Dear Rodan and Fields, Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!  I am so excited to help people improve their skin.  The Soothe regimen has already done wonders for mine.  https://julietaylor.myrandf.com/  Dear Asheville, My husband hurt his foot so we were not able to visit...but we will soon!  Dear Little Man, You are just the cutest little guy to me and I can't wait to spend the weekend with you!  You did a great job at Daddy's ceremony last week.  Dear Rain on Monday evening walk, We did not enjoy the mile walk back to our car in the rain!  My shoes are still not dry. Please don't let that happen again.  Dear Husband, Little Man and I are so proud of you and your new promotion but we will miss you every other weekend!  Dear Painters,  I love the new coat of paint you are putting on my house, deck and fence.  Can't wait for you to be done and see the finished product!

Friday's Letters Linkup

Friday's Letters

Dear Fall, I'm so happy you are just around the corner and that cooler temperatures with less humidity will be here on Sunday.  Dear Little Man, Sorry you fell and hit your head on Monday...Mommy was really worried and that was the biggest goose egg I've ever seen! But you are still so handsome and almost all better. see picture below  Dear Husband,  Little Man and I have missed you this week and are so happy that you will be coming home this afternoon!  Dear Nordstrom Rack, I LOVE my new shoes see picture below (the dress wasn't so bad either)!  Dear Ashville, We are looking forward to visiting you next weekend and stocking up on our Favorite Biltmore Wine.  Wine  Dear Blog World, I am new here please be patient and nice.

Friday's Letters Linkup

Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year!  Pumpkins, the pumkin patch and corn maze, crisp air and the great clothes!  I am not a big fan of southern heat and humidity!  Lets just say I hate it and hopefully can one day live in the mountains.  Here are a couple of new items in my closet just waiting to be worn and a favorite outfit from last year.

 EMU Australia Alba Boots - A great birthday gift from a friend!

Polo Sweater find at TJ Maxx.  Mine was green with a purple pony but I can't find a picture of it online.

A favorite fall outfit from last year.

Our little family in the back yard.

The Best Stroller

We did not initially purchase this stroller.  I knew I did not want one that was like a Cadillac so we got the small version that went with our baby carrier/car seat and a friend also gave us her jogging stroller.  They were great...then I saw the BOB about a month after little man was born.  That's the BOB Revolution SE.  We just couldn't bring ourselves to purchase one when what we had worked just fine.  So I waited...and waited...  Our small stroller started to have issues when we took it on a plane (wonky wheel) but still we waited.  Then we had a yard sale and decided to sell both strollers and get the one we wanted.  By this time our little man was already 2.  REI usually puts them on sale once or twice a year.  So we have made our purchase and we couldn't be happier.  It turns on a dime with one finger and has a huge canopy.  I can't say enough about this stroller!  It's perfect for regular trips and is a great jogging stroller.

http://www.rei.com/product/798579/bob-revolution-se-stroller

They also have a great resale value!

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.