Happy (late) 4th of July!

Yeah, I'm a slacker. I'll post soon.

How rude!

I believe in the goodness of people.

A Saturday trip to Whole Foods changed all that.

First of all, the aisles are small. There is hardly enough room for one cart, let alone two trying to pass one another. Add three wrestling, joking, trash talking stockboys kicking boxes around and laughing, and it was a disaster. And I ran into them in at least three different aisles.

Then there are the sullen ones. You know who I mean. They walk around with pinched faces, avoiding eye contact. When I don't move my cart fast enough and apologize with a smile, they just stare at me and keep going. No acknowledgement, not even a dirty look.

There are the giggling teenagers, meandering slowly along without a care in the world.

And then there are the old ladies.

I promise I am not generalizing here. I am talking about two specific older ladies, perhaps in their 60s or 70s, who parked in the aisle of the natural soap section and talked while everyone gingerly pushed their carts around them. I had to bend down for some soap on the bottom shelf and almost got a cart in the eye. Twice. The woman saw me, ignored me, and kept talking.

Am I expecting too much? Am I too entrenched in my belief in southern hospitality that I am so easily shocked by rudeness?

Or is this article true? There was a recent study that found that many people who buy organic foods tend to be judgmental and rude. I know for a fact that this is not true for all people. But it was at Whole Foods this weekend.

At least one good thing came from my trip.

Dirty Thirty

This past Wednesday, I turned 30.

I didn't wake up with a hunchback, extra wrinkles, or in need of an adult diaper. (But my knees and back hurt a lot...)

And although I know my 30s are going to rock, and I was excited about it, I couldn't help but feel a little mourning for my 20s.

Because my 20s? Were a hell of a decade.

20: Still attending Agnes Scott College (the best all women's college around, in my unbiased opinion). Humming along as a history/anthropology-sociology major. 

21: The big year! Had my first alcohol drink (ok, first legal drink), started waiting tables at Chili's, met and started dating my future husband, and graduated from college.

22: Left Chili's and started working at My House, a facility that cares for medically fragile infants and children. Fell absolutely in love with those children, and the world of non-profits.

23: Still at My House. Still dating my boyfriend, we enjoyed doing absolutely nothing but hanging out and enjoying Atlanta cuisine (meaning, Taco Mac, Bambinelli's, and Thai food).

24: The boyfriend moved to San Antonio for a job. I followed about 6 months later. Waited tables for about a month, then started working at a non-profit for teen mothers. Bought a house.

25: Got engaged and eloped in New Orleans.

26: Had my first baby.

27: Juggled working and motherhood.

28: Quit my job to stay home (daycare is friggin' expensive), had my second baby.

29: Started grad school, had my third (FINAL) baby.

While that may seem boring to some, for me it was the start of my independence. I lived on my own (well, with a roommate), worked for my own money, paid my own bills. I was an actual ADULT. I had jobs with benefits. Sure, I stumbled. Sure, I thought about moving back into my parents' house. But I overcame it. I maintained old friendships, even after moving 1500 miles away, and made new ones. I became a homeowner, a wife, a mother, a grad student.

Like I said, it was a hell of a decade.

RIP, Roaring Twenties.

Join me, won't you?

It's official.  Hell has frozen over. 

I am giving up meat.

Well, not totally.

Due to some, ahem, digestive issues, and just a general feeling of gross after I eat meat, I've decided to become a weekday vegetarian/pescatarian (yeah, sorry, I ain't giving up my fish and seafood).  I'm hoping this will help me start feeling better, give me more energy, and jump start my quest to live an overall healthier life.  I also am joining the Y this weekend to get back into the Couch to 5k program.  They also have yoga classes (seriously, who am I?!)  And daycare.  Yeah, that's the real reason I'm joining.

Now, I'm not going totally vege/pesca-tarian.  If someone plops a medium steak in front of me, I'll eat it up like there's no tomorrow.  And I'm not going to force my family to do this with me.  In fact, Steve almost cried when I told him my plan.  But I figure if I'm making some meaty meal for the fam, I can make a small substitution for me. 

Or maybe I'm just crazy.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Also, check out our new cat!

So what have you been up to?

Oh, not much.  Just going to school, studying at home, taking care of things/kids around the house...

and rockin' out another baby.

And I'm only taking 1 class this summer, so I'll actually get to post more!  Of course, I'll be doing that with one hand, as one Miss Maddy Mae King doesn't like to be out of my arms during the day. 

School term from hell

Holy crap, this quarter is kicking my ass!  So many projects and assignments due before the end of the term March 6th...you know, two days before the baby is due.  So that's where I've been.  Blog will be updated more when the craziness dies down (so...never?)

I have been keeping up with the Photo a Day challenge, so that's something!

Life with a 3 year old

Me to the husband: "What time is it?"
Ty: "It's time for lunch!"

Too.  Much.  Bubble Guppies.

Why I will always stand with Planned Parenthood

Unless you've been living under a rock (or you don't have facebook), you know that this week the Susan G. Komen "for the Cure" Foundation pulled their funding from Planned Parenthood.  Now, whether this was really because SGK has in their bylaws that they don't fund places currently under investigation by Congress (which PP is, due to a Republican lawmaker claiming that they use federal funding for abortions), or because they bowed to right-wing pressure, especially from their new senior VP for public policy, Karen Handel (who is staunchly pro-life-- which brings me to another rant...pro-life?  Pretty sure everyone is "pro-life."  No one is "pro-abortion."  You're either pro-choice, or anti-choice.  It's like being "anti-war."  Isn't everyone?  Does anyone really salivate over the prospect of going to war?  Ok, rant over.)

So yeah, basically the SGK Foundation pulled funding that provided cancer screenings for under-privileged women.  Simple as that.  People depend on PP for their health.  Rather it's birth control, cancer screenings, pap smears, or, yes, safe abortions, it is an invaluable resource.

I know that, because I've used it.

After college, and before I got my first job with benefits, I went to Planned Parenthood.  I had my annual pap smear there, and I obtained birth control pills there.  Here in San Antonio, even after I had a job with benefits, I still went to Planned Parenthood for my pap smear and contraception.

Planned Parenthood helped me not to get pregnant until I was physically, emotionally, and financially ready.  It also kept me healthy.

In fact, the day that I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I went to my local clinic for a second opinion.  For some reason, I thought that their pregnancy test would be more precise, maybe a blood test or something.  Nope, I just peed on a stick, just like I had at home. :)  Regardless, I was pregnant, I had health insurance, so I started going to an ob/gyn.  But after having my son, I still picked up by birth control from PP, until one day I just realized it was a bit easier to just go through the drive through pharmacy down the road.

But I will always be indebted to Planned Parenthood.

And while breast cancer has affected my family in many ways, and has taken the life of someone I loved, I will no longer support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Here are some other options for those of you who may feel the same:
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The Rose
National Breast Cancer Coalition
Here is a page that has these and other charities listed:
Charity Navigator

And of course, you can contribute directly to Planned Parenthood, and you can even specify that your donation be used for breast cancer screenings.  In fact, since the announcement of SGK's defunding of PP (like all the abbreviations there?), people have donated $400,000 to Planned Parenthood to help cover the money that will be lost.
Planned Parenthood Donation


Finally, here is a Tumblr that people have set up, telling their stories of how Planned Parenthood has helped them.
Planned Parenthood Saved Me

*Sorry if this seems a bit rambly-- I was typing it in a hurry before I go pick up the kids from their Mom's Day Out program!

Life with a 3 year old

"That's mommy, daddy, me, and sister!"


He was describing his poop in the toilet.

Well, that was a bust.

I failed the January Photo-A-Day challenge.  In my defense, however, it was because I was sick.  I got the mother of all sinus infections last week, and stupidly waited 5 days to call in to my midwife for medicine.  I catch colds twice a year- once in the winter, once in the summer.  When I'm not pregnant, they last a few days and are gone.  When I am pregnant, they linger for over a week.  But it's always the same process-- head cold (runny nose, sneezing, headache), then chest cold (um, phlegm).  So I patiently waited for my "head cold" to settle into my chest cold.  Only it didn't happen.  After sleepless nights and days of begging my husband to come home early so he could take care of the kids so I could please, please just go lay down and cry, I looked up my symptoms and realized that my cold was a sinus infection.  No wonder the Neti Pot wasn't working (also, how in the hell do you use that thing?!  I kept choking on the salt water.) 

I was prescribed an antibiotic and told to take Mucinex.  I picked that up on Friday, and by Saturday I felt like a brand new woman.  I feel so bad for those of you that suffer from frequent sinus infections.  I seriously thought my head was going to explode. 

So yeah, I stopped taking pictures last week.  Oops.  BUT, the same blogger is doing a February challenge, too!  So hopefully, what with it being a shorter month (heh, by 2 days) I can complete it.

February Photo Day Challenge

More photos

I hate colds.  My productivity has been zero lately.  Lily had a cold last week, and now Ty and I caught it.  While it wipes me out, all it seems to do for Ty is make him cough and give him a runny nose-- still tons of energy, meaning no naps.  For him or mama. 

I kind of cheated on the photo-a-day challenge.  There were a couple of days that I forgot to take pictures, so I just took them the next day.  Sorry!  See: above, re: cold, plus last Wednesday's post about Lily waking up all night.

A woman after my own heart!

A friend sent me this wonderful link today.  I feel her!  We are one!

The Uppers & Downers of Parenting (or, Coffee and Wine)

Also, here is my photo for the day:

Now I am off to the bed in that photo, since my 15 month old suddenly forgot how to sleep through the night, and has been waking up wanting to be rocked lately. 

Photo a day update + intentions

Contrary to (my own) popular belief, I have managed to keep up with the January Photo a Day challenge.

I've also spent a lot of time (meaning: a few minutes here and there) thinking about Resolutions.  Almost everyone comes up with a list of resolutions for the new year.  My sister-in-law said something that made me think-- she doesn't do "resolutions" but she has "intentions."  Great idea!  Because I always break my resolutions.  Intentions, on the other hand, I can handle.  So here is my list of 2012 Intentions:

1. I intend to have another med-free childbirth.  And if I can do it in less than 6 hours (my record with Lily) plus leave the hospital after 33 hours (another record with Lily- MUCH better than the 4 days I was there with Ty), well that's just gravy.
2. After said childbirth, ward off the postpartum depression that manifests itself in crying over shirts not fitting or fits of anger by recognizing the symptoms and getting help ASAP.
3. Maintain my A average in grad school.
4. Start the Couch to 5K again.  Maybe run the Rock and Roll Marathon 5K (is there such a thing?) in November?
5. Eat healthier and more sustainable foods.  In fact, get started on that vegetable and fruit garden we've been talking about for the last 2 years.
6. Yoga class.  Loka Studio is located near me, and I have an in with the owner (in that we have mutual friends).
7. Watch more movies.  I started this intention by watching "Blue Valentine" the other night.  Great movie, but depressing as hell!

Easy enough to do!

Blogging fail

Dude, where did December go?  It all seems like a blur of finals, papers, Christmas shopping, and road trips (17 hours, from Texas to Georgia.  Somehow, we all survived the trip there and back, along with mini-road trips to Atlanta, Chattanooga, McMinnville and Knoxville).

To slowly ease my way back into the blog thing, I'm going to just post some links to some stuff.  Baby steps.

Photo a Day Challenge- I can totally do this!  Although, to be fair, I'm starting 6 days late.  Cut me some slack, I just stumbled across it!  (Who wants to place bets on which day I finally give up?)
Project 30- my friend C-Dre's blog.  She created a list of 30 things to do before she turns 30 this year.  I'm also turning the big 3-0 this year, but a few months earlier.  I was inspired by her list and started trying to come up with my own.  I think I've gotten to 8.  To be continued...
Girls with Glasses- because I can't remember the last time I've worn contacts.  Plus, I've embraced the  hipster frames (they really help to hide how enormously thick my lenses actually are).
xojane- I loved Jane magazine, and was so sad when it was canceled.  Jane Pratt started an online version, that I read on a daily basis.

And here is my photo of the day for January 6, 2012: