I haven't posted because...

...my kids are just so dang awesome!

Plus, who has time for blogging when we have dance practice, birthday parties (I had NO IDEA how many my 4 year old would be invited to this year!), baby showers, consignment sale shopping, bike riding, park playing, movie watching, biscuit/cake/cookie baking :-) and boring things like cleaning house, grocery shopping, doing loads and loads of laundry etc. etc. etc. My life is too busy for blogging, honestly. So, I'll get to it when I get to it...

For now... enjoy reading/learning/finding awesome recipes/checking out some serious eye candy on these blogs I like.

Oh... and make these biscuits... for real! Your life depends on it!

Top Ten Tuesday - Vacations!

So, I need a vacation... DESPERATELY. I'm sure the majority of my mommy friends feel this way. I know I'm not the only one. I just crave a little kid free time. I go to work and there's kids. I come home and there's kids. I go to the grocery store and there are more kids... They've got us surrounded. Now, don't get me wrong. I LOVE my kids! I adore them. I LIVE for them. But sometimes... I just want a little grown-up time. Is that so wrong?

I think not...

So, come along on this dream journey with me, will you?

Here are the top ten KID-FREE vacations I'd like to take...

1. Hawaii : Look at this... does it not just oooze paradise. sigh. People actually live here. That's the crazy thing to me. What must it be like to live in paradise? I will probably never know.

Or maybe something a little more... foreign... more historical...

2. Greece: I am in love with these colors. I think I need a Greek inspired room in my next house. vibrant blue and fresh white. So pretty.

But I'm thinking I'd really like something tropical...

3. Aruba! That's it! I love palm trees and sand and sailboats and blue skies and perfect weather. Let's go there. Shall we? I'm packing my bag right now. As I type. I'm multi-talented that way.

Once I tire of the tropics; however, I go back to some place a little... older? A little more night-life kinda feel...

4. Amsterdam anyone? I hear it's the place to be. And it looks quite lovely.

But I'm so dang predictable... I can't get away from my tropic dreams...

5. Which is why my number five is definitely the Dominican Republic. Oh perfection! I want to be on that beach right now. Toes in the sand, drinking some kind of fruity drink out of a coconut that my private waiter/bartender/masseuse Juan just brought me. Isn't he sweet? I promise Andrew doesn't mind. hehe

So, after I get bored of Juan in the DR, I've decided to go to the other side of the world for a little Asian culture...

6. Tokyo is JUST the place! Look at this! Tell me this does not look like a thrilling place to be?!

Then it's back to the States for a little bit of outdoor adventure in this gorgeous state!

7. Alaska... how can people get anything done if they have this to look at all day. SO beautiful!

Then I think my Andrew and I need a little romance...

8. PARIS! It's just the place! I desperately need to go there. I want to see some art and eat some delicious food! mmm

And once we're back in the US... I think we'll go for a little drive!

9. How about along the Pacific Coastal Highway? We'll stay in some quaint hotels on the beach. Enjoy a bit of the California way of life. I think I could get used to that.

Then after all that travel... I need rest. But not just ANY rest. I need some luxurious rest.

10. So, I'm getting a SUPER expensive room at The Plaza Hotel in NYC. I could stay in that bed for a WEEK! Superb!

I just need to make sure I get this bathroom! ahhhh....

A woman can dream... just dreaming about it made me feel more relaxed. Now it's time to put the kids to bed and take a long hot shower! :-) That's how we relax around these parts.

Hi, my name is Erin and I love cake!

So, I made this awesome (if I do say so myself) cake for my hubby today! - Last weekend we were too busy rearranging furniture and cleaning out closets, etc. So, I ran out of time. I could have been a little more perfectionist about this cake, but for how little time it actually took me to make, I shouldn't complain too much about the final result. I kinda love it. I don't care anything about comic book characters, but I think it's neat. The Flash symbol is made out of chocolate (maybe one day I'll show ya how I do that, but I never think about taking pictures of the process) and the frosting is buttercream. The yummy cake inside is actually a doctored up boxed yellow cake. Trust me, it's good. mmm

Yep, I'm cool. Aren't you glad you know me, dear readers? ;-)

Counting down...

Well, we're a few days into February and I'm sure all five of my readers are dying to know how my weight loss resolution is going. Sitting on the edge of your seat, I'm sure. So far I've had three weigh-ins and I've lost 6.5 pounds. Could be better (in my opinion) could be worse. I really do like the new Weight Watchers Pointsplus program. It's much better, in the terms of I don't feel like I want to eat everything in sight all the time. I feel much less deprived and much more satisfied. So, there's that. But it is sloooow going. sigh. I'm trying to just keep myself motivated. Recognize that 6.5 pounds in three weeks is something to be proud of. Right?!?

So, here's my before picture... sigh

The exercise thing... well, that's a different story. How does one exercise in the winter when I have no desire to do a workout video in my living room, I refuse to spend the money (like I even have the financial flexibility to do that!) to join a gym and it's TOO cold and icy/snowing outside even think about going for a walk (what? I'm a wuss). So, I'm just hoping that the exercise I get when I start back to work on Monday will suffice for the time being. At least until March when Spring is in sight!

Speaking of Monday... I go back to work... WAHHHHH!!!! I don't want to talk about it. Let's talk about it next week, okay? Maybe I'll be better by then. I just had to tell you that if I go off the deep end... there's a good cause.

For now... I'll give you one more tid-bit about my life... one that's a bit more positive and lighter... I'm making a FLASH birthday cake for my hubby this weekend! I CAN'T WAIT!

Caroline Virginia

Four years ago I was preparing myself (as much as one can prepare) to be a Mommy! I laid awake in my bed the night of January 9th, 2007, knowing that the next day would change my life forever. And how overjoyed I was when my little angel came into my life!

Caroline Virginia has become my heart and soul over these last four years! I can't imagine my life without her. She is an amazing, quirky, smart, hilarious, vibrant, creative, spectacular little girl and I am so blessed to be her mother!

She fills my heart with joy every single day. She is endearing and so loving toward others and she is already such an amazing big sister! I can't wait to see her grow in this area and I hope and pray that she and Audrey will be the best of friends!

I love you with all my heart, my sweet BIG girl! Happy 4th birthday! xoxo

I'm BaaaaaAAAck! :-)

Just in time for 2011!

I come here in such a different place than I was almost a year ago in my last post. I now have another amazing little girl (born December 8, 2010) and I have a new job. Oh, what a difference those two things can make in a woman's life! :-) I feel good.

So, I've come back just in time for a little resolution action! Perrrrrrfect!

I normally don't make these things, but I just feel like doing it this year...

Here goes!

1. Lose weight! I know we all talk about losing weight, but for real! I just had a baby three weeks ago. We all know losing weight HAS to be on this list. I will resolve to lose at least 20lbs, but I will not resolve how I will lose said weight. Maybe I'll go back on WW or maybe I'll get way into working out (HA!) or maybe I'll become a vegan (HA!HA!) or maybe I'll just eat better and cut out the soda. Or maybe I'll just sit on my butt and eat cookies and cupcakes (if only that would work! ) and just pray the weight would fall off!

2. Be the best mom and wife I can be! This is self explanatory... :-)

3. Watch less TV and READ MORE! I love to read, but I waste so much stinkin' time watching mindless TV when I could be reading. Andrew and I got a Nook for Christmas, so maybe that'll help!

And I'll leave you with this...

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850

So, that's it for now... hopefully I'll be back. We'll see.

Happy New Year!

discouragement and random questions...

Today I have been discouraged.  I try not to regret things in life.  I know there is a reason for everything and I know that God has a plan.  There are just times when I have to stop and wonder if I had tried a little harder or pushed a little further ... how would that have changed things?  When I sit back and look at the big picture, I realize these things I'm striving for are not really worth all of my stress.  Jobs and titles are definitely not everything.  I know that.  Money and status doesn't bring a person happiness.  So true.  I realize that I still have time to do the things I want to do and if I don't accomplish all I set out in my mind, it's not the end of the world.  It's just that the fast approaching big 3-0 is upon me, and it scares the hell out of me!  No kidding! 

Thirty just seems like this place where I was supposed to have accomplished so much.  I was supposed to have that 2.5 kids and a master's degree and a great house and really feel like I have things together.  But who says?!?  Where on earth did I get this idea that things were supposed to turn out that way?  I really have no idea.  It's just something I've always told myself.  Something I started telling myself at 22, when 30 seemed like it would never arrive and my biggest stresser was if the boy I liked would call me that night.  

 There are so many things in my life that I am thankful for and I can not regret one single thing I have done, because it has brought me so many blessings, mainly my husband and my daughter.  I just can't help but wonder sometimes, when I see people moving on all around me and I feel like I am just stagnant, what else I am supposed to do?  Am I supposed to just be a mom and a wife?  (Not that I take those titles lightly.)  Am I supposed to be a teacher?  Am I supposed to be a nurse or a social worker or a chef or a cake decorator?  Am I supposed to be a nanny or a maid?  Who the heck am I?  And how many other people are feeling this way?  How many other people approach 30  having no idea which direction their life is headed?  

All I know is that I'm ready to move on... I've outgrown my job.  We've outgrown our house.  I have serious baby fever!  It's just time to get the ball rolling in a new direction.  We are trying... but sometimes... on this journey into the great unknown... life can be discouraging.  Today was just one of those days.  

On a lighter note... Candace from twiggie makes has posted some questions as a little "get to know each other" session and I thought I'd take a crack at them... :-)  

Here we go...  

1. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name?  

I really like my own name.  I know that's boring, but I can't think of one I like better.  

2. What was your worst date (as in going out on a date, not an actual calendar date...unless you have a really bad one to share)?  

I went out with this guy when I lived in NYC.  He was so awkward.  Uncomfortable conversation, kept answering his phone during dinner.  After dinner we went for a walk (we happened to be in Chinatown) and we passed an open air fish market and he said he was feeling nauseous because of the smell...  poor guy ended up throwing up all over the sidewalk.  It was just sad.  That was pretty much the end of the evening.  

3.  If you had to teach one subject in high school or college, what would it be?  

I think it would be fun to teach home-ec.  Do they still have that in school? 

4.  When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?  

Probably sometime at work.  My students do ridiculous things sometimes and there are some coworkers that just tell stories in such a way that will make me pee my pants!  :-) 

5.  What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?  

It's really difficult to think of something that was the absolute kindest thing... but I do have a story... When I was still dating my husband and we had been together for only a few months, a friend of his/ours had a birthday party.  Well, I ended up getting really sick at the party and both my husband (then boyfriend) and his friend (the one who was having the party!) took care of me.  Rhyan gave me new clothes to wear.  Andrew held back my hair as I threw up.  Oh... it was terrible... but people who can love you through that kind of thing... that's true love!  

6.  If money or skill-set was no issue, what would you love to do for a living?  

I'd love to be a pastry chef or a cake decorator.  

7.  What is one thing as an adult/parent/spouse you do that you swore you never would do?  

I swore I'd never let my kid watch TV more than 30 minutes a day or something crazy.  I am bad and I let Caroline watch WAY more TV than she should.  ooops! 

8.  If you could go back to one particular time in your life (not to live, not to change anything, just to visit) when would it be?  

I'd go back to my senior year of high school.  I remember that being a fun time.  I'd just like to see who I was then.   

9.  If your walls could talk, what would they say about you (good & bad)?  

They would say, "you need to stop wearing those maternity yoga pants, Erin!  Your kid is 3 for cryin' out loud!"

10.  If you could fix or put an end to one problem in the world what would it be?  

To find a cure/cause for Autism.