Big reminder!

I decided to babysit this past weekend - promising myself that I would use the money to jumpstart my babies savings account. Three kids boy, age 12, girl age 9, and boy age 7. I love babysitting for this family! The kids are rowdy, and silly, and have the sweetest blue eyes. The parents are easy going. The house is so beautiful - resort like really. Friday night was pretty easy. Saturday morning - things got a little hectic - I took them to putt putt. People must have thought is that lady nuts - having another one. Saturday morning as I cut up a pancake - I found myself saying "Get your foot out of your breakfast." I told them that was one sentance I never thought I would say. Around 1 - I found myself tired and the youngest being bad (he accessed the roof from the balcony and it scared the daylights out of me - I literally started to cry) I did not think I would make it. Luckily they calmed down in the afternoon (it was August hot this past weekend) and Saturday around 5 they played outside until about 9. Went and got showers with me asking only once and fell asleep. Sunday AM was good too, they had friends over to play, I made arts and crafts with them.

All in all, these are good kids! Great kids really. They are smart, funny, healthy, active, adorable. It was a great reminder of what life with a child was going to be like - there are moments that crack you up - like when the little one told me it was his robot that was bad and not him or moments that scare the crap out of you. Moments when you even doubt what your saying - the oldest cut himself and we had to wonder about stitches. Moments when everyone is playing sweetly and you let yourself breathe.

All moments worth remembering!

The first yard sale day of the season!

Last Saturday yard sale season kicked off with a bang as the Pennysaver sponsored their Spring yard sale at the Bowie Baysox stadium. Ernie opted not to be around and I was a little worried to go by myself. I borrowed Mrs Brown's wire cart from Fran and I was out the door by 6:55 am and lined up at about 7:35am. (yes earlier than a work day) I had comfy shoes, my yard sale hip purse filled with ones and quarters and I was excited. My first find was a dishwasher bottle rack, $1.00. I found a lady with baby books and toys, and a pink mixing bowl. I found the lady who sells the cleaning products and toiletries for cheap - stocked up on stuff there. I was tired by the end - but excited about my purchases and so happy to have had my cart.



I hit two more small sales (one had onesies for .25). I found one more at a church in their sports field (again so happy to have the cart) - more baby stuff. And I called it a day - final expenditures $40.00. I stopped at the scrapbook store where all budgeting went out the window - two pieces of paper, and two small packs of embellishments $8.00, I splurged on a magazine called Oh Baby for $17.95 (after yardsaling all morning - that seemed outrageous). I finished the morning at chik fil a with a chicken sandwich, french fries, a sweet tea and A MILKSHAKE!!



I spent the rest of the day relaxing, sorting out all the baby stuff into where you will need it, (you know food stuff in the pantry) and bath stuff together to put in the bathroom, and getting an idea of what I still need. I may have even taken a nap. It was a perfect start to what I hope will be another fun yard sale season.

Baby Shower with my NJ Peeps

One of the things that my mom starting talking about as soon as she found out I was pregnant was a party to celebrate with family and friends in New Jersey. The prospect of that made me so happy as these are women that I have known my whole life. Millville is such a huge part of my life, my grandmother, my mother and I were all born there - we all went to Millville Senior High School. My mom's house previously belonged to my grandmother.

While I realize it is unusual to plan your own shower, I also wanted to make sure that my guests had a great time and I had tons of cute ideas. So I threw proper ettiquette out the door - and helped my mom to make what I thought was a great great event.

This first photo is my mom and me in our adorable matching outfits. I totally scored this dress on ebay and it arrived Thursday. The wreath on the front door was made by my uber talented Aunt Pat full of Daisy's and the sign says "Everything's coming up Daisy!"

This photo is of one of my favorite things - we had a "Candy Bar". I had seen some photo examples of these online. I started looking for pink and yellow candy as soon as I knew it was a girl. We even trekked up to Dylan's Candy Bar when we went to NYC to get some cute additions. There were merangues, pink mints, pink lipsticks, yellow and pink starburst (yes I personally sorted them), lemonheads, marchmellow ropes, pink and yellow peanut butter cups and a pink jelly bean assortment from Jolly Rancher. I had stickers on the bags that said "Thanks for making my day so sweet!" The lighting is a little off in the photo but the whole thing was just too cute!

Another personal touch that I thought would be cute was to have baby pictures of us and of the grandparents. The big pink scrapbooked one is me. To the right is Grandma Darlene. In the green frame is Daddy and Uncle TC. In front of the green frame is Poppop Ernie and to the left of me is Grammy Kim. It made a sweet presentation. Not shown but on the same table is a frame that I gave my mom when I told her I was pregnant. In it said - look for an updated photo on June 4th, 2009.

There were about 25 women who were able to join us including my best friend from age 3 Ali (from North Carolina) and her mom Paula (from Georgia) and they brought their new nephew Hunter (who has the most adorable blue eyes), who by the way used to live just two doors down. There were neighbors from the across the street, Bernadette and Jaquay, and next door Lynne and Meghan and the woman who introduced my parents, Mrs Cossaboon. My mom's longest and dearest friends, Sally and George from Goldey, and Phyllis who was her single girl friend and they still keep in touch and Dottie who my mom does to Fenwick with. My sister and niece were there - my oldest niece Alix - was off looking at colleges (which blows my mind because she was born when I was in college). My Aunt and two cousins, and then a second cousin from my grandfather side. And in the family tree that adds branches - and aunt and cousin Lacey from my dad's first wife's side of the family. I grew up with three sets of grandparents with an extra grandfather. The beauty was that everyone liked each other (most of the time) and everyone was welcome. And my grandfather's side that was divorced but his family never divorced us were cousins, Donna (who my mom watched her baby when I was in high school) and Brenda and Mary (who you may remember I have had the opportunity to reconnect with lately because she has come back to Millville and settled down a bit with the addition of her little guy Joel.) Mary did a lot of the photography shown here. It was so wonderful to see everyone.

And of course the gifts - it is so helpful to have such wonderful things to surround the baby with and to have the help when there are so many new things needed. I have registered at babies R us and at Target. A few people went to the practical side and picked up registry gifts, a few went more practical and got the sickness supplies that otherwise I would be running out in the middle of the night for. These gals also could not resist the adorable baby clothes and found dresses and day outfits. Kathy, Jill and Dawn went to the most exclusive baby shop in Millville and found a dress with a sash, a sweater and little white shoes for her. Just absolutely gorgeous. Aunt Pat got into the action and sent a few more outfits and some cutie cutie toys up from Florida. Donna and Brenda made an adorable gift basket with an elephant toy, an outfit and one of those towels with a little hood. Make no mistake this girl will be adorably dressed in pink for the first year of her life.

It was a wonderful day, I was so happy for everyone to share in this momentous occasion with me. It meant so much to me.

Quick weekend recap

Saturday I vegged - at home slightly attached to couch. Watched some TV on the web and worked on a few scrappy projects.

Sunday - I was up and out bright and early I had some errands to run. First was the dollar store where I found the exact same candy that I trudged all the way to Dylan's Candy bar in NYC so I could feel all hoity toity - at the dollar store. And I returned something there I had bought awhile ago. Next a haircut - just a bob above my shoulders - cute! Next Target - I live like across the street but I really don't get there that often. I had a coupon for a free gift card just cause I registered there - and they honored it. YAY. I finished Target with a soft pretzal - they have the best soft pretzals and fountain cokes! Next headed to Arundel Mills - not as productive. But I did get to share a coupon with a lady at Bed Bath and Beyond so that was nice to RAK someone. Next Micheals, where I found 2 of the things I have been looking for! Finally Safeway, where I stocked up on some groceries. Headed home and felt good about a good day!

Then last night, due to some drama that is continuing so I am not going to talk about it here, I found myself awake at 3am and staring out my bathroom window - when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a deer! Just mosying through my tiny townhouse front lawn and then mosyed back to the woods. How crazy is that?!?! I would not have believed it if I did not see it.

And that sums it up!