The First Thanksgiving

Holy Milestone! Kerith is cooking her first turkey, like, ever. Yeah, I know, I wouldn't eat it either! Oh, snap, I guess I kinda have to if I expect others to endure my cooking.

Fortunately, I've prepared myself by watching 30 hours a week of The Food Network each week for the last 4 years. Oh, and did I mention that I've watched the Rachael Ray 60 Minute Thanksgiving II at least 5 times in the last 3 days?

I am so ready to rock this. Besides, no one comes to dinner for the turkey anyway - it is all about the side dishes - which I SHOULD be able to pull off.

In other news, Mikey has been sick for the last week. Sniffles, snot and overall displeasure at life in general, oh my. He definitely picked up J's lack of ability to function under the duress of a cold! Plus, I've turned into EVIL MOM!! and keep attacking him with a booger sucker and insisting on changing him out of his frequently soiled diapers. Thanks mucous. Thanks. And, yes, I'm sorry your tushie hurts little dude, but if you'd just sit still long enough for me to dip you in desitin, you might feel better.

And to think, at this time last year I was waddling (thanks, Mikey) in sadness due to our recent presidential election, rubbing my tummy, fearing for my childs future, yet simultaneously wishing him to GET OUT OH GOD PLEASE BE DONE.

This year, I'm thankful for my family, that my in-laws are in town, that J and I might get to go see New Moon - maybe - assuming the in-laws are willing to babysit for us one night of our four day weekend. I'm thankful for Joe Lieberman. I'm thankful to be employed. I'm thankful for my sweet baby, even if he is cranky when he is sick. I'm thankful for The Food Network, and Mommy Bloggers, and Weight Loss Bloggers, and friends who Blog. I'm thankful for an amazing husband WHO DID NOT WAKE ME UP ON SUNDAY MORNING and instead let me sleep in ALL THE WAY UNTIL 9AM!

I've got a lot to be happy about. What are you thankful for this year?

The Good Stuff...

I'm feeling so inspired lately - which really is a nice change for me. I think it is the change in scenery. Between the new house and the new neighborhood, things just seem to be clicking lately. Even though I have a lot on my mind, it all seems manageable, and I just have this wonderful sense of calmness, happiness, and warmth.

Maybe it has something to do with this little person?



We have so much fun together, and when J joins in on the fun, it is a laugh riot. Mikey loves to play "chase" and loves to rough house with his father. It is so amazing to watch the two of them play together.



So, we are mostly moved in. Mostly. Still have a bit of unpacking to do, and a few straggling boxes at the old place. There is some furniture that just isn't making the trip. We both need new computer desks as ours were on their last legs before the move. Definitely in need of a few new bookcases (liking the Billy at Ikea). But, overwhelmingly, looking to make the place home and make it ours, even if it is only for a year or two.

Halloween Magic...

Mikey's first Halloween was sweet and simple. We visited a few houses for photo opportunities, and other than that we just snuggled Mikey all night in his adorable little costume.



You were the sweetest little cub ever...

Leaving My Foolishness Behind...

Have you ever seen Clean House? Its been awhile since I've seen it, but the host of the show is forever discussing the subjects of that episodes "foolishness." Essentially, these men and women need to stop their utterly ridiculous behavior if they have any hope of ever having a clean house.

I want a clean house.

More than that, I want to leave ALL my foolishness behind. I promised myself that I WOULD leave it behind in Maricopa when we moved into our new home. Now, we are still amidst total chaos living halfway between two homes, but I could no longer continue on with the fast food and other ridiculous behavior. I know better, and I know that even after living in our old house for 3 years we still weren't unpacked and moved in. So - if I wait until we are actually moved in to our new home, I'll never turn over a new leaf. I'll never change. I'll never be better.

So, I just went ahead and decided to completely stop my foolishness this morning. This decision was made in part by the recent surgeries that two of my co-workers underwent in order to have their gallbladders removed after a life of eating fattening foods and living "typical" American lives. Yeah, I'm in my twenties, and they are in their forties, but I don't even want to get close to needing to have my gallbladder removed.

Perhaps you are wondering what exactly my crimes of foolishness are? No? Well, here they are anyway.

1) I don't clean... much. Occasionally I might vaccuum, but other than that, It takes weeks of pep talk and finally becoming disgusted with the filth to convince me to clean. Then, when the house is 1/2 clean, I get distracted and move on to other more exciting things, and leave the house be until it gets back to general dissaray.

2) I don't do chores... laundry, paperwork, walking the dogs, changing the litterbox, doing the dishes, paying the bills. Na, none of that. At least not regularly. I am totally the type of person to leave the dishes in the sink for several days, and the poor cats have gone as long as a week before without me changing out their box. Poor kitties.

3) I don't eat right. I don't exercise. I allow myself to put garbage in, and I don't counter balance it with hitting the treadmill. I'm on the fast track to becoming morbidly obese and obtaining a myriad of diseases.

4) I don't take care of my appearance. It is hard to get psyched about dressing up and makeup when nothing fits right and I don't feel good about myself. The end result is that I'm not the woman my husband married (appearance wise).

5) I don't do enough to cherish my family. Enough said.

So, there it is - my foolishness. I know I'm probably leaving things out, but these are the primary offenders. And since I had to start somewhere, I started at the grocery store this morning. I now have a drawer full of healthy breakfast, lunch and snack options to last the rest of the week at work. As soon as Josh and I nail down a budget, we can determine if we can afford to become members at the Gym I've been eyeballing. I've implemented a new method of "emptying my brain" on to paper so I can form a to-do list each day (I'll write more about that later). Lastly, I'm trying to clean a little bit each evening so I won't have quite as much to do this weekend, and I'm unpacking boxes all week (a bit each night) so, again, it won't be so overwhelming when we get the rest of our things this weekend. My goal is to be completely moved into the house, organized and clean by the time the in-laws arrive for Thanksgiving.

Moving In

Hello Everyone! Sorry to have been MIA for so long. J and I have been busy moving our little family into our new house in Gilbert. I can't wait to show everyone pictures! We are still unpacking, and getting organized, but expect a large update from me tomorrow!