Cut me some slack?!?!

I am currently watching Tosh.0, no shock there as the husband (and his brother) is OBSESSED with web videos and thats what Mr. Daniel Tosh (Tosh.0 host) is alllll about!  I will say his is semi hilarious.

Any who, we just watched a video with a girl doing the wii fit game (in her underwear, hence tosh.0's interest) and it got me to thinking, what in the "H" am I doing lately.  I go to bed feeling like 100 pounds and wake up still feeling full (gross at the least).  I need to go back to the gym and on the weight watchers program or I will inevitably balloon out to a size I do NOT want to be at.  I was borderline depressed tonight, because I couldn't stop myself from eating all.day.long.  Then, the hubs came home and I poured several a few glasses of wine and got myself to feeling like a likable person.

"Luckily" for me my mother-in-law lives seconds from my house and is volunteering to watch the kiddos twice a week for the husband and I to work out together.  The other days I can bring the babes to the baby care while I work out.  I LOVE spinning and classes in general and I (within the year) want to run a half marathon with my wonderful husband so 4 times a week for now will help!

Sorry for being a stinky blogger as of late, but baby #2 has been a cry baby and baby #1 has been fresh, ending in both of them driving me CRAZY!  Also, my house looks like a bomb went off in it.  Some unfinished house work, painting and laundry have tripped me up a bit, cut me some slack pulease.

Miscellany Monday back at it again!

Aaaaand another Monday is upon us, although at this point it's almost Tuesday!  It's been a couple weeks since I've hit up the miscellany in Monday with Carissa, but here it is....

{1.}  This past weekend little Miss Isabelle had her christening at my husbands childhood church (and where we were married), Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church.  Isabelle's godparents are one of my best friends Leah and my brother Tommy!  She wore the dress I wore when I was christened and Emma too.

{So happy to be with her godparents!}

{2.}  I went shopping Friday evening for TWO hours straight and couldn't find ANYTHING.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.  Definitely a confidence booster.  Due to this revelation I will be joining the gym with the hubs tomorrow night and fixing my eating habits ASAP!  Clearly Weight Watchers  didn't happen.

{3.}  I had to go to a wake Sunday evening for the patriarch of a HUGE family from my home town.  There were lines down the street of people waiting to pay their respects.  My mom and dad are good friends with one of the daughters (who was the hubs and my realtor and works in the school system) and her husband and I am friends with their kids and a few of the other families.  There was no doubt in my mind I would go and pay my respects but once I got there my body temperature rose about 100 degree and I instantly had no idea what to say!

{4.}  I have been so preoccupied with school, planning for the christening, Emma's birthday party planning, my brothers going away party, and wedding dress shopping that my house looks like a bomb went off inside it.  No beuno!  I came home from my moms (she babysits when I go to school) today and   the husband had cleaned up Emma's toys, the leftover stuff from the christening AND vacuumed.  LOOOOVE IT!

{5.}  Today my mom, the girls and I went to Target and bought all of the stuff for the goody bags for Emma's birthday party.  I am in LOVE with it all, so many goodies!  Lots of pictures after the party happens.

Hand Outs PLEASE!

I LOVE Ellen DeGeneres and I try to watch her show every day, but even though Emma likes Ellen when its time to dance, she reeeally likes Sprout, Nick Jr., and PBS as well.  My mom however watches her religiously every day.  My moms name is Ellen, she is hilarious, she is an animal lover, and a dancer so they would totes be RL friends if Ellen was, ya know, not famous!  Random fact...At every one of her jobs she has had a gay coworker whom she was super close with, they love her!

With what happened with our Dukey Sunday I thought to myself, what better person to cheer my mom up than Ellen.  So I did something I have never done before...I wrote to Ellen.  I am positive I won't hear back, but there is no chance if I don't try!  Bottom line my mom is a pretty awesome/amazing/inspirational woman in my life and she deserves anything and everything I and anyone else can give.  Anything from Ellen would be super cool.  If I was ever in LA I would TOTES try and get tickets to her show.

So...this is what I wrote...

"Dear Ellen,

My mom and I have watched your show religiously since the show started and I own one of your stand up DVDs.  My daughter also LOVES to dance, so what better show than the Ellen DeGeneres Show!

This past Sunday my parents had to put their 3 and a half year old puppy to sleep because he couldn't recovered from his inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis.  As I know you know animals, especially dogs, are not just your pets, they become apart of your families.  My parents are beside themselves, naturally, but more so because he was so young.  He was SO great with my two girls, especially because we were there so much.  Him and my oldest would play and wrestle together.  It’s so sad to see my daughter ask for him.  Unfortunately we had to tell her we wouldn’t see him anymore because he went up to heaven in the sky.  Her new thing to say is Duke Die (this is how she pronounces sky).  Lovely!

The reason I am boring you with our story is because my mom and dad do so much for everyone in our family and they spent months worrying, stressing, spending SO much money and only to have to put him to sleep.  They don't have to want for much in life, but for people who do so much for everyone I thought a little Ellen DeGeneres love would help them get to a place where they aren't crying over but celebrating Duke's life!

So anything you can think of would be great!  My mom is a HUGE fan, she is funny and her name is Ellen as well.

Love always,

Shelby"

Cross you finger for us!

Wordless Wednesday

To get our mind off life, yesterday we went to the zoo with a few sorority sisters and their babies.(Gretchen from Our Journey was one of them!)  This is what my beauty looked like....

{Scoping out the "warty pigs"}

Slowly building my bridge...

{Duke cuddled up on my bed at my parents house}

My mom and I spent most of yesterday laughing and crying about Duke to each other.  His stuff is still all over the place and his smell is still there (the good and bad kind haha).  We have a family picture of my brother and I with the cat and dog (we had a cat when we first got Duke, she was pretty awesome) and I couldn't even look at it yesterday without puddling up.

What gets me most is that he was so young.  My dad has cried more about losing Duke than his own father, and its because his father lived a long happy life.  Duke wasn't even 4 years old!  My mom and I keep saying we had SO much we wanted to do with him.  Like take him to Martha's Vineyard on the boat, take a first day of school picture with Emma, go to the dog park with him....

We had to tell Emma Duke was all gone and we wouldn't see him anymore.  We also told her he went to heaven up in the sky.  She keeps repeating this, it was literally the first thing she said this morning.  The thing about her saying the word sky is that it sounds like die when she says it, haha.

{Duke and his best friend Emma waiting for the Patriots}

Right now I am building my bridge to get over the loss of Mr. Duke Wellington, I know it won't be easy but I am working on remembering all the cute things he used to do!

Sweet brother of mine

I had planned on participating in Carissa's Miscellany Monday...

...please head on over and join in...

...However, today is not very miscellaneous at all for me.  I have a very specific post in mind after the Sunday ended.

As you all know my parents dog, my "brother," has been sick, and about a week and a half ago we had a diagnosis and a 90% chance for recovery.  Those were good odds in our eyes!  He got better (still skinny) but he was eating and drinking and had some spunk to him.  However the past two days he stopped eating and drinking, had labored breathing, and was twitching (which turned out to be mini seizures).  

I left my parents house Sunday morning and said goodbye to Duke, for what I had no clue would be the last time I saw him.  My parents spent their afternoon at the veterinarian hospital and were stuck with making one of the most difficult decisions.  I know he's in a better place, but when I look at pictures of him I selfishly wish for more time with him.

He was an eight week old puppy when my mom and I convinced my dad he was "the one."  We had decided on the Boston Terrier breed and thought we'd go through a breeder, but we ended up finding him at a pet store.  We searched high and low for the perfect match for us and Duke was it.  

He had a head suited for a lab, meaning as a puppy when he would lean forward his legs lifted off the ground.  He would fall asleep on our laps, then as he got bigger cuddle up to our sides.  He was sweet but sassy.

Today when I go to my parents house I'm not going to be greeted by any rambunctious barking at the window or at the door with tail wagging and ears flopped down.  Instead I'll be left looking at an empty dog bed and a little piece of my heart traveling with my Dukey into the heavens above.

{He liked to help out with the laundry}

{He was a pro when is came to redecorating..}

{He liked to sleep with his dad}

{But his own couch was the best}

{Especially when he had guest over!}

{He was unsure of tummy time, and so wasn't Emma}

{He thought car seats for one were just a recommendation}

So long sweet brother of mine...

Why does Shelby blog?

It's 11:30pm and I am just sitting down/laying in bed to write this post.  Its the final day of the Back to Blogging event the SITS Girls hosted and I didn't want to miss out, because I have really enjoyed doing this.  I KNOW I will be a better blogger and maybe even writer, who knows!

Today's post is..."As your last assignment to jump start your return to blogging, write about what blogging means to you. Why do you blog? What purpose does it serve you and how have you benefited from sharing a piece of yourself online this way?"

So I started blogging after reading some friends blogs and I was so obsessive about reading and commenting then that it just felt natural to start sharing about myself to everyone.  Another big part was that I had recently moved 45 minutes away from everyone I have lived near for most of my life.  I was a mom to a one year old and pregnant with another, and quite frankly lonely.  My friends and family are great and I see them so much for being 45 minutes away, but I still felt lonely.  I am 26 years old and most of my close friends haven't gotten married yet and if they have, they don't have children.

I blog to share, I blog to learn, I blog to escape reality, I blog to get an open mind, I blog to forget, I blog to release my emotions, I blog to have a higher purpose, I blog to remember, I blog to cope, I blog to meet new people, I blog to release stress, I blog to get ideas, I blog to help, I blog for my babies, I blog for my family, I blog for my friends, I blog for ME!

Todays's Back to Blogging event is actually some new stuff!!  "Write a new post about a woman who inspires you."


I sat looking at my computer for a minute and really thought to myself OMG who am I going to write about!  I could definitely write about my mother, my Aunt, my Grandmother...they are all inspirational in their own ways and have had a huge impact on me and the way I lead my life.  Then I thought, well maybe the SITS Girls were looking for someone more main stream.  My mind immediately went to the fabulous Miss Ellen DeGeneres, because she has an infectious way about her.  But let's face it I have never even met the woman... or even corresponded with her.


Gasp I thought, am I even inspired right now.  What does inspirational even mean...So what does a girl looking for an answer do, yup thats right she hops onto the internet and googles the definition of inspirational.  This is what Google provided..."arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity."  This is definitely not the dictionaries definition but it sparked something in my mind for this post and thats what I was looking for after all.


All of my bloggy friends are inspirational to me.  I can not only learn new things for practical uses (like from my new follower Hannah who showed her first post about her boys birthday party - totally stealing SO many of her ideas), but about myself and the way I am raising my children (Like when chatting back and forth about my day with Kate from Mommy Monologues).  I can make new friends (like Jenn over at West Sac Honey), but keep the old (Like my sorority sister Gretchen over at Our Journey).  I am inspired to be just as crafty, just as good of a writer, just as loving of a mother, just as good of a friend, Just as kind of a daughter, and just as giving of a sister as each and every woman whose blog I stop by every day.


So thank you to everyone who continues to write meaningful post everyday for ladies like myself who are still trying to find themselves in a sea of unknowns!

"A cross in the road..." revisited

For the SITS Girls day three of the Back to Blogging event our task is to "Re-upload a post with a title that you are particularly proud of and explain why."

I chose my post from April 19th titled "A cross in the road..."  Selecting a title name is actually something I REALLY struggle with, I usually end up going with something generic.  I am also learning through this event that my favorite posts of mine and others are ones where you and I speak from the heart and express yours and my true feelings of the day or a situation.

This particular post got me 13 comments (in the upper range of comments for my bliggity blog) and they were all really kind and supportive.  I will say I have learned A LOT about myself and my friends since this post and I think I hurt some peoples feelings through writing it, but putting my self conscious thoughts to keyboard and into the inter-webs let me get a huge stressor off my chest.  I don't think its abnormal to find yourself on differing "streets" than that of anyone you are in relationships with.  Times change, life happens, and if its meant to be its meant to be.  I have also learned to be a better friend since writing this.

This title had a lot of meaning to the post and was a line in it, so I thought it was pretty witty of me!  I hope you enjoy it again.

Welcome to "Real talk with Shelby"...haha!!

So picture this...I am 22 living at home and partying it up with girls that I've been friends with since I was in middle school and guys that I've known since high school.  I re-meet this hot, fresh-out-of-the-Marines, guy and fall madly in love!  Fast forward 3 and a half years and I am married, mom of a 1 and a half year old and soon to be newborn, and living 40 minutes away from all that I've ever really known.  These girls I was partying with (some of my closest friends) are all either single or no where near being settled and for the most part living at home still.  The partying has settled a bit, but not for the reasons mine have drastically changed.

So basically this leads me to reflect on some current observations I've made...it seems more and more often lately my titles as Mrs. and mommy have separated me from the pack.  I seem to be getting less and less phone calls from these girls.  I know the street goes both ways, but my days really do escape me.  I remember to call people in the morning (when everyone is at work) and then the next thing you know its time for bed!  Its a funny feeling to hear your husband get invited out by these people and not me.  I know most likely, being 8 months pregnant and all, I probably won't be going out on a Saturday night, but no one ever suggests any other plans that I can actually be involved in.  A few months ago when I did have a little gathering planned at my house I started the day in tears because everyone was close to 2 hours late (not even sure how that happens)!

Then there is my "best friend" who really only seems to have time for my when it suits her, especially when there is a big event to be showcased at.  I even had plans with her tomorrow to hang out with Emma (her goddaughter) and I and a girl we cheered with in high school and her kids.  I tried to get in touch with her today about our plans and to no avail!  Like, really?!?!

Boo Hoo to me haha!  I know I should just get over it and stop being a pregnant hormonal mess, but sometimes you just can't help it but to feel left out.  I can't help but to question myself and what I may have done or not done.  It just sucks!

Sorry for my rant...I am just not myself lately, or maybe I am just at a cross in the road of my life.  My friends seem to be traveling a completely different path then mine right now and I am having trouble finding my own way...by myself!

...Happy Monday everyone!

Re-uploaded

Once again the SITS Girls are hosting the Back to Blogging event this week and I am excited to be participating!  Tuesday's post should be to "Re-upload a post you wish more people had read and explain why it was important to you."


So head on over to see the SITS Girls re-upload post today and link up with your re-uploaded past post!  I had trouble picking a post to re-upload, because I have low readership and it also helped me to re-evaluate what I am blogging about.  I went with the lower commented on posts and then I came upon this one.  I hadn't blogged in a few days because of vacation and I think people took a little end of the summer break just as I did.  This post is important, because I believe in moms and dads sharing what works and help other moms and dads out.

So here she is enjoy for the first OR second time...

Hey all, its been a while hasn't it!  We just got back from a fabulous week in California visiting friends and family.  I had every intention of scheduling some posts for when I was away, but go figure, I was super busy packing for 3 people!  More to come on the vacation at a later date (maybe this weekend, which is purposely LOW key).

So while catching up a bit today I went over to Gretchen's blog (Our Journey) and she posted about what can be found in her diaper bag, which is packed for two very precious twins every time she leaves the house.  I thought why not do the same!  Although I only pack for one infant and a toddler, I thought it might be fun to share what my essentials are.

First off the overnight diaper bags...

{Source}

My mom bought this Vera Bradley one and its the one I use for Emma and always have!  I love it because its so durable!

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I bought this one as a pregnancy gift to myself when we found out we were having Emma.  More like OMG I can't believe I am prego, okay now I need a cute bag!  I like this one, but not as much hence why we didn't use it until Izzie came along.

In our big bags the essentials are...

For Diapers...

Four size 5 pampers cruise for Biggie...

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And eight size 2 pampers swaddlers for baby cakes...

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I have tried other brands of diapers and have found that for girls, more specifically my girls, pampers are where its at!

Desitin for both (purple cream for Emma (a little more intense action that the baby doesn't need quite yet) and yellow clear stuff for babycakes)...

{Source}

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Wipes in a travel case, they both use the pampers sensitive (I find it works better for babycakes and it gets the job done for Biggie so why buy two different kinds!)...

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Coppertone's Water Babies Sunscreen (in most months except for the winter) Emma is allergic to anything other than this and it still usually affects her a little...

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Emma's travel toothbrush and paste (oral health=overall health haha!)...

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Infant acetaminophen (the store brand version lately because of all tylenols recalls)...

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One 6 ounce Avent bottles for babycakes (Emma wouldn't use these, but Babycakes wouldn't use the Playtex drop ins that Emma used)...

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A munchkin on-the-go formula separator (Highly recommended!!)...

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Breast pads for moi...

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A Soothie pacifier or two (I would be lost without them for babycakes!)...

{Source}

My baby sling (Essie designs), because babycakes LOVES to be held...

{This makes life so much easier so I can entertain both friends and baby (a sleeping baby at that)}

The random essentials...Cloth bibs for both, food catcher bib for Emma, Wash cloth for Emma, Burp cloth for babycakes, a change of clothes for each and an extra onesie for babycakes, an extra blanket for babycakes, and snacks for Emma.

We also have quick trip bags (good for a day outing)...

Emma's bag is the princess one (good for two diapers, a travel wipes case, desitin, a fork, bib, wash cloth, snacks, and a cup)!  Izzie's is the chic tote one (good for 4 diapers, it came with a matching travel wipes case, desitin, pacifier cleaner wipes, and a throw away changing pad)

So thats what we pack when we go out!  It takes a lot of planning to get out the door with two babies, but I always ensure my diaper bag is repacked whenever we get home so we are ready for anything!

Whats in your bag, I always love learning about new products for my babies and I!

Have a fabulous weekend!

So I hope you enjoyed and I love this kinds of posts, whether you're a momma or just sharing whats in your purse!

Kick off to back to blogging week!

This week I will be joining in on the SITS girls back to blogging event this week!  I am new to their world and thought this was a great way to be a better blogger and familiarize myself with that world of bloggers.

Today's writing topic is: "Re-upload the first post you ever wrote on your blog. If interested, re-write that post, showing us a before and after look at the piece."

So without further adieu I will introduce you to my first post...

I have just recently found the world of blogging, otherwise known as obsessively reading about other people’s lives. One might call it living vicariously through them. I know I will inevitably follow this obsession with a new one for blogging about myself. I find myself getting lost in other people’s words and my own emotions sometimes that it only makes sense to put my word to text and blog for myself.

So, here I go, blogging here I come!

My inaugural post might as well be an introduction to ME and my wonderful blog title “First comes love then comes baby..?” Soooo, I’m a 25 year old wife and mother of a beautiful 16 month old, plus one on the way. However, if you told me I would be here writing about being a wife and mother two and a half years ago, I would have laughed in your face. I was too busy partying it up with my friends and soon to be husband, working at a dead end/time stamped job, and lacking any degree to show for the five years of “attending” Bridgewater State College. As you might have guessed my daughter was a bit unplanned, not to say unwelcome, but through this “unplanned” pregnancy I have gained so much perspective about my life and who I am. Maybe even about whom I want to be, not that I am all that sure of what that is either.

...So that was me six months ago and I don't think I would change a thing because it was short, sweet and to the point!

Breaking News/Special Report?

Happy Friday!!  I love the weekends, not because I work, not because the husband has off (because he doesn't), but because IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON!!!  Thats right, I watched the season opener last night (the first half at least), and come Sunday I will be parked in front of the TV watching the Patriots season opener while the hubs works the game for Gillette stadium.

I thought you might be interested in what "news" New England mass media couldn't stop reporting yesterday...or not haha, either way you are going to get some information!  So apparently at 6:30am someone ran a red light crashing into the beloved Tom Brady and this is one of the images the local media couldn't.stop.showing...

{Source}

I am so embarrassed for these reporters and the news stations for the length at which they reported about this "accident."  Breaking news/special reports coming in while I was watching the Ellen show, I mean REALLY!  Thankfully he is okay, although I am not so sure about his scruffy look...who am I kidding his looks good no matter what!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend cheering for the favorite team, or enjoying one of their last weekends of summer! (I just counted 9 exclamation points in this post, crazy I know)

Just Thursday

Happy Thursday!!  I had my one and only class for the week Thursday and it went very well.  I actually have a few people I know in class and although statistics for psychology sounds diiiisgusting, I think I am going to do pretty well.  I am pretty super fabulous at math, lets just hope I can apply it to this class.

Anywho, I haven't done this in awhile, so here we go.  It's Just Thursday hosted by the fabulous Murdock's Mama!

Outside my window..sunny and a bit breezy, woohoo no more humidity! (its in the 70s today :)

The time is..9:06pm!

Today I feel..happy, re-energized, ready to tackle another semester/day...bring it on!

I am thinking..I should be reading my textbook instead of all your fabulous bloggy's but I can't pull myself away!

At the moment, I am thankful..my babies sleep as much as they do! (this week!)

I am going..to doggysit for my parents pup Duke today.

I am wearing..capri yoga pants and a Gamma Phi Beta baseball tee.

I wish..I could loose all this weight while eating WHATEVER I want, no it doesn't work that way?!

I am reading..psychology textbooks...

I am working on..getting into my routine for the semester.

I am hoping..to book our anniversary night/weekend away soon.

I am hearing..my mom talking about all the gossip she is reading on facebook, haha oh facebook.

I bet you didn't know..Dukie had his biopsy Wednesday and came home yesterdy (he is doing okay - results to come next week)

One of my favorite..things to do is go in a look at my babies sleeping at night, so sweet and angelic!


Link it up YO!  Have a fabulous Thursday.

Wordless Wednesday...

{That's what getting up at 4am will do to ya!  Thankfully we have gone back to sleeping through the night (8 hours at least)}

Wish me luck, today is the first day of my one and only class I have to go to for the semester (the other one is online!

Top Two Tuesday...Fall edition!

Hey all, I hope you had as fabulous of a long weekend as I did!  From a hurricane hunker in party, to a cleaning Saturday, a shopping Sunday, and a family day Monday I would call this Labor Day weekend a SUCESS!

Now on to Taylor's Top Two Tuesday...Favorite things about Fall!

1.  Football!  Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker....I mean come on!  My parents have shared season tickets with a friend for the last 5 year or so years and I have gone to countless games because of it.  There is nothing better than being surrounded by thousands of fans all cheering of the same team (well most at least) or yelling and screaming as loud as you want!!!

Blogger is not being my friend right now and I don't know if I will make it back on the computer to post this if I don't do it now...so picture an ADORABLE picture of the aforementioned threesome!

2.  Fashion!  I love summer dresses, but I love love love fall dresses paired with flats, boots, leggings oh my!  I also couldn't love shopping for the babies fall clothes, I'm semi addicted right now...

Again with blogger...picture a super cute knee length dress in checkered blue and white (Old Navy) and super brown suede tall boots (Gap) both for Emma!  I can't wait for her to be able to wear all her new clothes!

Ok, off to clean the house up, return some things to Gap Outlet, pick up my books for my classes (starting tomorrow, YUCK), and head to my moms casa!

Oh Saturday...

Woohoo its the weekend, Labor Day Weekend!!  I couldn't be happier to see this weekend come because I know we are one step closer to Fall and all the wonderfulness that it is.  I mean who can resist knee high boots, fabulous designer jeans, beautiful knit tops, crispness in the air, pumpkins to be carved, Turkeys to be eaten...ahhh I have never longed for the Fall as much as I do this year!  It also means that indoor entertaining is going to become a must and I am thinking if we want to do ANY entertaining this year we need to look at kitchen tables...

{I love a bench seat, simple and pretty lines}

I am also longing for the Fall for selfish reasons, because the hubs schedule slows down and he will be taking a week off to FINALLY finish our basement remodel project...yes I know ridiculous that we started in March and still have yet to finish...life got in the way!  We are installing a bar and sink for one corner of the room, so its now time to drool over bar set ups...

{Maybe in black?}

{A fold up bar...hmm never even thought of this idea!}

...oh the decisions!

Duke Wellington!

Happy Friday everyone!  Long weekend, yes pleeease.  Hurricane Earl, no thanks I'll pass.  Yes, folks thats right I live in what could be Earl's path, but not on an island or on Cape Cod so I should be good.  Tonight will just be a good excuse to stay in and drink wine!

So to completely change subjects...Wednesday evening I was sitting in my living room when Marley & Me came on HBO (which we just got a 3 month FREE subscription because my hubs is the BOMB.com).  Now I have heard from several people that this is a VERY sad movie, but I still watched it.  VERY.BAD.IDEA!  I actually thought it was a great movie and really related to the Jen (Jennifer Anniston's character), hi she has two boys close in age and is crazed (me in a nutshell)!

The reason it was a bad idea to watch is because my parents dog, fondly referred to as "my brother Duke," is pretty sick.  Death of one dog=death of my dog.  Marley was a crazy dog, so was Duke.  Marley was so gentile with the babies, so was Duke.  Marley all of the sudden (clearly after many years, but sudden considering its a 2 hour movie) got real sick and had to visit the vet, lately thats all Duke has been doing.

He was diagnosed with a very serious intestinal disease today and its VERY fatal if not treated correctly.  He has gone from 24 pounds to 18 within a month or so and my mom is beside herself worried.  She literally can't stop crying when talking about him.  He was a gift to her for her 50th birthday...only four years ago!  Now my dad is obviously not heartless and is worried, but when an animal gets sick there is no health insurance, so he is thinking more in terms of cost at this point (which they are already in about $3400).

I find myself feeling really sad at the thought that he might not make it, I mean he is not even 4 years old.  Dogs usually don't outlive their owners, but come on 4 years?!?

{He gladly welcomed Emma home from the hospital}

{He's helped us interior decorate - or told us when we'd chosen the wrong rugs}

{He welcomes us home after a long day at work or school}

{He smiles for pictures even when we are torturing him!}

{He takes abuse from small babies without so much as a squeal}

{But all he can manage to do these days is sleep, eat, or cry}

I can't imagine not having Duke to great us when we drive up to my parents house, or say goodbye at the window when we leave.  I know they say dogs are a man's best friend, but Duke really makes everyone feel like they're his best friend!

Thoughtless Thursday!

Today is Thursday, thank god, and you know what that means...

 

...Thats right its time for Katie's Thoughtless Thursday!

Due to Izzie's inability to let me do much else besides hold her or listen to her scream (day and night) I am going to just go with a cute picture of my beauties.  Things like this are keeping me sane through this cute stage Izzie is in.

...Can't believe I actually caught a picture of them Both smiling!

Okay, well head on over to Life in the Fulmer Lane and link up!

New Layout in the house!

Eeek, I am so excited to introduce you all to my new blog design!!  I love it and I am so happy to say Kate from...



...designed the entire thing!  She just started up her blogger design business and its called Cutesy Couture Designs.  I love to read her blog and chat back and forth her usually every day and now I love my blog even more because of her "cutesy" blog design made especially for me.  Honestly I was shocked at how inexpensive her prices were and what you get for them, so if you need a new design hop on over!
Thanks Kate!

And I will leave you with a short clip (made from my phone, sorry for the quality) of what my little gal (who is 3 months old today) has been telling me lately!