bliss list ~ february

A quick month, February was.  But still things to love.  Here's my list of bliss:

Coffee Grinder ~ This was a Christmas gift from my parents and Hubby and I L-O-V-E it!  We currently use the self-timer option on our coffee maker during the week to finish up some ground coffee we had but on the weekends, it's whole bean, all the way.  There is definitely a difference in taste and when we actually have time to enjoy a cup or two, our grinder is a great perk.

Stretchy Pants ~ Thanks to my buddy, Michelle's post, I was reminded by how much I love these pants.  Without looking back, I can probably guarantee they have made previous lists but with all of the snow days and cold weather weekends, they have been a wardrobe staple this month.  I seriously need another pair!

Awards Season ~ Yep, I'll admit it.  I like award shows.  I don't have to watch every minute but I do like to have it on to glance at every now and then.  And even more shameful to admit - I really like the red carpet.  Yes, I'm one of those people.  So when it's cold and crummy out January and February, the awards are my vacation.



Time with Hubby ~ Last weekend Hubby and I were lucky to enjoy a night alone.  Just the two of us...no friends, no family, no baby (although we did miss her and enjoyed frequent pictures and videos via text).  My parents agreed (without my convincing) to come to visit and stay with Nora while we enjoyed a night away.  Thanks to Groupon, our night was relatively cheap but very fun!  We stayed in downtown KC at Hotel Phillips.  Fun to stay at an older hotel with a more modern feel.

We enjoyed a complimentary bottle of wine at the hotel restaurant and then hit the town.  A little wine and cheese at Tannin Wine Bar (formally known as JP's Wine Bar), yummy rolls at Nara, and some good beers at The Flying Saucer.  We had so much fun!  And we even stayed out until 10:30 pm (our goal was 10:00...just made it!). Knowing Nora was in excellent hands, we can't wait for the opportunity to do something like that again.  Time alone with Hubby is a rarity these days.

The Babe ~ It would be a bliss list if I didn't include the thing I love the most.

Wondering about last February's Bliss List?  Click here.

icky days

We've been giving out a few extra snuggles lately.

I'm happy to report she is on the mend and eyes and smiles are a little brighter.  Is it bad that we found her misery a litte bit adorable?

pedestal {help needed}

My fun little pedestal needs some help.  It has been sitting empty since I put away holiday decorations.  This is its current state - empty, sad on my mantel.

This was its look in fall:



And this was its look in winter:

We need a new look.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Ideas for inspiration?  I welcome help!

 

blog award!

I was passed on a little blog award last week.

I've never received a blog award before and it's always exciting to know people are reading my ramblings about my life.  The award comes with a few rules:

Thank and link back to the person who awarded me this award.

Thanks Erin @ Tales of Our Journey...!  Erin and I started reading one anothers blogs a little over a year ago.  I've never met Erin except through the blog world and she's always so sweet to read and comment on my writing and I try to return the favor.

Share 7 things about myself.

1) I'm a mom, which is still a crazy thing for me to grasp!  Over the past 6 months I have learned a lot about myself and how much more value there is to my life.  I love this little girl of mine!

2) I like to run and used to be a very avid runner.  It all started in 5th grade when I joined Track Club and continued through Junior and High School as I joined the Track and Cross Country teams.  Running didn't always favor me...I suffered two stress fractures in High School - one in my leg and the other in my foot.  An interesting fact:  I haven't run in a race since High School but am working hard as I'm entering to run in KC's upcoming Trolley Run and the Rock and Roll Marathon (will run a half) in Phoenix next January.

3) I have two amazing siblings.  I'm the oldest and would like to think they have always looked up to me and I have been a huge influence in their lives.  :)  Really though, we enjoyed each other in our childhood and have a new and fun relationship in adulthood.  I love spending time with my family and always look forward to the laughs we'll have together.



4) I really like coffee.  I start out every morning with a cup of coffee.  Typically during the week I drink from my travel rug but on the weekends I love to sit down with a cup to read the paper or blogs.  But something else about me...I can't drink warm coffee past 10:30 am.  Not sure why but it just loses it's luster after that point.  But iced coffee...any time!

5) I have a thing for dishes.  When I'm at a home store I can't resist looking through their collection of plates, bowls, glasses, mugs, and serving ware.  Lucky for Hubby, we've filled our kitchen cupboards to the max and we don't have a hutch (a wish list item!) so I have to keep my dish buying to a minimum.  Hubby however does know of my eye for dishes and surprised me with these last year.

6) I love to read magazines.   I think about 3 came for me the other night and Hubby remarked, "You sure get a lot of magazines."  He is right.  I just like them.  They're easy to read, quick, you can read them put them down, come back and find your spot again, and they have lots of good tips.  So I will keep my magazines, thank you!

7) I celebrated my 30th birthday in the hospital.  Not as dramatic as it sounds.  The night of my 30th we went in to begin my induction.  Not quite the 30th birthday most people plan for but two days later I received the best present anyone could ask for.

Toss this award to three other bloggers.

For this one I'm choosing...

Michelle @ The Herrig Family

Krystle @ Ruffles & Heels

Sarah @ pewter+sage

Great ladies, great blogs.

music monday

I love this one.

6 months

Half a year already. Unbelievable.

{0 months}

{6 months}

long weekend

Looking forward to some nice weather, a long weekend, a visit from my parents, and a night out and away with my Hubby. See you all next week!

winter weekend {part 3} + a note on friends

This past weekend we traveled home to Nebraska for my lovely friend, Sarah's 30th birthday party.  We stayed with my other lovely friend, Leah and her husband and baby boy, Archie.  Let me tell you a little about these two ladies.  They have been two of my best friends for more years than I can count up in my head.  I met Leah as a 5 year old in Sunday School and we both met Sarah in Junior High School.  Our friendship strengthened through the years and has seen many life milestones together...high school graduation, college, first real jobs, marriage, and now children.  Though we all live in different cities we are still besties and can pick up right where we left off.

{my wedding - 2007}

{Leah's wedding - 2008}

{Sarah's wedding - 2010}

{us with our Hubbies --- did I mention we all married computer geeks?}

We've been through a lot together, us three.  And I am so glad I got to be there when both Leah and Sarah entered their 30's.  30.  Can hardly believe we're all 30.  As I type it, it seems impossible.  The memories I have with these two are insurmountable.  We still laugh at our "remember when" stories and still know what one another is thinking.  I love that we have known each other for decades and no without any doubt will continue to enjoy each other in the decades to come.  After all, our kiddos are already instant buddies.

Leah, me and our babes.  We are giving Sarah some time...she needs to enjoy married life for a bit!  We'll catch her the next time.  :)  All three (plus our Hubbies AND our babies) are looking forward to many more years and memories together. 

So thankful for best friends.

my sweet valentine

finish this sentence

If I won a free makeover for one room in my house, I would...


Make over our laundry room.

Our laundry room is kind of eh.  It serves its purpose...a place to wash and dry clothes, house some cleaning supplies, store sheets and towels, but it's quite boring.  I've been vowing to paint it for about 2 1/2 years now and still haven't done it {and the room isn't that big, people!}.  We're also a little less than thrilled with our washer and dryer.  We bought our home and these appliances right as front loaders were becoming popular...and they also came with a hefty price tag.  One Hubby and I weren't fully ready to succumb to in our very early newlywed years.  But now with Nora, we are doing laundry a lot more frequently and with her diapers, our washer and dryer are whirling nearly every other day.

So, if I won a free makover for a room in my house, I would make over my laundry room.  And here are a few pictures for inspiration.

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Wondering what other people might do if they won a free room makeover?  Head over to It's Great To Be Home where blogger Liz is hosting a finish this sentence blog party.  You might find some great inspiration!

good reads

I got my first issue of House Beautiful magazine last night!  It was a gift from my mom this Christmas and I've been looking forward to its arrival.  Not that I have tons of time to read these days but a magazine is easy to pick up when I do have the time.  So excited to flip through these glossy pages!

And in other reading news, I finished my naptime project this week.  It extended a little past naptime but I'm pretty proud I was able to finish a book.

It held my interest all the way through but the end put it over the top...went from a 3 star rating to a 4.  If you're looking for a quick read, this is a good one to turn to.

let's talk dips

Hubby, Nora, and I were invited to a Super Bowl party this past Sunday.  We were asked to bring something to share and I wanted to bring something new.  I'm a dip lover.  Love taco dip, Rotel dip, cheese dip, french onion dip...it's all good to me.  But I wanted to us to do something a little different than the predictable.  Enter this fabulous poblano chile bean dip.

Want to make it?

1 poblano chile pepper

2 15 oz. cans of kidney beans, drained

3 Tbsp. butter

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 closes garlic, minced

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Place poblano under a hot broiler, blister and char the skin.  Place in bowl and cover.  Let stand and cool.  Add kidney beans to a food processor and pulse until mashed.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add butter and melt, then add onions and garlic.  Saute until soft.  Stir in the beans, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and hot sauce.  Peel, seed, and chop poblano and add to skillet.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Serve warm with crackers.

Unique and so good!  If you're in need for an easy but different dip, give this one a try.

music monday

Beatles love.

snow day

I've just experienced my seventh snow day of the season.  That's a lot.  I don't doubt many were necessary and although I'm not looking forward to the extended school year or the lack of upcoming (once scheduled) vacation days, it was sure sweet to spend some extra days with Nora.  We didn't do much --- played, read, ate, napped --- but it was quite fun.  Nora changes so quickly and I was excited to watch some new discoveries...like spinning around in her exersaucer and fully playing with the toys on it, attempting to hold her own bottle, and giving me big smiles whenever I smiled at her.  This year's snow days have definitely ranked at the top.  Here's some shots of our days together.

{woke up smiling from naps AND slept until 7:30 am each morning!}

{loving playtime on her activity mat and in her jumperoo}

{keeping busy in the kitchen}

{tummy time}

{and rest}

{up again}

{and rest}

{skyping with Auntie Kylie}

{more playtime...getting into that exersaucer!}

{ready to brave the weather and head to the grocery store}

{what an exhausting trip!}

Nora is so active and busy these days.  If she's lying down, she wants to kick and pull on her legs.  If she's sitting, she wants to stand.  She still likes to be held but I have a feeling those days are limited.  Over the past couple of weeks I've tried to cuddle more with Nora.  For some reason, I don't feel like I took full advantage of that cuddle time in her early days.  I know we held her a lot but I fell victim to thinking I needed to take care of other things too and I fear more often than necessary I chose silly tasks over taking time to hold and cuddle Nora while she was sleeping.  She does such a great job falling to sleep on her own now that I don't find harm in snuggling with her a bit if she falls asleep in my arms after a bottle before nap or bed.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Today was one of those times I actually felt like a mom.  I laid Nora down for her afternoon nap and like usual, no problems and she fell right to sleep.  After about 40 minutes I heard her fuss.  Pretty normal so I waited a few minutes and went up and gave her the pacifier.  Not more than 10 minutes later I heard her crying again.  I let her cry for a bit but her cry was more than just fussing, it sounded a little distressed.  I went up to offer her the pacifier and she looked me right in the eye and grabbed my hand as if to say, "Don't go, Mom".  I backed out of the room and stood right by the door.  Piercing cries that broke my heart.  I went back in and as soon as she saw me she quieted.  Normally we don't take Nora out of her crib until naptime is over but I could tell something wasn't right.  This mom needed to break the rules.  I took her out and her crying continued.  I sat down on the bed with her, rocked and hummed to her.  After letting out a little burp she laid her head against me, relaxed, and closed her eyes.  It was a bad bubble that was disrupting her sleep.  I was able to rock her to sleep and felt comfort in the fact that I was able to comfort her.  A true mom moment, I believe.  So I thank you, blizzard.  I needed that moment with my daughter.