11 Things

Okay, so I definitely wasn't tagged to do this, but I LOVE the blog that this came from so I stole it. If you want to check it out: http://www.lifeandloveofaparrothead.com/
(BTW, Breann...if you happen to be reading this post...I always read...I'm just horrendously bad about commenting frequently or posting on my own blog.)

The Rules:

1. Every tagged person must tell 11 things about themselves

2. Answer the 11 questions that the person who tagged you asked.

3. Ask 11 questions for the 11 blogs that you are going to tag.

4. Mention the blog that tagged you but don't tag back.

11 Random Things About Myself
1. I love gift giving.
2. I am almost a year behind in scrapbooking. I was up to date before my son was born and since his birth, well I never feel like I can fit it in.
3. When I'm lonely I strike up random conversations with people in stores. Just so you know, most people like to talk.
4. I'm sincerely worried about the childhood obesity epidemic in this country.
5. Pepsi is my favorite type of cola.
6. I'm religious about keeping a calendar or 2.
7. I got my degree, but I am still not sure what I want to do for the rest of my life.
8. Listening to my son laugh is my favorite sound now.
9. I love looking at pictures.
10. Laundry used to be my favorite chore...now it seems never ending.
11. So far, I only want my masters for the hood. The work involved, I am not ready to do yet.

My Questions from Breann's blog:
1. What is your favorite thing about the Holiday season? Buying gifts...I love brainstorming or finding something clever that people will like.
2. What is your favorite color? Pink
3. Tell me about a time you had buyers remorse! Wow, this is a tough one. I can't think of anything significant. 
4. If you could eat any meal, what would it be? Right now at this second: Chicago style pizza from a local place in Chicago, salad, cheese sticks & pepsi.
5. #1 place you want to visit: Australia
6. The best day of your life (so far)...Tie between the day I found out I was pregnant with our son & the day he was born.
7. Favorite Band/Artist? I don't have one.
8. Have you ever been super irresponsible? Yes, many times in college.
9. Do you have an undiagnosed addiction? Lol, probably shopping.
10. Why do you blog? I don't know...it's fun.
11. What's your favorite scent? This changes frequently, but right now it's Cranberry Joy from The Body Shop

I won't tag anyone...just do it if you'd like.
My questions for those who may feel like it:
1. Where's your favorite place to score a good deal when shopping?
2. Most annoying thing about Facebook?
3. You're in the McDonald's drive-thru, what do you order?
4. When do you put your Christmas/Holiday decorations up?
5. Do you know when your mail comes?
6. How do you deal with stress?
7. Favorite movie?
8. Do you make the bed everyday?
9. Are you happy with your current hair style?
10. Is your house organized to your liking?
11. How long have you been blogging?

Enjoy!

The Year of Faith

My fellow Catholics will probably immediately understand the title of this post, but for everyone else I'll explain... Every year the Pope (the important guy in Rome) selects a topic for focus upon in the year. [Quickly let me clarify that the new church year has just begun...it doesn't start January 1st.] This year it is faith. Last night, while my wonderful spouse stayed home with my Little Dude, I went to a talk at our parish about what this means. And while obviously it's geared towards practicing Catholics, I think it can be applied to all Christians. This year we have the opportunity to really examine our faith, make it stronger, and to see if we are living what we believe.

This speaks to me, because in the past 8 years, I have really been struggling with my faith off & on. I have done and said things that are not the way I want to represent myself. I have not respected myself.  It's interesting that infertility started giving me clarity on this issue. As our battle to have our son raged on, I finally turned to God and began re-examining my faith. While this was great, I still wasn't committed to going to church. I can't even tell you what brought me to go to Mass on that Sunday in August of this year. But whatever it was, I've kept going back there. I walked into church last night and felt comfortable there. Like I belonged in that parish. Finding a church home has helped so much. I look forward to getting up on Sunday and going to church.

My close friends know how much of a struggle I am having adjusting to Washington. I often remark that I feel the Navy is punishing me. But this is my year of faith....I am not going to let rainy Washington get me down. Here's to a new year and a year of faith!

Ps. This wasn't meant to alienate those who are Jewish, not Christian whatever...I have nothing against any of you.

Holiday time is upon us!

Before I go into my holiday discussion...Happy Veteran's Day to all who serve & have served. This country and many others wouldn't be where they are today without the supreme United States fighting force. Bravo Zulu US Military...job well done & I thank you!

Despite the fact that the stores have pushed Christmas to begin in August/September...I am just now getting into that spirit. I like to celebrate Halloween & get excited for Thanksgiving before I am ready for Christmas. It's like I need a warm-up period. :-)

Thanksgiving should be a merry one. I can't wait for all the good food. Yummy in my tummy! Matthew will probably enjoy it too...he digs any & all food. Then shopping the day after; I never go the crazy get up at 4am route (though doing that just 1 time is on my bucket list.) I'm the type who gets up around 7am...eats and heads for the mall. Then stop at Target on the way home & if they still have things left, I say yay & if not I say oh well.  I even shopped last year, 33+ weeks pregnant and without any back-up, because we were in Hawaii & Avery had duty. Actually, it was incredibly fun and is a fond memory I keep with me. This year, I may use the stroller as a way to push   keep people at a safe distance from me. Is that bad to use your baby as a way to get through the crowds? Yeah, probably...someone call the priest. (Though our priest would probably laugh...he has a big sense of humor.)

This year is Matthew's first Christmas. I am still debating where to put the Christmas tree up so that it is safe from little hands. It honestly may go in the dining room (just gotta move a bookshelf over a little), where Little Dude is baby gated out of going without parental supervision.

As always I love to buy gifts for other people. We adopted a child off the angel tree at our church. I picked a girl who likes Barbie & Disney. Definitely a kid I'd have been friends with if I were a kid.

I am also participating in Tales of a Sailor's Soulmate's stocking swap. I get to fill a stocking full of neat things  and mail it to my buddy. I love stuff like this!

Happy Holidays all! I can't wait!!

What's up in words....

So you saw the pictures last week.  (Yes, I know my son is one of the cutest children on the planet. ;-)  Today I figured I could actually put words out there.  What can I say, I was mildly lazy last week.

So at the beginning of October, Matthew & I got on yet another set of planes and hustled it from Seattle to Illinois/Iowa for my college graduation shindig. The weather in the midwest that weekend was horrid to say the least, so most of the exciting activities got canceled...which bummed me out. Oh well, I still got to see the  Ashford University campus. To say it's small would be an understatement. But with most of their students online, they really don't need a big campus. Seeing the kids who do live there made me feel old. They looked so incredibly young. Did I look that young at 18? The graduation ceremony itself was very long, but my name got called and I nabbed that diploma cover.

Matthew turned 9 months old and had a kidney ultrasound on the 23rd of October. At 9 months, not much has changed from 8 months. He still wears 6 month clothes, was wearing size 2 diapers..only changed to size 3 because I used up my stockpile of size 2, he crawls quite fast and is into everything! He pulls himself up on everything too! Our home is baby gate central. He loves the kitties, despite Blackie batting at him like a toy mouse.
His kidney ultrasound was quite the adventure as he kept moving around and they insisted on about 50 pictures...jeez! Even his kidney doctor asked why they took so many. As for his kidney's they now both show hydronephrosis. But again the kidney doctor says the AAP won't recommend anything be done yet. So we get to wait out another 6 months. I honestly hope after the next 6 months that it has either corrected itself or they do something, because this waiting game stinks. His growth was also still concerning to her, despite him looking fine to us.

Matthew celebrated his first Halloween and was very curious about the kids coming to the door. It down poured half the time, but we still had a fair amount of trick or treaters. Matthew was a tiger cat. I drew whiskers on his face, though he wasn't really patient with that so one side looked really funny.

Now it's November and we are busy with church activities. I can't wait for Thanksgiving & Christmas shopping. 

What's New With Matthew In Pictures

The day before Halloween. We were testing out different costumes.

Another Halloween outfit. Pumpkin on the booty. ;-)

Matthew & I with Champ the dog at my college Graduation.

Swimming with Mommy

Little hospital bracelet from his kidney u/s

9 months old!

Matthew on Halloween, he was a tiger cat!

Our pumpkins!

Grace, a very angry witch.