Mothers Day Edition

Welcome back for yet another edition of What I learned this week hosted by Julie (who I seriously think you should follow her blog as she is hilarious!!!)anyhoo......here we go:

I learned that it is extremely hard to find someone I trust as much as family to watch over my two children while I go to work for the summer. Luckily for me there is a wonderful young woman that has been working with my daughter in her Sunday school class all year that I trust completely.

Nothing will make a 4 year old happier than to be told she gets to go on a date with Mommy. To Stewarts. For ice cream. Hey it was her choice.

I learned that my son loves to have his sister blow on his belly but nobody else.

I also learned that while I love the pearls the hubby and kids got me for Mother's Day, the best gift I got was a flower made out of old seed packets, a pipe cleaner, and a button......

I hope all you Moms out there had a wonderful Mother's Day!!!!

What I learned this week

Ok so I'm so totally late again with my WILTW but whatever.......


The NYC What I learned this week edition:

I learned that unless you want to be run over by a taxi that you pay attention at crosswalks

I learned that the Empire State Building is magical even during the day with the tourist groups and student groups it's still awe inspiring to get the view of Manhattan and to remember what the original workers finished in just over a year and WAAAAAYYY under budget

I learned that Grand Central Station is just what Marty from Madagascar said "It's Grand and it's Central". It was beautiful to see Jackie O's vision put to canvas per se

I learned that it is entirely possible to walk off all the bad food you eat and the alcohol you consume while in NYC since you walk EVERYWHERE, I think I dropped 7 pounds this weekend

I learned that even if you are not Catholic you cannot NOT see the beauty and love and spirituality within St. Patricks Cathedral

I learned that nothing I cook will ever come close to the food I had at Umberto's in Little Italy

I learned that 5 women can still giggle like school girls when out and about for dinner

I learned that my sisters in law (those women above) are amazing and I had a wonderful weekend with them in NYC.

But the most important thing I learned was that as much fun as I had and as much as I needed a break from my life nothing beats the smiles and hugs I got from my babies upon my return....

What did you learn this week?

Head on over to Musings of a Housewife for more What I Learned This Week

What did you learn?

Welcome to my super late edition of What I Learned This Week.

I learned that even though my 3 year old begged me to take her to Ash Wednesday, she will not be quiet or sit still for the whole service. She also will not know how to use her whispering voice and will say in her regular voice (which echoes throughout the Nave) "Why are you always yelling at me?"

I learned that working from home with a 1 and 3 year old is a million times harder than going into work in a blizzard.

I learned that giving up soda for Lent will lead to a major caffeine withdrawal headache but that after 3 days of not having soda I really don't miss it.

I learned that my husband will go out and buy me the things that I tend to put off. Like a new glasses prescription that I have been putting off for about 5 years.

I learned that said husband will do that because I can no longer read the info on the television without being right on top of it.

I learned that spice cake made with an apple filling and homemade cream cheese icing is the best cake ever, even though I don't particularly like cake.

I learned that if you take a 3 year old birthday shopping they will then spend all their time trying to tell you what was bought.

And the most important thing I learned this week is that after years of birthdays with friends that were a blast and most of the time held at a bar, the birthdays that I'll remember the most are the ones I spent with my family.

What did you learn this week?


You can head here to find more.

Fall

I love fall. Just about everything about it, changing leaves, falling leaves, apple picking, the pumpkin patch, eating or drinking anything with the hint of pumpkin in it. Wearing sweaters and jeans and being comfy. Football Sundays and Mondays (and sometimes Thursdays and the occasional Saturday college game too which means then sometimes on Friday night as well), Sunday school is in full swing. But most of all I love it because it's a time when my kids are a little more likely to want to snuggle up to a warm body and because that means its time for fall pictures.

Already breaking hearts.....

...unfortunately it's my heart. I type this as I listen to my son not cry himself to sleep. He hasn't napped all day, is cutting teeth, and is incredibly tired. I know he needs to sleep and I think even he may know it, but at 7 months old it's way more fun for Mama to hold you than it is to nap. If it feels like my heart is breaking now what in the world am I going to do when he starts dating?

Massive blogging catch up

How we are dealing with the economy

Well that title should really be how "I" am dealing with it since my hubby apparently knows of a never ending money tree that he has not decided to share with me. Last week after spending $200 at Wal-Mart (that included $40 worth of fall clothes for Em) we took out $20 from the ATM and gave each of us $10. Well lo and behold at the end of the week I still had $4, he had none and had spent $35 in two days by using the debit card. Now my husband didn't come from a family made of money so I don't quite know where he gets this idea that he can just spend on a whim and not think of the repurcussions (namely me when he gets home). I have created for him what I call my reality check budget that he is going to have to adhere to especially with a new baby on the way, me not working for 3 months, and increased daycare expense. When I told him that it is possible to go 5 days on ten dollars and have money left over he looked at me like he though I had lost my mind. So I'm writing this to show him how I did it.

Starting with:
Breakfast. Since I take Em to daycare everyday at 6:30 it leaves little time to eat breakfast so I've started taking instant flavored oatmeal to work with me.

Lunch:
I bring my lunch everyday. Most of the time I bring whatever leftovers we had for dinner the night before. That way I get to eat and I never really waste anything by losing it in the fridge. We also don't buy food storage containers. What we do is when we order chinese food (about once a month and that counts as dining out for us but it's amazing what $20 will get you at the Chinese place) we keep the containers that they send the food in. They're nice containers and can take a few rolls through the dishwasher.





Drinks:
I buy a one liter bottle of water every 2-3 weeks and just keep refilling it with either tap water or filtered water that came from the tap. I'm pregnant so not having coffee is really not a problem.

In my household all loose change is put into various piggy banks throughout the house and then put into a savings account once a month. It's not the world's best savings program but it works for us.

How are you pinching pennies?

Catch up time

We've had a busy last month and a half or so around Casa De Rydell. There was the 2nd annual Rydell/Louiselle bash in Vermont for Labor Day weekend, then the fun of welcoming in Fall which always includes a trip to the Apple Farm in Poughquag.











And my hubby and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. Hard to believe it's been 3 years. We already have one child with another due shortly. Should be a great year for memories.



And of course there was the all important move from a crib to a big girl bed.





Here's hoping that there's some time to just sit back and enjoy the leaves falling before the onslaught of the holidays is upon us.

Farewell to Summer

It's hard to believe that summer has come and gone so quickly. I remember complaining in March that all it was doing was raining and how I couldn't wait for the summer and the pool and the camping trips to start. And now it's over. Come and gone just like that. I for some reason always thought summers would last a little longer when I got older since I'd still have to go to work but they just seem to go by faster. So many things have happened this summer. We found out we're having a son in January, we learned that Emily is no longer a baby and on her way to becoming a big girl, and we also learned how rewarding it is to have a child no longer in diapers. We discovered how much Emily likes to kill ants (no idea why), how fearless she is when it comes to water, and in general how much of a good kid she is. So now here we are at another autumn and can't wait to find out how much we learn and discover this season.

How time flies

I can't believe that my little princess turned two years old on Thursday. It's weird when you become a parent that you feel as though your children have always been a part of you and you don't really remember what life was like before you had them. And then you think of all that they're going to do when they are older and in an instant they are another year older. One thing that I did with Emily that I hope to be able to do with my future children was to take a picture of her on the 17th of each month to show her age progression.....it's pretty cool, I hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I enjoyed taking it.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Ew, gross

That's what my two year old said to me this morning after she had vomited her dinner of spaghetti-o's all over her bed. While her daddy took her to the bathroom (puke-free I might add). I cleaned up the mess that was all over her bed and her blankies and her "babies". That was the hard part having to wash her "babies" and still trying to get her to go to sleep. Yeah that wasn't gonna happen. She invaded my sleeping area. And this means that Daddy gets plenty of room and peanut gets plenty of room but then there's none left for Mommy who took a hard right punch from the peanut. Alas, Pukeapalooza 2008 has begun and I unfortunately have front row tickets. Anyone care to join me in the Mosh Pit???

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

A big cry-baby

This is what I've determined my hubby is. Now don't get me wrong i love him with all my heart I just want him to act his age or any age that's preferably over 25.

Friday, October 12, 2007

AMAZING!!!

My best friend got married last weekend to an awesome man. Our trip started off okay my family and I had a flight that left at 6am which meant getting up at 3 to get the the airport before 5. Not too bad. Got to Minnesota at about 9:30, my Dad picked us up and drove me to Missy's (the bff) so we could go to the tailor to alter my dress. To my (much appreciated) surprise all they had to do was take in the chest a bit, after that stop it was off to the reception site to get everything all decorated for Saturday. It was a lot of work but a totally good cause we had some limited help on Thursday (just three of us during the day) then her Dad and stepmom (awesome people) came out to help us and Missy's friend from hs Melissa which again was an amazing help. After being awake for 20 hours Missy let me go home and get some sleep. The day started all over again bright and early Friday but we did slip in a relaxing and needed mani/pedi before the big rehearsal. Comes down to the BIG day on Sat and we are off with the bridesmaids for hair and makeup. Can I just say that Molly who did my hair did an awsome job. Most of us got up do's and she must have used about 100 bobby pins but when I felt about 4 of them break during the middle of the ceremony my hair never moved. It was so cool to be a part of this with her. We get to the reception and due to my increased drinking of champagne during the ride over I forgot what my original speech was so I winged it. Adam (the groom) said it was good so I'm hoping everyone else thought so as well. What the bottom line was is I've seen every relationship Missy has been in but I've never seen the look of true happiness on her face that I see when she talks about Adam. And he's an amazing guy. He's so in love with both her and her daughter. So as I ended my speech.....Mis, Congratulations you found your soul mate.