has it really been a year?

 

On a very boring Wednesday last fall, I wrote this post, and with that, put a bow on it the blog was born.

 

It's funny to look back through at the comments - and my replies because I was such a newbie and didn't know to reply via email. I can pin-point my now friends first comments. I'm looking at you EBD's - such a simple act that led to such an amazing friendship!

 

I honestly thought I missed this day when I took my break for the past month, and had no clue when I started blogging again this week that the "big day" was today. I guess it was just meant to be!

 

In honor of this day, here's a few things that I have learned & what blogging has taught me.

 

1. Blogging is HARD. I did not expect this one. Thinking of something interesting to write about every single day is tough. Creating a blog that people are excited to come back and read is tough. You have to put forth effort to get things out of this.

 

2. For the most part, the blogging community is extremely supportive. Girls come together to help out girls that they haven't ever met. It's pretty amazing.

 

3. FRIENDS! I didn't think when I got into this that I would be able to call a small handful of other bloggers best friends a year later. I am so blessed to have them in my life. To think I never would have met them without this makes me sad & happy. A has even gained friends from this!

 

4. Blogging is also really weird. It's hard to put this one into words, but I think most everyone would agree with me. So I'll just leave it at that.

 

There's plenty more where that came from, but I'm not in the rambling mood this morning. I'm way too excited for 5pm when I get to find out if our newest family addition is a boy or a girl! NO, I'm not pregnant (although it's not shocking I guess if you think that, most bloggers who take a month off come back with a baby bump), A's sister is! This little bundle makes niece/nephew number three for us...and although I love little boys (seriously! I do!), I am really hoping for a little girl. Think of how many cute bows I could buy her!!!

the next step | an SUV

I've discussed buying a new car on my blog previously. I wasn't ready to commit to a monthly payment at the time, but if I would have been, I would quite possibly be riding around in this little beauty right now. 

image via

She's pretty, right? Sidenote, who do I always refer to cars as 'she?' Maybe I'll make my next car a man. While I would NOT hate to be driving that pretty Kia Optima around, I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger. 

As you know (because I've only talked about it 2789755 times), we just bought our first house. And with 4 bedrooms...it's not THAT far until the time when we start having little As and Bowies running around. That is, if you consider 2-3 years not that of a long time...you do? OK good. 

What does this have to do with cars? For this next stage of our lives, we need room. We've got the house part down, so now we need the car part down. And with both of us at 90,000 miles or above (hey, we like having no car payments!) it is a little past time to move on. 

While the Optima above IS gorgeous, it's not the right car for the new stage we're going to embark on in a few years. And because I'm a thinker, I don't want to get a new car and then have to get another one in four years when we have two little peaches hanging out in the backseat. Those fancy strollers are big, y'all! Also, mom, if you are reading this, NO, we are not having kids any time soon. Just preparing extra early!

When we ran out of space at home, we moved on up. We're running out of space in our cars, so I say it's time to move on up! The plan is to get me a new SUV and A will take my current car until we pay of mine. Ain't nobody got time for two car payments at once. Ew! 

We haven't started looking at SUVs, but we plan on making the big purchase in September. That leaves us PLENTY of time to research and test drive and research some more. They all have so many fancy gadgets now, and admittedly, I get a little starry eyed at those things. I need A to bring me back down and remind me that we are not buying an SUV because it's pretty and will talk to me, we are buying it because we're transitioning to a new stage in life and we need more space. Space > features. Remembering that is going to be tough!

Hopefully I'll have a pretty reveal post in September with a fancy new big SUV! Now, I'm off to buy a lottery ticket so I can afford the gas...

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

the sweetest thing

I'm pretty positive that the sweetest thing in the world is seeing your husband play with babies. 

Every time A plays with Reid I get even more excited to have little ones of our own. 

Today we've been relaxing at the table with Reid while Uncle Dre reads him books. (The love this child has for reading rivals my own. It's pretty awesome.) I wish I could take a week off work every month and hang out with Reid.

We probably have a couple years before we're ready to have a little bambino of our own, so having Reid to kidnap babysit makes my baby cravings go away for a little bit. Then they come back when I look at what a great daddy A is going to be!