Y3W: Our Halloween Decision



This Friday and hopefully a lot more Friday's to come I'll be participating in "Your 3 Words", a weekly blog hop started by Jenni over at Jenni From The Blog.

Our Halloween Decision

The choice about whether to celebrate Halloween or not has always been a pretty easy decision for my Husband & I. 

We Don't.

We choose to partake in Fall Festival's or other celebrations not centered around ghosts, goblins, demons and tricks etc. 

Now just because we don't celebrate, we don't look down on anyone who chooses to get dressed up and go trick-o-treating, we just don't partake in the festivities ourselves.

The main reason we don't celebrate is that we feel like the day glorifies the things that our faith is opposed to.

Now while I don't proclaim to be perfect...I mean really, I'm faaar from it, the decision to skip Halloween was an easy one for us to make. 

Until we had a child.

You see for a few years as kids, My husband and I (me more so than him) both got dressed up and went door to door getting candy and enjoying the fun of the day.  I even remember getting dressed up at school and showing off what costume I came up with. I even remember one year my mom didn't want to be go out but she allowed me to pass out candy to other little trick-o-treaters. 

We meant no harm or foul by partaking in the activities of Halloween and honestly, part of me always battles with letting her celebrate for a year or two when she begins school. 

I do admit, I feel a little bit bad sometimes that my daughter won't get to experience that fun but she will still have fun during that time.  I guarantee it!

Instead of trick or treating or passing out candy, we attend the activities our church puts on every year for the kids.  They get to bob for apples, get their faces painted, roast marshmallows, play games, and just had a good time doing other activities.  We attended a few of these festivals as children (once our parents made the decision that we should not celebrate Halloween anymore) and we both remember them being a lot of fun as well. 

To us, it still provides a fun alternative for Makenzie to have a great time during this time of year and I think if we explain to her why her family doesn't celebrate Halloween, she will understand. (My Husband & I did and to be honest, it wasn't a big deal to either of us.  Hopefully she will feel the same.) 

I have even thought about starting a family tradition of taking her on hay rides and to pumpkin patches to really give a nice feel of the fun of autumn.

Either way, we as parents will ensure our daughter and future child(ren) will have a ball during the fall season with out having to celebrate Halloween.

Wish us luck!!  :)

Have a great weekend guys!!!

The Mrs.

Wedding Wednesday

Our Wedding Party

Our Wedding Colors were Chocolate, Ivory & Gold.

The Bridesmaids wore chocolate Bari Jay gowns and gold heels.

The Groomsmen wore tan tuxedos with chocolate vests and chocolate shoes.

The Ringer Bearer wore a tuxedo that was identical to the Groomsman tuxedos and the Flower Girl wore an ivory, lace & organza dress from David's Bridal.

Group Shot!

Here is a closer look at the Bridesmaid Bouquets.  They carried ivory, rose bouquets with chocolate & gold accents.  The base of the bouquets had ivory & chocolate ribbon wrapped around the base of the bouquet.  The Groomsmen wore ivory corsages with chocolate ribbon wrapped around the stems.



We chose to have 2 sets of Candle Lighters during our Ceremony. 

The first set lit the candles that were located at the altar. Their entrance signaled to our guests that the Ceremony was about to begin.  They wore chocolate David's Bridal gowns.

The second set of Candle Lighters lit the Memory Candle while our Coordinator read the names of our deceased family members.  The female lighter wore a chocolate David's Bridal dress and the male lighter wore a tan tuxedo with a chocolate vest.

 

Have a GREAT Wednesday!!!

The Mrs.

Southern Mrs.'s Favorite Things--Websites

Don't make that face!  Oprah does it, why can't I?

The only difference is that I won't be buying you guys one of each of my favorite things.

(Maybe one day so stick around!)

Ok.  Now you can make that face. 

Anywho..

I love to read. More importantly...I. LOVE. THE. INTERNET.

LOVE. IT.

I use it so much I should be paid for it…seriously. I have even mastered the art of self diagnosis via WebMD.

By far my favorite thing to do on the Internet is to read blogs (duh) and chat or lurk in forums. Whatever I'm going through, good or bad, 9 times out of 10 someone has written a blog post or started a thread in a forum about it.

One thing I love about forums is that you get information on topics or current events and reviews about products from real people, not someone hired to write an article in favor of or opposing a particular topic of product.

Today, I decided to post my favorite Mommy & Mrs. Websites. Hopefully they provide you with just as much useful information, laughs, tears, and ideas as they have me. I have a lot of other sites I love but these are the ones I am most addicted to. Many of the sites cover both Marriage & Parenting topics.

(not listed in order of preference)

Southern Mrs. Top Mrs./Home Life Websites

LongHairCareFourm--  Yes, this is a website about hair, however they have a number of forums ranging from hair, beauty, fashion, relationships, parenting, religion, politics…you name it they have it. I have learned so much from the women (and a few men) here. This is my most favorite place to surf.

ChocolateBrides-- What can I say about this site…IT'S THE BEST. I found this site about a year before my now husband and I got engaged and I have been hooked ever since. It caters to the African American woman and her lifestyle but they welcome women of all races. Their forums are my favorite place to roam. They help women from pre-engagement, to the wedding, to the marriage, to purchasing and taking care of the home, to the kids, to weight loss…it goes on and on! The love these women display on this forum is almost matchless. There is NO place like CB.

BrownandBridal-- This is another site that caters to the African-American woman/family. I found them pre-engagement and they have helped me through the wedding planning process, the marriage, and beyond. The ladies here are so sweet and are more than willing to share ideas and the triumphs & pitfalls they have experienced in their marriages and lives.

TheNest-- Sister site to TheKnot.com & TheBump.com. Find recipes, budget planners, décor ideas, date night ideas and more! I love the forums here too! My guilty pleasure is reading the hilarious and sometimes outrageous MIL & SIL drama in the Family Matters forum.

BlackAndMarriedWithKids-- This site was created by a 30-something married couple with 4 children. They discuss everything from relationships, kids, politics & current events. They have a great, fresh perspective on a plethora of topics. I have printed out a ton of their articles and discussed them with my friends and family.

iVillage-- I have loved this site ever since I was a single college woman. It covers topics such as relationships, children, beauty, style, women health, etc. They offer a ton of advice for women.

Southern Mrs. Top Mommy Websites

TheBump-- Sister site to TheKnot.com & TheNest.com. This site was my go to site all during my pregnancy. I swear it should have been my home page. EVERYTHING BABY IS HERE! Their forum is my stomping ground and the place I get the most of my information.

BabyCenter-- Another great pregnancy and parenting site. While I was pregnant, I watched the educational videos they have available over and over again. They helped prepare me for labor and were fun to watch for the information on the development of our baby. Sign up for weekly newsletters. The weekly updates they provide from pregnancy through parenthood are priceless!

Parents.com-- I love the magazine so why wouldn't I love the website. Find Ideas, product reviews, recipes, helpful tips, etc. here!

WhatToExpect-- Yet Another fabulous website about pregnancy and parenting.

If you have a few websites you love to frequent, feel free to comment and share them!

The Mrs.

Makenzie--5 Months Old

My sweet baby is 5 months old today!

I simply can not believe how fast time is flying!

Makenzie is a pure joy to have around us and I thank God constantly for blessing us with her and trusting us to care for and raise His child.

I am just in awe that God trusts us and loves us so much to give us her as a child. She is so funny and her personality is becoming more and more apparent. Her Daddy and I just laugh and laugh at her sometimes. She has our family smitten too. I've had a few people tell me…"There is just something about her!" Even without their comments, we know we have a precious jewel.

She is a local celebrity too. Every time we are out with her we get stopped by at least 2 people who dote on how cute she is. I have actually begun to boycott bringing her with me for a quick run to the store now since a 5 minute run for milk turns into an hour long trip because so many people stop us to play and talk to her.

MAKENZIE'S CURRENT STATS:

18lbs 26 inches long (90+ percentile in all categories)

Wears size 3-6 months

Size 2 Diaper

Size 1 Shoe

Here is more of what Miss Mak aka MakDeezy (lol) has been up to:

*She sits propped up and will fight you to sit up if you try to lay her back.

*We have a talker strong babbler on our hands! Her Daddy SWEARS she has said DADA already. (If she does say Dada first, it may be because he spends all day and night in her face repeating DADA, DADA over and over again. (I am am not bitter.) She will also mimic sounds you make and sometimes faces.

*Sometimes in the morning when she wakes up she talks…LOUDLY!

*Also when she wakes up, she stretches just like an adult as if she had the BEST. SLEEP. EVER. I can't wait to record it. It is the cutest thing and one of my favorite things to look forward to seeing in the mornings.

*She knows her bottle now. Sometimes if she is in the midst of crying, I'll wave the bottle in front of her face and the crying will cease and she will squirm in excitement.

*When she gets excited, she will kick and wave her arms like crazy. It's so cute.

*She LOVES her Daddy. It is VERY apparent that she will be a Daddy's girl. Her eyes will follow him all over the room. If she hears his voice, she looks for him and she will even stop laughing and giggling with me to look and laugh at him when he enters the room.

*She has begun to reach for what she wants. She has fallen in love with a pink elephant that she has and will bite and cuddle it when you put it in front of her. I've named the elephant Sophie.

*She holds her bottle. Ok Ok…She can't hold it up on her own but she places her hands on the sides of it when she drinks.

*We have been sliding into solid foods slowly. I think we may wait closer to 6 months to actually begin fruits and veggies. For the time being we are practicing with rice cereal.

*She got her hair styled for the first time. Her Aunt did it and she looks so cute. (pics coming)

*She loves bath time. She will splash and kick and play in her tub.

*While she loves bath time, she HATES getting her hair washed. As soon as the water hits her hair, she has a fit!

*When she gets sleepy, she rubs her eyes. While she is dosing off, she reaches up and plays in her hair. She also does this while drinking a bottle sometimes.

*She can put her self to sleep on her own! Daddy starting practicing this with her by putting her down when she was half sleep. Now all we have to do is see her signs that she is sleepy, lay her down and she will go off to sleep on her own.

*We have made it past the dreaded "Witching Hour" phase!!! We are now in the "Golden Age" of Babyhood! She is now in a good mood ALL day and we no longer dread the evening time.

*SHE HUGS ME! She will rest her head on my shoulder, wrap her arm around my neck and squeeze. I don't know if she realizes what she is doing but who cares! I almost cried when she first did it!

*She can finally hold the pacifier in her mouth on her own!

*She has also gotten used to riding in her car seat. She looks out the window, plays with her toys, babbles and actually seems to enjoy the ride now.

*She still sleeps through the night!  She has been sleeping through the night since she was 8 weeks old!  The day before I had to return to work was her first night sleeping through the night and she has done it ever since.  (Told Ya'll she was a sweetie pie!)

All while I was pregnant I prayed for God to give us an easy baby and for the most part, she has been.  Even the tough times aren't so tough when I hear stories from other parents dealing with the same things we dealt with. 

I'm just glad she's here. 

Our world has not been the same since she came...it's gotten better! 

The Mrs.

Wedding Wednesday

The First Dance

Our First Dance was special.  Both My Husband and I are not dancers so our little 2-step had to suffice.  We danced to Dave Hollister's Forever.  This song gets me every single time.  Wedding pictures are below the music.

Have a GREAT Wednesday!!!

The Mrs.



The Invitation Debacle

Well.

Umm.

Hmm.

Where do I start?

Here is the story of how I became a FedEX protester and a lackluster fan of Tiny Prints.

I ordered my daughter's Christening invitations from Tiny Prints 3 1/2 weeks ago and I just received them on Friday.  LATE!

When I ordered the invitations, I made sure the spelling was correct and the invites said exactly what I wanted them to say. I received an email the same day stating that my order was received and would be sent to their printing department.

A couple days later, I receive an email stating there was a problem with my invites and to give them a call.

The problem?

They didn't agree with the wording on my invites.

Umm…EXCUSE ME?

Basically, in the RSVP section, It simply read "RSVP to Ashley by October 22".  When it went through their proofreading department, they thought it should have a phone number as well.  When I explained to them that it was fine to leave the phone number off because everyone who would be receiving an invite had my phone number, they INSISTED I put a phone number there. I told them that I wanted to leave it as is as to not delay the shipment any further. They eventually gave up and advised I would receive an email when the invites were shipped.

I received the email stating my invites were shipped 3 days later. By this time I was a little irritated because my invites should have been sent out 3 days prior.

At 5:30pm on 10/14/2010, 4 evenings after I received the tracking number from Tiny Prints, I check on the FedEx website to see where my package was since I paid for 3 day shipping. The status said delivered on 10/14/2010 at 11:34am.
 

No, this is NOT when all H*LL broke loose.

In all of my online shopping, I only had to deal with UPS and DHL and I never had an issue out of either service.

I proceeded to call FedEx and file a claim for my package. I told the Representative my dilemma and that my package contained time sensitive material. The woman who answered the phone was rude to me before I had the chance to be rude to her.

I wasn't rude to the Customer Service Representative initially. I only got rude about 5 minutes into the conversation when she accused me of misplacing the package.

THAT'S RIGHT!  ACCORDING TO FEDEX...I LOST MY PACKAGE!

Hmm let's see...

I had not checked the status of my package, but using my Mother's Intuition I knew my package was delivered so I left work during my lunch break...

Drove 35 miles home to pick up my package...

Put it somewhere I would not remember placing it later on...

Drove 35 miles back to work, only to drive another 35 miles back home at quitting time…

To discover I misplaced my package…

Then I had the gall the call their claims department to help me find a package their delivery man delivered and I misplaced…

THIS is when all H*LL broke loose.

I informed the Representative that this was not my fault. I even searched the perimeter of our home for the package in case the non-present wind blew the 2lb package around.

She finally advised that she would have the Carrier contacted to verify where he left the package and someone would call me back within the hour.

3 hours pass. No phone call.

When I call them back, I am connected with a new Representative who was very pleasant. She informed me that the Carrier had gone home for the day but that they would have him retrace his route the next day to find where he left that package. She also advised I would receive a phone call the afternoon of 10/15/2010.

So on 10/15, I wait, and wait, and wait and wait. No phone call. I decide not to call until I get home just in case the package was there.

Lo and behold, it was.

I never called FedEx back and I never received that phone call either. I was done at that point.

FedEx lost a customer as did Tiny Prints and every other website or catalog that uses them.  

Because of this, our invites were mailed late to our guests. I created an Evite after I realized FedEx misplaced our package so our guests still got word in enough time, but the thrill was gone for me at that point.

I can not give an honest review of the product because my view is so tainted right now.

Either way, below is the invitation style we chose for Makenzie's Christening Celebration:

(The hunt for her Christening Gown is an even better story! :) )

The Mrs.

P.S I just found out last night that EyesLipsFace, the company mentioned in this post, uses FedEx as well. Too late to take a stand on that one.

Wishful Thinking

I can not believe Christmas will be here so soon.  This is my favorite holiday! 
OK...let me stop lying...I am obsessed with ALL holidays...but I do love Christmas the most.

Because I have been browsing the net and planning our family photo session for our Christmas Card, I have kinda gotten in the Christmas spirit early this year.

I recently jotted down a list of things I wanted this year.  By the time I was done, I noticed that my list was comprised of things for the house, Makenzie, my husband....nothing really for...ME.

Well I thought about it this weekend and here are 3 things, solely for my enjoyment (yeah right), that I would love to see under our tree this Christmas.

Disclaimer:  One thing I have learned about being married is that you have to make things plain & specific for your husband alot sometimes. Not that they are slow, far from it, but they just need to be pointed in the only right direction every once in a while. Because of this, the links have been posted under each item for my husband in case he reads this post. :)

Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xs Black 10.1 MP Digital SLR With 18-55-IS lens and 2.5" LCD

A new Camera is a must have.  I'm not talking any old digital camera.  I want a fancy, shmacny one.  One that will take phenomenal pictures of our family for us to keep and cherish.

Flip MinoHD Video Camera - Black, 8 GB, 2 Hours (3rd Generation)

A new Camcorder. The one we have is Ancient. Don't believe me?  You still have to use a tape to record on it.  It also doesn't have a USB Port. Told Ya!

I want this for the same reasons as I want a new Camera.  I want Makenzie to be able to hear her voice as a baby when she gets older and see her self crawling around.  (I also REALLY want to embarrass her at her graduations and her Engagement Party!)

Spa Sydell Gift Certificate

A Gift Certificate to Spa Sydell for a Sydell Facial and/or a Swedish Massage. I don't think I really need to explain this one.  For as long as I can remember, I have always loved Spa Sydell and have been a loyal customer. 

A certain husband someone who shall remain nameless (HA!) tried to make me try a new spa once and while I was thankful for his gesture, I am ashamed to say...I hated it!  The technician talked the whole time about her children and life...I mean really  I came to relax not leave more stressed out about your misbehaving children!  Needless to say, that experience reaffirmed the fact that Spa Sydell is the haven for me.

That's It!

Besides asking for a tree that grows money and the winning lotto numbers, I'm all out of ideas!

Sad hunh? 

The Mrs.

$1 Makeup??!!

Yes it's true! 

Pigs fly.

Dogs talk.

And people sell quality (so I've heard) $1 makeup!

One thing about me is that I love to shop...especially online.  This is mainly due to convienience and the wealth of coupon codes and discounts that are not always available in stores.

I recently heard about EyesLipsFace and let me tell you, I am excited.

If you remember this post, I am currently on my way back to taking care of me again and this is one of the areas I had fallen short in.

See, I have makeup. 

A TON of it.

However, I haven't been wearing any of it and most of it needs to be replaced now.  

I really just haven't taken the time to rehab my stash.

Now I can do just that and still keep my husband from eating Spam and Saltines for dinner every night! 

One thing I appreciate about this site is that it allows customers to review the items it sells.

The other great thing about visiting the site NOW is that if you enter the coupon code TREASURE or COLUMBUS you will receive 50% off your purchase.  (offer ends 10/17)

When I made my purchase I wasn't charged tax.  I'm not sure if this is related to the coupon code or something that is standrad for the site...either way, I'm not complaining.

Shipping & Handling is $6.95 regardless of how much you order so make sure you load up!

I placed an order on Thursday.  Once it comes in, I'll give you a review but so far, I have heard nothing but great things about them.

Now if only I could find a site that sells Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft & Gap clothes for $1.

I can dream can't I?

The Mrs.

For The Love of Paper

I love all things paper so needless to say, when it came time to plan our daughter's Baby Dedication, the first thing I dove into was picking out her invitations.

I went over to Tiny Prints and Photo Affections  and had a ball looking at all the different designs.  I even found ideas for our Christmas Card this year.  Aren't these cute?

Photo Affections 

Photo Affections 

Photo Affections 

After browsing Tiny Prints more, I narrowed Makenzie's Dedication invites down to these 3:

Tiny Prints 

Tiny Prints 

Tiny Prints 

I got so excited about the invites that I had to stop myself from looking at 1st birthday party invitations.  I'll save that for next month. *wink*

After the invites have been mailed, I'll follow up with the one we chose. 

The Mrs.

Wedding Wednesday

I decided to dedicate the next few Wednesdays to giving you a glimpse into the Wedding & Reception of my Husband & I.

These will by no means be in order of our day.

I have always loved planning weddings and I have even helped a few people plan and organize their weddings before and after our own nuptials. Once my Husband proposed on March 21, 2010 (and a little before), I fully immersed myself in all things wedding and I LOVED being a Bride. 

We were married on Sunday, August 2, 2009 at Pristine Wedding Chapel in Jonesboro, Georgia.

So for today's Wedding Wednesday.....

THE KISS

Our first kiss as Husband & Wife was really nice.

Nothing over the top...Hey! My Grandma was watching :)...

but sweet enough to seal the deal!

The Mrs.

A Speed Bump On My Journey

I have been on a special journey since 1985. This journey has brought many highs and lows but through it all, I have learned a lot about myself and the importance of having patience.

This journey is not about finding the formula for world peace…

It's not about my journey becoming an adult…

And it's a little more vain than fighting for racial equality…


*Wait for it*


It's my hair journey. (Yes I'm serious)

All women, especially African-American women, have been on this journey whether they recognize it or not. For me, this journey got serious in 2006. This is when I made the conscious decision to really take care of my hair. I said goodbye to my beloved perm, aka the creamy crack, and hello to the hair texture God blessed me with. This decision, though tough at times, has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. The health of my hair has done a complete 180 and has grown by leaps and bounds.

Now after all that work, although I'm not quite where I want to be length wise, I had finally begun to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Well that was up until my actual labor on May 21, 2010…

At about 3 1/2 months postpartum (August 2010), my hair began to shed during a process so creatively called POSTPARTUM SHEDDING.

*cue the dramatic music*

Even typing those words makes me want to curl up into the fetal position in a corner and pray. Needless to say, I ain't (yeah I said ain't) taking this phase of my hair and motherhood journey with a coke and a smile. It's actually more like a mirror and a ugly cry frown.

While I was pregnant, I read EVERYTHING I could get my hands on about pregnancy and parenting….Books, Blogs, Forums, Articles…EVERYTHING….and for some reason I do not recall seeing anything about Postpartum Shedding

Can I sue for this?

So imagine my dismay when I brushed my hair one morning and what looked like thousands close to 30 strands of hair came out in  my hair brush. While I am completely and utterly distraught over this, the silver lining is that the few gray hairs I had have come out too.

God is good! :)

I've read all kinds of things that are supposed to help the shedding end…garlic, prenatal vitamins, etc., but it all seems to boil down to the fact that there is nothing anyone can do to help save my beloved hair. While I'm no where near bald, my hair isn't as thick as it once was.

The shedding does seem to be slowing. This is good news, especially since I have heard one of my mommy friends say that her shedding lasted well past her child's 1st birthday. (Funny how she spills her guts after my hair starts to come out.)

Which each strand I lose, a little piece of my joy goes with it…

I'm totally kidding but I think you get the point!

The Mrs.

Southern Mrs. vs. The Man Cold

That's right.


My biggest baby caught a cold from my littlest baby and it is safe to say that Makenzie has put her father to shame. 


Remember my previous post about how well she was handling her cold?


Well Daddy is the COMPLETE opposite.  I really think he tried to tell me he had the new unidentified strand of the common cold.


So now I'm on double duty. 


God seems to have spared me from my Nemesis, nasal congestion, and for that I am thankful.


I will gladly laugh at care for my Hubby until the whittle baby's (yeah, that's baby talk) cold is gone. 


Meanwhile, I think my Husband may plan the first annual Race for a Cure- Common Cold Walk/Run.


The Mrs.

Southern Mrs. vs. The Infant Cold

My sweet baby girl has a cold. A slight one.

I was sooo unprepared to hear her tiny little sniffles when I woke her up Wednesday morning.

Fortunately, it has not affected her at all…not one bit. She is still laughing, smiling, playing & making faces.

I know this is just a facade to protect her mommy and keep her from worrying. Newsflash Makenzie…
IT AINT WORKING!

She only has the following symptoms:
1. slightly stuffy nose
2. sneezing a few times a day
3. light coughing even fewer times a day

No fever, no whining, no irritability…She really is taking her first cold well.

Momma on the other hand isn't.

You would think that with the way I have been on the internet looking for remedies that Makenzie told me herself that she had some new, unidentified strand of the common cold virus.

Stupid hunh? (It's her first cold…give me a break!)

I know, I know…I'm overreacting but it is hard to hear he congested when I know how annoying it is when I'm that way.

One thing I have done is lock her play with her more in her room with the humidifier on. It really seems to help her congestion.

I'll She'll be fine in a few days I'm sure.

Until then, I'll just have to relax.

*runs to douse the house in Lysol*

Who's That Girl?

We all know that girl.

The girl who is always impeccably dressed.
Make up done.
Nails done.
The girl who is perfectly accessorized.

That girl used to be me. Pre-baby...

Gone are the days when my shoes matched my outfit perfectly. Where my jewelry accented my attire and gave me a feeling of being well put together.

Now a days, my hair is pulled back into a ponytail more often to try and catch a few more minutes of sleep in the morning. A few weekends ago I didn't even realize I left the house with one black flip flop on one foot and a chocolate one on the other foot. (Yes its that bad)

While I've lost the baby weight (per the dreaded scale), my pre-baby clothes still don't fit and I am having a hard time adjusting to my new post baby, pre-workout body. Because of this, I haven't really enjoyed shopping for myself so more often than not, I shop for my Husband and Daughter.

I just feel like a frumpy old woman. (I think I have even forgotten how to walk comfortably in high heels!!)
While I don't leave the house looking a mess, I don't have the same "togetherness" I once had and I honestly don't take the time I once did to present myself to the world.

I just look...ok. Nothing special..

I've tried to shake the rut and sometimes I succeed but its a daily battle I fight with myself. My husband, God love him, thinks I'm loony and I look fine, but I don't want to look fine. I want to look fabulous and I may get flamed for this but I'm 25 and while I don’t want to look like I should be standing on the street corner, I don't want to look like somebody's ratty old mother.

My style has always been classic. While I fawn over trendy items, my heart always favored classic pieces that will never go out of style. Think Charlotte York.

My signature look was always a pair of fitted jeans, a girly top or blouse, a pair of cute heels, matching jewelry and a bag…preferably my beloved LV bag.

I make sure Makenzie, (My perfect little girl) is dressed RIDICULOUSLY CUTE at all times. Think Teresa from The Real Housewives of New Jersey (without all the leopard print lol).

*whines* I just want to be cute right along with her.

I know I am only 4 months postpartum and I still have to give myself time to "bounce back". 

I clearly have not gained one ounce of patience, not with myself anyway.

So my plan is to become that girl again. Well that girl remixed. I know that now that I am a mother, the things that make up "that girl" are just a tad bit different but I am none the less going to try and do this.

I will keep you all updated on my progress and may post a few pictures of my new purchases.

This is a personal journey. Something I am doing to renew myself. I already take care of my husband and daughter pretty well.

I'm doing this for me.

Wish me luck!

The Mrs.

Changing Seasons

With Summer long gone, Fall has officially taken over.

We have said good bye to the hot summer days and nights and hello to cool mornings and evenings. Thankfully, the transition to cooler temperatures seems to be gradual this year, thus allowing me time to get our household ready for the cold weather.

Now that we have a new baby, our routine has been altered slightly. Not only do we need to sift through our clothes and pull out our "winter wear", we need to do the same for Makenzie's things. We also begin to play around with the thermostat to see what temperature is comfortable enough for us to keep us warm and keep the gas bill from totaling more than Oprah's net worth.

I love to decorate our home based on the seasons (although I have been slacking in this department) One thing I love about the fall is the beautiful décor.

Don't these just scream Autumn??!!

It's even more important for me to do this now that we have a daughter because I want her to fully experience each season and the beauty and uniqueness each one presents.

My mission for the next year is to do MUCH better in regards to decorating our home for the seasons. I also want to make sure to have DH & I introduce Makenzie to the best each season has to offer.

I want to make sure she experiences the crunchy leaves and the warm rich colors of fall…

The snow and clear night skies of the winter…

The budding flowers and even the rain showers of spring…

And the sun and sand during the summer…

Of course her doses of these things will be tiny as she is still small but they will be doses none the less.

Here's to fall and every season we are blessed to experience and re-experience in the future!

The Mrs.

Hi There!!!

I have been an avid blog reader for a few years now. I absolutely love reading blogs on various topics like Marriage, Children, Cooking, Entertainment, Pregnancy, etc. I myself, never thought I was interesting enough to write my own blog.

I am no Comedian and I definitely don't skydive every weekend. I mean, really-what on earth would I talk about?

How fast I cleaned up the whole house before company came over?

How I'd rather eat out than cook a meal at home…even though I claim to love to cook?

Or how much I love my Husband and Daughter? Then it hit me…

That's EXACTLY what I'm going to talk about!!

I'm sure there are hundreds of thousands of women who deal with the same interesting boring things I deal with on a daily basis so why not talk about them?

So here goes my attempt to entertain you with my boring interesting life and my personal thoughts.

Be kind and stay awake please.


The Mrs.