I'm loving these little things

I love smily little girls wearing big sunny hats.

L.O.V.E.

I love the fact that we got a pool.

Even more, I love my pool boy.

He's pretty sexy, and I may have fooled around with him a few times until my toes curled.

Mm..mmm good. (TMI?).

Before you start spreading rumors that I'm blogland's biggest harlot, you should know I'm married to him.

I also love seeing the smile on my girl's face when she is around water.

It's contagious, really.

FroYo and I have a serious love affair.

I cheat on my thighs at least once a week.

It's toe curling good.

Not 'fooling around with the pool boy good' but pretty fire trucking close.

I love little baby toes and the protective, loving hands of her daddy.

I love the love those two share, and the way my heart jumps out of my chest with excitement each time I witness it.

And I love that God has blessed me enough to live it.

I hope you're able to count your loves today.

Happy Wednesday!

PS: linking up with Jamie to share these loves. Looking forward to reading yours.

My husband, the great book author

First, I would love to thank all of you for the kind words from yesterday's post.

You ladies are out of this world amazing.

True story.

Wanna here something funny?

I had to talk to my ex-menager yesterday and our conversation ended in "no hurt feelings, please keep in contact, we should go out for coffee sometimes."

What the? For reals?

Three words.

God is awesome.

Now THAT's a true story.

Second, let's get to today's post where I tell you about my husband, the great book author.

So please, do grab your cup o' joe, kick back, and stay a while.

You won't regret it.

A couple of weeks ago I ran across a book this sweet husband of mine wrote almost 20 yrs ago when he was in 3rd grade.

Once I was done reading it, I had an 'awww, this is the cutest thing EVER' moment, followed by rolling on the floor, leg's crossed, praying I don't full on urinate all over my newly installed carpet.

Or vice versa.

In case you're one of those partially blind folk (I'm in that group by the way), and can't read it, it says:

"A cheetah was running about seventy miles per hour catching his pray.

Bam-m-m! Tweet, tweet! Tweet, tweet! He ran into a tree.

A monkey was at the top of the tree saying 'What's up, Doc?'

The cheetah climbed the tree. The monkey swung from tree to tree. The cheetah jumped from tree to tree. He got the monkey and had a feast.

When he was done, he was fat."

The end.

I just about died after reading that last sentence, tears in my eyes, bladder half empty by this point.

A few days later, I asked him if he had a few monkeys in the last few yrs, 'cause he sure put on some extra pounds since we got married.

I may not win the "sweetest wife of the year" award.

But it was so worth it.

The end.

Choppedy Chop-Chop

The last few days have been a wee bit stressful for me.

If you follow me on twitter, you probably already know that I quit my job after two days.

Well, really, it was more like I quit after four hrs, since that's how long I was on the floor.

Let me back up for a quick second...

Another hospital called me on Friday morning to offer me a better payed job, with a better fitting position that I would probably enjoy more.

Should I mention that they were two weeks late calling me back???

Seriously? Freaking seriously?

I could have kicked somebody straight in the crotch.

Male or female.

I told them I was going to call them back with an answer, and then spent most of the day feeling nauseous, going back and forth on how and if I should make the move on quitting my job.

I said that I was going to make up my mind by 2pm.

At 2pm I called and had to tell the HR lady and my manager the whole story and quit.

Needless to say, they were not very happy with me.

The people pleaser in me felt like a horrible, most awful person, even after apologizing like 25 times over and over again until I really looked stupid doing it.

I even sent a Godiva gift basket to apologize for any inconvenience that I've caused.

Five minutes after quitting, I called the other hospital and accepted their position.

I start on July 11th as their newest ICU/CCU RN.

Which means two more weeks with my girl! Heck to the yeah baby!

Oh, and can I add that they are darn lucky to have me, too?

'Cause they are.

On a happier note, look who's bringing sexy back all of a sudden?

This haircut really brings the fun and feisty in this working, quitting, future working momma.

Two months from now, I'll probably be all annoyed with that 'neither here nor there' length, but for now, I'm digging it.

I hope all of you are enjoying this new start of the week.

Happy Monday loves!

A few things on a Friday

• I went to work yesterday for only about 5 hrs, mostly for observation. Before I left, I had a good cry and held my baby girl really tight for a while. Once I let her go, I felt empty and incomplete. It may sound silly, but it was painful.

• Farmer's markets and their foods are my biggest summer time weakness.

• Is it weird that I've been in the "stay at home" mommy club for six months, and now that I'm not anymore, I feel like an outsiders and like I've lost something very close and dear to me?

• When I was at work, my friend, who was babysitting Giada, called to say that each time she was trying to bottle feed her, my kid would scream her little head off and refuse to take it. I think it's safe to say that she's got the BAS pretty bad, aka boob-attachment-syndrome. I have not idea how to cure it. She didn't eat any milk from 7:30 am until 2:30pm when I got home.

• When it comes to running, I look like Chicken Little on steroids. That being said, I'm running a 5k in 30min in September. I know that for some of you, running 3miles in 30 min is as easy as urinating in the morning. For me it feels more like urinating in the morning when you have kidney stones the size of your eyeballs, considering the fact that I feel like I may have a serious heart attack after running 0.25 miles. #FluffyWayOutOfShapeBum

• Tuesday I chopped off a few good inches off my hair. I've been feeling a sexy, summery vibe ever since. In the "How YOU doin' " kinda way. Come back on Monday and I'll show you.

I hope you all enjoy a beautiful and sunny weekend!

Summer time

Around here we've been waiting for summer to show up for quite a while now, and it finally has showed it's sunny side.

And we LOVE it!

Because summer time?

Means a lot of things.

Good thing.

Beautiful things.

Sappy things.

Things such as...

Lazy afternoons on the couch with the windows wide open...

... Letting the wind blow in your hair...

Feeling the grass between your fingers and toes...

Showing some skin...

... spending time and having fun with the loves of your life...

...and just enjoying to the fullest the simple things that this life has to offer.

Happy Wednesday, and happy summer my friends!

PS: I'm joining in the fun over at the Pleated Poppy for another WIWW.

Go and do the same

A pet's worst nightmare

So we've got this female cat.

Ever since she was six months old, she's been hornier than a peach-orchard boar.

She would drive us off the wall when she would go in heat, and we knew that as soon as she would find a way outside, she was going to get herself knocked up.

Still, for some reason we never got her fixed {cough*totallyhusbandsfault*caugh}.

Well, low and behold, she found herself a male companion.

And what did she get from that friendship?

Six cute kittens, one smitten husband, one exasperated momma, and a dangerously excited six month old baby.

As soon as she lays eyes on those kittens, this kid of mine jumps out of her skin with excitement.

She starts squealing, jumping, and goes out for them like Godzilla on a pound of bananas.

Her favorite ways to show her affection towards them?

Pulling their hair, squeezing their necks, and trying to fit their heads in her mouth.

Mean while, the little ones are screaming and trying to run for their lives, as the mother cat is freaking out trying to get her babies away from this killing machine.

It's useless though.

By this point she's got a death grip on at least two of them.

"You ain't going no wheres suka!"

Thank God for a husband who makes sure to rescue them, otherwise, I'm sure they would have been worm food a loooong time ago.

But as long as daddy is not looking, the game is on!

"Come herrrreeeee kitty, kitty"

So if any of you feel inclined to rescue some cute little cats, I will make you my BFF 4 evers!

We can even get matching necklaces.

Think about it. It's a pretty good deal.

Either way, I hope you have an awesome Tuesday!

This is how we do it

Did everyone have a pretty awesome Day of the Fathers?

I really hope so.

Ours was pretty fantabulous and this first time daddio over here acted like an old pro at opening gifts from his baby girl.

She was a huge help with the gift unwrapping.

I don't think he could have done it without her.

Once we were done with the loot giving and receiving, we hit one of Brandon's favorite places to get our grub on:

this mad ghetto, dash, the whitest of trash joint that is off.the.hook.

Confused a bit?

Let me explane it to ya.

Only the atmosphere is trashy.

As in, the trashiness is part of the decor.

They serve trailer park cuisine (their words not mine) minus the roaches.

And I must tell you, from all my vast experience, this is hands down, the finest trailer trash food I've ever had.

At least good enough for Guy Fieri (any Food Network fans out there?) to drag his show here and say so.

I'm sorry, did anyone say garlic chicken and sweet potato fries?

Yes please!

My breath was probably humming after this meal, but that's the beauty of already being married:

Till death do as part, even if the death is caused by garlic halitosis (aka. nurse talk for 'weapon of mass distraction breath').

No worries, I washed it down with some decaf coffee.

So would this be called trashy shabby chic?

Whateves. I dig it.

I love the fact that I was able to hang out with my favorite people once again before going back to work.

And I love it even more that this girl made this awesome sauce dude a daddy.

{Wow, that's a mouth full.}

We couldn't have picked a better child if we tried.

That's one of the hundred's of reasons why I would call this first Daddy's Day a total success.

So here's to many more to come for both you and me.

Happy Monday!

A few things on a Friday

• I really miss my caffeinated daily cups of coffee. I still drink the decaf version every morning, but who am I fooling? It's just not the same. I'm still a zombie until close to noon.

• I had accidentally given caffein a try when we where in Disney land. As a result, Giada woke up at 4am, happy as a spring bird, squealing and singing away, waking up all of our hotel neighbors in the process. Her daddy was not very happy about it since the whole fiasco ended up in a 5am car drive around Burbank to quiet down our super hipper, and by this point very cranky, child. Needless to say, no more caffein for this breastfeeding momma.

• So this 'feeding your baby solid foods' ordeal? It stinks to high heavens!

• Speaking of crap. I was in between changing Giada's diaper and I guess she had to go. So since I didn't have anything else around to stop it with, my first instinct was to stick my hand out and block it. {don't all gag at once} However, I didn't only get a hand full of baby crap, but my wall also suffered some severe consequences. Not the kind of wall art I had in mind.

• I have accepted a job offer... finally. I start with my paperwork on Monday. It's such a bitter sweet feeling and to be completely honest, I'm not really looking forward to it.

• I have finally gave in and joined the Twitter world. Right now I feel like a blind man in New York traffic. Very lost. With that in mind, my user name is TatianaL11 so I will kindly advice you to be my friend since all the cool kids are doing it. That's all 6 of them. Also, so I won't feel like a total loser.

• For someone who was a vegetarian for 6YEARS, I can sure put away that chicken! I think I ate 3 whole chickens in the last two weeks. I guess, to my husband's great disappointment, this whole vegetarianism ordeal was not meant to be. So run little chickens, save yourselves and RUN!

{And this is how it all began.

Try not to be too jealous of all this hotness. }

I hope all of you have a gorgeous weekend!

Few and far between

So here's the deal.

I always knew you guys were a pretty cool bunch...

but after all the love and support I got following yesterday's post, I must admit that y'all are the bombdiggity!

For reals now.

Before writing it, I was a bit worried that some of you were going to through your tomatoes at me and very 'kindly' unfriend me.

I'm so glad that so many of you felt the same way.

So today?

I raise my glass of sparkling cider to YOU, my swamp buddies!

Today I'm, also linking up with "The Pleaded Poppy" for another WIWW...

because it's summer and I love me some cute summer clothes...

and because I have just a few more days left before I'll be wearing scrubs once again for more than 12 hrs per day.

But first:

On today's menu?

Date nights (or days) with my man.

They are not just few and far between... they are on the border line of becoming extinct.

I'm not even talking about the hot and steamy kind.

Just plain old "what's been going on with you, you sexy thing? Wanna share an Arnold Palmer and dream about our future?" kind of date.

I knew that the super cute, extra addition to our family, was going to slow down our dating groove, but I didn't think it was going to make it snail crawl.

Funny thing is, even though I miss spending some time alone with my guy, I really enjoy the fact that now we are able to have family dates with our daughter, who, have I mentioned, has been toying around with the idea of sitting in those high chairs on her own?

How is she turning into a kid so freaking fast?

The answer is "I can't wrap my mind around it."

So for now, our dates consist of sitting around and eating big piles of bottomless, fattening, delicious, garlic parm stake fries, while making embarrassing faces and noises all for the sake of entertaining our 6 month old daughter.

I'm sure most of our friends want to pretend they don't know us when we're in public.

But it's cool.

Because I wouldn't have it any other way.

To put a smile on this little face?

I am more than willing to make a fool of myself if it makes her happy.

I would even give up a date with the president for her sake.

{Sorry Mr. Obama sir, but my daughter comes first. I hope you understand and don't take it too personally. }

Because some things are just priceless, and this time that we have with our girl, is one of them.

Happy Wednesday darlings!

My two cents on blogging

via

Mornin' loves.

I hope your day is starting out as good as a delicious breakfast.

Today I'm doing something I've never done before.

I'm blogging about blogging.

My girl Em expressed some of her insights on it a few weeks ago, and lets just say I got inspired. Em, please don't let this whole "inspirational ordeal" get to your head too much.

Anyway...

So I really hope that you all know how much I love and appreciate all of you and your sweet comments.

It's no lie or understatement when I say that you all make my day with your kindness.

I also feel like I've made some real friends though this entire process, so please keep that in mind, because?

I'm going to be trash talking for the rest of this post and I need you to still love me (or at least like me) by the end of it.

• You know what annoys me the most in blog world? Those bloggers who think so highly of themselves and their blog and pretend like they are too good for the regular "commoners" down here in the blog swamp. You know the ones, who act like they are pooping unicorns and butterflies, and who think that if they were ever to leave, at least half of their followers would consider jumping off a bridge. It reminds me of middle school, bullying, and prissy little popular girls. YUK! News-break: those bloggers? They still use the same boxed mac and cheese that the rest of us do, their crap does not smell like roses, and the rest of us will keep on living if they ever left. Am I the only one to feel this way?

• I love on you about as much as you love on me. One reason I enjoy blogging so much is because I truly and honestly love meeting new people. That being said, I really enjoy reading their blogs and leaving them some love. However, I'm not going to continually try to be your friend if you don't return the favor. Moral of the story: if you think you're too good for me, than you may just have lost a super awesome friend, since I am all that and a bag of chips. {Side note: please don't place me in the above mentioned category of bloggers with butterflies coming out of their rear}.

• While we all enjoy having multiple followers, we also hope that it's not because we twist their arms to follow us. So don't leave those "follow me" comments. I always feel like you lose a little dignity when you beg to be followed.

• That being said, don't only blog so you could get followers. We like to get to know you and your personality, so have fun with it : - )

• It's not cool to steal people's ideas without linking back to them. So stop being a moocher, and give credit where it's deserved.

• Last but not least, (you hear this being said everywhere in blog land nowadays, so it must be important!), some of you leave me some awesome comments and I would love to comment back. However, if I'm left hanging with that "noreplycomment" nonsense, there's no love for you. So for crying out loud, make up an email address and change your settings so you could feel the love too. Bam. Free love. It's that easy.

Happy Tuesday!

For this child I prayed

This weekend we had Giada's dedication.

I have no church pictures to prove it since one of our friends took them, and he hasn't shared yet.

But it happened.

I promise!

Our family, friends, and Jesus were there to witness it all. So you can ask them.

I only have a few pictures that I took in a hurry after church, before having to get food ready for 15 hungry mouths.

This child is the biggest gift that I have ever been blessed with, and I am so glad that we where able to dedicate her to the Lord.

We keep on praying that He will watch and protect her, and always lead her in His ways.

Before I became pregnant, I often felt like Hanna, Samuel's mother.

I didn't wait for my baby no where near as long as she had to wait for hers, however I think I still felt her pain, still cried the same bitter tears, and prayed the same prayer that she has for so long.

I was still just as heartbroken to not be able to hold and kiss my own baby.

There were many days when the terrifying thought of that never happening for us, of me never being someone's mommy, would hunt me endlessly.

So I would pray some more.

And then it happened.

That very early Saturday morning on April 10 changed my life for ever.

I knew in my heart of hearts that this child that was growing inside me was going to be special.

I also knew that, just like Hanna, I was going to dedicate her to the one who has given her to me.

To my Creator.

To her Creator.

To the one who has not only answered my prayer, but who has poured my cup until it overflowed.

And who keeps on pouring.

How awesome is that?

"For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him."

1 Samuel 1:27

6 months

Sweet Little Love,

You are six months old baby girl. Half a stinkin year old! Give me a second to catch my breath so I don’t pass out from hyperventilating. I thank God every single day for you and for how extremely amazing you are.

This month you’ve been such a little busy bee. I am so amazed by your sweet, funny, and happy, growing personality. You laugh and giggle so much. You still want to burst into tears at the sight of any “stranger” that you haven’t seen for more than three days, but once you get accustomed to them, you’ve got a smile for everyone.

You’re such a momma’s girl. You love seeing and hanging out with me. I, in return, feel so honored to be your favorite companion, because baby girl, you are my favorite too. You are the only one to laugh at all my jokes, and never get tired of being around me. But the truth is, your mother is the funnier of the bunch, so it just goes to show that you’ve got excellent taste and a great sense of humor already. And that’s one more reason why I love you more than my own beating heart.

You’ve attempted to crawl for a week, and then you’ve decided that you would rather cry and have things brought to you instead of going to get them yourself. Unless it’s the cat. You’ll gladly chase the cats.

This week however, you’ve started to really use your arms and legs in order to get places. You’re actually getting off the ground! I’m extremely excited and only a tiny little bit anxious of what’s coming next.

You’re also seating up for about a minute at a time, and I can see your independent side starting to show. You love playing and munching on your toys, and you never miss a chance to play in the water. I think water will be your BFF for life.

You’re an amazing eater. You have not met a food that you completely refused. Your faves are strawberries, peas, watermelon, and pears.

This Saturday is your baby dedication. We are beyond thankful to have you in our lives, and we want to celebrate that by thanking Jesus for you. Giada love, we love you more than anything in this world, and as always there are no words to express how excited we are to see what else you’ve got in store for us.

Love you to the moon and back.

Forever,

Mommy.

Catching up

Hello world.

I thought it would be a decent idea to show up today around those parts, before some of you call whoever deals with missing persons and report that some average momma is missing.

I'm still here, alive and well, by the way.

If you thought that having an infant keeps you busy, try hanging out with my mother.

Holy cow, the woman suffers from a sever form of workaholism and there is no remedy in the world to cure it.

Her idea of fun is cleaning my house from top to bottom and spending countless hours in my laundry room... Then starting the whole entire process over.

And in case you are wondering, my house is not any worse than an average single child momma's home. I don't have piles and piles of laundry laying around, nor trash and dust that could compete with those people from the "Hoarders" show. Still, she finds something to do.

And each time I think I see the light at the end of the working tunnel, she finds another job for us.

But I can't complain too much, because thanks to her my home is really clean, and my front yard is weed free. And let's face it, I wasn't going to pick those suckers on my own anytime soon.

So thank you mommy. Really.

So what else have we been up to?

Well, some of us are turning 6months old today and getting cuter, smarter and wittier by the day. And don't you worry; someone's mom is going to have a whole post on the six month birthday.

We've also been busy hanging out and having lots of fun together, eating and celebrating the fact that I've accepted a job.

Yep, new bread winner coming your way starting soon.

Not sure when. But soon.

I'm going in for a drug test today, and then they'll let me know what the next step is.

I know that some of you are worried I may not pass the test.

Confession: even if I act like I'm on some heavy stuff some days, it's really just the lack of sleep you're witnessing. I don't actually engage in any illegal past time activities.

And I don't have glaucoma either. So no treatment is necessary.

Cross my heart.

So rest assured.

My girl is getting SO spoiled. And it's getting to her head.

But no one can really help themselves because she is so darn charismatic.

We shall pay the consequences once the grandparents are gone.

And last but not least, we've been super busy being goofy while not taking life too seriously.

Now this is one of our favorite past time activities.

I'm off to catch on some of your wonderful blogs.

I hope all of you have a gorgeous Thursday.

The scoop on family and hot couples

Did you lovelies have a good weekend?

There is only one right answer.

Here's a hint: It start's with a Y and ends with and S.

The weekend is always a good time for me, unless I'm working.

However, add in lots of sunshine, 85 degree weather, and the fact that my parents are visiting, and turn a good time into an awesome time.

In my book at least.

But seriously now...

There is something about summer and weekends that just tickles my soul.

Do you feel that? The tickle?

No? It's just me?

I love the fact that the summer brings on so many healthy and yummy goodies that I don't feel so guilty devouring as soon as they touch my plate.

Especially since I have a really bad love affair with carbs and sweets.

So I'm really REALLY happy for summer and fruits.

Because?

This may just keep me from getting confused with Shamu's twin sister.

Maybe. Possibly.

This weekend, once again we went over to one of my SIL's house and came up with the frequent excuse of "Giada loves water!" just so we could take over her hot-tub.

It works every.single.time.

No one can really say 'no' to that kid, so we get spoiled in the process as well.

She's the best accessory EVER!

I mean, just look at that face!

She could get away with burning down the house.

We highly frown upon it, however.

We also hung out with my parents who came to visit from AZ for the week.

I get SO excited every time I get to see them and we always have a blast.

When we live so far away, seeing each other is such a huge privilege.

I really hate that we get to see each other only a couple to a few times a yr.

It breaks my heart to know that next time I'll see them, will be in December around Giada's birthday.

That's six stinking months away! She'll be ONE, and probably walking and talking!

And there will be snow on the ground again!

I may just pass out.

But for now, I'm going to really take advantage and enjoy the time that I do have with them.

While we were out for our walk, the new Brangelina power couple was there too.

I've got one word:

Hotness!!!

There. I said it.

Now go on and embrace it.

And this girl?

Holy funky waters!

She is just a weed!

Not the type that cures adolescents and grown scruffy men of glaucoma.

But, the type that grows supper fast!

Seriously, look at her!

She is sitting on HER OWN, searching for ants or what not.

AND she's SO gorgeous too.

I have a feeling I'm going to go through a few baseball bats during her teenage years, trying to chase some boys away.

Y'all better start praying for me now. And for those poor fellas.

This weekend I also was so grateful for all the time I get to spend, and for all the laughs I get to share with my beautiful momma. Love her to death.

And now you know where I get my good looks from.

And if you made it all the way through this highly narcissistic post, please know that I'm really not that full of myself in real life.

And also know that I do wish you a very Happy Monday!

PS: Don't forget to love on your family and loved ones today.