tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4620340896901431552024-03-05T21:48:28.391-05:00Our Foto Friendly FamilyFrom Sleepless Nights To Pearly WhitesMamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-59215132650263545562013-08-19T14:57:00.001-04:002013-08-19T14:57:53.686-04:00My Last Blog Post...<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes, you read that correctly. This will be my last blog post here.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't worry, I'm not going to discontinue blogging all together! I'm not that crazy! Just not here where my little blogging heart started with it's first beat in October 2011. Metaphorically, I consider Foto Friendly Family a caterpillar. It was where I began my life as a blogger. I grew and had my blog grow with me. I felt the need to branch out and become the much needed "new identity" of a butterfly. Spreading my wings in my new home, and being free and comfortable in my blogging skin again under a new URL. </span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">I've moved and taken all of my past posts with me to... Creating Cassie. Click my new Blog Button below to get to my new blog site.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://alwayscreatingcassie.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1279.photobucket.com/albums/y537/CreatingCassie/CreatingCassieBadgesmall_zps5e39686f.jpg" /></a></span></center>
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</span><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">As some of you may already know, I originally created this blog, <b>Our Foto Friendly Family</b>, </span><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">in October 2011 when Annaliese was born. I had always enjoyed writing and thought about maybe doing the blog thing for awhile and finally took the leap. I thought it would be a really good way for me to put our family updates out there to our friends and family who may not want to be glued to Facebook or Twitter for my updates. Since then I have come to have a love/hate relationship with blogging. I</span><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;"> </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">love </b><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">to write my family updates, thoughts, experiences, life lessons, etc., but I</span><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;"> </span><b style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">hate</b><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;"> that I don't always have the time or allow myself the time to blog as much as I want to. It's definitely an understandable self conflict that I deal with. I love nothing more than to actually</span><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;"> </span><i style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">live</i><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;"> my life than always finding time to blog about it. So like I said...love/hate.</span><br />
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</span><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;"></span><span style="background-color: #fbfafb; font-size: 15px; line-height: 23px;">So why "<u style="font-weight: bold;">Creating Cassie</u>" you ask? Well, after spending 1 1/2 years blogging under a "family blog" or "mommy blog" as some would call it, I no longer felt comfortable in my blogging skin under that name. I wanted something that I could have that I would use for not only family updates and mommy thoughts, I wanted a space I could use to write anything I wanted. I'm a 30 year old woman who loves to explore myself as an individual as well as the wonderful world wide web. I didn't feel that I could do that under the name of "Foto Friendly Family" or "Foto Friendly Mom". In July 2013 I created this new blog, Creating Cassie, where all of my blog postings will go and I can feel more comfortable knowing that it's coming from me as a person not just me as a mom or wife just because I'm married and have children. Yeah, it may sound weird, but that's right up my alley anyway. ;)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So there you have it folks. I am no longer the blogger "Mama Cassie", "Foto Friendly Mom" or anything like that in my blogging world. I am just me. "A wife. A mother. A person. Always Creating Myself". Thanks for sticking with me and standing by me through all of my changes here and following me to my new blog to watch me continue to create myself in the future! XOXO </span><br />
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MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-54025684833225228442013-06-27T08:50:00.002-04:002013-06-27T08:50:20.362-04:00Wordless Wednesday - Big Sister In Training<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
A day late and a dollar short....story of my life. ha!</div>
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Meant to post this yesterday, on actual Wednesday. Eh...what the heck? Post it anyway!</div>
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I think she's gonna be a pro ;)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-72193845752929824662013-06-26T08:13:00.001-04:002013-06-26T08:13:33.149-04:00Rockin' The Bump at 17 WeeksAlmost half way there!<br />
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With <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2012/10/dear-annaliese-today-you-are-one.html" target="_blank">my first pregnancy</a>, I was doing pretty good at taking baby bump pictures at least once a month. Well this time, I've let 6 weeks go by since I took a baby bump photo...Ooops! Mainly because I forget, or I don't feel pretty enough to get behind the camera to have a picture taken of me, or because chasing after a toddler exhausts me by the end of the day...<br />
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Yesterday I finally captured my 17 week (and 4 days) bump with baby #2!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-msxfJFZFDVnXGYk7GjQowlWjbnqebi9NU9G-b67ePP-fVqn5LqTeou-OMIEW-Q02Ls8Oy5bpKEvujj3D8aQ2AYwG9jkcCFWWCcwhBlo6kXTEG5W-BOGEuwE1ULgv7soMvPKzrTnmjrQ/s1600/IMG_8505%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-msxfJFZFDVnXGYk7GjQowlWjbnqebi9NU9G-b67ePP-fVqn5LqTeou-OMIEW-Q02Ls8Oy5bpKEvujj3D8aQ2AYwG9jkcCFWWCcwhBlo6kXTEG5W-BOGEuwE1ULgv7soMvPKzrTnmjrQ/s400/IMG_8505%5B1%5D.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Today, after reading <a href="http://www.writingwishing.com/2013/06/rockin-a-love-story-of-a-bump/" target="_blank">Allison's link up post</a>, I am linking up with Shell over at <a href="http://thingsicantsay.com/" target="_blank">Things I Can't Say</a> for the first time for her <a href="http://thingsicantsay.com/2013/06/rockin-the-bump-link-up-your-baby-bump-pics.html" target="_blank">Rockin' The Bump</a> link up!<br />
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I have always loved seeing women rock their baby bumps! Something about having a conversation with a woman knowing there's a little tiny kicking, punching, hiccuping baby in her belly makes me giddy! I believe that all pregnant women are beautiful! I mean come on! What isn't beautiful about carrying the miracle of life inside of you for 9 months? <br />
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Well...if you consider the nausea and vomiting, fatigue, outlandish cravings, gas pains and acid indigestion, swelling, dark skin spots, stretch marks, acne... <i>(Need I go on?) </i>Those things may not make you feel particularly pretty or wonderful by any means. But there's a reason that God gave woman this gift. Because we can handle it. Because we are capable of having the necessary emotional connection with our baby without having met them yet. Because we are able to immediately provide nourishment and unconditional love for this being. <br />
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It's a beautiful thing.<br />
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Baby bumps are beautiful.<br />
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Babies are miracles.<br />
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Mommies are special.<br />
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So Rock Your Bump with pride!<br />
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If you're currently rocking a bump or want to go through your old baby bump pictures and relive those precious moments, link up here! #RockinTheBump<br />
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<a href="http://thingsicantsay.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://thingsicantsay.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/rockinthebump1.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-44177019726766627602013-06-22T10:38:00.001-04:002013-06-22T10:38:42.910-04:00On Board With Bloglovin<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6064213/?claim=ts5wxvnd338">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br />
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Trying to finally get on board with Bloglovin, since Google Reader is no longer available. <br />
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That is...if I have any followers left! Haha! Oh I hope I do! I'm back, I'm back!<br /><br />XOXO<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-81265255590143255922013-06-21T12:29:00.003-04:002013-06-26T08:21:57.409-04:00The Color Run 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnF3vJZbGlRU-FGRCLLZVvZqb_9aaph-g_bnmwDO_VkaWYT6kQ4Hga7-hjWQiCDYYQE4kjkNhhS4ichiGxV0zOysPnuOc1-XCDJ5WkX-JLue-tToTAer_xztuHjnDTbTDKwmROEqW3CKbG/s1600/IMG_8043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnF3vJZbGlRU-FGRCLLZVvZqb_9aaph-g_bnmwDO_VkaWYT6kQ4Hga7-hjWQiCDYYQE4kjkNhhS4ichiGxV0zOysPnuOc1-XCDJ5WkX-JLue-tToTAer_xztuHjnDTbTDKwmROEqW3CKbG/s320/IMG_8043.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Back in December 2012, I had mentioned <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2012/12/color-run-here-i-come.html" target="_blank">here</a> that some friends and I had signed up for "The Happiest 5k On The Planet" aka The Color Run! I had every intention to train for this event and actually try to run the whole thing, which would've been a first...but one slight...<i>ok major </i> detail changed that. Fast forward to May 19, 2013 and the day had come! The only thing that had changed between December and May was the fact that I got pregnant and was having bad sciatic pain already. I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to actually run the 5k with my girls, but <i>very luckily</i>, two of my other good friends and had signed up and were planning on walking! So YAY! Built in walking buddies!<br />
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Fawn, Takia, Christina and I all woke up at the butt crack of dawn, hopped into one car and headed down to Washington D.C. for the day as we were <i>PUMPED</i> to get to do our first Color Run...and do it together! I was a little apprehensive at how well my back would hold up, because at 10 weeks pregnant, I had done a 5k (with my mom and daughter to help benefit Breast Cancer Research) two weekends before and I was in pain for about a week from it. <br />
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Here's a quick shot from that day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhKEUBW4bOboz73FHPXNIXJZHUsUZrz5rEiL1Mmlp0TJ-DxK6FK3T0Narc7rw_vLPiRkmdLYvilFhh_z26BNk32OIFG0VD0RxPoETeK4lXd_u1kfyZq3ZWIaI4gjueOGJyPCpL4h6zctq/s1600/IMG_7870%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhKEUBW4bOboz73FHPXNIXJZHUsUZrz5rEiL1Mmlp0TJ-DxK6FK3T0Narc7rw_vLPiRkmdLYvilFhh_z26BNk32OIFG0VD0RxPoETeK4lXd_u1kfyZq3ZWIaI4gjueOGJyPCpL4h6zctq/s320/IMG_7870%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyway...at 12 weeks pregnant and just peeking into my 2nd trimester after a very rough 1st trimester, I was ready to take on the challenge and have a <i>BLAST</i> while doing it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Me, Christina, Takia, Fawn - Before the race</td></tr>
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We arrived about an hour before race time, got to pick up our packets with our Color Run Tshirt, a packet of color powder to throw at someone at your convenience, 2 removable tattoos, your Color Run race number, a sweat band...how thoughtful! We were ready! :)<br />
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Our plan was to meet my two walking buddies around the start line. We headed to the there only to find out that you couldn't get any where near it because you had to wait in line through thousands of people to even see it! It was insane! We probably waited in line for about 40-50 minutes. Met a very nice unicorn who offered to get his picture with us while we waited. :)<br />
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We also decided to snap a good bit of "before" shots since we were still nice and clean.<br />
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We finally arrived at the start line, I met up with my two walking buddies, Kat and Emily, and Fawn, Takia and Christina took off running and we agreed we would meet up at the finish line!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFg_Csqw9AAN74eHySF01ytcCcomrLNOD8K6D7HMs5TrkvTPvpi3yC-a7wH25789_AKOZEBh-GX2Om9CDW0QOcQ9Ak8nYJceVjnlzvwDa_vpq3rKG9PGfRrgKGwFxAQc5lUo9YLTEEp4v/s1600/IMG_8086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFg_Csqw9AAN74eHySF01ytcCcomrLNOD8K6D7HMs5TrkvTPvpi3yC-a7wH25789_AKOZEBh-GX2Om9CDW0QOcQ9Ak8nYJceVjnlzvwDa_vpq3rKG9PGfRrgKGwFxAQc5lUo9YLTEEp4v/s400/IMG_8086.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a picture of Kat and I, before we got to any color</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPEQCrf4YwljvW1WVniKBaYgNL85Qwus7BsnQAhar6SrC3njS3rdekhvEIVyTTetaMN-yu5K_C3xGwyr21CCsHHRspQWLMyUMRkFcrX50ZjLU6OPOOPGR0d86VZp_Aa4lcyrHqZ2kAHwD/s1600/IMG_8089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPEQCrf4YwljvW1WVniKBaYgNL85Qwus7BsnQAhar6SrC3njS3rdekhvEIVyTTetaMN-yu5K_C3xGwyr21CCsHHRspQWLMyUMRkFcrX50ZjLU6OPOOPGR0d86VZp_Aa4lcyrHqZ2kAHwD/s400/IMG_8089.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kat, Emily and I after getting hit with a little orange</td></tr>
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We tried to snap some pictures as we went along the course, but no one really wanted to take out our cell phones, because our hands were covered in colored powder and we didn't want to take the chance if it ruining our phones.</div>
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Each kilometer you run through you get sprayed with a different color (5 colors total). By the end of the race, we looked like this:<br />
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It was SO MUCH FUN! The only thing that was not fun <i>to say the least</i> was that my sciatica back pain was beyond throbbing and beyond painful. I just wanted nothing but Tylenol, a bunch of water, something to eat, and to lay down. It hurt so bad to get through that race and cross that finish line. But I needed to. I came that far, it was planned 5 months in advance, and I had nothing but support from my friends who were there with me! Just as we came around the last turn and the finish line was in sight, I kicked up my pace and actually managed to jog across the finish line! Despite my immense pain, I kept a smile on my face. Fawn snapped a great picture of me as I finished!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though my head is half cut off, I still love this picture!</td></tr>
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We all had a very busy, fun and personally rewarding day! So glad I got to share it with <i>some</i> of the girls I love! I can't wait to do it again and maybe next time with my family of four! :)<br />
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MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-63697254230418033312013-06-20T15:44:00.000-04:002013-06-20T15:44:09.712-04:003 Decades and A SmileI guess I should give myself a post of my own to pin point my celebration of existence for 30 years.<br />
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On April 4th, 1983 a little Greek baby girl named Cassandra Marie was born :) <br />(in case you were wondering...that's me)<br />
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On April 4th, 2013, now a wife and a mother, that <i>respectively still young </i>woman is now 30 years old. I'm sure this makes my parents feel much older than I do <i>(Sorry mom and dad!)</i>. But yes, it's true. I'm officially 30.<br />
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I never had any reserves about aging. When I first met my husband, he had indirectly taught me how to look at things differently and more positively. With his help, I've graciously accepted the simple truth that "it's-better-to-grow-older-than-to-die-younger" mindset. Plus it's <i>Only 30!</i> <br />
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Since we had discovered that we were expecting another baby on April 2, and we had plans to go out to dinner with family on April 6, <strike>or so I thought</strike>...Justin and I had talked about making an announcement to our close friends and family while we were out to eat. Well unbeknownst to me, the actual plan for Saturday April 6, was for me to go out to lunch with my girlfriends and come home to a Surprise Party with my close friends and family there waiting to celebrate with me!<br />
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After my girlfriends picked me up at home, we headed out to one of my favorite restaurants, Olive Garden, for lunch! (No one knew the baby news yet)<br />
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Well...since it was my 30th birthday and I usually have at least a glass of wine when we get together and I only ordered water, I figured they would get suspicious. Finally after everyone ordered and received their drinks, we did a group "Cheers!" to friendship and birthdays and in the midst of all that, I also blurted out "to New Additions!". Everyone gasped in surprise and cheered as <i>most of them</i> got the insinuation right away. :)<br />
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We headed back to my house (I drove since I have a vehicle that fits all 6 of us) and when I got to my road about 1/4 mile from my house, I saw a lot of people standing outside on the sidewalk on either side of the street. I thought maybe someone was having a yard sale at first. Then I saw people were holding signs! Then I saw the signs all said something about me!! It was the coolest thing ever to see a bunch of people I know and love holding up a sign that said something about me having a birthday or turning 30!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of these pretty happy faces were lined up and down the street for me, along with many others!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge THANK YOU to my cousin-in-laws, Paige and Sasha, for doing all of these signs that I love so much!</td></tr>
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I was so excited seeing all of these signs as I passed that I probably honked the horn about 50 times within 100 yards! I pulled in the driveway and just started hugging anyone I could grab! :) My whole front lawn was filled with people I knew and loved! It felt as wonderful and special as my wedding day; having so many people in one place because they love me. Such a great feeling! Thank You All!<br />
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I walk into my house and it's filled with balloons with ribbon! Everywhere! I loved it!<br />
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I go into the dining room where I find a yummy looking cake! (with purple trimmings of course)</div>
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Then I'm told there is one more surprise...<br />
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And my dad and step mom from New Jersey pop out of our basement door! Hugs are flying again! <br />
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Crazy enough my daughter had slept through all of that commotion (and horn honking), so we woke her up from her nap and put her in her "announcement shirt" and let her walk around to get some reactions out of people. :)<br />
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That day was so much fun, I didn't want it to end! :) It was a great way to bring in my 30's and I'm so blessed and lucky to have these people in my life! A special big "thank you" to my hubby for planning all of this for me, even though we said we wouldn't do something big for my birthday because of funds, but he managed to find a way to make it happen for me anyway because he said I "deserved it". Thank you, baby!<br />
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Love to you all!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-33931038665883236722013-06-20T11:21:00.000-04:002013-06-20T11:21:00.245-04:00Dusting Off The Keyboard For A Big AnnouncementIt's been way too long since I've blogged and I've missed it. <br />
I miss catching up with blogging friends through reading others' posts and writing comments that are well deserved. I miss the "me time" that I used to give myself after putting the little one to bed, and typing non stop on the keyboard until I could hardly hold my head up. I miss putting my thoughts and my family experiences with pictures out on the world wide web (aside from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). <br />
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It seems as though I lost my "blogging self" for awhile. I have still written random thoughts into a journal that I have been keeping. To catch you up a little on what has been going on with me, well that would take more than one post...which it's going to, so bear with me.<br />
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Here's <b>the main thing</b> that have been going on with me in the last few months. <br />
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Most importantly that definitely needs to be mentioned here on this blog is the biggest change yet that our family of three is going to experience.<br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">We're going to become a family of 4!</span></div>
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Most of you probably have already heard the news in some form of social media or another. As you may recall on<a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2013/05/hellois-it-me-youre-looking-for.html" target="_blank"> this post</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/p/XPgZTXj6ii/" target="_blank">this photo</a> in March, we were just beginning to announce that we were "officially trying" to grow our family. Well, little did we know at that time...we had already conceived #2. We definitely didn't expect it to happen so quickly, since Annaliese took 5 months to conceive and even <i>that </i>was fast for us. <br />
So there you have it Blog, we're gonna have a baby!<span style="text-align: center;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhULupvv727hA1CDCx9yDgJqaq8n2wRltUhKB1uaE5T_xdNUH8M3PSzCSQ96OHIqiIZKrfXc0U54GHLJnv89wLG206ZrrnZXpQG6aZXK1gkmZp3b9sLtZVMLNXlijTqlOO7zPONwqlqPnP/s1600/IMG_7539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhULupvv727hA1CDCx9yDgJqaq8n2wRltUhKB1uaE5T_xdNUH8M3PSzCSQ96OHIqiIZKrfXc0U54GHLJnv89wLG206ZrrnZXpQG6aZXK1gkmZp3b9sLtZVMLNXlijTqlOO7zPONwqlqPnP/s320/IMG_7539.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 days before my 30th birthday(April 4th), I took my first pregnancy test</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vcVh-kqoR59jV0OzQCu74B9XSU1U4T37BKtY7YbOaGrChyphenhyphenTl-WPzhgum7P8bOtSKfh5v3LCous5vWQed91Co1KTbtdVjb4iFPDEJLuD3_Zw1JGNg0JXng5rFu_vZpfk38jBq-8jifI7_/s1600/Big+Sister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vcVh-kqoR59jV0OzQCu74B9XSU1U4T37BKtY7YbOaGrChyphenhyphenTl-WPzhgum7P8bOtSKfh5v3LCous5vWQed91Co1KTbtdVjb4iFPDEJLuD3_Zw1JGNg0JXng5rFu_vZpfk38jBq-8jifI7_/s640/Big+Sister.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annaliese is excited to become a Big Sister! We announced the news to our close friends and family at my Surprise 30th Birthday Party on April 6th.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzAhai4lv2naBY7y-qgcdQekLodmdj1nUxu4XP3cGQ_a9dTf8AZxGCjOyZlE1U6i3tOj-muewjsSRTk4AkgxHd9WpvKZ7adVwGzsBWY7zSulyYLZTRkUurMRRITTNTMNIg23mFRycurIA/s1600/IMG_7749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBzAhai4lv2naBY7y-qgcdQekLodmdj1nUxu4XP3cGQ_a9dTf8AZxGCjOyZlE1U6i3tOj-muewjsSRTk4AkgxHd9WpvKZ7adVwGzsBWY7zSulyYLZTRkUurMRRITTNTMNIg23mFRycurIA/s400/IMG_7749.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On April 23rd, we made the grand Facebook announcement.</td></tr>
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Tomorrow on June 21, I will be 17 weeks along already. We are officially due on November 29, which is the day after Thanksgiving. However, since I delivered almost 2 weeks early with Annaliese ...and on a full moon, I am going to make an educated guess and say that I will probably deliver early with this baby and for kicks, lets just say around the full moon on November 17. Justin and I are waiting to find out the sex this time and I couldn't be more excited!<br />
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Already this pregnancy differs much from my first. Pretty much ever since I found out I was pregnant...I was sick...all day for over month. Luckily in mid-May, I found the culprit and switched prenatal vitamins and have been fine ever since! :) Also a few weeks ago, I had some really bad dizziness to where I passed out. Thank God that Justin was here working from home that day because I don't want to know what would've happened in any other case. I have also had really had sciatica pain very early this time around whereas with my first pregnancy, I didn't get bad back pain until I was over 30 weeks pregnant. Hoping some physical therapy or chiropractic assistance will help!<br />
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So because this has been the main thing going on with us, I figured I would get back on the blogging radar with this announcement, and will be filling in the timeline within the next few posts. I promise it won't be a month until they happen. I need to spit them out soon so I can get back onto track with actual current events :)<br />
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For those of you who are still around to read this blog, thanks for your patience and support!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">XOXOXO,</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-12504410215686262052013-05-22T08:26:00.002-04:002013-05-22T08:26:51.695-04:00Hello...Is It Me You're Looking For?**This was written almost 2 months ago on 3/25/13...apparently I was asleep when I hit the SAVE button instead of the PUBLISH button...so here's a slight recap before I get to the <i>actual</i> newest post.**<br />
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Ever have that feeling that you're so far behind that you shouldn't even bother to try to catch up? Well that's me with blogging...except, I DO want to catch up! In the last month...technically two...almost three, I've been TERRIBLY bad at making blogging a priority as I have in the past. Which also means I've totally NOT kept up with that part of my <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-2013-resolutions.html" target="_blank">New Years Resolutions</a> either....well here's why.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Life.</span><br />
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I won't say that I've been busy every day all day for the last month, but my priorities have changed a little. <br />
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Toddler. Geesh, can this girl run! Annaliese is very active, always on the go! She is also very exploratory and independent. It's hard to get everything that needs done in a day, especially with a husband that still gets daily headaches (sleep test is scheduled in May) and sometimes comes home from work and goes straight to bed. Annaliese keeps me on my toes! And boy is she headstrong! If she can't figure something out the first time around, she throws herself down into a fit. Wonder where she gets that from??? <i>For those of you wondering, she actually gets that from both of her parents. Poor kid!</i><br />
Also on that note, Justin and I have decided that we are officially "TTC" again! So stay tuned for an update on that when we're finally successful! <br />
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Money. Since joining Scentsy in December, I am (to my surprise) doing really well with my <a href="https://treatyournose.scentsy.us/" target="_blank">Scentsy Business</a>, and I am bringing in extra money (Shout out to my awesome customers and recruits!), but until I become even more established, I have been applying my tush off for other part time jobs. I've had one interview so far and it seems pretty promising. I have a few other prospects and Justin possibly has another job opportunity that will mean him traveling 2 hours each way Monday - Friday for at least a year until we would relocate closer to his job. So we'll see what happens with that! *Just thought I would put this out there - I am able to do an online party for you if you are interested. A blogger friend is already making it happen!* It's just hard to picture myself going back into the working field after being out of it for 2 1/2 <i>wonderful</i> years! <b>My goal</b> for this year is to make Scentsy my primary income and be able to take my family on a vacation this summer/fall!<br />
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Parties. My sweet maternal grandmother's 80th birthday happened, (February 18th, to be exact)! My mom had been inviting family and friends from all over the country for months and the total head count as of now is about 120 people! My grandma is one of eleven kids (<i>HOLY MOLY...could you imagine???</i>) and all of her siblings who don't reside in Heaven came up celebrate! All of her daughters were there and all of her grand kids, and of course her only great grandchild, Annaliese! Many of her cousins were there as well as many of her life long friends she has made over 80 years of life. I cannot tell you how excited and happy I was/am for my grandma to have this day, this celebration of life! We all had a blast at the party!<br />
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Birthdays. Well more recently, there are more recent birthdays coming up. My big 30th is April 4th and Justin's (a couple years graduated from 30) is April 18th. For the last year, Like I <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2013/01/countdown-to-dancin-30.html" target="_blank">mentioned before</a>, I wanted to throw myself a big 30th birthday bash with an 80's theme! Well unfortunately it looks like that won't be the case. Trying to keep afloat on our bills (including the expensive cold season we're still in) we have not been able to save and extra money to make this happen. I won't lie...I'm disappointed, but I've accepted it. I know that my birthday will still be special in it's own way. My girl friends have a nice lunch at Olive Garden planned for me on April 6th, and we have a family dinner planned for that evening at Dave and Jane's Crab Shack where I will be indulging in all-you-can-eat crabs! <i>*Please note: I will be in a complete food coma on this day*</i><br />
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Books. I have made an attempt to read more like I wanted to this year and I have. Going from zero reading to <i>some</i> reading is actually a feat, but it's happening at least! Plus, just recently I have found an awesome website and app called <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GoodReads</a>! I'm sure most of you consistent readers out there already know of this site, but I found it to be my missing reader's link! It's a place where you can make lists of what you have already read, what you want to read and what you are currently reading as well as have "friends" and read their reviews and get suggestions of books! Go find me so we can be reading buddies! :)<br />
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So that has been my last few months in a nut shell. I'm sorry it's taken me forever to write this post and that I haven't read many of your blog posts that I have missed. It sometimes doesn't take a high rank on the priority list and I have somehow managed to not even make it appear on the list! I'll try to keep on top of things!<br />
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I have lots of pictures to post and lots of other news to share, so I will be doing that here soon! As always you can find me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CassandraSkidmore" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CreatingCassie" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,<a href="http://instagram.com/creatingcassie" target="_blank"> Instagram</a>, and <a href="http://pinterest.com/CreatingCassie/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. <i>*please take note that I have changed my user names to CreatingCassie*</i><br />
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<b>Love to you all...if you're still out there!</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-9830646044218454322013-03-31T07:15:00.002-04:002013-03-31T07:15:41.585-04:00My First Giveaway!You are being invited to join in on the fun of my first ever Scentsy Giveaway!<br />
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I am happily being featured on the blog of my lovely California friend, Melissa Dell, now through April 6th! We have partnered up and are doing a Scentsy giveaway! I'm not hosting it, I'm just simply providing the goodies to win!<br />
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Here's what to do to get entries! Head on over to <a href="http://melissadell.com/?p=3821" target="_blank">The Scentsy Giveaway Post</a> on MelissaDell.com and after reading my profile, follow the simple instructions at the bottom. :)<br />
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I've not been using my blog for <a href="https://treatyournose.scentsy.us/" target="_blank">my Scentsy business</a>, because I don't want to give off the wrong impression that you are my business relationships and not friends...BUT this post is being written here on my blog because <span style="font-size: large;">Who Doesn't Love Free Stuff?!</span><br />
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This is what you are playing for!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1RjH3PVrj-7H_lId1GurjHBUCMvyzQ1JOXALhKMVk8njnMld0WF4sb2ovUXBQaPbul5Kv2t3RoI_k-OY0xT1TJTfv03b2UkUW1XWZQTR8A0r_BJ4v7Q9Doj5cMUUgzdEc1p84A01A_f2V/s1600/Fizz+Beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1RjH3PVrj-7H_lId1GurjHBUCMvyzQ1JOXALhKMVk8njnMld0WF4sb2ovUXBQaPbul5Kv2t3RoI_k-OY0xT1TJTfv03b2UkUW1XWZQTR8A0r_BJ4v7Q9Doj5cMUUgzdEc1p84A01A_f2V/s640/Fizz+Beach.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #605f5f; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;">
Fizz Plug-in: A cool, modern design of circles on bone-finish porcelain. Glows from within when lit. Beach Scent: Papaya and honeydew, sweetened with a hint of coconut.</div>
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Now head on over and enter to win! I know a good many of you already have met some of the entry requirements that earns you a chance to win! Good luck!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-73015415277268570702013-03-31T06:58:00.000-04:002013-03-31T06:58:07.402-04:00Happy Easter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Easter to all of my readers out there! Wishing you a day filled with joy, family, and love!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-42760193713435931292013-01-22T19:56:00.000-05:002013-01-22T19:56:04.477-05:00A Week In PicturesYeah...I'm sorry...again.<br />
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It's been 10 days since I've written (or read) many posts lately. I'm totally going against my resolution of wanting to blog more...BUT in the meantime I AM concentrating more on advertising <a href="https://treatyournose.scentsy.us/" target="_blank">my Scentsy business</a>, getting Annaliese to more play dates outside of our home, and working out! <br />
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So, I've been busy, but it's been good :)<br />
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In no particular order, I'd like to share with you my week in photos!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Dccc-yEdb3ilVckDisKhbefzcT4dAI70pJDOmDWhHmcOFR_DJxgocPXqYqF2lkc4kXmpLdHgqz16neWxVvTFTShIi-PfJM9mmXp3xpXpLyGp_CQb4ILxzrbg2DIR9-_f8J0dGkH7gcyZ/s1600/Jan+of+the+month+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Dccc-yEdb3ilVckDisKhbefzcT4dAI70pJDOmDWhHmcOFR_DJxgocPXqYqF2lkc4kXmpLdHgqz16neWxVvTFTShIi-PfJM9mmXp3xpXpLyGp_CQb4ILxzrbg2DIR9-_f8J0dGkH7gcyZ/s640/Jan+of+the+month+Collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking care of business :) *by the way, these are 10% off through Jan 31, if you're interested*</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybxOTJcQrTTWJqjxWFL-tSJZ1Yw8C3rnUnttSMBPXk9ML-q6NM27aRno7bqI02IwJaouyTfaOEMp3IigHx_dcCJv2z1zm_3OyxMOhZUFKWhEYhoOZqVMoGn8NVZfO3FurDmMccQLynqYQ/s1600/Bill+Lev.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybxOTJcQrTTWJqjxWFL-tSJZ1Yw8C3rnUnttSMBPXk9ML-q6NM27aRno7bqI02IwJaouyTfaOEMp3IigHx_dcCJv2z1zm_3OyxMOhZUFKWhEYhoOZqVMoGn8NVZfO3FurDmMccQLynqYQ/s320/Bill+Lev.JPG" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was asked to be in a wedding of a friend from high school and this is what our bridesmaids dress will look like, all in shades of purple (minus the sweetheart neckline)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChLA0Ppd7pRlMr3sNNxWE83Fc7RDxd23tq52SB6WtOzMwAcXzbb6M2hIE_zAFB4fkHS_uE84gQCD-RyKCwQpUtjK6PoTNUeZNa7-NBGJ8n4AwJKPLvmrgIF0fXGMJQtrNl7-u_qoN0s3Z/s1600/IMG_6502%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChLA0Ppd7pRlMr3sNNxWE83Fc7RDxd23tq52SB6WtOzMwAcXzbb6M2hIE_zAFB4fkHS_uE84gQCD-RyKCwQpUtjK6PoTNUeZNa7-NBGJ8n4AwJKPLvmrgIF0fXGMJQtrNl7-u_qoN0s3Z/s320/IMG_6502%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annaliese had a little music lesson from Uncle Alex when he came over for dinner</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IKSM8uEzFR1yBK3b7xEn8dBfYsnnY3KbOwP4ECemXScsyLfStUdj5sq3cQ0VvPKFKtMj8rlA-VkeQAI8RzfAaJKkUO5en7im2VsaqB18ado8i0xBXId3VzvCaPMh4MC_UnCKmZyMdsKE/s1600/iWorkout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6IKSM8uEzFR1yBK3b7xEn8dBfYsnnY3KbOwP4ECemXScsyLfStUdj5sq3cQ0VvPKFKtMj8rlA-VkeQAI8RzfAaJKkUO5en7im2VsaqB18ado8i0xBXId3VzvCaPMh4MC_UnCKmZyMdsKE/s640/iWorkout.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(left) I got from my across-the-world-friend, <a href="http://www.scoopsofjoy.com/" target="_blank">Maureen</a>. (right) I found on Instagram and had to share! (By the way, this is indication that I've been working out) -hehe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZHmEnt8JckrIVI4TTdsuQ8O5O7l-L-xEzKjFoQxSbvRHYhe9PYlZjemuvxWXz_nmxI7a75TgyyQ97uRw782gYp-SRlC9tfVUugEOD8S8ura09wsJtCuiP7GCLW4HhoS4NWWEd4Ti0ICY/s1600/IMG_6435%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZHmEnt8JckrIVI4TTdsuQ8O5O7l-L-xEzKjFoQxSbvRHYhe9PYlZjemuvxWXz_nmxI7a75TgyyQ97uRw782gYp-SRlC9tfVUugEOD8S8ura09wsJtCuiP7GCLW4HhoS4NWWEd4Ti0ICY/s400/IMG_6435%255B1%255D.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We Skyped with my dad and Jackie aka Papou and Nana</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVbyebe-RcyDzccHa8BF65nltBpfOUnlaBOYCxamxAG61Bu3HSIaaUsVNB1JuetEewVkglCWXC8FvwgSKAjlMk-RXq_BTzW_BGRFyhQiSTGvPgP0o61VxdkuwJUhUFJ414pyKwCwiDP-Z/s1600/Annaliese+and+Dolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVbyebe-RcyDzccHa8BF65nltBpfOUnlaBOYCxamxAG61Bu3HSIaaUsVNB1JuetEewVkglCWXC8FvwgSKAjlMk-RXq_BTzW_BGRFyhQiSTGvPgP0o61VxdkuwJUhUFJ414pyKwCwiDP-Z/s640/Annaliese+and+Dolls.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annaliese cannot get enough of this Little People Princess Castle! I'll admit, I love it too! #jealous</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28rg_vD_WAgLxcFjCEVfChf65Uu8IgDTo0yiP-5xUm-9a3x0-wASgjo6NQgd8UTWoXd-42bsgUgs8jP9apdjy0XqXRma8EXzDBGt28IEDXZ1sH4tj48kpM2hFoqIOOaGQ2MeOyBbcRLva/s1600/IMG_6457%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28rg_vD_WAgLxcFjCEVfChf65Uu8IgDTo0yiP-5xUm-9a3x0-wASgjo6NQgd8UTWoXd-42bsgUgs8jP9apdjy0XqXRma8EXzDBGt28IEDXZ1sH4tj48kpM2hFoqIOOaGQ2MeOyBbcRLva/s400/IMG_6457%255B1%255D.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found our belly button and have been obsessed ever since!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VfGnnjWEspif43RHqubkDOqwzHYf1ejR-TT-eeJVtiW26Twi2K_WMCZgFu-AW-ciwB3uncRxrZq1ir02HzMQKMA96EX25fTdU8usjm-CxsAxBI-ZfpZ98cuD_0AFeMlygZOLpiusvXME/s1600/Annaliese+and+Norah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VfGnnjWEspif43RHqubkDOqwzHYf1ejR-TT-eeJVtiW26Twi2K_WMCZgFu-AW-ciwB3uncRxrZq1ir02HzMQKMA96EX25fTdU8usjm-CxsAxBI-ZfpZ98cuD_0AFeMlygZOLpiusvXME/s640/Annaliese+and+Norah.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had 2 play dates with our friends Nicole and Norah</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EC7F7LGlff6u6ylj2cgCnAqUKxZR9mSA2lRv9N87yVrGZdt4PsmePD5OUM2Bq_eVNR0YyHkpASJU8KgsOMRXolzLTQWol8Fr_EyNSWHuhiAGw6ZyQ5iEyAMdPTcSXBkLsdPeHmQoevtj/s1600/IMG_6468%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4EC7F7LGlff6u6ylj2cgCnAqUKxZR9mSA2lRv9N87yVrGZdt4PsmePD5OUM2Bq_eVNR0YyHkpASJU8KgsOMRXolzLTQWol8Fr_EyNSWHuhiAGw6ZyQ5iEyAMdPTcSXBkLsdPeHmQoevtj/s320/IMG_6468%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my awesome "to go" cup from my BFF that I've been using when I leave the house :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7-FzUNxa9RDWgnNJ5TNXlZNQZ8jxb5NsN8nSubmCQZN27HWp3IKT0FxhKS_Bkhe5qxrdgPhulcjZxs7X3sAjKOfmpxkv2MpKMEh_CMGdZrhSjZ5OBKThuy2Lo61Q0XNNWFbMnXNRQXL_/s1600/IMG_6494%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7-FzUNxa9RDWgnNJ5TNXlZNQZ8jxb5NsN8nSubmCQZN27HWp3IKT0FxhKS_Bkhe5qxrdgPhulcjZxs7X3sAjKOfmpxkv2MpKMEh_CMGdZrhSjZ5OBKThuy2Lo61Q0XNNWFbMnXNRQXL_/s400/IMG_6494%5B1%5D.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We even went out to dinner as a family :) (mommy not pictured) ;)</td></tr>
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<br />It's been busy lately, but life wouldn't be <b>life </b>if it weren't busy! I'll be back soon! I have to update you all of Annaliese and her "15 month update post" as well as Justin and I's upcoming date night this Saturday! We'll be celebrating Valentine's Day since it's the only time we have (with a sitter available) to go out together! I hope you all are doing well and I'll try to catch up on some of your blogs soon! Much love to you all!<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-18381017022350564282013-01-12T22:13:00.000-05:002013-01-12T22:16:20.032-05:00First HaircutA week ago, (yes I'm a little behind) Annaliese had her first haircut!<br />
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A friend of mine, Maria, that I went to school with has been a hair dresser for 11 years and I asked her to come to our house one Friday while Justin was on a lunch break, so that Annaliese could be in the comfort of our home and make it a pleasant experience. Well it worked!<br />
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She was all smiles! Maria was so good with Annaliese! The only part she was unsure of was the spraying of water to wet her hair.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbQCx0c83xbJ4_txU3U0ReZ0SE2U-WSJavYDqy2wunUzRXBmUtTy-gbppIZLqX528C5uPIx9o4H8igwu0HKSvwYtkHUPoewUUw-MBO1U5UVTgI_MNFQYYV2sT3g3-ClWPKQ7aOYc_DVr7/s1600/Hair+cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbQCx0c83xbJ4_txU3U0ReZ0SE2U-WSJavYDqy2wunUzRXBmUtTy-gbppIZLqX528C5uPIx9o4H8igwu0HKSvwYtkHUPoewUUw-MBO1U5UVTgI_MNFQYYV2sT3g3-ClWPKQ7aOYc_DVr7/s640/Hair+cut.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After about 5 minutes in the hot seat...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiTElcgzqN-GtD5BgdIs9tOPKqdWOuj1ER_RTMJ2sjDHCYmHgMsqRvoBvS7kvc4hNeM9rBJ3Rz1RcE53dMAUlrtfSv8pDe9kgYrdpMn6hP-gpW70vEtt-XU9WsmQT8b-fi71eccJD5YTc/s1600/Hair+Cut2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiTElcgzqN-GtD5BgdIs9tOPKqdWOuj1ER_RTMJ2sjDHCYmHgMsqRvoBvS7kvc4hNeM9rBJ3Rz1RcE53dMAUlrtfSv8pDe9kgYrdpMn6hP-gpW70vEtt-XU9WsmQT8b-fi71eccJD5YTc/s640/Hair+Cut2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We were done and left with bits of hair to keep as a memento.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB916dY1c7MhVssGVfyB7HTIvr3LDQqoVpYY0f97sJkuXub7AqQAhFOJ9_Ri2coxf89ZuNIyi7kQRc2ZzGbmnpY0YOHVeIrrCcdKmAkk4mq7nwybMmrpl8-yXGNvq5VQVJ7MG82FL_W1v0/s1600/IMG_6438%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB916dY1c7MhVssGVfyB7HTIvr3LDQqoVpYY0f97sJkuXub7AqQAhFOJ9_Ri2coxf89ZuNIyi7kQRc2ZzGbmnpY0YOHVeIrrCcdKmAkk4mq7nwybMmrpl8-yXGNvq5VQVJ7MG82FL_W1v0/s400/IMG_6438%5B1%5D.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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So the next day, after she was showered and dressed, I was able to do her hair...and not have all of her hair on top of her head and not have all of her hair in her eyes! Ah! There's my pretty girl :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuJCQrDqJ3lB7Mh-EUHQslZkLl4ePf9hYRFbS4AlHBR7zx0oNlNVKmGB9Ypv9_TXflCZ57ZDOoBTW-fUgI8SoNO1VL8REI82AniQafXiMdj5_I2s8bt5jiWkpP087p9Oz_xV0gGitSnfz/s1600/Hair+Cut3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuJCQrDqJ3lB7Mh-EUHQslZkLl4ePf9hYRFbS4AlHBR7zx0oNlNVKmGB9Ypv9_TXflCZ57ZDOoBTW-fUgI8SoNO1VL8REI82AniQafXiMdj5_I2s8bt5jiWkpP087p9Oz_xV0gGitSnfz/s640/Hair+Cut3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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She digs her haircut! (And being able to see again) <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-77224405368804072862013-01-09T21:19:00.001-05:002013-01-09T21:39:19.638-05:00Wordless Wednesday- With A Fork<span id="goog_488707365"></span><span id="goog_488707366"></span><br />
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MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-55240492928542071832013-01-07T21:57:00.001-05:002013-01-07T21:57:38.972-05:00My 2013 Resolutions<br />
<b>Resolution [rez-uh-loo-shuh n] noun</b><br />
<b>Definition: determination, strong will</b><br />
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Many people don't participate in making New Years resolutions for themselves. A lot of people don't want to "waste their time" making a list of something they feel that they probably won't commit to. That's understandable.<br />
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I used to be one of those people. I would make a list of things I wanted to do within the new year and would stick with it for maybe 2 months tops and then start slacking. It's a shame really. I've disappointed myself too many times doing it this way. But this year...I feel more headstrong and feel that with a little help and support from my family and friends, I WILL accomplish my goals and will have a bigger smile on my face come December 31, 2013 than I have in previous years on that date.<br />
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So without further ado, here is my list of goals for 2013.<br />
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<b>Write it down.</b> I have depended so much on electronics for things within the last 2 years of not being in the working field. This is not a bad thing, but for me, I noticed it was. When I worked I used to have sticky notes all over the place in my office, of "to do lists" or goals, or reminders. Same with being at home. I would write lists of chores, or meals, or "to-dos". Since I've gotten away from having an organized office space, I've used my lap top and phone more for things like that and I have realized that if I don't have the list in front of me, it doesn't get done. If I have to search for it in my phone or app or laptop then it will get overlooked more than looked at and will get pushed to the back burner. This year I will be physically writing down my work outs, my Scentsy meetings, my chores, my grocery lists, etc. And to do this, I have purchased my first <a href="http://www.erincondren.com/store/index.php?cPath=1156" target="_blank">Erin Condren Life Planner</a>! I have seen so many people use these and speak so highly of them, so I thought I'd give it a try! I'm already in love! Plus it was a nice gift to myself for beginning <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-year-new-title-work-at-home-mom.html" target="_blank">my own business</a> :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Isn't it pretty? :)</i></td></tr>
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<b>Believe in myself. </b>There's a particular reason that I've learned and it is why I haven't done well at following through with things. That is fear of failure. If/When I quit, I don't give myself the opportunity to fail. I don't have to make myself deal with the disappointment. I think the path that I am on is a good one and it's making me realize more and more <i>how</i> to believe in myself and when I actually do, I'm usually rewarded. I am also learning how to deal with disappointment because nothing is perfect and nothing will ever go 100% as planned.<br />
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<b>Stick to fitness. </b>Using my first resolution mentioned above, physically write down a weekly workout plan and stick to it.<b> </b>I can't drink coffee without a lot of cream and a lot of sugar, so my goal is to stick to hot herbal teas with honey. Drink more water. Eat less junk. Sometimes I think that maybe I don't want it bad enough to keep starting and stopping, but I really do. Motivation is key and it needs to happen every day, not just every now and then. I'm working on that! I am <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2012/12/color-run-here-i-come.html" target="_blank">running a 5K race</a> in 131 days after all. I have to be ready for it! Plus I seemed to have gained my baby weight back. :( Damn you holiday treats!<br />
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<b>Get it together. </b>Organization is key. Over the years, I have somehow become more and more disorganized and I have realized that it has caused me much unnecessary stress. <i>Hopefully </i>in the Spring or Summer of this year we will be in a different house and can better organize our things since we won't be relying on a <strike>usually flooded, spider dungeon</strike> basement to store our things. Also when we are able to, we will be getting rid of A LOT of things that we don't need or use and this will help!<br />
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<b>Stick to blogging. </b>I love that I have picked up blogging a LOT in the last 12 months and I want to continue to do that. My goal is to publish 2-3 posts a week every week. Along with writing more often, I hope to finally come up with a new redesign and finally feel comfortable in my blogging skin. Not that I don't feel comfortable now, I just feel different from what I started out with. I'll just be "Cassie" instead of a mommy blog "Mama Cassie". Not that I mind being a "mommy blog", but I'm more than just a mother. :)<br />
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<b>Be in photographs. </b>I have thousands upon thousands of pictures that I take and there aren't really many of them that I am in. I also would like to have more pictures of Justin, Annaliese and I as a family of three. We don't have many, other than "specific occasions that we have a picture of us three in. It's been almost 15 months. This should stop.<br />
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<b>Read a book (or 12).</b> I am giving myself a challenge of reading a book a month for the year. And no, a 10 page Dr. Seuss book doesn't count here. I do love to read books and blogs too, of course, but lately I have only been reading blogs and have put my books on the back burner. I think I can. I think I can.<br />
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<b>More of me. </b>Concentrating on my new business, going to the gym, doing crafts, reading books, baking (healthy) goodies...these are all things that I love doing that I haven't given myself time for lately. It's very challenging to find a balance of family, marriage, and personal time, but I know it can be done and it can be done in a healthy way. Balance is also key.<br />
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<b>More "us" time. </b>By the time the toddler is in bed and asleep, most nights the husband and I are too tired to even look at each other, let alone cuddle and watch a movie. I miss spending time along with my husband, ya know? He's still my world and my best friend and I want to spend more nights alone with him. I think we need to arrange at least one night a month where we find a sitter and go have dinner out together. We need time to ourselves on a more consistent schedule.<br />
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All in all these are things that I want to put my everything into trying for this year. All I have to do is believe I can and I will. Here's to believing!<br />
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CHEERS 2013!<br />
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<b>Do you have any New Year resolutions? If so, what are they and how do you plan to stick with them?</b><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-88328417961349085202013-01-06T08:30:00.000-05:002013-01-06T08:30:01.340-05:00Countdown to Dancin' 30!I must be crazy!<br />
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Who the heck counts down to their 30th birthday with joy?<br />
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ME!<br />
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In regards to any other decade mile marker...talk to me in 10 years.<br />
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But yes, 2013 has just begun and I am already counting down the days until April 4!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">88 days!</span><br />
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A decade went by in the blink of an eye! It's so strange to me how that happens.<br />
My 20's have been great to me for the most part. Early 20's (from what I remember) were fun. I bought my first brand new car at age 22. I met Justin when I was 23. Even though that sounds so crazy and young to say, I knew I had found the man I was going to marry. Then at age 25, after 2 1/2 years of dating, I got engaged. After 1 1/2 years of planning, at age 27, I got married. Five months later I got pregnant and at age 28, I became a mommy. Here I am, a wife at age 29 with a 1 year old daughter.<br />
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For my 30th birthday, I want to have a big party! Providing it's not in God's plan for us to get pregnant before hand, most likely on Saturday April 6th my closest friends and some family will get together to help welcome me into my 30's! <br />
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I would love nothing more to have a 1980's party! 80's music, neon colored wind pants, big bangs with a side pony tail, leg warmers, posters of old TV shows...the whole 9 yards! I told Justin that if this doesn't happen with others planning it, I will plan it myself :) Either way...it's gonna happen :)<br />
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Anyone who knows me, KNOWS that I LOVE to dance! It's not a secret! Where there's an open floor, I'm there! Doesn't even have to include music! I'm there! Snapping my fingers and shuffling my feet ... <i>singing do-i-ditty ditty-dum-ditty-do.</i> hehe!<br />
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I know that 100 times over I was blessed all 10 years of my 20's and I know for a fact that my 30's will be just as good to me. This year is a new start to a new decade and a newER life full of endurance, determination and accomplishment! I am ready for 2013!<br />
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Bring it on and let the countdown to <span style="font-size: x-large;">30</span> continue! :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-52510602180155201332013-01-04T07:30:00.000-05:002013-01-04T07:30:22.412-05:00Super Secret Christmas Project 2012Hello and Happy Friday! :) First Friday of 2013! Whoo hoo!<br />
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Now that all of the intended recipients have received their handmade Christmas gift from Annaliese, we can finally share with you what they were! :)<br />
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While browsing <a href="http://pinterest.com/fotofriendlymom/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, I came across 2 fun and easy ideas to give as Christmas gifts from Annaliese.<br />
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First : A "Hand"-made ornament.<br />
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1/2 cup of all purpose white flour<br />
1/2 cup of salt<br />
Approximately 1/4 cup of cold water (I had to add a tiny bit more, but didn't measure)<br />
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Mix it and knead it with your hands and presto! You have dough!<br />
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Roll it flat to about 1/4'-1/2' thick, get a hand imprint, then cut out the hand leaving about 1/4' around.<br />
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*If you're making them into hanging ornaments, make sure you make a hole for the ribbon before baking them.<br />
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Bake at 200 degrees for 4 hours.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Justin and I got creative and each made an ornament for Annaliese too </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the finished product, after some acrylic paint, a sharpie and some ribbon!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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We loved how they turned out and the family loved receiving them! We are thinking of doing one every year and having them hanging in chronological order on our wall at Christmas time, but we'll see if that actually happens :)<br />
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Second : just for the grandparents, we bought some pre-stretched canvas frames from Michaels and took Annaliese's foot prints and made them into pictures. (Also inspired by Pinterest)<br />
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We're very pleased with how these turned out and Justin and I (and Annaliese too) really enjoyed making these for our family. It was really inexpensive, very simple, very fun and most importantly, very treasured because handmade gifts from young ones are the best. :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-29397172688661805742013-01-02T22:20:00.000-05:002013-01-02T22:24:37.133-05:00New Year- New Title: Work At Home MomHAPPY NEW YEAR! <br />
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With this being my first post of 2013, I have some exciting news to fill you in on! (Not so new if you already follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/FotoFriendlyMom" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CassandraSkidmore" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://instagram.com/fotofriendlymom" target="_blank">Instagram</a>)<br />
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I am pleased and very excited to announce that after thinking long and hard about going into the Independent Consultant business, I am now an Independent Scentsy Consultant! Check out my shiny new consultant logo to your right! Click on it and it will take you to my official business website! (thanks hubby!) <br />
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*applause*<br />
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Scentsy Fragrance offers a variety of home and personal fragrance products, including scented wickless candles and decorative ceramic warmers, which together provide a safer alternative to burning wicked candles.<br />
If you remember correctly, I had posted <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2012/11/cassie-independent-consultant.html" target="_blank">here</a> a few weeks ago about possibly going this route for a little extra income for our family.<br />
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So you ask why did I choose to go with Scentsy and becoming an independent consultant?<br />
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1) I <span style="font-size: large;">love</span> Scentsy products! I believe in their products. I'm excited to represent their products. If there's one thing I know about being in sales is you have to believe in what you're trying to sell and how they outweigh their competitors. Done!<br />
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2) I get to meet new people along the way! Although I tend to be a shy person in some aspects, I am still a social person and love meeting new people! You never know who you might come across. They might become a good friend to you! <br />
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3) I get to make my own hours! I can set my own schedule! I can't tell you how excited I am about this part! Being a stay at home mom and having the desire to continue to be a stay at home mom, this is very important to me.<br />
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4) I can feel better by contributing financially to our family again and by doing something I love and am passionate about! I think this will help me in so many ways!<br />
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5) I can be creative and market my business! I can also do my own promotions and games to get some more clientele! This is exciting! Pinterest, here I come!<br />
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6) I can make money! I can earn all inclusive paid for vacations! I can set goals for myself and strive for them! Being out of the working field for over 2 years, I lost track of many things that I didn't think I would miss. One of which was making financial goals for myself. I'm back on it and it feels great!<br />
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I am very, very excited to announce my business to all of you and I hope that you will support me in my decision! No, I don't mean ordering from me (although that would be really nice if you wanted to)...I just mean praying for me and believing in me. That's all I can really ask for.<br />
So THANK YOU in advance for your support! I really appreciate it!<br />
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So now to get to the fun stuff!<br />
Check out my business website : <a href="https://treatyournose.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Home">https://treatyournose.scentsy.us/Scentsy/Home</a><br />
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Also check out my Facebook business page and "LIKE" it while you're there: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/TreatYourNose">http://www.facebook.com/TreatYourNose</a> This is where I'll be announcing specials and promotions! So if you're ready to treat your nose, let me know! :)<br />
<br />
Your Independent Scentsy Consultant,<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-52163678424886920892012-12-29T12:27:00.000-05:002012-12-29T12:27:10.588-05:00Christmas Happened!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After all of the hectic preparing, Christmas has bitter-sweetly come and gone.<br />
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Shopping, wrapping, cooking, making, painting, tagging, exchanging, cleaning, and making room for all the new toys...it was so worth the many smiles!<br />
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Here's a recap of the last week's Christmas festivities!<br />
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Thursday 12/20 - Justin and I went shopping start to finish! It was nice to have a "date day", but it was very exhausting to day the least. We're still recovering - physically... and financially!<br />
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Friday 12/21 - We wrapped our little hearts out and worked on our super secret Christmas project that I can't yet reveal to you because we still have another "Christmas weekend" to be had.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv24kIPVy4EIZGks7Jq85EibfVFg_rOQaApUlD5JE3wbkbp7jJndh9mYN4WLacj3pZX09bYanMkjS5PxtpOYWahmGnOPyfHMkLXtUPqLsSW449qXkBNrqK5DGEcCiNP8Kk6sFMW7gsnQM8/s1600/IMG_6037%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv24kIPVy4EIZGks7Jq85EibfVFg_rOQaApUlD5JE3wbkbp7jJndh9mYN4WLacj3pZX09bYanMkjS5PxtpOYWahmGnOPyfHMkLXtUPqLsSW449qXkBNrqK5DGEcCiNP8Kk6sFMW7gsnQM8/s320/IMG_6037%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Good All Year - Just Ask Santa" shirt</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx3XRIFYnQMGKSV-RZiIFoehoWudtX2fwf9mtNM7RVQkjgaOxEKErSm6-SFCIkospgh7lvjoeJs7CpNdlZ9jUOYl7yqG1-XaNI8uHfd9RMHB-LhcTt1IERLKB7TBLFIG4lpz3RW824PRb/s1600/IMG_6048%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIx3XRIFYnQMGKSV-RZiIFoehoWudtX2fwf9mtNM7RVQkjgaOxEKErSm6-SFCIkospgh7lvjoeJs7CpNdlZ9jUOYl7yqG1-XaNI8uHfd9RMHB-LhcTt1IERLKB7TBLFIG4lpz3RW824PRb/s320/IMG_6048%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Saturday 12/22 - Justin and I cleaned the house and then hopped in the car to go pick up my mother in law and aunt in law and headed up to Hershey, PA to drive through an hour and a half of their "Sweet Lights" Candylane display. It was a lot of fun, but it was also a long time to be in the car. Annaliese did really well though!<br />
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Sunday 12/23 - We had some last minute shopping to do and had a friend come over and Justin's other aunt and uncle stopped by to give Annaliese a Christmas gift. We also did some online shopping and ordered Annaliese a "replacement" Teddy Bear because the one she has now and cannot sleep without...has seen better days.</div>
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Monday 12/24 - We finished wrapping, had a visit with Justin's cousin, Paige, did some baking enjoyed watching our first "real" snow of the season! I was very excited to have a White Christmas! We had plans to go to Justin's dad's old church for their Christmas Eve Candle Light service so we hopped in the car and carefully arrived to church. It was nice to see familiar faces in a church we used to regularly attend, but since that was the first time we had been there since Justin's dad passed away, it was very hard to see the chair he used to sit in and the pulpit he used to preach at...empty. The church had a Christmas tree decorated and still put up Ron and Elaine's Christmas decorations, which we thought was very nice. Annaliese liked hearing the Christmas carols sung by the congregation and applauded.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then Santa Came...</span></div>
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Tuesday 12/25 - CHRISTMAS!</div>
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I'll save the majority of the Christmas pictures for another post, but here are a few from Christmas morning, just the three of us. Our camera wasn't fully charged yet so these are just iPhone pictures.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3w0Ni5kn_YjUnCOYqPbb_WGz8SHp2KYrrleBS6gGeehwZ9YEgAZjJneAUIACYUsHoLbqB5QLBVu5dJXcAO2HsrHvbnh7mx92ZMjQwDCrufe8euiOPCnlT7uwgHvsWSG86FmpDWE_sbPts/s1600/IMG_6118%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3w0Ni5kn_YjUnCOYqPbb_WGz8SHp2KYrrleBS6gGeehwZ9YEgAZjJneAUIACYUsHoLbqB5QLBVu5dJXcAO2HsrHvbnh7mx92ZMjQwDCrufe8euiOPCnlT7uwgHvsWSG86FmpDWE_sbPts/s320/IMG_6118%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy insisted on buying Annaliese this piano! It's perfect for her and she loves it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0_DSKZL8AvGjkopBM4MSkY9Vk22fMVRWMw8oKIn4k8kvna734krqIHo1x113wGuWHL3MDA0nMnN4iKSb4DmXJTprgVtAClJGOKWmxbQFp1OX-BBSSmSBpvXoiYTvtQKg3ePLJF5lF6eo/s1600/IMG_6111%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0_DSKZL8AvGjkopBM4MSkY9Vk22fMVRWMw8oKIn4k8kvna734krqIHo1x113wGuWHL3MDA0nMnN4iKSb4DmXJTprgVtAClJGOKWmxbQFp1OX-BBSSmSBpvXoiYTvtQKg3ePLJF5lF6eo/s320/IMG_6111%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mickey Mouse Clubhouse table and chairs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nKR5_HgvpznhsjQ2mmcqitcknuVCpW6B7weAjV28DQ8tYssLYymHoO6FVJ-TEdMcVOCEFuOAVhq3-iBiqsSFeGuZzKt6QExpsvdhQTBN1FWdtyzjlhZF_lYk72gKLBl_YwAFTQCz-sI4/s1600/IMG_6116%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nKR5_HgvpznhsjQ2mmcqitcknuVCpW6B7weAjV28DQ8tYssLYymHoO6FVJ-TEdMcVOCEFuOAVhq3-iBiqsSFeGuZzKt6QExpsvdhQTBN1FWdtyzjlhZF_lYk72gKLBl_YwAFTQCz-sI4/s320/IMG_6116%255B1%255D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her first puzzle!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4yeTvhVqoAQQ8L_-o6Fv37_jk61sCbgI9fGblDjVUquiMlUK6hvtefxHJulJ-wIteHutax_r8Ds_qcyPWE9wPi_JLKSCUR3gfwrPD7ghIu9DdRBLv4PpER-RkzoeAVJKDwjndXi7_rPp/s1600/IMG_6122%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4yeTvhVqoAQQ8L_-o6Fv37_jk61sCbgI9fGblDjVUquiMlUK6hvtefxHJulJ-wIteHutax_r8Ds_qcyPWE9wPi_JLKSCUR3gfwrPD7ghIu9DdRBLv4PpER-RkzoeAVJKDwjndXi7_rPp/s320/IMG_6122%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mickey Mouse tent, tunnel and ball pit!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKbH7jTso5vi22D91VB6XjNkG61CzKAHQTIPeUG1b9EUySszYbmpUw3qo3A_gd1L4mnpgNoMfzhQw56evKafgdK7PiMXuhLtH3oxALeyPJdX_22tcCl8b9TjCVS6bjMGZgDV0h7tePEWW/s1600/IMG_6113%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKbH7jTso5vi22D91VB6XjNkG61CzKAHQTIPeUG1b9EUySszYbmpUw3qo3A_gd1L4mnpgNoMfzhQw56evKafgdK7PiMXuhLtH3oxALeyPJdX_22tcCl8b9TjCVS6bjMGZgDV0h7tePEWW/s320/IMG_6113%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More books!</td></tr>
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After Annaliese opened all her gifts, we got ready for the day and had my mom, my grandma, my aunt, my brother, Justin's mom and Justin's aunt come over for brunch and to exchange gifts. It was a very busy morning for Annaliese, so after she opened all of her gifts she took a nap and the adults finished exchanging gifts. <div>
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(Pictures to come in another post)<div>
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Once Annaliese woke up, we ALL (except my aunt) headed over to my brother and sister in law's house for Christmas dinner at 3pm. It was nice to have my family, Justin's family and even my sister in law's family all at the same dinner table. Good food was had, great laughs were shared, then onto more presents!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMca3kHrCLb3b55Ga2zoyICFsjV4Vkp1_5ZQZh5vHfe3ltlzOJDWOfd5JbYXmGmB_cIjHcs-6WAcHs2F-CkyKPCkcN8a0Ifj7U-fLK6zLgVpqkLOENNkz4q8SieI17RG4aDCYr2ORzP7wX/s1600/DSC_0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMca3kHrCLb3b55Ga2zoyICFsjV4Vkp1_5ZQZh5vHfe3ltlzOJDWOfd5JbYXmGmB_cIjHcs-6WAcHs2F-CkyKPCkcN8a0Ifj7U-fLK6zLgVpqkLOENNkz4q8SieI17RG4aDCYr2ORzP7wX/s320/DSC_0572.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley, Jenn and the back of my grandma's head</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LWkDqlNvUeShPAilfstzLxj92oB10zU9kquhf-i_3b7R_KkrT9zCNVZ8msSSE97JHec6z605M9YD7DIOzkPJgKT1H9Fq-zAUq4bgVtCGUgglZFOeGZ-8rungXb6u6S2n3c8JoJNMBjs/s1600/DSC_0573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-LWkDqlNvUeShPAilfstzLxj92oB10zU9kquhf-i_3b7R_KkrT9zCNVZ8msSSE97JHec6z605M9YD7DIOzkPJgKT1H9Fq-zAUq4bgVtCGUgglZFOeGZ-8rungXb6u6S2n3c8JoJNMBjs/s320/DSC_0573.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elaine, Ginger, Ricky, Ashley and the back of Judy's head</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvL5f6HVCW8Z9K4dcGpp_D033ENRFQgLFOazCkayn9596ubn8FQoBnYx_sbuFmdZFPWTrtSqdp7gJbd_s88xM70Y8OxYEzlwxWcWFiYXyGiurRndM3imllqn59wg9biRkiPXG72rhGhfa/s1600/DSC_0586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvL5f6HVCW8Z9K4dcGpp_D033ENRFQgLFOazCkayn9596ubn8FQoBnYx_sbuFmdZFPWTrtSqdp7gJbd_s88xM70Y8OxYEzlwxWcWFiYXyGiurRndM3imllqn59wg9biRkiPXG72rhGhfa/s320/DSC_0586.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annaliese, me, my mom and my grandma</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf3q8NRDCTsBc_gtW5GqIY6eIxg8UhZvSExtdxPMOY7Se9clqppdSOYHSGhOIrFd4C6OilQUKZeVrhI0cSwx6VJMDKgbG5nOGmf5BUX6Y1tU_z-bPawhuj7Y3H1r61qlbgcprbCU66Tq8/s1600/DSC_0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivf3q8NRDCTsBc_gtW5GqIY6eIxg8UhZvSExtdxPMOY7Se9clqppdSOYHSGhOIrFd4C6OilQUKZeVrhI0cSwx6VJMDKgbG5nOGmf5BUX6Y1tU_z-bPawhuj7Y3H1r61qlbgcprbCU66Tq8/s320/DSC_0596.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKit5ZnXllKPMihB2XOzyV1qn4cRZtPOU7w9cl7I37buqLf_Wau4GahluSEht19xsI_jao4QctxK7p1osMCOuazvaXrmpNob0WeUsC4OE2OwVQackEwBZ8IeQvkB3fS5wspSbdYprf-K2/s1600/DSC_0600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKit5ZnXllKPMihB2XOzyV1qn4cRZtPOU7w9cl7I37buqLf_Wau4GahluSEht19xsI_jao4QctxK7p1osMCOuazvaXrmpNob0WeUsC4OE2OwVQackEwBZ8IeQvkB3fS5wspSbdYprf-K2/s320/DSC_0600.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley, Jenn, my mom, and I</td></tr>
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Wednesday 12/26 - Snow Day! Justin worked a half day at work and came home and we played in the snow. Well we tried to. Apparently Annaliese is more like her daddy when it comes to snow and isn't really fond of it. But she looked really cute in her new snow suit!</div>
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Thursday 12/27 - Justin worked from home due to the bad roads. We had Justin's cousins come visit us and bring Annaliese some more gifts. She got 2 new books and a Minnie Mouse chair that she loves!</div>
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Friday 12/28 - While Justin was at work, Annaliese and I stayed inside, played with some new toys, cleaned a little, did some laundry and got the guest room prepared for Papou and Nana's arrival the next day.</div>
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Today- Saturday 12/29 - We're waiting for Papou and Nana to arrive and Annaliese is in rare form today. The teething monster has stolen my happy baby girl and will not give her back! Hopefully this doesn't last all weekend and we can have a good and semi-peaceful visit. (Believe me, you don't want to see a picture of this) haha!</div>
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So there's a little recap and our family life up to date. Christmas presents post to come later!</div>
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Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa ..whatever holiday you celebrate :)</div>
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MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-55687402046363635312012-12-19T07:53:00.000-05:002012-12-19T07:53:05.475-05:00A Day For CryingI turn my head away, tears falling from my face.<br />
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I gather myself and stare down in my arms to my sleeping baby.<br />
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I don't want her to see me cry. <br />
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I don't want her to feel mommy's sadness.<br />
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I wipe away my tears and try to smile.<br />
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She is so beautiful.<br />
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Her innocence makes me smile.<br />
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I am so thankful that I am able to hold, touch and breathe her.<br />
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As she slowly begins to wake, I quickly dry my eyes.<br />
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I turn her around so she's facing me and give her a big hug.<br />
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I start to cry again.<br />
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"I love you", I say to her. There is no doubt about that.<br />
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I know that if she could speak, she would tell me that she loved me back.<br />
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Oh how I cannot wait to hear those words from her tiny mouth. <br />
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Her hugs, kisses and smiles shows me that she loves me.<br />
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I set her down to walk and head for the kitchen.<br />
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My sleeve is soaked in salty tears.<br />
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My eyes are sore and bloodshot.<br />
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I listen for her in the living room. <br />
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She is just smiling and gabbing away.<br />
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I start to think.<br />
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I start to cry again.<br />
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I wish that life didn't have to be so hard and sometimes painful.<br />
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I hate that selfish, foolish acts take place every day on this earth.<br />
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I hate that my daughter is placed in a world that's so cold, but in a home that's so warm.<br />
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I hate that young, innocent lives were taken and just days before Christmas.<br />
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I hate the thought of those parents not being able to tuck their babies in at night.<br />
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I hate that I'm crying.<br />
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I remind myself that I am human with a big heart and it's okay to cry and empathize.<br />
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I head back toward the living area.<br />
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I scoop her up and step toward the hallway.<br />
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There we meet her daddy.<br />
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We join each other and embrace a long and needed hug.<br />
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Just us three.<br />
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Perfection.<br />
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My physical world is in my arms for that tender loving moment.<br />
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On days when I feel like I am crumbling, my family holds me together.<br />
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My flowing tears are shed for those poor people whose lives were cut short.<br />
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My dried tears remind me that I am so lucky to have my family here with me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My thoughts and prayers go to the families who were affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting last week.</span><br />
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*Images from Google ImagesMamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-49361188424262727982012-12-13T12:32:00.001-05:002012-12-13T12:32:17.076-05:0014 Month Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow...</div>
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I seriously have a 14 month old daughter?? Where the heck has the time gone!?! And when the heck will this shock wear off?! Seriously!</div>
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I have loved each and every day with this little human being we've created. It still amazes me how smart Annaliese is, how much she has grown and how much of her own little person she is already.</div>
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She is very kind and will share her food and drink with mommy and daddy.</div>
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Said has said " book", "cat", "duck" and tries to repeat other words that we say. She goes on and babbles all the time now. She also says "woah" and "wow" a lot! Hehehe I love it!</div>
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She loves to walk and run around! She doesn't like being held too long unless she is really sleepy.</div>
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And because she is walking and running around all the time, she also falls a lot more and really hurts her pride (and tush) sometimes more than anything else.</div>
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She is still in 18 month clothes and can still fit in most 12 month pants.</div>
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She loves spaghetti and mac and cheese! But for some reason she isn't fond of bananas anymore. :(</div>
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She also LOVES water! (thank God!) She doesn't really want anything to do with any kind of juice just yet, but water is just fine.</div>
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She still doesn't want to drink milk from a sippy cup either, so we still have a morning bottle and a night time bottle.</div>
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She has somehow transitioned herself into only taking one 2 hour nap a day. I'm okay with that! It had to happen eventually! :)</div>
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She still loves playing with other kids and hearing them laugh! I love the smile she gets on her face when she hears other kids laughing. It's like they have their own little baby code or something!</div>
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She can put her toys away as long as mommy and daddy show her how to the first few times that night.</div>
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She points to almost everything in the house now. Then she mumbles. She's learning!</div>
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She loves to play with pots and pans and make music :) She is also slowly learning to put the correct shapes into her learning toys.</div>
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She knows what the tree is (Christmas tree), she knows what a nose is, she knows Sammy (the cat) and she knows her favorite stuffed toys (Teddy, Mickey Mouse, and Pippi, her doll).</div>
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She loves going to playgroup and meeting new friends to play with!</div>
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She is so very close to using her spoon or fork with 100% success on every bite! </div>
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Here's some pictures and a video to enjoy!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLu0Qp-lS0OTgVZcKRKqPru_9nD2Y_LO5rBlA3jitTSJqbJpNjh8Zkgz6YsdnyPCmCc_DDJIjyhQ97yqIzR0EHC76SU2CuxXQiyDXRih9z9SG8LT5RhfBKFvKwezpQwoOVNAsL_ndgtk1/s1600/IMG_5614%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCLu0Qp-lS0OTgVZcKRKqPru_9nD2Y_LO5rBlA3jitTSJqbJpNjh8Zkgz6YsdnyPCmCc_DDJIjyhQ97yqIzR0EHC76SU2CuxXQiyDXRih9z9SG8LT5RhfBKFvKwezpQwoOVNAsL_ndgtk1/s320/IMG_5614%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made a friend, Norah, at playgroup</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKsVKS5Azy4All41dJxG2qhsICjo9hbQyBj7IRaR7pSdN8Pf3oCEWa0Sb8cvPd8qhoRXyxkNpahg2UA21LCtnGP1cJaDcyakg939oj-PFyT-KJ7i85HjAPQmsAjHAf5jliWhrg7xHKKF1/s1600/IMG_5755%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfKsVKS5Azy4All41dJxG2qhsICjo9hbQyBj7IRaR7pSdN8Pf3oCEWa0Sb8cvPd8qhoRXyxkNpahg2UA21LCtnGP1cJaDcyakg939oj-PFyT-KJ7i85HjAPQmsAjHAf5jliWhrg7xHKKF1/s320/IMG_5755%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Went for a walk outside on a 65 degree day in December</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEybyGjIVJS1K7UoOXa7VvsRPZAJs3Uviy2fU63aJ4oK24THqmllvszz5Le0hJ9I8QdQYn-fx0OI-Zd_D7Jbh4JuBHCSE3vOtCdaOap1_1f8EGvKQdtZuwYr7pHafvfdDhtOowBhk5B3z/s1600/IMG_5731%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEybyGjIVJS1K7UoOXa7VvsRPZAJs3Uviy2fU63aJ4oK24THqmllvszz5Le0hJ9I8QdQYn-fx0OI-Zd_D7Jbh4JuBHCSE3vOtCdaOap1_1f8EGvKQdtZuwYr7pHafvfdDhtOowBhk5B3z/s320/IMG_5731%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using a fork! (excuse the crazy hair) haha!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mACnrsr9Qgj6U_RU6n4-JwEkbVnj1ynh58LHIx8dpISxPH-lnMrUjxCzHe-_YGVBztkOHArsqK6DfD9lbZhPf8jgPsT_KKMmpYhyphenhyphenaGqLGBXbVvKpTMB3IagGBVk6240-3mWWrolu-OA_/s1600/IMG_5797%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mACnrsr9Qgj6U_RU6n4-JwEkbVnj1ynh58LHIx8dpISxPH-lnMrUjxCzHe-_YGVBztkOHArsqK6DfD9lbZhPf8jgPsT_KKMmpYhyphenhyphenaGqLGBXbVvKpTMB3IagGBVk6240-3mWWrolu-OA_/s320/IMG_5797%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting pretty eating a graham cracker</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLE-Zxy-2Z1iIsuhHXwcGImxbAiYFjwZWpKo_d0H66TsX39phkzTnmdB8abRifvCcWkylzxctJa2Hnuv1i82klE7tNz55Pc9YS9WZf75IkmX3W27t3MXBgVqF2Qolc700W7hn2kWRstME/s1600/IMG_5899%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLE-Zxy-2Z1iIsuhHXwcGImxbAiYFjwZWpKo_d0H66TsX39phkzTnmdB8abRifvCcWkylzxctJa2Hnuv1i82klE7tNz55Pc9YS9WZf75IkmX3W27t3MXBgVqF2Qolc700W7hn2kWRstME/s320/IMG_5899%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with her Disney characters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvjj-2LGlnj9m3X3pukDqk9l-x-E6WkWTY2pKRa2ZUnSibSynrR6ROhSDcphLXtG7gyEJmtoUhHq2aNFXWy9SdYczFvMB_ekWMo3nB2w0yEPmPQkrXeWDeTIQrNvQeFRrynuYwa1D4Knt/s1600/IMG_5729%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvjj-2LGlnj9m3X3pukDqk9l-x-E6WkWTY2pKRa2ZUnSibSynrR6ROhSDcphLXtG7gyEJmtoUhHq2aNFXWy9SdYczFvMB_ekWMo3nB2w0yEPmPQkrXeWDeTIQrNvQeFRrynuYwa1D4Knt/s320/IMG_5729%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She still sleeps on her belly with her butt in the air</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYuOXMxdi0CuGxFOpQsLDVfo8MWl80Fv26eoncOWJKTjdhznh8gpQkuvFL518zrdeQ1KA3GF38OO-Bkoc1Dm0n0fNqhoyZdTJKZxrr9KJvPST136I0q9XG24GsPQSUuBWLhm5bo4WQqaD/s1600/IMG_5547%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYuOXMxdi0CuGxFOpQsLDVfo8MWl80Fv26eoncOWJKTjdhznh8gpQkuvFL518zrdeQ1KA3GF38OO-Bkoc1Dm0n0fNqhoyZdTJKZxrr9KJvPST136I0q9XG24GsPQSUuBWLhm5bo4WQqaD/s320/IMG_5547%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She still loves to cuddle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAlQyW5c6k9PwPTNc6Kbek1Oxsc4C1dfxiueypuGTua2W400r59KTYzHpwLgdaRqV14PxhGk-FbT3KwABgb9NkVdEhMucYcLmHdV87nnXcI3FOmJfjid3mAL5iMwA1wtbhz7yql5S7Iqo/s1600/IMG_5678%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAlQyW5c6k9PwPTNc6Kbek1Oxsc4C1dfxiueypuGTua2W400r59KTYzHpwLgdaRqV14PxhGk-FbT3KwABgb9NkVdEhMucYcLmHdV87nnXcI3FOmJfjid3mAL5iMwA1wtbhz7yql5S7Iqo/s320/IMG_5678%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She enjoys eating mini bologna and cheese sandwiches </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWb80w8HYwvPjewL0Qih_doUA5yQ4qkLVmZFfy7m11awtxwyEhpZB9V2hRM1CKe34OZTrdoPGyxbr_roo9xP5TVCNV63N0n0TqkHsPxJT48BUEdqY-dpQbsROxbSy46KV-ZDG9LJlX5-KK/s1600/IMG_5725%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWb80w8HYwvPjewL0Qih_doUA5yQ4qkLVmZFfy7m11awtxwyEhpZB9V2hRM1CKe34OZTrdoPGyxbr_roo9xP5TVCNV63N0n0TqkHsPxJT48BUEdqY-dpQbsROxbSy46KV-ZDG9LJlX5-KK/s320/IMG_5725%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loves watching other babies laughing on YouTube</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G4fegzTGM1gl5JUFGJtowEGCslk-WJLATxH82V9a-Gj5ySyXTACXjOM9i2kImKqLl42C6GQ73gHv52Udj_qs8CjoB0SHoz8hUh71Zxshm71SPAWc80YcJEz5caso4PIDeBWTRhyphenhyphenO9Q_D/s1600/IMG_5610%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1G4fegzTGM1gl5JUFGJtowEGCslk-WJLATxH82V9a-Gj5ySyXTACXjOM9i2kImKqLl42C6GQ73gHv52Udj_qs8CjoB0SHoz8hUh71Zxshm71SPAWc80YcJEz5caso4PIDeBWTRhyphenhyphenO9Q_D/s320/IMG_5610%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She loves running around at playgroup<br /><br /></td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/G820kYWvWbI" width="640"></iframe><br />
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It still amazes me more and more each day of how beautiful she is and how precious life is. We are so blessed to have a healthy little girl who fills our days with so much love and joy. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSN2-ZiCYGyolH8QkxAi9Wj2R96bjO8axVmUm-SONhy79LporDU2t1i-vi_ElX_TLSo52r7BUDtDimpg20HQRT0lcvmMwVHEzK6NyQAZTirOu9Zl1cUOT6HA0o10sROAb0D94Q9zw_DaP/s1600/We_may_not_have__4be10915a2af7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSN2-ZiCYGyolH8QkxAi9Wj2R96bjO8axVmUm-SONhy79LporDU2t1i-vi_ElX_TLSo52r7BUDtDimpg20HQRT0lcvmMwVHEzK6NyQAZTirOu9Zl1cUOT6HA0o10sROAb0D94Q9zw_DaP/s320/We_may_not_have__4be10915a2af7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-45845399642893431022012-12-11T13:01:00.002-05:002012-12-11T13:01:42.214-05:00Getting More In The Christmas Spirit<span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you had a great weekend! I meant to post this yesterday, but was just too tired. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our weekend was filled with lots of cookies and lots of Santa!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Annaliese and I went to spend time with<a href="http://jenniam.net/" target="_blank"> Aunt Jenn</a> on Friday and made some cookies! I made some Heath bar cookies and Jenn made Andes </span>Peppermint cookies. Mine came out a little harder than I expected, but they still tasted yummy! Jenn's cookies were delicious!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KBy2JnrP-WewZpwZsvoAZ4gzlw2jKfgnzeM1RAHR2wXc0oQMGMnMbkzouPUzJBXGy_4YCiH-aycznM7TTJJcr7VzX3ztH_9tkiflr3lJXz5RiV8Yppui8YqyZRTRAy9B1k7jiPSbWSWC/s1600/photo+2+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6KBy2JnrP-WewZpwZsvoAZ4gzlw2jKfgnzeM1RAHR2wXc0oQMGMnMbkzouPUzJBXGy_4YCiH-aycznM7TTJJcr7VzX3ztH_9tkiflr3lJXz5RiV8Yppui8YqyZRTRAy9B1k7jiPSbWSWC/s320/photo+2+(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBfzGxffqZAN4eo2HKKeyqEQBZcBoDdfW0V6wQt7b6mRGWrVroYpvxFJdQ7EoJ2L4K9vm8A8OIyIEhOIIw831aT6eeBybfSmHb8bAFAvlakFRH2nPw-WW34ON_rD8MiUyQQEgMXKKIQR3/s1600/photo+4+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNBfzGxffqZAN4eo2HKKeyqEQBZcBoDdfW0V6wQt7b6mRGWrVroYpvxFJdQ7EoJ2L4K9vm8A8OIyIEhOIIw831aT6eeBybfSmHb8bAFAvlakFRH2nPw-WW34ON_rD8MiUyQQEgMXKKIQR3/s320/photo+4+(2).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenn's yummy cookies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDO4YLpHvovSY6bR5PCXuH8FXcox_7ecz1fT09GV-Pc9Zqw3vDq0pN2XPehmrmvMljfbXScpijHrsEyc6CDMegAZXuXhCBKYHYOHW_jydXXSVAqmhiIHOLyvMvlyHj3IVs1hduioZCL_x/s1600/photo+5+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDO4YLpHvovSY6bR5PCXuH8FXcox_7ecz1fT09GV-Pc9Zqw3vDq0pN2XPehmrmvMljfbXScpijHrsEyc6CDMegAZXuXhCBKYHYOHW_jydXXSVAqmhiIHOLyvMvlyHj3IVs1hduioZCL_x/s320/photo+5+(2).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My yummy cookies</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Annaliese had fun looking out the glass door into the backyard. We don't have that </span>luxury<span style="font-family: inherit;"> at our house ;)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then on Sunday, Justin and I took Annaliese to see Santa for the first time. She did very well waiting in line for about a half hour, then when Justin put her on Santa's lap, she looked up at him and wondered why she was sitting on him. She only fussed a little bit and we were able to get some really good pictures of them together before she wasn't having it anymore! Haha! Here's our favorite!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">T minus 2 weeks until Christmas!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-11332273745283608872012-12-05T10:56:00.002-05:002012-12-05T11:00:53.768-05:00Color Run, Here I Come!You all have probably heard of a <a href="http://thecolorrun.com/about/" target="_blank">Color Run</a>, right?<br />
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It's a national tour of a mapped out 5k in many large cities where people of all ages can participate in running, walking, skipping, crawling to the finish line while getting blasted with a rainbow of powdered color the whole way through!<br />
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Check out this video! It pretty much explains everything that happens! :)<br />
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Well my best friend, Takia and I had tried to sign up for The Color Run last year and participate in the Washington D.C. tour. Unfortunately two weeks after the starting sign up date, they were sold out! I didn't realize how popular it was at the time. We were very disappointed but prayed that there would be another opportunity ahead. I signed up to be on their VIP email list to be one of the first people to hear about another Color Run event in the area. I received an email stating that there will be another race in D.C. in 2013 and sign ups will start on Dec 1, 2012. I mentioned this to some of my friends and quickly got a few "We're in!" responses!<br />
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Well...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We're in!</span> I have signed up and I am officially going to do my first ever Color Run on May 19, 2013! I can't wait to have another 5k notch on my belt! This time, my friends and I are going to try to create a time to beat for all of us! Motivation is key for any work out and it helps to have friends and family on a journey with you to do so! I am so excited for this new adventure in our Nation's Capital!<br />
I am ready to get back on schedule with running and working out and be ready to run this awesomely messy color race next year!<br />
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I'm blessed to have my awesome friends, my always supportive family and my super supportive and awesome blogging buddies! Thanks for being there to cheer me on!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONDtUsBiU3Ia3hz-drXZaVCUKTjnofJoi_pZ7zPrxhNthSdO9sb3Hz01qpcSI24Ydlft-LUfVokd_a7gWNnYDov-0SuMVmOOYNI0gTgth90Oi02i2IiItEdR-jpWwZRw3C8svUgln6PLO/s1600/colorrun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONDtUsBiU3Ia3hz-drXZaVCUKTjnofJoi_pZ7zPrxhNthSdO9sb3Hz01qpcSI24Ydlft-LUfVokd_a7gWNnYDov-0SuMVmOOYNI0gTgth90Oi02i2IiItEdR-jpWwZRw3C8svUgln6PLO/s400/colorrun.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-3993184088864766742012-12-05T09:32:00.000-05:002012-12-05T09:32:00.059-05:00Wordless Wednesday - The Magic Of Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6owd0Juh0F32jeD92jyzBar050bWdCNnhIFyUVp9T0JRcjGmSXwkJZoZP1YiBOHA89LXDs9_3koZhiJNX-KkoYIaBqHYNhB0Lb3MufE9bdCjPYbrUY8mkKygCAmbl39scfK797ZWOsub/s1600/Annaliese+and+Teddy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6owd0Juh0F32jeD92jyzBar050bWdCNnhIFyUVp9T0JRcjGmSXwkJZoZP1YiBOHA89LXDs9_3koZhiJNX-KkoYIaBqHYNhB0Lb3MufE9bdCjPYbrUY8mkKygCAmbl39scfK797ZWOsub/s400/Annaliese+and+Teddy1.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">20 more days till Christmas!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-87118678803187638122012-12-03T08:32:00.000-05:002012-12-03T08:32:22.355-05:00I. Am. Awesome.You know those days when you just feel on top of the world and you start thinking non-stop of all the wonderfulness you are? ...Yeah, me either! <br />
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Just kidding! ...Well, sort of.<br />
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This week's Monday Listicles was suggested to us by <a href="http://thebonnybard.com/" target="_blank">Ms. M from The Bonny Bard</a>. In an effort to keep the holiday spirit and positivity alive, she had us write of <u>10 REASONS WHY I'M GREAT</u>.<br />
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Well seeing as how I have always had confidence issues and have the tendency to be modest...this was <b>hard</b>. But sometimes you(I) just need reminding of all of the goodness you are, of the reasons why people love you, why YOU love you. So here it goes.<br />
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1. I am a kid at heart. I don't blow bubbles in my chocolate milk or anything but I still love everything I did as a kid. I still have stuffed animals and some treasure trolls. I get super excited when I see the Fraggles, Muppets or ALF on TV. And I'll still break into any Disney song and sing it <i>almost</i> word for word while dancing around my house.<br />
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2. I can cook. I wouldn't say that I <i>am</i> a cook, but I can cook. I am more of a recipe follower and then will add a few things differently sometimes. I haven't made anything yet that was inedible and I've only burnt/not cooked something long enough a few times. So that's pretty good, right? :)<br />
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3. I am funny. I can usually make people laugh, even a little giggle. If I can't succeed then I just assume that they have no soul. (hehe)<br />
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4. I am tidy (for the most part). I guess I am somewhat of a perfectionist, but I like things where I like them. This helps the utter frustration of going to look for something where it's supposed to be and not finding it there, but somewhere else...or not at all.<br />
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5. I am caring. If you manage to make your way into my heart, you ain't leavin! I will bend over backwards and forwards again for anyone I care about. I'd offer you my shoes, my coat and my couch in a heartbeat.<br />
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6. I am strong. Every life has a story and what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. I'm months from turning 30, that's gotta count for something.<br />
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7. I am smart. Some of my friends come to me for advice on life, others for computer tips, others for phone tips, and some for cooking tips. I guess that says a lot.<br />
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8. I am truthful. As a teenager, trying to lie to my parents was hard. I've always sucked at it! As an adult, I gave up trying and realized the truth is always better no matter what. Plus I still suck at lying, even when I'm trying to pull a prank! Ex: April Fools Day <br />
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9. I am crafty. Did I really just say that? I may not have ideas flowing all the time, but when I really sit down and put my mind to it, I can come up with some pretty good ideas for handmade things. And thanks to Pinterest my crafty brain works better now.<br />
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10. Last but <b>not </b>least, I am a good mom. I'm not perfect in any way, but I know that my child is loved and that I try my very best to make sure she feels that every day.<br />
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<b>Go ahead and toot your own horn a little! It feels good and it's self healing. Why are you awesome?</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.northwestmommy.com/category/monday-listicles" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.northwestmommy.com/home/Listicle3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-462034089690143155.post-26827493814584040132012-12-03T07:00:00.000-05:002012-12-03T07:00:07.585-05:001 Year Bloggerversary!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's really officially official! Today I have been a blogger for a year! It has officially been one year since <a href="http://fotofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/2011/12/gotta-start-somewhere.html" target="_blank">my very first post</a>!<br />
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If you took the time to click on the hyperlink I just gave you, well thank you. Yes, that is technically my very first post, but there was really no content in it. No feeling. Just a greeting and a very short introduction of me and why I decided to hop on the blog band wagon. <br />
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Needless to say, I have had a few intentions with this blog since a year ago. This blog started as a modern day mommy diary/baby book. After I gave myself a redesign and not just used a template from a 3rd party and added some buttons and a badge, my blogging head was held a little higher and I began to write more about my life and experiences, in addition to being a "mommy blog". <br />
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I then got brave and wanted to stray from Blogger and buy my own domain name and use WordPress, but without knowing anything about the ins and outs of being self hosted or not...I backed out of that (for now) and have been blogging everything under the sun on Our Foto Friendly Family blog. Once I am able to become self hosted, I will, but I predict that will be some time from now, as that is not really high on my list of priorities. I am doing just fine on this little "free" blog of mine.<br />
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Now, I'll admit, I feel that I have out grown my blogging skin here a little and I don't want to be known as "FotoFriendlyMom" forever either. I will eventually change that when I am ready and able. I am, however, very comfortable in saying "one year down, a hundred to go" because I love blogging that much, that I can see myself doing it forever...or at least as long as my hands can do the typing as my brain does the talking. :)<br />
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So here's to being a blogger for a year, thus far!<br />
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-size: x-large;">CHEERS!</span><br />
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<b>How long have you been blogging?</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54490/254/1091BE2148B760A7A6D5097E4ECD95A0.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>MamaCassiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03811557038718862469noreply@blogger.com6