Old friends

This weekend, Super Dad Paul and Tanner had some quality Daddy/son time while I got to go have some MUCH needed and MUCH appreciated girl time with some old and dear friends.

Saturday I went to a bachelorette party for an old pageant friend, Brooke, who is getting married in just 2 short weeks. It was actually her second for all the people who couldn't make her first bachelorette party (long story and ONLY Brooke could pull off 2 fabulous parties) It was such a fun night and had a collection of women who didn't really know each other that well but all had ties with Brooke. It was fun to go eat FABULOUS food, chit chat and go out with all these fabulous women. One of those nights where basically all of started as strangers but ended up friends and having a GREAT time!! And it was AWESOME to see Brooke again. Our usual is meeting up once a year even though we ALWAYS say it should be more often. Either way, the time we do hang out is always a blast and full of fun.

On Sunday I also got to catch up with a good friend who is getting married, my old roomie, Kristin. We went to our old favorite hang out, Legend's in Minneapolis for Bloody Marys and some greasy but delicious food. It was nice catching up and chatting about anything and everything. It is funny because her and I used to go out in our "single days" and and have so much fun. Things are definitely different now but we are still just as fabulous!

Having these experiences this weekend with some old friends who I do not see very often makes me feel very fortunate to have such relationships in my life. Things are always changing- weddings, kids, moving from here to there, etc. , but having friends that you have not seen in ages and being able to pick up exactly where you left off is one of the little but important things. It makes this crazy unpredictable ride of life we are all on just THAT much more enjoyable.

I know not everyone spends the time and energy to be a good friend, I mean a TRUE good friend who doesn't judge, who makes time, who is REAL, who listens, who understands, who supports, who doesn't compete with you, who laughs with you and accepts you and your mistakes/shortfalls. I am feel VERY lucky to have women in my life who do all these things. Also, I strive to be a good friend to the important ladies in my life. Even when things get crazy and/or busy I still try and make time for the wonderful women in my life. Even if it just a quick card in the mail or meeting for Sunday brunch whenever we can find the time.

So cheers to ladies out there who have true and awesome girlfriends that enrich our lives!!

What a life

Tanner was playing with his Tigger toy this morning and right in the middle of wrestling him down, decided a nap was in order. Oh the life of a baby.....

Hey Mom-Look what I can do

A couple weeks ago, Tanner learned how to screech and squeal. He now continues to screech at toys, people, himself in the mirror and just about anything and everything. It consumes a majority of his awake/playtime. (The only time he gets REAL quiet is usually when I bust out the camera) Today I caught him in action (barely). This is a little taste of my screaming/giggling baby. He thinks he's pretty darn cool. I just think he's pretty darn cute and funny!

5 Months old

Tanner is 5 months old today!  Time is flying but he is learning more and more each day. I  thought I’d make a list of some of the things he can do so far and his favorite 5 month old activities:

Rolling over (stomach to back)

Grabbing toys (or anything for that matter) and chewing on it

Switching toys from hand to hand

Giggling @ silly faces

Blowing bubbles and spitting with his tongue

Taking showers with Daddy (and giggling when he gets under the shower spout)

Holds his bottle

Getting the hang of eating off a spoon (applesauce and rice cereal)

LOVES his jumperoo

Loves dancing and trying to sing with Mommy when she is singing

Smiling

Turning to look at faces and people when they are talking

Squealing (high pitched, continuous and hilarious)

Turning and smiling when he hears his name

Have laugh attack fits when he gets tickled, bounced, or roughed up a little

Sleeping through the night (Thankfully this has been the case from about 3 months)

Sitting up (just for a little bit with out toppling over)

Opening his mouth to give mommy kisses when she puckers up and smacks her lips

AND MOST OF ALL BEING THE CUTEST LITTLE BOY A MOMMY AND DADDY could ask for!!!

 

I can’t wait to keep watching all the changes and things he continues to learn and feel ABSOLUTLEY soooooooo grateful that I get to spend my days at home taking care of him!!!

mmmm...

Cute Baby....Messy face...'nough said!!

2 down…rest of our lives to go

I know I have been missing from the blogging world lately...it seems that the busy summer has gotten the best of me :) (And taken the cleanliness of my house with too)

BUT- Today all that does NOT matter because I am celebrating 2 -count em- TWO years of marriage to my WONDERFUL husband Paul!! I doesn't seem like a super long time but looking back on all the changes and things we have done in those 2 years it seems like we have been through a lot together and still love each other more than we did when we said "I do"!! (I even got those butterflies in my stomach the other day when he kissed me...Just like I got before our first kiss when we were dating)

Now before I make anyone puke with my lovey dovey crap... Let me just say I do NOT claim to have a perfect marriage by any means because frankly - it does NOT exist. (Sorry for any of you hopeless romantics out there who still have fairy tale images of what a married couple is "supposed" to be)

It is not perfect but seems to be perfect for us.
Paul and I are REAL- we laugh at each other, we fart in front of each other, we eat frozen pizzas when neither one of us feel like cooking, we like to veg out and watch TV together, we argue about who does more around the house, we like to compete (jokingly) to be the better parent (I always win this one of course), we are constantly on the run and usually running late, we forget to call people back, we pass the baby off on the other when one of us is feeling tired/lazy, we use separate blankets in bed because I am a blanket hog and Paul is too skinny and gets cold with out covers, we don't like to do dishes, we use paper/rock/scissors to settle disagreements, we make bets over stupid stuff (like what are the EXACT dates of the county fair is), we NEVER make our bed (only when guests are coming over that might want a "tour" of our house), we watch the Chelsea Lately and the Colbert Report almost every night, we LOVE coffee and used to love cigarettes too but had to drop one bad habit so tossed out the Marlboros  (right after we got married), we buy cheap beer and boxed wine and think that is "fancy" enough for us, MOST of all we love each other and try to not go a day without letting the other person know that. Even if that day we love each other for one of the stupid reasons I listed above.

Paul helps me be the BEST version of myself and I think that is the true secret to a "perfect" marriage. I know I help him too and together we are building a life and a family that makes our relationship even more complete (flaws and all). I wouldn't have it any other way and wouldn't want to be on this crazy wild ride with anyone else!!

Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.

~Antoine de Saint-Exupery