Eating. A Tag Team Sport.

Sunday morning we continued our delish breakfast tradition by hitting up Cracker Barrel. Aubrey's been doing very well eating out with us, so we figured it wouldn't be a problem.

I should have known the unusually long wait for the waitress was a harbinger of things to come. I am usually very patient at restaurants, and I am pretty understanding if the waitress doesn't show up right away to take a drink order. However, when you've been waiting for over ten minutes at your table with a squirmy baby, and still haven't seen your waitress yet, you start to get a bit antsy.

By the time our food order was taken, I knew we were in trouble. Aubrey was losing interest in the guests around us, and she was banging her toy violently on the table. I think she was doing it on purpose. Our food eventually made an appearance, and with the food came the screaming. Aubrey decided she had enough, and if she wasn't going to get to eat our food, then neither would we. So, Justin and I had to turn eating into a tag team sport. As he ate, I walked with Aubrey through the gift shop in the front of the restaurant, and vice versa.

I saw some other young couples eyeing us, with the husbands probably thinking, "THAT is why I'm not ready to have a baby, honey! I like to actually EAT my meals!"

Justin and I love going out to eat, and we don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Sometimes our meals with Aubrey work like clock work, and other times (like yesterday), we end up eating alone while the other is off with the baby in a gift shop. Although I have to admit, as I sat there all alone eating it wasn't so bad. For five minutes I got to enjoy peace, quiet, and the 'Ol Timer's Breakfast.

Baby Name Drama

I never understood why people didn't reveal the name of their baby before it was born. Why was it so Top Secret? It's not like we're never going to find out what the name is. So when my husband and I were contemplating names for our daughter while I was pregnant, we made the decision to share our list with people. WOW!! What a mistake. I quickly learned why people didn't share the name of their baby-to-be with others.

No matter what name you choose for your child, half the people you tell give you a reason why that name is no good. As if you're going to change your mind about the name because they didn't like a kid in 4th grade with that name. I used to get a kick out of people telling me that Aubrey would be called Audrey her whole life. Funny, it's only happened once so far. I also find it funny because these days Aubrey is actually a more popular name than Audrey (according to the SSA 2009 Top 100 Baby Names).

I don't know why people think they are entitled to give their opinion about your baby's name. When you tell them the name you are giving your child, you are NOT asking for their input or opinion. Therefore, I think it's rude and inappropriate for people to tell you what they think. Some people just have no tact anymore. If someone approached me with their two year old and said "Hi, this is my son so and so" I would NEVER say "Ew! Why'd you name him that??!!" So why do people think it's okay to say that to a pregnant woman?

Even though it was annoying to hear people's unsolicited opinions of Aubrey's name, I will most likely reveal my next baby's name during my pregnancy as well. Thanks to people's rudeness criticisms, I have developed a thick skin when it comes to baby name drama :)

Okay, let me hop off my soap box and start my weekend...TGIF! YES!


Funny Friday

Aren't we all suckers when it comes to a good sale?

Thankful Thursday

1. Our new "outdoor living" space. Nothing better than sitting on the front patio with a nice drink, my husband, and my baby.
2. The best Friday ever when I took off and stayed home with my angel all day.
3. Aubrey did not wake up crying last night (teething??). Yay for a night of good sleep!
4. Getting an extra prep period at work this week...that extra 50 minutes a day makes a huge difference!
5. A yummy breakfast at the diner with my two fave people--Justin and Aubrey. I sense a new Sunday morning tradition starting!

One Month Down

It's been one month since my first day back at work, and it's been quite a month. The first two weeks back felt like a vacation. The last two weeks have felt exactly like life after a vacation--they sucked. I am glad I'm having this two month stint of working, because if I ever doubted my capability of working full time and being a great mom and wife at the same time, I no longer have to wonder. I KNOW I can't do it! I am now determined to find a way to make money without having to work full-time, because I am not one of those women who can happily manage it all and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

However, I don't want to scare other moms who haven't gone back to work yet. Working hasn't been all bad. There are advantages to working. Here are my lists (you know I love a list) of the good and the bad when it comes to working full time.

5 Great Things About Working Full Time

1. A PAYCHECK! Hands down, the best thing.
2. Getting dressed up every day.
3. Getting out of the house before noon.
4. Interaction with other adults on a daily basis.
5. Feeling like I'm competent at something outside of making bottles and changing diapers.

5 Crappiest Things About Working Full Time

1. Losing all of this time with Aubrey. Hands down, the worst thing.
2. Waking up with the baby in the middle of the night, and looking at the clock knowing I have to get up again before 6am.
3. Losing 45 hours a week of time and having twice as much to do.
4. Having to fill my tank more than once a week again.
5. The chaos that ensues every morning before work and each afternoon after work.

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Wednesday Wisdom

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ~Rajneesh

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Vote for Aubrey!

Aubrey is in the running for cutest baby pic for Parents magazine. Please take a minute and vote for my little one by clicking here. Thanks!

Calling All Pregnant Mamas! (Or Anyone Who Knows a Pregnant Mama!)

Moody Mamas Tank Top Giveaway: Beginning 5/18/10, Closing midnight 6/1/10.

I have an awesome giveaway that I am so excited to share with you. As most of my readers know, I am not a giveaway blogger. I only host giveaways that I truly love and am excited about. Check this out:

The Moody Mamas spring line of maternity clothes hits the virtual racks at Target and you don’t want to miss it—these fashionable new styles are sure to sell out! With a devout following of hot Hollywood mamas that includes Heidi Klum, Jessica Alba, Tori Spelling and Bethenny Frankel, Moody Mamas’ colorful spring capsule collection will make every expectant mom look as sexy and chic as their celebrity clients. Each piece is inspired by the runway, from easy maxi dresses to adorable chiffon trim knit dresses. All of our styles are made from luxurious fabrics that give every Moody Mamas piece the feel of relaxing loungewear. Start expanding your spring wardrobe today! The collection is limited in quantity, affordably priced from $39.99 - $49.99, and extends into plus sizes. To shop the collection, click here to visit Target.

In honor of their capsule collection at Target Moody Mamas is offering one lucky winner a darling rhinestone studded "It's a Boy" or "It's a Girl" tank valued at $39 from Moody Mamas. They are also giving all of our readers discount code (MMDiscount) to receive 30% off on their site. In order to win the stylish tank, please enter the contest below:

Giveaway Guidelines:
Visit the Moody Mamas Target Collection and leave a comment on my blog about two or three of your favorite pieces. This is a mandatory first entry. After completing this mandatory first entry method, you can gain additional entries by doing any or all of the following (but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do):

Follow Moody Mamas on Twitter
Fan Moody Mamas on Facebook
Blog about this contest

Here are the tanks:




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Too Cute Tuesday

Like many babies her age, Aubrey does not like to lay still anymore! If I take my eye off that girl for three seconds, she's already rolled halfway across the floor by the time I turn around.

Notice how far from the blanket she is...



I'm still goin mom...



And a few seconds later...



Okay, I'm done, pick me up now!



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From Cosmo to Parents Magazine

I have always loved getting magazines in the mail. They're less committal than books. I can read a bit here and there, I can read them from back to front, or I can randomly flip to a page in the middle and still not be lost. I looked forward to reading my magazines after a long day of work, while my husband watched some action movie that I had zero interest in acting interested in.

At one point, my subscription list had reached a dangerously high level. It started out innocent, I only subscribed to four or five of my faves. But then, they sucked me in with all of these real cheap offers. "Sure, I'll subscribe to Country Living Rooms and Kitchens, it's only $5". Before I knew it, I was getting a new mag EVERY DAY in the mail and even my oversized recycling bin couldn't keep up with the turnover rate.

Like many of my favorite pastimes, my love affair with magazines came to a screeching halt about 5 1/2 months ago (Aubrey was born 12/8, you do the math). I really don't have much time anymore to peruse through magazines on Friday nights while I sip on a cocktail. However, those magazines are still a coming. I have a whole stack of Glamours, Cosmos, Fitness, and Food Network mags that have wonderful tips for holiday outfits and Christmas cookie recipes, I have just yet to read them (this explains the botched Christmas cookies and homely holiday threads I wore this year). Seriously, this was my Christmas outfit...a green zippy and black sweatpants.



Conversely, every single one of my Parents magazines since December has been read front to back (at least once, some of them twice) and most of them have numerous articles or tips cut out. This time last year I was cutting out articles from Cosmo that promised me a brighter complexion or perfect waves. Now, my once coveted fashion mags are collecting dust, and my magazine clippings have titles such as "Help Your Child Sleep Better So You Can Too" and "14 Reasons to Head to the Emergency Room". I love how Parents magazine throws in a random fashion spread here and there to make you feel like a hip woman again for a few seconds...right next to the page on cures for spit up. Ah yes, nothing screams "I'm ready for fashion again!" like a pleasant reminder that every single shirt you own will end up stained with spit up! Not even your shoes are safe from spit up.

Nonetheless, I can read Parents magazine from front to back in twenty minutes, and shockingly I really have lost interest in even skimming through my old mags. I'm sure the time will come when I go back to my old faithfuls, but in the meantime, it looks like I'll be getting my fashion fix sandwiched somewhere between "Tips for Tummy Time" and "How to Puree Your Own Baby Food".

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Monday Must Have

Of course it has to be Parents Magazine! They have a deal right now that if you subscribe for one year (12 bucks) you get two years free. Awesome deal. Click the link above to go to the site.

If you enjoy reading my blog, please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link on the left, thanks!

Husbands. Who needs them?!

Okay, I'm sort of kidding. But seriously. On Wednesday night, my husband didn't get home from work til after 8 because he was at a conference three hours away. I kept thinking about how difficult it was going to be managing without him. Evenings are always rushed and chaotic these days. Wouldn't you know, I had everything on my normal evening list accomplished by 7:30 pm. Normally when he's home, I am still running around after 9! I even threw in an after work Target trip with the baby. Surprisingly, that went quite smoothly. Although, trying to bring a baby, a diaper bag, a work bag, a lunch bag, a case of water, 6 Target bags, and a 12 pack of paper towels into the house was not very easy. This is something I would still need a husband for.

So of course I wondered why I was able to actually get MORE done without him around. I think it's because when he's home, I know that I have help and therefore procrastinate when I have "free" time. On Wednesday, as soon as Aubrey went down for a nap, I knew that time was of the essence. I didn't waste a second dilly dallying. Instead, I raced through all my chores and steered clear of the normal distractions (i.e. the internet and tv...).

At 7:45, I was sitting on the couch with NOTHING to do. Incredible. The baby was asleep for the night and I was RELAXED...I almost didn't know what to do with myself. I had to stop myself from thinking, "Hmmm...what else can I do?" Instead I just sat on the couch, watched tv, and ate cookie dough ice cream with my husband (we'll start being healthy next week). I'm learning that these nights are rare and when they do come along, I should enjoy every minute!

Funny Friday

"Working mothers are guinea pigs in a scientific experiment to show that sleep is not necessary to human life."

— Anonymous

Have a wonderful weekend and if you enjoy reading my blog, please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link on the left. Thanks!

Aaand, We're Finally on Cereal.

5 months and 4 days. That's the age when Aubrey decided that she would give this rice cereal thing a fair shot.

We played by the rules. We waited til she was about 4 1/2 months to try it, and when she rejected it, we waited a week to try again. And then another week. And then another week. And then finally tonight (writing this on Wednesday evening) she decided that she loved it and just couldn't get enough! Halfway through the feeding she started grabbing the bowl and spoon out of my hand. Just like her daddy.

I couldn't take any pics because it was an impromptu couch feeding. Of course Aubrey had to be unconventional and only eat her cereal under abnormal circumstances. She wanted no part of it when she was nicely strapped in her pretty highchair and the camera was rolling. My husband wasn't home to film the momentous occasion this time and there was no highchair involved. I held her on the couch to feed her as we watched the Phillies game. I'm sure all of the books advise against feeding table food to a baby in front of the tv, but I'm pretty sure she will be okay. I'm just glad she finally took to the cereal. I was afraid she was still going to be exclusively bottle fed at her 4th birthday.

Thankful Thursday

1. My new Hyundai Santa Fe...LOVING the SUV! I can finally fit all my crap in the trunk!
2. A wonderful first mother's day with my husband, Aubrey, and family.
3. My husband woke up with the baby FOUR times Sunday night when she decided to pretend she was a newborn again.
4. A new dress from Vicky's Secret.
5. Frappucinos are HALF-PRICE at Starbucks from 3-5pm. I was thrilled when it only cost $2.27 for my mocha frappucino at Target yesterday!

One of My Many Wishes for Aubrey

There are many things I wish for Aubrey. Since the day I found out I was pregnant, I prayed every night for her and still do. I go through a whole laundry list of things that I wish for her. One of the things I pray for is that she grows up to be a kind person. A truly kind person.

Being a teacher, I see all kinds of personalities. Personalities range from caring to funny to sneaky to pains in the asses hyper. I teach in a small school, and we have a student who is a bit eccentric, to put it kindly. I will call her Abby. She is loud and unintentionally inappropriate at times. Unfortunately, she has been suffering from depression because of how she is treated by her classmates. The kids don't try to be mean to her, they just don't know how to respond to or handle her when she is being inappropriate. Even as an adult, I need to sometimes remind myself that she has issues and to handle her differently than I would one of my other students.

My point is, very few students demonstrate patience and kindness towards this girl. However, one girl who I have been teaching for the past two years is one of those people who is just innately kind. Her kindness is something to be envied by students and adults alike. She doesn't participate when students mock "Abby". She volunteers to help Abby pick up her books if they fall. She doesn't make a face when I assign her to be partners with the "dork" of the class. She doesn't participate in the middle school drama. I don't hear her whispering about someone's outfit when she is doing group work. She's kind amongst other things as well. She's one of, if not the brightest girl in the grade. She has a great sense of humor and plenty of friends. She is secure and confident.

I used to tell her (before I was even pregnant) that if I ever had a daughter, she better be just like her. And it's the truth. I want many things for Aubrey, but one of the most important things I wish for her is that she treats others kindly. I teach many students who come from painful backgrounds and circumstances. The last thing they need is for someone to be mean to them. People don't ask for the hand they've been dealt in life. Emotional scars are just like physical scars...they change people forever. I hope Aubrey understands this as she grows up and she remembers to treat other kids kindly because you never know what they go home to.

I went to a Jodee Messina concert back in 2000 and she said something that I will never forget. She said to always do three things: 1)Respect yourself. 2) Treat others kindly. 3) Pray.

I think the world would be a better place if we all would do those three things. I hope that I can do my part by raising a daughter who lives these values.

Separation Anxiety...it's not just for infants.

I always thought that separation anxiety was when a baby realized that mom or dad was gone, and they would get upset because they didn't know when or if they'd return. This normally would occur when the baby was around 6 months old.

Apparently, I have seemed to develop this anxiety normally reserved for infants. Thankfully I haven't resorted to infant behaviors such as screaming my lungs out and throwing a tantrum, but don't discount those from the realm of possibilities. On the right morning, with only a few hours of sleep, I'm sure I'd be able to channel my inner infant when it came time to leave Aubrey.

I am just having the HARDEST time leaving her. It's such a hard adjustment going from being with her 24/7 to only seeing her for two-three hours at night. Activities that I would normally jump at the chance to do to get out of the house are now not so appealing.

For example...on Saturday night Justin and I had plans to go out. We were supposed to leave the house at 8:00ish. We didn't leave til 10. Now in my defense, we were out car shopping all day and didn't get home til late. But part of the reason for our late departure was because I physically couldn't leave Aubrey. She was exhausted and up way past her bedtime, so I knew she would be falling asleep within minutes after I left (and she did). But, I had hardly seen her all week and on Saturday I barely saw her at all. The thought of leaving her again made me so anxious. We ended up going out, and my mom texted me ten minutes later saying Aubrey was passed out.

And as for me? Three captain and cokes into my evening, I was the one about to pass out. Whether it was the alcohol or the exhaustion, that will remain unsaid...

The good news is there only 31 school days left and then it's back to my favorite "day job". At which point, I will be BEGGING to leave the house for a night!

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Daily Themes

Just a note...the daily themes (Must Have Monday, Too Cute Tuesday, etc.) are now located on the left sidebar. Be sure to check them out daily!

My First Mother's Day

For the first time in my life, mother's day felt like a holiday. No offense to my own mom, of course :) But obviously, this year it had extra special meaning to me. Know what I mean?

Aubrey was a perfect little angel on my first mother's day. She was extra happy and smiley and she barely slept. No, you didn't read that wrong...the lack of sleep was actually a good thing, since I barely got to see her this past week due to the car accident fiasco. However, if she had slept in til 7 instead of waking up at 6, I wouldn't have complained :)

It meant so much to me to get spend every minute of today with her. I miss her more and more now that I'm working. We went to breakfast, ran errands together, had dinner with the extended family, and played til bedtime. She was so happy throughout it all. Not to sound cliché, but the best gift I ever could’ve asked for was spending each minute of today with my happy, smiley Aubrey. I know Mother's Day is a day to celebrate moms, but I truly felt like it was a day to celebrate the little angel that made me a mom and a better person.







If you enjoy reading my blog, please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link on the left. Thanks!

*ALSO...A special thank you to my friend Carol , for redesigning my blog! LOVE IT! Thanks Carol!

10 Things I Must Do By 30

Things I want to do by age 30 without using the excuse "Oh I would love to do that, but it's so hard with the baby..."

1. Learn how to cook fresh, healthy dinners. God be with us, it may end up being a very hungry next 16 months.

2. Take a vacation with just my husband.

3. Write book #2.

4. Publish book #1...

5. Learn one really good dance. Emphasis on the word "learn". I'm not expecting any miracles in the talent department.

6. Try skiing again. While it's true that I never fall when skiing, I think that me pizza-wedging it the whole time at a speed of 1 mph kind of negates the impressiveness of me not falling.

7. Sell the condo and buy a house.

8. Read a book. Sounds simple, but I usually get 1/3 of the way in and never go back to it again.

9. Join a mommy group as an attempt to find some other new mom friends to share new mom experiences with.

10. Get pregnant again. Or maybe I should phrase that, "Convince myself that pregnancy wasn't that bad and that a baby was only really hard for the first few weeks..."

I would love to do all these things by age 30,but it's so hard with a baby
and I will try my best to get them all accomplished!
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Funny Friday




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No shoes, No shirt, No problems.

Every morning I get to go on a mini vacation. It's only for about a half hour, but it includes many of the necessary vacation components... warm fresh air, quiet time alone, Kenny Chesney, and a freshly brewed iced tea (compliments of Dunkin Donuts). You see, my thirty minute morning commute has morphed into my thirty minute get-away from the busyness and stress of everyday life. As soon as I pick up my Dunkin Donuts Large Iced Tea, I put down the windows (sunny days help), pop in my Kenny Chesney mix, and it's off to "me" time. I don't have poker nights or business person specials at the Phillies Games like my husband. My free time is my morning commute, and I am living it up. Although, when I pull into the parking lot at work and the music goes off, it kind of sounds like a screeching record transporting me back to reality. But for those thirty minutes every morning, my reality is a sunny beach in the Bahamas, with nothing but warm air, an iced tea, and some good 'ol Kenny Chesney.

This is where I go every morning in my mind...



(My husband, my bro, me, and my brother in law in the Bahamas)

Thankful Thursday

1. Dunkin Donuts Iced Tea (you knew that was coming).
2. My husband was not hurt in the car accident on Monday.
3. The opportunity to buy an SUV that will be more conducive to life with a baby than my little Mazda.
4. Quiche this morning in the teacher's lounge for teacher appreciation week...so delish!
5. Today is the last day of NJASK testing.

Phases of Life

I get emotionally attached to "things". You know, like I still won't throw away the jeans I was wearing the night I first met my husband, I saved the refillable beer mug I used to bring to "Mug Nights" at the local bar in college, and I'm sure I will eventually have to rent a storage space for all of the "things" that will be special to me from Aubrey's childhood. Today's blog isn't about the baby, per say, but it's about one of those things that I HAD to say goodbye to that symbolized who I was before Aubrey came into my life.

Yesterday, my husband totaled my car. He is fine, THANK GOD, and that really is all that matters. He kept thinking I would be mad about my car being totaled, but it really didn't make me angry. However, I couldn't fight this nagging feeling deep in my gut that felt, well, sad. I kept asking myself, why am I feeling this way? Why do I feel like I want to cry about never being able to drive Macy (I like to name my cars, bear with me...) again?

Then it hit me. My small, sporty, silver Mazda 3 symbolized my life before a baby. It was the first new car I ever bought for myself. It was the car of my 20s...it saw so many fun memories and some not so fun. It got me to countless jobs that I didn't want to go to. It drove me to dozens of wedding vendors when planning my wedding. It was the car that my husband and I took on our long road trips together and for late nights in Atlantic City. It took me to endless OBGYN appointments when I was pregnant with Aubrey, wondering if this would be the visit they'd tell me it's almost time.

One particular memory really stands out to me, and it really drives home my point of how saying goodbye to my car feels like I'm raising the white flag and surrendering my "old self" to life as a mommy. It was about two weeks before my due date. I'm sure we can all remember how uncomfortable it is in that final month of pregnancy. Even though I wasn't even at my due date yet, I was fed up with being pregnant and had major cabin fever. At nine months along, there weren't many places I could tolerate since standing on my feet and moving around had become a major pain. Literally. This particular night I remember was a weeknight around 7pm. I saw some Blockbuster movies that were overdue. I grabbed the movies and said to my husband, "I've got to get out of here. I'm gonna take a drive and return these movies."

I hopped in my car (okay, maybe not "hopped", probably more like fell into my car since I was huge at this point) and rolled down the windows. It was a gorgeous fall night and I remember feeling so happy to be out of the house and driving. I found a cd that a friend had made for me back in college. I popped it in and suddenly it was the year 2000 again and I was a sophomore in college. Memories flooded back of my roommate and I doing Denise Austin aerobics in our tiny 12x12 dorm room to Mariah Carey's "Heartbreaker". I thought of how we would down a whole bottle of champagne before heading out for a night at the bar that usually wouldn't even commence until 11pm (now I'm lucky if I can even stay awake til 10...). I felt like I was back in the quad, wearing my insanely high platform flip flops with my Britney-esque belly shirt, trying to catch the eye of whoever my crush was for that week. I kept driving my car, prolonging this trip down memory lane, with the windows down and the CD blasting. I felt so free.

That night was the first time it really hit me that in about two weeks, my life was going to change drastically. Prior to that, I intellectually knew that a baby changed everything, but it never real "hit" me. I teared up thinking about how those carefree days were long gone.

So after the initial shock of the car accident wore off yesterday, and I was left with a feeling of loss, I soon realized why I felt so sad. It wasn't about the car. It was about losing one of the last pieces I had left of my life before the baby. The car that represented so many fun times in my 20s, would now be replaced with a more spacey, practical family SUV.

Life comes in phases. At the end of each phase, we always feel a sense of sadness. However, the beautiful thing about life is that with each new phase, comes more dreams come true, more wisdom, and more love. We always think that "life can't get any better than this" and then it surprises us.

While it's sad to see my car go (and most of my 20s along with it!), I know that the next car I get will one day represent all of the memories of Aubrey's childhood and our life as a family. And when the time comes to replace that car, I will have this same sense of sadness from having to say goodbye to those happy times.

I'd like to share a quote that I read in college (when I was the quote QUEEN) that applies quite nicely to today's blog...

"Beginnings are usually scary, endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that matters the most. That's what you must remember the next time you find yourself at a beginning."

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4 Generations Strong

I feel so lucky that my family now has four generations of women. There really is nothing like "girl" time, and that is one of the reasons I was so happy to have a daughter. I love spending time with my mom, sister, Grannie, aunts, and cousins. It's not that I don't love all the boys in the family, I do! But days out with the girls are always so much fun. From chit chats in the kitchen on Thanksgiving to days out for lunch on Haddon Ave., I love the time I spend with the other gals in the family...ranging from 5 months to 79 years.

On Saturday, we celebrated my Grannie's 79th birthday. She is definitely 79 years YOUNG...she is more active and sharper than most 30 year olds. You go Gran! I can only pray to have her vitality and energy when I reach my 79th birthday. Here are some pics of our lunch out, celebrating four generations of a wonderful family.








Also, if you are looking for a good giveaway, click here to win a set of NUK soft bite silicone feeding spoons. Great for moms like me who are getting ready to start the baby on solids!

If you enjoy reading my blog, please vote for me by clicking on the Top Mommy Blogs link on the left. Thanks!

Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders

Don't I look great?!



Okay, technically, that's not me, but it will be very hard to differentiate between me and this Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader (sans the cheerleading get up) in a few weeks.

As you all know, I've been struggling with trying to squeeze in a workout (notice: "a" workout, my goal is now to work out even just once a week) with working full time. So, I figured when the baby woke up at FIVE-THIRTY AM on Saturday morning and was already down for a nap by 7:30am, I might as well do something productive for myself. I surfed on demand and saw a PLETHORA of varied, fun, challenging workouts. You can choose everything from dancing to tae bo to yoga to walking. I was beyond excited about my little discovery that most people have probably known about for years.

After fifteen minutes of being indecisive, I chose the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader low impact boot camp workout, because who the hell doesn't want to look like a DCC (that's what they call the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for short)?? I figured "low impact" would be a safe way to begin. The workout was challenging, but do-able. I'm thinking maybe after 12 weeks of working out only once a week, I'll be ready to up the ante and try the more intense boot camp workout. What do ya think?

Anyhow, the trainer, Jay Johnson, is your typical workout guru. He's very motivational, saying things like "Some people drive jaguars, WE LIVE IN OURS!!... and...your body is your temple, this is YOUR time, it's free to have a strong body!!" I found myself saying, "Yeah...YEAH!" The DCC serve as the "models" for the workout, and of course, that is really motivation enough to want to make some personal improvements. I'll never have the bleach blond hair, fake tan, and fake boobs, but dammit, I CAN get my ass to look good! I know I can, because Jay Johnson says so. He says with just three half-hour workouts a week, we can all get in as good as shape as them, so I know it must be bullshit true. Well then, I might as well pencil in the try out dates on my calendar to be on next year's squad. Oh crap. If only my being an Eagles fan wasn't standing in the way-I'd totally be on my way to becoming a DCC.

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Must Have Monday

LOVE this jumperoo! Aubrey not only plays in her jumperoo, but she also loves to just stand in it and hang out. For babies that don't like sitting still, this is a great product.