Happy 2016!

Gold glitter-dusted poms that were perfect for ringing in a new year. 

Pre-baby and pregnancy New Year's Eve was always an obvious party night filled with drinks and staying up until 5am. This year with a pregnant belly and house full of sicklings I ushered in 2016 alone on the couch in front of 30 Rock reruns with a tall glass of sparkling grape juice. Know what? After being bummed all day that we no longer had big plans and bummed again when both of my guys went to bed before 10pm, I kind of loved having a bit of alone time and being able to reflect on the last year. Lately I can't help but realize how lucky I am to have the life that I do and be surrounded by the people that I am.

2015 was a year of adventures and learning. We took our first vacation in years and I worked a ton (which is a GREAT thing when you're a freelancer!) and we really settled in to being parents and my baby turned one and we found out that we had another baby on the way and I had some crazy exciting opportunities present themselves and I feel like I really grew as a person. The year wasn't without its share of storm clouds but overall I look back on a really sunny, wonderful 365 days.

Even in a year where the world was in turmoil and the national news was overwhelmingly negative, I feel lucky to be in this place in life and as fortunate as I am. Here's to more of that grateful feeling in 2016...and to a few other things, too.

My resolutions for 2016:

1.) Put more effort into: positive personal relationships, blogging, being eco-friendly, saving the monies, myself. 

2.) Make time for fun and adventures (see you next month, New York City!)

3.) But cut myself a break. Life with a newborn is really hard sometimes (probably way harder with a toddler thrown in too) and it's cool if my house is messy every now and then. It's okay to have a glass of wine in the bath tub and watch Bravo marathons when someone offers to watch the youngins' too.

Also, I'm now contributing to one of my favorite blogs which is super exciting! You can see my mom-centric resolutions over at Stable Mable on Chicago Now here.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy new year!  Do you have any big resolutions for the year?

 

Thoughts on Thirty.

How gorgeous was my 30th birthday cake?

I turned 30 yesterday. 3-0. It is bananas. I guess I've never really thought of myself as a "real" adult before because I still feel like an awkward teenager so much of the time. But now I'm entering this new decade with somewhat fresh eyes and more determination than ever to make my life what I want it to be. 

For the last month or so, I've really been regretting things I did and didn't do in my twenties. I found myself beating myself down about chances not taken, trips not taken, friends not kept (or kept too long in a couple situations), career paths forgotten, dreams not chased, and everything else. I don't believe in having no regrets, but at the same time I can't focus on the things I would change. I had all these visions of myself at 30: put together, skinny, a perfect mom with a perfect house. I'm not really those things. My house is a disaster, I'm chubby, I often doubt my own parenting, I make mistakes but I'm happy and I'm learning. I'm not beating myself up because I'm not perfect. Every day I'm learning how to be the person I want to be and live the life I want to live. Me and my life aren't perfect, but they are pretty fucking great. 

Some goals I'm bringing with me into this new decade:

Make Space for Good, Not for Blah

This is a constant goal, working toward make my life 95% full of wonderful, positive things and people that I love with only 5% of the obligations that I'm not that into. I'm learning to say no to projects if they don't seem right for me, to carve out time for people who make me a better person, and generally choosing to do the thing I love over the thing I dread whenever humanly possible. 

Get Organized

 I'm trying my best to get things in order with my house, my career, this blog, our finances, and the like. I have to do lists upon to do lists that will help me to organize everything. I used to be so great with keeping everything in check but then, you know, work and new motherhood. When things are in order, I feel more at peace so this is vital. I think once my house isn't so daunting I may actually, *GASP*, love it again.

Keep the Healthy Momentum Going

 I've been doing a lot of research and reading about nutrition in an effort to create the healthiest diet for me. I'm continuing on this track to make sure my family and I are eating the most nutritious diet possible (with treats and indulgences here and there, too). I'm hoping to get back in the habit of making things from scratch and cooking really healthy dinners every night. 

 

Do All the Things

I have a terrible habit of pushing things off that I really do want to do. I always make an excuse to not plan a trip or buy that really bright dress or make those complicated cookies. I want to stop just "pinning" things and actually start doing them. One of my greatest regrets is that I've made excuses or procrastinated on doing things that I really wanted to, I'm working hard to leave this regret in my twenties.

But Give Myself Some Wiggle Room

I'm done with the "busy wars" where everyone has to shout from the roof tops how TOTALLY CRAZY STRESSFUL AND BUSY LIFE IS. I'm totally guilty but it's not a competition and business is no prize. I'm learning that it's a-okay to take one night a week after the baby is asleep to skip chores and read a book instead. Relaxation is just as important as productivity. 

So here's to my thirties, I'm diving in with big plans and making more and more positive changes. Cheers to 30 years!

How to Deal with Stress.

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I used to have this friend who constantly talked about how stressed she was. "I'm SO stressed" was her life's mantra and it was exhausting. Know people like that? Then you are picking up what I'm laying down.

Over the last couple weeks, I've realized that I am becoming the stress case. I am constantly thinking and worrying and wasting time stressing out over everything. Truth be told, there IS a lot going on in my life with work, relationships, child rearing, and the like but ick, enough already with the S word. I'm sure the people around me have noticed and I, ever trying to be self-aware, have definitely noticed. As I tried to fall back to sleep around 3am after feeding the baby last night, my mind started reeling. Remembering something I read years ago, I decided to jot what was bothering me down and have since decided to take a next step and see what I could do to remedy these issues.

Stress: Having #HomeownerProblems
  When we were house hunting, I fell in love with the charms of having an older home--the nooks and crannies and the unique personality each older home had. Now that I live in an old home I realize that shit falls apart. In a matter of weeks our lawnmower broke (with a big yard to manage this is a travesty), our dishwasher broke, our air conditioning stopped working, our guest toilet began having troubles, AND our master bath (which is currently under renovations) started leaking into our basement. WOOF! Partner this with the fact that we are in the midst of going through our home and purging the junk and I just feel overwhelmed and have fallen out of love with our little space.
Solution: Tackle one thing at a time and fix the things that need fixin' first (like our air conditioning during the sweaty armpit that is summer heat). It's so easy to feel overwhelmed when you step back and realize there are 865 projects to be done. I decided to make a super detailed list of all the cleaning, fixer upper, and DIY projects that I'd like to get done before the year ends and I am slowly ticking things off my list. My goal is to do one home project every weekday--even if that "project" is just cleaning off my vanity, that's an accomplishment.

Finding Work/Life Balance (or  Being Overworked/Underlifed)
I used to joke that I was a recovering workaholic but I don't think I qualify as being "in recovery" anymore. As a freelancer, I live my work life in feast more or famine mode. Right now I am in "feast," and while this is amazing and I feel grateful to have the opportunity to be working. I just stress myself out when I don't create boundaries. I feel like a bad mom when I am working with Rowan playing next to me, I feel like a bad worker when I close my laptop to focus on bath time when I have a looming deadline. For months in a row I've worked from breakfast until bedtime with short breaks in between, which is unhealthy for all involved.
Solution: Boundaries. It's okay to turn down projects and it's also okay to ask someone to come watch the baby for an hour while I tackle some writing. I am learning to take advantage of the time Rhyno is home, allowing him to hang with the baby solo while I really get in some productive work hours.

 Having the Lonely Girl Blues
I mostly work at home. My husband works second shift. I live somewhat far out from family and the bulk of my friends. I am solo the majority of my week and though I am someone that definitely thrives on alone time, it can be a lonely pill to swallow.
Solution: Make more plans with people, plain and simple. With a hectic work schedule, I've taken to not making plans. No. I need to make time to go do fun things and meet up with all my lovers...well not really lovers...you get me. Also, two of my best friends live on my street within view of my house. Next time I mopey about being lonely, I can walk my happy ass down the street.

Being a Parenting Noob
I'm a new-ish mom and second guess a lot of my own parenting. Should I feed him more? Less? Should I wear him forever? If I pick him up when he's acting like this, am I rewarding bad behavior? Is it bad that I gave him Tylenol for his teeth twice this week? He isn't in his own room and now he'll live in my basement forever and people will make fun of him and call him Norman Bates and THIS IS THE END OF THE WORLD.
Solution: Calm the eff down. I try to remind myself often that I am doing the best I can and he's a happy, healthy baby. He is loved and I am trying and that's what matters most.

Ultimately, if I can work to change it then that's what I need to do. If I can't change it then I need to stop worrying about it.

How do you handle life's worries and stresses?

Baby Talk: Time Flies.

Excuse my French when I say that motherhood has made me realize that the rapid passage of time is a real motherfucker. 

The other night I was playing with Ro-bot in his room, he was sitting up waving blocks and rattles all around and it just hit me, "You are not a newborn anymore." He is not the babe in the bump, kicking my belly at all hours. He is not that tiny baby they laid on my chest in the hospital. He is not the itty bitty baby who cried to eat every 45 minutes. He is not this brand new human anymore.

And where that makes me sad and I really long for just ONE more day being pregnant with him or just ONE more day with him when he was a newborn, I also look at him and just feel proud. Look at you sit and babble and feed yourself bits of bananas. Look at you crawl (!!) and roll around and pivot. He is no longer that teeny, tiny newborn but he is this really bubbly, funny, beautiful little human being. I'm realizing how quickly these moments pass and it makes me try to savor every minute. Even when the house is messy, Violet is waking the baby up, and my clothes are covered in who-knows-what, these moments pass all too quickly and I just want to drink them up. I want to press pause on the mornings when his little bedhead pops up and when he giggles at the mailman and when he does the "zombie baby" routine and when he reaches out for me...specially when he reaches out for me.

I bought a little sentence-a-day journal to keep better track of these tiny moments and I have set aside a day to work on his scrapbook so that years from now I can revisit this sweet time with him. But, ugh, time flies when life is beautiful.

How do you savor and record life's little moments?

Fresh Month/Fresh Outlook.

Happy July! I'm usually not this person but, dang, how is it already July?

I'm excited to start a new month. After months of an emotional heaviness--feeling overworked, a bit lonely, stressed, and twisty about some relationships in my life--I feel lighter. 

The closer I inch toward my thirties, the more emphasis I find myself placing on my own happiness. I'm becoming more assertive with my feelings to fix problems. After months of working from the time I woke up until the time I went to bed, I have made a decision to make things manageable. It's okay to say no to things. It's okay to say my plate is full. It's okay to create a healthy work-life balance despite years of being trained to put work first. My name is Sarah and I am a recovering workaholic. After some issues with friendships, I uncharacteristically sat down to have tough conversations and move forward. I'm quitting toxic habits and people. It's weird getting older.

I spent June making a lot of positive headway in my life. I ran three races, repaired friendships, took a good look at what I want in my career and built framework to get there. It's a new priority of mine to  keep myself top of mind and focus on my happiness.

Here's to July, I'm ready for life.

A Thought.

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I stumbled upon this quote on Pinterest and it spoke to my dang heart.

Just a warm thought on this freezing Wednesday morning.

2014/2015.

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It's a brand new year! How crazy is that? With a still relatively new baby in the house, Rhyno and I decided to stay home last night and quietly bring the new year in together. We watched movies, played some killer games of peek-a-boo, ate delicious food, and ushered in a new year as a family of three. It was quiet and low-key and kind of really wonderful.

Last year as I reflected on 2013 there was so much uncertainty in my life and wishes for good things to happen. The morning of New Year's Eve last year, Rhyno and I clinked coffee cups and swore 2014 would bring big changes for us. It was going to be our year and boy was it ever!

2014 has been a real beaut--it was the year my dad beat cancer and I became a mom. There will never be another year where I hear my first baby's heartbeat for the first time or hold Rowan in my arms for the very first time or see his gummy little smile for the first time. It was a year of magic and firsts and love and feeling whole. The year had it's challenges, of course, with work stresses and the challenges of being new parents and my dad kicking the crap out of cancer for the better part of '14 but I wouldn't trade in those 365 days. Where 2013 felt like a punch in the gut, 2014 felt like victory. I have a sneaky feeling 2015 is going to be even better, too.

I've seen a bit of a change in tide regarding New Year's resolutions recently, people "rebelling" and not setting goals for the year ahead to avoid the pressure, the cliche, the whatever else. I'm definitely not one of those people. I am excited to make some (very attainable) goals for the year ahead and work toward them in the next twelve months.

Do More of What Makes Me Happy

This is pretty general, I just want to focus on being positive and doing more of what makes me happy and less of what makes me a grouchy beast. Whether it be at home, at the gym, at work, what have you I want to love what I do. I also am making a bigger, better effort not to let life's annoyances and toxic people drain me of my good energy. Basically, I don't give a rat's ass about being around things/people/situations that damage my good vibes so I'm pressing the mute button on them. Life is too short (and sometimes feels too long) to allow bitter hags to rule your mood.  My life is mostly rainbow colored unicorns and cotton candy clouds and I have really wonderful people in my inner circle, if you aren't on my happy level you can GTFO. There will always be stressful things and crabby nights of no sleep and unavoidable bad situations and days where I'm just a raging bitchface, that's part of life and I have people I can vent to, but I'm going to smile and be happy as much as I can. It's like the proverbial "they" say: you can't control what happens, you can only control how you respond.

Take Care

I'mma take care of everything! Post-pregnancy my body felt like a mess and I have had a hard time fitting in exercise (especially with the bitter cold barring me from even walking the neighborhood with Ro-Boat in his stoller). I spent a bit of last night finding work outs that can be done at home, without equipment and some even WITH your baby. After some breastfeeding challenges (more on that in another post) I've also cleaned up my diet. Since I felt like a schlub after having the baby I relied heavily on maternity leggings and nursing tank tops, never putting on makeup and piling my hair in a messy bun. Now that I feel a bit more comfortable with nursing and I'm working on gettin' my bod right, I want to take better care of my appearance again.

This one also applies to my relationship--I want to take care of the bond between my husband and I. People aren't kidding when they say the first few months of being a parent are hard on your relationship. Rhyno and I made a pact to make a better effort to be good to one another and reserve one evening a week for date nights (thank goodness for grandmas who love to babysit, am I right?).

Keep Turning this House into a Home

Our house is really cute. I mean, seriously, it is really cute. But over the last year or so, we've noticed more and more things that need work (#homeownerproblems, for real). When I was eight and a half months pregnant Rhyno noticed the shower in our master bathroom had cracked and now the entire room needs to be gutted (someday remind me to tell you how hilarious it is showering in our tiny basement shower when you have a belly for miles and can barely bend over). Our kitchen has been a disaster area (it is still my least favorite room) and we have plans to begin renovations on that as well. Rhyno and I made a list of the big home changes we'd like to work on this year--the bathroom, kitchen, making a berry patch in the backyard, fixing up our back patio, working on some of the landscaping. As I slip more into the homeowner role, I realize how important curb appeal is. 

Aside from BIG changes, I also have plans to re-organize our digs and cozy up some rooms (on a budget, of course). For instance, Rowan's nursery could also use some organizational magic--that kid has a lot of stuff! My angel of a mother has also been staying over in our guest room/my office once a week so I'd like to make that space a bit more inviting for sleepovers while still being conducive to a productive work day. I've also made a full time transition back to our bedroom with my tiny co-sleeping babe (again, another post on how I jumped into being an accidental vegan and my accidental attachment parenting) and I want our bed to be a sanctuary of sorts. I want to be able to comfortable nurse Rowan at 2am without having to reorganize 845 pillows in the dark with a crying baby waiting to eat.

Make it Rain (on my bank account)

 Changes are a' comin' and I want to be prepared with a fully loaded bank account. With plans for our home updates and my own demand that we go on vacation this year (see below), I want to make sure that we are saving as many of our pennies as possible without missing out on things we want to do. I was pretty good about saving money and getting on a budget last year when I was couponing and really paying attention to our bank account. Since having a baby I paid less attention to spending money (Rowan needs cute booties! I need a hands-free pumping bra! Who needs coupons or sales?) and I need to change that. I'm jumping back into couponing, making our own cleaning supplies, looking for sales on big items, being mindful of when we make big purchases, meal planning, and keeping baby items as low-cost as possible. Instead of going out to eat or ordering in, I've made a resolution to actually use our cookbooks. I have an entire cabinet of cookbooks ranging from all chocolate desserts to gluten free to vegan homecooking. Once a week, on a night we'd normally order pizza or Chinese, I plan to use a cookbook recipe instead. We get to try something new without spending a ton of money.

Until now we've been cloth diapering about 10% of the time and using disposables 90%. To help save money and the planet and keep our house as cruelty-free as possible, I am hoping to reverse that ratio (basically only having disposables on hand for babysitters or days where we're out and about) and introducing re-usable wipes. Yes, it'll be messy but it'll be worth it.

Get Out There

My biggest goal in 2015, and in motherhood in general, is to get out there and try new things and see new places. I've done a bit of research about free programs and classes and events in our area to check out with Ro. I also made a rule that we have to take a family vacation every single year without exception, even if it's short or on a really tight budget (we are already pricing out a trip to visit family in Florida for a long weekend this summer--Ro will see the ocean for the first time!). 

Bring it on, 2015, I have a feeling you are going to be so rad...because I'm going to make sure you are rad.

What are your resolutions for 2015?

A Week Ago Today: Hello, Rowan.

Rowan Lee William Guffey

Born: November 3, 2014, 6:20pm

7.6 pounds, 19.5 inches long

My, how life can change in a week! This exact moment last week, Rhyno and I were headed to the hospital to begin inducing labor. I hit my due date, October 27, without any signs of oncoming labor. Every morning following the long-awaited due date, I rubbed my then super pregnant belly and asked, "Is today your birthday?" Rhyno and I walked our neighborhood and ate spicy food at every meal. We visited our doctor and he confirmed what we suspected, there were still no signs of progress and we quietly scheduled an appointment to induce labor on November 3. 

The night before we were to head into the hospital I kept waiting for my water to break. I had been so against being induced and badly wanted things to happen naturally. Rhyno and I spent the night before our induction quietly at home, soaking in our last hours as just the two of us playing cards, snuggling Violet, watching movies, and laying in bed talking about what the next morning would bring...and secretly we were both waiting for labor to begin earlier than expected and rush to the hospital in the middle of the night. The next morning we both woke up at 3:30am anxious for the day's events. After what seemed like years we finally grabbed the hospital and diaper bags and made our way to our hospital.

I have to say now, induction wasn't what I thought it would be. We were placed in a big birthing room, my parents met us at the hospital, and we spent the day monitoring baby's heartrate and movement and my contractions. To spare the long details, after nearly 9 hours of intense epidural-free contractions I still had shown no signs of progress and my water was intact and my doctor uttered the phrase I had desperately hoped to avoid: C-Section. It was best for baby and myself and our doctor had really tried his best to avoid it as I had told him throughout my pregnancy I wanted a "traditional" labor and delivery. 

The second the words left the doc's mouth I started to cry. I had never had surgery and a c-section just wasn't how I envisioned bringing this long awaited baby into the world. I wanted my baby delivered directly to my chest, I wanted their umbilical cord to finish pulsing before it was cut, I wanted to breastfeed minutes after their arrival. I saw my vision of my "perfect" delivery. I finally had my moment of panic--I was afraid of surgery, afraid of letting go of my delivery dreams, afraid of being "out of it" when my baby arrived. 

The hour before surgery was a blur--nurses rushing in to get me prepped, my dad (who had run home to let the dog out) rushing back to the hospital so I could see him before I headed to the OR, my final visitors stopping in to make sure I was alright, and--in a moment of irony--my water breaking as I got into a wheelchair that would take me to the C-section I hoped never to go through.Rhyno was left in the OR hall to dress in his "bunny suit scrubs" and in my terror and panic I was left to get my spinal block and get prepped for the very first (and most important) surgery of my life. After getting my husband situated on the stool next to my head and making sure I was numbed up, the doctor went to work. 

"Well, are you ready? You have a handsome baby boy!" Sweeter words have never been spoken and there was no shortage of tears as Rhyno and I both repeated, "A boy? We have a boy! We have a son!" Ry announced his name to the surgical staff in the room--Rowan Lee William Guffey--and the doctor held him over the curtain for me to see. He was absolutely perfect (in my hormone, adrenaline-fueled state I loudly proclaimed, "Oh thank goodness, he's really cute!" The nurses, knowing how badly I had wanted my golden hour, let me hold my new baby on my chest and when I met my boys in the recovery room a short time later, a nurse quickly helped me breastfeed and hold him skin-to-skin. As for my umbilical cord wishes? Welp, it was cut as soon as possible instead of being allowed to finish pulsing, but for good reason. It turns out someone was looking out for my baby because upon pulling him out of me they discovered his cord had been wrapped around his neck twice so a vaginal delivery could have had major, terrifying complications. Things have such a way of working out for the best. Our families were able to quickly visit us in our room and we spent the following days bonding and falling madly in love and (for me) beginning to recover from major surgery while learning to breastfeed and be someone's mom (oh, but that's for another post). Life has completely changed in 7 days and I couldn't be happier.

So, he's here! After years of waiting and trying and crying over negative pregnancy tests, our beautiful (and I mean seriously beautiful) boy is here. Our Babysaurus is home, Rowan Lee William, our Ro, our future Blackhawks power forward. He has my pout and pointy chin, Rhyno's nose, and big feet that we aren't quite sure who to attribute to. He has the most beautiful slate colored eyes (though in the last couple days they have begun to lighten and it's bittersweet that he's already beginning to grow up). He is sweet tempered (mostly, he also throws a pretty rocking temper tantrum) and seriously strong (must be all that spinach I ate!) and I could (and do) spend hours looking into his little eyes or holding his tiny hands in mine while he eats and running my hands over his sandy colored hair and kissing those little baby cheeks.Did I mention the clothes? I could spend my whole day changing Ro's tiny hats and outfits...if only he didn't despise getting dressed quite so much.

Welcome to the world, my Babysaurus, it's a much sweeter place now that you're in it.

A Thought to Chew On with Your Brain Teeth.

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Sometimes you are perusing Pinterest and you see something that really bangs you on the side of the head.

So often I wonder about what will happen next and try to plan everything as much as possible. With so much that I can't plan happening right now and so many things in the future that are out of my control, I needed to see this. It reminded me to take a step back and breathe. For so long I stressed about getting pregnant and then when I decided to be patient, it happened. My guess is that most things will happen that way...I just have to remember to breathe.

Photo Memories.

Warning: Lots of really silly photos that have nothing to do with one another ahead but I love them and they make me happy. Hopefully they make you a little happy too.

 

Recently while searching all my old photo files for a specific photo (never did find it) I realized two things. 1.) I need to organize the photos on my computer better cause, dang, there are a lot of them. 2.) I really love going through my old photos. 

Some choice and random finds to kick this week off right:

Have a happy Monday!

Happy Monday.

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I know Monday's get a bad rap but I have found that the older I get the less I dread them (maybe because I don't have a hangover from a weekend full of parties and junk food and more parties?). I'm actually headed up to the office today which means a long car ride of tunes and NPR plus I get to actually get dressed. Like, I'm wearing jeans. On a Monday. With real shoes. I get to talk to people's faces today. I am having meetings with real live people in front of me. Isn't it weird what you get excited about once you work from home for a long time?

Anywho, I've been thinking more about the energy we put out there. There are so many people who complain that it's "already Monday" or wah-wah that another work week is upon us. Sure, weekends are the best but why not make Monday a kick ass day just because? I know my jeans and real shoes and I will try to make the best of Monday for sure.

Have a happy Monday! I mean it.

A Very Happy Birthday.

Taking this Friday to wish a special birthday to a special person.

Though she's no longer here, today is my Aunt Joan's birthday. A vibrant, fiercely loyal, and warm-hearted woman who I miss every single day. Her love was tough and lasting and unconditional. Her voice was one of a kind and her laugh infectious. My heart aches that my husband and baby will never get the chance to meet her, but I consider every day I spent with her a lucky one.

 

Happy birthday, Aunt Joan!

In honor of this wonderful lady, I challenge all of you to do some acts of kindness this weekend--pay for the person in line behind you at Starbucks, leave a quarter taped to a gumball machine, put a nice note on a public bathroom mirror. Bring a smile to someone and pass along kindness. I think that's exactly what she would have done.

Enjoy your weekend!

A(nother) New Motto.

I love a good motto, a little something to propel me forward in a positive way. While perusing Instagram (when I probably should have been sleeping or doing something else) I stumbled upon this beaut:

 

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I love the idea of throwing a shit ton of kindness out there (to put it in basic terms, I suppose). I feel like there is so much negativity out there anyway with terrible stories on the news and grumps on social media that it doesn't hurt to smile at strangers, send care packages for no reason, or text people just to ask how they are. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has made me so happy because, despite an overwhelming amount of critics and nonsense complaints, people are doing something silly and ultimately so kind. 

I'm trying to challenge myself to do something kind at least once a day--whether it's leaving a sweet treat like cookies in my mailbox for our neighborhood's postal worker or donating a few cans of food to our local food pantry or just texting a friend to see how they are. No kindness is too big or too small, right?

What kind things will you do today?

Get Ready for a Ton of Words.

You know, because it says Hello....

Oh, hello there! I'm about to talk your ear off...er...write your eyes off...?

It's funny to me that my last post was about being present and then I disappeared for two months. Life is kind of hectic, huh? As more and more things were heaped onto my little plate of life, I kept thinking about this blog and how much I missed it. I missed updating it and connecting (or even re-connecting in some cases) with friends and other bloggers. Life has been crazy busy which makes me feel like there aren't enough hours in the day (or enough energy in this knocked up goofball) to blog, but also like I need an outlet but we'll come back to that.

So, I'm back. I'm here. I missed this place. To catch up...

Have a mentioned that life is nutty and busy and stressful and wonderful all at the same time? Work has been crazy in a good way with lots of press tours and product launches and new accounts and client events. I'm so glad, especially after last year's unknown future and bumpy career changes and general job uncertainty, to have a stable job that allows me to work at home and stay busy. It's also insane to me that I go on maternity leave in just about eleven weeks. I caught myself thinking the other day, "I'm going on maternity leave, that is SO grown up!" I guess being someone's parent is pretty grown up.

Speaking of that...things sure are changing in the Guffey household! We may or may not be super over-the-moon excited about our Babysaurus (get here faster, October) and we're making room and getting ready for our bundle. The nursery is coming along kind of perfectly and we've signed up for all sorts of crazy classes at the hospital (tours and breastfeeding seminars and the like). I'm making thousands of lists of things that I need to prep for my maternity leave and things we need to pack in the hospital bag and freezer meals/homemade cleaning supplies I need to make at the beginning of October to get us through the first month or so. Officially 29 weeks along, I am feeling lots of tiny kicks and turns and wiggles every day and with each one I get more and more excited to see the little person behind all the movement (and finally find out if Babysaurus is a boy or girl!). 

I am happier than happy to also report that about a week ago my dad was given a No Sign of Disease reading after battling (and I mean battling) colon cancer since November 2013. Though told only to close friends and family until about two weeks ago, this was a major event in my life and an experience I hope no one else has to go through. He has been such a warrior through the entire process and I am so elated to say he's done with chemo and radiation. He has one more surgery and then we're shutting the door on cancer forever (I hope).

So what's coming up next in this crazy life o' mine? Baby, of course. Rhyno was also offered a new job which we are both super excited about since there are possibilities for advancement. So there will be a bit of a scheduling adjustment since his hours and commute will be a lot different. In the next few weeks our house will undergo a bit of a deep cleaning/purge (I feel like I'm always saying that) so we can set up our baby furniture and make little diaper and feeding stations around the house. 

But let's get back to the blog and what's happening in this space. After thinking it over for months, I want to make blogging a priority again (even when life is really crazy). As time passes this summer I've found myself wishing I had documented it more thoroughly (I do document my 100 Happy Days), especially my pregnancy. I had plans of writing more letters to the babe and taking weekly bump photos but I didn't make time for it.I've decided to make this space a bit more organized and user-friendly (please be patient with me as I do that since I'm not at all techie...I've owned the rights to pskisskiss.com for two years and just don't know how to make the switch). I want to engage with readers and make this more than a ghost town.

I'm hoping with a bit more attention this space will become one of connection and a big, fat document of my life. Thanks for staying tuned.

On Being Present.

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Hi, my name is Sarah and I am addicted to multi-tasking. 

Now, I know that may not seem like a huge deal and will come in handy in a few months when I have a babe to look after but right now I'm trying to remind myself to focus. I have a lot going on--at work and just generally in my life--and sometimes I split myself between two projects to the point that I make mistakes or just feel as though I wasn't as present as I should have been. When on conference calls, I'm organizing documents while taking notes and responding to emails or IMs that come through. While writing blog posts I'm skimming Pinterest for dinner ideas and watching a movie I've been dying to see (making typos all the while). 

I'm trying harder to be present in every moment. Yes, sometimes it's impossible not to do three things at once but when it is possible to give one task my whole attention, I'm trying. I've started turning the TV off when I'm reading a book, turning away from my computer when I'm on a conference call, and I'm trying to mostly ignore my phone when I'm with friends or family instead of incessantly checking Facebook or texting other people. 

Since we live in a culture of "OMG, I'm so busy and important!" it can be easy to forget that people do deserve our attention. It's not chic to ignore those around you or be late to things or give things half your effort.

Are you addicted to multi-tasking too?

The Week Ahead.

My flowers a.k.a. my weekly love letter to myself/reminder that life is kind of gorgeous.

The week ahead promises to be a rough one, some big personal things going on that I'm very nervous about and leaving home for a few days to take care of some things (which means leaving my Rhyno with his broken wing to fend for himself).

I don't enjoy being vague, mostly because it really butters my toast when other people are, but the stories aren't really mine to tell. Just please oh please send me and my family a quick air hug--I promise I'll send one back. 

Life throws you curve balls and it's easy to begin believing there is a black cloud following you around (I succumbed to that thinking for most of 2013) but my outlook is changing, albeit with a lot of effort, and I'm trying to glue those rose-colored glasses to my face, see the flower in the vase not the dust on the table, all that. Even in the midst of a storm or worrisome times there is joy to be had and life to be loved. Last year I would have let this week send me into a pit of french fries, tears, wine, and self-pity. This year I've printed out simple stress-reducing yoga moves to do anywhere, upped my water intake (I swear hydration makes me a happier person), and am carrying around my very old copy of Taxi Driver Wisdom because it makes me smile. 

Have a good week!

Be Kind.

 

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I've been thinking about this quote a lot lately with my own situations going on. A few days ago a journalist I was working with was really rude to me and I thought, "If you knew what I have going on, you wouldn't be such an a-hole." I hope not, at least.

This whole situation, of course, made me realize that I'm guilty of being a little bit of a beast when I'm in a cranky mood--maybe I'm short with a coworker or I don't engage in polite conversation with the grocery bagger or I rip my husband a new one for something petty. I try to make an effort to be kind to people in general but I recognize that I need to try harder. Since I'm most comfortable with Rhyno I feel like he really gets the brunt of my jerkiness (I feel like that's usually the case though) so I'm trying not to vent quite so passionately to him and remember that when someone is being a real bonehead they might have a lot going on.

Oh, hey, Happy March (a couple days late)!

An Accidental Break.

I didn't mean to take a blog-break this week. It happened organically and accidentally and I didn't mind it so much. I had a busy week--sometimes LIFE does that, huh? Everything comes closing in all at once and it's hard to steal a minute away to yourself.

 Have the coolest weekend. :)

A Fresh Start and New Year.

2014 is here!

 

A great idea I swiped from my best friend--a jar to keep memories of the great things that happen through out the year. Ours is on our entryway table and cute as a button.

 

After a super fun celebration with friends last night, a smooch at midnight, and an early wake up call (thanks, Violet!) I am loving 2014 so far. I spent the day paying bills, organizing calendars, and cooking up lunches for the week. If every day of this year was like this one? I'd be a happy gal.

 

How's your first day of 2014 been so far?



Goodbye, 2013.

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I've made it no secret that I am crazy DONE with 2013. Though there were positive points, the past year was very difficult--emotionally, financially, physically, professionally, etc. It felt like it was just punch after punch. Long story short? BRING ON 2014! I am so optimistic that 2014 will be a year of change and everything wonderful.

 

So, with 2013 nearly in the rearview mirror, this year in quick review (real talk: the beginning of the year's specifics are less clear because I wasn't blogging again yet).

 

JANUARY

We rang in the New Year with a pajama party with our BFFs. Rhyno had shoulder surgery and was out of work or a few months.

 

FEBRUARY

We celebrated a low-key Valentine's Day at home.

 

MARCH

My family's dog, Banana, died. My dad had a birthday. We celebrated St. Patrick's day with tons of corned beef (for Rhyno) and beer (for both of us).

 

APRIL

We paid taxes--it was my first year as a full time freelancer doing so and holy hell, it kicked our savings account in the nuts. Our dog, Tasha's, health began to slowly decline. I began planning my first really big event for work and I did awesome.

 

MAY

My hours were severely cut at work. Rhyno went back to work.

 

JUNE

I completed the Warrior Dash and Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I signed up for both events in 2014.

 

JULY

I saw She & Him. We celebrated the Fourth of July with our BFFs. We hit the seven year mark. My mom celebrated her birthday.

 

AUGUST

Man, this was a rough one. Our beloved Tasha passed away. My business partner/best friend and I lost a dang cupcake contest. Rhyno was in Colorado for a long ass work trip.

 

SEPTEMBER

We went to a MasterChef party with some of our favorite people. Rhyno turned 31. We welcomed Violet into our little family. She thanked us for adopting her by breaking my laptop.

 

OCTOBER

This was a good one. I started freelancing a bit more. We saw Rhyno's favorite band live as a birthday gift. I turned 28. We celebrated 3 years of marriage. My sister had a birthday. We met the amazing Nick Offerman. And Halloween was rad.

 

NOVEMBER

I ran the Hot Chocolate 5K in a hot dog suit. Our basement flooded while I was under the weather. I practiced Thankful Thursdays. We received some devastating family health news. My Charlie-Bear had his first sleepover at our house. Thanksgiving was crazy delicious.

 

DECEMBER

The pajama party Progressive Dinner was full of laughter and fun. Violet and I were snow bunnies. We joined my parents for a night at the Morton Arboretum Illumination. Christmas was joyous. I purged, cleaned, and redecorated the house. I got some great work news.

 

Bring it on, 2014! Happy New Year's Eve!