First Comes Love Then Comes Baby..?

So long, Farewell...

2010-10-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have all noticed I have been sporadic, at best, with my blogging as of late. I have made you all listen to me whine about this and that, but the bottom line was that my posts weren't of much substance. I was spending most of my day reading blogs I love and writing my own posts. That would be great if I was strictly a Trophy Wife, but my dear bloggy friends, I must wear SEVERAL other hats. Mom and student were some of the HUGE things I was starting to neglect. Being a part time student, full time mom and "Trophy Wife," and maintaining my household duties is a lot to do and then trying to fit in the blogging, well I was just losing my mind. I tip my hat to those of you who balance all of this. Especially those who have a huge following/giveaways, it is a lot of work.

To be completely honest it was giving my anxiety when I wouldn't schedule or type a post out in time or if I hadn't read everyone's blog and commented. To the point where my house was becoming a mess, clothes were piling up, children were crying, and the straw that broke the camels back was that I had to submit a homework late (eeek to partial credit). Yes I know silly that thats where my breaking point was, but it just showed me I needed to refocus myself. This is what the old Shelby did, thats the Shelby that left me with a degree to finish up EIGHT years later. Unfortunately the one thing that had to give was the one thing that was giving me the most anxiety, and that is blogging for right now.

I also have some friendships and friends on my mind right now. I have a dear friend who I just realized is going through something so terrible its hard to even think about and I want to focus on the most important things in my life right now, this person being one of those things.

You have all made me open my eyes a bit wider and see the world beyond the safety net that has been my life. I know this has been said by many a blogger before, but you have all helped me in some form or another and I haven't even meant most of you. You've said the right words to heal me or even made me laugh on a day that I didn't think anything was funny.

So I say so long for now, but don't put me down for the count...I may just be back!

Busy being Versatile!

2010-10-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the lovely Kate, @ Mommy Monologues, I was given the Versatile Blogger award. Thank you, thank you very much!!

With this award your are supposed to give 7 random facts about your wonderful self and pass it on!

1. We are starting rice cereal for Isabelle today. AKA I have been putting it off as long as I can, bottling propping is just sooooo easy haha!

2. Emma is OBSESSED with Caillou. Literally the first and last thing she says before getting up and going to bed! He is just a liiiitle bit whiney and annoying, but I guess I can't complain, considering she will sit watching it for a good hour in the morning and throughout the day for random times as well!

3. We are getting reeeally close to finishing off that basement remodel of ours. We bought a TV, an arm chair, a sofa and we still need a few more cabinets. I am ready to have everything where it should be. I still need to shop for things for the walls.

4. I have been doing pretty fantastically in my classes, two 98s on exams in one class, but I have my first exam in the other class on Monday! LOTS of studying to do this weekend.

5. As some of you know, my parents dog (who is like was my brother) had to be put to sleep a few weeks ago and we were pretty devastated. My mom had been saying she wanted to get another Boston, because they are so damn adorable, in the Spring. Wellll she has been in contact with an AWESOME breeder and they are going to meet the mommies and daddy (they are paligamists(ps this word is not recognized on spell check) haha, not really but the daddy breeds with 2 mommies). I am excited, but also sad that we might forget that adorable guy already.

6. I went to the gym twice last week and I am about to go this week for the first time. Hopefully I can squeeze in two more visits! The BIL is kind enough to come and watch the babes while I go.

7. So I tried a no name diaper, instead of pampers, and I am going back. They filled up too quickly and had such a weird shape when they did fill up. We are pampers people!

I pass this on to the Baa Tribe (SITS Girls forum group) ladies:

mother_in_progress
multiple mamas
Everyday *Mis*Adventures
A Little Bite of Life
The Mommy Chronicles
Leave it to Lynsey
Texas Beth
In the Mommy Trenches

Miscellany Monday

2010-10-11T06:48:00.000-07:00

It's Monday and I haven't hopped on the Miscellany in awhile!

{1.} So I have been a stinky blogger the past couple of weeks, I decided not to stress about it but I promise I will be better very soon! I have had so many events the past few weeks, and events that involved planning and purchasing...but it is all behind me! I also joined in on the SITS Girls tribe forum, so I was keeping up with that.

{2.} Miss Isabelle also turned 4 months old about a week and a half ago and I have an adorable picture of my girlies...

{3.} A friend of mine from high school who had been staying in MA while her husband was in Afghanistan (she had her baby boy while he was away) just left and is now back in NC. I will report he made it back safe and sound! Anywho, last week we took all of our kiddo's to an indoor play space and we had the 6 month old and 2 four month olds playing as well as the 4, 3, 2, and 1 year olds!

{Emma loves messing with the babies haha!}

{4.} On Friday night we had a going away party for my brother Blaine at my parents house. He went through OCS (Officer Candidate School) and now that he has graduated from college he is off to "The Basic School" as a Lieutenant in the Marine Corp. It was quite an evening, the hubs didn't go to bed until 5 am and Blaine was apparently drunk the entire next day. No chance I can party like that anymore!

{All the guys...pretty bad quality picture I know, not sure why though!}

{5.} The next day, Saturday, we had a wedding to go to (my cousins). Being the nice wifey that I am I let the hubby sleep in and my momma watched the babes while I went to get my hair done!! Anyways, the wedding was SUPER fun and we were celebrating far later than was necessary.

{The happy Bride and Groom}

{My cousin Kim and I, thanks to the hubs for the bunny ears...}

{Cousin Kim, friend of the family Renee, and I dancing the night away}

Emma's 2nd Birthday Party

2010-10-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

Dora Dora Dora the Explorerrrrrr!!! That was the theme to Little Miss's 2nd Birthday Bash! This is the reason why I was basically nonexistent last week, the stress of a two years olds birthday party was enough to drive me nuts! 45 people (including children) was ridiculous and next year I am moving to an all chidlren party and then cake and ice cream with the family/friends on her actual birthday!

{This is my beautiful little family}

I'm currently at school ~~reading as many blogs as I can and writing this post~~ doing homework, so this will be short and sweet. I did however want to give Jenn @ West Sac Honey a shoutout for these AMAZING shirts, headbands, and Emma's tutu. She is so creative/artistic/crafty/just plain awesome! Everyone loved the girls outfits and they looked so stinkin cute in them! She has an etsy (LOL Designs) so holler over at her if you need anythign like this.

Cut me some slack?!?!

2010-09-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-09-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

{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

2010-09-20T06:00:00.001-07:00

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?

2010-09-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-15T05:41:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-14T05:26:00.000-07:00

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...

First Comes Love Then Comes Baby..?

So long, Farewell...

Busy being Versatile!

Miscellany Monday

Emma's 2nd Birthday Party

Cut me some slack?!?!

Miscellany Monday back at it again!

Hand Outs PLEASE!

Wordless Wednesday

Slowly building my bridge...

Sweet brother of mine

Why does Shelby blog?

"A cross in the road..." revisited

Re-uploaded

Kick off to back to blogging week!

Breaking News/Special Report?

Just Thursday

Wordless Wednesday...

Top Two Tuesday...Fall edition!

Oh Saturday...

Duke Wellington!

Thoughtless Thursday!

New Layout in the house!

Top 2 Tuesday...US Cities!

Exhausted Thursday...

Vacation recap...FINALLY!

CSN Review!

Miscellany Monday!

Whats in your bag?

2 month shoot and swim fun!

Favorite Fridays!

Just Thursday...NBD!

Thoughtless Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday...

Top Two Tuesday

Miscellaneous Monday

Just Thursday...

MAAA, the Meatloaf...

Weekly Weight Watchers Update!

Just Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday up in this piece!

Awards!

Thoughtless Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday

Mommy Mishap

Miscellany Monday

Skinny Jeans?!?!

Weekend recap...on Wednesday evening!

Fantastic Fridayness!

It's July!!!!

Getting to know YOU Sunday!!

Wordless Wednesday!

Top Two Tuesday...Reality Shows!

Miscellany Monday...

Happy Fathers Day...

Wordless Wednesday...

Terrific Tuesday!

Getting to know YOU Sunday!

Back from babycation!!

Guest Blogger action...

Today's the Day!

Getting to know YOU Sunday!!

Favorite Fridays...Website to shop! & some giveaways!

Thoughtless Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday and a giveaway!

Top Two Tuesday...Dates!

Another giveaway going on!

Miscellany Monday/Weekend Wrap up...all in one!!

Tag me in & a giveaway!

Thoughtless Thursday!

Weekend Wrap-up

Finally Friday!!

Top Two Tuesday

Miscellany Monday!

Happy Mothers Day & Getting to know YOU Sunday!!

Wishful Wednesday Whatnot!

Weekend Wrap-up

Thoughtless Thursday & almost the weekend!!

Graco Quattro Tour Duo Stroller in Zurich - I am very familiar with Graco products, so thats the draw here. And they have nice cups for snacks and drinks haha!

Contours Options Tandem Stroller - Ruby - I like this one the best I think, but I just wish their was a little cup or something in front of each seat!