Spring in Bloom

Spring is in full bloom at my house. I guess it's past time for me to take my Christmas wreath off the front door. Yikes, I know. I call it my winter wreath to justify leaving it there for the entire season, but yes it has holly berries and red on it.

Here's some surprises that popped up in my yard this week. I love that the people who lived here before us invested in lots of annuals so every spring we have little surprises all over. I tried to plant stuff. It went in the ground, and pretty stayed right where I put it. Oh well, like I said, yay, for the people who successfully made these flowers happen for me. On the other hand, I can take credit for the baby...

Best Big Sister

I have said it before and I'll say it again, Addison has the best big sister ever! Bella spends alot of time at this window which means, now that Addison is crawling and starting to pull up, Addison is spending some time here too! 

pulling up to see out the window...

stopping to give Bella a hug...

back to check out the view...

looking at Bella outside...

My Baby Daddy

This weekend Matt and I went to Charleston for our annual visit to Matt's liver doctor at MUSC. We got a great report from the doctor. Through very strategic math equations (*sarcasm*), a renown liver doctor was able to tell us that Matt has a 98% chance of surviving the next four years. We think this is pretty funny.  Honestly, I think we probably have less than 98% chance of surviving if you drive a car daily, so that's a pretty great report, however funny it comes across. After some blood work and an amazingly quick doctor visit, we had some fun time to spend in the city.

 Matt and I lived in Charleston from 2000 to 2008 so we think of it fondly and love to go back and visit. We always go to Fleet Landing for some seafood when we are there. We sit outside on the water and literally, watch dolphins in the harbor while eating some a-mazing seafood. If you ever visit Charleston, this is where you must eat. Here's what you'll see...

On another note, I have loved seeing my unruly husband become such a wonderful father over the past 9 months. We went to waterfront park where we also went on one of our first dates.  It was amazing to see him interacting with our beautiful girl but in the back of my mind I was reminiscing on that date, where he excused himself to go pee in the bushes. And I still married him.

Anyway, here are a few fun pictures we took while in the park.

coleslaw and other must-haves.

Coleslaw. 
It's one of those foods that you can love AND hate, depending on who makes it. Well, a couple months ago, Mama Dody, Matt's grandmother, made a very unique coleslaw that was amazing! So for the first time, I got the recipe and made coleslaw myself. Not only did I make it, but Matt doesn't eat it, so I pretty much ate all of it. In 4 days. On Friday morning around 9:30am I was asking, "Is it too early to eat coleslaw?" Nahhh. A few days later, I was asking myself, "can you eat too much coleslaw, cause I'm not feeling so swell." "Is it possible that I'm pregnant because I'm only eating coleslaw and girl scout cookies... that can't be normal." (and I'm having a lot of conversations with myself...)

So, for all you coleslaw lovers, here's the recipe and it's super easy and good for you, unless you eat it all at once.

1 bag shredded cabbage (I got the one with red and green cabbage and carrots)
1 cup craisins (yum!)
1/2 cup toasted almonds ( I already had a bag of the honey roasted almonds salad toppers so I used those)
1/4 cup green onions
1/2 cup mayo
1 tbsp. sweet relish
1 tbsp. honey
salt and pepper to taste

I left these out but if you like them, you can also add celery and green peppers.

Coffee.
Currently, Matt and I are pretty much on a no-recreational spending budget, but the last couple of months I've really been wanting a keurig (find out why here). I mentioned this to Matt a couple weeks ago (and then casually mentioned that I have a May birthday, which happens to be the day before my very first Mother's Day), and I think he picked up on the not-so-subtle hint. Matt needed some contacts from Lenscrafters at the mall Saturday and since it was rainy outside we strolled around the mall with Addison for a little while. We were in Bed Bath and Beyond (and let me reiterate, it was a cold dreary, coffee drinking kind-of day) and I had a 20% off coupon in the diaper bag and so Matt agreed to give me my birthday/mothers day present early as long as I remember on my birthday that I already got my awesome present.

This coffee lover is in coffee heaven. But let me assure you, after I drink the pods that came with the keurig, I'll have to make sure I get decaf. I had one cup of caffeinated coffee at 2:00 p.m. and I still couldn't sleep that night. Maybe, it was the caffeine, or maybe I was just super excited about waking up in the morning and having another one.

Shoes.
Addison has been crawling for a couple weeks now and she is quite the cruiser. Her newfound freedom, also means she is less interested in all these cool toys in her toy basket and more interested in other things she's not allowed to have. *enter* shoes.  Matt and I both kick off our shoes in the living room when we sit down and Addison makes a beeline for them. So I've been dropping them behind the chair so they aren't in her line of sight. We have quite a collection now, and Addison has figured out where they are. She abandons the toys and cruises right around the chair to find her shoe-mecca. This is driving me crazy, since I think shoes are pretty much the dirtiest things there are. Think about where your shoes have been. I guess we'll have to start putting our shoes back in the closet where they belong. ha. and yes, addison is still wearing her christmas pj's.

Books.
My parents are opening a Christian bookstore in Asheville. Growing up as a PK, I have watched my dad take huge steps of faith, without always knowing what the outcome would be. I've also watched as God always came through and blessed our family through his Christian ministry. I can't wait to see what God will do this time! The books will be 50-75% off retail price!  When I was helping them last week, I saw soo many titles that I can't wait to read. They are also going to have a little coffee nook with some cafe tables where people can sit, and drink and read!  I'm also super excited because with my work background,  I've been able to do some design work from home, helping them get the store up and running. Here's the logo..

The Dress.
Lastly, I've been seriously considering selling my wedding dress. I confess, I have been married for over six years and I am still watching Say Yes to the Dress. With a daughter, part of me, wants to keep it and at least see Addison play around in it when she decides to get married. Chances are, it won't be in style or it will yellow or fade or it won't fit or she will want her own wedding dress so it will probably never be worn out again. We could definitely use the money (and the closet space!). I'm not really a sentimental person, but I wonder if this is something I would regret later... any thoughts?

Google Friend Connect

I've just added a Google Friend Connect gadget to my right sidebar. Several people have mentioned that they can't comment on my blog, so if you aren't a blogger, you can follow through google friend connect and join the conversation! Please do!

Libby

Was It Worth It?

Recently, Rahna Reiko Rizzuto wrote a book called "Hiroshima in the Morning: A Mother's Struggle for Identity'. With the support of her husband, and two children ages 5 and 3, she took a 6-month writing fellowship in Japan. While she was there, she decided "she didn't want to be a mother". When she returned home, she divorced her husband of 20 years and moved in a house down the street but maintained a relationship with her children while making her career her priority.

I mention this author because becoming a mother drastically changes a woman's life if she chooses to be a stay at home mom and I have personally dealt with identity issues as well. It is hard discerning where your purpose lies and although becoming a mom is the greatest gift I have ever received, my driven, task-oriented mind, needs some stimulation.  Last week, I helped my parents in their bookstore just by loading up a bunch of books in boxes for a couple hours and I felt like I'd just run a marathon, in a good, accomplished, get your hands dirty, kind of way. It was just what I needed. Who doesn't need that sometimes?

 In America, and in today's society, it is not uncommon or unacceptable for a woman to go back to work after having a baby and although, I have personally done everything to avoid this, all moms may not have a desire or option to stay home.  In my heart, I know I would always regret working with young children at home so I will strive to stay with them until they are school-age as long as it is financially possible.

I think what really drives me crazy about this author and these books that I have not read and do not intend to read, is that, if it had not been a dramatic trip to Japan, and she had just divorced her family, there would be no story here.  It would a mom who decided to go back to work instead of being a stay-at-home mom. It would be a wife who didn't want to be with her husband. But instead, she dares to say, that she didn't want to be a mother, in not one, but two published books.  It feels to me, like she created a dirty story that sells, when by any other words is just what thousands of women do everyday.

But what is sad to me, is that, right now, she has two teenage boys, who know that she didn't want them. That she didn't want to spend her life with them. That she preferred to teach college students and write books than raise them. That she would rather visit them on weekends and have a few good hours together, than tuck them in bed and cook them dinner and help them with their homework. And she had the option to go back to work and love them just the same and keep these hard feelings between her and her therapist, but she chose to write two fascinating award-winning books about why she didn't want to be a mother. And somehow, I'm afraid these boys, no matter what they say, will deep down feel, unloved and unwanted.