Movin' On Up

I've been a faithful blogger user for a few years now. I recently started a couple of wordpress blogs and have fallen in love. Wordpress is SO much easier for me, and the formatting over there is a breeze.

So this little blog here is moving over to wordpress. I've switched over the archives even, so I'm not starting from scratch. Make sure to update your RSS feeds (Dave and Lillian) and any links you have in favorites bars or whatever.

AND, I posted today! So, check it out friends!

http://restonme.wordpress.com/

Small Vacation

So, I'm going to be tinkering around with something over the next few days. If this site looks wonky, or goes missing all together, sorry 'bout that. Hopefully I'll be back and all will be right in the world in a few days.

Plugging

If blog stats have taught me anything, it's that you folks care quite a bit about my "journey to parenthood" which sounds so stuffy, but that's exactly what it is. Whether it's a post about infertility and adoption or just ranting and complaining, if it's related to me becomming a mama, you read it. So thanks for that.

I recently gained two new friends who are going through a difficult "journey to parenthood" as well, and they've just decided to take the steps to adopt, and I am beyond thrilled for them! So if you care so much about ME becomming a mama, you'll like to hear about the Chalos's as well.

Chad and Kristle are super fun, super nice, and super funny. You would really like them. Here's their blog. http://thechalosadoptionjourney.blogspot.com/ Please read it! And definitely donate to their adoption fund; they will be amazing parents and every donation helps. Consider $5. Or $500. Because, comeon! Look how fun they are!

Girls Night Out

Last night, my good friend Angie and her husband Dan were playing downtown, so Lillian and I gussied up and made a night of going to hear them play. I don't often get to hang out with my friends when their kids aren't around, so it's kind of an adventure when it happens. My gussying involved my fancy new shoes which involved me being a giant. After we heard Dan and Angie play, we went to Taco Mamcita. HOLY COW that place is good. It was absolutley the best way I could have spent my first evening out to eat in two weeks. Their guacamole - amazing. Also, the carnitas taco. I wonder if they serve breakfast... It'd be ok with me if Girls' Night Out happened more often. You hear me, girls?

The Anti-Blogger

There's a popular blog feature called "What's In My Bag" where bloggers empty out their purse and take a few pictures of what's inside. It's usually super cute. Like this one that Katie from Skunkboy Creatures did and this one that Elsie from A Beautiful Mess did. Sometimes I think I should do that. And then I realized that I have 2 bananas, a take-out menu, several pill bottles, 3 notebooks, 5 nail polishes, and 14 things of lipgloss or chapstick in my bag and no one cares about that. Did you think I was joking about the 2 bananas?

I totally wasn't. Which leads me to believe I'm not exactly "a blogger" in the way I picture most bloggers. Ways I'm not "a blogger."

-I only go to Starbucks a few times per year.

-I use a PC most of the time because my mac confuses me.

-I don't take pictures well.

-I've never been to a Renegade.

-I've never initiated or attended any sort of 'meet-up' for bloggers.

-My husband hasn't ever hijacked my blog to wish me a happy birthday or congratulations for something.

-I have very few items of vintage clothing.

-I've never been cyberbullied. (Thank you for that!)

-I don't bake.

So, what else? What do you think is true about bloggers? I'll help dispell the myths. It's what I'm here for.

Baby Stuff

This is not a sad post! I promise! Now you can continue without trepidation.

I know a lot of pregnant women, which is really fun. I'm completely intrigued by pregnancy. So, in honor of all you mamas-to-be, I'm going to post about some of my favorite baby finds around the web. And if you're not pregnant, chances are you know someone who is and you need a shower gift, so read on!

This sunsuit makes me weak in the knees. Sassy little hipster baby.

Everything in this shop is amazing. Every. Thing. These little circus stickers are adorable. Would be great for a nursery, boy's or girl's.

This stuffed octopus is such fun! A great idea for the DIY mama.

I need to snuggle the baby that's wearing this onesie. Stat. And some of my favorite shops for amazing baby stuff: Zara (for really chic clothing), Gilt Groupe (for great deals on more expesive baby items), and of course Old Navy and Target both have great baby finds and they're normally super cheap!

Dinner for 18

I haven't eaten out in over a week. My "no eating out for two weeks" thing is going really well, so far! We won't discuss the longing in my heart when I drive past the gyro place.

Do you know what helps? Having a group of friends who are willing to do pot lucks with you several times a week. I'm a lucky lady.

We've had turkey, pizza, black bean tacos, jambalaya, southern beans and corn bread, yum yum yum. I could get used to this.

Fun Facts

My brain isn't forming cohesive thoughts these days. I assume it's allergies or some such nonsense, but a fully functioning brain, I have not. So I'm doing another fun facts blog post because they're fun (for me) and it involves little thinking or planning.

1. I have a secret blog. Yes, another blog. It's therapy more than anything else, so I don't feel like sharing it. Maybe someday I will, maybe I won't.

2. Food facts: I've never had a macaron. I like my yolks broken and cooked all the way through. I like my food pretty spicy, but my husband likes his food REALLY spicy... so because I'm a lightweight in comparison, I forget that my hot food tolerance is higher than the average bear's.

3. I have no idea how to categorize my personal style. Part of me really wants to decorate each room of my house in a totally different style. Preppy, bohemian, industrial, cutesy chic, etc. My wardrobe is already like that.

4. Things I'd want to study if I went back to college: counseling/psychology, graphic design, and making shoes (I sadly can't find any courses on making shoes. I've wanted to do this for years!).

5. I will kick your butt in Mad Gab. There's also a good chance I'd kick it in Bananagrams. But I guarantee I won't win in Clue, Risk, or Checkers.

6. I'm more proud of Dave than most wives are of their husbands, I'm pretty sure. I say that Dave is good at things so often that it's now a running joke in our group of friends. "Do you know who's good at that?" Dave. It's always Dave. It's not my fault he's good at a lot of things!

7. When people start talking about politics or most current events, my brain starts acting like a TV with no signal. It's all static and fuzz. This probably makes me a bad American. Or at least not a good one.

8. In two weeks, I'm going home to Missouri! We might be able to meet up with some old friends, see our lovely families, and hooopefully make a quick trip to Red Velvet in Springfield! I'm SO ready for a tiny vacation.

9. I love planning parties and group activities, but I don't ever plan anything else. If I didn't do things on a whim, I just wouldn't do things.

10. I "collect" journals. I have so so many, but I'm always wanting to add to my collection. I have tiny ones and huge ones. Lined pages, blank pages, hardback and softback, the list goes on. If you ever need to get me a gift and you have no idea what to get: journal.

Surprise Spring Date

You guys. I took real pictures this weekend. With a camera! That isn’t attached to a phone! Are you so proud? I sure am. It was totally worth it to drag that thing around with us. Sunday afternoon, I planned a Super Fun Surprise Springtime Date Day for Dave and me. Sunday morning, he was running sound at church. While he was there he received this picture message on his phone: We live close to a playground that is surrounded by lots and lots of open space. Perfect for picnics. So, I was busy packing a picnic lunch when he got home. He changed clothes, got the second text, and relaxed for a few minutes before we were off.

Also perfect for flying kites, which was the next activity. Dave, being the goober he is, decided to hook his kite string to my kite string so it would get twice as high. He then sprinted across the park to try catching his kite. It didn’t work.

We Hagens have a rich family history of Sunday afternoon naps, so that was next on the list. I have this thing about sleeping in public (people could TOTALLY sneak up on you) so I just took pictures and relaxed while Dave slept. Isn’t he so cute?

Then we went to see a movie. We’re lucky to live in a town that has a second run theater. $1.50 for a movie? Twist my arm… We saw Black Swan, which was really creepy, but pretty.

The last activity for the day was a neighborhood grill party. It started getting dark around the time the food was put on the grill, so we don’t have many pictures from that.

The day was totally fun. I think every day should be Super Fun Surprise Springtime Date Day. Or at least hang out with your spouse day. That could work too.

Patience, Friends

I have a really fun blog post coming up. Here's a hint.

But I have about 50 pictures to go through and edit and crop and such. Which means 2 things. 1) That I actually took real pictures! and 2) That you'll have to hold your horses.

Ok, I couldn't help it, here's another hint:

Noooow you can hold those horses.

Mom

Today is my mom's birthday. She's a beautiful woman, inside and out. She is now the mother to 6 - if you include children's spouses, WHICH WE DO! And if you count all of our friends who call her mom and have been truly impacted by her generosity, her willingness to put others before herself, and her bulldog attitute that will show up in a flash if someone is hurting one of her "kids" then it's definitely more than 6. A lot more.

She is all kinds of awesome. For example, one time I was at a friends house spending the night, and my friend decided she was going to watch Beavis and Butthead AND Interview with a Vampire. No amount of me saying, "I'm not allowed to watch that" would stop her. One call to my mama, and she was there to rescue me from what I thought was the television equivalent to getting a tattoo and smoking a cigarette.

Happy Birthday to a wonderful, wonderful mama who will do anything to show love to her children. Children you birthed, and "children" who chose you. I love you, mama!