Not my day today.

Today is just one of those days makes it very hard to stay positive. Started out not getting ANY sleep last night. We've officially "turned Anthony's bed around". About 4 months ago we decided to remove the one crib wall and let Anthony be a "big boy". Well after about 4 nights of no sleep because he kept escaping, we turned the bed around so the open side was facing the wall and he couldn't get out. Yes, we know, it takes time. And there's really no good time to loose sleep. But we're selfish, so sue us! Anyhow, a few days ago we came to the realization that if he's going to act like a big boy, we need to treat him like one. So we set him free again. Day one went awesome, day 2 only 1 escape attempt. The last 2 nights have been DISASTER. He SNEAKS out. I'll hear his bedroom door open, but then shut again and I think that he's gone back to bed when he sees it's all dark. But nope, he's just SMART. He sneaks out, shuts the door behind him, and goes and hides downstairs or in the bathroom. Last night was the worst at 11 espcape attempts. Super Nanny always says never to say anything to the child and just put them back in bed as many times as it takes and eventually they give up.So yeah, that's what I spent all night doing. Finally after 2am he fell asleep. Lucky for me, that's EXACTLY the time Joe decided to snore as loud as humanly possible, and I happen to be a very light sleeper. NOT a good combination. Slept on the couch. Woke up at 5am with a horrific cramp in my glute. Still hurts like a b. Then woke up at 6am when Joe got up for work and started walking like an elephant all over the house, all 140 lbsof him.

Went upstairs at this point to try and catch an hour of sleep before Anthony got up. Fell asleep and slept hard. Woke up abruptly when I heard a loud noise from the bathroom. Anthony had escaped. He was standing on the toilet to reach the shelves on the wall holding all of our hair products and creams and such. He got a hold of some VERY expensive eye cream, and emptied the whole container of it on his face and head. Once I cleaned that up I headed downstairs to assess the rest of the damage. He had busted into the cleaning products (YES--WE CHILDPROOF THOSE CUPBOARDS, but he's cracked the code!), and squirted an entire bottle of oxy deep carpet cleaner onto my new coffee table. Luckily it doesn't look like permanent damage, but I think the chemicals started to melt away the finish of the table, it's a bit tacky still. He also decided to sharpie some appointments into my appointment book. Not a huge deal, but annoying.

Today also happens to be one of the days I get to watch 2 other children. They're both VERY good, but very easily influenced by my devil child. They all play extremely well together, but still 3 two year olds is a lot to handle on no sleep. They never even let me around them. Anytime I try to play with them they yell at me in little toddler babble. How is it possible they're already annoyed by the parental unit in the room. So I have to keep a close eye on them from at least 8ft away! They all eat at the same time, poop at the same time, and nap at the same time. You might think that'd be easier--IT IS NOT. But thank GOD for nap time (which is what's allowing me to blog now).

Reason # 12301823908 why I'm having a crap day:: Lady Gaga tickets for the Pittsburgh show went on sale at 10am this morning. I got on ticketmaster at 9:42, refreshing every minute until 10 just to be sure I was one of the first when they came available. I searched, and searched, and entered CAPTCHA after CAPTCHA and "Sorry, no tickets available to match your request". My request was simply "ANY price in ANY section". Sold out. How is it possible for 18,000 tix to sell out in 10 seconds?! Gaga. That's how. There's still some on Ebay and Stubhub for quadruple their worth. Though I'd love for it to be my Bday present to myself, I need to not be impulsive and spend it just because I have it. So if anyone wants to buy me Gaga tickets, I might just marry them.

Next reason:: That cramp in my butt that I woke up with is now a nagging pain that's causing me to limp around. Hopefully it's just a pulled muscle that will go away with a few days of rest...otherwise it's really going to put a damper on my marathon training schedule.

Then while making lunch for all the kids I cut my hand on a campbell's soup can. Crap.

Onnn the bright side, I'm expecting a couple of good UPS deliveries :) My new laptop and a big canvas of my family Click Pics. Ugh. What a day.

Ok Ok...

What was that a few posts back about me finishing things that I start and being more consistent? Yeah. Like that happened. Here it is, months later, and I'm finally getting around to posting again. Ahhh I'll try again.

Anyhow--here I am. Still working 100% for myself (LOVING that!), my photography business is flourishing {Click Chick Images}, my son is awesome-though a bit of a devil child, and Joe and I are all finally financially settled. You know what that means, don't you?? Time to shake things up! I'm finally to the point in my life where I'm realizing that life is short, and I want to live it to the fullest. I hear people say that a lot, but actions speak louder than words, don't they?

Joe and I have made the decision to move south. We both want to advance our careers, and feel that Erie just doesn't have the market for our industries to the standard we'd like it to be. We also both like warmth, which Erie lacks 90% of the year, we love the ocean, we'd love our son to be able to grow up near the ocean, and a biggie--CULTURE! Joe and I are kind of food snobs and culture junkies! We love to experience new things, new cuisines, new environments...and I think we've exhausted our options in Erie! Time to change. The projected move date is November 2011--after next wedding season for which I'm fully booked. I'll still take on a couple of wedding photography jobs in Erie each year to grant us the excuse to travel back and visit. Woo hoo--exciting. It's looking like our future home is going to be in Wilmington Beach, North Carolina--but that could change! We're leaving our options open, researching heavily, and visiting potential cities before making our final decision!



Also in my plight to live life to the fullest, I want to do things I've always wanted to do but haven't, and learn things I've always wanted to learn. Here's my list and what I'm doing to accomplish each bullet point::

*Run a marathon-- I'm ready to roll for the Presque Isle marathon in September. I'm registered for every 5k, 10k, and half marathon between now and then, and am on a training schedule to build up my endurance. I also bought new running shoes. Come on, girls, you know all we need to motivate us is a new pair of shoes or a new outfit!

*Live on the ocean--just covered that--I'm on my way!

*Work for myself-- DOIN' it! {Click Chick Images} {Lavish Events}

*Learn to play guitar-- I'd like to start this late spring/early summer. I'm a self-taught kind of person, so I'll probably just buy a guitar (acoustic), get some sheet music for 2 or 3 songs I want to learn, and sit there until I get it. That's pretty much how I learn everything.


*Learn to cook really, really well! I'm talking culinary excellence, people! I'm a food network junkie for sure, but I'm not the most domestic woman in the world (people who know me well are dying laughing right now). I've been trying hard to perfect some new recipes, but I'd like to be more like Martha friggin Stewart. Ha.

*Do more for charities--I'd love to get involved with helping physically and/or mentally handicapped children. I'm going to register for every race I can to help fundraise, but I'm really looking for more than just montetary contribution--I want to actually work with these kids and contribute my time. Anyone with any ideas on where/how to do this, I'd love lots of options!


*Get in the best shape of my life-- This is going to be a tough one for me. I'm known to just have TOO much to do, too much on my plate, so much, in fact, that doing things for myself are really few and far between. However, I've started! It's been about 3 months now that I've been really watching diet, taking good supplements, and working out consistently. Training for the marathon is helping. I just want to see what my body is capable of looking like! I still have a long, long way to go, but I'd love to feel completely comfortable in a swimsuit (or even NAKED) for once! It's tough after having a child, but I'm going to try!

*Learn to surf!--Obviously not something I can do here! So I'm on this RIGHT away when we move! We have a couple of vacations planned for this summer that I might be able to try it out! I'm 99% sure I'm going to be horrific at it. I can't do anything that requires good balance (roller skating/blading, or even biking very well!).


*Hang out with more moms--Just something every mom needs to do san kids!

So any encouragement would be appreciated! I need alll the motivation I can get!

xoxo

Kara Marie

New Year's Resolutions are expected to be broken...

SO, in the spirit of New Year's...I've decided that if I actually type out my resolutions on my blog, I might actually commit to them for longer than a month as usual. Why is it that no one EVER sticks to their resolutions?? Are they just too unrealistic? Anyhow, here's mine for 2010, long list, I know.

1. Stop procrastinating (notice it's the 11th and I'm just now getting around to my resolutions).

2. Be more organized.

3. Be healthier. I'm not putting a number on this one...no "lose 10 lbs", no "drop 1 dress size". I just want to be healthier overall. I'd like to eat a cleaner diet, focusing on more organic foods. I'd also like to commit to AT LEAST 3x/wk at the gym. So far, week one, I'm good on that. Also under the "be healthier" category would be to drink less. I don't really drink a lot now...maybe once a week and usually not to excess. But even less would be fabulous.

4. Be happier. I, as a woman, have a tendency to over-worry and over-stress, and of course I take it out on my significant other as most women do. SO I'm going to work on that. I'm going to try to do more things specifically FOR MYSELF. I really need to set aside time each week to do that. Whether it be getting a pedicure, a massage, or just grabbing a coffee and sitting in silence for a while...I need to destress!

5. GET OUT OF DEBT!!!! This is a big one, and fortunately enough it's the most REALISTIC for me at this time! Woo hoo!!! My biggest debt was the consolidation loan I took out 4 years ago to pay off college and all my credit cards. That was $40,000 and the payments have been $608.15/month since then...which is a HUGE monthly payment that I would really like to be paying towards just about ANYTHING else but Capital ONE. Currently I am only 3 payments away from being DONE...AND that's my only significant debt! I have a little under $1,000 left to pay off photography school. Money has always been my biggest stress, so once my #5 resolution is complete, my #4 will be helped too!!!

6. Triple my photography business and slowly transition out of event planning...taking on only event design contracts! Since I've begun with photography, I've been SOOOO passionate about it! I just have so much fun, it never gets old, and it's rarely stressful. While I love the final product of my wedding planning, it's often an entire year of STRESS that I put on my shoulders for each of my clients. It's not helping me be a happier person, and that's what I need to focus on at this time.

7. Be a better MOM. While I do think I'm a good mom (yes, I am patting myself on the back right now!), there's ALWAYS room for improvement. I'd like to learn from my semi-distant relationship with my parents growing up and ensure that my son always feels like he has his mommy to rely on and doesn't take too much on his own shoulders. I'd love to have a really significant chunk of his college saved up, because I know how damaged that left my financial start-up when I went off to school because I paid for everything myself. I think it is a parent's duty to provide for their child and help them get a proper start. I also want to invest more time into TEACHING him things. I think too often we get caught up in playing, or me just finding something to entertain him while I get work done...and before I know it the day has passed and I didn't really teach him anything new! On the days that I DO teach him, I feel so fulfilled!!

8. Be a better (common-law) wife. Going back to #4--I think if I'm happier myself, and de-stressed that this will fall into place. Anyone else who has been in a long-term relationship knows that it often turns routine/lacks spontanaity and fun! I want to be spontaneous and fun again, which is really hard to do when your a mom and a small business owner, and of course dealing with all other worldly problems. I want to be less moody and touchy and more like old Kara. I'm going to TRY TRY TRY to be more domestic. It's really not my bag...but cooking more dinners, cleaning more, etc. I'm going to work on it. Haha.

9. FINISH WHAT I START. Huge problem for me. Take, for example, this blog. When was the last posting before this one?? I tend to get really excited about something at the start, and it loses it's luster. I'm gonna work on that too!

10. Plan a vacation! Well, actually 3 vacations. One for Joe and I (a honeymoon would be nice!), one family vacation, and one JUST ME vacation. I know, that's weird. But I think traveling alone is something every woman should do. Not a long vacation, just a few days...somewhere nice, secluded, and warm. Somewhere I can just lay on the beach and unwind for a couple of days.

So I think that wraps it up! I'll TRY to keep everyone updated on this! :)

Back to Skinny Part IV

So it's Thursday. It's time for me to tell you all how fabulous I'm doing on my diet and how I've lost all the fat I wanted to, and I haven't strewn from my diet once. BUT I can't tell you any of that. I sucked last week!! I still made good decisions, but Halloween killed me. I have a toddler who has no need for 17 lbs of chocolate. I had to do SOMETHING with it before it went bad, right? Anyhow, yes, Halloween, a birthday party, one too many restaurant meals. On the upside I HAVE been working out more to try to compensate for the less-than-perfect eating.

I got up to 17 push ups yesterday! Woo hoo! And they were REAL ones, not girlie ones. I tried to do it again today, not as much luck...only got 14. Must have ate my spinach yesterday!

My arms are definitely more toned, and so are my abs. NOW I just have to eliminate the layer of fat over the abs. I'll get there. I'm still doing a lot better than I used to be.

I have an insanely busy weekend with 10 PHOTOSHOOTS lined up. So it's going to be a really big challenge for me to eat right with barely any time to spare and driving from shoot to shoot. I really wish this was a health conscious city that had places to drive-through and get fresh fruits and veggie wraps, etc. WISH ME LUCK!

A plea for youth.

Dear AARP, please stop sending me coupons for hearing aids, the telephones with the giant numbers on them, the Hoveround, something else obscure that says "Having trouble WIPING?!". You've got the wrong idea.




Dear bartender, please card me. When you don't, you imply that I look at least 30 (according to the carding law). That's not nice.

Dear writers of the show "Cougartown", please don't make Courtney Cox's 40 year old character have the same life issues that I do. I watched one episode last night and it involved a 40 year old character who had a child in her early 20's and as a result never went out, had no friends, no life outside work, and was quite pathetic. That is me now. Not when I'm 40. And I'd like to add if you're going to broadcast that she's 40, please don't allow her to look like a lean, ripped, 98 lb adolescent.

Dear chocolate maker people, please develop the yummiest chocolate ever that is completely good for you in mass quantities. My gut would appreciate it.

Dear 8 year old boy at the grocery store. Don't ask me how old I am, and then when I respond say "That's it? You have a kid. I thought you were like 50."

Dear mom, please don't say "It sucks getting old, doesn't it?".

Dear butt, why are you getting FLATTER with age. Don't you know that having a big butt is in right now?

All of these things...plus more...are my pleas. Please respond in a kind manner and do what the heck I say. Thank you.

Love, Kara Marie.

The many expressions of my son...

So every now and then (meaning all the time) my son is the most animated, goofy, crazed toddler. His facial expressions are getting SO hilarious! I love his confused look...as you'll see in this collage. He also loves to look at me like this when I'm doing something that would probably embarass him if we were in public. Is it bad that my two year old is already ashamed of his bizarre mom??

You'll need to click on this to enlarge it and grasp the full effect of his expressions!

 

Yummy, healthy, and organic stir-fry!

So I promised that I would be a little more diligent about posting recipes of some of the things I've been eating to get "Back to Skinny". Granted, a stir-fry isn't the best way to get a trim waistline...BUT this recipe is a great alternative to what you would see in a Chinese or Japanese restaurant.

Here's what I used:

Shrimp
Garlic
Fresh Broccoli
Fresh Organic Baby Portabella Mushrooms (use whatever kind suits you)
Organic Soba Noodles (these are Japanese buckwheat noodles that are super low in sodium and fat...they're really quick to cook and GOOD!)
Kikkoman Low Sodium Teriyaki Sauce
Kikkoman Low Sodium Soy Sauce

Pictures below of the Teriyaki and Soba noodles so you know what to look for at the store. Sorry for the low quality pictures, and yes I realize that I have very expensive camera equipment at home, but it's not always the most convenient thing to use!)



And HERE's the easy recipe to prepare the shrimp stir-fry::

*Before I begin I should tell you that I don't measure ANYTHING when cooking...I just eyeball everything. If you really like broccoli, add extra...if you hate mushrooms, don't use 'em!*

Boil your water for the soba noodles.
In a large saute pan on Medium, saute the broccoli and mushrooms in olive oil, some teriyaki sauce, and minced garlic until slightly tender.
Add shrimp to saute pan.

Add soba noodles to boiling water and boil for 3 minutes.
Drain noodles and put them directly in the saute pan. Mix with veggies and add some more teriyaki sauce and a splash of soy sauce to taste. Let sit on heat for another 2 minutes or so until heated through.

Serve while hot.


I love this dish--it's so good! And the nice thing about making it yourself is being able to customize it to suit your health needs. I'm a huge fungus freak--so mine of course had TONS of mushrooms! Try it out and let me know how you like it :)