sweetness

This little girl makes my heart so happy.  I have been so lucky to spend the last 10 weeks at home with her.  It's been a busy and tiring summer but definitely one of the best.

Happy 4th!

We've had a great day.  Sleeping in until 7:30 am (yay!), coffee, neighborhood parade, lazy afternoon, pool time, bleu cheese burgers, soccer game on TV.  Yep, a great day.

Saturday on the Square

We had a great weekend.  Breakfast, farmer's market, art festival...and that was all before 11 am on Saturday.  I feel like I approach weekends differently right now.  There's less stress about the upcoming week.  I have time during the week now to grocery shop, clean bathrooms, do laundry.  The weekends are less busy with chores and offer more time for fun and relaxation.  I like it.

Getting in the Groove

I'm really not too good at this blogging thing anymore.  When I moved addresses and landed here in January I had really high hopes.  But this year was a busy one.  Heading back to the classroom to teach was a great decision for me but I really had to learn a professional and personal balance.  It was sometimes difficult, time consuming, and exhausting.  On the weekends my kitchen table took on a look of it's own.

Grading and planning coupled with taking care of a family and housework didn't provide a whole lot of time for extra things, like blogging for example.  Some weeks I wouldn't even have time to read blogs, which used to be a daily ritual but thanks to summer and a break from the above photo I am slowly beginning to find my groove again.  Now my days are filled with this:

{love those legs}

I really hope to be more present in blogging.  I know it's really trendy right now but for me it's more of a creative outlet.  And a way to share some pictures with my family.  I don't worry about page views or followers or comments as I know I don't have too many readers (enough to count on my hand) but it is a fun way to share and connect with people I know as well as people I have never met.

Yet, it can become overwhelming.  I had to smile when Liz at Mabel's House turned off her comments and has been a happier blogger.  And I could relate to Allison at O My Family when she posted yesterday about being a better blogger when she had one kid.  Yeah, I was better with no kids.  But, it's okay.  My blog is here when I'm ready; when I have time; when I have something to share.

Losing Security: Giving Up the Pacifier

When Nora was a wee baby I remember thinking I would be strict with the pacifier and take it from her once she turned one.  I did pretty well keeping my firm ground with its use - nap and bedtime only.  And Nora did great with that.  In fact, she really weaned herself to those uses on her own at about 5 months old.  But kicking the pacifier habit at one...didn't quite happen. 

There were so many transitions at one year old - new food, new drink, no more bottles, going back to the sitter after a summer off - I didn't think we needed another change.  So, we stuck with it and everything was fine.  Hubby and I decided once we could reason with her, we would wean her from the pacifier.  Then, around 18 months, she started using it to manipulate us.  It usually only occurred at bedtime but she would scream and cry for it while we put on her pajamas and would continue to cry until bedtime when she was allowed to have it.  We knew she was aiming to have control over this situation.

After talking to our awesome parent educator, we decided we needed to take the leap soon.  It may not be nice, pretty, or fun, but it needed to be done.

I was nervous about this transition.  The others didn't really bug me; I was ready and expecting those.  But this one seemed so unplanned.  And I really felt guilty.  This pacifier was her sense of security.  The one thing she turned to for comfort during the night.  And I was going to take it away from her when she really couldn't comprehend why.

The snatch happened unexpectedly.  As Hubby put her to bed one night, he put her in the crib and she didn't ask for it.  So, he didn't give it to her.  She did great.  The next day at the sitter's I requested no pacifier.  Again, she did great.  That night, she did ask for it and whined a little but had no problems falling asleep.  And really, that was the end of that.  Every now and then she would ask for it but was always fine with us saying, "It's gone" or "You're a big girl now".  Plus, she had her little blankie to keep her company and apparently, that was good enough for her.

We've now been pacifier free for almost one month and it's been great.  We don't have to make sure we have one when we go out of town.  We don't have to worry about her throwing it out of her crib and not being able to go back to sleep.  It's kind of freeing for us.  And even though I was afraid to take away her security, I now believe we're helping her become a more secure girl.

Rain, Rain

Last week when I was in school the weather was beautiful.  This week, while I'm on spring break it has been raining.  every.single.day.

But, the rain hasn't stopped us.  With my mom here, we were still bound and determined to hit the stores.  We had a great shopper in-tow as well.

She loves puppies.

11 Things

I would love to say I can sit down each morning with a cup of coffee and read through my blog roll but in reality, I'm lucky to read through my favorite blogs each night on my phone.  Last week as I was reading through some blogs, I was quite surprised to be tagged by Sarah of pewter+sage in a little blog questionnaire.  She posted 11 questions she wants me to answer and then I post 11 new questions, tagging 11 other people.  It seems like fun and because it was such a sweet surprise to be mentioned, I'll play along!

Here are the rules:

• You must post the rules.
• Answer the 11 questions that the tagger posted for you; then create 11 questions to ask the people you've tagged.
• Tag 11 people and link them in your post.
• Let them know you tagged them.

Here are my answers to Sarah's questions:

1. Name two TV must watch every week or record to watch later.
I can be kind of a TV junky, especially now that we have our DVR.  Two my Hubby and I regularly watch together are Modern Family and Parenthood (although I've heard it might be canceled...eek!).  Two that I will admit to either recording or watching are Bethenny Ever After or any of the Housewives.  Yep, I like reality TV.

2. Do you like to travel?  If so, list three places at the top of your "must visit" list.
I do enjoy traveling although we haven't done much traveling at all since Nora was born.  Of the places I've been, I would say one must visit in the US would be Washington D.C.  There's something about being in the city where much of our nation's history sits.  I've been there twice.  Hubby has never been so I can't wait to take him there.  Another spot in the US is Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado.  We went nearly 5 years ago for Hubby's sister's wedding.  It was beautiful in the summer and seemed like such a quaint little town.  Our trip was brief and I would have loved more time to explore.  I haven't been abroad to too many places but have been to England twice.  Aside from London, which is amazing, I really loved my trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.  Talk about quintessential England.  The town was beautiful and as about British as I could have imagined.  A must visit.

3. What's your current favorite decorating color combo?
I really love blues/greens/yellows right now and am wanting to explore a little more with gray as well. 

Source: Apartment Therapy

Pinterst has been a great place to scope out some inspiration and I'm itching to do a little updating in some spaces in my home. 

4. Do you use the snooze button on your alarm?
I do not.  I even have my alarm on my phone set to never snooze.  I like to get up when I am supposed to get up.  Plus, if I want to get out of the door on time, I need to get up and going.  My Hubby on the other hand...

5. Are you the oldest, middle, or youngest kids in your family?  Or are you an only child?
I am the oldest and totally believe in birth order!  I have one younger sister and one younger brother and totally value the different relationships I have with each.

{I'm next to my sister and my brother is in the back.  My future sis-in-law is in the photo as well.}

6. Do you collect anything? 

Not really.  For awhile I was collecting postcards I received from different people from different places but no one really sends postcards anymore.  I do keep important birthday, Christmas, and other cards I receive from people.  I guess that is a collection.

7. What's your middle name?

Lynn. 

8. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I really can't recall.  I did always play school with friends and my siblings so guess that may have always been my calling.  I honestly can't pinpoint a day when I thought, "I want to be a teacher".  Maybe it's just something I always knew I'd be because I loved school and most of my teachers.

9. Are you...country or city girl?  girlie-girl or tomboy?  a talker or listener?
City-ish girl.  I've never lived in a town of less that 25,000 which isn't country by Midwest standards.
In between?  I'm not super girly but am not a tomboy either.  It's interesting raising a daughter and wondering what her preferences will be!
Probably more of a listener although I do like to talk with friends and family.  But I'm a pretty good listener.

10. If you had to make up a fancy label for your decorating style, what would it be?
This one has me stumped.  Honestly, I have no idea?  I'd say at 30, I'm just coming into my style; deciding what I like, what I don't like, and being brave enough to follow that style.

11. What would your family and friends say is one of your best qualities?  What would they say is one of your worst?
I think one of my best qualities is compassion and commitment.  I'd say I'm pretty loyal and caring to those I'm close to.  And I guess I'd hope they'd say I'm a good mom.

And my worst quality is that I worry...a lot.  I really need to work on that.

Fun, fun, Sarah!  Now, here are my 11 questions:

1. How long have you been blogging?  For you is it a hobby or has it become more that that?

2. What is the last book you read?

3. What is your biggest design/decorating regret?

4. Where is the most relaxing place you have visited?

5. What is something you have found on Pinterest that you have made/created/cooked/done?

6. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or none?

7. If you could do anything other than your current job, what would it be?

8. Which season is your favorite?

9. Heels or flats?

10. How would you describe your style?

11.  Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Now for my 11 tags...I know this takes some time (it took me over a week to get around to it...)to do so we'll see who can swing it.

Krystle @ Ruffles & Heels
Liz @ It's Great To Be Home
Dusty @ All Things G&D
Katie @ The Zeeb Family
Tara @ The Painter Family
Michelle @ The Herrig Family
Liz @ Mabel's House
Megan @ Loving the little things
Erin @ Tales of Our Journey
Sarah @ Highley Highlights
The Franglaise @ Smallesthings