Where did my waist go?

I got on the scale this morning.  Don’t ask me why because I knew it had not changed.  Thankfully I have lost all my pregnancy weight but its the weight I packed on before that that is hanging on.  I’m actually surprised I haven’t gained recently based on the amount of Little Debbie cakes I’ve been eating.  I’m a stress eater and a closet eater.  Things at work have been stressful on top of everyday life and caring for a baby but if I hide the cakes and eat them when no one is looking they don’t count right?

The weather is getting warmer so hopefully that will motivate me to get outside and walk.  I specifically wanted a stroller so I could walk with my son so hopefully we’ll do that.

Getting dressed in the morning is not fun.  It’s not that I mind buying the larger size clothes because these days with the average size woman being a 14-16 they do have very nice clothes with the most recent styles in these larger sizes.  But I’m sorta in between sizes and based on my build…….if it fits my waist it hangs off my hips, if it fits my hips it is tight on my waist and tends to squeeze the fat up to form a inner-tube around my waist.  I changed shirts twice this morning because I can’t stand to SEE the inner tube and I felt the shirt I had on stop right at my stomach and highlighted it…….yikes!

I keep saying I’m going to take my clothes to a seamtress and have the altered but I never seem to find the time at least time when I don’t have the baby with me.  And because of this I end up wearing a pair of nice jeans with a big top or sweater to work which makes me feel so unprofessional even though I’m dressed nicer than half the women in my office.  I like looking professional because it makes me feel professional.   But alas in my opinion it’s hard to look professional in plus size.

I never thought I would ever be a plus size woman.  I was always skinny but as time went on and the things that life threw at me…I slowly started to gain weight.  I’m not obese at all.  I’m 5′7 and 181 pounds which to me is just overweight but when you are small boned and the weight is mostly in the middle (still have fairly skinny arms and legs) it just makes the weight look worse and the clothes harder to fit.  Oh and also I’m large chested (even when I was skinny)so even if I lost weight I would probably still have to wear larger shirts.

Oh well………the weather is warmer so again I say I’m going to try and get motivated to walk.  I want my husband to look at me like he used to.  I’m hoping for a trip to the beach this summer…..and I don’t want bystanders to think I’m a beached whale!

Getting Organized

DAY ONE – GET ORGANIZED:  I went to Walmart today and bought some plastic containers so I could start organizing my craft area.  I have a big pile of fabric where I had planned to do some sewing this past summer but got so overwhelmed doing scrapbooks I never got around to trying to sew.  Let’s just say I’ve never really sewn much (sewing involves instructions) but I was ambitious this summer while I was on maternity leave.  Anyway, I plan on going to Hobby Lobby tomorrow and get the plastic drawers that are perfect size for 12×12 papers.  I think if I get more organized I will feel better while I’m sitting in there.  Not to mention I’ve already found a bunch or stickers and stuff I didn’t realize I had……saves me from going out and buying MORE STUFF! 

I wish I had a dedicated room for all my crafts.  Before the baby came I had a room.  When we moved into the house we’d just lost a baby and weren’t really sure we’d be able to have one.  I picked my favorite room in the house to be my craft room and would always say…when we have a baby this will be their room.  As soon as I got pregnant again I started re-organizing my guest room to move the craft table in there.  I guess I could have taken over the computer room but my husband is always in here and I like to be alone when I’m creating.  LOL.  I love my baby but I miss my room.  So I have this small guest room with a queen sized bed, my mom’s childhood dresser and chest of drawers and my craft tables that I have in the shape of a U.  It’s pretty crowded in there.  I will probably get a daybed to have in there instead of a bed.  It’s not like we have overnight guests nor would they want to sleep in there with all my stuff but every once in awhile my niece will want to spend the night so I like to have an extra bed.

I’m also attempting to clean off the top of our computer desk as I sit here.  Everytime I clean it off though my husband piles more stuff then I pile more stuff and it’s back to being cluttered again.  I have a habit of putting mail in a pile then when the pile gets so big…I file the stuff.  It works for me but looks sloppy even though the only ones who see it are myself and my husband.

As soon as I finish this organizing I will finalize my latest paper bag album.  If I can get it just right I think it will be cute.  I’m calling it “Grandma’s Purse” and it will look like an old handbag.  Will post pictures later.  The inside is done it’s just the cover that I want to get just right.

I’m not my mother

I just got an email from a co-worker who heard I had been using Super Suppers and she wanted to hear more about it.  She wrote back and was telling me they’ve been using Schwan which delivers to your home and their meals are actually meals you just heat up. (With Super Suppers you actually cook, they or you just assemble).  It sorta made me chuckle to think about today’s working woman will do to provide a home cooked meal for her family.

My mom did not work outside the home and she cooked for us about every night, made cakes and cookies from scratch………Even when I was home six months on maternity leave I didn’t do that.

Is it because things are so much easier these days with all the conveniences that we have converted to alternate methods of feeding our families?  Is it because some women work outside the home?  I know that myself and my co-worker both have worked for years, got married later in life and both had babies late so that maybe that’s why we are both looking for conveniences……we aren’t use to domestication…LOL.

 I think it’s just that there are convenient ways to do things these days….even my mom uses mixes to make her cakes and eats frozen dinners a few times a week now.  Gotta love convenience!

Proud

This is not a political blog but I was thinking about something last night after talking to a co-worker whose husband is due home from Iraq in a few days.  I can remember the last few times I’ve been in an airport and a uniform soldier gets off the plane……….I don’t know what makes me prouder….the soldier himself/herself or the citizens in the airport who clap or shake their hands.  The first time I saw that I was literally brought to tears.  A young man got off the plane and a stranger walked up to him and shook his hand and thanked him.  Now whether you agree with the war or not it’s nice to know that the soldiers are for the most part supported.  I’m proud of that.

Everybody keeps talking about their support or lack thereof of the war and how we should have never gone over there….well that’s not the point…whether you agree or not those soldiers are risking their lifes to do what they think is the right thing to do and serve our country. 

I’m not against the fact that we went over there but honestly I do agree it’s time to come home.  I truly don’t believe there is anything else we can do for those people.  We did what we came to do but we’ve stayed too long.  I don’t envy our poor President and the decisions he has to make.  He wants to do the right thing and I believe he feels we can help these people which is why he wants us to stay. I personally would like to see all our young men come home unharmed but either way I will support them, our country and our President.

Milestones

I thought I would write about something other than my usual scrapbook stuff tonight because there is something that really bothers me sometimes.  Yesterday when my husband took our son to see his grandmother (my husband’s mother) evidently she did it again……she mentioned something that puts thoughts in my husbands mind that our son is not developing as fast as he should.  She said he “should be” saying “lalalalalala” and “ot oh” by now.  Well what do you think my husband is nowing trying to make him say….yeah those things and kept mentioning to me what he SHOULD be saying by now.  She did this before when she mentioned to my husband about when he should be crawling and he got all worried.  Why do people do that?  I know she didn’t mean anything by it and was probably just saying it to be saying it but people don’t realize the thoughts and doubts they can put in others minds…especially when it comes to their children.  I mean we all do it…compare our children to others that same age.  It’s hard not to I know but we really should not.  My son is just now pulling himself up to stand when the others in his daycare group have already been doing that.  It was like almost overnight that he was doing this, going forward in his walker and crawling like crazy.  He did these things at his own pace and when he was ready…..boom…it was like he was shot out of a cannon.

Anyways I wish people wouldn’t do that..put doubts in first-time parents heads about their child’s development…we do enough of that on our own.  Being a parent is hard enough and we have so much to worry about as it is……

I need a life!

I’m such a scrapbook nerd!  I really need to get a life!  You would think with my job and a new baby at home that I would not obsess over such things but I do.  I think some of my fellow scrapbookers would understand though.

Yesterday my husband took our son to visit with his grandmothers so I got more than my expected time to just scrapbook, clean, and play on the computer.  I actually ran out of glue I did so much scrapbooking!  How does one manage to do that?  Obviously, I haven’t checked my glue supply lately (or sniffed it all..LOL).

But I got alot done and was very proud of myself.  But I had so many ideas running through my mind and I couldn’t express them because number one…no glue and number two I couldn’t decide about the cover of the one I’m almost finished with.  Plus I had some embellishment ideas I couldn’t accomplish because I didn’t have what I had in mind.

During lunch today instead of going to the store where I need to pick up my new eye glasses I went to Hobby Lobby instead.  They are having a half off sale on papers and ADHESIVES and since I need adhesives……….

I managed to spend my lunch hour getting about 11 sheets of paper, some adhesives, some ribbons and some flowers which left no time to actually eat lunch or go get my glasses.

I did sell my fairy princess album on ebay yesterday which I believe has inspired me again to scrapbook.  I would have liked to have made more on the album but oh well.  It’s funny that I had ten watchers but only one person actually bid.  That happens alot.  Most times I have no idea how much I actually have in those scrapbooks and whether I’ve broken even or lost money.  I don’t even factor in the time and usually price them based on any extras I buy.  I guess I probably should try and figure out the cost to make those but I do it mostly for the fun of it anyways.  I enjoy scrapbooking and ebaying so who could ask for more.

Ernie the Cat

I decided I’ll pick one day a week to talk about one of my beloved pets.  I think I’ll pick Monday because that’s a good way to start the week.  I’ve already talked about a couple of them and the two I lost this past year but it’s time for some funny stories and facts about these furry creatures that I love.

The cat in the picture is Ernie.  Ernie is a 20+ pound Russian Blue (we believe) hunk a hunk of burning love.  Ernie is seen here in the hammock.  I orginally ordered this hammock off of ebay for my other cat Eddie who had resigned himself to sleeping in the babies bouncy seat.  I saw this hammock and knew I had to have it.  At first I was afraid the cats would not get in it but I’m happy to say that every single one of them has gotten in it at one time or the other. 

Ernie is so large though the hammock touches the floor.  It’s hard to believe this kitten I got from my brother-in-law grew up to be so large.  He is the master of the house and the only cat that does not get along with the dog.  Actually Ernie stalks the dog and is larger than him as well.  You see this big cat and expect a loud meow too don’t you?  Actually, he has a very low sounding kind of squalk noise that doesn’t sound like a cat at all.

He loves my husband but my husband doesn’t particularly like him.  Ernie will not take no for an answer and will hound you to death when he wants attention or food.  This morning I was awakened to the feeling of something licking my eye lid……he was hungry I guess.

Scrapbook Appreciation 101

It’s hard to believe that not everybody appreciates or understands scrapbooking and the work that goes into it.  I mean it’s one thing not to understand the process and the work but to not see the beauty and sentimental value in one is something I don’t understand. 

 In the past year or so I have given a few scrapbooks I created as gifts to friends and family and am actually starting on one now for a friend whose about to have a baby.  I made a memory one for my grandmother after my grandfather died and she really seemed to love it.  I made a blank one (to add your own pictures) for my friend at work after her grandson was born and she was really excited about it and I know for a fact she went home and started adding pictures.  These are the type people I love to make them for but it’s really a crap shoot because you really don’t know.  I gave my two mother-in-laws “Grandmother Brag Books”…specially designed with a page for each grandchild.  One of the Mother-in-laws sent me a thank you email and seemed to like it but knowing her she has done nothing with it because it was a blank one as well.  The other Mother-in-law actually gave it back to me with some pictures asking me if I would put them in because she didn’t know what to do with it.  This is after it laid on a table for a year and no one gave her school pictures supposedly to add to it.  I mean they probably liked them but some times and with some people I wonder if they think I’m being cheap or am poor because I hand-made a gift?  If they knew how much time and money are put into those scrapbooks they wouldn’t think that for sure!  They don’t know that I only do that for special people.  It’s hard to shop for people who have everything or can get it themselves so to me the hand-made gift is the perfect answer but ya know…some people don’t appreciate anything anyways!