroom doors....

This is Before the Eyeliner Application...He looks absolutely thrilled doesn't he

We HAVE to keep the dogs out....they are COMPLETELY untrustworthy.....I think they relish in finding ways to make messes....



And can I just say that I completely believe that scruffy the Pom is the mastermind behind it all...and Skarlet and Kali are the the braun.....

THE MAIN CULPRIT (TWEEDLE-DEE)

THE OTHER HIRED GUN (TWEEDLE-DUM)

THE MASTERMIND OF ALL BAD DEEDS

Anyway, after Pooh's first Trick-or-Treat escapade...and the long drive home....I was opened the front door to I thought were 3 very well behaved dogs....until I went into Pooh's room to get him out of his Tigger Costume....




Can I just say it looked like the Diaper Genie Threw up Everywhere.....and for a second I thought maybe it had....



But a piece of diaper still attached to Skarlet's mouth....told a different tale....



Can I just tell you HOW absolutely disgusting baby poo that has been smeared all over a carpet can be???? It was unimaginable....and whatever happens to diapers once they are wet....you know the little cotton=y looking stuff...was all over the place...under the crib.....behind the door....



The strangest part of the whole thing...I didn't even get mad.....I just laughed while I was scrubbing out the poo in the carpet....and febreezing the whole room....I would have loved to have had a video of how the whole scene unfolded....I can just imagine how much fun was had with all those poopy diapers....yuck...



I realize that the dogs were probably just trying to be helpful, in cleaning up Pooh's Poo....(or drive me to the brink of insanity).....




But the Biggest Lesson I learned....Diaper Genies are NOT Dog proof.....



And no....they didn't get sick...I think these dogs have cast iron stomachs....They've eaten raw chicken, a dozen Crispy-Creme Donuts, Chocolate Easter Candy, plants, 2 boxes of Bisquick, blocks of cheese, oh and I can't forget the occasional pile of cow poo....but having a baby has taken their propensity for eating things they aren't supposed to...to a WHOLE new level....



I can only imagine what they'll get into next......I think I need the Dog Whisperer....

Maybe I should Move to Canada...

They seem to have it more together than we do here....at least that's the way it seems right now...



The stock market Fiasco of 2008...has barged into my life...and has walked away with almost half of my hard earned 401K money....The knot in the pit of my stomach just tripled this morning alone....

Since I quit my long standing career and decided to devote my time to being a mommy....I was not putting anything into what I thought would be not quite a nest egg...but maybe a twig to help make the nest with....so I realized that with the down turn of the markets....I was inevitably going to be losing something....I figured it was just part of going with the flow....kind of like a marriage...you have to deal with the long term...which will have some down turns as well as up....

(Luckily my marriage is a bull market right now)

But as the summer wore on...so did my stress level as the daily tickers kept getting worse and worse...my calls to my plan kept getting more and more frequent.....look...is that a gray hair...or two....or 5!!!.....Finally last week I had, had enough.....and decided to get it out...so I could roll it over into something a little less valital. (If there really is such a thing besides under my mattress)

Watching 60 Minutes Last night definitely did nothing to improve my faith in things changing Any time soon....Damn you Morley Safer and Mike Wallace...

but I digress.....

So....I get all my ducks in a row....send it off....call today to see when my check was being cut...(and I plan on reinvesting within my 60 Day window)....and they proceed to tell me how much the check is for....(um....defibulator stat)....um excuse me....how much...."Oh yes...we had to take out the 20% for witholding because you are not doing a direct rollover but an indirect rollover....".....okay...so the government that has helped create this monster, that has come in and snatched 1/3 of my money...then tells me that I have to pay them more???...

I have a feeling that the money I just got taxed with is going to that $750 Billion dollar Bailout....(but this a whole other discussion)....

anway....the whole thing sucks...pure and simple...I don't have a funny retort, or a creative verse ...plain as day...it just sucks....and I know I'm not the best or worst case out there....I'm obviously helping someone else who is really down and out with my $2,400 that I lost today through taxes....(at least I HOPE I am) maybe someday if I need help someone elses taxes will help me....anyway...

I'm not a debator on McCain or Obama...I know who I'm voting for...and I'm leaving it at that....what I am more concerned about is who is getting voted into Congress....and what decisions they will make...if any....they tend to take a lot of holidays.

All I want is to gather one twig...then two....then maybe 10....make a small nest...so Daddy and I can retire to Florida...and he can play golf all day....and I can...well, watch him golf all day....

I'm sure Canada has Golf Courses.....

Who Knew I was Saucy?!?

You could have knocked me over with a feather....and a small one at that....


So last week I joined a fan-ta-bulous blogging site aptly named The Secret Is In the Sauce. Ain't it though....I have found a plethora of amazing, talented, intellegent, creative women...and I love, love, love reading their blogs...

You should really see the condition of my house to appreciate the amount of time I sit in front of the computer and reading blog after blog....after blog....


So this morning, It's time for my daily dose of Sauce......and...."ahem" drum roll please....who should be a saucy blog for the week....

But yours truly.....I couldn't be any prouder if I won a Huge Award

"I'd like to thank the Academy"....seriously....Thank you Tiffany and Heather....

to be considered Saucy...with a blog that is still wearing diapers...I so appreciate it....

And to all of you that have NOT come across SITS yet.....head on over....you'll love it even more than....Perez Hilton, or Cafemom, or Project Runway, or ...oh wait...that's me....sorry....

A letter to Pooh

To my little Pooh Bear,

I think the world stood still and smiled the moment you came into my world. You have brought more joy and happiness than I could ever have imagined.



They say a child is a story yet to be told, and I believe your story is going to top the best seller list. Everyday with you I feel like I remember a small piece of what it was like to be so fresh and new and full of wonder. I never believed one could find amazement...but I see that you do. and you do truly amaze me at every turn.

Mommy has wanted a little one for as long as she could remember, and she had to kiss a few frogs

and one very large toad before she found a prince among men in your daddy. I see everyday the love your daddy has for you, and the hopes I know he holds for you. He will be your teacher, and your coach, your drill sergant and your biggest fan. I am in awe sometimes because I know at some point you and he will have a special bond that will have a sign "no girls allowed".




I'm am so excited for the life of possibilites that lie before you my little man. That nothing is impossible, and that I will be proud...and excited for whatever makes you truly happy.



There is only a small list pooh, of things that I wish for you in this journey that you are embarking upon...

I wish you serenity in times of trial

I wish you peace in times of war

I wish you love, when you feel indifference or hate

I wish you faith, when you feel alone

I wish you hope, when you feel lost

I wish you courage, when you feel scared

I wish you confidence, when you feel lacking

I wish you humility, when you feel arrogant

I wish you compassion, when you feel callous


I want you to know that in life, it isn't what you go through, but how you go through it....

As the Great Winnie the Pooh said once:
"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."




I want you to know that no matter where you go on your journey, your family will be there to share in all the triumphs and defeats...and there will be both...

Just know my darling, baby boy ...if nothing else....that your mommy will love you forever....and ever and ever and ever....and evermore....




Love

Mommy

Oh lord....TMI

when you just need a good laugh.....

The Answer to My Prayers (My Fab Find for This Friday)

Has arrived by way of my Target shopping cart...

What is a mommy to do, when her trusty gym membership has expired and she really has a hard time finding time...

Lets combine play time with exercise...Brilliant...and can I just say how stinking hard it is to do ab curls with a 16 lb baby sitting on you....Who needs medicine balls anyway.

This fantastic program uses Yoga, Pilates and core excercises...and I feel the burn evertime....I even think I'll go back and get the toddler one too....so once he's in the next stage...I can still get my workout on....Daddy has dubbed it "Mommy and Me Time"....He's so clever....

Here's a BIG WHooooo Hoooo....to this Fab Find......My pre-baby Jeans thank you

All I Want For Christmas....

Well, Daddy is off to the Wild Blue Yonder....otherwise known as the Middle East. By the pictures I've seen, it looks to be a far cry from blue. So I'll amend that to the Wild Brown Yonder.

Our Goodbye Ceremony for his deployment goes a little differently than the flag waving, fanfare that is on the local 6 o'clock news.

5:30 A.M. Alarm Goes off....knock it off the nitestand trying to punch snooze...

6:15 A.M. I realize it is "6:15"...Shake Hubby awake...he jumps out of bed, still half asleep to quickly pee, shave and get on his flight suit...not necessarily in that order....

I'm trying to get Noah from the crib to the car seat without waking him...hoping the long car ride will extend what sleep I can salvage.

6:45 A.M ..everyone and everything is packed in the car and ready to go....6:50 make that quick pit stop to WaWa for his snack provisions (it's a 13 hour flight with no flight attendants or snack service)...I have to get my grande coffee (I am so gonna need it)

7:30 A.M. make it to the 32nd ARS squadron...where he pulls in....and in record time it seems throws his bags on the curb...gives Noah a big hug and kiss....and then hands me $60 and tells me "go buy yourself some clothes"....ha...like that will make me feel better that he's leaving for two months....well maybe a little better....

7:35 A.M...one final hug and kiss...and I'm driving back home...listening to Preston and Steve and laughing through the tears I swore I wouldn't shed this time....

Not so exciting...not so noteworthy....but it works for me....wouldn't want the rest of the world to see me at 7:30 in the morning anyway....not a pretty sight....don't think I brushed my teeth even....oh well....

When I think about it though...(even though sometimes I do like playing the poor pititful me card...but usually only on the way home) there actually are two silver linings I have to this whole "deployment" thing....okay....three...

1. He'll be coming home on Christmas Day....I told him...just hitch a ride with Santa on his way through...Plus wouldn't he just look all sexy wrapped up under my Christmas Tree....rawr...

2. It IS only 2 months...I could be not so spoiled and have him gone for 12-18 months like so many other families....I would hate it more...if Pooh ended up being almost 2 years old when he finally came home...that is missing a lot of your families life....so thank god for small mercies...

3. They really do have it pretty easy compared to many others...the pics and videos they send prove they do end up having some fun....I guess they need to blow off steam somehow....and this time I hear they even have dorm rooms instead of tents....oooohhhhh big time.....again thank god for small mercies right????

Now it's 60 days and counting....at least I have time for uninteruppted Christmas Shopping...and he can't snoop.....HA.....any time I can twart his covert espionge operations....definitely a point for me....whoop whoop

So here's to the my Sexy Airman....and the Crew of the 380th....Keep Ballin....Stay Safe!!! And see you Soon....

Red October

THE PHILLIES ARE ON PHIRE....

My New Coffee Table Book

So Daddy and I began the quest of collecting My Coke Rewards this year, even though we've been avid coke drinkers for years...I really do need to cut back...but if it's my only vice....could be worse right???? I figured...We drink enough of it....might as well start collecting the points...so We started saving those box lids, and bottle caps...and figuring out what prize we would want to save up for...and I right away picked out what I wanted. The Snapfish 8" x 11" Classic Photo Book.

Can I just say how AWESOME it is....We'd been using Shutterfly and Snapfish to order digital prints from for the past year or so....which was super handy, because we already had most of our pictures uploaded to their site....

That is when the fun can begin. Snapfish lets you be the creator...

• you can chose the cover colors
• page colors
• how many pictures on one page you'd like
• how you want them arranged
• chose a border
• chose a theme....

Then you can just click and drop your pictures where you want them....it is that easy....

The best part is...with my 285 rewards points...it was free....except for shipping....

and the 5-7 day shipping...it got to my house in 48 hours...which was AWESOME

Can I say again how absolutely AWESOME it is....

I love my scrapbooking....don't get me wrong....it gives me my daily dose of creativeness....but my scrapbooks I wouldn't have sitting out on my coffee table...so this is a killer alternative

And EVERYONE has been so in love with it....and want one too...

Hmmmmmmm I'm thinking Christmas Present Ideas.......now I just have to drink more Coke products...and get more of those reward points.....

Halloween Caramel Apples

There is nothing that gets me in the halloween spirit more than a caramel apple...even if it ends up being the only thing I eat that day...here is a recipe I found on Taste Of Home...they come out perfect...and they make a great gift for a party....


INGREDIENTS

1 pkg. milk chocoalate chips
2 tbs. shortening
2 ( 14 oz) pkgs. caramels
1/4 c. water
8 large tart apples, room temperature
8 popscicle sticks
3-4 (2.1 oz) butterfinger candy bars, coursely crushed


DIRECTIONS

In microwave safe bowl melt the chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth then, set aside. In another microwave safe bowl, microwave the caramels and the water, uncovered on high for 1 minute, stir, heat another 30-45 seconds until caramels are melted...stir until smooth.

Line a baking sheet with wax paper and grease the paper, set aside. Wash and thoroughly dry the apples. insert a popsicle stick into the top of each apple. Dip into the caramel mixture, turning to coat. Place on the prepared pan. Drizzle with the melted chocolate and sprinkle with the crushed candy bars. Refridgerate until set. Remove from fridge 5 minutes before serving.

For an extra little twist...I sprinkled some with M & M's, some with nuts and some with the Candy Bars....

Fabulous Find Friday

Being a new mommy...and a stay at home mommy at that...I am always in need of a new, fun, creative outlet for me and Noah...or just me....or just Noah....and by googling...and regoogling...I came across what I think is now my holy grail of keeping myself and my little sprout occupied when some days just seem nothing more than a big case of monotony...

Rookiemoms.com is an amazing site designated to the idea of fun, creative activities for mommies and children...and it's not limited to babies...they have activities for toddlers, pre-schoolers and just mommies....they can get super creative ( my favorite project is making a pair of lounge pants out of an old t-shirt)...to the super-simple...(blowing bubbles or just taking your young one thrifting)...

It is a fabulous outlet for when you really just have run out of ideas...and god knows I have on some days...

So kudos to Heather and Whitney....and all those who have given Noah and me some great ideas....I think we will got to the farmers market....and go for a nature hike....the possibilites are endless....

The Baby Food Project

"To Gerber or Not to Gerber" ...that is the question....

Deciding if Noah was going to be fed jar baby food...or homemade baby food was not one of the questions I had ever pondered either before or after becoming a mommy....I mean....almost every baby in America eats commercial baby food...don't they????...The Gerber Baby is everyone's baby....it's even considered a compliment to look like the Gerber Baby....so when it came time to feed my little man his first taste of food....my decision was almost a surprise to me...I want to do the HOMEMADE BABY FOOD challenge....and I've never looked back...

I've read a number of articles and websites that peaked my interest in giving it a try...what the heck...if I didn't like it...or Noah turned his little nose up at it...I could easily go down to Target and buy up some Jar stuff right????....

Let me just say how easy it is....Wholesomebabyfood.com is THE site to go to...they give you information of what foods you should introduce to your baby when...ways to prepare and store your baby food....the nutritional properties of each food...so I know what benefits Noah is getting...and what I really loved....the cost benefit...that alone would sway me...with our family income now cut in half....Beech Nut Bananas...is priced at $ .23 per oz...when you make your own bananas ( depending on the price)...(Mine was .50 a lb) it comes out to $.01 per oz...an amazing difference...

Plus!!!....Noah and I spend awesome quality time together in kitchen...he watches me cook...and we chat...and he loves to be my little taste tester....What more could any mom want???...I know...How about a good excuse to eat more of my fruits and veggies....a great example is I made Noah his yummy baby squash the other day...I saved one squash and made a fabulous Squash Soup...so it's healthy for both of us...

Pumpkin Picking at It's Finest...

Living in Phoenix Arizona.....you find you forget how absolutely fabulous the start of fall can be. There, the start of Fall is marked only by the temperature finally dipping below the century mark...so moving to New Jersey last year was really my first taste of all four seasons since leaving my hometown in Colorado right after college...

Now...I want to share with Noah...all the great things that represent autumn...and what better way than a jaunt to the local Pumpkin Patch...and let me say what a jaunt it was...

My first advice...DON'T go on a weekend day....can we say chaos???...Noah was quite patient with waiting in line for the hayride..(I think he just enjoyed being outside)...and once on the wagon being pulled by the old tractor...he was in little boy heaven...I thinkt the smell of fresh hay and dirt gets any little boy perky....even Daddy was feeling a little more lively....

Once at the patch...you almost feel overwhelmed by the size of where you are going to search for your perfect pumpkin....Noah wanted to touch every pumpkin we came across....and the leaves....and the dirt....he may have a future as a pumpkin farmer I think....

Up and down the aisles...and of course every time we found one...I would spy one across the way I think I liked better....poor Justin had to hold all my finds..while I would go tromping across the patch Noah in tow....

But after 30 minutes of searching...the two most perfect pumpkins in the patch were on the hayride back to be placed on our front porch....

Driving home with the windows down....I could smell that smell that only comes when fall has finally arrived...one part nature...one part wood smoke...one part nip in the air....it was awesome...

So now that Fall is kicked off into high gear....there will now be the Sundays watching football...the nights out at the firepit....making yummy baked goods that you only want when it's cold out, the wearing of fabulous sweaters and jackets...I think I'm in heaven....