Long Weekend? Don't Mind if I Do!

I'm so excited about the holiday weekend! 

It just puts a big 'ole smile on my face to know I get an extra day of R&R. 

Besides sleeping in (a bit), we have NO plans besides doing 

a little cleaning and hopefully getting out in the sun for a while. 

This week I finally created my Instagram account after downloading the app 

months ago. 

I won't go as far as to say I'm addicted to it, but it's become way more 

fun than facebook for me. 

I don't know about everyone else, but I get tired of the same old posts. 

Instagram seems to keep it simple....and simple is my new favorite thing. 

Some days I'm just not into hearing everyone's political views, rants about 

traffic, and the fact that facebook feels the need to inform me of every.single.move 

people make.  

I really don't care who's playing words with friends or that someone read 

a news article! I know I can tweak this in my settings, but I don't have the time or 

energy these days. 

Instagram is still really new to me so if any of you that have instagram accounts want 

to follow me or give me advice, I'm all ears....

Here's a few Instagram pics from the week: 

Happy Memorial Day weekend, everyone! 

Have fun and stay safe! 

Playing Dress Up

We haven't been to a wedding in forever.  

The last two I attended, I was pregnant and dressing up while 

you're large and uncomfortable is the pits!  

Most of my friends have long been married and have multiple children by now; it's 

been quite a while since we got a chance to dress up and have a grown up evening.

Chad's cousin got married this weekend and I was so excited to actually 

get to dress up and hang out with grown ups for the night. 

I shopped for the last two weeks for something fun to wear and 

bought quite a few options 

(just call me Return Rita). 

Anyway, here are the options I purchased and some that I'm 

taking back to the store. 

Option #1
Vince Camuto blue dress from Macy's
I liked this one but I think Chad thought the
panels in the front were a bit too cha-cha.
It was also the most expensive of the 6 options.
It's going back to Macy's this week. 

Option #2
Mint green dress by Beige by eci from Belk
I'm keeping this one even though I didn't wear it.
I've had my eye on it at Belk and it went on sale this week.
It's so comfy!
This dress line is my new favorite because they are sized smaller than normal.
This dress is a 6 and another one I bought is a size 4.
Comfy, comfy, comfy! 

Option #3
Printed Maxi by Kelly & Dian from Stein Mart 
My mom HATES the print on this dress but the picture doesn' t do it justice.
It looks much better in person and the neckline and twisted bodice are
flattering.  This is another one I think I'll keep. 

Option #4
Blue one shoulder by Jones New York from Stein Mart
Unfortunately, you can't see the neckline but
it's a one shoulder.
I may keep this one as well, I'm still debating.

Option #5
Black one shoulder by Calvin Klein bought online 
This is the first dress I bought.
I decided against it
because the material was too wintery and I thought it was
a bit formal (hence the addition of the belt).
Shipping it back....

Option #6
Pink sheath from Isabella DeMarco from Stein Mart
Here's the winner.
For some reason I wanted a bright pink dress and I LOVED the neckline
of this one.
It was a bit too tight but with the help of some spanx, it won
the dress contest.

Here's some pictures from the night: 

Me and my beautiful sister-in-law.

We had a blast but I was ready to pick up my
sweet boy after a night away!

Anyone do anything fun this weekend?

A little bit of this.....and that

It's been a really long time since I've taken pictures, edited them and prepared a blog post. 

While editing these pics today, I momentarily forgot functions in photoshop.  

It's a bit of an understatement to say that the last 3-4 weeks have been a 

bit challenging for me. 

Just getting through tax season was hard enough, but pile 

on the sickness and the fact that my whole office moved 

without me and I went back to work after a week absence to 

a gazillion boxes to unload and sort was a bit traumatic. 

HOWEVER......

I'm proud to report that my sweet boy has made a wonderful recovery and is 

finally back to normal. 

As I'm writing this post, my healthy boy is eating dinner while 

my sweet husband unloads the dishwasher and prepares to give him a bath 

(while I drink a glass of wine). 

I have to remind myself how grateful and fortunate I am.

Here's what's been going on the last few weeks: 

Over Easter break, we went to Beckett's daycare Easter egg hunt.
He enjoyed playing with his friends for the day.

First egg hunt

Here are some of his 'buds' from daycare and some 'graduates'
What a cute bunch they are!
Please notice that someone handed my child a cookie so he'd sit still....

Before his tubes surgery we got a care package in the mail from Aunt Amy.
Tons of stuff for Mr. B and mommy.
Thank goodness she included a bottle of Advil.
Bless you Amy!
MUCH needed and so sweet! 

Chad felt a little sorry for Beckett and all he had gone through with the
ER visit, fever and then surgery on Monday.
What a pushover!
He ordered him a new bicycle and helmet since he'd had such a bad week. 

The helmet is for a 3-4 year old.
It fit perfectly and has blinking lights on the back.
(As if I'd even let him anywhere near an area where someone couldn't see him on a bike...
....much less at night)

The little bike is perfect for learning.
He can scoot around like he does with the rest of his riding toys.
It doesn't have pedals and his size! 

While on the phone today, I look out the back door to see this.......melts my heart!

In other news: 
For the last 6 weeks, I've been on a stinkin' crazy diet.
I'm embarrassed to admit that from the day I walked down the aisle to the day
I walked into Labor and Delivery at LMC, I had put on 100 pounds!
Now.....that's before birthing an almost 9 pound baby and
the fact that I had very high blood pressure and was carrying massive amounts
of fluid.....I still overdid it on the Cracker Barrel and red velvet cake while
I was pregnant.
I vowed that once Beckett was born, my goal was to get back into my
wedding dress....
Here I am a few weeks before Beckett was born.
Just look at that massive belly!!!! 

Well, I brought my dress home from my mom's today and guess what?

I may have been holding my breath for Chad to zip me up but
I had to dance a little jig!
I've got quite a bit more to lose and I'm hoping I can get off another 15-20 pounds
this summer!  

I hope all you mommies have a Mother's Day tomorrow!
I've already gotten the best Mother's Day gift this year.....I prayed my little boy
would make a quick recovery and feel better and I'm happy to say my prayers have been
answered!

Happy Weekend, everyone! 

ABC's and 123's....Sorta

My little smart boy! 

He turned 18 months old on Monday!  

Absence

Remember my last post about life being a balancing act and how I was 

having a hard time juggling all that life had thrown at me? 

Well, that was multiplied tenfold over the last few weeks. 

Everyone has been sick.  We've all been fighting one thing or the other 

and when I picked Mr. B up from Daycare last Friday, he was running temp. 

After daily visits to the doc last weekend, a very high fever round the clock 

and rotation of Tylenol and Advil, I finally thought his fever had broken on Tuesday after his 

nap.  He woke up very groggy but didn't seem to be running fever for the first time in 

days.  Very quickly the situation changed and he started shaking, lip quivering and 

told me "mommy cold" as he climbed into may lap, pulling the blanket with him. 

His lips looked blue. 

Then his cheeks looked blue.  I started to panic!  

After a quick phone call to a nurse friend and his pediatrician's office, I quickly 

called 911 and we made our way to the ER in the ambulance. 

After many blood tests, glucose, tons of tylenol and advil to bring down his 

almost 106 temp, we went home with another antibiotic to fight off the double ear 

infection as well as the virus he's fighting.  

He's making a recovery.  It's been slow, but his immune system is 

finally fighting off the virus and we are getting tubes tomorrow to take care 

of the ear infections. 

I hate the thought of putting him under, but I just want him well and 

help for the chronic ear infections! 

On top of all this, my mom has been fighting pneumonia for the last two weeks. 

Not only am I worried about my little boy, I'm worried to sick about my mom as well. 

Please keep Beckett and my mom in your prayers. 

It's been a really rough two weeks for them and I've wanted nothing more 

than to make them better.

For those of you who have called and texted, thanks so much for the concern and 

worry.  I'm praying very hard that within the next week, both of them will 

be on the mend and back at it!  

Things can change so quickly and take a turn for the worst in the blink of an eye. 

He did such a wonderful job in the ER.
My brave little boy!
Just look at those poor IVs!!

So, if you were wondering where in the world the posts have gone, well.... 
let's just say I've been a little preoccupied lately.
I'm hoping this week will be better than the last few.