Reading through the entries I’ve seen on The Friends You Love blog hop and some over at Shell’s Pour Your Heart Out blog hop I started seeing a resounding theme that seemed to be common to all of us.
“It’s so hard to make friends nowadays”
“I don’t really have many close friends”
“I wish we had more couples to do things with”
And on and on it went. I kept reading and going me too! I know exactly how they feel! Wait, it’s not just me?
The problem isn’t exclusive to women either. My husband has shared the same story with me countless times. The friends he does have really don’t fit in with married life either and we have argued that many times. They are mostly guys he has met through work. On a construction site. Single, into activities that I don’t approve of and definitely wouldn’t be bringing my kids around. But Joey is right when he says to me – “I don’t know anyone else down here though and where am I supposed to meet people anyway?”
Life isn’t the way it use to be. Neighbors aren’t as close or as friendly. People are so into technology that you don’t get personal connection like you use too. Don’t believe me? Look around the next time you’re in line at the grocery store or the bank, odds are people are on their phone either talking, texting or checking Facebook. Actual person to person human interaction is rare. Even when we go to church people don’t really mingle or reach out. And you know what? It sucks. Big Time.
I want more friends. Other couples to hang out with. Have dinner with. Hit the park on the weekend with our kids. A girlfriend to meet up with for lunch. And I know there are so many of you that want the same thing. The question was – how to do it without it being a weird thing? I mean do I just start chatting it up with random people? Hmmm…awkward! Besides, I wouldn’t feel comfortable inviting them back to my house, ya know?
So I decided I’m going to use technology to my favor this time. I know I have quite a few people that read my blog in the Central Florida area. And they probably know more people, who know even more people. So I just need to get this ball rolling and see what I can do with it. So I am proposing a meet up of all of us Central Florida bloggers and friends who do want to meet more people. I’m thinking in a park somewhere. We can do a potluck picnic the first time. I’m leaning toward Lake Monroe Park in Debary for the first meet up. I created a facebook event for it here and I’m spreading the word via Blog Frog and Twitter. I really hope all of you will join in and spread the word too. This will be no commitment – just come out and have a good time. Exchange information with the people you do hit it off with and start some new friendships.
None of this is set in stone yet. We can discuss it on facebook and in my BlogFrog community and decide what days and location work best for all of us. I’ll create an actual sign up list for bringing food and drinks etc. This is just the starting point. Every Thursday I’ll update with the latest detail but I really want this to be successful – I need all of you to help make that a reality!
If you don’t live in Central Florida and wish you could participate I encourage you to start your own meet up and reach out! I think we all have more power than we realize!
Header
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Pour Your Heart Out - My heartfelt thanks
Shell over at Things I Can't Say hosts - Pour Your Heart Out. It is a place to just get whatever is weighing on your heart out. Please be kind to all of the posters.
I will start off by saying I was in no way coerced to write this post. :)
Now, can I just say how much I love Shell without it sounding a little weird.
(Awkward Silence....)
Hmm maybe I should explain!
As I may have mentioned once or twice on this little blog here. I'm currently pregnant with the Jellybean. Now as Murphy's Law would have it for some reason the same time you finally, joyously get pregnant things start happening that drain your checking account at warp speed. Things like day camp for your stepson, trips to Mississippi to bring said step son back, new tires for the hubby's truck to make said trip possible, servicing the AC in the house since mid-July in Florida is no time to be without air conditioning and other fun events. Now ordinarily this would all not be a huge deal. But the problem is that the Jellybean was not content to stay Jellybean sized in there in fact now he's supposedly up to a banana in length and weighs a little more than that. So needless to say - when this 5' tall 98lb mini person started putting on weight my clothes no longer fit me in a hurry.
Then sad reality hit me - MATERNITY CLOTHES ARE PRICEY! And its not like I'll be wearing them for long after the little guy vacates his residence in my uterus. I may have lamented about the lack of funds to buy maternity clothes on here once or twice. My sister gave me some clothes that friends have given her for me. But they weren't maternity clothes so I was going to get a few weeks worth out of them at best.
Then Shell offered to send me some Maternity clothes she had left over.
I about peed myself in excitement when I got the postcard in the mailbox saying my package was ready for me!
I dragged the hubby to the post office with me Saturday and good thing I did since he had to carry this huge, busting at the seams box out to the car for me.
We got it home and I was ready to tear into that bad boy. Until we opened the front door and realized Blue had gotten into the trash while we were out. A quick clean up and then I was begging Joey to bring the box in. (No really, it wasn't pretty! I may have heard him mutter something that had pathetic, hormonal and pregnant in it as he walked back out the door!)
Finally it was time, I grabbed my best kitchen knife, cut the tape and slowly opened the box. I peeled back the flaps and then I heard angels singing.
Shell, honestly from the bottom of my heart I thank you. (As does Joey but I will get to that in a second...) You didn't have to make the offer or the effort but you did anyway. I know it probably seems small to most of you but sometimes its the smallest things that make the biggest difference to people. Remember that folks!
Now for why Joey thanks you - I may have had a slight, tiny little overabundance of clothing prepregnancy. See when you are the smallest one people know you tend to inherit things whenever others grow and you don't. Then there's my family's thrift store addiction and the fact that Joey's aunt now owns a thrift store. My clothing was actually spread out among three closets in the house. I finally mercifully purged it all and made an awesome contribution to our yard sale pile.
Then I couldn't stop "nesting" and finished all the laundry, put clean sheets on the bed and forced Joey to hide in Jellybean's room painting! OOPS!
Finally, to continue the spirit of generosity. Make sure to enter my Diaper Bag Giveaway if you haven't yet!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Hellooooo Nurse or ICLW :)
Welcome to everyone here from ICLW! I’m so glad you decided to stop by. Hopefully once you get to know me you’ll still want to stick around! :)
So as of today I am 2 days away from being 21 weeks pregnant with our Jellybean – a baby boy. The journey to get here though was anything but slam, bam, thank ya ma’am!
I met my future husband in December of 2006. He was my mechanic and I had to break my car..twice.. to get him to ask for my number. All it took though was one date and we have been joined at the hip ever since. No really, his uncle predicted we would be married within a month of our dating. A year and a half later in May of 2008 we were. In July, I decided to go off birth control. My husband already had a daughter and a son from previous relationships but this was to be my first. So I figured it would take me a few months to figure out my cycles and then we would have a BFP. Nice idea in theory.
What I ended up with was two perfect 34 day cycles and then a 30 day cycle, a 43 day cycle. A 52 day cycle which revealed an ovarian cyst. A bunch of visits to the OB/GYN to monitor it. Switching OB’s when my ultrasounds were rescheduled..twice. Then the start of the RE process. After countless tests and a few thousand dollars we came away knowing dh had super sperm and I had long cycles with late ovulation. That’s it. I tried Femara, which was a bust. I had a 43 day cycle and didn’t ovulate until CD 30. MY RE started pushing IUI’s immediately – even though we had only done one medicated cycle. I should have known then that this office was about the big money but I guess my want for baby blinded me. I tried a cycle of Clomid with a trigger shot. For some reason they had me only do 25mg and triggered me way too early. Another BFN. I decided to take a break financially from all the RE craziness.
I did two cycles of soy. Nothing. I went back to my OB who decided to try Clomid again, 50 mg to start. He felt my problem was being underweight. I tried to put on weight. First cycle BFN. Second cycle – my dad ended up in the ICU for 5 days. I took my pills all out of order and I’m not even sure I used OPKs. Not really a time you are in the mood. BFN = of course. We went up to 100mg of Clomid. I made an appointment with a different RE. I had no faith in the 100mg Clomid cycle. Then I had heartburn for the first time ever on our trip to Mississippi to pick up my step son. Weird. My appointment with the new RE was coming up on that Wednesday, May 26 so on Monday the 24th I decided to pee on a stick. To my shock two lines showed up. I peed on another stick the next morning, then a digital, then a blood test and a few more sticks along the way.
HOLY MOLY – WE WERE PREGNANT!
So now, here we are pregnant AFTER infertility. It is possible! I moan and groan along the way. I pop Zantac’s as if they are Tic Tacs. And I love every minute of it. I honestly and sincerely hope everyone reading gets to experience motherhood themselves one way or another. Don’t give up – whatever you do!
For my fellow preggos and new mommies – I’m doing an awesome diaper bag giveaway with The Purse Blogger. Go here for details and good luck!
I hope you all enjoy reading along with me.
So as of today I am 2 days away from being 21 weeks pregnant with our Jellybean – a baby boy. The journey to get here though was anything but slam, bam, thank ya ma’am!
I met my future husband in December of 2006. He was my mechanic and I had to break my car..twice.. to get him to ask for my number. All it took though was one date and we have been joined at the hip ever since. No really, his uncle predicted we would be married within a month of our dating. A year and a half later in May of 2008 we were. In July, I decided to go off birth control. My husband already had a daughter and a son from previous relationships but this was to be my first. So I figured it would take me a few months to figure out my cycles and then we would have a BFP. Nice idea in theory.
What I ended up with was two perfect 34 day cycles and then a 30 day cycle, a 43 day cycle. A 52 day cycle which revealed an ovarian cyst. A bunch of visits to the OB/GYN to monitor it. Switching OB’s when my ultrasounds were rescheduled..twice. Then the start of the RE process. After countless tests and a few thousand dollars we came away knowing dh had super sperm and I had long cycles with late ovulation. That’s it. I tried Femara, which was a bust. I had a 43 day cycle and didn’t ovulate until CD 30. MY RE started pushing IUI’s immediately – even though we had only done one medicated cycle. I should have known then that this office was about the big money but I guess my want for baby blinded me. I tried a cycle of Clomid with a trigger shot. For some reason they had me only do 25mg and triggered me way too early. Another BFN. I decided to take a break financially from all the RE craziness.
I did two cycles of soy. Nothing. I went back to my OB who decided to try Clomid again, 50 mg to start. He felt my problem was being underweight. I tried to put on weight. First cycle BFN. Second cycle – my dad ended up in the ICU for 5 days. I took my pills all out of order and I’m not even sure I used OPKs. Not really a time you are in the mood. BFN = of course. We went up to 100mg of Clomid. I made an appointment with a different RE. I had no faith in the 100mg Clomid cycle. Then I had heartburn for the first time ever on our trip to Mississippi to pick up my step son. Weird. My appointment with the new RE was coming up on that Wednesday, May 26 so on Monday the 24th I decided to pee on a stick. To my shock two lines showed up. I peed on another stick the next morning, then a digital, then a blood test and a few more sticks along the way.
HOLY MOLY – WE WERE PREGNANT!
So now, here we are pregnant AFTER infertility. It is possible! I moan and groan along the way. I pop Zantac’s as if they are Tic Tacs. And I love every minute of it. I honestly and sincerely hope everyone reading gets to experience motherhood themselves one way or another. Don’t give up – whatever you do!
For my fellow preggos and new mommies – I’m doing an awesome diaper bag giveaway with The Purse Blogger. Go here for details and good luck!
I hope you all enjoy reading along with me.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Friends You Love -- Laura @ The Purse Blogger
We challenge you to dig into your "followers" list and find a follower you don't know well (someone who doesn't comment regularly) and reach out to them and ask them to do a guest post on YOUR blog. Link up with your guest post and have your new friend (guest poster) link up as well!
First off - I guest posted for Adrienne at Stories from the Shoebox - Check that out here -
This week I chose Laura from The Purse Blogger. I think we stumbled across each others blogs from Shell's Pour Your Heart Out blog hop. When I saw this opportunity come up I just knew I had to have Laura over here for a guest post. She is witty and sincere ! Plus she sells what every girl loves - PURSES! (Hence - The Purse Blogger) Speaking of her awesome products - Laura has been nice enough to team up with me on a diaper bag giveaway as I get my feet wet in the giveaway business. Head over here to read the rules and enter. Please make sure to stop by her blog and show her some love too. After all isn't that what this blog hop is all about?
Now I'll let The Purse Blogger do the talking...
I want to thank Di for asking me to guest post for her for the Friends You Love bloghop. I was so flattered she'd even want me to and also a bit nervous because this is my first ever guest post. I have loved getting to know Di and I can't wait until she has her baby. She is a wonderful bloggy friend and I'm so glad she is mine.
While telling a friend of mine I was asked to write a guest post and was trying to decide what to write, this friend suggested I should share a recipe. At first I thought, "Yeah right" but the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. So, to give a little history behind this recipe, I wrote the following:
I married into a family that knows how to cook. The meals and treats I've had are to die for. My husband also loves to cook and I couldn't be happier about that. He would make dinner every night if he could. He is a gourmet cook. He doesn't like to make things half way, he wants to make his dishes in what I call the hard way. :) I appreciate that about him but I don't have the patience to stand in the kitchen for hours. Even though I consider myself a pretty good cook, he goes above and beyond.
He learned this from his mom and his dad. They are both great cooks. His mom has made some of the most delicious Thanksgiving dinners I've ever had. Her homemade rolls make my mouth water just thinking about them. Her homemade pumpkin pie, delicious! I've gotten some really good recipes from her over the years. One of my favorites though, has nothing to do with Thanksgiving dinner. It's a basic but yummy recipe that I never tire of. My whole family loves it and I love that it's homemade. She is famous in the family for this recipe and I'm sharing it here today. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do.
Granola
2-4 c. rolled oats
1 c. chopped nuts
½ c. coconut
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. melted butter
Mix together and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 min., stirring once mid-baking. Pour back into a mixing bowl while it is still hot and add:
½ c. wheat germ
½ c. honey (more or less to taste)
Spread back on cookie sheet and bake for 3-4 min. Let cool completely on cookie sheet. Once it is cool add additional toppings (raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips, etc.)
As a matter of fact, I think I better go make some of this now. I love that it is super easy to make and it is not time consuming. It also makes enough to last for a while and it stays fresh. You can have it for your morning cereal or for a yummy snack. Go ahead and try it. Let me know how you like it. :)
The Purse Blogger Diaper Bag Giveaway!
Baby Jellybean is a super generous kid and he has already picked out the first giveaway we are doing at 20 weeks along. We have teamed up with Laura at
to give away a very, very cute diaper bag!
%5B1%5D.jpg)
Adorable two strapped Diaper Bag in brown with zipper and strapped over snap closing. Inside has two compartments w/ a zippered pocket and two pouches. Also comes with a changing pad.
Is that not the cutest bag ever? I love the way it looks and the fact that it can pass as a purse too!
So would you like to get your hands on one of these too? Have a baby shower coming up and at a loss as to what to get? Well enter our giveaway by September 30, 2010 and you too can be a stylish momma with one of these bags!
How to enter:
In order to enter my giveaway, you MUST be a public follower of my blog and The Purse Blogger through Google Friend Connect. To follow, click on the "Follow" button on our blogs. If you are not a follower and you enter my giveaway, ALL of your comments will be automatically forfeited.
1). Go to The Purse Blogger and then come back to tell me which purse or diaper bag you like best (you MUST be a public follower of my blog to enter this giveaway, and your profile can not be set at private).
2.) Go to The Purse Blogger and leave her a comment too! (you MUST be a public follower of The Purse Blogger to enter this giveaway, and your profile can not be set at private).
How to earn additional entries (please leave a separate comment for each additional entry):
3.) Blog about my giveaway- with a link back to here, when you leave the comment make sure you include the URL of where your post of my giveaway is. Write about why you would like to win this giveaway and provide a link back to this post. The Contest ends Sep 30th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. Blogging about my giveaway earns 2 additional entries.
4.) Like me on Facebook for 2 additional entries.
5.) Follow me on Twitter for 2 additional entries.
6.) Follow The Purse Blogger on Twitter for 2 additional entries
7.) Grab my button and display my button on your blog or website. Then come back to tell me what your website or blog address is, make sure to leave an url address so I can check it. Grabbing my button is worth 5 additional entries.
8.) Grab The Purse Blogger button and display her button on your blog or website. Then come back to tell me what your website or blog address is, make sure to leave an url address so I can check it. Grabbing her button is worth 5 additional entries.
9.) Tweet about this giveaway. Please tweet the following: " I want to win The Purse Blogger's Diaper Bag @ http://littlebitlife.blogspot.com". After your tweet, please leave me the url of your tweet so I can check. You can retweet once a day for 1 entry each time.
Legalese:
* Lucky winner will be selected through True Random Number Generator.
* If your profile page does not show your email address, please include your email address in your comment.
* If your profile page does not show your email address, please include your email address in your comment.
*I did not receive any form of compensation from the company.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Building the nest
Wait - before you read any further - did you get to read yesterday's fun Q&A post?
No?
What's wrong with you people? Get over there now! Dang it.
Now as you guys know I usually get this post up late Thursday night but I have a really good reason why I didn't last night. Ready for a new feature? Okay here we go -
Jellybean: Umm.. Mom - what "stuff" is that? I can't really see in here and it's kinda dark...
For now buddy - It's all getting stuffed in here so Daddy can paint.
I know - We're on it already!
Jellybean: Are you nagging at me on that already, Mom? I mean you have plenty of time. I'm not coming out for awhile yet. Is this that nesting thing already?
Looks like I need to teach you the fine art of knowing when to shut your mouth , Son. As soon as I teach your Dad how to do it that is!
Does your pregnancy seem to be going fast or slow? FAST! Can't believe I'm halfway there!
How far along are you? 20 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss? 12-15 lbs depending on the scale. Don't know how since I haven't eaten that much this past week!
Wedding rings - on or off?On and spinning around still
Stretch marks? no new ones yet
How are you feeling generally? Meh..this wasn't a great week. Pretty bad indigestion and just sooo tired.
Weekly BOOO HOOOO? See above!
Weekly WHOO HOOO? We bought paint for the baby room and a friend of ours gave us the motherload of baby stuff.
Did you buy anything for baby this week? Paint and closet doors
Are you reading any baby books/magazines? If so, which ones? Just whatever I get in the mail. American baby, Parents, etc.
Have you started a registry yet? Yep and I hope to finish it up this weekend. We are also going to a baby shower expo on Sunday.
Do you have any new U/S pics to share? Not until Oct 6
1. What is the first nightmare you remember?
This is going to sound freaky to some people but my earliest nightmares were somewhat clairvoyant. The first I can remember had to do with a friend of my parents. He was being chased through our neighborhood in NY and was being shot at. Not two days later he was mugged and beaten up pretty badly on the subway. Weird, huh?
2. Even if you're not a sports fan, what's your favorite sport to play/watch?
Gymnastics - once its in your blood you just can't get it out!
3. If you could pull off one piece of trendy fashion, what would you want it to be (jeggings, hats, thigh high boots, etc.)?
You are asking a 5' tall, pregnant chick what trendy piece of fashion she would like to be able to pull off? Anything that was somewhat trendy would be fab. Maternity capris look like baggy jeans on me. Maternity jeans have my crotch down around my knees. It's a hot look - I'm telling ya!
4. Did you make good grades in school?
For the most part - yes. We were raised in a household where straight A's were expected not a welcome surprise. I went through my I don't give a crap phases in high school (My senioritis hit junior year - I always was an overachiever!) but even in college I managed to make the presidents list with straight A's twice!
5. What magazines do you subscribe to?
They are all baby and parenting related right now. Joey gets Maxim too. And they are all free subscriptions!
No?
What's wrong with you people? Get over there now! Dang it.
Now as you guys know I usually get this post up late Thursday night but I have a really good reason why I didn't last night. Ready for a new feature? Okay here we go -
Conversations with "The Jellybean"
Jellybean: Hey Mom, whatchya doing?
Well Jellybean, I'm trying to get all this stuff that someone gave us for you organized and put away.
Jellybean: Umm.. Mom - what "stuff" is that? I can't really see in here and it's kinda dark...
Oh just a few things -
Jellybean: Wow all that stuff is for me? Where are you going to put it all?
Jellybean: Wow all that stuff is for me? Where are you going to put it all?
For now buddy - It's all getting stuffed in here so Daddy can paint.
Jellybean: Mooom! The closet doors are all busted up!
I know - We're on it already!
Jellybean: Wow - it's pretty bare in here now.Aren't you supposed to be taking it easy?
The room wasn't going to clean itself, son.
Jellybean: Are you nagging at me on that already, Mom? I mean you have plenty of time. I'm not coming out for awhile yet. Is this that nesting thing already?
Looks like I need to teach you the fine art of knowing when to shut your mouth , Son. As soon as I teach your Dad how to do it that is!
How far along are you? 20 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss? 12-15 lbs depending on the scale. Don't know how since I haven't eaten that much this past week!
Wedding rings - on or off?On and spinning around still
Stretch marks? no new ones yet
How are you feeling generally? Meh..this wasn't a great week. Pretty bad indigestion and just sooo tired.
Weekly BOOO HOOOO? See above!
Weekly WHOO HOOO? We bought paint for the baby room and a friend of ours gave us the motherload of baby stuff.
Did you buy anything for baby this week? Paint and closet doors
Are you reading any baby books/magazines? If so, which ones? Just whatever I get in the mail. American baby, Parents, etc.
Have you started a registry yet? Yep and I hope to finish it up this weekend. We are also going to a baby shower expo on Sunday.
Do you have any new U/S pics to share? Not until Oct 6
1. What is the first nightmare you remember?
This is going to sound freaky to some people but my earliest nightmares were somewhat clairvoyant. The first I can remember had to do with a friend of my parents. He was being chased through our neighborhood in NY and was being shot at. Not two days later he was mugged and beaten up pretty badly on the subway. Weird, huh?
2. Even if you're not a sports fan, what's your favorite sport to play/watch?
Gymnastics - once its in your blood you just can't get it out!
3. If you could pull off one piece of trendy fashion, what would you want it to be (jeggings, hats, thigh high boots, etc.)?
You are asking a 5' tall, pregnant chick what trendy piece of fashion she would like to be able to pull off? Anything that was somewhat trendy would be fab. Maternity capris look like baggy jeans on me. Maternity jeans have my crotch down around my knees. It's a hot look - I'm telling ya!
4. Did you make good grades in school?
For the most part - yes. We were raised in a household where straight A's were expected not a welcome surprise. I went through my I don't give a crap phases in high school (My senioritis hit junior year - I always was an overachiever!) but even in college I managed to make the presidents list with straight A's twice!
5. What magazines do you subscribe to?
They are all baby and parenting related right now. Joey gets Maxim too. And they are all free subscriptions!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
