Author: Suz

Categories
Photography

Photos of the Week

Day 239: After a morning of baking, a started the hurricane girls night with a pedicure with Kathleen, Beth & Sara. Do y’all remember my color name~ I’m still loving it!

Day 240: I love this photo of Sara & Katherine’s son Nolan from when they stopped by breakfast on Sunday.

Day 241: Monday I worked more for the claims department than I did my normal work due to Hurricane Irene’s effect on NE part of NC. No photo taken.

Day 242: Only thing I did Tuesday after work is to play online. Yay for picnik.com for easy photo editing.

Day 243: Wednesday was another crazy work day followed up take-out dinner. I went to bed early & didn’t take any photos.

Day 244: Our follow up RE appointment lasted until lunch-time & Jason & I needed a chance to talk, so we ran to Edwards Mill Grill for lunch. This was the sandwich special: Grilled Buffalo chicken topped with mozz sticks on sourdough with waffle fries. Delish!

Day 245: The best way to unwind after the end of a long week is chillin’ on the couch. After Jason went to bed {he worked all weekend}, Moe & I stayed up. He tried his best to grab the pen on the table while I read a book.

Categories
Family/Travel

Toes in the Water

Toes in the water...
OIB Saturday
“Toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world cold beer in my hand. Life is good today. Life is good today.”

Zack Brown’s lyrics describe my day perfectly. Happy Labor Day weekend yall. Hope yours is full of soul filling rest & fun.

Categories
Trying To Conceive

Talk or Not Talk

Some days, IF, my cycle, where I am in my cycle are all I want to talk about. with anyone & everyone. Other days, like yesterday, I left our follow up appointment & didn’t want to over-share. Not at first. Not with everyone or anyone. I told coworkers who asked, especially the one who’s been through IF too. I texted a few friends. But after working two hours later than normal, by the time my mom called at 7p, I was over talking. {It’s also sorta weird to tell your mom about husband’s buddies being turkey bastered into you in a couple of weeks.}

So instead of doing much talking last night, I cooked dinner: chicken & potatoes. The chicken I topped with a tbsp of mayo, pizza herbs & parmesan cheese. The new potatoes I quartered, layered in a pan, topped with garlic, red pepper, & those same pizza seasonings as well as EVOO. I cooked both on 375 for 40 minutes. Delicious with large glass of wine & so easy.

Then I read some more of Waiting for Daisy. While Peggy Orenstein & her husband have a different IF experience than us, it’s so nice to read I’m not alone with so many of my feelings.

Tomorrow’s the first NCSU football game. While it’ll be “nice” that since the beta was negative {& AF showed up today}, I’ll be able to enjoy the wine mixer we purchased months ago for this occasion. I’m also sad. Sad that I’ll be able to drink this football season. And that I have to once again talk about IF. Or not talk. Because who knows, tomorrow, I might want to verbal vomit IF all day, or just a little, or I just might want to brush off all conversations about it. I never know. And if I don’t know, I’m sure my friends don’t know what to say either.

My thoughts for others with friends going through IF; let your friend take the lead about talking. Or not talking. But please don’t not talk or ask either. Because IF can be so isolating. Just letting them know you’re acknowledging it sometimes can mean so much.

This rambling circle of a post is my Infertile Friday. If you’ve had your own thoughts rambling around this week {infertility or other ones}, let me know I’m not alone. I appreciate it.

Categories
Everything Else

DIY Blog Critique

Have you about about Melissa from momcomm.com’s new DIY Blog Critique e-book?

I’m so glad Melissa is not only local, but someone I’d call a friend {we’re even FB official ha, ha}. She doesn’t know {yet} that I’m writing this, but from the first time I saw one of her popular blog critiques I knew she was talented. When she shared with our local bloggy group that she was working on an e-book, I knew I’d be one of her first purchasers, especially after she shared a preview page with us {on fonts~no Comic Sans please}.

You don’t have to be like me & stay up until 1am rushing through the first 17 of the 43 points because you just can’t stop. You can slowly go through them in a weekend, one a night, or however you want. This e-book is simple enough for new bloggers & with enough great content to keep bloggy veterans engaged. It will work if you’re still using blogger, wp.com, or have made the switch to wp.org.

I’m enjoying the subtle changes the DIY critique e-book has pushed me to make here. So far I’ve changed up my side bars & menus. I reviewed, analyzed & appreciated my design, header & colors. I’m still happy with my choices there. I’m behind-the-scenes focusing on SEO, post titles & working on font. Up next is the content portion which I know will make me push myself, so I’m looking forward to a free weekend to go though that section.

Momcomm is a great resource for all bloggers {not just moms} & if you haven’t already, go look at her e-book. It’s worth the introductory price of $14 {she’s talking about raising the price later this year}. If you’re not sure today, I’ve posted her badge on my sidebar to the right if you want to come back & check it out later.

 

I purchased Melissa’s e-book myself with my own money. I admire & like Melissa & her e-book enough that I joined her affiliate program & will make almost enough for a small Sbux hot tea if you purchase though my link, but even if I was making nothing, I’d still be sharing with y’all the awesomeness of her e-book without Melissa’s prompting.

Categories
Everything Else Food

Hurricane Party Girls Night In

Fourteen women, old friends, new friends, all online to now in real life friends. We said Hurricane Irene be damned & gathered anyways. For food, drinks, lots of laughs, hugs, stories, shellac manicures & much needed girl time. Hurricane Girls Night

I didn’t take as many photos as normal. Once the big guns aka professional cameras were pulled out by Jenn, Spoe & EB, my lil DSLR got intimidated & sat unused for the rest of the night. Brandy, Marie, BA & I still practiced & played around with ideas & EB’s awesome new lens.

That &/or I was too busy drinking & talking & getting my nails Shellac’d by EB to take photos. You pick the reason!

After a short night on an air mattress with the Mrs, I awoke to eat the heck out of Jenn’s boy bait, my honey bun cake & then EB’s potatoes. We also passed K’s Nolan all around & laughed out loud at BA’s Harrison signing “more” & “more” for K’s Gigi cupcake! Hurricane Irene Girls Night

I can’t think of a better way to spend a hurricane Saturday night. I’m looking forward to hopefully getting together with these fabulous friends again soon!