tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80069971593850972262024-03-05T23:22:44.471-08:00It's Always Awesome on Easley StreetIt's Always Awesome on Easley StreetEasleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13940716118242303288noreply@blogger.comBlogger397125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-6598762195925141732019-01-03T08:33:00.002-08:002019-01-03T08:33:32.539-08:00Resolutions/Goals<ul>
<li>Run 365 miles</li>
<li>Run a 10k race </li>
<li>Weight lift 2x/week</li>
<li>Only go out to eat with family ONLY once a month (plus birthdays if applicable) to save money (previously going 2-3 times a month)</li>
<li>Date night with Brian once a month</li>
<li>Start bullet journaling and updating it once a week</li>
</ul>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-78389228004389676862018-11-13T17:38:00.000-08:002018-11-13T17:38:00.345-08:00My Harry Potter Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few months ago I went to Harry Potter World (aka Universal Studios Orlando) with Nolan. Why just us two? Here's a summary of the conversation that took place between Brian and myself:<br />
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<br />
Elizabeth: So we're going to HP world some day right?<br />
Brian: Yeah sure<br />
Elizabeth: When?<br />
Brian: IDK, you pick<br />
Elizabeth: Well if I don't go by the end of this year I will certainly perish<br />
Brian: I don't actually like rides so go with someone else<br />
Elizabeth: OK<br />
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If you can picture this conversation happening regularly and over the course of a few months (years) until we finally go to the last 3 lines but slowly building towards the bursting point where I had to go or else... that's what happened.<br />
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<br />
So basically I asked some other adults if they were interested and I was told that they couldn't make it work. Admittedly I didn't try very hard. I was very adamant that if I'm going to Universal - I'm doing it R.I.G.H.T. That means spending a little more money to have a fast pass and staying at a hotel that allows for early park entry. Being a control freak about this, I decided that I would bring along someone who I could (in theory) boss around. Hence, bringing my 5 year old who had JUUUUUUUUUUUUUST reached 42" in height.<br />
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42" is the minimum height for many rides at Universal. This was important.<br />
<br />
SO I had another conversation with Brian.<br />
<br />
Elizabeth: Ok I'm taking Nolan<br />
Brian: Cool<br />
Elizabeth: I bought tickets... they were $120... per person... per day...<br />
Brian: That sounds about right<br />
Elizabeth: I also bought fast passes... they were $120... per person... per day... We're going for 2 days<br />
Brian: Ok that sounds fun... (trails off while he's doing mental math)<br />
**Elizabeth kisses and runs away**<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just wiped my eyes... you can tell</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now I don't mean to brag, but I came in 2nd place in the Harry Potter trivia contest on the cruise this summer. Not only that but I have read the books countless times and could have answered much harder questions than the trivia contest asked. I've watched the movies countless times as well. Whenever I watch the end I am just SO PISSED at J.K. Rowling for bringing this world into my life that I can never actually be a part of which is WHY me going to HP world is such an obsession for me.<br />
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After coming back you would have thought my obsession would have waned. Well it didn't. In fact, we're planning a trip to go back when Maxwell is in kindergarten - March 2022. By then he should hopefully be 42" or taller and we should get to go on a ton of rides together as a family. I have reassured Brian that the rides aren't very jerky so you won't have neck pains from them. So we're all in agreement that a visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (the formal name) is happening again.<br />
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And in better planning fashion - I have devised a plan to make it a 4 day trip with all the glitz and glitter from before and am now stashing away money each month to pay for the trip. SO RESPONSIBLE.<br />
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So what did I think when I first stepped into Harry Potter
World? What did I do when I made the very long walk through Universal
and finally saw Kings Cross? What happened to my heart when I started to
hear the Harry Potter music as I walked into Diagon Alley?<br />
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If you're wondering if I cried - the answer is yes, I fucking did.<br />
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Walking through the park was like an adrenaline rush for me. I felt like there was no way I was going to be able to take it all in. All of the details were overwhelming. Particularly seeing Gringotts and the dragon as well as Weasleys Wizard Weezes. <br />
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The trip with Nolan was so freaking amazing I can't describe it. It was just such an amazing time to be with Nolan and to expose him to the magic that he could do with the interactive wand he got. Even though the wand chooses the wizard - Nolan selected the wand that is a Harry Potter replica. Of course I got a wand too - but I let Nolan pick it blind for me. I just told him to pick a box and that would be my wand.<br />
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<br />
I am definitely hopping all around how my experience went
because I'm writing this 3 months after the trip. So come with me as I
recall the highlights:<br />
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There are several locations within the park where you can do real magic with your interactive wand. The favorite of Nolan was "reparo" to the armor that had fell apart. When he said the magic words the armor would rebuild from the scraps that lay on the ground. Watching him do this magic while I had a butterbeer was a highlight. Butterbeer is, regrettably, non-alcoholic but still very tasty!<br />
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BTW I'm a Slytherin and my patronus is a Black and White cat.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-55898127108761678602018-11-08T15:58:00.000-08:002018-11-08T15:58:02.552-08:00Super Quiet On The HomefrontMan, what do you say when it's been nearly a year since you last blogged? I suppose you bullet points the highlights of the year... Here goes!<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Nolan is 5 and he "graduated" from daycare to kindergarten in August! He loves it! He is so excited about learning how to read and screams "sight word!" whenever he sees one. He's been able to identify "pizza" when written out although that isn't a formal sight word...</li>
<li>Maxwell is 2 and just so big! He's chatting up a storm and has his favorites of many things. Although they tend to be whatever Nolan has at the time. He likes singing songs like "you are my sunshine" and the TMNT theme song. He also likes it when I make goofy faces.</li>
<li>Brian is able to work from home at the end of the day now. He used to have to go back in to work for 2 hours or so every night to catch up on paperwork but recently they allowed him to start doing it at home through their laptops and whatever encryption they decide is necessary.</li>
<li>I have had a big year myself. Although I haven't talked about it much I am so proud that I've taken health and fitness very seriously for the past (almost) 2 years and have lost 50 pounds very slowly but surely. Oh I also started a new job which I LOVE where I do room scheduling for the university. Long story short - you have a class, I help decide where you'll be taught. It's kind of a superpower.</li>
</ul>
I'll write more when I can - promise! Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-91665403862681220262017-12-18T17:30:00.000-08:002017-12-18T17:33:10.226-08:00Last Monday of 2017Counting down... I have just this week until I get 10 full days off IN.A.ROW. <div>
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I love working here. The pay may not be amazing but dang the vacation time is prime. </div>
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<div>
My plans you ask? </div>
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Well of course we have the upcoming holidays. </div>
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Weekend Before Xmas:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Go to the library</li>
<li>Wrap presents</li>
<li>Play at the park</li>
<li>Grocery shop</li>
</ul>
<div>
Same old same old I guess. But this year for the holiday I am actually going to make some special food for the kiddos. Including Santa pancakes:</div>
</div>
<div>
<img alt="christmas santa pancake with raspberry and banana for kid breakfast" height="266" src="https://i2.wp.com/blessedbeyondcrazy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/63785453_s.jpg?resize=450%2C300" width="400" /></div>
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And holiday pizzas with star, bell, and tree shapes instead of the stockings pictured below:</div>
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<img height="225" src="https://images-gmi-pmc.edge-generalmills.com/ef854bd9-4a72-47c0-b10a-986f003e5b17.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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For lunch we're probably going to go with the staple of peanut butter and jelly lest my 4 year old starve to death (what is it with picky toddlers?)</div>
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<div>
The week of xmas:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>25th & 26th - Keep kids home from daycare</li>
<li>27-29th - Take kids TO daycare</li>
</ul>
<div>
Ok, let me explain... yes I'm going to be home those days but I have plans. Seriously. We're having the Salton fam over for the holiday the following weekend so I'm going to:</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Clean the sh*t out of the house including having the carpets shampoo'd </li>
<li>Do some spin classes (why not?)</li>
<li>Get my hair cut</li>
<li>LOUNGE</li>
</ul>
<div>
This is my one time of year where I can really get stuff done without having work looming over my shoulder. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If I'm being real the list also includes:</div>
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<img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0d/Law_order_svu_season_10_2009-10_cast.jpg" /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In the criminal justice system sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">TING TING!</span></i></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Brian and I have concluded the old episodes are where it's at. I watched them at first when I was on maternity leave and was basically in a haze of sleepiness. There's a 60% chance I slept through the episode while they played right in front of me and a 30% chance I don't remember them due to exhaustion so it's like they're brand new to me. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Stay posted for the Pinterest Fail post that is 98% likely to happen ;)</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-46992363629746280512017-12-06T09:04:00.000-08:002017-12-06T09:04:23.500-08:00The Sure ThingIn January 2016 I was about 39 weeks pregnant when our furnace went out. It was a record low that week (I'm talking negative 20 degrees) and I went home randomly and realized that even though the thermostat said it was trying to make the house 65 degrees (in the middle of the workday) the house was in the low 60s. So I called up the furnace guys that check our furnace annually to see what we needed fixed.<div>
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<div>
Unfortunately, the furnace was shot. It was old and we could see this coming if we really thought about it. </div>
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They scheduled an appointment with a sales guy to come to my house and discuss options.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
What I thought was funny was he was trying to sell me on their company and their product. Like, "the reason this brand that we carry is the best is X, Y, and Z" and why their customers like them so much etc... </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
As I sit in the room with space heaters and the faucets all running to ensure that my pipes didn't freeze I just looked at him and wondered if he had ever seen a more sure thing for a sale in his life. At the time of our appointment, I believe I was 6 days from my due date and we were sleeping with Nolan in our room with electric blankets to make sure we were all warm without having a scary space heater in the bedroom at night. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When the salesguy said something to the tune of "well I'll let you think about it with your husband [<i>who wasn't there at the time</i>] and IF you decide to go with us we can schedule installation."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
IF we go with you? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Dude, it was -20 degrees and I was kind of a ticking time bomb. I needed that furnace installed yesterday. I responded, "nah, we'll be going with you" and pretty much said "take all my money". </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was a sure thing for that salesman. There was no way I was going to shop around for a new furnace at that point and he didn't even act like there was any urgency. </div>
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<div>
I just thought of this when I was driving around the other day and just laughed at what must have been obvious desperation that the salesman overlooked. </div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-84917599299795787812017-09-22T11:14:00.000-07:002017-09-22T11:14:15.309-07:00Hello? Is this thing on?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-3861066920832985282017-08-10T08:58:00.001-07:002017-08-10T08:58:36.727-07:00Goal: Posting Once A Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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OMG Branson was so much fun!<br />
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Hard to even really capture everything in the photos but we were so busy! The highlights were:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Ride the Ducks</li>
<li>The fish hatchery</li>
<li>Talking Rocks Cave</li>
<li>TITANIC MUSEUM</li>
<li>Branson Mountain Coaster</li>
<li>Dixie Stampede</li>
<li>Fritz's Restaurant (KC)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Basically it was a non-stop vacation. When we weren't out doing museums/touristy things we were taking naps at the air bnb or swimming at the pool at the air bnb.</div>
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Pretty much my take home though is that my kids can survive on just rolls apparently even though we bought them food every time we went out they would only eat the fries or whatever carb was in front of them despite their request for chicken strips *coughNOLANcough*.</div>
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It all worked out though and we had leftovers to enjoy at the air bnb which, in my opinion, is the only way to travel anymore. The place was really nice with a king sized bed in one room and two twin beds in the other room. Unfortunately Maxwell wasn't the best sleeper in his pack and play and Brian and I divided and conquered the sleep arrangements by one of us in each room. Maxwell pretty much woke up each night and I just cuddled with him in the king size bed while Brian was slumming it in the twin beds.</div>
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One thing that surprised me was on the mountain coaster - which is literally a 1-2 person car that you ride up a hill and then gravity pulls you down the twisty coaster through the mountain - was a thrill for Nolan. I knew I wanted to ride this with him but I had no idea he'd be screaming "faster" instead of just screaming. </div>
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Now the only problem is that I've been bitten with the vacation bug and can't wait to plan our next trip somewhere. Which I guess will be OKC for a family wedding. I'm sure we can find something to do while we're there :) </div>
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In other news, we got some family photos done...</div>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-31427851770882512232017-07-03T13:38:00.001-07:002017-07-03T13:38:19.931-07:00Growing Up!My kiddos are getting so big!<br />
<br />
Of course Maxwell transitioning from infant to full-fledged toddler (ie kind of a stinker) probably has the most updates so here goes:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>He's starting to talk!</li>
<ul>
<li>Bye Bye</li>
<li>More</li>
<li>Ball (anything with the I-State logo he also calls "ball")</li>
<li>Hat</li>
<li>Dog (and he thinks they say "moo" which is so adorable I almost don't want to correct him)</li>
</ul>
<li>He knows where his body parts are when you ask</li>
<li>He LOVES playing peekaboo</li>
<li>He loves bathtime</li>
<li>He has favorite books that he brings us to read and sits on our laps</li>
<li>He's starting to eat a lot more "grown up" foods that we don't have to cut into as tiny of bites anymore... yes there is usually a cleanup involved</li>
<li>He loves snuggling before bed and wants his butt patted. When you're not patting his butt he'll swing his arm behind and start patting his own butt (so cute)</li>
<li>He loves playing outside, especially blowing bubbles and playing basketball</li>
</ul>
<div>
I'm sure there's more that I'm missing but that's the major stuff.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Nolan is:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Talking a lot more - there was a time where he was really still hard to understand but now I feel like I can really have a conversation with him</li>
<li>Loving going swimming</li>
<li>He loves playing with his water shooters in the backyard</li>
<li>He picks a new favorite toy about every few days or so that's his toy he sleeps with and then wonders where it is immediately when he wakes up</li>
<li>Doesn't mind going on errands and can usually be happy with whatever we're doing without needing to be bribed to behave with a movie (we never did that... *cough*)</li>
</ul>
<div>
We've been keeping really busy playing pokemon go (yes, really... yes, still) and going to parks and the pool or library whenever we can. We've also really enjoyed the farmer's market lately and the Blank Park Zoo etc. </div>
</div>
<div>
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<div>
I'm recovering from strep throat. I have pictures if you want to lose your lunch. </div>
<div>
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<div>
Anyways here's the cute pictures!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqsLPC4FHYV3aF9Y5PDyhyZwvCpKdPVEbXOLHj4Iw52Rkochk26BBG7cgSFFGNBW86vtVc5gBwUAaeLTGbgHEZI9yrlqzta4HsPCS8VKqkx4iaOm8HZJQ_9xpNLs7B1Cyd2xXlNPtP-c/s1600/20170622_143443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqsLPC4FHYV3aF9Y5PDyhyZwvCpKdPVEbXOLHj4Iw52Rkochk26BBG7cgSFFGNBW86vtVc5gBwUAaeLTGbgHEZI9yrlqzta4HsPCS8VKqkx4iaOm8HZJQ_9xpNLs7B1Cyd2xXlNPtP-c/s640/20170622_143443.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello, I'm a ham</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AQqge-cQrF6aBjP3lza0soJG55rORh_mOkvjNn03iSKgWFsb1_l4rdKBCkOWRubgwbKZrCF-6PoZSmNhAstCxOkgXEdzXmghOJhsHohfbUGq9Ra4ttEcJg79HdD6zyVBqYS7KzadDFw/s1600/20170623_192434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AQqge-cQrF6aBjP3lza0soJG55rORh_mOkvjNn03iSKgWFsb1_l4rdKBCkOWRubgwbKZrCF-6PoZSmNhAstCxOkgXEdzXmghOJhsHohfbUGq9Ra4ttEcJg79HdD6zyVBqYS7KzadDFw/s640/20170623_192434.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nolan and Maxwell with their <a href="http://www.timread.com/books.html" target="_blank">Very Scary Monster</a> named "Frank Toot Monster" - Our neighbor is a children's book author/illustrator which features his "Very Scary Monsters" pretty cool to have an author in the neighborhood!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs26gGkQcDp8PwRCwteWcs2SGC-D2pbhsEfN1-lgfDYVZBMzQczxzg_H2s1NI2-WDoYGov-FGJp53RBUzEjT3oiLbmdY8Cumt84XLpyI_sI7rvd2DPp5EQkPKdc_9ThW2aD5YAO4gd36Q/s1600/20170701_100306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs26gGkQcDp8PwRCwteWcs2SGC-D2pbhsEfN1-lgfDYVZBMzQczxzg_H2s1NI2-WDoYGov-FGJp53RBUzEjT3oiLbmdY8Cumt84XLpyI_sI7rvd2DPp5EQkPKdc_9ThW2aD5YAO4gd36Q/s400/20170701_100306.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nolan feeding the parakeets </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbG6KfOVWGbJsex9KKmtIQ_c39K7z0CfBm0XWlgv1mWPDgJvmF_H0y7_AFJMWGvM5odcADuPOnwxlo82cNBYKZY4v_FIJN76SqL1M1Bh-Kxi3G15K5qJsVcEH2vi7IpyvIRpfuajCc2U/s1600/20170701_100731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbG6KfOVWGbJsex9KKmtIQ_c39K7z0CfBm0XWlgv1mWPDgJvmF_H0y7_AFJMWGvM5odcADuPOnwxlo82cNBYKZY4v_FIJN76SqL1M1Bh-Kxi3G15K5qJsVcEH2vi7IpyvIRpfuajCc2U/s640/20170701_100731.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animal Crossing Sign - I took a picture because Nolan was scared that the mouth was suuuuper open. If you look at the loose feather on his neck you understand why. Pretty funny stuff. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP9TVI5mFyUkui963sPnSxW4ivap6DiCr-xYHae-JqRGLCp9fhvoi9FXFamA3MfvItaQwmCBK3cAATzQLBULBnKuegQDIdH5gvzcZRikssMo1y60SQeawq8-NKxsB3StmmG9zNOXKPYs/s1600/20170701_104414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP9TVI5mFyUkui963sPnSxW4ivap6DiCr-xYHae-JqRGLCp9fhvoi9FXFamA3MfvItaQwmCBK3cAATzQLBULBnKuegQDIdH5gvzcZRikssMo1y60SQeawq8-NKxsB3StmmG9zNOXKPYs/s640/20170701_104414.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twisted my arm and he got to go on a carousel ride</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxt421P7McnpKkz7b13It6VY_O7ruFrdUk1Unbcjn1Xhoxa0QeQV8B7kFN2zsblywK2fXt5bItNNQKLPhyXpgOOFY6c8uhj2s7-Yp5AF5EyWgbjntlbDh-E24NlLKQP8SpxIcPrAag1A/s1600/20170701_113433%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxt421P7McnpKkz7b13It6VY_O7ruFrdUk1Unbcjn1Xhoxa0QeQV8B7kFN2zsblywK2fXt5bItNNQKLPhyXpgOOFY6c8uhj2s7-Yp5AF5EyWgbjntlbDh-E24NlLKQP8SpxIcPrAag1A/s640/20170701_113433%25280%2529.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxwell letting a push pop melt while slowly licking it. I couldn't help eat it because I'm recovering from strep throat. WAAAAT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-56568725581039774852017-05-09T11:03:00.000-07:002017-05-09T11:03:36.557-07:00Looking Forward To<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxqXQkitjkjUYmHwwd_LICrmylvIu1E17veKvVG4umDT3OeH2JRqB4yJHMnqBscYDAZ2hVMPGbN6ph1uCeshhNgOje_CeIFS7GD-8uBGADX0q3HhJCfdv9XDrn9pxuFIKNpbDSvkI2Sc/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxqXQkitjkjUYmHwwd_LICrmylvIu1E17veKvVG4umDT3OeH2JRqB4yJHMnqBscYDAZ2hVMPGbN6ph1uCeshhNgOje_CeIFS7GD-8uBGADX0q3HhJCfdv9XDrn9pxuFIKNpbDSvkI2Sc/s640/PicMonkey+Collage1.jpg" width="504" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It's the 2nd day of my work's summer hours! It's soooo nice to leave at 4:00 instead of 5:00. It's one of the many perks of my job :)<br />
<br />
Anyways, I'm really excited for summer and the nice weather. I think that having kids has really changed my perspective on what to do with my leisure time. No longer am I content sitting in front of the TV all day, I want to get outside and play! Having kids renewed my joy for things I did when I was little, like going swimming or bike riding, and I get excited for the time when they can do those things with the same excitement as myself!<br />
<br />
So here's a short list of my reasons I'm excited:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>We have a pool membership for the summer. </li>
<li>I bought a bike rack for the back of my car! (Hello finding new trails)</li>
<li>Our backyard is mostly thistle free so we can run around barefoot!</li>
<li>I'm leaving work at 4:00 (I can't stress this enough)</li>
<li>Brian and I are planning our first road trip/family vacation to the Ozarks!!!! (more to discuss on that later)</li>
<li>Nolan is turning 4 this summer and I'm taking his birthday off for a Mama/Nolan play day (probably going swimming if we're being honest)</li>
<li>We bought a membership to the science museum in Des Moines as well as the Blank Park Zoo - the hidden benefit of these memberships is RE-CI-PRO-CI-TY. That means many other zoos and museums will allow FREE entry! (There's a zoo by the ozarks that does reciprocity)</li>
</ul>
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Ok, the above things that I'm excited for all have the possibility of going down a rabbit hole and talking about the minute reasons that I'm excited for each of the above but I think I want to zone in on the Ozarks vacation. </div>
<div>
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I have been SO wishy washy with vacation planning lately. Like I've had dreams of going to Germany/Harry Potter World and did everything except for buying tickets as far as planning but things fell through. To back up, when Brian and I got married in 2011 we went on a honeymoon to Mexico at an all inclusive. I was kind of pushing for a european vacation but he really wanted to do Mexico and I, being a little more traveled than he, figured that he could decide. We made a decision to have a "big vacation" (ie one that's a little more expensive, maybe a week or more, to a destination that you definitely can't drive to) every 5 years. That means we were due for one in 2016 but GUESS WHAT? Wehadababy Itsaboy. So instead of doing the big trips when the kids are so little and, let's face it, still sleep terrorists it makes more sense that they come with us rather than having them stay with family. </div>
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So Brian and I were discussing something to do this summer - and we hemmed and hawwed about Colorado. I mostly wanted to go because I wanted a mountain vacation that was relaxing with some hiking. Something that didn't take a lot of structure because the kids are so little it seems like they (especially Maxwell) won't remember it anyways. But I still wanted to go and do something because we really only have 14 years until Nolan moves away for college... That sounds like a long time but that's, in my eyes, 14 potential vacations as a family if we only do one a year. So what better time than today?</div>
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<div>
That's my background anyways. So I've started a very pathetic pinterest board and come up with the below ideas for activities during the day:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Hiking</li>
<li>Zoo visit (fo FREE)</li>
<li>Cave tour</li>
<li>Water Park</li>
</ul>
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That oughta do 'er. And I'm guessing the kids will be tired when the day is over. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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Anyways I think that the next few weeks/months of planning is going to be really fun and going there will be a fun way to end the summer. More to come? </div>
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Before I click "Publish" I have to share this:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTs0Rj92uoVs3Q_A7FWTK1QwhLYe4EK0dNZO_L7ui82H9h0S9MALSFJM2WK0x3sRqXqOMas1zbzhnlP5p4ehglR9g0_SyNNMxLtep0qFRDpyBylwGmDJmhrx93_VRHw0sJ9XxaHwG9eIo/s1600/20170507_113349_001-ANIMATION.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTs0Rj92uoVs3Q_A7FWTK1QwhLYe4EK0dNZO_L7ui82H9h0S9MALSFJM2WK0x3sRqXqOMas1zbzhnlP5p4ehglR9g0_SyNNMxLtep0qFRDpyBylwGmDJmhrx93_VRHw0sJ9XxaHwG9eIo/s400/20170507_113349_001-ANIMATION.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MRW I'm the designated driver</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZf8z5XKzwczS_dHWT3a5-3RUDM2TBa45I_iRUFjsk6o1BFkmDuHM_3_QdM7P9K0YmqnW5HtNjeLO8Ri6b_QTKYo9oEgMmEvc9JJztzDcTH3diUYY-p7OhvXkmemP9MB5v_7IvTHg8azo/s1600/20170508_183542-ANIMATION.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZf8z5XKzwczS_dHWT3a5-3RUDM2TBa45I_iRUFjsk6o1BFkmDuHM_3_QdM7P9K0YmqnW5HtNjeLO8Ri6b_QTKYo9oEgMmEvc9JJztzDcTH3diUYY-p7OhvXkmemP9MB5v_7IvTHg8azo/s400/20170508_183542-ANIMATION.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hold still... please smile!"</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd3M8RDggJxXwZ5cB_BBA5PZkh69q7zvpBNSDMyxX_y6p1i1XZnuU4z6jNmPDtiel1nxX70WwZk8ifrDuMUgho0U50MVLix4yuQwKAGLPNXXqkFe_WolE_kB_17sYBkH804h73dmpCcQ/s1600/20170225_070640-ANIMATION.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd3M8RDggJxXwZ5cB_BBA5PZkh69q7zvpBNSDMyxX_y6p1i1XZnuU4z6jNmPDtiel1nxX70WwZk8ifrDuMUgho0U50MVLix4yuQwKAGLPNXXqkFe_WolE_kB_17sYBkH804h73dmpCcQ/s400/20170225_070640-ANIMATION.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you turn 1 and grandma gives you the best present of all time. </td></tr>
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-25417946508737276512017-04-20T19:26:00.000-07:002017-04-20T19:26:17.045-07:00Big Gulps Huh#spoileralert<br />
<br />
Christian should be getting a package in the mail today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWZRwtnxEgkcr1PzWYqs_FXHNnKqbr4WOb9t7CoD8xBfWGsomd-Y_VabYZd6tjBC9a5VWX-APZRSWXB5Luys8xi_zJbspyavnywOLOrqISVwonCML1lmhEGEnjSUL4xvgqJKtR2xVmxE/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWZRwtnxEgkcr1PzWYqs_FXHNnKqbr4WOb9t7CoD8xBfWGsomd-Y_VabYZd6tjBC9a5VWX-APZRSWXB5Luys8xi_zJbspyavnywOLOrqISVwonCML1lmhEGEnjSUL4xvgqJKtR2xVmxE/s400/unnamed.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I'm going to visit my bro in June!!!! I decided to be cheeky and make M&Ms for him as a way to make him second guess allowing me to visit.<br />
<br />
This is what happens when you have groupon credits and a bro you love to tease.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-22968794637765833732017-04-17T09:16:00.000-07:002017-04-17T09:16:12.552-07:00From the mouth of babesDaddy tooted. Nolan heard it and had some notes.<br />
<br />
Nolan toots and it sounds like "pbpbpb"<br />
Daddy toots and it sounds like <span style="font-size: large;">"pbpbpbpbpbpbpbp"</span><br />
Mommy toots and it sounds like <span style="font-size: x-large;">"kaboom"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
So there you have it.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-26580646276402758902017-03-22T06:54:00.000-07:002017-03-22T06:54:12.217-07:00In other newsYou know when you buy food in bulk from the grocery store?<br />
<br />
I decided to buy some farro - my new favorite grain - and saw it in the bulk food section. Hurray I said to myself.<br />
<br />
Poured my farro into the bag, did the scale, printed the bar code and off to the register I went.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr3tCZZ-ZtGTl61q17kxNauKxi0prf5ie8nonsqJARswjgE01O7la1zrhEJFQRHPUr-uQ3df1khEqJoo_lDqxyqqxqbCyY5yHyES1cU-e4OJdVbiR25Zy0FWkA0U6xy0MqWVke6jKbzs/s1600/20170319_172638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIr3tCZZ-ZtGTl61q17kxNauKxi0prf5ie8nonsqJARswjgE01O7la1zrhEJFQRHPUr-uQ3df1khEqJoo_lDqxyqqxqbCyY5yHyES1cU-e4OJdVbiR25Zy0FWkA0U6xy0MqWVke6jKbzs/s400/20170319_172638.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did it, guys!</td></tr>
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I made myself a delicious farro and stir fried veggies casserole thing with the recipe that I made up in my very own head. I ate it and it was delicious. A few days later I was like, "you know what? I still have some of that delicious farro. I'm going to make me up some more of that casserole that I had the other day because it was both delicious AND nutritious!"<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ__-EYZGa_Am05ne5NL6P-sBDxU7e78TdRjaOGufbV3bUkctUlYKjz7ah8v4YDwODi4SpzbV-w494Iq40un58jgDJG7MbY4opsLj7hdf-iPiQPTZMCjOFq0yji43C_Jxu4lz0uIAnM3o/s1600/leostrutoriginal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ__-EYZGa_Am05ne5NL6P-sBDxU7e78TdRjaOGufbV3bUkctUlYKjz7ah8v4YDwODi4SpzbV-w494Iq40un58jgDJG7MbY4opsLj7hdf-iPiQPTZMCjOFq0yji43C_Jxu4lz0uIAnM3o/s320/leostrutoriginal.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LA DE DA - I'm going to the kitchen to make more food. Nothing bad will happen!</td></tr>
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To prepare farro, you cook with 2 parts water or vegetable stock (vegetable stock/bouillon cubes is the way to go) and 1 part farro. Last time I poured 2 cups of farro into 4 pots boiling water and cooked that stuff right up.<br />
<br />
How much farro do I have? I need to know this so I know how much water to boil?<br />
<br />
I poured the remaining farro into a measuring cup and it was as if the lord blessed that bowl and said "you shall have exactly one cup for easy math to know how much water to boil"<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidci_bq0k8SqPedw7nQFaALvwUKy6iCRI5aVhqgT3P0hQlp-e3MCSbADVj6mn3qH8Sx3L14sCNpEWrhWWdrbYP3-Jgx4CUJAwBohfyIJowxYJcwKsFbb-9EXsha-uMZpVdTaoY84YRQxw/s1600/20170319_172543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidci_bq0k8SqPedw7nQFaALvwUKy6iCRI5aVhqgT3P0hQlp-e3MCSbADVj6mn3qH8Sx3L14sCNpEWrhWWdrbYP3-Jgx4CUJAwBohfyIJowxYJcwKsFbb-9EXsha-uMZpVdTaoY84YRQxw/s320/20170319_172543.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And it was done. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well I have some time, I should start cutting my veggies.<br />
<br />What's this? Husband is calling? Well I should certainly answer.<br />
<br />
"BLAH BLAH BLAH" says the husband<br />
"Is that right?" says me, "hey's what's that?"<br />
<br />
Oh gross, I saw a bug in the bowl. Must have flown from somewhere in the room to enjoy my nice bowl of farro. Understandable. I'll shoo it away.<br />
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What the mother fucking fuck is this?<br />
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CAN YOU SEE THIS?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKul37kbdpr5toqQ-X-A7omGfqoJ5x3jsgo6hQt5KdiK_TNIbLD1GI835_KEjXYBMzrXJvFFPx50gdG_HKocXCSDjs0XXo6qgOARqpgA2ZhOZSq1B4sMEJE8rYqPgMkCkVLgNK3MuIYs/s1600/Screenshot_20170319-173211.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKul37kbdpr5toqQ-X-A7omGfqoJ5x3jsgo6hQt5KdiK_TNIbLD1GI835_KEjXYBMzrXJvFFPx50gdG_HKocXCSDjs0XXo6qgOARqpgA2ZhOZSq1B4sMEJE8rYqPgMkCkVLgNK3MuIYs/s640/Screenshot_20170319-173211.png" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
My farro was INFESTED.<br />
<br />
The insect is a granary weevil. My food was INFESTED. I could easily see 5 from looking at the bowl without much inspection. They were just crawling all around.<br />
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AND I FREAKING ATE THEM A FEW DAYS BEFORE.<br />
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Lesson:<br />Check your bulk food before preparing it. ALWAYS.<br />
<br />
Lesson:<br />
Farro is still delicious, folks. I definitely recommend it. But just... make sure the bugs aren't with it.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-41547011928285575142017-03-21T08:33:00.001-07:002017-03-21T08:44:24.135-07:00Adventure WeekendThis weekend I definitely wanted out of the house. After months of snow and cold I finally was greeted with some nice weather that happened to coincide with a weekend. We've had our blips here and there, but I feel like our spring weather might actually be here to stay.<br />
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When we first woke up Nolan was having his usual "let's stay home and watch videos" mentality. So I told him that we were going to go "on an adventure" and he perked right up. Now, admittedly, my idea before leaving was just to get this kid some new shoes because his old ones have seen better days. That's no way to start an adventure! So as we were driving I improvised that we would go to a new park that he'd never been to before. It's close by my house, but we just haven't swung by the place. It's a new playground for a nearby elementary school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dsjkVS0kVPXTwMRuTzweimYYlJLhrxwlr4quMpZWPZQPi_ZWa6Umoyv68EoztTtKA0MiKjItJ7JFqDmrUhsAfo2cO-vtFsJHxdCKLJPJlhO43kSjcq1nyIGJnkNGL1nGPQ5iCA-i1rY/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dsjkVS0kVPXTwMRuTzweimYYlJLhrxwlr4quMpZWPZQPi_ZWa6Umoyv68EoztTtKA0MiKjItJ7JFqDmrUhsAfo2cO-vtFsJHxdCKLJPJlhO43kSjcq1nyIGJnkNGL1nGPQ5iCA-i1rY/s400/PicMonkey+Collage+Park.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I parked in the teacher lot in front of the building and told Nolan we were going to explore, as if I hadn't known there's a park behind the building. It was really fun because as we were exploring he just lit up and said, "It's a PLAYGROUND" and he ran towards the equipment.<br />
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We played for about an hour, and according to my fitbit, I moved quite a bit too. I was playing on the stuff almost just as much as he was. The kids today have it AWESOME.<br />
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After literally swinging on every swing in the playground (one right after another) we went for lunch, just Nolan and myself, to The Cafe. For the first time ever I tried their famous mac and cheese and it was scrumtrulescent. Nolan and I shared the order as I figured it would be quite rich. The Cafe did a great job splitting our orders and giving him fresh fruit and yogurt too... which ended up being the only thing he really had.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHP6umKEY8XFaOnyv7UGw77Bu3SOEsR7RS7iNxImYNmY7ONMjKEbc1gKL5dCgZrS-BDnwb6F4Pcv6PJBqk53CsMn5UKZ5xS-cWi_oQx0nSUkWs1y2eYRt0YMA6SepaJURhSQFQtXRvY4/s1600/20170318_123601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHP6umKEY8XFaOnyv7UGw77Bu3SOEsR7RS7iNxImYNmY7ONMjKEbc1gKL5dCgZrS-BDnwb6F4Pcv6PJBqk53CsMn5UKZ5xS-cWi_oQx0nSUkWs1y2eYRt0YMA6SepaJURhSQFQtXRvY4/s400/20170318_123601.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photos never give the food credit for how tasty it is. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And because I'm a pushover, we also had cake for dessert.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKIYcLJ_j94FZsyDf6RjWKmfSR_H6JjrrTFRvIJxpNVyZ2LX1g5-YuWUXpXBOvsZ8f9l3PPKneI7ITGij1vrmOBhn-7GX3G6d3dzr9HbQ7HvHTkOIY6iMpNaQ8w-YP7Av5reaT-BjrLU/s1600/20170318_125503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKIYcLJ_j94FZsyDf6RjWKmfSR_H6JjrrTFRvIJxpNVyZ2LX1g5-YuWUXpXBOvsZ8f9l3PPKneI7ITGij1vrmOBhn-7GX3G6d3dzr9HbQ7HvHTkOIY6iMpNaQ8w-YP7Av5reaT-BjrLU/s400/20170318_125503.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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We didn't finish the cake at the restaurant. Thank goodness!<br />
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We did finish off our adventure by going shoe shopping. He got some Nikes and I bought some sandals for Maxwell. With my "coups" the shoes were somewhat reasonably priced. For both pairs it was less than $50.<br />
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Side note: I'm a bit of a shoe snob for my kids. They're very often better dressed than I am.<br />
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After getting home and then taking a nap with Nolan. Literally snuggling with him while I napped too. I took Maxwell to the park (a different one).<br />
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I put him on the swing and that was a mistake. But then I tried him on the slide and I think I found a winner.<br />
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The next day as a family we went to the Des Moines Zoo and decided to become members. And because of their reciprocity program, we're now able to visit the Omaha Zoo for free as well as hundreds of other zoos around the country. The membership was a duel program with the local science museum so we can also go to science museums too INCLUDING the Field Museum in Chicago which is one of my favorite museums ever.<br />
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I ended the weekend with a 6 mile bike ride where I pulled a very sleepy Nolan in the very windy weather. Needless to say, I slept well Sunday night!Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-36082375238787305182017-03-13T11:45:00.001-07:002017-03-13T11:45:16.387-07:00Time Travel Dang, it's been a while since my last blog. Probably the longest in between blogs that I've had since starting this whole blogger thing. And a brief glance at my most recent blog tells me that a lot has happened since then.<br />
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First of all, I'm sleeping WAY better.<br />
<br />
KNOCK ON ALL THE WOOD.<br />
<br />
Maxwell was definitely having issues STTN until extremely recently. I don't know if he just grew out of it, or if it's because he had been in to his 1 year appt and they saw that he had an ear infection that I wasn't aware of. He was on cefdiner when he started to get a fever and we got a call to take him home from daycare. So I picked him up and got him into the doc that day and the pedi said that not only his ear infection wasn't going away after about 6 days on the antibiotics but he likely had RSV.<br />
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Side note: take your full course of antibiotics, people...<br />
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Anyways, they had to put him on a rocefin (sp?) injection regimen in order to really kick the ear infection's butt. But there's literally nothing they could do for the RSV. So I took a few days off of work AND THEN Nolan got sick. I would have thought it would be RSV but the pedi (a different one, our normal one is part time) thought it was the flu.<br />
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My poor babies!<br />
<br />
So yeah, I was already on sleep deprivation but then added on two very sick kiddos made it really hard. Plus we took a ton of days off. Had my mom come up to help cover our butts to keep us from having to take an extra 2 days of sick leave to be with the kids.<br />
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Ultimately, when the rocefin ran it's course, I think it helped Maxwell sleep through the night which has been a real life saver.<br />
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But enough of the sick update (cuz I could go on and on) and here are some photos!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfjXvEqcIYrwd8tLwnHviYV_LmDPX2_JiNAPyxFI97YA7qs6aM3jZorB5RKzmEpk6s3gD9DgG9AHWAjS-hh5mih1Hv2skY_6LC_RDfOIIpnOKHVMF_URB0zVMXig0m-zOwlQEpbpA1v0/s1600/20170120_182811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfjXvEqcIYrwd8tLwnHviYV_LmDPX2_JiNAPyxFI97YA7qs6aM3jZorB5RKzmEpk6s3gD9DgG9AHWAjS-hh5mih1Hv2skY_6LC_RDfOIIpnOKHVMF_URB0zVMXig0m-zOwlQEpbpA1v0/s400/20170120_182811.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends reunited</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3DPY18RNiBOHKf5tjZgRKwBJW7C1a-FjCSwDS2gAzrPsjAk_qoK5BVZxQYS3CkygA-Vb2a7FWP_GmIwJSSiP2rk7UaL-kTMF6YrxxWGEoAHo0hzCe0756FuTduM8o4gnIihegUigYSw/s1600/20170201_092205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3DPY18RNiBOHKf5tjZgRKwBJW7C1a-FjCSwDS2gAzrPsjAk_qoK5BVZxQYS3CkygA-Vb2a7FWP_GmIwJSSiP2rk7UaL-kTMF6YrxxWGEoAHo0hzCe0756FuTduM8o4gnIihegUigYSw/s400/20170201_092205.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing Maxwell around the butterfly wint</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYi0s2jom7YRUzpdh7LHgP1ec4YFNh4iMuOWe0gTNPorRd6tSnm9SulRh5wHf7Ai9efGph0lzyhVgp-iUKzm_KV1OAjXYgw96Qtx_FhUuQ3A2PUs70qqvVWWkmu8p9IjNsnYAEIn4Nis/s1600/20170201_092436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCYi0s2jom7YRUzpdh7LHgP1ec4YFNh4iMuOWe0gTNPorRd6tSnm9SulRh5wHf7Ai9efGph0lzyhVgp-iUKzm_KV1OAjXYgw96Qtx_FhUuQ3A2PUs70qqvVWWkmu8p9IjNsnYAEIn4Nis/s400/20170201_092436.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is about as still of a photo as you'll get of him...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_omiGoLJcrL2OTtOMg4sQq_WsqGhlBjq0MnglI5JPhra8YOB7ue96LzPp0WOXufQ7TpMo1SwmLTlCD6OVHrjfwvY2mK1deDJ6u4Ek-mnPXpYrhROAI4dtbdqa_D9ctHtWE-VmLsaRtk/s1600/20170201_155147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_omiGoLJcrL2OTtOMg4sQq_WsqGhlBjq0MnglI5JPhra8YOB7ue96LzPp0WOXufQ7TpMo1SwmLTlCD6OVHrjfwvY2mK1deDJ6u4Ek-mnPXpYrhROAI4dtbdqa_D9ctHtWE-VmLsaRtk/s400/20170201_155147.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... unless he's sleeping with a balloon</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHxkUnf6223xNo5zIdoi4ajkDfeHEo6109kvDFAmbFIBa5uB98IChovNX-Vp_9snq0yYcjBh7FEnGBiPmruqZ5pl9tD8Djd01NzoExBoAHcgdPOmNd_YzXtq5xIQv3AKbVhBs3ZEqlTY/s1600/20170201_175056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHxkUnf6223xNo5zIdoi4ajkDfeHEo6109kvDFAmbFIBa5uB98IChovNX-Vp_9snq0yYcjBh7FEnGBiPmruqZ5pl9tD8Djd01NzoExBoAHcgdPOmNd_YzXtq5xIQv3AKbVhBs3ZEqlTY/s400/20170201_175056.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxwell with Grandma!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1iXpFeZi_9AJ2D0lzIa0m-vlub91KwKBe98mtDiuQPmL8TURN1cgwIwFeM2W8UjTg2W2lrNOgtT_fXnoukqaH7lL3q2ooMjuDV02EbXMLuzKeUW6FRf8ugLFrkWzcvlMEFhRCGpJrxg/s1600/20170217_065854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1iXpFeZi_9AJ2D0lzIa0m-vlub91KwKBe98mtDiuQPmL8TURN1cgwIwFeM2W8UjTg2W2lrNOgtT_fXnoukqaH7lL3q2ooMjuDV02EbXMLuzKeUW6FRf8ugLFrkWzcvlMEFhRCGpJrxg/s400/20170217_065854.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nolan with his famous positive demeanor and lunch of pb&j, cheese, and yogurt</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4audeQHZrlz1lcl0xI055ZFdU5DfzjC7m2DY-ktaqKpeD8kxWjKom8FD9MJfFlW29kmpGEfU1qx1dzcBvPf919u97D5r-OUh7CfHc4W71G3hIzqoK3y8l2J8yci0381nqbP0ZQQZsKos/s1600/20170218_134234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4audeQHZrlz1lcl0xI055ZFdU5DfzjC7m2DY-ktaqKpeD8kxWjKom8FD9MJfFlW29kmpGEfU1qx1dzcBvPf919u97D5r-OUh7CfHc4W71G3hIzqoK3y8l2J8yci0381nqbP0ZQQZsKos/s400/20170218_134234.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxwell chill with his hair in a man bun</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdadAjzo62_U6zMBg2kVWOtVgCyHDydoC9LZPWeYQ7FOgcxQ8Hrt4xdsgnE9I1R5PB63EelLBRwvtrmD8gq2ymJHcfKGQ8YgvInSZGAneSWc5k7xZSiU0wzFTgXOvgiOgYIsJ3YVIMMo/s1600/20170219_083955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdadAjzo62_U6zMBg2kVWOtVgCyHDydoC9LZPWeYQ7FOgcxQ8Hrt4xdsgnE9I1R5PB63EelLBRwvtrmD8gq2ymJHcfKGQ8YgvInSZGAneSWc5k7xZSiU0wzFTgXOvgiOgYIsJ3YVIMMo/s400/20170219_083955.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxwell digging into the cupboards</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhytFs1Ew3RuaU4QqXC3HIIYcDOMIHEsD2MlwU2iVGzCCCEf3sNjPqbHrJ-FZ316eQy2CR5XK6HWig1bLE5jrBiDHDFRIKbqKUXIb_LbP1LUvDBmivA98u9QU6_rJWSJf7GQSobl2DClI/s1600/20170304_104109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhytFs1Ew3RuaU4QqXC3HIIYcDOMIHEsD2MlwU2iVGzCCCEf3sNjPqbHrJ-FZ316eQy2CR5XK6HWig1bLE5jrBiDHDFRIKbqKUXIb_LbP1LUvDBmivA98u9QU6_rJWSJf7GQSobl2DClI/s400/20170304_104109.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siblings and cousins (meeting Logan the first time!)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQREbqdxx8l0PLoZDIFkOShHLoxqbGMpEsNGwPoIzkHxnk9ADcRDdQmFuHmmalBrBl9UI0_-AlOqte0Z2V7soaSKQ7BgieazZLF-wt8aRuylh2TnqGvm05C2XnCxfW6nHcbnczLROZ7vs/s1600/20170304_180723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQREbqdxx8l0PLoZDIFkOShHLoxqbGMpEsNGwPoIzkHxnk9ADcRDdQmFuHmmalBrBl9UI0_-AlOqte0Z2V7soaSKQ7BgieazZLF-wt8aRuylh2TnqGvm05C2XnCxfW6nHcbnczLROZ7vs/s400/20170304_180723.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These kids love each other!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8c-ouJR19_6RrdLzv1mMq44WbFuVtPz8rvcXSYU96Y4oC4DInBrIQ_pxlA66zYFR-dCdf7i-XkqRqYFKD4U6ZGzJ4VyPk2CUscZWIl_OPs9wM_FqnqwxSekzdrxfCJpFb_MHvreOvJ4/s1600/20170305_085030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8c-ouJR19_6RrdLzv1mMq44WbFuVtPz8rvcXSYU96Y4oC4DInBrIQ_pxlA66zYFR-dCdf7i-XkqRqYFKD4U6ZGzJ4VyPk2CUscZWIl_OPs9wM_FqnqwxSekzdrxfCJpFb_MHvreOvJ4/s400/20170305_085030.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Ham</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MAAZ57LtAOd1z_F0CajmNpRtr2Cw9Xw2-yqqYJsRCM9JO_K5nn7d6o1DP28s-EHCnuPW3l2rs3B59b07xpDewaiNR_iVcjbufOZ8pYdsr6k5hjx8qnWRthTcv1Nsmf5FD-c0_c8VXKw/s1600/20170305_124716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MAAZ57LtAOd1z_F0CajmNpRtr2Cw9Xw2-yqqYJsRCM9JO_K5nn7d6o1DP28s-EHCnuPW3l2rs3B59b07xpDewaiNR_iVcjbufOZ8pYdsr6k5hjx8qnWRthTcv1Nsmf5FD-c0_c8VXKw/s400/20170305_124716.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nolan having "so much fun"</td></tr>
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I think Maxwell's officially a toddler and is now starting to express his dissatisfaction with whatever is just out of reach or when I don't give him food fast enough. He's also getting more verbal pointing at things asking "that?" [da?] requesting "baba" [baba] and "ball" [ba].<br />
<br />Nolan is really good friends with a few kids at daycare which is really fun to see. Just instant friends with one in particular. We had him and his family over to the house this weekend for pizza and play time. They got along until they didn't and then they were ticked. When they realized that it was almost time for them to leave then both kiddos started acting like besties again.<br />
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I'm also back on "project: me" wherein I put my health a priority. I suppose an update for that is in order but so far so good! I'm focusing more on how I feel and how I treat my body by the fuel (ie food) I put into it and making the 10,000 steps/day goal a reality.<br />
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But this is all I can literally write today. I can't seem to remember much or have any focus or direction other than the brief synopsis above :)Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-89223233765819195842016-12-07T11:20:00.001-08:002016-12-07T11:20:31.356-08:00Time To CryI haven't slept well in weeks.<br />
<br />
Maxwell's been battling an ear infection and amoxicillin wasn't working after 5 days so we went to something else. Because his sleeping hasn't gotten any better after day 5 of Cefdinir I took him in to see if his ears weren't clearing up.<br />
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Thankfully they were all clear.<br />
<br />
Please note, I'm extremely tired while writing this so I guarantee that it'll be confusing and jumbled.<br />
<br />
Anyways, the doc says that Maxwell's ears were all clear which, even though he hasn't been sleeping, is good news. Of course, if it were due to an ear infection that was persisting - trying another medication would be the clear answer and a potential medical fix for his poor sleep. Being positive though, it means that he doesn't have an antibiotic resistant ear infection. And even more positive, it doesn't mean that we have to look into tubes or anything for his ears yet. I'm optimistic that we won't have to do tubes, but I was nervous that we might.<br />
<br />
So last night, after getting the OK from the doctor, we let Maxwell cry it out. We went in about every 5-10 minutes to hold him just long enough to calm him down, put him back in the crib, pat his butt, and try to get him back to sleep. He was screaming from 11:40-2:00 easily.<br />
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Anyways, after Maxwell finally seems to be asleep we hear Nolan screaming at the top of his lungs and guess what? He's throwing up!<br />
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I can't catch a damn break with the kids being sick and never sleeping.<br />
<br />
To anyone with multiples or with more than 2 kids...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEc40vanbz3nIttwUi_pMk3KC9iky6ARp43J7wyEou9Y9T2uQlVJK6tf6yW4FGSmbKaSF-o4BVto2qdY4OETfm0FB1HdF9gKVrYAWz8nxWxp4FnaEnxNzz_euoOAu-l31F4Z-HG5bYKJg/s1600/16944_1334846111_2011-11-15-10-38-33-5-katniss-delivers-a-farewell-salute-this-gesture-i.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEc40vanbz3nIttwUi_pMk3KC9iky6ARp43J7wyEou9Y9T2uQlVJK6tf6yW4FGSmbKaSF-o4BVto2qdY4OETfm0FB1HdF9gKVrYAWz8nxWxp4FnaEnxNzz_euoOAu-l31F4Z-HG5bYKJg/s400/16944_1334846111_2011-11-15-10-38-33-5-katniss-delivers-a-farewell-salute-this-gesture-i.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now would be a good time to invest in Dunkin' Donuts coffee.<br />
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I count myself extremely lucky that my kids are generally healthy and hopefully this is a blip on the radar. But when my kids are teenagers I'm going to enjoy waking them up to get them ready for school. MUAHAHAHHAHA<br />
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But right now I'm so tired that any little emotional thing will set me off. It's like the tears are just right there ready to fall and I just need the sad news article to send me into a spiral.<br />
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Also - this is my first post since the election and all I can say is FUCK TRUMP and the idiots that voted for him.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-17235838485508133562016-10-26T15:52:00.000-07:002016-10-26T15:52:00.824-07:00Can We Just Laugh?I have been straight up exhausted today because of stress/anxiety that has been going on with my life which, for privacy reasons, I'm not really going to get into on facebook. No worries though, I think I have it figured out. But a consequence of being scatter brained and disorganized is a 2 hour anxiety filled MOTN wake up where you close your eyes and the anxiety just gets worse so you play pokemon go instead.<br />
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I digress.<br />
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Here's some stuff worth laughing at:<br />
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I bought some leggings the other day. They were supposed to be the chosen ones! They are black lularoe and in a way they were my own unicorn that I was waiting on buying because financially speaking, having 2 kids in daycare is a huge money suck. I finally feel comfortable splurging on myself and I bought a pair of leggings and was really excited for a versatile staple to my wardrobe when on the first wear I notice they're defective.<br />
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"Defective leggings?" you say. Yes. I don't know what causes it but holes just appeared everywhere in them. And when I went to the bathroom (we all do it so it's not TMI) I saw what appeared to be stars in the crotch of the leggings. But alas, they weren't stars, they were straight up HOLES in the crotch. First wear. And no, I didn't wash them yet because I wanted fresh softness against my skin.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQciRSysuT0QjuW2gyppN1iPRD64TIDgivJpJiOs8A7DdZ-hPHXNU8p5iPrTu4R-Hn5nz9CRp6KMAgPQ51dvk2-zw0AZ_v2qKaUzRDUnIRFXbNRhhbQ4dOgy2jYkgBJRGHUQNCFmLY2s/s1600/20161022_205502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQciRSysuT0QjuW2gyppN1iPRD64TIDgivJpJiOs8A7DdZ-hPHXNU8p5iPrTu4R-Hn5nz9CRp6KMAgPQ51dvk2-zw0AZ_v2qKaUzRDUnIRFXbNRhhbQ4dOgy2jYkgBJRGHUQNCFmLY2s/s320/20161022_205502.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So that stinks. What I'm really not enjoying right now is that, while the consultant is giving me a credit for new leggings, her shop isn't open right now and I wanted some freaking leggings NOW dammit. I'm also bracing myself for her charging me for shipping which I will straight up contest. This all in addition to the fact that I probably won't be able to get black again because A) I don't think she'll have them and B) I don't trust the quality she receives.</div>
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I'm sure you're all appreciative of the last 3 paragraphs about leggings.</div>
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In Halloween News:</div>
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Nolan has a costume to be a dinosaur and I believe he believes he's supposed to dress as a dinosaur but every time we've tried to get him in the costume he straight up flips out. But he doesn't have a problem with the new/used Buzz Lightyear costume we've already taken him to Halloween trick or treat activities in!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqY4oQKwtDQGySX_ySeTfj0pnWeu4QHiUi5G41q26efViP6fmJkMZaOFUlhn2Wf6Oye6fmV6lrH4GAeibtP6h5AEpZ_XEYwMypSNbKlWDUF1COu5bhH_pYYMaTZ98LsJokDugkdsvzDI/s1600/20161023_173501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqY4oQKwtDQGySX_ySeTfj0pnWeu4QHiUi5G41q26efViP6fmJkMZaOFUlhn2Wf6Oye6fmV6lrH4GAeibtP6h5AEpZ_XEYwMypSNbKlWDUF1COu5bhH_pYYMaTZ98LsJokDugkdsvzDI/s320/20161023_173501.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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That's a kid who is excited for candy! </div>
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How could I forget this big piece of news. Maxwell and I were in a parade on Sunday! Yes, Maxwell was IN a parade before he ever saw a parade. As you can see from my photographic evidence, he was thrilled and honored to be in this role. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AMSBr4mdxWzGgEXsL8T2UqQZVRYcMqbEVpVp7uUvHBYS2Emmut10GqlDJYrQ0A-PvN6xM3U2FZZnNnMP4v2ezbx0Mby7fJGtYoEfXKPLrHyCcC9DXtfxx5w9I0K17asL0SGENjf1o0Q/s1600/20161023_140358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AMSBr4mdxWzGgEXsL8T2UqQZVRYcMqbEVpVp7uUvHBYS2Emmut10GqlDJYrQ0A-PvN6xM3U2FZZnNnMP4v2ezbx0Mby7fJGtYoEfXKPLrHyCcC9DXtfxx5w9I0K17asL0SGENjf1o0Q/s320/20161023_140358.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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This was at the very beginning of the parade. I put the stroller umbrella over him for the duration of the parade and he was very quiet while I threw candy. </div>
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Speaking of which, daycare freaking loves Maxwell. He is just the happiest baby of all time. Straight up. This kid rarely cries unless it's 7:00 and he's clearly ready for bed. He is a smiler and just all around pleasant. When we drop him off at daycare every morning we complete a sheet describing his mood and I've never had to put anything other than "happy" except when he's been up all night, but even then the daycare teachers always comment "he's SUCH a happy baby!" </div>
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I might be biased, but I feel like he's an all time favorite for those teachers. I honestly felt like a teacher was trying to say those words without saying them because they shouldn't play favorites. Just yesterday when I dropped him off a teacher was like "he's just ALWAYS so HAPPY!" </div>
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If you ever need a pick me up with the world's happiest baby, Maxwell is here for you.</div>
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Nolan's daycare report is also positive. He is in full on toddler mode so I don't really get the "world's happiest toddler" awards for him. But he was definitely a very happy baby. I was just too tired because he was also the worlds worst sleeper to see and appreciate it. </div>
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He is friends with a boy named Luka who I always see him playing with when I pick him up. The funny thing is that I always notice Nolan is talking to the kids on the other side of the fence. I think these are older kids based on their playground equipment. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ox7sNk2Bt0qUmrsFjXrXtAVAMtFZuKMi_tbFPCtQRWRkk39LfC1HmnRU4GEVU_-weNo5s1RBJC-4pm17xOlsfnWcICz7pV24fbd5a6ZFkJ5G9BBzTP3OXyADL0Og-tXm0YdDO9fVYec/s1600/2016-10-19_18-28-30_666.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ox7sNk2Bt0qUmrsFjXrXtAVAMtFZuKMi_tbFPCtQRWRkk39LfC1HmnRU4GEVU_-weNo5s1RBJC-4pm17xOlsfnWcICz7pV24fbd5a6ZFkJ5G9BBzTP3OXyADL0Og-tXm0YdDO9fVYec/s320/2016-10-19_18-28-30_666.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Salton family has enjoyed several volleyball games at this point. It's a really fun way for us all to experience Hilton magic without the congestion of Cyclone Basketball. Brian is definitely counting down the days until the first game. He got his tickets in the mail and I think he's really excited to drive up with his new license plates:</div>
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I'm an Iowa Stater. Always and forever. *winky face*</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-75953039466981268712016-10-17T14:34:00.001-07:002016-10-17T14:34:14.266-07:00It Finally HappenedNolan is a fully mobile toddler. It should come as no surprise that he is also an independent, free range, tantrum throwing, does what he shouldn't kid as well. He's awesome and for now I find what just happened cute.<br />
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He snuck downstairs when he was supposed to be in bed.<br />
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Yup, it's here! I no longer can trust that my toddler will stay in the confines of his bedroom when I leave the room. Unless I tether him there. Wait, I probably shouldn't do that. Should I? I dunno... I'll get back to you.<br />
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Anyways, the best/worst part of it was I was downstairs having my me time watching my grown up TV shows that simply wouldn't ever be on, even in the background, until he is MUCH older.<br />
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The Walking Dead - Series Recap<br />
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Basically, it was highlights from TWD's 6 seasons to prepare me for the season 7 premiere next week. Of course there wasn't a bunch of dialogue or them walking down a road.<br />
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Nope.<br />
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They were being eaten by freaking zombies. Shooting people. Fighting. Etc.<br />
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It wasn't until I heard, "I'm scared," that I realized my little man was watching for who-knows-how-long before announcing himself and also scaring the bajeezus out of me.<br />
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I put him back to bed and we sprayed our water spray bottle for monsters around his room before bed. Yes, it's just a spray bottle filled with water that we can spray for monsters. I'm not sure if this legitimizes the monster fear or helps give him some peace.<br />
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Anyways...<br />
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He came downstairs 2 more times after that.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-71100781328144332762016-10-10T17:14:00.000-07:002016-10-10T17:14:03.017-07:00I didn't even recognize you!Seriously, I just went on my blog and was like "I don't remember making a new banner for my page!"<br />
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For nostalgia's sake it currently looks like this:<br />
<img alt="It's Always Awesome on Easley Street" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGmr-1hIxgBRg7xL0YN2FDhAqW8YdNNZnrAA1JdhvYOkl_jZaGuiV4n2vgV6Y0kWQjKWeCK9QvU9IGKt4xfUZXsoh-7VKYaX91qH-UZtbNqlkDWGYWbrXoTPQzo8i-igLDQvhCD13p8U/s400/HeaderFinal.png" width="400" /><br />
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The pictures were taken from a photoshoot we did as a family this July and Maxwell's was from his 6 month photoshoot. Nolan's picture reminds me of Uncle Christian a lot! I think the outdoor lighting gave his hair a reddish hue.<br />
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I love my babies. I can't say it enough. They are the best thing I've ever done.<br />
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Tonight I have the privilege of picking them up from daycare. How much fun is that? If you pick your kids up from daycare, then you know why that's the best part of the day. I look forward to it like crazy. There's just a really cool feeling when you see your baby/toddler playing and having fun and then you say their name and they light up and start their way towards you!<br />
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Maxwell is a mover and a shaker now, completely mobile and starting to stand on his own for 3-4 seconds at a time. He CAN crawl up stairs but he doesn't often get the opportunity. I personally like to hold him with his little feet touching the stairs and then he "jumps" up the stairs by me lifting him from one stair to the next. He is a smiler. The picture above really captures his mood. This baby is always happy. Except when he's hungry or sleepy!<br />
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Nolan is really learning a ton. The other morning I heard him singing in his room. He was quietly singing the ABC's to himself. He also has learned how to find his "own phone" (my old phone from before that I let him play games on) after he's done with his nap so he can get some uninterrupted surprise egg video time. Potty training is going along a little better now that I've really coughed up some cash and bought the bribe toys of a lifetime. Fashems/Mashems - whatever you call it. He goes nuts over them.<br />
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<img alt="Image result for mashems finding dory" height="200" src="https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/4964aece-9401-4f71-a6e3-09b28cb183ec_1.2d3b2467bac2d9e9245622b1a91dd316.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF" width="200" /><br />
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I'm bribing him with a fashem for whenever he goes #2 in the toilet instead of his pants. Sorry future Nolan for when your significant other reads this. I mean to say, I'm bribing him for doing the dishes and vacuuming his bedroom... yeah, that's what I'm doing.<br />
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In other news. Brian and I are officially really into playing Pokemon. Alright, to be perfectly fair my obsession is waning a little, but it's still really fun to play. Brian and I will take turns going to campus after the kids are in bed to hunt 'mon and get more pokeballs.<br />
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Photo dump!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mbptNrznnfl7YQdDAKjsqacjN_Imm8ORYop0uWFjj03TpOXmM-KGSoiV0KumdXTZoMZmHAhP00gx5sjr61kuRaHXCnVp0JNRW1XlWIQs32hCtJLPtAWRPcbu44hug-U5HHGR2Zbof5Q/s1600/20161002_095127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9mbptNrznnfl7YQdDAKjsqacjN_Imm8ORYop0uWFjj03TpOXmM-KGSoiV0KumdXTZoMZmHAhP00gx5sjr61kuRaHXCnVp0JNRW1XlWIQs32hCtJLPtAWRPcbu44hug-U5HHGR2Zbof5Q/s320/20161002_095127.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maxwell's in his carrier, but it looks like I'm holding a potato sack that I put a hat on</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlECXBzwzYY0rEwtPLuiD5TgZI_sMmtg6r7FuNSDVGXoNpPLaW-GgTutsKb4EmoWH0lQc5fFNiSZ57jaWRUAehZhO1BjexaKvzH-EBnEOunVDDVKnZMhbkZqNHJ0dPLqX92hmSBdvekSE/s1600/20161002_102707_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlECXBzwzYY0rEwtPLuiD5TgZI_sMmtg6r7FuNSDVGXoNpPLaW-GgTutsKb4EmoWH0lQc5fFNiSZ57jaWRUAehZhO1BjexaKvzH-EBnEOunVDDVKnZMhbkZqNHJ0dPLqX92hmSBdvekSE/s320/20161002_102707_004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Safe to say Nolan loved the pumpkin patch again!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-xnj0iC25PJlubjnrO-r1UQ5dJ6SrKQ10DSs8q-O0ysIVRZ3YrgmBNFgD0h1gfz6KPXTqZqk6aKL6e451qe0c6IXmVDYSWBjcxF1LFByy8b3wDunFmeW5WVADKkN7_RWGuvTqF3i_B8/s1600/20161002_113444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-xnj0iC25PJlubjnrO-r1UQ5dJ6SrKQ10DSs8q-O0ysIVRZ3YrgmBNFgD0h1gfz6KPXTqZqk6aKL6e451qe0c6IXmVDYSWBjcxF1LFByy8b3wDunFmeW5WVADKkN7_RWGuvTqF3i_B8/s320/20161002_113444.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A combine slide</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIsZdyVJOroEJfOyJzT8eHwJNw6LWmJZdenZVmF4nKmrT_6vTVMo5ESFADytScuxme1Ysckbo8wz0hu9ONqucJqrwzPdaMumeezTS9DmBdr_pXlPaL-icSoBsLGD_FXpsJGKIT7ObRN8/s1600/20161002_121357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIsZdyVJOroEJfOyJzT8eHwJNw6LWmJZdenZVmF4nKmrT_6vTVMo5ESFADytScuxme1Ysckbo8wz0hu9ONqucJqrwzPdaMumeezTS9DmBdr_pXlPaL-icSoBsLGD_FXpsJGKIT7ObRN8/s320/20161002_121357.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found it! "Orange" the pumpkin</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3kYmxSwLrqIwdYfo8UwLPEGKT05FtbuG1UtLAN4bpT5JTh2xEzks1WFKf0nFXC0l8hF-95OI2dleAXS2Ojb6rN-zhi96g_tbCGynz3iaW2RKBHq2M6RnOIUfKH2iFt1H7ihqzs3906k/s1600/20161005_184037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3kYmxSwLrqIwdYfo8UwLPEGKT05FtbuG1UtLAN4bpT5JTh2xEzks1WFKf0nFXC0l8hF-95OI2dleAXS2Ojb6rN-zhi96g_tbCGynz3iaW2RKBHq2M6RnOIUfKH2iFt1H7ihqzs3906k/s320/20161005_184037.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love these two. They are buddies through and through. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfns90GOo4CavCGKObe053jfPrV_D0t93NgRloOUkksqVH-NcwKH_kCVe5C8q362_gIMfOan0_qsPWduP57qjRCXPQSyDRxbILY7XvH4UudzHL4sld5qpSY6Gw8XplAXjVHtXpFqCGGeg/s1600/20161008_101053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfns90GOo4CavCGKObe053jfPrV_D0t93NgRloOUkksqVH-NcwKH_kCVe5C8q362_gIMfOan0_qsPWduP57qjRCXPQSyDRxbILY7XvH4UudzHL4sld5qpSY6Gw8XplAXjVHtXpFqCGGeg/s320/20161008_101053.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checked out a fire station over the weekend... you try taking a picture of a toddler eating a cookie and getting a smile</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg7a9svs4pxeqo7MeFA8nL-NT8mDq-e04rk1Ar9EkAQhDFbfYsU_Up5nl-CXT7firYVcw0iggNCkVMAibLXi_XIM5k0w0e1IcvloMWzLHEluG41yy1j62n6r5WdkYgXeUmtPLB4q0FLY/s1600/20161008_101645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg7a9svs4pxeqo7MeFA8nL-NT8mDq-e04rk1Ar9EkAQhDFbfYsU_Up5nl-CXT7firYVcw0iggNCkVMAibLXi_XIM5k0w0e1IcvloMWzLHEluG41yy1j62n6r5WdkYgXeUmtPLB4q0FLY/s320/20161008_101645.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He met "Marshal" from Paw Patrol ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgq7rEAg9Z7skx9JhZr7AGOZE6_qEjyeW8f33KbEnXGcQmLAzDYIuYSkrxuNXHiIBfsljVT_Quxbnh1eDP9UyZjNQsTmyQPV9nfzNYd_3T2BKZfREdQmmwlhF7ZzJ4PN7lKD78GeN3z0/s1600/20161009_092750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgq7rEAg9Z7skx9JhZr7AGOZE6_qEjyeW8f33KbEnXGcQmLAzDYIuYSkrxuNXHiIBfsljVT_Quxbnh1eDP9UyZjNQsTmyQPV9nfzNYd_3T2BKZfREdQmmwlhF7ZzJ4PN7lKD78GeN3z0/s320/20161009_092750.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's 8 months old now!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9tnN6W3cFKcXzMbhe0_n8Gyhs-9qD_kwNArPE-YeSIhttKCZVFgBBgR5N4WpDypdGAzFtlgHo78SNOLbyb1hojtkeCQEqwo3U-znPfB3QdY_GHqVLF4GofiXDmE3ZDNdsjs8o7R0y_I/s1600/20161009_093215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9tnN6W3cFKcXzMbhe0_n8Gyhs-9qD_kwNArPE-YeSIhttKCZVFgBBgR5N4WpDypdGAzFtlgHo78SNOLbyb1hojtkeCQEqwo3U-znPfB3QdY_GHqVLF4GofiXDmE3ZDNdsjs8o7R0y_I/s320/20161009_093215.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nolan wanted in on the photo fun!</td></tr>
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-89851874115574224492016-08-09T11:11:00.000-07:002016-08-09T11:11:36.857-07:00I can't even... he's too cute!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNr0QYN3cQbmoFP21tophgtn2WdIbtsdRliy5Xtm2flYA2BG4yhfRw-xNM729QG6lRnQLTs8lZpI9RtSmcBNcl6g9rT2MWxnoo1vVeC9Ll5dqh7fkdfx6NlypiBGayaugoizBRj2i2uuc/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNr0QYN3cQbmoFP21tophgtn2WdIbtsdRliy5Xtm2flYA2BG4yhfRw-xNM729QG6lRnQLTs8lZpI9RtSmcBNcl6g9rT2MWxnoo1vVeC9Ll5dqh7fkdfx6NlypiBGayaugoizBRj2i2uuc/s400/untitled.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-12450438839924468142016-08-05T07:02:00.000-07:002016-08-05T07:02:26.836-07:00Mental PicturesEvery once in a while there's just a time when you have to put down the camera and just make a mental memory instead of taking a physical photo. This is especially hard to do anymore since everyone is carrying a camera in their pockets at all times.<br />
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But since this is a blog it's hard to go too long without sharing a photo of my kiddos!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTq-ApgxiuHZRlADIuYgrxzLHTeN4CuJIMx1gjyDqyejUTB9GVlD_V87tQVpGcrMpmVbyIqlWzmdHswM6NzUfVWDWwOPJxWC1inRLJG-2o5cP_ggqt0FLdnOY2RwA6axpU5s0dSqRr-Is/s1600/20160803_191638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTq-ApgxiuHZRlADIuYgrxzLHTeN4CuJIMx1gjyDqyejUTB9GVlD_V87tQVpGcrMpmVbyIqlWzmdHswM6NzUfVWDWwOPJxWC1inRLJG-2o5cP_ggqt0FLdnOY2RwA6axpU5s0dSqRr-Is/s400/20160803_191638.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a little ham!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In this picture Nolan was helping me take the grapes off the stems! A chore I hate, but I do because I hate stems on grapes. He nailed it! And then played with the stems calling them Mommy, Daddy, and Nolan and having them play with one another. I love his imagination!<br />
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Anyways, the point of my story is to share a first of Maxwell's that I opted to take a mental photo of rather than a physical photo.<br />
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Maxwell's First Fruit (puree)<br />
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We've been slowly incorporating puree's into Maxwell's diet but really just starting with veggies because we all know that fruit is where it's at. Maxwell loves butternut squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, pretty much everything except peas. He'll eat them with enthusiasm in that it's something different and that drinking 100% breastmilk was probably getting boring for him. He'd finish the purees with ease.<br />
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Yesterday was something else though. I gave Brian the go ahead to feed him a fruit as a bought a bunch at the store the other day. We had pears, mangoes, peaches, a couple of fruit/veggie combos etc. Well Brian selected peach for the first fruit and without any doubt in my mind I say it was a success.<br />
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The best part about watching him eat the peaches was how much he clearly wanted more and never wanted a break from the peaches. There was a shriek when the spoon wasn't in his mouth. A confused panic when Brian was cleaning off the peaches from around his mouth. He was leaning as far forward as he could to get his mouth to the spoon as soon as possible. And this adorable slurping sound as he sucked the puree off the spoon. Nary a drop of peach fell to his bib unless you count the bite I tried to give him and I clumsily dropped a blob in his lap.<br />
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It's moments like those that you just really can't capture with a photo. I could have took a video and that would have been great but it was just really wonderful to watch him and be in that moment with him and laugh while he shrieked and reached for the spoon.<br />
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I'm sure we'll get more of these kinds of reactions as he tries other fruits and foods too, but soon he'll get used to how awesome other foods taste and won't act the same towards them anymore. For now, I'm just smiling at the memory of how much he loved his peaches.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-23626488769112758072016-08-02T08:31:00.001-07:002016-08-02T08:31:13.718-07:006 Month Maxwell Man!"Maxmaker Maxmaker make me a Max, find me a find, catch me a Max"<br />
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"I love my baby Max, baby Max, baby Max... give me my baby Max, baby Max, baby Max. CHILI'S BABY MAX RIBS.... Barbeque sauce"<br />
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Max-o-mill (instead of Maxwell, it's my way of calling him Maximilian)<br />
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All nicknames/songs for my little little man.<br />
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He is:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Putting all the things in his mouth (I need to vacuum) </li>
<li>Pulling my hair when nursing, sometimes slapping me too</li>
<li>Waking up about once in the MOTN most nights</li>
<li>Smiles when he sees mama and dada</li>
<li>"Sings" and is finding his voice</li>
<li>Laughing at silly noises we make</li>
<li>Loves chewing on my phone... probably not good for the phone...</li>
<li>Sitting up for short periods of time unassisted</li>
<li>Army crawling</li>
</ul>
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<div>
6 month appointment is this afternoon!!!</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-4044868509047308902016-06-28T10:53:00.001-07:002016-06-28T10:53:35.738-07:00New Gig!First things first.<br />
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I GOT A NEW JOB!<br />
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It's a reservation coordinator position at Transportation Services at Iowa State. I'm so thrilled for this opportunity to actually show my skills as a leader and get a whole new list of responsibilities! I start on July 11th. The new position comes with a decent pay bump and it's technically a pay grade higher so it's a promotion booyah!<br />
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It honestly is bittersweet leaving the College of Business but I think a little more sweet than bitter to be honest. I'm really ready to make a change and the day to day at the CoB has been getting a little repetitive.<br />
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Songs currently in my head:Graduation (Friends Forever) - cuz when you're leaving a job you get graduation goggles (credit: HIMYM)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcLwqoZlvKiPTxzI2Fy8SfubmG_5JxEnco_IY5C5fgmojNgaMwDvC5ckJsYS_wTmSOzU46C7u69UqrNP1cRojZvKQ7XGkc2No-REntk0YLSL7_HlpIxGrsvTkjo1DNrcsBaIr8syQMjQ/s1600/anigif_enhanced-buzz-8530-1377540826-3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcLwqoZlvKiPTxzI2Fy8SfubmG_5JxEnco_IY5C5fgmojNgaMwDvC5ckJsYS_wTmSOzU46C7u69UqrNP1cRojZvKQ7XGkc2No-REntk0YLSL7_HlpIxGrsvTkjo1DNrcsBaIr8syQMjQ/s320/anigif_enhanced-buzz-8530-1377540826-3.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm just kidding... everyone was awesome!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Final Countdown - Because <a href="http://itsalmo.st/#mylastday_b5dxi">http://itsalmo.st/#mylastday_b5dxi</a></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgf3jEFPeJq26ryn2_ulejOq-IjpIXX6-dGucJPsoJ5RnwHYIgFlCV6monv6yvbRSzWhJ7kNVZgSC4hb9DTolBfaEjwm0UqIOvSKAiXQImFMlVM8DXemzumw8Dyl6zi_Sum69mmMHFEQ/s1600/countdown.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgf3jEFPeJq26ryn2_ulejOq-IjpIXX6-dGucJPsoJ5RnwHYIgFlCV6monv6yvbRSzWhJ7kNVZgSC4hb9DTolBfaEjwm0UqIOvSKAiXQImFMlVM8DXemzumw8Dyl6zi_Sum69mmMHFEQ/s1600/countdown.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ILLUSIONS, MICHAEL!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Don't You (Forget About Me) - HEY HEY HEY HEY! OOOOoooOOOOoooOOOOooooOOOooOOH</li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3Xj-FKAqv_EeTAZkIJ01mlDitT1HX1f040loUbIT5hYC9g0tkqGfu5Nb0SUBTos1CMkhrXw7sPvlzxI26rav438dZ649iTZVDX3Cf06RF5WkwaRE9mIX7VmHCPPWc63UFu4qV1hJq14/s1600/juddnelson.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3Xj-FKAqv_EeTAZkIJ01mlDitT1HX1f040loUbIT5hYC9g0tkqGfu5Nb0SUBTos1CMkhrXw7sPvlzxI26rav438dZ649iTZVDX3Cf06RF5WkwaRE9mIX7VmHCPPWc63UFu4qV1hJq14/s320/juddnelson.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That fist, though.</td></tr>
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<div>
I've got a lot of loose ends to wrap up here before I am officially out but I'm so excited!</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-62757530739287902552016-06-16T09:51:00.001-07:002016-06-16T09:51:13.001-07:00Some HappinessI'm not going to lie, there has been some incredibly sad stuff in the news lately. At this point, my heart can't take any more sadness and I'm cutting myself off from the news including facebook and reddit for 24 hours and we'll go from there. I don't mean to be insensitive but sometimes your heart can only take so much and I'm at the maximum capacity for sadness before I cry uncontrollably.<br />
<br />
Sooooo this blog is a happy update with photos! We could all use a little cheer, right?<br />
<br />
This week my mom came to help watch the kiddos for a few days which was really fun! Nolan and Maxwell stayed home with her on Tuesday/Wednesday. Nolan got a little haircut (photos forthcoming) and Maxwell is just working on regrowing his bald patch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRS8L374pnmim6DA5BzcDXBGp2bqbrK84S-YssyIeM61dvRG0qDP9B3TMxZwmbxmMGCbXdNRdDyyJ19QSu_rHCz2c5K2_pTaJHwN83jTMaFSM4jVG-QLr4Kn-rkKEB0kRWw6KQ2viH_Q/s1600/20160608_165644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSRS8L374pnmim6DA5BzcDXBGp2bqbrK84S-YssyIeM61dvRG0qDP9B3TMxZwmbxmMGCbXdNRdDyyJ19QSu_rHCz2c5K2_pTaJHwN83jTMaFSM4jVG-QLr4Kn-rkKEB0kRWw6KQ2viH_Q/s320/20160608_165644.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's been hot, this kid is sweaty </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxGpOnEyDVqXjM9qPflbNHtCw_vir1ABDUSsFthmudApwWOmjJfzRUguwTSHEWqEbAXQw3qF5WefCL1OyFZLBdYoXQf5B14zo7K020Uu0jx6v8UXflANJxycFg7U2jWCOy-iX7jTfhKM/s1600/20160609_150041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxGpOnEyDVqXjM9qPflbNHtCw_vir1ABDUSsFthmudApwWOmjJfzRUguwTSHEWqEbAXQw3qF5WefCL1OyFZLBdYoXQf5B14zo7K020Uu0jx6v8UXflANJxycFg7U2jWCOy-iX7jTfhKM/s320/20160609_150041.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nolan is naked in this photo. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQpKkVJz3Qpt2v_bF6qKeHwGStFhnRxzDJcqmFQMRhFDOXvNLF9uHDo6YuD5byK6T5esnpwB9U54VhCBEEeZS6Hh_SCDlzgXgFH8rNjCZOc02DlxN52fzIrZavy0nk_nNr9cM__7kyeA/s1600/20160610_180956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQpKkVJz3Qpt2v_bF6qKeHwGStFhnRxzDJcqmFQMRhFDOXvNLF9uHDo6YuD5byK6T5esnpwB9U54VhCBEEeZS6Hh_SCDlzgXgFH8rNjCZOc02DlxN52fzIrZavy0nk_nNr9cM__7kyeA/s320/20160610_180956.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiles Davis</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EhNCttx15ujc79Knlt2fISxaBC-xX1mP1wT4B3gXC8vseEt4txPpSfJCiE4Bbn4fgqbJCa9O_VsVvni3QjB190kJOgb0S-AEwlrXkFidzKrU9Vm96q4jj-lp-xYaMi5EYt0FAaxKSV8/s1600/20160612_094116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EhNCttx15ujc79Knlt2fISxaBC-xX1mP1wT4B3gXC8vseEt4txPpSfJCiE4Bbn4fgqbJCa9O_VsVvni3QjB190kJOgb0S-AEwlrXkFidzKrU9Vm96q4jj-lp-xYaMi5EYt0FAaxKSV8/s320/20160612_094116.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to eat his fist!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0UnmeB7TMN6gSYvigmKMn6C_AgJovSD74W_2XEmjEgUiRbeR9jfusDP8H4iRSBmRD5NVPGcFDGQKAN_no6sC-wE1pyelx7wKhcAQwQfr4Xnai74FP-th2zqMnb1QBzrC9nrEk602DMM/s1600/20160614_200247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0UnmeB7TMN6gSYvigmKMn6C_AgJovSD74W_2XEmjEgUiRbeR9jfusDP8H4iRSBmRD5NVPGcFDGQKAN_no6sC-wE1pyelx7wKhcAQwQfr4Xnai74FP-th2zqMnb1QBzrC9nrEk602DMM/s320/20160614_200247.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only photo I got from this week (the above were from the week prior)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some more happy news... I get to see Christian this weekend! It'll be for like 3 seconds, but I still get to see him which makes me happy! Maxwell and I are driving to Iowa City to spend the morning with C while he's in between weddings (a Friday and Saturday night wedding - YIKES). It'll be my goal to take a lot of photos while we're all together. I decided to keep Nolan behind because it'll be a lot of driving for one day. I think Maxwell will handle it ok because he can (hopefully) fall asleep on the car ride.<br />
<br />
Monday starts our nanny! I'm THRILLED but I'll be bleeding money for a while as nannies are way more expensive than what I'm used to. But I hope to get her familiar with how to drive my car so she can take the kiddos around while I'm at work. We'll see how that works out though.<br />
<br />
In case you were wondering if I'm still annoyed with daycare. Yes, I am. They are sloppy and disorganized and I'm tired of them spelling Nolan's name wrong and calling Maxwell "Maxy"<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwb8dRipuVNN6qE4mSfMuUlm0l5yNhXG5vTJJxlcl9s1vpxPpRDLDli9vW7q3Y92rDahlGS0BaGR-iIUoJiLMvRAoFP-83pftzWyvx-w_ZG-_mEhY0i_88APykB6n_tDkbZIU-_4PmXWk/s1600/20160606_163403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwb8dRipuVNN6qE4mSfMuUlm0l5yNhXG5vTJJxlcl9s1vpxPpRDLDli9vW7q3Y92rDahlGS0BaGR-iIUoJiLMvRAoFP-83pftzWyvx-w_ZG-_mEhY0i_88APykB6n_tDkbZIU-_4PmXWk/s320/20160606_163403.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVFtaIrNzJkhu5Cui1y5Qvm8DwsUhx5VCXlreiCpeDP9BTHt04qcM3UzsaCLBxAhQj7gYSsr-OddeYFDmFrd6oiK9npLvCAHnWXWvkniLTWKrMpUUM_sUhVqfz53_CE6OGX1k8WBAnHY/s1600/tumblr_ngjenlWmG91r922hzo6_250.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVFtaIrNzJkhu5Cui1y5Qvm8DwsUhx5VCXlreiCpeDP9BTHt04qcM3UzsaCLBxAhQj7gYSsr-OddeYFDmFrd6oiK9npLvCAHnWXWvkniLTWKrMpUUM_sUhVqfz53_CE6OGX1k8WBAnHY/s1600/tumblr_ngjenlWmG91r922hzo6_250.gif" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-90128545109946348522016-06-08T11:08:00.001-07:002016-06-08T11:10:31.392-07:00N.I.P. BadassN.ursing<br />
I.n<br />
P.ublic<br />
<br />
Isn't it great that the acronym also spells "nip" so you can doubly make people uncomfortable just talking about it?<br />
<br />
I have to say that my boobs freaking rock. This is my personal opinion and even though they're not in the same state that they were in my 20's they're soooo much more useful now. My baby has, thus far, been like 99% breastfed with ye olde bewbs. They just make milk! That's freaking amazing! I don't have to worry about bottles and sanitizing and making sure that things are a safe temp... all that is taken care of by my body.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Disclaimer: FED is best. I'm super happy breastfeeding, but everyone should feel like a rockstar whether they breastfeed/formula feed whatever. As long as you're not giving your kid margaritas, I think we're cool</span><br />
<br />
It's literally the 2nd coolest thing my body has ever done. The first coolest thing is a tie for making N&M.<br />
<br />
Freaking amazing.<br />
<br />
But I wanted to give a shout out to the people at the park the other day that gave no f*cks about me nursing openly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUe6a06tuIV2m5fPfu4PFBjR_sriMAf-FdDO77hwFoLbJx5kmfikwsGvvF0x7PEGkvexDfYBPfGvAgv_DnKTd5aPMcpfYiUoZzknOjqqU3oZx4np-aCI1rSlYCPCF1BcaxSYyFdMR8LY/s1600/20160605_092857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUe6a06tuIV2m5fPfu4PFBjR_sriMAf-FdDO77hwFoLbJx5kmfikwsGvvF0x7PEGkvexDfYBPfGvAgv_DnKTd5aPMcpfYiUoZzknOjqqU3oZx4np-aCI1rSlYCPCF1BcaxSYyFdMR8LY/s320/20160605_092857.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
I got to wear my new dress out and about, too. The dress that I don't have to lift over my head to feed a baby with. Yes, I had to do this in a bathroom with Nolan once. Yes, I fed in a bathroom and the only thing I felt bad about was that the line was extremely long for the guests... but I didn't have a nursing friendly dress and there were NO other rooms available. So yeah. The people waiting in line forever probably thought I had some #gastrointestinaldistress<br />
<br />
Do hashtags work in blogger yet? Shout out to Survivor Stephen Fishback if so.<br />
<br />
I've got 2 weddings this summer, back to back, which this dress will get some mileage on. I got it in an indigo color. Check it:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuUczQvA76jCqwlPwwNxMeT3-eEaJApCvpjJHU1SHW1hyJcewtfqDDC8G1lZOROdXqRKyrYbvo-Ixab8kppNkT9bu5W_UjKafkPrxC7ZLhV_kkSVSzsFrLEDhlKcxd_PWgvBlN-GOfI0/s1600/dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifuUczQvA76jCqwlPwwNxMeT3-eEaJApCvpjJHU1SHW1hyJcewtfqDDC8G1lZOROdXqRKyrYbvo-Ixab8kppNkT9bu5W_UjKafkPrxC7ZLhV_kkSVSzsFrLEDhlKcxd_PWgvBlN-GOfI0/s320/dress.jpg" width="182" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I love the "high/low" aspect of it. Makes it fun yet casual. Going to be fun to dance in it! I'll be wearing cute heels for the wedding, but I want to get some casual, non flip flop, sandals so I can wear it to work.<br />
<br />
But anyways, when I was done at the park instead of a squeaky/squaky baby, I had this baby:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzwyf5RuUDC7FsdpwlvUzayOCmvjGovZUnj0SIuWKQVlcXBOyh7A8Iwf3eQoXdGeCfB9O2YQQXCR6pcQ0xtFm9NUkskmO6XrewdVbuxisFbERhRdoQ_kgukFpaYfQt-r6sAxdJEslbL0/s1600/20160605_095153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzwyf5RuUDC7FsdpwlvUzayOCmvjGovZUnj0SIuWKQVlcXBOyh7A8Iwf3eQoXdGeCfB9O2YQQXCR6pcQ0xtFm9NUkskmO6XrewdVbuxisFbERhRdoQ_kgukFpaYfQt-r6sAxdJEslbL0/s320/20160605_095153.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PTFO</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
While at the park Nolan was forced out of the baby swings and onto the big kid swings and he took the change well! He's still being pushed. We'll work on him swinging on his own when he gets a a little bigger.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdbyU23M_8ISlgFSax5Qy6rMuzgnoF01oyPXRlTRFAOpBq21j8jmnvRO8LFmc0nld_hxjS6T9ZjMl6V7Suq99Vlxn00PzPiZul3JAA9dWwy9hlTlGTZTqR-Q-_UeNY9hps1TQQ7l5YDU/s1600/20160605_100643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdbyU23M_8ISlgFSax5Qy6rMuzgnoF01oyPXRlTRFAOpBq21j8jmnvRO8LFmc0nld_hxjS6T9ZjMl6V7Suq99Vlxn00PzPiZul3JAA9dWwy9hlTlGTZTqR-Q-_UeNY9hps1TQQ7l5YDU/s320/20160605_100643.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
In case you were wondering, we weren't sharing a hat. I bought that one for Nolan last summer when we went to the Twins/Cubs game in Minneapolis.<br />
<br />
See, I told you guys I could do a positive update! There is so much good that's going on in my life I need to focus on that. Sometimes it's just easier to write about the stuff that's bothering me.<br />
<br />
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<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8006997159385097226.post-39367966339781243462016-06-06T12:54:00.001-07:002016-06-06T12:54:04.020-07:00I'm havin' a bad bad dayWarning: Long blog, very ranty, I won't be offended if you skip it.<br />
<br />
Well, it's been more of a bad 2-3 weeks really... I'm fine at the moment but I've been on an emotional roller coaster now since May 26th.<br />
<br />
On May 25th -<br />
I am picking up Maxwell from daycare. The "teacher" asks me about adding formula to each bottle as Maxwell tends to cry after he's done with the bottle.<br />
<br />Let's back up.<br />
<br />On a good day I can pump 12 ounces at work. Then if I stay up til 10 (2.5 hours after Maxwell goes to bed) I can pump anywhere between 2-4 ounces more.<br />
<br />
So when daycare was whining a few weeks back about how the 12 ounces I was giving Maxwell to drink per day wasn't cutting it I gave them 14 ounces. 4-3.5 ounce bottles. So I'm literally giving them all I got. And on the weekends I've never needed to supplement.<br />
<br />
I get this feed report for the day:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf78TlcFItfnV8sfr3c4iI4m4SKFnOzJdDEAufwrs1LEYU6H2gkZo7svwf9e0eD9x9leuwzGzMs2OaUMlCigm78uEMJYuBmdazwzpfrSS5XaJmkysVFe6XYl2_ig5MdK6FhZCRurR9QKc/s1600/20160525_205241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf78TlcFItfnV8sfr3c4iI4m4SKFnOzJdDEAufwrs1LEYU6H2gkZo7svwf9e0eD9x9leuwzGzMs2OaUMlCigm78uEMJYuBmdazwzpfrSS5XaJmkysVFe6XYl2_ig5MdK6FhZCRurR9QKc/s320/20160525_205241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Let's analyze the afternoon, shall we?<br />
<br />
Between 1:00 and 3:15 (a total of 135 minutes or 2 hours 15 minutes however you prefer to look at it) my baby was given 9.5 ounces of milk.<br />
<br />
Any lactation consultant/parenting expert/google search will tell you about 1-1.5 ounces/HOUR would be sufficient for a baby Maxwell's age. So they were OVERFEEDING MY BABY BIG TIME.<br />
<br />
That night I thought about what I was going to do...<br />
<br />
May 26th - The Drop Off<br />
I drop Nolan off first and then go into Maxwell's room and... well...<br />
<br />
I talk to the "teacher" about how much she's feeding Maxwell. I told her that 1.5 ounces/hour should be the goal and to try and sooth him in other ways. I also mentioned that he probably was tired and that's why he kept taking a bottle.<br />
<br />
Then... Then.... <span style="font-size: x-large;">THEN....</span><br />
<br />
Oh my god.<br />
<br />
I fully digest what I saw in the room when I first walked in. And I can't tell you how much I regret not having my phone in my pocket to take a picture of this... but there was a baby with a bottle propped in his mouth.<br />
<br />
Not just propped.<br />
<br />
FUCKING TIED AROUND HIS FACE!<br />
<br />
TIED.<br />
AROUND.<br />
HIS.<br />FACE.<br />
<br />
With a goddamn blanket.<br />
<br />
THE BABY WAS BEING PROPPED ON A MOTHERFUCKING BOPPY WITH A GODDAMN BLANKET WRAPPED AROUND HIS FACE TO HOLD A BOTTLE IN HIS MOUTH SO IT WOULDN'T FALL OUT!!!!!!<br />
<br />
I CALMLY had to ask, "how are you feeding Maxwell, are you holding him while he's eating or is he on the floor?"<br />
<br />
"He's usually laying on the floor"<br />
<br />
Guys, my BABY probably had a bottle tied around his face too. The fact that I didn't set this woman on fire, but instead remained cool, is a testament to how bad the daycare situation is in my town. I NEED a place to take my kids. This is the only place in Ames that I could get into.<br />
<br />
DEEP BREATH.<br />
<br />
Ok, so I tell her "can you please start holding him while you're feeding him instead?"<br />
<br />
She said ok like it was no big deal.<br />
<br />
So I was ok with her answer and I left.<br />
<br />
Guys, I didn't take the bottle out of that baby's mouth. The award for worst mom ever goes to... oh great... me.<br />
<br />
As I'm driving out of the parking lot and I hit the first light I grabbed my phone. The owners surely need to know about this. I quickly google "propping a bottle"<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWjALL7xUAvfRyKBRTo9xwCEsMKQbHtfsBVFbXprGvl62pzFzLXpmtEaFFH53UyNzgL4Cn7hpHzZRSPDvc9iEWUgBC-9HGNrZzlw5cHTWuwRLRfxouxSm7Skbe3y2LgloiIvLVMRNLYk/s1600/prop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWjALL7xUAvfRyKBRTo9xwCEsMKQbHtfsBVFbXprGvl62pzFzLXpmtEaFFH53UyNzgL4Cn7hpHzZRSPDvc9iEWUgBC-9HGNrZzlw5cHTWuwRLRfxouxSm7Skbe3y2LgloiIvLVMRNLYk/s640/prop.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
So I'm validated. My feeling about the propped up bottle is now confirmed. I turned my phone to my contacts list and dialed the daycare center directly. The daughter of the owner answers and I pretty much have this conversation:<br />
<br />
Me: Hi, so I just dropped Maxwell off in your infant room and I noticed that the "teacher" had a bottle propped in the baby's mouth and it honestly TERRIFIES me that you're doing this. Babies need to be held. When you're paying a premium for infant daycare they should get a little bit more than this. I feel like I'm dropping my children off at an orphanage with the level of human touch that propping a bottle gives.<br />
Daycare: Woah,<i> blah blah blah feigned concern that sounded genuine</i>, the woman who gives us our license has told us that we shouldn't do that. I'll talk to her.<br />
Me: Thank you.<br />
<br />
I feel a sense of relief as I hang up. I honestly feel like she's taking my concern seriously.<br />
<br />
But remember when I said that I didn't realize exactly how bad propping a bottle was? I mean, I knew it was bad... but how bad was it really?<br />
<br />
Let's take a horrifying walk down memory lane.<br />
<br />
*la de dah, it's the day you're going to meet the infant daycare "teacher" you're starting care NEXT WEEK with Maxwell and you just want to make sure you've got your ducks in a row when you drop him off"<br />
Me: blah blah blah, what do I need to bring?<br />
"Teacher": Oh this and this and blah blah blah [meanwhile, she takes a blanket and twists it until it's a tight spiral and makes a "U" shape out of it and places it on a baby's chest while he's laying in a swing. She puts the bottle on the U and keeps talking to me]<br />
<br />Shakes head and zaps to present time.<br />
<br />
HOLY FUCK. She propped a bottle right in front of me. I KNEW it was wrong at the time. I KNEW I should have said something but I didn't. I thought "well, I guess that a center has so many kids to adults, maybe they just do this so they can change diapers or whatever else the other babies need"<br />
<br />
At least one other time in my memory do I remember seeing another baby with a propped bottle.<br />
<br />
Three times.<br />
<br />
Third time's a charm, I guess?<br />
<br />
I get a call back from the daycare around 8:30am that morning. She tells me that they've removed that "teacher" from the room.<br />
<br />
Ok, this is where I'm going to skip over the details because in the scheme of things the rest of what happened doesn't matter.<br />
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We're hiring a nanny. We've found a great college student who can work full time this summer for not much more than this daycare center was charging. It'll be tight, but we can make it work. But she can't start for two weeks.<br />
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Today I'm having a bad bad day because I don't know how to address this with the daycare at the moment. I officially need them for another 2 weeks as I don't have alternate care. I know they know I've been concerned about safety, and for good reason. I don't know how to tell them we're through. I kind of want to wait until the Friday when we're done and say "peace" but I also don't want to end on rough terms for some reason.<br />
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Ok, so if you made it through this blog I commend you... this was probably very hard to read and I'm sure you were yelling at me through your computer screen. Soooooo yeah...<br />
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I promise a more positive blog for my next one.Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04122131560599958225noreply@blogger.com2