tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43223196201614673002024-03-13T20:58:17.595-07:00While They SleepA first time mommy juggling work, a house, a dog, a husband and a growing baby boy!
My blog is about MY LIFE as a mother, a wife, a working-career woman, a social activist, a homeowner who is enjoying turning her house into a home, and someone who is trying to raise a healthy, happy family!
I love sharing my experiences and knowing I may have influenced someone out there to do something good - even if that's just cooking a healthy, good meal. Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-21730793560624937842013-09-17T08:28:00.002-07:002013-09-17T08:28:55.804-07:00New Blog...I no longer use this blog. Feel free to follow me at www.lovelifeandlemonade.com<br />
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Peace and Love,<br />
NazNazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-88644088407566948552013-08-01T10:10:00.001-07:002013-08-01T10:10:12.915-07:00Cyclical<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #212121; display: inline; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span class="vk_ans vk_bk" style="font-size: xx-large !important; margin-bottom: 5px;">cyclical</span> </h3>
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<tr><td style="padding: 0px;">cyclic: recurring in cycles.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As we are getting older - as my 32 birthday approaches in only a couple of months - I sit back and think of how cyclical our lives are. Yesterday, I spent the evening with my parents. Elijah, Avin and I had dinner in their home for </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftar" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">iftari</a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> (#Ramadan). It was so nice to be back </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">home</i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">My parents home will always be my home.</span> <i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And I realize how fortunate I am to be able to say that. </i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> My relationship with my parents is better than it ever has been. We have grown so incredibly close in the years I feel like I need them the most, once becoming a parent myself. It never ceases to amaze me the thought of how in our youth we did everything possible to run from our parents - whether that meant every opportunity to spend time away with friends, or chasing after some boy we had a crush on - young people are always in a rush to get away from their parents. </span><br /><br /><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I guess that's just life.</b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You get to an age where you want to branch out, break the chains, spread your wings... </span><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and fly</span></b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">. I am thankful, that even though I come from a religious household, with a strong Indian-Muslim cultural background, which comes with many expectations and a huge level of respect, I was born to parents who allowed me to spread my wings and fly. And now that I am on my own - with a family of my own - with a son of my own ... I find peace and solace the most when in the home of my parents. <br /><br />Their simple presence, their gentle touches, the way they are so attentive - you can tell they miss us (their children) and subsequently, they miss their grandchildren. <br /><br />I couldn't help by caress my father's hair as he sat next to me on the couch - how old he was getting. His hair thinning, but healthy, the beautiful shades of gray and silver soft in my fingertips. Both my parents are slowly creeping to 70 - and I almost just can't believe it. <i><b>Where have the years gone?</b></i> I remember being only seven years old - following my mother, who was only in her late 30s, as we shopped from store to store. Where did the years go? I remember eagerly joining <b>my boo</b> <i>(my Abba [dad] is my one and only boo. You'll hear me calling him that often) </i>as he played tennis and made his way around the tracks at the local college, jogging along. <span style="font-size: large;">It all went so fast.</span> <br /><br />I wonder how they must feel. Once upon a time, my brothers and I were born in an island in the South Pacific. Born to two parents who struggled and overcame so many hardships being raised in a third-world country. Parents who overcame the odds and got their college educations abroad, came back to their home, married and shortly after migrated to a whole new world - where they started from the bottom and had to rebuild everything they lost as immigrants to a foreign land. They must sit back and think, <i>where have the years gone?</i><br /><br /><b>And I look at them now and can't believe that one day they will be gone. </b><br /><br />That's as much of that I can think or speak about... <i>the mere thought, for even a split second, brings tears to my eyes. </i> And I know that when the day comes, hopefully a very long time from now, I will be a mess.<br /><br />My father, who so sweetly told me last night, that he needed all of Elijah's personal information as he's starting college funds for all his grandchildren. The same man who showers us (his children) with love through sweet gestures and actions. My mother, who whispers prayers in my ears as I lay on her lap and close my eyes as she gently caresses my hair. She knows that's my favorite thing. <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><b>This is where I find peace and solace.</b></span> <br /><br />No amount of working out, yoga, or anything else can relieve my stress the way being in the arms of my parents does. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a lucky girl. <br />I count my blessings everyday. <br />And each day, I ask Allah Paak to give my parents a long, healthy and happy life. <br /><br /><b>Without them, I am nothing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This reminds me of my boo <3<br /><br /><img height="400" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/p480x480/382039_10150383907029844_1207999181_n.jpg" width="380" /></td></tr>
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Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-35717986661423739912013-07-16T15:28:00.000-07:002013-07-16T15:52:06.945-07:00We are not Trayvon Martin<br />
So beautifully written by people across the country trying to understand how this could happen. I can imagine how painful this must be for White people also - people who do not want to be lumped into the discussions of racism alongside racists. <br />
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You are heard. You are seen.<br />
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<a href="http://wearenottrayvonmartin.com/">Read the many stories here</a>.<br />
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<b>But this specific one touched my heart the most: </b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"I am not Trayvon Martin. I am a white 34 year old mother of two. And I cannot comprehend the grief that Trayvon’s mother and father will carry with them for the rest of their lives, all because their child was assumed to have weapons on hi</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">m and be a threat simply because of the color of his skin.<br /><br />I read to my children last night before bed, as we do every night. Last night, I read to them President Obama’s children’s book, “A Letter to My Daughters". It is a beautiful message of diversity and celebration of the America that we all so desperately WANT to live in. It is a message about celebrating our differences and teaching each other. It is a hope. It is, sadly, not reality.<br /><br />What happened to Trayvon Martin is the reality of this country. The miscarriage of justice that happened over the weekend is the reality of this country. It is a country where black people are still second class citizens. Where they may not be confined to a separate drinking fountain or movie theater, but where their lives are worth less than mine. Just because I am white and they are not.<br /><br />Trayvon Martin was a typical teenager. Who among us didn’t smoke pot, or act bigger than we were, or brag to members of the opposite sex to impress them? And what teenager wouldn’t be terrified of an angry adult man with a gun? Who among us wouldn’t have defended themselves, whatever way we could? Nothing - NOTHING - Trayvon did that night should be up for debate. Nothing.<br /><br />The truth if this whole tragedy is that Trayvon Martin was a typical teenager who wouldn’t have been looked at twice by George Zimmerman if he had been white. But instead, because he was black, and for NO OTHER REASON, he was stalked, assaulted, and killed. And then his MURDERER was set free on a plea of self defense. Self defense! If anyone was defending themselves, it was the unarmed 17 year old child who was fighting for his life. But he was black, and George Zimmerman is not. And so Trayvon’s life is worth less.<br /><br />This is the reality of our country.<br /><br />Not to me. Trayvon was someone’s child. He was still a child. He was loved. He will not be forgotten.<br /><br />I’m sorry Trayvon. As a mother, I would like nothing more than to wrap my arms around you and tell you you are safe, and that I will not let someone hurt you, and that I am so sorry this happened to you. I would tell you that your are loved, that you are important, and that you would have grown up to be someone amazing.<br /><br />I am not Trayvon Martin. But I will never, ever forget what happened to him. And I will teach my children not to judge people for the color of their skin, or their religion, or their sexual orientation, or anything else but the content of their character. I will carry Trayvon in my heart, and I will remember him."<br /><br />So eloquently written. I'm speechless. Thanks <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=709919172&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/megan.s.lopez?directed_target_id=0" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Megan</a>, for sharing... and thank you for being a part of the change so desperately needed in this country!</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I read to my children last night before bed, as we do every night. Last night, I read to them President Obama’s children’s book, “A Letter to My Daughters". It is a beautiful message of diversity and celebration of the America that we all so desperately WANT to live in. It is a message about celebrating our differences and teaching each other. It is a hope. It is, sadly, not reality.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">What happened to Trayvon Martin is the reality of this country. The miscarriage of justice that happened over the weekend is the reality of this country. It is a country where black people are still second class citizens. Where they may not be confined to a separate drinking fountain or movie theater, but where their lives are worth less than mine. Just because I am white and they are not.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Trayvon Martin was a typical teenager. Who among us didn’t smoke pot, or act bigger than we were, or brag to members of the opposite sex to impress them? And what teenager wouldn’t be terrified of an angry adult man with a gun? Who among us wouldn’t have defended themselves, whatever way we could? Nothing - NOTHING - Trayvon did that night should be up for debate. Nothing.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The truth if this whole tragedy is that Trayvon Martin was a typical teenager who wouldn’t have been looked at twice by George Zimmerman if he had been white. But instead, because he was black, and for NO OTHER REASON, he was stalked, assaulted, and killed. And then his MURDERER was set free on a plea of self defense. Self defense! If anyone was defending themselves, it was the unarmed 17 year old child who was fighting for his life. But he was black, and George Zimmerman is not. And so Trayvon’s life is worth less.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This is the reality of our country.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Not to me. Trayvon was someone’s child. He was still a child. He was loved. He will not be forgotten.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I’m sorry Trayvon. As a mother, I would like nothing more than to wrap my arms around you and tell you you are safe, and that I will not let someone hurt you, and that I am so sorry this happened to you. I would tell you that your are loved, that you are important, and that you would have grown up to be someone amazing.</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I am not Trayvon Martin. But I will never, ever forget what happened to him. And I will teach my children not to judge people for the color of their skin, or their religion, or their sexual orientation, or anything else but the content of their character. I will carry Trayvon in my heart, and I will remember him."</span></blockquote>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So eloquently written. I'm speechless. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thanks <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=709919172&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/megan.s.lopez?directed_target_id=0" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Megan</a>, for sharing... and thank you for being a part of the change so desperately needed in this country!</span>Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-82210270939639946752013-07-16T09:14:00.001-07:002013-07-16T09:14:04.435-07:00This is not a White or Black thing... <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Yesterday, I was really angry, on top of being sad. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I have a son. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">He isn't Black, but he is a minority. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">He is also half Muslim. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">He is a feisty, fun-loving, stubborn little boy. And I want to give him the world. I want to teach him all that I can. Which I realize will include teaching him about the country and world we live in. A country and world that we love dearly, but that encompasses an evil hateful side full of ignorance, where racism is still very much alive, to this day. A country and world that will tell him he isn’t good enough, that he doesn’t belong, that he if dresses like a ‘thug’ he can be shot and killed and the murderer will get away with it. A country where he will, without a doubt, be told “go back home” although he is a first generation California born American citizen. This is the country we live in. Where systematic racism is still very much alive. I know I will have to have an open and honest dialogue about this country and world with him. And while parents with White children should do the same, the conversation will be very different. Yesterday, a White male ‘friend’ said to me “I used to get harassed by the police also – probably because I dressed like a thug, probably because I have a lot of Black friends. I know what it feels like…”<br /><br />While I believe he has struggled, while I believe White people face hardships, what he didn’t hear me say was…<br /><br />You can change your clothes. You can take off your "thuggish" hoodies, put on a polo shirt, khakis and tie a sweater around your neck and the way you are treated will significantly change.<br /><br />I can’t change my skin.<br /><br />Neither can my son.<br />Neither could Trayvon Martin.<br /><br />Many people may not know that my views on race and racism are based on my educational background and my understanding that issues of race are systematic and as my friend <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=11700175&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/marie.brand.7?directed_target_id=0" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Marie</a> stated “live in even the most benign comments and statements.”<br /><br />And as my beautiful son gets older, I will have to explain this to him. I will have to explain to him that he IS good enough. That he DOES belong and that no matter how he chooses to dress, he is a human being and deserves to be treated as such. And to never settle for anything less.<br /><br />This will be one of my greatest feats in life.<br /><br />I love you son. More than you will ever know.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz39dybU_wLtvWtf5xFglsURa37sKJTSYM8XaoG6pHS-w3vcyNetS7CxKTC6xDrlMD6xO3DtjcK32vjZ2xfBUafBzaPwzCNbS6dtanI7x-VuFlN4wu-hbciadQyhQOnyaR8bOlccCVMg/s1600/trayvon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz39dybU_wLtvWtf5xFglsURa37sKJTSYM8XaoG6pHS-w3vcyNetS7CxKTC6xDrlMD6xO3DtjcK32vjZ2xfBUafBzaPwzCNbS6dtanI7x-VuFlN4wu-hbciadQyhQOnyaR8bOlccCVMg/s640/trayvon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-16232516470892191582013-07-12T10:53:00.001-07:002013-07-12T10:59:57.947-07:0010 Things They Don't Tell You About Pregnancy & Giving Birth<br />
There's been a funny 'meme' floating around Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook recently and chances are, you've seen it:<br />
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<i>Um, yeah right</i>, is right. </div>
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Too bad you won't look like a super model after giving birth. Too bad your makeup will not be perfect, too bad you'll probably stink, have bad breath, be covered in some sort of excretion - possibly not even of your own. Yup, that's it folks... there's a laundry list of things 'they' don't tell you about pregnancy and giving birth. Kinda mirrors my post moments ago, <a href="http://whiletheyzzz.blogspot.com/2013/07/10-things-you-dont-know-about-kids.html">10 Things You Dont Know About Kids Until You One</a>. </div>
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Amy Morrison in her blog, <a href="http://www.pregnantchicken.com/">Pregnant Chicken</a>, does a great job listing the many things you aren't commonly told about pregnancy and giving birth. I think the tides are turning a bit on this and I've found that I've been able to comfortably tell my friends who haven't given birth yet, the truth behind it. Although, it's always a little bit uncomfortable still to tell them about pushing about your placenta and having to endure more birthing after your baby already makes his exit. I've listed Amy's list below, verbatum. Enjoy! </div>
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<h1 class="entry-title" data-content-field="title" style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-family: Muli; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2010/9/23/happily-after-giving-birth-10-things-they-dont-tell-you.html" style="color: #07c0c0; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Happily After Giving Birth – 10 Things They Don't Tell You</a></h1>
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<div class="sqs-block html-block" data-block-json="{"html":"<div data-src=\"v5\">\n<p><strong>1. You will have a really heavy period.</strong> No matter how you give birth (c-section or va-j-j) you will have postpartum bleeding. This delightful discharge is called lochia and it sounds about as appealing as it is. It lasts as little as two to three weeks or as long as six weeks after birth. The best part is you're given giant, thunderpads in the hospital because you can't use tampons during this time (it can introduce bacteria into your healing uterus) so you have the added pleasure of feeling like a 15-year old girl from 1974.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>2. Your crotch might be a mess. </strong>You may be dealing with a swollen, stitched up mighty mess that even Stephen King couldn't dream up. There are a <a href=\"/pregnant-chicken-blog/2012/3/3/exit-care.html\" target=\"_blank\">variety of elixirs and contraptions</a> to help ease the horror including sits baths, frozen bags of peas and a little water bottle that you squirt on yourself while you pee. In my experience I've found that it's best not to look \u2013 it was actually worse than I thought it would be. Dear God so bad.</p><p><strong>3. You're still fat.&nbsp;</strong>You will need clothes after you've had this kid because you'll be sort of second trimester doughy for a while. This is yet another reason I hate those damn model asshats that are wafer thin 10 minutes after they've given birth because it isn't realistic. Everything is very different when you've had your tummy tuck during your elective c-section and you can hand your baby off to a nanny and have a personal trainer up in your face everyday. Pilates and brown rice my ass. Stupid starlets. Except Heidi Klum. I love Heidi Klum and that bitch earned her wings.<br></p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n</div>","wysiwyg":{"html":""}}" data-block-type="2" id="block-675c1a743ceed82db50c" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #777777; font-family: Muli; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.1875px; padding-bottom: 24px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; z-index: 1;">
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<strong>1. You will have a really heavy period.</strong> No matter how you give birth (c-section or va-j-j) you will have postpartum bleeding. This delightful discharge is called lochia and it sounds about as appealing as it is. It lasts as little as two to three weeks or as long as six weeks after birth. The best part is you're given giant, thunderpads in the hospital because you can't use tampons during this time (it can introduce bacteria into your healing uterus) so you have the added pleasure of feeling like a 15-year old girl from 1974. </div>
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<strong>2. Your crotch might be a mess. </strong>You may be dealing with a swollen, stitched up mighty mess that even Stephen King couldn't dream up. There are a <a href="http://www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2012/3/3/exit-care.html" style="color: #07c0c0; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">variety of elixirs and contraptions</a> to help ease the horror including sits baths, frozen bags of peas and a little water bottle that you squirt on yourself while you pee. In my experience I've found that it's best not to look – it was actually worse than I thought it would be. Dear God so bad.</div>
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<strong>3. You're still fat. </strong>You will need clothes after you've had this kid because you'll be sort of second trimester doughy for a while. This is yet another reason I hate those damn model asshats that are wafer thin 10 minutes after they've given birth because it isn't realistic. Everything is very different when you've had your tummy tuck during your elective c-section and you can hand your baby off to a nanny and have a personal trainer up in your face everyday. Pilates and brown rice my ass. Stupid starlets. Except Heidi Klum. I love Heidi Klum and that bitch earned her wings<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.8em;"> </span><br />
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<div class="sqs-block html-block" data-block-json="{"html":"<div data-src=\"v5\">\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>4. You might cry. A. LOT. </strong>Some women get off really easy with this one and don't ride the hormonal roller coaster after they've had a baby and to them I say \"lucky, lucky whore\". It doesn't help that it can run the gamut from absolutely nothing to full blown post partum depression so not everyone is sympathetic if you have the Niagara Falls boo hoos if they didn't. The other tricky thing is that you might not recognize how bad it was until you're out of it. It's best to have people that actually know you keep an eye on this one. If they tell you that you're losing it, you probably are so listen to them and go see your doctor. Nobody wins if you're miserable.</p>\n<p><strong>5. Your hair might fall out.</strong> I know. Don't you feel pretty now? So here you are all post partum and doughy and to add insult to injury you might start losing some of your hair. Here you were all excited about your luscious locks while you were pregnant, well, sorry Cinderella but the party is over and the hair fairy wants her glass slippers back. This is one of those wonderful hormone side effects that can come with giving birth. At least there will be less to worry about when pulling your hair up into your new-mom crack-ponytail.</p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n <o:AllowPNG/>\n </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <w:WordDocument>\n <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>\n <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>\n <w:TrackFormatting/>\n <w:PunctuationKerning/>\n <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>\n <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>\n <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>\n <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>\n <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>\n <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>\n <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>\n <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>\n <w:Compatibility>\n <w:BreakWrappedTables/>\n <w:DontGrowAutofit/>\n <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>\n <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>\n </w:Compatibility>\n </w:WordDocument>\n</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState=\"false\" LatentStyleCount=\"276\">\n </w:LatentStyles>\n</xml><![endif]-->\n\n<!--[if gte mso 10]>\n<style>\n /* Style Definitions */\ntable.MsoNormalTable\n\t{mso-style-name:\"Table Normal\";\n\tmso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;\n\tmso-tstyle-colband-size:0;\n\tmso-style-noshow:yes;\n\tmso-style-parent:\"\";\n\tmso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;\n\tmso-para-margin:0cm;\n\tmso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}\n</style>\n<![endif]-->\n\n\n\n<!--StartFragment-->\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><strong>6. Breastfeeding might be difficult.</strong>&nbsp;If you choose to breastfeed your baby, be prepared for\na little bit of work. Not everybody has a smooth ride (<a href=\"http://www.pregnantchicken.com/2010/5/26/breastfeeding-my-little-slice-of-hell.html\" data-link-type=\"external\" target=\"_blank\">me included</a>) and it can be anything the soft, bonding vignettes\nthey plaster all over \"Breast is Best\" pamphlets. The good news is\nonce you're over the hump it's pretty maintenance free and you can never forget\nyour baby's lunch on the counter. If you have an easy time of it, awesome!\nDon't brag though, you're liable to be beaten to death with Bugaboo strollers\nby hormonal mothers in the park.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n</div>","wysiwyg":{"html":""}}" data-block-type="2" id="block-ddb725905db6c6700bd1" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #777777; font-family: Muli; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.1875px; padding-bottom: 24px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; z-index: 1;">
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<a href="http://static.squarespace.com/static/505ca0a4e4b08da3b4046e42/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7a1c/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7c5f/1285262728143/?format=500w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://static.squarespace.com/static/505ca0a4e4b08da3b4046e42/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7a1c/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7c5f/1285262728143/?format=500w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://static.squarespace.com/static/505ca0a4e4b08da3b4046e42/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7a1c/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7c5f/1285262728143/?format=500w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://static.squarespace.com/static/505ca0a4e4b08da3b4046e42/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7a1c/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7c5f/1285262728143/?format=500w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="" data-image-dimensions="380x380" data-image-focal-point="null" data-image="http://static.squarespace.com/static/505ca0a4e4b08da3b4046e42/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7a1c/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7c5f/1285262728143/" data-src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/505ca0a4e4b08da3b4046e42/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7a1c/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7c5f/1285262728143/" height="320" src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/505ca0a4e4b08da3b4046e42/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7a1c/50784a3ee4b02a8ed67b7c5f/1285262728143/?format=500w" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="320" /></a><strong>4.You might cry. A. LOT. </strong>Some women get off<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.8em;">really easy with this one and don't ride the hormonal roller coaster after they've had a baby and to them I say "lucky, lucky whore". It doesn't help that it can run the gamut from absolutely nothing to full blown post partum depression so not everyone is sympathetic if you have the Niagara Falls boo hoos if they didn't. The other tricky thing is that you might not recognize how bad it was until you're out of it. It's best to have people that actually know you keep an eye on this one. If they tell you that you're losing it, you probably are so listen to them and go see your doctor. Nobody wins if you're miserable.</span></div>
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<strong>5. Your hair might fall out.</strong> I know. Don't you feel pretty now? So here you are all post partum and doughy and to add insult to injury you might start losing some of your hair. Here you were all excited about your luscious locks while you were pregnant, well, sorry Cinderella but the party is over and the hair fairy wants her glass slippers back. This is one of those wonderful hormone side effects that can come with giving birth. At least there will be less to worry about when pulling your hair up into your new-mom crack-ponytail.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.8em; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 24px;">
<strong>6. Breastfeeding might be difficult.</strong> If you choose to breastfeed your baby, be prepared for a little bit of work. Not everybody has a smooth ride (<a data-link-type="external" href="http://www.pregnantchicken.com/2010/5/26/breastfeeding-my-little-slice-of-hell.html" style="color: #07c0c0; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">me included</a>) and it can be anything the soft, bonding vignettes they plaster all over "Breast is Best" pamphlets. The good news is once you're over the hump it's pretty maintenance free and you can never forget your baby's lunch on the counter. If you have an easy time of it, awesome! Don't brag though, you're liable to be beaten to death with Bugaboo strollers by hormonal mothers in the park. </div>
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<div class="sqs-block html-block" data-block-json="{"html":"<div data-src=\"v5\">\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>7. You might hate your husband.</strong> I have two theories of nature. One, babies look like their fathers when they are born so the father is reassured that the baby is his and won't take off. Two, nature takes care of you not conceiving right after giving birth by making you want to punch in his face every time you see him. Again, it's probably hormone related. Again, this isn't always the case but I'm just warning you that you might stare at his peaceful sleeping face at 2am and wonder what the hell the point of him is and how can that son of a bitch just lie there sleeping like while you try to get your baby to sleep for the umpteenth time. You're not alone and a jury full of mothers with newborns wouldn't convict you if you bludgeoned him to death with a breast pump. That said, he may be worth keeping around so take a deep breath and ignore the urge......for now.</p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n <o:AllowPNG/>\n </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <w:WordDocument>\n <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>\n <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>\n <w:TrackFormatting/>\n <w:PunctuationKerning/>\n <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>\n <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>\n <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>\n <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>\n <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>\n <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>\n <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>\n <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>\n <w:Compatibility>\n <w:BreakWrappedTables/>\n <w:DontGrowAutofit/>\n <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>\n <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>\n </w:Compatibility>\n </w:WordDocument>\n</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState=\"false\" LatentStyleCount=\"276\">\n </w:LatentStyles>\n</xml><![endif]-->\n\n<!--[if gte mso 10]>\n<style>\n /* Style Definitions */\ntable.MsoNormalTable\n\t{mso-style-name:\"Table Normal\";\n\tmso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;\n\tmso-tstyle-colband-size:0;\n\tmso-style-noshow:yes;\n\tmso-style-parent:\"\";\n\tmso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;\n\tmso-para-margin:0cm;\n\tmso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}\n</style>\n<![endif]-->\n\n\n\n<!--StartFragment-->\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><strong>8. You might be hot.</strong>&nbsp;No, not good hot.\nGross, sweaty, fat man hot. Thank your hormones. Once again they may be to\nblame for giving you hot flashes and making feel like a high-noon whore.\nNothing says sexy like a woman with 20lbs of extra baby weight, who's losing\nher hair and walking around like she just ran for a bus. I'm adding that to my\ntheory of nature's birth control along with number 7.&nbsp;</p>\n</div>","wysiwyg":{"html":""}}" data-block-type="2" id="block-a8ecd8d2dad908eb71d7" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #777777; font-family: Muli; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.1875px; padding-bottom: 24px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; z-index: 1;">
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<strong>7. You might hate your husband.</strong> I have two theories of nature. One, babies look like their fathers when they are born so the father is reassured that the baby is his and won't take off. Two, nature takes care of you not conceiving right after giving birth by making you want to punch in his face every time you see him. Again, it's probably hormone related. Again, this isn't always the case but I'm just warning you that you might stare at his peaceful sleeping face at 2am and wonder what the hell the point of him is and how can that son of a bitch just lie there sleeping like while you try to get your baby to sleep for the umpteenth time. You're not alone and a jury full of mothers with newborns wouldn't convict you if you bludgeoned him to death with a breast pump. That said, he may be worth keeping around so take a deep breath and ignore the urge......for now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.8em; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 24px;">
<strong>8. You might be hot.</strong> No, not good hot. Gross, sweaty, fat man hot. Thank your hormones. Once again they may be to blame for giving you hot flashes and making feel like a high-noon whore. Nothing says sexy like a woman with 20lbs of extra baby weight, who's losing her hair and walking around like she just ran for a bus. I'm adding that to my theory of nature's birth control along with number 7. </div>
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<div class="sqs-block html-block" data-block-json="{"html":"<div data-src=\"v5\">\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>9. Hard boobs.</strong> You know those crazy porn boobs you see on some women that are just gigantic and don't move? No? Well, try skipping a feeding while you're nursing and you'll have a pretty good idea what that's like. It sounds cool but it isn't so don't add stripper heels to your registry....well, not for this reason anyway.</p>\n<p><strong>10. Pooing is scary. </strong>I saved the best for last, non? No matter what exit your baby used, your BM equipment is close by and you'll have to use it eventually. I think the phrase \"tentative terror\" best sums up this act and may I suggest picking out extra names because you're going to want to name your first poop after you take such tender care bringing into the world. Gross? Sorry. Fact? Yep.</p>\n<ol> </ol>\n</div>","wysiwyg":{"html":""}}" data-block-type="2" id="block-d9da8e18064e9e6a119f" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #777777; font-family: Muli; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.1875px; padding-bottom: 24px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; z-index: 1;">
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<strong>9. Hard boobs.</strong> You know those crazy porn boobs you see on some women that are just gigantic and don't move? No? Well, try skipping a feeding while you're nursing and you'll have a pretty good idea what that's like. It sounds cool but it isn't so don't add stripper heels to your registry....well, not for this reason anyway.</div>
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<strong>10. Pooing is scary. </strong>I saved the best for last, non? No matter what exit your baby used, your BM equipment is close by and you'll have to use it eventually. I think the phrase "tentative terror" best sums up this act and may I suggest picking out extra names because you're going to want to name your first poop after you take such tender care bringing into the world. Gross? Sorry. Fact? Yep.</div>
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<div class="sqs-block html-block" data-block-json="{"html":"<p>Haven't I painted a pretty picture here? Aren't you\nlooking forward to all the treats that come with motherhood? Well, thankfully,\nnot all of them happen to everybody and you (and everyone around you) will be\nso focused on the new little person that you'll have little time or energy to\nworry about much else. And hey, who cares, you made a person. A whole person.\nIt doesn't matter if you're a surly, bald, sweaty garden slug for a while, you\njust performed a miracle so unless you're booked to walk the runway in your\nunderpants in two weeks, don't worry about it and tell anybody who says\notherwise to eat shit. Hey, you can always blame it on your hormones.</p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n <o:AllowPNG/>\n </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>\n</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <w:WordDocument>\n <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>\n <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>\n <w:TrackFormatting/>\n <w:PunctuationKerning/>\n <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>\n <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>\n <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>\n <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>\n <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>\n <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>\n <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>\n <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>\n <w:Compatibility>\n <w:BreakWrappedTables/>\n <w:DontGrowAutofit/>\n <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>\n <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>\n </w:Compatibility>\n </w:WordDocument>\n</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState=\"false\" LatentStyleCount=\"276\">\n </w:LatentStyles>\n</xml><![endif]-->\n\n<!--[if gte mso 10]>\n<style>\n /* Style Definitions */\ntable.MsoNormalTable\n\t{mso-style-name:\"Table Normal\";\n\tmso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;\n\tmso-tstyle-colband-size:0;\n\tmso-style-noshow:yes;\n\tmso-style-parent:\"\";\n\tmso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;\n\tmso-para-margin:0cm;\n\tmso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:\"Times New Roman\";\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}\n</style>\n<![endif]-->\n\n\n\n<!--StartFragment-->\n\n\n\n<!--EndFragment--><p>And seriously, don't get scared. You may get off easy and get none of these things to any great degree, and if you're really, really lucky you'll have <a href=\"/pregnant-chicken-blog/2012/2/6/easiest-births-ever.html\">a birth like my friend, Megan</a>.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>In the meantime, be sure to check out the&nbsp;<a href=\"/pregnant-chicken-blog/2012/3/3/exit-care.html\">Exit Care</a>&nbsp;post. You know, just in case.</p>","wysiwyg":{"html":""}}" data-block-type="2" id="block-abe1fbaa50bf8be027a0" style="background-color: white; clear: none; color: #777777; font-family: Muli; font-size: 14px; line-height: 25.1875px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; position: relative; word-wrap: break-word; z-index: 1;">
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Haven't I painted a pretty picture here? Aren't you looking forward to all the treats that come with motherhood? Well, thankfully, not all of them happen to everybody and you (and everyone around you) will be so focused on the new little person that you'll have little time or energy to worry about much else. And hey, who cares, you made a person. A whole person. It doesn't matter if you're a surly, bald, sweaty garden slug for a while, you just performed a miracle so unless you're booked to walk the runway in your underpants in two weeks, don't worry about it and tell anybody who says otherwise to eat shit. Hey, you can always blame it on your hormones.</div>
<div style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.8em; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 24px;">
And seriously, don't get scared. You may get off easy and get none of these things to any great degree, and if you're really, really lucky you'll have <a href="http://www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2012/2/6/easiest-births-ever.html" style="color: #07c0c0; text-decoration: none;">a birth like my friend, Megan</a>. </div>
<div style="letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 1.8em; margin-top: 24px;">
In the meantime, be sure to check out the <a href="http://www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2012/3/3/exit-care.html" style="color: #07c0c0; text-decoration: none;">Exit Care</a> post. You know, just in case.</div>
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I'm glad Amy ended on a good note - because the truth of the matter is, pregnancy is not as pretty as it is made to be on TV, but realistically, we all know that. I mean, who the hell would want to see all of the above acted out on TV for our viewing pleasure - not too pleasurable if you ask me. </div>
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As long as we know that, we'll be golden. And you'll be amazing - in your pregnancy, through labor & delivery and as a new parent! </div>
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Lean on your friends, family and anyone you can for support - best advice I can give! We have so many amazing family members nearby to be there for us in split second, not to mention our close friends who are always willing to help - those with or without children of their own. </div>
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<3</div>
Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-60795166561159083832013-07-12T09:58:00.002-07:002013-07-12T10:54:04.006-07:0010 Things You Don't Know About Kids Until You Have Kids<div style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21.984375px; margin-bottom: 8px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Ever get annoyed when people tell you that you have no idea what having a child
is like until you actually have one? You've raised many nieces and nephews,
grown up around dozens of cousins younger than you, you've changed your share
of diapers, you're no virgin to the department of babysitting... you know
what's up, so of course it's annoying when someone tells you that you won't <b>reallllllllllllllllllllllly</b> know
until you have a child yourself. It's like Mackenzie said <i>(more
on who Mackenzie is, in a moment)</i>,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Sure I did. Who doesn't know that although kids are cute,
they are also a lot of work? That's why you get a dog to practice before having
a kid. Like, duh. </i></span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Couldn't have said it better myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mackenzie is a mom of three children and a wife. She is also
a freelance editor and has a great blog, <a href="http://raisingwildthings.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Raising Wild
Things</span></a>, although I found Mackenzie's words of wisdom on another
blog, <a href="http://www.scarymommy.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Scary
Mommy</span></a> - A Parenting Community For Imperfect
Parents. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In her blog post, <a href="http://www.scarymommy.com/10-things-you-dont-really-know-about-kids-until-you-have-kids/"><span style="color: blue;">10 Things You Don't Know About Kids Until You Have Kids</span></a>,
Mackenzie does what some of us parents have failed at - <u>being brutally
honest to our non-parent friends</u>. There have been a million times I
wanted to tell someone something other than the obligatory <i>"your
life is going to change for the better," </i>but it's almost too
difficult. And to be honest, it doesn't feel 'normal' to tell first time
parents, or friends wanting to have children, that it's actually a lot scarier,
dirtier, and harder than they will ever truly understand until they physically
have children. Many people don't take that well either. Some take
it as a jab, that they are incapable of knowing something purely because they
haven't experienced it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The truth is, that's just the way it is. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You won't truly know what it's like to be a parent, until you are
one. You won't truly know all about kids until you have one - and even then,
they are a mystery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white;">
<i><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not that
anyone asked, but if I were going to give advice to first-time parents, I
wouldn’t just state the obvious about their life changing forever. That’s not
helpful. Kids are a lot of work, yadda, yadda, yadda. Instead, I’d sit them
down in comfy chairs, hand them a beer or glass of wine, and break it down for
them all realistic-style. Ok, let’s get to it…</span></i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mackenzie went on to list a very HONEST list of what she considers
are the 10 Things You Don't Know About Kids Until You Have Kids. Read the
full post <a href="http://www.scarymommy.com/10-things-you-dont-really-know-about-kids-until-you-have-kids/"><span style="color: blue;">here.</span></a> I've also listed her 10 points
below... verbatum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #ffd966; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#1: Kids Are Gross</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think most people without kids understand this in theory–kids
poop and pee and puke–but in practice . . . when you’re the parent, YOU are the
one cleaning up all of this (literal) shit. And not just when dealing with
diapers and potty training and the occasional tummy bug. Those are a given. But
like when your kid decides to take a dump on the floor. At the mall. (Or,
unfortunately for a friend of mine, in her hand, at the grocery store.) Or when
your kid decides she’s big enough to pee alone in the stall at Target but
forgets to take off her pants. Or when your kid works himself into such a
tantrum that he barfs up everything he has managed to consume from what seems
like the past 2 days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">These, my friends, will not be isolated incidents. Especially when
your kids are little. These shenanigans will happen often, if not daily. If
your kid has a proclivity for such behavior, you may even be dealing with this
stuff a few different times a day. That adds up to a shit-ton of shit. And
since you’re the one cleaning up all of this, you can bet your britches that
some of this crap will end up on you too. If you’re lucky, you’ll get just a
little on your hand. Although gross, easily fixed with some good hand hygiene.
If you’re unlucky, well, let’s just say you better hope you realize where the
smell that’s been following you all day is coming from before someone else
does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And while we’re on the topic of kids doing gross things, I’d like
to put this fact out there: Kids eat their boogers. I think people like to
think only other people’s kids do this, but that’s not true. Every kid will at
some point in time eat boogers. You just want to hope it’s only their boogers
they’re eating. Your kid may try it just once, or it may develop into a habit
that lasts for a while. But it will happen. Same goes for ABC gum they find
stuck to the underside of a movie theater seat, or a cold half-eaten fry they
find on the floor of McDonald’s because, you know, they were still hungry. Dear
god, I wish I were making this stuff up.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#2: Kids Are Dirty</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I only had a vague notion about kids and dirt before having my
own. I used to babysit a lot, so I knew about the messy face and hands after
eating, and even about the crumbs they left all over the table and floor. What
I did not know what that this dirt cannot be confined. It doesn’t matter how
often you wipe them down after eating or how often you vacuum in the wake of a
meal. You will find crumbs in bed (yours, theirs), crumbs in the carpet, crumbs
in the cracks of the couch, crumbs in their cracks. You will ask yourself, “How
in the world did crumbs get into the freaking tube of toothpaste?!” Like
actually into the tube. Kids are just crafty like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The crumbs will even multiply and migrate out into your car. Their
car seats (who am I kidding, your entire car) will forever be encrusted with
ground-up goldfish bits, rogue Cheerios, and broken pretzel sticks. Don’t be
too quick to clean out your car, though. This may prove useful on a long car
trip when you’ve forgotten snacks. “Oh, sorry kids, just dig around in the
cracks of your seat, I’m sure you’ll find something to tide you over.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In addition to the crumbs you’ll find everywhere, EVERYTHING in
your house, including the kids, will be sticky. Toys, books, DVD cases, toilet
flusher thingies, faucets, door handles (especially the one on the
refrigerator), TV remotes, cabinets, tabletops, counter tops, your cell phone,
the cat. You’ll need to keep plenty of Windex on hand to wipe their
fingerprints off the mirrors and the TV screen. You’ll also need a lot of
towels to clean up all of the drinks they’ll spill. At. Every. Single. Meal.
Oh, and find a good laundry detergent. Preferably one that can handle the
different kinds of stains you’ll be trying to remove from your pants every time
you sit in something new and find your ass stuck to the couch.</span></div>
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<img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kidsl" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/grandparents-spoil-525x295.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> #3: Kids Are Hoarders</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Taking over the hearth, check.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You have kids, you’re gonna have toys. Everyone knows that. What I
wasn’t prepared for as a parent was having my entire house practically turn
into a toy store. A toy store that exploded. And then had all the toys copulate
and give birth to newer and newer generations of toys. Much like the crumbs
from the first post, this stuff can’t be contained. You’ll have toys
everywhere. Kids’ room, check. Living room, check. Dining room, check. Your
room, check. Kitchen, check. Bathroom, check. Stuffed in any drawer your kids
can find because they’re good hiding places, check.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even if you don’t buy your kids too many toys, you can bet your
family and friends will. (And usually the kind that play loud, annoying music
or can be used to make a lot of noise. But, that’s another topic completely.
Love you family!) Not to mention all of the craptastic “toys” they’ll get from
those kids meals you swore you’d never feed them. The ones that always seem to
break 18.25 seconds into playing with them. The ones your kids go ballistic
over if, heaven forbid, they find them in the trash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We used to have a dining table in here. Can you spot our china
cabinet?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And the more kids you have, the more bins and baskets and buckets
and shelving units to hold said bins and baskets and buckets you’ll be buying
to shove their toys in to. (Thank you, Ikea!) At first you’ll probably have
some type of sorting system for the toys. You’ll want all of the plastic food
to stay with the play kitchen, the gazillion trains and cars to stay together,
and all of Barbie’s effing little shoes and accessories in one place so that
when your kid is looking for things you know where to find them, hopefully
avoiding an epic meltdown. (“Mooooooooom-mmy, where is my blue car?! I need my
blue car! Not that blue car, the other blue car!” WTF?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But eventually you’ll give up and just start throwing things in
whatever container has even a smidge of free space. “You will fit in
there!” Don’t feel bad about this. Just surrender; your sanity will thank
you, and it’ll be so much easier in the long run. Plus, once you let go, you’ll
find you’ll have more time to worry about other pressing issues. Like why the
hell your one eye keeps twitching like that.</span></div>
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<img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/alg-sandwich-jpg-525x394.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#4: Kids Are Moochers</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When it comes to eating, kids typically fall into two categories
— 1) those that eat anything and everything, and 2) those that eat hardly
anything. If you have more than one kid, you may even get lucky and have both!
Or your kid may fall into one category one month, day, or second and fall into
the second category another. (Actually, you can pretty much count on this.)
This makes for fun meal planning, I can assure you. *eyes rolling*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Regardless of which camp they fall into, all bets are off when
they see you with food. They are going to want to cozy up to you and
“share” whatever it is that you are eating. ”Can I have a bite? Can I have
a bite? Can I have a bite? Just one teeny bite?” For the love of Pete! And it
won’t even matter what it is that you are eating. “Begetables, mmmmm, I lub
begetables!” “Fish, I lub fish!” “Spicy, mmmmm, I lub spicy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you actually want to eat your meal in its entirety, you have
two options. Option 1: If you know your kid likes the food you’re
trying to enjoy, DO NOT GIVE IN. I mean it, do not give him or her even just
one tiny bite. As much as they say they understand that they will only get one
bite and that’s going to be it, they’re lying. Always. Option 2:If you
know your kid does not like the food you’re trying to enjoy, do the opposite of
what I recommend in Option 1–give him or her a heaping forkful to nosh on. When
your kid realizes what you’re eating is just absolutely disgusting, he or she
will likely spit it out, right back on your plate, no doubt, and then go find something
else to do. Until he or she forgets and comes back begging for more
approximately 5 seconds later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sadly, this was not staged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So I guess you’re just better off going with Option 1 in all
cases. Unless you want to avoid this scenario entirely and you hide out in the
kitchen (or bedroom or bathroom even) so that you can scarf down your meal in
peace!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And while I’ve focused on food here, please know that your
kids’ mooching knows no bounds. You should probably plan to stock up on
chap stick and deodorant and pens, too.</span></div>
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<img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/climbing_out_of_crib-525x315.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#5: Kids Don’t Sleep</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When you want them to, that is. Everyone knows that new parents
usually get very little sleep until their baby is sleeping through the night.
(Those bags and dark circles under your eyes never completely go away, by the
way.) What I’m talking about here are deviations from your kids
“normal” sleep schedule once you think you have found a groove.
Like when your kid usually naps in the morning from 10-12, has been for oh,
say, the last 6 weeks, and then the day you actually have something planned
while your kid is asleep (maybe a conference call for work or, more likely,
your own nap) or something planned out of the house after your kid sleeps (say
a doctor’s appointment or play date), your kid says, “F you, morning nap!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You wanted to go where? Zzzzzzzzzzz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This results in you either 1) having to cancel what you had
planned to do when your kid was supposed to be asleep but is now awake and
probably incredibly whiney and clingy or 2) having to cancel what you had
planned for after your kid was supposed to be asleep because 1 minute prior to
you having to walk out the door you’ll find your kid, coat and shoes on,
slumped over on the couch, drooling, and fast asleep. And sorry if
you had something planned both before and after the nap was supposed to take
place. Your day is screwed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s the same for morning wake up time. You can absolutely count
on your kids sleeping in on the mornings you have to be somewhere at a certain
time and then being up at the crack of dawn the mornings you could have
actually slept in. It always happens this way. Until it doesn’t. And then
you’ll have no idea when the hell you’re actually going to get any sleep
because you have no idea when the hell your kids are going to sleep. They like
to keep us on our toes like that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I will tell you a secret, though: The one thing that absolutely
doesn’t change with kids, the one constant, the one thing you can always,
without a doubt predict . . . your kids will be unpredictable. Predictably
unpredictable.</span></div>
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<img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/o-RECOGNIZING-BABIES-CRIES-facebook1-525x368.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#6: Kids Are Needy</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">So. Very. Needy. I mean let’s be honest. A newborn can’t do shit.
(Actually, that’s one of the things newborns can do quite well, but
you know what I mean.) They need to be fed, burped, changed, bathed, rolled
over, rolled back, rocked to sleep, picked up, put down, bounced, swaddled,
swayed, shushed. Parents with newborns are like zombies for a reason. But we
know this. Everyone warns new parents that the first few months will be hell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But where was the warning that this neediness actually intensifies
as your kids get older? You’re not just fulfilling basic human needs anymore;
you’ve become a means to an end. ”Mommy, can you get me crackers?” “Daddy,
I need my pink shirt with the purple polka dots.” “Mommy, where is that
doll I was playing with the other day?” “Where’s my binky?” “Daddy, can you put
a show on for us? Yeah that one. Oh no, not this one. The other one. Oh wait,
the first one. Actually, where’s the one about the kid doing that thing with the
other kid?” “Mommy, I’m thirsty, I need a drink!” “Come wipe my butt.” ”I wanna
push the button!” ”I need a Band-Aid!” “Mommy, we want a different show.”
“Daddy, Mommy said to get us a snack.” “Where’s my blanket?” “Daddy? Daddy?
Daddy?” “Mammmmaaaaaaaaa!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Yup, that about sums up the first 5 minutes the kids are
awake each day. But the kicker with all of this neediness is the timing. It is
a simple fact that your kids will never need anything while you are already up
or even when you ask them point-blank if they need anything. Nope. They’ll
suddenly need you right when you sit down to eat, or relax, or poop. Or the
second you get in the shower or are otherwise in the middle of doing anything
else but tending to them. When your kids are little, you can simply forget
about being able to poop alone or take a relaxing shower while they are awake.</span></div>
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<img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Kid-Laughing1-525x327.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#7: Kids Are (Too) Honest</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">How’s that? Don’t we want to raise honest kids? you ask. Oh
absolutely. Yes, we want our kids to fess up when they hit a sibling, or tell a
lie, or eat the last of the ever-loving Girl Scout cookies that you won’t be
able to get again for another year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But until kids develop that internal filter that (most) adults
have and learn that some things shouldn’t be said out loud, you’re going to be
getting a whole lotta honesty you may not want. Some hypothetical (ahem) things
you might hear include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 18.85pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your
belly is squishy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your legs
are hairy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your
breath smells yucky<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your hair
is greasy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your legs
are jiggly<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You have
a boogie in your nose<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You stink<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 18.85pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Your
boobies are so big (“Big” is such a relative term, eh?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well, if you would leave me the frick alone for 20 effing minutes
I might be able to do something about all that! (Oh, who am I kidding,
you’ll probably need at least half a day to get all that shit under control.
But alas, I refer you back to #6, so the likelihood that you’ll actually have
even 5 minutes alone to do ANYTHING is slim to none.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And don’t think your kids save all of this honesty just for you.
You can be sure they will tell you just how hairy or stinky or big your waiter
is one day when you are out to lunch. You will pretend you don’t hear anything.
Your kid will repeat him- or herself louder and louder each time until you are
forced to acknowledge the statement. You will start giving your kid “the
look.” Your kid will not understand this look and think you haven’t heard
what he or she is saying. Your kid will say it even louder. You will shush your
kid. Your kid will get upset and repeat him- or herself again, this time while
wailing. The waiter will have heard all of this.</span></div>
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<img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Kid-in-dryer.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#8: Kids Break Stuff</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s inevitable. Your kids are going to break things. This is why
you don’t buy kids expensive crap. $1 toys are easier to replace than rare
antique collectibles. Even someone who knows nothing about kids will know this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But kids don’t just break their stuff. There is no magic spell
that excludes your stuff from being destroyed as well. Cell phones will be
dropped in the toilet, eye glasses will be stepped on, couches will get colored
on with permanent markers, lights will be left on in the car draining your
battery, computer charging cords will get wrapped around the office chair and
wound up so tightly from all the spinning that they’ll fray and eventually
sever. And I don’t know any family with a complete set of dishes or glasses.
Most of the destruction will be accidental, mind you, but that won’t make the
replacements–should you decide to actually replace or repair your damaged
goods–any cheaper.</span></div>
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<img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/band-aid-rules1-525x341.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#9: Kids Hurt Themselves. A Lot.</span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I knew kids got occasional booboos, but I had no idea just how
often my kids would hurt themselves. It begins when they can start moving on
their own and doesn’t seem to end. They roll into things, fall off things, trip
over things, walk into things, choke on things, step on things. Kids are
freaking clumsy. Or they often don’t know any better. And don’t get me started
on all of the things they will do, intentionally and not, to hurt each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thankfully, although you can absolutely count on your kids getting
hurt, most of these injuries will be ones that can be fixed with kisses and a
few (or 63) Band-Aids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><img alt="10 Things You Don’t Really Know About Kids Until You Have Kids" src="http://www.scarymommy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Sleeping-Child-525x349.jpeg" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 21.984375px;" /></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: #f1c232; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">#10: Your Kids Are Worth All of It</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You have no idea just how much you can love
another person until you have kids. It is the fiercest, most intense love you
can ever imagine. You will do everything in your power to protect your kids and
see that they never come to harm because you helped to create this fragile
life. You are responsible for this fragile life. You will understand what it
means to be selfless. You will sacrifice for your child. You will do the best
you can for your child. You would give your life for your child. You will
understand that even though all of the other things are true, having someone to
love and be loved unconditionally makes it all worth it.</span><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">_________________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It's as if Mackenzie took
the thoughts right out of my head! </span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bravo! </span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Thank you! </span></span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">All shits and giggles aside - Mackenzie's right - you truly have
no idea all that comes with having a child, until you have one. I would also add that the same would apply to
being pregnant and giving birth. There
is a long list of what you won’t quite understand until you experience it. Stuff I wish I would’ve known about
beforehand… Oh you know, like you won’t look like a supermodel after laboring
for a bazillion hours, pushing for 4, sweating like a pig, gushing blood like the red
sea, and throwing up on yourself… oh you know… all the shit they conveniently
forget to tell you! To read more on all of that loveliness, check out my blog
post <a href="http://whiletheyzzz.blogspot.com/2013/07/theres-been-funny-meme-floating-around.html">here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mackenzie’s also right in that you won’t know just how much you can
love another person until you have a child. Until you are holding the
little person who used to kick you in your tummy, the little person you would play music for
to watch them jiggle around inside of you, or talk to and plan your life with - you won't know.
Until you meet the lil' booger that gave you endless heartburn, gas and
caused you a tiring 72 hours of labor (no joke), you won't quite understand how
maddening a child can make you. I'm not kidding - your love for this person can
be borderline crazy. You'd do anything for this person - anything. And no
matter what they do in life, you will love them unconditionally. They
grew inside of you. They look up at you and it's as if nothing in this
world will ever be more important. At least, that's how it is for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You will face so many changes <i>(yes, your life truly does
change forever - it's not just cheesy advice)</i>, and that comes with its
share of highs and lows. You'll have to make sacrifices, your finances will
drive you bonkers <i>(babies are expensive)</i>, you'll lose friendships,
your social life will suck for awhile <i>(we are just staring to get ours back after two years)</i>, your perspective on life, love and how you want to live it - all of it will change, in some way, once you bring a
child into this world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">No one truly will get it like another parent, and I think
especially like another <b><u>mother</u></b>. I feel very fortunate.
Parents or not, I'm blessed with a great circle of friends. Some
have children, some are trying, some have no desire to ever have any. I
think I find comfort in knowing that I'm surrounded by people in my life who
are supportive, fun, and truly love my son. After Elijah was born, my
husband and I really discussed who we would want around him and the path we
wish to lead him down. <b>That's that shift that occurs. </b>You
never had to think about that before. You weren't responsible for someone
else's life - and everything that happens to him will somehow be a direct
result of your actions right now, in this moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">That is definitely life changing. </span></b><span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But like Mackenzie said, it will be the best thing that has ever
happened to you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is nothing that can compare. <3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hope you enjoyed Mackenzie's 10 points as much as I did!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrsEdxRXfPOo-PAHkF7H5QfoozdZsef6jp9U5zsC9eJ13WEvfH1eRjOT2di0Z1Wre1-5WrsLLp9KbEdBmkBNu7HlfHMLdboYASluIhHbtl4rInkBYbM7bNfOCnc6BI06cKW98jAZy1A/s1600/IMG_20130629_104113_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrsEdxRXfPOo-PAHkF7H5QfoozdZsef6jp9U5zsC9eJ13WEvfH1eRjOT2di0Z1Wre1-5WrsLLp9KbEdBmkBNu7HlfHMLdboYASluIhHbtl4rInkBYbM7bNfOCnc6BI06cKW98jAZy1A/s320/IMG_20130629_104113_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with my beautiful son, Elijah.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/44827_10151347517695064_267411426_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids love dirt! <3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/48097_10151327198730064_1538736404_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's such a good boy, always sharing! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/488038_10151248384245064_1440006919_n.jpg" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His smile is intoxicating! His laugh makes me melt! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307317_10151230544575064_1276686485_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><3 #GoNiners</td></tr>
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Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-18182454369931481502013-07-11T13:48:00.004-07:002013-07-11T13:48:32.054-07:00hey girl... <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;"><b>I secretly wish Ryan would say something like this to me after seeing all my wonderful DIY projects :) </b></span></div>
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<img alt="ryan gosling hey girl" src="http://media-cache-ak1.pinimg.com/736x/da/41/1d/da411de41f40ad79d2e00ff9f4e720a4.jpg" /></div>
Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-90038776184298651582013-07-09T09:26:00.001-07:002013-07-09T11:05:57.456-07:00The power of the east<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b>The power of the east.</b><b> </b>Have you ever wondered what truth lies in
the legends of the east? Great warriors battling apocalyptic wars. Medicine men
healing gut wrenching ailments. Treatments for things westerners hardly
know about. Which leads me to the power of <u>eastern medicine</u>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I have been using all the prescribed
creams, ointments, etc. used in western medicine to treat my psoriasis - an autoimmune disease that
essentially attacks your skin. There are a lot of harsh chemicals in
these treatments – such as steroids, but I’ve been using them nonetheless. Psoriasis is thought to be caused by
stress. It can also be heredity,
although it does not run in my family. I appear to be the first one to have
it. I remember when it was just one<i> ‘lesion’ </i>(that’s a horrible word, by the
way. It sounds disgusting and I picture something <i>oozing.</i> There is <b>no</b> oozing
involved). I have what appear to be dry
patches of skin – some patches are denser with a thicker patch of dry skin. I first had what appeared to be ashy elbows, and then a few new ‘patches’ (that word is so much better) appeared. It started
to spread more, it seemed, when I started medically treating it (with western
medications) - from my elbows onto my arms, down to my hands. Simultaneously, it was also found on my scalp, legs, thighs, knees and feet. I was at loss for
words. It felt like almost overnight they spread everywhere. <br />
<br />
Oddly enough, I've always taken pretty good care of my skin. I hardly dealt with acne and got away with little to keep my skin clear. In my mid to late twenties, I started using products and makeup more and noticed it definitely effected my skin. But nonetheless, I didn't think anything I was doing was out of the norm. I didn’t know what else to do - my skin appeared to be getting worse even after visiting my primary care physician and a dermatologist. Psoriasis can really take a toll on you
psychologically, mentally and emotionally – aside from physically. I had a meltdown more than once. Long story short – it was time to find a
solution. If it can’t be <i>‘cured’</i> as I was told, I knew it could
be treated better than it was. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>So I leaned to eastern medicine. </b>
I’ve always been a firm believer in eastern medicine. The powers of the east are something I know
about well, as an East-Indian from Fiji Islands. Being Indian, you witness many healing
cultural practices growing up – many that work magically – things westerners
don’t know about – and are amazed to find.
<i>Kind of like me. </i>Living in
America for so long (26 years) I’ve become a westerner and through this
journey, I realize I need to try much harder to hold onto my eastern
roots. My aunt, who has lived in Fiji
almost her entire life, but who currently lives in New Zealand, told me that I
needed to rub <i>haldi</i> paste all over my
body. <i>Haldi</i> is something Indians have used to treat ailments, including
skin ailments, for generations. It is also something Indians commonly cook with. It is used in almost every curry dish! <i>Haldi</i> is the Hindi word for Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a <i>“rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of
the ginger family.” </i>Meaning it is a modified
stem of a plant that is usually found underground <i>(think of ginger root),</i> that has leaves and stems that die down at
the end of the growing season, and it lives for more than two years, differentiating
it from shorter-lived annuals and biennials.
Turmeric is native to tropical
South Asia – I would think it was brought by Indians to Fiji during British colonization
and it thrives in the warm tropical climate to this day. The plant is ground
into a deep orange-yellow powder, and as mentioned before, is commonly used as a spice in curries and other
South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
In my research, I found that turmeric has been attractive for potential
treatment of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, allergies, arthritis,
and other chronic illnesses. Makes sense
why a <i>haldi</i>/turmeric paste could help
my skin ailment. Also makes sense that
for generations, Indian brides have been covered in <i>haldi</i> paste as part of Indian customs the days prior to her
wedding. It is said that this helps the
bride reveal a radiant glow – her skin will feel soft to the touch and be free
of impurities. I can attest to this - I was covered in <i>haldi</i> paste a couple days before my wedding as well <3 I'll have to dig up a picture soon! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Last night, I decided to try a haldi paste mixture for my psoriasis. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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In my kitchen at home, I made a nice <i>haldi
</i>paste by slowly mixing water with the haldi powder I had in my kitchen
cupboard. I rubbed it all over my arms,
legs, and anywhere there were any psoriasis <i>‘patches.’</i> I could feel the tingling sensation as the <i>haldi </i>paste seeped into my skin. After it dried, about a half an hour later, I
took a warm shower and washed it all off.
My skin definitely felt nicer after.
I lathered up with <a href="http://www.bagbalm.com/">bag balm</a> and my
medicated ointment and went to sleep.
This morning, I woke up too much clearer skin. Haldi does leave your skin with a slight yellowish stain. I would assume this would be worse for those with fairer skin complexions. I wore long work pants and a long sleeve shirt, but to be honest it isn't that bad, especially since I would say that my psoriasis reduced by
40-50%. <u>Seriously.</u> I sat there, on my bed, in disbelief – and I
cried a little. One time. One time I tried an eastern treatment used
for generations and I’ve seen amazing results.
One time. It’s all natural – no chemicals
– no side effects. I will take a slight yellowish stain on my skin (that will fade away in a couple of days) over the psoriasis flare ups I had just last night that already have dissipated drastically! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m going to keep applying my <i>haldi</i>
paste for the next few days and weeks and hopefully it only gets better from
here! I also have an aloe plant in my garden.
I’m going to pluck an aloe leaf and derive 100% organic aloe right from
the plant and lather my body with it after my next douse of <i>haldi </i>paste! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Moral of the story – <b>follow the east.</b> There are so many amazing plants, herbs and
natural treatments out there to heal our bodies, minds and souls - easterners have been exploring these natural remedies for generations and sadly, many westerners mock, frown upon and just don't belive in eastern medicine. Why the FDA isn't looking at natural remedies that have worked over and over and over again - generationally, in many eastern customs in the world to treat ailments in western societies is beyond me. I don't get it. Why continue to pump chemicals and crap into people's bodies even when they produce insignificant results. Ahh yes, the pharmaceutical companies. We all know the story with big bad pharma, so I won't go into it. I will just say this - do your research. Know that there is so much out that there can change the way you look and feel - know that so much of it is NATURAL, organic and chemical-free!<br />
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<b>I’m
definitely a firm believer that when it comes to treatment, eastern medicine is the best! </b></div>
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Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-34108670929645157432013-07-08T17:08:00.001-07:002013-07-09T10:17:39.227-07:00ThankfulThe last few weekends have been jammed packed. Story of my life. As Elijah gets older, we are constantly finding fun things to do with him. <br />
<br />
Two weekends ago, we had our annual camping trip with our dear friends Melissa and Ryan and Jose and Bianca. Mel and I have been friends for over 20 years. Both these girls and their partners are more like family to Avin, Elijah and I. Our group has expanded, dismantled and regrouped... but the core six of us have been hanging on strong. I think we find comfort in our similarites and respect for each other. No matter what we go through, we know how to treat each other and understand each other's struggles. The street is never one way and I love that about our friendship. We started our annual camping trip three years ago; first to Clearlake, then to Rollins lake and this time to Mt. Shasta. This trip really solidified a lot for me, in regards to our friendship. We got to spend quality time on Ryan's family property and it meant a lot to share that experience as a group. Ryan's father passed away almost two years ago so it was extra special - we felt his presence. <br />
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<b>Here are a few pictures from our fantastic camping trip to Mt. Shasta at Camp Maddux! </b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8B73STX96mHi4zY3DRWuB1Pxn5jRMBRSbn0d8lJTn66dpbuLL-hik3NPZ6wStsJ2Mk-GbPm3OYpsUL3b4CgbCBKT-XuyiQgaM_jxZ7UxdxTm73UQ-1gpL3MSDuFzn6KDaNTelnftcg/s1600/IMG_20130628_090109_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS8B73STX96mHi4zY3DRWuB1Pxn5jRMBRSbn0d8lJTn66dpbuLL-hik3NPZ6wStsJ2Mk-GbPm3OYpsUL3b4CgbCBKT-XuyiQgaM_jxZ7UxdxTm73UQ-1gpL3MSDuFzn6KDaNTelnftcg/s320/IMG_20130628_090109_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to get on the road! Last minute stop for supplies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwzbyEaj9A2ILX2sfIzhkGBIn99cx_S2cQYluKsT3e2fDzAKE1ZdqGgto1o2XnIXto7P-W2S5cTknIwp5U3RoPitPF7QB3oJFGjnY-5Zjyil2LdAjvBtQkJ4cdOtYVZ0MMGYeKiY9tg/s1600/20130628_132659_resized_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwzbyEaj9A2ILX2sfIzhkGBIn99cx_S2cQYluKsT3e2fDzAKE1ZdqGgto1o2XnIXto7P-W2S5cTknIwp5U3RoPitPF7QB3oJFGjnY-5Zjyil2LdAjvBtQkJ4cdOtYVZ0MMGYeKiY9tg/s320/20130628_132659_resized_2.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ryan's family property. We felt his father's presence!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkET6GeSPBse1JIClB_GxCuUch6bwPAXRdq1lbSU3UpAAX7pFhoxuTp_V9U2xEudnMSp6tmH4WmkVAfLyCTSuD8dARWnA99durt74VXf0WNzfoZnyXDg-Q07R9IHOqy28gh9ICVZ9UA/s1600/20130629_095423_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCkET6GeSPBse1JIClB_GxCuUch6bwPAXRdq1lbSU3UpAAX7pFhoxuTp_V9U2xEudnMSp6tmH4WmkVAfLyCTSuD8dARWnA99durt74VXf0WNzfoZnyXDg-Q07R9IHOqy28gh9ICVZ9UA/s320/20130629_095423_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah had a blast - he was in toddler heaven! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCEk7FzoeIzYRT7WRfe-raiPsp7_O25GPAdD_mCQ5j7dF3j_3QRa3tJqart8HFyf0DS7x_976NPZD0mDPanjcxyWJp8VFXCoDlkVriTdMXcErxI-KwcnAGalJByXIWegN8dOr7TDOJg/s1600/IMG_20130629_095951_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCEk7FzoeIzYRT7WRfe-raiPsp7_O25GPAdD_mCQ5j7dF3j_3QRa3tJqart8HFyf0DS7x_976NPZD0mDPanjcxyWJp8VFXCoDlkVriTdMXcErxI-KwcnAGalJByXIWegN8dOr7TDOJg/s320/IMG_20130629_095951_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful view of Mt. Shasta from the camp site</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNs1plBW3cwhSoLmN8U1vUay7TIYIN3GS0naTGYGVRDvvQT-Ymj-6Mm6B1QdYFZR8iehMEctAm6EKW5heaFwiGbdpnOhqBb5_b00EKUGLyFkLTpfZIKe4fp8bxGZIZZJy-awzUAaHiQ/s1600/IMG_20130629_104113_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVNs1plBW3cwhSoLmN8U1vUay7TIYIN3GS0naTGYGVRDvvQT-Ymj-6Mm6B1QdYFZR8iehMEctAm6EKW5heaFwiGbdpnOhqBb5_b00EKUGLyFkLTpfZIKe4fp8bxGZIZZJy-awzUAaHiQ/s320/IMG_20130629_104113_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love of my life!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSfWhcT2_BB0GsukCNoYTzR6esnNpKtDMkN5Tekx_2MKgq6Z6eQYgF-j3g7-gUaKhJpbTQBjMZZYgB32-7LznR7Nf97uXiYY-sKms7TGkWKDF-Yg4JoRpV0JEOrMIuVY7Xd-9PNSIXQ/s1600/IMG_20130629_111616_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSfWhcT2_BB0GsukCNoYTzR6esnNpKtDMkN5Tekx_2MKgq6Z6eQYgF-j3g7-gUaKhJpbTQBjMZZYgB32-7LznR7Nf97uXiYY-sKms7TGkWKDF-Yg4JoRpV0JEOrMIuVY7Xd-9PNSIXQ/s320/IMG_20130629_111616_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEoR0H0AIbdouFHOz6UeBDuA5ko0lUe5opZMPNIJ9XsbmVjnCQjKwljcS0tDKEDIqudXclEiuu3A5AM9uSI2ZIJpm5iLGYT8G6rV9sq8xvTPtnBPSJBQawABoY5NXzLP26qlxioQugg/s1600/IMG_20130629_131801_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEoR0H0AIbdouFHOz6UeBDuA5ko0lUe5opZMPNIJ9XsbmVjnCQjKwljcS0tDKEDIqudXclEiuu3A5AM9uSI2ZIJpm5iLGYT8G6rV9sq8xvTPtnBPSJBQawABoY5NXzLP26qlxioQugg/s320/IMG_20130629_131801_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this picture of my husband and son <3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFDdXy8bJG9bQT02M0XFP7m_k7cjvnwTeYdsu6Kqb-jsua_5aCR39bz-6QzI0D439XpRPpWkS6WY3LYoo8gSJZYNgTptpsYrvbugvRQ185huhh7Xcx5097o25qrjhDudoQquvUo5xZw/s1600/IMG_20130629_132813_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFDdXy8bJG9bQT02M0XFP7m_k7cjvnwTeYdsu6Kqb-jsua_5aCR39bz-6QzI0D439XpRPpWkS6WY3LYoo8gSJZYNgTptpsYrvbugvRQ185huhh7Xcx5097o25qrjhDudoQquvUo5xZw/s320/IMG_20130629_132813_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My good friend, Bianca! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1aEDZC5VonlP9ChqBmYar77XoZKtElq2puaxX9DKTuonhWKBdqyTmW38WQm62fn4ErBqXZC92cU7f_zS-sqDUo8YxmBajoSwEOaZMxmfMt1vJd2kHuADavzPY2LN-tvyHW5Bgt9klg/s1600/IMG_20130630_124913_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1aEDZC5VonlP9ChqBmYar77XoZKtElq2puaxX9DKTuonhWKBdqyTmW38WQm62fn4ErBqXZC92cU7f_zS-sqDUo8YxmBajoSwEOaZMxmfMt1vJd2kHuADavzPY2LN-tvyHW5Bgt9klg/s320/IMG_20130630_124913_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hike up to the waterfalls was so much fun. Elijah's pooped! :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-_C4sgZFU8qNCTDKHJHq8EeIuURThWsdN1LkkPjFnBg3LrAvcbw4EVFxOiWhyphenhyphenPwGPN2Hq_UigDvUVgK1RiJ6EFKaYPCBiY_JPyLZXUHyxnup7g6h8CXwrS0_dz8DkffECXPD7D8ZuA/s1600/IMG_20130630_125334_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-_C4sgZFU8qNCTDKHJHq8EeIuURThWsdN1LkkPjFnBg3LrAvcbw4EVFxOiWhyphenhyphenPwGPN2Hq_UigDvUVgK1RiJ6EFKaYPCBiY_JPyLZXUHyxnup7g6h8CXwrS0_dz8DkffECXPD7D8ZuA/s320/IMG_20130630_125334_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing friends turned into family - Ryan and Mel! </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQCYrK3yy9GVg8fGczBYaIcDN2embrAKN9zu_ajWVE6auZTTE5wPq2EKrqU7KwRyMaV30wAKf9wtavtBXEvsJ4BarBJ03FnOuhb10hpzgnGCufwEMIWRgWZnVPYfqlmCi5-IGvkoGSw/s1600/IMG_20130630_125449_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQCYrK3yy9GVg8fGczBYaIcDN2embrAKN9zu_ajWVE6auZTTE5wPq2EKrqU7KwRyMaV30wAKf9wtavtBXEvsJ4BarBJ03FnOuhb10hpzgnGCufwEMIWRgWZnVPYfqlmCi5-IGvkoGSw/s320/IMG_20130630_125449_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jose and Bianca <3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt27Lm2lSVS36zGOEyckET8NBAzx3yov_UIjZz7mUlkXq0OIdy6K_DvhoHDcRhWHp9Kwe4b7zzsTe-uy-IHcHHD3YNL-7vSI-5ZrcNpHgjNqybsvbMXjv0o8peJd3D14Y4SEzKPzLlA/s1600/IMG_20130630_125745_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt27Lm2lSVS36zGOEyckET8NBAzx3yov_UIjZz7mUlkXq0OIdy6K_DvhoHDcRhWHp9Kwe4b7zzsTe-uy-IHcHHD3YNL-7vSI-5ZrcNpHgjNqybsvbMXjv0o8peJd3D14Y4SEzKPzLlA/s320/IMG_20130630_125745_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hike to the waterfalls! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYPjOJdYhyG6rP8LjaVRFMXwOUt5QQKZD4lIV1SrEfrSOL2bydWbZZF35Sw7Wm8c0KaYI15Rmr99XuLcB2yC1MPns2Fqf1ES1F7TGZsD__uInZP9ND_B2dzqxtiRMg2ZsYAaFt84piA/s1600/IMG_20130630_130451_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYPjOJdYhyG6rP8LjaVRFMXwOUt5QQKZD4lIV1SrEfrSOL2bydWbZZF35Sw7Wm8c0KaYI15Rmr99XuLcB2yC1MPns2Fqf1ES1F7TGZsD__uInZP9ND_B2dzqxtiRMg2ZsYAaFt84piA/s320/IMG_20130630_130451_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love my little family! <3</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjlDdB0iUCjeK3hi0r2IPoCSfaU2tdt6nycgGDaqg6Tw3NGFociRYt6pyNGUSooXM1qdP23gH91jzh_WxMIgdnWrz8w5foROjDQqaWB2WHqWqBuVyS5WYCwcdLv1tKgvdICGgw5V0Cw/s1600/IMG_20130630_130736_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjlDdB0iUCjeK3hi0r2IPoCSfaU2tdt6nycgGDaqg6Tw3NGFociRYt6pyNGUSooXM1qdP23gH91jzh_WxMIgdnWrz8w5foROjDQqaWB2WHqWqBuVyS5WYCwcdLv1tKgvdICGgw5V0Cw/s320/IMG_20130630_130736_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZzSduUpr9iOrJLyZvuT48pdzLA-UnJZ0xJRORRS_Od9tVXTIg65L42iw2GHx378s4T3dVc4xzNg_sMK_n1fJRlRmCjNndg-fEtDbA042rUPPsYVvSUHuDtk2p6fmBKdvFGsA_J1AKA/s1600/IMG_20130630_134514_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZzSduUpr9iOrJLyZvuT48pdzLA-UnJZ0xJRORRS_Od9tVXTIg65L42iw2GHx378s4T3dVc4xzNg_sMK_n1fJRlRmCjNndg-fEtDbA042rUPPsYVvSUHuDtk2p6fmBKdvFGsA_J1AKA/s320/IMG_20130630_134514_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends since the fifth grade! </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALBHXfsKE6dsIWAIpG23LOoaywOpeobje8o63zIbH7vQts024LWjSgsbIwMl6mSzJ4B8E4K936XndnHBsZ-_RI_QxSLoH8R2anuOPEgBtZAU3ySZgVJ2s53ojp9YgRYKyw_nExM7rqg/s1600/IMG_20130630_134720_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALBHXfsKE6dsIWAIpG23LOoaywOpeobje8o63zIbH7vQts024LWjSgsbIwMl6mSzJ4B8E4K936XndnHBsZ-_RI_QxSLoH8R2anuOPEgBtZAU3ySZgVJ2s53ojp9YgRYKyw_nExM7rqg/s320/IMG_20130630_134720_resized.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We had so much fun camping with our amazing friends! Seeing them with our son and how much they love and value him meant the world to us! Can't wait for next year's trip!<br />
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Then this past weekend we celebrated Avin's cousin's wedding in the bay area. Avin and I have not partied like that in a long time. Staying up until 3am is pretty rare, and it was also a lot of fun! Indian weddings are full of tons of festivities and we enjoyed all the time catching up with close family and friends.<br />
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Here are some great pix from the wedding weekend in the bay area. Definitely a lot more <i>glamourous </i>than camping ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A7RB7zynBQOGEVbx9ZKwVgI0GU8IrIFv79rjURwEXZsiV9UKPMPmh9wSrxk71rQdPKQGEyBge3wqZ58azXDSGngfc8ZLcMikyqjjeVVyAmU9bTEBMIPCgxOjuGttZWQPVnMLl6Livw/s1600/1010294_10151457702525064_1673570042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_A7RB7zynBQOGEVbx9ZKwVgI0GU8IrIFv79rjURwEXZsiV9UKPMPmh9wSrxk71rQdPKQGEyBge3wqZ58azXDSGngfc8ZLcMikyqjjeVVyAmU9bTEBMIPCgxOjuGttZWQPVnMLl6Livw/s320/1010294_10151457702525064_1673570042_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glitsy and glamourous - read for the Friday night festivities! </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmTLOJ3gXDdE5a-6pI5WR39ZPJvNLLFf_XZHqsYcQEmIc4QELS4rdE2c88i4Kq-XbBF9PgidufgEPcmeswZ-B4wWj27oKEYjMhP6e6O1Dc8N7EwLNEMAenJqhXP6J62BgrWF3YIjj4A/s1600/IMG_20130705_192411_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmTLOJ3gXDdE5a-6pI5WR39ZPJvNLLFf_XZHqsYcQEmIc4QELS4rdE2c88i4Kq-XbBF9PgidufgEPcmeswZ-B4wWj27oKEYjMhP6e6O1Dc8N7EwLNEMAenJqhXP6J62BgrWF3YIjj4A/s320/IMG_20130705_192411_resized.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRx_J_z-kql3qYEdLCLYauyfp3W-5tnJNiOIRDNBai-DdW7h0nuC9SXeKrgWsSWkTwFV6F1PSM3ejkzVcd0Fykuk_XwaU-1STdF-YazeMweab1NC7qD8SNyrzo0qrfMEl9_XqJU13GQ/s1600/20130705_213619_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRx_J_z-kql3qYEdLCLYauyfp3W-5tnJNiOIRDNBai-DdW7h0nuC9SXeKrgWsSWkTwFV6F1PSM3ejkzVcd0Fykuk_XwaU-1STdF-YazeMweab1NC7qD8SNyrzo0qrfMEl9_XqJU13GQ/s320/20130705_213619_resized.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah and his cousin, Iriesha at Aten Mama's house for the Friday night festivities</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UGPpjy00c1qhzix1C-ibSKOHZbHSNFwghU7vvwnmHScWguwDOHp0O55Ijuf8Rqf5pqnLsiUReVZ8y2Z-7Qf50NSqWhJNnazlLp6rI1pvJZqPyuIb7Sy0CG77cs3hkBAHH-6H-K-E0g/s1600/20130706_095357_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UGPpjy00c1qhzix1C-ibSKOHZbHSNFwghU7vvwnmHScWguwDOHp0O55Ijuf8Rqf5pqnLsiUReVZ8y2Z-7Qf50NSqWhJNnazlLp6rI1pvJZqPyuIb7Sy0CG77cs3hkBAHH-6H-K-E0g/s320/20130706_095357_resized.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah at the Gudwara on Saturday morning - time for Jessica Fua to make it official! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdufSQMRcx9NFWFL_4RSUb740ow4CoVrAE8mZ2wJK3_cJRjhut4OqL4iE6P1624ceOADAa0q-2lrj3Bpa1woNxX1IC3skmjelmnH8cZGWp67xQoJ_eVRyPIx79U_Gtc315nK4OWqTdA/s1600/20130706_100037_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdufSQMRcx9NFWFL_4RSUb740ow4CoVrAE8mZ2wJK3_cJRjhut4OqL4iE6P1624ceOADAa0q-2lrj3Bpa1woNxX1IC3skmjelmnH8cZGWp67xQoJ_eVRyPIx79U_Gtc315nK4OWqTdA/s320/20130706_100037_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deepika and Elijah - Deep is Elijah's eldest sister on his father's side </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFUj5YxUVtZqb_wOl1K5xjrjubC8mcXuHWytn1pGEuShdUzZha-16_m0J2lsJmCEK9zk2BME9MzfHy2KClufYyc11aqFWcOeKkaSyV3TxnX8hrtJje-Kh_0P7-Jt1oXufbtHKszI6vg/s1600/20130706_094519_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFUj5YxUVtZqb_wOl1K5xjrjubC8mcXuHWytn1pGEuShdUzZha-16_m0J2lsJmCEK9zk2BME9MzfHy2KClufYyc11aqFWcOeKkaSyV3TxnX8hrtJje-Kh_0P7-Jt1oXufbtHKszI6vg/s320/20130706_094519_resized.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Groom, Simran, waiting to see his bride, Jessica.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZyNCb1t66pRafhGy80ByKhMqWcexyAXTYJCSaHR6ROPkIxm8FIe8tSTwBXCilG9_U0JJZ58JUPmviWGdMkubWx6yHtG-de3Ft-Ye10qijFSYb3VEvsKT4vS6jgiiZt9hZx17ZYmkSA/s1600/20130706_121503_resized_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZyNCb1t66pRafhGy80ByKhMqWcexyAXTYJCSaHR6ROPkIxm8FIe8tSTwBXCilG9_U0JJZ58JUPmviWGdMkubWx6yHtG-de3Ft-Ye10qijFSYb3VEvsKT4vS6jgiiZt9hZx17ZYmkSA/s320/20130706_121503_resized_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful bride and groom! </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cRe_n5gka1_vHXR8w742liCphiv1-auCu1RssQAuG9BvwbmMM7z32-TCX1VF8zk5gtJajJ37jeeiwh6n1ok7u6Th4VEtj_nBAenMn6sAVGt_x_xGp2huRKL5iXlmZEwGeer85h2bnw/s1600/20130706_100046_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cRe_n5gka1_vHXR8w742liCphiv1-auCu1RssQAuG9BvwbmMM7z32-TCX1VF8zk5gtJajJ37jeeiwh6n1ok7u6Th4VEtj_nBAenMn6sAVGt_x_xGp2huRKL5iXlmZEwGeer85h2bnw/s320/20130706_100046_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and hubby at the Gudwara</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4n59bvNwZ8Y3lD4k0qnL_3DlQNo6drKc-PhA2xFJl4S0wOZNIF5hPDlS_lgHxOMsSUc9F5QQo7tMK3EQbzBqXxgdqNHkzphRhXl5YLtilJ-6w1n64nJJlxtvjy0H11iIlAgJZtIrNdw/s1600/20130706_100108_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4n59bvNwZ8Y3lD4k0qnL_3DlQNo6drKc-PhA2xFJl4S0wOZNIF5hPDlS_lgHxOMsSUc9F5QQo7tMK3EQbzBqXxgdqNHkzphRhXl5YLtilJ-6w1n64nJJlxtvjy0H11iIlAgJZtIrNdw/s320/20130706_100108_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this family photo! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVOunVKv8g8t_RWqCA456_iO_ToQr4CpJUv0HuZ1B6gT8r3uueZpE-Esp8nXwH2XN5YdcdZ0uAtTCePrscsXL1Yb4XouDIln5gxi5Ezekl6Be0keSIGpnEqwZU8ec3Iq6kBLaUQi2dw/s1600/20130706_103559_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVOunVKv8g8t_RWqCA456_iO_ToQr4CpJUv0HuZ1B6gT8r3uueZpE-Esp8nXwH2XN5YdcdZ0uAtTCePrscsXL1Yb4XouDIln5gxi5Ezekl6Be0keSIGpnEqwZU8ec3Iq6kBLaUQi2dw/s320/20130706_103559_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning weddings = sleepy Naz</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vbns7xjA1moe3SvZ0O6ZSrzxANYivTqYDXSCqPuO18Hx4mPSO8R6hwUIcw0L5jc_BtioBYCG6A6SPro-eky51mZS26NYMEtNOZZIAm-_HBT2X8-QMwDWap2rpYewh_kDAy7DNjSuDw/s1600/20130706_103800_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vbns7xjA1moe3SvZ0O6ZSrzxANYivTqYDXSCqPuO18Hx4mPSO8R6hwUIcw0L5jc_BtioBYCG6A6SPro-eky51mZS26NYMEtNOZZIAm-_HBT2X8-QMwDWap2rpYewh_kDAy7DNjSuDw/s320/20130706_103800_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love Gigi to pieces! My lil' sister! </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuywsFcEMuE-H3mPXgjK_FpbayezhgEw1fz7Wd5LmdACv3L4lmqKxaVah6DHziNiCBEHAs24kHRPlwCHTSilt4ExlPeG6m1Q5q7exDfpqnttRvdapOZGRUuMRqzf6eHwjTJaGjPyaWMg/s1600/20130706_184755_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuywsFcEMuE-H3mPXgjK_FpbayezhgEw1fz7Wd5LmdACv3L4lmqKxaVah6DHziNiCBEHAs24kHRPlwCHTSilt4ExlPeG6m1Q5q7exDfpqnttRvdapOZGRUuMRqzf6eHwjTJaGjPyaWMg/s320/20130706_184755_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the reception - Saturday night! I loved my sari :) </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-ywDSqzmmGcrBgKzEAhklNakCrDPiUDeQVte3PKk9m_E90C_u0x6pQ2I0n_wCx03I-uvM63sMhiXivPOjOfhtjCSce0p-U8eZ6khJbD3-L2MhP3zHMmCAtEENNuoAt9nC9wzd_9Elw/s1600/20130706_184841_resized_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-ywDSqzmmGcrBgKzEAhklNakCrDPiUDeQVte3PKk9m_E90C_u0x6pQ2I0n_wCx03I-uvM63sMhiXivPOjOfhtjCSce0p-U8eZ6khJbD3-L2MhP3zHMmCAtEENNuoAt9nC9wzd_9Elw/s320/20130706_184841_resized_1.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loves of my life - Elijah looked so handsome in his lil' suit and tie! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrh-S7Nnqq6BGZ4bqI4WTMUa4FRfT7EB1zmWh_wEB8QLz7cuce9nhF9TIShdgvZnUj9Dfy2TZh3Lkf2xsG5tBlm546cndHMlxCqwYyG9oAMoYRRg7pJ-wrFbxJKW4O847Y9Z0UOgJtw/s1600/bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrh-S7Nnqq6BGZ4bqI4WTMUa4FRfT7EB1zmWh_wEB8QLz7cuce9nhF9TIShdgvZnUj9Dfy2TZh3Lkf2xsG5tBlm546cndHMlxCqwYyG9oAMoYRRg7pJ-wrFbxJKW4O847Y9Z0UOgJtw/s320/bride.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The BEAUTIFUL Bride, Jessica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BwQyBrGR3yqNnxbfp8iX_hEyGyhiJTrx621POg-Rcb9jEVMZ4DglzkjvT_FNwZV1UzEAXihP3taBGsAwl6xyAnngLtVbCxkv8Tp5FdOAOMmL93rFMa5VHzYm-MRJsRFTPQbE3-nINA/s1600/eju+kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-BwQyBrGR3yqNnxbfp8iX_hEyGyhiJTrx621POg-Rcb9jEVMZ4DglzkjvT_FNwZV1UzEAXihP3taBGsAwl6xyAnngLtVbCxkv8Tp5FdOAOMmL93rFMa5VHzYm-MRJsRFTPQbE3-nINA/s320/eju+kiss.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best kisser in the WORLD! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtMuM5AXjV_QRJKgvtVnG37-GqsAZ-wbROS9mT8hy1KPRgdeYt_LIN_H2oXJuqMkrofG1lHRcQgkcA2BLZnuVU7CflxSr9kd-pDaZilTjcfEI2VdVE4hUVUADxklUnfngkhWrgXch4Q/s1600/IMG_20130706_191304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtMuM5AXjV_QRJKgvtVnG37-GqsAZ-wbROS9mT8hy1KPRgdeYt_LIN_H2oXJuqMkrofG1lHRcQgkcA2BLZnuVU7CflxSr9kd-pDaZilTjcfEI2VdVE4hUVUADxklUnfngkhWrgXch4Q/s320/IMG_20130706_191304.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5sQ5TU5F6IO_lENm-6fqEg8LESCWfrqgnMmz-AE8-Ht-5cDSF4dYkons6DhueepkFpvJykRAGMnxOV9xcus8QISxg-dfhcQ6rYeM0av5zg0zxT5cC08GKs8yf0MPGJhFpl337Lxm9Q/s1600/IMG_20130708_155451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5sQ5TU5F6IO_lENm-6fqEg8LESCWfrqgnMmz-AE8-Ht-5cDSF4dYkons6DhueepkFpvJykRAGMnxOV9xcus8QISxg-dfhcQ6rYeM0av5zg0zxT5cC08GKs8yf0MPGJhFpl337Lxm9Q/s320/IMG_20130708_155451.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm a lucky, lucky girl - I thank God daily! </td></tr>
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<br />
These past few weekends have really solidified for us that we feel truly blessed. We are not perfect, but we are incredibly happy. We've built a beautiful home filled with love, laughter and lil' toddler feet running around. <b> Elijah is our world. </b>He brings us more joy than ever imaginable. We realize that we only want to be surrounded by friends and family that support us. Life is so short and we've been blessed with so much - I just want to be happy and enjoy my time here.<br />
<br />
xoxo<br />
<br />
<br />Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-19306308835927423612013-06-14T10:55:00.001-07:002013-06-14T10:55:09.175-07:00YOU’RE NOT PERFECT, AND THAT’S OKAY!<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">I think all my girlfriends should see this – and your girlfriends should see it – and so on and so forth. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">In fact, I think all my guy friends should see this also. I have the inkling that many men have the most unrealistic images of women. We are not perfect. We have bags under our eyes, wrinkles, imperfections in our skin, freckles, bumps, etc. etc. etc. We do not wake up and magically look like we're ready to go to a party, like "reality stars" often look. There is no director yelling "cut!" as we apply another layer of concealer, blush, highlighter, etc. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Most of us have seen something similar, but sometimes we need a reminder. It’s insane to me how much is edited, and sad that so many of us (women in general) strive to be like some of the celebrities we are flooded with images of when many of those images are photo shopped and edited. Some edited A LOT. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">Don't let society trick you, ladies and gentlemen. Don't let your self-esteem drop 10 points because the media has a distorted way of making us feel like shit for not being perfect, when in fact, the images they put out there are modified to SELL SELL SELL. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="http://denisesalceda.com/youre-not-perfect-and-thats-okay/#comment-4881">You're not perfect - and that's okay. </a> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">xoxo,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Naz</span></span>Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-8585187481552618712013-06-12T14:23:00.000-07:002013-06-13T09:30:02.714-07:00DIY Project: Kitchen Revamp: Ta-da! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It has been a little over a week
since we started our <b><u>DIY Project: Kitchen Revamp</u></b>. </span><br />
It was time to give our kitchen a face lift, and we wanted to do it on a budget. With help from YouTube, the DIY Network, HGTV, and tons of Google searches, we came up with a plan and then decided, we're just going to go for it! Once we got started, we really relied on the help of professionals at Home Depot also. They were incredibly helpful! </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since I was too exhausted to post
each night, below is the whole schpeel. Keep in mind there are a TON of
ways to stain and retile your kitchen based on people's experiences and/or
expertise. <u>We are not experts.</u> We are simply two folks
who are semi-handy, and had an ambition to get it done! We also did this solo -
just the two of us, with no outside help, professional or otherwise. I recommend a lot of research
ahead of time, especially when it comes to retiling a back splash as it requires
special tools, precision cuts, etc. Even with stains, there is a huge variety out there, find what will work best for you (water based, oil based or gel stain, etc)! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Keep in mind that all the steps,
tips and advice I give in my blog are based on my experiences, what worked for
me, and the products I liked. What worked for me, may not work for you. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">No one is
paying me to talk about his or her products. That being said, if we didn't already have it, borrow it, or buy it at a garage sale, most of the items we bought for this project were bought at Home Depot. I've always preferred Home Depot and there's one close to our house. And as you may know, you'll always forget something and will be running back and forth to get it! It's convenient to have a store like Home Depot nearby. This was also part of the reason I opted for a stain I could buy in person. I saw many <i>pins</i> on Pinterest boasting about General Finishes Java Gel Stain. Problem was, it isn't easily accessible in California and I didn't want to buy too many online all at once or not buy enough. After doing a lot of research, I decided to go with an oil based stain that Home Depot carries: <u><b>MinWax's Polyshades in Espresso Satin. </b></u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I wanted something dark, almost black, but not quite. I also wanted something budget friendly because a bulk of our DIY Project: Kitchen Revamp budget was going toward the new stone backsplash. In my research, I learned that after applying 2-3 coats of stain (any stain), you have to apply 2-3 coats of polyurethane on top it, with the same 6-8 hour dry time as stain has. Geez - that was going to take forever! Then I learned of Polyshades which had the stain AND polyurethane mixed into one! Score! I decided to go with MinWax's Polyshades in Espresso Satin. I do <b><u>not</u></b> recommend using a <strike>gloss</strike>, personally. Satin's are
shiny enough; a gloss stain would be blindingly shiny. My thoughts anyway... </span><br />
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</div>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Here are a few of the items we used
in this project:</span></b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li>Cleaner (to remove old buildup residue on cabinetry) - I
created my <a href="http://whiletheyzzz.blogspot.com/2013/05/well-who-knew-vinegar.html"><span style="color: blue;">own!</span></a></li>
<li>Scotch Brite scouring pads</li>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<li>Orbital sander, orbital sander sandpaper <i>(it's round and fits on the orbital sander, different than regular sandpaper)</i> and 220 grit sanding sheets<i> (regular sandpaper)</i></li>
<li>Dust Masks</li>
<li>Chiselers <i>(manual and air
powered)</i></li>
<li>Mallet</li>
<li>Leveler </li>
<li>Drill </li>
<li>Measuring tape </li>
<li>Screwdriver</li>
<li>Paint stirrers</li>
<li>Paintbrushes</li>
<li>Roll of plastic</li>
<li>Rags</li>
<li>Butcher paper</li>
<li>Extension cords</li>
<li>Compressor</li>
<li>Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner</li>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<li>Minwax Polyshades Stain in
Espresso Satin </li>
<li>New stone
backsplash</li>
<li>Wet
Saw</li>
<li>Mortar</li>
<li>Grout</li>
<li>Sealer</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">DIY PROJECT: KITCHEN REVAMP</span></u></b></div>
</div>
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</div>
<br />
<b>Here are a couple BEFORE pictures...</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwB6F1T0rowImr2HV9YMfoTmOcIePEx1GnyPqd9RgDGsXDwrWmyeRLYCCnI-2dTT0DSZ84f5Ji8tiFGP-DnstNCtkYPUSf3oFrcgIF8yOkFObh5WHrl7Eb7QLWME7UAa138lVEdnIybQ/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwB6F1T0rowImr2HV9YMfoTmOcIePEx1GnyPqd9RgDGsXDwrWmyeRLYCCnI-2dTT0DSZ84f5Ji8tiFGP-DnstNCtkYPUSf3oFrcgIF8yOkFObh5WHrl7Eb7QLWME7UAa138lVEdnIybQ/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lxcVRHNpAxeg98bqH1ZJnm-7rkHbkrZKNnszFWZ83YYkRlmc2vU1b087cTj_0vJHZHzg_2OxgXf7uGhtTqq78SfDYf57m-xEq5V797vEBxRIhBka2mLiCr6tQBdpAp3Nttc29ooWkg/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lxcVRHNpAxeg98bqH1ZJnm-7rkHbkrZKNnszFWZ83YYkRlmc2vU1b087cTj_0vJHZHzg_2OxgXf7uGhtTqq78SfDYf57m-xEq5V797vEBxRIhBka2mLiCr6tQBdpAp3Nttc29ooWkg/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtLAno0nIwswv4PQcPIcyoIK6WaupzHcEvwXI4cttqgI7HCZGHtdsUGu9LiEYJ_kda_HatJip38Qiqhr49KiGNzkKuCNHJHpsMWX8Yeqkng0_jFE-nOEisAh2aarwN7BMtTva3-rPsw/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvtLAno0nIwswv4PQcPIcyoIK6WaupzHcEvwXI4cttqgI7HCZGHtdsUGu9LiEYJ_kda_HatJip38Qiqhr49KiGNzkKuCNHJHpsMWX8Yeqkng0_jFE-nOEisAh2aarwN7BMtTva3-rPsw/s320/photo+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything has been removed!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Day 1 (Thursday): </b>A</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">fter working at our full-time jobs, we
came home and removed everything from our kitchen, including emptying all the kitchen
cabinets and removing anything on the counter tops. After, we cleaned and disinfected. <b> This important step needs to be
done before sanding and staining. </b> Stain will not adhere to oil residue
buildup, grease and food particles that often cakes cabinets from years of
cooking, and use. We wiped our cabinets down with a <a href="http://whiletheyzzz.blogspot.com/2013/05/well-who-knew-vinegar.html"><span style="color: blue;">natural cleaner</span></a> I made from a post I pinned
on Pinterest using <i>Scotch Brite scouring pads, </i>which work well without being too
rough on wood surfaces, as steel wool can be. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">To learn more about the
natural cleaner recipe I used, visit the link above or click </span><a href="http://whiletheyzzz.blogspot.com/2013/05/well-who-knew-vinegar.html" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue;">here.</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Since we got a late start after working all day, and since this prep process took so
long, we called it a night.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVepBirU0CGACP5cnk8-Ef2m7ncgGpXgeihcHmVqoRRpI1B7a97ExvT6Oq7x6SUIDKXTz0hlfJ2uxOe3ZloMWuk2GbiEvpn6uo26gE73ICgXBgnkWjkVU6OGP-3sPOspExbOgMfJrCg/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwVepBirU0CGACP5cnk8-Ef2m7ncgGpXgeihcHmVqoRRpI1B7a97ExvT6Oq7x6SUIDKXTz0hlfJ2uxOe3ZloMWuk2GbiEvpn6uo26gE73ICgXBgnkWjkVU6OGP-3sPOspExbOgMfJrCg/s320/photo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And is now sitting in our formal dining room area</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDtVokNTQIeULVA_q6T2cXRJ2InW5AWz5ZvljD0shYIGmONJwpzIagwDf1yuo6irY2VCHZQTcTOoi9BVTf7IAPn5KDmRtYWeLXFGMso3GI4eXVh6FyJmHV53gBos0p6fApUwJ9sYspA/s1600/2013-06-11+12.25.22.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDtVokNTQIeULVA_q6T2cXRJ2InW5AWz5ZvljD0shYIGmONJwpzIagwDf1yuo6irY2VCHZQTcTOoi9BVTf7IAPn5KDmRtYWeLXFGMso3GI4eXVh6FyJmHV53gBos0p6fApUwJ9sYspA/s320/2013-06-11+12.25.22.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;">
Everything has been sealed! Butcher paper</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
and plastic have been laid down to protect surfaces </div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
we don't want stained</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Day 2 (Friday): </b>A</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">fter working all day, we
came home and began taping off the edges of the cabinetry <i>(similar to taping off
edges when applying paint), </i>and laid down plastic and butcher paper to protect the surfaces we didn’t want to be
stained. We also sealed off the kitchen
from the rest of the house. <i>Side Note: No matter
how much you seal the rest of the house from the kitchen, sawdust will get
everywhere. Sealing still makes a huge difference, so don't skip that
step, but know you will still need to wipe down essentially everything in your
house that isn't separated by a sturdy door (i.e.: bedrooms should be okay). </i>Emptying everything from the cabinets is important. You do not want all your plates, cups, and
food covered in sawdust.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Once we prepped the area, we removed all the doors, drawers, hinges, and knobs. Then we put all the doors and drawers into the garage onto several folding tables we had set-up. <i>Side Note: I recommend putting all your hinges, knobs, screws, etc. from dismantling the doors into a Ziploc bag and in one of the empty cabinets for safekeeping. Your home will be a construction zone for the next few days or weeks and things can easily get lost! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Then
we began sanding! </b>Sanding was easy, just tedious. We used an orbital sander we bought at a
garage sale for a fraction of its retail cost.
<i>Score!</i> We also borrowed another from a friend. <i>Thanks Faz!</i> Having two orbital sanders helped
speed up the process quite a bit. I
couldn’t imagine how sore my arms and hands would be from using a hand sander for
hours, and hours, and hours. No, thank
you! Get yourself an orbital sander, it will make a world of a difference! <i>Side Note: Your hands will have a weird vibrating sensation even after you turn the machine off. It caught me off guard. Ha! </i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDlFYnkiUlnU9PuD2maURoxLavOxYmKzkMahghGrjIKvPBIkNeGX8cADSgyzv6CskubWr_BcMtk3WATXdHogFXClpOhHj1SuaZ_vmIz_EfOs0UIK-w1htdUfJ4HPb8dPtD1vaE61G3Q/s1600/orbital+sander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDlFYnkiUlnU9PuD2maURoxLavOxYmKzkMahghGrjIKvPBIkNeGX8cADSgyzv6CskubWr_BcMtk3WATXdHogFXClpOhHj1SuaZ_vmIz_EfOs0UIK-w1htdUfJ4HPb8dPtD1vaE61G3Q/s1600/orbital+sander.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7H-ybI-Co3pgEpdaBHVNVvsLlcA3CHunhsy7kJuVtjGdxyH5rFJ4QBswnWzCXG6A7lHp45RMxdkLXR_-6iDI2dClV8Kpsr1iZ3IXXyByiUzKL_IbdBrKHWU59bk9iMCWlHFtQCbMi9Q/s1600/blogger-image-437264277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7H-ybI-Co3pgEpdaBHVNVvsLlcA3CHunhsy7kJuVtjGdxyH5rFJ4QBswnWzCXG6A7lHp45RMxdkLXR_-6iDI2dClV8Kpsr1iZ3IXXyByiUzKL_IbdBrKHWU59bk9iMCWlHFtQCbMi9Q/s320/blogger-image-437264277.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9OsG_PB6s9z4IhHVjU1n3A8kXQkl7Ig7mKsTbtjAemV1YJGMmpMtfaaqndCnnLmIa6WvwrCz-EdPfh-r7-7qDRmdYcXUZ_TEh-0l7q_BdpTh2xP4M7yv5Tm1peIQAmZm9UZgrQSbdw/s1600/blogger-image-711592931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs9OsG_PB6s9z4IhHVjU1n3A8kXQkl7Ig7mKsTbtjAemV1YJGMmpMtfaaqndCnnLmIa6WvwrCz-EdPfh-r7-7qDRmdYcXUZ_TEh-0l7q_BdpTh2xP4M7yv5Tm1peIQAmZm9UZgrQSbdw/s320/blogger-image-711592931.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sanding late into the night. ZZZZZZ's.... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Day 3 (Saturday): </b>It was </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“D” Day! “D”
for DEMO that is! Before we could apply stain to the cabinet frame still intact
in the kitchen, we needed to demo all the old white tile back splash. No one wants construction dust from demoing
anything landing on his or her freshly stained first coat. Demoing the old tile back splash was a very
long, tedious and tiring process. My
husband primarily took on this task. He
started with a hand chisel and mallet, as recommended, but we quickly learned
that we would be here for 10+ hours chiseling away by hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Side Note: Most homes have plywood, a layer of foam insulation, mesh to
keep it all in place and then a coat or two of drywall (or something along
those lines) underneath the tile back splash.
If you are retiling, you do not want to demo everything underneath your
current tile. Instead, you want to
slowly chisel away the tile only so that you do not have to spend added money
(can get into the thousands of dollars) to fix the backing you demoed. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEG_Veqi-aWWeAep4btOmUaIsgd-qNK6pk_S_hR9l9W-Y3-OZit9Cvfv573mJlKERiBq0TtYYsXf6Ip80LyC7_kvsZgH32Xz0TtF8QumLcrXK2SVaPHDfw20jcWPOv08K6G9ESD5BPw/s1600/2013-06-11+12.25.59.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEG_Veqi-aWWeAep4btOmUaIsgd-qNK6pk_S_hR9l9W-Y3-OZit9Cvfv573mJlKERiBq0TtYYsXf6Ip80LyC7_kvsZgH32Xz0TtF8QumLcrXK2SVaPHDfw20jcWPOv08K6G9ESD5BPw/s320/2013-06-11+12.25.59.png" width="311" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When we realized how long it was going to take my
husband to chisel away at all the tile, we decided to use the air chiseler,
which was powered by a compressor. This
worked wonders! However, be cautious because the air chiseler is obviously more
powerful than a hand chiseler and if you are not careful, you could demolish
the backing under your current tile, which you don’t want to do. <i>Again, it can cost thousands of dollars to have a professional come fix that expensive mistake! </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While my
husband worked on demoing the current white tile back splash carefully with an air
chiseler, I worked on applying the pre-stain onto the cabinet doors
and drawers that were in the garage. Pre-stain
wood conditioner penetrates the grain of the sanded wood preventing streaks and
blotches ensuring an even, beautiful stain application. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DLdFipk6aB7_7nqR3mAJN4HcSoN576Cgy43mv1zzX9PpfzjNZPwgJaTRuozdpMexstMB0p0x-OTtorNVLvIgeHY3sRyE4nn36ZlYmvwyWruo9aUxnHqcC9P76dxXN7L5RDYS4gxuvg/s1600/prestain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DLdFipk6aB7_7nqR3mAJN4HcSoN576Cgy43mv1zzX9PpfzjNZPwgJaTRuozdpMexstMB0p0x-OTtorNVLvIgeHY3sRyE4nn36ZlYmvwyWruo9aUxnHqcC9P76dxXN7L5RDYS4gxuvg/s200/prestain.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Follow the instructions on the can of pre-stain on how to apply it. Wait about 15 minutes
after applying the pre-stain to apply actual stain. Once the pre-stain dried
for 15 minutes, I began applying the first coat of Minwax Polyshades Espresso
Satin on the doors and drawers. </div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNZ-ibIMojX5CKjxQkUyKdwbgYXu5jYpKEOITd333raaflYXSdz1y026wIaMtv-Rfzydr41JIQ2SKsYN4-j0bEn_XXx8lEJOnmhyphenhyphenFFBkp_TdobavLfUzxP8LcJV45qP3-xf3IIztC2w/s1600/stain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpNZ-ibIMojX5CKjxQkUyKdwbgYXu5jYpKEOITd333raaflYXSdz1y026wIaMtv-Rfzydr41JIQ2SKsYN4-j0bEn_XXx8lEJOnmhyphenhyphenFFBkp_TdobavLfUzxP8LcJV45qP3-xf3IIztC2w/s200/stain.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
As my
first coat was drying, I went inside to check on my husband who made significant progress!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLcPg7_GFXCoBXy5E_Ntyy6XshD4b5yqW46Nrkr7VrxN8pMxU_YDiDA9ir06eV6hGN77lqCxfkX_KQLotPbFUuCx0Bfy5Fy8OrX7pc83-EeqSbBNpjH_O_C5-p2nnkVvPCFjmDCg9UQ/s1600/2013-06-11+12.26.43.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLcPg7_GFXCoBXy5E_Ntyy6XshD4b5yqW46Nrkr7VrxN8pMxU_YDiDA9ir06eV6hGN77lqCxfkX_KQLotPbFUuCx0Bfy5Fy8OrX7pc83-EeqSbBNpjH_O_C5-p2nnkVvPCFjmDCg9UQ/s320/2013-06-11+12.26.43.png" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubby's working on removing the last pieces of tile!<br />
He's almost done!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once he
was done demoing the tiles inside, we cleaned up all the surfaces from the dust and construction mess prepping to apply pre-stain and stain on the cabinet frame. Everything nearby had to be wiped off and
cleaned so that any sawdust didn't land on the freshly stained
cabinet frame. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>Day 4 (Sunday): </b>A</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">s my
husband applied mortar and the new stone back splash to our wall, I applied a
second coat of stain to the doors and drawers in the garage and then applied pre-stain and the first coat of stain to the cabinet frame. This took all day. While not difficult, it was very time consuming with all the back and forth and waiting time. Applying the new stone back splash was fairly easy, although it required lots of precision cuts <i>(around outlets, etc)</i> and specific tools <i>(wet saws can be quite pricey - if you can't buy one, try to find one at a garage sale, or borrow one like we did)</i>. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Days 5 & 6 (Monday & Tuesday):</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> After working all day, we came home and continued applying mortar and the new stone back splash, which as mentioned previously, required many precision cuts <i>(again, very time consuming)</i>. We also
continued to apply second and third coats of stain waiting 6-8 hours in between
for dry time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyscr2QnAuDyvmtjghgpDFgH476hk0LE3b-F33gamMlCRSLtmQRmSApHzet6Q55jZf9n5CS1UbtYDm-88pjbZ09fx6Lv9_sWUM5igHJNqTX0k1u21IB34td_hQBgsgxqO35cx1ckIHDA/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyscr2QnAuDyvmtjghgpDFgH476hk0LE3b-F33gamMlCRSLtmQRmSApHzet6Q55jZf9n5CS1UbtYDm-88pjbZ09fx6Lv9_sWUM5igHJNqTX0k1u21IB34td_hQBgsgxqO35cx1ckIHDA/s320/photo+5.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a huge difference! It's coming along!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Once the new stone back splash was intact, we applied
a sealer on the surface of the new stone back splash. Follow all instructions to carefully apply
the sealer only on the surface and <b>not </b>in the grout lines. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmDXtQe980eou7_2htRAx-mqm14c5PSw1lNNsy-OwkowYMil-ZiTcRt0ai6OsoHsOxOWDhevlCrOSD8NRI1zqnZzgioSvVE8EGEKJD9KhJTBWH75Ru9_jFgkhWN8g37plIiIEEry26Q/s1600/sealer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmDXtQe980eou7_2htRAx-mqm14c5PSw1lNNsy-OwkowYMil-ZiTcRt0ai6OsoHsOxOWDhevlCrOSD8NRI1zqnZzgioSvVE8EGEKJD9KhJTBWH75Ru9_jFgkhWN8g37plIiIEEry26Q/s1600/sealer.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sealer we used. Yes, it's really called the "impregnator." Ha!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Day 7:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> By Day 7, we were done
applying all the stain to the cabinetry and had all the new stone back splash
mortared on. Now it was time to grout! Unbeknownst
to me, grout comes in lots of colors so you do not have to resort to boring
white grout, which actually would've looked horrible with our new stone back splash! We chose a sand colored grout to match our stone back splash. The color is called “haystack”. We also
chose a sanded grout as opposed to a non-sanded grout. Do your research to see what will work best
for the tile you choose. <i>Side Note: I highly recommend talking to specialists and managers at Home Depot. No, not the 18 year old working there for the summer. The specialists and managers that helped us gave us SO many helpful tips, like using the "haystack" grout instead of white grout. </i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAtn0PGi3sIdVtuxBjtgBZSerGyh7uCsoy9JLv46SL5sQcTeXfPRs3mHo2KMKJIPimapTWIVH2a-Ub38p-3jyh5PWbS1G2LNbO8tMS43dQsUKf-1MdN4W5TSby-N68EnsSSvWLnzfTA/s1600/grout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNAtn0PGi3sIdVtuxBjtgBZSerGyh7uCsoy9JLv46SL5sQcTeXfPRs3mHo2KMKJIPimapTWIVH2a-Ub38p-3jyh5PWbS1G2LNbO8tMS43dQsUKf-1MdN4W5TSby-N68EnsSSvWLnzfTA/s1600/grout.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Haystack" colored grout from Home Depot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As my husband
worked on grouting the stone back splash, I worked on the daunting task of
cleaning up. <b>Boy, was that a pain in the ass!</b> Needless to say, it was much
needed. As I mentioned earlier, sawdust
got onto EVERYTHING even after sealing off our kitchen. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This project took my husband and I exactly a week to
complete. It was a LOT of hard work, and incredibly stressful <i>(I’m not going to lie to you and say it was
as easy as they make it seem on TV).</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That being said, this is DOABLE and we are incredibly happy with our results! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We did the best we could
being two people with no prior experience doing this kind of work. While we still want to add some final touches
<i>(under cabinet lighting, glass doors on two of our cabinet doors, and
continuing to upgrade our appliances to stainless steel),</i> it is pretty much
done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">That brings us to the BEST PART... </span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE REVEAL …. </span></b><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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I think it came out so well!<br />
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And best of all...<b> the cost savings. </b> Talking to people in the real estate and construction business, we got estimates that our a <u>licensed</u> contractor would have charged roughly $10,000 to get this project done, with much of the cost being for labor. Some as high as $15,000, but some as low as $5000. <br />
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We paid approximately $800 for this project, with the bulk of the costs going toward the new stone back splash. <br />
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We kept our costs low primarily from doing all of the work ourselves, but also from borrowing some of the larger tools necessary for this project or purchasing them at garage sales. We relied on YouTube, our obsession with the DIY Network and HGTV, remembering tips from new friends we met when our yard was crashed on the DIY's Yard Crashers, and the helpful people at Home Depot. Big thank you to our parents for taking care of our little one all day until we picked him up late at night for a whole week! This would have been impossible with a two year old running around. <br />
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It was a LOT of work, but now I'm having a lot of fun accessorizing and decorating :)<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;"><b>If you have questions, post them in the comments section and I’ll do my
best to respond! </b></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-42139680413229736882013-06-01T00:14:00.001-07:002013-06-11T11:20:08.886-07:00DIY Project: Kitchen Revamp - Friday Night.It's a little passed midnight on Friday night. I gotta say, I'm pretty impressed with Avin and myself. We got a lot done. We didn't finish demo of the tile backsplash, but after we got going, we really realized things took longer than we expected. I still thing we did good. Everything was taped off, we sanded all the cabinetry, and started demo of the tile backsplash. But as midnight got closer, we thought we'd call it a night! Especially since we did work all day at our full-time jobs. Time to pick up the sleeping lil one, come home and get some some zzz's. Tomorrow is going to be another long day! Stay tuned! <br />
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Stay tuned for more updates! </div>
Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-23819399274459710172013-05-31T16:39:00.002-07:002013-06-13T09:16:24.471-07:00Well who knew?!?! Vinegar! <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It's crazy how much you can do with VINEGAR! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I've been researching cleaner, safer and more natural cleaning remedies for our home. Mostly because I recently suffered a diagnosis of psoriasis. <b>Don't worry, it's not contagious. </b> But it does attack your skin. Which obviously sucks. Especially for someone like me who has always been very particular about what she puts on her skin, and hair. Anyway, I'm working on treating my psoriasis, including searching for natural remedies. I'm not a big fan of pills (Anyone else think the commercials for some of these things are just ridiculous?!? Side Effect: Death. Ummm... no thanks). </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">While researching natural cleaners and products I could use that wouldn't be bad for my skin skin, I came across the many uses for VINEGAR. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Wow, who would have known?!?!? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I was actually looking for a natural cleaner for our oak kitchen cabinets. We are currently working on refacing our kitchen cabinets. Read more about that <a href="http://whiletheyzzz.blogspot.com/2013/05/diy-project-kitchen-revamp-it-begins.html">here.</a> The harsh chemicals in many of the cleaners recommended for use to remove oil, dirt and other residue were a major turn off to me. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> Anyway, I found a safe natura</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">l cleaner for wood: <u><b>Vinegar, Olive Oil and Lemon Juice!</b></u> That's it. SIMPLE. SAFE. EFFECTIVE. I also read that if you mix baking soda into the mixture, it helps quite a bit! I didn't have any baking soda on hand, but I did try this using just White Distilled Vinegar, Olive Oil and Lemon Juice and it</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> worked so well, and has NO harsh chemicals. The oil is actually great for wood. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Works wonders and I had <i>almost</i> everything in my pantry! Thought I'd share a great article about the many uses for VINEGAR! I plan to pour a similar concoction into our toilets! But I also want to make homemade natural air freshners, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I'm even looking into making my own laundry detergent. Found this gem of an article on pinterest: </span><a href="http://andthenwesaved.com/double-batch-comin-right-up/" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Homemade Laundry Detergent!</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Read more about the many uses of vinegar <a href="http://www.rd.com/home/150-household-uses-for-vinegar/">here.</a> Enjoy! </span>Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-79848813404068218952013-05-31T11:25:00.000-07:002013-06-11T11:19:36.778-07:00DIY Project: Kitchen Revamp - It Begins! <div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Century Gothic', AppleGothic, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; padding: 0px 0px 15px; text-align: left;">
Most of you know that one of our major goals for 2013 is to finally update and really get our house into order - less 'cookie cutter' and more US! Since moving in two years ago, we have been on baby mode. We moved in and one week later gave birth to our beautiful son, Elijah. </div>
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The truth of the matter is, there is a LOT to do. But I LOVE my first home with my little family! We live in what I think is an ideal location for our first home, in a fairly large (almost 2600 square foot) ranch-style four bedroom, three bath home. Our house, while fairly new, isn't as updated as we'd like. But we knew, for the deal we were getting, we could do a lot of the work ourselves since it was all 'cosmetic.' And to be honest, it's a LOT of fun! My close friends know that I think I missed my calling in either party planning or interior design. I secretly wish I had my own TV show on the DIY Network or HGTV! ;)</div>
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All this week, we've scheduled out a plan. When I say ' we've scheduled,' I really mean I was telling my husband all about my plans, and how I'd need him to help me execute said plans. Ah, the joys of marriage ;) It's okay, he knows I have a 'vision' and secretly loves it! </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Thus begins our DIY Project: KITCHEN REVAMP! </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 15px;">Here are a couple <u><b>BEFORE </b></u>pictures. We changed the paint color from a bright green to a neutral brown, which is also the same complementary color in other parts of our house. <i>Side Note: Ever go into someones house and think you're going to go blind with all the clashing colors?!?!? Yeah... me too! </i>While I have a bold taste for colors, I know that you have to use neutral complimentary colors to, for lack of a better word, '<i>compliment'</i> the bold colors you choose. Too many random colors from room to room is just too much and not pleasing to the eye. I love the neutral tone we went with instead of the bright green. With all the other color in our house, it's a nice break: </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDlD8fqlniEnllVjJrrNEZu6ganRAdZJyXAGlpu-hB8IHWuKeYBtaLCCnCXzhUzv6pOhMiJ4bWRBc8zGz-bwbxBzqNwmMa6QA11x4eh5QpM4Z7NqFK9OCZo-y_eb_Jz_tu4J0B-CMGg/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDlD8fqlniEnllVjJrrNEZu6ganRAdZJyXAGlpu-hB8IHWuKeYBtaLCCnCXzhUzv6pOhMiJ4bWRBc8zGz-bwbxBzqNwmMa6QA11x4eh5QpM4Z7NqFK9OCZo-y_eb_Jz_tu4J0B-CMGg/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think it has good bones. Just needs some style! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6WEMMhrLyRdAjZqyWq0d1d8Z-r8S9SgTA4MoGTkidqkeQ52fxZOAB025cQPlC5ZcV6nc3e9N4mk7QhJBSb_gKyfyHPLN7bWVnEECSUXm-djtFkl2NeX8b0rlztRltMlyrxAZVzNFTw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx6WEMMhrLyRdAjZqyWq0d1d8Z-r8S9SgTA4MoGTkidqkeQ52fxZOAB025cQPlC5ZcV6nc3e9N4mk7QhJBSb_gKyfyHPLN7bWVnEECSUXm-djtFkl2NeX8b0rlztRltMlyrxAZVzNFTw/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can clearly see the boring white tile back splash<br />
that we are soon replacing with a beautiful stone back splash</td></tr>
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I didn't want to start the process too early and have kitchen that wasn't fully functional for more than a week. With a toddler in tote, that would be rough, especially after tonight when we will have sealed off the kitchen from the rest of the house and begun sanding. Mind you, we are doing all of this while working full-time jobs, so the 'meat' of the project will be done Friday night, after work, and all day Saturday and Sunday. </div>
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<u>Wednesday</u> we bought everything we needed <i>(picture of our items coming soon)</i>. </div>
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<u>Thursday</u> we took everything out of our current kitchen cabinets, and wiped and cleaned from the inside out. From all of our DIY research, we know it's important to give it a nice cleaning before getting started. This will ensure you get rid of any oil, grease, and other residue buildup. To tell you the truth - I'm so glad we did that! If anything, you don't realize the amount of crumbs (and crap) that will start to pile up in (and on) your cabinets. They are spic and span clean now! :) </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4MdwYecOp6PQhob8-GA0NTA8g5KOLN7CjPT9XY1UT6aWy6pia1urWfabLOyi02E6nwdhCbwkuDoSVjBxzyu-hfRIDV8WXeZ0q7z4Gp1QI1fZ0evLZT3te9ej-q8cMQGOaW9gDdTDag/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4MdwYecOp6PQhob8-GA0NTA8g5KOLN7CjPT9XY1UT6aWy6pia1urWfabLOyi02E6nwdhCbwkuDoSVjBxzyu-hfRIDV8WXeZ0q7z4Gp1QI1fZ0evLZT3te9ej-q8cMQGOaW9gDdTDag/s400/photo+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything has been removed, including the stove hood! <br />
We are replacing it with a stainless steel one! <br />
All the cabinetry has been wiped down with a natural wood cleaner.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-eumvEcG-xnn3np-3wlhO92-QVSiYvmaS03m90ssusQO37QTI5MBrzb5hYNhysncmOWJiTed3q2mYTaW-XAT5f1n-MrzcWNnY8bZNfdT963Hh_HQVnVXraSOXqz_fNEV6NISi_n0xQ/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-eumvEcG-xnn3np-3wlhO92-QVSiYvmaS03m90ssusQO37QTI5MBrzb5hYNhysncmOWJiTed3q2mYTaW-XAT5f1n-MrzcWNnY8bZNfdT963Hh_HQVnVXraSOXqz_fNEV6NISi_n0xQ/s400/photo+4.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The remnants of our kitchen now in our formal dining room. See, walls are still bare!</td></tr>
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<u>Friday, </u>we begin the meat of the project! Which includes sealing off the kitchen from the rest of the house, removing all the doors and drawers of the cabinetry and sanding them all! Then we begin demo of the old boring white back splash. </div>
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Stay tuned for more updates! In the meantime, the timeline above shows what the next few days are going to be like for us - and possibly longer if we don't reach our deadline tonight! </div>
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If you can't get a hold of me for a few days, you know why... </div>
Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-43385107490935935362013-05-30T16:44:00.000-07:002013-05-30T16:44:21.171-07:00Let Go and Let Live! :) <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">So.Damn.True! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to let go. I've come to realize that it's true what <i>they </i>say ... some people come into your life as blessings, some as lessons - and some are only there temporarily. And that's ok. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">I've learned a lot from the people who have come into my life. Including that some just weren't meant to stay forever. I've come to terms with it and I'm finding myself at peace. I'm not perfect, but neither are they. Sometimes, it's just how the cookie crumbles. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">I'm focusing my efforts on reconnecting with old friends, building relationships with likeminded people - and especially people who are supportive. I have always been a firm believer in friendships being a two way street - when you start traveling on a one way avenue, the roadblocks are too much to deal with. So rather than hold onto any resentment, anger and frustration, I have found a new found peace in old friendships, real girl friends, true laughter and joy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">I'm spending my summer months reconnecting with old friends, building relationships, and most of all, with my amazing family! Pretty soon, Insha'Allah, we will be expanding our family, and I want to get in as much quality time with my lil' only child as I can :) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">#LetGoAndLetLive #LoveLife #SurroundYourselfWithHappyBeautifulPeople #AintNobodyGotTimeForAnythingElse #BlessedForAmazingFriends #AndEvenBetterFamily #Reconnecting #NoRegrets #MySonIsMyWorld #ThatsJustWhatItIs</span>Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-28303332479260762212013-05-28T09:17:00.002-07:002013-05-28T09:17:30.903-07:00Elijah Turns Two! When I was only five years old, we migrated from the Fiji Islands to California. It was important for my parents that we remembered where we came from and always thought fondly of our roots. So visiting Fiji yearly, if not every other year, was pretty much mandatory. Not to shabby of a mandate, if you ask me. I have the fondest memories growing up as a child. I got the best of both worlds - sunny, fun California - beautiful, chill Fiji. Some of my fondest memories growing up in Fiji are of my nana packing all of us grand kids into a car and driving us up to Saveni beach - a local beach hangout. All the parents would be following along in another car. We would sing and laugh and make a trip out of the drive. Once we got there, we had the beach pretty much to ourselves. Saveni beach wasn't a tourist hangout. There were a few bungalows for rent nearby, but for the most part, it was a beach mostly locals frolicked on. When we went there for our family day trips - we'd tote along a pot of palau (indian food), corn on the cob, and blankets. Life was simple. We didn't need much - just good food, close family and a lot of memories to be made. I remember this time in my life very fondly. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiXgJwlwZCk0seQqkMj65JZgj4ymMQStCv-Cxp4duPCb2gpTZRjtEaf2VF_z5J2XS926otjE73HZZD1H9B7C5jJj8lmeM210iuxy-rqulZm8dIWVUIeR3ExdXf63Nq8Atnxf2sFFUfA/s1600/saweni-bch001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCiXgJwlwZCk0seQqkMj65JZgj4ymMQStCv-Cxp4duPCb2gpTZRjtEaf2VF_z5J2XS926otjE73HZZD1H9B7C5jJj8lmeM210iuxy-rqulZm8dIWVUIeR3ExdXf63Nq8Atnxf2sFFUfA/s320/saweni-bch001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saveni Beach - a local beach hangout\</td></tr>
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I wanted to recreate that for Elijah. As he quickly goes from infancy to toddler hood, to ... I can't believe how fast he's growing. Sigh. I want him to know that family always comes first. That the best memories we'll make as a small family are close to home. <b>Because ultimately, home is always where your heart is. </b> Being in California, thousands of miles from Fiji, I am limited to taking him on day trips to Saveni beach, so instead I planned a day trip to Folsom Lake with close family to celebrate Elijah's 2nd birthday.<br />
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<b>We had a blast! </b><br />
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Avin, my husband, left early in the morning to make sure we snagged one of the best spots - under two large shady trees. We had scoped this spot out with my brother a couple weeks earlier. ;)<br />
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We set up camp <i>(day camp that is)</i> - tables of food, drinks, sweet treats, and fun all sprawled out for the family. I put together beach buckets for each of the kids instead of a traditional party favor. Along with what it came with, I added big bottles of bubbles, and water guns. We threw around beach balls and played in a beautiful semi-secluded sandy beach. I'm glad we avoided some of the more commonly known beach areas at Folsom. This location was great!<br />
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Here are some pictures of all of us hanging out for the day celebrating my beautiful son's 2nd birthday! xoxo<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzazl5xuuN_Zy1lx-q1fa5Rg9LVNtmZOh4MHmuZ4k2UTCd5Zi4i-il8EgVFrymWfqfHjTtxyK6Wrw8t6nuN98WmVICKxp8mY5_Mhs32RvxYMj0r4JllXXaO3mf6wxF2dTIDdaV5Lg6Q/s1600/391557_10151391966905064_1143504086_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzazl5xuuN_Zy1lx-q1fa5Rg9LVNtmZOh4MHmuZ4k2UTCd5Zi4i-il8EgVFrymWfqfHjTtxyK6Wrw8t6nuN98WmVICKxp8mY5_Mhs32RvxYMj0r4JllXXaO3mf6wxF2dTIDdaV5Lg6Q/s320/391557_10151391966905064_1143504086_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driving up to Folsom Lake! Meeting Daddy who left early to get a good spot! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dABV_Btiy0n413Vgqrf9CDt6v4HtkrLGMWkBlKc-JsnjvtjXh2oLAvsjd9FPsDYKaG6-8ceCOCvk8dcBEiWtvz_9X92GiDOJvdik0suDzbicBsxfxRd4S0xOp0yh2qOA-GJVxzJ4gA/s1600/944302_10151485855872569_1152148872_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dABV_Btiy0n413Vgqrf9CDt6v4HtkrLGMWkBlKc-JsnjvtjXh2oLAvsjd9FPsDYKaG6-8ceCOCvk8dcBEiWtvz_9X92GiDOJvdik0suDzbicBsxfxRd4S0xOp0yh2qOA-GJVxzJ4gA/s320/944302_10151485855872569_1152148872_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rest of the gang is on their way. <br />Check out my stylish nieces! Hahah, girls will be girls! </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1f44qpg5XXAp8Fk6xjLlS-NCla2zPhId59UAtXbfi0Wy2nD8by5jP8ZDJHfOzEzMDmpfYTFrpWaZOTiudSB4Oywqv-lSpnBqRv3nAE-AkHdQBf6bBNxZ0f7dHOOvYNvkpiKwlQHHT0g/s1600/971267_10151485855677569_2094497214_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1f44qpg5XXAp8Fk6xjLlS-NCla2zPhId59UAtXbfi0Wy2nD8by5jP8ZDJHfOzEzMDmpfYTFrpWaZOTiudSB4Oywqv-lSpnBqRv3nAE-AkHdQBf6bBNxZ0f7dHOOvYNvkpiKwlQHHT0g/s320/971267_10151485855677569_2094497214_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtoiYIDSNulBREmLjfIcz2k669ZFOlZBoEHiQc038k94qiTDECgZHqdLE2Lvj7H7RcMQbF1ODXNzeVRGl3gXnEJ8IpnOHbRZFnfhFo5B_mh7epA6T3Z9ObwE2A1w-tyQbzv1QNaIE5g/s1600/182957_10151485856057569_2142190967_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtoiYIDSNulBREmLjfIcz2k669ZFOlZBoEHiQc038k94qiTDECgZHqdLE2Lvj7H7RcMQbF1ODXNzeVRGl3gXnEJ8IpnOHbRZFnfhFo5B_mh7epA6T3Z9ObwE2A1w-tyQbzv1QNaIE5g/s320/182957_10151485856057569_2142190967_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brother setting up our fun new raft! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqNSPs7WKLB7nnc5qaC2OtvVOeDqqriDrzGgHsfsI1NFNvkClFe5BADOQgjbJgM4r23a7Xmz4pig6rM_MQinEanMAU-D-bVtjrCqAS_AchoYPnLxrW6mb3yolMTD03AG59EpGqvdWJA/s1600/181212_10151485857012569_2080213764_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqNSPs7WKLB7nnc5qaC2OtvVOeDqqriDrzGgHsfsI1NFNvkClFe5BADOQgjbJgM4r23a7Xmz4pig6rM_MQinEanMAU-D-bVtjrCqAS_AchoYPnLxrW6mb3yolMTD03AG59EpGqvdWJA/s320/181212_10151485857012569_2080213764_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids were beyond excited out in the water! <br />Everyone was in a lifejacket - safety first!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah's cousins, Zeena and Sonia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mk_XcRCvG-AqBTdZkIswrVxVD877NggLrYpLsrR3s30r0uqZ7VQzMTO-_4gITqz_nObGUhwumB9cTfCta2tThJZiUD5aZ_C8yRyq2nhN5xRdhu2mVd_aKtOdG-s3TpB-h9nmrEayJQ/s1600/3426_10151485855587569_1023416510_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mk_XcRCvG-AqBTdZkIswrVxVD877NggLrYpLsrR3s30r0uqZ7VQzMTO-_4gITqz_nObGUhwumB9cTfCta2tThJZiUD5aZ_C8yRyq2nhN5xRdhu2mVd_aKtOdG-s3TpB-h9nmrEayJQ/s320/3426_10151485855587569_1023416510_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aji and Aja enjoying some grub. Muni Aunty is here too! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My niece has a gorgeous smile!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7J0l63exKddEGpyDsEwvCgpwMpQvJ34PMr8PSmlu9x9bISysdjnC8k2j6QCJDznA0J6djQ3jHkL2BFyBJk7EeKrHi1tpf65hjpBGKzwRljlMNsFwniV6de5ASahH4ypkKN0fYpGRIw/s1600/580946_10151485857307569_1772859455_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7J0l63exKddEGpyDsEwvCgpwMpQvJ34PMr8PSmlu9x9bISysdjnC8k2j6QCJDznA0J6djQ3jHkL2BFyBJk7EeKrHi1tpf65hjpBGKzwRljlMNsFwniV6de5ASahH4ypkKN0fYpGRIw/s320/580946_10151485857307569_1772859455_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So glad hubby rented a jet ski - everyone took turns and had a blast! <br />Definitely on our "we must purchase" list! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaDqO_t2r5-Xl37H_guQZRFQlhSfqP8_NMgrF2A13qSz-q_YctRj5tqpkKVe9DJSTnSQ4rVijGX3NP6chaqZ4YBCcJUFM9VmH2Nwf8pW1waDlUnNZ1kn0Q-gY_8i9pnh5bmPT53YwXg/s1600/600713_10151485855367569_198641182_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaDqO_t2r5-Xl37H_guQZRFQlhSfqP8_NMgrF2A13qSz-q_YctRj5tqpkKVe9DJSTnSQ4rVijGX3NP6chaqZ4YBCcJUFM9VmH2Nwf8pW1waDlUnNZ1kn0Q-gY_8i9pnh5bmPT53YwXg/s320/600713_10151485855367569_198641182_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laila is such a lil' lady now!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9ovrfoUQ9FCyY4q2ls57CxS3RvcaXqOA2FHHnmZq-wNWIUL2l3ttC-G8yF0NbnHKYKTWQLwrmo-OAnLVuPN5umVJj_73jqMrt1PaDA4IUeI4T2KR-JJ31kQLfrSB0AKbvnAbQhWzAw/s1600/906_10151485856607569_34140706_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9ovrfoUQ9FCyY4q2ls57CxS3RvcaXqOA2FHHnmZq-wNWIUL2l3ttC-G8yF0NbnHKYKTWQLwrmo-OAnLVuPN5umVJj_73jqMrt1PaDA4IUeI4T2KR-JJ31kQLfrSB0AKbvnAbQhWzAw/s320/906_10151485856607569_34140706_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soni playing peek-a-boo in the shady shack! <br />We set up this area for naps :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9wGOz0uLVKYyEXT0Yt2q5e3Tzb5DId_cQ52k0-gGHTAmE-vrs1PmCwXG2bGmQmUxIfpAA8MWxkRRUKLGhvV8L7PHy2oQ3mTP8fkbJEb00LpmpluT2WRuZqSCprQd5rE53Dh7Vk-Ycg/s1600/931421_10151485856287569_924299740_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9wGOz0uLVKYyEXT0Yt2q5e3Tzb5DId_cQ52k0-gGHTAmE-vrs1PmCwXG2bGmQmUxIfpAA8MWxkRRUKLGhvV8L7PHy2oQ3mTP8fkbJEb00LpmpluT2WRuZqSCprQd5rE53Dh7Vk-Ycg/s320/931421_10151485856287569_924299740_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nana with his grandkids - and furgrandchild, Harley!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1HodrAFikRZ8LCXQ3I-vXUwK9HGtswDLI1agIyp-XE60XYBPN61OzstsxRn9iWgaGbKbdEOPVoEoQxWsgN3GqXtkeZKPrdx1NUHjxm95ADtTGJOOpEavBmbo5OEbMDK0jHv5dNyKeg/s1600/936251_10151485855752569_101488325_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1HodrAFikRZ8LCXQ3I-vXUwK9HGtswDLI1agIyp-XE60XYBPN61OzstsxRn9iWgaGbKbdEOPVoEoQxWsgN3GqXtkeZKPrdx1NUHjxm95ADtTGJOOpEavBmbo5OEbMDK0jHv5dNyKeg/s320/936251_10151485855752569_101488325_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah and his cousin Sonia. <br />They are only 5 months apart and incredibly close! <br />One minute they are bff's and the next they are fighting! haha! </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicm0TncLmaWBPOL7JLzuEGmb2I4CXyzxQgB6hn-zB4fsWL7KU1Wa7bwgv4T9iVOJSS1IK3QTvqdvKkdgDrK8wVmS4GmouluzaDQoJgEaO9EkETgYUUQ-K5fLKACdH5APOLHEXU_QAugQ/s1600/936795_10151485857297569_671314243_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicm0TncLmaWBPOL7JLzuEGmb2I4CXyzxQgB6hn-zB4fsWL7KU1Wa7bwgv4T9iVOJSS1IK3QTvqdvKkdgDrK8wVmS4GmouluzaDQoJgEaO9EkETgYUUQ-K5fLKACdH5APOLHEXU_QAugQ/s320/936795_10151485857297569_671314243_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2o5RIlcGp8bxFNiYfJfE5gK7Yv-Oe_6I2x2h2Iu0SPhtzlqoag_c4x555McHcD75zbcX4SxpVZZ4VMKxaNlPD7cL1QWMIXiMEGzUZL8tR2Q1c2wyLy3J9VJTKRjjPApNPM5bG0ZDEDA/s1600/942404_10151485856122569_1919648966_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2o5RIlcGp8bxFNiYfJfE5gK7Yv-Oe_6I2x2h2Iu0SPhtzlqoag_c4x555McHcD75zbcX4SxpVZZ4VMKxaNlPD7cL1QWMIXiMEGzUZL8tR2Q1c2wyLy3J9VJTKRjjPApNPM5bG0ZDEDA/s320/942404_10151485856122569_1919648966_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah chasing his eldest cousin, Laila.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehKYtOIEbhj7RwYkscyRivF88syxsJmsluNPZMiZ8gO3b5OFavVF8gT953p3Cr49pp6k6sz2AY0vHpTx4fkaXrhIhIFDF_7HU6htGIjUDv1K1ksDOdAHTkCPwRf596JnYsRREkL5vJQ/s1600/943066_10151485857127569_1674566533_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehKYtOIEbhj7RwYkscyRivF88syxsJmsluNPZMiZ8gO3b5OFavVF8gT953p3Cr49pp6k6sz2AY0vHpTx4fkaXrhIhIFDF_7HU6htGIjUDv1K1ksDOdAHTkCPwRf596JnYsRREkL5vJQ/s320/943066_10151485857127569_1674566533_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whenever my dad is around, Harley is by his side. <br />Grandpa and his furgrandchild! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbsD7B6Xjn9rXRPIBy7eCfImrS-gHmJAe2J6TsFOwvv9Gqc4qBCzSq_oFX7sWIV_UMvV2xjjxyTq-CNPC99k9_3FFFFdkT34PR0iH707BXJAXYd58yuQf9a1VYHzt2VK0vTPaFU_l6g/s1600/945071_10151485857147569_56635777_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbsD7B6Xjn9rXRPIBy7eCfImrS-gHmJAe2J6TsFOwvv9Gqc4qBCzSq_oFX7sWIV_UMvV2xjjxyTq-CNPC99k9_3FFFFdkT34PR0iH707BXJAXYd58yuQf9a1VYHzt2VK0vTPaFU_l6g/s320/945071_10151485857147569_56635777_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids had so much fun! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXEIyVR-vsIYoL6X750AZ1W-KqQV7sd-48ralZ1gubT6s4HMUDerw6AsMcstp46ZkgIUDXgc1im56u5-h8Stug_R1Qli8afFbV-oQEULi2zrerJex5br_R8aZ31FTFoUze9tWj_Uwhg/s1600/945470_10151485857162569_1036143839_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXEIyVR-vsIYoL6X750AZ1W-KqQV7sd-48ralZ1gubT6s4HMUDerw6AsMcstp46ZkgIUDXgc1im56u5-h8Stug_R1Qli8afFbV-oQEULi2zrerJex5br_R8aZ31FTFoUze9tWj_Uwhg/s320/945470_10151485857162569_1036143839_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My amazing brother and sister-in-law! <br />Our families are very close! <br />My brother and I have an unspoken rule, always keep the families close! </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F6UZNIQtK0Tsaoukz_k1q3TLn8tuc6q3yXpt4_nNWBbWbB88RHy82edUQEeRv-zDryCJ_4sY3BgK9RkPZGwAHd4N2EPtlSK5NEuN0iDfaAgLxPdQIku1jakun8yQ8izN_XeRYBokLQ/s1600/983794_10151485856847569_1308530472_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F6UZNIQtK0Tsaoukz_k1q3TLn8tuc6q3yXpt4_nNWBbWbB88RHy82edUQEeRv-zDryCJ_4sY3BgK9RkPZGwAHd4N2EPtlSK5NEuN0iDfaAgLxPdQIku1jakun8yQ8izN_XeRYBokLQ/s320/983794_10151485856847569_1308530472_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_opUJGWa408D15OAwL-KPg5vucQpWeQTb82zEBEhprQSIb10clX9KZKmnjQoZLzOpIhKJK-LMhx04r34VU92yFNinMpbiWc8olSJe_ViqbIdUNGZM0s9hkKxuWi9cl7n1Pbtu1nv1g/s1600/945359_10151485857472569_2013347882_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_opUJGWa408D15OAwL-KPg5vucQpWeQTb82zEBEhprQSIb10clX9KZKmnjQoZLzOpIhKJK-LMhx04r34VU92yFNinMpbiWc8olSJe_ViqbIdUNGZM0s9hkKxuWi9cl7n1Pbtu1nv1g/s320/945359_10151485857472569_2013347882_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YRhhaxp__HnTg0npKQvqi7UrSoTlS7Zs4rYmjwp_7gepFrpXAu-NIkjqU3I57PU9oIXyeDvL5SkHveDRxWrSKNMyYpCVkqG-bA0kSAoip9Wu9LhIwCaG3xcuOAKb9No_AEaMdQGtWA/s1600/581706_10151485856497569_946402485_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YRhhaxp__HnTg0npKQvqi7UrSoTlS7Zs4rYmjwp_7gepFrpXAu-NIkjqU3I57PU9oIXyeDvL5SkHveDRxWrSKNMyYpCVkqG-bA0kSAoip9Wu9LhIwCaG3xcuOAKb9No_AEaMdQGtWA/s320/581706_10151485856497569_946402485_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best sister I could ask for! She loves Elijah like he is her own. <br />She is his definitely his second mama!</td></tr>
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Seeing that twinkle in my son's eyes as he sunk his cute toes into the sand and made sand castles was a great reminder - I am truly blessed. I have a great family, a beautiful son and a wonderful husband. Making memories full of laughter and love is what life is all about! xoxo </div>
Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-50870666431017108952013-05-22T08:46:00.003-07:002013-06-18T09:54:17.783-07:00Dun Dun Daaaaah... Vaccinate! I'm a firm believer in vaccinations in children. Working with medical professionals, including some very well-renowned doctors here in Sacramento, Ca., and some in my own family, I know the risks of NOT vaccinating your child outweigh the risks of vaccinating them. The worst are the claims that vaccinations cause autism. This one irks me the most - because its a claim that has been spread like wildfire amongst moms seeking a more 'natural' philosophy in raising their children, or by those parents dealing with the difficulties of a child who has autism BUT the theory is based on a FALSE scientific study that was discredited and has since been retracted. That's what annoys me the most - the theory has been scientifically discredited and retracted yet people still want believe in it. I guess facts, such as scientific backing, are not that important. I do understand how difficult it must be to have a child with autism and as a parent you may want to hang onto any glimmer of understanding as to why this happened to your child. But I would hope if that were to happen to me, I could stick to the facts and not false theories. <br />
<br />
Then there are the parents who believe that pumping their children with ingredients constructed through the <i>Big Bad Pharmaceutical Company</i> are so dangerous that they would rather fill their kids with vitamin C hoping it will fight off deadly diseases. Com'on. Really? <br />
<br />
I understand it is a personal choice and the bottom line, parents on both sides of the spectrum, I feel, truly have the best interest of their child in mind. <br />
<br />
That being said, I cannot reiterate the importance of vaccinations. In fact, I won't... just read <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/08/health/la-he-practice-vaccines-20110808">this.</a> It's a no-bullshit-straight-to-the-point perspective on the importance of vaccinations, written by a doctor to all parents.<br />
<br />
<b>I love this part the most:</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>
California recently endured the largest whooping cough outbreak in 65 years, sickening almost 9,500 people and killing 10 infants. So far this year, there have been more cases of measles in the United States than any year since 1996. This is not a harmless disease — 40% of people who get it need to be hospitalized. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
You may think your children seem just fine without their vaccinations, but that's because of a phenomenon called "herd immunity." Let's say you live in a neighborhood where every kid has been immunized except yours. There's hardly any chance little Billy will contract whooping cough when he's out with his buddies because all of them are immune. In essence, this is immunization-by-proxy, and it takes advantage of everyone else's immunity. Rather than taking the high ground, you're sponging off the other parents on the block who chose to do the responsible thing. If, on the other hand, all the parents behaved like you and Susie came down with whooping cough, it would spread like wildfire through the playground. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
You need to understand that your child does not live in a vacuum. He or she interacts with others everywhere. Unvaccinated children can be the vehicles for introducing deadly diseases into communities. Children with compromised immune systems who cannot be vaccinated are especially vulnerable.</blockquote>
<b>Oh and this part: </b><br />
<blockquote>
If you want an unbiased view, I can direct you to a whole bunch of people who would be happy to fill you in: our senior citizens. They lived with the fear of these dread diseases (one octogenarian told me his dad took a 1,000-mile detour around Chicago when he heard there was a polio outbreak there in the 1930s). They rallied around a president stricken with polio (for those who need a history refresher, it was Franklin D. Roosevelt). They lost children and other loved ones to the diseases you are so nonchalant about. These are the ones who line up for their annual flu shots and ask when they are due for any other immunizations they may need. Yes, they have a healthy respect for these diseases. I wish you could catch some of their fear.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Those of you who know me may recall that I used to be a veterinarian. Vaccination is hugely important in the animal world as well. You wouldn't dream of allowing your dog to skip his rabies shot, on the off chance that he gets into a tussle with an infected bat. All I am asking is that you treat your children as well as your pets.</span> </blockquote>
Now go vaccinate your child for heaven's sake. By not doing so, you're not only putting YOUR child at risk of death, but other children at risk as well!Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-60975201313373069242013-05-21T11:44:00.001-07:002013-05-21T11:44:23.654-07:00Perspective<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I came across a video on Facebook today about a young man
named <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AFirmHandshake?fref=ts">Zach Sobiech</a>. Zach found out he
had a rare form of terminal cancer at the ripe age of 14. Instead of letting cancer beat him, <b>he beat
cancer</b>, by living his life. And he did
it so beautifully. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I dare you not to cry after watching Zach’s story. I cried. In fact, I sobbed. To say Zach’s story moved me would be an
understatement. <b> It really put many
things into perspective for me. </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life is so short. We
never know when our time is up. We only
know that we are here, for whatever undetermined amount of time. And we know we have that time to live. We can choose to live by doing things to harm
and hurt others – to belittle and hate, to be angry and resentful, OR we can be
<u>happy</u>. We can spend our days making
others smile and feel good. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>It’s our choice. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>I choose to be
happy. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>And I am choosing to
live my life making others happy. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXG6xwilVnmJN0gZTJ47R6n8A9iQAV-vh-wKWJxGgoPxxb-bPKrDi2FUmJuxfHwq-8a3k9A3FjlSyDX4d9kLHmNdD_KfdBSmYzHVVElQVukKIW0U7Ap1apOWTWshOjRao1pPh9-07BA/s1600/quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXG6xwilVnmJN0gZTJ47R6n8A9iQAV-vh-wKWJxGgoPxxb-bPKrDi2FUmJuxfHwq-8a3k9A3FjlSyDX4d9kLHmNdD_KfdBSmYzHVVElQVukKIW0U7Ap1apOWTWshOjRao1pPh9-07BA/s320/quote.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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I want to watch my son grow into a beautiful young man and my
family and dearest friends flourish with laughter and smiles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I know I am not perfect.
I know I have made many mistakes. But
I also know that my intentions were never to maliciously harm anyone. I have learned that life is a lesson – and we
can learn so much, even through loss. Instead
of basking in my sorrows and hating myself for any mistakes I have made, I
choose to live. I choose to be happy and
surround myself with those that want to be happy also. Life is too short. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>I am not wasting
another minute. I choose to be
happy. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Thank you, Zach – for being a beautiful person and putting
so much into perspective for the millions of people that have viewed your
story. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To view Zach’s beautiful story, click <a href="http://www.upworthy.com/this-kid-just-died-what-he-left-behind-is-wondtacular-rip?g=2">here.</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RIP Zach Sobiech - Died May 20, 2013</td></tr>
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Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-27777516471890470532013-05-16T16:09:00.004-07:002013-05-17T14:54:25.737-07:00Fat to Fit<br />
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As I plan a small get-together for my son’s second birthday
party in a week, I was looking through pictures of his 1<sup>st</sup> birthday
bash. Boy, was that a great day! We had
a Sesame Street theme party for him in our newly made over backyard, which
included a jumping castle, Elmo visiting, a clown making balloon animals and
singing and dancing along with the 30+ children ages 8 and under. I had
activity stations including a table to color and draw, a tattoo parlor with
cute fake tattoos, and other fun things for the kids to keep themselves
busy. Of course there was a nice lil’
candy buffet also. It was a LOT of
fun. Elijah had a blast, and so did all
the adults who attended, including my husband and I. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbHaDz_Q4X-GkT3Dz7LB7u4kvjGOvQtTl5BS7iofQdpq8QJaJnxSKgfTrMgZMZuKy8q7WTb3e_OMJeUXc5n43UgWprT4g8KPrH2TsQnFtp9Z9Sr0_J3k-mSNlMrFJjh0n66c63DIYqA/s1600/Elijah+dancing+1st+bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbHaDz_Q4X-GkT3Dz7LB7u4kvjGOvQtTl5BS7iofQdpq8QJaJnxSKgfTrMgZMZuKy8q7WTb3e_OMJeUXc5n43UgWprT4g8KPrH2TsQnFtp9Z9Sr0_J3k-mSNlMrFJjh0n66c63DIYqA/s320/Elijah+dancing+1st+bday.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah dancing with his buddies while Elmo coordinates a sing-along :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elijah smashing his "smash" cake for his birthday!</td></tr>
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As I was looking through pictures from that amazing day, I
saw pictures of myself and I was a little bit taken aback. Why had no one told me how fat I was? Ha! <b>Just kidding. </b> It would have been hurtful for someone to point
that out, as a mom of a one year old.
Granted, being a “mom” is not an excuse for poor nutrition and exercise
habits, it still would have been hurtful.
Thank you for NOT pointing out what I already knew – <b>I was fat.</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFqVvt7_tmFJIIeGWSnz_9WwyUxzb4swgfaTWcKbN9sGbajx3Gr-XKXtAsow8QIK8DVPyGmbdG6iNFrHBG8vR1Oozcx8Iefl2MeleoJqSQArpIRcc2E6Wht6RHM4sImfN5NrgDmdhBA/s1600/family+photo+-+ejus+1st+bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFqVvt7_tmFJIIeGWSnz_9WwyUxzb4swgfaTWcKbN9sGbajx3Gr-XKXtAsow8QIK8DVPyGmbdG6iNFrHBG8vR1Oozcx8Iefl2MeleoJqSQArpIRcc2E6Wht6RHM4sImfN5NrgDmdhBA/s320/family+photo+-+ejus+1st+bday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family photo with Elmo - I am 30+ pounds heavier here than I am today</td></tr>
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I have struggled with weight most of my life – on and
off. I've always been the "cute, chubby" one of my cousins, and most of my friends. In high school, I was a size 7-8 when most of the girls I knew were rockin' size zero's, two's and four's. That was tough. I didn't think I looked 'fat' and I was pretty active, but I sure did feel fat in a sea of students who looked like they could be my 8 year old sibling - I don't have an 8 year old sibling. My weight peaked during my pregnancy when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my third-trimester.<i> Asian women <b>(this includes Indian women - such as myself)</b> are susceptible to gestational diabetes simply because of the race specific traits carried in our genes.</i> In those three months, I gained over 30 lbs. It was very difficult. Not only on my body, but emotionally. After Elijah’s birth, I,
like many moms, dropped a lot of weight through breastfeeding and just
delivering a baby. But alas, a year
later, I was still far from my pre-pregnancy weight. Thankfully, I have a great support system, which
has constantly made me feel good about who I am and not made me feel bad for
being overweight. I have known I needed
to lose weight – not just for my health, but because I wanted to look and feel good. However, I just did not have the
energy to fully commit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>You really have to
commit to wanting something before you can really achieve it. At least, I do. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A few months after Elijah's 1st birthday, around September of 2012, I decided enough was enough. I was tired of not being able to fit into my
pre-pregnancy clothes and I was even more tired of buying BIGGER clothes. <b> It was time for a change. </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I recalled my past - Cabbage soup diet. Tried it. Atkins. Tried it. Weight Watchers. Tried it. Sort of. Mostly I did them for a very short amount of time because I wanted quick results, and was discouraged when I didn't get them. I know that some of these may work for some people, but they didn't work for me. Although, I do think Weight Watchers is a great support system for people who need to lose weight, I also think if you have the drive, desire and commitment to lose weight, you don't have to pay a company $11 a week<i> (or whatever it is now)</i> to help you get there. Reluctantly, I can admit now that I've tried diet pills that I knew were dangerous for me. As soon as your heart starts racing to a point where you feel like you're going to pass out, you know you're not doing what's best for you. And no matter how much I wanted to lose weight, <u>I didn't want to die trying.</u> <b>I want to be healthy - not skinny.</b> Let's make that very clear. I know my journey to get to my final goal weight/size will occur slowly <i>(but surely) </i>because I'm not making drastic changes. I'm not "dieting" and I'm not looking for a quick fix. I realize that it took me years to put all this weight on, even though a large portion of it was during my pregnancy; therefore, it's going to take some time to take it off. I also realize that it's detrimental to my health and well-being for me to continue this journey. </div>
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According to the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/women/lcod/2009/09_Asian_PacificIslander_women.pdf">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a>, some of the leading causes of death for Asian or Pacific Islander women in the 25-34 age group <b><i>(I am 31)</i></b> is cancer (22.3%), suicide (14.5%), influenza & pneumonia (5.4%), heart disease (3.9%), and stroke (3.9%). The numbers don't seem very daunting, but they only increase with age. The leading causes of death for Asian or Pacific Islander women in the 65+ age group is heart disease (25.8%), cancer (22.3%), stroke (9.1%), and diabetes (4.2%). Throw in your family health history and it really becomes an eye opener.<br />
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In January, I asked my primary care physician to conduct a full blood panel on me. I wanted to see what deficiencies I had, and where I was at most risk. Thankfully, I was given a great bill of health - especially after dropping a lot of weight in a short amount of time. My blood pressure was excellent, my thyroid was regulated and I had no issues with blood sugar (diabetes), which I had during my pregnancy. I still felt the need to get this done, because I had found out, through my parents, we had a long history of stroke, cancer, heart disease, and even cataracts in my family. <br />
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I do not want to die at the ripe age of 63 like my loving nana <i>(mother's father) </i>did in Fiji when I was only seven years old. I do not want to die of ovarian cancer like my dadi <i>(father's mom)</i> did in her 70s, and I do not want to have two strokes in my early 50s like my father-in-law has. I know these are risks that not only run in my own family history, but my husband's and every Indian family I know.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I do not want to be a statistic. </span></b><br />
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I decided diets do not work, <b><u>not for me anyway</u>. </b> I do not want quick, temporary results. I want a <b>lifestyle change</b>, and I want to set a good example for my son. I do not want him to think that eating french fries is the end of the world, but I also do not want him to think that he could eat that way often and lead a healthy lifestyle. So I began eating healthier foods and working out more consistently. <i> I have hit many roadblocks and fallen off track a few times where I will go two or three weeks without working out while eating like crap. </i> But by the end of that week I would feel completely disgusting. When you feel heavy, fat, and unhealthy it can really weigh on you. <b>No pun intended.</b> In all seriousness, my body has started to reject the 'bad' foods I consume, when I do, by the nausea and headaches that take over. That's a clear sign to me - don't put that crap in your body!<br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdIyBtCrerNsZGllobUhq8V2PfFneNGUxoFpCy9MOIkkFbEjWBHaK1xqWsS1qzdkqQ3Q09VK67xSY8yqwTxpl-RaKEsNxEb4VI_idqaQM5MPQVVSlgRZzUrSSDdfJEMVfWxNI3EjwZRCZi/s320/Trash+Can.jpg" /></div>
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Now, I refuse to go more than 3 or 4 days without working out. <b>I just can’t.</b></div>
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Here I am... the picture on the left is on my son's 1<sup>st</sup> birthday,
May 2012. The picture on the right is
today, May 2013, one week before my son’s <u>2<sup>nd</sup></u> birthday. I am approximately 35 lbs lighter <i>(I stopped getting on the scale so I lost track).</i> I have dropped three pants sizes, and many
inches off my waste, arms and thighs. My
arms don’t look like thighs anymore! Ha! <i><b>(You have to be able to laugh at yourself).</b></i> Subsequently, I have dropped my body fat
percentage quite a bit and although I have a long way to go, I am excited for
my progress! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52kCPdedw4FxuH3fyvjzwX-7sQrCGKv0VPRVgV9KYoPLWCbOQUemQKTjyIn2nNqP-sSFRmc_pdxIR7MonHckjOBUd15MdQARsAjtADcoDAezzB7rOF2xPLC-2DvrX-SiGVjWlQE42kA/s1600/before+and+after+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52kCPdedw4FxuH3fyvjzwX-7sQrCGKv0VPRVgV9KYoPLWCbOQUemQKTjyIn2nNqP-sSFRmc_pdxIR7MonHckjOBUd15MdQARsAjtADcoDAezzB7rOF2xPLC-2DvrX-SiGVjWlQE42kA/s400/before+and+after+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I currently workout <u>at least</u> 3 days a week but more consistently and realistically, I work out 5-6 days a week. This includes 30-60 minutes of cardio<i> (depending on my schedule)</i>, and 3 days of toning and ab workouts. I started going to boot camp, but then stopped for awhile, due to a hectic schedule<i> (we're always busy on the weekends and it became tough to make it to the classes consistently)</i>, but I am going to try to go back very soon. I am also trying to get more into Yoga for my mental health and Pilate's for added toning. But my main focus is CARDIO, CARDIO, CARDIO - and full body toning exercises. I believe the HIIT routines work best for fat loss. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. Working out in the evening, after work, is tough for me. I pick up my son after work, get home before my husband is home, start dinner, and we begin the mad dash of the evening routine. By the time Elijah is going down to sleep, I am exhausted. Definitely too exhausted to jump on a treadmill for an hour! Therefore, I decided the best thing for me to do was to go to bed around the same time Elijah goes to bed (he goes to bed around 8:30-9pm and I lay with him until I fall asleep around 9:30pm-10pm) so that I can wake up at 4:30am and work out for an hour before getting ready for work. </div>
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This has worked wonders for me. I know early mornings aren't for everyone, but I have always been a morning person, so for me, training myself to wake up even earlier was hard but doable.<br />
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I have a long way to go, but I'm excited and determined to continue! There are tons of great free resources online, including on YouTube. Check them out! </div>
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Follow my journey and feel free to ask any questions along the way! If you look through old posts, you'll find other 'progress reports' with tips as well as other posts of healthy meals and foods I make and buy :) </div>
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I hope I can inspire others as so many have inspired me! </div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wish me luck! :)</span></b><o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1OidJyoQXaFPH5PdYfMs9jnqFzlsFZeY2xxZvLNAuO-3jz69Jv_svDUBDwfSqdtD1yFWI-IpwL2LkNnlrJQa7dsm6fbUjIAJLVy1zpsXiJVQqnFROJFPorhzHlOv078pX9riRBU1UQ/s1600/me2.1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM1OidJyoQXaFPH5PdYfMs9jnqFzlsFZeY2xxZvLNAuO-3jz69Jv_svDUBDwfSqdtD1yFWI-IpwL2LkNnlrJQa7dsm6fbUjIAJLVy1zpsXiJVQqnFROJFPorhzHlOv078pX9riRBU1UQ/s320/me2.1.JPG" width="178" /></a></div>
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<img alt="Progress over Perfection" height="320" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinimg.com/550x/cd/b3/37/cdb337fc8289f3bbcd675e0533785899.jpg" width="213" /><br />
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<img alt="finally something that actually works" height="320" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/550x/d1/15/1c/d1151c73854106fad128fd78278c692d.jpg" width="230" /><br />
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<img alt="True that!" src="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/550x/66/30/de/6630de0f90af3ee37c51a6adc8f4da38.jpg" /></div>
Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-36492749828971058292013-05-15T12:54:00.001-07:002013-05-15T16:29:51.529-07:00Understanding Infertility, One Mother's Perspective<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Last week, I wrote a blog post titled </span><b style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><i>“Friendship vs. Infertility.” </i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><u2:p></u2:p><u3:p></u3:p>Today, I am editing
that post. </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><u2:p></u2:p><u3:p></u3:p>If you read my post
last week, I am editing my original post for a few reasons. For one,
some people that actually know me well and know the context of my post may have
thought I was going through a difficult time in my life right now based on some
of the emotion they felt from my post. This isn’t the
case. Secondly, I came off insensitive to some, including some who
may have struggled or currently are struggling with infertility, and that was
not my intention. That being said, some people echoed my sentiments
and I actually got some great feedback, even from women that <u>have</u> suffered
through the painstaking process of infertility. However, my
intention is not to offend anyone, and if I did, I apologize.</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><u2:p></u2:p><u3:p></u3:p>Since I first
posted <i>“Friendship vs. Infertility,”</i> I learned a lot about my
own ignorance on the topic, as well as a lot about myself and the journey I am
currently on in my life. </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><u2:p></u2:p><u3:p></u3:p>I still firmly and
fundamentally feel that people’s <i>‘feelings’</i> are valid and just
because someone doesn’t perceive an issue the same as you may, it doesn’t make
your feelings any less valid. I am however going to address and
reframe most of what I wrote with the understanding that some people will still
perceive my post negatively and some will not. I’ve come to terms
with that. </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">_______________________________________________________________________________________<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<s><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Friendship vs. Infertility</span></s><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Understanding Infertility, One Mother’s Perspective</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Recently, I saw the words <i>“I
refuse to sink” </i>and it immediately spoke to me. Not because
I’m going through a hard time in my life and feel like I’m <i>sinking</i>,
but because in recent months, partially after I lost a friendship late last
year, I began doing some cliché soul searching. I wanted to explore
what I was so angry about. I wanted to figure out why I had so much
anxiety leaving Elijah, my almost two-year-old son. I wanted to
spend quality time with the core people in my life – to surround myself with
positivity, because obviously losing a friendship isn’t easy. In my
soul searching, I evaluated mistakes I made along the way, not just with
friendships that dissipated, but in all aspects of my life. I wanted
to learn from them. And I refused to sink because of them. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">I always knew, as a young girl, a
few core things to be true – I wanted to graduate college, I wanted to have a
career, and I wanted to be a mother. That day finally came on my 29<sup>th</sup> birthday. I
found out I was pregnant. I sat in disbelief, after taking multiple
tests, and cried. My husband also cried. <b><i>We were surprised
but so incredibly happy. </i></b>It turned out to the best <u>surprise</u> of
our lives. Being pregnant was an amazing experience and I won’t
discredit the gratitude I have for being given this gift<b> </b>by
complaining about all the woes you may already have heard about
pregnancy. Yes, it can suck at times, but overall, I can’t complain about
what eventually gave me a beautiful and healthy son. <b>My son was
born on our second wedding anniversary – May 23, 2011.</b> <i>He was
perfect </i>but I went through a difficult labor and delivery that
resulted in me losing an incredible amount of blood and my son being born <i>breathless</i>. The
long story short, after a week of being in the hospital, we were able to take
him home. <b>And I quickly realized how he forever changed my
life.<u1:p></u1:p></b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u2:p></u2:p>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Something inside of me drastically
shifted</span></i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">. I had given birth to a beautiful little person
who needed me more than anyone in the world. I wanted nothing more
to love and provide for him. <b>So I did. </b> I made a
great many resolutions when Elijah was born – <i>“I’ll take such good care
of you!”, “I’ll keep you safe from harm!”</i> – some were more
specific, <i>“I’ll breastfeed you for at least six months!”,” I promise to
nurture you and give you unconditional love and affection!”<u1:p></u1:p></i></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u2:p></u2:p>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">The birth of
my first child was a momentous turning point in my life.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
“<i>Becoming someone’s mother meant that my role in the world had changed --I
wasn't just the same old me trying to be a new, improved version. I was a
mother, really and truly and forever, and the question was, what kind of
person, what kind of mother, would be reflected in my child's eyes?" </i></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u2:p></u2:p>
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<u1:p></u1:p><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
As a new mother, my thought processes shifted and I began focusing on what
became a lengthy period of self-exploration and realization. I sat and
thought of all the things in the world I could do better, in turn setting a
better example for my child. I set goals of being healthier and fitter,
and I made small and large changes to my lifestyle. Things as simple
as brushing my teeth at night again, because being lazy and skipping this
crucial ritual to grab the bottle of Listerine isn’t setting a good example for
my son Some were larger changes – like cutting people out of my life I no
longer felt were benefiting my growth, or influential in my son’s life. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">You fixate your life on being a
better person, because it’s the natural progression of being a new parent.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
As I grow as a parent, I want my son to think I’m a <b>good person</b>,
and not just a <b>good mother</b>, but that I’m honest and honorable, and
that the world is somehow a better place because I’m here. So I sit down and
have conversations with my <i>almost two-year-old</i> about the
beauty of the cultural and linguistic differences we share with our diverse
friends and family. I know he doesn't really understand me at this point, but
I've already started to instill my values upon him. <i>And his sweet
smile and baby babble makes me feel like he actually does understand. </i> I
give more to charity than I used to and I make more karmic decisions because I
don’t want any bad ‘ju-ju’ to bite me, or my child, in the ass. I sat
down and really began to reevaluate my life. I went from having an
abundance of freedom and the ability to get up and go where I pleased, when I
pleased to realizing how selfless and sacrificial I had to be in
order to be the mother I wanted to be. And I did just that. <b> </b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">And I’m the
happiest I have ever been in my life.</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">At the same time, I know that there
are many women out there, at this very moment, crying tears of agony for losing
another pregnancy while they undergo the painstaking process of
infertility. I know that while I share my joy, someone is wiping
tears of grief. I know that while I rock my son to sleep, another
woman is agonizing to have that dream come true one day. It can’t be
easy. It must be excruciating. <b>I understand.</b> I
may not have walked in your footsteps, but I have enough empathy in my heart,
as a woman, and as a mother, to know what it is that you so desperately want and
desire. <b>I understand, with deep sincerity.</b> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">I have known seven women to battle
infertility, personally, over the course of five years. My
experiences with each of these women were different, but it was incredibly
emotional, frustrating and damaging with one in particular. I
realize now that the breakdown in our friendship wasn’t because of her
infertility - it was because of us. The lack of communication, the
misunderstandings and the unwillingness to meet each other half way were
ultimately what doomed our friendship. This was an isolated
incident. An unfortunate incident – as losing a friendship often is
– but nonetheless, it was isolated with many factors unrelated to infertility
that eventually sealed the fate of two girl friends who once shared so many
fond memories together. I realize my mistakes in the communication
failure, yet I also know that what happened with us isn’t a precursor to other
friendships I have with women who battle infertility. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 19px;">I find solace in that. I find solace in knowing that I may have failed in this friendship, but I am not a failure. Life is a lesson. And I’ve learned mine.</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">“The
situation is like <b>oil and water</b>. A woman’s inability to conceive is
equivalent to that of a death or loss. Nothing you could every say
could lessen her pain; you just support them the best way you
can. And for parenthood, that is the most amazing thing humanly
possible. That being said, the two perspectives just don’t go
together. It’s like oil and water. Only the strongest of
relationships could withstand that type of dissonance” – Anonymous Friend</span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Being a new mother is challenging in
its own retrospect and I think that needs to be acknowledged. What I
have found, in conversations with women battling infertility, and reading
various publications, is that women who battle infertility are “constantly
grieving the child they believe should be in their arms right now” and
subsequently, infertility can be equivalent to death or
loss. Nothing I say could ever really lessen the pain a woman is
going through in her journey to create life. Nothing. And
while I should, as a good friend, support and listen to any friends I have
struggling with infertility, I strongly believe that friendships are built on
mutual respect, communication and trust. When one or both people
involved break that bond of mutual respect it becomes very difficult to relate
to the other person. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">For many women, like myself,
infertility is foreign ground. We haven’t had to deal with the painstaking process,
and while we can research, review and try to understand the perspective of an
‘infertile,’ we don’t know the firsthand pain dealt with this great
loss. Society reminds us daily how to be good parents by nurturing
and loving our children. With the many messages we see on a daily basis,
we are taught to provide our children with stability, substance, and surround
them with loving, kind people. Society also does a great job in telling
us, <i>if we look</i>, what we should <b>NOT</b> say to a woman
who is having difficulty conceiving. What society does a <b>shitty</b> job
at doing is telling us what <b><u>TO SAY</u></b> to a woman who is
battling infertility. <i> Go ahead, Google it.</i> You’ll find
more on what <b>NOT TO SAY</b> than the more resourceful information
on what<b> DO YOU SAY?</b> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">This was an issue for me. What do I say to a friend who is battling infertility when everything I say or do feels wrong and out of place, specifically coming from me, a mother. What do you say when you feel like everything you're saying or doing is rebutted with "<i>you'll never understand!</i>" We continue to offer our support, an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, even if we know it won't be good enough. We hide our joy for our babies and don't share as much as we otherwise would, not as a means to alientate our infertile friends, but because no mother wants to continue to contribute to the hurt a friend is feeling. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">When talking to other mom's who have had friends battle infertility, the consensus I've found is,<i> "we're damned if we do, we're damned if we don't." </i> We have something 'infertiles' want. Something they want more than anything in the world. No amount of understanding and support will unconsciously take away that resentment and bitterness an 'infertile' may feel when seeing you with your child. </span><b style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </b><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><b>It's like 'oil and water.' </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">However, I have been doing my own research. And in doing so, I came across several articles and posts. Specifically, a blog titled <a href="http://www.ablogaboutlove.com/2012/12/friends-infertility.html">A Blog
about Love: Infertility and Friendships</a> that I found had some
helpful information in regards to what to say (or not say) to an infertile
friend. What I loved about this was there was also a piece of advice
for infertile friends to take into account. I didn't see that in any of the other articles or blogs I came across. Again, society was reinforcing the lack of information on what to say to an infertile friend, at the same time providing little insight to 'infertiles' on what it must feel like being a friend trying to offer support. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.ablogaboutlove.com/2012/12/friends-infertility.html">A Blog About Love</a> was different and refreshing; here is a bit of what I took from it. <i>(I copied and pasted the tips below - they are not my words)</i></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Here are a few bits of advice for
friends who are mothers or who are pregnant:</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4322319620161467300" name="more"></a><b><br />
1. Realize that women are at many different stages when facing
infertility.</b> There often times are dark stages when women feel much
despair and feel on the outside of society - even among friends and
family. Many women get through this time and come to a place of peace.
As a good friend, you could try to be sensitive to the stage one might be in at
the time. You could even ask them directly how they are doing and how
much they'd like to talk about what they are facing.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Try not to judge.</b> An infertile friend might be acting in
ways she normally wouldn't (she also may be drugged with hormones). She
may need your patience.<br />
<b><br />
3. If you are pregnant or a mother - include your infertile friends in
conversations that you would naturally want to have with a friend and see how
it goes.</b> Personally, I prefer that friends don't have to walk on
eggshells around me. And as a woman who would love to have kids, I <i>love </i>getting
the scoop on motherhood from my friends and often initiate those
conversations. But, if that normal conversation doesn't seem to be going
well, you can ask your friend directly if she needs some space from talking
about babies.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Respect boundaries, if they arise. </b> Realize that
though you may be very involved in many conversations about her treatments and
even dates for big days, there may come a time when you get an abrupt silent
treatment and you may feel as though you're no longer privy to the info. Any
more. Most likely, your friend is pregnant. Or had a
miscarriage. Either way, give it a wee bit of time and play the
dance. Hold back the infertility questions if your friend has pulled
back. Though I'm sure anyone would appreciate someone just checking-in
periodically to see how they're doing.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Include your friends in your kids' lives.</b> I absolutely
adore my friends' kids. But their parents are so sweet and include me in
their kids' lives. It has been such a sweet and generous offer - one of
the most beautiful I have ever experienced. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
<b>And here are some bits of advice for infertile friends:</b><br />
<br />
<b>1. Try not take offense. </b> May I kindly suggest that most
people have good intentions (though their words may come out wrong in the
moment when they are nervous about how to act or what to say to a friend who is
infertile or they simply do not have the knowledge or experience.) Also,
in many cases, I've noticed that some infertile women take offense to comments
by people who don't even know the situation. I think it's unfair to blame
them. As in all situations in life, taking offense harms you more than it
harms another person.<br />
<b><br />
2. Do not hold a friend's pregnancy or motherhood against them. </b> There
is a huge opportunity here to learn how to replace your jealousy and pain with
real love for your friends. Being able to extend genuine congratulations,
happiness and excitement to your pregnant friend is a big deal...but it's
possible and worth shooting for.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Look on the bright side of knowing some mothers and pregnant women.</b>
There's a lot to learn (I have learned sooo much!) Plus, you'll want all
those connections someday if you have a child.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Communicate with your friends, as soon as you feel the time is
right. </b> Most women I know have had an immense burden relieved
when they have let their closest friends and family know that they are facing
infertility. I highly recommend it. Also, along the way, feel free
to directly tell people if you need some space or if you prefer to not talk
about things for a while.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Try to remember that you aren't the only one facing a difficult
time.</b> Your friends - though they have kids - actually may be facing
something difficult in their lives and they may need your support, too.
Trials come in all shapes and sizes and they don't come to a halt when someone
gets pregnant or has a baby. In the end, we are all in it together - no
matter what we are facing.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">_____________________________________________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Through it all, I think it’s
important for ALL of us – infertile or not – to remember that when it comes to
friendship, WE ALL NEED AND WANT TO BE SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND
LOVED (refer to number 5 above). The friend who just became a new mom, she needs support,
encouragement and love. The friend who is battling infertility, she
needs support, encouragement and love. The friend who just lost
her mother to breast cancer, she needs support, encouragement and love. The friend that is going through med-school, she needs support,
encouragement and love. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">We ALL need
support, encouragement, and love in our lives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">That being said... </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">To the mommies-in-waiting</span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">:</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">You are seen. I know you
are hurting. I know you are sad. I know you are jealous, angry and envious,
even if you won’t admit it, and yet you are hopeful and thankful at the same
time. I know this. I read recently that a “<i>mother becomes
a mother long before she holds a child in her arms. From the moment you hope to
bring life into this world, you are different. Those dreams change you for the
better even when it doesn’t always feel like it.”</i> Hang in there,
mommies-in-waiting! Your day will come and you will be amazing mothers!</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">To the new moms:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">You are seen too. Being a
new mother is challenging. The sleepless nights, fluctuations in
hormones, juggling what feels like a zoo and circus intermingling… it can all
be very exhausting. Hang in there! You are doing an amazing job! You
are doing the best you can! Find solace knowing that there is a little person
out there who loves you more than you know. And know that your every
nurturing move is building him to become an amazing person. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p><u2:p></u2:p>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Peace and Love,</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">Naz</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-20749636995214572932013-05-07T16:08:00.002-07:002013-05-08T08:59:19.967-07:00DIY - Home Renovations Continue<br />
One of the funnest things about owning your own home is decorating and DIY home renovations, in my opinion. They can be tiresome to do, but so incredibly rewarding. Especially when you stand back and look at what you may also have designed, and definitely created!<br />
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Elijah was born a week after we moved into our first house, so he had little time or money for much else but baby mode. Initially, while Elijah was only a couple weeks old, my husband and immediate family helped get some intro painting done around the house. A year later, we started finally doing more, and two years later, we finally are closer to actually decorating our home while making more changes. Our home is pretty new (built in 2005) but needs some updating. We were lucky to have bought the home with nice hardwood floors. But the kitchen cabinet color is too light for my taste- oak or maple, I think. Staining them is our next big DIY project that we will be working on in a couple weeks. Stay tuned for that post!<br />
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In the meantime, we painted most of our house. We started with our family room and kitchen and finally painted the the <i>formal side</i> of our house and hallways. We keep a pool table in our formal living room and don't have a formal dining table of our own in our formal dining room yet. When we initially painted our kitchen, it was a lighter shade of green, but I ended up not liking it after I painted the formal side of our home a deep red and light brown/tan color. The kitchen is now painted a complimenting shade of brown/tan as other parts of the house. <br />
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I can't wait to finish the rest of the house - guest bedroom, office, master bedroom and bathrooms. But those projects will be in a few months. I'm mostly interested in finishing the formal side of our house so I can start to decorate, finally! I can't believe we've lived in our house for 2 years and still haven't hung up pictures! <i>A testament to how anal I am and how I want things planned out rather than moved around here and there. </i><br />
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I have a bazillion ideas and projects twirling around in my head. Many of them I've pinned on pinterest. Follow me <a href="http://pinterest.com/fijiborncagrown/" target="_blank">here!</a> <i> I lose sleep thinking about it. </i><b>While they sleep</b>, I surf the Internet looking for more ideas, online shopping, and planning! Decorating for me is like a child going to disneyland. In my secret life I would've gone to fashion/interior design school and had my own home show on HGTV or the DIY Network. <i> In my other life I suppose.</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Here is some of our progress: </span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JSvQBTtRMVjCvJLfZbjGg5L0b2mXlK0Jo-A52N_f9CJWAU3Py089YNcvbBjmDW2SDJ754bWLsvPITh1wajwn5VpUjeV8U3q8D0MMWCgNGQdmTp4sEiAFACr2MXI6XZW4_plGIqOHIg/s1600/front+door+down+hallway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2JSvQBTtRMVjCvJLfZbjGg5L0b2mXlK0Jo-A52N_f9CJWAU3Py089YNcvbBjmDW2SDJ754bWLsvPITh1wajwn5VpUjeV8U3q8D0MMWCgNGQdmTp4sEiAFACr2MXI6XZW4_plGIqOHIg/s320/front+door+down+hallway.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">This is the view of the inside of our house from the front door.</span></b> Here you are looking down the hallway from the front door. To the left, through the openings, is the formal living room and dining rooms. Straight ahead, you can see the light green in our kitchen that I ended up changing to the same shade of brown above the red that you can see here on the left. The kitchen turned out much nicer and not so "Christmasy" once I added the deep red and got rid of the green! The lighting in this picture isn't the best to show the shade of brown that is actually in this hallway. It looks like it has a yellow-tone in this picture, but it doesn't - <i>that's just the lighting. </i>You can see in this picture that our house is <i><b>barely furnished</b></i> two years later. Mostly because the things I want are <strike>expensive</strike> and one of the <i>great joys</i> of homeownership, unless you've got unlimited funds, is to decorate here and there on a budget. "Great joys" in that last sentence was used with sarcasm. Of course I wish I could do everything all at once! But I'm grateful for what I have and I do what I can when I can. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXmoxMmm61N4tQYTB2B3SBUEwqtRhzf5WVukYl4UYypYRe8bjqqeaM-bGQKx38xnKbOBndU-vb1qeOCBzddDNQ1waM-jg_vcyVMAOVQ5VXHTd8ZYm5RQcWQ0CvQTHFIG_pKf7USO97w/s1600/hallway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXmoxMmm61N4tQYTB2B3SBUEwqtRhzf5WVukYl4UYypYRe8bjqqeaM-bGQKx38xnKbOBndU-vb1qeOCBzddDNQ1waM-jg_vcyVMAOVQ5VXHTd8ZYm5RQcWQ0CvQTHFIG_pKf7USO97w/s320/hallway.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This picture is the same hallway but from the other end of the previous picture, standing in the opening before the once green painted kitchen and look at the front door. You can clearly see the deep red panels I painted in the inlets of our hallway, which is the same deep red I used in the adjacent formal living and dining rooms on the bottom half of those walls. You can see that a little bit in the previous picture and clearly in the next picture. I love this deep red - I think it was called <i>Ruby Red. </i>We got it from Home Depot. It looks much prettier in person than in this lighting. <u>Honestly</u>. We get compliments all the time about our <span style="color: #990000;"><b>bold pop of color!</b></span> </div>
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The red inlets are reserved for projects I have in mind. In the large red inlet nearest you when viewing this picture, I am going to add a <b><u>wall collage</u></b>. I'm so excited about it too! I've started slowly collecting different frames, and pieces of art for it! I've also been keeping an eye out for a bench to add in front of my wall collage and large vases as accents on each (or one) side of the bench I plan on purchasing. </div>
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My <i><span style="color: #990000;">pinspiration</span></i> has been the following:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4GqtZe9p9US8YK4AX90pzrEc7PRbd5bFOPLDQ-eVwfmvQi1r9OANpY8PjrQqFBBV6kCpJXzoBIofmI8Jrf-8dX3gJEsKkd2lyr3Ml79LG2ax1XIWFhVqEaCNNmY1bKemYfQk1JLUxA/s1600/wall+collage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4GqtZe9p9US8YK4AX90pzrEc7PRbd5bFOPLDQ-eVwfmvQi1r9OANpY8PjrQqFBBV6kCpJXzoBIofmI8Jrf-8dX3gJEsKkd2lyr3Ml79LG2ax1XIWFhVqEaCNNmY1bKemYfQk1JLUxA/s1600/wall+collage2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbBksZIagIwYHvHCQObQFqKTQAgOTJuqfvC8LX-hjUYGF9huKIBo8SNv3h4eTzGy_BbrUyumANieLIxuHO8Vbdwu8sy1fFtzOgl1qbeUdm6hviSBlbLbGRxu9tf7cxG_GnEkBBJsWrQ/s1600/wall+collage3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbBksZIagIwYHvHCQObQFqKTQAgOTJuqfvC8LX-hjUYGF9huKIBo8SNv3h4eTzGy_BbrUyumANieLIxuHO8Vbdwu8sy1fFtzOgl1qbeUdm6hviSBlbLbGRxu9tf7cxG_GnEkBBJsWrQ/s320/wall+collage3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiNeRrURLFb2Ujz6D171dcPk_ZV4g5jqigVgcZM9UkBELMNnmG4oVwVfM24NH1gcPxiuK7XWXcZbtgjeE-GEXO_iPoCZLX_CxOEFcdXh2jWeMNTe7XKtICoZKy9Z2tJR3DC1V7slB0Q/s1600/wall+collage4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiNeRrURLFb2Ujz6D171dcPk_ZV4g5jqigVgcZM9UkBELMNnmG4oVwVfM24NH1gcPxiuK7XWXcZbtgjeE-GEXO_iPoCZLX_CxOEFcdXh2jWeMNTe7XKtICoZKy9Z2tJR3DC1V7slB0Q/s320/wall+collage4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcS4wwfM8tXkZnwa21qvLIeaK9vs13uARcdYBiwlZXs_bD4xpjz2uOaDvyTXw3qfBDlVYloEZkhIoFIkIMlCLYdBn5zHZBeLRWNIfGaAk-9Yntx3l92kkEpcbt9daneoPmXIRlwbWDPA/s1600/wall+collage5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcS4wwfM8tXkZnwa21qvLIeaK9vs13uARcdYBiwlZXs_bD4xpjz2uOaDvyTXw3qfBDlVYloEZkhIoFIkIMlCLYdBn5zHZBeLRWNIfGaAk-9Yntx3l92kkEpcbt9daneoPmXIRlwbWDPA/s400/wall+collage5.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgib_kM7H0qsFnXIs9vBWq3LIT9FYD6-UfSKtNEDgE47PMLu02aE7TzpN4c9g3Wa3HzP1iA1aMrlcYM1U_RCoiooaonurRjiElc1ffwqLRB1QbXlnV9TLnGzHwORG9lKK0weWVnblzqHg/s1600/wall+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgib_kM7H0qsFnXIs9vBWq3LIT9FYD6-UfSKtNEDgE47PMLu02aE7TzpN4c9g3Wa3HzP1iA1aMrlcYM1U_RCoiooaonurRjiElc1ffwqLRB1QbXlnV9TLnGzHwORG9lKK0weWVnblzqHg/s400/wall+collage.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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Lastly, here is a picture of the formal living and dining rooms <i>(As I mentioned previously, we keep a pool table in our formal living room) </i>- we figure we're young, fun and like to entertain. We'd get more use out of a fun place to play pool and hang with friends than a formal sitting area at this point in our lives :) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp1rZbB2oMrBD_-UO2NO3KweyoacppDr5uAamECkVnnoSdS1-TdrCUic2gCegXdTPixSqFEaric0lzBHxVH7aCSBb-Vqz8pZ2z1HheR8xfynEyxg4DkXUHFHU-fCeUP0UTmXNaEb1gw/s1600/pool+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcp1rZbB2oMrBD_-UO2NO3KweyoacppDr5uAamECkVnnoSdS1-TdrCUic2gCegXdTPixSqFEaric0lzBHxVH7aCSBb-Vqz8pZ2z1HheR8xfynEyxg4DkXUHFHU-fCeUP0UTmXNaEb1gw/s400/pool+room.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sorry the picture quality is kind of shitty. But as you can see, we painted a pretty brown shade on the top half of these joining rooms and seperated it with a chair rail. Chair rails, like crown molding, require precision mitter cuts. Do your research, and get help if you try to do something similar! In general, it's a total DIY project that can be easily done and adds a TON of character to your space! We LOVE the result! </div>
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Don't mind the ladder, and hand-me-down dining table. That table is not staying. I actually have my eye on a dining table more suited to our taste for this space. Also, the shade of brown here is the same one we replaced the green with in the kitchen. </div>
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I can't wait until everything is done in these rooms, and the adjoining hallway! I'm ordering faux silk curtains in a matching shade of deep red for these rooms; our friend is working on a beautiful painting for us to go on the large wall parallel to the pool table; I'm buying an upright piano to go against one of the walls, and hanging pictures, art and instruments. It's going to be lovely once it's complete and a total reflection of who we are! </div>
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Stay tuned for updates and additonal home reno projects - <b><i>including our </i>DIY Kitchen Cabinets<i> </i>Makeover<i> (we're staining them)!!! </i></b></div>
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Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-63867111670026407152013-05-07T15:12:00.003-07:002013-05-07T19:09:02.248-07:00Healthy Eating<br />
I've been trying to eat <b><span style="font-size: large;">healthy</span></b> & prepare more meals at home. <br />
I kinda fell off track with my Sunday <i>meal prepping, </i>which when I do, I cook enough to last mid-week at a minimum.<br />
Although I've slacked off a bit on meal prepping, I am trying to get back into. <br />
I know for me, weight loss is going to be slow and steady. <br />
And I've made peace with that. <br />
I am not looking to diet - I have to keep reminding myself that.<br />
I want to make a lifestyle change, which means I want to be able to enjoy foods and drinks as long as I understand what I want in the long run: <b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">to live a healthy and happy life</span>. </span></b><br />
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In between meal prepping, I tried out some <b><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">yummy</span></b>, healthy recipes. Some meals I just whipped together myself using healthy ingredients I had around the kitchen. I like to cook like that - <i>a dash of this, a pinch of that</i>. I often <b><span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">tweak</span></b> recipes with a <i>lil' this and a lil' that</i>. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are a few things I tried over the last couple of weeks: </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Garlic Cajun Shrimp</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1Bs_E01Ohv6NzLCy6C99yvUaAyt4eNQYHkmXmFY5oY9uIau5xzZL5vt1Jy8KgIhGFaPB2mwEeIZ8hBPqCqg7ZCmp0KmDBzzk0UO-xSV0HNFmhJq-ijfJpTwTnzPKWcCgkvk3Ued9YA/s1600/shrimp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1Bs_E01Ohv6NzLCy6C99yvUaAyt4eNQYHkmXmFY5oY9uIau5xzZL5vt1Jy8KgIhGFaPB2mwEeIZ8hBPqCqg7ZCmp0KmDBzzk0UO-xSV0HNFmhJq-ijfJpTwTnzPKWcCgkvk3Ued9YA/s320/shrimp.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I whipped this together with a few things I had in the fridge! </div></div><br />
<b><u>Here's what you'll need</u></b><br />
<ul><li>Shrimp <i>(I like to get shelled shrimp and peel some of the shells off & leave some as is).</i> I used about a pound. </li><li>1 Sliced Onion</li><li>1 Red or green bell peppers<i> (I used one large red bell pepper sliced) </i></li><li>1 Squash or zucchini<i> (I used 1 medium sized green squash sliced)</i></li><li>Minced garlic <i>(We use garlic everyday, so we mince a lot and put it into a glass jar in our fridge. We often mince red peppers into the blender with the garlic - but not too much or it's too spicy for Elijah) </i></li><li>Cajun seasoning. <i>(I used <a href="http://www.oldbay.com/" target="_blank">Old Bay's Seasoning</a>. It's one of my favorites!)</i></li><li>Sea Salt</li></ul><div><u><b>Here's what you do! </b></u></div><div>In a large pan, heat some oil <i>(I often use canola, sunflower or olive oil)</i>. Once oil is nice and warm, add sliced onions to lightly brown. Once lightly browned, add minced garlic and stir together. Everything at this point will be added simultaneously. Shrimp cooks VERY fast so you don't want to waste too much time in between adding the shrimp and veggies or your shrimp will shrivel up and your veggies will be mushy. Add all the shrimp, bell pepper, squash or zucchini into the pan. Stir. Sprinkle cajun seasoning on top of everything. Stir somemore. Sprinkle sea salt on top of everything. Stir again. Put heat to medium-low and let it simmer and cook. Check back in 5 minutes and stir again. It'll be nearing done at about 10 minutes. But watch it closely during that time. </div><div><br />
</div><div>And VOILA! You have a delish, healthy and quick meal for dinner! </div><div><br />
</div><div>This can be eaten with so much! Whole wheat pasta (or spaghetti squash), brown rice, quinoa, or alone! We ate ours with a side of brown rice and corn on the cob - which I boiled and put a lil' bit of real butter on. <br />
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This was a HIT in my house. Elijah ate this up so quickly! He loves shrimp and definitely loved this recipe :)</div><div><br />
</div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Banana Granola Honey Nut Muffins</b></span></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">It was a nice weekend to be home</span></b>. The weather was pretty Saturday morning on May 4th. I felt like baking something, and noticed we had a few<i> oh-too-ripe</i> <b><span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">bananas </span></b>laying around <b><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">PLUS</span></b>, I had just bought muffin pans<span style="color: red;"><i> (FINALLY)</i></span> so that I could make turkey meat balls in them as part of my meal prepping. </div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div><b><u>SIDENOTE: </u></b>A friend of mine posts her healthy and clean eating recipes, amongst other things, and I got the idea from her to make meat balls as your protein for your work-week prepped meals. Instead of eating a three ounce portion of chicken breast, you could have two or three meat balls (depending on the size) and mix it up a bit! </div><div><br />
</div><div>With my newly purchased muffin pans, and ripe bananas in the kitchen, I decided to whip up a breakfast muffin with what I had laying around! Plus, I don't know about you, but I LOVE muffins. The problem is, they are often very high in hidden calories, which is why I rarely every buy one. Why not make them so you can control what's in them (and subsequently how many calories are in them)!</div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><i>**<b>I did not feel like getting dressed and to the store</b></i> for healthier alternatives in some instances, although I will for the next time I make these delicious treats!**</div><div><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b><u>What I used:</u></b></span></div><div><ul><li>Two ripe bananas smashed. </li><li>Granola <i>(I actually used Cashew Clusters with almonds and pumpkin seeds from Costco - they are a DELISH snack and also yummy to add to recipes)! I used a handful that I broke up into small chunks. </i></li><li>Honey <i>(whatever your preference is - I use an organic honey from Sprouts) </i></li><li>All Purpose Flour (It's what we had)</li><li>2 tbsp's Baking Powder </li><li>2 tbsp's butter (I used <i><span style="color: orange;">I Can't Believe It's Not Butter</span></i>). </li><li>1 cup white suger (I know, I know - bad Naz!) </li><li>Pinch of sea salt</li><li>1 egg (or egg whites) </li></ul></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">What I'll be using next time:</span></u></b></div><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strike>All Purpose Flour</strike> - Next time, I'm going to buy a whole wheat or gluten free flour for this recipe and make it healthier. Muffins can be dangerously high in calories if you're not careful with healthy substitutes! </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I splurged with the <strike>white sugar</strike> the last time I made these yummy muffins. I justified this because I hardly ever eat muffins (or anything sweet). BUT, next time, I will use far <u>less</u> sugar and instead use <u><i>brown sugar or agave nectar</i></u>. </span></li></ul></div><div><h3 style="background-color: white; border: 0px; letter-spacing: 1px; margin: 23px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><u><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: small;">Directions:</span></u></h3><div class="directLeft" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 478px;"><ol style="border: 0px; float: left; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 0px -5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 35px 0px 25px;"><ol><li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray. </span></span></li><li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a large bowl, beat egg, and stir in smashed bananas, sugar, and butter. </span></span></li><li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Add flour, baking powder and salt. Stirring just until combined. Stir in granola. Fill muffin pan cups 2/3 full.</span></span></li><li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned. Check center of muffins with toothpick! No batter should stick to your tooth pick when you pull it out! </span></span></li><li style="border: 0px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; list-style-type: decimal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="plaincharacterwrap break" style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Remove muffins from pan and enjoy! </span></span></li></ol></ol></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NJOzNZQ-5N7Az2bzvS3sVhnSLCT0mtddLI-kUVCHs5VRDC6sP2C6_Q3QRhPw2E-tpqofvTkv7gbQDdxrxKNMkp31LY8GZFEnRwGjdAQeAYqki9FLlyuRCH1-ioJfvqG-RifsfLSZSw/s1600/muffins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NJOzNZQ-5N7Az2bzvS3sVhnSLCT0mtddLI-kUVCHs5VRDC6sP2C6_Q3QRhPw2E-tpqofvTkv7gbQDdxrxKNMkp31LY8GZFEnRwGjdAQeAYqki9FLlyuRCH1-ioJfvqG-RifsfLSZSw/s400/muffins.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Meal Prepping</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div>In an effort to get on track with my health & fitness goals, I have been off and on meal prepping - preparing enough food on Sundays (or Mondays) to last through the middle or end of the work week. My <i><b>staple</b></i> <i>(because it's easy, healthy and tastes good)</i> is baked chicken, a veggie side, and black beans. </div><div><br />
</div><div>This Monday, I decided to be a little more flavorful in my <i>staple</i> prepped meal. I seasoned the baked chicken as I usually do - lightly marinated in minced garlic, sea salt, and sprinkled with Italian & Lemon Pepper seasoning. I baked it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Then I made my black beans on the stovetop like usual<i> (in a little canola or olive oil, with grilled onions)</i>, but this time I decided to add turkey chili and give it a<i><b><span style="color: orange;"> black bean chili twist</span></b></i>. <u>Still healthy & tastes delish!</u> <i>I did cheat and just use a can of low calorie, low sodium turkey chili though - nothing fancy!</i> Then I grilled up some kale with minced garlic and onions seasoned with a little sea salt and lemon pepper. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Everything turned out delish and will last us through Wednesday or Thursday for dinner! I made a little extra chicken to cut up into our salads for lunch too! </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneTOo4RlucBb3SM7LBAn7dNJO2a-pifVvkdPYdt2HLO_NrRjXKhb5QsQmJ8xfZPax81ylo65T-98J8qQe0_pq1EzBSnKhtFDR4u9w3nR-rPVsiLnlcvbNlWXf2u6ZvDiz_LMPG-UaBw/s1600/baked+chicken.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneTOo4RlucBb3SM7LBAn7dNJO2a-pifVvkdPYdt2HLO_NrRjXKhb5QsQmJ8xfZPax81ylo65T-98J8qQe0_pq1EzBSnKhtFDR4u9w3nR-rPVsiLnlcvbNlWXf2u6ZvDiz_LMPG-UaBw/s320/baked+chicken.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Other Great Finds</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are a few other great food finds I wanted to share with you!</span></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzI8Sg-ZGbepz96Y35px2i_3cWH1Rf3ISSgbda8dxFbgoiuBZAm3_JA1gR1G8Cq-092cT8E_T730nYrEpkvfXUYJUkj-WAR9-EMeX3V1OaAJihoDs1eYtxN92Sx3YBM1znB7SK75kJgA/s1600/hemphearts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzI8Sg-ZGbepz96Y35px2i_3cWH1Rf3ISSgbda8dxFbgoiuBZAm3_JA1gR1G8Cq-092cT8E_T730nYrEpkvfXUYJUkj-WAR9-EMeX3V1OaAJihoDs1eYtxN92Sx3YBM1znB7SK75kJgA/s320/hemphearts.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">Hemp Hearts: Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds. </span></b>To learn more about the benefits of Hemp Hearts, go <a href="http://www.healing-source.com/about_HempHearts_b.htm" target="_blank">here.</a> I bought these at Sprouts and like to sprinkle some onto my oatmeal. You can use them in pretty much anything! They don't have much of a taste, but are packed with nutrition! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"> <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Cashew Clusters. </b></span> I used these in my <i>Banana Granola Honey Nut Muffins</i> recipe above, and bought them at Costco! They are a delish healthy snack! But they are addicting, so I pack 4 or 5 pieces only in a zip lock bag and take it to work, otherwise I would eat way more than I should. They're that good! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczBwzEQr-_-J-IQ6Aa_OBZHjRR-p-ZGw2s-Rzo0yq2wAnh0F_Kv6EHEz7n0MSe1b1GRlykeu0TPEiB3Iiurhz-r5LqPYEPV3eTx2vsL12immF6wyIXnHisUP59clZ683BOhwfssi4iA/s1600/cashew+clusters.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiczBwzEQr-_-J-IQ6Aa_OBZHjRR-p-ZGw2s-Rzo0yq2wAnh0F_Kv6EHEz7n0MSe1b1GRlykeu0TPEiB3Iiurhz-r5LqPYEPV3eTx2vsL12immF6wyIXnHisUP59clZ683BOhwfssi4iA/s320/cashew+clusters.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>Lastly, for now... </b></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><span style="color: #990000;">Brown Rice Protein Powder. </span></b>I bought this at Sprouts in my attempt to move away from <strike>Whey protein powder </strike><i>(i.e.: My Muscle Milk Protein Powder that I have been using for a long time)</i>. It was kind of expensive, in my opinion, but the more affordable one out of the various brown rice protein powders they had. From my research, whey is actually not that great for you, especially for women. I'm not going to try to sway you one way or the other -<b> do your own research before deciding on a protein powder for yourself.</b> <strike>I am by NO means, a doctor</strike>. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLTRnxlIyb8kV4zyiqvDouhGtvRK086RmseHyN1hWlRm1bw5i3DvqVNGCpRFmj-fwTn3iHn0wzjhZhruZ93tBaEHpG-pEf7Gc1Jy7E5wfzEiXdTeVMfh7dPef2X4s54vxA-uWfdnO_w/s1600/brown+rice+protein+powder.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLTRnxlIyb8kV4zyiqvDouhGtvRK086RmseHyN1hWlRm1bw5i3DvqVNGCpRFmj-fwTn3iHn0wzjhZhruZ93tBaEHpG-pEf7Gc1Jy7E5wfzEiXdTeVMfh7dPef2X4s54vxA-uWfdnO_w/s320/brown+rice+protein+powder.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div></div><div>I liked this Brown Rice Protein Powder (picture above) - <i>Chocolate Protein Energizer,</i> but am more interested in an <span style="background-color: white; color: #3d3d3d; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Organic, Gluten-Free, Raw, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Non-Fat, Low in Sodium, and Free of Sugar, Dairy, Lactose, Cholesterol, Soy, Corn, Wheat and Allergens </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">protein powder, w</span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">hich I found through the Tone It Up (TIU) personal trainers I follow. Unfortunately, it is always out of stock or on back order. I saw that it was in stock just today, so I'm going to order some asap! To learn more about <i>Perfect Fit Protein Powder</i> from the <a href="http://www.toneitup.com/" target="_blank">TIU Fitness Trainers</a> I follow, please visit here: <a href="http://perfectfitprotein.com/" target="_blank">Perfect Fit Protein Powder</a>. On a side note, the TIU Trainers are amazing! They post fitness videos you can follow on their website or youtube for FREE. You can go at your own pace, at home - and the results from their amazing moves are no joke! Check them out on youtube here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ToneItUpcom" target="_blank">Tone It Up!</a></span></span></div><div><br />
</div>Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-61906897077989902012013-05-06T09:18:00.001-07:002013-05-07T13:48:33.653-07:00You're not a terrible parent. I think I've known I wanted to be a mother, pretty much all my life. I've always wanted two or three children. I've always known I would be fully involved and eventually become a working soccer mom. I've always loved the idea of being an involved parent or "soccer mom." Someone who knows her children's friends, participates in their extracurricular activities, and is a part of their daily life. These are things I look forward to as my son grows up and we plan on other children. <br />
<br />
Currently, we have one - an almost two year old boy. I enjoy spending time with my son; watching him grow, seeing him evolve. It's all very interesting (he does something new every day!), and rewarding. It can also be <b><u>very</u> </b>tiresome. Although I feel pretty lucky to have a healthy, happy, usually obedient toddler - sometimes, he can be exhausting. <br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After a long, fun, and tiring family filled weekend, I'm back to work. Sometimes work seems like the place you go to take a break. And I guess in some ways, it is. While 'taking a break' from home life, I came across a great article titled <a href="http://www.stevewiens.com/2013/03/12/to-parents-of-small-children-let-me-be-the-one-who-says-it-out-loud/" target="_blank">To parents of small children: Let me be the one who says it out loud</a>. In the article, a Pastor talks about this experience with his three small boys. The best part is when he says: </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><b style="word-wrap: break-word;">Let me be the one who says the following things out loud:</b></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><b style="word-wrap: break-word;"></b></span><span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;">You are not a terrible parent if you can’t figure out a way for your children to eat as healthy as your friend’s children do. She’s obviously using a bizarre and probably illegal form of hypnotism.</i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;"></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;">You are not a terrible parent if you yell at your kids sometimes. You have little dictators living in your house. If someone else talked to you like that, they’d be put in prison.</i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;"></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;">You are not a terrible parent if you can’t figure out how to calmly give them appropriate consequences in real time for every single act of terrorism that they so creatively devise.</i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;"></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;">You are not a terrible parent if you’d rather be at work.</i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;"></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;">You are not a terrible parent if you just can’t wait for them to go to bed.</i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;"></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;">You are not a terrible parent if the sound of their voices sometimes makes you want to drink and never stop.</i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;"></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small; word-wrap: break-word;"><i style="word-wrap: break-word;">You’re not a terrible parent.</i></span></blockquote>
<br />
Oh how I can relate! Those slobbery kisses, that infectious laugh, all the endless hugs and cuddles - the "see ya mom!" and "I love you"'s never get old. But the crying battles and tantrum fits can be exhausting. Oh how I can relate.<br />
<br />
I guess what was most powerful for me is knowing I'm not alone. I know I'm a good mom. A damn good mom. I'm very involved in my son's life and I strongly believe in the nurturing parenting principles (lots of encouragement, praise and positive discipline). I strongly believe in having respect when disciplining and expecting respect back. But there are times when EVERY parent can't help but feel terrible for yelling at their child who just pulled on their last nerve. Or the mom who feels guilty for wanting to go to work or looking forward to their child's bedtime (sometimes it's the ONLY time we have to unwind). I know the moms (and dads) I know have been through this. I also know they are trying their best. And sometimes, that's all we can do.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8DH5-Nzgdy5cggaQ0VstcCl18M7qnwAcgcJi6NG-ZTA4OxoS-4fgBKElvJuVYwKu1Ee5QkJ_HN8tAYyFCvJJ270YCGGGa-6njnG_U9nVB2Vit0iOg5gPfJWa-zolSHF_JcT_JkxsFw/s1600/eju+and+momma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8DH5-Nzgdy5cggaQ0VstcCl18M7qnwAcgcJi6NG-ZTA4OxoS-4fgBKElvJuVYwKu1Ee5QkJ_HN8tAYyFCvJJ270YCGGGa-6njnG_U9nVB2Vit0iOg5gPfJWa-zolSHF_JcT_JkxsFw/s320/eju+and+momma.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
At the park with our lil' one. <br />
My husband snapped a photo of us sharing ice cream & laughs in the sunshine!</div>
<br /></div>
Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-23321026544776777502013-04-30T21:37:00.001-07:002013-05-07T09:39:02.094-07:00End rant.Sometimes I wish I could time warp to when I was a child & had no worries & responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Today was exhausting. <br />
<br />
When one full time job ends, the other starts up again. Being a working mom is a lot of work. Don't get me wrong, it's very rewarding also. I know and appreciate that. But it is also very exhausting at times. Today was one instance. Or many instances, actually. <br />
<br />
I woke up and worked out, which took some effort since Aunt Flo decided to visit. But I got in a good cardio session before I took a shower and got ready. Made Eju a bottle, fed the dog, and said bye to my husband and son, to head off to work - all day (it felt like forever). It was a busy day and I'm working on a few big projects. Nine hours later, I came home to a fussy toddler. The evening then started and I ended up at my parents to pick up a few things. With a fussy toddler in tote. I ended up staying a couple hours; feeding the kids (my son and nieces), eating myself (thank God), helping Laila (my eldest niece) with her homework, etc. Finally I get home, but immediately start cleaning the kitchen, bathing Eju, and putting him to bed with a freshly cleaned bottle. It felt like it had been forever when I finally sat down. My husband had to work late tonight so it was<i> single mom status. </i><br />
<br />
It's been a long day. Since 4:30am, in fact. Too bad if I want to be up that early again, I have to turn around and go to sleep. <br />
<br />
For now, I'm going sit in my garage; where I'm shielded from the gusts of wind, but able to enjoy the sounds, cool air, and dark skies. <br />
<br />
Good night. Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4322319620161467300.post-62672376755502086292013-04-30T11:06:00.004-07:002013-05-07T13:51:41.742-07:00Disciplining a Toddler: Timeouts? <br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">I came across a Facebook post
linked to an article on <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/the_kids/2013/04/should_i_give_my_misbehaving_kid_a_timeout.html?fb_ref=sm_fb_share_toolbar" target="_blank"><i>timeouts</i></a> and if they were
effective or <i>"messing up kids."</i>
The article made some great points (click the link above to read it in
full).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">I specifically agree
with Edward Christophersen, a psychologist and pediatrician at Children’s
Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., and the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0930851064/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0930851064&linkCode=as2&tag=slatmaga-20" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgb(255, 255, 153); outline: none;" target="_blank"><em style="font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #56818c; padding: 0in;">Beyond Discipline: Parenting
That Lasts a Lifetime</span></em></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">"Timeouts don’t work very
well, if you haven’t created a richly positive environment for your child. In other words, “it's the effort parents put
into time-in that determines whether or not timeout works,” Christophersen
says, so when parents and teachers categorically state that timeouts don’t work
with their kids, it can be a warning sign of more serious problems in the home
or school environment. If you rarely praise, hug, or interact positively with
little Sammy, then acting up may be the only way he can get your attention, and
for a kid, negative attention (such as when parents get mad) is better than no
attention.</span></i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Agree
100%.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">As a parent, we feel
we have effectively incorporated timeouts for our almost-two-year-old son,
Elijah. However, we also VERY often praise, hug and kiss, and positively
interact with him. He does not feel 'punished' or 'abandoned' when we do
give him timeouts. What I have noticed is how INEFFECTIVE spanking is for
our son. While I know some parents are adamantly opposed to spanking, and
others are for it, I would be lying if I said we never lightly spanked Elijah's
bottom or hand, although it rarely happens. I was not exactly for
"spanking" but also grew up in a time where corporal punishment was
normal (especially in my ethno-traditional Indian upbringing). That being
said, I remember how much I HATED my parents for spanking me and told myself I
didn't want to parent this way. I did not want my son to hate me because
of the forms of punishment he received. I realize that some of the
techniques used on me did have negative consequences (i.e.: feeling hatred
toward the two people I should never feel hatred towards, my parents). Of
course, that time passed and I feel nothing but love and admiration for my
parents now that I am an adult and a parent myself. Nevertheless, I still remember that
"feeling" stemmed from the corporal punishment I received. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">Thankfully, I
received a lot of training on early childhood education and parenting through
the agency I was previously employed with.
I feel I truly learned the benefits of "nurturing parenting"
principles stemmed around positive interaction, speaking to Elijah like an
adult, getting down to his level to speak to him (especially when a more
authoritative voice is needed) and always loving and praising him. This
approach has worked WONDERS for us. We do not feel like we are dealing
with<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>"the terrible
two's"</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>we hear so often
about. Our son is actually far from <i>"terrible"
</i>although he is just about two years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">I strongly believe
that the nurturing parenting techniques, as well as effective and age
appropriate timeouts, work wonders. Elijah HATES time out (which for us
is removing him from his current surrounding to a quiet corner in the house).
We do not put him there and just "abandon" him. We get
down to his level, explain calmly what he did and why he is there and give him
a specified time limit. He usually throws a fit for a few seconds, but I
have noticed if I speak to him like an adult, he gets it more than if I were to
be frustrated and yell at him. In the end, he does not like the idea of
timeout, so often he knows what he should not do to end up in timeout. In his head, I see him thinking,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>"I shouldn't do that, or I'll
be in timeout." </i>Which to me, speaks volumes in that he is
getting the concept and understanding the cause and effect around his behavior
resulting in a positive learning experience for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">In the end, I am ALL
for nurturing parenting and effective, age appropriate time outs. <b>Children need discipline and structure, but
they also need love, praise and nurturing.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">What techniques do
you use when applying discipline to your child?
Has it been effective?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">I strongly urge
parents to look into the "nurturing parenting" techniques and would
be happy to elaborate more about what I learned in regards to these principles.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Nazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06265849535781563313noreply@blogger.com0