Lazy Woman's Ways to go Green Part 2

A few other things I did yesterday to help make a tiny impact...

Never drove my car.

We walked to the big neighborhood pool. Not only was this great exercise and saved some money and energy on gas, we also saved water by using the pool that was already set up rather than our baby pool at home.

So just a few more ideas on how to green up your days in small ways.

Lazy Woman's Way to Go Green

Most of us are looking for ways to go green and be even a little bit more environmentally-friendly. Well, in my summer laziness, I have realized that I have done a few things that help without even meaning to.

For example, in our bathroom, we have a light with three bulbs. About a week ago, one of them burnt out and I just haven't gotten around to changing it. But look, I saved lots of energy!

The drain in our bathroom sink seems to be a little slow. I have tried several times to pull out the stopper to clean it out but haven't been able to get it and am afraid I'll break it (need to ask Dennis for help). In the meantime, I have cut down on my water consumption so as not to fill the sink.

Yesterday, Olive and I were walking with our neighbors for exercise. We needed to go to the grocery and were walking right by it so instead of having to make a separate trip (and loading up the car, kid in the carseat etc.), we just stopped on our way back. This also meant we brought our super sturdy reusable bags because the plastic just wouldn't cut it to walk home with.

So, if you're lazy sometimes, don't beat yourself up - you may even be doing something great for the environment!

Tuesday's Tip

Eliminate those people, places, and things in your life that bring you down.

I have a hard time letting go of things. I'm too sentimental. I hold on to things much too long. But now it's time to say goodbye to things that you just don't need. There's no reason to keep friends, lovers, jobs, houses, etc. that you just don't like anymore.

Today I said goodbye and let something go that I held on to for much too long and you know what, it feels great. I feel liberated.

So go ahead and take that step and eliminate the negative things that you have control over. You will be surprised what it will do for your state of mind.

Bumps and Bruises

As a parent, it's really hard to see your kids get injured. The intellectual side of you says, "accidents happen" and "kids will be kids" and "it's all a part of growing up" and all those other cliches...but let me tell you, it does not make it easier. Especially when you have a daredevil who sometimes seems intent on trying to make you go prematurely gray with her tactics and adventuresomeness (is that a word?? if not, Olive has created it). Anyway, this weekend while we were sitting playing with Olive (3 adults - me, Dennis, and his mom), she ran smack into the door frame, resulting in a big goose egg on her forehead. Ouch! But didn't seem TOO bad and faded away fairly quickly. Then, this morning, as we were getting out of the car at the park to go to a birthday party, Olive tumbles out and hits the pavement, and now has a big purple bruise smack in the middle of her forehead. This poor child!! I was in tears and totally upset. She cried for about 10 seconds, then saw some kids on bikes and started crying for a different reason - "I wanna ride my bicycle!" Are you kidding me??? I was so upset over this fall and she wants to ride a bike!?!? Hours later, I was still upset by this, but she is a tough little cookie. Tougher than me, that's for sure. I could learn a few things. But it's never easy to see your child hurt and the big purple spot on her head is a constant reminder of her injury, breaking my heart again and again and again.

Fun with Friends and Family

Dennis' mother is in town visiting and today we were lucky enough to go to a FANTASTIC park (Burke Lake Park) and play on the playground, run around, ride on the train and carousel, and eat a yummy lunch. We were joined by some of the greatest moms and kids around so just thought we'd share a few pictures. Unfortunately, didn't get many good ones nor did I get pics of everyone but this will give you some idea of the great morning we had! TGIF!

FREEBIE!!!! GIVEAWAY!!!

My dear friends over at Pixie Bows are doing a giveaway for this cute little clip! All you have to do is enter to be eligible to win.

The girls at Pixie Bows are two of my closest friends, who happen to make outstanding hair accessories (they make up about 95% of what Olive wears in her hair, and she ALWAYS has a bow in her hair!) Their products are superior in quality but they are also unique, cute, and different. Go register to win and read about their journey as they reconnect cross-country to rebuild their business.

Their official website will launch in October but in the meantime, you can order some of their earlier designs at my site, little pink pansy.

Wishing you and your kids happy hair days!

Book Review: The Chic Mom's Guide to Feeling Fabulous

The Chic Mom's Guide to Feeling Fabulous

by Nina Sutton

I just finished reading this handy little guide about how to be both a mom and chic. Both? you may ask. Is it possible to be both chic and a good mom? The answer is yes.

Nina Sutton is a beauty and fashion expert and mother of two who tells us how we can keep up our chic side - we do not have to sacrifice it to be a mommy!

This is a quick read guide with some tips and inspiration to help you feel your best, which also makes you a better mother (bonus!). There are chapters on skincare, makeup, hair care, fitness, nutrition, style, friends, professional lives, romance, kids, cooking, finance, and attitude. She gives you recommendations for keeping yourself looking and feeling your best, even when you are exhausted from the day-to-day grind of life with kids. She shows you at-home tips in case you don't have time or money to go to the spa or gym. It also includes a few simple recipes for quick mid-week dinners for the whole family. She includes tips from experts in all these fields but since beauty and fashion are her background, these chapters are a bit more in-depth. I think this is a guide that helped me remember that I deserve to look and feel my best too and this will be one that I will look at many times in the future to remember her skincare tips or quick and easy exercises.

Nina has also created a fantastic website called Deals for Divas. There are lots of things here that will help you look and feel your best for a fraction of the price (deals, coupons, etc.). This is definitely a page worth bookmarking.

To learn more or order the book, click here. You can be a chic mom too!

Tuesday's Tips

Wear a daily moisturizer with sunscreen built-in.

Sounds obvious, right? Well, I am just now getting around to doing this myself. Olive and I are outside so much and while it's easy to remember to spray down her precious little skin with sunscreen, mine doesn't always get the same attention. So I decided that I'd start using a daily facial moisturizer with a built-in SPF so if I didn't get around to putting some on me, at least I'd have some protection. There are many different facial moisturizers that include sunscreen. Many are SPF 15, which is better than nothing, but in my opinion, maybe not quite enough for the summer months. Mary Kay makes a tinted moisturizer with an SPF of 20 (see here) which I like because it saves a step - it's foundation and moisturizer and sunscreen all rolled into one. I use this one a lot, but have also just found these Neutrogena Healthy Defense ones with Helioplex, which is supposed to be really good for helping to fight the UVA and UVB rays. It's available in SPF 30 and 45 (pictured). I bought mine at Ulta and Wal-Mart, but is also available at Drugstore.com or probably just about anywhere you normally buy cosmetics (though the 45 is a little harder to find). If I can ever use up the mass quantities of great lotions that I have, I will also start using a daily body moisturizer with an SPF. Most of these are 15 but 15 is better than nothing, and is great for the daily in/out that most people do.

Have a healthy and happy summer!

Water Park - here we come!

Today Olive and I are going with some friends to a water park designed for the little guys. Really looking forward to it - haven't been swimming as much as I'd like to this summer. Will update later on how this trip goes!

Happy Monday

Addicted to my computer

HELP!

I think I am addicted to my computer.

As a mom who is in her own home with a young child for 21-22 hours each day, I need a computer as my lifeline to the outside world. Phone calls are not so easy...Olive usually uses that time to begin screaming or start devious little tricks that she thinks she can get away with because I might not be paying attention. Plus, I'm not really a phone person anyways - email is SO much easier.

But it's not just email that has me sucked in... Once I started these blogs, I'm totally addicted to blogging and to reading other blogs and networking. Ok, speaking of networking, I have a couple of friends who joined one of the networking sites (I won't say which) and they got me into it (along with Dennis' help) so now I'm totally sucked in to that too (which I must admit, is really fun).

I guess the best part about the computer is that it's always available...so I can contact business associates at 9pm on Sunday night (as I'm doing now) or 6am Monday morning (as I'll be doing tomorrow) and think nothing of it.

It's the best way to keep in touch with so many people and do so many things. It's the essential tool for any multi-tasker. And it helps keep me organized - for example, I just sent out an evite to see if some friends wanted to go to the park this week - this helps me keep track of who's said yes and no. What could be easier?? My mind is too filled to be able to remember everything so I need Excel, Evite, Email, etc. to help me. But it is also just plain fun.

Creepy Kids Shows Part Deux

Ok, now I feel like a real jerk...

I got a post on my Creepy Kids Shows from a user named "Sleepless Tyrant" and he claims that it says, "Foofa...she's pink and happy"... well that makes A LOT more sense. She is pink and she is happy. But I swear, Dennis & I have blasted the TV a few times trying to see if that really says what we thought...but now I will watch and sing along with "pink and happy". That makes me all pink and happy too.

Have a great weekend!

Creepy Kids Shows

There are several kids shows these days that I think are, well, a bit creepy. One of these shows is Yo Gabba Gabba, a new program on Nick Jr. There are good lessons during the show, but I'm still not sure I understand the premise. There is this super flamboyant guy (DJ Lance, actually a pretty likeable character) who has this little suitcase filled with these weird little creatures. He takes them out and they dance and play. Then they also show real kids dancing around and participating in Atari-style video games. They have this guy "Mark" who does bizarre drawings and also usually have a guest dancer (like Elijah Wood, Tony Hawk, etc.). Olive's favorite part is "Cool Tricks" where a kid displays some fun trick or talent they have. The show is not bad, it's just weird. All the clothes etc. look like it was a show from the 70's. And everyone seems a little trippy and perhaps stoned. But my biggest concern is that in the introduction song, they say, "This is Fufa...she's freakin' happy" - WHAT????????? She's freakin' happy???? I once said that in HIGH SCHOOL and was grounded. "Freakin'" is a bad word, isn't it?? I don't think it's something we should be teaching our children. I really have a problem with this. However, as weird as the show is, it does have some good songs and lessons that Olive loves like "Try it, you'll like it" (about snacks, not drugs...at least I think...), songs about brushing your teeth, sharing, "Don't bite your friends", and others. So when the intro song is on, I always talk over or sing over that part with my own lyrics. Granted, she's not quite 2 years old (and some would argue that she shouldn't be watching tv - these are the people without kids), but I don't want her hearing that. I find it extremely inappropriate.

Another show Olive likes is Max & Ruby. Overall, this is a pretty good show and Olive really likes Max, who is the younger bunny brother and quite a rascal (like Olive). Ruby is his annoying older sister. The only problem I have with this show (besides Ruby being annoying) is that there are no parents. Ruby takes care of Max and takes him with her everywhere (including to Bunny Scout campouts, when she "babysits" Baby Huffington - a neighbor baby bunny - and while she flirts with this other bunny that her and her friend Louise have a crush on). Their grandma is in the show occasionally, but they do not live with her. They never show the parents or even mention them. When Dennis & I watch this with Olive (she sometimes watches it before bedtime), we always complain about the lack of parental supervision. It's weird and I think that while these shows are geared towards kids and having them be independent, at least in the other shows, they show the parents sometimes and the kids can always go to them for help. I don't like these absentee bunnies.

Lazy Town is another super bizarre show. I have not watched it enough to have any idea what it's about, but the characters themselves just give me the heebie jeebies. Look at them!! I saw a few minutes of it the toher day and was so weirded out by it that I turned it off. Of course Olive said, "Lazy Town, Lazy Town" but nope, I just think this is too odd. I prefer the good 'ole cartoons, not these half-humans, half clay-mation or whatever they are. Too weird for me. But if you want to know more about it, click on these two sites: 1 and 2.

Book Review: Chesapeake by James A. Michener

Chesapeake by James A. Michener

I have (finally) finished reading this great book. I started it 9 long months ago. To give you a brief history... last year for Olive's 1st birthday, we had a trip to Ocean City, MD with the grandparents and on the way there, we crossed the Chesapeake Bay. My dad recalled a great book he had read many years ago and suggested I read it. In October, I went home to Florida and he had a copy waiting for me. Hence, I started reading this epic novel.

I have never read anything else by Michener but know he is a renowned author with lots of great works. What makes them so interesting is that while they are technically fiction books, the historical details are accurate and he does immense research before writing each book. When I read this book, I couldn't stop marveling at how much time it must have taken to research all this.

This story drafts the history of the Chesapeake region all the way from the early Native Americans in the 1500s to recent times (late 1970s, when the book was written). It essentially follows a few main families through the centuries and the changes in the region. It's a very long book (1000 pages) but shouldn't have taken me so long to read. Don't misunderstand though - it is not because I didn't like it - I really did. In fact, as I read the last few pages today, I realized that I will be sorry to say goodbye to these families.

I learned so much about the rich history of this area and made me yearn for the rugged landscape of the place where I grew up - where lots of land is still "wild" and uninhabited by humans. It made me appreciate nature and the delicate balance of it. It also revamped an interest in history and in particular in the period of time around the Civil War (which made the trip to Harpers Ferry, WV last weekend even that more interesting to me). In Chesapeake, there are several chapters that take place in and around the Civil War era, both from the perspective of slaveowners and of slaves. It actually renewed in me that vicious anger I feel towards white Americans of the time - how could anyone think that slavery was acceptable?? And how terribly tragic that these poor men and women and even children were taken from their homes in Africa and brought here so lazy people didn't have to do the hard work? And then they had no options for their lives - their families were often ripped apart, they were sometimes subjected to inhumane conditions, and on top of all this, they didn't have a choice. I find this so sad that I am brought to tears. But that's for another post...

I thought this book was interesting and most people would probably get something from it. While I often didn't understand some of the language, the overall messages got through. If you have any interest in sailing or hunting (which I do not), this will be of even more interest (but still great even if you don't care about those things.)

If you have ever travelled to the region or plan to in the future, or just have an interest in reading something other than chick lit, pick this one up. You will have a renewed spirit and simplicity and you might even learn a little something too.

To order it, click here.

Hooked on Hollywood

Every now and again, I buy into the celebrity stuff and when I do, I get totally sucked in! It's really quite addicting but I think the reason why is because it's great to see these super-rich and famous people have normal life problems and let's be honest - to sometimes see them not looking their best ;).

Here are my latest finds...

http://www.gilmoregirlsnews.com/

That's right - a blog dedicated to Gilmore Girls news!!!

"Didn't they go off the air several years ago?" you might ask. Yes, they did, but apparently someone has enough time to dig up anything they can find on the show and the actors and posts it here. The most recent post was yesterday so it's still current! But kinda neat b/c it shows all the actors' latest news.

Tori & Dean...Home Sweet Hollywood

So last night I started watching this show and was totally hooked! Dennis came in and started laughing at me for watching it but I was too busy shh!!-ing him to listen. I was surprised at how much I actually liked and respected Tori Spelling, but not just that, her husband Dean was a total gem. He is so in love with her and goes so far out of his way to support and please her - it was just very sweet. Not to mention that I saw the episode with their son (Liam's) 1st birthday party and they look like such good parents. Now she's about to have Baby #2 (a girl). It was just way better than I thought. Check it out.

Denise Richards - It's Complicated

Ok, I'll admit...I've watched this a few times too and it's actually pretty good. I saw an episode where she was doing a girls night with her friends and was talking about how to get back out there now that she's a single mom. You never think of the stars as being lonely or being "single moms" but I'm sure it's tough, no matter how much you have going for you. She is a little ditzy at times but still fun to watch. And I was a little excited that she was at Tori Spelling's son Liam's birthday party last night. I feel a part of the inner circle! ;-) Ha!

Hope you have a Hollywood-rific day!

One Word Answers

I read about this on another blog (Monkey Business) and she got it from another mom's blog (My Name is Boom). It's sort of a fun twist on the old email surveys (which my friends can confirm that I absolutely love those - they always put me as the most likely to respond). In fact, I really like any sort of survey, but I digress. Anyway, this one is to be answered with only one word answers. It's not as easy as it looks. Try it for yourself, then post a comment with a link to yours. It's pretty fun...

1. Where is your cell phone?........Bedroom
2. Your significant other? .........Out
3. Your hair? ........Ponytail
4. Your mother? ........Loving
5. Your father? ........Kind
6. Your favorite time of day? ........Afternoon
7. Your dream last night? ........Weird
8. Your favorite drink? ........Tea
9. Your dream goal? ........Entrepreneur
10. The room you’re in? ........Messy
11. Your ex? ........Tall
12. Your fear? ........SIDS
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? ........Florida
14. What you are not? ........Organized
15. Your Favorite meal? ........Chocolate
16. One of your wish list items? ........Massage
17. The last thing you did? ........Cleaned
18. Where you grew up? ........Florida
19. What are you wearing? ........Shorts
20. Your TV is? ........Off
21. Your pets? ........Dog
22. Your computer? ........Lifeline
23. Your life? ........Enjoyable
24. Your mood? ........Relaxed
25. Missing someone? ........Yes
26. Your car? ........Big
27. Something you’re not wearing? ........Socks
28. Favorite store? ........Loft
29. Your summer? ........Fun
30. Your favorite colour? ........Blue
31. When is the last time you laughed? ........Tonight
32. When is the last time you cried? ........Hmmm....
33. Your health? ........Good
34. Your children? ........Perfect
35. Your future? ........Bright
36. Your beliefs? ........Strong
37. Young or old? ........Young
38. Your image? ........Unsure
39. Your appearance? ........Preppy ??
40. Would you live your life over again knowing what you know? Yes

Tuesday's Tips

If you live in Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, DC, or West Virginia, get yourself to a California Tortilla location today as they are offering free food for kids. See details below, listed on their website.

Cal Tort won best kids casual dining in Washingtonian Magazine Best of Online Poll. To celebrate, Tuesday, July 15th is Kids Eat Free Day. For each adult entrée purchase up to 2 Kids (age 10 or younger) get to eat for free! For each Kids meal we give away we will give a meal to Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic. For more information about them, follow this link.

So think of all the ways you win with this one:

1. You don't have to cook.

2. You don't have to clean up.

3. You are helping donate to a great cause.

4. You don't have to pay for that half-eaten kids meal.

5. You don't have to cook.

6. Did I mention that you don't have to cook?

See you later with a tortilla in hand!!

No room to roam

Lately I've felt very cooped up.


Living in the DC area, space is at a minimum. My house is small, my bathroom is eensy teensy, the aisles in the grocery store are tight, and parking spots - forget about it! Really, the parking spots and size of driving lanes here are extremely narrow. I have a big car and I really feel how tight these are. In fact, I've kept Olive's carseat in the middle of the backseat b/c I never know if I'll be able to get in/out of one side of my car so keep her there so I can pick the less cramped side to get her out. The sidewalks around our neighborhood are small and within our neighborhood, there's not much room to walk b/c it's right by all the parking lots. I feel crowded and cramped everywhere I go.

This weekend we visited Harpers Ferry, WV, a beautiful place, and on the drive there, we saw open fields and homes with yards and we were in awe - "this is soooo beautiful" we gawked. Well, yes, it is, but we are also just in amazement that not every single inch is covered in concrete and that people could afford a modest home with land, a place for the kids and dogs to play. We discussed how we feel like it's a trade-off here...either you live closer into town in a teeny tiny house and make it "convenient" to get to work (ie only an hour or so commute) or you live further out and have a great big house and yard but a ridiculously long commute. Is it really overly greedy to want both?? Unfortunately, we are not multi-millionaires who can afford both in this area. But some days I get frustrated with the crampiness of it all and just wish there were a place where I could run free and twist around with my arms outstretched and sing and scream and have no one hear me! I think the zen I felt in Florida evaporated so quickly b/c the pace of life here and the lack of open space makes me feel like a caged animal and it does not always bring out the best in me. Perhaps one day things will be different but it certainly makes me appreciate the beauty of nature and the relaxed way of life.

It's Friday - where did the week go??

Every Friday morning, my mom sends me an email with the subject "TGIF" (Thank God It's Friday). I love and look forward to these emails.

But this week I'm wondering - where did the week go?? It's not like we were really all that busy, it just seems to have flown by. The beginning of the week was rough. Olive is getting four new monster teeth and has been a bit of a terror while she's in pain but by yesterday, she has been the cutest, sweetest little thing in the world, making for fun and relaxed days.

I'm excited for the weekend...no real plans. Think we're going to Harper's Ferry tomorrow morning. We've never been and it looks to be a good weekend excursion. Other than that, we'll just be transitioning Olive into her big-girl bed (finally got the rails, yippee, and a video monitor that is just loads and loads of entertainment) and catching up on some Weeds episodes on Netflix. Guess I will also maybe finally get around to cleaning the office a bit... it's still a mess!

Have a great one!!

Book Review: Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald

Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald

My book club met last night to discuss this story and it was unanimous that everyone liked it. As usual, we spent more time chatting about everything else than about the book, but it was definitely a great read. The plot in a nutshell - a young Persian woman comes to the US in hopes of finding a husband here with citizenship so she can stay. She bunks with her sister and brother-in-law, who do everything in their power to set her up with a nice Iranian man who she can marry. This is a girl's quest for independence and freedom - things that are not common in Iran, especially for a woman. Although it's a light-hearted read, it really does point out how free we truly are here in America and how much we take it for granted. You will fall in love with the cast of zany characters and feel her pain as she makes difficult decisions about her future. Pick up a copy today - click here. You won't be disappointed.

Buried under the mess

AAAHHH!!! I'm drowning in mess!!

I'm in the midst of too many projects as once (don't I always do that??) I am cleaning out my closet, Olive's closet, Olive's room, and my office all at one time. What's happened in the process is that my office has become the dumping ground and is just a big pile of junk. I should take before and after pictures but I'm too embarassed. It's awful. I really need to just do one project and finish it but hasn't happened yet. Need to finish up the closets first maybe, then tackle this huge one with stuff everywhere. It ends up in here b/c I can close the door, but when I'm in here, I'm a little nuts. So, I must clean my office! Need a few solid hours to do it (esp when Olive is not in bed as it is next to her room and don't want to be too loud) but if I disappear and no one can find me, tell the police to search in my office - I am likely buried underneath something that probably doesn't even belong in here! ;-) Hope you're having a great Wednesday!

Tuesday's Tips

Don't buy a convertible crib unless you're sure you can get the conversion rails.

I'm frustrated.

Olive has the bed pictured here. It's very pretty and is supposed to be a 4-in-1 bed (crib, toddler bed, day bed, and full-sized bed). I had these grand illusions of her having this bed for the rest of her life because it's so beautiful and the bonus is - hey, all you have to do is get the conversion rails and eventually, a full-sized mattress. Plus, it was a gift from her grandmother and how special is that?? That's all fine and well except now little Olive has taken to climbing out of her bed so it's time for the toddler bed rails. I ordered them in March and here it is, 4 months later, and I still do not have them. Apparently they are discontinued and this makes it quite difficult to get them. I finally got a nice guy at Baby Depot (where we bought the bed) to locate them for me and have them shipped to my local store. This was a week ago. They were shipped from a town just an hour or two away. After about 12 phone calls to my store trying to find ANYONE who could help (my guy hasn't been there and no one knows when he'll be there, they are all clueless) as well as someone who actually speaks English (I have found 2 now) and still NOTHING. Apparently, they have been shipped from the other store so hopefully they'll arrive today or tomorrow (and hopefully they will be the right item) and we can assemble the bed. But now I'm wondering if I need to go ahead and order the full-size conversion rails (I didn't want to jump her right to a full-sized bed - it would be too high I think, plus her room is too small). We were going to just take off the front rail and let it be a day bed, but she's a pretty restless and flippy sleeper and this bed is a little higher than the standard toddler bed. We may have to do that if these rails never come! Anyway, just my tip... If you decide to go with a convertible crib, go ahead and buy all the rails up front. And also note that in a bed like this one, the front rail is lower than the back and not so hard for a crafty toddler to scale out of, even at the lowest setting. (Olive did it for the first time around 17 months)

Pixie Bows blog

Two of my favorite people in the world are also some of my best suppliers for my business. They make the most adorable hair bows and accessories. They have been in business for several years, working side-by-side making bows and attending craft shows. However, a little over a year ago, Sharon relocated from Georgia to California and they decided to dissolve the business. Sharon continued making bows and other great items such as tutus while Holly became a mommy again to a darling little boy. But it seemed that the universe was pulling them back into business together so they have rejoined forces and made it a bi-coastal venture. Since they will no longer be able to easily attend events together, they are creating a wonderful new website with some standard designs for hair bows, flower clips, and other great hair accessories. I can't wait for this site to be launched ~ target date is October. In the meantime, they have set up a great new blog to discuss their business progress. I still have lots of bows left over from their previous collections and they can be found here. Just as soon as their new collection is complete, I assure you that they will be up on the Little Pink Pansy site. Their bows are probably our biggest seller - they're a huge hit and almost all customers are repeat customers. So browse at what we have now and be on the lookout for what's to come in the future. And check out their cute blog. Yay for moms and friends making their business dreams come true!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Hope you're enjoying this Independence Day and spending some fun time with family and friends. It's great to be free!

Here are some pics of us this morning at a local parade with some friends!

Friends, Friends, Friends

I couldn't live without my friends.





I am blessed to have many different friends, and when I say different, I really do mean different. Each one of my friends is certainly unique. I admire some friends for their ability to see the world in black and white and innately know the right thing to do while I admire others for their ability to see all sides and points of view. I admire some of my friends for their dedication to their careers and others for their dedication to their families. Some are good listeners while others are good talkers. Some always tell you what you should do and others always ask what they should do. I have single friends, married friends, and friends with kids. I have older friends and I have younger friends. I have friends that I keep up with mostly face-to-face, some who I only correspond with by email, and a few who I only contact via telephone. I have friends who are very into fashion and others who live in an old t-shirt. I have friends that I admire for how amazingly clean their houses are and others that I admire because their houses are not perfect. I really feel blessed to have so many different wonderful women in my life. However, the fact that all my friends are different is also a source of contention for me. At 29, I don't have a "best friend" or even a group of best friends. I have in the past but these friendships have fizzled or just become more distant over time as lives evolve in different directions. There's nothing wrong with this except that I wish I had that one friend or couple of friends with whom I always knew exactly what was going on with them - what good and bad things happened that day, when they are going on vacation, the argument they had with their spouse or child or the guy who ran the redlight. These are the things I feel I sometimes lack...that total true connection to someone who will love you no matter what and not judge you for the days your hair is a mess or your kid acts up. The friend with whom you can share those not-so-pleasant truths about yourself or commiserate about your husband's forgetfulness when it comes to replacing the toothpaste cap or just to vent about life's little frustrations. I love and cherish all my friends very much but hope that someday, one or many of these friendships will evolve into something more permanent and more personal. I do have a couple of friends that are very much like this - but they are long distant and I also want very much the local friend that pops by unannounced (however, living in DC, these types of friendships are uncommon). I have been wanting to post on this topic for awhile but after going to see Sex and the City last night with a friend, I felt today was the right time. In any case - to all my friends - thanks for being a special part of my life. I love the diversity and fun of my friends and couldn't live without you.

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