I'm baaaaack!

So lots has been going on around here lately so I'll start by explaining the absence!

 Last fall, work started getting pretty stressful and in addition to my part time hours, I started working at home as well during Scarlett's nap times and sometimes even in the evening. This contributed to the slow down of posting to the blog.

In November, I got pregnant (found out in December) plus the holiday season which seemed busier than previous years, probably because I had Scarlett to think about and plan for! I also started as a Tastefully Simple Consultant, so that took up some of my free time as well.

In the beginning of 2013, we had Scarlett's birthday party which was a blast, then in addition to working my part time job while at home, I also started a freelance project that also took more free time. Work was still pretty stressful so Alex and I started thinking about August (our due month) and how we were going to handle having two children with me working part time and if it would be worth it to look into me staying home.

Alex got a new job April 1st which has been a huge blessing. He is about 200x happier in this position and I really feel that he is now on a career path instead of just having a job. He has been loving it so far and I just know that will continue!

In May, we made the decision that I would stop working mid-June right before our vacations with our families. I put in three weeks notice after Memorial Day. My lovely coworkers threw me a surprise baby shower/best wishes party prior to my departure and it was all very bittersweet. Working at the same place for almost six years was such a great experience. I learned so very much and I'm thankful for all the great people I met there.

I went to OBX with my family a couple weeks ago and then met Alex and his family in Bethany Beach the following weekend for a few days there. I will write separate posts on those fun times with pictures! Returning last week and not going back to work on Thursday was a bit strange, and this week will be my first official full week without a steady job.

It's exciting (and a little scary) but I just know this is the right decision for our family and I am so thankful that we are in a position to do this. Plus, I can get back to writing here and documenting our life, if not just for myself, for my family and friends as well!

I definitely feel that our little boy hasn't gotten the blog attention that I dedicated to Scarlett over her time in utero but I'm going to write a couple of posts on it now and then definitely keep up on it when he arrives. Having a blog like this is like having a baby book and I love going back and reading about Scarlett and my pregnancy with her. I can't wait to do the same with him.

So stay tuned.. !

Bethany Beach 2012

Included below are some pictures from our Bethany Beach trip from the beginning of August. We had a great time as we always do and it was extra special sharing Scarlett with her Aunts, Uncles and cousins who she doesn't get to see as much as we would like because they live a state or two away. I'm not going to lie though, taking a baby on vacation is hard work. It really wears on sleep schedules and just the amount of sand she could get on her in such a short amount of time plus the clean up afterward was a lot. We're figuring it will be easier next year when she's a bit older and walking. Just keepin' it real!

South Bethany Beach on Dwellable

The Great Smoky Mountains

Okay, so it took like a month to get pictures up of our trip, but here they are. I did not get a chance to edit these (ahh!) but they are up here none the less! Enjoy!

Road Trip to Rehoboth Beach, DE

We had a great time last weekend at Rehoboth Beach, DE with Matt, Brittney and Harper!

The girls did great and got along really well, lol. It's the beginning of a lasting friendship! They loved the beach and lucky for us, neither of them put sand in their mouths!

The beach shade worked out very well once I got it together and facing the right direction! It's definitely going to come in handy for all future trips we take that involve being in the sun!

Looking forward to next year!

Rehoboth Beach on Dwellable

Road Trip to Richmond

Two weekends ago over Memorial Day, we took Scarlett's first road trip to Chesterfield, VA to visit Alex's family! We had a great time catching up with them and meeting Scarlett for the first time! If only we could've stayed longer!

We traveled Thursday night so that Scarlett could sleep in the car and she did a great job! We arrived in Chesterfield around 1:00 in the morning after about 5 hours in the car. She greeted Alex's aunt and uncle who were waiting up for us and soon after we set up the pack and play and hit the sack. She slept very well while we were there other than one night where she had some congestion. (Smaller babies go through the first couple months of their life only breathing through their nose, so if it gets stuffed up at all it's hard for her to breath right, so I spent a bunch of time suctioning! lol).

Friday we went to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens where Alex's aunt and uncle got married. It was beautiful! What an awesome place to tie the knot! They had a butterfly exhibit which was awesome to see. So many butterflies just fluttering around. Alex got some great pictures of them! It was pretty hot that day but Scarlett did well covered in sun-screen. We picked Alex's cousin, Ellie up from school after the gardens and headed back to their house. His cousin Sam and Uncle were already home and Nick and Laurel arrived soon after. We had a yummy dinner of bbq chicken, the best pasta salad ever and yummy asparagus (and more). Then we had ice cream for dessert!! Soon it was time to put Scarlett to bed and I followed soon after her as I was pretty pooped from the short night of sleep the night before.

Saturday morning we were up bright and early, we headed to Laura's volleyball games for the day and then headed to Ellie's soccer game. When we got back to the house we had some time to kill so Scarlett and I went with Carl to the neighborhood pool while some of the others played tennis. I didn't get any pictures of this unfortunately but she had a blast! We were joined later by Ellie, Alex's Aunt and Uncle (Phil and Joan) and Laurel. Sometimes I wish I had a photographer following me around to document things I don't have time to document. After the pool we headed back and dinner was almost ready. We had the most delicious steaks I've ever tasted, a really yummy ravioli baked dish, more veggies followed by the best snickerdoodle cookies and some chocolate chip cookies for dessert! Hit the hay pretty early again, around 10pm.

Sunday morning we were up early again and headed off to Ellie's soccer game first followed by Laura's volleyball games. Going to volleyball tournaments really makes me miss playing that competitively. But I have a great time watching! After her games some of the group went to the mall and some of us went back to the house. We relaxed for a while until it was time to head to dinner. We went to MeKong which if you're ever in Richmond, check it out. Awesome thai food and a great beer selection. They had Leffe Brune (which is pretty hard to find) and I was pumped. Scarlett for one reason or another did not like the restaurant AT ALL so when the food came she was crying too much for me to feel comfortable having her in there, potentially ruining other peoples dining experience, so I went out to the car. She was completely fine once I got out there and we had fun laughing and playing for a while. Alex came out eventually and took over so I could go eat. They had really delicious food and I got to take some home for breakfast the next morning, yum!

Monday morning we got all packed up and ready to go. We timed our leaving with Scarlett's first nap, even though it didn't last very long. She was in and out of naps the whole way home and drank a couple bottles, most likely for comfort. It was a lot for her I think, having to stay in one position for so long. But she did well. It was heaven to be home when we arrived. We unpacked and Alex mowed the lawn. Then we spent time together as a little family. It's amazing how much I missed Scarlett sometimes while other people were holding her, even though I could see her, I still missed her. Hard to explain. But we had a great time! And we can't wait to see everyone again at the beach!!

10 Things + 1 :: Volume 5

11. The Lancaster Farm Fresh Coop starts this week. I am so excited to see what we get! We got half of a veggie share and a fruit share. Yum yum yum, organic and fresh and healthy. Perfect for making baby food, am i right? Speaking of baby food.. we got some asparagus seconds from the farm yesterday and I'm definitely going to use some of it to make baby food to freeze now, since asparagus won't be in season when Scarlett will start eating it. I have a feeling she's going to love it!

10. I'm currently obsessed with a new salad that Britt introduced me to almost a month ago now. It's called an Oriental Chicken Salad (i think?) and it is delish. I've since took it a couple of places to share and it got great reviews. I'll post the recipe soon!

9. Super excited for some upcoming trips! First to Richmond to see family and watch some volleyball and soccer. Scarlett is super pumped to meet her aunts, uncles and cousins! And then to Rehoboth Beach with friends where Scarlett will put her feet (and probably hands) in the sand for the first time. I hope none of it ends up in her mouth but who am i kidding? I'm sure it will.

8. Honestly, I'm regretting not getting the iPhone 4S.. just for the camera. The camera on the 4 is fine but I take so many pictures with my phone that the 4S would've been worth it. Oh well, next upgrade is in December, looks like i'm either getting the 4S or waiting a little bit longer for a potential iPhone 5!

7. Hoping for good weather for both of those trips above!! The weather this year so far has been interesting to say the least. No snow or really any super cold weather, which has been nice. I hope it gets warm and stays warm soon. The flip flopping and not knowing whether to wear a coat in the morning is getting a little old.

6. Scarlett will turn 4 months on the 20th and I'll do a whole post on it but one big thing she did a couple weeks ago was she rolled over! First huge milestone accomplished! We also hope that at her 4 month dr appointment we'll be able to start some kind of solids. Maybe then she'll consistently sleep longer at night!? :)

5. Alex got a charcoal grill for his birthday and let me just say, food cooked on a charcoal grill really does taste better. It's kinda crazy but so so yummy. Alex is looking for any and every opportunity to use it. I see lots of backyard cookouts in our future for this summer!

4. Post baby bod update. The weight is coming off.. slowly but surely. I'm trying not to rush it but the last couple of weeks I've been trying to eat healthier and that killer salad in #10 has been helping! I try to take walks on my days off with Scarlett and starting this week I'm going to try to get a pilates sesh in everyday. My core is definitely in need of some toning.

3. Speaking of post baby bod.. I'm gonna need some new swim suits for this year. More mom-appropriate but also stylish. I think I might have to search pinterest for this. These days I search pinterest for everything!

2. Mothers day is this coming weekend! My first official, baby outside the womb mothers day, since last mothers day I was pregnant but didn't know it. We're excited to spend the day together doing lots of fun things! A yummy breakfast, maybe a picnic lunch.. fun!

1. This blog design still needs a lot of work and I'm working on it when I get a chance. I need to look into the coding of some other blogs I follow to see how they get things arranged so nicely because I don't really like the spacing on the right between the different pages. I should really just hire someone for a new design.. I'll be pondering that now.

Bumpity and Me at the Beach

I promise. That's my body. Alex cut off my head when taking the picture. Which I'm fine with.

To be honest, I feel like this bump is kind of false because it's definitely not that big this morning and this was taken yesterday afternoon. Oh the fluctuations of a baby bump.

Anyway, this marks 16 weeks and 1 day (as the doctor would say). Still feeling good/normal.

Here's a small recap of our mini vacation: (i'll do a wedding post later to recap that)

Saturday afternoon around 1:30 we headed off to Bethany. Enduring an almost 4 hour car ride, me driving.. Alex sleeping.. having belly cramps and driving stick in heavy traffic is no fun game. When we arrived, we unpacked the car and relaxed. We had pizza for dinner, played some Disney Apples to Apples and went to bed pretty early. The beds, by the way, were like sleeping on the floor. Super hard.

Sunday we went to the beach, learned how to play Settlers of Catan and watched Inception. This was also the night that the kids cooked the meal, which went over quite well.

Monday I went to the beach rather late in the day. I enjoyed relaxing in the house alone while everyone was out. We played some more Settlers of Catan and had an amazing mexican dinner. We watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Tuesday we went to the beach. It was overcast when we were there and quite yucky, and windy. So windy it picked up sand and stung us with it. We didn't stay long. It later got sunny.. go figure. We (of course) played some more Settlers and packed up all of our stuff. We had indian for dinner and then left for home. It took us 3 hours on the dot.

We had a great time as always. It's nice to get away for a little while. It's also nice to be home though sleeping in a comfortable bed.

In other news.. OCNJ '11

Since this blog is about the couple.. I will tell you about our weekend/mini vacation.

Saturday morning we left bright and early to head up to Hazlet, NJ to visit one of A's college buddies, August and his amazingly sweet girlfriend, Nicole. They had plans for us to join Nicole's dad out on his catamaran sailing around the Sandy Hook bay. We could even see the NYC skyline from the water. We had a great time relaxing on the boat since the wind was a little dead that day. I'm so glad that I got to sail on a catamaran though, much fun! After sailing we hung around the boat club and then made our way to one of August's favorite chinese joints.. mostly for buns but we ended up having the best pork that i've ever had in a chinese restaurant. it melted in your mouth. ugh! amazing. After filling our bellies we headed back to Augusts house bc his friends were having a bbq. We stayed for a little while and around 6pm or so, we headed out to make our way down to Ocean City.

The drive was going great on the Garden State Parkway until we hit a massive amount of traffic that probably lasted an hour or more. When we finally saw what happened, we didn't see anything but 25+ police (unmarked and marked) cars along with suited gentlemen which we assumed was none other than the FBI all looking over the guard rail of the highway. Traffic was perfect from then on! When we arrived at the house we brought up all of our stuff, or.. A did while i spent about 20 minutes driving around only to find the tiniest parking spot known to man and then proceeded to parallel park with no assistance (scaryy!). I was uber frustrated at the parking situation and the walking of about 4-5 blocks because i got turned around and couldn't remember what block the house was on. Needless to say, I relaxed for the rest of the evening. It was a long day and the sun is exhausting.

Julia, Myself and Jess

Sunday we awoke and went bike riding on the boardwalk. I'm going to invent a bicycle that has a very large seat so that it doesn't hurt the bum after only 30 minutes of riding. I don't know why the seats aren't bigger.. does anyone know this?! After biking we had a snack and prepped for the beach. The water was awesome that day, not numbing.. which was a pleasant surprise. A and i went the whole way out to jump some waves for a while which was fun. I'm super glad i bought a beach chair to bring this year. I already got more than it's value out of it (it was only $15 so not hard). After the beach, A and I had to hit the grocery store because we were making taco's for everyone that evening. They were the best tacos ever (i say that everytime i have tacos) and there were so many leftovers that i had tacos on Monday and Tuesday as well for most lunches and snacks! We hit up the boardwalk a while later and I got some yummy gelato.. mmmm!

Mi papa with Miss Makayla

Mak playing in the sand

Alex playing in the sand

Monday we went to Corson's Inlet where everyone kayaked and a couple of us walked over to the beach spot that we normally take. The beach looked much different this year, wondering if it's due to the heavy snow from the past winter eroding the shoreline. I didn't go in the water that day, just hung out on my chair.. mostly covered by towels to avoid the chilly wind (i'm a nutjob) while i applied and reapplied sunscreen so I wouldn't burn. We spent a good part of the day there and when we got back and showered it was already time for dinner. Pork and Saurkraut. I had a couple tacos as a snack when we got back so I didn't eat much of the P&S. We went to the boardwalk again and this time I had Kohr Bros ice cream. Then we played some mini-golf where we got an inordinate amount of hole in ones. We had a good time though!

Tuesday we awoke and went bike riding again. I couldn't handle it for long though so I only went one length of the boardwalk in the one direction. We dilly-dallied around for a while before heading to the beach, which was numbing and had a seaweed filled shoreline. I mostly sat in my chair. I tried to go out to catch some waves but it was too cold. Even with 90+ degree weather, it was too much. So i sat on my chair some more and then A and i headed back to the house. We had to get our things together to leave and we stayed for a dinner of leftovers (read: more tacos) and headed out after. We made it home in good time while almost running out of gas in downington, hehe.

We had a great time. It was a nice long weekend and even though the sun/heat is exhausting, overall it was relaxing. Looking forward to our trip to Bethany Beach with A's family in August!