Yes I've been MIA... want to hear my excuse?

So I got really good at blogging.  I blogged at least weekly if not daily.  But my traffic began to build up and I began to get a little paranoid.  I love blogging about being a mom, but there are a lot of weirdo's out there.  So I've started a new blog.  I will keep this one open (on invite only) so I can blog the really personal family and friends only stuff every once in a while but mainly to keep up with my family and friends who have blogs. The new blog will continue to be about my adventures as a mom but I will be picky about how much specifics I put in about Liam.

Anyway, please please please come follow me over at playdatesareformoms.blogspot.com.  I hope to see you all there.

Blast from the past

That's me in the red shirt.  

Yep, me at 15.  Cute right?  Ah, this photo brings back so many memories.  I actually enjoyed high school.  But I had a great group of friends and decent self esteem for a teenager.  I wouldn't go back but I do enjoy the memories.

I'm a photographer!

Eli is Liam's best buddy.  

Not in the strictest sense of the word of course, but I did take the photo for today's 30 day challenge.

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Sorry, no Awkward Awesome Thursday for me today.  Really, it's just because I'm lazy and ready for bed.

Angry photo?

What?!  Today I'm supposed to post a photo that makes me angry.  Really 30 day blogger challenge?  I admit that I didn't read through all the questions before I signed on to this, so yeah, my fault there.  But some of these are really stupid.  Why would I take, have, or keep a photo that makes me angry?  So here, instead, is a photo in which I am angry.  I was way too pregnant for anyone to be photographing me.  So Fred's insistence on a photograph of me full term made me pretty peeved.  Actually, now that I've posted it, this photo makes me angry.  Man that last month was miserable.  Good thing the end result was so worth it.

It's a happy picture tie.

Day 7: a photo that makes me happy (now this is one easy post).  It came down to these two.

Only a few hours old but already the love of my life.

The day we brought Liam home.  Freddie's in love too.

Yeah, I've got time.

Day 6 is whatever tickle my fancy, and what tickles my fancy today is the fact that I managed to etch out 10 minutes to exercise.  I don't know about you but I'm big on Mondays.  How I start my week tends to rub off on the rest of my week, so I really make an effort to have the best day I can on Mondays.  But today was a busy Monday for me and I was worried I wouldn't fit everything in, throwing off the rest of my week.  I hate to admit it but when time gets tight, exercise is usually the first thing I sacrifice.  I hated to cancel my workout, convinced that if I did it would spell disaster for my fitness regime for the rest week.  (Here's where I shamelessly pat myself on the back) So I pulled up a 10 minute pilates workout on Netflix and committed myself to a brief, but very effective, core toning.  Gold star for me today!

Style Weekend & my favorite quote

Yes, I seem to have my hand in a lot of different pots but I have a lot of different interests and lately, thanks to my stylish sister-in-law, (yes Chelsey I mean you) one of them is style. Mainly, mommy friendly styling.  I spend most of my week at home but at least once a week, Sunday not included, I like to dress up, put on some makeup and feel a little less haphazardly put together.  So now, in addition to Awkward Awesome Thursdays, Foodie Fridays, and Hot Sweaty Mama Monday, I'm introducing Style Weekend, where I can show off my pretty days, even when I don't get to leave the house.  Kicking off Style Weekend is the lovely pair of boots I found on clearance at Target this week (shhh, twelve buck-a-roos!).  They may be a half a size too big but I think I pull them off.
                                                                                                            
Today's blogger challenge is my favorite quote.  This one hangs on my wall at home reminding me to enjoy the ride.

Life is like an old time rail journey - delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.  The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.

- Gordon B. Hinckley