one of our favorite places

Today we went to the botanical gardens (it has become one of our favorite places) there were tons of people there, so it was kind of fun for Char to people watch (and me too...).  The lady at the front desk told us about this one flower that when it blooms it smells like rotting flesh...um OK cool? But that is why there were so many people there today I guess, it hasn't bloomed yet but I don't really want to be there when it does, yuck.  Lately C has just had her tongue out of her mouth or her finger in her mouth and I think she has some teeth coming in...it is rare to get a picture of her these days without her hand or tongue making an appearance!  She is also never really standing still, I swear the moment she learned how to walk, she started running instead. 

 

mommy/daughter date

This morning was so much fun, C slept in, and when she woke up we had S and little M over for some girl time.  They had tea parties, ran around, and had a blast.  We walked to Trader Joe's for lunch and got a yummy salad and wrap, plus of course some Charles Shaw wine (3 dollars. srsly cannot beat it) and had lunch while the girls ran off some more energy.  It is always nice to have company when I am at home alone with Char, and she absolutely loves little M.  I also love that when I suggested some wine with lunch (one glass you guys) S didn't even blink an eye, and totally agreed with me :)

8 years

Today is me and the hubs 8 year dating anniversary...on our first date ever we went to an ice cream place and talked for 2 hours straight...then we watched the incredibles.  Best first date I have ever had :)

There was an easter egg hunt at our church on Saturday morning, so since the hubs was working my mom came with us before she had to leave and helped Char pick out her eggs.  Isn't that tutu kind of amazing? C loved it and kept twirling around and around.

It is supposed to get up to the high 40s later this week, is it sad that I am kind of really excited?? I just want to wear a dress on Easter and not have to wear a coat! (probably won't happen)

I need a signature pose for my outfit pictures...I srsly feel so awkward taking pictures by myself I almost always make weird faces or I make Char be in the pics with me.

Reading travel blogs make me have a SERIOUS travel itch.  That kind of sounds weird.  Its probably fine.  I cannot wait to start traveling more, my camera is ready to GO (oh and so am I, if you couldn't tell).

Today I was at the library for like 5 hours, and they always tell you to never leave your stuff, but I hate taking all my stuff with me to go to the bathroom, you always lose your spot and have to start all over again.  Well I had just drank a grande mocha and I had to GO if you know what I mean, so I sprinted over to the bathroom, was only in there for maybe 2 min, came back to my stuff and some dude was in the process of looking at his email on MY COMPUTER! a;lsdkfjasdlfk.  Thank god I pee quick. srsly. and thank god I have lysol and baby wipes with me at all times (thanks motherhood).  Moral of the story: take your stuff with you.

snapshots

I had a rough day. It was just long, char was whiny, and I didn't get much done.  After I put char to bed, I went and just got under my covers and got out my book.  The hubs came upstairs and he had a bottle of wine from trader joes and a wine glass...for me.  I mean I do not deserve this, at all.  Best hubby ever.  I never thank him enough.  He works so incredibly hard.  I am so proud of all of his accomplishments.  Thank you, R.  These pictures are from yesterday after Char's nap.  The light was so amazing in her room, and she was so happy.


 Have a great weekend!

mama challenge

I was talking to my mom today about love and friends and I realized that my family are some of my best friends.  My mom and I have not always had the greatest relationship (only because I was a brat growing up until about age 20 haha) but ever since then she has been one of my best friends.  She told me about how her and my dad met (7th grade!) they have been together since she was 15...I hope the hubs and I can say that some day.  I love hearing about how my parents were when they were younger (and all the high school drama they had).

Char is a mama's girl for sure, I hope it lasts and I hope that she doesn't become a mean teenager who doesn't like me (I know it will probably happen so I am really enjoying this time now).  I love looking at all of our old pictures, and I am beyond happy that I have this amazing new camera to document our lives with.  I am obsessed with pictures, and I should probably take a photography class some day...but for right now I will just print off pictures and put them in frames all over my house.

The hubs has been working SO much this week, and it will continue tomorrow.  Poor baby C has a cold so we have been holed up inside most of the day (except for my sbucks run with an extra shot of expresso...) I was reading another blog the other day and I came across one of her old posts about a "mama challenge" which I am totally going to do tomorrow! It goes like this:

1.) butterfly kisses
2.) sing silly songs
3.) ice cream date past bed time
4.) take a nap with her
5.) hide your phone for the day
6.) everyone jump on the bed
7.) leave the mess
8.) dress up and go on a mama date
9.) sit on the floor and play with them
10.) rock them to sleep with a song

I will try and take pictures of this challenge as we go along and let you know how it goes!
Happy Friday :)

Spring (not)

 sweatshirt: Old Navy, Jeans: Target

I love this sweatshirt.  the hubs says its nerdy, but I don't care, I love it! Happy first day of spring...its still snowing here in balmy MI.  I am sick of wearing my puffy coat already srsly.  Today at Biggby it's a dollar for tall drinks, so we went there before I had class and as soon as we got our drinks the hubs proceeded to spill his entire drink, so the poor barrista made him another one, and what does he do? yep. spilled that one too.  alsdkfjasdkfj hahahahha poooor R.  then when he was trying to help clean it up he knocked more stuff over, so the guy just told him to leave and the hubs tipped him another 2 dollars...hahahah omg.

being a kid again

the hubs has been working a lot lately, and its not a normal work schedule so sometimes he stays until 3 pm and sometimes (like today) he stays until midnight or later (he is getting his PhD in chemistry) I am so glad he works so hard, and I am glad it will give us opportunities to move to amazing places, but sometimes I just miss hanging out with him and I know Char baby does too.  Last night he also worked pretty late like 9 p.m. so C and I made a fort, ate goldfish, and read books for a good 2 hours...until the cat jumped on our fort (butt face callie) but we had so much fun in there.  the best part about having a kid is BEING a kid again.  after our fort got ruined we ran up and down our hallway for awhile and took timed pictures of ourselves.  best night ever. I was completely exhausted.

winning

 1.) you guys. I CHOPPED my hair off...literally 5 inches.  I did not think I was going to do that until I got there, and my hair stylist really thought it would look good...I was hesitant to do it because I didn't want the typical "mom haircut" but i don't think it looks all that bad actually! I kind of dig it.  the hubs (who doesn't really love short hair on me because of my uber short hair in HS...I will post a pic maybe some day of how short it actually was...it was bad) actually said he LOVED it (high praise from him srsly) so now I am getting used to it and its so much easier to do in the morning but the only problem is I won't be able to wear it curly for a little bit #firstworldproblems.  It is so much healthier now though, I hadn't cut it since end of October I think, dead end city.  

2.) anyways enough about my hair that was a long tangent sorrryyy!! we had an amazing weekend! we went to Belle Isle (this island in Detroit) with my brother and his fiance (they are getting married in 3 MONTHS!!!), and it was super cute I was surprised! we went to the aquarium there and also the botanical gardens conservatory, it was really pretty, and we will definitely go back during the summer when we can walk around more and its not so freezing.  the aquarium is nothing like i imagined, it was the smallest one i have ever seen, but the architecture was so amazing, the whole island was a hidden gem that I am glad we got to see.

3.) before I forget, follow me on bloglovin here if you want to!

4.) this weekend 8 years ago me and the hubs started dating...est. March 24, 2005, which makes me feel so old. but then i remember we started dating when I was 18 so whatevs we are still young and hip. and also I still listen to b. spears so its probably fine.

5.) my baby bestie L is having a BABY GIRL!!! she is due end of July, I srsly could not be more excited for her, and she is srsly the cutest preggers ever in life.

6.) we started our half marathon training last week, and yesterday we ran 4 miles I am so sore, but it felt so great to get outside and RUN again I have missed it.  

7.) It needs to get warm.

8.) so you know how target is my happy place? well the other day we went in and we only wanted to get milk...well you know how that goes right? we got a chambray shirt for me (LOVE), 4 t shirts for the hubs (he is so skinny none of his clothes fit, poor R), and a pair of shoes for the booboo.  target wins again.  

Happy Monday!

5 things

1.) i love my little family.  srsly. i feel like my life is complete with them.  even when the hubs tickles me so hard my arm pits hurt... he literally lifts me up in the air with his thumbs under my armpits and i am SO ticklish there i pee my pants.  not even kidding you it happens every time.

2.) char baby is the best assistant. i took my boots off today and changed my socks and then she handed me my boots back one foot at a time.  she is so awesomme, she knows the order i put on my make up too.

3.) I taught Char how to say "hiii" (pronounced HIGH-EEE) and i die laughing when she screams it at the top of her lungs.

4.) I am FINALLY getting my hair cut and colored tomorrow...its been like 6 months...when the hubs notices my roots you KNOW its time to do something about it.

5.) so i was supposed to run in a 5k tonight but i checked the weather and it said "1-3 inches of icy rain snow" and cancelled.  well at the time of the race it hadn't even really started to rain yet...sooo I am dumb.

botanical garden love

 We are obsessed with going to the conservatory at the botanical gardens...and also apparently we all love the color blue...totally not planned! I admit though I love matching with C, its so fun to find stuff that works on both of us, and not really matching more like complementing outfits.  I never thought I would ever say that.  I used to be so against it, but its just so much fun, plus C loves clothes and shoes and bows just as much as I do.  She watches me put my make up on, she sits right up on my dresser with me and pretend puts on her own make up, and when I do my hair she brushes her own hair, I even blow dry her hair too she thinks its hilare.  Lately she has been a total mama's girl (I kind of love it) and when I leave she comes running after me.  I taught her how to say "love you" yesterday and she said it and it melted my heart. 

60 degree weather

the hubs got back yesterday and brought me my favorite cookies ever from up north...i ate like 3 in a row #itsprobablyfine.  once char baby woke up from her nap we decided to take advantage of the awesome 60 degree weather outside and go for a walk to the park (and stop at DQ of course).  after we came back she was a clingy, cuddly monster and only wanted me, so we just lounged around and read books until it was time for her to go to bed.  I really hate day light savings.  whoever invented it never had kids obviously.  

I am getting SO excited for summer...we just planned all of our camping trips, and we are really trying to enjoy Michigan while we still live here (however long that may be...but we are planning on leaving as soon as the hubs graduates YAY crossing my fingers for next April) and camping is the cheapest way (we think) to travel.  In May we are going to go to Mackinac Island for our (3 year) Anniversary, then June we have three weddings and a camping trip at Silver Lake, July my BFF's wedding, and then camping near sleeping bear dunes, and August our Acadia National Park trip in Maine, and stopping in Boston to see some of my old roomies from college.  This summer will be one for the books.  I am just so excited, ever since it was 60 degrees yesterday I am READY for spring, sangria, dresses, pools, and outdoor activities!! I just feel so cooped up and so does C, there are only so many things indoors you can do...and tomorrow the forecast says: "37 and chance of snow" really??! srsly. #readyforspring