Contributing...

I teased having big news today.  I got a few guesses that it would be a gender reveal.  Sorry!  Not that kind of news, check back August 8. {grin} 

However, I'm excited with my news.  I have been selected to be a regular contributor to the Austin Moms Blog!!  Ashlee is contributor who asked me to do a guest post and then asked if I'd be interested in applying as a regular.  Um, let's see...  More blogs to write, more mommies to connect with, more potential readers to my own blog?  Win, win, win!!  My first post is scheduled to go up today, so go check it out!

To Tweet or Not To Tweet

Sometimes I think about using Twitter.  I used to think it would only be useful for 'normal' folks to read the tweets of 'famous' people.  But now I look at the tweets of lots of people and find myself thinking {often} things that would be funny to share but aren't quite blog worthy.  So I present a few things I would tweet if I did, in fact, tweet.

• I saw a restaurant in my parents' hometown called 'The Cheesy Taco'.  I don't want to eat what they're serving.
• 'The Cheesy Taco' used to be a gas station called '6 & 10'.  Can't have a 7-Eleven?  Have a '6 & 10'!!
• Trent wanted to stop and get gas for the car.  I told him 'Mama has plenty of gas.'  HA!
• It sure is fun to wash your sheets 2 days in a row b/c a certain toddler peed on your bed.

What do you think?  Should I tweet?

All About Me

I can't get Picasa to recognize that I imported all my decluttering pictures {grrrr}, I decided a distraction was in order.  Therefore a random 'all about me' post.

Age: 30...weeks shy of 31
Bed size: King, baby...only way to go!
Chore you hate: All!  That's why they're called chores.  Duh.  But I probably hate unloading the dishwasher and folding clothes the most.
Dad's name: D.A.
Essential start to your day: Glasses
Favorite actress and actor: Mariska Hargitay and Mark Wahlberg
Gold or silver: Silver and anything that looks like silver (white gold, platinum)
Height: 5'4"
Instruments you play(ed): Piano and flute
Job title: Audit Manager
Kid(s): 1, Trent!!!
Living arrangements: Husband, son, house in the 'burbs
Mom's name: Janice
Nicknames: Al, Big Al Swope, Gurleyface, Gurley, Mommy (best one!)
Overnight hospital stays other than birth: Trent's birth
Pet peeves: Snoring/heavy breathing
Quotes you like: 'Wait to worry.', The Serenity Prayer
Right or left-handed: Right
Siblings: 1, Patty (older sis)
Time you wake up: 6:30 - 7:00
Vegetables you dislike: It'd be easier to name the ones I DO like.  The top veggies I hate are: tomatoes, onions, squash, and mushrooms.
Ways you run late: Trent, general disorganization, thinking I can get ready faster than I can...I don't try to be late but usually am.  :(
X-rays you've had: ultrasounds during pregnancy (does that count?)
Yummy food you make: Not a cook.  But here's a few we like.  Anything fast and easy (and without tomatoes, onions, squash and mushrooms)!
Zodiac: Leo {roar}

Anyone else want to play??

Labels!

I added labels to my blog.  It took me forever to go through EVERY post (almost 600 - wow) and add labels, so I wanted to point it out. {grin}  There's a section on the ride bar (at the bottom) with them all.  Check 'em out!

Finally...My Blog Feels Like Me!

Jessica over at Diamond Doll Design is a goddess!  I took advantage of her March special and got a totally new, custom blog look.  And finally...my blog feels like me!  I literally told her I like bright colors (especially pink and turquoise), hearts and nothing too busy.  Poof!  Magic!  We're still tweaking a few things, but overally I am SO happy with how everything turned out.  Let me know what you think - is anything hard to read, anything hurt your eyes, or is everything just perfect?? {grin}

BORING

My husband hit the nail on the head yesterday.  My blog has gotten boring.  I'm not really complaining because it means life is good - status quo, routine, mundane - ha.  I guess there are a few noteworthy things going on I can share...although like Brent said, it'll probably be boring. {grin}

• Brent closed his first deal yesterday on the new job.  Yay!
• Trent turns 18 months old tomorrow.  WHAT?  Where has the time gone?  I'll put together a separate post after we go to the doctor next week.
• I am officially on a reduced workload at work.  I am working 90% of full-time which averages to 42 hours/week.  Sounds really reduced, huh?  Ha.  Over time I hope to get that down to like 30 hours/week, but that means Brent needs to close more than 1 deal.

So was Brent right?  Am I just totally boring or what?

What Have I Been Doing?

I have been MIA for a few days.  I don't like when I'm not blogging regularly or checking in on all the blogs I love.  But it's been a busy few days.  With what?  So glad you asked!

• Getting our Christmas cards done!!  Yippee!
• Shopping, shopping, shopping (mostly online) - almost done with Christmas presents!
• Having this cold turn into a sinus infection.  Yuck.  Hello antibiotics!
• Traveling across this great state of Texas for work (Dallas, San Antonio and Odessa - yeehaw).
• Falling IN LOVE with Glee!  I am so behind on shows that started when I was having an extended vacation in crazy town.  But I'm trying to catch up!  When I finish Season 1 I'm going to do a review post.  I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat for that. {grin}

It's Been One of Those Days

Trent is sick.  Nothing major, just a cold.  But it's not fun to pin your child to the floor with your feet to put drops in his eyes and wipe the crusties off his face (all while he's screaming).  And of course Brent left for work training this morning in Dallas.  Sigh.  I submitted a bunch of forms in at work and my counselor butchered them.  Sigh.  I have a bunch of big fat question marks on my Christmas list.  I don't like any of our pictures for a Christmas card.  The holidays shouldn't be stressful but they always seem to be (and I don't like that).  Sigh.  So I'm eating Pillsbury icing straight out of the canister.  And it's definitely making me feel better. {grin}  What do you do when it's just 'one of those days'?

You Know You Spend Too Much Time Blogging When...

...you start several stories a day with 'On this blog I read...'

...you can't wait to find out if anybody commented on your last post.

...you take a picture while thinking 'This will look GREAT on the blog!'

...you take a picture specifically FOR the blog.

...you talk about MckMama like you know her.

...you get so excited when a bloggy friend comments or emails you!

...the happiness of your morning is based on how many blogs you follow have been updated since you last checked.

...your blog roll is almost too long for even you to keep up.

Am I missing any signs of bloggy obsessions?

Rebooting Me

Brent is a wonderful husband and is SO the ying to my yang. I have a tendency to be overly dramatic, high-maintenance and a little crazy (it really should have been no surprise that I developed post-partum anxiety). Brent is a very calming influence on me who helps put the rational back into my day. Since becoming a mother, I've had a hard time balancing my time. My marriage and myself have taken a backseat to being a mom. Luckily, my husband has been so understanding throughout the last year. I'm working on that balance because everyone in my family will be much better off with a balanced mommy. With that said, and with a little nudge from the hubs, I'm hoping this blog becomes a little more balanced too. I love taking pictures of Trent and will continue to post them like crazy but want to share other sides of my life that are re-emerging. (It also helps that I left my camera at my sister's house, so no new pictures until I get it back.) Bear with me as I go through some growing pains. {grin}

Guest Blogger!!

Shocking news! Brent said he'd be a guest on my blog!! When I started this blog, he wasn't so sure about it, but then little-by-little I realized he was reading it here-and-there. Then he admitted he reads it every day, which I can't help but feel so ecstatic about. But for him to say he'd guest blog...WHOA! So I need help from y'all, my fabulous readers. Either comment with a question for Brent, and we can do a Q&A post for Brent OR post a topic you'd like to hear Brent talk about. I don't normally beg for comments, but please, please, please post a comment for Brent! {grin}

Master of Blogging and Friendship

Shut up! I love when I get awards! And I especially love when they come from someone I love! (Thanks Dezzy!)

(This award is all about recognizing friendships that have been made while blogging.)

The Rules:1. List 6 things you are a master in. 2. Pass it on to 6 bloggers you think are masters at friendship, and make blogging so awesome.

My Six Things:

1. I am a master reader. I would choose to read over almost anything. I have been known to do nothing but read for hours on end. I actually read 2 novels in 1 day once.
2. I am a master of celebrity gossip. I am definitely stealing this one. :)
3. I am a master talker. Sometimes I just don't know when to shut up. I think that's a good quality to have in a blogger.
4. I am a master friend. I really value my friendships and know all my peeps know how much I love them. {See #3 - i.e. I never stop telling them.}
5. I am {trying to be} a master of green. Brent calls me his hippie, and my sister calls me 'Mother Earth', but I really do have a passion for trying to be more and more green. I mean, I cloth diaper/g diaper my kid!
6. I am a master crier. I have always been tender-hearted (as my mother calls it), but since becoming a mother...geez! I tear up at anything. I want to adopt all of Haiti!

And now for the other Masters out there:

1. Val
2. Courtney
3. Kristen
4. Emily
5. Heather
6. Zack Blair

Coming Soon...

Still have a virus on my laptop (can now no longer even log in)...which is where all my pictures currently reside... BUT tomorrow I will be in our office and can hopefully get my computer functioning again. :)

Coming soon...some super cute pictures of Trent (duh)

Coming soon...New Year's Resolutions

Coming soon...Tuesday's Top 10 (1 person participated in my last edition - thanks Jennifer) - this week's topic: Top 10 Books

Coming soon...the arrival of our camcorder so in 2010 there will be VIDEOS of Trent!!!

Happy 101

Yippee!! Erin and Heather gave me an award! :) And it's such a cute one too.


This award, meant to be gifted to bloggers who make you smile, has two requirements.
1. List 10 things that make you happy.
2. List 10 bloggers who brighten your day.
10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. Babies (Trent, Miles, etc.)
2. My Christmas decorations
3. My hubby (duh)
4. Candy
5. Great books
6. My friends
7. Blogging
8. Finally getting to watch Harry Potter #6 tonight with K Dub!!!!
9. The El Rincon tacos I had for breakfast (and the wonderful hubby who went to get them)
10. Having followers (hint, hint...I'd like some more!!!)

10 Bloggers That Brighten My Day (and I'm not repeating any I've already seen)

1. Organized Chaos
2. Surviving Life's Curveballs
3. MckMama
4. 4 Little Men and Girly Twins
5. Simply Shanni (who needs to post more often...hint, hint)
6. Strong Projects
7. The Roach Race
8. ZMB: Zach Attacks the World
9. The Watkins Family
10. O'lee's Adventures

Oh Happy Day!

Shanni gave me my first award! :) I can't figure out how to post it onto my blog though...hmmm... Pictures to come later this afternoon of my most precious...trying to finish some work...blech!

The Great Eight

I love being tagged and got tagged by both Stacey AND Desiree!! Such a great thing for a Friday afternoon.

1. Mention the person who tagged you.
2. Complete the list of 8s.
3. Tag 8 of your wonderful bloggy friends!

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1. Having our son!!
2. Sloshball tomorrow for Brent's birthday
3. Trip to San Francisco in October (it is for work, but I'm going to stretch it a few days to see the city)
4. No work on Monday
5. Watching the movie 'Rent' (hopefully this weekend)
6. Cookie cake (also at Sloshball)
7. Seeing Miles (at any point)
8. Getting this baby out of me (yes, I repeated, but each means something slightly different)

8 Things I Did Yesterday:
1. Shower at TCEQ (Brent's work)
2. Child birth class
3. Took a nap (heaven)
4. Washed 2 loads of laundry
5. Walked on the treadmill
6. Blogged
7. Went to Staci and Aaron's house
8. Had a Smoothie King smoothie for dinner (I am slightly obsessed)

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
1. Play the guitar
2. Figure out a name for this kid
3. A triathalon (someday I will)
4. Enjoy yard work
5. Get hardwood floors now
6. Shop a lot more
7. Hire a chef to make dinner every day
8. Work less and make more ;)

8 Shows I Watch:
1. The Biggest Loser
2. Law & Order: SVU
3. Chuck
4. CSI
5. 48 Hours: Hard Evidence
6. Cold Case
7. Say Yes to the Dress
8. Ellen

I don't have 8 friends to tag...so if you read my blog and want to participate, PLEASE DO!!!

100

I'm copying an old post of Jennifer's, but I thought for my 100th post (yippee!!), I'd list 100 of my favorite things.

1. My husband, family and friends (listing all those people could be 100 by itself)
2. The Biggest Loser
3. Sugary candy
4. Pedicures
5. Christmas (all holidays but especially Christmas)
6. The Bobby Bones Show
7. Taking fun pictures
8. DVR
9. Chai lattes from Starbucks
10. Parties
11. Freebird's
12. Super Target
13. Shoes
14. An outfit that makes me feel pretty
15. My husband's Polo cologne (he hasn't worn it in ages but it was what he wore in high school - will always make me think of him)
16. Presents (giving and receiving)
17. The color PINK!!!
18. Bluebonnets
19. Schroeder's Place burgers
20. Oldies (why doesn't Austin have an Oldies station?)
21. Icee's
22. Reading
23. Law & Order: SVU
24. The Dixie Chicks
25. Weddings
26. Porch swings
27. Alamo Drafthouse
28. My Charming Kids
29. Mexican food
30. My super cute (starting to come together) nursery
31. Online shopping
32. Decorating the house
33. Reading other people's blogs
34. Milkshakes
35. Massages
36. Burt's Bees
37. Outlet malls
38. Romantic comedies
39. Having followers on my blog (and knowing that people read and like it)
40. Breakfast tacos from El Rincon and Jovita's
41. Getting flowers
42. Babies
43. Saturday mornings (and sleeping late)
44. Chick-fil-A
45. Finishing a project
46. Getting packages
47. Lonesome Dove (book and movie)
48. The internet
49. Texas A&M Aggies (Whoop!)
50. Summer
51. Kisses (although not until swine flu passes)
52. Finishing a hard workout
53. Looking at old pictures
54. V8 Fusion
55. Any meal made by my mother-in-law
56. Being a Texan
57. Monograms (come to my house, you'll see)
58. Twilight
59. Willow Tree people
60. My church
61. Luna bars
62. Finding my favorite song on the radio
63. Old Navy
64. My cousin's (Tina) noodles
65. WINE (I miss it dearly)
66. Sex and the City
67. Texas Country music
68. The toll roads
69. A nice nap
70. Live concerts (of artists I love)
71. A sale at a favorite store
72. Musicals (and their soundtracks)
73. Cupcakes
74. A great smelling candle
75. A fun date with my hubby
76. A warm fire on a cold night (very rare in Texas but still wonderful)
77. True crime (I love the Investigation Discovery channel)
78. IM
79. A long bath
80. Making my own coke mixture at Bucee's
81. Whataburger
82. Drinking games
83. A good run
84. The first few minutes after I get into bed and can begin to RELAX
85. Owning my own home
86. iPods
87. My dad's BBQ
88. Email
89. A day off of work
90. Holding Miles
91. Talking on the phone
92. Vacations
93. Us Weekly
94. Blogging
95. Lazy Sundays
96. Cadbury cream eggs
97. Gone with the Wind
98. The parents' houses (mine and Brent's)
99. Snow cones (yes, I realize I also have Icee's on here - they are different)
100. Being pregnant

Spinning

**UPDATE**
Now it's not spinning at all...need to stop staring at the ticker, won't get the baby here any faster - ha!

Original post:
Is it just me or is Patty's baby in her baby ticker spinning twice as fast as mine? Is that some sort of sign that her due date is near??

THE BIG DAY!!!

I am trying to work and be productive...but am failing miserably! Any last minute guesses?

Side bar - I have no idea how to find neat backgrounds to change up my blog. Where do you guys find all the neat pages??

A Few of My Favorite Things

Since 2008 has ended, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite memories from 2008! It doesn't quite work out to 1 event per month, but here's my top 12 memories. I apoglize in advance for the spacing, I couldn't get it to be any different.

1. Schuyler coming home from Iraq (January)

2. The birth of Elizabeth Jansen (February)

3. Philip and Kristi Susen's wedding (March)

4. Brent's Sloshball birthday (May)

5. Day at the Lake Austin Spa with Mom and Patty...no pictures, just wonderful memories (June)

6. Patty getting pregnant (June) :)

7. July weddings

8. My birthday at Hula Hut (August)

9. Macey's 1st birthday (October)

10. Getting pregnant!!! (October)

11. Celebrating 4 years married to my sweetie (October)

12. The Levine wedding (October)

13. My month of trips (December) - Raleigh, Orlando, and Puerto Vallarta...Okay, so I know I'm an accountant, but let's say this is the baker's dozen!!

Here's to all the adventures 2009 will bring!