hello 2011

A new year is here! What does that mean?! Not too sure. Honestly though, where did the time go? Remember when we were all stocking up with cases of water and food when the new millennium hit?! Crazy talk.  I don’t think I mentioned it before but I ended up finding an AWESOME dollhouse for Ava at a vintage shop down south. LOVE LOVE LOVE this thing.  And she loves it too which is fantastic. It actually keeps Trey pretty busy too… Ava makes sure he is very gentle and careful with all the little pieces.  I spent some time accumulating all the different parts that would make her dollhouse complete… craft fairs, yard sales, thrift shops, hey I even bought a few brand new pieces!  I ended up getting Jake a Keurig machine.  We normally don’t do presents like this but as I had mentioned, it was something I really think he’ll find useful and he sure hasn’t proven me wrong yet.  He loves that thing.  And of course I get to use it too. It’s a win, win situation!

AAAAANNNNDDDD guess what I got!??! P90x!! A bunch of my friends use Beachbody products and love them.  I tried Power90 a whiiiiile back but never stuck with it.  My sister does the insanity workout.  I had briefly mentioned P90x to Jake so I was surprised to see it under the tree… maybe he’s trying to tell me something ;) But I’m thinking this will eliminate my issue with a gym membership (I have never liked going to the gym).   This way I can do everything at home… when the kids are napping, after they go to bed, etc. I just got a bunch of new exercise clothes from from and activewear section at Target.  Love their stuff. Pretty reasonable prices as well.  So of course after getting P90x I was obviously all over their site and I know what I want to try next (not exercising)… it’s this: derm exclusive skin treatments!!  I always thought microdermabrasion but this seems like the type of thing that would replace it… and again, I could do it at home! I mean I’m only 29—30 SOOOOOON Ah! But I figure it’s never too young to start! Anyway, maybe I should get off here and start working out!  Catch ya later

so i said i was great at getting all my shopping done before the holidays hit... and i am.  why do i still find myself running around like CRAZY the week before?! my life is an organized mess. i've always been that way and it seems to just work for me.  to others,  i'm unorganized and such a spaz but somehow i manage to keep everything under control (for the most part)... or at least i think so.  and that's usually how the holidays go. everything eventually falls into place just in time but it wouldn't be the same without freaking out a bit a week before. with that being said, i should probably get off the computer and continue to get things on order. santa arrives in just a few days :) merry christmas and happy holidays to you all.  i'll catch ya in the new year.

beach trip

thanksgiving was so fun. love seeing the family, as always.  i think i grew a size in the waste... oh the holidays.  i always tell myself i'll join a gym or start running regularly but never seem to find the time. who has the time for those things anyway! this year, I WILL WORK OUT DURING AND AFTER the holidays this year... maybe i'll try one of those home workout dvds. 

anyway, the other day we ventured up to the beach.  i love the beach in the winter. okay, maybe not as much as i love the beach in the summer.... but it's so quiet and peaceful in the winter. both jake and i grew up at the beach (not the same ones) but it was part of everyday life. while we still get our beach days in in the summer, i miss the beach being just a short walk away in the off months. i don't care what they say on tv, i love the jersey shore! (not the tv show... though i do find it a bit entertaining) .  i love bundling the kids up in warm clothes... layers and layers and layers.  ava is my stripes girl. she loves stripes (she probably gets it from me). i think every time i go shopping i end up with a striped shirt or sweater in my arms at check out.  Gap has my favorite leggings for the girls... i guess pretty much my favorite everything.  especially the baby section. they're stuff is so simple, classy and ADORABLE at the same time. okay back to the beach... it was so fun. what a great day with the family.  trey and ava ran around for a few hours. something about frolicking in the sand... they just can't get enough.  ruby isn't walking yet; quite the crawler but no steps. i think she'll be walking soon and definitely before next summer. she crawled around until she could crawl no more... probably (definitely) swallowed several handfuls of sand along the way which we saw in her you know what a day or two later (tmi)  ahhh the life of a baby.  a little sand never hurt no one! all 3 fell asleep 5 minutes after getting in the car. who knew the peaceful serenity i appreciate at the beach would be such a little workout for the kiddies.  we definitely plan to do this more often.  so long!

halloween was a success. i would love to share pictures but i don't know if i'm ready for that type of thing on here. you can take my word for it though, the kids looked cute!  then again what kinda momma would i be if i didn't think my kids were cute.  the weather held out so the wagon was a huge success and the hit of the neighborhood. my jake works so hard to provide for the family and still finds time to do little things like that.  i'm the luckiest lady in the world!

the holidays are approaching.  i always feel like october through january are such a whirlwind.  we'll be heading south for thanksgiving in a couple weeks. i love thanksgiving. so much quality family time. and i have so much to be thankful for! i'm pretty good about christmas shopping, i get a majority done throughout the year so it never ends up piling up come december.  i love buying presents for others. it makes me SO happy. homegoods and marshalls are my best friends when it comes to christmas gifts! can't forget old navy, their clearance section AMAZES me. the stuff is so cheap sometimes i can't figure out how they afforded to make it in the first place. i'm thinking i may get jake a keurig machine.  he's out of the house so early that i think it may be easier for him to be able to make a quick cup on the days he's in a rush.  i drink coffee too but usually not until a bit later in the morning. i always try to prepare the pot the night before for him so he just has to plug it in, but i don't know, i think those little machines are just so great!

ava wants a dollhouse... i still haven't found the perfect one but i'm on the hunt!  trey and ruby are still pretty easy.  trey is happy with almost anything. only if i could have a mud puddle delivered to place under the tree.  and well, ruby doesn't know any better yet!

is it selfish that i do a bit of shopping for myself before the holidays hit?  i just like to have a few new things so i feel good about myself and don't have to worry about what i'll wear.  i keep it very simple.  simplicity is key in my book.  i got a great pair of boots from nordstrom.  i was looking for something completely flat (i'm no good with heals). normally i resort to steve madden, i love their boots... but i couldn't find exactly what i wanted.  i ended up with these.  SOO comfy, i love em!  i also ordered a couple pairs of flats online from target.  love their flats! okay time to go.

hello again! halloween is approaching. i like halloween but i have never been a HUGE fan.  i never saw the point or ordering a costume from some magazine only to be seen wearing the same exact thing as another girl at the party or event. back in college, i relied more on good will and local thrift shops to find a hidden gem that would then become my inspiration for that year's halloween costume.  i remember being a pirate several times... a sailor, hippie, mummy. they always seemed easy enough.  since having kids, halloween has become more fun.  i love trying to get a bit creative with their costumes.  i still (for the most part) refuse to purchase an already made costume in a little plastic bag. it's more fun (and afforable) to put together my own costumes and thankfully i've had luck the past few years with some pretty adorable little outfits.  this year, trey and ruby will be pirates! i swore trey would change his mind and want to be iron man.  then again, i guess because he is iron man everyday then it wouldn't really be a halloween costume.  over the summer, i got these ADORABLE little skull & crossbones shoes for ruby.  they may have subconsciously been the decision to move forward with the pirate costume idea.  she will be wearing a skull onesie, black and white striped tights, a red sweater, an eye patch headband (we'll see how long that lasts), and of course her little shoes. she's still a bit young for anything too extreme.  trey's outfit is still in the works but will be a bit more elaborate. lots of black, white, red, skulls, jewelry, stripes, etc.  jake has been working to turn our wagon into a little pirate ship.  fingers crossed for nice weather!

ava has decided to be a devil.  SO out of character for her.  not really sure where the idea came from but it's want she wants and it seems easy enough! she is so well-behaved (most of the time), calm, relaxed, easy going...more like an angel in reality ---but a devil it is!  i always thought the oldest was supposed to be the toughest and most demanding.  i was the oldest and i know i sure was a fiesty little thing.. and maybe i still am ;)

my mom is coming into town in a few days.  she loves coming to visit and the kids love to see their nana.  she is their #1 fan and i think they are hers. she loves shooing me out of the house for what she calls mandatory me time but hey i won't complain.  ava calls her the #1 babysitter.. not that they've had many babysitters (they're usually with us) but ava loves the idea of a babysitter so we'll let her enjoy it. anyway, that is all for now!

hello, hello

welcome to Addy's world... maybe that's what i'll call it.  i used to blog when i was younger but stopped for a while. i'm going to start again, yep, right here! i'd like to say i have lots of free time on my hands and that's why, but nope my little terrors woops i mean angels keep me busy busy busy. i'd like to connect with you other mommies out there.  share stories, tips, ya know all the good stuff!

anyway, i love autumn. don't get me wrong, i LOVE summertime too... but it's nice when the nights start to get a bit cooler and the leaves begin to change colors.  summer life is the best but almost too good to be true.  we spend countless days on the beach, followed by evening bike rides and bbq's.  good times with good friends.  my hubby Jake surprised me with a tandem bike for mother's day this year and i will tell you we certainly put some miles on it this summer. summer passes though, and yes, i love autumn. things calm down. can't believe my oldest, Ava, started kindergarten this year. where does the time go. she is loving it and while i miss her dearly, it's fun to spend time with Trey and Ruby. i even get a little ME time when they go down for a nap.   Trey is on an iron man kick right now. my sister in law bought him an iron man costume. for the past few weeks now, without fail, he has put it on every morning before breakfast-- who woulda thought a 3 year old could be so persistent. he looks so darn cute though.