Look where I've been!

I found this website that let's you make a map of the world that highlights the countries you've visited. It says that I've been to 23 countries, that's 10%. I'm thankful for the 10%, and ready to see the next 90%, well, maybe only the next 85%. There are some countries I think I'd like to skip. :)

Here's my list:

USA!, Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Vatican City, Romania, Czech Republic, Russia, Slovakia, United Kingdom, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, China, Thailand, and Australia.

What's next? Maybe Africa? Eric?

Squealing!

Last night Eric, Parker, and I went to Atlantic Station. It has your typical Christmas decorations for an outdoor mall: snowflake lights hanging over the streets and a large Christmas tree in the center square. All of the families start to gather in the square around 7pm to wait for the snow. Atlantic Station provides fake snow during the holidays. We waited in anticipation for the "big snow" to fall on our heads. At 7:30pm we heard the machines cranking up and then... these little bubbles started to barely puff over us. I was SO disappointed! It didn't even look like snow. But, then I looked down at Parker. He was standing with his arms wide open, face to the sky, squealing with delight. Taking a cue from him, I opened my arms, turned my face to the sky, and squealed too. We danced and danced in the snow.

It makes me think about those things that have made me squeal in the past. :) I think about walking on the Vaci in Budapest, seeing the Roman Coliseum, watching my parents leave as they dropped me off at college, and waiting to walk down the aisle to marry Eric. (Just to name a few.) Last night at Atlantic Station was Parker's Budapest and Parker's Coliseum.

I hope to continue to squeal with my son and husband, and daughter one day. I hope to give them experiences, not so that they can hang on to the past, but so that they can look forward to the future.

Just curious, what makes you squeal? Please leave a comment.

Stop And Smell The Roses

I was shopping at the mall alone on Tuesday. As I was walking down the mall corridor, I realized that I hadn't been in any stores in over 20 minutes. Think about it. When you go to the mall, you go from store to store without taking a break, unless you're buying that coffee or diet coke to get you through the rest of your shopping outing. I thought to myself, "What have I been doing for 20 minutes?" I had stared at the ornaments on the big tree, watched the kids line up to see Santa, played with the helicopter that the man in the center of the mall was trying to sell to me, and had to run to the bathroom from laughing so hard when someone walked into the display in front of me. That's when I realized that THIS is what I've been missing.

I feel like the last several years of my life have just been "go, go, go..." I have many things to write on my work resume, community service resume, and travel resume from the past few years. But, when did I stop and ENJOY the world around me?

I quit my job in October. I LOVED my job. I still LOVE my old job, and most days wish that I could get it back or that it somehow would've worked out for me. I quit because I needed to quit. Eric kept saying that things with me needed to change. I wasn't having fun, or being fun. And, I knew it too.

And, so, I wonder today, if I might be getting back a little more of myself. I wonder how spending all day with a one year old is making life more purposeful and more enjoyable. I wonder how my day was fulfilled by watching the sparking lights on the Christmas tree in the mall. I wonder what made me dance around with Parker when he through cheerios all over the carpet. I wonder what the future holds...

This week I saw a glimpse of the old me. And, I think I'm going to be enjoying a little more of the world around me.


"Taste and see that the Lord is good."

The Pink Pig

Everyone in or around Atlanta must ride The Pink Pig at some point in their lives. Preferably, at a point when you are small, because the ride itself is small. We took Parker to ride the PP last week. I was so excited to ride it with him. I remember as a child, going to the top of Rich's downtown to ride the pig. I don't think Parker will remember. Yet. Here's a pic of Eric and Parker's first ride. Are they enjoying it?

It's A Girl!

We are going to have a little girl! I would post a picture, but I didn't really get a good one today. She is weighing in at 9oz at 18 weeks. So, wow! We'll be having a girl the last week of April. Fun fun!

Addictions

My husband is addicted to Sudoku.

I am addicted to this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wffwg7pA0t8

The Coffee Park

Today I went with my friend Katie to The Coffee Park in Marietta. It was amazing! It is your typical coffee shop that also sells smoothies, sandwiches, etc. BUT, it is also a place to drop off your kids to play while you drink your coffee. Yes! You walk in, drop off your kid in the play area, ($5 for 4 hours of supervised play), then you go relax with your friends or by yourself. Hats off! It's the perfect morning for a stay-at-home mom or a got-the-kids-for-the-day dad. Check out their website at www.thecoffeepark.com.

Thank you, Katie!

What do I love on a cold rainy day?

A giant cup of hot chocolate!

What do I hate on a cold rainy day?

The fake poinsettias that got wet and dripped red dye all over my porch.

Thanksgiving Traditions

For the last 5 years it's been a tradition of Eric and I to get away and get some alone time with each other around Thanksgiving, because our anniversary is the same time. This year we celebrated 5 years of marriage on Thanksgiving Day. As we ate lunch that day we were talking about what we wanted our family traditions to be for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm curious to know, what are some fun thanksgiving traditions that you have with your families? And, would you like to know where in Asheville, NC we ate our Thanksgiving lunch? See the pictures below for a hint...

Illusions

How many of you out there try to pretend that you're someone you're not? What do I mean? You know, you go home to your parents' for Thanksgiving and put on an act, or all of your friends at church think you have the perfect marriage, not because you do, but because you've put on that "show". I really believe we all do this at some point.

Do you have somewhere or someone with whom you can truly be yourself? Someone who knows the dirt and the grime and still hangs around? Do you have somewhere you can go where you feel free?

These are the things I'm thinking about today. Wanna know what got me on this track? Take 30 minutes and listen or watch Out of the Shadows on the following website.

www.buckheadchurch.org/messages

Stay-At-Home What?

I just completed my second week of being at home everyday with Parker. I didn't spend every moment everyday with him. In fact, I was sick part of the week, so my mom spent at least as much time with him as I did. Still, I feel like I have a pretty good idea of how not to be a stay at home mom. Seriously, I failed.

But, I guess it's in the failing moments that we learn most.

What have I learned thus far?

• I need people.
• I need to get out of the house.
• It is a bad day when the highlight of my day is seeing James Blunt sing about a triangle on Sesame Street.
• Parker needs people.
• Parker needs to get out of the house.
• Parker doesn't care if James Blunt is on Sesame Street.

Seriously, I think this is just like any other job change that I've had. The first day you come home excited because you have the BEST JOB EVER! The next few days you wonder how "they" can consider this a full time job and you're a little bored. Then all of a sudden it hits you that you were bored because you were ignorant, and you're the busiest you've ever been. I'm in the bored phase right now.

So, any other stay-at-home moms out there? What do you do all day with your kids, specifically a one year old? What do you do to stay connected with friends?

Precious Little P

Parker and I did not have a very good morning. Let's just say that the pregnancy hormones were raging and the sleep was lacking (for both of us). But, no matter how frustrated I get, it all goes away in those precious moments.

Lunchtime ended with P throwing his PBJ on the wall behind his highchair. It stuck. He then proceeded to walk into his room and pull out a whole basket of books. We sat on his chair for 45 minutes and read every book at least twice. When I told him it was time for his nap, he looked up at me and said, "Ieeeeeee You!" That's his way of saying, "I love you!" And, the PBJ on the wall no longer mattered.