ariana's impressions

You need a plan.

2010-01-08T12:51:00.002-05:00

So if you've decided to take a stab at running, the next step is that you need a PLAN! You just cant go out there and start running...only special people do this and survive, LOL.

You have to start slow, pace yourself. Even if you feel like you are not actually running, slow down! Don't get too excited, now.

Read up on some of these neat resources...I followed Jeff Galloway to do my first rounds of training:

www.jeffgalloway.com

http://www.halhigdon.com/marathon/Mar00index.htm

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

www.runnersworld.com

Also, if you are looking to find other runners, you should check locally to see if there's a running club in your town. I joined the Knoxville Track Club and they offer all kinds of opportunities to train and run with other people in town.

See? Easy peasy.

a snapshot of us

2009-12-11T16:38:00.002-05:00

Click below to see the latest pictures taken by Christy Bonifacio at www.bonifaciophotography.com!

It was a HOT August day and boy did we sweat!

http://www.bonifaciophotography.com/slideshows/guilford1109/

running

2009-11-21T16:24:00.004-05:00

Yes, I have been running at quite a pace. And what I am running is the Race of Life! Things have hummed along the last few months. The big news on the block is that we are expecting another Baby Guilford in May 2010! We are very excited and somewhat nervous about the big change...we've had a good amount of time with our little Samuel, you know.

So I said that I would talk about running if anyone out there cares to talk about it...

First things first. If you want to try out running, then you have to make two commitments.

I repeat. Be committed! Treat it like your job, a have to do. You have to give it a chance.

Buy running shoes! Go to a running store and get fitted for shoes that work for your feet. The sales person should watch you walk bare foot and then recommend a shoe. Too expensive, you say? I bet those medical bills will cost even more after attempting to run in shoes that are old and worn out! Believe me, I know. Shoes have to be replaced and I've hurt myself pretty good running in worn out shoes. My favorite shoe is Adidas Supernovas - and I stick to them. Who cares what color they are...can you feel good in them? That's what matters.

So there...first piece of info to work with. Think on that...

my favorite new thing

2009-08-08T15:18:00.003-04:00

Popping in whenever I can!

I have to tell you. I love cereal and have for a looong time. I was also a pretty picky eater through many years...not so much any more. My dear Uncle Joe used to make fun of me when I went through a phase where every time my family barbecued I would eat cereal instead. But he makes fun of everyone, for everything...

So guess what I found? Portable cereal consumption! This container is the coolest and separately stores and travels cold milk (rice milk for me), any cereal and even fruit for your cereal if you want it! Check it out at Amazon and don't listen to the ratings. I got mine at Ross for $7. Enjoy!

Mother's Day

2009-05-14T17:34:00.003-04:00

We had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend complete with good food and fun family time. One fun thing we were able to do was host Matt's mom and grandmother over for dinner on Sunday night. We had grilled filet mignon, hash brown casserole, asparagus and brownies...YUM!!!

Matt's mom loves holidays, and she showered me with books this Mother's Day and I have to share one of the cutest books I have seen lately! It's called Mommy's High Heel Shoes and it's the most adorable story about a working mom who wears many shoes througout the day.

If you know anything about me, you will know how touching the story is...I am a working mom who harbors too many shoes. But I am working on that.

I highly recommend getting a peek at this one...

My Quote of the Day

2009-04-16T16:23:00.002-04:00

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intellegent people
and the affection of children;
To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others;
To know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived - this is success.

-author unknown

Monday, Monday...

2009-04-13T20:49:00.004-04:00

Apparently I like blogging on Mondays because it seems that is the day I tend to get into the blogging mood!

Things here have been good. I ran the Knoxville Marathon on March 29th and did not come anywhere near to my desired time...but I am sort of OK with that. I finished in 2:12, not even better than last year! But still, I am happy I did it and looking forward to the next time - whenever that is. No race on the agenda anytime soon...but you never know!

Titi Rooster came and visited over the weekend and we had soo much fun! We ate steaks and potatoes, went shopping and just had so much fun together. I was so excited that we got Good Friday off of work, which made the weekend a bit longer. :)

On Saturday we had an Easter egg hunt with the neighbors and a barbecue that evening - it was such a fun day spending time with our neighbors! Sam definitely got into the Easter egg hunt, so that was really fun to see!

Well, just wanted to pop in and say hi - no deep theological debates or life discussions to encounter. Just life. Which reminds me of the great Rhianna tune...Live Your Life.

I made a tart.

2009-03-09T18:33:00.004-04:00

(Crickets chirping...)

To follow up on my previous post, I think it's hilarious that I didn't get many comments. I do know that several people read it and called or emailed me personally thanking me for my thoughts. Those are the people that matter most to me, so that's what counts - and believe it or not, they all are in different places. I think it's a wonderful thing to share life with people that don't all have to agree with you 100%, but find common ground with you. I struggle with the "blinders" who think it's one way or the highway...

So apparently I am not good at sleeping in. Particularly with my consistent early morning wake-up time...so Saturday morning I woke at 7:30 after "sleeping in". What to do?

Laundry, kitchen clean-up, coffee and a magazine, bake a tart...

Yup.

I ordered this cool kit from my aunt who had a Pampered Chef party (can't find it online). If you like to bake you have to get it!

I used a Lemon Berry Tart from my Betty Crocker cook book. I LOVE it and use it all the time. I just find new helpful things every time I pick it up.

I used frozen berries, because that's what I had on hand.

It was pretty good...a bit runny, probably from using reduced fat cream cheese.

Happy Monday. Love to you, my friends.

Caution! My opinions are here.

2009-02-04T18:40:00.008-05:00

It's been so long and it's amazing how much life can change so quickly! I miss blogging, but my internet time is very limited these days. There are so many priorities for me and often time sleep and crashing on the couch win out. I do want to reconnect and maintain my place in the internet world, but all in due time.

So I went back to work in November and I am the HR Director at a community health center. It's really been so good to be back using the HR person that is in me. I definitely feel blessed to have found my calling and my gift and truly enjoy what I do - even on the hard days.

I had a clear push from the Lord to go back to work - so I cannot question that this is where I am supposed to be right now. The doors opened at the right time for our family - particularly when this ugly recession started to rear it's head. Matt has a wonderful job too, but we are being cautious and taking the road we have been pointed to.

It has been a pretty smooth transition for us...and as time and decisions have moved forward it has gone as best as possible! Sam is at a wonderful school 3 days a week and gets to spend 2 days a week with his G-ma. He loves each and every day he gets at both places and it feels so good to see him enjoy his special moments in each environment. When he's with G-ma I know he's getting lots of love, attention and basically whatever he wants! And the days he's at school he's learning so much and socializing with other kids. It's been so good.

Do I miss him? Terribly. I miss him. I miss the light of my home and folding laundry in the middle of the day while it's raining. There are lots of things I miss. But there were lots of things I missed about my career that I thought about during my time at home too.

Women definitely have a unique perspective when it comes to the areas of work and home. I feel pretty unique to have experienced both thus far. I don't think one is far superior than the other. I just think that people's place in life is different. So here's my thoughts:

If I had to stand on a soap box and shout my opinions thus far, I would say that one has emerged strongly within me: Since when is staying at home a right? I say this because I feel like some women view it as their husband's responsibility to work one, even two jobs so they can be home with the children. If anyone is listening - know this: being with your children all day is a privilege and not a right. A privilege to enjoy those moments. An economically-based privilege. Not all women of the world get to spend their days with their children...and certainly not all American women.

And about the issue of who works harder? Please! They are BOTH tough. Just in different ways. There are indulgences at home. They are indulgences at work. Each has their own unique challenge.

For now I feel really good about where I am. I have been blessed with a beautiful little boy from the Lord. He has given me a great deal of responsibility in that gift. First and foremost is nurturing him with love, security, food and shelter. Matt and I are a team and as a team we are facing that responsibility together. To be honest, it feels really good to contribute to the family financially and offer some level of security to our family unit during tough economic times. The world is a scary place these days - and we definitely have reason for caution when it comes to job security.

I have faith. The Lord provides. But your prayers have to have feet. Sure, faith that the Lord will provide is essential. But that's just the starting point. He gives hands, feet, and ability to walk forward in faith - not sit by and expect him to just do what we ask. We are doing just that and know that in the end, things will be OK.

By the way, if you are ever tempted to judge a woman for her choice of staying at home or working you just have to read this book: Mommy Wars. It's an amazing compilation of stories that will make you laugh and cry. It's written by women on both sides - and a beautiful reference whenever you feel strongly on one side or the other. :)

One more thing I just have to say to Christian moms out there. PLEASE remember that being a Godly wife and mother does not equal "I stay home with my children." There is nothing that burns me up more than someone telling me that it's the "Godly" thing to do. I simply cannot find a biblical reference that tells me that. I do know that we are to honor our husbands and I hope that my husband feels honored by my being receptive to his request that I return to work for the future security of my family.

(stepping off of my soap box now)

To My Friends...

2009-01-14T11:58:00.003-05:00

I had to share this with you!

Happiness keeps you sweet Trials keep you strong Sorrows keep you human Failures keep you humble But only God keeps you special.

Carrots, Eggs & Coffee: A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.

''Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The20 mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it.After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee.The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water,they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot,an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean ? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down;to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.If you don't send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten some one's day with this message!May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!I really like sharing coffee with you.

Christmas 2008

2008-12-28T19:04:00.003-05:00

Here are some pics from Christmas 2008. We had a great time this year even though the crowd was small. Yes. I said the crowd was small...Feliz Navidad!

Group Picture

Tio Ben and Sam

Marissa, Mom and I

Marissa, Merrean, Kiersten and I. I am the oldest cousin (at the ripe age of 21).

So many changes...

2008-12-03T21:36:00.003-05:00

We have had a lot of changes gong on around here - the most significant? Me going back to work FULL TIME! Wow. It has been quite a big change for us. I knew how to have a career. I knew how to be a mom. But I did those separately! I am combining them now....and will have much more to say about that another time.

Another thing that has changed? I stopped sewing and made some cards!

I decided to join a Christmas card swap with my girlfriend Yesenia in Chicago...she's coordinating. This is what I came up with...in about 45 minutes using pre-cut papers from the dollar section at JoAnn's.

Glad to ink it up again. But will go back to sewing soon...

A family affair...

2008-11-15T15:34:00.001-05:00

I had to share the latest from Christy.

She's so gifted. Thank you, Christy! Love you.

http://bonifaciophotography.com/guilford/

For the Sam fans...

2008-11-11T09:20:00.003-05:00

A recent favorite of the two babies in the house. LOVE IT!!!

Seattle continued....

2008-11-11T08:42:00.004-05:00

I don't know why it's taken me so long to add a few more pictures from Seattle! Lots going on here...

Well, Matt and I spent Tuesday driving and exploring the Northern Cascades National Park. Here's a few more shots we got along the way.

Documenting gas prices as we cruise...the owner came running out and asked what we were taking pictures of. Specifically, we were capturing the shed that functions as a drive-through coffee stand, but thought gas prices were interesting too.

The place where we stopped for pizza before the long drive back to Seattle. YUM!! It was soo good after a hike.

Tropical Tree Frog Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-11-02T18:07:00.000-05:00

Hi All,
I am going to join the mix on this costume give-away. I think it's adorable and her work is just beautiful. If you blog, check her site and join in!

Tropical Tree Frog Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

by: Chicolino

2008-10-31T16:00:00.005-04:00

Anne Marie is finally opening her shop this weekend! It's called Jack N Jill and it's a really cute children's re-sale boutique. If you are in Knoxville you should stop in! You'll love it.

These are some of the things that I made for Anne Marie to consign. We shall see how it goes! She advised that I make a label and so I called it by: Chicolino. Chicolino is a made up name my parent's gave me and it's still my name to this day. :) Sam has many of his own. I guess it's family tradition to make up a name for your little person.

Nursing Cover

Compact Diaper and Wipes Holder

Imagination Apron

80's Ladies...

2008-10-27T10:20:00.002-04:00

We had a girl's night Friday and look how pretty everyone looked! It wasn't really a Halloween party as much as a themed night. We have an awesome Christmas party planned...and it involves Christmas sweaters. And I thought it couldn't get any better than this.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

2008-10-22T09:56:00.003-04:00

Once you enter the blog world, you can explore so much! One of my favorite bloggers Pretty Ditty recently shared a recipe for Iced Pumpkin Cookies from All Recipes (I LOVE All Recipes) and I was definitely interested. I had already purchased two cans of pumpkin for my pantry because I love pumpkin flavors in the fall.

WOW! These cookies are awesome. I have tested them out - the only thing I did different from the recipe was use 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice and 1 tsp of cinnamon since that is what I had on hand.

By the way, click on the Pretty Ditty blog and explore her stuff. It's soooo cool.

Enjoy!!

ICED PUMPKIN COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.
To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Take a moment...

2008-10-20T15:38:00.001-04:00

I hope this can touch your heart just like it touched mine.

Monday in Seattle

2008-10-17T12:06:00.008-04:00

We were fresh and ready to go after a good night's sleep! Matt and I decided to explore Seattle a little more...

Visiting Impress Rubber Stamps - I love this invitation idea...

The famous Space Needle...

Eating at the Sky City revolving restaurant...

On the observation deck...

Cruising the Seattle Harbor...

Interesting sight: This thing scares me! It drives into the water. You couldn't PAY ME to get in that thing...

Bill Gates place...apparently it goes on forever, but it looks like a private paradise...

My modern dream home on the water. Check closely in the window. Apparently a renowned paleontologist lives there and has his own creature featured in the windows...

And here is what we were cruising in...she indirectly pays the bills around here. Isn't she beautiful?

Our first Day in Seattle

2008-10-16T15:22:00.005-04:00

Matt and I flew from Knoxville to Seattle a few weeks ago...the alarm went off at 3:45 so we could get ready and catch our 6 a.m. flight. All to get to the other side of the states at brunch time!

How could we sleep? We had to explore. It helps that Matt flies to Seattle all the time on business, but he's never stopped to smell the roses.

Eating lunch at the Cheesecake Factory - I LOVE their salads.

At Pike Place Public Market. The original and best Farmer's Market. Check out the beautiful items for sale...

Fresh fish...

Ugly fish...

Beautiful flowers - $5 for a bunch!!! I would have flowers at my place all the time...

Breath-taking produce...

Fresh pasta...

Lot's of people...

THE original Starbucks...

A feast for the eyes...

Good night Seattle!

My pics from Christy

2008-10-10T08:44:00.002-04:00

As you have seen, Christy and I had a date a couple of weeks ago where we took pics of each other and also went out to dinner.

Here's the shots of me...I hope to give my blog a makeover and maybe use one of these for my profile.

Happy Friday!

To Seattle and Back

2008-10-09T21:09:00.004-04:00

Boy do I have a lot to share with you!

Matt and I spent last week on our first trip ALONE together in a looong time. We flew to Seattle, Washington and had a busy week of touring, eating, hiking, eating, crossing the US/Canadian border, eating and shopping.

It was such an awesome time together and I plan to create a picture book/slide show when I sit for a bit. I have been working on getting ready for a garage sale this weekend...PURGE, PURGE!!!

So here's a sneak peek of our trip to the Northern Cascades National Park. Matt and I spent last Tuesday driving through and went for a hike...can't remember the name of the trail, but it was awesome! I will let you know the name after I talk to Matt.

Nevertheless, it was just so beautiful and relaxing for us and reminded us of our need to visit our local national park for hikes more often. I just think it's such an amazing opportunity to soak in God's beautiful creation and what an amazing opportunity for us to live in America where we can visit so many regions our our beautiful country for FREE (your annual payment to Uncle Sam not withstanding)! Don't take it for granted! We have the freedom to cross state lines and explore freely in our country...Wow.

One more thing. I was sooo excited to finally get my National Park Passport and begin documenting my trips to our National Parks!

I know. Such a dork. But I think it's cool.

New Presidential Candidate!

2008-10-08T14:33:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone!

There's an effort to elect an unknown random person as President... and it's someone we know! Watch this online video about the surprising new nominee:

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=374154&altf=Bsjbob&altl=Sptbep1Hvjmgpse

Jot back a note to let me know what you think!

check this out!

2008-09-26T14:03:00.002-04:00

So Christy and I decided to take a night out for our traditional sushi dinner and we decided that we would take pictures in the Old City while while we were there...

Christy is a pro, so she snapped away...and then handed me her camera to take some photos of her. Woah did I feel like I had a gun in my hand with no knowledge of how to shoot.

Plus, how intimidating is it to have someone who is so good at what they do hand you their equipment to use? She did the settings on the camera and I shot, shot shot.

But, hey! Not so bad. Check out the others at her blog. I am quite proud if I do say so myself!

Happy Friday!!!
ariana

P.S. While you are there, check out Christy's new photo deal. I think it's SOOO awesome and absolutely worth the investment.

An evening at the park

2008-09-22T13:18:00.003-04:00

Wow have Saturday nights changed! They are just more mellow and relaxed with a little guy around. Matt, Sam and I decided to go to the park on Saturday night and we had such a fun time appreciating the simple things...beautiful weather (highs in the 80's), lake front and a playground!

Sam is fearless on the slide and climbs right up to get on...it made for a great evening to wind down.

Happy Monday!
ariana

Running along...

2008-09-16T13:59:00.004-04:00

Hi Everyone!
I am back from Chicago and trying to ease back into the routine here at home. It's so good to be home back in our own beds!

As you know, I ran the Chicago Half Marathon this last Sunday and I promised to write about it. :) If you know the story from last year, you will know why I am telling people that the Chicago Half Marathon hates me!

Have you heard about the record rain fall this last weekend? When I arrived in Chicago on Thursday evening it was raining...and it never stopped until Monday!!! I was born and raised in Chicago and have never seen anything like it.

Me and my running crew have a philosophy about rain. If it's raining, we don't run in it. I mean, you might think I am crazy for enjoying running anyway. But running in the rain? That is just crazy. I just don't like the rain. And who gets out of bed early in the morning on weekends to run in it?

So I wished and hoped that it would stop on Sunday morning. It didn't.

I decided that I would run for Matt and I this race. Matt has been such a supportive partner and friend. He helps with Sam all the time - especially on my running mornings, and has never once complained about me going out to run. He has loved me through a lot. Not just running like a madwoman.

What can I say? It was wet. Some interesting tid bits:

I loved the start of the race where I was able to easily pass up where I had to stop last year.
I was inspired by seeing a lady with an amputated leg running the race - reminds you that you can do anything you set your heart and mind to do.
I learned that a lot of runners bleach their underwear. I know. There was a lot of tie-dye running gear on the course.
Race entertainment gets really thin when there's lots of rain - but I am thankful for the few guys that showed up!
I am so grateful for my family that came to the race: Benj, Marissa and Titi Cucha (mom stayed home to keep Sam dry).

My finishing time was 2:21:55 -nowhere near my best time, but better than last year! Plus, I learned that I am capable of running in the rain. Not that I ever would by choice. Only if I paid my race fee and refuse to lose my money. Ha!

I am so grateful for the ability to run. Do you know that I never thought I could run? I was the girl who walked around summer camp with an inhaler in my pocket at all times. When I was in college I would watch other girls run around campus and wish I could run like them! It's been such an awesome thing to learn that I could do the same.

I thank God for graciously giving me legs to use. Thank you Matt for supporting me. Thank you girlfriends (you know who you are) for being partners and motivators!

So that's my story. I hope to share more about what I have learned about running - maybe if I share what I have learned I can inspire you to try it!

Love,
ariana

Little Aprons

2008-09-08T14:07:00.003-04:00

I have a friend who is opening up a children's consignment shop here in Knoxville and I am just so excited about it!

She has given me the opportunity to add in some of my sewing projects there. It's a fun opportunity to make a little bit of money (probably to continue funding my hobbies!) and be near my little Samuel.

Here is a little apron that I sewed to put into the shop - I thought it was the most adorable thing ever! The crayons just make it. Aprons seem to be the rage these days, and when sewn with the right fabrics they can be quite fashionable!

I am hoping to get to sewing more things too - maybe even clothes. There is another shop that Paige and I peeked into after our Sunday morning run and they have the most beautiful clothes in there! Ohhh...but a $300 dress? I *think* I can make that for less! We shall see...

Next weekend is the Chicago Half Marathon. Think of me Sunday morning. I will be sure to report on my results. Surely I will do better than I did last year, LOL! But how I will do, I am not sure. I will just do my best and enjoy the run...

Happy Day!
ariana

Labor Day

2008-09-02T16:55:00.004-04:00

Matt and I alone...

Matt and I before chow.

We had a relaxing Labor Day weekend - just what we needed!

There was a little bit of work on the front end, but not too terrible. We spent Saturday evening with a company pig roast out in Lenoir City. It was such a beautiful site. Combine that with good food and wine and you can't ask for more. We literally had roasted pig - and I had to share. Sorry to gross out any of my vegetarian friends out there! But really. It's still better than a lot of things one can eat. It was locally raised and purchased. ;)

I also have a couple of DVD's to recommend. First, based on the recommendation of a fellow blogger, I decided to rent Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. It's just a heartwarming and cute movie that I highly recommend. Nothing terribly controversial (unlike roasted pig) and it definitely has some great messages.

My second recommendation is not heartwarming, but definitely entertaining -Prison Break! Matt and I decided to rent the first series on Netflix and we are really enjoying it and looking forward to our next installation. We really are excited about catching up with new shows and being able to do it all at once.

I hope your weekend was awesome! I have some creations to share soon. I have a friend who is opening a children's shop and I am going to consign some of my creations. Woo hoo! A project.

Quizzes

2008-08-29T08:40:00.002-04:00

Check out this quiz I found on a blog today! It's pretty funny how it labeled me. Anyone agree?

You Belong in 1995

With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

It doesn't get any better than this crazy guy.

2008-08-26T15:22:00.002-04:00

Who doesn't love a nap?

2008-08-19T19:51:00.003-04:00

Sam is starting school this week! Right now he will be attending on Thursdays, but we shall see if he (or I) needs two days a week at school. ;)

When I read my mom materials I noticed that he needed to take a nap pad and sheet for nap time. I am not really sure that he will sleep during this time, but I thought the request needed further attention.

As I browsed through my stash of patterns (I hoard them when they go on sale at Joann's) I found the perfect item - the nap mat from McCall's 5604. I was able to use some of the fabric that I stashed (and hoarded too) from this last Thanksgiving sale at Joann where the fabric was $.99 a yard. It was the perfect use for it!

Well, it certainly isn't perfectly sewn, but it was made with love for my little guy. I hope he enjoys it and thinks of his mama when he snuggles (or steps all over) it!

Dancin In The Streets

2008-08-13T15:10:00.004-04:00

Some people think that big cities are impersonal places, but I really do think that is a misconception! Communities are formed in many ways and one of those ways are through the neighborhoods and blocks that you live on. Sam and I visited the family this weekend and one of the things that we were able to do was catch up with old family friends. We went to their block party - a party where you close the streets and have a party on your block.

As you can see my baby had a wonderful time! I can't begin to tell you how happy this makes my heart to see. I hope he keeps dancing...

He wears me out.

2008-08-05T09:01:00.003-04:00

I am having fantasies of being back in the office...those days where you are not chasing a toddler around!

Sam has been learning so much. Talking, running, and finding his way. He challenges me all the time! He wants what he wants when he wants it. Such is the life.

Whenever I face challenges with being a mom I tell myself, "You are not the first and only one going through this. Other moms have done it and survived. Some are surviving worse!" That's my pep talk. Patience, patience!

I am trying to savor the days we spend together because I know they won't last forever. He is awesome and challenges or not, at the end of the day I love this guy!

In other home projects...

2008-08-04T17:22:00.003-04:00

Here's pictures of the other pillows that I did for the couches downstairs. The fabric is from the ghetto fabric superstore in Chicago, but I am sure you can find it in other places too. :)

Again, I used the envelope pillow instructions in Amy Butler's Midwest Modern book.

Happy Monday! Do I post more than once a week? Hmm. I will check the record on that one.

Rachel and I

2008-07-30T14:22:00.003-04:00

Hi all!
I spent this last weekend visiting my friend and college roommate, Rachel. Do you notice the distinction? I said friend AND college roommate. Yup - she endured living with me for 3 years and remains my friend to this day. We didn't know each other before we were paired by the housing coordinators at Taylor University. Pretty neat to have an enduring friendship that started back in the day - 1996 to be exact. :)

Rachel lives in the Washington, D.C. area and we were able to enjoy shopping and a bit of sight-seeing in the couple of days while I was there. Throw in some good talk time and awesome food and you have an excellent weekend to remember!

One more thing...I was able to listen to The Memory Keeper's Daughter on the way down and back. Good read, heavy stuff. Really interesting to see how a single choice can affect the rest of your life and the lives of others around you. If you are ready for deep stuff I recommend it.

Happy day,
ariana

Favorite Thing

2008-07-23T20:53:00.001-04:00

I have to tell you about this new favorite thing...I have been testing it since the beginning of the year. It's wet n wild bronzer.

You see, I do try to buy quality when it matters and usually for makeup it just depends on the item. For example - I always go to the counters for my foundation. It's important to get a good match.

For a while I used Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick compact for a little glow. But when I ran out and had a moment of thriftiness I thought about what could substitute for this $38 item...

And that is where wet n wild comes in. It works pretty much the same for me (please note that it may not work for everyone who uses the Bobbi Brown compact) and at $3.99 it was worth the try.

You may want to try it too.

Happy Day,
ariana

A Day in the Life

2008-07-22T17:55:00.003-04:00

Me and My Baby

2008-07-21T14:23:00.002-04:00

Sam and I have had a great time so far this summer and he has the tan to prove it. No doubt that boy is Puerto Rican. It's not just his attitude - he's turning brown!

Happy Monday to you.

Rmember the shorts?

2008-07-03T16:56:00.002-04:00

After a long time sitting on my project table I realized that these shorts will not fit Sam forever! At the rate I was going they were never going to be worn.

So when I went to Target the other day I saw the perfect t-shirt to match his shorts and I just cut out a star shaped scrap to sew onto the shirt. I did it in orange thread and left the edges to fray because I wanted to steer away from the preppy seersucker look.

Now I just need to get going with those plaid shorts...stay tuned!

Sam.

2008-06-27T07:57:00.002-04:00

It's been difficult to get this little guy to stay still. Here's a quick shot of him hanging out in the front yard. He loves to go out and color with chalk...I never imagined he'd be so much fun!

Paper Action

2008-06-27T07:46:00.002-04:00

I admit that the paper crafting has not been as abundant in recent days as I have hoped for. Sometimes my creative juices have too many good intentions and not enough time to work. :)

I do have some recent creations to share, though. The first are thank you cards that I gave to the people who attended Matt's birthday party. When giving them to our guests I emphasized that they were a thank you for attending and I did not want to receive any of them as a thank you for hosting the party! They were simple to make and package and I liked the end result.

The second item is an invitation to my friend Kristie's baby shower. These also were fun to make and a bit more work. If you can see past the horrible lighting and photo, you will notice that there is some sparkle to the colored images. Does it look like a baby mobile? That is what I was going for...

Happy Friday to you. I hope that in the coming weeks I can be rid of the terrible photos and give you better images to look at!

Catching up.

2008-06-26T09:21:00.004-04:00

I know it's been a while and I have gotten some flack. Here I am.

What have I been doing? Living life with a toddler and procrastinating on fixing my software issues. They are fixed now and I can share more of what I have been doing!

Back in May when I was in Chicago I dragged my sister to the south side to check out a huge fabric warehouse. She was not so excited about the whole thing and noted the flashing police cameras on the corner. I assured her that we were safe - surely we were, right?

Well that place was unreal. You definitely had to know what you were in there for or else you would get totally overwhelmed and lost! Imagine a huge warehouse with bolts of fabric from floor to ceiling - two floors, actually.

I found a few things I was looking for...One was this zebra print fabric for our t.v. room upstairs. I wanted an animal print for the sofas and this one fit the bill.

I used Amy Butler's formula for decorative pillows featured in her book Midwest Modern. I liked the pattern because they finished nicely and didn't require zippers - fewer materials, less trouble. They are envelope pillows...

One more thing...Sam and I have been enjoying the summertime here in Knoxville. Yesterday we went to the sprinkler park and here's a snapshot of our morning. He loved checking out the other kids - he is such a social little guy. :)

Happy Thursday. I'll be back.

I had to pass this along...

2008-06-08T21:33:00.003-04:00

40 Tips for a Better Life in 2008

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile.
It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following
statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, and prayer. They provide us
with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food
tha t is m anufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild
Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new
and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the
past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead
invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like
algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like
a college kid with a maxed out charge card. Smile and laugh more.

17. It will keep the NEGATIVE BL UES aw ay.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their
journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five
years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. REMEMBER GOD heals everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when yo u are sick. Your friends
will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!)

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following
statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished
_________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you
certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through
life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about. I just did. May
your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but
happiness come through your door!

If you can't be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escape.

quick share

2008-06-02T14:46:00.004-04:00

Hi All,
I will have a lot to show you after this week! Lots of things going on including sewing and stamping projects. I am under pressure to perform and I hope the results are good!

I thought I would share a few moments that Sam and I shared recently. He absolutely loves the water no matter where it's at! It puts him in a great mood. :) This is him after swim and bath time...I ran before swim class so excuse my worn appearance.

Unfortunately my photo editing software is not working at the moment so most of my recent and future pictures are presented in their unedited glory!

Happy Monday!!

Madonna - Spanish Lesson (FULL HQ ALBUM VERSION)

2008-05-28T20:45:00.001-04:00

Close your eyes! Don't look at the racy cover or who sings it!

Just listen.

I love it!

Guess Who's Back? Back Again?

2008-05-28T19:53:00.003-04:00

Jellyfish on the beach

Feet on the beach

Matt and I

Kraig and a Jellyfish

Hey!
I am back from a Memorial Day in Southport, North Carolina! It seems such a charmed life to go to such neat towns and travel. And it is! I am grateful for the ability to travel and have trusted care for my Samuel, but I promise that it's not all roses!

Matt has been on a working streak for the last three weeks and has been in Southport for the last week and a half. I was able to drive (approximately 7.5 hours) to see him for a few days. No, the work did not stop while I was there! But it was time for me to hang out, read and go with the flow. We had about 1/2 a day to go out and Matt and Kraig (his co-worker) were able to ski and wake board that day. My job was to spot while I took a break from reading my book. :)

I was able to listen to two audio books on the way there and back. That is what entertained me for the long car drive and it was really fun! I listened to 2 books that I was not likely to pick up and read. They are The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella and The Second Assistant by Mimi Hare and Clare Naylor. Definitely light reading. And I don't feel guilty. For 2 reasons: One, I have done my time in school and enjoy light reading once in a while. Two, it's audio listening on the way to the beach!

For my more serious novel reading I read The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers. I am still in the heat of reading this one, but I definitely find it entertaining and would likely recommend it.

Well, I am back to getting settled in the duties of life and home. Again, there is no place like home, no matter what! I hope to share some home improvements and sewing projects soon. ;)

xoxo,
ariana

Actually, there are more of us...

2008-05-22T22:11:00.004-04:00

One more shot from Chicago...this is a picture of all the cousins that were at the Mother's Day celebration.

Read that again. All that were at the celebration.

Count it. NINE (Plus a goofy Uncle Joe peeking in).

There are more of us! I am the oldest...isn't that fun?

And where have you been?

2008-05-22T15:32:00.004-04:00

Sam and Mita
Kiersten and Sam
Marissa K. and Sam (Marissa and I have been buddies since 8th grade and we graduated from 8th Grade, High School and College together!)
Sam and Titi Lugu, Uncle Joe and Kiersten
Lola Rosado. She is an infamous Rosado and an addition that is s-l-o-w-l-y growing on me. She's cute, though, right?

I am back!

We have been going pretty full force this spring. I have been spring cleaning, pondering a move, visiting with family and taking care of little Sambo...

Spring Cleaning has been going well - it has involved cleaning out extra stuff that we don't need or use and also has incorporated moving through Sam's baby stuff.

It's bittersweet, that is for sure. I can't believe how quickly time has passed. Last year at this time he was just a helpless baby!

Through my spring cleaning mission I have encountered a book recommended by my friend Jen. It's called It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff, by Peter Walsh. I am going to read it this weekend and I am sure that it will give me more fuel to clean. The fun part of this all is that at the end I get to participate in a garage sale with my girlfriends and make a little extra cash for home improvement efforts! I can't wait.

Considering a move has been quite the ordeal and I am glad to put that out of mind. I don't want to go into the details here on the blog, but let's just say it was a roller coaster ride that couldn't end soon enough! I am glad to stay here in Knoxville - which is a hilarious statement to my friends who saw me through getting adjusted to living here.

Anyway, we were in Chicago last week celebrating Mother's Day and visiting with family and friends. It was so great to catch up with everyone and eat, eat, eat! There is nothing like Jay's Italian Beef, Pete's Pizza and Mom's Rice and Beans!!!

As you can see, there were many fun moments in Chicago.

There is much more to share, but I will piece it all together in time!

I will be back soon...

Baby where'd you get those cute shorts from?

2008-05-08T20:33:00.003-04:00

For those of you who know the song, "I Got it From My Mama" by Will.I.Am, you can sing that tune to the title of this post. This song has recently landed in my running play list on my Shuffle. ;)

To those who don't know the lyrics, here is my (cleaner) modification:

Baby where'd you get those cute shorts from?
Tell me, where'd you get those cute shorts from?
Baby where'd you get those cute shorts from?
Tell me, where'd you get those cute shorts from?

I got 'em from my mama!
I got 'em from my mama!
I got 'em from my mama!
I got 'em, got 'em g-got em from my mama!

I made some shorts for my little man last week and thought I would show you my progress. It is progress because I would like to make matching shirts to go with those cute little shorts and I am holding myself accountable to sharing those with you at a later date!

Please note that the seersucker shorts are just like his pop's. We will see if I can get Matt to wear them and take a picture with Sam...

Oh. And props to the other bloggers out there who post pictures of their children wearing their creations - all with their children standing still! I never realized that could be challenging...hmm.

Happy Day!

The old is new again

2008-05-04T20:41:00.002-04:00

I hate to brag, but this may be incentive for you family and friends to come visit us in Knoxville! We have this really neat store called McKay Used Books and it is a warehouse full of used books, CD's and DVD's. It is soo cool!

We traded in some books today and as a reward we each took some time to pick out some new books that we were interested in.

Check out what I got! A Singer sewing book from 1972. Pretty cool for $1.50! It's pretty neat and since so much is "retro" these days it has some neat ideas.

It's always a blast to visit McKay's. If you visit me I will take you there...

Budget Busters!

2008-04-29T16:18:00.003-04:00

My SIL Joy tagged me to write about five things that constantly bust my budget.

1.) She was right. Fabric. I am becoming a hoarder. It's really hard because it can go quickly if you don't act now!! Sometimes I get three kinds of fabric for the same gift idea. And looking at other people's creations fuels the fire.
2.) Craft books and cook books. It's that creative juice. I have figured out that many parts of life involve creation and design. Cooking and crafting are at the forefront!
3.) Patterns! Sewing patterns are really a fun for me - at least a way to use the fabric I buy, right?
4.) Shoes for Sam! I know. He doesn't need more than a couple of pairs. But they are so cute! And I just think he's so handsome when his shoes complete the look.
5.) Shoes for me. Again, no need for them all, but I LOVE SHOES!!! And, NO! I will NOT count them for your amusement.

BTW, here's your Sam update: We have crossed the point of no return on the paci and "guy". He now needs them for nap and bedtime! I am OK with this, but I intend to keep it's life short. No three year old with a pacifier here!

And the "guy"? He can stay around as long as he wants.

Happy day,
ariana

Reading Pillows.

2008-04-28T10:32:00.002-04:00

Happy Monday to you!

We had a busy weekend of celebration. Saturday morning we celebrated my niece's 3rd birthday and then in the evening I was able to have some girl time with my girlfriends celebrating Christy and Jen's birthdays at Christy's place.

Sunday we went to church, got naps and celebrated Jen's big 3-0 again at a cookout at her place. Phew! Lots of good food and celebration.

I was able to sew a gift for the little birthday girl - a reading pillow. The pattern is by Montessori by Hand and it's pretty neat. There are page holders, a bookmark, a glasses pocket and a pencil pocket. The piping was a bit challenging for me, but I am hoping I get better with time!

You can see how the pillow works in the second picture. Oh - and another one of my Favorite Things! Those books by Munro Leaf are soo funny and cute. They are full of wonderful lessons for kids to learn and are communicated in a way that is enjoyable for moms and dads to teach too. Check them out on Amazon!!

Happy day,
ariana

Life with a "toddler"

2008-04-24T15:27:00.003-04:00

So here are some decorative apples in a bowl that rest on a small table in our home. Do you see the little teeth marks?

Yes, it's part of our morning routine. Sam grabs one and walks away. I tell him to put it back because it's "no touch". Sometimes he does it on his own, sometimes I walk him back. If he's really feeling rebellious he throws it.

Hmm. Sometimes I miss the office. However, I know these little lessons should build up to something bigger. Here's to hoping.

You never realize...

2008-04-22T09:34:00.003-04:00

Gosh, I never realized how much I love my moments with this guy! They are priceless.

We had a great time in our yard last night just enjoying the beautiful weather and sun that was given to us yesterday...Thank God for the little wonders that we can savor each day.

Another one?

2008-04-22T09:11:00.003-04:00

I know it seems like all I do is make baby gifts, but maybe soon I can show you something else? I can't help it that everyone is having babies these days...particularly girls!

My buddy Christy is almost done with producing #3, Allesandra Elena Bonifacio. She will be arriving in the next couple of weeks and we are so excited for her arrival.

We celebrated with a shower a week ago and we had a great time eating and talking! I made Christy a nursing blankie and another diaper and wipe holder. I took a picture from a different angle this time so you can see how it works.

My SIL Becca has worked out creating straps with D-rings, which looks pretty good. Check hers out.

Anyway, things continue to be quite hectic in our house. I can share more on that later...

Happy Tuesday! xoxo

Sam on the Beach

2008-04-18T08:18:00.003-04:00

Quick update!

Here's some pictures of Sam and family on the beach last week. We went to Hilton Head and stayed at a beautiful house that his family rented for the week.

We had a great time relaxing, eating, biking, eating, hot-tubbing, eating, pooling, eating, reading, eating, shopping, eating...

Can't wait to go again!

By the way, I am ABSOLUTELY going to keep that little bear cub.

Now these?

2008-04-11T13:58:00.002-04:00

Matt recently went on a trip where he was able to score a free pair of Crocs. He excitedly called me on the phone and asked what size I would wear...

Hmm. "I don't think that I would wear a pair of Crocs, but do they have them in Sam's size?", was my response. Yes - they did! And boy do I love the way my baby looks in those little navy shoes.

But wait! I saw an ad in my new InStyle magazine and look what they have now! Yes, I would wear these Crocs...now I want to try them on. ;)

Anyone out there love their Crocs?

A Quilt for My Boy

2008-04-10T09:37:00.003-04:00

I have been moving along with projects, but sometimes I forget to share them!

One of the projects that I didn't post was Samuel's Zig Zag quilt. I was so excited to finish this project since

It was on the back burner
It was my first quilt ever

Here is what I showed you in January - I am so excited to have it done and I love the finished product. There are a few areas of structural weakness, but overall we did well.

I might have to make him another one for his bed when we switch to his little bed.

By the way - if I can do this, so can you! Try it out, you just might like it.

Creative Time

2008-04-04T20:41:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since I have shared some creative things and so here's some recent creations.

The first is the baby shower invitation that I made for Christy's shower (if you click on her link there's some photos of Sam on her blog).

The second is the nursing blanket and diaper holder I made for Baby Reese - just in time. :)

Happy Friday and Love,
ariana

Knoxville Marathon

2008-04-02T09:23:00.003-04:00

What a weekend!

As I mentioned before, last weekend was Knoxville Marathon weekend. Before the actual running started, though, my friends and I threw a Baby Shower for Paige. Paige's due date was April 29th and we all got together at Kristie's house for cake, food and presents. We had a lot of fun talking about babies and labor and delivery that night - interesting topics for moms only. ;) I know. I was not so interested before I had Sam...

Paige planned to come to my place and pick up some more baby gear on Sunday afternoon after my race. Saturday was a day of errands and getting ready for the race. I got into bed at 9:30 p.m. and planned to get up at 5:30 a.m. The race started at 7 a.m.

At about 10:30 pm. my phone rang and I groggily noticed that Paige was calling me. I figured she was calling to wish me luck and put my head back down on the pillow. My phone rang again. Uh oh. Something is wrong. She wouldn't just call me over again like that.

Paige was in labor and on her way to the hospital! I couldn't believe it!! It was like a movie or something. I told her to call me no matter what time it was...

When my alarm went of at 5:30, I had no word. I was so worried and wanted everything to be OK with the baby! I called her on the way to the race and by then she had a baby girl in her arms.

Reese Olivia Law was born at about 3:30 a.m. and for those keeping track, it was the morning of the Knoxville Marathon that took place on March 30, 2008. The same Knoxville Marathon that her mom ran a year earlier (while I jealously watched in my pregnant state)!

Of course I visited after I ran my race. And OF COURSE, Reese received the medal I got at the race - for her scrapbook.

My results? I ran the race in 2:11:18. Nowhere near my goal of 2:07, but I am happy, nonetheless. I am ALWAYS thankful for 2 legs that move me forward through the day and through a run. And really. The best thing that happened that day was a healthy baby girl who was just itching to take off in the race we call life.

P.S. If you would like to see some hideous photos of me at the race, click here. Now you know that I don't take myself too seriously because they are pretty bad. I will say this: I was sprinting and trying to beat the clock for my time. ;)

love this guy

2008-03-30T23:04:00.001-04:00

Have I ever told you how much I just love this guy?!?

More to come...

Running along...

2008-03-27T17:06:00.003-04:00

Hi All!

Gosh it has been a while! I have been quite busy with family and life, I guess.

One of the things that I have been meaning to share is my recent half marathon! I ran the Strawberry Plains Half Marathon in Strawberry Plains, TN on February 16, 2008.

That date happens to be my dad's birthday and it ends up that his birthday this year was pretty special too. You see, my dad got into a pretty bad accident on January 11, 2008. We weren't sure if Dad was going to make it and we drove all night from Knoxville to Chicago (picking up my sis, Maris on the way) to join the family.

It was quite the emotional roller coaster, but in the end, only by the Grace of God did he not only survive, he is thriving! *Disclaimer: there are some aches and pains. :)

So speaking of aches and pains, when I was considering the race that day and what aches I may have during the race, I realized that this one's for Pop. It was his birthday, after all...

I dedicated my race that day to Dad and ran it in 2:09:18. It was a great race and it was definitely more challenging towards the end - lots of hills and no straight finish for quite a number of turns.

Dad was really excited for me and touched by my dedication. I couldn't think of a better person to run for that day.

Now the Knoxville Marathon is on Sunday and I am up for another Half. Can't wait to share the news of my results!

Oh, and thanks for listening to me babble about running. I have really grown to love the challenge and the achievement that comes from running a race - no matter what my time is at the end.

And I must say, you ought to try it out! You just might like it...

The Big Three Oh

2008-03-15T17:16:00.004-04:00

I promised I would tell you about my birthday. As you can see, it was a significant one! I had mixed feelings about it, but now that it's over, I see it doesn't make a difference and that age is just a number...that tells you where you stand in your life span. Ha! Really...

I don't have photos from the Guilford's, but the weekend started off on Friday night when I celebrated my birthday with Matt's family - Brad, Joy, Mimi, G-ma, G-pa and the little ones. We had lasagna, strawberry cake (2 pieces for me) and birthday presents. It was sooo good! I even got some cool sewing tools and that was really fun for me (of course!).

Saturday night it was a party at Paige's with girlfriends. It has been so wonderful to make friends with other women and moms. It's really an important piece of life - I strongly believe that now that I have reached this ripe age. :) Girlfriends do understand you in a unique way and their love and support is priceless.

Sunday afternoon we had a 70* day here in Knoxville - perfect for a barbecue! Birthday celebrations continued into Sunday's dinner where we had macaroni and cheese, chips, potato salad, hot dogs, hamburgers and birthday cake. Mmmm! Matt invited several friends and families from church to enjoy the afternoon.

And, yes. The party included t-shirts with "Ariana Math" printed out. The lovely t-shirt is modeled there for you by little Oscar. :)

So now what? I feel great! I feel healthy and have enjoyed so many wonderful life experiences - including becoming a mom. It's pretty awesome, I must say. I am ready to rock on and savor the years to come. Each day is a gift from God and we are not promised the next. I'll keep that in my back pocket and try to find something to enjoy in each one.

hugs,
ariana

My Little Love

2008-03-15T11:36:00.003-04:00

Hi All,
I wanted to share Samuel's 1 year slide show.

Christy is so awesome. It's so amazing that she can take photos that make a mom's heart swell with love for their babies. It's like you love them like this all the time, but capturing those faces and moments in this way is priceless!

Enjoy.

We are all winners, BUT...

2008-03-12T10:00:00.002-04:00

My random number produced the number 4!

Yesenia, it looks like you are the one. Pretty cool, because I know you are a faithful reader and commenter. :)

Thank you all for your comments and letting me know you are there. It's pretty neat to have family and friends to join in the journey.

Love,
ariana

Do I talk that much?

2008-03-08T09:32:00.003-05:00

Woah! This is my 100th post - and less than a year from starting this blog!

This has been a fun thing to jump into and I really enjoy putting together updates of Sam and our life here.

The thing that I wonder about now is who reads this?

In the spirit of blogdom, I will give you incentive. Post a comment and just say hi so I know who's out there!

What do you get out of this? I will draw a random number and send you a special something created with YOU in mind.

I will draw Tuesday morning sometime.

Oh. And then maybe I will tell you a bit more about celebrating my big birthday. :)

P.S. This is the best I have captured of Samuel these days. Look! He has teeth.

Did I mention the Manatees?

2008-03-06T10:19:00.002-05:00

OK, there is more to catch up on, but I wanted to share the last tidbit of my trip to Islamorada. We stayed at a motel/marina and apparently manatees visit for some fresh water quite often!

While I was out one afternoon we had a visit and I was able to provide some refreshment through a water hose. It was sooo cool!!!

So here are the pictures - I also included an underwater picture of manatees that I found on the web.

Happy Day!

Ahh. Good to be Home

2008-02-27T12:52:00.006-05:00

I have been away in the Florida Keys the last few days...specifically in Islamorada. Matt had to be there for a photo shoot and so I joined him from Thursday evening to Tuesday. Scratch that. Friday morning to Tuesday.

You see, the trip started off pretty rough! I flew Allegiance Air, Knoxville's discount airline company. When I arrived for my 7:55 pm flight Thursday night the ticket counter reported a 4.5 hour delay. Yes, four and a half hours! Not to worry, though. They gave us $8 vouchers to eat at Ruby Tuesdays until it closed at 10 pm. Oh, but wait. The flight did not leave until 2:30 am. Arriving to Fort Lauderdale at 4:30 am. On Friday.

Matt was a trooper and picked me up and drove me approximately 2 hours back to The Keys. :)

When we arrived I was able to jump right in and assist with the photo shoot. I may have some pictures to share later! I appeared with my own husband and everything (not Matt, a Hispanic husband). All after being up all night.

So I just hung around while the rest of the photo shoot took place. Not as glamorous as it sounds, I promise! That crew was sweating all day long. It is so much work!

We did enjoy a day off and it was so awesome! Matt and I took one of the cruisers out to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - America's first underwater park. I had never snorkeled before and we anchored and snorkeled the Coral Reef and were even able to find the Christ of the Deep statue! We took turns diving down to touch the statue. Did I say it was awesome? Yes, it was.

After swimming for a bit, we stopped and had lunch before heading back to the marina and back to work for Matt. :) It was a great day! Check out this link for a picture review of the day and a peek at the starfish we found when we anchored to take pictures with the boat.

We are back in Knoxville and so glad to be home. There is no place like it. Plus, there's a little guy here that we are quite fond of...

Happy Day to you! XOXO,
ariana

Staying connected

2008-02-21T17:10:00.003-05:00

So I am getting ready to be away from home for a bit. As I finish packing, I realize something. I am quite the connected girl!

I think I will continue the My Favorite Things whenever the mood strikes...and here is the Travel Installment!

My Favorite Things - Travel Style, OR What Ariana owns that has to be plugged in (or recharged)!

Hair Dryer
Straightening Iron
Laptop
Flip Camera
Canon Camera
iPod Shuffle for running
Navman GPS for running
Cell Phone
Blue Tooth Headset
Medela Pump in Style

Well, I guess I never claimed to be a simple girl, right? I definitely enjoy modern amenities!

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

2008-02-15T11:07:00.010-05:00

Many of you know that I was born and raised in Chicago, IL. Not suburban Chicago. CHICAGO city. Other than spending 4 years in the corn fields of Upland, Indiana at Taylor University I lived there all my life. That is, until I got married.

When I moved to Knoxville I experienced major shock: Getting married, culture, lifestyle, etc. Matt and I were blessed to be able to rent a house right away. So I moved in and started to learn about this new place.

A day that will go down in history was the day that I opened the front door, turned to look at the house and asked Matt, "Where's our mailbox?" He kindly pointed out that the mailbox was several feet in front of my house near the road. "You have to walk out to the road to get your mail." Ohhh...OK.

You see, where I come from, mailboxes are attached to your house. The mailman walks down the street with a wheeled bag and walks up your stairs and puts the mail in a box that is attached to your home. These are the little things about Knoxville that I was trying to figure out.
So yesterday was a busy day for me, but I was so excited for the mail to come and because I was expecting some items I purchased online and I wanted my Netflix to go out. While Sam and I were hosting a Valentine's lunch and I saw the mail truck go through the neighborhood, but didn't get the mail right away because people were over (running out to the mailbox while people are over might seem rude...).

After everyone was gone I went out to the mailbox. But wait. They didn't pick up my Netflix, nor did they drop off my mail. What the heck?! I saw the mail truck!

OK, so maybe somewhere in the USPS policies and procedures manual it reads that if someone is parked or blocking your mailbox the postman does not have to deliver. But really. Are you serious? No mail? So frustrating. You can only imagine (or already know) what the mailmen in Chicago endure every day. They walk down the street in heat! Snow! Rain! No truck cover!!!

I digress...

Fine.

So later on in the day I check my voice mail messages. My buddy Jen calls and leave me an excited message: "Ariana, I just got my mail and got the most exciting surprise in the mail! Check your mail and call me!"

Are you serious? The ONE DAY that my mail doesn't get delivered? Whatever. I will call Jen to find out what it is...I don't want to wait until tomorrow.

Guess what?!?! I GOT PUBLISHED! I am SOOO excited. I can't even tell you how happy that makes me feel! This was a goal from last year! Someone who doesn't have to appreciates my creativity!

TWO cards were published - a maternity thank you and Sam's birth announcement. This just is affirmation that Samuel is a blessing all around. :)

So I finally got my mail today and I can't tell you how excited I am to share this with the blog world! Thank you so much for reading this long post and sharing the moment with me.

Now I definitely need to stamp this weekend...

Enough about me...

2008-02-13T09:23:00.002-05:00

Sam's not been around for a while...Here's a hit of Sam for you.

I found him sleeping with his dog in the crib the other day and had to catch that moment. Sam bites and buries his face in that thing all the time. It has to be washed often...

What you know 'bout me? -Lil'Mama, Lip Gloss song

2008-02-10T13:56:00.006-05:00

My SIL Joy has tagged me to share seven random things that you might not know about me…By the way, Joy, Gina's has that fabulous birthday fabric. It's adorable!

Here we go:

I eat the cheese and toppings off of the top of my pizza separately and first. Then the crust with sauce.
I played basketball from 5th grade to 12th grade. Played volleyball all four years of high school. I don't claim to be an athlete by any stretch. But, I love to play.
Associated with #2: I HATED running in high school and college. I thought it was torture. Go figure...
I have a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Mass Communication. I was Mass Communication major with a minor in Political Science for the first 3 years of college and I wanted to be a news anchor. During the end of my Junior year I decided to switch them around because I liked my Political Science classes a lot. Didn't think about employability there. Good thing I graduated during an economic upswing where jobs were in abundance!
I am Puerto Rican - both of my parents are Puerto Rican and my Grandparents were born there and still reside there (Please note that Puerto Rican is not Mexican or any other familiar Hispanic people or country you might know the name of off hand. Puerto Rican food is not spicy nor does it include tacos or burritos).
I love learning and creating new things. It keeps me challenged and going. I think there are constantly going to be new and exciting things to learn. Matt is probably cringing right now thinking I am going to propose that I go do my PhD. I will try to stick to crafting for now...
Ketchup kind of grosses me out. I eat it on onion rings and burgers. No more. The smell and the sight of dried up ketchup does not appeal to me and it's difficult for me to watch people drench their food (chips, fries, eggs, etc) in it. Eww. Don't understand why people do that to good food. Brings me back to the days of watching my brother Benjamin eat it with eggs. That might be why...Love you Beege!

I am supposed to tag someone else now. Christy, you are it!

P.S. I know the picture may be a bit random...it's me at Paige's party preparing fondue dips and giving directions to my place over the phone. For those of you who know the song referenced in my title post: I thought you might like to laugh at me because the song is on my iPod's running playlist. :)

What a case.

2008-02-09T17:06:00.000-05:00

Whenever I go to the fabric store I wonder why in the world there are so many fabrics for holidays. I mean, really. Do people wear this stuff? What do they do with it?

My personal taste dictates that you will NEVER see me wear holiday printed fabric. I promise.

But one day I saw a lady getting some Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day fabric cut. She asked my opinion on the prints and I asked her (politely), "What are you doing with it?" She replied that she was making holiday pillow cases for small pillows for her grandkids.

OOOH! Really? That's cool. Something to show a little person your love for them while celebrating a holiday and having something fun for them that is not totally obnoxious and overbearing taking over the aesthetic appeal of a room? OK. Sold.

So I recently started making some cases for my Samuel. The first picture is his January birthday pillow and it might be my favorite. The rest are just the following months, February, March, April and May. So easy and fun.

Happy Weekend to you!

Blog Blast!

2008-02-06T23:57:00.000-05:00

Start reading! Here is an update. I have been MIA, but I wanted to share a few things in a row. Now I will take a breather and update you more in a regular fashion. :)

love,
ariana

Paige has her big 3-oh.

2008-02-06T23:43:00.001-05:00

Saturday night I had a fondue birthday party for my best friend Paige. It was so fun to put together and enjoy all of the treats. We had 3 courses with the following fondues:

Main Course
Swiss Cheese Fondue
Cheddar Cheese and Beer Fondue

Vegetable Broth
Wild Mushroom and Leek Broth

Dessert
Honey Orange
Chocolate
Caramel

The second picture includes all the preggos in attendance. Yes. Four pregnant women feasted on fondue, including the star of the party. Christy, Paige, Kristie and Erin. The second photo includes Stephanie, Me, Paige, Kristie, Erin and Laurie. Christy is behind the camera in this one to allow me to be in the picture! Enjoy!

Sam went to McDonalds...

2008-02-06T23:28:00.000-05:00

We happened to celebrate Samuel's first birthday in Chicago. What did that mean? Well Mita wanted to take him to McDonald's to have a Happy Meal!

Oooh. That was hard for me! But, I said he could have the burger, a cone and only a few fries. Come on! It is his birthday, after all.

Side note: I try not to be too crazy about Sam's diet, but have you watched Super Size Me? That's a great documentary. My philosophy is to try not to eat or give Sam too much of that stuff. But I did take advantage of a Quarter Pounder with cheese, please.

Sam had a great time! He loved his burger and cone especially and wasn't too fond of the fries and loved the box. Good boy.

The Cruise

2008-02-06T23:20:00.000-05:00

Hi All,
I will write about this in my last post, but I am catching up!

Here are the pictures from our cruise that I promised long ago! Included are the towel animals, our Jeep we drove around Cozumel, Matt and I at the beach in Cozumel and Matt and I in Miami at the pool. We look tired in the one by the pool. That was after we partied our hearts out the last night!

samuel

2008-01-25T18:21:00.000-05:00

Since the slide show was a bust....

Here is a picture of my little bundle in his car seat. He now weighs just over 20 lbs., so he will be moving to a bigger seat. :)

I just had to catch that face before we went out in the cold...

Samuel's First Year

2008-01-24T15:04:00.000-05:00

EDITED: I need to find a better format to get this to family and friends...Give me the weekend. :)

To those who cry out, "More Samuel!":

Here is what I have been up to so far this week - a slide show of Samuel's first year. This is my initial stab at getting it together...so I think I will make a few changes.

WARNING!!! This video is dripping with a parent's love for their child, which may be obnoxious to some. I know and understand that not everyone thinks my kid is the best. But I do :), isn't that how it should be?

Either way, I hope you have 13 minutes - if not, you might want to come back to this later!

Enjoy,
ariana

recent creation

2008-01-11T13:13:00.000-05:00

I made these little wallets for a Christmas party at Shawna's house last month...

You see? I am filling in the blanks. Just a little late.

Have you missed him?

2008-01-09T16:57:00.000-05:00

To those far, far away: We think of you and miss you! There are so many to name...

I realize that you have not seen Samuel lately! Here he is testing out his new chair that he got for Christmas - just his size.

Oh. And here is the progress on the quilt...I have been running around like a chicken with her head cut off...no time to test the machine yet!

new baby!

2008-01-07T15:30:00.000-05:00

Ha! I may have got your attention with that title. But, NO WAY. Not a new baby like Sam, a new sewing machine!

Here's the story:

I have been wishing and hoping for a sewing/embroidery machine for months. I focused in on the Janome MC9700. It's seems to be a good machine for the price point and Janome has a great reputation for high quality. The down side? Sticker price is $2200. Ugh! You can get one used on eBay for a good price, but it's still pretty costly.

I have been using the Kenmore machine that my mom got me in 2002. At first it went unused. Especially with working and going to grad school. But it has gotten some loving in the last couple of years and even a tune up about 2 years ago.

In the last week I have been obsessing over a new project. Ask Matt or Sam. I get in "the zone" and can't stop sometimes and my intensity level gets pretty high. This is my project - isn't it beautiful? I never have desired to make a quilt until I saw this one and realized it fit me just right. So I went for it.

As I was getting to the critical part of my project - the actual quilting - my machine starts to act up. To the point of bringing me to tears! It could seriously ruin all my work so far. So I call for pricing to tune it up/repair. $65 + the cost of repairs. Ugh!

So Matt tells me...why don't you get a new one? We saw one on clearance at the store and for a little more money you can get a new machine. I hate to do that because the one I have is good and I don't want to be wasteful, but I will look.

So I went to the Sears Repair center this morning - LOVE that place! There are so many great deals. Basically I got this new machine because the box was torn a bit. It retails for $240. My price? $109. And now I have a newer, savvier, sturdier machine (returnable within 30 days if I don't like it).

But what about the old one? I am hoping my baby sister will take it with a tune up and see if she likes to sew. Keep it in la familia, if you know what I mean. Mom did get it for me after all and I do have a sentimental attachment to it.

But what about the Janome? Well, two things.

One, I found out that Janome manufactures a lot of Sears Kenmore machines. So I am thinking it's comparable.

Two, you just can't have it all. Especially not at once. I will be happy with what I can have for now and hope to someday be able to love a Janome sewing/embroidery machine.

In the mean time, I think I can create some cool things with my new gift...stay tuned. I will share.

Happy Monday, All.
me

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T11:46:00.001-05:00

Hi All,
I don't have my official goals for the year set, but I did celebrate the coming of the new year!

I don't like setting resolutions because I think that they are somewhat forced. Goals? I like goals. One or two things that I can do or accomplish. Last year it was running a half marathon and getting a card published. My friend Jen has over exceeded her publishing goals and I was inspired to follow suit. That 2007 goal was not met, but I don't think I tried hard enough seeing that I only sent in two cards! Maybe this year...

So, let's see. I did bring in the new year with a friend that I really only got to know in 2007, but it feels like we've been friends for years!

Matt and I had dinner with Christy and her husband, Phil for New Year's Eve. Christy cooked an awesome Ziti, salad and bread for dinner and I brought some of our favorite wine and cupcakes for dessert.

Which reminds me...Two more of my favorite things!!!

Coppola Claret wine and Magnolia Vanilla Cupcakes! The wine is tasty, but those cupcakes? Made from scratch with lots of butter. In the frosting and the cake! MMMM!!!

I highly recommend the wine and the More From Magnolia Cookbook.

So back to my story...We ate dinner and vegetated on the couch for a bit. Then we managed to get down to Market Square in Knoxville to see the ball drop. Oh yes. We had a ball hung by a crane. It wasn't quite Times Square, but it was fun to say we did it!

Here's some shots from the event...Christy and I (kind of fuzzy), Christy and Phil, and Matt and I. The Knoxville Ball and a random shot of a celebrator with a cool hat are bonus material. Enjoy.

Happy New Year!

hugs,

ariana

Merry Christmas to you!

2007-12-25T11:13:00.000-05:00

I know I am quite far behind...I want to share what I have been up to, but have been bogged down with technical difficulties. I should just bite the bullet and just share my photos as is...I will do that.

BUT, in the mean time, Merry Christmas to you!

Enjoy your day and the magical peace of the world standing still for just one day.

Samuel

2007-12-07T07:55:00.000-05:00

Christy B. has done it again!

Check out her blog for a sampling of some of her recent pics of Samuel.

Oh! And here is his slide show...I love this guy.

baking

2007-12-06T08:54:00.000-05:00

And how does one counteract the effects of the Navman, you ask?

Cake! Cookies! Muffins! Brownies!

Here are two more of my FAVORITE Things, both of which were Christmas presents.

The first is 101 Things to do with a Cake Mix - a book full of recipes that have a box of cake mix as the main ingredient. My copy is well loved and used...I am even using it tonight! When I use it tonight I will be using ingredients that I have on hand and just need to use - have that in your pantry? I do.

I even used it the other day when I had a chocolate craving and found the perfect recipe for Death by Chocolate Cake. Here's the recipe for a tasting of what the book has to offer:

Death By Chocolate Cake

3/4 Cup Sour Cream
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Oil
1 Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Small box instant chocolate pudding
1 Cup chocolate chips
powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350*

Beat sour cream, eggs, water and oil together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed. Add cake mix and pudding mix. Stir in chocolate chips. Place batter in greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a fork inserted into cake comes out clean.

While still hot invert cake onto a serving platter. When cool, sift powdered sugar over the top of cake.

*I had this with Cool Whip and it tasted like a Hostess Cupcake. Yum!

My second Favorite Thing ties in with baking and also just general cooking. It's my Kitchenaid Stand Mixer - courtesy of Matt a couple of years ago. Ever since I got this baby I can't imagine my kitchen without it. It helps me quickly bake cakes, cookies, brownies, shreds cheese, mashes potatoes...the uses go on and on.

OK, so one favorite thing is very affordable, the other is an investment. Both definitely worthwhile in my book.

Happy Day!

You can always go... Downtown

2007-12-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

Chicago has many wonderful things to offer and one of those wonderful things was Marshall Fields. No need to go into the bitter details, but Macy's sweeped in and purchased Field's a couple of years ago and to the dismay of Chicagoans decided to change the name of Marshall Fields to Macy's.

Marshall Fields is a historic piece of Chicago history, particularly the beautiful department store in downtown Chicago. Every Christmas the windows are decorated with the Nutcracker theme and holiday tradition is to go downtown to see the windows at Marshall Fields - now Macy's.

So while we were in Chicago for the week of Thanksgiving, Matt, Sam, Mom, Dad and Marissa and I drove downtown to see the windows.

We even got to see the main tree decorated by the one and only Martha Stewart - it was so pretty that we had to take pictures in front of that too.

Check out Sambo with his Titi Rooster, Mita and Grandpa. We had a lot of fun!

Running along...

2007-12-03T08:47:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday! I continue with my favorite things, a la Oprah...

Now this one is not generally sold in the states, but it can be found and if you really want one you can go with the Garmin model.

It's my running GPS! I strap the Navman R300 on my arm and off I run...anywhere! It doesn't give me a map if I get lost, but I can go for a run and turn wherever my hear desires and it tracks my average pace, my total milage and calories burned. It has a pace alarm that will tell me if I have gone above or below a goal pace and even gives me my maximum pace. Lots of information to use.

I love it. It's been great to have and I highly recommend you get a running GPS if you ever get into running.

Next up? Some favorite things that counteract the effects of the Navman...

Arriving

2007-11-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

We flew from Nashville to Chicago this trip and Sam was such a good baby boy! He really does get an A+ for good behavior this trip. He is so great.

When we arrived at Midway, we took turns taking pictures before Uncle Ben arrived...Here is the boy with his mom and dad!

It's been a while

2007-11-28T09:24:00.000-05:00

We all went to Chicago for Thanksgiving and spent a whole week with family and friends. It was a great time and I can't wait to share pictures of our trip! Those are coming later.

While I was in Chicago, my mom was watching Oprah's Favorite Things show (did you know that it's on at 9am in Chicago?). I guess that show highlights Oprah's favorite new things and everyone in the audience gets to take those things home - can you imagine?

That got me thinking...what are my favorite things? I thought I would share those with you. They are things that I use and like and maybe you might too...Ariana's favorite things. Not worth the prices of Oprah's treasures, I am sure. But maybe you can find something new?

Here's one: My favorite eyeliner. It's from Milani cosmetics - drugstore. True Black.

It's the little things in life, I have to remind myself of that!

Happy Turkey to You!

2007-11-22T12:10:00.000-05:00

There is much to update you on...but had to wish you a great day!

Count your blessings. Thanksgiving is the best!!

Bailey's Birthday!

2007-11-13T09:53:00.001-05:00

My buddy Kelly has a baby girl named Bailey - she is precious and was born about 8 weeks before Samuel.

Kelly commissioned me to do Bailey's first birthday invitations and they are now ready to go to Chicago. Here's the finished project!

Babies...

2007-11-12T11:23:00.000-05:00

These babies keep coming...

Here's a nursing blanket for Shawna. She will be having Cameron this week for sure!

Oh. Then she will start training in 4 weeks for the Knoxville Marathon relay race. What a trooper.

I will start training this week for both the Knoxville and Nashville 1/2 Marathon too...Remind me that I said 1/2 and not whole!

amazing.

2007-11-06T15:53:00.000-05:00

I had to share this with you.

Did you know that the New York Marathon was this last weekend?

Did you know that Paula Radcliffe was the female winner with a time of 2:23:09? (For those taking note that is a pace of 5:27 per mile over the course of 26.2 miles)

Did you know that she had a baby 9 months ago??? No kidding. 9 months ago.

Hmm. Puts things in perspective. I gave birth nine months ago!! She is awesome.

My Kind of Town

2007-11-05T09:18:00.000-05:00

What did you do this weekend?

Well...I went to Chicago with my college friends! Every year a group of us picks a city to visit and we all meet there for a fun weekend of hanging out. Whoever is at the weekend trip that year nominates and elects the next city that we will visit.

So far we have visited:

New York
Las Vegas
New Orleans
San Antonio
Miami
Chicago

Up next year: San Antonio. If San Antonio is going to cost us a mortgage payment, then the runner up is Nashville.

Now about Chicago. I know. I am from Chicago. But it is a great city and we treated it like we were visiting any other city. Meaning that I didn't tell my family that I would be in town...didn't stay with them.

We stayed at The Allerton on Michigan Avenue and shopped the Magnificent Mile. We also visited the Field Museum of Natural History and ate at the following places - all recommended!

It was a wonderful weekend and I think I did great being away from the mister. I asked my friends if I talked too much about Sam - they said no. So, unless they are not telling me the full truth, I didn't talk too much about him, didn't call a million times and overall felt pretty good about being away!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Happy Monday!

Trick or Treat

2007-11-01T13:49:00.000-04:00

We had a monkey for Halloween. Isn't he so adorable?

We stopped at G-mas house to trick or treat and say hello. What else would a 9 month old do for Halloween? :)

I will have much to update you on next week...I am going solo with a girl's weekend starting tomorrow and my little monkey will not be with me!

Woo hoo! I think...

He is such a boy.

2007-10-25T08:38:00.000-04:00

Back in July, Leo (Christy's boy) had a birthday party and Sam was invited. :) For his birthday, Leo got a Cars Racetrack that zooms around a little car in a figure eight. Leo was so excited to get it running that he convinced his mom to put batteries in it and set it up. All the kids gathered around to watch it work...Sam included.

Sam was incredibly amused! He was just this little 7 month old baby and started cracking up laughing at the car going around - he even stuck his hand in the track to stop it!

When we reported this to Mita and Mito, Mita insisted that we get Sam this race track so we could watch him laugh. He did!

The toy has taken a break - it's been out of sight, out of mind. But yesterday I pulled it out for him and decided to try and catch the moment. Forgive my movie making skills...I will work on that.

But I think this will make you smile.

Recently...

2007-10-23T11:41:00.000-04:00

<---Erin, Shawna and Claudia at the shower

Remember my friend Shawna? Well, she is almost due and we had a shower for her last week. It was fun to meet her husband and all of the people in her life that she talks about. Her baby boy, Cameron is due the week of Thanksgiving - isn't that neat?

Well, for Shawna's shower I made a fuzzy lovey blanket - same as the one I made for Sam a while back. In my scurry to get everything together I missed a step in my sewing and used Velcro instead of a snap for the pacifier holder. I try not to let those missteps get to me...but sometimes they do. That's why I sit and talk about it a week later!

Anyway, I finally have something new to share that is not Sam related - woo hoo! There is more going on than that little guy.