It's Vegas or bust, baby.

If you're reading this, I'm in Vegas. I know, sniff, sniff - you're really sad for me because I'm not going to have any fun at all.

I mean, I'll be staying at a total dump.

Relaxing in luxury.





























Shopping.

Dancing like a fool (seriously, like a fool - must I remind you I have no rhythm?).

Meeting blog friends for the first time.

Like Summer from Le Musings of Moi.



















And Mama Kat from Mama's Losin' It.













Riding a gondola while a little Italian man sings to me.















Eating lovely food.

Watching TV in the bathroom. Because there's a TV in the bathroom.

Walking around, pretending I'm actually in Venice, even though it's far, far away.















And smiling from ear to ear.




















Because I'm going on vacation. SITScation, to be exact, with a bunch of lovely ladies from SITS - otherwise known as The Secret is in the Sauce.

No diapers to change, no bills to pay, to work to go to, no dishes or clothes or spilled spaghetti-o's to clean up.

Just a girl's weekend in Vegas.

But, since we're all bloggers, I can tell you that what happens in Vegas, won't be staying in Vegas. ;)

Have a great weekend, and I'll tell you all about it when I return!

Eeeeeeee!!!!

Back to life...back to reality...

Remember that song from the 90s?



Anyway...so, tomorrow we are back to the real world.

Dennis has been home all summer long, and it's been fabulous. I've been able to go grocery shopping solo, he's gotten some great bonding time with Kaylee, and we've had more quality time together as a family.

It's been a much different tune than last summer, when right around this very time I had just been diagnosed with postpartum depression after going 3 months undiagnosed, and we were dealing with all the craziness of adjusting to life with a newborn baby. It was a rather rough summer, to say the least.

So, this summer was nothing short of refreshing. It's sort of bittersweet that Dennis goes back to school tomorrow - we'll miss the extra time together, and I know him and Kaylee will really miss their little daily activities, but it also feels good to get back to the real world. To the way things are 9 months out of the year.

Today I took a practice run at bopping around town with Kaylee. I had to go to Kohl's and Costco, and all summer long, I just left Kaylee at home with Dennis when I ran errands, but not today.

As I was getting ready to leave, I told him I couldn't remember the last time I ran errands with Kaylee, so I'd better go on a trial run today. And, wouldn't ya know - we survived.

It was actually pretty fun to have my little half-pint shopping partner-in-crime with me, grabbing at sparkly necklaces and asking in her little grunting and pointing language to try on shoes (my dream come true!) as we drove by in the cart. She must have sensed that I was trying to get back in the swing of things, because she even kept the fussing to a minimum, which I am not expecting her to do again next time.

So, cross your fingers, sprinkle some holy water, say a prayer - whatever it is you do. There might be a few fits from all of us in the coming days as we adjust to a lot of changes around here.

The Look

You're going to love this guest post from Summer at Le Musings of Moi. Summer is absolutely hilarious, and oh-so-honest about motherhood and the struggles of life. After you read this post, be sure to go check out her main blog, Le Musings of Moi, where she talks about everything from fashion, celebrities, motherhood, love, life, and everything in between. You'll also want to make sure you stop by The Haute Stuff, where Summer shares some of her favorite products with you in reviews and giveaways.

*****

A little background.

I am a stay at home mom. I have a 3.5 year old and a 3 month old. I love them and I love that I get to be home with them. I also do my best to keep up the house, do everybody's laundry, shower, work out, write, work part time for HurryDate, blah blah blah.

The story of every housewife. Right?

Anyway, both my kids were sick last week which kept me quarantined to my house and unable to see adults, the sun, or a shopping mall. Ya, it was tough. Really tough. I mean, sniff, I barely made it through....

So, today I got dressed. I did my hair and I put on my favorite mascara. I even wore my new gray boots. And I left my man with both kids and took off.

My big outing? A one year old's birthday party. Once there I realized the opportunity I had before me. I was out of the house without kids! I had makeup and cute clothes on! And I was at a birthday party??? With kids??? It was Noah though, and he's worth it for sure. I mean, he's betrothed to my daughter, so it's more like a family function.

Anyway. After I left the party I called Jimmy to check in. I had only been gone
an hour.

Me: Hey babe, how are things?

Him: When are you coming home? Taylor isn't asleep yet and Chloe is crying.
I thought today was going to be a relaxing day and it's not turning out
that way. Grump, grump, grump....." (he went on, but I tuned out.
Thanks dad for that useful skill!)

Me: Okay then, be home later. Bye.

Somehow instead of driving home though, my car took me to Ross. And then an hour and a cute purse later, I unknowingly ended up at Marshalls as well. It was weird. I mean, I wanted to go home, but just couldn't fight the force. And time was just flying by.

Purses, shoes, and clothes, OH MY! Flash forward a few hours after putting Tay to bed.

Him: I feel like I'm about to flip out. I can't handle anymore of the whining! I
mean it's been all day, and then taking care of Chloe and the house. I mean, I am going to lose it. I really am.

Me:

Have I mentioned that he hates that look?

Uplifted...in more ways than one.

Today was simply a wonderful day.

I had some Mother's Day money to burn, and oh how I love to shop. I could literally just walk around in stores all day and look at things, try them on, not try them on, imagine where cute little decorative items would go in my house. It's just something I adore.

My husband and I don't exactly rake in oodles of money with our prestigious jobs as a teacher and a social worker. So, when occasions like Christmas, my birthday, and Mother's Day come along and I get a little extra cash flow in my pocket, I get SO excited.

I'm not even joking. It's like I have to contain myself from doing little cartwheels across the room, so instead, I just do cartwheels in my head.

Shopping is great, but shopping with an infant? That's just asking for trouble. I knew if I wanted to enjoy my shopping experience, the child would have to be elsewhere.

Whenever I get a day totally to myself, it's usually because the baby has put me on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Today - well, today I just wanted to go out and have fun. By myself. Doing something I love.

Some of my experienced mom friends have ever so gently reminded me how very important it is to have time to myself, and to do the things I love to do. It's refreshing, rejuvenating, and absolutely, positively necessary in order for me to maintain some semblance of sanity.

So, this morning Kaylee and I went to our Mommy and Me exercise class (where I felt like my lungs were literally going to explode on about six different occasions), and after we walked out of the gym alive, I promptly dropped her off with her wonderful auntie.

As I walked to my car after handing over my sweet child, I began to sing..." 'Cause I'm as freeeee as a biiiiird noooowwww." I sang it in the privacy of my own head, of course. Duh.

It felt so great. No diapers. No temper tantrums. No chasing my child around on the floor trying to get her to eat. No lack of naps. No constant whining for me to pick her up. No Veggie Tales Silly Songs Countdown blaring in the background.

Just me, my wallet, and a whole day full of nothing but possibilities.

I went to a little hole-in-the-wall resale clothing shop that I keep forgetting exists, and I managed to score a pair of Lucky jeans for under $30. That in itself would have made my day, especially since I've been jonesin' for a pair of those jeans for quite some time.

I browsed in a cute specialty shoe store, stopped at home for a quick bite to eat, and then I was out on the town again. This time, I was headed back to the Land of Glory.

The mall.

I waltzed into Victoria's Secret, determined to leave with perkier boobs than when I first arrived there. After a frustrating experience not finding any bras to fit my deflated boobs the previous night, I decided I wasn't messing around anymore.

My boobs had served me well, and they deserved nothing but the best. So, I got fitted, did some trying on of the over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders and left feeling like a whole new woman.

You know you found the right bra when the word "uplift" is actually in the title of the bra. They knew it would uplift more than just boobies - that magnificent bra uplifted my whole dang spirit.

Oh, happy, happy day...

Don't mind me. I'm just using my imagination.

It's that time again. Time for Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, and this week I am so excited about the prompt because I get to imagine what I would do if I had $400 to spend. That's pretty amazing, considering my monthly allowance is about 20 bucks.

Of course, Mama Kat's prompt said I had to talk about ONE (and it was in all caps) thing that I would spend the money on. But, that's just not how I roll. If I've got a big wad of cash, I see how many things I can get with it. Plus, I can't really think of a $400 product that I want at the moment.

So, join me as I happily pretend that I could actually have all of these things. All at once.

Alright - so, I've got myself $400.

First, I would hit the mall. Duh.

I waltz into The Buckle, and I buy myself a pair of Lucky brand jeans. Because they always fit just right, and I haven't been able to wear a pair since I was 16 and no other brand of jeans fit my short legs. They are insanely expensive, but so well constructed. I've missed my Lucky jeans, so that's my first purchase.
























$400 - $99 = $301

Since I'm at the mall, I think I'll head on down to Barnes and Noble. I shall order a Chai Latte made with soy milk.


















$301 - $3.15 = $297.85

Gosh darn it, now I'm hungry. Guess I'll take a piece of crumble coffee cake, too.

















$297.85 - $1.85 = $296

Well, would you look at the time, it's still before 6 p.m. I think I'll go catch a matinee. So, one ticket to see I Love You, Man - $5. Can of soda - $0. Kit Kat from home $0. Having a purse big enough to smuggle in movie treats - Priceless. :)


$296 - $5 = $291

















Ok, well. There just happens to be a salon in the same complex as the theeatah, so I think I need to stop in and treat myself...

About 3 years ago I received a gift certificate for an Aveda botanical skin resurfacing (natural alternative to microdermabrasion) facial, and it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. SO. I'll take one of those...
















And, my feet deserve some royal treatment since I trekked around the mall and wore them out. Plus, they look horrendous, and I want them to look beautiful. So, I'll take one of these, too, please. Spa style, with a parrafin wax dip, salt scrub, THE WORKS.


















Ahhhh....I feel relaxed just talking about it. So, let's tally up the remaining cash money.

$291 - $85 facial = $206 - $65 pedicure = $141

By this time, I'm so relaxed I probably shouldn't be driving, so I head home to do some online shopping.

First purchase? A case of these puppies. Hey, I need to restock my at-home stash, and there have been many times I wish I had a six pack around, but I didn't, so now all will be well with the world...





















$141 - $26.99 = $114.01

Next, I head to kohls.com. But, this next purchase needs an explanation. First off, these shoes are on sale. Second, in real life, I would never buy these shoes because I know I would twist my ankle and quite possibly even break it. But, I love these shoes, I've always wanted a pair, and this thing is all pretend anyway, so back off. I'm buying these shoes, dammit.

















$114.01 - $32.99 = $81.02

And, I need a dress to go with the shoes...














$81.02 - $67.50 = $13.52

These beauties should top off the outfit.























$13.52 - $20 on etsy = negative $6.48

Hey, what my husband doesn't know won't hurt him. ;)

Imparting my wisdom upon the infant

It's my job as a mother to pass along life's important lessons to my daughter.

As she grows, I'll teach her lessons like The Golden Rule, always look both ways before crossing the street, always say please and thank-you, and why it's probably not a good idea to do cartwheels while wearing a dress.

But, she's only 10 months old. She's a little young to be grasping such concepts, dontcha think?

So, for now, we'll start with something simpler, and perhaps even more important than the lessons learned above.

Today's important lesson: shopping, shoes, and days at the mall are a girl's best friend.

Kaylee was sick last week, so the days that I was home with her were not filled with fun, games, and domestic recreation. Instead of chasing her around the house on my hands and knees in hopes of hearing those high-pitched squeals and deep belly laughs, I was being told by my family members that I had green poop on the back of my forearm and on my pant leg - about a half an hour after said poop had claimed it's residency upon myself.

(And, for those of you who are not putting two and two together in regards to the words "Kaylee," "sick," and me having poop on myself, let me just clarify. It's was Kaylee's poop, not my own.)

Simply put, last week was not fun.

Hands down, today has been the highlight of my week so far. Monday and Tuesday I had to work. Barf-a-roni. But today? Today we were going to have fun.

Kaylee and I hung out here at home in the morning and I did such stimulating and fun activities as putting dinner in the crock pot (tonight's dinner - Easy and Delicious Chicken - click here for the recipe. Very yummy, but next time - no thyme...) and paying bills.

I let her loose in the office while I balanced the checkbook, and before I know it, I hear her little coos and giggles. She makes this certain giggly sound when she sees something in the distance that she knows is off limits, and then she just goes in for the kill.

I turn around and see her reaching for papers on the top of the garbage can. Garbage cans are off limits - so, that explained the whole up-to-no-good giggling she was doing. She crawled away long enough for me to get back to what I was doing on the computer, and then suddenly I hear laughter, the crinkling of paper, and the sound of her feet repeatedly hitting the floor due to sheer excitement on her part.

This is what I saw when I looked down from my chair.



I friggin' cracked UP!

So, not long after the human paper shredder crapped her pants for the 4th time that morning, we set off on our merry little way.

I was about to teach Kaylee all about the importance of a deep and undying love for shopping. I am convinced that it is never too early to start learning this lesson.

We stopped by the salon so my hairdresser could meet Kaylee (by the way, I got a new haircut on my way home from work last night - fab.u.LOUS - I feel like a new woman!), went to Barnes and Noble so she could play for a bit, and it just so happened that there was a SHOE STORE on the way to the car. Could life get any better? Surely I could not properly impart the wisdom of the day upon my child without taking her into a shoe store!

Let me just back up for a second and tell you that before Kaylee was even born, I was determined to make sure she would one day share my love of shoes. I could hardly wait for the day when I could buy her cute little Mary Janes and sparkly pink shoes, and - in fact - when Dennis and I left my OB appointment after the ultrasound where we found out we were having a girl, the first thing we bought for her was a pair of shoes.

Anyway, so - we hear the angels singing as we open the doors to Payless Shoes. Great store, but you need to know that the infant shoe options at Payless are scarce, and I am highly disappointed. But, I still managed to find a totally cute pair of fashionable black boots (on sale for six bucks, thank you very much...) that zip up the side. They are so versatile, and versatility is something every 10-month-old needs in a pair of shoes.

Seriously - they'll go with a pair of jeans, they'll go with a dress and some cute tights, heck - if she's half as cool as I was as a young child, she'll even wear them over her her footie pajamas.

Anyway, back to reality here. So, we finish at Payless, and we're off to the grocery store. Well, ROSS just happened to be on the way to the grocery store, and that's where I got my very first apron not long ago.

I figured there might just be another one there with my name on it (and I still had Christmas money to burn), so of course, we had to stop. And thank heavens we stopped! I found the cutest apron, and it was just 8 dollars - heck YES!!!

Check it OUT! So cute, right? It's got a frilly hem and a cute little pocket - I just love it. And, because this post is already overloaded with pictures, I did a two-for-one and put her new shoes in the picture, too, just because I know you want to see them.

It was such a great day. I really feel like Kaylee is starting to understand the fact the shopping is so utterly important. You may think she's too young to really understand, but as we approached the register at Payless, she would not let go of her new shoe. She was in love. She held that shoe close until I pried it out of her little hands. And then I gave myself a pat on the back for being such a freaking awesome mom. I may not have a clean house and my child may go in public with squash in her hair from time to time, but I know what's important, and teaching my baby girl to love shoes is VERY important.

Well done, Sera. WELL. DONE.

Mama Kat is also an apron fanatic, and she's giving away another apron this week - head on over and enter her giveaway, and while you're there, be sure to check out the other Writer's Workshop posts.

Mama's Late Night Out on the Town

Before I give you any other details, I'm going to tell you how freaking late it was when I got home tonight from my little night out. You might wanna sit down because you are not going to believe this, people.

I got home at 9:30. 9:30 P. frickin' M. I can't even stay up that late to watch Law and Order: SVU most nights. I'm so proud! Woo - woo! *raises the roof a few times*

So, before I leave, Dennis gets home, we chat for a bit, I hand over the baby, and I'm out the door. I hop in the car and Darius Rucker begins to sing to me as I back out of the driveway. We're off to a good start. I crank the volume up a few notches, and start singin' along.

I arrive at the mall, and before I go anywhere else - I stop at Sonic. It's America's Drive-In, in case you weren't aware. Except if you're in the mall. I do not recommend driving in to Sonic when it's stationed at a shopping mall. So, my late night out on the town began with some much anticipated Tater Tots.

No, we're not talking this kind of tots:
















No cold, mushy, only-half-way-cooked school cafeteria tater tots that will later be stuffed into the side zipper pocket of your MC Hammer pants. There will be none of that on this night of nights.

This - THIS is what I'm talkin' about.














Good old fashioned Sonic tater tots in all of their greasy, salty goodness. So stinkin' freshly made that I actually burned my tongue. I don't even care. They were so good. Let's not forget the Lemon Berry Cream Slush, either. I place my order and walk over to the cushy chairs in front of the fireplace. The Christmas decorations are all up, but the damn fireplace wasn't on! You've gotta be kidding me! I didn't let it ruin my evening, though.

I sit back and sink into the cushy chair, and then proceed to spill part of my drink on my shirt. Bright pink spillage. Lovely. I think to myself, "If it's not baby snot or spit-up, I guess it had to be the cream slush. Even without the baby here, I manage to ruin a perfectly clean shirt in public." Oh well, I didn't let that get to me, either.

After I savored my treat, I head on over to Hallmark to get a little somethin' for a good friend of mine whose surprise birthday party I would be attending approximately 45 minutes after I popped the last tot. I got a her a funny little book about motherhood and picked out a cute bag to put it in - I just love to make presents look cute when I give them. It's who I am.

So, after that, I decide to head back to my cushy chair to get her gift ready and write her a quick note to go with it. Well, be still my heart if there isn't a Children's Place store right in front of me. Well, well, well. That little chunk of paradise wasn't there the last time I was at the mall (let's remember I don't get out much, okay?) I just had to go in there. I must tell you that I excercised uncanny restraint. I cannot even begin to describe the level of cuteness that was contained in that store - and the sales - oh my goodness, the sales! But, good little me, I walked out the door with a clearance headband - just 1.49, thankyouverymuch. It may not fit Kaylee's head until she's 2, but oh well.

It's rather cute - see for yourself!














After this fun little purchase, I set off for the surprise party, and I had myself a real good time. My friend was just thrilled about her surprise, and I enjoyed spending some time with other adults - just laughing and having a good time. Although, I will tell you that I was rather pissed that the restaurant would not make me a cheese and pepperoni calzone. I'm a very particular eater, and excuse me for not wanting olives and other disgusting food items in my dinner. Apparently these so-called calzones are prepared ahead of time. Stupid idea if there ever was one. I was so certain that what I wanted was the calzone that I didn't even come up with a Plan B. So, I got a quickly chose Frito pie, which turned out to be surprisingly delicious.

I never made it to Target or JC Penney, but I did almost hit a small family of javelinas (say it like have-a-leenas). In case you don't know what that is, it's a wild pig that's uglier than sin. It was sort of like this. Only it was dark, there were 4, and I don't drive an SUV.










Anyway, I managed to make it home without hitting one of these fine beasts. I even got some top-secret hip-hop time in the car with J-Lo...."I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block. Used-ta have a little, now I have a lot. I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block." Yeah, yeah, what up homes.

Tomorrow I plan to do some work around the house and then we'll do some sort of family activity that has yet to be determined. BUT! I will be going to the gym to get buff at some point, and on my way home, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be stopping at Target and Penney's, and yes - I'll take my sweet time and enjoy every minute of it.

Dear Fellow Bloggers and Readers...

...If you are reading this, it means that I have set out on an exciting adventure.

My adventure will begin as soon as I hear the rumbling of my husband's Jeep coming down the road. I'll grab the baby, and I'll make my way to the front door. We'll greet him happily and wait for him to get into his comfortable clothes.

When Baby Daddy is all comfy, Baby Mama will hand off Baby, lace up my Adidas, grab my bag, get in my car, find some good tunes, and embark on a long-awaited journey...

...To Target, JC Penney, perhaps a home decorating store, and wherever the heck else I want to go. Alone. By myself. Solo. Sans baby or husband or friend or family.

Thanks to the brilliant, yet surprisingly simple advice from a couple of my readers from yesterday's post, I'm making time for me.

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I can shop leisurely, with no worries about having to breast feed my baby in a public bathroom, or change a poopy cloth diaper in a public bathroom, arriving at my destination with a screaming child and no pacifier, or figuring out how to put all my purchases in the bottom of the stroller.

Heck, I might even stop at the food court, grab an indulgent treat (mozzarella sticks from Sonic, perhaps? Orange Julius? Cream Cheese wontons? The possibilities are endless, people...) and sit down by the big fireplace so I can watch people and make up stories in my head about what they are like.

I'm trying to be more intentional about taking care of myself and doing the things I enjoy, be they things from my pre-baby days, or new favorite hobbies, such as shaking my butt at the baby to make her laugh hysterically (I think she laughs because she knows she's responsible for the extra jiggle in my butt - she probably thinks, "Ha ha! I put that there, and it ain't comin' off any time soon if you keep sneaking those cookies, Mama. You're welcome, by the way."). But mostly, I'm going to try harder to incorporate the "pre-baby" activities that I enjoyed so much that I've neglected these past few months.

Anyway, I'll be accepting virtual *high fives* all night for my accomplishment of venturing out into the real world all by myself.

What will YOU do for yourself today?

Head on over to SITS (blog speak for "The Secret is in the Sauce" - go check it out - I know you're curious...) to read more Dear So-and-So letters from other bloggers. I promise you'll laugh if you do.