Photo Dump Friday

The sun FINALLY came out today.  It's been about a week since we've seen it.  September has been very gloomy and wet.  We took full advantage of the sunshine and went down to the bay to hunt for seashells and cool rocks.  It was nice to get some fresh air.

Thoughts on Thursday...

...but posted on Friday.  Sorry!

I need to ease myself into this Stay at Home Mommy thing.  It's tough.  It's a lot of work.  It takes a LOT of Patience.  It requires a planner.  It is extremely rewarding!

Yesterday was super  busy.  Jules and I attended a Music Together class.  She loved it.  I'm a happy Momma.  So now we have Story Time at the Library on Wednesday mornings, Music Together on Thursday mornings and Dance class on Saturday mornings.  I think that is a good balance of activities to keep us busy but not crazy busy.  On 'off days' we can do crafts at home, go collect shells from the beach (we did that today), go shopping, visit the zoo, etc.

What I've learned so far...keep busy and always have a plan each day.  You may veer from the plan and that is okay but have some sort of outline.  It is so easy to just not do anything...but then after a couple of those days you start to feel the mommy guilt (you know that your child would be better off in daycare where they play&learn every.single.day.  Or you get the wife guilt (you know the one where you feel as though you aren't contributing anything to the family).  Yup.  Stay busy.  Have a plan and follow through.    And if all else fails...drink WINE.

What She Says - Wednesday

Today has been a very LONG day.  We went over to the library for story hour.  Jules was very shy and hesitant to interact with the other children.  I guess because it was a new place and new kids.  We will have to try that again next week.  I'm sure she will learn to enjoy it.  She decided that napping isn't cool today.  Yup.  One of THOSE days.

Anyway...back to What She Says

Recently it seems as though this is all she says:  "Why?  Why Mommy Why?  Why?  WHY?"

Ten on Tuesday

1. What is your dream vacation?

I have so many.  I'd love to visit Italy, Napa Valley in California, Las Vegas & the Grand Canyon, Hawaii, Aruba and at some point I'd like to go back to St. Lucia.

2. What has been your favorite trip so far in your life?
Easy.  St. Lucia.  Chad and I got engaged while on vacation there.  We stayed at Sandals Regency which is All-Inclusive.  The food was amazing,the people were so friendly and the island was drop dead gorgeous!

3. If you and one of your best friends could go anywhere in the world for one week, where would it be and why?
Hmm...anywhere....Chad and I would go to Napa Valley and hit all the wineries.  I can't imagine doing that with anyone else!

4. Have you ever booked a trip using an online deal? How did it go?

I don't think I have booked an entire trip using only online deals but I do use Orbitz a lot for flights and rental cars.

5. What’s your favorite thing to do while you’re on vacation?

Sit poolside with a book in my lap and a drink in my hand.  I also love to take tours that involve waterfalls.  I'm a sucker for a good waterfall!

6. Have you ever missed an opportunity to take a trip that you regret?

No, I'm big on vacations and take them every chance I get.

7. You travel far away from home and get stranded with no way to buy anything, what’s the one thing you can’t live without?

My iPhone.

8. What’s one of your favorite traveling memories?

Swimming with dolphins on our honeymoon in Punta Cana.  That was awesome.

9. All included resort or backpacking? Why?

Seriously?  All Inclusive.  This girl does NOT backpack.  I enjoy good food, drinks at pool bars and great big King size canopy beds!  Enough said.

10. Are you more of a lie on the beach kind of person on vacation, or do you prefer to see the sights?

I enjoy both.  It depends on the location but most of the time we are at a place for the first time...so I like to see the sights and lay around on the beach.  You can definitely do both.

Your turn to link up.  Head over to Roots and Rings and show a little love!

Roxy

Friday Photo Dump

Picture of the day

I took about 50 pictures today of Jules at the park.  Most were not so great.  This is my favorite from today.

Thoughts on Thursday

Today I thought I'd talk a little about "Mommy Guilt".  Its a powerful thing.  What do I feel the most guilty about recently?  I can't even believe I am typing this honestly...I feel guilty about taking Julianna OUT of DAYCARE.  Seriously.   

From the time she was born my husband and I swore that we would never put her in Daycare.  Ha.  Then reality hit.  We didn't have enough family in town to watch her while we worked.  So we had a good 6 month run where we were lucky enough to have free family childcare.  Then the inevitable had to happen.  Dreaded Daycare.

We decided on a well known church daycare close to home and my job.  That first day I dropped her off was torturous.  Probably more so for me than for her.  She cried when I left but not much.  I know this because I called three times that day to check on her!  She didn't nap but she survived.  We survived.  The first year of Daycare wasn't easy.  Jules got used to going daily and really liked her teachers but the germs...oh the germs.  She came home with everything under the sun...runny nose, bite marks, scrapes, black eye, pink eye, ear infection.  You name it she had it and sometimes more than once.  We knew going into this whole daycare thing that she would get sick.  What we didn't realize was that we would get sick also.  That first year was rough!

The second year was much better.  The only bump in the road we had was the change of teachers.  Each year the kids move up and with that comes a different teacher.  Jules was very attached to her first teacher.    So much so that if Miss. Sharon wasn't at school I would have a small panic attack because she would scream and cry as soon as we walked in the room.  So I knew she wouldn't take easy to a new teacher.  I was right.  It took her about 2 weeks of drop offs before she wouldn't cry when I left.  After that...smooth sailing.  She LOVED her new teacher and all the children in her class.  She developed friendships and most importantly she was learning so much.  She enjoyed school.

June rolled around and I didn't have to work anymore.  I pulled her out of daycare.  I was happy to be able to that.  Happy I didn't have to pay $150.00 a week to have someone else watch my child.  Happy I didn't have to pack anymore lunches.  Happy she would nap daily at home where she napped best.  What I didn't realize was that I was taking her away from her little friends, taking her away from daily playtime and most importantly learning.  She was excited to be home with mommy at first.  Loved going to the beach.  We went away on vacation in July so she definitely didn't miss school then either.  

August rolled around and she spotted one of her Gerber Graduate heat up meals in the cabinet.  That triggered the "school memory".  She sat down for lunch that day and told me plainly that she wanted to go back to school.  It broke my heart.  That is when the guilt first hit me.  I had taken her away from peer interaction and learning.  I know it is best for her to be home with me.  I know that I can teach her just as good as her daycare teachers did.  I do have a degree in Elementary Ed. but I still feel a tad bit guilty.  Its ridiculous.  We enrolled her in dance class so now she still gets the peer interaction once a week.  I do my best to take her to the zoo and the park and the beach as often as possible.  She is by no means suffering.  

Seriously, Mommy Guilt is fierce!

Isn't she lovely?

What She Says - Wednesdays

I've been thinking about how to hold myself accountable with this blog.  The best way to do so is to write at least 2-3 times a week.  I have Tuesdays covered with ToT's hosted by Chelsea over at http://rootsandrings.com and I know I will post pictures at least once a week if not more so that leaves me with one more day.  This is what I came up with...

Wednesdays will be entitled "What She Says - Wednesdays".... she being Jules.  The things that come out of her mouth sometimes are hysterical.  I'm going to start writing them down so that I can share them with you weekly.  God knows if I don't write them down I will forget as I do everything else!

Thoughts on Thursdays.  This will just be me being me  random.  So whatever is on my mind that day is what you will get.

Fridays--  I'm thinking about doing a photo dump of all my iPhone pictures from that week.  I've seen this on other blogs and will have to look into linking up with another blog.  One of my favorite apps on my phone is Instagram.  So basically if you don't follow me on there you will see all the photos at the end of the week on here.

Whew!  Hows that for being accountable?!

And I'll leave you with a "What She Said - Wednesday" bit.  We were driving past her old school/daycare today and she told me that I needed to take her there.  I asked her why she needed to stop by.  Her response:  "I just need to see my friends for a little bit."

That comment will lead into tomorrows thoughts...Daycare, Mommy Guilt and all that good stuff!  Stay tuned.

Ten on Tuesday

Ten on Tuesday (98)

For more ToT questions and answers go see Chelsea over at www.rootsandrings.com

A. Age: 32
B. Bed Size: Queen
C. Chore that you hate: Putting clean clothes away.
D. Dogs:  Roxy- lhasa apso/shitzu mix
E. Essential start to your day: Coffee
F. Favorite Color: Teal currently
G. Gold or Silver: White Gold
H. Height: 5’6
I. Instruments you play: None
J. Job Title: Stay at home mom/secretary for my husband's business.  That is still really weird to say.
K. Kids: One 2.5 yr old little named Julianna
L. Live: Cape May, NJ (the real south jersey)
M. Mother’s Name: My mama’s name is Terry
N. Nicknames: I've never really had any nicknames.
O. Overnight hospital stays: I stayed three nights in the hospital when Jules was born.
P. Pet peeve: Slow drivers.
Q. Quote from a movie: "Shut up.  Just shut up.  You had me at hello."
R. Right or left handed: Right.
S. Siblings: 2 Older half-brothers and 1 younger brother
T. Time you wake up: 8:00am unless Julianna wakes up earlier.
U. Underwear: ? Victoria's Secret.
V. Vegetable you hate: Squash
W. What makes you run late: My child.
X. X-Rays you’ve had: My memory sucks but I think the only x-ray I've had was on my thumb when I broke it.
Y. Yummy food that you make: I don't like to admit this but I'm a pretty good cook.  I can make a mean bacon, spinach and tomato pasta.
Z. Zoo Animal: We just went yesterday.  Giraffe.

My Little Performer

Live Entertainment during the summer months is easy to come by.  Especially when it is so close to home.  The Cape May-Lewis Ferry Terminal had live entertainment weekly throughout the summer.  My in-laws went faithfully every Friday night to listen to one person in particular.  Dan Barry.  He is really great.  Check him out here http://danbarrymusic.com/homepage.html

Last Friday was his last night at the Ferry so we all headed down to hang out.  The Ferry is a great location for families and non-families alike.  It is obviously right on the water, dinner menu, bar, playground for the kids, huge open grass area for running or just watching the sunset.  We were one of the only families down last week.  Dan sang to Julianna throughout the night.  She really warmed up to him and when he asked her to come up and sing she obliged.  

She sang Twinkle, Twinkle, Old MacDonald had a Farm & her all time favorite Jesus Loves Little Children.    I'm still in shock she actually did this.  She definitely gets her outgoingness from her Daddy.  

Ten on Tuesday

Ten on Tuesday (97)

 These “would you rather” questions are from Rachel at Rachel Heather.

I’m going to do my best not to say “neither” on any of these since that’s cheating.

WOULD YOU RATHER:
1. eat chocolate covered grasshoppers or this freaky squid thing

OMG.  That squid thing is disgusting.  Honestly I wouldn't eat either if given the choice but if it were life or death I would choose the chocolate covered grasshoppers.

2. never see another movie or never watch TV again?
Never watch TV again.  I only watch reality tv as it is anyways.  

3. be a superhero with a lame power or a supervillain with an awesome power?
Superhero with a lame power because at the end of the day I'm still a Superhero right?!

4. eat only salty snacks for the rest of you life, or only sweet snacks?
Only eat sweet. I love sweets although I'd prefer sour sweets.

5. never read another book or never hear another song?
Wow, this one is difficult.  I love reading and music.  Never read another book because I can't imagine never listening to music again....and I still have the movie version of the books right?  lol

6. be a whale carcass remover or a sewer inspector?
Eww.  Whale carcass remover....just because the thought of smelling $hit all day makes me want to puke.

7. have no electricity or no running water?
No running water.  I've had to live without electricity before and I don't want to do that again.

8. be a dog or a cat?
a dog.  

9. always be hot or always be cold?
Cold.  I hate being hot.

10. be forced to watch all 3 High School Musicals on an endless loop, or the Twilight movies?
This one was easy...Twilight.  I hate musicals.

Cape May Lighthouse

We went down to the Cape May Lighthouse earlier this week to scope out good photo locations.  We are so lucky to live close to the ocean and in such a beautiful place.  As I get older I appreciate it more and more.

Ten on Tuesday

Ten on Tuesday (96)

Totally random 10 questions from Chelsea over at www.rootsandrings.com 

1. What temperature do you keep your thermostat on during the day?
During the day it’s around 73.

2. What temperature do you keep your thermostat on at night?
At night it is at 71.  If I had it my way it would be at 69 but I just think that may be a tad too cold for Julianna.  I like it extra cold when I sleep.

3. In a canister of mixed nuts, do you pick out certain varieties and leave the others?
I like the cashews and almonds.  I'm not a fan of peanuts and rarely buy mixed nuts.

4. What is your favorite kind of M&M?
I'm totally going to contridict myself on this one but I like the peanut M&M's.  LOL

5. How do you buy books? (Amazon, bookstore, new, used, electronic, etc)
Before the hubs bought me a Nook I purchased all my books from Amazon used.  Now I buy everything online at Barnes & Noble.

6. How do you like your eggs cooked?
I like my eggs fried with no yolk.  I enjoy a ham & cheese omelet every now and again also.

7. Can you whistle?
Nope.

8. What common word do you always misspell?
I'm a bad speller.  One word I always misspell is definitely.  Always.

9. Are you afraid of flying?
No, I prefer it to driving long distances with my husband.

10. How often do you go shopping?
Grocery shopping, once a week.  Clothes shopping rarely.  If I go to the mall I spend money...so I don't go unless I really need something.  

Design...

I'm clueless.  How do I make this blog look cute?  I know how to find custom backgrounds but I how do I format it differently?  I need some major help!  Anyone????