This Fair is No Fun Mom!

So.....

We took Emma to her very first fair two nights ago.  It did not go over well.  I had a feeling as the day went on that she may not do well.  She didn't nap well that day and was just plain crabby.  It didn't change once we arrived at the fair.  As soon as we walked through the gate she started screaming bloody murder.  Every little thing was scaring her.  Normally, she would have loved it.  Not really sure what got into her.  Let me set the scene for you.  It was seven trillion (yes trillion) degrees outside.  It was so muggy you couldn't breathe.  It was very loud.  It was hot.  Oh did I mention that already? It was a lot of smells all mixed together (corn dogs, sweaty people, smoke and dirt from the figure eight race going on, did I mention sweaty people?).  Because of all these things and Emma's terrible mood we had to carry her the entire time.  She was NOT having any part of her stroller.  Why didn't we just leave you ask? Because the tickets were ten bucks a person to get in and by gosh we were going to get our ten dollars worth.  We are retarded, duh.  After the sun finally went down, the heat subsided a very teensy weensy small bit.  Do you think that really made Emma any happier? Umm no.  I'm still kicking myself for even staying that long because we were only torturing ourselves. We rode all of ONE ride (which was a little worrisome since it was sitting on ply wood because the ground wasn't even).  We ate one very large, nasty corn dog, we drank five hundred bottles of water and one coke.  Dustin downed a funnel cake in about 2.5 seconds because I was about to have a nervous breakdown with said fussy baby.  We played one game (the duck in a pond game, everyone  is a winner so does it even count?).  We watched one round of the figure eight race (Emma was not a fan of those loud cars).  We attempted to ride the carousel with her but they wouldn't let her ride.  36 inches or taller they said.  Boo.  We did however get to spend time with my parents and some great friends of ours.  They have a baby boy that is three weeks younger than Emma.  He loved the fair.  He even slept for half of it.  Lucky lucky lucky.  I wanted to trade babies for the night.  I guess overall it was a good night with great company.

 Wow Mom.  Dim the lights please.

 Thanks Mom.  Hey Gage, wanna play with some grass and not the bad kind if ya know what I mean, my momma has told me to always Just. Say. No.  She's teaching me young,

 

See Gage, isn't this fun?

 When do you think our mommies will let us go on a date?

  My dad says I'm never going to date boys but I think he's just silly.  I will just bat my eyes and he'll give in.

I think my momma is going to be the strict one.  It's ok though Gage, I'll just sneak my dada's phone and call you later :)

Baby Food Try Take One

This past week I attempted my first round of baby food makin'.  I was worried it would turn out terrible but I shocked myself.  It was actually SO easy and quite delicious if I must say.  Such a fresh taste compared to the processing of the jar foods in the grocery store.  Emma has really enjoyed it so far.  The only problem I'm found so far is that since I freeze it, it gets a bit watery when I thaw it out.  I just add a little Mixed Grains or Rice Cereal and it's good to go.  So far I've made Carrots, Squash, Green Beans and Zucchini.  This coming week I'm going to make Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Peas and maybe some Beets.  I'm also going to attempt fruits next week.  I'm thinking they may be a little more difficult.  I'm going to try apples and pears for now.  It's really affordable too.  Much cheaper than the almost $1 per jar at the stores.  Just a bit time consuming, but so worth it.

 Nom Nom Nom

 Zucchini anyone? Her favorite so far.

Do you make your baby's food?

What are your favorites to make?

Leave a comment and share! 

What is Friendship?

To me, friendship is many things.  Friendship to me means forever.  Through ups and downs you get through the bad things because you know there are good things on the other side of those bad times.  Friendship is a bit like marriage.  You can't just quit when things get hard.  Friends are going to disagree, they are going to argue, they are going to fight, they are going to sometimes in the heat of the moment say things they don't mean but realize how silly they were and apologize.  You just don't quit because you disagree on things or you have a stupid argument.

The reason I'm posting about this is because a few weeks ago I went through a really difficult time with several of my friendships dissolving.  It was really hard.  It's hard enough losing one friend but to lose three was pretty rough.  I loved all three of those girls unconditionally and truly felt betrayed.  I will not go into specifics but lets just say what they did was very hurtful and deceitful.  I'm still not over it completely and I'm not sure if I will ever be.  It amazes me at how childish adults can be sometimes.  I'm also not saying that I'm perfect because I have my moments too, but to act cruel to somebody and not feel sorry about it or apologize for it after the fact is disgusting to me.

I am not a perfect friend.  If you know one please tell me because I've never met one.  I struggle to wrap my brain around the fact that I get treated like a plague when I didn't even do anything.  I would totally understand if I had done something or said something.  I will be the first one to call myself out when I do or say something wrong.  For years, pre-teen, teenage years and several years through my marriage, I was a very gullible and easily molded friend.  If somebody said jump I jumped.  If somebody said "get out of the front seat I'm sitting up there" I did it.  You get the picture.  I always wanted to please everyone around me even if it meant me being miserable.  In the past couple of years, through the help of one of my dearest friends, Erin, she has helped me learn how to stand my ground.  She's made me realize it's OK to stand up for myself and ensure I am happy while still being able to be a good friend.  I'm not afraid anymore to speak my mind.  If you are being selfish, ugly, lying, hurtful to yourself or somebody else, destructive, mean or angry I'm going to call you out on it.  To me that is what a friend does.  They hold you accountable for your actions.  If you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen, right!?

I think my official quote thanks to Erin is "Quality over Quantity".  It's so true.  I don't need a hundred friends to make me happy.  I know that the few true friends that I do have will be around when I'm old and gray and that is all that matters.  I am still hurting over the loss of a few of my dearest friends but in the end if you can that easily treat a "so called friend" that way then you weren't a true friend anyway.  Once again I will say it.  You don't just QUIT because things get rough.  You work them out and forgive.  Forgive and forget and move on.  Right after this whole blowout I went on my Girls Trip Weekend and I was shown so much love by two of the dearest girls in my life.  I was shown what true friendship is and I'm so grateful and blessed to have this small group of people in my life.

What is Friendship to you?

What do you think is better, Quality or Quantity?

Leave a comment and share!

Catch Up Post, Yada Yada Yada

So once again I find myself having to constantly catch up on my blog.  Summer has been so incredibly busy for us.  Busy but so fantastic.  It was really been a whirlwind but I wouldn't change it for anything.  I love that Emma is at an age where we can really be out and do fun things.  She is a great little traveler and loves being around people.  First to catch you up on...Fourth of July festivities.

P.S. I'm typing this post while trying to watch 127 Hours with Dustin, chat with my bestie on Facebook and make sure to listen for a sleeping baby if she arises, so if this post is sporadic I apologize in advance.

Any who, where was I? Oh yes.  Fourth of July.  We had tons of family and friends over at our house for a pool party.  It was perfect weather and great time spent with the people we love most.

P.S.S Speaking of people I love most and friends, I have a post coming up about loyalty and what true friendship is.  Stay tuned for that one.

Again, Sidetracked! Back to where I was.  The Fourth was spent socializing, playing corn hole, horse shoes, swimming and lots of amazing food and fireworks.  I have to say it's probably the best Fourth I've had in so many years.  Emma did a great job being out in the heat.  We kept her cool in the water and under a shady umbrella when she wasn't eating or napping.  So proud of my big girl!

This past weekend, for the first time since Emma was born I stayed away from home.  For two whole nights.  My sweet husband stayed home so that I could have a fun filled girls weekend in the mountains.  How amazing is he? I surprisingly did better than I thought I would.  I only cried twice.  Once when I pulled out of the drive way and once the first night I went to bed.  It was such a relaxing, much needed getaway.  I really did come back rejuvenated.  Two days of rest with out having to constantly be tending to or worrying about Emma.  Not that I didn't worry about her while I was gone, because I did.  It was just time for me.  I haven't had that since January.  I can't say thanks to Dustin enough for allowing me to go on that trip.  Also, to be with two of my dearest friends in the world was priceless.  We had a ball.  So many laughs.  We cried from laughing so hard several times.  Love both of those girls so much.  Unfortunately, we were missing a member from the trip.  My older sister was supposed to go with us but ended up staying home with her kiddos.  So understandable but we missed her a lot.  Hopefully, the next girls weekend she will be able to attend and be apart of the fun that was had.

 On the road to Gatty Town.

 My delicious dinner at The Peddler Steakhouse.

"We're the three best friends that anybody could have, we're the three best friends that anybody could have, we're the three best friends that anybody could have, and we'll never ever ever ever leave each other!"

A few days after returning back from Gatlinburg, it was time to take Emma to her six month check up.  I am not sure why it was scheduled after she was already six months old but it was a little harder than her other appointments.  She got two shots this time which is much better than the normal three or four but the shots really got her this time.  Fever for 24 hours, chills, body aches...the whole shebang.  Poor girl.  Other than the terrible shots she is growing like a weed.  She is 16.1 lbs and 27 in long.  I think she's going to be tall.  She's pretty much perfection.  See for yourself.

 Striking a Pose

 NOM NOM NOM

Big Baby Blues

Well, that's all folks.  For now anyway.  I promise to blog more when I find the time.  Time slips away from me so fast these days.  All you momma bloggers out there, I don't know how you find the time to blog everyday! I'm impressed.  Keep blogging and I'll keep reading (and commenting when I find an extra minute in my day!).