Birthday Blues

I really haven't thought a lot about my/our birthday this year. The Single Gal and I are leaving for Little A's wedding next weekend and sometimes when you're not eight years old having the most amazing pool party of your life after you got a Nintendo...birthday's are just lack luster. We were not bloggers the year of one of the most awkward birthday dinners ever.

I got to find out #1's sex on my birthday in 2010. One would think that would be fantastic. Guess again. It was traumatic. I just really thought we were having a boy and the 20 week ultrasound is a big check on the baby's spine and organs.. I was very worried about the latter, not the gender. It's not that I was disappointed I was having a girl; I was just expecting it to be a boy. On top of that my OB was giving me the up and down because I gained 10 pounds between visits but I think they forgot that I had not been for a check up in more like 7 weeks and not the usual 4 due to the holiday and the tech for gender etc is only in on Mondays. There were lots of tears on the way back to work. So to finish out the day we had made what we thought was a triple date when the Single Gal wasn't so single, myself and Turtle and our friend C and her husband. No one else confirmed they were actually going to show up to this dinner. Except then K-Woww and The Situation text to say they are coming and the Single Gal had already invited he who will be known as a flip flop stealing jerk. This is also the first time said jerk was getting a dose of The Single Gal AND The Housewife........which can really only be considered as viewing a tennis match. Like a Rafa vs Federer match. Oh, but Baby and her guy show up. Late. As usual. However, our table is full at this time so we have to have the waitress seat them at this two top right behind our table. I don't even remember what we did last year. We can safely say that next Thursday we have just planned our usual three person meal at our favorite Mexican place. Just The Single Gal, Housewife and Turtle.

I really don't "need" anything but here are some things I would gladly accept to keep away the birthday blues. The first is so I can be stylish like Single Gal....and maybe if I wear a bold necklace it will draw the eye away from the belly this summer. $29 on top of that!

Sky Blue Bubble Statement Necklace- Etsy

Kendra Scott Danielle Earrings

Drizzle by Oakley $130

I think the best thing I have scheduled on my actual birthday is a mani/pedi. And I do love getting a manicure.

The Housewife

Weekend Happenings and Birthday Prep

 I hope everyone had a wonderful long (or wonderfully long) weekend.  I had to work on Monday -- but I needed a comp day to attend Little A's wedding as I am still building up PTO (lame) and it was OK because my manager let us go at 2 (yay!).  I had a great weekend even though it was short. I have done all my "pre" Birthday shopping, the philosophy behind this being that I would like to have said items around to wear during Birthday Season (read: the entire month of June). 

So...Saturday I got up and had a coffee date with The Housewife since she can't run right now and then I relaxed and headed into the city for shop serious shopping.  They just opened the Lilly Pulitzer store in Phipps and I just had to run in a take a look! It was super cute but y'all, I really can't ignore all the Lilly stuff at Belk -- because Belk has great sales, and well, Lilly wasn't having any of that on Saturday (or probably ever for that matter).  Here are a few things I am prepping for Birthday Season: 

Lilly Pulitzer Alaya Dress

Lilly Pulitzer Mimosa Skirt in Seersucker

(already worn it. love it. want to wear it every single day this summer. if i had thought enough to write a Monday Obsessions post, this would have been the feature)

Jack Rogers Navajo in Platinum

(note, these are en route from Piperlime so if I hate them I may return them. verdict pending.)

I also got in some serious pool time with my fave friend STV (sweet tea vodka), had two  dinners in the city with 3 Putt (Lord help me) at the Brookhaven Noche and back to the lovely patio at Varasano's (since repeating history is apparently a new theme with me right now) where he so eloquently stated that we were "seeing each other". Um, news to me. I have an idea how the story ends, but c'est la vie.  I stayed up very late on Sunday and I paid for it at work on Monday. I also ate lots of Fro Yo (duh). 

This week and next week are all about gearing up for Little A's wedding.  You will all be happy to know that nothing has changed I am basically still completely and utterly undateable for any real event in my life as I am sitting pretty and alone for my entire trip to Savannah.  I was going to try to entertain you with a lovely post about how undateable I am but I am truly exhausted just thinking about it all. Not to worry, there is plenty of fun to be had. I have the luxury of staying with the sweet, lovely, and amazing bride on Friday night for our last slumber party as Single Gals.  Little A and I used to spend the night with each other in middle school and stay home on Friday nights playing Scrabble  (see, I was undateable then, too).  I am so lucky to have her as a friend and I cannot wait to see her walk down the aisle and glow all day about how gorgeous and perfect one of my very best friends is that day, and always.  My dress is at the cleaners, I will be working on her rehearsal bouquet of ribbons from her shower, and praying to Little Baby Jesus to seriously help my car pass emissions testing so I can legally drive it on my road trip. 

Also - my spell check doesn't like the word "undateable". Let's call Webster and get it in the dictionary.  Single Gals need more words.  Because we are special. And sometimes undateable. 

What did everyone else do for Memorial Day? I want to hear about all your fun!

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Twice the Babies = Twice the Hormones.

I am truly not a person who minds being pregnant. When I was pregnant with #1 I had a very easy and uncomplicated pregnancy. I had some early swelling that never seemed to go away and so far do not have that this time around. With #1 I was sort of a little sick.....maybe......when I woke up in the morning and on my drive to work. With the twins I was sick all.day.long from around five weeks to ten weeks. I would wake up in the middle of the night and feel sick. I don't know what is worse, just feeling like you will vomit all the time or vomiting all the time. The Single Gal has a dear friend who is still sick and throwing up most days and she's due the first week of August. My mother-in-law pretty much threw up everyday with her first (not the Turtle).

Also, when these twins are sassy teenagers I will remind them how they broke mommy's nose because I'm pretty sure my nose is jacked up. Problem is the only way to tell is by a CT scan and I can't get one of those things until I deliver. And I can't afford a nose job anyway so why get the CT scan? Now the Single Gal can say her nose is better than mine when we used to be equals. Stab her.


This little adorable gal loves the word "NO" right now. Can we go change your diaper? NO. Do you want to take a bath? NO. NO. NOOOAAAAH. (runs away from mommy). I can't even have my own water as you can see. (This is one of my better pictures that's not over exposed. Kind of self teaching and half learning from the Pioneer Woman blog.)

Do you know what you buy when you're pregnant and having a bad day? Candy. Candy and magazines because you can't buy a magazine and a bottle of wine. The grocery bill is a good place to hide these things from your husbands because it's very general and doesn't show up as "GAP" on your billing statement. I am struggling because one of my placenta's is over my cervix right now (placenta previa) and I've been placed on "pelvic rest," with no heavy lifting, no running or jarring activities. I can swim. While I have no problem adhering to the doctor's orders for the safety of the babies it is mentally frustrating. I really like working out.....and while I was a competitive swimmer for many years I really do not enjoy swimming that much anymore, especially by myself. The midwife said this should hopefully resolve itself and not be an issue down the road but they can't really say when. I hope by my 16 week appointment. 

I promise not to be a crazy, grumpy, hormonal basket case. Most of the time anyway. Y'all enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and eat some BBQ and hang out on the lake or something.

The Housewife

Wordsday

Judging from the stats "Wordless Wednesday" isn't all that popular...except this week has been stressful and hard already so it's a good thing we run a dictatorship here on this blog and not a democracy. I kid. But seriously, y'all are getting mo' pictures today.  And mo' words on Wordsday...get it???? OK I'll stop now.

This weekend I was strolling through Target and these drew me right in.  I spent $20 for 6 blooms which is not typically my flower budget, but I had a $25 gift card and they were just too gorgeous.  I am overwhelmed with their happy, pink, joyfulness every time I walk into the house. Totally worth the price!  

Saturday afternoon was spent at the pool with The Housewife and #1. We took turns dipping her into the pool and swimming her around. Then, it was back to my place for pizza! {Except she had some crackers first...hence the spot on her sweet face!}

I took the words "Sunday Funday" to heart and had a wonderful three hour brunch with Elise at Varasano's in Atlanta. It's located at the bottom of a giant condo building on Peachtree which meant that we had complete shade and a light breeze on the patio until 3 p.m. I had wine, but I will have to return since they have $10 bottomless mimosas, bellini's, and Bloody Mary's on the menu.   I also ended up heading home...and the to PURE with 3 Putt for margs and dinner. Needless to say I was quite toasted by the end of the evening and fell right to sleep. {Big thanks to 3 Putt for a lovely meal and for fixing all those fuses that blew during the storm.}

In other news I have been pretty down and grumpy this week. I am trying my best to have a good attitude about being the main person assisting with files that belonged to a rep that quite my office...but, I am SO over getting yelled at because of things that person never did or returned calls that person never made.  And, I am over fraud training classes that are 1 hour each. Stab. My. Eyes. Out. I have also just been stressed about my car and trying to get it repaired so it will pass emissions before my birthday. It needs a lot of work which equals a lot of money out of my small savings account. 

But...the UPS man made a surprise visit to my house today and I was overwhelmed with a generous gift from Little A.  I felt so much better and it reminded me that if nothing else, I have great friends who will listen and support me in these hard times and you can't really ask for much more than that.  Even so, a little kate spade doesn't hurt! 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

A Housewife State of The Union

I have been hiding something from you and it's time for me to fess up. We should all be very grateful that the Single Gal has been on top of her blogging game and taking care of business here. I've been very tired and..........let's just say very nauseous. In November of this year our household will be growing and it's not just by one.

Answers to a few questions I'm sure everyone has.

Q: Wow, you're a twin and you're having twins?
A:  I'm sure stranger things have happened. They are fraternal and fraternal does run in my family.

Q: I guess you're not going to be able to cloth diaper anymore?
A: While I am sure the first several months I will be very sleep deprived I do plan on cloth diapering 60-80 percent of the time once they can fit into the one size cloth diapers. I will be home with them during the day and I will be changing most of the diapers. I can only imagine the amount of trash double the diapers will produce. I am looking into some all-in-one diapers versus the pocket diapers so we can eliminate the stuffing portion. I will give updates as they come. It's not rocket science, it's just a cloth diaper. Traveling outside of the home with three will be hard enough so I'm not sure if I will use cloth on the go but anything I can do not to buy 140 diapers a week will help.

Q: You will probably need a new car.
A: Yes. We are selling one car and we will be getting a minivan. I'm excited except for the fact I hate buying cars which is why we never do it. I don't really care if people have a problem with a van. I want my automatic sliding doors and lift gate. And I don't want your Ford Expedition EXL gas bill or 12 miles around town. Thanks but no thanks.


I'm a little moody today. Happy that Turtle is off and we got some things done this morning but people are starting to irritate me. If I didn't solicit your advice for something then I don't want it. I'm tired of snide comments about the cloth diapering and what I "won't" be able to do. If you don't have anything supportive to say then keep it to yourself. I've had a baby already. I know that I haven't raised twins but I am one. I'm sure it will be hard but people do it all the time. I feel like Turtle and I are making the best decisions possible for us when we make them and that's all that matters. I don't really care if you don't like them or agree with them. It's not anyone else's decision to make.

That was so much better than hearing Obama talk about the economy, right? Now I have to finish a sewing order and try to get rid of this headache before it turns into a migraine. And the Single Gal will be gleeful that I posted.

Love to all
The Housewife

Wordless Wednesday...Well, Almost...

A few recent images from life...

'Mater Sandwich. Best southern dinner in the summertime. Ever. 

Mother's Day Card from Hogan Muffin.

I ate my first Crawfish last weekend. He didn't taste too badly, but it was a messy affair. 

Finally started the last in the Stieg Larsson "Girl with the.." series. Haven't been able to get anything accomplished the last few days with my nose buried in my Kindle.


What is everyone else up to this week?

Love you. Mean it.
~the single gal~

Monday Obsessions: Canon Rebel T3i

I hope all of the Mother's out there had fabulous weekends. I know I have. Turtle has been spoiling me rotten and I'm seriously sad to see this holiday go. As you can tell from The Single Gal's post we enjoy celebrating Mother's Day and it is near and dear to our hearts in many ways. Turtle came through big this year. He got me a DSLR camera that I have been drooling about having for a few years.

I have been playing with it (off of auto mode people) for the last two hours. It's definitely love. Like I might sleep with it tonight on a pillow next to me. I'll be glad to post some of my super random pics soon. I just need to get some of the software uploaded to the computer. Little A, if you're reading this I'm sure I'll be a fully functional photographer by your wedding day. I kid, I kid. I promise to be around more this week. What are y'all obsessing with right now?

 The Housewife

For the Moms

I often find that Mother's Day is one of those days where you too often realize that maybe you've never said enough "thank you's" or hugged enough or called enough or smiled enough.  But, is there ever enough time given to us for all of these things for any loved one? I am not sure; however, it is important to me to say a few things, about a few Moms in my life today. 

To my Mother -- thank you for paying our booster fees for all our high school activities, even though we were poor and you cried because it was so expensive. Thank you for showing me that a woman can, in fact, replace an entire deck on the back of a house with almost no assistance and getting it done even when you had to drag three small children to Home Depot on all your days off one summer.  Thanks for showing me that vacations and trips are not something I am entitled to take and they are not always in the budget. I think that most children and young people probably don't grasp this concept. Thanks for the trips we did take together.  Thanks for living next door to your mother (Grandma) which could not have been easy for you, but was great for your children and your family. Thanks for showing me how lovely it is to just sit outside and have coffee and breakfast. Thanks for that stupid Abercrombie and Fitch sweater that you told me I couldn't have that you went back to buy after I cried all the way home about it.  It was a frivolous thing to get upset about when we had no money for overpriced sweaters.  I know you couldn't afford it, but you got it for me anyway. Thanks for not slapping me in the face that time when I was 16 and was outrageously rude and disrespectful to you -- I will never forget your decision to close your hand into a fist and put it by your side instead (even though I deserved it).  Thanks for not being one of those pushy, overbearing Moms. 

To my Step Mother -- thanks for welcoming all of us into your home and your heart even though we are not your own.  Thanks for all the laughs and laying out in the backyard on a quilt in the summer with us.  Thanks for taking us to the movies all the time when we visited on the weekend. Thanks for being another strong woman in my life.  I feel especially lucky to have "two" Moms.  Thanks for loaning me good books.  Thanks for all the gym trips together. Thanks for helping me pick out my prom dress Senior Year. Thanks for making Dad happy and keeping him in line.  Thanks for letting me live at home after college and for keeping a roof over my head while I looked for a job. Thanks for always telling me what you really think.  Thanks for giving me my only brothers, even if they are just "step" brothers. 

To The Housewife -- Thanks for being understanding about how difficult it was for me to share you with #1!!!!  I love her dearly, but you had always been mine before she came to us.  Thanks for showing me how to fearlessly jump into something as huge as committing to the task of having a husband, starting a family, and devoting all your time and energy to this in a loving and positive way (even on the not so good days). 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Thankful Thursday

A few of my very good friends and I routinely send each other what we call "5 Daily Gratitudes" every day.  I have my friend C to thank (redundant, I know) for this tradition! I think it's a really great way to start off each day on a positive note.  There are really no rules -- just write down some things, even small ones, that fill us with gratitude.  It's also super fun to see what your friends will send, too. 

I thought I would share some of mine with y'all for a "Thankful Thursday".  

1. Hogan's sweet (albeit slobbery) kisses.  It's like he knows it's Mother's Day this weekend and he is giving out extra love. 

2. I never knew I would live in a world where I could buy and download a book in less than 3 minutes. 

3. Celebrating Mothers this week/weekend (even ones that are behind on blogging!). 

4. Starbucks gift cards.

5. Sending snail mail to friends and family.

6. Lilly Pulitzer RueLaLa sales. If you can pick out what you want and buy it within 3 minutes they are wonderful!  

What are you thankful for? The little things? One big thing? We would love to know. :) 

Happy almost weekend. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Weekend Recap

Sorry we are just now reporting back! It was a huge and happy weekend for our family -- our step brother Bradley got married! We are so, so, so happy to officially welcome Brandi and also to keep her in our family; however, with the advent of such celebrations comes complete and utter exhaustion (Hey, our family knows how to throw a party...for an entire weekend).  I attended a gorgeous bridal luncheon at The Ritz Carlton at Lake Oconee with The Housewife, we sat by the pool at our lake house all weekend (the lake was too low to take out Dad's boat), and spent copious amounts of time with friends and family. 

After this weekend the only thing I was obsessed with on Monday was sleeping.  A lot.  Since I am tired we will just do some pictures for Tuesday. 

Gabby's at The Ritz -- this is where we had the bridal luncheon with an exquisite view of the lake and glasses of champagne!  

{not my photo. credit to the interwebs.}

Finally made it back home and the house was in immediate disarray.  I did manage to unpack later that night. 

A bonus -- I came home to find my faux JCrew Bubble Necklace I ordered from Etsy. It managed to make it out of its bubble wrap and onto my dresser among other things.  I am incredibly impressed and in love with this necklace! I want more! My koozie served me well at the wedding, my shades made it back in one piece, and I got to use my new clutch I grabbed on sale from The Loft a couple weeks ago. 

The best part of my day -- napping, reading, and catching up on internet shopping/blogs with Hogan Muffin. 

This week I really want to try to spruce up the front door area. {Again.} I have a project in mind for a chalkboard sign to hang on the front door with pretty ribbon that I might try to complete.  I really, truly want to give some flowers another go.  But, I had a really bad break up with the last ones and I am not sure I am emotionally ready for another go at gardening. Le sigh. 

In other news, work is starting to feel normal. Finally! And, I am really excited that my old manager from my last job actually took a job at my new place and I will get to see her there very, very soon.  

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

The Government May Put Me On the "No Fly" List After This Post Goes Live.

Y'all, I don't even know how to start this post.  Scary things have been happening at The Single Gal Estate over the last week or two. Things that are driving me mentally insane.  What could drive me insane? Aphids.  

Seriously, my life will never be the same.  I'll start from the beginning. 

I drag The Housewife with me to Lowe's after our sister's birthday lunch one Sunday.  I'm all "I have to plant flowers and get some curb appeal because my front door is so gross looking and on the off-chance I have someone over I need for the house to look nice-- like on the off-change TDH may cross my threshold, please, please, puh-lease go with me!" The Housewife obviously acquiesced.  She is used to my partial, normal insanity. 

Oh, we had a great time at Lowe's. All the flowers are so beautiful.  I pick some yellow Dahlia's that are already looking super nice with big, bright, fluffy blooms.  Then I grab some orange daisies.  And then a little spiller flower that I don't remember the name of.  I run home and it takes me like no time to put some potting soil in my 3 pots, plant them, and deposit them on my front porch.  Needless to say, I was REALLY pleased with myself that day.  And then really pleased with myself for another week.  They were just gorgeous. 

This picture really doesn't do my artwork any justice.  Just trust. 

Well, as we all know, life isn't sparkly and glittery for long -- at least not a my house.  So, I come home one day and there are weird little bugs ALL OVER my front porch.  They don't seem to be biting me when they land on me, but they freak me out.  It happened to storm that night and they went away (or so I thought).  Until a little while later. Then, I realize these things are multiplying. And not only that, they are ATTACKING my plants.

Aphids. 

Enter project one from internet research -- Spray them with water.  Um, no.  I blasted these guys with the hose and they were back before I could wind the damn thing up and put it away. Project two -- make a solution with veggie oil and water and dish soap and spray it on them to suffocate them.  I do this.  Day one it seems to work well. I come home from lunch today -- there aren't many out there.  Whew.  I've done it. 

NO. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING.  There were 5 million more of them when I came home from work.  I know what you guys are thinking -- this seriously cannot be that bad.  No, it is.  These guys seriously multiply at an insane rate from what I've read. Like they straight up clone themselves.  Like DNA or something.  I run out the door in a rage with my soapy, oily solution and the hose and start spraying these fockers down. My porch is dripping water. My entire outfit is wet. Nothing.  They are still there and in Biblical proportions.  It's like the freaking plague has come to live on my front doorstep.  What else strikes fear in any normal girl? These bugs are now landing on my arms. And in my hair.  And crawling on me.

This story ends with me grabbing garbage bags and dumping my plants -- soil and all -- into them and running inside to shower/cry/hyperventilate. 

I think we are dealing with a few issues here -- 1. I don't like to fail.  And I obviously have.  I cannot compete with an infestation of cloning bugs.  2. Control {obvi}.  3. My house now looks like a gross place where nasty people live that like bugs. 

So, yeah -- MY PLANTS ARE CAUSING ME MENTAL ANGUISH. LOTS OF MENTAL ANGUISH.  If you need me I am off looking for some acid to throw on my front door step to get rid of the lingering ones that are on the walls/columns/front door.


Shoot us an email if you know how to kill these guys.  Or I may jump off a tall building.

Love you. Mean it.
~totally cray single gal~