tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24820625325167297342024-03-14T04:26:46.625-04:00Sarandipity IIMehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-17845113920509795982013-07-21T22:08:00.000-04:002015-07-16T18:00:02.427-04:00My First Triathlon:Two flat tires, hit by a car, and dead last. BEST
FEELING EVER.My First Triathlon:Two flat tires, hit by a car, and dead last. BEST FEELING EVER.
Swim: 25% freestyle swim (you know that arm over arm awesomeness elites do) 75% backstroke (my strong stroke, I swam this on my HS team) stayed to the way outside so I wouldn't hit anyone. Worked out well. Finished Swim strong and ready to bike.
Bike: Holy hell. I did out the map on Mapmyrun.com with where my "incidents" happened here is the run down.
Rode 1.95 miles and just before the first hill on Jordan St my back tire went completely flat. Popped the tube. Decided "screw it, I can turn this into a duathon and I'll swim and RUN a half marathon." (aka I'll just run the bike portion with my bike) Started running with flat back tire on bike guiding bike with one hand while I ran 2.63 miles. At that point FINALLY a Y van came by and helped me change the tire. Mary (#97) had given me everything in her pack when she rode by saying she didnt' know HOW to change the tire but once I found a Y member they might. My heroes in the van helped me patch the tire....which then blew once we inflated it on the bike, remove the tire again and replace the tube completely with one a passing cyclist (NOT IN OUR RACE) gave me when they saw my bike upside down on the side of the road being repaired. Get that settled start riding again. Ride 2 miles and a mini van almost hits me when she makes an illegal UTURN in the middle of the street. She was coming against me on the left and cut her wheel to change directions. When she was on the right side of the street she cut me off so badly I had to slam on my brakes to a complete stop. She never acknowledged me yelling...may have been that she was busy on her cell phone. .25 miles later this SAME GIRL cuts a quick right into a driveway using NO signal or brakes and collided with me, knocking my bike over and throwing me thankfully from my bike onto grass. Still on her cell phone. I left a hefty dent in her van. Her "mom/aunt" person comes and says she needs my info for insurance and that I am 50% at fault. At this point I ignore her lack of compassion for human life and ask the tractor trailor that was behind me to please call the police and "notify the YMCA Triathlon in bright yellow shirts that they have a rider down". They do so. While I wait I sit on the curb sobbing. Asshat on the cell phone and her grown up do not offer me water, or ask if I am ok just state that I am 50% at fault again. SAME Y van that helped me with the tires returns to assess me, my bike, and pretty much tell the lady and her young friend (maybe 19yrs old) that cyclists have the right of way, blinds spot or not she was at fault for assault with a deadly weapon. (I WANTED TO CHEER BUT I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO COMPOSE MYSELF AND STOP SOBBING). Joe Halus, the Y employee, now urges me to please get in the Y van and abort the race. I refuse, He repeats himself holding my shaking hands. I cry at him and say "I am committed to finishing this." He says ok he will ride ahead and make sure the water stays open and that they don't take down the finish sign. I start pedaling again. I make it back to T2 (which is mostly disassembled). Put down the bike and head for the run chute.
Run: People cheer me on to the run. My most amazing BFF Sara and my husband Ben are there now. He runs with me a bit to ask what the hell happened and why am I so behind. When I tell him he throws his shoes off and says he will run the 5k portion with me barefoot and in his swim trunks. And he does. Faithfully.
Finished in 2:34ish.
I am unstoppable. I am a triathlete.
I got to set an AMAZING example for my almost 8 year old son. That no matter what, when it is hard, and when you are last, and when you want to give up because you keep trying and it keeps not working......you still do not quit. You finish what you start, and you be proud of what you do. THAT was what today really gave me.
He asked me "mom you were last, like last last, why are you so happy?" I said, "because I didn't give up. It was hard, and I was last but I didn't give up. So I won anyway." HUGE LIFE ALTERING THING FOR MY SON TO LEARN. I can not say it enough. My two young daughters, they may not remember, but he will. — feeling determined.
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Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-74274861386381653312013-02-19T16:22:00.001-05:002013-02-19T16:27:42.058-05:00Day 19So I am 19 days into my "reboot". I have ran pretty consistently increasing my speed work on the dreadmill, I am eating healthy, with only TWO exceptions in sugary snacks (Snickers candy-bar and two bowls of Lucky Charms) in 19 days. I am down 4 pounds. I wish for all this sacrificing of my favorite high sugar high carb snacks I had a bigger number there but I'll take it, 4 pounds is 4 pounds.
Today I started the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. 30 days of a 20 minutes exercise every day. Sounded a little too easy....then I did day one today and sweat through my clothes. You can learn more about it here:
<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_5363883_do-jillian-michaels-day-shred.html">http://www.ehow.com/how_5363883_do-jillian-michaels-day-shred.html</a>
And if you dare try level one here:
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1Pc-NizMgg8" width="420"></iframe>
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GOOD LUCK!
Current Weight 135Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-10337227400193826602013-02-01T16:46:00.000-05:002013-02-19T16:14:26.749-05:00February RebootLast weekend I took part in the Landmark Forum. It literally changed my life. It is hard to describe 39 hours worth of work on yourself in 3 days and one evening in a 5 minute conversation or even a blogpost. The best way I have to describe it is I was given a spam filter for my brain. I am at peace. I am calm. I really do "get it". I am excited for my life for the first time in a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOng time AND Ben has seen such a transformation in me in 3 days that he has registered for the Landmark Forum in Boston in March. I took a stand for him and told him that I thought he could get a lot of benefit out of the course as well, even though everyone gets something different, and not exactly what they *thought* they were going to get. Amazing breakthroughs happened in my life last weekend. With my mother, my sister, and my husband. My friend Danielle was the one who took a stand for me and introduced me to Landmark, I will be thankful to her till the day I die. Life. Altering.
So in creating a new possibility for myself to be brave, happy, and complete I decided to start a "reboot" so to say in February.
I make a list of things I am going to get done each day and I actually do all of them. To be a woman of my word with integrity. To be ON TIME. To commit to myself and be authentic with everyone I come in contact with. Starting today, February 1st I declared a month straight of healthy eating, daily exercise and 8 hours of sleep every night. I am curious to see where this takes me.
Starting weight 139.0 on my digital scale.
Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-43204152926841040362012-04-08T19:01:00.003-04:002012-04-08T20:24:25.859-04:00Dunkin SagaSo, things have happened at what feels like a rapid pace since Christmas. I will insert some "back blogs" with pictures soon of Christmas and a few other things most likely tonight or tomorrow. But onto the Dunkin Saga...<br /><br />January 1st I was promoted after 5 weeks of employement from Crew to Management at Dunkin. I was asked to manage the store inside the Seekonk Walmart. Excited at first over the pay increase, benefits, and the full time status of 40 paid hours I accepted before I KNEW KNEW all the nitty gritty details...like the exact pay increase. They got me for a cheap $9/hour because they could, and because I was promised the big homestore and more money with what would be the expected in "about 3 months" once I learned the ropes at the smaller store. I was fed this awesome string of bullshit about how the team was going to shift around and where everyone would be by Spring and trusted them hook line and sinker. I mean, why wouldn't I? They seemed like a stand up franchise/GM. After all, they out of nowhere bought my family a Christmas tree and all its trimmings this year, even delivered everything as a surprise, once they caught wind that I had three kids and our lack of tree. <br /><br />But here we are, about a week into March I realized I was not being moved. I mentioned a few times to my boss that I needed more money to stay on as we had discussed. No can do, he says; "me too, believe me". So Ben starts looking for full time day work. And he gets a break, a big break, a career break. We discuss it. He takes the job and I explain to my boss that with no raise, no benefits (vacation, health insurance, anything) I have to do what is right for my family and step down/switch to nights so that I can be home during the day so that my husband can take this opportunity. He says, "absolutely you need to do whats right for your family. I will see what we can do about keeping you on as management here at night instead, but I have to run it by Charlie (the head franchisee)." No biggie right? I gave him 2.5 weeks notice. So...the monday before my last day I mention if he needs help with the schedule or anything for staffing the following week? I ask if he needs me to come in everynight next week to do the books? I ask what my schedule might be? I ask if I am still management? I ask if I'm being moved to a new store? And I ask if he knows what is going on? Has he ordered the change in the donut/bagel case as required by Dunkin Brands so its here as my first day NOT on the schedule is actually the first day of the new menu rollout (window 4). Has he talked to Charlie? This goes on everyday for 5 days....with nothing but vague answers and "I'm working on it" responses. My last day of work was April 1st....which I came in a worked to help my boss out because he misscheduled someone to work who had requested it off months ago...and it was approved and on the approved days off file he has me keep.<br /><br />It is now April 8th. I have not worked in a week. I have no schedule. I still haven't heard from my boss nor has he returned my phone calls or texts. Except for yesterday when one of my former employees asked if I could work next Saturday. So I am now scheduled for Saturday the 14th from 9am-4pm. Even though I said I could only work till 3 on the weekends. So....let me get this straight, I go from being one of your "aces" to being forgotten about and given 8 hours of work in 14 days. <br /><br />I am THIS close to saying, I appreciate everything you have done for my family. But I need to have a steady income and I feel like this is completely unfair and unprofessional given the notice I have provided and the work I have done. <br /><br />But I won't....yet.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-35320088769476327522011-12-20T19:59:00.004-05:002011-12-20T20:11:16.203-05:00DrainedI feel so completely drained. I haven't been able to do anything lately. Work, take care of kids, clean house, do laundry, sleep, get up, work, take care of kids, clean house, do laundry, sleep, get up, work, take care of kids, clean house, do laundry....<br /><br />I miss my girlfriends. I miss going out with my husband. I miss having time to myself. <br /><br />I do love my new job at DD's and I LOVE that I know there is additional money coming into the house to help tackle the bills now that I'm there its just so hard to find a balance. I need to get a gym membership asap or I'm going to go insane from not running. That is my outlet. I NEED to run. Its so therapeutic. And I feel like a million buck afterwards. <br /><br />I am going to start The Happiness Project on the first of the year. I've had the book since March but have literally been waiting for the New Year to start it. And I need to finish my Dr. Phil book (that man is a genius). <br /><br />I felt so rejuvenated after my six day stay at Butler Campus last month. Group therapy with Maria, Eric and Matt was the biggest help and I learned things about myself and my situation that I don't think I would have ever figured out on my own. I got a new psychiatrist, new medication (really the old stuff I stopped taking but a new dosage), and a therapist that I meet in the new year. Things are better at home, mostly because I have a new skill set on how to handle life here and Ben and I are getting back on track as well. Our trip to VT and the renewal of our vows was the catalyst in that case.<br /><br />Off to go attack the laundry...and dishes...and then sleep, get up, work, take care of the kids.......Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-36986651383496107812011-11-02T23:28:00.001-04:002011-11-02T23:29:51.847-04:00129.8That's right! I'm UNDER 130lbs! <br /><br />*Happy Dance*<br /><br />Yay for running, eating right, and a few boxing classes!Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-13297542893416698552011-11-01T21:51:00.003-04:002011-11-02T21:04:55.973-04:00Walmart Wednesday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMDs6aOqx-l3oTPnWeE4NzrBauvc7srUCtV9F-OuurMvtzrSaRbPKRftBVMDZyxQEpmzcydrq7NyDgb5csoMchCrOoDTPJGI8dbZkEqO7XeHRn-7s3Gy0QyJOcbiaGNqKLHrnPImmK_U6/s1600/walmart+wednesday.aspx"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMDs6aOqx-l3oTPnWeE4NzrBauvc7srUCtV9F-OuurMvtzrSaRbPKRftBVMDZyxQEpmzcydrq7NyDgb5csoMchCrOoDTPJGI8dbZkEqO7XeHRn-7s3Gy0QyJOcbiaGNqKLHrnPImmK_U6/s320/walmart+wednesday.aspx" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670210555013044306" /></a><br /><br />My bestie Sara has a blog/link/jump thing that she does that's called Target Tuesday. <br /><br />I, am a regular at Walmart so I thought I would counter that with a Walmart Wednesday. <br /><br />This is a fabulous store. Mind you the quality is not so hot, but when you are a family of five that blows through clothes and necessities like wildfire spreads in California you gotta do what you gotta do. Not to mention any place with cheap groceries, baby products, health and beauty, a pharmacy, nail salon and anything else you can imagine all under one roof that saves me from loading and unloading a kindergartener, a toddler, a baby and a monster double stroller in and out of a corolla gets my vote. So without further ado...the purchases of fabulosity this week are:<br /><br /><br />You won't see anything cause my stupid computer freezes everytime I try to upload a photo now. <br /><br />Awesome. <br /><br />It was a kick ass sweater and scarf. <br /><br />Sorry you missed it.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-41421830870365949022011-11-01T21:37:00.003-04:002011-11-01T21:48:58.223-04:00The Coveting of ScrubsI am pretty sure this will be a massive ramble but I'm going to let it flow out anyway. <br /><br />I have wanted to be a doctor for a long time. Family would never support me in this. Only my husband and a few super close friends ever have. Eye rolls are something I have gotten accustomed to in my family. My sister is the "focused one" and I'm just the dreamer. I know how I am perceived. Funny thing about perception, it doesn't really tell you shit about shit. I started a degree in Surgical Technology in 2006 because I thought that would give me a foot into the medical field. Being a mother, my days and time are never really my own. But now, five years later, I still watch all these shows on tv, Grey's, old ER episodes, Discovery Health and all I think is "I could have been one of them". I watch my mom watch COPS, court shows and CSI and all these Criminal Justice shows. I said to her once "mom you love this stuff so much you should go back to school for it." She always says "Nah, its too late now." And although I know my mom is REALLY good at her job in finance/banking and all that, I always wonder...does she feel how I feel when I watch medical shows? <br /><br />It is silly really. Going back to school now. How stupid. I have three kids, I don't use the degree I have now (the field is too overrun with BAPsychers that you can only be competitive with a Master, PhD or PsyD), I make cakes and run a business, and Ben just started his Bachelors degree all over again. But still....<br /><br />I miss the feel of scrubs.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-39073974779270575702011-08-30T23:39:00.002-04:002011-08-30T23:42:44.392-04:00Sh*t or get off the potI am coming to this not so nice place where I either need to really give TCB everything or I need to find a day job/get my masters/finish Surgical Tech. Its a lot to think about. I LOVE what I do with cakes and the shop but I am still not pulling in the business I need to make this a "full time paycheck". A lot of the money I make goes right back in or sucked into my house bills which makes it impossible to GROW TCB into what it needs to be. I feel like I have a constant headache. Oh, its a stress headache that I know for sure. I just wish I knew how NOT to have one....Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-71070605097896832852011-07-24T22:35:00.006-04:002011-07-24T22:46:53.496-04:00Cliff notes of latelyWow I have not been blogging. Shame on me. So much has happened since my last blog entry! Here is the foot note version and I'll go into more detail in tomorrow's post. <br /><br />Violette is completely healthy, becoming quite the roli-poli like her sister and has started to eat baby food. <br /><br />Sav, has learned the word "NO" and is now a complete little Diva who throws fits worthy of her own reality show. <br /><br />Aidan is growing taller and taller and is now swimming without "swimmies" in the pool. <br /><br />Ben is miserable at his job but has found comfort in a weekly game night with his "boys" which has actually lead me to a fabulous new girlfriend as well. <br /><br />Karaoke is back in my life, thank goodness because I really do find that to be so stress relieving and a fun way to get out. <br /><br />I have started running and trying to eat healthier. <br /><br />I reconnected with a long lost friend from middle school that I never thought I would see again in my life only to be spending laughter filled afternoons together with our kids. <br /><br />And finally The Cake Biz is on fire. I am working longer and harder at making it a success and it is really paying off!<br /><br />Off to bed now I have a meeting for TCB in the morning and then a much deserved massage scheduled for noon (thank you Groupon! I got this massage off of Groupon.com for ) 60% off like 4 months ago and I am finally using it!)Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-29027639864221653132011-05-05T18:47:00.002-04:002011-05-05T18:53:25.542-04:00Best Dr. Phil advice ever...I have recently fallen in love with Dr. Phillip McGraw, aka Dr. Phil. I LOVE this take on things. I am yet to see a show or read an article or book by him that I do not agree with. This week he had two couples on his show that were not being honest about money with each other. Like one would cash her check on the way home on Fridays and hand her husband the same amount of money every week saying she was salary when in fact she was hourly and making WAY more than he thought. Another got $8k in a settlement and never told him....and spent every dime over the past year. They were talking about getting divorced and not being happy and Dr. Phil had this to say to them. <br /><br />"I think we pull the trigger on divorce in America way too quickly. I think if you're going to get a divorce, you've got to earn your way out, and that means you've got to do all the work. You have to turn over every stone, investigate every avenue of rehabilitation you can before you quit." <br /><br />This is what I could find of the quote from the episode online without having to buy the entire transcript...which I may just do because his speech at the end was THAT moving to me. But I agree. Its easy to walk away. Its easy to say, I'm done. Its easy to just close the door. Its hard to look in the mirror, assess what is damaged, and find a way to fix what was once "perfect". It is no secret in my life that I have an awful taste in my mouth because of my parents divorce when I was 19 years old. I'm not going to say I never thought of it, but I would like to know that if it ever came to that that I "earned" it. That I worked every second, of every minute, of everyday to try to make things work between me and my partner. I already said it but I'll say it again, I love Dr. Phil.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-21309158897206224812011-04-29T19:11:00.001-04:002011-04-29T19:15:03.836-04:00Just as I predicted...141.2 lbs this week. That's UP 3.2lbs.<br /><br />FFS. Time to stop cheating the diet and get back to the rules and exercise. $*#&#^&$*$(&#(*#&^*W&^*@#)(!@&@(#*^Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-64815354998242645642011-04-28T19:20:00.002-04:002011-04-28T19:41:10.383-04:00Week from HellThis week was easily one of the worst weeks of my life. Violette Rose is terribly ill. Multiple trips to Hasbro by ambulance and alternating that with trips to the pediatrician in the last four days has left Ben and I at the end of a very quickly fraying rope. Vi has been diagnosed with Severe RSV Brochiolitis. It is a common cold type virus but when infants get it it is harder to treat, fight, and control. Especially when they are only 4 months old like Vi. RSV can then lead to pneumonia or brochiolitis. We got the option two...and today were told that maybe even the start of option one. Fabulous. Vi also has a baby yeast infection, an ear infection and thrush. She is on a nebulizer round the clock until further notice and has to be seen by the pediatrician everyday for the next 5 days. Apparently this is the worst of it they say. The first week is the worst....it then plateaus symptoms for a week, and finally in week three they start to recover. In the meantime, since we have seen her turn blue, choke on her own mucas, and basically scare the living shit out of us Ben and I are on shifts never sleeping at the same time so that one of us can always have an eye and ear on her. Ben takes Midnight to 5am and I get up at 5am and he sleeps until Lunch at noon. Then at 1:30pm I get another hour or so of sleep while thing one and two are napping and he stays up with Vi. Then he goes to work at 4 and I am up till midnight when the whole thing starts again. Not my idea of a good time but when you are a parent you do what you need to do for your kids. And we would do anything. <br /><br />In other news from Hell this week, The Cake Biz was denied its business license because the kitchen that I rent was not up to date with all of its kitchen safety, building inspection, fire code crap. This made me cry almost the entire way home from our meeting with the fire marshal since I have put everything we have into this business and I'm paying rent for a place that is not what I signed up to pay rent for. I can't get my business license till they fix this now, which means I can not advertise, or buy my supplies wholesale, or legally run my business now. I mean I physically can, the catering company is still functioning in there and they give you X amount of days to fix the issues so its not on lockdown or anything but it is just the point. It was supposed to be an easy transition into the Providence location and its turning into a headache. First with my fridge not working, being repaired and STILL not working correctly and now this. My head wants to explode. I laugh to keep from crying. <br /><br />On Easter's Eve I was slammed and baking from 8am-11pm straight when I had to make a new batch of cream cheese frosting. I made it. I flipped the switch on the hobart mixer off and went to stick my pinky in to take a taste, er, quality check inspection, when WHAM! My hand, wrist and lower arm are pulled FORCEFULLY into the paddle on the machine mashing my hand between it and the steel bowl. Yeah, not my brightest moment. End result; 3 fractures in my right hand and a dislocated bone...and A LOT of swelling and bruising. But I'm a business owner damn it and I had orders to fill. I left the hospital at 1am, after driving myself there from The Cake Biz at 11:15pm, professionally wrapped by medical staff only to rip it off the second I got back to The Cake Biz and realized I could not hold a pastry bag or ice cookies with the splint on. Ah well. Today is 4 almost 5 days later and my hand still hurts when I pick up Savannah or write with a pen but other than that I feel fine. I think being overly distracted with Vi is actually helping to keep my mind off of it. <br /><br />Vi has also helped to keep my mind off my diet and my ass out of the gym. Tomorrow's weight in should be a doosey.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-60232018099073143562011-04-17T23:46:00.002-04:002011-04-17T23:52:42.705-04:00138.417th day of the 17 day diet. I'm done with Cycle One and start Cycle Two tomorrow. I was successful in having no alcohol for C1 but I slipped twice with bread (once at brunch with June and again today out to dinner with the family), I was able to avoid cheese, peanut butter and pasta the entire 17 days...which I am super proud of myself for. I did have a HUGE slip on day 12 when I ate thin mints, and a donut....and a burger from burger king but I actually felt awful (literally sick to my stomach) the remainder of the day/night and into the next morning. I didn't exercise everyday for 17 minutes but I would say I did 11 out of the 17 days, some days for an hour at the Y. I learned I actually love green tea and it is possible to drink 64 ounces of water a day. All in all I am excited to start the next cycle and see what I can do with that. I'm happy to state that I have lost 10.4 pounds so far. 15 to go! Off to bed now...I've got a cardio class in the AM.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-49260406597574918392011-04-08T00:02:00.002-04:002011-04-08T00:06:25.818-04:00140.8So I have officially lost 6 pounds this week! Holy Crap! Today is my seventh day of eating healthy. This week I have gone to a pilates class, a zumba class, and took two long walks with all three kids (pushing 50lbs of kid in the stroller). I haven't eaten a single slice of bread or bite of pasta and oh my goodness do I want cookies and a donut BUT I can see the numbers dropping and that gives me great motivation to keep going. <br /><br />In other news I FINALLY got my phoenix tattoo fixed today by the fabulous Heather Smith of Mandrake Tattoo in Raynham. If you need work done I HIGHLY recommend her. Great artist, super clean shop, and amazing talent. <br /><br />Off to bed...that treadmill will be calling in the morning!Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-66987438965035884122011-04-02T17:54:00.002-04:002011-04-02T17:58:44.503-04:00143.4Did my weight today after three days of the 17 day diet...and I know it could totally be a fluke but in three days and 17 minutes of exercising each day along with the strict (I HATE IT) diet I have lost weight. The real weigh in is on Friday but I had to see if there as any change already.<br /><br />143.4 today means I've lost 3.4 lbs! Ok...I guess I'll stick to the No-Carb-no-sweets-no-milk-wanna-kill-myself-diet. Thanks Dr. Phil. :)Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-54214033665812015482011-03-29T23:16:00.006-04:002011-04-18T15:30:19.762-04:00148.8Today I got a fancy newfangled scale that keeps track of my weight from one weigh in to another and then promptly tells me if I have gone up or down with a big black arrow and a number that indicates by how much. Today it said "148.8" and I think I'm going to throw myself off a cliff. I feel gross and Ben has taken to calling me "Beefcake", all in love of course. lol <br /><br />So today was DAY ONE all over again. I may need to start over and over but I think this time its going to stick. So....on day one I did 45 minutes on the treadmill which amounted to a measly 1.72 miles then I took a 10 minute break and took my first pilates class. This thing, pilates, must have been created by the devil. it was worse than that P90x ab ripper. Foolishly I thought pilates was like yoga but with weights or an exercise ball or something...oh no, this shit is COMPLETELY core work. I'm not going to be able to tie my shoes tomorrow. <br /><br />I also took a brisk walk twice around the block with the kids (pushing Savvy, Aidan rode is bike and Vi was sleeping in my mom's view.) I ate my dinner, caved and had one 160 calorie bag of cheetos and then a banana and a big glass of water. <br /><br />Tomorrow is Yoga in the afternoon and HOPEFULLY ZUMBA at night. I think I am going to try to get my bike from June tomorrow from the studio so I can ride my bike to and from the Bayside Y. Hmmmmmmmm<br /><br />MUST. LOSE. 25. POUNDS. <br /><br />Till I whine at the world tomorrow. G'nite.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-54960405274946613382011-03-24T00:37:00.002-04:002011-03-24T00:44:24.739-04:00148+So...I have successfully avoided not only the gym but the scale in the last two weeks. I do know that at my doctors appointment last week the scale there said 150lbs and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. Mind you, I said "think".....not a whole lot of doing. I ordered a book today that Dr. Phil was raving about. It is no secret that I am in love with Dr. Phil, this philosophy, his psychological views and this therapy treatments are all along my same line of thinking and psych-study. It is called The 17 day diet. Basically you follow the guidelines like with any other diet but it switches up every 17 days, and you have to do 17 minutes of exercise each day as well. I can handle that. I want to talk to Meg about it because apparently it is based on "metabolic confusion" or "calorie switching". I don't know much in this area but from what I could understand it sounds scientifically correct so I'm willing to give it a shot. Plus with my Borders Rewards membership I was able to get the damn book 65% off and with free shipping. So for $11.57 I'm going to give it a go. <br /><br />Right now I can't even look at myself in a mirror. I feel disgusting and insanely unattractive. I just want to feel like ME again....Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-15140175465493802152011-02-28T20:05:00.002-05:002011-02-28T20:47:26.036-05:00146<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQr5fvba7wUA1wgOfRdBLQGYGCvHXUb57FtPbVVQEnwauT1jIlsXfp7Eh5uNJm3t_W8C07qvvj8_aKFi0U4UScuLpcd5aghuhjsQHOkfqmt9HCOuZ0RknK4oHX4hdIThQTFVBIDsqs1XV/s1600/upright_1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQr5fvba7wUA1wgOfRdBLQGYGCvHXUb57FtPbVVQEnwauT1jIlsXfp7Eh5uNJm3t_W8C07qvvj8_aKFi0U4UScuLpcd5aghuhjsQHOkfqmt9HCOuZ0RknK4oHX4hdIThQTFVBIDsqs1XV/s320/upright_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578922120493416690" /></a><br />Today I'm 146lbs. I lost 2 pounds last week. Apparently eating salad for lunch and not eating cookies and dunkin donuts everyday has something to it. Now to start the working out as well. Today I went to the gym for a yoga class, it was canceled so I had to do cardio on an elliptical machine followed by the new way too much fun bike game thing (pictured above) for the one mile course and tonight I am doing my ab workout (death). Tomorrow I am going to attempt the Y Pump weight class when I drop Aidan off at school in the morning. <br /><br />Here goes nothing....Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-56279407109973528642011-02-28T20:03:00.001-05:002011-02-28T20:04:24.451-05:00Some thoughts on marriage....When you marry someone and you say those vows it is a LIFETIME commitment. People give up too easily. Divorce should be illegal. Maybe people will take their vows more seriously that way. I love you Ben Norman and I'm so lucky to have you. ♥Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-64291928246678063652011-02-21T18:41:00.003-05:002011-02-21T19:16:44.585-05:00148<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsVjDs1cCmhUcFys5GPMDtJL-Tw7VPy3DVIYBFbPWqXHulxTq1nDqD6SQuUJrH_nnh-Fwzs_5xFrbRmBXvay4DFAwhmRbH8T81Ayq_NZmdAjfjVqNSEwS562c2onD7wpQRGjTbLuQrw3c/s1600/muffin_top_by_whitedog1.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsVjDs1cCmhUcFys5GPMDtJL-Tw7VPy3DVIYBFbPWqXHulxTq1nDqD6SQuUJrH_nnh-Fwzs_5xFrbRmBXvay4DFAwhmRbH8T81Ayq_NZmdAjfjVqNSEwS562c2onD7wpQRGjTbLuQrw3c/s320/muffin_top_by_whitedog1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576301143316866082" /></a><br />I am now 148 pounds. I am disgusted with myself and feel so unattractive that I don't want my husband to touch me. Everytime he touches my waist I get an instant ping of self consciousness about the lovely roll of fat that my latest daughter has graced me with post pregnancy. That and OMG what the hell is this sagging under my biceps? Am I really THIS out of shape. How can that be? I live on the second and third floor of my apartment house, my laundry is in the basement and with cloth diapers I am doing laps upon laps thoughout the day. I have a 9lbs newborn that insists I carry her everywhere and a 25lbs toddler who I am constantly moving and picking up throughout the day. Not to mention if I go anywhere outside of the house I am carting both of them in my arms. Nonetheless, I am 148 pounds. My size 10 jeans constantly fall down so I have to hike them up every 2 minutes, and my size 8 jeans, although buttoned, are creating the most profound muffin top you've ever seen in your life. Today I decided to eat a good breakfast, light lunch, regular dinner and only a few healthy snacks as opposed to my daily box of girl scout thin mints (damn you girl scouts and damn your cookies). I am trying to be more aware of the nutrition label on things, you would be amazed what counts as a serving on some of this shit. AND I was informed by Meg my clinical dietitian friend that "No, bacon is not protein." It is indeed all fat. DAMN IT<br /><br />Today I decided that along with my eating better (I even bought fat free milk GAG) I am going to go to sleep at a decent hour and I am going to work out 5 days a week until I am down to a size 6 or 125lbs whichever comes first. <br /><br />I can't stand my body right now. When you grow up your entire life being stick thin, with nicknames like Olive (from popeye) and twiggy and skinny minnie when you put on weight like I have and then you put on more weight...you not only feel unattractive, but you feel horribly uncomfortable in your own skin. I hate that.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-30495715060168694382011-02-02T15:30:00.003-05:002011-02-02T16:02:32.226-05:00Taking on water....Our family ship is starting to sink. Oh the love is there and my gosh if we could live on love we would be SO well off but we don't. We live in America where dollars have the bottom line and nothing is as important as the credit score attached to your social security number. <br /><br />My husband is a hard working man. He works, and he works, and he works. All while learning to juggle a growing family and a wife who requires way too much attention. For the second month in a row we are severely struggling with paying our rent. I am not working out of the house and this lapse in income is starting to weight down our ship. Ben and I made a plan for the next 6 months to get ourselves back on track. He was going to start looking for a full time day job and I was going to wait tables at night for additional income. This satisfied both of us, as he would not have to be a server and I would be able to spend a majority of my time with our young children. However finding a day job is proving to be much harder than we thought. In the past 3 days I have seen the love of my life slowly crumble and give in to depression, a demon I am very familiar with and battle daily myself. I too have applied for many jobs but they don't pay what we need them to. At this point do I keep on looking while we bail the water we are taking on or do I throw in the towel and take the job at the coffee shop for minimum wage during the day because hey, at least its something.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-37176747202633630552010-12-31T15:43:00.000-05:002010-12-31T15:44:00.466-05:00First 30 of the new 10130/101 <br />1. read and finish The Happiness Project<br />2. find something one on one to do with each child. Like a sport or a hobby just mommy and me activity<br />3. payoff all credit cards<br />4. trade in the Corolla for a minivan<br />5. make a daily schedule for the kids and stick to it. Rotate activities (sports) as the seasons change.<br />6. get the point where I can set up all my bills to pay automatically and not have to worry about it<br />7. Study and take the GRE<br />8. Apply and get accepted into a Masters Program<br />9. Get back to O-Town<br />10. Twenty spa visits. Cause I deserve it damn it.<br />11. Buy a cook book and make everything in it. (ala Julia/Julia style)<br />12. Get Ben to NYC for a night<br />13. Ireland<br />14. Sesame Place with the kids<br />15. Get in the water with sharks (Typhoon Lagoon is a good start)<br />16. Knit that blanket for my mom I keep saying I'm going to<br />17. Learn to quilt<br />18. Make memory quilt out of the kids baby stuff.<br />19. Complete the upper arm sleeve<br />20. Try Lobster<br />21. Take the family on a picnic with our own longaberger picnic basket<br />22. Start retirement planning<br />23. Get life insurance<br />24. Learn French<br />25. Learn Spanish<br />26. Take Ben for a day/night at Cocoa Village. Lunch at Murdocks, is a must and Ultra Lounge for drinks.<br />27. New Orleans<br />28. Miami<br />29. 5 RedSox games<br />30. Play in a casino poker tournamentMehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-61737923016810435712010-12-30T18:52:00.002-05:002010-12-30T19:02:48.108-05:00Bring on 2011...oh and 101 in 1001 starts againSo my favorite holiday is here! New Year's Eve. I LOVE NYE. I love the whole idea of starting fresh, making resolutions, clean slates and the magic of the change a year can make. I always liked this holiday, in my early twenties it was more for the party but in the last five years its more for the philosophical take, the rebirth so to say. Today is the 30th, my new daughter is one week old today, and even though I am feeling under the weather (thanks to my two eldest children and their germfest) I am going to start my new 101 list. I had about 50 things down already but they are on our family computer which has unfortunately met its demise two weeks ago(Damn hackers). So tonight my goal is to come up with at least the first thirty and then finish by the ball drop tomorrow night at midnight. Which for the third year in a row I will be watching from the comfort of my couch, in my PJ's, having a glass of wine with my husband. <br /><br />It is amazing how family life can change you. Instead of an outrageous party in Downtown I am most excited for having my children in bed, and me on the couch to watch Ryan Seacrest (GAG) try to replace the irreplaceable Dick Clark. And I wouldn't want it any other way.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2482062532516729734.post-14080594248284100422010-12-30T13:23:00.003-05:002010-12-30T13:38:14.915-05:00Party of FiveMiss Violette Rose Norman was born on Dec 23, 2010 at 8:46am. She weighed and measured exactly like her sister Savannah at 6lbs 9oz and 19.5 inches long. She is the most adorable thing. She makes these little squeaky noises and LOVES to be snuggled and falls asleep instantly when I hold her. I feel like our family is complete now. Three BEAUTIFUL and HEALTHY children bless me with their presence everyday and although I am well aware of the "honeymoon" stage of a new baby and how it will eventually wear off I can't help by smile ear to ear when I look around our home and see our preschooler, toddler and newborn who all look at me with these giant eyes and smiles for "Mommy". <br /><br />Mommy. That is I. And no office, no career, no paycheck could ever replace the wonderful feeling I have when I am home raising my children. I am truly lucky to be able to do so...even if only for a little while.Mehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005772343105725355noreply@blogger.com0