Advents Corner

It is the weekend and Matt has already said he will have to work at least one day. I guess it would be a good weekend to start some spring cleaning. Usually that is the way it happens, Matt goes into work and I clean. I tend to clean when I get bored so that is a good thing I guess. Could be worse, I could be one of those people that shop when they get bored.  With spring coming and me changing jobs I feel I want to get a few things done around the house that maybe I have been putting off. I would like to get some new roller shades for Lani’s room and try and get some painting done that I have been thinking about doing. I sprayed the weed killer out in the yard on Thursday so this weekend would be a good time to cut the grass.

Matt and I are finally looking into getting a head and foot board for our bed. It is kind of sad; we have been together for years and have never had one, it has just never been high on our list of priorities. We are thinking about getting a platform beds in a dark cherry to match the bedding we already have in our bed room. It is fairly new and we really like it so we do not want to have to new bedding to go with a new bed so we are going to get the bed to match what we have.

Matt is off and traveling again.  He goes to Miami, then Canada, then Phoenix, then back to Las Vegas.  I want to go with him to Canada or Vegas.  When Mom and Dad move down maybe we can talk them into watching Lani for a day or two and I can fly out with Matt and get a cool Vegas hotel or something and get some alone time.  I wish Lani was a little bit older then we could just pick her up and go to but she is still a little too young to be flying all over the place.  Don’t get me wrong I don’t want her to grow up any faster than she is already.

We are off the aquarium today.  Lani loved it so much last time that we thought we would go back today.  We are also going to pass by two houses in Valrico that Mom and Dad are looking at on line and we want to see if they look as good in real life.  Michaela has a couple of character parties today and tonight her and I are going to go see The Best of Momix at the performing arts center, it should be a lot of fun.

I had the chance to try a new shampoo and conditioner called naked naturals. One of the first things that got my attention was that this hair care product is all natural. Now wait before you flip the screen, I am not here to tell you that you should wash your hair with this stuff because it is a natural shampoo and you could save the environment and all of that stuff, which by the way would be a good reason, but I am not talking about that.

Naked Naturals for color treated hair is made with awapuhi and lavender. The first thing you notice when you pour the shampoo in your hand is that it is clear, perfectly clear then you smell the aroma of lavender. The lavender just fills the shower and you start to relax for those few moments of quite time.The next step is the conditioner. I dye my hair from time to time and my favorite part of the entire process is the conditioner. It just always makes my hair so soft, I call it super conditioner. To my surprise Naked Naturals has a “super conditioner”. After I let the conditioner set in my hair for 3 minutes and started to rinse it out, my hair was instantly soft. Combing my hair out after my shower is usually a task but tonight it was so soft and smelled so nice.

Give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

We are getting so excited about Mom and Dad moving down.  I hope they get a yard big enough at the new house that maybe we can ask them if we could put up a swing set for Lani.  Our yard is junk so we can not put a swing sets back there, not to mention the dogs would bother her when she would go back there to play.  Maybe we can convince Grandma and Grandpa to let us put one up in their yard because they always have such pretty landscaping.  Then again if Lani has a swing there that would be just one more reason for her not to come home.  LOL

Today is the day Michaela and I go to get our passports.  We are getting so excited about the trip to Asia.  The girls are going to have so much fun.  We are very sad that Lani will not be joining us but we thought it would be better if she did not come on this trip.  She is so an excellent traveler but it is just too many flights and they time difference would just be so bad for her.  She is going to stay with Grammy for the trip and Grammy is going to try and potty train her while she is there.  Stay tuned for updates on the trip.

Yesterday we spent most of the day with Don taking Michaela’s picture for her graduation announcements that will go out later this month or next month.  We still can not believe she is only a couple of month away from graduation.  Time passes so fast it is hard to accept it sometimes.  I would be feeling really old right now if I would not have two more behind Michaela.  I can’t believe I have one graduating and one in diapers.  It is funny how your life puts you in places a few years ago you would not have imagined you would be in.

I knew it was bad but was not too sure how bad until it came time for my employee performance evaluation. I was brought into the room and told even though my performance is always stellar the company has put a freeze on all increases until we “get over this hump”. I was also told that I am at the top of my pay scale so other than the cost of living increases I would not be getting anymore raises. Way to bust a bubble right, especially considering I am not even getting the cost of living increase because of the freeze. I was given the consolation prize that when the freeze is lifted the increase would be retro active. I should not complain, I make really good money but it is just dishearten to think that no matter how good I am at my job will not make more than what I am making now.

Sorry about that but we had a server problem with the sites last night and most of this morning.  We are back online now.

Matt’s brother took this picture of us a few months ago and did some work on photoshop with Lani’s shirt. This has to be one my all time favorite photos so I just wanted to share with everyone.

After flight cancellations and flight delays, Lani and I finally made it back home.  We were suppose to get home at 4:30 pm but we did not land in Tampa until 10:40 pm and by the time we got our luggage and made it home and got in bed it was midnight.  We were so tired but of course Lani did amazing.  She is such a good little flyer.  On the flight from Houston to Tampa it was her 20th flight.  She is a seasoned flyer now.

Once again we are talking about home improvement projects.  We desperately need a new faucet in the master shower.  We are looking at the Grohe faucets because if we are going to put money into it we might as well go all the way.  We need to replace the entire kit thought not just the shower head.  The knob that you pull to turn on the faucet and turn to make the water hot and cold is not working right.  It turns off but you have to play with it a little bit to make it not leak which is a pain in the butt.

I have a friend that is going on a trip to Hilton Head South Carolina. I use to live in

Charleston and it is such a beautiful place. I wish I could go back one day; I will put that on my bucket list. My girlfriend is getting on of those Hilton Head rentals because she said it was cheaper than getting a hotel room and driving onto the island. She is so lucky; I hope she has a great time.

Lani and I are getting ready for our trip to

Louisiana so I had to get down our luggage sets last night.  I am so excited because we are going back home for Greg and Heather’s baby shower so I will get to see a lot of family.  I will also get to see my Grandparent’s which is always nice.  I really miss them and they are getting older.  They have not seen Lani since she was about 4 months old.  Now she is walking around and chattering up a storm so it should be fun.

Now you can watch the video yourself. I want to say the response has turned out really well and this was just the first day after the interview. We have 5 new registers, 3 people have contacted me with their information and we have at about 500 visitors to the site today and that is pretty good. I want thank those who have sent me emails and I want to tell the rest of you not to be shy, I really want to hear from you. Oh and last night when the interviewed air I had to watch it again because when she said it was fish fry night at the local VFW all I could do was think about that fish. Hope you enjoy the video. The website Our Precious Gift, please stop by and visit.

Dad sent me an email wishing me good luck with the interview tonight.  I have to say I am very nervous.  I did try and get out of it but she said if I did not appear they could not put the story on air so I have to do it.  I am just not very good at putting myself out there.  I am hoping this gets the word out for the site and it continues to grow.

On Tuesday I started belly dance class again.  I was in it before I got pregnant with Lani but had to stop as soon as I got pregnant due to some complications.  I wanted to get back into it after I had her and that was the plan but do to some personal issues I decided I did not want to go back.  I thought it would be more emotionally draining if I decided to go back than if I did not.  I decided to take a chance and went back on Tuesday.  I loved it so much when I was in it before and I still love it.  I am so out of shape it is crazy.  I forgot what a work out it really is.  My shoulders and upper stomach hurt so badly yesterday.  I decided to go back to the same instructor I had before and she really made me feel welcome.  Thanks Hollie for welcoming me back.

I go once a week on Tuesday’s and it is right down the street from my house.  It is really nice because I can still come home, spend time with Lani, and make dinner before I have to go so I don’t feel like I am taking anything time from anyone and that makes me feel better about it.  Michaela will have to watch Lani for 30 minutes in between the time that I leave and Matt comes home but that is not a big deal.  I was worried I would not remember anything, I am a bit rusty, but I do remember the stuff we were going over. 

Today we were able to finish the wall paper in Lani’s room, finally.  It seems like it took us forever to get it all done.  Well I guess if you think about it, it did take us forever to get it done.  Lani is now in a toddler bed and she is doing wonderful.  I thought we would have a battle on our hands trying to get her to stay in the bed for nap time and bed time but she has been so good, just like always.  Now we do not have to worry about her jumping over the rail to get out of the bed anymore.

I went to leave this morning and turned on the video monitor to look at Lani just like I do every morning but this morning was different, she was not there.  I looked again and then got closer to the screen to make sure I was not missing her.  I then woke Matt and told him that I did not see Lani on the monitor.  I grabbed the monitor and set it on the bed and gave Matt his glasses.  He looked and then said I don’t see here either.

I ran into the kitchen and slowly opened her door, thinking she was just in the corner of her bed and the monitor was not seeing her.  I slowly opened the door and looked in the bed and no Lani.  I yelled for Matt and when I did she stood up and said HI!!

She was sitting or lying, I am not sure which, on the floor next to her night light.  I don’t think my heart has started beating again yet and it has been a couple of hours since all of this happened.  I just grabbed her up and hugged her.  I could not believe she was there.  I could not believe she climbed out of the crib.  I brought her into our room and put her in the bed with us and just kept hugging her. 

Her arms were cold so I have no idea how long she had been on the floor with no covers.  She was in her bed when we went to sleep last night when Matt opened her door.  I asked Michaela if she was in her bed when she shut her door this morning and she told me that she did not shut it.  I guess when Lani woke up and got out of her bed she shut the door.

Michaela and Serena never climbed out of their bed so this is new for me.  I guess it is time to start thinking about getting her a new bed and get her out of the crib.  If she does it again we will have to do more than think about it we will have to go and get her a bed.  I don’t know if she will stay in the bed without the rails of the crib but I am much more afraid of the fact that she could break her neck by climbing out of the crib in the middle of the night.  She seemed find just sleepy and she did not want me to leave this morning.  I will keep you posted on this turn of events.  I thought about one of those crib nets but the Academy of Pediatrics advises against them.  Only if she does it again will be take the next step and get a toddle her bed.  Keep your fingers crossed it was a one time thing and this does not become an every night occurrence.

Oh the life of a Mommy!!!!!!!!  She is still the most precious thing in the world and she is 18 months old today.  If anyone has any advise just let me know.