North Carolina and Other Places

Filed Under Friends, Future | Leave a Comment

I have a good friend from college who lives in North Carolina right now. She originally got a job and lived in Southport, I think, and she might still work for a radio station there. I came across a Coldwell Banker site advertising Wilmington real estate and it made me think of her. Which made me think of an old roommate I have, who works for a tv station in Wichita, producing the 10 o’clock news… okay so that was the first link I could find for her but anyway… Which made me think of another roommate I had who is here in STL and has a successful public relations career. Which made me think of another friend I have who lives in Virginia now and works for a non-profit organization, and loves her job (most of the time). I wonder what career I will end up with. I have a feeling that going back to school for a different degree might be in my future, once my kids are in school. I’m not jealous of the success, I just wonder when I will find what I want to do.

Happy 4th of July

Filed Under Holidays | Leave a Comment

I am very thankful to live in a country where we are free. Free to have our own opinions, to express ourselves, to worship as we choose, to work where we want to, to have a right to an education… I am thankful for the men who fought for those rights so many years ago. I am thankful for the men and women in the armed services who continue to protect those rights.

Linky Love

Filed Under Blogging | 1 Comment

——— START HERE ————-

Instructions:
1. Copy and paste this tag from “Start Here” to “End Here”. (don’t forget the image)
2. Place your blog’s name with your URL at the end of the tag. If you have more than one blog, please add them too! Just make sure that you post this tag in all of your blogs.
3. Tag 5 blogs that is not yet in this post (just to avoid duplications ^_^ )
4. This is the twist… Go to the 5 blogs that you tagged and comment on any of their posts. Why? So that search engines can crawl to your site. ^_^
5. Return to the Momhood Moments blog and leave a comment saying that you joined the tag together with the URL of the tag. I’ll be checking on it and add you in the master list.

Momhood Moments Tags You List:
1. Momhood Moments 2. Business Mars 3. Concealed Mind 4. http://www.ritzie.info/ 5. Vhiel’s Corner 6. Anything and Everything in Between 7. Can of Thoughts 8. moms….. check nyo 9. Mummy Diaries 10. It Is Nap Time 11. Lora’s Journal 12. My Life as Mama Jodi 13. Confessions of an Organized Mess 14. Harmony In Motion 15. Two Lines On a Stick
——— END HERE ————-

I am tagging:

Andria
Canape
Jen B
McNulty Quads
Marriage 101

**If you are confused (like I was until Harmony explained it) please email me at tara (at) twolinesonastick (dot) com ~ this is a great way to get some linky love and a little bit of new traffic to your blog!

Wordless Wednesday- Hello

Filed Under Thirteen Months, Wordless Wednesday | 2 Comments

I think this is one of my favorite pictures of Bailey, just peeking up at the camera. Yes, I know it is distorted but I think it’s cute and sweet and funny.

Another In-law rant

Filed Under Complaining, In-Laws, Travel | 3 Comments

So you know how my in-laws drive me absolutely up the freaking wall. Well the latest is that they decided we are NOT going to stay at their timeshare in Branson over Thanksgiving. They wanted to get a one bedroom condo for the five of us and told us that if we wanted our own bedroom we could pay extra, otherwise their was a pull out couch. Right. (By the way, if you don’t know a whole lot about how timeshares really work, read that Wikipedia link- it’s actually really interesting!)

So then they decided that they would come here over Christmas. I told them they could not come actually ON Christmas Eve or Christmas day because we were spending those with my family this year (we alternate years). They said they were going to stay at our house and Jonathon’s brother was coming too. Well we live in a split level and there isn’t really a “guest bedroom” since we made the fourth bedroom into Jonathon’s office, and the third bedroom is my office/Avon sorting area. I told them that was too many people to sleep out in our living room and would just not work well with Bailey playing in the living room and with her sleep schedule and whatnot. So they pouted and decided they weren’t coming.

Then Jonathon’s brother was trying to convince them to look at priceline.com or one of those other travel sites. There are only like a million websites to compare hotel costs and seriously if you want to go cheap, there’s a Days Inn and a Motel 6 about twenty minutes from here. They leave the light on. The only thing I told them was, if they use one of these services to make sure to use one where you know what hotel you will be staying in before you make the final reservation. I would be nervous just choosing a category of hotels and then letting them decide based on the price I submitted. Anyway, apparently that was not a good solution for them either.

The latest? They are going to buy a pop up camper so that they can save money when they travel. You know, because it’s always best to spend over $10,000 in order to save money on hotels. When you travel twice a year. And have already purchased a timeshare that was NEVER used. Stay tuned to find out what will actually happen if or when they visit.

Getting better with using her words

Filed Under Fourteen Months, Talking | 5 Comments

Some days I get really frustrated because B refuses to talk. Like if I tell her to repeat something, she just laughs at me. She is capable of saying quite a few words, but she would rather point to something and yell “Deedle deedle deedle deedle!” Finally today, I have not been telling her what anything is. I ask her, “What’s that?” It seems to make a difference.

So far today she has said a few new things- or at least things she hasn’t said in a long time-
“bir” (bird)
“baw” (ball)
“booh” (book)
“duh” (duck)

For some reason I thought she would be an early talker, I guess because she has always jabbered so much. But she was an early crawler and walker and then I read blogs of other babies her age who are still not walking, but have extensive vocabularies. I have to remind myself that they are each good at different things.

She absolutely refuses to say “more” now and will only sign it, though. Which is why I didn’t want her to learn signs to begin with, but someone else taught them to her, and I guess that’s just how it goes.

She has also learned to hug, and I can ask her for a hug and she comes and leans on me and rests her head on my shoulder or against my face. She doesn’t put her arms around me, but she lets me hug her, and doesn’t push me away.

The Fountain Park

Filed Under Clothes, Fourteen Months, Outings, Play | 7 Comments

This past week, my mom and I took Bailey to our favorite park to play. She gets so excited to climb on the equipment now. It seems like not too long ago that she refused to climb on anything at all! She absolutely hates swings, though. If we sit her in one she looks a little nervous. If someone pushes it, she gets an absolutely terrified look on her face and starts shaking. It’s so sad I don’t really like swings either, in fact it kind of makes me sick to watch kids swinging, but I liked them as a kid! She didn’t like her baby swing either, but a few times last fall she went in a swing at the park and seemed to enjoy it. I hope she grows out of the terrified phase and that it’s not making her feel motion sick or anything.

Her favorite thing to do at this park (or any park for that matter) is to go up and down the steps, over and over and over and over and over… it gives Mommy’s back and arms quite a workout!

In the tunnel with Grammy

This park also has a great fountain area. You can turn it on with a timer and it just sprays out of one pole. It’s in a nice sunny spot and we planned ahead and brought Bailey’s swimsuit so she could get really wet. Last time we went, she was in a hot pink diaper and looked really classy… so we thought we should be more prepared for playing in the water.

I had to include this last one because I just love the back of this suit. It’s from Janie and Jack, and it was a gift- a lot more than I would have spent ($38-ish) but I have to remind myself that she might as well wear it everywhere or she will just outgrow it anyway.

Spellcheck

Filed Under Daddy, In-Laws, Names | 6 Comments

Someone should install spellcheck in my mother in law’s brain. My husband, Jonathon? The one who has the unique spelling that we are forever correcting people about? His name is actually JonathAn. He said he used to spell it as Jonathan when he was little and then for some reason his parents told him it was with an O. We noticed a few years back that his SS card had JonathAn on it but figured we just needed to get it corrected. Well his parents mailed a random envelope of “old memorabilia” to him the other day… including a little school pencil box, a KVM, some photos… and, drumroll- his original birth certificate and passport (they left the states when he was six weeks old) and those both have the A spelling… OMG seriously, how do you forget how you decided to spell your child’s name?

And the really ridiculous part is that his parents didn’t even notice any of this stuff when they mailed that package. They are still oblivious. Even when we tell them I am guessing it will be something like, “Oh, hmmm, yeah well we couldn’t remember what we decided on, oh well…” Duhhhhhhh

So now we (well really he) anyway SOMEONE needs to make the decision of whether he wants to legally get his name changed and spell it the way he thought it was, or just get his driver’s license changed and stick with the real spelling- we are thinking that might be easier because that’s how it is on all his other documents, plus that’s how most people spell it on his stuff anyway. It’s just weird because he didn’t know that was his name. I am married to Jonathan.

Jen, I can’t believe I forgot to tell you this at dinner.

Crabby Tooth Girl Pics and Other Randomness

Filed Under Complaining, Fourteen Months, Second Pregnancy, Teething | 7 Comments

Now that I say Bailey’s crabby teething spell is over, she is having a random crabby day today. Hopefully once she wakes up from her morning nap, she will be in a better mood. Not to mention that I just started my period (which I am sure you all want to know, but that means I’m not pregnant!) and I am crampy and feel blah. Drinking a Diet Coke helped the situation a little bit, as did a flour tortilla rolled up with butter and sugar and cinnamon in it. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It sounds nasty but it’s so, so good.

By the way, if we got pregnant this month, our kids would officially be two years apart. Not that we have any plans for that, but we always said we would NOT want them any closer than two years. I know people do it, but I also know my child and I know myself. And being pregnant again doesn’t sound at all appealing to me yet. I’m sure that someday it will sound fun and exciting and I really will want a new baby. For now, Bailey is enough. We want more than one child eventually, but not now. So stop speculating on when I am going to get pregnant, those of you who have been asking since Bailey turned one!

Here are some pics I took the other day while Bailey was being Crabby Tooth Girl. Doesn’t she just look pitiful?

I am also curious if anyone knows anything about authorize.net or other similar services. They set you up so that you can take credit cards as a merchant. I was wondering if I could use something like that instead of Paypal, when people buy stuff from me online like greeting cards or when I do calligraphy.

It seems like the teething is over

Filed Under Fourteen Months, Random, Teething | 1 Comment

For now, anyway. Bailey is back to her usual cheerful self. Thank goodness, because I was about at the end of my rope.

And I am looking forward to the weekend. We are going to a carnival, a birthday barbecue, and I am having dinner with a friend. So it should be fun and hopefully relaxing. Jonathon tends to freak out if he thinks we have too much planned.

Also I have mosquito bites all over my legs today. Which is odd because we weren’t outside last night. Maybe a delayed reaction from playing outside with the neighbors on Tuesday night.

My house is clean too except for my office. That darn office.

Anew Clinical Stretch Mark Smoother

Filed Under Avon, Pregnancy, Works For Me Wednesday | 2 Comments

When I was pregnant with Bailey, I got really bad stretch marks. I was fine until about 35 weeks and then it’s like my body just exploded with lines everywhere. I got stretch marks all over my stomach and hips, and on my boobs. I seriously thought it was one of the most disgusting things I had ever seen. I thought a couple times about buying some sort of cream or something but figured that I had so many lines that it would never work.

Finally when Avon came out with the Anew Clinical Stretch Mark Smoother, I decided I might as well give it a shot. I am more willing to try Avon products randomly since I get a discount and also because then if customers ask about them, I can give my opinion. I have been using the Stretch Mark Smoother for about a month now and honestly, I DO notice a difference. The marks that were pinkish/purple before are now skin colored. I am hoping that they “diminish” more and get smaller but right now I am excited that they aren’t as obvious as they were before. I thought about doing a before and after picture but realized I didn’t want to show the “before” to the whole world

Anyway, this is my product endorsement for the Stretch Mark cream. It really worked for me. If you are looking for something to get rid of stretch marks or other scarring, I seriously recommend this. It’s $25 and worth every penny. If that’s not in your budget, they also have an Anti-Cellulite and Stretch Mark Cream in the Avon Solutions line. It’s only $17 but I can’t vouch for that one.

You can order directly on my website and choose Personal Delivery to have me deliver to you, or Direct Delivery to have it shipped. Right now you can use the code REP10 for free shipping on orders of $10 or more (pre-tax). Questions? Leave a comment or email me at tara (at) twolinesonastick (dot) com

Also, I just wanted to say a big Thank You to all of you who order from me or have ordered in the past. You are helping my business to grow and to make it easier (and more fun!) for me to be a stay at home mom. I appreciate you!

For more fun tips, check out Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer.

Wordless Wednesday- Multi-tasking

Filed Under Books, Fourteen Months, Wordless Wednesday | 7 Comments

Here are those playdate pictures…

Filed Under Fourteen Months, Playdates | 5 Comments

Last week I hosted a pool/outside playdate at our house for some friends. It was so great to hang out with everyone and just relax and watch the kids play. And drink margaritas. I love having fun stuff to do with Bailey and her friends. I feel like I am usually the one trying to think of things to do though- I wish someone else would plan something more often. I am always afraid my ideas are going to suck or not turn out well. But this one was okay.

Here are a few pictures from that day. There were six babies, a two year old, and a six year old. I think it worked out well despite the random group of kids and moms who didn’t all know each other. Here is Bailey in the pool with Shaloma.

Bailey really likes Pringles- not that they are the healthiest choice but I feel better about her eating those than other crunchier chips that she could choke on.

Kaitlynn, Bailey, and Adele

“Welcome to my house!”

“You can come in if you want, but then we close the door.”

“Seriously, guys, the door MUST be closed. If you don’t listen, I will just squish you in the door.”

Oh, and after the playdate? Bailey discovered that she could put her finger up her nose.

Not so much

Filed Under Fourteen Months, Teething | 4 Comments

Having issues posting pics. I was going to share some cute ones from a playdate last week. I guess I’ll do that later.

Bailey is teething again and crabby and fever-y. I actually took her to the doctor this morning. They suckered me into it, to check her ears, even though I knew she was fine. Darn $20 copay I should have just listened to my gut and not gone, but then I would have felt guilty if there was something wrong and I didn’t go- it’s just so hard to know what it is when they can’t tell you where it hurts. After the doctor we had grilled cheese sandwiches at my mom’s house and then the Tylenol started wearing off and her temp started going up again so we headed home. We weren’t even two streets away from my mom’s house (in her neighborhood, not like big streets) and Bailey was already asleep. After having a 2 1/2 hour nap this morning. Now she has been sleeping in her room for about an hour so we’ll see how long this lasts.

I think Jonathon is working late tonight so hopefully she’s not too crabby. We might get the sprinkler out and play outside if she’s in a decent mood when she gets up.

Freepeats in St. Louis

Filed Under Baby Gear, Shopping, St. Louis | 3 Comments

I just followed another blog post to find a great new baby stuff website called Freepeats. They are in St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia. Lifetime membership is free through July 1st, then after that, a lifetime membership will cost $4.95

If you have ever looked at Freecycle, it reminds me of that, only instead of random things like auto parts, EVERYTHING on the site is baby/kid stuff. Everything is free. You post your offer, then change your post to show when it is taken. I registered and I have seen some decent offers on there, like a set of Avent bottles, a boppy, shoes, etc. It’s really not junk. I will have to look through my stuff and see what I can clear out of here. There is also a section for trading formula coupons and such.