Is it really almost July already?

I mean, seriously? The 4th of July is NEXT weekend....I'm pretty sure that usually marks summer as half way over. Where did the days go?! I do love the 4th of July though....Mark always tells me that I'm "all about tradition", and I guess I am. My family had a lot of fun traditions for things every year, and I want my kids to experience and remember those fun traditions just as I do. The 4th of July means going over to my parents house (well, lake house nowadays), have a cookout, having my sister's family in town, s'mores and fireworks galore! It's just a fun summer night and I love it :) I'm thinking that Max is old enough this year to really appreciate the fireworks...if he can stay awake that late since it doesn't get dark until around 10:00!

In other news, I am now officially in my second trimester (13 weeks) - woohoo! This is "suppose" to means that I should start feeling better any day now as well as get some of my energy back. I've slowly by surely started feeling less nauseous and better at night (when it was always the worst), but I still have my moments. I also still don't have a lot of energy...but I'm not sure if that's entirely pregnancy related, since I do have a very active 20 month old I'm chasing around all day! I actually took a nap today with Max and it was amazing...I can't remember the last time I got to take a nap in the middle of the day! I've been back to work at the good ol' DQ working three days a week for a few hours for some extra cash. Since I'm obsessed with saving money and not buying anything with credit cards and always having a "cushiony" bank account just in case, I figured it wouldn't hurt to work there a little bit. It's a few days a week for a few hours, and it gets me out of the house and into the business that may one day be ours :) So, come visit me and I'll make you one of the new FABULOUS Orange Julius' that we now serve....my recommendation is the Blackberry Bomb - O.M.G. Addicting. I've also gone on a few interviews lately for special ed teaching positions. I'm not too concerned if I don't receive a teaching position for the next school year - and let's face it, the competition is fierce right now with teachers who have much more experience than me who were laid off looking for jobs - but, if the right job comes along, I'd take it. If not, no biggie, I'll be at home with Max and our new bundle of joy in the Winter a little longer :) It's like a win-win situation here! I should hear back from those schools relatively soon, so we'll see. Speaking of work and Max, I'm thinking of finding a daycare for him starting in the Fall. Even if I don't find a teaching position, I'll work at the DQ a few days a week still for extra cash during the times Max would go. He LOVES other children and never really gets to interact with them, so I feel as though this might be a good idea. I'd also love for him to be able to socialize and start learning around other children. The only problem is 1.) I need to find a suitable daycare around here that I feel comfortable with. and 2.) The price needs to be reasonable. If anyone has any suggestions or comments about any of the day cares around here, PLEASE let me know. I know of a few places I won't send him off of their reputation, so I want every point of view and opinion I can get. I really only need part-time daycare, so the place has to be willing to do a part-time rate (which many places, surprisingly, are not!)...I may only be working a few days a week, and even if I am working a full week, Mark is off one day during the week and my parents will want to watch him another day during the week. What about the new baby? We won't be putting the new baby into daycare until the following Fall....I'll be on maternity leave for a little bit if I receive a teaching position, and then my parents as well as other relatives of ours have volunteered to help out the remaining time until summer break so we don't have to put an itty-bitty baby into daycare if I'm working, just like we did with Max up until this coming Fall :)

Well, that's about it for us right now! About 6-7 weeks until we will know if we're having a boy or a girl, and I seriously cannot wait. What do you think...pink or blue? :)

Misunderstood?

Hello, all! Over the past few months, I guess it's been questioned as to why I have a blog and why I share details about my family on it. I guess I've been pondering the question myself....but in the manner of why anybody really cares or feels the need to question why I have should have a blog? To all the mommys on my page, you all know that you are the reason I started this blog. I started this blog as a way to communicate with YOU after reading several of your blogs....after all, the title of my blog is "Confession of the Working MOM". The blog is all about sharing life experiences with your family/children with one another...share/receive advice with one another...and just to stay in touch with those friends you don't get to see or talk to much. Apparently, I am wrong in having a blog and I post too much intimate details about my family, according to some. My response? Theeen....why are you reading my blog? Why do you continue to come to my blog and read what I have posted if you think it's stupid, juvenile and wrong? You come for the same reason I go to other people's blogs and the same reason I started a blog - you're interested. You're interested in what that family is up to - how they're doing - how everyone is - what exciting news they may have - what advice you I may receive/share. This blog is not intended to be a life biography or a tell-all by any means. Frankly, I don't think I've posted any intimate details and/or inappropriate information on here.

While we're on the subject, another clarification I guess I should make is the "defend" myself for being stressed out and blogging about it. Yes, I had a very stressful year due to a very stressful job situation. Yes, I blogged about it without using any specifics. How in the world does "I'm going through a very stressful job situation" translate into "I hate my life and am going to get a divorce"? Apparently, this is how that post was translated by some, so I am here to say "NO, I don't hate my life. NO, I don't want a divorce. But YES, the stress and difficulty I went through my my job last year was REAL and I will NOT apologize for blogging about it." If you are here to ridicule me for sharing a difficult situation with my friends on here, then you may leave. Nobody was invited to read this blog - this is something you actively seek out to read because you are interested. Therefore, if you are actively seeking out my blog to read and then making snide comments and ridiculing me, what exactly are you proving besides that fact that I must fascinate you in some way? Get off the blog then if it's not your cup of tea, geesh! Also, do not judge myself or my family for the things we may have, not have or do. Do not come here, read my blog and then make comments about things such as my family having a cleaning lady or my family taking a vacation. Different people pay for different things, different people may or may not be able to afford different things and different people just plain and simply do different things. This does not give you permission to judge anyone, make any comments to anyone else or anything else. It baffles me that so many of my friend's blogs on here that I read talk about the vacations they just took their family on, new homes they may have purchased, new vehicles they may have purchased, etc. without anyone bashing them (well, at least I hope!). Yet for some reason, I'm a weirdo for having a blog and sharing such information. Any fellow bloggers out there understand that one?

Okay, that's the end of my rant and I'm done with it. See, I feel better about it now that I blogged about it. That silly Brittany, she has to post her life story online :) My ending statement?
If you don't like my blog, then don't read it. If you aren't here to sincerely find out how my family and I are doing or to offer/seek family advice, don't come here. No one is forcing you.

Have a good one :)

Max's new bedroom set

How freaking adorable for a little boy is this bed? We've ordered this exact bed, dresser/mirror and nightstand set for Max's new bedroom....it will be here in one week! Which means I have one week to paint his room and pick out his bedding/accessories.....ahhh! I hope Max likes his new bed as much as mommy does :)

Staycation Woohoo!

We are currently in the middle of day two of our "stay-cation" and it ROCKS! Now, I LOVE my Max, but having a few days of "me" time and actually GETTING THINGS DONE around the house has made me refreshed and more laid back. Yesterday, after we dropped the big boy off at the lake in the morning, we came back here and did a little yard work until it rained. Then we came inside and were extremely lazy, watching tv and TAKING NAPS! NAPS! I haven't napped since I was in college...it was amazing! We finally got ready, went to dinner at Hana Yori (Mark's favorite) and went to the movie theater and watched "Get Him to the Greek"...it was an okay movie, but still a pretty good night! We then came home and I, of course, was exhausted and went straight to bed. Slept THROUGH THE NIGHT. UNTIL 8AM.....I also don't think I've slept in until 8AM since college, it too was AMAZING! Today we woke up, took our time getting the day started, and finished our yard-work....bushes trimmed, flowers planted, weeds pulled, grass mowed....ahhhh :) Tonight, we are thinking of a somewhat lazy evening...possibly run a few errands, then stay in with maybe a pizza, some good movies, play Wii and catch up on some much needed laundry so I'm ahead of the game when Max comes home. Oh, I should also mention that my house is STILL CLEAN since the cleaning lady came on Saturday...which has to be a record! I'm loving it and am going to try everything in my power to keep it somewhat that way! We moved most of Max's toys to his playroom in the basement and have decided that we will spend most of our time down there now so the mess isn't all over the main floor of the house....we'll see how that works out.

Anyway, I'm so in love with the way my house looks and feels right now that I may even post pictures at some point since I realized I never did that since we moved last August. As on to more news, I'm currently in the middle of my 11th week of pregnancy and feel as though this is the slowest moving pregnancy ever. I'm PRAYING that the second I hit 13 weeks all nausea and grossness will disappear and I will begin to feel normal again. It's not as bad as it was in the beginning, but it's just downright annoying that I have to feel icky everyday and I'm so over it. I want my energy back, damnit! Also only about 8 weeks or so (or maybe a little sooner?!) until our ultrasound to find out the gender of the baby :) We're still tossing names around, but we've seemed to narrow it down and hopefully I can announce a name in the near future.

Well, I guess I better shower and get goin. We have lunch to eat, more baby gates to buy, and more money to spend (groan). Which, by the way, I'd like to complain about how expensive flowers and landscaping crap is....we spent $100 at Menards yesterday on, basically, flowers! RIDIC! I've felt like an ATM machine lately, and we all know that I am extremely tight with money, so imagine my anxiety.....

I hope that everyone else is enjoying their summer! Now if only the sun would return....

Responsible Adults...we're so old.

Sooo, in my last post I talked about Mark and I wanting to go on a vacation next week while he has a week off from work. We searched high and low...Vegas, Florida, Cedar Point, Chicago, Michigan cottages, etc...when we finally decided that the best and most economical vacation for us would be to stay right here. The plan? My parents will be taking Max up to the lake for a "mini-vacation" for 3 days or so...spending the night with them, swimming in the lake, boat rides, getting spoiled...he'll love it! Mark and I on the other hand will get some much needed yard-work/house-work done during the day (after a sleep in a tiny bit...), then head off to dinner and a movie, possibly Four Winds Casino, etc. for those nights. It will be relaxing and rewarding...we will get some stuff done around here without chasing a 20 month old, while still getting some time for fun at night. It also won't cost us too much money, which is perfect considering the list of things we're about to purchase for the house! So, I'm really looking forward to next week :) Right now I'm trying to catch up on some laundry and reorganize a little bit...then our cleaning lady will come on Saturday, and I don't know exactly what it is, but I work so much better with a fresh and clean house! Saturday is also Mark's 28th birthday....which means I need to finalize a birthday present for him STAT!

We're also currently searching for the "perfect" new bedroom set for Max. I know the baby isn't coming for about 6 months, but trust me, those months will fly. Also, I think Max will need quite a while to adjust to a new room and a new bed...so, we're working on it now. The baby will be taking over Max's crib furniture as well as room, since that room is perfect for a nursery due to it being the smallest bedroom. Max will move across the hall into a bigger bedroom with new furniture and new big boy decor :) I've scoured stores here in town and online to try to find a good set for him, but I'm so torn on what I want....I kind of want a full bed instead of a twin bed, basically so he can grow into it and keep it a lot longer...and also so we can snuggle into bed with him at night and read stories. He's also quite the violent sleeper and thrashes around the entire night, so a big bed may suit him better....but, I'm also concerned about him rolling out of the bed. Anyone know if you can buy rails you can attach and detach from any bed? I originally wanted bunk beds in his room....I think they look so adorable in little boys rooms, and later on when he has friends or cousins spend the night they can sleep on the bunk....but, they kind of scare me in the fact that he may try to climb them, etc. So, the search continues. Mark and I also have yet to agree on a "theme". Mark wants a hardcore pirate theme in Max's room....I want something more, eh, "pottery-barn-esque" for boys. Who knows what'll happen....our next battle will be the nursery...except if this baby is a girl, I'll probably be granted free reign since Mark won't have a clue :) 10 more weeks...10 more weeks!

We ALSO need to purchase a shed for our backyard. Apparently, the people who lived in this house before use either: A) only parked one car in the garage, or B) didn't have much yard crap to store. Our two car garage is NOT cutting it in the storage department for our yarding needs. We can only park one car in the garage, and that's even a tight fit. So, to declutter our garage, we've decided to bite the bullet and purchase a shed. Since we live in a neighborhood with an association and restrictions though, we have to buy a shed "to code" - meaning a nice shed that matches our house....meaning, expensive. *Sigh*. So, these a just a few reasons why we decided not to go on vacation and to be, well, responsible adults who spend their money on furniture and sheds instead of martinis and beaches :) I wish we fell into the category of those who could do BOTH....someday, folks, someday!

Anyways, I'm counting down to our mini vacation of Hana Yori, Coldstone, casinos, movies and sleep! :)

Freedom!

That's right, FREEDOM...from the past year of stress and worry! School ended last Friday, and after spending an awesome Memorial Day weekend up at the lake with the fam, I officially began my summer (semi-permanent) vacation today. I even went to the baby doctor for a check-up on the last day of school and received WONDERFUL news....after a year of having extremely high blood pressure (from a stressful work situation), my blood pressure was NORMAL....she even used the word FANTASTIC! Woohoo! I was so scared that because of everything from this past year, that my health would continue to suffer with high blood pressure...especially during my pregnancy. I was elated to learn that my body is becoming healthier again and that the baby is still doing excellent with a strong heartbeat :)

As for summer, our plans are pretty open. I'm still feeling a little icky as I reach the end of my first trimester, although it's A LOT better than it was, thankfully! Max and I will be spending a lot of our time up at the lake since Max LOOOOOVVVEEESS it there....he just runs right into the lake like a pro! He enjoys finding rocks/clams/whatever he can on the beach and throwing it for 2 hours straight. I have to say, the kid has a rocket for an arm....possibly a baseball or football career in his future. Another fav of his up at the lake is taking boat rides....Max loves looking down at the water and the waves the boat is making. Grandpa also bought a ton of rocks he brings on board for Max to throw overboard since he has a throwing obsession....and it's better than a sandal or sunglasses going overboard....

Right now, Mark and I are currently trying to agree on a mini-family vacation. Mark has a week of vacation time the week after his birthday (in the middle of June), and we definitely want to take a small family vacation as just the three of us before we become four. The problem is, we can't agree or decide on anything! I really wanted to take Max to Disney World...especially since he'd be free the entire way because of his age. I've been told by several Disney World veterans though that he's still a little young and it'd be better to wait on that one. I guess I do agree....we'd still be paying a lot of money for Mark and I to go, and right now Max doesn't seem to have the patience or attention span for a more expensive vacation such as Disney World. We WILL be going ASAP though, because I secretly really want to go too ;)

Our next thought was Cedar Point. My family went there every summer while I was growing up, and I LOVE it there. I definitely want to make Cedar Point a yearly tradition with my family as well.....some of my favorite memories growing up are from Cedar Point! We're still tossing this one around. The price is still kind of salty, and Mark isn't convinced that Max would have that much fun yet. Since I'm pregnant, I can't ride on any of the rides, which would suck since I am IN LOVE with Cedar Point. My parents had volunteered to go with us a long time ago so they could take Max for a little bit while we rode some rides, but being pregnant makes that impossible. I think it'd be fun for Max to have a hotel pool, beach, waterpark and amusement park all right there - with a lot of options for kids - but Mark is still not convinced, so we'll see.

We've also kicked around a few ideas such as Indiana Beach, going to a few museums in Chicago, etc. Problem is, we need to figure it out FAST because Mark's vacation is in, like, two weeks. Anybody have any suggestions/ideas/comments to help?!