My Busy Weekend

It was a three day weekend, but for me being on maternity leave it was not a big deal having 3 days "off." Saturday I went to the Crown Valley Winery for my friends birthdays. We were celebrating for both Janae and Michelle. There was eleven of us, and we all rode down in a 12 passenger van. For $5 you are given 5 tokens, 1 token per wine taste. There is an covered outdoor area with tables set up for groups to gather and a live band playing. We got there early and set up shop, taking up three tables. We each brought food to share and snack on through out the day. I brought cheese cake from the Cheesecake Factory. It was three flavors and 12 slices to use for their birthday celebration. I stuck two birthday candles in the cheesecake for Michelle and Janae to blow out. We were at the Winery from 11am to about 4:30 or 5pm.

At the end of the day we headed back to Michelle's folks house (where all our cars were). Two of the guys that went with us were gay, so later that evening they wanted us to go to a gay bar. Some of us dragged out feet and were trying to think of other places we could go. I checked in with Andrew to see how he was doing with watching Baby Kara. He was having a fine time with Kara and encouraged me to stay out with them if I wanted to go. He was in no hurry for me to get home, and wanted me to enjoy my day out. I told the group I was up for going to the gay bar and would drive since I wasn't drinking any longer. We took two cars and headed down there. It was a biker type gay bar, the guys were all wearing leather stuff and some were not wearing T-shirts. For the guys going shirtless they should rethink that, they either had hairy chests or beer bellies...not so hot. This was a different crowd of gays than I was use too. I thought most gay guys were smokin hot and well groomed type and not so "Butch?" It was still fun going there and dancing, but it was a long day after going to the Winery and going there later. I ended up getting home at 2 AM! I had no idea I was going to be gone ALL day long like that.

Sunday was a bit sadder, I went to a funeral for my friend's Grandpa. He was 88 and lived a long loving life. I went to the funeral at the cemetery and to the wake afterwards at my friends folks house. Andrew stayed at home to watch Kara. This time I was only gone a few hours, from 1-5 pm.

Monday, Andrew was off work being the holiday. We were able to hang out and go on a date even! We dropped Kara off at our friends house and went to lunch and a movie. Lunch was a restaurant where we know the head chef and he said lunch was on him, we even got a Banana Split to share for free. It was so nice of him to do that. Then we were off to the movies. I had 2 free movie tickets to use up. We saw the Terminator movie. The whole date was for free, even our sitter for Kara was free. My friend and I swapped babysitting for each other. Back on Friday night I went to their house to watch her 2 kids, and then she watched Kara for us.

It was a good three day weekend aside from having to go to a funeral.

Kara pics! 2 Months

Kara turns 2 months old this Saturday, the 23rd! Here are some recent pics of her.

Andrew's great cousin, Dianna, made this baby blanket for her!




Andrew picked out Blue's Clues (kids show) for her to watch while she swings in her chair.

I've got my hands full, Kara fell asleep on my shoulder.
Bath time in the kitchen sink!

She grins and coos durring bath time.

She is doing her tummy time! prepping to crawl.

I call this pic of Kara, "Doing the Matrix" pose. Like in the movie, Matrix, Keano Reeves makes this same pose, but floating in the air.

Kara came along to my Doctors appointment for my 6 week check up after giving birth. Kara is 6 weeks old here, with my wonderful Doctor.

Sneaky Retail Sale!

I'm onto you, Carters Store! The Sale at Carters is not realy a sale from how I understand it? At Carters (baby clothes store) the following sale is going on:

http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe7116707564047c7311&m=fefe1671706100&ls=fdf4137371650c7471127175&l=fe5e15757364027e7211&s=fdf7157575660179711c7472&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe30167377660079771c74

"gift checks are back! get a $10 gift check for every $25 you spend
now through june 14, 2009. redeemable june 15-july 4, 2009 on purchases of $35 or more." -Carter's

A consumer gets $10 coupon/check AFTER spending $25. Uses that $10 on a next purchase ONLY if you spend $35. So in the end you end up spending $50 to "save" $10? And probably spend actually more than the $50 in the end. Bogus!

Kara isn't 6 months?

OH MY GOSH! What a horrible thought. I was on a parenting sight that I have not gone on in a while. There was a login part and I didn't know my password, then logged in with the given password that was emailed to me. I looked at my profile on the site and it reads: "Your baby is 6 months, is she crawling yet?" I thought... Kara is not 6 months? she will be turning 2 months this Saturday... THEN I remembered. The baby we miscarried earlier in the year before becoming pregnant with Kara would be 6 months if she/he was born. If this was not sad enough already, I then go to edit my personal information on my website profile. I added Kara on there as a child and it lists the "other" baby as a child with a box marked "remove child." I had to click the box and hit submit! So hard to do! But in a way I have totally stopped thinking of this other baby that we never had, and have been so blessed with Baby Kara (our live and well, 2 month old), that it never even occured to me, that the other baby would be 6 months old. Man, this sucks.

Mrs. _(insert name)_ Butterworth

There is a contest online to guess what Mrs. Butterworth's first name is. Have you ever wondered what her name is? I didn't even know one existed...A syrup bottle with a first name? hmmm. The winner to guess the syrup bottles first name, wins a supply of syrup and $500.

Here is my thought process on figuring out her 1st name:

I believe Mrs. Butterworth's first name has to start with M being that the initials MB are on the bottle. She also is an older lady, from 40 years ago, so her name is of an old, grandma type name. I am guessing something along the lines of: Margaret, Mildred, Mary, or Magda. I am picking Margaret as her first name because it sounds like a kind, old, grandma. It is how I think of her to be, from looking at her and hearing her voice on the commercials. With Margaret as her first name, she could be nick-named Maggie, or Mag. Margaret Butterworth... mystery solved?


Click the link to enter... I already submitted Margaret! pick a different answer for yours.
www.mrsbutterworthsyrup.com/namecontest

I made M.O.Y.

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=LqNvfqD7i_Yty_lJfkGDiTQ4OTk2NjE-&referred_by=16536306-J9cc_fx&p=moveon

see the link to view my recognition on the news!


Martiel Hay ~ Mother of the year 2009

Cute Kara Pics

Here are some pics of Kara to share. She is 6 wks old now.

pinkie size comparisons. 6wk old baby pinkie vs. 30 yr old pinkie.

A coworker of Andrew's gave Kara this handmade, pink hat along with a matching pink, blanket and booties. His wife made the complete set. I tried the hat on Kara to take her by my work for my coworkers to meet her. She looks like a little gangster, or diva all dressed up in her big hat and big pants. The pants are newborn size, but they will fit her well into the 3 month size, they're so big.

This baby swing I bought from Goodwill for $25...score! It keeps her occupied while I cook dinner or take the dishes out of the dishwasher, etc.
Duke is cuddling below by Kara's swing. They are best friends.

I just changed her poopoo explosion, and now she is a happy baby! ;)

Every day she works on her "tummy time" leaning over the boppy pillow. It helps prep her for crawling and she strengthens her neck and legs. She was on there a little too long, and fell asleep. So cute!

My brother, Robert, was visiting us at our house for the week, along with my mom and dad. He is such a good Uncle to baby Kara. I almost got him to change a diaper, but suckered me into doing it, by asking me to show him how to...sneaky bro!

free KFC from Oprah

Print out your limited yime coupon from this link: http://www.unthinkfc.com/

good for one complete meal at KFC till the 19th, excludes mother's day the 10th. print up to 4 coupons and redeem. Thanks for the hook up Oprah!

Home cooked meals and family time

Now that we are a family of 3, I am more inspired to cook at home and have dinner ready when Andrew gets home. It is sort of June Cleaver of me, I even vacuumed yesterday... Usually I put it off or wait for Andrew to vacuum. It was so simple and didn't take long; I don't know why I always procrastinated with vacuuming before? Silly.

When my family was in town visiting, they got me into cooking dinner and making easy to do meals at home. My dad showed me an easy recipe for Pork chops and I am going to make them again tonight.

Here is the pork chop recipe:
Serves 5-6 people

need:
pork chops cut into 2" chunks
jar of Prego spaghetti sauce
onion sliced up
apple sliced into wedges
dash salt
carrots chopped
provolone cheese
casserole dish
foil to cover

350 degrees 45 minutes cooking time,
dish up over pasta and serve with some garlic bread.

In the casserole dish place the pork chop chunks, onions sliced, apple wedges, carrots. Pour the whole jar of spaghetti sauce over everything. Top off with sliced (provolone) cheese about 4 or 5 to make a top layer. Cover the dish with foil and cook for 45 minutes.

Presto! Easy dinner!