The Dambro Daily

The Fab Five

2012-01-05T14:16:00.006-06:00

Maybe I shouldn't name Finley and her friends after a mean-spirited group of Texas cheerleaders, but the name fits :) The day after Christmas I got together with my pledge sisters for brunch and a playdate with "The Fab Five". We had a great time as usual! I sure wish we all lived in the same city.

Scarlett got this for Christmas from her grandparents...

Finley LOVED it and I'm thinking this needs to be her big sister/birthday present. It does take up a lot of space, but it entertains her and she can operate it by herself. Those are my only toy requirements at the moment.

After our playdate, we stopped by to meet Ellison Beth! I was still coughing my head off so I didn't get to hold her which was disappointing, but I'm glad I got to see her in person. She is beautiful! Kristen is my sorority sister, college roommate and one of my best friends. I'm so excited and happy for her and Sam!!! I can't wait to visit again soon. Welcome to the world Ellison!!! Auntie Elizabeth has a lot of good stories about your mom in college whenever you're ready to hear them ;)

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-05T14:13:00.001-06:00

Window markers!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T14:11:00.001-06:00

We had a low key New year's Eve this year. Food, friends and fun! Happy 2012 from The Dambros!!!

Christmas Festivities!

2011-12-30T17:33:00.006-06:00

Well, Finley and I are almost over whatever we had. My coughing is much better and aside from an occasional cough, Finley seems to be fine. I haven't been that sick in a long time and I would like for it to be a really long time before that happens again or at least when I'm not pregnant and can have codeine cough medicine ;)

Anyway, Christmas was a bit of a blur this year. I think between traveling, sickness and the normal chaos of the holidays, we were just glad to make it through and we're ready for a new year.

In case you haven't noticed I've been really lazy about my blogging. For the sake of being consistent, here is Christmas in pictures, short captions and videos :)

We went to my mom's house to have Christmas with our cousins, The Blakes. We had a great time visiting and we all got a chance to love on Ava.

Christmas Eve Day we went to see my dad, step-mom and step-sisters and have brunch. I didn't take a single picture. What did they expect? I'm their evil step-sister.

Then, we went to Joey's brother's house to exchange gifts. I don't know why Finley looks so depressed in the first picture. Since we've been home, she has watched the DVD she is holding about 25 times. At least it's educational. She knows her vowels.

After visiting the Beattys, we went to Joey's parents house for Christmas with his side of the family. Again, no pictures. I'm just having an off year...

Finally, we headed home for Christmas in Huntsville!

My mom and sister came up on Christmas Day and at that point, Finley had had enough of opening presents.

There you have it, Christmas 2011!

Sick Log

2011-12-18T23:27:00.004-06:00

Here's what our week looked like...

Monday: I take Finley to the doc because I'm worried about a cough and runny nose. She has a double ear infection. We get sent home with meds.

Tuesday and Wednesday: She's taking her meds and seems to be getting better

Thursday: I start having flu like symptoms.

Friday: I wake up feeling terrible! My throat is killing me and the pain is moving up into my ears. I get meds that afternoon, but have a sleepless night.

Saturday: Finley starts coughing again and has a runny nose, but seems like she feels fine. My throat has never hurt this bad. I don't have heartburn, I have heart inferno! It has never been this bad and I've taken all the Pepcid I can take today. I'm miserable and really upset because we have a busy week full of fun that I don't want to miss.

Saturday afternoon: The dreaded pregnancy headache sets in and I just want to cry.

Sunday: My throat is much better, ears are still hurting a little and there is definitely fluid in the right one. Finley is now running a low grade fever. Also, my headache is here to stay.

Sunday night: Up at midnight (still have headache) listening to my baby cough in her bed. Had to cancel Monday playdate with girlfriends in Bham. Will be up all night praying tomorrow is a better day.

Finley's Do's and Don'ts

2011-12-13T19:45:00.002-06:00

If Finley had a do's and don'ts list this is what it would look like...

DO
Give me chocolate and Dum Dums
Take me outside to play
Chase me
Tickle me
Hold me
Hug me real tight
Make me grits or cereal for breakfast
Take me for rides on the carousel
Let me help you put clothes from the washer into the dryer
Let me climb on you
Let me watch home videos of myself
Turn up the music and let me dance

DON'T
Wake me up when I'm sleeping
Try to make me eat anything green (unless its a green apple Dum Dum)
Try to make me sit still and color
Tell me no...EVER
Let a bug get near me
Tell me to wait, I have no idea what that means

SWEEM Christmas Program

2011-12-13T19:38:00.004-06:00

Finley's Christmas program was a huge success! She sang along, although very quietly, and didn't run off the stage even when she saw me in the audience. It was so cute! It's fun experiencing all these milestones in her life. Her first Christmas program :)

Welcome Baby Will!

2011-12-13T19:27:00.002-06:00

A couple weeks ago I threw a Girl's Night Out baby shower for my friend Katie. We are so excited to meet baby Will! I'm so excited that finally one of my friends is having a baby where I live. When all my friends were having babies I was stuck down in Mobile which is 4 hours from Birmingham so I never got the chance to go up to the hospital to see them and their new little ones. Katie is giving birth less than a mile from my house!!! I know it seems silly, but it's a big deal for me. Katie has become one of my closest friends and I am thrilled that not only do we have daughters the same age, but our sons will only be 3 months apart! They have no choice but to be friends :)

Pregnancy Update

2011-12-13T19:19:00.002-06:00

I went to the doctor today for my 24 week appointment. It was an uneventful appointment which is great in my book :) Everything with me and baby is great and I passed my glucose test! She did tell me I had to start taking iron, but it sounded like they routinely put everyone on iron. They brought me a prescription before I even got in my room. Sam was kicking the nurse's heart rate monitor wand (or whatever you call it) which was pretty funny. Perhaps it was the Coke and Kitkat that had him all excited. It had me pretty excited too. When I had to take my glucose test with Finley I was still feeling sick and that orange drink did not agree with me. After I drank the last sip, it immediately came back up. I told my OB about what happened and was prepared to beg her to let me do the coke and candy bar alternative I had heard about. I didn't even have to go into it, she immediately told me I just needed to get 50grams of glucose before I came. I wanted to give her a big hug and kiss, but I thought that might be weird so I just said thank you and left :)

Breakfast with Santa

2011-12-13T19:12:00.002-06:00

Something else we did this year that was new was Breakfast with Santa. The Bob Jones High School cheerleaders do a Breakfast with Santa to raise money to go to competition. We heard great things about it so we decided to try it out. They had a pancake breakfast, tons of crafts for the kids and , of course, Santa Claus was there. Finley was kind of fussy so we didn't stay long, but she enjoyed seeing Santa Claus and getting a balloon animal. Finley is definitely not into crafts or coloring. I wish she was, but I have tried and she just won't do anything like that for more than a minute or two. She does like to paint, though so there's some hope that at some point she will sit still and give me a break from the constant physical activity :)

Annual Zubkus-Dambro reunion :)

2011-12-13T19:03:00.002-06:00

We went to Murfreesboro, TN to visit the Zubkus family again this year. We went the same time last year. I think we've started a tradition. The kids played together, we all went to dinner, did some shopping and just relaxed. Finley was obsessed with their new kittens and it made me want to get her one. The verdict is still out. I love cats, but I'm not sure I want the responsibility. Can't you just see a little white kitten with a big red bow around its neck waiting for her on Christmas morning??? Something else I discovered while we were there...Finley is really good at riding a scooter. She fell several times and skinned her knees, but got right back up and was back at it with no tears. She's one tough cookie.

Christmas kick off!

2011-12-13T18:54:00.005-06:00

We decided to kick off the Christmas season with the Huntsville Botanical Gardens Galaxy of Lights. Finley loves looking at Christmas lights so I knew this would be a winner. We went with our friends, the Chatams. Abby and Finley enjoyed the lights and had a little visit with Santa. For whatever reason, the minute they were on his lap they both froze. It was pretty funny. After we got done pushing the strollers for 3 miles through gravel, we all went to dinner.

Little Indian girl

2011-11-19T20:24:00.001-06:00

Ava Jacqueline Blake

2011-11-19T20:14:00.004-06:00

Is there anything better than a brand new baby? I think not :) My cousin and his wife welcomed their first child into the world last night. Ava Blake...sounds like a movie star name to me :) She is perfect and so beautiful! She had to take a little trip to the NICU so I didn't get to hold her, but I can't wait to get my hands on her at Thanksgiving. Congrats Greg and Angie! We love all 3 of you!

Christmas card pics!

2011-11-13T14:07:00.004-06:00

One of my absolute favorite things about Christmas is Christmas cards. I love to see pictures of my friends families on Christmas cards! I took Finley out today hoping to get a good shot the first time and I did! Yay! Here are a few of my favorites.

Operation Christmas Child 2011

2011-11-13T13:51:00.004-06:00

We packed boxes for OCC again this year. If you want to participate, here is the website with instructions on packing your boxes.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/

Each year, Samaritan's Purse asks you to donate at least $7 (either online or put a check in your box) for each box to cover shipping. This year they asked for a little more because shipping costs have gone up, but it's still a great way to give without breaking the bank.

We did a boy and girl ages 2-4 again this year. Here's what we packed...

Finley wasn't quite sure where all these toys were going, but she was happy to help me pack them anyway.

Next year I want to go to another country to help distribute the boxes to the children. How awesome would that be??? If you see me soliciting people to go with me on Facebook next year don't be surprised.

A new love...

2011-11-13T13:43:00.004-06:00

I FINALLY found a table to go between my chairs! I'm madly in love with it. I love the finish! The lamp is new too. I got both for less than $150! I heart T J Maxx ;)

Buying Boy Stuff :)

2011-11-01T18:09:00.001-05:00

Very surreal...

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T18:06:00.007-05:00

Finley made a spooky ghost at MDO.

We went trick-or-treating with the girls across the street. Finley loved going up to the houses.

Here's our "lazy parent" pumpkin. Finley didn't mind. She's really into Cookie Monster and Elmo right now. She never watches Sesame Street, but they are on her diapers so she's obssessed.

Finley had a halloween party at MDO.

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-01T18:05:00.001-05:00

This is an interesting look. Mommy's bra around my neck and velcro rollers on my arms. She keeps calling herself a caterpillar.

Really?

2011-10-22T19:42:00.001-05:00

How in the h*@# does this happen so fast??? How??? It was clean 15 minutes ago. Why do I even bother cleaning it up?

OH BOY!!!

2011-10-22T19:29:00.007-05:00

It's a BOY!!! We are thrilled! Joey and I were convinced it was a boy, but it was still a shock to get confirmation. We are so excited!!!

People keep asking what Finley thinks about having a baby brother. She is completely clueless. We have told her several times that she is going to be a big sister and that there is a baby in mommy's tummy, but she just gives us a blank stare and then asks for a popsicle. My friend Katie is having a baby boy in December so maybe when Finley sees her friend Abby with her baby brother, I can try explaining it again. I have a feeling it will not be real until he's home with us for a couple weeks.

As soon as we found out it was a boy we did what any normal person does once they find out what they're having...we (or I) went shopping! I couldn't wait to buy something blue :)

Want to see pictures of the nursery??? Well, here it is!

Just a little bit of work to do in there. For now we are just letting it sink in :)

Back on the coupon train!

2011-10-19T14:19:00.003-05:00

I haven't been couponing :( I started getting sick at about 5 weeks and since my sickness was the worst at night, I quit making dinner. When I would try going to the grocery store, I would buy whatever sounded good. Of course, once I got home and started making it it didn't sound good anymore. You pregnant people know how that goes. Anyway, we ate out a lot and just bought the essentials once we ran out. It hurt having to pay $70 for half a cart of groceries, but on the other hand, it was nice to just go to the store with no preparation and just get what I wanted and not have to think about getting the right brand, size, etc. Now that I'm feeling better though I am getting back on the coupon train. My food stockpile is almost depleted. My toiletry stockpile is still going strong, though! Today I spent $70 and saved $50. Hopefully, I'll be back on track very soon:)

Gator tastes good.

2011-10-16T20:02:00.002-05:00

Joey and I went to Auburn for the Auburn/ Florida game. The weather was perfect!!! I felt good all day, we got to spend time with the Harbucks and Auburn won. It was an awesome weekend! We were glad to get home to Finley. My mom and sister came up to keep her. We came home to chicken and rice casserole for dinner, clean bathrooms, new maternity clothes for me and itty bitty Ugg boots for Finley. We should go out of town more often ;) I hope everyone had a great weekend!

P.S. No pictures from the game, forgot my memory card again :(

All caught up.

2011-10-13T22:56:00.003-05:00

I think I'm all caught up on my blogging. I will not go that long without posting again! I knew if I didn't sit down and do this tonight I would get so backed up that I would just quit. These posts are out of order, but I wrote them as they came to mind. I'm out of blogging shape. I was really lazy with these posts, but I promise to do better. I want you all to know that even though I haven't been blogging, I have been reading all of your posts and I'm glad to see that all my blogger friends are doing well :)

Madison Street Festival 2011

2011-10-13T22:42:00.006-05:00

This was our 2nd year to go to the Madison Street Festival. We ate, Finley rode a pony and played in the inflatables. It's funny what a difference a year makes when you're talking about toddlers. We went with the Chatams again this year. Here is a picture of Finley and Abby back then...

and this year...

Katie, Abby's mom, and I joked that this was our one year anniversary. Joey knew Katie from high school and introduced us at the festival last year. I can't imagine what this year would have been like if we hadn't met. She has become such a good friend and we would not be as happy as we are in Huntsville if it weren't for those girls. We love you, Katie and Abby (we love you too Wade!)

Here are some pics from this year.

There are no pics of me and Katie. We are both pregnant and were both feeling good that day so we were busy eating our weight in Greek food, kettle corn and funnel cakes.

See what I mean?

2011-10-13T22:14:00.004-05:00

It's not pretty.

Big Girl room!

2011-10-13T22:08:00.004-05:00

Sneak Peek...obviously not done yet, but it's a work in progress :) Yes, that second picture is where I spilled paint all over her carpet. Awesome.

Big Sister Finley!

2011-10-13T21:24:00.005-05:00

As most of you know by now, I'm pregnant! What many of you do not know is how I loathe being pregnant. I have every pregnancy symptom you can think of. I was sick for the first 4 months, raging heartburn no matter what I eat, I get huge and I gain weight all over, my nose is stopped up, my face breaks out and I get horrible headaches. I know I am blessed to be pregnant, but it's hard to be positive when I feel so bad. I had all these symptoms when I was pregnant with Finley and here they are again. There are some differences in this pregnancy. With Finley, I craved milk. This time, any milk that goes in my stomach comes back up. With Finley, I was sick all day, but it was worse in the AM, this time it's worse at night. With Finley, I really didn't have any food aversions, but with this baby I can't tolerate sweets. They sound good, but when I eat them I feel terrible. I'm showing way earlier than I did with Finley, but I figured that would happen. What I didn't anticipate was the awful mommy guilt I would feel. I'm feeling better physically, so it's not as bad, but for a while there it was rough. I felt like I only had a short time left with just me and Finley, but I was so sick I couldn't play with her or take her to do fun things. I could barely get out of bed to make her something to eat or get her juice. I was throwing up at night so Joey completely took over dinner, bath and bedtime with Finley so I felt totally disconnected and sad that she would think I didn't love her. I thought for sure she would be damaged somehow by it. I think my hormones have leveled out a bit, because I know that's not going to happen ;) I plan on making up for it though. The holidays are right around the corner and we are going to make the most of our last months as a family of 3. Of course we are so excited to find out what we're having. We find out on Nov. 15th so I'll be counting down the days. I remember being pregnant with Finley and I was so miserable and once I found out it was a girl, I started buying clothes and decorating the nursery and that was the only thing that kept me going. So far, everything is good with baby #2. I hate being sick, but it is comforting thinking that as long as I'm nauseous, baby is probably okay in there. I'm 15 weeks and 3 days, I think. I'm starting to turn the corner and feel better, but I still have bad days. Mostly I think it relates to sleep and these dang headaches. On the upside, I'm so excited to have another baby and for Finley to be a BIG SISTER! I wish I could give birth tomorrow...is it April 2nd yet? Oh, and April 2nd is not only my due date, it's Finley's birthday! We didn't exactly plan it that way, but I like being pregnant in the winter months and I loved having a a newborn in the Spring. The weather is nice and I don't worry abut bundling him or her up and then summer is right around the corner. It doesn't hurt that since I'm pregnant in the winter, I can indulge in all the holiday eating without hesitation. I even have a legitimate reason to wear stretchy pants :) I'll keep everyone updated. Please pray for a healthy baby :)

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-13T21:19:00.003-05:00

We drove over to Heflin, AL last Saturday to meet up with some friends for a trip to Bennett Farms pumpkin patch. Finley had a good time and it was great to see my friends and their babies. Unfortunately, we were too busy chasing kids to actually carry on a conversation, but that's just the way it is nowadays. I left my memory card at home and realized it when we arrived so I got no pictures. Thankfully, the others played photographer for me. While we were on the hayride out to the pumpkin patch, Finley got a piece of hay stuck in the back of her throat which made her gag and then puke on the hayride. Yeah, it happened. She recovered quickly and I made it through the episode without puking which took considerable effort on my part. Just thinking about it makes me queasy. After the patch, we stopped at a BBQ place for lunch and then headed home. It was a fun day!

Finley Goes to School.

2011-10-13T21:01:00.005-05:00

Finley started Mother's Morning Out this fall. This is her first time to be in any sort of school/daycare setting so it was rough at first. She goes two 1/2 days a week. She cried each time I dropped her off for about 2 weeks. Then, slowly but surely, the tears turned to one tear and then the one tear turned to a little sniffle and now she tells me bye with a smile and joins her friends at their table. She really enjoys it! Her teacher, Miss Debbie, says that she does great. I was a little worried at first because she is in an older 2's class with 6 other kids. So far, 4 of the six have already turned 3. I actually think it works out though. She plays better with kids who are older and I think she is learning a lot from them. I always thought my favorite part would be the 4 hours I had to myself, but it's not. My favorite part is all the cute art projects she brings home. I LOVE them! They do all kinds of fun things. They celebrate birthdays, the fire truck came to visit, they have Bible story time with a storyteller, they play on the playground and they always have fun little activities going on in the classroom. I couldn't be happier with her teacher or the program!

Mom of the Year Moments:
1.) Picture day was a couple weeks ago and I forgot and sent Finley to school in a summer outfit because I hadn't gotten her any fall clothes yet and I stuck a clip in her barely brushed hair that didn't match her outfit. Oh well! I'm sure it won't be the last time that happens.
2.) I forgot to pick up a calendar at the beginning of September so I sent Finley to school in a pink and brown outfit on "Yellow Day". At the orientation, the director told us to make sure and get a calendar because we may not care that it's "Yellow Day", but our child will be very upset when he or she gets to school and is the only one not wearing yellow. I'm pretty sure Finley had no idea, but I felt bad :(

Finley has her school Halloween party in a couple weeks. I'm so excited! I'm making spider cupcakes ;)

Baby Efan :)

2011-10-13T20:56:00.006-05:00

Two days a week, I keep a friend's baby. His name is Ethan, but Finley calls him Baby Efan. It has been great! It takes my mind off being sick, it's great training for when my second one gets here and Finley gets to practice being a big sister. She loves it! She plays with Ethan's toys and follows Dixie (their dog) around the house. We take walks to see the horses and cows and read books to Ethan. My favorite is when she calls him "Buddy". She'll say "what's wrong buddy" or "look buddy". I was surprised at how well she reacted to me holding another child. She has never shown any jealousy. I have a feeling that will change once she realizes that the new baby is here to stay ;) For now, I'm enjoying seeing her in this new situation.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-02T20:21:00.002-05:00

One year ago today :)

DIY

2011-08-02T20:06:00.003-05:00

I saw a great inexpensive DIY curtain project on a blog I follow called abode love. You should check it out. It's in my side bar. She makes amazing things for her house. She made a feather chandelier! Anyway, she made curtain panels out of canvas drop cloths. They look so good and I am definitely going to make these. Actually my MIL is going to make them because they do have to be hemmed and I can't sew.

Here's are a few pics. I wouldn't mind staying in that guest room. It's beautiful, but cozy.

I love the little balls she used as trim. I think I'll do the same thing in a different color. I want to put them in Finley's playroom. Originally I wanted to do roman shades, but they have to be custom made because the windows are a weird size and it would cost an arm and a leg to have 5 custom shades made plus the cost of fabric. These panels will do :)

New stuff...

2011-08-02T19:56:00.005-05:00

I got a few new things for the house recently.

My mom got a Pottery Barn Rewards certificate and generously donated it to the "Make this house look like adults live here" project. I was able to get some curtains for my kitchen window. I've had my eye on these for a while and I'm so excited that they're mine!

I was so glad to get the blinds down. They keep all the natural light out of the room. I plan to take down all the blinds in my house eventually.

I want to get two of these fixtures for over the sink.

and I want to get this for over the island.

I also found this ottoman at TJ Maxx for $80!!! I LOVE it! I love anything that's gray and tufted. Bonus: the top opens up for storage.

Lately...

2011-08-01T16:54:00.003-05:00

-I joined Pinterest (so addictive) I thought I would pin mostly ideas for the house, but I keep finding myself browsing through pictures of food.

-We had a dinner/movie date with The Harbucks. We ate at La Paz and saw Friends with Benefits. It was pretty good. I expected it to be funnier, but it was a cute movie nonetheless.

-We went to Point Mallard with Katie and Abby. Finley was so grouchy when we first arrived, but she loosened up after a while. She even used her floating ring like a big girl. I didn't even take my camera so I don't have any pics. It's kind of nice to leave it behind once in a while. We saw a large child get stuck in a swing and then we watched with our hands over our mouths to keep from laughing as her large mother, large grandmother and large brother tried to get her out. Immediately after she was freed, another large child tried to get in, but was stopped by a lifeguard. It was a baby swing. The kind with leg holes. Say what you will about me...it was hilarious. It would never have happened if people would keep their big kids out of the baby area. This kid was like 6 years old and she was wearing floaties. Her hands were bigger than her floaties. I sprayed Finley with 50 sunscreen every 30 minutes like a psycho, but did I put any on? Nope. My back and arms are lobster-esque. Strapless bra the rest of the week.

-SOUND OFF: People, when you're at a water park and you bring your 8 year old son to play in the area with baby swings and a foot and a half of water, don't be surprised if you get a dirty look when your 8 year old boy falls on top of my 2 year old little girl and submerges her under water just as I have convinced her that this is a safe place and she won't go under water. You're not fooling anyone...we know you have your child in the baby area (again, it's like a foot of water) because you're too lazy to make sure your child doesn't drown in the areas meant for his age. If you can't tell, this happened to Finley and it took everything I had not say something really ugly to the parents. The lazy a** parents didn't even say "I'm sorry" or ask if Finley was okay as she came up gasping for breath and crying. Jerks. I hope they got sunburnt.

- Joey has his final for his online class tomorrow night so wish him luck. He doesn't need it though. He's one of those people that never studies and makes A's.

-My mom is in the process of moving into her new house. It's amazing and I can't wait for her to get settled in so we can visit! My cousin built the house. His company is called Blake Custom Homes. "like" their page on Facebook!

I think that's about it for us! I hope everyone has a great week!

Creepy or cool?

2011-07-25T22:09:00.002-05:00

I found this shoe in our attic. Is it creepy or cool?

I think it's cool :)

Kiddie Carnival!

2011-07-24T08:15:00.006-05:00

The Athens Lions club puts on the Kiddie Carnival every summer. I think it's supposed to be 50s themed. All the rides are old-fashioned and really tiny and tickets are only .50 for each ride. We decided to get together with the Thackers and go check it out. We grilled hamburgers at their house and then went to the Kiddie Carnival. It was so much fun and Finley LOVED it! Her favorite ride was the swings. Finley would wave and smile at us whenever she passed by. She alternated between waving to us and saying "woo hoo" or "weeee". I think she rode the swings 3 times. She liked the roller coaster too. The great thing about this place is that all the rides are for toddlers and they let them ride for a really long time. The only ride I said no to was this ride that spun around while spinning around. I wasn't prepared to clean up puke so we passed on that one. The men working the carnival were all probably 70 and up. Some of them were sweet old men who smiled at the kids and helped them into and out of the rides and then there was "Fred". Fred screamed at the kids when they didn't do what they were supposed to do and if a child acted like they weren't so sure about the ride mommy just put them on, he jerked them out of their seat and said, "He ain't gon' ride". It was pretty comical. He was working the roller coaster ride and when the kids came flying past, he leaned down and screamed into their faces to sit down. Then he turned to the mother and said there was nothing to hold them in and if they stood up, they might fly out on a turn. When it was our turn, I put Finley in her seat and told her she better stay seated if she knew what was good for her :) Kiddie Carnival was a success and we will definitely make it an annual trip. I only wish we had known about it sooner. This weekend is the last weekend :(

The Incredible Shrinking Shorts

2011-07-20T22:10:00.004-05:00

After weeks of eating everything in sight and after pulling on some shorts that used to be baggy but now require the suck-in just to zip them up, I've decided that enough is enough. I cannot go on eating the way I have been. Whatever, whenever, wherever. The only requirement I have is that it be edible.

I've never been one to obsess over numbers on a scale, but I can't ignore weight gain once my clothes start feeling tight. There is nothing I hate more than tight clothing. I think that's why I love pajamas so much. Anyway, I decided that you all would be my motivation. I'm starting the 10 lb. Challenge tomorrow!!! I'm going to use the Weight Watchers points system because it's easy to do and I have had success with it before.

I'll check in once a week to blog about my struggles, temptations and hopefully, my drastic weight loss :) My goal is to be 10 lbs. lighter by the end of 30 days. I'm guessing if I do really well, I'll be closer to losing 8 lbs., but why not set the bar high?

I believe these are the keys to my weight loss...
-Stay out of the house as much as possible. When I'm home, I snack.
-Exercise. I'm less likely to eat bad if I've exercised because I don't want to reverse the good I've done.
-Do not give in to drive-thru temptation. I LOVE fast food! Cheeseburgers and french fries are my weakness. I'm thinking I'll allow myself one fast food meal a week. I can't give it up completely otherwise my body will go into shock and I'll binge.

Send good thoughts my way! I really want to do this and be successful!

Whale of a Tail

2011-07-19T19:11:00.004-05:00

We had a playdate this morning with Katie and Abby and some new friends. After we got home from the thrift store we played outside for a bit, and I do mean a bit. The heat is off the charts!!! It was a great time to take pictures because I love Finley's outfit and after holding onto it for over a year, she is finally able to wear it. Bailey Boys runs HUGE! This is an 18M!

She got a sucker for cooperating for pictures.

Being Thrifty is Nifty!

2011-07-19T18:28:00.007-05:00

I hit up the thrift store today and found some awesome deals. The thrift store near my house is where all of Target's rejects end up so you can usually find all things Target on certain days in original packaging. Today was one of those days. Here's what I got.

A lamp shade and lamp. This was my favorite find today. The lamp base was brass so I spray painted it white. I love the way it turned out! Total: $18

I got shower curtains for the bathrooms. For a YEAR now they have had only liners. I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and take a shower behind my new shower curtain. Total: $10 for both

I got Joey a Topsy Turvy tomato planter. He has been talking about getting one since we lived in Mobile so, needless to say, he was really excited. Total $3

They had notebooks for .10 each. I got a few for my obsessive list-making. Another woman thought she needed 60 notebooks. I guarantee they fill up the only 2 feet of space left in her house. Total: .40

I also got a cafe curtain rod, a tie-up shade and curtain panels for the living room. Once I get those up I'll post pictures. Total: $18 for all 3 items.

Being thrifty is nifty :)

Only Blondes Allowed!

2011-07-16T12:36:00.003-05:00

Last night we had some friends over to cook out. It was great fun and I'm so glad we finally got to meet our neighbors. Yes, we've lived here a year and are just now meeting our neighbors. In our defense, they live a couple doors down and on the opposite side of the street. They have 3 little girls. We also had Katie, Wade and Abby over so we had 5 girls running around the house. Finley was in heaven! She was sweaty and exhausted when they left. Fun times!

Newbies...

2011-07-14T08:48:00.003-05:00

I found these shades for my dining room chandelier at Steinmart for $2 each. I love them! They really soften up the lighting and I love the subtle animal print.

The ESPYs.

2011-07-14T07:53:00.012-05:00

A few notes about the ESPYs from someone who doesn't have a whole lot of interest in watching sports other than the social aspect. I love to participate in sports and I like watching highlights, but in general I don't like to watch ESPN for hours like my husband does.

My friend had a funny status update last night.

"The ESPY awards are dumb...Why is there an awards show to tell us who's best? I thought that's what the actual sport was for?"

Agreed, but I do like seeing the athletes in street clothes and I love all the skits and seeing the presenters.

Couple things...

-Awww, I'm so sad Cam Newton didn't win anything :( Wait a minute, he won a National Championship, the Heisman and he is going to get millions of dollars to play football in the NFL. Nevermind.

I'm not crazy about his outfit and I know those glasses are in style, but I don't think Cam can pull them off. Better luck next time, buddy.

-I can't even look at Justin Beiber. His haircut is atrocious! Feathered bangs? He has the same haircut as Ellen Degeneres! She is a 53 year old lesbian comedienne and talk show host. He already has that pre-pubescent look going on and when you add those bangs, well, he is looking a little too feminine if you ask me. I'm just sayin'...

Selena Gomez is adorable as always.

-Tim Tebow was there is all his hot, righteous glory.

Funniest joke of the night:

Seth Meyers: Yao Ming announced he's retiring from basketball or that he's re-tiling his bathroom. It's hard to say."

Funniest Tweet of the Night:

Kristen Saban: "Best Athlete goes to NOT CAM NEWTON. Congrats Jimmer you're sexy. Cam, I hate your face, and your stupid glasses. Bye Loser."

It's funny because it's ridiculous :)

Dessert with Dada.

2011-07-14T07:42:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Finley and I were running errands and I decided to stop by Gigi's cupcakes. Usually I avoid this place like the plague for two reasons. 1. I don't need to eat cupcakes 2. The cupcakes are over $3 each. For whatever reason, I thought it would be nice to get cupcakes for dessert last night. For those of you who don't know, Gigi's cupcakes aren't just any old cupcakes. They they have a mound of icing on top and they have amazing flavors! I got Scarlet's Velvet (red velvet), Banana Split (strawberry cake with creme filling, banana icing, hardshell chocolate with nuts over the icing and a cherry and dried banana chips on top) and Birthday Cake (white birthday cake with pink icing and sprinkles). Can you guess which one I had? I'm not gonna lie, I got the cupcakes around 10:30 and by lunchtime mine was gone. So what, right? I'm a grown-up. Mind your business. Anyway, Joey and Finley enjoyed their cupcakes together after dinner. Personally, I could do without all the icing. I usually cut more than half of it off. I wish they had a "less icing" option. Oh well! They were delicious!

The Queen

2011-07-14T07:30:00.004-05:00

I think the "princess" obsession has officially begun. The other day at playgroup, Finley found a magic wand at our friend's house and I noticed she held onto it the entire time we were there. We went to Target the next day and I saw one so I got it for her because I'll buy her anything that will entertain her. I couldn't resist the purple dress up shoes that matched so we got those too. We got home and I put them on her and she walked up and down our hallway for about 20 minutes listening to the clicking of her heels on the hardwood. It was so funny! Several months ago, my sister-in-law gave us a suitcase full of Disney princess dress-up clothes that her daughter had outgrown. Finley wasn't the least bit interested when I first introduced them, but yesterday I thought I'd get them down from the attic and try again. She's been so into the movie Tangled that I thought I might have better luck this time. I was right! I held up each dress and asked her if she wanted to put this dress on and she said no to every dress until I got to the Aurora's dress. (Sleeping Beauty) I don't know why she chose it, maybe because it look a lot like Rapunzel's dress. Anyway, we put it on and I hemmed it so she could walk and she wore it for a couple hours. We also found a crown in the suitcase so she was set!

Even though she takes her role as Queen very seriously...

she's able to strike a good balance between work and play.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-13T08:57:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Potato Head

The hummus monster!

$25 Grocery Challenge

2011-07-13T08:27:00.002-05:00

I haven't done one of these in a while because I haven't been grocery shopping in a while. We've been out of town and Joey's been out of town so I haven't been cooking dinner as much as I usually do. Sadly, I have to get back to the grind :( This week wasn't bad considering I haven't been to the store in a while except for little things here and there.

Here's what I got...
(1) box Publix trash bags
(1.17) lbs. bananas
(1) box Publix Raisin Bran
Chicken breast
Ground turkey
Pork chops
(not sure the how many pounds, not going to the freezer to look)
(1) package Publix diapers
(1) box Tyson mini chicken sandwiches
(1) bag Ruffles potato chips
(1) box Eggo french toast sticks
(1) bag Publix carrots
(6) bags Yoplait smoothie mix

(2) bags Chex Mix
(2) packages of Publix muffins
(4) pairs of Scotch scissors (FREE) (I'll probably donate these)
(1) package of Bagel Bites
(1) gallon Publix milk
(1) bottle of Method dish soap (.50)
(2) bottles of Pantene Prov V Shampoo

Total before sales and coupons : $109.64
Total after sales and coupons: $62.52

Since I went way over my budget this week, hopefully I can make it a couple weeks before I have to go back.

This week we're having...
Onion pork chops with rice
Angel chicken pasta and rolls
Breakfast for supper
Leftovers

We're having a cookout at our house Friday night and we're having dinner with friends on Saturday night. Yay! I can't wait so see everyone!

Tucked away...

2011-07-10T19:24:00.003-05:00

Recently, Joey backed up all our photos and videos and ever since he did I've been stumbling across pics and videos I've never seen before. I found this one today. Finley got a 4 wheeler this past Christmas and she didn't understand that she had to push the button and hold it down for the thing to go, so I taped the button down so she could ride it. Bad idea.

New stuff!

2011-07-09T20:55:00.009-05:00

I thought I'd share some pics of my new stuff. My goal to make it look like adults live here is still a work in progress, but it's coming along. I want to paint that little white table and add new hardware. It's the perfect height to go between those two chairs. I also got a wood end table to go at one end of the couch. You can't really see it in the picture. I recently had a Willow House party for a friend and I earned some half price items and free products. I combined everything I earned to get those 3 mirrors to go over my couch. I LOVE them! I also got the white urn for $1.50! I'm not sure what I'm going to put in it yet, but I love it! I framed my canvas prints I got with a Groupon and put them in the living room also. I am really pleased with the way they turned out. I'm also pleased with how much I spent! The canvases were $45 each and the frames were $20 each!

FORE!

2011-07-09T20:09:00.003-05:00

Joey and I worked in the yard this morning and then decided since we hadn't stroked out from the heat yet, we should go up to the club and hit some balls. Finley got in on the action too, although I think her favorite part was riding in the golf cart.

One more thing...the reason I look like I weigh a thousand pounds in this video is because I do, in fact, weigh a thousand pounds. Whatevs.

Finley and Abby B.F.F.

2011-07-08T16:55:00.002-05:00

I completely ignored all the laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc. that needed to be done when we got back from Jacksonville and we met Katie and Abby at Earlyworks for a playdate. We walked over to Sam and Greg's Pizza for lunch afterwards.

Finley sings her ABCs...for real.

2011-07-08T16:54:00.002-05:00

I FINALLY got Finley on camera singing her ABCs! I had to bribe her with a Dum Dum.

4th of July!

2011-07-08T16:23:00.005-05:00

Joey and I spent the 4th of July in Jacksonville, FL with friends. It was an awesome trip! We left on Thursday and dropped Finley off in Bham with her grandmothers. She wasn't the least bit spoiled when we picked her up ;) Then we drove to Auburn and spent the night with The Harbucks. We ate at Amsterdam's and did some bar hopping. Friday morning we drove to Jacksonville, FL. We stayed with Leighton's aunt and uncle who have a beautiful house on the river. Activities included...

Laying out at the beach and people watching at Lemon Bar.

Watching fireworks on the 4th.

Going to dinner on the boat.

Hanging out with great friends.

We also ate every 2 or 3 hours, hung out by the pool and had lunch at Ponte Vedra. It was so much fun!!! We were ready to get home to see Finley, but hated to leave such a beautiful and fun place. We especially hated to leave Ryan and Leighton. We miss you guys!!!

Casey Anthony v. All that is good and decent

2011-06-24T10:14:00.009-05:00

There is so much I could say about this case, but my opinion seems to be the majority's opinion so I won't go into it. When I heard the verdict I was driving back from Auburn after a 4th of July trip with friends. My friend texted me the NOT GUILTY verdict. I felt sad, but not surprised. In the last couple of weeks I felt like she was going to be found not guilty because the prosecution didn't tell us how Caylee died. For the record, I believe she murdered her daughter. I don't believe she drowned in the pool. They said it a million times...why would someone make an accidental drowning look like a murder? I know when you are hearing a case you are supposed to take emotion out of it and focus on whether or not they proved beyond a reasonable doubt, but it doesn't seem right to take out emotion AND common sense. Casey is clearly responsible for Caylee's death and the disgusting disposal of her body and she should be held accountable. We know she will be held accountable one day, but, let's be honest, we would all like to see her pay for her crime now.

I'm interested to see where Casey goes from here. My prediction is that she will end up back in jail. You can't rehabilitate that kind of criminal. (i.e. OJ Simpson) She won't be able to stay out of trouble. I'm glad it's over so I can get on with my life. I was spending way too much time on the Casey Anthony Updates Facebook page.

Just in case you forgot, this was what Casey was doing less than a week after Caylee died. I don't know exactly what the jury needed to find her guilty, but this was all I needed. I know people deal with things differently, but no one deals with their child's death by going to a club and entering a hot body contest. No one except Casey Anthony.

Stuff My Daughter Says

2011-06-23T12:49:00.003-05:00

"That's so ridiculous!"
"Mama, what you doin?"
"Mama, watch this!" (then she either does a handstand or a spastic dance move like Stuart from Mad TV)
"Got poop?" (she says this to her baby)
"What you see?" (she opens the blinds and let's her baby look out and then asks her this)
"Sounds good"
"Rapunzel, let down your hair" (we've watched Tangled, oh I don't know, 100 million times)

Ice cream dream!

2011-06-21T20:07:00.002-05:00

Try these...you'll thank me later :)

All in the Family

2011-06-21T19:52:00.003-05:00

My cousin and his wife had to come to Huntsville for work so we got to keep their kids for the night. I know they thought we were doing them a favor, but really, they were doing us a favor. Finley was in heaven! They kept her entertained and even better, they wore her out!!! She had the best time with them. We went to the park, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and played a game of baseball in the backyard. The next morning we had cinnamon rolls and played outside until their parents came to pick them up. I'm so glad we got to visit with them!!!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-21T19:35:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, my sister, Finley and I went to visit my dad in Atlanta. We had a great time! My dad's latest obsession is The Sopranos, so we got him the Season 6 DVDs and we made him breakfast. Happy Father's Day to a GREAT dad!!! Love you, daddy!

I also got to have dinner with Jenn Shell! Yay! I'm so mad I didn't get a pic of us :( We ate at Buckhead Pizza and it was delish!

As for Joey, well, we gave him the greatest gift you can give a golfer. We left him alone and let him play golf and didn't give him any grief about it ;) He shot a 67!!! His best ever!!! We also gave him a book about Boo Weekly I got him the free Father's Day card from Shutterfly which turned out so cute. Our happy Father's Day weekend took a dark turn yesterday. Joey was playing softball and fell on his shoulder. He went to the doc and has a Grade 3 AC joint sprain. EEK! Nothing serious, though. The doc said he should be fine in a couple weeks. Bad news for someone who was supposed to play in a golf tournament this weekend :( Hopefully, it will heal quickly.

Here's the patient. He wouldn't let me take a picture of him in his sling.

We've got a busy week ahead. Playdate and doctor's appt. tomorrow, hair appt. and Willow House party Thursday and the in-laws coming in town this weekend. I hope everyone has a great week!

Willow House!

2011-06-20T22:21:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm having a Willow House party for my friend Leighton on this Thursday from 5:30 to 8pm. We'll have door prizes, wine and snacks. Come check out all the cute home decor and have a glass of wine with us! Bring a friend too ;)

If you can't make it to the party but would like to see their products you can go to www.leightonharbuck.willowhouse.com. If you decide to order, be sure to put Elizabeth Dambro as your hostess :)

Caught on tape

2011-06-09T21:03:00.004-05:00

Finley laughing at Drew (again). Joey and I are considering adopting a big brother for Finley solely for her entertainment.

Finley is obsessed with the song "Something That I Want" from the Tangled soundtrack. She asks to listen to it every day several times a day.

I got Finley this cash register with a working microphone. Joey and I take turns saying funny things into it. Things like " I need a price check on (insert venereal disease treatment cream here)or he performs the scene in Super Troopers where the cop orders a burger at a fast food restaurant. We are juveniles and we own it. Finley likes to sing into it. She knows a lot of songs but for some reason this time she sings in jibberish to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

Her middle name is Elizabeth

2011-06-09T20:41:00.006-05:00

Could Kate Middleton be any more, oh I don't know, gorgeous, glamorous, chic, classic, effortless, beautiful, sophisticated?

I'm kind of obsessed with her.

My Drunk Kitchen

2011-06-08T10:11:00.003-05:00

A fellow blogger,who I still refer to as BethBickley (all one word), posted a video on Facebook called "My Drunk Kitchen". It was hilarious! I was excited to see that the girl in the video has a youtube channel with several episodes of drunk cooking. This one is devoted to brunch.

Plot: The girl gets drunk, gets philosophical, cooks pancakes and swears. Enjoy!

Best 5 dollars I've ever spent.

2011-06-07T20:51:00.001-05:00

I saw this Nike toddler cap for $5 at TJ Maxx. Finley is really into hats so I thought she might like it and she did! I think it might be the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Photography by Finley

2011-06-07T20:41:00.002-05:00

Tell your friends...

2011-06-07T20:19:00.004-05:00

Long story short...we turned Finley's crib into a toddler bed. She hated it! She loves sleeping in Mama and Dada's bed so we moved the bed in our guest room into her room and she's been sleeping great in there since. Yay!

Her big girl room is underway :)

I have to paint the rest of the furniture so nothing else is in her room yet, but the bedroom suite is the one I've had since 5th grade. It was my grandmother's. I thought that was kinda cool.

Also, I've decided to sell her crib bedding. Here is the link. Tell your friends!

http://apps.facebook.com/marketplace/view/custom-baby-girl-crib-bedding-by-javis-davis/2597098989-huntsville-al/?cm_mmc=FB_Stream_Visit-_-sale-kid-bedding__new-_-auto-_-2011-06-07

Yessssss!!!!

2011-06-05T19:42:00.003-05:00

November 18th, people!!!!!!

Our anniversary!

2011-06-04T17:23:00.005-05:00

Joey and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on Thursday. We had dinner at Commerce Kitchen and then walked over to Cotton Row for dessert. Everything was delicious! Our celebrations usually center around food :)

The last 4 years have been wonderful and full of laughter. I hope we celebrate many, many, many more! I love you Joey!!!

We haven't changed much, right?

Our good friends, Ryan and Leighton offered to baby-sit. Best. Friends. Ever. Thank you Rynan and Leightit!

Another one of these...

2011-06-04T17:04:00.007-05:00

Here's another one of those "Lately" posts that are appearing more and more frequently on The Dambro Daily.

We went to Point Mallard water park in Decatur with some friends. It was great fun! Finley loved the water slide and went on it about a hundred times. She also loved this swing they put over the water so when they swung their feet went in. After about 20 minutes of the swing, some other moms and kids were hovering so I had to lure her out with ice cream.

We've been relaxing at home quite a bit as it is hot as you know what and it's only the first of June!!!

Joey had his first MBA class meeting this week. I went to pick him up and he got in the car and said, "I'm a little rusty, I had to borrow a pen on the first day." Haha! Also, he apparently signed up to take the hardest class in the program. When people were standing up to introduce themselves, several of them said this was their last class in the program and they had saved the worst for last. Joey is the smartest man alive so he's not too worried ;) I didn't take a picture of him on his first day and I really wished I had :(

We spent Memorial Day at the club with The Harbucks. We had BBQ and laid out by the pool. No pictures :( Something is wrong with my camera and I haven't gotten it fixed yet.

That's about it for us. We're just enjoying our summer and trying to stay cool! I hope everyone is having a great weekend!!!

Kindle Book Review: Night Road

2011-05-27T19:27:00.004-05:00

What can I say about Night Road? It was wonderful, but only read it if you're in the mood for a good cry...actually only read it if you're in the mood to cry the whole way through. It was so good, but very sad. There is a happy ending so don't let me discourage you. I really like Kristin Hannah. She is the author of Firefly Lane, the book I read last month and LOVED! Read them both! You'll be glad you did!

I stole this summary from a blog because I'm terrible at summarizing. I always seem to say too much.

"Night Road is the story of Lexi, a former foster kid, who moves in with her aunt and befriends fellow weirdo Mia. Subsequently, Mia’s family, including twin brother Zach, mom Jude, and dad Miles take Lexi in as their own child, and Zach and Lexi fall in love. Life is great, until one night toward the end of their senior year, when there’s a terrible accident, and everything that the Farraday family and Lexi had built together is shattered."

Lately...

2011-05-27T07:11:00.001-05:00

This week we met Stacy, Riley and Payton at McDonald's in Huntsville for lunch. Her sister lives here and I finally got to meet her after months of emails back and forth about how we should meet. She just had a baby so she's been a little busy ;)Hopefully, we can get together this summer. Finley had fun with Riley and Payton. It was cute how the girls hovered over the table like they were gossiping ;)

We also had dinner at The Harbucks house this week. It was fun as always. Finley tried on Ryan's work boots. She's thinking about a career in construction, but wanted to make sure she could pull off steel toed work boots.

We finally got the car washed. Finley liked watching the cars go through and looking at all the treats in the vending machine. We decided on M & M's and sat outside to eat them while they cleaned out our car. They melted in our hand in about 5 seconds. The sweltering heat is already here!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing Memorial Day weekend!!!

What 25 Grocery Challenge?

2011-05-25T08:33:00.004-05:00

There were some really good deals this week and some not so good deals this week. I took advantage of both :( I'm finding it hard to stay at $25 a week lately. Quantities are my problem. I don't seem to have as many coupons as I used to and there aren't as many good deals in each ad as there used to be. I see all these coupons on southernsavers and they aren't in my paper or Birmingham's paper. It is so frustrating! Maybe it's just me? I have a theory that those Extreme Couponing people have gotten the attention of national grocery store chains and then those grocery store higher-ups have conspired with the coupon insert people to make the deals not as good so people will give up on couponing. I need someone in Atlanta to send me their inserts. Apparently, they get all the good coupons.

Here's what I got...
(1) box Huggies diapers (Hopefully, not many more of these purchases!)($14.99)
(2) bags Texas Toast croutons (FREE)
(1) Lawry's marinade (.50)
(3) boxes Duncan Hines brownie mix (.12 for all 3!)
(1) lb. pork chops
(4.33) lbs. Boston butt (total for both meats was $16.87 and I have an $8 rebate)
(4) bottles All laundry detergent($1.75 per bottle)
(1) box Wheat Thins
(1) box Nilla Wafers Minis
(1) bottle Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
(1) bottle Publix syrup
(1) block Velveeta cheese
(1) bottle Kraft ranch dressing
(1) tub Sabra hummus
(1) Fresh Express Chicken Caesar salad kit
(1.52) lbs. bananas
(1) box Raisin Bran Crunch
(1) package Toufayan pita bread
(1.88) lbs. apples
(1) 12 pack Diet Pepsi
(1) gallon Publix sweet tea

Total before sales and coupons: $136.99
Total after sales and coupons and my rebate: $79.84

This week we're having...

Grilled Hawaiian pork chops, rice and rolls
BBQ sandwiches with sweet potato fries
Crockpot chicken and yellow rice
Leftovers

Happy Couponing!!!

Finley's 2 year pictures

2011-05-21T16:10:00.003-05:00

We had Finley's 2 year pictures done a few weeks ago by Angie at Angela Blake Photography. We went to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. She did an amazing job!!! I had so many favorites I had no choice but to purchase the CD. You can check out Angie's work at Angela Blake Photography on Facebook or at www.angelablakephotography.com.

Here are a few of my most favorites...

Now granted Angie is family, but I would still recommend her even if she weren't. She did a great job! I am so pleased with my pictures. She got them to me quickly and she was great with Finley who is rather challenging in the picture department.

Angie and Greg (my cousin) are expecting their first child!!! Yay!!! We are dying to find out what she's having. I'm having a little bit of boy fever myself, but of course we'll love "it" no matter what ;)

Big Sister!!!

2011-05-21T16:05:00.002-05:00

Haha! Gotcha ;)

On Tuesday Finley and I drove to Bham to visit my friend Tiffany and her daughter Taylen. We had a great time catching up and letting the girls play. We are so excited that Taylen is going to be a BIG SISTER!!! Luke will be here on Tuesday and we can't wait to meet him!!!

25 Grocery Challenge: Rebuilding

2011-05-18T09:16:00.004-05:00

I'm slowly rebuilding my freezer stockpile and filling up my fridge again after the storms. I have to pay full price every once in a while to get something I need or want now. There were some good deals this week so that helped. Unfortunately, my Publix didn't have any okra or eggplant for some reason. I was going to ask about it, but Finley was getting antsy so I'll check back.

Here's what I got...

(2) Wishbone salad dressings (.36/each)
(1/2) gallon Publix milk (FULL PRICE)
(1) package of Chinet dinner napkins (.07)
(2) boxes of Ziploc sandwich bags (.85/each)
(2) ears of corn
(1.82) lbs. of bananas
(1) bottle of Juicy Juice
(1) 8 pk. boxed Juicy Juice
(1) 2L Pepsi Max (FREE)
(1) 2L Sierra Mist (FREE)
(1) bag Domino's sugar
(4) boxes Ronzoni pasta (.76/each)
(2) bags of Sunchips
(1) bag Tostitos
(1) Bic Multi-purpose lighter
(1) loaf Nature's Own bread
(2) boxes Rice Krispies cereal
(1) box Fruit Loops cereal
(1) package Huggies Little Swimmers
(2) shakers of Weber's Seasonings (.69.each)
(1) Ball Park beef franks
(1) bag Publix baby carrots (FULL PRICE)
(1) package Perdue chicken breasts
(2) boxes Orville Redenbacher popcorn
(2) sticks of Right Guard deoderant
(1) package Publix American cheese singles (FULL PRICE)
(1) package Butterball turkey bacon
(2) bags Pepperidge Farm Montauk cookies
(1) 6 pk. Propel Zero water (.99)
(1) package of Publix marshmallows (for Rice Krispy Treats!)(FULL PRICE)

Total before sales and coupons: $131.03
Total after sales and coupons: $59.05

I also had a $3 off $30 purchase Publix coupon AND a sweet friend surprised me with a $25 Publix gift card so I only paid $34.05 out of pocket this trip. Yay!!!

I have no idea what we're having this week. I'm feeling lazy in the meal planning area of my life this week. Probably burgers one night, a chicken dish one night and maybe BLTs. If they have okra when I go back I'm going to try to make okra fritters. They looked really good on Paula Deen's show the other day ;)

Happy Couponing!!!

Swimming in the rain

2011-05-15T15:42:00.002-05:00

Saturday after the 5k we decided to go lay out by the pool and relax for the rest of the day. It rained off and on and the water was cold, but that didn't stop Finley from swimming until her teeth chattered and her lips were blue.

Finley and Daddy

Jumping to Ryan (or Rynan)

Thawing out

Potty Time!!!

2011-05-15T15:15:00.004-05:00

We're working on it...

She has worn panties a few times and she loves them! I couldn't get her away from the mirror :)

I'm waiting for a few consecutive days when we don't have anywhere to be for her to wear them all day. Hopefully, the end of next week we can hang out at home and get this potty thing down, or at least she can get an understanding. Finley is a smart girl and I've come to realize that she can do anything she puts her mind too...she can also not do anything she puts her mind to, so we'll see if she decides to cooperate ;)

She has pooped in the potty twice so we made a big fuss with lots of jumping around and clapping. Her reward is a snack size Kit Kat :) The first time she did it I gave her a Kit Kat (we call it chocolate) as her reward and told her when she goes in the potty she can have chocolate. You can probably guess what happened soon after. She told me she had to poop, we ran to get on the potty and no sooner had her hiny hit the seat than she looked up at me and said "chocolate". She hasn't tee tee'd in the potty yet. She will tell me she has a dirty diaper and sometimes I can get her to the potty before it actually happens, but it's a work in progress. Wish us luck!

Music Moves Me 10k!

2011-05-15T15:06:00.004-05:00

The music was supposed to move me 6.2 miles, but unfortunately I only made it 3 miles. After our successful Big Spring Road Race 10k, my friend Leighton and I were all fired up to do another one. We decided to take off a few weeks from running and then start training for the Music Moves Me 10k. Well...long story short, we slacked off on our training and my knee was really bothering me, so a few days before the race we changed our entry to run the 5k. We were surprised that although we haven't run since the 10k (2 months ago) we were able to run the 5k without stopping. Our time was 31 minutes. At mile 2 we thought we could make it under 30 minutes, but I guess we overestimated ourselves. We did get some free food, a t-shirt and some good exercise, though. I'm hobbling around my house today ;)

Team Harbro!!!

Supporting the Arts...

2011-05-15T14:38:00.008-05:00

Last week I went to see Something Borrowed with my sister. It was really good! John Krasinki was so funny!!! I loved his one-liners. I read the book a few years ago and was so excited when I heard they were making a movie. It did not disappoint :) Read the book before you see it!

Last night I went to see Bridesmaids with Joey and another couple. It was HILARIOUS!!! I had mascara running down my face because I was laughing so hard I was crying!!! At one point during the movie I was laughing so hard I was snorting. Please go see it.

I just finished The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty. I really liked it! I think it would be a good beach read :)It's about a girl who is coming of age, having a tough time at home and is in love with a boy who doesn't think of her in "that" way. The story doesn't end the way you think it will and the writer keeps you guessing so even though you've probably read something like it before, it's really different and inspiring. Highly recommended!

One more thing...I read The Help not too long ago and it was wonderful! Last night at Bridesmaids they showed a preview for the movie! Yay!!! Can't wait!!!

Playdate pics...

2011-05-13T14:40:00.002-05:00

We haven't seen Katie and Abby since before the storms and we usually see them every week! We missed our friends! We met for a little while today and it was nice to get out of the house and catch up. Of course, we had Tommy's Pizza for lunch ;)

Fearsome Friday...

2011-05-13T14:38:00.002-05:00

Since I missed Wordless Wednesday :( It is Friday the 13th after all.

Living room update

2011-05-13T14:27:00.003-05:00

We painted the living room! I went with a charcoal gray. I'm glad it's done because painting is the worst!!!!! I'm thinking I might have to hire a professional next time. It looks really good as long as you don't look too closely at the trim ;)

This is the test patch I did.

and the finished product!

I'm in love!

2011-05-06T09:53:00.006-05:00

You may remember these chairs I got from Goodwill. I think they were $45 for the pair (maybe $65), I can't really remember. Here is a reminder of what they looked like before...

Here they are in my living room after their transformation!

I'm in LOVE!!! I know what you're thinking...white? Doesn't she have a 2 year old? Yes, I do, but my white couch has made it unharmed for 9 months so I have hope for my chairs :) The truth is that this room is really only used when Joey and I watch Swamp People together and when we have company. Even then, everyone usually gravitates towards the kitchen anyway. I will buy a comfy, dark brown couch from Finley's playroom which is where we do our lounging around. That is definitely next on the purchase list.

The dining room is coming along too. I still want to get rid of the blinds, find something for the center of my table and get the furniture refinished, but all that can wait. You've come a long way baby ;)

Before...

Almost done!

I'm a long way from marking this task off my 2011 to do list, but I'm making progress. I have faith that at least 5 rooms in my house will be done by next January.

Happy Friday!!!

While we were out...

2011-05-02T08:15:00.005-05:00

We had a good time in Birmingham while we were waiting for our power to be restored. We went on a lunch date with Melissa and Nick to The Depot restaurant in Helena and then let them play by the river. At one point Finley and Nick were holding hands, but I didn't have my camera. Shame on me! That afternoon, we went to Stacy's to play with Riley and Payton.

Saturday we went to Grammie's to play with Anna Grace and Drew. Then we went to Riley's birthday party.

We went to my sister's friend's house to visit and they had just gotten a new puppy. Finley had the best time with that puppy. I would love to get her one, but something is holding me back. What could it be? The mess, the house-training, the hair, the expense...now I remember ;) Anyway, she kept saying things like, sweet puppy, hold you puppy and where'd he go? It was really cute. I wish I had taken a video.

Saturday night we had dinner at Chuy's with Joey's parents, Drew and Anna Grace and my sister. We got a table outside in a corner. It was perfect! Finley was so good and we actually enjoyed our meal. Have I mentioned eating out with Finley is a no no? We just don't even go there. Afterwards, Joey and I went to Mountain Brook Creamery for dessert.

Sunday we got up, packed up and headed home. Joey cooked Ramen noodles on the gas grill and Finley helped Joey clean up the yard.

We are so glad to be home!!!

Grateful for small losses.

2011-05-02T07:43:00.007-05:00

People lost possessions, homes, cars and even their lives in the tornadoes last week.

All we lost was our freezer stockpile. Easily rebuilt, at little cost. We're so thankful!!! I'm not going to say it didn't hurt to throw all that food out though ;)

Thankfully, we had no damage to our house or to ourselves in the storm. We lost power on Wednesday afternoon and it came back on yesterday evening. We've been in Birmingham since Thursday and decided to come back last night, power or no power, because Joey had to go to work today and we were ready to be home. We thought it would be tonight before the power came back on, but we were pleasantly surprised last night when everything started beeping and the air conditioner came on (best sound in the world). I hope all my fellow bloggers stayed safe during the storms!!!

Wordless Wednesday.

2011-04-27T13:32:00.000-05:00

It's a hard knock life...

2011-04-27T13:26:00.004-05:00

Finley received this outdoor oasis for her birthday so we decided to give it a spin the other day because it was so pretty outside. It came complete with a slide, a water fountain and a swaying palm tree. I don't remember having inflatable pools like this when I was little. I think we swam in a creek or a hole in the ground or something ;)

Stuff My Daughter Says (2 years old)

2011-04-27T13:03:00.004-05:00

Just a quick update while we're waiting out the storms :)

It’s Mama’s/It’s Dada’s (when she picks up something that belongs to one of us.)
Again
Sing songs (She uses this as a command)
Oh la gosh (Oh my gosh!)
Sorry sir (from National Lampoon’s Vacation. “Sorry sir, moose out front should have told you.” Joey and I say this to each other when one of us wants something that we can’t have, like if we want Chick Fil A on Sunday)
Please, thank you, excuse me
Bye! See you soom!
Hungreen (hungry)
What’s wrong, baby? (she asks her baby dolls this question)
Who’s calling (when she hears the phone ring)
Kiss it (when she hurts herself. It immediately fixes whatever happened.)
Go bye bye (she says this whenever we get somewhere and she decides she doesn’t want to be there anymore)
Baby’s crying (when another child cries)
Joey (she yells this through the house. I wonder where she gets it?)
Dada’s at work
Dada’s playing golf
Dada's truck (every truck is Dada's truck)
Shoes off (if she wants her shoes off)
Come on, let’s go see
Fill-in-the-blank fall down (when she pushes her toys down the slide or sees someone fall on tv)
Knock knock
You scared me!
Oder dere (over there)
You reach (pick me up so I can reach whatever it is I want to touch)
We're home (when we pull into our driveway)
Hold you (pick me up)

Some random stuff...

She is still repeating everything so Joey and I have been on our best behavior. Being in the car with her is my biggest challenge. People cannot drive and it makes me feel better to voice my frustration. I've been using sarcasm instead of bad words. Genius, smart guy, stuff like that. "Idiot" has been my biggest hurdle. I just can't give it up :)

Finley points to almost every man we pass that has a beard and calls him "Dada" out loud. Of course, the men always smile and chuckle, but it's embarrassing! I feel like they're wondering if I even know who her dad is or if she even knows. I try to make sure they can see my wedding ring.

Yesterday was the first time I've ever left Finley in the gym nursery that she wasn't still red-faced from crying an hour later. She's makin' progress.

She is becoming really rambunctious. She loves to climb on you, jump on you, run at you, etc. She likes to pretend she's asleep and she watches Finding Nemo every single day. She calls her pink and green blankie, "nankie" and she calls her plain green one, "other nankie"

Sorry this is so random, but I had to get it down before if left my brain. Stay safe in the storms today!!!

Easter 2011: The Year of M&M's.

2011-04-25T09:09:00.005-05:00

We had a great Easter this year! The Easter Bunny came to visit and we went to Birmingham to spend time with our families. Finley ate a LOT of M&M's which are her favorite. Our Easter activities included...

Blowing bubbles with our new bubble wand.

Sidewalk chalk art

Receiving gifts

and receiving more gifts...The Easter Bunny left her candy, books, a movie, a pair of shoes, a ball that lights up, a magnetic drawing board, sidewalk chalk, Little People toys and BIG GIRL PANTIES! I'm one of those people who wakes up one morning and says, "I think I'll do (fill-in-the-blank) today." I know one day soon I'll wake up and say, "I think I'll start potty training today." Wish us luck!

I think next year we'll try to explain the REAL reason for Easter, but for now, we'll just spoil her ;)

I hope everyone had a blessed and happy Easter!!!

Family Date Night!

2011-04-25T08:54:00.003-05:00

Saturday night was Family Date Night. We were feeling brave and decided to see how Finley would do at a movie. We picked Rio because she loves Finding Nemo so we thought a Pixar movie with animals might hold her attention. We are still undecided on whether or not it was a success. We got her all set up in her own seat with popcorn and we even let her have Sprite. Joey and I had an over/under of 30 minutes, but she lasted almost an hour. I'd say the last 5-7 minutes of that hour, she was out of her seat walking in our aisle and talking to us. She wasn't unhappy though. We decided to leave while things were still going good. We walked around Bridge Street, let her ride the carousel and ate at Tommmy's Pizza. Then, we headed to Barnes and Noble for a bit. All in all it was a great night and I'd definitely say yes to another date ;)

If you ever visit Huntsville, you should definitely check out Bridge Street. It's an outdoor shopping mall, but it has much more. It has a carousel, gondola and paddle boat rides and a place to feed the fish and ducks. On the weekends they have musical entertainment and balloon artists and they have awesome kid-friendly restaurants with outdoor seating. It's really clean and the area itself it so pretty. We probably go once a week to eat at Tommy's Pizza and Finley likes to go to Barnes and Noble.

25 Grocery Challenge

2011-04-25T08:40:00.003-05:00

Here's what I got...
(3 lbs.) bananas
(1) cantaloupe
(1) box Pampers Cruisers (11.99)
(3) boxes Texas Toast garlic bread
(4) bottles Juicy Juice
(4) bags Tyson chicken nuggets (you might assume Finley is our chicken nugget monster, but you're wrong...it's Joey. She won't even eat chicken nuggets.)
(1) bottle Shout stain remover
(1) 1/2 gallon Publix milk
(1) box Glad trash bags
(1) dozen Eggland's Best eggs
(1) bag Pepperidge Farm cookies
(1) jar pace Picante sauce
(2) jars Pace chunky salsa
(6) packages of Bic disposable razors (By far one of the best deals I've ever gotten (excluding FREE items). I paid .44 total for 6 packs!)

Total before sales and coupons: $139.75
Total after sales and coupons: $51.56

Remember I was only going to spend $100 this month? Well, I went over. I actually spent $107.91 this month on groceries, but who can complain about that?? For the next month, I'm going to try to only buy milk, fresh produce and eggs. I have a feeling a good deal will tempt me and I won't stick to it, but I'm going to try.

This week we're having...
We have a busy week so we'll only be eating at home a couple days. Yay! I'll improvise :)

Happy Couponing!!!

Crentist.

2011-04-20T20:22:00.004-05:00

Finley had her first dental appointment on Tuesday. She did exactly what I thought she'd do. She freaked out when the dentist laid her back and looked in her mouth and she refused to even look at the hygienist. So predictable :) I don't blame her though. The dentist is my least favorite of all the "ists". She did enjoy playing with the toys in the lobby, picking out stickers and toys afterwards and getting a new toothbrush. The dentist said her teeth look good and we should expect more molars soon. In the grand tradition of rewarding kids for doing things they should do regardless, we headed to McDonald's for "foo fies".

My autofocus wasn't working so all the pictures are blurry, but I got it fixed today.

In the chair

Picking out her toy from the toy wall

3-0!

2011-04-14T07:25:00.004-05:00

The Good Tryers are 3-0!!! The team won their double-header last night!!!

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

Studs...

Cheering on the team from the stands

The Zoo

2011-04-13T09:29:00.005-05:00

Last week, we decided to go to the zoo with some friends. Finley loved it!!! We all had a great time. She enjoyed seeing the animals, but her favorite parts were riding the train, the carousel and running around screaming with her friends. We were there for 4 hours, people!!! Needless to say, Finley was asleep before we pulled out of the entrance and she slept the whole way home. I need a zoo membership NOW! Anything that keeps Finley happy for 4 hours and then puts her to sleep is something I want in my life ;)

Girls Beach Trip 2011

2011-04-13T09:07:00.004-05:00

Maybe if I give it a name, it will happen every year ;) The theme of this past weekend was "uninterrupted". Uninterrupted meals, showers and conversation. It was awesome!!! Amy, Amanda, Jennie and I headed down to Rosemary Beach on Friday for a girls beach trip. It was so relaxing. We went out to eat, laid out on the beach, shopped and ,best of all, talked for hours and laughed until we cried. Here's a breakdown of what we did each day. Do you see a pattern?

Day 1:
Ate dinner at George's
Got in our pajamas and talked

Day 2:
Laid out on the beach
Had lunch at Cowgirl Kitchen
Laid out at the pool
Shopped in Seaside
Ate dinner at Red Bar
Got in our pajamas and talked

Day 3:
Sat around in our pajamas talking until lunch
Had lunch at Wild Olive
Laid out on the beach
Dinner at Margaritaville
Got in our pajamas and talked

Day 4:
Reluctantly packed our things :(
Ate breakfast at the Donut Hole
Hugs and then we headed home.

We all needed it and we all agreed it would have to happen again soon. Of course we missed our husbands and babies terribly, but I think we all could have stayed one more day ;)

25 Grocery Challenge

2011-04-13T08:46:00.002-05:00

Having to go grocery shopping after being at the beach for 4 days was hard...back to reality :(

Here's what I got...
(1) container of Mentos gum
(2) packages of Kraft shredded cheese
(1) bag Lay's potato chips
(1) bag Alexia frozen ciabatta bread
(1) gallon Publix sweet tea
(1) 4pk. Yo Plus yogurt
(2.55) lbs. bananas
(2) boxes Kraft Velveeta shells and cheese
(2) boxes Quaker chewy granola bars
(4) ears of corn
(1) 48 oz. Wesson vegetable oil
(4) cans of Campbell's "Cream of" soup
(2) boxes Quaker Instant grits
(1) box Wheat Thins (FREE plus profit)
(1) Airwick double refill pack
(3) boxes Ritz Crackerfuls crackers
(1) box Scottie's facial tissue (FREE)
(2) boxes Special K cereal
(1) package Kraft cheese singles
(1) Airwick twin pack warmer
(1) Airwick candle

Total before sales and coupons: $96.70
Total after sales and coupons: $31.82

I went over my $25 this week, but that shouldn't surprise you. I'll make it up next week :)

This week we're having...
Grilled chicken sliders with corn on the cob
Cheesy rotel chicken and rolls(I never made this last week because Joey ended up going to dinner with a vendor)
Spaghetti a la Philly with garlic bread
Leftovers

Happy Couponing!

Mom's Life

2011-04-06T08:11:00.003-05:00

I'm sure you've all seen the "Dad's Life" video. Well, here is my submission for "Mom's Life"

See that little bit of orange sticking out of my ear? It's an ear plug. Draw your own conclusions.

Wordless Wednesday.

2011-04-06T08:08:00.001-05:00

25 Grocery Challenge

2011-04-06T07:34:00.003-05:00

No picture today :( We're meeting friends in Bham today to go to the zoo so I'm pressed for time.

Here's what I got...
(1) Dial liquid soap
(1) 1/2 gallon Publix milk
(2.47) lbs. bananas
(1) Kraft velveeta block cheese
(2) 8 pks. Juicy Juice
(2) Publix paper towels
(1) loaf Arnold bread
(1) package Publix American cheese singles
(1) package Toufayan pita bread
(1) Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits
(1) Pillsbury refrigerated crescent rolls
(2) Wishbone salad dressings (FREE + profit)
(1) bag Sunchips
(1) box Quaker instant grits

Total before sales and coupons: $45.15
Total after sales and coupons: $24.53 (Yay! I spent under $25)

I didn't need much this week, but I did have to get grits, paper towels and cheese singles which were not on sale nor did I have a coupon. I still hit the $25 mark so I'm happy!

This week we're having...
Cheesy rotel chicken and rolls
Leftovers
Breakfast for supper

Joey and Finley are on their own the other nights because I am off on a girls beach trip on Friday!!! I am so freakin' excited!!! Uninterrupted dinners, uninterrupted sleep, uninterrupted conversation...you get the picture :) This trip is coming at a great time. Mama needs a break...and a margarita ;)

Happy Couponing!

Finley turns 2!

2011-04-03T20:58:00.004-05:00

Finley had a great birthday!

She looked super cute...

There were cupcakes...

Her family was there...

Her friends were there...

And she got some great gifts...

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY FINLEY!!!!!