The importance of date night, friends and good concert seats

Last Thursday Jamie and I went with our friends Marla, Nichole, Chris, Lisa and Terry to the Sheryl Crow/Kid Rock concert.  I can say this is one of the best concerts I have been to in a while! 

To begin with I had the day off to spend with Benjamin.  We went to a really neat indoor playground called Playnation in Morrisville with our friends who live in our cul-de sac.  $5 all day, you can come and go.  They sell swing sets and have them set up as a showroom but children are allowed to play.  They also do party's on the weekends. 

http://www.playnationparties.com/ 
Grandee came over in the afternoon to watch Ben and the adults were off.  We tailgated before the concert then headed in before the concert started...didn't want to miss Sheryl Crow. 

Let me just say that Jamie works off-duty at Walnut Creek on occasion.  This allowed us to have a few connections.  We had to wait till 2 days before the concert to get tickets (not really sure why).  But ended up with 6th row center seats, VIP parking and VIP lounge tickets.  Disclaimer:  we paid full price for tickets...VIP was a bonus.

I believe date night allows Mom and Dad to reconnect and have fun.  Making us want to be around our children more and be better parents.  Everyone needs a break.  Doing this with friends helps you stay connected.  When you have children you just don't have the time you used to and can't just drop everything and go.  Life involves more planning with children (good thing I'm a planner :)

Jamie and I

The Girls - Lisa, Nichole, Marla and I

Good concert seats speak for themselves!!

Day 30- Who are you?

Again something I really don't want to talk about or maybe think about.  So I'm gonna have to think about what I'm going to write about next or when I decide to write.  I'm might blog later about my first really successful coupon experience that I had last night...but later :)

Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned

That there are some things that I just don't like to talk about.  I don't have much time at home to keep up with this.  Hence why I'm sometimes behind on posting pictures or posting at all. 

I also believe I answered an age old question last night.  "If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to hear it;  does it make a noise?"  Well I would say no...because I was there but asleep and didn't hear it.  We were so lucky it didn't hit the house, fence or a car that we are trying to sell!  Bird feeder is history though...

Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?

Well this picture is a little over a year ago but I believe is shows that I have changed in a big way and love every minute of it!

January 2010 - 37 Weeks

Mia is actually laying on the ottoman behind me but something is blocking her from view :)

Mother's Day 2011

Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge

Mainly just out of curiosity.  Would I like doing it?  Would anyone be interested?  I'm honestly still a little torn.  I somewhat like it...not necessarily all of the topics each day.  Not really sure if anyone is interested though :)  So we will see if I continue.  I may not do another 30 day challenge soon but I might find other topics to write about.

Day 26- What you think about your friends

My friends are great and are always there for me!  I don't know what I would do without them!  What more can I say...

Day 25- What I would find in your bag

I don't change purses very often.  Usually once for summer and once for winter.  I might carry something cute if I'm going out or for trips I have a couple of different bags that I like to use so I can carry them across me so my hands are free and I don't have to worry about a purse falling off my shoulder.

Mallorca, Spain
Fossil Purse

Current
Fossil Purse

- Cosmetic Bag
- Wallet (Which is actually a small clutch.  But I like to use it as my wallet because my keys, chap stick and cell phone will fit into it and I can throw it into Benjamin's diaper bag and not have to worry about carrying two bags.)
- Note Pad
- Brush
- Keys
- Coupon Holder
- Ear Bud Case
- 2 things of lotion
- 2 pens
- 1 OPI nail polish - Lunch at the Delhi (having my toes repainted today from a bad paint job a couple of days ago)
- Store Cards on key chain
- Anti-Bacterial
- Duke Badge
- Rosary Cross (that I found in my Mom's purse after she passed away)

Day 24- A letter to your parents (Amazon.com)

I don't think I'm going to write a letter to my parents.  The thought makes me sad.  Losing my Mom a few years ago is still very hard and I would probably sit here and cry the entire time.  I miss her everyday!

So instead I'm going to write about my addiction to Amazon.com.  I had used it a few times before having Benjamin but then my neighbors told me about Amazon Mom (part of Amazon's subscribe and save program).  Amazon Mom members receive benefits such as 30% off diapers and wipes, exclusive offers, and FREE Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime.   This makes a box of Pampers diapers, count 192, $31.49. 

Retail price $52.66
Amazon price $44.99
15% off subscribe and save and 15% off Amazon mom $31.49

No shipping charge with Amazon prime and no sales tax.  You schedule how often you want them delivered, every month, every 2 months, every 3 months or every 6 months.  Diapers and wipes come straight to our door...what could be better!  The UPS truck pulls into our cul-de sac so often Benjamin knows the sound of the truck.

I am currently also tracking how often I buy Tide, Downey, toilet paper and papertowels to see if there is a signifiant costs savings with those items as well.  These items would only have the 15% off subscribe and save program but from my current research it looks like it is more than I could ever save using a coupon.

My buying does not stop there (although Jamie wishes it would:)  It ranges from my shampoo to baby powder to baby gates (which I saved $70 on two) to a rug pad and my iHome Kitchen Speaker system for our iPhones and iPads. (this is just in the last 30 days and I'm not listing everything)

Amazon also has a Wish List that you can sign up for.  If I see something that I would like for myself or Benjamin I just add it to the wish list.  Anyone can go out and look to see what we might would like for Birthday's and Christmas.  Yesterday, I found the Wish List add-on.  It puts an icon in your address bar.  You can add anything from any website to your Amazon Wish List.  I've already found this to be exciting and dangerous.  Everything added yesterday was from Williams Sonoma.  Of course some of these things are things I would 'like' to have but you never know when someone might want to buy you something. ;)

Another addition to my Wish List is what I would like Jamie to buy me for Christmas...

EMU Australlia Women's Alba Sheepskin Boot with Buttons

Day 23- Something you crave for a lot

Chocolate!  I love chocolate!  I like all kinds, although white chocolate is not my favorite I do like it in small doses.  This is a candy bar that we had in England and it was wonderful.  I love Cadbury's chocolate but there is actually a difference in the Cadbury's made over here (by Hersey's) and English Cadbury's.  I always check the label on the back to see where it was made.  The English version is so much better!  I've even toured the factory in Birmingham, England.  I'll have to look to see if I can find some of those pictures. 

So far I have been unable to find this here.  But I always look for it! :)

Day 22 - Kitchen

I've decided to change some of the days.  Don't really feel like writing about some of them. Today was supposed to be 'What makes you different from everyone else'.  Since my answer would be everything...I'll write about my kitchen today instead.

Took more pictures this morning.  It's still an on going process but we are getting there.  These were taken with my phone.  I will take a couple with the camera.  Hopefully they will turn out a little better.

More kitchen pictures

Cabinets and countertops are in.  

New lighting fixtures and new window.

Countertops

Backsplash, appliances put back in.

I'll try to take recent pictures with painting and blinds complete.

Backsplash glass accent tile.  

Backsplash is three rows of cream subway tiles then 5 rows of glass with two more rows of cream subway tiles on the top.

Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy

Just to choose one thing is hard.  So many things make me happy.  So here a few pics.

Our last trip to my Mom's village, Cheddington, England

May 2009

My two favorite men!

Benjamin - 7/30/2011 17 1/2 months

Day 20- What does your future hold/where would you like to be? (Kitchen remodel)

Wow I feel like I'm starting to repeat myself.  I'm trying to think of something else to write about...

Here are pictures of our kitchen remodel...

I forgot to get pictures of the kitchen with everything still in it...this is it starting to be dissembled.

Our supervisor

That was easy...Only took about 3 hours to rip everything out.

We lived like this for weeks.  I washed dishes in the bathroom sink.  It wasn't a whole of fun.

But I do love my new kitchen.

Day 19- Nicknames you have; why do you have them

Jules and Jul.  I have had these most of my life.  My mom has always called me Jules or Jul.  I always find it funny when people ask if they can call me one of these.  I have heard them for so long that I barely even notice.  It's also funny when someone thinks they are the only one to call me Jul...

Jamie is going to kill me but we all have Snuggle names in our family...
Jamie - Snuggle Buck
Me - Snuggle Bunny
Ben - Snuggle Bear
Sam - Snuggle Bug (one of our dogs)
Mia - Snuggle Bit (one of our dogs)

I believe this all started because our older dog Sam is such a snuggler and we used to call her Snuggle Bug from the very beginning.  Sweet girl is now 10!!

This is our Christmas Card picture from 2006 with our sweet girls.

Sam is on the left and Mia is between us.

Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have

One plan/dream is to have another baby.  Maybe within the next year...we will see :)  A goal would be to finish painting from our kitchen remodel...this is an on going goal.  Hopefully to be finished one day soon!!


We are also working on selling our truck (if anyone is interested :)  With me getting an SUV partly because of adding to the family and to have better gas mileage than the truck which to I have learned is not the best 'mom' car.  No where for a stroller or grocery unless you want them rolling around the bed of the truck.

Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

Not one person specifically would I switch places with.  I would just like to switch with someone who has enough money where I could be a stay at home Mom and still be able to have vacations and do things.  Not just for one day either!!  Maybe someday...when we win the lottery.  Speaking of which the Powerball is up to $160 Million for tonight...I think that would just about do it.  Everytime I say that when we win the lottery the first thing I'm going to do is quit my job, Jamie always gets nervous.  I think he thinks I'm going to sit on the couch all day and watch soap operas.  With that much money is he kidding me...we will be shopping and traveling!! :)  Plus I don't like soap operas.

Day 16- Another picture of yourself (baby pic!)

I meant to scan some pictures last night and didn't get around to it.  Which makes me sound like I was busy but I chose to spend my evening on the couch reading my book instead (except when our neighbor came over and chatted for an hour :)  So in other words I was lazy!!  Check back...I'll definitely scan some later...


Finally got around to scanning some pictures.

Not really sure how old I am here (I could hold my head up a birth:)

I believe this may have been the first day of school (Kindergarten)

Kindergarten Picture Age 5

Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play

This should be interesting...

Alabama - High Cotton
Counting Crows - Big Yellow Taxi
Kenny G - Gettin' On The Step
Jimmy Buffett - Everybody's Talkin'
Brad Paisley - Don't Breathe
Luther Vandross - The Lady is a Tramp
Maroon 5 - Makes Me Wonder
Jack Johnson - Good People
Louis Armstrong - Lazy River
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Get Up Stand Up
Nickelback - Good Times Gone

So I did 11...

I pretty much like most music I think kinda proves that :)

Day 14- A picture of you and your family

When looking for these pictures I realized we don't have a recent family picture.  I need to schedule Ben's 18 month pictures which will hopefully get us a couple of good family shots.  I think I'm going to include the dogs this time.

Benjamin's 1 Year pictures

February 2011

New Year's Day 2011

Ben and I with my brother Mike and his two girls Liza and Caroline (in the Baby Bjorn).

My nephew Will was helping Uncle Jamie with some yard work.

March 2011

Day 13- A letter to someone who has hurt you recently

I haven't posted in a couple of day because I didn't know what to write about this one.  I don't think anyone has hurt me recently...So I decided to skip it...onto next blog.

Day 12- Your Blog Story

I don't really have one.  I'm doing it mainly out of curiosity to see if I have anything to say that would be interesting to myself or anyone else.  Also to keep me entertained while in my down time at work.  In the process I have found pictures that I haven't looked at in a while.  I even came across my wedding video which was great to watch!  I don't write much.  I work and live in a world of numbers, spreadsheets and bullet points.  I love bullet points!  So it has been interesting to actually write more than a couple of sentences.  Maybe it will help me with my spelling (I'm a horrible speller...spell check is one of my best friends!)

Day 11- A person you would love to meet

This is easy!  If you know me you know I love John Travolta.  Since I was 4 and saw Grease for the first time.  I literally wore out 3 cassette tapes listening to the soundtrack so many time (this must have driven my parents crazy!)  Then there was Welcome Back, Kotter...hmmm maybe I should stop...I'm starting to date myself a little.  I love to hear and see him sing and dance.  I even had a dream one time that he left his wife for me...a little crazy I know...but a girl can dream...(sigh:)

Day 10- Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad

I tend to turn on the TV to the HGTV channel and have it as background noise.  I used to sit and watch but don't have much time for that anymore.  One of my good friends gave me 4 tickets to the Tim McGraw concert a couple of weeks ago.  While I was there singing and dancing along with the songs I realized what a good mood music puts me in (something I tend to forget).  So I decide to buy something for our kitchen to dock our iPhones or iPods in to listen to music on a regular basis.  I was so excited when I found this new gadget!  (I don't usually buy gadgets, my spending in usually on clothes and household items and for Benjamin:)  Now, I just need to load more music on my iPhone because I'm already tired of what's currently on there.

iHome iP39 Kitchen Timer and Alarm Clock Radio Speaker System for iPhone/iPod

I like almost all kinds of music and don't really listen to certain songs when I'm in different moods.  I do like to listen to Nickelback when I'm a work (with headphones on) to drown out noises (people) around me.  It's amazing what you hear in a cube!

Day 09- Something you’re proud of

I'm having trouble with this one because I'm proud of so many things.  But I guess what I'm most proud of is my little man.  He is the best thing to ever happen to me and is such a little hand full right now.  One thought I remember having while still in the hospital after delivery is that having a baby shows you there should be no question in your mind that there is a God.  It's the miracle of them all!

Benjamin 17 Months

Day 08- Short term goals for this month and why

I make lists...a lot of lists.  Some of the same things are always on the list.  Fun stuff like:  clean bathrooms.  But right now my focus is finishing our kitchen and doing touch up painting.  Nothing extremely exciting but we started remodeling our kitchen in April and it's time for it to be DONE!!  Things just take a lot longer when there is a little one around. :)

Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

My sweet Mom; Patricia Mary Power Haithcock.  This picture was taken at my wedding and is one of my favorites. 

With my Mom and Dad

I wish I still had my Mom to talk to and confide in.  I once heard a quote from a book by Condoleezza Rice Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family.  I cannot remember it exactly nor can I find it but it went something like:
"A women will never have a better supporter, confidant and friend as she does in her mother."


I truly feel this way and cherish everyday I had with my Mom.