Blogger 411: about ME

I'm linking up with Becky in the Blogger 411. I don't think I have done one of these get to know me things before and I always love reading them so I thought I'd join in!

1. How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?

 I started blogging in January of 2010. 
I had been a blog stalker for years and was finally encouraged to start my own. 
I was going to wait until we had kids, but bit the bullet and blogged about our married life in Florida instead. I am so thankful I started when I did, I was able to connect with so many awesome women. I had no idea it would take us as long as it did to conceive and I was so thankful for an outlet, support, prayers and encourage from everyone- including others who were struggling. 
Of course, my blog has changed since having Adalyn....a lot.
 I used to write with some humor and these days I'm lucky if I can get my brain to form words to even write a post! 
I'm thankful to have the blog in each season of my life and I look forward to going back and reading it one day! 

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?

I went to college for two years. And I got nothing but debt and great friends. 

I started out at the community college taking gen. eds, paying my way through and staying close to Mr. B {he was still a senior in High School}. After crying for months about having no friends and seeing all my others friends having fun, the college search was on for me and Mr. B. We decided on a small school in PA. We loved it. And then we hated it. My major was Communication Disorders. I had an awesome group of girls that I really connected with and loved. {Still love!} 

But we didn't feel the school was helping us grow spiritually and we really wanted to be surrounded by an uplifting/challenging environment. So we only lasted a semester. And said a tearful good-bye.

 We made our way down to FL. We went to Southeastern University. How can you not love a school in Florida?! {It's pretty easy actually- you live there and realize how hot it is.} We loved their chapels and it really seemed like everyone was there to learn and grow.

 My major was Elementary Education.

 At this school Mr. B connected with a good group of friends and I didn't like I did before. Some of my credits didn't transfer because I was dumb and took core classes for each major so I was about a year behind. I was always a good student, graduated HS with High honors, and got all A's and a few B's in college, but I was really just going to college for the experience and because I felt like I had to. I didn't like elementary education. I never felt the desire to be a teacher, I didn't enjoy lesson planning and hated speaking in front of the class. I only did it because I knew I wanted to work with kids. After much consideration and prayer, Mr. B and I decided that I would stop going to school and pursue my dream of being a nanny. Something I loved to do, I was gifted in doing and a way to make money rather than continue to put myself in debt.

 And that's what I did! 

I am thankful for each experience along the way! We always wonder what life would have been like had we stayed in PA the whole time- I don't think we would be where we are today.

 And I love where we are today, so that's okay!
 I do live the grass is greener life though and I seem to forget about all the bad times and only remember the good so I always wonder why we left and what we were thinking. Which is good and bad, I guess! 

But God knew.

Oh yeah and I only went away to school for one year and I still have $11,000 in debt. 

Paying the minimum doesn't get you very far.

3. Where have you traveled?

Outside of the US I've been to Canada, Mexico, Romania and the Ukraine

4. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?

I have a lot of pet peeves, it depends on the day. 

Sometimes it could be someone breathing.

Seriously.

But if to think of my three biggest...

1. Mouth noises. 

2. Heavy breathing

3. Whistling

I know, I have problems.

5. What is your favorite movie?

I think I'll have to go with Now & Then. 

I haven't seen it in a long time, but it was always one of my favs.

I do love the Notebook, too!

And A Walk to Remember { I couldn't listen to the soundtrack for months, because it would make me cry}

And I love Wild Hogs too.

6. What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?

I don't drink any alcohol, but I do love me Diet Dr. Pepper or Root Beer.

It switches up every couple months between the two.

I'm currently in a Diet Dr. Pepper phase.

I also love water and I am particular about what kind.

I love smart water, but it's not always feasible.

I am fine with Poland Springs and Dasani.

Really don't like Nestle Pure Life.

Aquafina hurts my stomach.

I know, I have problems.

7. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?

I enjoy watching TV, blogging/reading blogs, editing pictures and various DIY projects

8. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?

I think I'd have to go with Target. I can never walk out of there with only what I went in to buy. 

They pretty much have everything I would need and I know that $10,000 would go way too quickly!!

9. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.

Way too many to share. 

I suppose my most current would be the amount of...ahem..gas I passed through the whole laboring process.

I'm not sure that was normal. 

I laugh about it almost every day.

I had no control.

10. What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?

In high school I worked at a grocery store {Mr. B worked there too}. I was a cashier and sometimes bagger and I hated working on express and that is where I seemed to be the most.

I worked there for 3 years. 

Then I worked with kids- daycare, nanny, live-in nanny and  in-home daycare until I was 8 months pregnant. 

11. Show us a picture from high school or college.

"The Event" {aka Christian school prom- Senior Year}

College:

12. Show us the most current picture of you or you, or your family, or anything of meaning to you. 

{6 Month family pics that I still need to post!}

13. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?

Happily married to my best friend, living in our own home with a sibling {or two!} for Adalyn.

But I know the Lord holds our future and we can only do so much- it's in His hands! 

But these are my dreams and desires.

Fast Forward Friday

Ok, so I think one of my least favorite parts of blogging is coming up with a title?

Anyone else??

I feel like I'm back in school sometimes!

Anyways, I am so behind on blogging...once again.

I always go back and forth on how important it really is.

I think it's really important, and not always easy, to prioritize it correctly.

For me personally, as much as I love documenting and looking back at the different seasons and milestones, it's so much more important for me to be in the moment.

I take so many pictures of Adalyn, and believe it or not even though I have thousands of pictures, I have to constantly tell myself to just enjoy it.

To savor it in my heart and memory.

She will be smiling away at me and it's the sweetest thing, I take out my camera to capture it and then she stops and I get annoyed because she's not doing it anymore.

 I need to enjoy and not always share it.

In saying that, I am so so thankful for the awesome camera we have and all the pictures I do have of her.

It's goes by so fast and I am so grateful to look back and reminisce.

I do find blogging important too. 

Especially as my memory quickly disappears. 

But it needs to be when I have time because I have greater much, more important things to be spending my time on-like my quiet time with the Lord, time in the Word to inspire and encourage me to be a better wife and mom, time I should be using to clean and cook- making our home a home and serving my husband after a long day at work, time to soak in each dimpled smile from Adalyn and the wonder and excitement she gets from the littlest thing, time for trash tv and naps, and time for my attention craving dog. 

I really just need to work on my time management.

 period. 

In all areas.

 Money management too! 

{Too many "good deals" add up to, ya know?}

A couple weeks ago I said I wanted to blog after every weekend-HA! Apparently I was lucky I did it once. So I am just going to do a quick recap so we can fast forward to this weekend and start over again.

Things I'd like to blog about, but don't have time to embellish on each thing! And it is probably going to be so long and I will be surprised if anyone makes it to the end, but it's mostly for us to look back on.

Pretty much the whole month of May has been rainy, so we try to enjoy the few beautiful days that we have! Last Saturday we got to go on a family walk and play at the park. Auntie Ali got to join us!

Two weeks ago I had a wonderful Mother's Day! 

It's such a special day to celebrate moms and God's faithfulness to us! A mom is something I have always wanted to be and it's still so  surreal that I am one. 

I got a sweet card from Adalyn and Mr. B and I am waiting on my mom necklace! We went to church and they gave out some flowers, then we went to Texas roadhouse with my family. They have highchairs that slip into the booths and she liked being close to us and of course she enjoyed their yummy rolls! We came home, napped, took some pictures, face-timed with Mr. B's parents, enjoyed the beautiful weather at the farm and finished the night with Coldstone where I got the "Way-too-many-calories-slightly-embarrassed-to-tell-you-what's-in-here".

On Monday Adalyn and I went to my parents because my Grammie and Grampa were over visiting. 

They don't have a crib there so it's one of the few times she still sleeps on me and I soak it all in!

We were supposed to get Carrabba's on Sunday night-my dinner of choice! But we were still full from Texas Roadhouse so we ended up getting it on Monday night and it was delish, as always! I get the Pollo Rosa Maria- if you've never gotten it, do it!

 Complete with a cannoli, another favorite of mine.

And then I gained 10 pounds.

Mr. B had a business trip to CA and was going to be gone for 3 days. I was torn if I would be a big girl and stay here by myself or if I would go to my parents {aka the farm, by the way}. I would go there not because I needed help with Adalyn, but because I am pretty much a 10 year old girl and get scared of bad guys. I decided I would spend one night there and two nights here. But I ended up staying there all 3 nights...and losing a bet and owing a back scratch to Mr. B. {ugh.} He didn't think I would stay here alone. I could've.

We found a great deal with coupons on a pack n play at Babies R Us. We shared a room and slept great. We looked like dog hoarders. And Roxie finally had a friend...that she thinks is her own personal stuffed animal.

We played on our favorite toy. And enjoyed cheese puffs. 

So did our bib.

The weather pattern for May is rainy weeks and beautiful weekends. I suppose it could be worse! 

Last weekend was no different- and we enjoyed it while it lasted!

Started off our morning going to a few yard sales. Here are some of our fun finds!

Followed by a little disappointment in the quantity of the water I put in and some playtime in her new pool.

And of course, a walk and more ice cream.

We live in a townhouse in a nice development that is fairly quiet, but we don't have our own backyard or anything so we usually go to the farm on the weekends to relax, play and enjoy some time outside. So our days at the farm are usually like this...

And starting tomorrow it will consist of some weekends at the lake and on the boat with Mr. B and his parents! 

Thursday's Thoughts

I am so super proud of Mr. B for finishing his first semester of grad school. Not only with good grades, but on top of being a wonderful l husband, daddy and hard worker to provide for his girls! He has two weeks off and will start a summer semester which will be two nights a week :(  But the summer semester is shorter and this whole MBA thing is for a season in our lives and it's better to do it while Adalyn is still little and we only have one baby!! {I have to keep reminding myself of that from time to time..}

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I finally made a new layout and it's all bright and springy...if only the weather here could reflect that.

This weather is seriously ridiculous. It's really amazing the difference that the sun makes in a day. Rain = lazy, eat everything, bored, PJ day....too many of those make for one scary looking mama. Trust me. 

And btw the phone is lying, it's not sunny right now it's overcast. It must've forgotten what the sun looks like. 

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I don't like how the side bar on the blog is now on the right side. It makes me feel all weird and confused like I'm a lefty or something.

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I know not everyone agrees with letting their babies watch TV, but we do let Adalyn watch a few shows here and there- mostly in the morning when she wakes and at night during her bottle.  Not only does she enjoy it, but I am pretty sure we have the wiggliest worm of them all and it keeps her still, focused on the TV and distracted from everything else that makes her not want to finish her bottle. And at night time I want to fill that tummy as much as I can before bed! Anyways, this week what she was watching really clicked for her and became more than just bright colors. It has been the cutest thing. She loves at the end of Mickey when they do the Hot Dog Dance, but her favorite part is when he shouts "Hot Dog!"- guaranteed smile every time. He shouts it twice and she always smiles, the rest of the song is apparently entertaining, but not as much as that part. 

Her mouth is moving at the end like she's trying to sing along too, ha!

Btw this video was taken this morning and I'm pretty sure over night she turned into a teenager. Ok, maybe not a teenager, but she's not a baby baby anymore. She woke up and she's basically all grown up. Seriously. 

 Sitting up in bed, watching her Mickey, she has a legit neck, longer hair {that happens overnight too} and sucking on her shirt like a big kid.

As she grows, she is becoming a lot more fun and getting more of a personality each day and that makes these spurts slightly acceptable.

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This is usually what tubby time looks like. Both cute and annoying.

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Adalyn seems to be ready for bed lately between 6:30/7, it used to be tubby around 7:15 and bed around 8/8:30. Mr. B doesn't get home from work until 6:30/6:40 so I've been trying hard to keep her up so he can at least give her her bottle and say goodnight. 

But it's not easy!

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The problem with her going to bed so early is she is ready to rock n roll in the middle of the night. This was her last night at 2:30 AM

It's been 7.5 hours of sleep. I get it, but um...go to sleep. 

Mommy has only been sleeping for 3 hours. 

And 4 AM

Thankfully she did what she needed to do and fell back to sleep on her own, but what happened to sleeping through the night?? So we are trying to figure out that new schedule...add in her growth spurt and we have good nights and bad nights.

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I feel like more teeth will be popping soon, although I am not sure where yet. I keep looking, but I don't see any. The only places that are really white are where her molars will be and I don't think girlfriend can be getting those already, right?! I think they are just there, but not coming anytime soon. 

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Roxie sleeping last night.

So classy.

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 I've had instagram for a couple months and never used it because I couldn't really figure it out. It seemed like a lot of work at the time {am I that lazy? yes.} But now pretty much everyone and their mom are using it so I want to too {do I hop on every bandwagon? you betcha.} So I am going to try and start using it, but I don't want to look like I am because everyone else is....but well, that's exactly why I am doing it. So I just want it known that I did have it before it was totally "in" I just was using it, ok? OK. 

Good glad that is cleared up.

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I got the devotional "Jesus Calling" for Christmas and I just love how simple yet profound each one is every day. 
 Highly recommend it!
I thought I would share a little excerpt from today that I found to be encouraging. 
Although I am currently not going through a particularly stressful situation, I have been there and I know I will be there again at some point and this is a great reminder:
"When you start to feel stressed, let those feelings alert you to your need for Me. Thus, your needs become doorways to deep dependence on Me and increasing intimacy between us."

SUYL: Making New Friends

Today I decided to join in on Kelly's SUYL.

It's unfortunate that I have such great "blog friends" and we all live so far away. 

I feel like no one in this neck of the woods blogs!

Where are all the young mommies in NH?!?!

I figure this is worth a shot, although so far, out of Kelly's long list of link ups, I only see 2 from NH!

I'm Jordan and this is my daughter Adalyn.

I am 24 years old, she's 5 months and we live in Southern NH.

{Born and raised and now raising}

This is Mr. B.

He is 23 and works in Boston as a Financial Analyst.

We've been married for almost 3 years- together for 6 years, high school sweethearts and each others first bf/gf!

Getting married fairly young put us in a weird season of life.

A happy season for sure, but a different season.

I was someone that always had friends and loved having friends and girl time.

Mr. B isn't Mr. Social and it slowly become just him and I.

When we lived in Florida we had a few close married friends we connected with from his college, but when we moved back to NH we were back to pretty much just our family as friends.

Which is wonderful and I am so thankful for. 

Family lasts forever. 

Friends come and go.

Period. 

But friends are important to have too.

So while I sometimes struggled with my lack of friends while being married I would always say

 " I can't wait until I have mommy friends.."

"Well once I have mommy friends..."

"Everything will be better when I have mommy friends..."

And now the time has come.

To make in real life mommy friends.

I love my blog mom friends, I so so wish they lived closer.

But they don't.

I joined a little playgroup thing on Facebook for moms in the area.

We joined a new church with younger families.

We will probably start going to some story times at the library.

It's time to put on my big girl panties {which I actually still wear from time time, they were for after giving birth and are quite comfy}, step out of my comfort zone and make some friends!

All that to say: Hi, I'm Jordan from NH. 

Busy Bees

Well I give myself props for having one consistent week of blogging, ha!

I always intend on writing a post, but then...

I don't.

This time around I feel like I have some legit excuses though.

We've been busy bees around here.

1. We are getting ready for our family vacation.

I could really go for some sun, pina coladas, warmth and a tan...but we are going somewhere where this type of apparel is needed...

{btw, found this at a thrift store for $4.99! Excellent condition and from Macy's!}

it's a good thing she looks so cute. 

It eases the pain of a wintery vacation a little bit.

We are excited to see my grandparents though and to have them meet Adalyn for the first time!

Mr.B, Papa G and the sibs are looking forward to skiing too!

2. Getting ready for the big move

We've been busy doing some of this...

as well putting all the crap valuable items inside the boxes.

We will be moving the following weekend we get back from vacation, so we need to pretty much have everything packed and ready to go before we leave! 

And for those wondering what hair style I went with..

that will have to hold you over until I can get a good/not awkward looking self-portrait.

It's much easier to look silly on purpose then trying to look good and looking silly.

Get my drift?

ok, great.

Smelly Student

No, I'm not posting about that smelly student in class that everyone talks about- the one who smells like the clothes have been sitting in the washer too long, the one that smells like B.O or the one that smells like they got sprayed by a skunk. 

::True story- our dog got sprayed and came in the house and my brother and I went to school smelling like skunk. So embarrassing::

Mr. B is a student again.

Although, it is possible that he could also be that smelly student. 

I've gotten a whiff of those pits on a rough day and my oh my...it's nasty. 

Anyways, yesterday marked a new chapter in our little Smelly Life- Mr. B started Grad school. 

It's a 2.5 yr program, he will be taking 2 classes a semester mostly one night a week, but it could happen to be 2 nights or Saturdays depending on the class. 

We are so thankful for this opportunity and for the wonderful company that he works for.

Mr. B is really excited about it and looking forward the classes and learning again

Which btw is so weird to me! I am so opposite. I went to college for 2 years and got nothing but debt and friends- I was a good student but I just felt I was wasting my money when I knew I wanted to be a nanny/SAHM. But ummmm... I still have nightmares that I am taking a test and can't finish in time and don't know the answers!

That's a legit nightmare, right?

There is nothing I love more {okay, there's actually lots of things I love more}, than waking up and knowing I'm not in school nor do I plan to be in school ever again. 

So anyways, I am a little nervous that it will be difficult for him to find the proper balance of work, school and family. I do know this will be a lot of work for him, there will be a lot on his plate and I am so proud of him for taking that on in order to provide better for our family. 

I also know it's going to be hard for me- I really don't want to be a nagging wife and complaining that he is always doing work/school. I don't want him to miss out on these special moments with Adalyn because clearly she is already growing so fast! So I am going to try really hard to be nothing but encouraging and supporting.

So maybe there will be some trial and error in the beginning. We will probably have to try and work out some sort of schedule so that he doesn't get overwhelmed with everything. 

But we are ready to take it on and we know that in the end the reward will be worth it! 

Any advice for those of you who have been through this would be great-what worked, what didn't, did it go by fast, was it not as bad as you thought, was it? 

2 . 22 . 22

Okay, so in my head this morning when I was thinking about the date and the milestones that have been reached today it seemed really cool. 

But...

when I tried explaining it and attempted to write a post about it it's not quite having the same effect. 

So just pretend. 

 2 years ago, on this Friday, I said "I do" to spending the rest of my life with my best friend. 

Today, on the 22nd, I am 22 weeks pregnant. 

It's basically a golden year  week  day, right??

Are you following this awesomely cool logic?

So our official anniversary is on Sunday, the 24th, but we got married on a Friday night. 

The weather was rainy all day and cleared up right when the limo pulled into the driveway! 

{I am so thankful the weather wasn't like today's weather though! That heat wave has hit NH, not even near as bad as it was in MN- but it's hot!!}

Our wedding was so much fun, and I love looking back at pictures and thinking about how wonderful the night was.

A night that went by ridiculously fast!

And 2 years later, we continue to walk side-by-side, hand in hand.
 Embracing each new day and season in our life.

And this weekend for our anniversary we will be painting our little girl's nursery!
And of course going out for dinner, too! 

Can't wait for the next 22 (x4) {I had to stick with the 22 theme, but felt like 22 was too short to say}years together and to see what else the Lord has in store for our Smelly Life! 

Here's the thing...

Summer

 is

 too much

fun

to 

 find

time

to blog :)