Gumdrop Pass

Linky Followers Blog Hop -- It's still going on! :)

2012-02-12T13:00:00.001-06:00

Many of you have probably already heard that

GOOGLE Friend Connect will go away

on Feb 29 for any one that is not with blogspot

but rumor has it that it is being completely phased out for everyone soon

BUT

there is good news

There is a NEW awesome tool–Linky Followers

It has so many amazing features (that GFC never had). If you have not signed up you should. (yes you can have both.) I love the new tool so much and want everyone to enjoy all the new features.

…and did I tell you its super easy and FREE!

What better way to celebrate a fun new blogging tool than to have a party

so break out your poodle skirt and saddle back shoes cuz’ we’re having a LINKY FOLLOWER PARTY HOP

RULES:

1. you MUST have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool on your site to participate.

If the LINKY FOLLOWER tool is not on your site, your link will be deleted.
{You can have both the LINKY FOLLOWERS & GFC on your site but you must have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool to participate in this party hop.}

2. You MUST follow the person who has the party on their site as a thank you.

3.Just add your blog button to the LINKY PARTY below.

4.Then grab the BLOG HOP code

You will find the code right under the Linky Party where it says CLICK HERE TO ENTER–
just under that it says: WHAT IS A BLOG HOP? GET THE CODE HERE
Click on GET THE CODE HERE and enter it into a post on your site.
You can grab the party button code in the FOOTER at Its So Very Cheri
You can grab info from my post if it helps you with your post.

5. Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want)
–leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back.

If you want to add the BLOG HOP to your own site you will get lots of new followers–(see rule #2)

Adventures in Potty Training: Week 10

2012-02-10T09:00:00.000-06:00

Feel free to catch up on our potty training adventure here:

Introduction

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Weeks 4 and 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9

Week 10

General Overview:

Um... First I'll need you to raise your right hand...palm open... AND GIVE THIS MAMMA AND HER 2.5 YEAR OLD A HUGE HIGH FIVE THROUGH THE COMPUTER! If you didn't get a chance to read last week's post, let me fill you in. We made the decision to buy training underwear -- and I could not be happier with the results!

Successes:

I'm so proud, I'm practically BURSTING at the seams. My little Logan has done SO well this week. We went out to Babies R Us last weekend - not to buy a baby sister as Logan had thought, but to buy training underwear. After searching the store twice and asking 2 different employees, we finally found them. (Seriously, Babies R Us, I will volunteer to help you organize better! Why would training underwear be by burp cloths... and on top of that why would burp cloths be by bath toys?)

Anyway, we let Logan investigate them once we found them and then he picked up a pack. We explained that he would get to wear those fancy pants things the next day. Sure enough, once he woke up on Sunday he asked about his "big boy underwear." I am proud to say that Sunday, there was absolutely no accidents. On Monday - no accidents. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, he decided to mix it up a bit and have an accident each day. BUT - what is GREAT about these underwear is just what I suspected -- when he does have an accident, he gets uncomfortable and does not like it. He starts waddling like a duck and whimpering. When he does this, I ask him if he's had an accident and we talk about how he needs to tell me he has to go so the accident does not happen. And seriously? Only 3 accidents since Sunday? I'll take it!

We are still using Pull Ups for nap time and bedtime, as I don't think he's gotten that part under control yet. He always wets himself at night and about 90% of the times during his naps. I'm okay with this. He's still a little guy. I'm just so happy that he's made such leaps and bounds this week during his time awake spent terrorizing me, the dogs, and the house. :)

Goals:

I could not have hoped for better results this past week, so it's hard to know what to expect or goal-set for next week. I really just want him to keep doing well and keep being proud of himself. I never though sentences like "No pee pee in there!" "I don't poop in my underwears!" would make me so happy. :)

Let's hope Logan stays in the zone next week. I know I have to keep doing my job by making the experience as fun and positive for him. I've found that throughout this process, my mood really affects his progress and his attitude. If I get upset, he'll get upset. If I am lackadaisical about it, he will be lackadaisical about it. It's really about keeping your cool and making it as fun as it can be. If anybody were to ask for my advice on the subject, that would have to be one of the first things that I say. It's taken me 10 weeks to get that through my head, and I'm still working on it, but it really has been the most successful thing that I can do to help with this process.

***

As always, I'd love to hear your war stories, advice or any other comment you may have! Until next time... Happy potty training!

The World's Perfect Baby Brush {Reveiw and Giveaway!}

2012-02-09T06:30:00.000-06:00

You know how sweet, little babies have the sweetest, littlest hairs? They smell SO good and they're so soft to the touch, however sometimes they're just a bit... messy?

And when those sweet, little hairs are messy, we do our best to keep them in line, don't we? However, it's actually quite hard to do, not having the right tools.

When Logan was a small baby with few hairs, I found I could never make them uniform. They were always sticking up on end, and I didn't want to use just any brush or comb because it could hurt his sensitive skin. Even now, at 2 and a half years old, his hair still has that wispy quality that's hard to contain. I'm so glad to introduce you to this product.

The World's Perfect Baby Brush

This brush in non-toxic and completely free of sharp edges. What's more, it's so soft and you can even wash it in your dishwasher (top rack)!

This awesome little invention not only tames those soft, baby hairs, but it does it without worry of scratches or uncomfortableness. Make sure that you check out newpeoplecompany.com to learn more about these fantastic little brushes!

Now is your time to win on of these sweet little brushes for your sweet little guy or girl. Just enter the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An Important Message

2012-02-07T10:35:00.000-06:00

How many of you have read The Help? Or have seen the movie? Or (like me) both? I absolutely ADORED the book, and the movie was pretty great, too. Although the book (and movie) made me cry numerous times, the one part that got to me (and inspired me) the most was this:

I cried SO much when Aibileen would say this to Mae Mobley. She did this for many reasons, with the reason sticking out the most (to me) being that she wanted Mae Mobley to know that she was special despite what others (namely her mother) may think or say about her. If you haven't read to book or seen the movie -- go do it! But seriously, if you haven't, Aibileen would say this to Mae Mobley daily. I think we could all take heed and listen here. Are we doing this everyday with our own children?

Reading this made me think back to my childhood as well as to my friends' and even Logan's. Sure, I (we) were all told these things, but usually it was after an event, be it positive or negative. For example, if I got an A on a spelling test, I was smart. Or if I was feeling defeated, I may have been told that I was kind. Shouldn't we be telling our kids these things even if an event doesn't precede it?

Just think how good it would feel if someone would tell you EVERY DAY that you are smart. That you are kind. And that you are important. Wouldn't that boost your self worth? I, personally, would LOVE to hear these things everyday. I'm on of those people who beat myself down instead of building myself up. I don't want Logan or any child to feel this way... ever! So why not give him (them) a daily boost? Why not let them know that they are kind, smart, and important.

Gosh, IMPORTANT. "You are important to me." "You are so important in this world." Can you feel the love that are behind these statements? Just writing about it gets me all teary eyed.

I'm going to make an effort to tell Logan this everyday. Every single day. I want the world for him. I want him to be confident and sure in himself. I want him to hear these things before a certain event. I want him to know how important he is.

What do you think? Is this something you will take up with your loved ones?

Sprint 4 Day Sale: 2/5-2/8 Great Opportunity to Upgrade!

2012-02-06T17:01:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

For a limited time (until February 8), Sprint is hosting an absolutely GREAT online sale. If you haven't upgraded you phone in awhile, now would be a great time to take advantage of this offer and do so.

Right now you can get the Nexus S™ 4G for FREE when you open a new line of service or add to your account. You can't get much better than free, and take a look at what you'll be getting:

Although a great phone, if I were to upgrade I'd probably take the offer that Sprint has on the HTC EVO™ 3D, I currently have an HTC phone and I absolutely love it. I has so many features and apps that I think it rivals the iPhone pretty well, and right now, Sprint is offering an awesome deal on it. You can get the HTC EVO 3D for only $49.99! That's substantially less than what I had paid for mine! Look at how sleek this phone looks!

If you're looking for a new phone, I don't think that you can do much better than the deal that Sprint is running right now. Make sure you hurry and check it out as the sale ends on February 8!

Save More Money at Walgreens

2012-02-06T14:00:00.001-06:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am always a fan of saving money, but I'm even more of a fan of saving money on quality items and services. That is why when I heard about the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens, I knew I had to investigate a little further. After my investigation, I'm pleased to share my findings with you!

Right now, Walgreens is offering a special discount for its Prescription Savings Club. For just $35 a year, a family can get this membership which covers your spouse, dependents 22 years and younger, and even you pets. Individuals can also gain entrance to the Savings Club for just $20 a year.

The benefits of the club are great! You will receive savings on more than 8,000 brand name and all generic medications. You'll also receive discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers, and diabetic supplies. There is also the chance to earn bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services.

As someone who already uses Walgreens for my family's pharmacy services, I think this is something worth looking into to save even more money.

Make sure that you stay updated with all of the great deals and promotions that Walgreens has by liking Walgreens on Facebook and following Walgreens on Twitter.

Fit Moms for Life {Book Review and Giveaway!}

2012-02-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Have you heard the name Dustin Maher yet? He just happens to be the man who may have all of the answers for any momma (or woman!) trying to get in shape! He has made it his personal mission to help moms of all shapes and sizes get fit. In fact, his goal is to reach one million moms by the end of 2015 by providing them with the support they need to change their lives forever.

What can I do to be one of these women?

Read this book!

Fit Moms for Life talks about new strategies and methods about getting in shape for the mom on the go. The two topics I found most interesting in this book are Burst training and quality fuel. Burst training is working out at high intensity for a shorter duration, then rest and repeat. "Quality fuel" refers to eating organic foods that supply your body with the nutrients and minerals necessary to really nourish your body -- and what caught my attention? You still can have 2-3 cheat meals each week so you don't have to give up your favorite foods!

The book also includes 31 real life examples of inspirational transformations with before and after photos. In my opinion, the book is full of good, practical information and provides a positive message. What's more, upon receiving the book, you get 4 free bonuses - a $59 added value!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday's Top 5 laughs

2012-02-04T13:17:00.001-06:00

It was a week of mostly being stuck inside due to the weather... the snow did melt towards the end of the week - which is where #2 on the list came from - but all of our laughs happened in the house this weekend... so without further delay...

We've been trying to keep ourselves busy inside... it's been difficult at times. Who would have known that these blocks would do the trick?

Logan stacked them up according to color and heights and then proclaimed them to be his birthday cakes! "My birthday's coming up, Mom!" ...uh, in JUNE. He had so much fun "tasting" his cakes! Red was strawberry, blue was blueberry, green was lime, and yellow was banana. I think the blueberry was his favorite because he wouldn't share that one with me!

Last night I told Logan that we were going to go to Babies R Us the next day. His response?

"For a sister?"

HA!

Jake has been giving Logan his baths which is GREAT because I DON'T HAVE TO. However, when Daddy gives the baths, he often doesn't clean up as he should (you know, put the dirty washcloth in with the laundry, and spray all of the water out of Logan's bath toys!). Last night, Logan and Jake were squirting each other, and Jake squirted Logan with one of the fish that hadn't been emptied, so it was cold. Logan looked SHOCKED and SCREAMED. It was TOO funny!

I woke Logan up from his nap on Thursday and he told me he wanted to look out the window. I put his feet on his window sill and stood behind him for balance and then asked him what he saw. "DOG POOP!" Why yes, the snow has just melted and icky, stinky piles of the stuff are all over our backyard. "What else do you see?"

"Yogi can't eat dog poop!....He...he...he can't eat the garbages!" (it was trash day, so the neighborhood was strewn with garbage cans)

"He...he can't eat those roof tops!"

"He.. haha...he..he, he can't eat that POOP!"

And he just kept going on and on... it was hysterical.

Have I ever mentioned I'm a bother-er? Because I am. I poke my husband, I throw dog toys at him... I bother. The other night, I took his shirt in the back and flipped it over his head (not his undershirt, just the one over it). I went upstairs to get my phone, go to the bathroom, etc. I was upstairs for probably 10 minutes. I come downstairs and he's sitting in the living room watching TV with the shirt STILL over his head. What?!

Have a good weekend! :)

Save money, Silly Pants!

2012-02-04T12:59:00.002-06:00

You know I'm a coupon maniac, right? Well, I'm not "extreme", so maybe maniac isn't the right word. But I do have an awesome coupon binder that I made, and I DID save over $70 by combining coupons with store sales yesterday... I find that pretty darn cool.

So I just thought I'd share some of the great coupons that are out there right now with you! I used about 1/2 of these yesterday... What are you waiting for, Silly Pants? Enjoy! :)

Adventures in Potty Training: Week 9

2012-02-03T09:30:00.000-06:00

Feel free to catch up on our potty training adventure here:

Introduction

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Weeks 4 and 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8

Week 9

General Overview:

Hahaha. Silly first time mom! Those are the kinds of things I imagine all of you saying when you read the next line. I totally thought Logan would be completely potty trained within 3 months - no more accidents, sleeping through the night without any hiccups... you know, fully trained!. With that deadline on the horizon, I laugh at myself, too. I now know that this is going to be more of a process than I imagined it. That being said, I am happy with where we are and even more happier with our plans to move forward! (I make it sound like we're doing something big like building a house, don't I?) Well... it kind of is a big deal!

Successes:

I'm going to focus this week's successes on Logan's mother. That's right. ME! After all, we rarely get credit for these kinds of things, right? ;) If you recall, last week I was at a crossroads. I knew that Logan was ready for the next step, however, I just didn't know what that step WAS. Should we jump right in to underwear? What about when he's sleeping? I had SOOO many questions, and I really appreciate all of the answers you all gave me. If I haven't said so already, THANK YOU. I've decided that Logan is ready for a go-between. Not quite underwear and not quite pull ups. We're going with Gerber's Training Pants. See?

It's my understanding that they're like underwear, but protect against any leaks that may occur on his way to the bathroom. I think that by using these he will feel that discomfort when he does go in his pants. See, the problem now is that he knows that he needs to use the potty and I'm pretty sure that he knows when he's going, but he just gets too busy playing and doesn't really care because he knows the Pull Ups will protect him. Hopefully he'll experience some icky-pee-pee feelings and that will make him want to use the potty more. The only problem? I can't find these ANYWHERE! lol. I was hoping to find them in the stores, but so far, no luck! I was just going to order them off of Walmart's website where they're $7 for a 3 pack, but they're OUT OF STOCK. I might just bite the bullet and buy them off of Amazon - even though they're priced higher (yuck). (You know me and my search for the best deals!). But I'm anxious to start this with Logan as I think he's ready, so I might just fork out the extra cash.

Goals:

My goal for this week is to BUY THESE THINGS. Hopefully Walmart gets restocked because they seem to have faster (cheaper!) shipping. If not, Amazon it is. So HOPEFULLY we get these within the next week so I can update you next week with how they're working out!

***

As always, I'd love to hear your war stories, advice or any other comment you may have! Until next time... Happy potty training!

Keep up with our adventure!

Week 10

SAT Tutoring

2012-02-02T10:37:00.000-06:00

I realize that I've been publishing a lot of posts that have to do with babies and the recent fever I've developed for them. I feel that today, I should write something that caters to all of you with older children. It's a topic that I feel very strongly about: Education.

Being that I grew up in the Midwest, I took the ACT test as opposed to the SAT test. I remember waking up early on a Saturday, driving to school, and sitting in the classroom that I usually spent 5th hour Psychology in, ready to take my test. I had not prepped for the test in any way, other than getting a good night's sleep and eating a piece of toast before leaving that morning. Looking back, I wish maybe I had invested in preparation, because I was only 2 points away from a score that would have allowed me to attend any state school for free. Looking back (and looking at my student loans now!), I really should have invested more time into preparations for test.

That is why, as a parent, I think it's important to talk to your children about the possibility of ACT or SAT Tutoring. By providing either private or small group instruction outside of school, your child is sure to have an advantage that will enable them to have a better score. What's more, with one-on-one tutoring, the tutor is allowed to work with your child in a way that caters to his or her personality. A unique curriculum can be developed and tweaked to his or her needs.

By providing this service to your children, you could be providing them opportunities that they wouldn't have without it: Admissions to a more prestigious school, or in my case, going to school for free. I know I have quite a few years before I have to think about college entrance testing for Logan, but I feel that I will definitely look into outside tutoring because of all of the benefits it provides, and I would suggest that any other parent do the same.

Baby Fever with Baby Savings

2012-02-01T08:06:00.000-06:00

For the past couple of months or so (okay, let's be honest, the past 8 months) I have been suffering with a condition. A fever, if you will. I have gotten such a bad case of I-want-another-baby-fever. My mind has been consumed with all thinks soft and plush, Johnson & Johnson, sweet little booties, and teeny tiny fingers. I hope that this fever can be relieved sometime soon, but we will leave that up to some careful planning and the man upstairs.

Notice that I mentioned "careful planning"? When I had Logan, I was completely clueless. I had the, "It will just work out" attitude. And it did, however, I think with more planning, it could have been a bit easier. As any momma out there knows, these precious little babies are EXPENSIVE. It's not just the soft and plush things, the Johnson & Johnson products, and the sweet little booties you have to purchase. It's all of the BIG things, too: The strollers, the car seats, and ALL of those DIAPERS. With my last pregnancy, I just went out to the stores with the buy-buy-buy attitude. Since my young naive days of being pregnant at 23, I have since discovered that money does not, in fact, grow on trees and it pays off to be a savvy shopper. (You all have heard about my love for coupons, right?)

So I want to take that mentality that I have been using with grocery shopping - you know, the mentality that sometimes saves me 70% on my trips?! - and apply it to everything we will eventually have to buy for a new baby. (Oooh, I can't WAIT for that time!). It's true, we do have a great deal of things left over from Logan's days of being a tiny little bee, but some of the things did not quite survive him or the two moves we've had since he was born.

Well, with me and my OCD tendencies, I have already begun researching ways to do this online even though there is no baby in sight. I found some great sites with promo codes and coupons for babies. I fully intend on taking advantage of these sites when the time comes. If I can get 20% off of a Sit'n'Stand Stroller? GREAT. If I can print off a kazillion diaper coupons? BETTER.

What kinds of things (websites and otherwise) did you do to prepare for the impeding expense of those sweet, bootied up babies? I'd love to hear your secrets and advice!

Letting the "freak" go.

2012-01-31T10:58:00.001-06:00

If you've been following me for awhile, I'm sure you have heard me refer to myself as crazy, neurotic, and a whole slew of other like-words. Probably at least once a week. The truth is, these adjectives are little pet names I use for myself to describe my need to be a certain way. You know, I'd like things to be perfect all of the time. This includes my house, myself, and all those around me (read: a husband that says/does all of the right things and a clean, polite, two year old).

Where the problem comes in, is things are just NOT perfect. My house is constantly strewn with toys and I can't clean up the grass/dirt/mud the dogs track in fast enough. I have big ideas for decorating and organizing, but I'm lacking with the monstrous budget I require for such big dreams. :) I, although it would be nice to lie about, am SO far from perfect in every way. Take right now, for example. Although showered (yay!), I am adorned in sweat pants and a sports bra with half straightened hair (I gave up because it was taking too long) and no make up on my face. I'm worrying about things that are years, months, weeks, and days in the future... I could go on about me, but I'll leave it right there. On to those around me: Although I love them with all of my heart, Jake does not always say and do the right thing, and Logan, although polite and clean at times, is a two year old and has been put on this earth to drive me crazy, make me love like crazy, and just... be more crazy.

...maybe it's time to let the freak go. (minus that part about LOVING LIKE CRAZY, though)

I need to embrace my couches that I have deemed as "homeless". Yes, they may be a bit "lived in" and always have Logi-messes on them, but they're comfy. Let the freak go.

Speaking of the Logi-messes: I need to enjoy them and not let them get to me. He is a two year old. He is a walking tornado. But gosh, do I love that two year old walking volcano. Why am I so stressed out about toys on the floor? (Oh yeah - because I'm nuts/crazy/neurotic). Let the freak go.

Yes, I may look like a mess right now (and most days for that matter), but really? I'm showered. I have clean clothes on. My hair is... half done... lol. And I never leave the house this way. Yes, it would be nice to look like a perfect TV mom every day, but then I'd have to spend so much more time getting ready and less time being a mommy. But I always have this internal battle... Let the freak go.

Jake may not say and do the right things all of the time. Does anyone? Do I? No. Why do I get so upset sometimes? (Oh yeah - I'm crazy). The truth is, he is great. He's the one that gets up to work everyday to provide for us. He's the one that I know would do anything I asked. He's the one that doesn't get upset with me over the tiniest little things. It seems I need to take a page from his book. Let the freak go.

I need to let that freak go. I need to start living in the moment more. I need to be more thankful. I need to...

Let the freak go.


Although I'd LOVE to be oh-so-perfect like this... I'm not. I like to think I'm a more realistic version of this. :)

Diffusing a Toddler's Tantrum

2012-01-30T12:57:00.000-06:00

I came across this article in last month's Parents magazine that really made me stop. The article is called Is your toddler driving you crazy? Why, yes. Yes, Parents magazine, my toddler DOES in fact drive me crazy from time to time. So I knew I had to read it and discover how to reverse the insanity.

Without going too much into the article, let me just say that the author of The Happiest Toddler on the block, Dr. Harvey Karp, watched three families with their little ones in action and offered the use of his best discipline techniques. Even though that may sound a bit technical, the stories were actually pretty good and something that I, as a crazy-driven-by-toddler-mom, could really relate to.

One of the things that the article pointed out, that really resonated with me, was that toddlers are "head cases". Well, duh! But what the article explains (and I knew - sometimes just having your own kids blows any education you may have gotten), is that while our brains, as adults, are governed fairly equally by both hemispheres of the brain (the left being logical and calm, the right being emotional), toddlers, spend the majority of the time using their emotional right brain. Big surprise, huh?

The article went on to say (remind me) that when a tantrum strikes, a toddler's left side shuts down completely. Again: duh! This is why trying to reason with your fired up toddler does not work out, and sometimes just fires him/her up even more so. Dr. Karp recommends learning how to communicate with their dominant right brain in order to diffuse the situation. He explains that the right hemisphere (that emotional son-of-a-gun) responds best to facial cues, body language and tone of voice, therefore nonverbal communications and short phrases work best when trying to calm the storm that is an upset toddler.

Now, it's all well and good to read this, understand it, and even recall it from all of those psychology and counseling classes that are still looming over your head in student loans, but it's another thing to put this into practice. I read this article about 3-4 months ago, and have been trying to use the nonverbal/short phrases methods. The results? While I would not say it works 100% of the time, I will say that it (by far) works better than my previous methods of calming him down (talking to him, getting upset with him, pulling my hair out...). I have found that by scrunching my face up and shaking my head diffuses the situation more than words had. I think this is partly because Logan's amused by how silly I look, but hey -- whatever! It's working! I've also found that by speaking to him in a soft and quiet tone of voice (you know, instead of the enraged one of a crazy stricken momma), he's more apt to respond.

It's so funny how we, as moms, can get caught in the heat/confusion/frustration of the moment and forget about the things that we may have learned in the past, or in some cases, just a little common sense. These little tips have seemed to work for us -- what about you? Any tips and tricks? I'd love to hear what works for you, because God knows I'd love to see Logan's face like this any day! :)

Opposites Attract

2012-01-29T14:59:00.000-06:00

I say this with only love, of course, but if you had asked me to describe the person that I would marry and his characteristics, I probably would have described someone different than my lovely husband Jake. Eeek! Hey, I said, "I say this only with love"!

Before you write me off as a bad wife, let me explain. I thought that I'd marry someone more like me, that is, someone who is equally anal, OCD, and a little crazy. Jake is the complete opposite of all of these things. He's a bit... eh, messy, organization is the last thing on his mind, and he is so completely rational that he only make me look even crazier.

Thinking back, our differences have caused many an argument, often very petty and equally very comical (only comical looking back, of course - in the moment, they were SERIOUS - lol). I may go crazy over crumbs and how his shoes always make me stub my two because they're not where they're supposed to be. He may say how I waste energy on all of the small things that aren't worth my time. I may get caught up with every tiny detail where he insists on "the big picture". If nothing else, our differences definitely spark some heated conversations...

Then there are days like yesterday where I am so thankful that we are opposites. I often get myself upset with the littlest of things. Things that will work themselves out in a week's or a day's time, but in the moment, they really bother me. And then there are times when I get upset with the bigger things, too. For instance, the fact that we are away from family and friends. This is something that often creeps up on me and makes me a bit sad from time to time, however yesterday, it was on a mission to bring me down completely. And it did. And then my un-anal, un-OCD, rational ~~husband~~ superhero swoops in to save the day. As messy as he may be, he can take a frantic, upset Stephanie and help her to realize "the big picture" and stop obsessing over the small details.

Thinking about it, I'm so glad I didn't marry someone like me. Could you imagine two crazies obsessing about every single detail together? Oooh, I shudder. So I will take our disagreements and be happy with them. Veterans of marriage have often told me that those things usually work themselves out in one way or another. And if they don't, I love me a debate! ;)

Just call me Paula :)