Someday I will be (would like to be) organized.

We have a lot of stuff! Wait, check that, I have a lot of stuff.  Is has some stuff, but most of it is confined to the garage due to lack of room in the actual house, over-ridden with my stuff.  Stuff, junk, things, chatchkies, crap, necessary items.  A lot of stuff.  And add in the baby and a fashion crazed teen, we have too much stuff.  I need some storage solutions people!  Also, I could get rid of some stuff.  But honestly, I’m a closet hoarder, and I’m gravely afraid that the moment I get rid of something I will find a use for it.

Even though I am hesitant to just “clean house” per say, I have been getting rid of things in a slow, untimely manner over the past few months, since just before Ike was born (call it nesting maybe?).  Lately, I’ve had a bug about finding a logical storage system for the remaining stuff (junk) in the clutter sinks of our home.  These sinks have been identified as the worst offenders:

1. Bathroom cabinets

2. Kitchen pantry

3. Coat closet (which also doubles as cleaning supply closet and extra living room throw blankets storage)

4. Linen closet

5. Garage (yikes)

I started with the bathroom, since this is the area I see (second) most and is easily attackable after Ike goes to bed.

Here’s the cabinets before.

Aaaaaaand TA-DA! After.

Disclaimer: Not pictured the bathroom specific cleaning supplies (I’m looking for an over the door basket to contain them for easy retrievability).  Also not picture, the counter top.  I need a tray or something for makeup and the husbands shaving accompaniment thingies.  Anyway, it’s a start!  Up next…the pantry.  Dun dun DUUUN!

Well, that’s it for today, off to go pack everybody up, we’re headed to Indiana tomorrow! TTFN!

Graduation Party

The Atlanta Graduation party was this weekend.  It was tiring, but totally worth it!  So ready to do it all over again in Indiana next weekend.  My dad and Isaac’s papa came in town for the festivities.   We had a great time, and we are still beaming with pride over her achievements.

The theme was mexican.  So there were salsas (shown below) and tacos and ague frescas.  And yum!

Here is our non-traditional guest book, people were to leave words of wisdom for the soon-to-be college girl.

And here is my favorite.  A photo backdrop and props.  We have some great shots of her with all her party guests.

Anyway, I hope the special girl had a good time, I sure did planning and being there.

And as if we didn’t have enough going on this weekend, Isaac and I left the party to meet up with two friends to go to a Dave Matthews Concert.  I am not a super-fan of Dave’s but I always enjoy his band during live shows.  Last night was no different.

On to fitbit tracking…

I kicked butt this week!  With steps anyways.  I still suck at food tracking…  And it’s been a crazy week too!  It has helped that I have officially transitioned to my new job, on the opposite end of the building, making the trek to the mother’s room a whopping 800 steps now!

Here are the steps for this week.

 

Stats:

Days at step goal. 6!

Overall Steps. 79,862! Whaaat!

Active Minutes. 153

Days food tracked. 2ish

Goals for next week:

Days at step goal. 6 (because I set a standard now!)

Overall Steps. 70,000

Active Minutes. 150

Days food tracked. 4

I know I have issues with the food, and this week was particularly bad.  With company in town, over-committed evenings, and new shop folks to impress (hello donuts and AMT day lunch!).  I have resolved to make a change next week.  I am armed with a meal plan (thanks eatingwell.com) and a shopping list, and an extra day off to prepare!  I’m bound and determined chick-fil-a be darned!

Happy Memorial Day weekend, thank you military men and women and their families for all you do to keep us safe.

Graduation Day

We have a high school graduate in our midst.  Last night Gabby closed the book on her grade school career.  She graduated, with honor, with beauty and grace and class.  She made it, did she ever make it!  This year she moved, away from her mother and family and friends and high school of three years.  She came to Georgia and went to school not knowing a soul.  She played a sport, joined some clubs, received straight A’s all year, and made friendships to last a lifetime.  This year she learned to drive, became eligible to vote, got accepted to college.

The little girl I met three years ago, sitting on the floor at her cousin’s house, has bloosmed before my eyes, into an intelligent young woman absolutely bursting at the seams with potential.  I’m proud, proud, proud, to say I know her and have had the opportunity to watch her come into her own.

We are all excited (albeit a tad nervous) as we start a new book, the college years.  I’m so glad to have been a part of her growing up, and I’m looking forward to staying a part of her journey into adulthood.  But before college, there’s two weeks of partying to do to celebrate graduation.  Must go craft things now, byes!

PS This also happened yesterday.

What the heck kid!  Would you lay down and say “gaa gaa goo goo” like a normal six month old baby!?!

Ahem, I mean happy six months, or half a year, or whatever my baby boy.  I love you so much! And I’m so happy that I get to be your mommy.  Please stop growing up so fast, I’m just enjoying it too much!

My Son, the Dork. Already

Man is this my son.  And his father’s baby.  I mean I guess I should have expected this, but maybe not this early.  He’s a giant dork!  I mean the goofiest, silliest, most expressive little person I’ve ever met, and he’s not even a half a year old!

Behold, photographic evidence of my son’s dork-dom.

“Wait, I can see this way too! Hi Mawmaw!!”

“Mmmm coffee.  Hmm tastes like all the other paper I eat, I don’t see what the big deal is mom.”

 

Ok ok, I may have had something to do with this one…

 

And also this one.

 

Hehehe…he was my dinner date.

 

“One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong here…”

Look really close, he’s got a photo bomber.

 

I don’t even know what is going on here.

 

“Naner, naner, naner mommy”

So, I guess we all may have something to do with all the dorkiness… But he definitely does some on his own too! Oh just wait til my husband gets him into the Star Wars pjs grandma just bought!

Fitbit Fridays

***Ooops forgot to publish this on Friday***

 

Oh hmm.  Not so good this week.

I made sure to reach my step goal for today, to try to kick start next week’s recordings.  Although I did not log any food, because I ate a cookie for breakfast and frankly, who wants to remember that?  Nevertheless, here are the numbers.

 

Stats:

Days at step goal. 3

Overall Steps. 69,154

Active Minutes. 116

Days food tracked. 1.5

 

Goals for next week:

Days at step goal. 5

Overall Steps. 70,000 (so close this week!)

Active Minutes. 150

Days food tracked. 4

I know that food is what I need to work on.  I’m having some trouble though organizing my thoughts (and my kitchen) for a week of meals to satisfy everyone, and meet my nutritional/caloric goals.  I am at no loss for recipes and resources.  I’m not really sure what the issue is, maybe over-stimulation?  Maybe I’ve thought about it to death? Maybe it’s time to stop thinking and start doing.  Where have I heard that before, Home Depot commercials?

I like to make lists

I love lists! They make me feel organized and together and at ease.  I rarely follow them, and I often lose them, but I love to make lists!  They help me to stay anxiety free and organize my thoughts.

We have a lot going on around here these days.  A graduation next month, a middle schooler trying to pull up grades at the end of the year push, a baby, two jobs, social commitments to balance, family floating in and out of town.  It’s all wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but I like to have a plan.  Plans and lists.  Love!

Here’s my week at a glance.  Obvi this doesn’t contain everything, but it helps jog my memory so I don’t forget things.

Here’s my list of food things for the graduation party in two weeks.

I also keep assorted lists at work, and often transfer them from one day to the next accounting for things that just didn’t get done.  I’d show my to do around the house list, but it’s kind of embarrassing and might give too big of a clue the state of our household.

And an Ike List.  This is a list of foods that Ike likes, and a list of foods he does not (not yet anyway, I’m not giving up that easily!)

Ike Likes

1. Oatmeal

2. Sweet Potatoes

3. Avocado

4. Peas

5. Bananas (sometimes)

Ike HATES

1. Prunes

2. Rice Cereal

3. Zucchini

4. Green Beans

Here I would show an adorable video of Ike hating prunes, but since I’m new to this blogging thing, I haven’t figured out videos yet.  It’s a little more complicated evidently than drag and drop so it’ll have to wait until I’m a little more determined.

 

 

Mother’s Day Weekend

Happy Mother’s Day!  To all the mothers, grandmothers, step-mothers, godmothers, any mothers out there, cheers! And thank you for all that you do! This was my first Mother’s Day.  I learned a very important lesson, that children do not always follow the plan, even on our day.  Today I asked to go to church, with everyone, my kids, husband, and my mother and baby sister.  At mass my sister was complaining that she didn’t feel well, long story short there was a trip to the ER and foiled plans of a ham dinner and company. She’s fine now and we ate a bucket of chicken, except Ike, Ike ate peas, begrudgingly, and we plan to have fancy ham dinner tomorrow. Ike was super cute in his duds this morning, but those pics are yet to come.  The hubby and stepdaughter are a bit bickery today and the photos are on her dslr camera.  Here’s a shot of him all dressed up yesterday for Braylen’s first birthday party.

 

 

 

 

Here’s to all the mothers.  I now know that Mother’s day is not a day off, but a day on, because being a mother is quite possibly the most important job in the world.

Flowers from my dears!

Baby Selena Is Here!!!

Ike has a new baby cousin, little Selena Marie Bell.  She was born on Wednesday at 8lbs 7oz.  She is beautiful!  My little sister Wendy adds a third member to her family, Selena looks just like her big sister Savanna.  We are all thrilled that baby and mommy are doing well and can’t wait to meet her!

 

On a slightly more self-centered note.  I am trying futilely (and not completely committedly) to lose the baby weight plus  a few extra pounds that have crept up over the years.  I got a fitbit tracker for Christmas this year and have been wearing it religiously.  I have not been using it to it’s full potential.  I plan to though!  Anyway, on Fridays I will post my fitbit data for the week and track some progress.  Total steps, days at goal, days at calorie goal (I have not been tracking calories but I will start!) So here’s my jumping off point…hopefully some improvements are coming soon!

 

Stats:

Days at step goal. 2

Overall steps.  62,713

Active Minutes.  123

Days Food Tracked. 0

 

Goals for next week:

Overall Steps. 70,000

Active Minutes. 200

Days Food Tracked. 5

My First Post

How does one begin a blog?  I’ve never seen a first post… Hmm.  I suppose the most logical place to start is about myself.

 

I’m a 31 year old wife, mother, and step-mother. I’m also a wanna-be gym rat but really who has the time, a somewhat-accomplished home chef,  a massively disorganized, overworked, over tired, let me just add one more thing to my plate, person.  But who isn’t these days?

My family and I live in Atlanta, GA and my husband and I are both employed full-time at the local airline.  I am an engineer currently in transition from one department to another.  My husband is a senior Project Manager in the material management division.  We are both college graduates, him from Purdue University and me from Auburn University.  I would consider both of us very successful in our careers.

Our kids.  My husband has a daughter who is 18 years old, she has relocated here to Atlanta to be with us for her senior year of high school, which has flown by in the blink of an eye!  She will be graduating later this month, OMG! And then it’s off to college at Georgia State University.  And then there’s Ike.  Ike is five months old.  Ike is our honeymoon baby.  Ike is the little bundle of joy that turned our lives upside down.  But you know, things look pretty amazing from this view.

Here they are, the day after Ike was born.

My husband and I have been married for one year and three months.  In that year we have, you know, had a wedding, and a honeymoon, and also a baby, and a teenager, and a preteen (my baby sister), we had a parent move here to be near the baby, we have both changed jobs.  We have been on one hell of a roller coaster! I do not intend to get off any time soon, I am having the time of my life!

Me and Is on our wedding day.

I want this to be our lives, our struggles with the two ends of the parenting spectrum, our attempts (and failed attempts) to eat and live a healthy lifestyle, our blessings and victories, and our failures and challenges.  I want this place to be where I can come and remember what it was like to be us, right now.

Welcome to my life.