Home Decor

Our next home improvement project is going to be to re-wallpaper our downstairs half bath. I am not much of a fan, but when a room is already wallpapered, you are pretty much stuck with it.

I am in love with this pattern from Ballard Designs.

Add a new mirror...

and a new light fixture....

and voila!

My soapbox

Nie Nie was on Oprah yesterday… she was incredible to watch. Her faith, will to live, and spirit are enough to make anyone take a second look at their life and be thankful…Plus, she looked wonderful in her pumpkin colored sweater and top!

And this is when I step on my soapbox…. My issue was with the stay at home mom who was also a guest with Nie Nie. This woman made my blood boil. She is able to stay at home with her children yet she is bitter and angry about this. The very thought of play-do makes her want to throw up….she does not like eating meals with her children… she does not like playing games with them. Hearing her say this made me so angry. Does she not think her children are listening to her? Does she not think that they can sense your disgust about having to be at home with them? She was one of the most self centered people and now she is on national tv talking about how she does not appreciate her day to day life with her children.

If your life is so awful, get a job. Work at Target. Work at Starbucks. But, don’t complain and moan about having to spend time with your children. You are not going to get any compassion or sympathy. Not from Nie Nie. Not from Oprah. And definitely not from me.

In my next life

I am going to come back as a dermatologist. I think I missed my calling. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to pick at stuff, pop stuff and mess with things that should not be messed with. And I am a product junkie, so it is the best of both worlds. (yes, I know there is much more to that field of medicine..)

Right now my medicine cabinet is full of potions from my dermatologist.

Latisse – I am in love. Being the mascara lover that I am, this is a dream come true. I have been using it for about 2 months now and my lashes are almost touching my eye brows.

Ziana – This is just like RetinA. I have only been using this for a couple of weeks, so I cannot tell a difference yet. I have heard great things about retinoids, so I had to try one. Hopefully this can help undo some of the sun damage I experienced in my yunger years and prevent some of those pesky fine lines and wrinkles. Right now, my face is sloughing off like a snake shedding its skin…. But I know this can’t last forever.

Melasma cream – My brown spots are almost gone! Yipee!

In the past, I have had things lasered off. I have had zits shot full of cortisone. But, I think if I had free reign to all of the dermatological goodness, I might go overboard. I want Botox in my forehead/between my eye brows. I would get rid of the annoying veins on my legs. I would use every cream, laser, peel, injection, plumper and filler out there.

One area where I need some guidance is the order in which to use this stuff.

Ziana, melasma cream, sun screen, moisturizer?
Melasma cream, Ziana, moisturizer, sun screen?
Moisturiser in the am or just the pm?

My cold & dark heart

Last night my cold, dark heart began to thaw out… just a little. Last night’s episode of Brothers and Sisters did just that. (No spoilers here…) And it got me to thinking about how my life has changed since Miss A was born.

I used to never cry or tear up. I don’t like to cry. It gives me a headache, makes my eyes puffy and my mascara ends up all over my face. BUT now I get a lump in my throat at the most random things –

ASPCA commercials – lump
Josh Groban songs – lump
Brothers and Sisters and Grey’s Anatomy – double lump

And I hear stories on the news and the mama bear comes out in me… big time. I want to protect her. I want to do bad, bad things to people that harm or hurt children. I want her to grow up surrounded by people that are head over heels crazy about her. I never want bad things to happen to her. I want to protect her for all the evil in the world. I have only been a parent for 7 months, but I was in tears last night listening to Sally Field/Nora Walker at the end of the show. Something happened to me on 3/10 and I am not the same person I used to be.

If I keep this up for too much longer I am going to become a sap….. or have a lot of wrinkles.

The Preppy Baby also has a great post about this very thing.

**I am not going to be a crazy controlling or overbearing parent because we all know those kids end up in major therapy**

NEW pictures over at Baby M.

7 Things

Up North Preppy tagged me last week... here are 7 things about me:

1. Every afternoon I turn the light off in my office and work just using the light from the window ... the overhead lights get old after a while.


2. I love the idea of buying clothes in bright colors, but tend to buy black, white and cream. Stacy London would get annoyed with me.


3. I am really not that preppy.


4. I wish that I had an accent. Oh wait, I do. I wish I had British accent.


5. Not a fan of pink and green.


6. I posted something on my blog about Perez Hilton, sent it to him, and he posted it on his site. He took all the credit for it and I got annoyed with him and quit reading his blog.
   
7. I worked at a tanning salon in college and was flashed the first day on the job. When the cops were interviewing me about what happened they wanted to know if he had any distinguishing characteristics. My response was "like, was it cold outside?"

Also, there are new pictures over at Baby M.

Do you H1N1?

When it comes to medical issues, I am generally pro-medicine. I get my child vaccinated, I give her medicine if she is sick, and I like to listen to my pediatrician. I do research about important medical issues and Mr. and I make decisions based on our opinions as well as the opinion of her pediatrician.

When we were at the pediatrician for Baby M’s 6 month check up I brought up some questions regarding the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine. I wanted to know her opinion on the issue. She said she had not seen enough information regarding the vaccine and did not want to make a recommendation yet. The government was having a hard time getting enough people to participate in trials, therefore the trial information was lacking.

I have some major questions regarding this vaccine and I am not sure if I want to get Baby M vaccinated for this virus. I know you can get the preservative free vaccine, but that does not calm all of my fears. I want to know long term effects. I want to know the short term effects. I want to know how this vaccine was generated so quickly. Do the benefits out weigh the risk?

Since I have a lot of mom friends in blogland, I want to know what you are doing. Even if you have not made up your mind, I want to know.



**She has already received the first dose of her seasonal flu shot, and Mr. and I also get the flu shot.**

Photography Snob

I am a photography snob. I don’t like studio pictures. I don’t like props. I don’t like the “put your hand on his shoulder and tilt your head” poses. I don’t like the photo collages they try to con you into buying. And I definitely don’t like the cheesy backgrounds. I would much rather get quality, nice pictures done once a year, versus going to a cheap-o picture place every couple of months.

That being said, Saturday morning started bright and early with some family pictures. My parents won this photo session at a charity silent auction, so at least the money went to a good cause. And yes, these were studio pictures. The “studio” was a tiny, cramped and hot 9x9 bedroom at the photographer’s house. They husband and wife team took our lead and only did the poses that I suggested. The only pictures that were taken were when A was looking (and smiling) directly at the camera. If you have ever tried to photograph a 7 mo old, then you know that they are constantly on the move. And it was HOT. I mean, dripping in sweat hot. Plus, they wanted us to pose in front of a grey and blue marble-esq background. Gag me. (I had her switch it over to a solid white background)

We have to go back in 2 weeks to look at the pictures. At the photographers house. Um...… How will I be able to criticize the pictures when the photographer is in the same room with us? Hopefully we got a couple of good shots. Cross your fingers.

What I really want to do is hire Lauren Larsen Photography. I found out about her from a friend and I am in love with her stuff. I have already told Mr. that we are going to hire her for family pictures this spring.

Hey good lookin... what ya' got cookin?

Last week I made a recipe from Figs, Lavender and Cheese and it was delish.

Bacon wrapped chicken, stuffed with chive goat cheese

I mixed fresh chives with the goat cheese.

Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, spread the cheese in the middle, and then wrap bacon around the cheese stuffed chicken.

Pan sear for a couple minutes, and then pop in a 400 degree oven for about 20 min.

Serve with roasted squash, zucchini , red bell peppers.... and of course, wine.