High Five for Friday!

It's been a long, hot week.  I've been struggling to find five highlights since all I can think of is taking a picture of my sad, overworked AC or my soaring electric bill.  But I still have plenty to be happy with this week:

ONE girly walk.  We got ONE walk in this week because of the extreme heat, and Claire and I walked in style.  She carried her purse (under the doll), her doll, and a wind-up rabbit all around the neighborhood.  We get out in style.

TWO fun pictures from the park (the other one is my Project 52).  Again, we tried to get all our outdoor fun in early in the week before the smoking hot temperatures started.  Claire played for a full hour, running nonstop, and then was so tired she just walked back to the car.  No complaints.  And then she took a nap.  So no complaints from me, either.

THREE digit temperatures!!  It's been crazy hot and dry here.  I'm afraid just dragging my feet outside will start a grass fire.  Lots of fireworks for next week have already been canceled and we aren't sure we're going to be able to do much downtown on the 4th, either.  I can't wait until it rains.  I'll take my camping chair and just sit in it. 

FOUR or five episodes of Sesame Street!  We DVR all our Sesame Streets, even the reruns, just so we have something to watch.  And thank GOD for Elmo because it's been so hot we can't get outside.  So Claire's daily treat is an episode (or two) of Sesame Street.  I feel bad with all that screen time, but you can only throw blocks around the living room for so long. 

FIVE Insanity work outs under my belt.  We decided to try the Insanity work out this week.  It's really hard, and I have to modify some of the exercises (I can't really dip to the floor from standing with my back... and on some of those late jumps I hardly get off the ground with my sad right leg).  I've been getting my butt kicked though.  Just as the poster suggests.

52:25:Hide

Around our house...

We find great hiding places!

Love this kid!  I felt for such a silly week (how fun, 52/25?  Love the symmetry!) why not catch a silly moment!  Claire likes playing hide'n'seek with me.  Unfortunately, a 19 month old lacks the ability to understand if you can't see me, it doesn't mean I can't see you.  This is her block box (what you don't see is the disaster area off to the side where she dumped all the blocks out just to get her hiding spot).  She was feeling super silly and just kept hiding in her box.  We have to play along and fake flipping out... "where's Claire, has anyone seen Claire?" and then she'll start to peek and laugh hysterically.  Imagine hysterical laughter as she stands very still with that on her head so you can't see her.  It's adorable. 

52:24:Dine

Around our house...

we loving going out to eat!

Claire is a fantastic lunch and dinner date.  She eats really well (fries are a hit, so are straws).  This is from our trip to the lake.  She managed to shop all morning, then went out for a little lady lunch.  I love this picture because she looks like she's having a lady like time, covering her mouth while laughing at good conversation.  Basically that's what she does.  She's so animated and she loves watching other people--dining out is a real treat with this kid!

(And this wasn't my special photo.  I subbed this instead.  I'm going to take the waterproof camera back out and see what else I can do with it before I blow my awesome underwater shot).

(And I need to stop taking pictures with my PHONE for this... but I just don't drag the nice camera everywhere!!)

High Five for Friday!

Friday!  It's about time!
Well, thanks to lovely Instagram, I've got my week of shout-outs in fine form!  I'm loving this project.  I constantly keep count in my  head of how many pictures I have for my week!  (and even though I'm behind on posting my Project 52, I have those pictures, too... I just have a special camera that is retaining one of my photos and I need to make an effort to find the cord).  Remember to link up with Lauren @ From My Grey Desk for this fun blog idea!

1.  Turt McGurt!  I jog every morning with Claire and Monday as we zoomed back to our driveway, I saw this little guy out in the road.  We have a turtle that seems to have made his home around here (I'm fairly sure HE is several turtles that frequent our yard).  Anyway, we've dubbed the turtles all "Turt McGurt".  I saw this guy and I had to save him, so I put him in Turt's stomping grounds by the front bushes and he went right in, so I'm thinking he's familiar with the area.  Do you save turtles?  I try to when I can!

2.  Bath time!  Mogwai is our lovely Pekingese (shelter adopted).  His eyes are bad thanks to poor treatment in his previous life, but he's just the sweetest dog.  He's basically the closest thing to a cat you'll find if you don't want a real cat.  He got a bath and brush out this week--he looks like a super model now.  And he knows it.  Such a sweet face though!

3.  Sesame Street!  Claire requests in the afternoon on her lazy days to watch "STREEEEEET!"  Since the dogs have been upstairs all week now (which is lovely and giving ME a break) I think they also appreciate Street time, because Claire stops and watches.  This is Wally, our Pug, enjoying some much needed rest, while Claire enjoys her Street.

4.  The Sun!  The Flowers!  The Shades!  Claire has become quite the walking diva.  She wants her sunglasses, she wants flowers (flowers are usually weeds--I pick a lot of Queen Ann's Lace for her).  And... it's been stinkin' hot for all my jogging and all our afternoon walks.  So, this is Claire, staying cool.  Take it both ways.

5.  Zucchini bread!  The early bird usually gets the worm, but in my case I got a bunch of free zucchini from a neighbor!  I decided to make zucchini bread, one of my favorite things, and spent yesterday giving loaves away to both of our moms, the sweet neighbor lady, and one of Matt's coworkers.  Yum!

Great week!  Keep it up, June!

June Birchbox!

Whoohoo!  This month's Birchbox was extra awesome!  I tell you what, after some hit or miss items, this was a refreshing change of pace (Birchbox, are you reading my blog?  If so--mascara... hint hint).

What did I get this month?
1.  John Varvatos Star U.S.A (retail $55)(not pictured)--This was a surprise for MATT!  He snatched the sample up immediately (so for all of you who thinks he hates my Birchbox, he doesn't, he stands right there checking out all my stuff and when he found out something was his it was in his hot hands so fast I didn't even get to take its picture).  This is a manly manly cologne and a great smell.  I'd already bought cologne for him for Father's Day... but when that runs out... this?
2.  Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream (retail $16)--This is Carmex.  I don't understand the difference, except I guess you can put it on your skin.  It's really too heavy for face (although it says its for the face).  I use it like Carmex, because it is Carmex, I swear, someone's trying to trick me here.
3.  Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner (retail $15)--WINNER!  I'm buying this and never looking back!  I love me some black eyeliner, and I get these pencils that I have to sharpen or those crayon push up things that get dry or break apart... this goes on like a marker and is perfect.  LOVE.
4.  theBalm cosmetics Stainiac-lip stain in Beauty Queen (retail $17)--I've never used lip stain.  Probably because it sounds so permanent and I don't really like to mess with my lips.  This looks crazy (look at that color in the picture!) SO I figured it was a bust--turns out the color is amazing and lovely and long lasting.  I'd get it... I'm tempted... but I just don't think I'll wear it that much.  Maybe I will.  I don't know.  Right now I'm enjoying it.
5.  Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Gandages with Cynthia Rowley designs (retail $14)--someone knows I need Band-aids a lot!  These are beautiful and it was a very generous box.  I doubt I'd splurge on these for myself (Claire's princess Band-aids work just fine for me) but I'm excited to take these to work so I look super cool every time I get a nasty paper cut!
6.  Melvita Floral Water (retail $22)--this stuff is great!  I have the rose scent.  It freshens up your face and kind of dries up the shiny.  I don't know how that works, but I love this.  I'll buy more, definitely.  This sample is going in my purse and/or in my desk once school starts up again.  It's refreshing, it smells great and feels great, and it really does make a difference in my skin.  Right now I'm just using it so I don't have to put on make up right out of the shower (because otherwise  my skin feels weird so then I have to wash my face AGAIN and put on make-up--now I don't have to!)

So I got six great things this time!  A lot of stuff I could see me using in the future, too!  Are you Birchboxing yet?  These samples are so fun, and when you get a good box like this (what appears to be a full-size eyeliner, a box of 20 Band-aids, a lip stain that at the rate I'm using it will still be here next year...) it's totally worth it!  I've learned a lot of beauty tricks and tried a lot of products admittedly I'd have never even considered for myself... and now look--I'm back in good graces with liquid eyeliner (thank the make-up gods!), I've got an awesome summer foundation, I have clean brushes, and lots of cool perfume samples and nail polishes... so worth it!  It makes me feel like a girly girl.  Want the same feeling?  Sign up for your own at www.birchbox.com  ! (remember I sent you!)

52.23.Kiss

Around our house...

We're puckering up for some sweet sweet kisses!

Thank goodness for instagram, it can at least give a little cuteness to my blurry blurry pictures!!  I don't get second chances on some things though, so I've got to take what I can get. 

Claire is kissing up a storm these days.  Sadly, she only does it when she believes you deserve a kiss.  I don't apparently deserve many kisses (or never have my camera ready), but I did get this cute cute kiss.  She puckers up and makes a kissing noise and then has the biggest smile.  Love this little girl.  She's making my summer awesome!

High Five for Friday!

Friday, I feel like I've been waiting for you all week!

 Are you linking up with Lauren @ From My Grey Desk yet for this fun idea?  I'm loving it!

So what are we happy for this week?

1.  Happy Father's Day! (early, of course, because Claire and I can't keep presents hidden!).  We were excited (one of us was) to go shopping this week for Daddy.  One of us had a melt down, so the other one of us had to think fast and run, but Daddy seemed to like his gift.  Oh, and Birchbox totally sent a surprise for Daddy too... I think he was excited.

2.  Puppy Pillows!  Claire is modeling them (of course) but I whipped up some cute puppy pillows for our two little ones for when they stay upstairs when I'm not home.  They're flannel and sort of plaid and have paw prints.  I should have taken very close up pictures, because for whipping these up, they are well done!  All the print matches up!  How did I do that?  Heck if I know, it wasn't my intention, just my luck I guess.  And do the dogs like them?  Well, as you can see my kid is enjoying them, no dogs in sight.  If I had seen them, even once, on the beds, I'd have taken a picture of that, instead.  I'm sure they appreciate the thought, right?

3.  Hair curls!  I just love Claire's cute curly hair.  Sure I know in just a few years these will be frizzy and out of control like my hair curls and she'll have to embrace product and flat irons and never ever be able to have hair this cute again, but right now, let's celebrate the cuteness!

4.  Nutella!  Miss Beth told us to try this since it's such a winner when Claire stays with her while I'm working.  Not that I'm having a terrible amount of trouble getting Claire to eat, but our old sandwich, the peanut butter sandwich, is not working anymore.  So I gave her a nutella sandwich.  Great success!

5.  Cleaning!  (I didn't take a picture, nor any before or after pictures--What has been seen can not be unseen, folks!)  I'm trying to fully embrace my stay-at-home status by getting some sweet sweet cleaning done.  I'm slowly working on deep cleaning all of our rooms so I can just spend a little bit of time cleaning next week.  Keep it clean so you don't need to clean, right?  Well, I've gotten the kitchen finished (deep clean, mind you), the living room, and one bathroom.  Then I did something to my neck, so all I've finished since that point was the other bathroom counter and anything else tall (no stooping).  But I'm super excited today because it's laundry day and while Claire eats breakfast I can freshen up the kitchen and living room.  I've got this.  At some point I'll write out that revised chore chart (like we had PC-Pre-Claire).  I love the chore chart.  It just lets me know what I should be doing, so nothing slips between the cracks!

Hope your week was great and productive, too! Anyone else use a chore chart?  Have a great weekend!

High Five for Friday!

It's about to get all Rebecca Black in here, because it's "Friday, Friday!"

I'm linking up with Lauren@From My Grey Desk Blog again this week to celebrate another good week as a stay at home mom!

Okay, let's here it for...

1.  Trying new things!  Claire and I attended a fun free music class at the library this week!  She enjoyed watching the other older kids and playing with her sticks.  Although Claire had some "toddler moments", no human was hit by a stick this day.  So it was a good day.

2.  Dr. Jarts!  I got my shipment this week and all week have had amazing skin!  I've raved on this (from my Birchbox!) but it really is the BEST light foundation coverage for summer!  It has SPF 25, a serum to make my skin happy, moisturizer, and a tint that acts (and covers) like foundation.  My skin feels great and looks great!  I'm in love.

3.  Reading!  Claire has been so obsessed with books and reading.  She likes to go through and look for things she can identify (colors, flowers, puppies, bugs, fish... it goes on and on).  So fun!

4.  Weight loss!  I can has loss of weight?  I couldn't weigh today because Husband left scale at work for THEIR weigh in challenge, but I've been losing weight, and so has he!  The good old fashioned way--walking and not eating anything ever.  ;)  I eat, I eat.  I'm really hoping when I weigh in tomorrow I'm officially down 13 lbs.  Maybe 14.  But beggars can't be choosers... I'll take whatever the scale gives me.  (seriously though, 14 lbs, scale).

5.  Friday walks with Wally!  I'm really enjoying getting the two little dogs around Claire more.  Mostly because they have the energy I don't and can entertain her while I take a break!  We have two little ones--Wally the pug and Mogwai (Mogy) the pekingese.  Mogy can't go on walks with us because pekingese aren't really built for doing any kind of endurance or walking activity--If I could find our carrier or somehow get him to stay in the stroller WITH Claire, he could go.  Otherwise, I'd be carrying him after the first 20 or so feet.  But Wally enjoys getting out and I enjoy wearing him out a little so he can chill upstairs all day (because maybe I have an ADHD kid AND pug).  All three of my "children" are napping right now.  This is a very good thing! 

Are you celebrating Friday today?  What good things are you happy about?

52:22:Carry

Around the house...

We are very into purses!

Those who know me know I'm not without my purse... and lately I've been toting along the diaper bag and/or the bag for the pool, as well.  Claire, being ever observant, has learned that you must get your purse and put it on your arm before you go bye-bye.  First she'd try to carry around the huge diaper bag, then my purse, and eventually we got this out for her to use, instead.  What's in the purse?  Well, today she carried a book and a plastic red fire hydrant.  Her choices.  I tried to stick a cute toy in there instead, but I should have known better.  No one can force a lady to carry something in her purse she doesn't want!

I just love how mature she seems.  We went with PaPa to Bass Pro Shop and she HAD to put her purse on her shoulder, since I had mine too.  Then she proceeded to walk there, go in by herself, walk throughout the store, and of course look and marvel at the fish.  All while carrying her purse.  I really figured she'd just drop it somewhere, but she certainly did not forget about the special art of purse carrying!  I'm so proud of my grown up little girl--I love how she is becoming my little mini-me!

(First) High Five for Friday!

Great to see you, Friday, welcome!

This is my first time celebrating Friday, but one of my most favorite bloggers, Lauren from @ from my grey desk, does this every week and I wanted to join in on the fun. 

Let's celebrate...

1.  FLOWERS!  All my hard work from last summer is finally paying off with a bazillion beautiful flowers.  I wish the yuccas had bloomed just a little later (because to get those in with this picture would have been wonderful) but I read somewhere that our mild winter caused some early blooming.  So I chalk it up to that.  But look at my beautiful day lilies and butterfly bush!  I love sitting outside and watching all our butterfly traffic!

 2.  Hi there!  Claire and I have spent all week together.  And I LOVE it!  This is Claire waving to Papa, who went on a little trip this week (gonna tell you about that, too).  She missed Papa, so I told her we'd send him a picture of her saying hi.  So, of course she obliged. 

 3.  Summer break, where have you been all our lives?  This is my first real week off (last week was full of meetings for my new job, plus meetings with the bank, plus meetings in STL for my car check up--so I had a long week).  But this week has just been us... being goof balls.  I love how she copies me.  Oh, and she informed me yesterday that I was a big girl because I use the potty.  That's probably the best compliment I've gotten all week.  Validation from an almost 19 month year old... that I've got potty skills. 

 4.  Welcome back, sun!  We've been swimming in Papa's pool a lot, but it's nice to have a little pool for just daily play, so I broke out Claire's little pool, too.  We've learned you can't put sidewalk chalk or towels in pools (because Momma get's mad).  We've also learned that we can splash the heck out of Momma and all she does is laugh.  Nothing is more fun than a little summer.

 5.  Remembrance.  My dad made an awesome trip with a huge group of motorcycles to Washington DC to see the Vietnam Memorial.  My dad is a Vietnam Era Veteran.  He got to ride his bike in Arlington (that's this picture), he saw the memorials, and he made a lot of great friends.  They had awesome stops all the way to DC with parades and hero's welcomes.  The group even had a helicopter escort on part of their ride!  How cool is that?  

So far summer is really turning out to be awesome.  Nothing is more rewarding than hanging out with Claire doing nothing and everything all at the same time.  She doesn't even miss going to Miss Beth's (thank goodness, I was worried I wouldn't be nearly so cool as Miss Beth...).  Every day I can't wait to see what trouble we get into!  Thanks, Friday, for letting me celebrate the week!