you wanna know what really grinds my gears.

my pet peeves... i've got lots. like categories with sub-categories and those all have bullet points.

and since tyler is sick of hearing me complain, i came here. YOU are welcome. shall we?

what is my biggest driving pet peeve?

GET. OFF. MY. ASS. i can't even deal!  yes i have an issue with going more than 7 miles over the speed limit, but i'm a freakin' mom. and my baby is in the backseat so sue me kay? i can't tell you how many times i've had to have a higher power stop me from slamming on my brakes so that jackass behind me won't plow into the back of me because he doesn't have enough reaction distance. i think it's a necessary lesson, my husband just thinks i need to drive faster. pff you tryin' me right now. you tryin' me!

others include:

• texting while driving - i hope you wreck & lose your life phone.
• the one lane construction speeding up & weaseling your way in thing. eff you ya emm effer.
• thanks for the blinker you inconsiderate dick.
• if your bass is so high causing eminem to sing static through your speakers, roll your damn window up.
• STOP PUTTING GIANT EYELASHES ON YOUR HEADLIGHTS. it's tacky. it's ugly. it's disgusting.

what is my biggest shopping pet peeve?

when the person working follows you around like a puppy dog telling you what you'll love. you choosing to work a job based off commission is not my problem. GET AWAY FROM ME. i will not buy anything from you. ever. 

ps. i hated everything you showed me.

pps. i hate you. and you need a haircut.

what is my biggest general pet peeve?

oh my gaaaaawd. where do i start? which one do i choose?! how much time you guys got?

okay my biggest pet peeve is when someone makes random noises with their mouth. like smacking noises. even teeny tiny ones. i can still hear it. like the sound of someone eating a banana or biting their nails or sloppy kissers... you know that noise? i'm getting upset talking about it. it gives me forest whitaker eye like hard. it gives me irrational rage that i'm afraid one day someone is going to pay for it. this rage starts from the tip of my toes & works it's way up.

tyler has this weird habit of playing with his beard hair & putting it in his mouth. i know. and while we're driving i can hear his mouth open & close and it makes the tiniest smacking noise and it makes me want to kill myself. i take a deep breath, whisper a prayer to tom brady & calmly ask him to PLEASE STOP THAT NOW OR I'M GOING TO CRASH THE CAR. 

what is my most irrational fear?

i fear that i'm going to die of a random heart attack due to chest cancer. you guys.. sometimes i become crippled with anxiety. it's real, it fucking sucks, and i hate it. i never know when the next wave will be, sometimes it's spread out in days, sometimes months. and do you know what happens? all i do is stress about my "chest cancer" and wonder when my heart is going to stop beating because that's a real thing. saying it now sounds crazy. but in like 2 days i'll be crying in a corner texting my sister asking her if she'll promise to make sure and have all britney songs in my 'life video' and to throw my uggs in my casket before they put me in the ground. like it's so dumb. and it pisses me off that i have to deal with it. 

*deep breath* *letting it out*

well this was fun, huh! i love having an excuse to complain.

how about you? what pisses you off more than anything? spill it.

9 things i've learned from my babies.

when i had my first baby, i couldn't believe the type of person i became. i cried at stuff.. like really weird stuff, i started noticing kids in stores and restaurants more and having sympathy for the tantrums they threw, and i started reading 'mom' posts. even while pregnant i would tell myself, i'm never going to read those mom posts, cause they're like so dumb. and then here i am. writing a mom post...

second baby comes and you just accept the fact that these new things you've acquired are just learned from being a mom. your babies have helped you develop into a mama. and that's something i love. so here are 9 things i've learned from my babies.

it's okay to look silly - seriously, i was the queen of baby talk! our babble conversations were/are constant. and don't even get me started on the faces. anything to engage in your baby and make them giggle, right?!

sing! even if you can't - my firstborn loved when i would sing to him. i've got the voice of a dying monkey let's be honest here.. but there was always something that would calm him down when i'd sing to him. now my #2? she's not amused at all when i sing. in fact, she just leaves the room.

indulge in little luxuries - what you take for granted when you're not a mom become luxuries afterwards. pooping alone. showering long enough to let the conditioner sit in your hair for a couple minutes. going to the grocery store alone. eating an entire cookie by yourself. you know, the important things.

separation anxiety is inevitable... - it just is. totally uncontrollable and irrational. my husband and i went to mexico for a week and i still want to cry remembering how felt when we left. it was the best week of my life in the worst kind of way.

and so are mothers instincts - my earliest memory for this was when drey was about one. we were walking down steps to a library and i had a armload of books in one hand and dreys hand in my other. i tripped, my signature walking, and my books were thrown to ground as i broke dreys fall with my body, never letting go of his hand. i replayed the situation in my head a couple times that day and i came to the conclusion that if drey wasn't with me, i probably would've like fallen all over my books and broke my arm haha. moms are superheros for real!

create happy traditions - even if it's something as small as making chocolate pancakes together every saturday morning. i mean, you are in charge of creating memories for your kids, that's a lot of pressure! but also so so cool. create traditions that they'll want to continue with their babies.

the days are long, but the years are short - i wish i had a video diary of everything they do. all day everyday. they learn so much in such a short time that i wish i could re-watch their life. this growing up thing goes by way too fast. 

cherish the little things - i am the worst morning person you'll ever meet, but those 5-10 minutes in bed when everyone is waking up and we're all snuggly and then the excitement when i flip on mickey mouse haha.. the best.

as long as they look good, you look good - here's a motto for ya, my kids are my best accessory. as long as my kids are lookin' fresh, clean, hip, happy, there is no reason for me to brush my hair, right? right. i take the time to make sure they don't look homeless and feral so i don't have to dress up. cause for real, as long as they look good sitting on my hip, i look good. and that's straight from buddah.

what are some things you've learned from your babies? 

taking stock

making: tapestries. i've become obsessed with yarn.. so weird because i hate yarn. drinking: bundaberg peach juice. it's an australian company that sells in select stores around me and i've recently become obsessed.  reading: blogs. so lame but i'm trying to catch up on the lives of people i don't know.  cooking: fried zucchini and homemade ranch dip for it. my bikini bod is struggling this year.  wanting: a pair of white chucks. i'm ready to try and be cool.  looking: for my library card.  playing: britney's new album all day. i'm obsessed. go ahead and judge me. wasting: time on twitter. too much time. i live a double life and i'm totally a political troll online. chelsea handler personally called me out after i called her out.. oh yea, i'm a big deal. sewing: a baby blanket for a friend who is due on halloween! lucky little baby. and okay i'm not doing the actual sewing, my mother in law is. same thing tho. wishing: for more time in the day. lawd help me. enjoying: summerrrr! ah i love summer. i never want it leave me, ever. waiting: for november. election month! who are you voting for? tell me and i'll tell you. i'll give you hint... trump.  liking: extra lime in everything.  wondering: who killed jonbenet?! who!? loving: my new car! we finally did it.  hoping: i run into josh gates from expedition unknown. love him and that show. needing: everything. i'm soooo needy, just ask my husband.  helping: my children through life. staying alive is the goal. smelling: rain.  wearing: hello apparel tee's. i've recently noticed that that's all i pretty much have in my closet. following: kate hudson on snapchat. she's what i look forward to every morning. noticing: i'm gaining weight. eff. thinking: about my mama. she's on her 3rd deployment and is set to come home soon. can't wait! feeling: heavy. legit.. i can't stop eating. bookmarking: hey! speaking of bookmarks, i have a really fun bookmark printable that i've been meaning to print out. opening: pta invites. listen, i don't care if you're jesus, i won't be joining pta. giggling: at instagram memes. holy hell i have no life.
what's your stock looking like these days?

why are we mom jerks to each other?

why are moms always trying to make other moms feel bad about how they are as people? how often do we see articles and posts circulating around facebook and blogs and pinterest written by moms who have a thing or two to say? too often. pretty much you come across a new one every week. but they circulate so fast because moms can relate! i see a lot of "needed THIS today!!" or "she said exactly what i was thinking!!" shares with popular blog posts about moms basically judging other moms in defense of their post that was, also, a judgement on mothers.   like you've got a lady that's over here telling you to put your iphone down because basically your kid and the whole world is judging you about how bad you suck. and then here comes a super mom saying if you want to be on an iphone it's fine because you're probably working, right?! clearly she's the mom on the iphone "working"... haha i kid i kid. i work on my iphone, too. it's called snapchat.
and then you have a mom writing a post about how, in a nutshell, she's lazy and hates cleaning. but twists it into you can't have a clean house and happy kids because that's just impossible. like, impossible. how do you make memories when you're vacuuming?! the answer is simple, you don't. but here comes another super mom defending all the clean freaks out there with her own post about how just because her house is spotless doesn't mean her kids aren't unhappy. she's only happy knowing that her toilet is clean, what's so bad about that? and btw, sometimes she lets her kids go crazy. like letting them sit on the couch. or letting them help make cookies and not cleaning up drizzle until after the cookies are in the oven instead of following them around with a rag. memories.
and then posts about formula vs breastfeeding. or vaginal birthing vs cesarean. or public schooling vs home school. or organic vs non-organic. or helicopter parenting. or raising your kid vegan. or stay at home parenting vs working parents. cloth diapers vs disposable diapers. co-sleeping vs not co-sleeping. or god forbid the dreaded vaccination vs anti-vaccination. 
moms (dads i'm not forgetting you, your time is coming) are always going to assume that whatever is best for their child, is best for yours too. they will always throw in their 2 cents, whether it's to your face while at the grocery store or online behind their computers. sometimes with honest and good intentions. but most times they're just being assholes because obviously they think your parenting is less than acceptable. and not just your parenting, but who you are as a person. like tattoo moms (holler). how are we going to teach our children morals when we have none? or moms with piercings (holler!). is that the kind of example we want to set for our sweet, beautiful, innocent babies? we have no respect for our bodies, so they won't either. or moms that occasionally let their kids have cake for breakfast (hollerrr) cause you're not in the mood to argue about why they freakin' can't have cake for breakfast. like, wow. you should be educated about diabetes because that's so unhealthy.
|| side note: i hate when someone tells you to "educate yourself" and "do some research". you know what trashy and classless phrase comes to mind when i hear that? ... fuck you... which wouldn't go well with the internet know-it-alls but that's what i'm thinking. end side note ||
you know those articles. i know you've at least come across one or two of them. and i know you've related and/or shared them somewhere on social media. 
but you know what? we don't need this. none of us need this. the one thing we all have in common is we are all MOTHERS. we are mom, mama, mum, mommy. we all started off with a baby that we had absolutely no clue what to do with. but eventually we all found our own special way to care for it. we're a team! we shouldn't criticize because of our sub-categories, we should be praising them.
my friends know i'm not the nicest person.. i'm a bit of an asshole sometimes. or all the time i don't know. so what i'm saying is, is i can be better at what i'm preaching. and if i can do it, so can you.   i have a hard time going into a spotless house and saying something positive tho.. i usually spat out what do you do with your life besides clean? is this why your kids hate you? because that's not nice and i doubt all of their kids hate them. 
so. moral of this post.. be nice to each other. please shut up with all the "dear mom on the iphone" bullshit. it's degrading and mean and you're being an asshole. be on your iphone, don't be on your iphone. vax, don't vax. let your kid eat off the floor or don't. it's nobody else's business and you damn well don't need clarification from a stranger.
disclaimer: i know i sound like one, but i am not a therapist. this advice is free. actually it's not advice, it's just ramble because i'm not a hypocrite.

oh, hiiii

whoa. i'm writing a post. whaaat? it's been forever, i know. i've actually had a very busy couple of weeks guys. my lack of content is justified! and i know i've already apologized to a couple of my clients, but again, i'm sorry! it's sooo hard coming back from another country, getting your shiz out of storage & situated ready to move, moving, starting the unpacking process, making sure you make family functions in between all of that because heaven forbid you don't divide your time up equally, keeping random finances in order because hubby is still in japan.. all while being pregnant & sweaty. with a 4yr old. oh, and trying to find an OB to transfer to. who would have thought it would be so hard to switch being 31 weeks preggo? i sure didn't. blech, seriously.

but i just wanted to tell you guys not to go anywhere! because now that my life is slowly settling down, there are lots of good things coming up! i'm talking giveaways with my favorites (hello apparel! lavender & lace co.!), a little sponsoring and fun with indie boys world, a guest post you literally don't want to miss, and more pre baby posts than you'll be able to handle. so excited for all of it! and you are, too. i just know it ha.

so stay tuned.

  

mom, can we have a dog?

that dreaded question. seriously, i cringe when drey asks me about getting a pet. full disclosure: i don't hate animals okay. but ughhhh. i don't want any. ever. i don't want a dog, i don't want a cat, i don't want a bird, i don't want a hermit crab, i don't want a salamander. i just don't. ever. no fish either, ew. eventually i'm going to lose the battle because dreydan wants some type of animal/pet so bad and tyler is a sucker for anything his son begs for. but i'll be holding my ground for as long as i can. 
i swear i don't hate animals. i just don't want any as pets. i don't want to take care of them, i don't want to spend money on them, i don't want to clean up after them.. haha i sound awful, i know. but mostly, i don't want to get attached to them! my mom and step dad recently had a dog die that they've had since i was in like middle school. dreydan was heartbroken! and i was too, she was so sweet. her name was snuggles, that's how freakin' sweet she was. i had pet cats growing up and i just loved them so much. we had this cat, her name was darla, and she the best. actually, she was kind of an asshole, but she knew we loved her. after she died, we got another. i was in love and then it died. and then we got another. it died. we lived in this house in the country that i swear was killing our animals.. true story. 
anyways, pets just aren't my thing anymore. i fall in love easily and i can't risk it. tyler, believe it or not, is a big fat cat lover. if he had to choose to save the life of a helpless little kitty or mine, he'd probably choose the kitty. which really is understandable. i mean, you can't make eye contact with a kitten and look away without feelings. but then it has to live inside and i'm not even going to go where i want to go with indoor pets.. all i will say is: hair. litter box. drool. random smells. me. no.
as far as the other ones go that he's asked for, like fish, no. just no. my sister had a fish tank that she kept in our living room growing up and i secretly hated them. like what was the purpose? she had one fish that kept eating the other ones and so she'd get new ones,  only to be eaten again. that fish was out for human blood too, i just know it. and then when she'd clean out the tank.. ughhh! so gross. it was messy & smelled like ass. i will never ever have anything to do with fish. unless it's salmon and it's going in muh belly. because i already know i will be the one taking care of any pet that comes into the house. and chances are, i will probably love it the most. because i'm a mom and that's how moms are wired. and like i said.. i just can't risk that.
so dreydan boo, to answer your question. no, we can't get a dog. but pleeeaaase don't ask dad.

<< >>

​

taking stock.

Making: japanese memories.

Cooking: nothing. I'm the worst wife everrrr.

Drinking: i lohas apple water. the best shiz, you have no idea.

Reading: 'in a dark, dark room' over and over and over.

Wanting: my car. i miss my car.

Looking: like a hot mess everyday. damn you japan.

Playing: teacher. and no, I suck.

Wasting: toilet paper. don't ask. 

Sewing: not a damn thing. ever. maybe one day..

Wishing: i could be home for halloween BUT a bullet train to tokyo will suffice ;-)

Enjoying: free time with my husband.  

Waiting: for cafe rio to be in muh belly!

Liking: my new bookstore. i can't read anything in it but oh well.

Wondering: whyyy the last divergent book had to end that way. WHY? 

Loving: how many of my friends are pregnant right now. babiesss!

Hoping: i can stop eating baked goods. drooool.

Marveling: at ancient buddhist temples. (blog post coming soon)

Needing: cafe rio!

Smelling: incense, blech! but it keeps the mosquito's away.

Wearing: sweats. always sweats. hot mess, remember?

Following: tyler wherever he goes. even the bathroom.

Noticing: the leaves in japan don't change as fast as in america. it takes until decemeber.

Knowing: i need to work out more.

Thinking: i prob won't do it...

Feeling: a little homesick. but happy i can be with my lover.

Bookmarking: etsy shops! christmas is coming yo.

Opening: the donut bag tyler just brought home. damn you too, tyler!

Giggling: dreydan's stories. they are the best.

I did this last May, so I thought it was time for another.

Share your own taking stock and tell me where you're at in life.

being a mama.

i have to tell you guys, when tyler & i first found out i was pregnant, i was totally unprepared & a little upset. we were newly married, in the middle of finals, tyler being recruited for football, swapping schools... it was a little bit of a mess. adding a baby? ahhh!

tyler was so sweet & strong about our news. we were sitting on the bathroom floor staring at the pregnancy stick with those obvious double pink lines staring right at me. he stood up & said, well. we're going to have a baby. it is what it is, em. he smiled, helped me up and gave me the best hug ever.

fast forward 9 months {+1 week, he was late!} and i'm holding my sleeping baby boy in arms. i was a mom. it felt so perfect & natural. why did i ever doubt myself? why did i think i wasn't capable of loving a child so much? and i kept thinking how does anything compare to this? this new life i brought into the world. it's simple. nothing compares to that. you can sure try, but good luck!

fast forward a couple years & here we are now. i'd be lying if i said motherhood was easy. it's the hardest thing i've done in my life thus far. it's messy, it's stinky, it takes every piece of you. with that being said, it's the hardest thing i've ever done with the sweetest rewards i could ever imagine. my 3 {almost 4!} year old son is the center of our world. and our undying love for him makes me want to cry.  before i was worried about not being capable of loving him enough. now, i wonder how any human is able to love someone so much. 

he's the first thing i think about every morning and the last thought before i drift off to sleep at night. teaching your child. raising your child. watching your child grow. it's surreal to me sometimes. i made him! my heartbeat was what kept him alive while inside me those 9 short months. now, his heartbeat is what keeps me alive. and that smile! swoooon.

i tell drey i love him about 100+ times a day. but what is love to a 3yr old? i've asked him what he thinks love means or is and these are things he's said:

"it's like...when I get a new dinosaur"

"it's what you do to me, mom! you love me!"

"love? to the moon & back?"

"when i watch jurassic park! i LOVE jurassic park!"

"love is when i love my candy. i love candy. do you love candy?"

and my personal favorite, i asked him if he knew what love was...

"i think it's when you & dad say you love me & i say 'love you too' and then we are happy"

pretty much, he nailed it.

happy mother's day to all you special mama's. especially mine, the most special of all.

~~~~~~

and she loved a little boy very, very much. even more than she loved herself.

-the giving tree, shel silverstein

photography via

kirstin roper photography

Taking Stock.

I've been seeing a couple of these floating around and thought it would be fun to join.
Original I think came from here.

Making : grapevine wreaths decor. obsessed. 

Cooking : vegetables like a mofo.

Drinking : dr pepper. always.

Reading : A Good American, Alex George - Inferno, Dan Brown - And The Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini

Wanting : hot weather & everything from this list.

Looking : through my recipe box for dinner idea's this week.

Playing : dinosaurs.

Wasting : mangoes. i didn't mean to.

Sewing : not a damn thing.

Wishing : i could write the book to my own life.

Enjoying : my newly rekindled flame with my boyfriend, Legolas. #thehobbit

Waiting : to share some unexpected news!

Liking : the idea of a new blog design.

Wondering : if butter is a carb.

Loving : my homemade fried zucchini chips.

Hoping : i get my flabby ass toned up before cancun.

Marveling : at my 3 year old & his memory.

Needing : sushi.

Smelling : popcorn, yum!

Wearing : my air force ROTC training shirt & VS sweats.

Following : not the crowd! they're fking bat shit crazy these days.

Noticing : my easter decor is still up...

Knowing : my life as we know it is about to get cuh-ray-zay!

Thinking : i need hostess chocolate donuts within my reach

Feeling : like i shouldn't have chocolate donuts within my reach.

Bookmarking : nothing. unless it's inside of a book.

Opening : a box of tampons. yup... fml.

Giggling : at very inappropriate moments because i can't help it.

sh*t my kid says // part 2

i laugh on the daily with homeboy.
he is the silliest little person i know.

i try to write down everything he says that i want to remember.
most of it is funny, some of it is like wtf?, some of it is tender...

//We're finishing up dinner & per the norm, Drey is arguing about finishing his.
Dad is a loser. Losers eat all of their dinner & winners save their dinner.
Oh yea, who told you that?
Um...? My heart.  
~
//It was a nice spring-ish day, we had a few hours before he needed to be dropped off at preschool..
Dreydan, what should we do today before preschool?
I think that you can just drop me off in a field & I'll dig up worms like dad.
Drop you off in a field?
Yea sure.
~
//Heyyyy stop that you're going to make my ice cream gross!
Tyler: Stop what?
Farting. It's getting on my ice cream.
~
//He walks over to me with a gloomy face.
Mom I'm still disappointed in you...
Why are you disappointed in me?
Because you ate all the chocolate covered strawberries.
As I'm eating the last one.. not ashamed.
~
//We were laughing & Ty was messing with us & I told Drey to tell him to 'shush'...
*yelling* DAD YOU BETTER SHUSH UP! YOU HEAD BUTT! CRACK YOUR HEAD OPEN
IF YOU EVER SAY THAT AGAIN!
*whispers* Did I say it right?
~
//Helping me with dinner.
Mom we should put some salt in this. Will you give it to me?
No it's good bud, it doesn't need salt.
*sighs* Well then I'm not going to eat this dinner. If it's going to be gross, I won't eat it.
~
//Drey & I were arguing about a little toy seal he has because he thinks its an otter.
It's an OTTER mom, you're wrong!
Drey it's a seal! Otters don't look like that.
NO! You're wrong!
YOU are wrong!
You're lying! That black man said it's an otter!
*thinking: the fuh??* Um.. what black man?
The black man who came to our house! HE said IT'S. AN. O-T-T-E-R!
*still thinking: THE FUH???* Dreydan, what black man?!
He came to our house yesterday! He's not lying about otters.
*ding ding ding!! Ty's polynesian friend. clearly a soft brown*
Herman?
Yea! Herman. He said it's an otter so you're lying.
Herman is wrong. I'm right. It's a seal. I'm your mom, listen to me.
Oh, it's a seal? Okay.
SMH.
~
//Drey what are you going to be when you grow up?
Basketball playerrrrr!!! Yeah!
Not football like dad?
No. Dad doesn't play football anymore. So I'm going to play basketball!
*insert tyler's heartbreak here*
Tyler: Okay buddy, you can play basketball.
Yea. So. That's what I'll be doing.
~
//Early morning, eating breakfast. Drey is slacking...
Dude. Please finish your cereal.
Mom if I don't finish all my breakfast then I don't get a treat?
That's right.
And I don't get to watch my cartoons?
Yup.
And I'll have to throw all my toys in the garbage?
Uhhh...? Yup.
And then I can't live anymore?
What? No that's not what I've ever said to you.
Oh. I thought it was a new rule.
*continues eating*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

did you miss part 1? go HERE to catch up!

Stop asking me to follow your blog.

There is one thing that irritates me more than Fashion Bloggers and that's bloggers

who comment to only get a follow. Right?

Like when you randomly have a dumb comment in between awesome comments that are like

"Hey I'm so excited to follow you, I hope you'll follow me back!"

I'm sorry but... no. I'm not about that life.

First of all, I'm really mad at you because did you even read my post?

Do you know the kind of blogger you're subscribing to?

Did you read about me first?

Do you know ANYTHING I want you to know about me before following?

Probably not.

And that makes me want to stab you in the neck with a knife! #stepbrothersforlife

I'm not here to win a HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN I GET TO FOLLOW ME IN ONE DAY! contest.

I'm not.

And I'm not flattered by the fact that you followed me because I know you're not reading my content & 

I know you have no intention to. So let's not waste each others time, mkay.

Secondly, I don't care about the number of followers I have.

I care about how many readers I have. 

What's the point of 1000+ followers when only 50 of them read your words?

I will find your blog eventually.

If I love it, I'll follow. If not, I won't. 

Nobody should take that personally.

Just so I'm clear, I'm not going to follow your blog just because you asked me to.

If you're going to even bother commenting, put a little effort into it! Shit.

That's all.

What kind of blogger are you?

And I don't mean like
"Oh me?! I'm a fashion blogger" or
"I blog about fruit & veggies and how it affects your animals!" or
"Well I'm a mom soooo, mom blog!"

No. I mean...

1. Do you post everyday?
2. Are you the kind of blogger with advertisements all over & the sneaky ones that randomly pop up?
3. Do you review products? If so, how often?
4. Would you subscribe to a blog based on the number of  readers they have before checking out their content?
5. Do you host link-ups?
6. Do you host or participate in giveaways?
7. Do you appreciate comments?
8. Are you always happy blogging or does it sometimes feel like a chore?

Imma break down these questions that pop in my head when finding new blogs and/or debating whether to unsubscribe to a blog.

one. Do you post everyday? This is something that is very common among most blogs that I read. I don't mind it. Obviously, if I'm subscribed to read your blog, I'm not going to be upset when you have new posts to read everyday. And if you take 3-4 days in between your posts, I don't mind that either.

two. Advertisements. Okay... c'mon guys. There should be a limit to your side advertisements. I don't like it & I prob won't continue to read. Sorry I'm not sorry. I don't like clutter & I reeaallly don't like when advertisements pop up in the middle of the page and follow me as I scroll down. I'm reading YOUR blog. Not Mr. Clean's.

three. Do you review products? Let's get one thing straight. If you have a product you love and you want to share with your readers, your neighbors & pretty much anyone who will listen, great! I want in on this awesomeness. However, I don't give 2 shits about reading your blog when there is a review 5 days out of the week. My friend told me she unsubscribed to a blog because the blogger was reviewing items/products that she had never even used! Whyyy? Oh you get compensated? Cool... 

four. How do you choose what blogs to read? I have to admit, I was guilty of this awhile back. If I saw there were more than like 500+ readers, I thought well she's got to have something goin' on, look at her readers... When in reality, they sucked and I could care less about what they blogged about. Now after cleaning out my feed & being even more picky about the blogs I choose, I'm happy to scroll down my blogger home feed without the usual, meh...lame...how do 1500 readers love her outfit?...another review...8th post in a row about her lawn...awesome non-existent baby bump, not...

five. Link-ups. Who doesn't love a link-up? I love them. And I know you love them. I've found some of my most favoritest blogs from blog hopping. But I need to know... why the fk would you have a co-hosting fee? Listen, I don't care how many readers you have or how popular your link-up is. You shouldn't charge anything. I don't want to "buy" my readers, but if you are co-hosting a link-up in hopes of some exposure and maybe some new readers, isn't that what you're kinda doing? Are those just my feelings? I want READERS. Not just subscribers.

six. Giveaways. You know I love me some giveaways. I love entering them with the giddy hopes that I'll win. I've hosted 1 giveaway, which was great. It had a good outcome & the winner was very pleased with her prize. But I was glad when it was over with. I didn't enjoy it enough to keep doing it. I've been offered a couple times to promote some things and host another giveaway, but I feel like a teenager who wants to clean the house and then her mom TELLS her to clean the house and then all of the sudden, she doesn't want to do it anymore. My only dilemma, don't over do it! Same thing with the reviews. After a certain point, I don't care anymore what you're giving away because I've unsubscribed to you...

seven. Do you appreciate comments? I've talked about this before, but really. If people are taking their time to comment on your blog, the least you could do is respond back. Right? Right. No if's, and's, or but's about it. Just do it. Even if it's only a quick, thank you! It'll be appreciated on the other end. If you are a comment-er and think you may be getting ignored, go HERE to see if there is something you can do about it on your end.

eight. Are you an always happy blogger? Or does it feel like a chore sometimes? I love blogging. It's one of my most favoritest things to do. I never ever ever want to feel like writing a post or hosting a giveaway is a chore. And once it does, I will probably stop doing it. But for now, it's just a hobby that I'm happily dedicated to.

So what kind of blogger are you?
Whatever kind you are, I'm sure you rock at it.
Unless you fall into 1 or more of these categories, then you prob suck. Ha, kidding!... sorta. 

And if you need more of my bitching, go HERE.

I hope I didn't offend anyone. If I did tho, get over it. Wuss...

Labor Day // Bye Summer

Everyone says the 1st day of Sept marks the start of fall. Well, I've got news for you.

Fall doesn't start till October. Bitches.

What makes you so sure you say? Because that's my birthday month and because I say so.

What?

I 'm going to enjoy the rest of this month half naked as much as I can.

Because while I do love fall {ode to fall coming in oct}, I love my summertime rays.

Summer don't goooo!

My Dreydan is 3.

Um..? Should I be happy about this?

YES. I should be happy about it, but I'm not.

I fee like I say every year, where does the time go?!

But I mean it. Where the fk does it go?

Everyone always tells me "Oooh Emily you just wait! He'll be your age before you know it!"

Oh I know it alright. So the next person who says it will get a FWAP! on their forehead. And a dirty look.

That includes people who tell me to cut his hair... but that's a whole other post.

His party is today too! And as requested, it's all about dinosaurs. I can't wait to see how it turns out :))

My personal photographer, Whitney, will be in attendance and I know she'll snap some good 'uns for me.

And then I'll share with you. Circle of life, people.

Happy Birthday my sweet Dreydan!

Check out his 1st & 2nd year tributes. 

sh*t my kids says

When Dreydan says something that makes me laugh out loud or leaves me staring at the wall thinking WTF just happened?,
I have to write it down. I was looking through that notebook &

these were some of my favorites.

//He ripped off a leg of one of his toys & came running to me...
 Mooom! Look at this.. oh no. Will you fix it?
Sure! Lemme see it.
Well maybe, actually...maybe I should find someone else.

//I asked him once to sing me a song.
Sing? That's so stupid. Maybe you should ask dad.
and then he leaves the room.

//Heard him having some chats with his toys in his room so I walk in and say
Hey dude!Whatcha playin'?
Turns to me with thee most serious face I've ever seen and says 
You should probably go.
And continued to stare at me until I left... What. The. Fuh?

//Going over to his cousin Konnor's house.
Mom, are you SURE we're going to Konnor's? Don't take me to the store. I don't want to shop.

//I sneeze.
Well God bless you, mom! Now say thank you....

//When we argue about anything, he points his finger and says

You stop it right now mom! You don't say that! Get out of my room!

even when we're not in his room.

//Recently he's discovered his balls & asked Tyler what they were. So everyday it's...

Mom check it out, these are my balls! Look mom! Do you have balls too? This is MY ball sack.
THANKS TY. 

//When we're at the park, he attacks random kids with kindness. And it's weird.

Hey you are my friend. My best friend. Are you my brother? Wanna play with me brother?

Dreydan, he's not your brother, stop bein' a creep.

Yes he is my brother! And I'm a dinosaur! He's my baby dinosaur!

//In the car on the way home. He asked for a cupcake & I told him we were going to have dinner first.

We're having donuts for dinner! And after I eat aallll of my donuts, I get cupcakes! OKAY?

//Walks into my room one day and says
Hey mom? Do you have to go potty?
Nope I don't...
Okay well you better let me know when you have to pee!
Walks out.

//While reading to him his fave dinosaur book
What is this dinosaur called?
Oviraptor
I think you're wrong.
The book says it's an Oviraptor.
.....I think this book is wrong.

seriously i could go on & on & on....

Confessions

My hubby gets home today! 

After another 8 looong days, I get to squeeze him in my arms, snuggle him on the couch, make him dinner, watch him play with our boy who misses him oh so much, and...other stuff. Ahem...

I confess...I have a major problem with chips. Like eating them ALL gone the same day I buy them. Not just any chips tho, the Kettle Cooked Mesquite BBQ chips. They are soooo yummy.

~

I confess...I don't match my socks. Ever. I match my hubby's and my 2yr old's socks, but when it comes to mine, it's every man for itself! And I'm totally fine with it.

~

I confess...Yesterday at the DMV, I wanted to find that lady who told me I didn't need my marriage certificate and punch her till she died. stop being melodramatic... okay I didn't want her to die. Just become unconscious or something.

~

I confess...When people tailgate me, it takes everything I have NOT to slam on my brakes. Nothing irritates me more than irresponsible and annoying drivers. Get your shit together people!

~

I confess...I may or may not have road rage issues.

~

I confess...When Ty is away, I have bad dreams about Dreydan dying in the worst ways. Just last night, I had a dream that we were at the park and Drey was playing on the metal bars. One of them broke off, he fell to the ground and the bar came down and smashed his head in. I wake up crying EVERY TIME and I get him from his bed and bring him in with me.

~

I confess...I will do unforgivable things to get something that I want bad enough. Or something I feel that I have deserved ever since mine was broken in a foreign country.... Don't. Ask.

~

I confess...I kinda Dear John-ed a missionary like 1 week after I met Tyler. Does it count if I actually never wrote him a letter telling him I met someone...oops. {he's over it btw}

~

I confess...I drink too much soda. I feel it in my bones. Hi, my name is Emily and I'm addicted to caffeine. 

~

I confess...My phone is always on silent. I miss A LOT of calls but for some reason I don't want it to ring/vibrate/bug me when I don't wanna be bugged. Mmmkay!!

~

I confess...I will always always always have a soft spot in my heart for the elderly, children, gingers, and soldiers.

~

I confess...I kinda like when Ty is away because then I can eat whatever I want. I don't have to cook big meals and can just eat my tuna melts every night.

Have something you wanna confess? You know you do....

Link up!  

sweetest words.

Last weekend my friend Kim & I took Drey to a Snow College football game. 

It was so strange being there without Tyler! Afterall, that IS where him & I became us.

Afterwards, we were walking across the field to the exit gate and Drey slowed down a little bit

then pointed, looked up at me and said "Go say hi dad?" Not only were his words

like a small little prick in my heart but they were so REAL. He had pointed to the opposing

team because their jersey's were red. 

SUU wore red jersey's. 

After every game we'd go say hi to dad.

He remembers. And I love that.

Us
~2009~

A little funny, little random, SO cute!

Remember Max?

I text my mom yesterday and asked what she was doing.

She replied with a picture message that said...

"Taking Max and the bubble wrap for a walk"

I love how random toddlers are.

I'm so glad he's around to keep my mom entertained.

The 'No' word.

Dreydan recently discovered the word No. 

My sweet, sweet baby will point his little finger at me or Tyler and tell us "No no!"... ALL DAY LONG!

I want to say that I get really frustrated when I'm trying to dress him, wash him, feed him, put his shoes on, brush his teeth, change his diaper, clip his nails etc.. all the while he's yelling NO at me, but I can't.

He's too cute when he's mad! Ugghh! Why does it have to be so cute?

 

Telling me 'No'.