That's My Son: Book Giveaway

I love to read. I read everything, from Fifty Shades of Grey, to Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy, to Divergent. I read this book called That's My Son that I loved. In my sleepless days, I ordered two of this great book. Which is not surprising because he had many nights where he slept 2-3 hours at a time up until he was about 5 months and made his transition to his own room and crib, He still has his moments on occasion. Here lately, he has become an all night sleeper. It was about time, but I am bird walking-forgive me, it is the teacher in me.

This book is a MUST READ for those of you who have a son. It was a real eye-opener for me. I, the mom who is the cuddler, coddler, and all around wuss when it comes to putting my son in potential harms way (even if that is just daddy turning him upside and saying, "Give me your milk money" to make him giggle. It still gives me the heebee geebees. I mean seriously freak me out kind of stuff that probably isn't that dangerous in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes when my husband does dare devil stuff in front of my parents I think they are going to have a heart attack and have to make Jeff stop! So, I need a lot of work on some of the ideas presented in this book. While this book was written more for a single mother, I still like some of the ideas presented. Like any book, you take the information that works for you and you discard the rest. However, I really was on board with a lot of the things that I need to do as a mother-including not being overprotective. Ummm....yea...it will be a problem.

So anyway like I said, in my sleepless days I ordered two of these somehow from Amazon. Instead of sending the extra back, I thought why not host a giveaway. So, spread the word. If you want to enter this giveaway for this extra awesome read and a gift card to Starbucks (because sometimes a 5:30 or 6:30 wake up call means an extra tall latte), just follow this blog and answer this question. What is or was your must have child rearing read or must have summer read?


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Shopping for Savannah: In My Own Closet

I have a serious shopping addiction. I love to shop; however, since my son has graced us with his presence, I never have the time or even the desire to get out and to go shopping much anymore. Usually, I am the girl who hears " trip" and runs, not walks, to the mall. This time though, I thought that I would try something different, if not almost comically unusual for me. 

As I mentioned, I have an addiction to shopping for clothes, but what is worse, I am a hoarder of new clothes. I have clothes in my closet that have been in there for years. Seriously, from in-style to out of style to back in-style again. So, I decided to shop my own closet for the trip to Savannah. I decided that my clothing options had to be brand new for me to consider it for the travel wardrobe. I am talking take the tags off of the clothing before sticking them in the bag. I made only a few exceptions to my rule as I was packing-especially in terms of the essentials and a dress or two.

Yes, I have that many clothes that have never even had the tags removed...even some....wait for it....from high school! I know that is sad. What is awesome though is that I can still wear my clothing from high school. So before I started to shop my closet, I wanted to be able to see what I had in my closet store. The first thing that I had to do was reorganize my closet. What I saw when I was finished shocked me. 

First, my closet is organized by sections: 

• dresses, 
• skirts, 
• pants, 
• capris/shorts, 
• tanks, 
• short sleeve tops, 
• quarter length, 
• long sleeve tops, 
• cardigans/ jackets ECG that go over something.

• These sections are all color coded, meaning all my blue short sleeve tops are together, or all my black pants are together or all my blue jean shorts. This makes dressing so much easier for me. Now, while I have kept my sections, I went through to pull out all the clothes with tags still on them, then organized them in the same way in their own little designated section in my newly made over closet. I also did the same thing for the clothes that I have worn this year. What was left over, (the clothes I have yet to wear-which is in the center section-shirts only) took up a huge part of my closet. But what was the most shocking was the amount of clothing items that still had tags on them. But this is a good thing for me and my endeavor to shop my closet!

As for packing, I am going to try to only pack what I am going to wear, but I do try to have one of those emergency outfits. 

When I pack, I take a look at the schedule and see what types of clothing I am going to need. Is there a possibility of it getting dirty or me getting all hot a sweaty? What kind of shoes do I need? Am I going to do a lot of walking? My rule of thumb is I need two outfits per day, one for the daily activities and one for the evening. It is a double bonus if I can transition from day to night with the correct additions or subtractions. The evening is usually a dress because I like feeling hot and sexy in my dresses. Plus, who wants shorts sticking to you in the hot, humid summer weather. 

Okay, so here is how I shopped my closet. I allowed only a couple of pieces that I had worn before. One was a dress that I took to the beach last year with me when I was pregnant. This would be the first time I have ever gotten to wear it while not looking like a beached whale, so I think that I can count that as new. Also, I packed a pair of my favorite jeans. There was only one pair that was still with tags and they were bootcut, so not right for summer. So, I did cheat a little with that a a couple of the cover-ups. But everything else was brand spanking new. Boo-Yah.

Now, you can imagine that if I love to shop, I probably also love to pack. In Jamaica, I had at least 3-5 clothing changes a day. Yes, I packed that much, there was no laundry doing on my va-kay.

So, here is how I got this ball rolling.

I chose my basics first. These were things that I knew I could use and rotate easily between other items in my travel wardrobe. So, I went with my favorite skinny jeans, a pair of black shorts, a black and white top (exact same style), a denim shirt and a white dress (although this one has flowers on it). 

Then, I added the fun stuff. I tried to stick with a color theme. The way I did it was I laid out one cardigan (a coral one) and one statement necklace (a teal one). 

The fun clothing items had to match or they didn't make the cut into the travel wardrobe. I ended up choosing a blue, white and black tie neck top, a strapless color pop top, a teal skirt...

 and a few dresses (a tropical cotton one, the stripped grey and coral one, and a tiger print dress with fun edges and the green and black one that my husband liked (one of the ones that I have had on once or twice before......

I know that this trip is going to have a formal night. I chose two dresses, one slightly fancier than the other. One is a white one shoulder (sort of) with some kind of applique down the side, while the other is a full out prom looking pink dress with no back that I love which I didn't take a picture of.

In terms of accessories, I always take way too many which ends up bad because they all get tangled and messy and then I want to heave them in the trash because I have to take time out to sort them out again. So, this time, I am going to pair way down. Usually, accessories is the last thing that I look at but this time, I used the necklace to help me decide what clothes to take. So, I only need one. However, I have decided to take a coral one too, just for interest, (I am new to this I don't need 2 suitcases full packing thing) and a fanciful one for the formal evening (so 3 necklaces total). I also picked only one bathing suit-usually I have 3-4 in my bag. I also picked out a big floppy black Ralph Lauren Hat, Black clutch, a cute crossbody that will double as a clutch if I need it too, and 4 pairs of shoes-one formal, one wedge, one comfy, and one flipflop-that I wore).

 So, there you have my packing list, and a little about my closet. How do you pack for a trip?

Teaching my Son

 TEACHING MY SON

This week, I have had to face a great fear-the thought of leaving my son. My husband and I are getting ready to take a trip-and I had to make a plan for what I wanted for him, even if I was not around to provide it for him anymore. That was one of the toughest moments of my life. I had to imagine my son growing up and me not being there to watch it. I had to imagine my son being raised by someone else. It was completely heart-breaking. It almost made me not want to go because I was afraid of not coming back, but then again, I could go to the store and not come back. I could go into school and a madman come in with a gun and not come back. Life is too full of what ifs, and I can't not do something because I am afraid of leaving my son. I wrote this for my son, Korbin Bru, and recorded it for him (along with a personal message) in a worst case scenario thing. This made me feel a little bit better, to leave a piece of myself with him. 

Pardon the drool-teething

As a teacher, I want to make sure that I teach my son as well. However, what I want you to learn is a far cry from academics, although those are very important too. I want to teach you how to be a person, a great person. I want to teach you to be the man that I searched for in my quest for happiness. I want you to be a man that takes care of your household, who works hard, and loves his family. 
I want to always encouarge you. I want you to know that there will always be one person in this world that will ALWAYS be your cheerleader. No matter what,  I will always be rooting for you. I will never put down your ideas, but instead help you cultivate them as much as possible. You will never hear me say, "There are no blue ducks," but instead, "I like that you took a risk in coloring the duck blue. I had never seen a blue duck and now I have." 
In the same regard, I want to teach you that I will always be there for you. I will always be your rock. I will always have your back. I will be behind you step-by-step. I will walk behind you as you wobble on your new shaky legs (which you are trying out as we speak). I will run behind you after those training wheels have been removed from your bike. I will stand in the door and maybe even run to the edge of the yard and watch you leave on your first date. I will help you pack your car and I will cry as I walk you to your car and watch you leave for college. I will be there in the stands cheering you on during a basketball game, or football game, or piano recital. I will be your nurse at 3 a.m. when you are sick. I will be an ear when you need one, and a disciplinarian when you need that. I promise you that I will be your everything. I will wear many hats because of you.
I want to make sure that I allow you time to be a kid. Growing up, I got outside and played. Whether it was making mud pies, or playing in my play house, or riding my bike, I enjoyed the spoils of an outdoor childhood. I got to be a kid. I had a whole drawer of what my mother called play clothes. I want my son to have those clothes that it is okay to ruin and know that mommy is not going to get mad. I know that boys are just “noise with dirt on it.” I expect your clothing to be the same.
I want to give you something to believe in. I want to give my son someone to believe in. I need to know that you have a place to turn when you needs it. I don’t ever want you to feel like you are completely alone. I know that I am not always going to be able to be around, and for my piece of mind, I need to know that you knows you will never ever, ever be alone.
I want you to know that it is okay to be sweet, kind, and gentle.There are going to be times where you cannot be tough and rough. Sometimes that might be physical and sometimes that might be emotional. I want my son to know that there are times like when you are with babies, animals, older people, or even with people’s feelings that you might need to be a little more thoughtful in your words and actions. Helping people will make you feel good about you. I want to show you that life is not all about you. Other people matter too.
I want you to know that perfection is not something that will come naturally, but will require time and dedication.The old adage of practice makes perfect is a perfect correlation. This applies to everything in life. You need to practice. I think you need to practice emergency situations, practice the piano, practice using your manners, practice speeches for school, practice practice practice.
I want to teach my son to stand against bullies and stand up for the bullied. I also want to teach you that if you are ever bullied or seeing someone who is bullied that you should fight back (never, ever throw the first punch but never back down once a punch as been thrown). And if you ever, ever, turns out to be the bully, you will find out about your mother (who was bullied to tears everyday for being an adopted)  will give you more heartache than a bully ever could. You DOES NOT want to go toe-to-toe with me.I want you learn to read but also be read to. I love to read. I want to instill that in my son. I read to you while you were in the womb, and you have a story (or 3) every night as part of your bedtime routine (You get cranky if you doesn't hear "The Little Old Lady that Swallowed the Fly). 
I want to teach you to write. I want you to write all the time. I want you to write your hopes, your dreams, your memories, your day to day life. I just want you to write. I love the idea that writing words down is a way to be present forever because writers are really transcribers of history and memories. ( I guess that this blog is my contribution to that concept). I will encourage you to write down things as well, even if it is just a record of his day or how you lived, what you thought, what was going on, what was important to you. 
I want to teach you to have manners. I want you to say “yes ma’m and no ma’m or sir”. I want you to say "please and thank you". I want you to hold open a door for people, especially a lady. I want you to be able to employ those manners even when not prompted.
I want to teach you about feelings. Specifically, I want to teach you about being able to put how you feels into words. I want you to know and understand emotions, what they are and how to properly respond to those emotions in the future. I feel that I can do that by showing and pointing out others' emotions and talking him through my own emotions and also the actions and reactions of myself and of others. 
Really, I want to teach you about how to communicate with others. I want you to be able to tell me about your day or about your feelings. I know you can't read minds, but neither can a woman. I will try to be direct in how I speak to you, as long as you understand that sometimes I will speak in "woman speak." I will be ambigious about my requests. I will say that your room's dirty and that will be your code to go clean it. It will be up to you to un-code a woman's language because quite frankly it is very different from the way you will speak. 
I want to make sure that you have the proper role models in which to learn from in his life. Your father and myself are a great place to start, but I want to you to be able to see examples of good men and women who are successful because of their education or knowledge, their determination, integrity and not because they are beautiful, or sexy, or strong, or have tons of money like in today's media. 
I want to teach you to be careful and cautious, but not overly so. You need to be able to self-protect. When it comes to people and situations, I want you to trust your instincts. Mommy always felt like she had a little me sitting on her shoulder telling her when things were wrong. Hopefully, you have that little Korbin Bru sitting on your shoulder too. Just know, when something feels wrong, it probably is. Always have a plan of action. Always know your game-plan, your exit strategy. Always be prepared for anything to happen by having a plan A, B, and C. I want you to know what to do if the ISH hits the fan. I want you to learn how to be prepared for the worst. It has been my experience that if you prepare for the worst, then what happens is never as bad as you expect. 
I want to teach you to have courage. I want you to stand by your convictions, even if it is not the popular thing. I want you to do what needs to be done, even though you might be scared, tired, or hurt.
I want you to know and learn that Mommy is going to kiss you. You will always be mommy’s little man, and I will always kiss you. Period. I kissed you as a newborn. I will kiss you on the first day of school and I will kiss you before your first date…in front of your date. Korbin Bru, I loved you first! 
I want to teach you that when all else fails, look to daddy. Daddy will show you and teach you, if you watch him. He will teach you the way to be a man. He will teach you how to treat a woman (he better do it right)! He will teach you how to pee because your mother doesn't have that kind of equipment.
I want to teach you to search for the answers to your questions. The world is an amazing place, but is also a confusing place. You will have many questions. You will ask why time and time again. Never be content with answers like because I said so. I want you to search for the answers to the questions that you have. Seek them out. Look them up. Don't sit back and wait for an answer to fall in your lap because they never do. It will be up to you to figure out the information you seek.
I want to teach you to persevere.  Be like building blocks. You can stack them as high as the ceiling and them stand strong. However, a swift wind or another person or even you could cause those blocks to crash down. It is up to you to start building the blocks back up again, because no one else is going to.
I want to teach you to use your imagination and just be creative. I want you to build forts, build spaceships, build race car tracks. Use cardboard boxes to create your favorite playspaces. Make the everyday normal items into something creative…something magical…something uniquely you. 
I want to teach you about needs and wants. I hope to be the type of parent that can provide all your needs and most of your wants.
I want to teach you how to take care of yourself. I want to make sure that my future daughter-in-law never comes to me and says, "Your son doesn't know how to do anything. He expects the little wife to do it all!" So, my son will know how to load the dishwasher, iron his clothes, do his own laundry, cook his own food and more than throwing something in the microwave or baking a frozen pizza.  I want you to just be able to take care of yourself and not rely on your future spouse to do all the work. This one is so important to me because of previous situations that I was faced with prior to Jeffrey. 
I want to teach you to lose, not just to lose but how to lose-graciously. I want you to know that it is okay to lose, but that losing does bite. Everyone is not always going to be a winner. In life, in competition, there is always going to be winners and losers. I hope that you learn to be gracious when you lose and not be a bad sport. On the flip side, I also want you to be able to win without  bragging about it. I want to be honest with you and let you know that it is okay to feel sad or disappointed when losing at something. It is just sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. The key is even though you may lose once or twice, or even a thousand times, is that you do not give up: EVER! In life, there is no scoreboard. There is nobody marking down a tic for each time you lose/fail or win/succeed. The feeling from winning or losing is fleeting. If that is all you have, then win or lose, you have nothing to begin with. Focus on something other than winning or losing. 
I want to teach you that sometimes life is unfair. You will see situations and scenarios that seem unfair. Some people get things that they don’t deserve. Some people are given money. Some people are born handsome or beautiful. Some people get cancer. Some people die, way too young. Life is not always easy or equal. We have to deal with it. I want to raise you to be the person who gets what you want enough that you know it is okay to ask for something but not so much that you always expect to get what you wants. You are not entitled in this world. You must work for everything you get. You must know that you are special, and that you are loved, but you will never be the center of the universe. I am sorry, it might be hard to hear but it is the truth and I must be honest and truthful with you my son.
I want to teach you that when you mess up, I will let you know, but I will be there to help you make sense and right your wrongs. I will be there to pick you up and dust you off when life gets you down, just like my mother did for me many times. When you need a shoulder to cry on, my shoulder is where you will find comfort. 
Speaking of crying, I want to teach you that yes you are a man, and a man can cry. I will be there when everyone else has abandoned you. I will be your constant. Just because you are a boy/man doesn't mean you can’t cry. 
I want to teach you to love the little things in life. I want you to appreciate the small things like a sunset, or the smell of a piece of dark chocolate, or the feel of your freshly washed blanket. The little things can mean so much more than big things. 
I want to teach you to be open-minded, and to be able to listen to others' thoughts and opinions and treat them with the utmost respect. I want you to be curious about others' opinions and thoughts about the world. Never take anything at face value-if you have questions-ASK! If you don't understand, ask for clarification. I want you to always be open to and prepared for a healthy debate about things that you believe in. However, I never, ever want you to put anyone else's thoughts or opinions down. You are entitled to yours and so are they. 
I want to teach you to be brave and adventurous, and to try new things. Whether it is making a new friend or trying a new type of pasta. I want you to experience life without limits (well to a certain extent). I want you to be a risk-taker. I want you to gain a greater confidence in you, which in turn will help you take the appropriate risks throughout your life. 
I want to teach you never to quit. Once you start something, you WILL finish it. Even if mommy and daddy have to stand over you. It is kind of like dinner, you must try it. You must finish it, but if you don't like it, you never have to do it again. Same goes for something like sports, you join a team, you will finish the season. If you don't like it, then you never have to do it again. 
I want to teach you to seize the day, the moment, your life. It is all so fleeting. It may seem like it moves way to slow right now, but trust me, when you get to be mommy and daddy's age, it will fly-especially when you are watching your child grow and change right before your eyes.
I want to teach you that a woman (or girl’s) heart is a fragile thing. I want you to take care with it, whether it is mine or some other female. 
I want to teach you to keep your relationships honest, straightforward, and honorable. This applies to relationships with the opposite sex, with friends, eventually with employers, and especially with us. I promise you, you will always go a lot farther, especially with us, if you keep our relationship purely simple. Lies just complicate things, and tend to catch up with you in the end.
I want to teach you to think things through. I want you to realize that every action has a reaction and consequences to face-good or bad. I want you to realize that something as simple as hunting for Bambi has consequences, maybe not necessarily for you, but for others as that means that could be some dear's mother or father, son, or daughter, brother or sister. I want you to be able to look at different perspectives and points of view and realize that what you do, the actions and choices you make are not just going to effect you.
I want to teach you that humans have flaws, even you, even your parents, but we love each other anyway. Sometimes, the flaws are what makes us interesting. 
Finally, I want to teach you that even if you are the biggest screw-up (we hope that is not the case), and make mistake after mistake (or have success after success), your parents will always love you. We may not always love or agree with your actions or decisions but we will ALWAYS love you. Nothing in this world could ever change that.

I want to teach you to work as well as play. Working is how you will provide for your future family. Work, even at an early age, (yes this means you will have chores) helps to develop a strong work ethic and a sense of responsibility. 

I want to teach you how to manage the money that you earn from your work. I want to teach you that money doesn't grow on trees. I want you to realize the value of a dollar and how much work you have to do for that dollar. I want to show you how to budget and save for those things that you want. 

I want to teach you that laughter can be the best medicine in the world. You need to be able to laugh. Laughing keeps you young, even if that means laughing at yourself from time to time. 

Speaking of words, I want you to learn to use your words carefully. Choose them wisely. They have a lot more power than people give it credit for. They can cut like knifes or heal broken hearts. They have the power to make someone's day or break someone's heart. Watch them. Once they leave your mouth, you can never take them back. You want to make sure that you never want to eat your words.

I want to teach you to be dependable. I want you to be a person that others know that you can be counted for. I want your word to mean something. I want the country idea that your word and a handshake means just as much as a legally binding contract. 

I want to teach you that lies tend to snowball. The problem is you have to keep telling another lie and then another to cover up the first. Eventually even you may not remember the truth. It is easier, and a lot less complicated to just be honest and truthful from the get go. I don't care about what. I always want you to know you can tell me anything, even if you think I will be mad or upset at you. I promise you, I will be more upset if I find out you lied to me about something when you could have chosen to tell me the truth. 

I want to teach you to be trustworthy. This quality is so hard to get back once it has been damaged. I want to know that I can count on you to stand beside me or anyone else you care about, even if it is difficult. 

I actually just finished reading a book called "That's My Son." It is a must read for momma's of little boys. Stay tuned for a giveaway!

Have no clue why the writing is all different and there are highlights and junk. It isn't like that when I type it. GRRR.

Barefoot's Stuffed Peppers

·         6 green bell peppers or multi colored-your preference (blanched)
·         1/2 tablespoon olive oil
·         1/2 cup chopped onion
·         1 /2 cup mushrooms (optional-but I love them and usually use more like a cup)
·         1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (make sure it is not the no salt kind or be prepared to add some sea salt or something to combat the TANG)
·         1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce (next time I will used the Hunts Brand that has seasonings in it)-if you like more sauce you can add another can-which I Do!
·         1 clove garlic, crushed ( I will double this as well as I like more of a garlic flavor)
·         1 teaspoon oregano
·         1 teaspoon basil
·         1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
·         1/2 teaspoon onion power
·         2 teaspoons salt
·         1 teaspoon ground black pepper
·         1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
·         1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
·         1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice or quinoa
·         shredded mild Cheddar cheese, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, optional (It is best if you shred your own so you don’t get any of those nasties they use in the pre-shredded cheeses)

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cut tops off peppers then remove the insides. You can chop up the usable parts of the tops to use. Rinse peppers in cold water and place in a large pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain peppers and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté chopped onion, chopped of pepper tops, and chopped mushrooms for about 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, ground beef, cooked rice, and 1-2 cups of the tomato mixture. Mix well. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and place in a baking dish. Pour remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers. 

Bake at 350° for 1 hour.  Top stuffed peppers with a little Cheddar cheese right before peppers are done; bake until cheese is melted.

Tip: Sometimes you might want to baste the peppers with the sauce every 15 minutes or so, until they are tender.

 

Get Your "Shine" On- Sunshine that is!

It is official. My son loves to be outside. He is like me so much when it comes to being outdoors. I could be outside all the time; I could live out there if there was a nice comfy bed. But alas, there is not and as you can see there are no trees for a hammock. The fact that he loves to be outside so much makes me want to make our backyard into a haven for us since I know that we will be spending a lot of time out there. 

Our very, very plain backyard. But that makes it a perfect canvas to create what I want!

When I first purchased the house, I decided to have a fence put around the back and side yard. It was the first house in the fairly small neighborhood and the property went right up to a fairly busy well-traveled road. Amazing, you can't hear the traffic from inside the house. I just thought I needed a little privacy. Now, I am so glad that I did the whole fence thing, especially in terms of the dog having open reigns and now Korbin can run free-well, when he can actually run. 

Then, last year, we added a pool (this year, we are adding the deck). My husband is one of those guys that never likes to be in debt for anything, so we have to have the money upfront to do/buy what we want or we wait. Credit and all that can get you into too much financial trouble in his eyes. Plus, he is frugal...lol.

I have my whole little haven mapped out in my head. I think I know exactly what I want to go where. I just want to make it a perfect little play space for my little man. See how happy he is to be outside? We never get smiles like this while we are stuck inside the house. 

So, I must give this little face a space to play. I am thinking this Backyard Beach would be a great idea. I even like the fact that it has the little garden around it. I really wanted a nice space for my son but I also have wanted a little space for myself to have some herbs and plants. I can even see a little paved area beside of it for me to have a place to sit.

In my blank canvas of a backyard, I have this idea that I want to create. I am thinking that we should have a fir-pit (for s'mores), a built-in outdoor kitchen (already have the design plan in mind from a book I bought at Lowes years ago), and a little space carved out for me to sit and read a book and have a glass of ice tea or whatever. I have an old table for two that was my grandmother's. It is an ugly green color, and I want to make it a vibrant, fun color. It is on my must do list this summer. We have a lot of the major pieces for the pieces that I want to incorporate, but are just waiting for the time. These things are what I think could truly transform this blank space that we currently call our backyard. This little face is too cute not to make happy.

I WANNA PLAY!

The Upcoming Holidays: A Traveler's Delight

So over the course of the next few months we have lots going on. We just finished up Memorial Day last week and our next big holiday is the Fourth of July. In the upcoming months, we also have some big things going on. In June, we have Jeffrey's 10 year military unit reunion in Savannah, GA (actually Richmond Hill-but I had never heard of that).

We are so excited for that trip. I adore Savannah, and I am anxious to meet the men and women who served with my husband. They have some awesome activities scheduled including a photo session, formal night and dance, so you better believe that I am on the lookout for that perfect attire. (Unless I take something from my closet that still has the tags on it, which is very possible as I know there is a bright pink gown that has a low back that might just be the one). It would be perfect for the formal night and hopefully a private carriage ride that my husband would be sweet enough to arrange. HINT TO MY HUSBAND!

I love to travel and as soon as I know I am going somewhere, I begin to pack. I can't help it-it is the planner in me. I warden off a section in my closet to hold all the items that I might possibly want to take-probably enough for a whole month even if I am only going to be gone a day or two! Then, I start weeding through it little by little or adding in new pieces and substituting out others until about a week before we travel. More about my packing style in an upcoming post.

This summer, we are also planning a family vacation to take Korbin Bru to the beach, probably just to Myrtle Beach. Although, I was trying to convince everyone to do someplace that we could fly to quickly. I think I would rather tackled an hour in the air, rather than HOURS in a vehicle. A flight wouldn't throw his schedule all out of whack. All that time in a vehicle might. I will definately be doing a search on tips and trciks of traveling both ways. My parents are planning to go with us too because they want to see his reactions to the sand and ocean. This is a great thing because for one, Korbin loves his Gamma and Papa, and two they will be glad to stay in and watch him after bedtime so my husband and I can go for a stroll on the beach or  even go out for a while. (I hear Broadway at the Beach calling my name). That is very exciting to think that there might be time to squeeze a little couple time out of a family vacation!

Note: Pictures are not mine; however, I hope to come home with pictures of these things while in Savannah.