Klahnsense

Hanging in.

2012-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

This month is crazy busy. I'll be back with a full dose of wit in time for February, I promise.

In the mean time, please be appropriately distracted by pictures of my awesome kid.

ah, they grow up so fast.

visiting mommy at work!

that's my girl!

For the love of the shoe.

2012-01-08T18:57:00.000-08:00

I love shoes. Always have, {expectedly} always will. I used to be in love with all kinds of high heels, and while I still am in theory, a toe surgery and the pregnancy that produced that adorable kiddo on the sidebar had other ideas. Side note to pre-kid readers: pregnancy CAN actually change the size/shape of your feet. This was a harsh realization for me that I hope doesn't happen to you when (and if) you ever jump on the mommy train.

Back to the subject of the box of gorgeous high heels sitting in a cardboard box on my dryer waiting to be consigned to a loving home - oh, wait, that wasn't the subject at all, was it?

Alas, my feet are now adorned 24/7 in one of 3 things (ok, almost 24/7, because, really, who can keep a pair of socks on their feet all night without kicking them off somewhere never to be found in the sheet?):

1. The most comfy of all slippers, the slipper boot. I myself own two fabulous pairs.

2. The flip flop. This does not help me in these terrible harsh winter months.

3. The ballet flat. Ah, how I adore thee.

I don't know what I love most about my ballet flats. Maybe its how comfy they are, or the way they can make my outfit appear semi-put together without much hassle, or how I can buy them on sale in crazy patterns for a fun and frugal addition to my wardrobe (hello, leopard flats from Old Navy that go with just about every black & brown item in my closet). So tonight I searched a couple of pairs that I love and, since I want to push my shopping ~~addiction~~ habit on as many people as humanly possible, here they are:

Dying for a pair of these!
TOMS shoes

Not sure where I would ever wear them, but how awesome are these?
Marc by Marc Jacobs flat

Flannel, plus leather? How can you not love these?
LOFT flat

Finding solace in the snuggles.

2012-01-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

Andrew and I take turns putting Delaney to bed. After putting on jammies, brushing teeth, singing silly songs, giggling, and prayers (with the most adorable exclamation of AMEN! You've ever heard) we give kisses and say our "loo you"s. For those reading who don't speak Delaney, that translates into I love you.

Sometimes, I use my alone time to do chores. I clean up the kitchen, work on laundry, or catch up on work. Sometimes, I sit on the couch and veg (read: catch up on Facebook and watch reality tv.)

Tonight, I put my darling little girl to bed. This is what can only be considered the middle (yes, I know it's Friday) of what can only be considered a frantic, hectic workweek. I have been going one hundred miles an hour all week long. In fact, in Life Group last night I mentioned the search for quiet in the midst of a wonderfully chaotic life. That quiet came with snuggles and drooled milk in a rocking chair with the center of my world.

Thank you Lord, for the chaos, for my daughter, and for always providing when my soul needs the quiet.

Review: Kris Jenner...and all things Kardashian.

2012-01-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

I just finished the first book of 2012. At least one of my resolutions is on its way to coming true!

My mom saw this book and picked it up for me for Christmas, knowing I like the Kardashians and their various reality shows. The book is written by Kris Jennner, also known as the Kardashian mom. I like Kris, so I was interested to read the book.

While my world didn't change as I turned the pages, it turns out Kris has had a pretty interesting life. From her marriage to Robert Kardashian, her friendship with Nicole Brown Simpson, to her life on tv now, she has made a lot of good decisions, a lot of mistakes, and has a lot of interesting stories to tell.

A lot of the book revolved around her relationship with O.J. Simpson and Nicole, from their first meeting through Nicole's murder and O.J.'s trial. Having watched a lot of the trial on TV when it was going on, I liked reading about the situation from "the inside."

If you aren't a Kardashian fan, you can probably skip this book. Kris lives big, and puts her whole life out there, just like she does on her shows. I definitely think she's a good businesswoman, and I enjoyed reading about her love for her kids and how she has worked to raise them.

Since the book was somewhat fluff, I feel like I can't give it the super-duper highest book club rating, but considering I got through the whole thing in 3 days, I will give brownie points for not being able to put it down. Overall, I'd give the book an A-.

I've gotten a few more books on my list and am excited to get another one started. But not until I watch tonight's new Grey's, of course. It's all about priorities, people.

Resolutions.

2011-12-31T11:13:00.001-08:00

I know some people don't believe in making resolutions, and blah, blah, blah. Call me a nerd (I won't even begin to be offended), but I like making them. I am a goal setter, and I like finding ways to improve. This year, I decided to set some goals for myself, and with the help of my hubby, I also set some for our family and our daughter (hello, potty training & big girl bed!). Some of these are more personal than others, but since there's nothing like good ol' accountability to keep you on track, I will list a few here.

Simplify. This is a constant struggle for me. And it probably means something different to everyone. For me, it means spending time on the people, places, and things that mean the most to me, and letting the other things go. For a Type-A must-do-everything-er like myself, this is definitely at the top of the list.

Keep it in perspective. Try not to flip out over the small things. Emphasis on try. I am a perfectionist, and while that comes in really handy a lot of the times, it is also a bit of a burden for a working mom with a husband, daughter, pets, and house that all need my attention (and who I love giving attention to, I might add). I need to remember that everything doesn't have to be done right.this.minute, and some things may even be put off until another phase of our life. And that's a wonderful thing.

Healthy me, healthy family, healthy home. This starts with eating better & exercising, supporting hubby in doing the same, and continuing to make healthy choices for our daughter, so that she will be able to make healthy choices for herself in the years ahead.

Have FUN. Sometimes I can be way too serious. The fun-loving me that plays with Delaney all weekend and laughs at my husband until my sides hurt needs to go everywhere I go. So I'm packing her up and sticking her in my back pocket.

Reading, writing, and arithmetic. I love to read, but I have really been letting my book club buddy down the past few months. I need to turn off the TV more and read (even if the next book on my to-read list is by Kris Jenner). I want to read at least 12 new books this year. Suggestions? Post them in the comments, pretty please!! I also love to write. And since I bookmarked this little piece of internet on our Christmas cards, hopefully some of our distant family & friends will be able to stop here and see what we've been up to - recently. Arithmetic = Family Budget. As a professional bean counter, I am always looking for ways to improve here.

Whew, I think that's enough for one year! I am excited for all that 2012 will bring to our family and friends - a new BFF is coming for Delaney in February, and we cannot wait to meet her. We have one (maybe two?) trips planned to see our dearest distant friends this year, another fabulous birthday party to throw for a soon-to-be (but not that soon) GASP! TWO year old, and I'm sure life will bring other blessings and changes, as it does each year.

Praying blessings and prosperity for you & yours in the New Year!

Organization 101: you need a fancy calendar.

2011-12-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

This is such a busy time of year for us! There are lots of wonderful fun things going on, and lots to keep up with in between. I am trying to take in all in stride and not get stressed out. The key to this, for me, is staying organized. If I feel organized, then I can take on the world.

Thanks to the Erin Condren Life Planner, I am oh-so-organized this holiday season. These babies were on Groupon a few weeks ago at 50% off, and after hinting to my mom that I might like one for Christmas, she snagged it and told me to go ahead and order it so I could start enjoying it. It's so adorable! Customized with our names on the front, and lots of fun quotes on the inside to keep the months fun.

My to-do list on the side of the weekly glance page this week includes everything from mail Christmas cards (check!), call florist (check!), make poms (...remains undone), and wrap gifts (check!) I love that I can see my week, and there is plenty of room to list not only appointments, but all my errands and items I need to get done at home.

With business busyness (woah, try saying that three times fast), a darling girl and my hubby to spend time with at home, the never-ending laundry monster, and getting together with family & friends this holiday season, organization keeps me sane and helps me have time for everything - including hanging out on the couch and blogging (but see above for all the things I! have! already! done! this week.)

In short, thanks Erin Condren, for making me a nicer, calmer person this holiday season. And although you may not actually need a fancy-schmancy calendar, it does make it more fun to be organized (color coordinating Sharpies and all, come on, let your inner nerd shine!) By the way, look how cute this thing is!

Today's good deed.

2011-11-30T14:37:00.001-08:00

This morning was insane at my house. We've got a little one with croup, which means we were up the better part of the night holding our little love upright so she could get some sleep without coughing. Enough on that still tender subject.

With the chaos of our normal morning routine came another unexpected twist this morning though - a ring of the doorbell (ok, two or three rings - do people not realize triple-ringing is RUDE?!?!?) with a neighbor asking if an adorable boxer on the front stoop belonged to us. Nope - one, two boxers still in bed like the lazy bums they are, everyone was present & accounted for at our house. Not that we actually checked - obviously we do know what our dogs look like, even with zero sleep. Another ring about 30 minutes later asked the same question. Nope, still not ours.

But crazy dog-loving people that we are, we couldn't take the thought of this dog wandering in the cold all day - if one of our beloved furbabies was out in the cold, I would hope some kind soul would take pity on them. The dog had no collar, so we couldn't find an owner, but we got him all cozied up in a kennel, and he walked right in and laid down like he owned the place. Obviously, he belonged in a super-spoiled house like the one he was in.

Long story somewhat shorter, I finally got in touch with someone at the animal shelter here around noon and found out that someone was indeed searching for a male boxer. The guy called, and I went home to let this little guy out of the kennel and send him back to his family. Both the owner and dog were overjoyed, and I was too.

The moral of the story? Making someone else's day can definitely make your own.

Gallery Wall Reveal!

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

After months of choosing just the right pictures, some additional art, and finally making the time to hang everything in that just so arrangment (not that I'm OCD or anything - please don't ask my hubby his opinion on the subject), the gallery wall is done! I am so thrilled with how it came out. I absolutely love displaying photos of our family, and this was the perfect way to showcase some awesome photos of our girl. The majority of these were taken by the totally fabulous Paul Wharton, who we love dearly, and the awesome picture in the middle of the birthday girl was taken by Kristen Sweeting - who we came to love by getting her to do some amazing shots of our girl on on the big party day. There are also a couple of great Etsy finds in here. Although I tried to include links for your shopping pleasure, Blogger is stupid and I can't get my links to work, so just go to Etsy and shop at the stores listed below.

If you are someone I know in real life, please come over and see my wall! The colors look awesome in person. And I may be slightly obsessed with the wall. Either way, take a look and enjoy!

If you are a Jack Johnson fan, you recognize these lyrics. If not, google it. Love Jack! This was purchased via Owl's Love Nest on Etsy.
These two were awesome Etsy finds as well. The first is customized with a house here in MJ via Consider Lilies on Etsy, and the second is a quote from Daughters by John Mayer, purchased via Beckyxo on Etsy. Adorable child photo via Paul Wharton. Adorable child via yours truly (with equal credit to my hubs, of course).

What new projects are sprucing up your house this winter?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-11-27T14:22:00.001-08:00

Certainly not outside, with temps in the 60's and up this week, but inside the Klahn house, Christmas is in full swing! We scaled our decorating down this year with only one tree (as opposed to our usual 3) and leaving some of our decorations in their boxes until we are past the toddler stage. The house still looks great though. I love having the lights off and using the light of the Christmas tree downstairs in the evenings all December long! We got a new tree for our living room after Christmas last year, so I was excited/nervous to get it up. We bought a floor display with no box, so it has been in pieces in our garage all year, and I was afraid the pre-lit lights would not work, but everything worked perfectly and the tree is beautiful! Next year (maybe) we will move our old slim tree upstairs to become the baseball tree that goes in our bonus room. I love unwrapping all our ornaments from places we've been, our first Christmas, the family ornaments I get each year, each pet's special ornament, and of course Delaney's first ornament. I guess I am getting sentimental in my old age!

We are also getting into the spirit with Christmas music. My awesome hubby has a tradition of giving me a Black Friday gift each year, usually Christmas CD's. This year's choices were Aretha Franklin Christmas and the new Michael Buble Christmas CD. Both are awesome! Christmas movies are important to us too - Andrew & I always watch Elf before decorating to start out the season, this year Delaney watched a little with us and snoozed through the rest. Between now and Christmas, we'll include our other favorites like Christmas Vacation and The Family Stone. Delaney is even getting into the spirit by choosing The Night Before Christmas and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Christmas as her favorite books right now - in case you don't have a toddler, that means we read each about 8 million times a day (that's per person, per book). She doesn't quite "get" the whole Christmas thing yet, but she loves the tree and lights, and all the decorations! We are working on the whole "gentle touch" thing - its a work in progress (see gated Christmas tree below!).

Here are some pictures of the house all decked out for the holidays!

The beautiful new tree, with aforementioned toddler gate

A little festive bling in Delaney's room!

My Willow Tree nativity is one of my favorite items.

The animal stockings, and pictures of our first married Christmas (just us and Callaway!), Delaney's first Christmas, and Santa pictures from this year and last. She has changed so much in a year!

Our village, my sparkly tree collection, and our stockings. You can't really see the hangers, but they are a daddy, mama, and baby reindeer. They will last until there is another baby reindeer someday!

A day to give thanks.

2011-11-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. We have made it a family tradition to host Thanksgiving at our house. We have a small gathering with the three of us, Grannie, Pop, Grandma, & Grandpa. We love spending this time together eating, relaxing, watching football, and of course playing with our sweet girl. This year I even got some crafting done, with the help of my mom-in-law! We all had a great day, and Delaney was loving getting so much attention. She worked the room all day long and spent time with everyone. She is so lucky to have all four grandparents so close by to spend time with her and watch her grow! Here are some highlights from our day.

Some reading time after lunch

Delaney in her adorable Thanksgiving outfit!

Chowing down! Delaney loved all our traditional Thanksgiving foods!

The spread! Delicious turkey, stuffing & gravy made by my hubby, homemade rolls and mashed potatoes made by Grandpa, broccoli casserole made by Grannie, and of course the cranberry sauce, my favorite part!!

Happy girls on Thanksgiving Day

I hope your Thanksgiving was a wonderful day, as ours was!

Happy Turkey Day!

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

We are counting our blessings around here today and hope you are too. Wishing you and your family a blessed, happy Thanksgiving!

Delaney's First Haircut!

2011-11-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

Today our wonderful friend Kristen at AquaBella salon here in MJ cut Delaney's hair for the first time. Kristen cuts all the family hair - mine, Andrew, mom & dad's, so of course she is going to be Delaney's stylist as well. :)

Delaney was a total ham the whole time, laughing and cutting up (no pun intended) with Kristen, Mommy & Daddy the whole time. She did great and loved looking at herself in the mirror. Her hair wasn't too long, but it is so fine we decided to trim it up in order to get it growing in a little thicker.

What kind of mommy paparazzi would I be if I did not fully document this in photographs? Here is the finished product - I think Delaney loves the salon! Thanks Kristen, we love you!!

It's the holiday season...

2011-11-20T19:07:00.001-08:00

This weekend, we decided to start the holiday season off right with a day at Opryland Hotel. After packing up enough food/toys/clothes/essentials to get us through the day, we headed out after breakfast Saturday morning. My parents went with us too, a little tradition we started last year. We had such a wonderful day! The hotel was not crowded at all. Delaney was a sweet angel the whole time, and had so much fun riding around looking at all the decorations. She got her picture with Santa again this year, and got to meet Mrs. Claus too! She gave a big smile on Santa's lap, and he said he was impressed with how happy she was to see him at her age. Maybe that means Delaney will get an extra-full stocking this year! :)
Here are some pictures from our first holiday outing. I can't share the best ones, as they will soon be coming to a Christmas card near you!! We are now ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and get our Christmas decorations out next weekend! Happy Holidays!!

Mommy & Daddy snuck in a quick picture :)

Delaney and Mrs. Claus!

Goofing around at snack time!

My beautiful, happy girl

Enjoying the ride!

Save the drama for your mama.

2011-11-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

Delaney sure does. She is a sweet, affectionate, loving girl, but she definitely has her toddler moments (although, to be fair, its too soon to tell if these will fade with age or she is going to be a drama queen ~~like her mother~~).
Just as the BabyCenter know-it-all's will tell you, Delaney throws more fits for mommy than daddy. They are very short-lived, and I patted myself on the back this week when reading BabyCenter's email and finding that we already are handling tantrums the "appropriate way." End shameless self-appreciation of basic parenting skills here. Most of the outbursts stem from her not being able to communicate to us quickly enough (for her taste, anyway). I can understand why this is annoying. I mean, how would you feel if you needed someone to come to your aid during a major playtime crisis, and everyone was just standing around talking about how cute your pigtails are? Immensely cute, by the way.
She is also repeating any and everything she hears, the most recent of which is the word "now." What used to be a simple command (like "Up") has become "Up Now." Still said in a sweet little voice with a sweet little smile, but I haven't quite figured out how to nip that in the bud yet. I think she is so proud of herself for using a new word that she doesn't realize she's being a bit on the rude side. It is hard to distinguish while she's otherwise so adorable.
But, all in all, I don't mind bearing the brunt of the attitude. After all, I usually get a smothering of hugs and smoochies afterwards, and that's just fine by me.

i heart shopping.

2011-11-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

Yep, I'm a shop-a-holic. Today, though, I branched out and did something I haven't done in a while - shopped for myself. I shop a lot - online and offline. You just never know when you'll see something fun. I especially love this time of year, as I love finding gifts for those I love.
Maybe its all the blogs I've been reading lately about moms (or women in general) not taking care of themselves, or maybe its that my working out/eating right is starting to pay off, but I actually found a couple of things for myself that I liked tonight. And were steals, obviously. I said I love to shop - I never said I love to pay full price.
My best buy of the night was my $.25 sunglasses from Rue21. I went in to shop for accessories and felt about 100 years old when I got called ma'am and they asked if I wanted to buy cologne for my son. WHAT?!? I know motherhood has aged me, but come on. I may or may not have exclaimed to the darling teenage girl behind the counter that I! AM! NOT! OLD! ENOUGH! to have a son that wears cologne.
Despite that small outburst, I had some wonderful girl time with one of my best girlfriends, and then a little time to myself while I stopped in a few more stores. It was a much needed breather after a busy week, and helped to recharge my batteries a little.
And while I bought nothing for Delaney, I did manage to pick up a little something for the hubs. No, I really don't understand how that happened either.
But I will have plenty of time to think about it while he hunts down & kills all the bad guys on MW3.

Bedroom Mini-Makeover.

2011-11-08T18:44:00.000-08:00

We've been in our house a little more than three years now, and I'm starting to scratch the redecorating itch. Although there are some gorgeous new things I'd love to do (thanks mostly to Pinterest), the ones that involve paint, new furniture, and total room rearranging will just have to wait.
I did decide to get a little creative though, and by moving a few things around and pulling in some items from different rooms, we've got some new, fresh decor for the walls.
Would you like a sneak peek? If not, now would be the time to click that little x in the corner of your screen. Same picture, new wall. A canvas that Andrew & I bought on our honeymoon.
My new creation for the wall. Cardboard K from JoAnn's. Husby painted for me and I used a copper leafing pen to write the lyrics from one of our favorite songs, "You and Me" by DMB.

The gallery style wall. K from above, maternity picture by my fab sis-in-law, Delaney's newborn and 3 month pictures by Paul Wharton, clock with verses from Proverbs from Aunt Debbie & Aunt Vicki, Always Kiss Me Goodnight frame from Kirklands, and an amazing silhouette of Delaney done by hand by the same man who did mine when I was a little girl.

A new favorite space. "Grow old with me" plaque from Hobby Lobby has been on this wall, but our new addition is the "I love you because..." printable found via Pinterest. This is such a fun way to leave little affirmations for each other. It has been a great feeling to come in to the room and notice you have a note about how you are loved! I plan to put one of these in Delaney's room when she is older as well.

Sconces from my Party Lite bridal shower (a million years ago). Just removed the candles and added some other stuff from around the house. Angel given to our family at my Grannie's funeral, flower from Target, milk glass vase an heirloom from my Grannie, and rolled paper flowers DIY'ed by me from here.

Sports Suck.

2011-11-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

But not for the reason that a lot of wives hate sports. I always see the little signs at craft fairs that say "This marriage has been interrupted for football/basketball/baseball season." That couldn't be farther from our house. Andrew & I are both bigtime sports fans, one of the first commonalities that we learned about each other early along in our relationship.

Football and baseball are our main sports. Now, I have to admit, that during baseball season, I only follow the Cubbies, only watch some of their games, and could care less about what any of the other teams are doing. Football season is a completely different animal. We root for Vandy football and sometimes catch a home game in person. Sundays belong to Titans football at our house. The day starts with a great tailgate with friends (with awesome food and beverages, of course), followed by the walk into the stadium and up to our seats.

Yesterday, a perfectly good first half was ruined by a completely miserable second half. But let's not talk about that.

Beyond the Titans, we keep up with everyone in the AFC South, because of course we need to know where we stand (Plus, its fun to laugh at the Colts. Tee hee.) This year, add in the fact that Andrew & I are both playing Fantasty Football (not a good weekend for me there, either), and you get one couple that really loves to cheer on the home teams (and random players from other teams that we have on our rosters).

So, although Vandy, the Titans, and the Ugly Naked Guys (my fantasty team - if you aren't a Friends fan, then you don't get it) all let me down this weekend, you can bet we'll be glued to the TV next Sunday at noon, decked out in our gear and cheering for a win on the road.

Playground Fun.

2011-11-05T18:58:00.001-07:00

Today Delaney and I met our best buds Tracey & Gavin at the park for some playground fun. The weather was gorgeous, and the kiddos had a blast. Delaney was a slide monster, climbing the stairs, sliding down, and repeating over and over! She kept saying "Slide! Slide!" She also loves to swing. Here are a couple of pictures from our fun afternoon!

Catching Up.

2011-11-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

Since it seems I haven't even bothered to update you faithful followers on our lives lately (although I'm fairly certain basically all of you are my Facebook friends, so you are no doubt privy to the barrage of pictures of a certain darling toddler girl and her antics), I feel I should take one more swipe at this whole blogging business, after all.

What better to start with than a catch up post?

In September we went on a fabulous family vacation to Ft. Walton Beach. Didn't you go there in the Spring? you wonder. Yes, yes we did. How we got the vacation gods to smile down and grant two beach vacations in one year, I may never know. But when it comes to the vacation gods, I don't ask a lot of questions.

October passed rapidly, as Octobers always seem to do. Delaney was in her first costume contest, in which she actually won a toy for wearing a delightful costume that - wait for it - mommy (that would be yours truly) MADE. Yes, made. Check out the cute ladybug on the sidebar if you want the proof. Our newest nephew, Jackson, was born on October 20th, and we have gotten to love on his perfect little newborn self twice so far. With more snuggles to come soon, I hope! We topped off the month with trick-or-treating with friends, which was an absolute ball with our hilarious daughter.

So far in November, Delaney has had her 15 month check up. She is 31.5 inches (she grew 1.5 inches in 3 months!) which is the 80th percentile, and she is 25.9 lbs., 90th percentile. Our girl is growing so big!

There is lots more planned for this month, which I'll try to keep you updated on throughout the month (assuming I don't completely go M.I.A again - I make no promises). Lots of craft projects are planned. Yep, I left and came back crafty, get used to it.

So, in closing - welcome back to our life! So glad you are here to join us for the busy, crazy, fantastic holiday season!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today's is my darling Mommy's birthday!! She is an amazing Grannie and one of my best friends, too. Yep, you can be jealous that I have such a great mom! She is stronger than I will ever dream of being. So thankful to celebrate another great year with her! Love you, Mom!!

Balls In the Air.

2011-08-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Like pants on the ground, only different. It's more like I'm occasionally looking like a fool with my balls in the air.

Ahem.

Juggling all the balls of my life, that is. Motherhood. Wifedom. Controllership. Which is my job description, by the way, not a quest to take over the world. I don't have the time or patience for that kind of thing.

As I was telling my one of my best pals today, I do really well for a couple of months, then I have a little "get your life together" moment where I feel I need to revamp and try again on this whole balancing act. So that's what I've been doing lately. Working on breaking everything down into little bits, instead of getting overwhelmed. Working on not being such a Major Type A Personality.

One of my hubby's tattoos is a quote from Fight Club: No fear, no distractions. The next line is the kicker: The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide. If you know him, you know this sums him up pretty well. A nice contrast to his darling wife. But I am working on that, too. I'm finding that if nothing else, motherhood and age help mellow you. An even keel husband works pretty well, too.

So although my new schedule has been working out fairly well, I have left one critical element out of the week: blogging. Not sure when to add it in, but its definitely worth the edit.

And the copying over of the schedule on nice, lined paper with pretty colored pens. Hey, some traits are worth working on, and some are better to just embrace.

One.

2011-08-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

Delaney Kate turned one on August 2nd. I can't begin to describe the pride I feel of having such an amazing daughter. She is so much fun, and I love the fact that her personality shines through more and more with each day that passes. More about how great she is and how wonderful her party was later, once I get some photos posted.

We went yesterday for her 12 month checkup and were very happy with all the findings. Delaney is a big girl, coming in at the 95% for height (at 30 inches tall) and the 90% for weight (at 24.1 lbs.) Her head is in the 50% percentile. I think it works perfectly on her adorable little frame. :)

She is walking well, hearing well, talking well, and moving about non-stop! All of her development looks great. She does have some tibial torsion, which the doctor says is completely normal for her age, and a little bowing, which could have to do with her being in mommy's belly so long! Both should correct themselves with time, and since they do not slow her down whatsoever, the doctor is not worried at all.

Delaney has made the switch to whole milk with no problem. That makes for a happy mommy!! Less formula means more money for ~~mommy to buy pretty things~~ the college fund, of course. Her first cup of whole milk was at lunch today and she downed the whole thing. She has been using cups only and no bottles for about two weeks now. My big girl!!

She did have four shots and a finger stick yesterday, which were rough on mommy and baby. She had the biggest tearful reaction to these yet, but I know they are what's best for her. She was a little slow yesterday, but mostly back to her old self after a big breakfast and a long nap.

We love our little girl so much!! She is the light of our lives. We thank God every day that she is so healthy, growing and developing just as she should!

Work it, girl.

2011-07-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

That's what I've been doing for almost four months now. Thanks to my fabulous trainer Alison at Catalyst Fitness, I've lost about 15 pounds, lots of inches all over, and have finally decided that I can ~~moderately tolerate~~ enjoy working out on a regular basis.

I love Catalyst because its a six month program, and I felt like I could do anything for just six months. I am surprised how the time has flown! I do two weight workouts with Alison each week, and attempt to do three cardio workouts on my own (since honesty is the best policy, let's go ahead and admit that some weeks I do better than others on the cardio). I also have an easy to follow meal plan that doesn't tell me exactly what I have to eat (because no one's the boss of me!).

If you want a great workout and real results, check Catalyst out! You can find them on Facebook or click the link above. I am already excited about achieving my first goals and setting some new ones for my second tour. Can you believe I am actually considering continuing working out? That crap about workout endorphins and blah, blah, blah must actually be true. Humph.

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend...

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

...but mani-pedis are pretty swell, too. Planning on getting one tonight.

Here are some of my other favorite ways to relax:

Shopping. A stroll through Target and TJMaxx can cure many kinds of yuckiness. (You don't have to buy anything, but it is recommended for full relaxation).

Reading. As recommended by my awesome book club, of course.

Friends. Curling up in my bed with Santo and turning on my favorite TV show is free (you know, now that the 10 season box set is purchased), and not much beats it.

What is your favorite way to relax?

they're like moms, only grander.

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

GiGi. Grannie. Gram. Grandma. Nona. Grandmother. Nana.

Whatever you call these women, they are awesome. My Nana passed away when I was four, so I didn't get too many memories with her, but my Grannie was a huge part of my life. We had too many fun times together to count. Getting ice cream, going to McDonald's for old ladies club, getting pulled over for speeding, and shopping until we dropped, to name a few. My Grannie taught my about living life to the fullest and being a generous person in all ways.

Delaney is blessed to have two awesome grandmothers. They both adore her in every way. And have I mentioned that these women never.get.TIRED. How do they do that? Delaney wears me out after a Saturday together, yet either of them manage to keep her all week, keep house, do errands, work in the garden (I'll let you guess which one that is), all without breaking a sweat. AMAZING!

Some day in many, many, MANY years (since Delaney won't be dating until at least 30), I hope to be as great of a grandma as these two are. Love you, Grannie & Grandma!

Out of the mouths of babes.

2011-07-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I signed up to start teaching Sunday School. There is a (somewhat) new program at our church called the ROCK, and they had been recruiting teachers during service announcements. The still, small voice in my head kept telling me to do it, but since teaching is not one of my strong suits, although I aspire to do it, so I ignored the voice. (Note to self and others reading: that never works. God really knows how to pierce through all the noise and get you.)

Anyway, I began with first graders, which I loved. Then some of the classes combined and moved, and I now have the joy of being with the third and fourth graders. They are so much fun and amazingly insightful and smart. I have enjoyed getting to know the kids and getting to meet some more parents that I didn't know around the church as well.

This week, our lesson was on pride. I don't consider myself a very prideful person, although we all have our moments. But the lesson pointed out a new spin on pride that I'd never considered before. When we put ourselves down and think poorly of our life/talents/blessings, its like saying that God didn't do a good job putting us together. This has really resonated with me this week.

Undoubtedly, I am learning more from studying my lessons and teaching the kids than they are learning from me, but I hope they are taking something valuable home as well. Each of the kids had to list 3 talents they could thank God for, and they all came up with three quickly. I know a lot of talented adults who would have trouble naming three great things about themselves (myself included on some days). The faith of a child is a beautiful thing, and we might learn a lot more as adults if we looked at life in the same way. At least I have.

Monday, Monday.

2011-07-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Mondays are usually a little crazy around our house. So let's relive the weekend instead, shall we?

We had a lot of fun this weekend! Friday night I am proud to say I was in bed by 9pm. Other than the fact that my early bedtime was due to a migraine, all that sleep was glorious. Simply glorious.

Saturday morning one of my friends came over and brought her adorable little boy. We had not gotten to get together since this handsome little guy was born! He is such a cutie and Delaney had fun checking him out and touching gently (feet only to keep those "toddler" germs at bay!)(Can't believe my kid is considered a "toddler" now!)

Saturday afternoon Delaney & I ran some errands, played, and napped until Daddy got home from work. That evening, we went over to visit Grannie & Pop and have a delicious meal at their house. Mom is feeling a lot better and was able to get out some this weekend. Yay!Sunday after church, our friends the VanSickles came over to visit and bring Gavin to play for a little while. He and Delaney were hilarious together and kept us laughing with their crazy antics. These two are so much fun!

We ended the weekend with some time at Grandma and Grandpa's house with another great meal and card playing. Delaney was such a good girl and allowed us to play cards for quite a little while as she played with all of her toys.

All in all, it was a great weekend with lots of family time, friend time, and a little relaxation time Sunday evening. I love weekends!

When in doubt, pray.

2011-07-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Bible verses is:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Phil. 4:13

I am praying for this strength, and some superhuman strength for myself too, to get through this busy, busy week. I know He will get me through, so I can slow down a bit, and get back to the normal humdrum (yeah, right) business of working, mommy-ing, wife-ing, and of course, blogging.

Weekend? Don't mind if I do.

2011-07-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's Friday, and I am SO excited about all this weekend has in store!

First, we are headed to celebrate this little man's BIG first birthday!

Then, we're headed to our friends' home for dinner. Haven't seen them in a while, and can't wait to catch up!

After church on Sunday, my mom and I have a Sunday Funday planned. Maybe manicures, a movie, and some shopping? Whatever we do, we always have a blast together.

Hope your weekend plans include some fun too!

Twitt-ah.

2011-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do any of my lovely readers tweet? I did as a fleeting attempt to be cool when Twitter was a new thing. I quickly realized that I did not have enough time/patience/interesting things to say to really succeed at tweeting, so I pulled the plug.

Am I the only one who is mildly annoyed that every.single.TV show now has a hash tag at the bottom something along the lines of #sitaroundandtypeaboutourshowbecauseitrules. Seriously, do that many people use Twitter? I know, I know, the answer is yes. But I'm not one of them.

Am I missing out? I feel like I pretty much already spend my precious evening time on the interwebs reading Facebook ~~and writing witty blogs for you~~. So there really isn't any need to add another form of social media to my life.

Until, of course, Delaney has her own Twitter account and I have to keep up with her. Le sigh.

The future's so bright, ya gotta wear shades.

2011-07-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

We have been making some preparations and planning to start saving for Delaney's future (i.e. The college education that we'll need to pay for. You know, before the fabulous wedding to the total handsome prince. Yikes.) But I digress.

One of the questions asked of us is what school we want to plan for. WOAH. While I realize this is for planning purposes and not at all like we're signing some contract to send her somewhere in 18 years, I still suddenly see us driving away from her new dorm room and me melting down in the car (wonder if my mom did that?)

What dreams do I have for Delaney? Before she was born (or even conceived), Andrew and I would talk about what things she would do, if she would be smart like mommy, or athletic like daddy (we're still hoping for a perfect combo of both). Would she play softball? volleyball? dance? be a Future Problem Solver? Yes, that's a real thing, and I was one. Booyah.

As she grows though, it seems to matter less what things she'll do and what hobbies she'll have. It's more fun to watch her develop her own personality. For the record, her fascination with kicking things and running over to them only to kick them again seems to foreshadow a lot of time at the soccer fields.

What is important to me is to instill in Delaney a love and respect for her family, to foster her Christian faith, and to teach her the morals, values, and traditions that mean so much to our family. So whether she is artistic or athletic; goes to Belmont, MTSU, or somewhere across the country, she can take the things we've taught her with her on her life journey. I can't wait to see where life takes her.

11 months.

2011-07-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

As of July 2nd, Delaney is 11 months old. Can we just pause for a second in shock and awe? How did my baby get so OLD? And, when did she turn into a little girl? She is still a baby to me of course, but she walks, babbles, has likes and dislikes, and seems so much like a big girl to me now. Her personality is so great. She loves to laugh, she is always cracking herself up (and us, naturally). Dancing is another favorite activity. She turns the drum beat on the keyboard she has and bounces up and down. It is too cute! She loves all types of food also. It is a lot of fun giving her new choices all the time. We are looking forward to moving to cow's milk next month. Our girl is the greatest joy of our lives, and we love her so much. She has added so much love into our already happy home. I can't imagine my life without this precious little punk!

weekend time!

2011-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Here's hoping that your weekend (and mine) involves some of my favorite summertime things:

Yummy grilled foods!

Delicious beverages!

Swimming on a hot day!

Hope your weekend is fabulous!

Stupid cancer.

2011-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

As most of my blog follower faithful (all 3 of you) probably already know, my mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and some radiation, she is going to be fine, but this is definitely a scary situation for her and our family. My mom is our caretaker, so being a patient is not something she is used to. We will be so thrilled when August is over and all her treatments are behind us! Mom is a strong, courageous woman and she is going to do great as she fights this little obstacle. Today Mom is going for an MRI to take one more closer look at everything before her surgery. We know God is going to protect and heal her, but your prayers for healing, strength, and patience are all appreciated. I love you Mom!!

Mrs. Fix It.

2011-07-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm not that handy around the house. Unless, of course, you count holding down the couch and witty banter as handy. Which I do. I kid, I kid. Anywhoo, yesterday I had a quick, child-free hour after work, which I used to whip around the house like a tornado and pick up the ever accumulating mail, toys, and laundry. Go me! Since I had a little time after my chores, I decided to make a call to Keurig's customer service line to try and fix our coffee maker. The little machine had worked like a dream and been all the hubs could wish for, but then mysteriously stopped working a couple of weeks ago. After the customer service lady asked for my name, address, ~~blood type, and a DNA sample~~, she asked if I had a paperclip. So away I went to fetch such a tool. After returning, I followed her painfully scripted instructions to poke said paperclip into about 80,000 places on the Keurig, take apart the K cup holder, and a few final pokes and prods. Voila! The thing starts brewing. Unfortunately, I don't drink coffee and my darling husband isnt't a fan of the non-fresh, microwave version, that cup had to be sacrificed to the drain. But, I got the self-proclaimed Mrs. Fix It title, at least until the next thing breaks. Isn't ownership of small appliances grand? Now, to get some of those hot chocolate K cups.

But you don't have to take my word for it.

2011-07-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

Kudos to you if you got the Reading Rainbow reference in the title above. I love to read. Although I sometimes quit reading for weeks ~~during which I waste all my precious nightly quiet time on Facebook~~, once I get back into a book I am usually pretty engrossed until I finish it. My BFF and I have a super-elite book club, and that's how I get most of my best reads. Lately, though, I also spend a lot of time reading books with little chew marks on the corners. No, the dogs haven't gone awry. Delaney loves books! Reading books, chewing books, and looking at books. She is a book monster, and I couldn't be happier about that! I read to her before she was born and we read a lot now as well. She loves picking out a book from Grannie's shelf or her book basket at home and walking it over to you to read. She is such a great talker and I know a lot of that has come from reading (and, let's face it, also from great motor-mouth genes). I hope Delaney continues to love reading as she gets older. Otherwise, what else am I going to do with the entire set of Babysitters Club books that my mom made me save for my daughter?

Let freedom ring.

2011-07-01T09:48:00.001-07:00

from here

Hope everyone has a happy and safe Fourth of July! We will be swimming, eating, spending time with friends and family, and giving thanks for our great nation!

Because, shamefully, there have been no pictures this week.

2011-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Vampires, Hogwarts, and other trendalicious items.

2011-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

When it comes to trends, you could say I don't exactly jump out on the cutting edge - or you could consider being totally honest and say that I am lightyears behind. I usually like to wallflower around for a bit until the hype dies down, and then make a decision from there. Here are a few trends I'm going to throw my two cents in on (with apologies to the grammar police for the sentence ending in GASP! double prepositions):

Twilight: Read it. Loved it. The movies are OK, but nowhere near as great as the books.

True Blood: Tried it. Did not love it. Maybe I need to give it another chance? I like a lot of HBO shows, but I just couldn't get into this one.

Harry Potter: Once I figured out that there is no secret language in these books (yep, I'm a total idiot, and all the Potter kids are throwing things at the computer now), I started reading them. I really loved the books, but after the third one I found out I was carrying a little bun in the oven, at which time all reading was restricted solely to pregnancy and baby reading, with the occasional trashy celeb magazine thrown in for good measure (and to keep up the notion that I am "in the know," of course.) SO, I have not seen the movies, as I refuse to watch anything that I want to read, since the book is nearly always a billion-zillion-kajillion times better than what the silver screen comes up with (excepting specifically The Notebook, which I adored in both forums). That said, I still have plans to someday read the HP series, and then of course see the movies. Maybe. Someday.

Glee: Still watching the first season. So far, so good, but obviously this does not qualify me for gleek status. Le sigh.

Lady Gaga: Trend of all trends. At first I did not get it. I still don't completely get it. But, I must admit that she is growing on me, and I can't help but attempt to sing along/make ridiculous "ohh laa blah blah Gaga" sounds when Bad Romance comes on.

Shellac.

2011-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Where my nails are concered, I'm an ex-acrylic lover now struggling to keep my nails looking nice and neat in the midst of an otherwise chaotic life. I had acrylics forEVER, then got them taken off, put back on, off, on again while pregnant (hey, some part of me needed to look nice and put together, even if my hands were the size of a NFL linebacker's.) Sidenote: do NFL linebackers have big hands? I'm just making an assumption there.

Anywhoo, after my sweet girl came into the world and three months later, we went back into the "real world" otherwise known as life after maternity leave, it became apparent I had neither the time nor patience to spend sitting in a chair away from my darling girl. Of course, my nails were the poor victims of this decision. So when I heard about Shellac, it piqued my interest. Nail color that would not come off, but did not have to be kept up like acrylics? Tell me more, tell me more!

So after many months of thinking that seemed interesting but never making time to actually make an appointment for a little hand-TLC, I finally found an occasion worth enough (a beach vacation, of course) to have said manicure. It was, in short, fabulous. My nails did not chip for - get this - 18 DAYS. That's a lifetime in manicures. The bad news? This stuff would NOT come off. I tried 100% acetone and everything. Wow! So maybe it requires a bit more upkeep than I thought, but I definitely looked better longer than acrylics ever did.

And at the end of the day, I was forced to get a manicure before anniversary fun day could commence. All in all, I'd say this story had a happy ending.

Have you Shellac'ed? If not, you should!

The M Word.

2011-06-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you know my darling daughter, you know she's a chatterbox. She started vowel sounds and hasn't looked back. Her vocabulary is definitely still in that only-her-parents-and-a-few-highly-trained-ears-can-distinguish-words stage, but it getting larger all the time: hi, bye, woah, uh oh, NO (her personal favorite), yeah, dada, and...

The M word. Mama. Sometimes Mommy, but usually Mama. It is music to my ears. She has said mama and dada for many months now (dada first, but I'm just going to glaze right over that), but now those sounds are directed towards one of us when Delaney wants our attention, wants to point us out, or wants to go around naming us!

There are a lot of things that warm my heart about being a mom, but hearing Mama! Mama! when I come to rescue Delaney out of her luxurious wooden prison (relax, its also known as a crib, for the kid-police set out there) is a pretty fabulous start to the today. And coming in to pick her up and hearing that little voice is the best too. Especially because it isn't followed by "I want..." not yet, that is. Not yet.

The Classics.

2011-06-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

Are there any movies you'll sit and watch over and over? Not just the Blu-Ray, DVD, or VHS (if you even own one of those anymore) (we don't) (who does?), but also every.single.time it comes on TV? Clipped for time, edited for content, made into a mere ghost of the original fabulous flick, but you tune in anyway, giddy that your movie has made it onto the small screen?
Am I all alone in this feeling? (Chirp, chirp...)
Here are some movies I tune in to every time:

What movies do you love?

T.G.I.F.

2011-06-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday, Everyone! I've been looking forward to this weekend and our anniversary celebration! Some of our plans include:

{1, 2, 3}

Hope you have a great weekend as well!

Four is for lovers.

2011-06-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Four years ago today, I married the man that I loved. As the journey of our lives brings us through changes, additions, adventures, and misadventures, I love him more every day. Thanks for making my life wonderful and making all my dreams come true, babe! You're my lobster!

Food Network finally got to me.

2011-06-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

We watch the Food Network ~~pretty much every single night of our lives~~ on a fairly regular basis. My hubs is a cooking fool, and there is just something entertaining about watching people make/eat/showcase delicious food.

Our Top 5 FN Shows:
1. Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives
2. Next Food Network Star (my personal fave)
3. Worst Cooks in America
4. Iron Chef America
5. Dinner: Impossible

Of all the things that Andrew & I have in common, love of food is a big one. But although I love to bake, cooking is not my forte. However, in my current effort to be more domestic and crafty, I figured I might as well get crafty in the kitchen too. So I enrolled in what I'm affectionately referring to as the Andrew Klahn Culinary Institute.

Turns out, its actually pretty fun to cook when you have a witty teacher, lots of time and no small person hanging on your leg wanting to play. Not sure how this is going to help in the dinner department, but I do see some leisurely late night time in the kitchen with my sweetie!

Beach Bunny Baby.

2011-06-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

This month, we took Delaney on her first beach vacation! We rented a condo along with our good friends The Vansickles and their son Gavin (two weeks older than Delaney). In summary, it was a total blast! The kids had a great time playing together, and Delaney is a beach lover already. Fortunate for her, since we are headed back again later this year!

living the beach life

being silly with Daddy

serious sand play

having a ball

our family

cozy baby seat made by Daddy

first steps in the sand

playing in our condo with Gavin

not a bad car rider (for at least half of the eight hours each way...)

Want-A-Holic.

2011-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love to shop. (Cue shocked expressions and loud GASP here.)

Lately, most of my shopping consists of online purchases, mainly for Delaney or our new projects around our home (more on that later). Why don't I buy for myself? Sometimes I do, but I seem to have a knack for finding myself things that are, ahem, not seen on the clearance rack - which, let's be totally honest here - is where I get the most delight out of buying things.

What am I putting my pennies in my piggy bank for now?

Pippa Medium Grab

Ray Ban RX5227

What's on your wish list?

Daddy's Girls.

2011-06-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

In an effort to be just like Mommy (hopefully only in the most positive ways), Delaney has decided to become a Daddy's girl. She loves everyone in our family so much, but there is definitely a special bond between Daddy and Delaney that is so beautiful to me. Like me, Delaney is blessed with a wonderful, kind, generous, and loving Daddy. I can't wait to see all the fun and mischief these two will get into for the rest of our lives!

And I'd be remiss in my Father's Day posting if I didn't talk about my very own Daddy and the special relationship that we have. My dad is one of my best friends, my advisor, my boss, and the first great love of my life. And I'm a clone of his brain, a sounding board, his little girl, and hopefully someone he can always be proud of. I love you, Dad!

Breaking up is hard to do...so will you take me back?

2011-06-18T21:21:00.001-07:00

Darling Ladies:

...and Gentleman (which, let's face it, is only my husband once in a blue moon and possibly my dad when my mom shows this to him)

Please forgive me. I've done it yet again. I'm like the ex that you keep believing will change, but they never really do - or so I've heard, as I have only one ex who wasn't much of a boyfriend in the first place, and I managed to hang on to that next boyfriend for the past nine ~~ohmygod has it actually been that long already?!?~~ years.

But back to my apology. If I promise this time to blog more often, be more interesting, and show more pictures of my cute kid, would you come back and stay awhile? Pretty please?

There is so much to discuss!

How to be an Awesome Wife.

2011-02-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Subtitle: If You are Married to a Certain Tech-Junkie Hubs Who Shall Remain Nameless.

An early birthday gift, of course!

image from here.

Bath Time.

2011-02-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

Bath time is a fun time at our house. We do it as part of Delaney's bedtime routine, every other night. It used to go by pretty quickly, but now she loves to sit and splash around in the water, playing with her rubber ducky and a few other bath toys we have. Daddy and Delaney have some great bonding time talks, while I usually sing silly songs and splash around when I am on bath duty. Either way, Delaney gets some special alone time with us, and gets to play and laugh as well.

I have a really cute bath video, but after much trial and error, I have decided that my video camera is way smarter than me. I can get the videos on to the computer fine, just can't figure out how to get them posted on the blog. Dang technology!

Six Months.

2011-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

August 2010

February 2011

Happy Six-Month Birthday Delaney Kate!

Pearly whites.

2011-02-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

This month, Delaney's first two teeth came onto the scene. We were pleasantly surprised with the whole teething process, although it came with what has got to equal about two million gallons of drool starting when Delaney was about two months old. With only a little drama, two sweet little baby teeth are here at five and a half months old. Delaney would fuss and scream a little, but we had several remedies to help ease her pain. As of yet, we haven't used Orajel, Tylenol, or any other medications due to teething, per our doc's instructions. When molars come in, I'm sure that will be a different story!

I'll share some of the things that soothed Delaney, in case any other little teethers might like these things as well!

Teething rings chilled in the fridge (original, I know)
Paci's chilled in the fridge (we used the silicone gumdrop ones, but any would do)
Frozen banana chunks in the Munckin fresh feeder (yum!)
Chomping on her own hand (this is one of her favorites)

Overall, Delaney has had an easy time, with only one nighttime wakeup during this phase of teething. Who knows what is to come, but so far, Delaney popped these two teeth, and is working on another lower now.

Now for the evidence:

January: Did That Just Happen?

2011-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

WOAH.

This January was, quite possibly, one of the busiest months of my life. Work was hectic for both me and Andrew, which meant my mom has been on Super Grannie duty, and I have been attempting to balance work, baby, home, and social life (ok, let's be honest, there really has been no social life).

One New Year's resolution of mine - which you haven't heard, of course, since I never had time to post about those - is to blog more. So here I go! A month late, but still making a valiant attempt.

So if you've left me in your reader or checked back after all this time, thanks! Hopefully I will do a better job of entertaining, educating, and most importantly, showing off my kid to everyone.

Perspective.

2010-12-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I get a little stressed. My Type-A self is slowly mellowing with age - and the fact that I live with a {grown} boy, 4 animals, and a tiny person who somehow has more stuff than all the rest of us combined. But I still have some ideals of perfection. Like trying to be a perfect mom. Wife. Housekeeper. Friend. Daughter.

{Although, to be fair, I am consistently a pretty awesome daughter - are you reading this, mom?}

And the list goes on and on. Sometimes I am pretty successful and feel great about it. But other times, I feel like I am slacking at everything. The house gets messy, I don't have enough time/energy/patience, and I get overwhelmed.

Am I the only one? I think not, but that could be wishful thinking.

But then, there are nights like tonight. Where my daughter and I dance around to Nsync Christmas, and I get her laughing and smiling so big it makes my heart swell. Then my hubs comes in and we all play on the floor together, her ~~sort of~~ rolling around between us. Now Delaney is fast asleep, and I'm drinking hot chocolate plus a splash of peppermint schnapps, blogging, and watching my Thursday night TV shows.

Productivity is important, but these are the things that matter most. Family, fun, and time to make memories.

Christmas, Christmas Time is Here.

2010-12-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Thought: Maybe I could name all the rest of this year's posts from Christmas songs? Hmm...

I found something really cool today that I wanted to share. You may have already heard it, but if not listen to it. If you have, listen to it again! Don't be a Scrooge.

While you are listening to it, look at this cutie:

It's beginning to look a lot like Shutterfly.

2010-11-29T18:28:00.000-08:00

No, this isn't my family. But the kiddos are pretty cute, right?

One of the staples of my personal Christmas traditions is sending holiday cards. I remember my mom always sitting down to do them, and now that I have a family of my own, I love choosing and sending my cards each year.

Enter Shutterfly. This will be our fourth Christmas as a family, and I have sent a Shutterfly Christmas photo card each time. Its kind of like a little chronicle of our life together so far.

First year - Andrew, Bri, & Callaway

Second year - Individual photos of Santo, Callaway, & Gracie

Third year - The whole family - minus Gracie, of course. Some felines just won't cooperate.

I haven't sent this year's card, so I don't want to give anything away - but there may be several pictures of my adorable child coming to a mailbox near you. You're welcome.

So imagine my excitement when my best mama pal mentioned on her bloggy that Shutterfly was giving away 50 FREE Christmas cards. What?!?!?!? How do I get in on this?

Turns out Shutterfly wants to offer a lil somethin' to their blogging friends. Hello, that's me!

Now the hard part - which one to choose? There are literally hundreds of options. Guess I know what I'm doing the rest of the week - er, night.

Merry Christmas!

Telly Time.

2010-11-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

If your family is like ours, you love watching TV. Keeping up with our shows has always been one of our favorite ways to wind down, but our new family schedule has really made us enjoy our TV time. After Delaney goes to bed, the hubs & I snuggle up on the couch and catch up on our shows.

So what are we watching at our house? Here are a few of our favorite things:

1. Mad Men
If you haven't tried it, you should. The attention to detail itself is worth the watch. Jon Hamm isn't exactly a negative, either.

2. The Office
Hilarious. Who will take over? Jim? Dwight? Darryl? Pam? One of the best parts of this show is its quotable lines - that's what she said, anyone?

3. Iron Chef America
Our favorites - Michael Symon and Cat Cora. Warning: This show will make you want to EAT.

4. Entourage
The show-of-the-moment I mentioned here. We just finished Season 4 tonight - and were both pretty bummed that Best Buy was already closed so Season 5 could not be attained tonight. Kind of a boy's show, but I must admit, I'm hooked. Watching Adrien Grenier and Kevin Connolly, laughing at Jeremey Piven, and making the mister a happy camper all at the same time? Pretty hard to beat.

5. The League
A show about a group of guys that play in a Fantasy Football league. Some of you wifeys might not be able to appreciate this one as much as I do, but if you live with a diehard sports addict that is in THREE (and that's one less than last year) fantasy leagues, this show is hilarious.

6. Grey's Anatomy
Hey, I've watched it from the beginning, and I refuse to give it up. Meredith and McDreamy? Even if they are only post-it married, I'm ready for the little McMereDreamys to start running around Seattle Grace (yes, I also refuse to call is Mercy West).

All that, plus my own personal guilty pleasures of E! reality TV (Ending my weekends with Guliana & Bill, Kendra, and the Kardashians? Yes, please! Don't judge me.) and our DVR stays pretty full.

What shows do you like to watch?

adding a little color to my life.

2010-11-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Today I went to visit my lovely friend and stylist extraordinaire at Aqua Bella. Seriously, if you need someone to make you look great, she's your girl. We did a little something different, and I went dark for fall. I have done this once before, but I was still at Belmont, which seems like about three lifetimes ago.

I love it! I needed something new and different, and this did the trick. The Klahns are all brunettes now - for this season at least!

Yabba Dabba Doo!

2010-10-31T19:15:00.000-07:00

From our house to yours, hope you had a happy & safe Halloween!

whoooooosh!

2010-10-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, whooooooosh. That is the sound of time flying by faster than I can keep up. How is it that I've let another month go by without a post? What could possibly be keeping me so busy? Maybe going back to work, my attempt at a new, healthier lifestyle, a fabulous social life, or trying desperately to keep up with my DVR and the new show-of-the-moment in the Klahn household (no, I can't tell you what it is, I might want to post about it someday), all whilst striving to be Supermom to this fabulous little ball of energy and fun:

because no post is complete without a picture of this doll.

But you can be sure I have LOTS of events, stories, and of course photos of my adorable little tyke. Coming soon. Pinky swear!

Our West Coast Guests.

2010-09-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful visit last week with our dear friends from California, the Blaylocks. We are kindred spirits, and it was great having them in our home for a few days...I only wish we could see them all the time (hint, hint: MOVE. soooooon. pretty please?)

Crystal & I have been friends for longer than either of us care to admit (we can't start showing our age yet!) and this was the first chance for our girls to meet. They are both absolutely adorable, and I hope this will be the beginning of a lifelong friendship for them!

We went to the zoo (Delaney's first time there!), shopping (of course), out for a fun parents' night out, and the daddies even got to have a boys' day tailgating and cheering on the Titans. Too bad they couldn't win, but you can't have everything.

Next year we hope to make it out their way. We owe them several visits! Love these guys!

matching girls!

My BSBFF...love this girl!

our attempt at a group picture

emery digging the flamingos at the zoo

delaney all tuckered out at the zoo

Thoughts on Shopping.

2010-09-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have been feeling a major urge to shop. New clothes, new accessories, new home furnishings. All of these things are calling my name. I'm not sure if its the season change, the fact that I am home and have time to go out shopping and browse online, or the end of pregnancy, but my shopping cravings could rival an eight-months pregnant lady on the hunt for Doritos and a pint of Ben & Jerry's.

But alas, I have been good. I have held off from most shopping (excluding, of course, adorable things I buy for the wee one, which do not count as said "shopping for myself"). What has helped me to abstain? This laundry list that I keep reciting in my head:

'Tis better to lose the pregnancy weight before buying new fabulous fall clothes.
'Tis smarter to buy accessories that match said new clothes instead of the semi-maternity ones I am now sporting.
'Tis wiser to save for the screen porch we want to build than buy yet another seasonal decoration.

Will these mantras win out? Only time will tell. I tried to break my own rules today and pick up a few choices fall items for the mantle at TJMaxx, only to be struck down in the midst of my joy by the harsh realization that le wallet was in le car. Oops.

The shopping gods are harsh, and fiercely serious. Oh well, I am really going to enjoy that screen porch, right?

Life with Baby.

2010-09-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

The first month of Delaney's life was a myriad of emotions: fun, tiring, trying, amazing, stressful, beautiful, and most of all - blessed. Having this little girl has truly been wonderful, and I am in the daily habit now of thanking God for giving me this beautiful little creature as my very own.

We have all learned a lot this month. Delaney is busy learning about herself, her family, and the world around her, and we are constantly watching her and learning more about her personality as well. It is so fun to see her constantly grow and change! The first few days of constant sleeping and a still, quiet baby seem like a distant memory now. This little girl is changing, growing, and moving all the time. At first "learning the cries" seemed like a daunting task, but now attending to a specific need based on her sounds comes naturally. Maybe the most rewarding feeling is knowing how to comfort her - singing songs, holding her a special way, and bouncing her around the room to cheer her up when she's upset.

Sleep is a wonderful thing. Delaney has slept about 6 hours at night from about her second week home. She is starting to stretch this out a bit now, and I am hoping that continues well into the first year of her life! This makes her a happy baby during the day, and it makes for happy mommy and daddy as well.

During the day we do tummy time, read books, sometimes go run errands or out to lunch, swing, and of course spend some time napping too - not me, just Delaney! We did not have a bedtime routine the first month, but have just started one now. She seems to enjoy the relaxation and special time with us.

The only real trial of the first month was weight gain. Delaney was a big girl at birth (8 lbs. 15 oz.) but she lost a pound waiting for momma's milk to come in, and gained VERY slowly after that point. This meant taking her in every 4-5 days to check in with our pediatrician to make sure all was still well, and she wasn't actually losing any weight. I was fervently determined to nurse her, so we kept on keeping on, and although she was eating well, the weight just wasn't coming on. We finally began supplementing with my milk through pumping, which was very trying. After feeding, pumping, and then giving the pumped milk, it is time for the whole process to start again. It was exhausting, and I knew it would be impossible to keep up once I started back to work.

So, after much researching, praying, and talking with Andrew, we decided to supplement with formula. Delaney is currently getting two meals of formula a day, with the rest of her meals coming from momma's milk. This way, she still gets all of my immunities and all the wonderful things that nursing provides, but she puts some pounds on too.

As of her last check-up, the little one weights 9 lbs. 5 oz. (finally back over birth weight)! We are really pleased with our decision, and feel that Delaney is getting the best nutrition that we can provide her. That is the most important thing!

One thing motherhood has helped me with is making decisions! I am not a good decision maker, and I usually consult my hubby on ever.y.thing. But now that I am a mommy, I am making 24/7 decisions for another person. I talk to her daddy about all the important decisions for sure, but there are a lot that have to be made all day long, and since she doesn't usually provide too much guidance, mommy must come to the rescue! This is just one way of many that I have already changed and grown. I love getting parts of my pre-pregnancy life back, but also seeing the new ways that our family is growing and changing as a result of our precious baby girl.

One Month Old!

2010-09-02T21:53:00.001-07:00

Two Weeks Old.

2010-08-16T07:23:00.001-07:00

Holy smokes! Delaney is already two weeks old. As I told her this morning, that's half a month! (Hey, its never to early to learn important life skills like math). I can't believe how fast the time is flying already! She is a fantastic little girl, and watching her grow is amazing!

She is still sleeping a lot (both of her parents love to sleep, so this could be genetic), but while she is awake we have tummy time, read books, sing songs, and snuggle together. The best snuggle times are on the weekends, when we have Daddy home to snuggle with us too! Nighttime sleeping is going fairly well too. That makes for a happy Mommy!

The biggest change in the past week is probably with my mommy skills. Although I have been preparing to be a mommy for quite a while now, as the cliche goes, you have no idea what it will be like until its happening. That said, I feel so much more together this week, and have physically recouperated from the stress of childbirth as well.

Here's to another great week with my girl!

Delaney Kate Klahn

2010-08-09T09:25:00.001-07:00

At long last, our baby girl was born Monday, August 2nd at 4:20 p.m. She is the light of both our lives, and we could not be happier with our new little family.

We went into the hospital at midnight Sunday, August 1st to begin induction, but after being checked by the nurses, we learned I was already too far dilated to be given the gel that starts the induction, so we waited {somewhat} patiently for 4 a.m. to roll around, until I could be given Pitocin. At that time, I was contracting on my own, but very mildly and irregularly, just as I had been for the past week or so.

At around 4:30 a.m., my Pitocin drip was started. At this time, I started having stronger contractions, but they were still not unbearable. I laid in bed, watched tv, and tried to rest. Thank goodness we brought our Friends DVDs so I had something to watch to pass the time.

My water broke on its own at 6:10 a.m. I was afraid I would not notice it breaking, but it was very obvious! I was glad that labor seemed to be progressing, and I was dilating more as well. Since I was not going to be able to leave the hospital bed due to the IV and the internal monitoring of the baby that comes with Pitocin, I opted to go ahead and get an epidural around 6:30 a.m.

My doctor came in shortly after to check on me, and I was still progressing well at that point. The rest of the day was for sleeping, watching TV, and general waiting around. I did not have much pain due to the epidural, so the contractions were easy to get through. Happily, I progressed fairly quickly, and by late afternoon I started to feel hot, tired, and a little sick, all good signs that I was ready to push. My labor nurse was fabulous, and got everything set up so we could start pushing while we waited on the doctor. If nothing else, I am very glad I took Lamaze, just for the pushing breathing. I was able to use that during pushing, and it helped me not to do the "purple-faced" pushing from holding a breath for 10 seconds.

I pushed for about 35 minutes, but according to my doctor and nurses did a pretty fabulous job, since Delaney was very high and turned face up when I started pushing. By her birth, she was face down. She was born with the cord around her neck, but it was unwound quickly and she was able to stay with us and not go into the NICU. Andrew was with me the entire time, and got to cut the cord and hold Delaney right away.

We spent the first hour of her life cuddling her close and working on nursing, and then Andrew went with Delaney down to the nursery to be bathed, tested, etc. while I was able to get cleaned up.

We were so blessed to have so many loved ones bring flowers, gifts, and visits to hold Delaney during our stay at the hospital. Delaney's birth was a very special experience for our family, one that we will never forget. She is an amazing little girl and nothing could be better than having her as our own.

Our Family

First Cuddle with Daddy

Our Beautiful Girl

40 weeks and counting...

2010-07-27T13:06:00.001-07:00

Well, our due date came and went last Friday, and little Delaney is still hiding out in Mommy's belly. Although I have had an easy pregnancy, this last week has been a long one. Between aches and pains, little sleep, and the frustration of waiting, I am definitely ready to get this labor show on the road! I am still hopeful that the birth will go according to the experience we are hoping and praying for, but also resigning myself to the fact that it may not, and focusing on the fact that a healthy baby girl is the end result however things go.

On the bright side, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Although we are still planning a natural birth, if that does not happen by this Sunday night, we'll be going in for an induction at the suggestion of my doctor, and Delaney will be born Monday, August 2nd. I can't wait to meet our little girl. We are very thankful that she is still healthy and thriving, but anxiously awaiting her arrival as well.

This time next week I'll be a full-fledged mommy! Hurray!

Delaney's Nursery.

2010-07-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Since we are thisclose to Delaney's due date and I really don't want to discuss the fact that she isn't here yet, I thought I'd share the finished project of her nursery with my bloggy loves. I love it so much! I tried to go with a mix of fun, feminine details and whimsy, and I think the finished product is pretty fabulous. What better way to describe than with pictures? Enjoy!

Bookshelf built by Daddy & Uncle John. Furnished a la Mommy.

Crib, butterfly mobile, and cool letters. Thanks to Grandma for the striped wall!

Our snuggle spot. SO excited to actually get to snuggling!

Changing table, tree, & mobile from Etsy. How I adore you, Etsy!

Sweet little blankets, all washed & ready to go!

Why, hello July.

2010-07-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

We will be meeting our baby this month. WOW!!

What a Difference Nine Months Makes.

2010-06-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

We are officially nine months pregnant today. This pregnancy has been such a blessing for our marriage and family. That said, the little one is welcome to show up any time - Mommy & Daddy can't wait to meet her!!

The Love of My Life.

2010-06-23T06:16:00.001-07:00

Today is our third anniversary. I can't say enough about how much I love my husband and the life we are making together. He is my greatest support, he always makes me laugh, and he is my partner in everything I do. I am looking forward to many more years ahead, and wherever life takes us, I know that we are blessed just to be together.

that was then.

this is now.

The Best Dad Ever - Mine!

2010-06-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to take a minute on this Father's Day to celebrate my Daddy. He is wonderful, always has been & always will be. He is the most awesome dad ever, and is going to make one heck of a Pop, too! He is one of the two greatest men in my life and I am so blessed to have him as my Dad! Love you, Dad!

And what pre-baby Father's Day post would be complete without mentioning my wonderful hubby? He is going to make an incredible father, and I can't wait to watch the moments he & Delaney will spend together making memories!

Happy Father's Day Everyone!

Callaway the Well-Intentioned Misfit.

2010-06-17T12:09:00.001-07:00

Last night, a total freak accident occurred at my house, involving possibly the sweetest, most docile member of the family other than yours truly.

I was minding my own business, sitting on the chaise lounge, and Callaway was merrily scaling the ledge between the edge of the seat and my leg, purring and snuggling, when the unthinkable happened: he lost his balance.

At least that's what I think happened. All I know is that a blinding pain came across my foot, and three sharp little back claws were digging into my big toe for dear life. After I screamed and Callaway jumped down, completely startled and discombobulated, blood started pouring out of my toe.

Oh, lovely.

And, in my 35 week pregnant and freaking huge state, the only method of cleaning said toe was to stick my leg in the tub and turn the water on, since hubby had not gotten home yet, and putting my foot in the sink or bending over were both physically impossible. Yes, this was funny, even to me, so you are allowed to laugh at the pregnant lady trying to do things.

Really, I can't make this stuff up. If you think your life is boring, get a pet. You'll thank me.

Diapering Debate: The Decision to Go Cloth.

2010-06-15T14:27:00.000-07:00

I have always known I wanted to be a mom. And I guess, if I had thought about, I also planned on using disposable diapers. No one uses cloth anymore, right?

Enter Fabulous Husband, who has read that cloth diapered kids potty train faster. After I got over the initial shock of there being a baby-related decision I had not yet considered (gasp!) I decided that this was indeed interesting. Thus starts my tireless research into the subject. Then we compare the costs of cloth vs. disposable diapering. Oh my stars! How could we not at least try out cloth?

As it turns out, cloth diapers have come a pretty long way. True, the use is still a, shall we say, less than enjoyable sidebar of parenting, but the days of tying and pins are out the window. Unless you wanted to do it that way I guess. Count me out, please.

My research led me to about a million different brands, but we decided on GroBaby, a line of all-in-ones (meaning they grow with baby) that have snap in liners you change as needed, and a shell that is changed twice a day. That doesn't sound like rocket science, right?

And yes, we are washing them ourselves. A little extra laundry never hurt anyone (dusting and cooking, however - that has been known to kill people!) And no, our entire house is not going to smell like baby pee all the time (just an FYI for those afraid to visit after said baby pee arrives). That's why there are grand inventions such as tea tree oil for the diaper pail, and Febreze for the air. Voila!

Last, but not least - how stinkin' cute are these things? I can only imagine how much cuter they will be on my baby's little tush!

Our Babymoon.

2010-06-06T15:10:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, we took a little trip down to the beach for a week. We love going to the beach, but ventured out last year to other locales (hello, Key West!) instead. That said, we wanted to have some nice, relaxing downtime before Baby Delaney comes to liven up our household. The perfect spot? Ft. Walton, Florida.

the view from our balcony

We had a great time, and I even found a great deal on the baby bag I wanted at the outlet mall! We hung on the beach all day, went to the pool in the evenings, and had some great seafood. We had beautiful weather, and the beaches weren't crowded at all - a nice change from the vacation we usually take around July.

Next time we hit the beach, we'll probably be hitting it with sand buckets, a playpen, a HUGE umbrella, a lot more toys, and a darling little one - and I can't wait!

A Little Love for Moms.

2010-05-09T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm very blessed to have a great mom that is one of my best friends. She has taught me a lot - and still has a lot left to teach me as I approach this whole parenting journey; she is always doing things for me, and we have so much fun together! I am so thankful to have her!!

In a case of double good luck, my mother-in-law is pretty great too. We have a great time together, she is super crafty {which aids in my serious lack of craftiness} and hey - she raised several pretty amazing kids, the best of which {of course} is my hubby!

Speaking of my wonderful hubby, how awesome is he? I got Mother's Day gifts while my baby is still busy being created! They were, of course, from Daddy, Delaney, Callaway, Santo, Sadie & Gracie. Our little family is so full of love, and I am taking today to give a little extra love to my furbabies too!

To all the moms and moms-to-be out there, have a wonderful day!

My Little Drama Queen.

2010-05-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

What started out as a routine day yesterday took an interesting turn after lunch when, after having an "episode" that could have been trouble for my little one, we booked it over to Labor & Delivery at my doc's recommendation to get checked out.

After getting hooked up to gadgets galore and having an ultrasound {LOVE seeing her, even if it is a little unscheduled...} everything is fine, her heartbeat sounded strong, and I am having NO contractions. At 29 weeks, this is a very good thing.

My little one weighs in at 3 lbs. 4 oz. and everything about her is normal. Except, perhaps, her flare for the dramatic. She had an arm on her forehead yesterday, marking the second time she's been caught like that on film. Oh, the grand adventure of it all, she must be thinking.

I am feeling fine, but have been instructed to keep my feet up all weekend. Don't worry, I am being a good patient and following doctor's orders. Besides, I can't jepordize my upcoming beach vacation!

While I am getting really excited about the planning and preparing for Delaney's arrival, I would like a few more weeks to, you know, learn Lamaze, and also not have my daughter weigh three pounds at birth. So prayers for keeping her inside and safe would be greatly appreciated.

Now, what good TV shows come on in the middle of the day, anyway?

I Feel Pretty, oh so Pretty!

2010-05-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

I'm not usually one to brag, but look at me! No, my blog silly, not my giant growing belly. I got a new look, courtesy of the FABULOUS Penny Lane Designs. You read it here, interwebbers: she's awesome. Go check her out. But don't even think about stealing my awesome blog look. Just kidding. But seriously, she's wonderful.

I love my new look! What do you think?

Sprucing Up for Spring.

2010-04-30T15:33:00.001-07:00

I don't know about your household, but mine has been buzzing with springtime to-do's. Probably the biggest thing on our list this year was new landscaping. We wanted to get some things planted that will fill in nicely and last us through the winter, and of course some pretty flowers too. Andrew did almost all of the work, but I did water things and help spread out dirt...

Here are the results!

the before

the green stuff

the pretty stuff

hubby taking a break

my contribution

the finished product!

Are you there readers? Bueller? Bueller?

2010-04-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

I am back from the metaphorical grave of blogging, Lazarus style if you will. Hallelujah!

Well, for today, at least. But I do have some new ideas, and a plan for actually keeping this thing semi up-to-date.

Have I completely exhausted the pregnancy excuse yet with you? If not, then please, let me play that card again. Creating life is tiring, people! Especially on top of a full-time job, designing a fabulous nursery, and my other life pursuits {read: eating ice cream and keeping up with important current events such as Dancing With the Stars & American Idol}.

But fear not, those who have ~~ruthlessly persecuted~~ gently nudged me back into the blogosphere - and thanks for remembering me! Now, if I can just get someone to leave me a comment once in a while...

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

2010-03-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

In our typical fashion, we had to celebrate the Irish holiday with some delish corned beef, cabbage, and veggies, as only my mom can whip up. She is one great cook! While Andrew enjoyed his green beer in typical fashion, I had to abstain from my annual pinot greenio, and settle for green 7Up instead. Hope all you lads & lassies had a great time celebrating!

Bump Watch: 21 Weeks.

2010-03-17T20:03:00.001-07:00

My little one is thriving...so is my appetite!

kudos from my bff.

2010-03-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

Good morning bloggers!

I thought I'd start off this week with a little blogging excitement - an award! My first, I might add. toot toot!

How did I get this award, you ask? Well, since it clearly isn't for posting on a regular basis, it can only be because my lovely pal, Mrs. Smith, is just so fabulous. In fact, for more info on how fabulous her life actually is, go on over and check out her blog. You'll love her!

The rules of the award are:

Link back to the blogger who gave this to you.

Post where you'd like to be in 10 years.

Give to five other lovely ladies.

Since its currently a quarter after 7 here in our household, I'd like to think in 10 years, I'll be out doing the school dropoffs for one (or maybe two?) kids. The fabulous-to-be Delaney will most certainly be in tow. After that, let's say I'm out to take a walk, maybe do some shopping, and otherwise enjoy my life of retirement?? Hey, its 10 years, it could happen! Either way, as long as my wonderful husband is along for the ride, I am pretty much game for anything.

Now, to pay some bloggy love forward - here are a few lovely ladies I'd like to pass this award on to:

Emery's Mom

Tracey, my Fellow Mom-to-Be Blogger

My Sis-in-Law

It's a GIRL!!

2010-03-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, most of my faithful readers already know this news, but I have been a little behind on the interwebs lately...I blame "restricted activity" {i.e. the horrible phrase which I blame for everything these days}*.

Anywho, to get back to the excitement, let me share again:

WE ARE HAVING A BABY GIRL!!!

This means fabulous things such as a to-die-for nursery {pics and progress coming soon, I promise}, adorable clothes, and someone to play dress up with for the next few years! It has been so great to finally know, so we can settle in to the idea of a little girl. We are both so excited, and can't wait to meet Delaney Kate Klahn!

*Now, for the concerned set, a note on "restricted activity." This is a term apparently used to describe the fact that I am allowed to work & go home - ONLY. This means no chores {not complaining} and also no shopping and various running around after work and on the weekends {cue whining here}. I am blessed to have an amazing husband and similarly fabulous family & friends that help make this challenging time more fun & bearable on everyone involved.

Mommy & Baby are both perfectly healthy, and I couldn't wish for more than that. In the meantime, I am having fun reading baby books, watching Friends reruns {let's be honest, I already spent way too much time doing that}, and delegating nursery tasks.

Before long, Mommy, Daddy & Delaney will be running around everywhere together, and "restricted activity" will be a distant memory of the past!

This One's Dedicated to the One I Love.

2010-02-21T15:15:00.000-08:00

Its a little late, I know, but since I haven't had a chance to recap our Valentine's Day festivities, I thought I would brag a little on my amazing hubby and how ridiculously good he treats me. I'm one lucky girl!

Last weekend, we celebrated our Valentine's on Saturday, and my birthday on Sunday (we have to have some separation here - you holiday babies know what I mean!) So Saturday, I got treated to flowers (yay!), the movie Valentine's Day, and a delicious dinner cooked by my hubby. Like I told him, one of the greatest parts of being married is you don't have to "watch" what you are eating out at fancy meals and try not looking like a pig - turns out, this is even more true when you are pregnant!!

We feasted on a pasta dish that Andrew concocted {channeling his inner Iron Chef}, some scallops, ribeye, and, of course, birthday cake for the birthday girl. This is one birthday girl that loves birthday cake!

He also gave me a beautiful card and Valentine's gift (the nice sentimental stuff) - and for my birthday, a gift certificate to get my windows tinted so Baby Klahn doesn't have to squint!

Sunday, we topped off the weekend with a trip to Dave & Buster's and a dinner at Wasabi in MJ - if you haven't been there, stop reading this and GO.NOW. It is fabulous!

The birthday festivities were concluded last night with a wonderful dinner with my family and best buds at J. Alexander's on West End. That place was incredible! Everything we ate was amazing.

25 isn't the most remarkable age, but my 25th year is going pretty fabulously so far. Not to mention all of the excitement we still have to look forward to this year!! I really enjoyed spending time with my hubby, our animals, and the rest of my crew for this last childless birthday - but I am looking forward to sharing the next one with our bundle of joy!

must love dogs.

2010-02-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

My dogs are my babies. We have the cats too, but they just don't steal your heart the same way the dogs do. At least for me. {Callaway comes close though! Maybe its because he mostly loves to cuddle with his Daddy.} Although surely they've noticed me hauling things in and out of the baby's new room, I think they've noticed a few other changes too. {Hello, Mommy's belly!}

It really amazes me how observant they are! As if they weren't the great protectors before {although I think any perpetrators would likely be licked to death}, they have really gone above and beyond. One is almost always on my lap, by my side, or at my feet. And that is when they aren't both surrounding me with protection!

They love to rest their heads on my belly - maybe they are trying to do some early bonding with their new BFF?

Snow Day!

2010-01-30T13:05:00.000-08:00

Well, I missed out on posting on the last huge snow we had {please note the sarcasm there}, but we woke up to an actual legit snow this morning, so we had to go out and have some fun!

look how much we got!

and, as usual, callaway hung out unaffected.

8 Things...

2010-01-27T19:47:00.000-08:00

*Note: Sorry, I am not blog savvy enough to figure out why my lists are an ugly, unreadable color. All I can say is, if you highlight them you can read them!! Sorry friends!

I was reading my BFF's blog today, and she had this super fun list posted, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon. So here a couple of lists, some interesting, some you might already know. Have fun reading, and feel free to post on your blog so I can learn more about you!

8 TV Shows I Watch:
Grey's Anatomy
The Office

Keeping Up with the Kardashian’s

Iron Chef America

Ace of Cakes

Parks & Recreation

Friends

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

8 Favorite Places to Eat and Drink:

Home – my hubby is a pretty great chef, thankyouverymuch.

Pal’s Sudden Service – one thing I miss about East TN.

Italian Village – amazing place in Chicago that I LOVE.

Dewey Destin’s – in Ft. Walton Beach. Delish seafood.

Dewey Klahn’s – speaking of Dewey’s, my FIL. You should be jealous of this food.

Sonic – tater tots, and other delicious stuff. Like milkshakes. Heaven.

Maggiano’s – TO.DIE.FOR. Well, really fabulous at least.

Melting Pot – cooking is fun there!

8 Things I Look Forward To:
OUR BABY!!!!!

Seeing myself become a mommy

Seeing Andrew become a daddy

Our beach babymoon in May

Being a SAHM/Retirement, whichever comes first

Traveling new places with my family & friends

Coming home to my hubby & animals every evening

Valentine’s Day/My Birthday

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
I had dinner with a good friend that I don’t get to see often.

I stayed up too late watching Friends.

I had a relatively calm work day.

I snuggled with my pups on the couch.

I did some work for a church committee.

I had lunch with my wonderful mom.
The W2s came in at work!!

I thought about blogging, but didn’t. SLACKER ALERT!

8 Things I Love About Winter:
Snuggling.

Snow, if I can stay in all day.

Fires.

Thanksgiving.

Christmas & our traditions.

Holiday Parties.

Christmas shopping – for others, of course.

The return of spring!

8 Things on My Wish List:
A Coach baby bag.

A killer “push present.”

Flowers on Valentine’s Day.

Tile in my bathrooms.

A maternity pillow.

A nice cuddly kitty to trade Gracie in for. No, I’m not actually going to do this.

A maid.

Window tinting for my baby-mobile. As in auto, not as is hangs-over-crib.

8 Things I'm Passionate About:
My husband & our life together.

This child I’m cooking.

My faith.

Spending time with my family & friends.

Traveling.

Laughing.

Doing a great job at my work.

Great food & interesting beverages (when the bun is out of the oven, of course).

8 Words/Phrases I Use Often:
I love you.

Bomb Dot Com You have to be at work to hear this one.

Whatever!

Babe.

Sit/Off/Enough/Come, etc.
That’s what she said.

I hate that game! Spoken in reference to Call of Duty, the bane of my existence.

I KNOW! You must channel your Monica voice to get the full effect.

8 Things I've Learned From the Past:
A few close friends is all you really need.

Sports are totally fun to spectate.

Sometimes the hardest trials seem like no sweat a couple of years later.

You can laugh at most of life’s dramatic moments after some time has passed.

You’ll be glad to look back at the fun & crazy stage of your life.

Marriage is amazing – ok, this is the recent past/present, but still true.

Take time for yourself and your family – don’t just “go” 24/7.

Sometimes your husband is right. Ok, many times. It’s annoying, really.

8 Things I Currently Want/Need:
An endless supply of cash.

A fabulous baby nursery, complete with hardwoods and French doors.

Someone to fix my hair every day.

New landscaping in my front yard.

To know the gender of my baby!!!

A cell phone that works properly & consistently.

To walk on the treadmill more.

A mani/pedi and a prenatal massage.

Baby Watch: 14 Weeks.

2010-01-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

Well, sportsfans, I am currently 14 {and a half, but who's counting} weeks pregnant! This means baby is growing like a weed and it is starting to show!

Baby Klahn is currently the size of a lemon.
Hard to believe that little lemon makes THIS happen!

the yellow shirt is a coincidence, but it is nice that baby and i are matching!

So far I have still been blessed to feel healthy with very little sickness. We are VERY excited to find out whether Baby Klahn is Baby Boy or Baby Girl, so the fun of registeries and nursery decor can really begin!

Score Update.

2010-01-10T17:43:00.001-08:00

Klahn Household: 2 1/2.
Monsters: 1/2.

I am giving the laundry a half point because I am still in the process of destroying it. All in all, I'm calling it a victory.

Monsters, Inc.

2010-01-08T15:24:00.001-08:00

If you think monsters aren't real, think again, friends.

I have several living in my house right now...

1. The Laundry Monster: I live in fear that this monster is going to come to life and eat me alive in the middle of the night, by its sheer strength and mass. You can try to rid yourself of this thing, but it never.goes.away.

2. The Christmas Explosion Monster: I love Christmas. I love having my house decorated for Christmas. But I really hate the my-house-is-half-undecorated-because-I-am-pregnant-and-too-tired-to-do-anything-after-work look that we are sporting right now. Note: Yes, I have taken down all outside decor so as not to look like the Clampett's.

3. The Weather Monster - Bad weather equals two extremely messy members of my house that insist on trucking in and out every day. Well, ok, they don't actually insist on it, I do. Cleaning up rain, snow, and mud is better than the alternative.

Can you guess who is a primary culprit?

But, I'll have you know I plan to attack all of these monsters between now and Sunday evening, and they shall be banished for ~~a week~~ good.

An Ode to my Bling.

2010-01-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

Hello, swollen pregnancy hands. Goodbye, beautiful engagement ring that I love. I will miss you for the next six months.

At least the wedding band still fits...for now!

A Farewell to 2009.

2010-01-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

Well friends and fam, since 2009 has come to a close, I wanted to write a little Klahn-Year-In-Review. Enjoy the trip down Memory Lane!

January 2009: A quiet month for us. January's are like that, I think.

February 2009: My sis-in-law, Misty, threw a killer 24th birthday bash for me {literally}. It was a 1920's themed murder mystery!

March 2009: Game night for Andrew's 22nd birthday.

April 2009: Added Sadie to our family! She was so tiny!

May 2009: Lived in our house for a YEAR! Vacationed in Mom & Dad's old stomping grounds - the Florida Keys. Stayed at a gorgeous resort in Key West. What fun!

June 2009: Went to Chicago for our 2nd anniversary. Stayed in our first B&B while there.

July 2009: Steve McNair's untimely death. Titans fans everywhere were at least a little sad.

August 2009: This was a busy month! I started this lovely blog. We took a relaxing trip to Crossville, TN and did a little fishin'! Threw a bachelorette party and my sis-in-law's birthday - Summer of '69 theme!
September 2009: My BFF got married! Andrew & I were proud to both be part of the big day.

October 2009: Annual Klahn pumpkin carving & harvest festival. We also got a visit from our West Coast friends - the Blaylocks!

November 2009: Found out that we are going to be Mommy & Daddy in 2010 - our biggest adventure yet!

December 2009: Andrew was awarded as the National Apartment Leasing Professional of the Year {this wife is so proud!} We spent a wonderful Christmas at home.

We had a pretty amazing year, and know the next promises to bring even more joy & love into our lives.

Happy New Year from the Klahns!

Gifts for Baby.

2009-12-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

Our baby has managed to rack up on gifts already, even in vitro. The shopaholic and lover of all things baby that I am, I could not be more pleased that our family & friends have been excited enough to give gifts to our little one. I have, of course, gotten a bunch of pregnancy books, which I am in the process of reading now.

Need an extra copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting, anyone?

Here are a few other gifts Baby Klahn has gotten:

love these story books!

game day ready!

first blanket & bear...they are SO soft!

can't wait to see our little one sporting this!

holiday baking.

2009-12-21T18:36:00.001-08:00

Tonight, my mom & I had some good ole fashioned bonding time baking. We made lots of good stuff: classic chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, chocolate fudge, and, last but not least, my hubby's favorite - snickerdoodles - from scratch, thankyouverymuch.

We had a great time, made lots of yummy things, and felt all Christmas-y!! Now to share with my coworkers and enjoy the fruits of our labor!! YUM!

the first trimester life.

2009-12-20T16:43:00.000-08:00

SO much going on lately - the holidays, fun baby stuff, and just our regular life! So why, you ask, can't I find time in all this madness to blog?

Let me set the scene for you. My days consist of:

1. Sleep as late as possible in order to get to work.
2. Work.
3. Go to whatever after-work commitments I have (church choir, errands, occasionally
something with friends...)
4. Come home.
5. Fall asleep on couch until hubby prods me to bed.

And repeat.

I must be that pregnant girl and report that the ONLY "morning sickness" I've really had is the two migraines I have gotten. Note to fellow migraine getters: you can't take your migraine meds while pregnant.

Other than that, I've had pretty fabulous luck. I've had most other symptoms, not the least of which is being exhausted ALL.THE.TIME.

I hear this fades. And since I am only two weeks away from my second trimester {wow! already??} I am looking forward to gaining some energy back.

I hope everyone has been having a fabulous December and is looking forward to a Merry Christmas!

say cheese! baby's first photo op.

2009-12-01T09:19:00.000-08:00

i'm in love.

and baby makes...seven!

2009-11-30T19:58:00.000-08:00

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!!!

That's right! A real human one to join all our fur babies in the Klahn household! I have been DYING to tell you bloggies, and after a great ultrasound today it is officially official.

Keep reading for what are sure to be LOTS of posts regarding this amazing little addition.

Baby Klahn is due July 23, 2010. We can't wait to meet the newest member of our crew!

4th & Goal: A Thanksgiving Miracle.

2009-11-29T20:19:00.000-08:00

Did you SEE the Titans game today??? Did you SEE our 99 yard drive to victory??? Did you SEE this drive??

If not (ok, even if you did), puh-lease go turn on ESPN and wait for it to come on again.

On to being the Colts first loss next Sunday!