word{less} wednesday

It's a little past 2 am...and I am wide awake. I've been in bed for a few hours already, but had no such luck at getting some sleep. I started making excuses as to why I can't sleep.

Maybe it was the Starbucks chai tea latte I had at 8pm.

No. It was decaf.

Maybe I had a nap today and my "mommy mind" totally forgot?

Hmm, no. 

Maybe I simply have too much on my mind...

Did my son eat enough today?

Was his nap long enough?

Did I spend enough one-on-one time with him?

No, just the daily mommy worries. 

Truth is, I've been having this insomnia problem ever since I quit my job and became a stay-at-home mom. When I was working, there wasn't a day that I couldn't stay up past midnight. My body was on a routine sleep schedule and I enjoyed it. I miss it. Now my nights are unpredictable. I've become the Night Owl I once was before I had my son. 

So I'm sitting here in bed, listening to the soft sound of snores, wishing I was in a deep slumber as well. 

Ok, enough rambling. On to Wordless Wednesday...


{I had originally put two pictures of quotes, but I figured those weren't really "wordless" to say the least. This is my newly updated picture.}

a musical friday night

My weekend kicked off with a Sade & John Legend {my fave!} concert. I'd seen {and met} John Legend before so I knew he was going to put on a great show...and he didn't disappoint. Amazing as ever! Now with Sade, I only knew a handful of her songs...but she was awesome. It's great to see that at her age, she's still got it! 

Both of them have a very distinct voice and that's what I love about them. It's so refreshing to see a concert where the artist sings all of their songs live and can STILL sound like they do on their CD. Seriously, where can you find that nowadays?

My favorite John Legend song performed: "Ordinary People"

My favorite Sade song performed: By Your Side

It was definitely one of the best concerts I've been to. Great energy and beautiful, romantic music...I'm pretty sure some concert-goers went and made some babies that night.

fashion forward friday

I love any occasion that requires me to dress up. What girl doesn't? Dresses are the perfect way to show your feminine side. This week I came a lot of different styles of dresses that I found myself wanting to wear. Here are some of my favorites...

I love the simplicity of this one. Very cute!

Color-blocking is a great way to make a statement with your outfit. Mix purple and coral, add some gold jewelry and nude pumps and you're good to go!

This outfit immediately reminded me of Kourtney Kardashian's style. Animal print is one of my favorite designs.

These two dresses are definitely something I would love to have in my closet. Very feminine and sophisticated look!

Of course, you can NEVER go wrong with black. The plunging neckline and pockets definitely adds some character to LBD. 

Oh...going to see Sade & John Legend {my fave} in concert tonight! I can't wait! Happy Friday everyone!

wordless wednesday

easy vegetable soup

It was a normal Thursday evening and I needed to make dinner. I had a package of frozen mixed vegetables in the freezer so I quickly googled an easy recipe using the ingredients. I came across this recipe and decided to try it with a few changes and additions of my own. It was super easy, quick to make, and more importantly, my son enjoyed it. Here is the recipe from Allrecipes.com...


Ingredients:
1 (29 oz) can of tomato sauce
6 cups of water
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 (8 oz) package of dry pasta - optional


Directions:
Place the spaghetti sauce and water in a large pot over medium high heat.
Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and add the mixed veggies.
Add the pasta, if desired, and let simmer until heated through or until pasta is done.

Instead of a can of tomato sauce, I used a 26.5 oz can of mushroom spaghetti sauce. Also, before adding any ingredients I browned some onions with olive oil. I wanted to add some seasonings so I added salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some basil...then topped it off with some parmesan cheese. Perfect to eat alone or with some bread. Yummy!

fashion forward friday

Stripes! I am obsessed with stripes when it comes to my wardrobe. I've heard some people say that stripes aren't for everyone, but it all depends on how you wear it. If worn or styled the right way, I think it can look good on anyone. Plus, it can really make your outfit stand out. Here are my favorite fashion finds for the week!

wordless wednesday

{I want.}

don't forget to breathe

Ahh, the joys of motherhood. They're wonderful. The best thing a woman can experience in life, I think. The hugs, the kisses, the sweet and funny things your child says or does, the fun kid-friendly activities. I remember when I was pregnant people would tell me, "Oh motherhood is the best. You're going to love it." They were right, I do love it. More than anything in the world. How could I not? I was prepared and ready to love it. However, no one cared to mention {more like, warn} the kicking, the screaming, the crying, the tantrums, the monster that lives deep inside your child. I was not prepared or ready for that.


My son is a very loving and happy boy. But he's also in his "terrible two's" stage. Over the past few days, he's shown proof of that stage...and very well if you ask me. I've never had a problem with him throwing tantrums or crying for long periods of time until just recently. 


He wanted to watch Cars videos on YouTube and I tell him "no" because I'm using it. Tantrum for 10 minutes.
He woke up from his nap. Crying for 10 minutes. {non-stop}
He wasn't ready to go to bed. I tell him no more playing for the night. Crying and tantrum for 10 minutes. Crying stops and he falls asleep...only to wake up an hour later. 10 more minutes of crying. 


I know they were only 10 minutes, but they seem to go on forever. Right before his last episode started, I had just sat down in front of my laptop for some "mommy time" so I was pretty frustrated when he woke up. I told Daddy to handle the situation while I closed myself off in the bathroom for a few minutes. No, I didn't go in there to use the toilet. I went in there to just...breathe. And it helped. 


He drives me crazy at times and sometimes I just want to scream. I certainly don't love when the little monster emerges from my son, but he did manage to make me smile at one point. In a moment of frustration I said, "Who are you right now?"


He said, "Dylan!" That kid! :)

fashion forward friday

A girl can never have enough shoes, right? It seems like every fashion find I came across this week have been shoes. This post is dedicated to those beautiful shoes that I would love to have in my own closet. 

Tory Burch boots. Perfect!

I love the nude and black color combo on these.

I've been wanting a pair of shoes like these for a while. They're so pretty. 

I love how these sparkle. Very glamourous and sexy!

TOMS are the best shoes ever made, in my opinion. I want these to be my next pair. 

tangled up!

My sister came over yesterday and we decided to watch Disney's Tangled. I already knew my son wouldn't be into it since it's a little girly for his taste, but we went for it anyway. Yesterday made me realize that watching a movie at home is not quite the same as it used to be...

Movie starts.
Dylan jumps.
Dylan runs from couch to couch. 
Mommy tells Dylan to calm down.
Dylan sits.
Mommy pauses movie to take Dylan to the potty {currently in potty-training}
Mommy and Dylan come back.
Movie resumes.
Dylan jumps on Auntie.
Mommy gives Dylan a toy {mommy's iPhone} to play with
Dylan sits and plays a loud game.
Dylan wants a drink.
Movie is paused.
Mommy and Dylan grab a drink from the kitchen.
Movie resumes.
*On repeat until movie ends*


By the way, I loved the movie! Super cute and even made me shed a tear. Any Disney movie that can make me cry definitely tops my list. 

versatile blogger award

Thanks to Mitz at Crevice Of A Crumpet I have received "The Versatile Blogger" Award. It's my very first blog award and I'm so excited! 

I'm so glad Mitz is one of my followers and enjoys reading my blog. She is very inspiring to me because she's a mother of three and is on her way to completing her second Master's Degree. Check out her blog when you get a chance. 

The rules after accepting the Versatile Blogger Award are:

1. Thank the person who gave the award and link back to them in your post.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pass this award along to 15 recently discovered blogs.

7 Things About Me:

1. My dream job would be to work in the fashion industry

2. My all-time favorite singer is John Legend...and I've met him!

3. My favorite subject in school was English {still is}

4. Ever since watching Beverly Hills 90210 when I was younger, I always wanted to name my son Dylan...and that's how I got his name :)

5. I love olives, mushrooms, and artichokes on just about anything

6. I have a Pomeranian named Bo, who has been taken care of by my mom's BF since my son was born.

7. I'll be 30 in two years - YIKES!

It was definitely a tough choice to pick only 15 blogs to pass the award along to. These are just SOME of the blogs I enjoy reading and would love for you to check out as well...

15 Blogs I'm passing the award along to:

 1. Krazy Everlastin' Real Supah Diva Single Mama

 2. Cute Mammi

 3.  Planet of the Apels

 4. The Random Mommy Blog

 5. Opinions and Stories: the family of a truck driver

 6. Mom's Point Of View

 7. Melo Momma

 8. Unknown Mami

 9. Three Fabulous Mommies

10. Mrs. Schneed

11. A Go-With-The-Flow Mama's Blog

12. Mama-Press

13. Mom Fever

14. SAHM City

15. Baby Bound

a trip to the library

I would love to make it a routine to make trips to the library as often as we can. My dad enjoyed taking us to the library when my siblings and I were younger. It's one of my most fond memories with him. Anytime we went to the library, we would pick out stacks of books and movies to watch at home. It was a fun experience so it'd be a wonderful thing to see my son enjoy and appreciate the library just like we did. 


A few days ago, I took my son on his first trip to the library. I was a little worried before heading there that he'd be hyper and running around, as this is his usual behavior. Luckily, he did an awesome job! I kept whispering to him so he would know that we had to stay quiet. Although he didn't whisper, he still kept his voice to a minimum. 


He certainly enjoyed his time there. From the moment we walked in, I could see the excitement on his face. We were in a new place, so of course he was in awe of everything around him. We headed to the children's area and he didn't hesitate to pick out his first set of library books...


I Love Trucks by Philemon Sturges
I'm A Truck Driver by Jonathan London
Goodnight Moon ABC by Margaret Wise Brown
Little Rabbit's First Number Book by Alan Baker
Clifford The Champion by Norman Bridwell


{Can you tell he loves TRUCKS?}

fashion forward friday

I love to be on the search for new fashion...whether it be a pair of the hottest heels or the perfect blazer. One of my favorite posts on blogs are anything fashion-related so I thought it'd be great to have one of my own. Every Friday I will have a post dedicated to my favorite fashion finds! Here you go...

I'm not usually a glove person, but these are super cute. I love the bows!

 Perfect for fall or winter. Looks so cozy. I'd pair it with some booties.

Orange is my favorite fall color to wear. The sweater goes great with the boots. Definitely my kind of outfit!!!

EVERY GIRL'S DREAM!

my sister

Yesterday marked the 21st birthday of my little sister. As we were gathered around for dinner at a restaurant last night, I couldn't help but think how proud I was not only of her, but to have her as my sister.


My little baby sister who my brother and I protected like no other. 
with a sense of humor and passivity like my dad.
with strength like my mom.
with a beauty she so humbly denies.
with an intelligence that ceases to amaze us. 
with a sense of drive that I admire.
My little baby sister, who is one of my best friends.


She has grown into a beautiful young lady. I respect her and love her for everything she is. Our little baby sister, who we once felt we needed to protect, now protects us. She has a tough exterior, but has the biggest heart I know. 


Happy Birthday little sister! I'm so proud of you. <3

watching what we eat...

Rice is a staple food in my family. We eat it with everything. Soup, meat, fish, eggs, hot dogs, you name it. Just recently, my boyfriend and I decided to go on a "watch what we eat" diet. One of the things we're watching...our rice intake. Our usual Saturday morning breakfast consists of eggs, bacon, and rice. Thanks to Stone Soup, we've quickly changed our breakfast routine. Out with the rice, in with the spinach!

This is seriously one of the best things I've eaten. It's not too heavy and it's so delish! After adding this to our diet, my boyfriend had an idea to make a salad out of it. Spinach? Egg? Why not!

Our ingredients:
spinach
sunny-side up eggs {1 or 2}
mushrooms
grape tomatoes
salt and/or pepper


No dressing required! :)