Sadness

What happened to this world we live in? In what world will a person, a civilian, ever need to have a gun that will fire over 100 rounds of ammunition in rapid succession? And to need to use that gun at an Elementary school? A place where we, as parents, are supposed to feel good about leaving our children. A place that our children can feel safe with their teachers and peers.

My heart is broken.

I am not a parent of a school-age child. But it makes me want to run, all the same, and scoop up my 20 month old and kiss her all over her sticky face. To hold her and squeeze her until she wriggles out of my grasp.

I want to cry for those parents.

The image of the terror on those young faces will forever be imbedded in my mind.

My prayers go out to the families in CT ... their lives will be forever changed.

Thankful.

After the Day de Bird.. I'm thankful. Thankful for so much...

An amazeballs husband who is hardworking, an awesome Daddy and an even better friend. He's handsome and sexy and funny. What he sees in me is beyond me, but I'll thank God for him a thousand times over.

A beautiful, healthy, smart and utterly charming baby girl. She's funny. She's insanely cute. She's literally the light in my eyes and the flutter in my heart. My world begins and ends with her and I'm so lucky to get to be her Mommy. I'm so thankful that God picked Ross and I to be her parents.. May we never let her down.

The best girlfriends a girl could ever ask for. They know who they are. We share laughs, hates, annoyances, wine, maternity clothes, baby advice, loves... I think sometime we should be related. I'm so thankful that they trust me and love me and treat me like I belong.

An amazing set of mothers / fathers / sisters / brothers / cousins / nieces / extended family members and so on and so forth.. My parents are the bomb.com.. My in-laws are always incredible. What a lucky girl I am to get to spend the holidays with these folks.

Thankful. For so much.

How do you know what to do, when you want to know what to do?

Sigh... have we met? Hi, I'm Kristen and I HATE am bad at making decisions. I am horribe. Whether its what to have for dinner, what to wear that day or what car I want to buy... all things I hate doing. Why? I don't know.. maybe I'm afraid I'll regret the decision... most of the time I do (especially when it comes to my outfit choice for the day or my lunch choice for the day for that matter).

So when faced with a major decision, how am I supposed to handle this? I'm talking LIFE CHANGING, TOTALLY MAJOR here. Not brown boots with black pants type decision making.

I'm going to pray about it, that's a given. Really, my husband and God are the only people that are going to know about it. Not even you (twiddles fingers and raises a sketchy brow). But man, I'm having anxiety already and its only been one day since this proposition was brought to the table. ONE DAY. NOT EVEN 24 HOURS later and I haven't slept.

So... to the 0 people out there that follow this blog... or maybe you're coming over from another source, pray with me. The decision has to be made soon. Like soon.

Happy Halloween!

Despite being sick, B was a total trooper! And actually loved her costume. (Pay no mind to the frowny brow, it comes second nature to her!)

Have I mentioned ...

That I'm in love with my side ways cross bracelet and my pink Hamsa bracelet?! Because if you didn't know, I like to take a bajillion pics of them.

Daily Dose of Cute

This little cutie had so much fun at the Pumpkin Patch!

She even picked up a date!

Jeans.... to skinny or not skinny

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that I am a curvy girl. Call me chunky. Call me overweight. Call me whatever you like - it is what it is and I'd be lying if I said I was completely comfortable with it. That being said, I'll never been stick thin, model worthy or a size 00. I'm not really sure that I'd want to be stick thin, but I'd settle for a nice size 6.

Anyhoodle, while I'm not a size 6 (do you really think I'll put it down on paper what I actually am? Not a chance) I do like to look good in my clothes. In fact, I do not own a scale. You're thinking - well if she owned a scale she might be closer to that size 6 - but I don't gauge my self worth by the number on a scale. I gauge it by how I feel and look in my clothes. When they start to get too tight, I tighten up in other ways. When they get too loose, I do a little dance all over my house and brag about it to anyone who will listen (You don't? You're missing out).

Its October here in North Florida... aka, the Tenth Circle of Hell... or Swamp Land, USA. Lets face it, its freaking hot here. But with October comes all of the fall decorations, Pumpkin Spice Lattes and the stores at the mall carry only sweaters, jeans and pea coats. So now is the time to buy jeans. They are on sale everywhere, and with this years hot new trends being the skinnier the better and wear red on your ass, you better believe that I am on the hunt for perfect fitting fall jeans.

So can a curvy girl wear skinny jeans? A great friend (and skinny jean wearer) told me once that skinny jeans look better on girls who have shape rather than girls who look like little boys. I have to agree with her (even if she does have a killer bod and could pull of any jean look). So I'm trying them out this fall.. and not just under boots (Please people, don't stuff your flared out jeans inside boots - we all know what's going on there) my friends. I plan to wear them out - wear them with flats, wear them with boots and with heels.

We'll see how it goes. And I'm trying not to care what anyone is judging me about in my head!

What happens to friends after kids?

The age old question. How do you keep yourself in that same friendship when SO MUCH has changed it your life? I mean, have YOU really changed?

Sure, you have added stresses, less sleep, and bigger things to worry about than if you get a nap in before you meet your bestie at the bar... But really, are we not capable of being the same kind of friends we were, prior to kids?

I guess it would depend on if we both had kids. If one does and one doesn't, then I suppose there would be some noteable differences in the day to day. But then when one friend catches up with the other and pops out a kid, I believe that the playing field is even- don't you? Whether or not one friend has a Duggar-sized family and you have an only child, no difference...

When did you stop relating to each other? When did you stop noticing anything (or everything) about the other?

It's a sucky feeling.

And mad props to you besties who haven't given up!

The ONE thing NOBODY is ever allowed to ask you...

"Do you know what you're having?". Wanna know why? Because that would mean that you had the guts to ask the dreaded question, "When are you due?". This is another no no.

What is wrong with people?

So, I got asked this at the grocery store today, on the way home from a very long and taxing day full of crap that grew horns that included more work than any one person can possibly handle. The poor 17 year old cashier was most likely mortified after my curt response of "I'm not pregnant" and a look that could slice a tomato with a dull knife. I'm sure she's suffering internally.

So, what's a girl to do? Go home and eat her feelings. Feelings that include banana pudding.

Tomorrow is another day...

Defeat

I have always had a problem with optimism. I have never been a “glass half full” type of girl. I mean, I am not always a Negative Nancy either, but generally, I am not a Polly Positive. I like to call it – Keepin’ It Real-ism. Things are what they are with me… as in, I have a very real “black and white” type of issue with certain situations. So with all of that being said, I readily accept defeat on a regular basis. Defeat. As in, I didn’t stick to that diet, or the latest DIY trend didn’t work out for me or I didn’t get pregnant on the first try... As a general rule, I’m genuinely surprised when things DO work out in my favor.

I have been defeated. Defeated by diaper rash. Seriously… I have never claimed to be super mom, but I cannot tackle this! I have a remedy for everything. Even my remedies aren’t working. It has consumed me. Lucky for Brooke, she’s not much affected by said rash. In fact, you’d never know she had one if it weren’t for looking. But her red, rashy, heiny just breaks my heart!

((and before you ask, yes I’ve ruled out the red flags.. she has no fever. Yes she’s getting a molar. No changes to diapers, milk, foods, detergents, etc,. And she did just get over a cold.))

Daily Dose of Cute

JFRD's newest (and cutest)

Bachelor Pad... Has it redeemed itself?

So, I had all but given up on this stupid, stupid show. It has by far been the worst season and cast yet.

Buuuuuuuut... On Blakely and Tony's date, you know, Tony is the guy from Emily's season, the guy who has a kid (we freaking know Tony), anyway... They go on some backwoods, country date. Tony turns on the radio to dance with Blakely (for fear that he might get "donkey punched in the throat") and what song do we hear? "Love Don't Come Easy" by Wes!!!! Wes!!!!!! If you've ever watched The Bachelor, The Bachelorette or Bachelor Pad, you know Wes!!! Worst guy ever... Best contestant ever! And that ever-loving' song that he sang to Jillian over and over and over, and then sang it to Gia over and over and over..I even know all the words!
Well I'll watch again. Well played Bachelor Pad.

Ready Reader-pants

Okay, so I haven’t been watching much TV lately. (SHOCKER) But what I have been doing is reading. I have found that I might have somewhat of a problem on my hands. I have always been a reader. As a kid I would read anything I could get my hands on, and now as an adult, I’ve not lost most of that. Now, as a parent of a toddler who requires ALL of my attention, I don’t get to read as much as I would like to, but I seem to fit it in on lunch breaks, while drying my hair, and after Munchkin’s bedtime.

So, lets start w/ the root of all obsession. The Nook. I got the Nook for my birthday last year and it took me a long time to get used to the idea of holding an e-reader. I’m super nerdy in the way that a book is my favorite smell, and I find comfort in the worn pages and musty smell. So, I got the Nook. I delayed buying a book, because I really felt like I was cheating on my all time favorite past time.
Buck up! Slap yourself in the face, just do it!! So I did… I can’t remember my first “Nook Book” but lets just say that it was good.. there’s rarely a book that I have mediocre feeling towards. And then a realization came over me. This is one stop shopping for the nerdy! Score! So, you read like lightening (which I actually do) and then when you’re done and you have that sad feeling in the pit of your stomach, like “man, I finished that really great book – I had a REAL connection with the characters and now it’s over”.. but WAIT! As you finish, you see the “What to read next” tab…

Light shines through the window sheers, and music of the gods start pouring into your ears and I think that might be doves flying…

Ha ha, I digress.. So I pick my next book, based on “what we think you’ll love”.. which is kinda right and kinda wrong, but who cares! I don’t have to drive myself to Barnes & Noble, or Target or HELL ON EARTH (Wal-Mart). AND what’s more? The Nook prices are less than actual book prices!!

Needless to say, since I am a fast reader, I’ve read 5 books in the past 4 days. I think that is a little craze-balls, wouldn’t you say? Only 3 of the 5 books are actually review worthy (those will come later as I’m CERTAIN that I will be re-reading them-everyone does that right?).

My DVR is totally suffering my newest obsession, ahem, I mean hobby.
More later..XO
KC

Gold Medal Worthy?

I'm sorry, I'm still mad about it... Felix Sanchez winning gold for the Dominican Republic is ridiculous! Not so much, him, as a person, but for the Dominican Republic?? This guy was born in New York, spent the majority of his childhood in Southern California and attended USC. This guy is about as Domincan as I am.

Now that I've said it, I feel better.

Everyone Wants To Rule the World and oh yeah, The Olympics

It's no secret that I watch ENTIRELY too much television. I mean, really, who needs two DVR's that can record up to 4 shows simultaneously? THIS GIRL.

I'll start with True Blood.... seriously, with only three episodes left, you'd think it would be a little more interesting. I mean, with the whole Lilith thing (ick to the hundredth degree every time she pops up) to Alcide being abjured to the TERRIBLE casting of Sookie's fae cousin and supposed jaw-dropper, Claude to Tara being mad at the world (surprised?) to Bill being a brainwashed Lilith / Salome groupie (not a good look on ANY man)to Terry being haunted by a fire monster that doesn't have anything to do with any of the story lines to Scott Foley (swoon!) being a hateful-bigot jerkface.... really, this season has been lackluster at best. But really, the icing on last night's episode that I cannot stop thinking about? When Arlene gets to Merlotte's, of course she's the only one there... NOBODY EVER WORKS AT MERLOTTE'S...but what is she wearing? A $120 pair of bedazzled jeans that are worthy of The Situation or Sammie Sweetheart from Jersey Shore. Really? C'mon costume department at True Blood... you can do better than this! You know that Backwoods Red-headed Barbie Arlene wouldn't be working at Merlotte's (ahem) and spouting off, "My kids" every 10 seconds if there were designer denim in her closet.

Now, on to the only T.V. worth watching.. The Olympics. We saw a lot of USA pride this weekend, including Phelps' last race ever. For-Eva Eva? (ha ha, OK, I'll stop) But he has stated over and over again that he will not race competitively after the age of 30. Ya hear that Matt Lauer? You can stop asking him now. I counted about `10 different interviews this weekend where he states the same. We. Are. Over. It. #TeamLochte Speaking of the Gator Nation's pretty poster boy... he admits to peeing in the practice pools... ew. Gross. I know, I know, everyone at some point in their lives have peed in a pool... but at the Olympics? Can't you just hold it? Or go in a bush? Lie to me. Too much info, Ryan. But I still have a majorly inappropriate crush on you!

And Usain Bolt's 9.63 second 100 meter dash? Wow... there are no words, other than HE CAN'T BE HUMAN! That's running at Vampire Speed! Special shout out to Sanya Richards-Ross for winning Gold in the Women's 400 Meter. Cheers to you Sanya from the Jag Nation!

That's it for now, don't worry, there is a lot of T.V. left this week- if I can fit it all in.

XO,
KC

Here is your daily dose of cute.

Playtime is fun at my house. It involves a naked baby!!! Everyone loves a naked baby!

A little thing I like to call spelling and grammar.

What is it with people these days? Is everyone so caught up in the hustle and bustle of their busy lives (or too busy texting and driving) to stop and use spell check?

People...I know you went to school and let me remind you of a few things:

1. It is not, "I seen that on TV.". Rather, try, "I saw that on TV."
Or more commonly, "I seen u tha other day." (NO) How about, "I saw you the other day." (Yes!)

2. "Your so pretty.". There are few things that will make me more annoyed than this. FOR THE LAST TIME, it's "you're".

That is all.
XO,
KC

New look, new title..

I've been trying to get back into this ... I've been meaning to come back here and there.
So, I'm trying something new.. not that I'm not still on the never-ending quest for the perfect shade of blonde, but this time, maybe I'll find it a little more cleverly.
P.S. is "cleverly" a word?

soon...KC