Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Time.

Time - it is something that is considered endless. I wish that for just a moment it would freeze. These past few weeks seem to have escaped me, as so much has happened in such a short period of moments. Back in April I flew down to Arizona with Emmilina to visit my parents, siblings, and grandparents. It was the 11th. I was so excited to be going back "home"! I ended up leaving behind my laptop, oops.
The trip could have not went any better! Emmilina did so well on the flight. She slept through most of it, never threw a fit, and much to my despair…she actually took her binky for a change! She really hates those things, but I think that in some way she knew it was helping her adjust to the pressure. To this day she still won't take one….
Nobody except for my parents knew that I was bringing Emmilina. My older brother had yet to meet her, as well as my grandparents. That was the exciting part! I really needed this trip - for Emmilina and for my family. 

The next day (April 12th) was actually my younger brother's 14th birthday. Going back to how I feel about time and wanting it to freeze - this was a day I dreaded and looked forward to all the same. How was my baby brother already turning fourteen? It was an unreal feeling, but needless to say…we really enjoyed the bittersweet day! Emmilina was dressed up in the cutest little gold dress with sequins and glitter. We called it her party outfit - even though we didn't really throw a party. We mostly just relaxed and took Calvin out and about, as well as cooked his favorite meal and opened presents. I think my family is really laid back in that sense. We never really tried to have big parties growing up - it was always about comfort.
Some time during the end of our visit I discovered a local FaceBook group for moms in the area that I was visiting. It was a private group, so we had to do some convincing to get me in to it. The group was made for selling things locally - anything from baby toys to furniture. This was probably one of my greatest discoveries! I felt like I had won the lottery. Seriously. This was better than Craigslist…I ended up posting a "LTB" ad on the page for a Boppy pillow and immediately I had people messaging me their prices. I ended up accepting an offer for 7$ for a pillow that included the slip cover. What a steal! I had been wanting a Boppy Pillow since the day I had found out I was pregnant. I just could never justify spending 40-60$ on a pillow…Emmilia LOVES it, though. It is great for tummy time or helping her to learn how to sit up. She truly enjoys the pillow - almost as much as her swing! (I cannot believe she has almost outgrown her swing. The motor is trying to hold her wait..I think it's almost done with her. Poo.)
We ended up leaving on the 26th of April. It was about a twenty-two hour drive from where we were to getting back home. I honestly loved the drive! Surprisingly, Emmilina did really well with that too. We stopped in Phoenix to visit her dad's sister, niece and nephews. We spent a few hours at their place before hitting the road again. It really was an enjoyable trip. She slept through most of it. By the time we were home, all three of us passed out in our little bitty queen bed. I think we got home around one in the afternoon on the 27th, and Petru had to work a few hours later. Ouch! 
Since we have been home, we have been doing a lot of reorganizing and relaxing. We visited Salt Lake City on Monday so that I could do a little shopping. We actually had an appointment at the Apple store to replace my broken laptop charger, but ended up missing the appointment. Poo! My laptop has been dead since I originally left for Arizona, and my other charger just arrived from my Mom's house today. I plugged it in immediately! Anyways, we ended up going to the Rio Grande/Citycreek mall, which is this enormous two-story outdoor mall with hotels and restaurants on the strip. I am not sure which I like more - Citycreek or Gateway? There were so many sales going on, though! I ended up only shopping at Victoria's Secret - they had some great sales going on! It was not until I checked out that I found out I was receiving a free bracelet with Angel Wings on it for spending over 75$! All of their fleece was on sale for 25$, as well. I bought two yoga jackets and a pair of skinny yoga pants, as well as a matching crop top to go with. I was thoroughly pleased with this purchase because I have been getting in to the swing of getting fit/strong. Now I would just like to state that there is a difference between being thin and fit! I am naturally very thin, yes (110lb), but I am not the strongest…nor did I ever have a healthy eating habit. As of last week I have been changing that because I want to lead a healthier lifestyle for myself, especially being the new role model that I am. I want Emmilina to grow up with a healthy mindset rather than one that will hurt her health and life. 
If anybody uses the Skimble Workout Trainer or MyFitnessPal, definitely let me know! I would love to lead a healthier life with others! 

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Let it rain.

There is something about the smell of rain that really warms my heart. It has been pouring all day - something that I have grown to appreciate during my lifetime thus far. All that is missing is the darkened clouds and the boom of thunder! Not many people can appreciate a storm the way I can. It inspires me, to say the least.

In any case, today I have been especially productive! Petru and I brought Emmilina to Home Depot, a special start to the day. Initially we were only there to look for a specific screw. You see, our washing machine is missing some screws on the door…However, much to our dismay, Home Depot did not have the screw that we were searching for! We found ourselves lingering in the garden area. I have been wanting to buy a white rose bush to plant in a pot. (Our contract on our house states that we are not allowed to tamper with our landscaped yard, but we can have potted plants.) Again, no luck! We ended up splurging on several different types of flowers, a watering can, and some Miracle Grow potting soil. Our total cost ended up being 50$ - which shocked me, but what's a girl to do? I needed something to keep myself occupied at home! Something special that I could call my own.




I have yet to transplant any of the flowers in to the garden box that we purchased (20$). I was thinking about waiting for Petru to come home from work tonight to help me out in that department. Plants and I do not exactly have a great history! I killed the last flower bush that I owned prior to living in Utah. This time will be different - right? I learned that there is such a thing as overfeeding your flowers…oops!


The best part about today was coming home and spending the rest of it with my daughter, Emmilina. She has been sleepy all day, but when she is awake all she wants to do is smile and coo. Every time her face lights up at the sight of my own, I swear my heart melts! Did I mention how adorable she looked today? We had her all dressed up in this beautiful pink striped dress, a cute little white cardigan with ballet slippers embroidered on it, a pair of adorable boots, and a cute little bow! I absolutely love dressing her up when we go out - she really seemed to have fun today.