Currently x21 {link up}

Linking up with Harvesting Kale for another (few) week(s) of "Currently" prompts.
LAST week it was {appreciating, feeling, looking, regretting, playing}

APPRECIATING:  My new phone.  I know it's really not all that "new" considering I've had it for several weeks now... but it's just so NICE!  The screen is huge and the pictures turn out so crisp and clear... I just love it.  Not to mention it's got celebrity status.  Almost everywhere I go someone says, "Oh my goodness! Is that the 6+?"  Always a fun (and easy) conversation starter.

FEELING:  I've really been feeling good lately.  And I've been wanting to feel even better and maybe try to start jogging again (and put the double jogging stroller to good use) or take the plunge and join the YMCA that is just a few miles away (it's just such a sucky YMCA compared to the location in Moline that I worked at for so long... but hey, better than nothing).  For now though I've been doing a couple yoga poses everyday with Presley (or "noga" as she calls it - her favorite is the flamingo pose they do on Sesame Street) along with a couple sets of squats and fire hydrants.  I am going up to our attic to find my dumbbells one of these days...
Memphis/Midsouth folks:  Where is your favorite place to jog with your kiddos in tow?

This week it's {anticipating, contributing, discussing, listening, deciding}

ANTICIPATING:  Okay guys... less than a month until the first MOCKINGJAY movie hits theaters!  I.AM.SO.EXCITED!  I'm even more excited I get to see it with my sisters AND get together for Slapsgiving!  Not to mention, my BIRTHDAY is in a few weeks!  November is on the horizon and it is by far one of the best months of the year.  Followed up by December which is another amazing month and that will mean February is right around the corner... which is Presley's birthday month!!!!  Such an awesome time of the year.


CONTRIBUTING:  I've been wearing Molly in the Ergo carrier a lot lately and it is SO GREAT to be able to have my hands to do whatever I need to do.  Not to mention, she is so content on my chest and I am so much more comfortable with her there rather than in the stroller/car seat all the time.  This is contributing to my lower back aches at the end of the day (probably because I am also chasing a fun, energetic toddler around as well) but it's also responsible for some extra bonding time with my littlest one... which is 110% worth it.  I frequently carry her around the stores we visit (Kroger & Target, mostly) and the park and most recently the Memphis Zoo for several hours.

And I'm not the only one carrying babies around here...

LISTENING:  To so many great songs on repeat lately.  The kind of music that just speaks to your soul.  Good good stuff.

Alex & Sierra: Little Do You Know
Christina Perri: Human
Christina Perri: The Lonely
Lana Del Ray: Born to Die

Skylar Grey: Love the Way You Lie
Sara Ramirez: The Story
Greg Laswell: Your Ghost
Greg Laswell: Comes & Goes in Waves
Lana Del Rey: Blue Jeans
Andrew Belle: In My Veins
Ellie Goulding: Beating Heart

DECIDING:  Last night we got to go on a date night!  It was nice.  And if I'm being honest, almost a little weird without the kids.  Is there such a thing as it feeling too quiet?  Like I said, though, it was so so so nice.  I wanted Tony to decide where we went... sometimes I get tired of making decisions.  Almost went to Five Guys on a last minute whim but we ended up not doing that.  We went to get sushi + hibachi... and holy cow... it was DELICIOUS.  Our waitress and chef were both great - the chef had me come up to the grill and throw the egg in the air all fancy and it was so much fun!  He said, "C'mon up here! If you break the egg, it won't matter!"  It would've been easy to decline but I'm so glad he insisted because even just something small like that made me feel like a version of my former self... which was a good feeling.  (Which reminded me a lot of an interesting article I just read earlier this week.)  And it was funny because Tony referenced HIMYM when Barney gets up at the hibachi grill and does the same thing but completely kills it!  We went out for a drink afterward and don't you hate it when you order a drink and it tastes awful?  Me too!  I ordered a mojito and it was pretty bad.  But I loved the bar we went to and it felt really awesome sitting outside on the patio relaxing in the beautiful weather.  We walked around Midtown which was nice with a sweet, romantic vibe.  And I am so grateful to have Selena... I never have to worry about our kids well-being and know they're with someone who loves them just as much as mommy and daddy.  Not to mention, extremely lucky to have a partner I love and get to date!

That's what we've been up to.  Been meaning to write several times since the last time but life is just busy and days are both short and long, if that makes sense.  Hope to write more later!

Currently x20 {link up}

Linking up with Harvesting Kale for Currently.
The prompts this week {watching, learning, considering, needing, changing}

WATCHING:  We got to see two of our awesome friends become parents together this week and might I say I am pretty darn excited about that!  Chris & Kristen brought Baby Everett into the world on Wednesday.  It's gonna be so great to have Everett & Molly so close in proximity as well as age, too, with them being three months apart.  And then next week we get to watch two more friends get married as well.  I can't wait to see Tyler & Marsha tie the knot next weekend!!!
(It's been a long time coming to see Tony's best friends settle their crazy butts down and it is nice to see!) 

LEARNING:  Why forgiveness or just letting things go is so important.  And really, it takes too much energy to hold onto resenting someone or hating certain things.  It feels so good to move on into the light.  I love the saying that goes something like this:  

Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

CONSIDERING: Writing a blog post about sexual assault and including personal anecdotes.  To do so would obviously mean I would be sharing some sensitive material - which is fine with me - but I'm not sure how it would be received.  I do think it's something important to shed some light on and doing so would show the alarming amount of women this happens to as well as the different forms of sexual assault.  I'm also considering including other folks' personal stories pertaining to the topic - if you know anyone who would like to anonymously be part of the upcoming post, please send them my way. 

NEEDING:  To save money for a new range.  Ours is just awful and I have my eye on a beautiful one at Siano Appliances (where my mother-in-law works).  I cannot wait to replace ours!!!  It's pretty old - still in working condition - but we acquired it in a state of disrepair.  Doable, but certainly not loveable. I can't wait to blog about it and share before and after photos when the time comes. 

CHANGING:  Thought I was going to be drastically changing my hair sometime soon-ish... but now I'm not sure.  I made it through the hot, hot summer with long hair - why would I want to cut it short for the coldy-cold months?  I don't know.  I still consider cutting my hair.  And my big sister is due to give hers a chop soon so maybe that will push me to cut mine after I see how cute hers is and how much she loves it.

(I really love the Jennifer Lawrence short hair cut on the top left.)

Aside from all that fun - I am really looking forward to some upcoming projects we are planning on in the next few months.  We are going to replace the faucets in our bathroom, the guest bathroom, and the kitchen along with the light fixtures in both bathrooms as well.  We really need shoe moulding along the entire house but in not sure we are ready for that project just yet.  Another fun project will include mounting a small TV in our kitchen!  It's not something we would normally do but the folks who lived here before left some pretty awful holes and marks on the wall where one was previously mounted (and hastily removed I am guessing) and this way we will be able to cover that up. It'll be nice to watch something while cooking, too!

It's so funny these projects are something fun to look forward to in addition to being something I like to talk about.  It is interesting how life changes you over time!  I'll leave you with some photos of our everyday shenanigans.

Currently x19 {link up}

Linking up for another week of sharing our current circumstances along with Harvesting Kale

The prompts for this week: {loving, craving, demanding, questioning, & worrying}

LOVING: my Lana pandora station, my children's nap time, Big Brother, trips to Target, the NFL season (go Cowboys!), photo shoots with my big girl, my kids and my husband, that old school Avril came on my iPod in the car today.

I just love great music and beautiful words and John Legend's smooth voice.

CRAVING: more family time, pretzels, sweet tea, a cool breeze, incredible stories, alone time, my best friend, the Ellen show (just a few more days!), Grey's Anatomy & Scandal (a few more weeks!), the Fault in our Stars on DVD, a long shower.

DEMANDING:  for autumn to hurry up!  I am so looking forward the the fall this year.  I can't wait until Thanksgiving and then especially for Christmas - I feel like it'll a fun one this year considering Presley's age!  I am also demanding Netflix and Sesame Street to come to an agreement - QUICKLY.  apple, I am demanding a release date for the new iPhone already.

QUESTIONING: was it our smartest decision to get a new TV rather than replace the range in our kitchen? when is this baby going to spend less time fussing?  is this the way it will always be - are we going to be forever going from purchase to purchase - or does that end eventually?

WORRYING: about my latest book choice - I've read so many fantastic books lately (most recently: the Host & the Fault in our Stars) and now I'm onto "the Help" because the movie was fantastic.  for me, the book has started out incredibly slow.  I think it has to do with the fact that my last however many books were centered around or featured a great love story whereas this one does not.  I am not one to start a book and not finish it but right now I'm too bored to keep reading and man, I miss reading.

Currently x18 {link up}

I'm linking up with Harvesting Kale for another week to let you know what my family and I are currently up to!  If you would like to participate...

This weeks prompts are {calling, lighting, making, watching, planning}

Calling:  Wishing heaven had a phone number this week.  Ever miss someone who has passed away more than you normally do?  When you first lose someone the pain is unimaginable but then over time it dulls - or you become more used to the pain being there.  But then out of nowhere it dawns on you that they are actually dead and never coming back and it is enough to make your knees buckle and your breath catch.  I'm currently having one of those weeks.  It started after hearing "Can't Help Falling in Love" on my Pandora - the version sung by Ingrid Michaelson.


My dad was an Elvis Presley fan and I imagined dancing with him to the Elvis version of this song at my wedding.  I probably would've had him pick the song we danced to... so I'll never know what he would've picked... but it's what I imagine.  Like I said, that came on my Pandora radio station and the beautiful part at the very end choked me up and I just lost it for a moment.  I wish he was here on good days but especially on bad days.  He was so great with me and my sisters that it kills me to know he would've somehow been even better to my two girls and they would have loved him so much.  The thought makes me happy and incredibly, desperately sad.

Lighting:  I've finally lit a fire under my own behind when it comes to making & sending out Molly's birth announcements.  I've made them but only received half of them... the first half turned out just the way I wanted them!  I am starting to slowly send them out but I just really want the other ones to get here already.  I ordered from both Shutterfly and Target Photo - still waiting on Shutterfly but have been SO pleasently surprised by the quality of Target Photo and how quickly it made it to me!

Making:  Finally making plans to have our house sprayed to prevent bugs from sneaking in and also getting into a termite contract.  Feels good!

Watching:  Oh man, is anyone else really into Big Brother this season?  We are!  And I can't believe Frankie put Zach up to possibly go home!!!!!  So sad - I love Zach.  He really reminds me a lot of one of our good guy friends who moved away to the west coast.  He's silly and says some crazy stuff but he seems like a genuinely good guy and it makes me miss my friend, Kris!  Really hoping that if he does get voted out that he can get the chance to come back.  (Can't believe I care so much about this show!)

Planning:  On making some changes for the better in my life.  I feel like I've been in a fog for a little while now and I've been much too complacent with the way things are regardless of whether those things make me happy or sad.  I guess I just lost the sense that I control my own life - no one else does.  If someone isn't good for me or my family or the life I want to live - I have the control over it by keeping them in my life or putting distance between us.  If I feel we have too much clutter and crap in our house that we don't use regularly - I have the control to get rid of it and stop holding on to so many THINGS.  Just little things like that and bigger things as well.  It's good to feel empowered.  There are so many things we don't have control over... we can't dictate what others choose, we can't control the weather, and we cannot control the passing of time... but the thing we always have control over is ourselves - our reactions, our choices, our thoughts, our words... etc.

Here are some photos of what we've been up to lately.

Wishing well to everybody.  I hope September brings with it a wind of change for the better in all our lives.  Nothing like another fresh start.

Five on Friday.

Baker.
Proud owner of a breadmaker.  Now that I have one, I'm a little intimidated to get started.  I think I'll just have to find a simple recipe and start from there.  If you have any favorite bread recipes that are tried and true - make sure to share it!

Book Hangover.
When will I learn?!  I swear, this is the 3rd or 4th time I've read through the Hunger Games books and I am just an emotional mess.  I'm not ready to let go of those characters or the story and I think the worst of it is the ending of the series.  It just feels so unfinished.  Like I am waiting to hear the rest or have a better explanation of how the characters got from point A to point B.  I have been wanting to read the Divergent series ever since getting them for Christmas - but now I don't want to start it because I feel like I will resent the book and characters for not being the Hunger Games.  I almost just want to reread all the Twilight books because I had such a strong connection to that story/characters.  Or maybe the answer is reading a regular, stand-alone book before reading another series and getting so attached.  Maybe I should do that.  Anyways, I definitely didn't foresee finishing the books another time around having this much of an impact on me.  Again.  Only 210 more days until the first Mockingjay movie hits theaters!

Bad, iPhone!
Back up your iPhone before agreeing to any updates!  I made the mistake of not doing so and lost some of my photos, videos, and had to re-download all my apps, etc because it went into restore mode or something.  Also, take a screen shot of your home screen before updating, too.  Mine feels so disjointed because I'm getting used to where everything is now that I can't remember exactly how everything was situated before.  I know... not a very substantial problem to complain about - all I'm saying it be prepared in case it happens to you.

Barbacoa.
I made a Chipotle-inspiried dinner at home last night and it was a huge success!!!  Let me start by saying I got a big top round roast marked down from Target and I honestly had no idea what I was going to do with it.  First instinct in finding a recipe proved to be a good one (aka Pinterest) and I found this instantly drool-worthy recipe for the meat.  Thanks to this fantastic blog I also found a recipe for a Cilantro-Corn Salsa and also Cilantro-Lime Rice (both similar to what Chipotle offers).  It was super delicious!!!  I'm excited to heat up leftovers and see how they taste the second time around.  It all turned out something like this.  Amazing!

Bathetic.
I love our life - but I miss having more moments like this.

Granted, it's not everyday that you get to celebrate some of your best friends getting married, but I just look back to so many of our adventures pre-kids and wonder if our life will ever resemble that again... even slightly.  I think it would be easier if we lived near our friends with kids (my sisters, my cousin, friends back in Illinois with kids/nieces or nephews...), because then we would have common interests that would draw the families together more often... but I tell you, it gets lonely being a stay-at-home mom.  It's a great life, but I wish there were more opportunities to share with others.  Not to mention, I have a hard time branching out.  But I suppose that is necessary when moving.  I know I've said it so much lately... but I am really kicking myself for all the moments I took for granted living so close to the family and friends in the Quad Cities.  I haven't missed our old rental home or the weather since we moved - but I have severely missed living in Moline, being 5-10 minutes from anywhere I needed to go, living 4 miles away from the nearest relative, our old routines and the places we frequented, and just the community there in general.  It really was home.  I always felt stuck living in the Midwest (mostly because it was frigid half of the year) and knew I'd like to get back to Tennessee, so I feel somewhat ludicrous for having this reaction.  But it turns out, I am having a hard time letting go.

Currently x17 & positive affirmations {link ups}

So, today is somewhat of a link up dump!  I love both of these link ups & the hosts, so check them out. 
Currently: Harvesting Kale & Write Yourself Happy (Positive Affirmations): Smile & Write
First up, this week's prompts are {clearing, digging, mixing, reading, watching}

CURRENTLY:

CLEARING:  Our bank account.  Man.  It seems like all I'm doing lately is spending money on groceries or something we need for the house.  Tony even talked me into a $60 leaf blower!  And he was very convincing!!!  (And on his behalf, it is something that we needed.  But still!)  This was on top of the new mower.  And a $45 extension cord.  And new curtains and a rod.  And a million other things.  I will be excited when it all settles down and starts to pay off.  We will also need shoe molding for the entire house (ughhhhh.... stupid project), a few area rugs (I'm thinking eventually for the living room, dining area, & bedroom), to install a new disposal (which was "working" before we moved in & cleared the inspection.... somehow...), a weed eater... and that is just the short list.  It's all very exciting but I am going to feel much better when we are spending less!

DIGGING:  The fact that it is almost Thursday already.  The Scandal finale is tomorrow and I can hardly wait!  I'm several episodes behind with Grey's Anatomy... as usual, but thankfully we have a few more weeks before that season finale.  I'm also SUPER behind on Parenthood & How I Met Your Mother... which YES... means I have NOT seen the finale yet and NO I would not like any spoilers!  The speakers for our computer went out so I just need to catch up on my phone.  Eventually.

MIXING:  I am feeling EXTREMELY mixed on whether or not to transition Presley to a toddler bed before Molly comes.  So many pros/cons and informed opinions.  Ultimately, the decision is ours because every kid is different from the next and as her parents, we know her best.  The thing that is completely throwing me off is the fact that she is STILL UP as I type - an hour after she laid down in her crib!  It is SO DISHEARTENING going from a serious sleeper to someone who plays at bedtime now for so long.  Will this get better in a toddler bed, stay the same, or get worse?  I guess I'm just worried that she isn't ready for it.  I'm worried that she will backslide once Molly is here.  And I'm worried it will affect all of our sleep!  Tony's response?  "Well we can't keep her in a crib forever."  -_-  I wonder if switching to a video monitor for Presley would take some of that anxiety away.

READING:  I just got involved in giving myself a reading challenge with the Goodreads website/app.  I think once I have Molly I am going to regret setting such an ambitious challenge for myself - which is 24 books this year.  Especially considering I started the challenge in April.  Usually, this wouldn't be so bad, but with a newborn?  I am thinking it's just not gonna happen (I'm already 6 books behind schedule...) but we'll see.  Reading any amount of books is better than none at all.  I started the challenge re-reading the Hunger Games and I am still stuck there.  I have not been able to keep my eyes open at night to read!  The book, however, is just as awesome as I remember.

WATCHING:  We've been watching "Ultimate Car Build-off" on Netflix the past few nights (you can guess who chose this) and it is a really good show.  Cars and sports are two of Tony's favorite pastimes and hobbies and thank the good Lord that I've honestly come to love them both as well.  Of course, not as fervently as he does, but I do really enjoy them nonetheless.  Anyways, they have to do these crazy challenges on the show and these shop guys are pretty spectacular with what they can pull off with random vehicles in 40 hours!

Five affirmations for my life:

• A ship in port is safe but that's not what ships are built for.  Grace Murray Hopper
• You is kind.  You is smart.  You is important.  Aibileen Clark
• I am thankful for today.
• Never apologize for being sensitive or emotional.  It's a sign that you have a big heart, and that you aren't afraid to let others see it.  Showing your emotions is a sign of strength."  Brigitte Nicole
• Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate.  Matthew 19:6

I plan to incorporate a couple of these the more I begin decorating - the first two are absolutely going up somewhere in this home.  The first one on the list is very special to me and became ingrained in my heart during a TEC weekend a few years ago.  The second definitely speaks to my heart and is from the movie/book The Help at one of the most moving points of the story for me.  The last affirmation on the list is something that has always given me comfort in the struggles that come in our marriage.  The third and fourth on the list are such needed reminders for me - to just stop and be THANKFUL for today and to also stop apologizing when expressing genuine emotions... especially the ones that might make myself/others feel a little uncomfortable at first (such as crying).

I'd love to know what you guys have currently been up to and/or the five affirmations that resound for you.  You can link up through the bloggers listed above!  Thanks to both hosts for bringing bloggers together and giving us the chance to express ourselves further.

Five on Friday!

 *One*
Finally at my first prenatal appointment since the beginning of December and it was a pretty equal balance of horrible and awesome.  I come from a very busy, efficient OBGYN practice and never waited an unrealistic amount of time for an appointment.  The new place seems extremely busy and unfortunately I waited over an hour before seeing my doctor.  (From start to finish we were there just over 3 hours.)  To me, that is crazy talk.  And what made it seriously awful was that Presley was with me.  Another awful part?  I went in expecting a quick check up (because that's what I was told it would be) and it turned into a seriously drawn out appointment with an ultrasound, blood draw, pee-in-a-cup... those kind of things.  Granted, I was in need of all those things, BUT I purposely made sure beforehand to find out what to expect so I would know whether or not I needed to find someone to watch Presley girl.  I don't like subjecting her to these things unless I absolutely have to.  (Waiting around and being told "No!" all morning long is not fun for a 2 year old or her mom.)  Another not-so-fun part was being talked to like I was an irresponsible parent who neglected to come in from December until now for prenatal care.  I tried my best to explain that it was an unfortunate delay that I didn't want because of waiting for healthcare coverage PLUS not being able to be seen until now by this practice.  The doctor and ultrasonographer still treated me like I was an idiot.  Oh well.

An awesome part of the appointment today?  I ran into a really great friend I haven't seen since highschool at the tail end of my appointment today!  She seriously walked up at the perfect time - Presley was absolutely getting bent out of shape and I was literally JUST about to have my blood drawn.  Not only did Presley settle down, but I had someone to talk to and didn't have to think about the needle/blood/etc.  And she is one of those people you run into and leave feeling lighter and better than before - seriously just perfect to see her today.

Another awesome part is that all of these procedures/tests were done and I feel a HUGE weight lifted from my shoulders as a result.  Though I didn't appreciate the way I was talked to by the personnel, I can already tell that they take their jobs seriously and were very thorough with their duties and that they took my specific pregnancy with utmost care and seriousness.  That was VERY much appreciated as well. 

 *Two*
It became apparent that my new doctor took my care seriously when I received a phone call from the office two hours after I left - which I thought was odd.  Turns out, the doctor reviewed the ultrasound scans and found that it showed a mild dilation of Molly's right and left kidney.  The nurse let me know that they were putting in a referral to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and that they would be in touch with me once they scheduled an appointment to do further research on her kidneys.

From the preliminary research Tony & I have both done so far - it seems like it's nothing to worry about, especially not at this point when we still don't have anything to go on for sure.  Like I said before, I really do appreciate the diligence of the staff at my new OBGYN office and feel cared for already and for that I am very thankful!   

 *Three*
 If you haven't tried Chicken Enchilada Pasta, seriously... give it a shot.  This is a staple in our household and my husband crave it all the time!  Every single time I make it, I swear it tastes a little different that before.  It's a super easy recipe and you can personalize it as you want (we add corn to ours plus fresh tomatoes... YUM) and the flavor is just amazing.  I made it last night and I already want to make it again tonight!

 *Four*
We are planning on taking Presley to see the Easter Bunny this weekend!  She is currently in stranger danger mode... so I fear I may do some emotional damage... but I am hoping for the best.  Plus, a free 4x6 photo from Bass Pro Shop with the bunny?  How can you turn that down?

 *Five*
Presley's sleep has been off the wall lately.  She has started to throw what I call micro-fits before bed or nap time and has gone from a kid who falls asleep right away to a kiddo who sits in her crib and plays/jumps/talks for at least an hour before tuckering out.  It's been a little exhausting, only because I don't know how to amend the situation, but for the most part it seems to get a little better everyday.  Or maybe I'm just becoming a little more immune to it everyday.  I take solace in knowing I am not the only parent who deals with sleep problems from their kids and the stress that comes along with that.

To balance it out - three things Presley LOVES doing lately is taking a bath in our huge bathtub, running like a wild woman throughout our bathroom (is it weird that our bathroom is carpeted?), and taking selfies.

Linking up for Five on Friday with Carolina Charm and the gang.

Currently {link up} x16

Linking up with Harvesting Kale.

This week's prompts are {dropping, making, wearing, kissing, keeping}

DROPPING:  If I physically drop something these days, it's a struggle to pick it back up.  And if I bend too many times in a row then you can pretty much guarantee I'm following it up right away with a trip to the bathroom to pee!

MAKING:  I am too proud of myself and some good deals NOT to talk about it - but yesterday, I made Target my bitch.  I went in armed with physical coupons, coupons from their Cartwheel app, and text coupons (you can currently get some for your own by texting THANKS to 827438).  On top of that, I took advantage of some of their gift card deals (for example: buy 3 UP&UP Paper Towel bundles and get a $5 gift card) and also bought a truckload of fresh meat that was marked down as it was nearing it's "sell by" date.  Just from coupons and promotions, I ended up saving $52 yesterday.  And I am not extreme about it whatsoever (my final bill was over $100)... but I certainly enjoy getting awesome deals (I got a pound of very lean ground beef for $2.52 after it being on sale, having a $2 off coupon attached to it since it was nearing the "sell by" date, and a 5% off coupon from Cartwheel) and doubling/tripling coupons... I just leave with a really good feeling knowing I am saving our family some money on stuff that is really great quality and on things we will 100% be using.  It makes ever buying things for full price a little difficult for me!  The lady who checked me out at Target yesterday kept saying, "Oh girl, that is a really good deal..." or "Dang! You got that for cheap! I need to go get me one of those..." and it was cracking me up!


WEARING:  My new pair of maternity compression pants from Old Navy.  I had a pair throughout my last pregnancy and just fell in love with them.  I continued to wear them occasionally when I wasn't pregnant and then again during this pregnancy (all.the.time.) so they were pretty worn out.  I replaced them and HOLY canoli... they are even more perfect than the first pair.  They are pretty much like yoga pants that just hug you all day long.  Who doesn't want to spend the day being hugged??

KISSING:  Time with my husband goodbye.  Between him working long days six days a week and his various activites after work... I just give up.  I literally HATE being a downer on my blog, but it's been a sore spot lately and I don't foresee it getting any better.  And I hate it.  I know you can't have your cake and eat it too... but the pace of life right now and the uneven balance between busyness and family time is making me resentful.  Both of us failing to make it a priority to talk everything out adds to the failure right now.  I know it's 110% NORMAL for marriages to have ups and downs and struggles - but when you are in the middle of it and feel like the only one in the battle, it really sucks.

KEEPING:  In mind that everything is cyclical and things get better.

Currently {link up} x15

Currently linking up with Harvesting Kale for the fun weekly post to see how we're all doing.
This week's prompts are {facing, snapping, counting, loving & hopping}

FACING:  Today - and this entire week - has been centered around me facing the fact that not everything is going to go the way I expected.  People are not always going to be considerate.  Things will not always go our way or in our favor.  And the only thing I can control in those situations is MYSELF and my attitude.

SNAPPING: Oh, am I snapping today.  All along the home buying process we have had it set up to close one day and then gain possession two days later.  All along I thought that we were signing on the 28th but the house wouldn't technically be ours until the 30th.  It wasn't until our insurance agent told us today that wasn't the case - that we would need to start insuring the house on the 28th because it is ours the 28th!  ALSO MEANING, if anyone injures themselves while moving out before we gain possession, it could come back on us.  W-T-F!  I was NOT happy about this and if I would have been under full understanding of this then I would have insisted that we gain possession the day we sign.  My realtor explained that if anything went wrong with the signing that the sellers would be screwed because they would have the stuff out of the house and nowhere to go with it, essentially.  WELL, even if something went wrong, THESE PEOPLE ARE PLANNING TO SELL THIS HOUSE ANYWAY!  Plus - my realtor is working with the BUYERS NOT THE SELLERS.  I love my realtor, I really do, but today... I just was so upset at learning this.  I wish I was made aware of this sooner and the implications here.  Doesn't help that the fine people at First Tennessee were lazy and uncourteous (is that a word? is now...) today.  SO, I was snapping today.  Of course it was more like venting than actually voicing my disappointment with the actual people today.  TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY AND A FINE DAY IT WILL BE.

COUNTING: Down the days.  Well at this point, I guess I could just start counting down the hours.  TOMORROW is signing day!  And Sunday (if all goes well) is moving day.  So that means 68 hours, 56 minutes until we move in! But unfortunately it COULD be that we won't be able to move in until Monday.  And I need to brace myself for that.  But I will be so bummed.

LOVING:  That this is allllll almost over.  In a few days, we won't have to worry about paperwork and bullshit - we will just get to BE!  And I love that.  I am also LOOOOVING the new Disney movie - Frozen.  So in love with that movie.  It's adorable.  But is it just me or does it feel super short?  Also, loving the theory that Tangled, Little Mermaid & Frozen are all connected.  YES YES YESSS.

HOPPING: I swear, as odd of a prompt as this one is, I feel like it is the theme of our week.  We are currently hopping through the many hoops to owning a home.  Stupid little thing that irks me at the moment?  Wiring money.  I've never done it before and it honestly pisses me off that we are having to pay a bullshit $15 fee JUST FOR SPENDING OUR MONEY, essentially.  Why can't I write a damn check or better yet, BRING YOU CASH to closing?  I know, I know... really, it's only $15... but when you consider it is an UNNECESSARY charge that you are getting nothing from... just irritates me.  Call me irrational or hormonal, but I am not one to just pay fees and not ask questions as to why it's necessary.



AND, since I did my fair share of complaining here today... I will not forsake you and leave you on a bad note!  Here are a bunch of reasons why I am currently one happy person:

Happies & Crappies.

It's been a while since I've participated in this link-up. 
It's always a fun one and good for emptying the brain!

• We are closing on our home THIS WEEK!  Which means HOPEFULLY moving in THIS WEEKEND!
• We are finally getting caught up on movies... slowly!  We have American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club, Frozen, About Time, Rush, Prisoners, Runner Runner, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, and Hours up on deck for the next few movies to watch. 
• May seem silly, but I am so excited for Presley to have some of her favorite toys back.  She has done SUCH a great job with our current living situation & has been LOVING on the toys she does have for now... but I will be happy for her once we get everything set up for her soon in the new house!!!
• Another one that might sound silly - but I am so ready to start eating out less & making meals at home again!  I'm excited to meal plan on a regular basis and also prepare meals in advance for easy freezer "dump" meals!
• Also, hoping to start making baby wipes for Presley again once we get settled.  It'll be nice to not have to use the store bought ones.  I just don't like them as much and I can literally see that Presley's bum doesn't appreciate them as much either.
• This age/stage that Presley is at is just the best.  I can't stop laughing at all her hilarious antics and she is just smart as a whip!  She is counting so clearly and says her ABC's as well.  She loves to sing and dance and does so great at remembering lyrics from her favorite songs on the radio (Dark Horse, Royals, Happy... etc).  She also remembers lines from her two favorite movies (Tangled and the Croods).  The twos can be semi-ugly at times... but for the most part I think they are terrific.

•  My older sister and my good friend, Katie, are both still pregnant!  Just to recap - both are having boys and both are due the first couple days in April (1st & 3rd) and so, the wait continues!!!  Hoping for healthy labor & delivery for Katie, Amanda, Matthew & baby Lemaster!
• I think I might've gotten the proper motivation to start writing again for my Marriage Monday series.  We'll see about it but I hope it'll work out because I'd love to start it up again.  If you are interested in contributing to Marriage Monday by writing a marriage-related post for my blog, you can go here to read a little bit more about it!  You will also find my contact information there as well.
• If you didn't catch my mention of this in an earlier post - be on the look out for some exciting stuff coming to my blog for my readers in early April!!!
  

• There are several things that need to be addressed as soon as we move into the house.  AKA, things we need to fix.  Most of them are minor but some of them are not.  It would have been nice for a bunch of these things to have been covered by the seller beforehand.  Totally doable... but just dreading some of these stupid little projects already.  (And my homeowner friends are all like, "Welcome to owning a home!")
• Had a bad experience at Kooky Canuck's tonight in downtown Memphis.  Which sucks because we used to like that place.  And now it is dead to me... cue the Lily Eriksen look...
  
  
  And now, we hate it.  All because we brought in a Restaurant.com gift certificate that was still valid and for whatever reason the manager on duty (shout out to Chris Farsee - YOU ARE A DOUCHE) refused to accept it and suggested to take it up with Restaurant.com.  If you know me, you know I don't take "no" for an answer - especially in a situation like this from a sketchy, non-professional manager such as this guy was.  I wasn't in the mood to deal with his bullshit and resigned myself to just deal with it through contacting Restaurant.com.  We'll see how they deal with it... I've already sent an e-mail to them for them to contact me so let's wait and see.  I'm sure I'll have another rant about it again soon... so stay tuned.
•  This up and down weather.  I thought Spring meant rain... but this year it means you will just start to get used to warmer temps before they begin dropping again!  BOO!
• Stories like this.  Seriously?  Who is the sicko who designed this scheme?  And why target children?  It just makes me so angry and upset.  Karma, karma, karma.