I'm NOT a coffee purist

At one point in my life I was. Black coffee, please. I need to be able to enjoy the flavor of the beans. Favorite coffee? Oh yes, that would be the more acidic Kenya AA blend. And I could go on and on about the roasting of the beans, the consistency and flavor of the coffe...blah blah blah.

Now, when I go to Starbucks (yes, the very people that burn all their beans together) I order a grande Pikes Place with two splendas and "a lot of cream". I feel as though I'm being looked down upon for that last part. I can't help it. I need cream. I need caffiene. And I need a morning cup of coffee. I am not a purist anymore. Sad, sad, sad.

Why is it.....

that everytime I read an article related to home or birthing center births, the so-called 'fact' comes up that midwives/home births/birthing centers have a much lower maternal and infant death rate? HELLO PEOPLE!!! Shouldn't the reason be obvious...first, more births (PERIOD) take place with doctors' help and in hospitals. Second, doctors and hospitals tend to take on pregnancies/births that range from everyday/normal to the most severe and complicated ones. Do midwives/birthing centers handle extremely complicated pregnancies? NO.

And again and again, I see 'statistics' showing that women are better off giving birth without hospitals and without doctors. If not for my doctor, Reagan and I certainly wouldn't be here.

I am a firm believer that God gives us the technology and resources we have in today's age, available for a reason.

I've been tagged for Crazy Eights!

My IRL friend Jana tagged me to participate in a meme. So, in her words, here are several things in groups of 8, that you may or may not want to know about me!

8 things I want to do before I die

1. Know that my daughter is a Christian and saved.
2. Meet my grandchildren.
3. Move to a secluded mountain hideaway with Josh where we can grow old together.
4. Write a book.
5. Create a prize-winning recipe from scratch.
6. Ask a life-changing question of a candidate that really makes people think.
7. Teach my children to appreciate life in a way that I am just discovering.
8. Take one incredible vacation with my entire family.

8 things I say often

1. No, no, no, no.
2. Reagan. Reagan. Reagan.
3. Yah!!! (when we learn something new!)
4. Grrr! (to make Reagan laugh or when I'm exasperated)
5. Silly! (to Reagan!)
6. I love you.
7. I'm tired. (to Josh or anyone who will listen)
8. She's just so smart and beautiful. (to Josh as we stare in awe at our daughter every night)

8 songs I sing over and over again

1. If you like to talk to tomatoes...(Veggie Tales theme song)
2. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
3. Blue skies and rainbows
4. As the deer
5. I love Reagan (made up song)
6. If you're happy and you know it
7. ACK--I can't think of anymore..I sing the same ones over and over! In the Jungle (I can't believe I forgot this one..it's our favorite!)
8. A medley of Little Einsteins theme song, Tigger and Pooh theme song, Mickey Mouse theme song and Higglytown Hereos theme songs!

8 things I’m passionate about
1. My daughter.
2. My marriage.
3. My family.
4. My friends.
5. Reading.
6. Politics and the state and future of our country.
7. PPD awareness.
8. Taking care of my family and those I love.

8 books I’ve read recently
1. Slugs in Love
2. A cheesy historical romance
3. Quack! Quack!
4. Oh where, Oh where has my little dog gone?
5. Dancing with Degas
6. Harry takes a bath
7. The tawny scrawy lion
8. And yet another cheesy historical romance!

8 things that attract me to my best friends
1. Loyalty.
2. Sense of humor.
3. Integrity and honesty.
4. Similiar interests
5. Similiar beliefs
6. Shared experiences.
7. Our families mesh well.
8. They like me for WHO I am. Not who they want me to be.

8 people I think should do Crazy Eights, ok I don't know 8 blogging people!!
1. Stace

Changes

I was taking a bunch of silly blog quizzes tonight and started thinking about how much I have changed in the last few years.

I used to be the life of the party and threw some great ones too---now I'm such a homebody I rarely see other people and my parties seriously stink!!

I used to love loud music, fun drinks, staying up til 3 a.m. and phone calls all night--now I prefer quiet evenings, hot tea and getting into bed early...and God help you if you call during dinner or past 7 p.m.!!

I used to spend a fortune on clothing--now I spend a fortune on Reagan's clothing, or crafts!

I used to have tons of boyfriends and would sometimes have as many as three dates in one day--now I'm in a committed marriage and haven't had a date night with my husband in months!

I used to have a million friends that were with me all the time---now most of my friends are far away and the ones I do have here, I see only once a week or less!

I used to think the world revolved around me, me, me---now I know for sure it revolves only around Reagan!

I used to think looks were important---now I haven't shaved my legs in weeks! (I'm a MOM give me a break!!)

I used to eat (or drink) every meal away from home because I didn't own a pan---now I have an entire binder of recipes and whip up from scratch meals for my family all the time.

I really have changed. Sometimes I feel like I've lost my identity. Like I've become someone I hardly recognize. But I like some of the changes--actually most of the changes. But I guess what I miss most is that fun-loving, lighthearted, confident in any situation, part of myself that I used to have.

I'm trying to make it a priority to get that part of me back. I think Reagan deserves a mom that feels confident in herself and happy about life in general. One of my new years resolutions for 2008 was to be come confident in being a mom, but in order to do that, I think I have to become confident in being ME again. Being happy with myself and my life is an important part of ensuring that Reagan will be happy with me and her life, too.

I read this on someone else's blog and thought this was a good time to share it. It's a quote from William Henry Channing:

To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury; and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable; and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasion, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.

Such a beautiful quote.

A symphony. My life. My changes. Then. Now. All blending together to create a beautiful symphony. I want to allow my symphony to play out and be heard and become a beautiful tune that enriches not only myself but others who hear it. I want to become the person I was, the person I am, the person I am meant to be. Here's to a symphonic 2008.

Just Because It's Saturday

You Are A Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Girl

Popular. Friendly. Fun.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatflavoricecreamgirlareyouquiz

Random thoughts (again).

I feel like John Candy when I say that. I don't know why. Anyway, I really have nothing much to talk about this week. But I've observed this. I've been so exhausted and tried to sleep while Reagan played with her toys this morning, but the second she laid down for a nap, I'm wide awake.

This always happens...I'll be super-tired and begging her to sleep...then she goes down and pop! the caffiene has kicked in.

GRRR. So ironic. Now I feel like Alanis Morisette.

The Giants win! The Giants win! The Giants win!

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOOWWOOWWO WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! THE GIANTS WIN!!!!

*And can I just say what a huge slap in the face it was to have Belichick leave the field before the game was officially over? What a scumbag!!!! He should not even have been allowed to coach after he disgraced the league by cheating!!!*

Only in Indiana...

This morning it was probably, oh, say, around 20 degrees outside.....and strolling down the ice and snow encrusted sidewalk in front of my office was a man dressed in a t-shirt and much too short shorts. Yep, folks. Only in Indiana.

I'm in a LOVE mood...

The jazz music playing on the blog, Harry Conick, Jr's smooooooooooooooth voice, visions of puppy and kitty Valentine's cards dancing in my head and sickly sweet conversation hearts...*sigh*

Actually I should be in a 'get your butt out of the chair and go to the store for milk and batteries' kind of mood since we're about to be hit with a huge snow storm. Bah! But who wants to be in that mood over the looooooooooooooooooooooove mood??? (insert swooning women and cupid here please) Certainly not me!

Ah, but I jest. Actually I kind of like the thought of being snowed in with my family (save the fact that our house is a shambles....ok so I get a little overzealous with things and then run out of steam. Such is life). But I really do. We're snowed in. We're forced to be together. We're cozy, generally happy and tonight we're having homemade Chinese food (as our menu got pushed around a little bit!) and watching movies. How much fun is that?

I love this time with my family! Who knows? Maybe I'll pull out the pink and red heart covered paper plates and red napkins for tonight. Wouldn't that just set the perfect tone ;)

At any rate, Reagan's nap should be ending soon and I really should get to the store...why is it people always buy milk when there's almost a 100% chance of the power going out? Who knows? But if it does...at least I'll have snow to bury it in!

First Love...

Today I actually attempted to google my very first boyfriend (note: I was unsuccessful, because apparently there's quite a famous basketball player with the same name!) But, HIS name was Jeremy. And he popped into my head today out of the blue...actually that's not quite true. Yesterday I saw someone that looked like his best friend, Marcus....and, well you know how the mind works....

Now, you're probably waggling your finger, saying "Leah!" But hear me out...he was my first boyfriend ever...in kindergarten! That's right. And wow, was he a dream. Actually he kind of looks like my husband. He had dark, thick black hair, dark complexion and he was the shyest boy I knew..and when he smiled, a lock of that wavy thick black hair would fall over his eye. Sigh...he was VERY handsome :) And I remember he gave me a Pink Panther Valentines that year that said simply "I like you".

Strange how things stick with you, even after so many years. I wish I still had that Valentine's card...man, what a keepsake!

And to think, this year Reagan will be old enough to pass out her very first Valentine's Day cards to her little friends. We've already picked them out. She had a choice between Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cards and Puppies and Kittens...she went with the Puppies and Kittens. Good choice ;). She'll get to hand them out to all her little friends at the Valentine's Day Party at Storytime and I'm sure she'll save one for Ethan and one for Reese--two little boys that just love her to death!

Time flies, doesn't it?

Ahhhh...the joys of preparing to move...

Josh and I have decided to put our house on the market! Yah! We are just too cramped! It was a wonderful house to start out in, but we knew we couldn't stay here forever, especially once a baby was added to the mix!

So begins our journey. Right now we're freshening up paint, packing away a ton of stuff to make our house look larger (staging, folks, staging). We'll be replacing carpet in the guest room since someone (who shall remain nameless..insert embarrassed face here) spilled paint all over the carpet during one of her frenzied 'let's repaint the house moments'. The bathroom is getting new paint, a new sink, new mirror and all the doors are being upgraded to six panels. Not to mention the new fence and some cheap, um, er, inexpensive, but very cute looking landscaping--that is, once the ground is thawed enough to do anything and we un-bury ourselves out from under all the snow!

Currently we've narrowed our selection of a new house down to an older neighborhood here in town...I LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the neighborhood and have been pining away waiting to move to a house there. There are a couple up for sale but the prices are still a little steep..here's hoping they come down soon! We're even willing to give up a basement to get into this neighborhood..it's perfect! Tons of families, Churches and a little park right in the neighborhood and our hospital is literally 2 minutes away, not to mention a coffee shop, a cute little Italian restaurant and a Subway..here's to eating healthy! (Mmmm....marinara sauce and bread or lite turkey and veggies.....???)

At any rate, I'm very excited! So anyone who has any suggestions for selling, moving or buying in today's market, feel free to leave some suggestions!

Headlines from the Year 2029

My friend Steve shared these with me and so I'm passing them along to you...they're great :)

HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR: 2029

Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California . White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.

Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.

Baby conceived naturally. Scientists stumped.

Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.

Last remaining Fundamentalist Muslim dies in the AmericanTerritory of the Middle East (formerly known as Iraq , Afghanistan , Syria and Lebanon ).

Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.

France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica .

Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking.

George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.

Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.

85-year $75.8 billion study: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.
Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.

Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed, they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut. mmm, I didn't particularly care for this one.....

Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative. somehow I didn't think we conservatives would last THAT long....

Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals, violates their civil rights.

Average height of NBA players is now nine feet, seven inches.

New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2036.

Congress authorizes direct deposit of formerly illegal political contributions to campaign accounts.

IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.

Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.

Ramblings...

Today is a perfect day. One of those crisp, cold days that makes your lungs hurt and your eyes dazzle at the brightness. The sun is shining in it's full glory, the sky is a bright Robin's egg blue that reminds me of the skies of North Carolina, with the barest hints of white cotton candy clouds--a rare day for an Indiana winter!

And to top it all off, today Reagan did two amazing things! First of all, she signed to me that she wanted something to drink! This is particularly amazing because we don't really do signs in this house...she either tells us what she wants or motions to it. However, she can't say 'drink', so the last two months I've been pantomiming raising a glass to my lips to drink when I ask her if she would like something. I was so shocked when she did it back to me today! She is so smart!

Then, while I was reading my book (bad mommy!), she CLIMBED on top of her rocking chair and stood up. While it nearly scared me to death, I was incredibly proud of her! Gosh, I have such a 'biggie' girl.

You know, before I became a mom, I used to marvel at mothers I knew and how they would get so excited over the tiniest little accomplishments of their children. And when they said 'oh, you have never known love until you have your own child', I really didn't believe them. After all, I had been in love before, I loved my friends, my family.

But it is just so amazing (for lack of a better word!) to be a Mom. Every day your heart literally grows and you love your child more each and every single day...I didn't think that was possible. It almost feels like your heart would burst out of you. And even their smallest accomplishment means more to you than the biggest thing you've ever done. When Reagan rolled a ball to me for the first time, it was like someone had just announced she'd won the gold medal at the Olympics! I was ecstatic! And when they're sick, you're almost irrationally scared--please God, let my child be ok. Because if she isn't, then you yourself will never be ok.

I came across this quote before I ever even became pregnant with Reagan, and I think of it all the time when I look at her. "To have a child, is to have your own heart forever reside outside of your body." How true.

I like to make lists.....

There is just something comforting and warm about making a list. To-do lists, grocery lists, lists of places I'd like to visit, lists of decorating ideas, lists of gifts to give, lists of favorite dinners.....you name it, I'll make a list for it. I even have lists of romantic ideas and how to not take advantage of my spouse...*ahem* Josh, if you're reading this, please note I will never laugh at you again for "taking time to schedule spontaneity". Um, yes, alright where was I? Oh yes, lists.

I discovered this about myself today while I was making yet another book. My books consist of lists. I have "Leah's Book of House Stuff", which is basically a list of projects and decorating ideas, lists of house plans, lists of ideas for each room, lists of lists...you get the idea. My second book is "Leah's Mommy Go-To Book" with lists of food ideas for children, playtime ideas, discipline ideas.....so forth and so on. Then there's the Christmas Book which is still under construction--lists of gifts, lists of cards to send, lists of cards received, lists of decorating items in certain containers, lists of ideas for next year....etc., etc., etc. Then there's the book of Msc. Holidays (also still under construction) with lists of recipes sorted by relevant holiday or season, lists of tablecloths, lists of centerpieces......you get the point.

I'm beginning to think the fact that I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder should have been obvious a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time ago.

But I digress. I guess the point I'm trying to make was in the title after all. I like lists. No, I LOVE lists. They are my comfort. My sanity in a crazy world.

Try it...just sit down with a pen and paper and a nice cup of hot tea. Now, start making a list of the first thing that comes to your mind..movies, books, favorite teas even....ahhhhhhhhhhhh, see? Doesn't that feel nice? Yep, I thought it would...I'm off to make a list of my favorite lists.....

New Years is upon us!

New Years 2008 is literally just around the corner...exactly where does the time go? I swear, every year time goes faster and faster and the big 3-0 looms ever closer. (Which Josh repeatedly reminds me of every time I turn around...why oh why did I ever marry someone younger than me?? Granted, not by much..but still!)

Back to New Years. Like so many of us I've made resolutions and broken them, made them and broken them, but this year I'm hoping I actually complete my goals. And I'm hoping you guys, my wonderful friends and family, will hold me to them. Here they are, laugh as you wish!

Lose 30 lbs by June 30, 2008. (As a reward I get to purchase myself a firepit for the back patio and some great outdoor furniture..FINALLY!)

Become a more assertive mom...I'M the mom and I'm going to stop taking directions from everyone else! Back away! WOMAN ON THE RAMPAGE HERE!

Attend Church more regularly. We had started attending a Church here in Auburn and I really do like it, but I think I'm looking for something a little more traditional. I hope to coerce Josh into trying a different Church here that I'm really interested in and *BONUS* it is affiliated with the private school we hope to send Reagan to in the future (once she's homeschooled for a couple of years of course!)

Start Reagan's college fund. (Shame, shame, shame...yes, she's a year old and we've neglected doing this.)

Start a Christmas club!

Save more money than we did last year!

Get ahead of the cooking and laundry for once by purchasing a freezer and downsizing the number of outfits Reagan wears in a day..currently it's somewhere around 4 or 5......yes, yes, those of you who have been moms much longer than I have are currently shaking your heads in disbelief!

Well the munchkin is now awake from her very *short* nap...which means mommy's computer time is over...Love to all!

Just another Saturday night...........

My wonderful husband just pointed out that I spelled our daughter's name wrong on this, yes, THIS VERY blog! No, no, don't go searching for it now..I've already fixed it before the rest of you could laugh at me! I maintain it's "mommy brain", that wonderful disease that plagues the best of us after becoming a mom and being forced to wolf cookies on the sly for lunch, forgo showers for the sake of catching a few extra minutes of sleep, and well, you know the rest. I guess cookies aren't very good brain food, now are they?

Speaking of cookies, I have YET to find a decent sugar cookie recipe..maybe it's just me. But I swear I cannot make sugar cookies for the life of me...now an oatmeal cookie, I'll knock it out of the park. Chocolate chip? You've got it. Peanutbutter? Just hand over the blue ribbon now. But sugar cookie? They mock me as they stick like hardened criminals to my favorite cookie sheets.

So, you're asking, when did this blog turn into my own personal forum for griping about sugar cookies? Hmm...I don't know. And since I'm not exactly sure what you're supposed to write about in blogs, this will have to do. For the time being. Until Reagan does something super cute (she's in bed now but I'm sure she'll do something tomorrow!) that has me shouting it from the top of the roof, and well, the innards of my computer.

In the meantime, hopefully you'll just enjoy the pictures I've posted and maybe check out some of the exciting websites I've posted below.

Kisses and Hugs to all of you!