Favorite Things, Segment 2

So Big E and I had a huge row last night. (Well, we actually didn't, but I have been reading Brit Chick Lit while stuck in bed and this is my latest word to incorporate into my vocab.) I kinda forgot about Fav Things until I saw this draft that I wrote quite awhile ago... so here are some more.
Best Place to Buy Yankee Candles: TJ Maxx, I really love Yankee Candles, really I do. But I am not willing to fork out $27.99 for them. TJ Maxx has full size jars for just $9.99. They don't have a huge selection, but most of the time they are the seasonal flavors.
Best Fries: I am not a huge French Fry Gal, but I really like Red Robins fries and Smash Burgers rosemary and olive oil fries.
Favorite Date: Well, one of the many, but it's seasonal so look into doing it soon. Deer Valley Concert Series. I usually see the Broadway one, and it is fantastic. You can bring chairs and a picnic and watch the concert. SO much fun!
Window Shopping: Home Again is one of my favorite places to browse and get ideas on furniture and decorating. However, go to the one in Midvale and not Sugarhouse, the selection is much better.
Favorite Recently Read Book: Mullberry Park. Charming, happy and all around feel good book. So anybody have any other good books for me? I NEED IDEAS. Oh and I need happy ones, no sad, murderous nightmare inducing ones.
Favorite Maternity Jeans: Buying jeans is like delving into the 7th Circle of you know where to me. Since I am kinda still keeping my bed company, I sent Momma J out to buy me some Maternity clothes. She came back with jeans and I laughed and thought "No Way." Tried them on and kazaam! They fit! Motherhood Maternity Secret Fit, STRETCHY denim. Awesome. They feel like Jammies. I think I might wear mine not pregs.
Favorite Onion Rings: The Philadelphian. I am shocked that the County Health Department hasn't closed this place down yet. When you go in, make sure not to look at anything: ceiling, floor, tables, cooking stove, anything. Order your onion rings and promptly leave before you barf. It's really that bad, but the rings are really that good.

Favorite Things, Segment 1

So I have decided to list a few of my favorite things, mostly because I love when other people do this and give me ideas. So here goes Segment One:

Cleaning Product: Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser. Amazing. Seriously this little rectangle will last forever and works on everything. I loved using it on my flat wall paint and moldings.
Frozen Yogurt Joint: This has been debatable for quite awhile, but I am ultimately going with the Yogurt Stop. Here is why: I like the feel of it, I love the little boy who doesn't balk at seeing me three times a week, and the Red Velvet flavor is to die for.
TV Shows I could watch over and over: Of course Glee is on the list, but I am forever grateful that my brother James made me watch Arrested Development. Love it. Hysterically funny. "There is always money in the banana stand!" Frasier, Cheers and MASH as well.
Vacuum: Dyson, you can't go wrong. I know it is expensive, but it is an investment. It is so satisfying to empty that canister out, and plus Big E. look super hot vacuuming with his shirt off.
Book: A Girl Named Zippy. If you read it and don't like it, don't tell me... I might cry.
Mascara: I am a MAC girl, born and raised. My Mom took me to the MAC counter when I first started wearing makeup to have a professional teach me how to put it on, (mostly so I wouldn't look like a hooker). BUT, MAC's mascara makes my eyes water. I love Covergirl's Lash Blast Volume.
Root Lifter: Gotta go with Paul Mitchel's Extra Body Daily Boost. I did use Big and Sexy's Root Pump, but it made my hair stiff. My hair is so thick and heavy that it is weighed down, Daily Boost is essential for me.
Best "Deal" website: I have gotten so many things for free or amazingly cheap from this website. Check it out: Freebies2Deals.com, I guarantee you will get hooked.
Diapers: No, not for me, for The Mr.. I really liked Pampers Swaddlers when he was a newborn. Not because it had a pee line that changed colors when he was wet, I could figure that out on my own. But I liked how soft they were. Now that The Mr. is chowing down real people food, we go for durability and blow out protection. Huggies all the way.

Okay, there you have it, segment one. Hopefully you got some ideas, and I totally think you should do this on your blog, all three of you!

I am a Lucky Mom

It's true, I totally lucked out with the Mr.. The other day I was sitting in a chair and Mack brought me all of his bottles one by one. Interesting, but I didn't think anything of it. Later that night, wouldn't take a bottle. Ever more interesting. Nap next day.. No bottle. Yup the kid rocks, weened himself off of the bottle. I don't know why I feel strangely liberated. I kinda have "Free Momma" moments, this was one. First one was when I was done nursing. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed nursing. Eleven months was a long time though. Second one was when we moved our bed out of the Mr.'s room. A whole nights worth of uninterrupted sleep was bodacious. Lastly, the bottle. Diapers here we come! I know this is a sappy parent post, but hey it is my blog right?

Busy, Busy

Wow the Larsen clan has been so busy. On Friday night we had a delightful BBQ with some friends in the backyard. Might I just say, that I had one of the best smores in my life. White chocolate (which I don't like) with coconut in it (which I also don't like.) Seriously amazing. It was so much fun but I was a little frazzled. What's new right? I got some frustrating news about a project I had been working on, I was working on multiple projects for Father's Day, Big E's work Lagoon Day was on Saturday, and the horror of all horrors.... my underwire snapped. Yup, right in half. It hurt. I didn't have a replacement, that meant big roomy baggy sweatshirts and much slouching. Oh well.
Lagoon was a blast. The Mr. did so well and pretty much owned the "Bulgy the Whale" ride. He thought he was pretty much the schiz-niz, which he was. Did you know the Lagoon makes pregnant women buy a full priced ticket now? How cheap is that? You can't even go on the rides and have to pay 44 buckaroos? Nope, not prego just tried to get tickets for the sister-in-law. Cheap, like stealing ketchup and jelly packets from restaurants cheap.
Father's Day was great. I actually woke up early with Big E and made him breakfast. The Mr. and I made him a shirt with his hand prints on it, a huge candy jar for work, and a calendar with pictures of him and Daddy. It was a great day, I have an amazing father and I was lucky enough to marry one of the best Dad's ever. Big E rocks. Well, enough ranting for now :)

Birthday Extravaganza

The Birthday in Jackson Hole was pretty much perfect. We had such a great time and Big E planned things out so well. It was a great relaxing trip, full of well relaxation. We took naps during the day, went to see Robin Hood, shopped, hiked and ate... a lot. Big E is quite the man and I love how he indulges my childlike behavior when it comes to birthdays. We did miss the Mr. though.
In fact the day we got back we had quite the scare. I swear that kid has so many guardian angels. Even at his delivery I am pretty sure he had extra help, but I digress. So all of the older kids are outside in my parents yard and Eric can't find the Man. He ran outside and sure enough he was in the MIDDLE of the pond walking across it. How in the world? I am not sure how he did not slip on the rocks, and keep in mind that the pond is two feet deep. We counted ourselves very lucky that day. And the worst part? He sobbed and was so angry that he had to get out. The kid is a maniac with no fear.
Here are a few random pictures from the trip and then from the "boys" what cute nephews I have! Obviously I am not the best at posting pictures in order. Don't you love the Mr.'s "Rocky" look?

My Best Decision, At Least Lately

So when we moved into Casa Jones we knew we would definetly have to make sacrifices. Probably the biggest one was sleeping in the same room with the man. MISERY. Really I am not over-exagerating one bit. So months and months went on with me getting about two to three hours of sleep a night. To make MISERY even more miserable, when the man would wake up and "cry it out" I was two feet away. The couches became our new beds. We were in bed pretending to sleep about a month ago, and Mack starts to laugh. Hysterically. Belly laughs. This was super cute and made me smile. However, I was not smiling at 2:54, 3:19, 4:30... well you get the idea. That was the last night sharing a room. Our bed is now out in the "front room" and it is a thing of beauty. Mack transitioned so well. He doesn't wake up in the night at all anymore and has extended sleeping hours fro 8:30 to 9:00 in the morning and then takes a two hour nap. Brilliant!
I am sleeping better then ever. Mr. L and I can finally talk in bed and make noises. This is great. We are giddy now to go to bed. Like I said, best decision.
We are off to Jackson Hole this week for my Birthday Extravaganza Week! I can't wait! Hopefully I will be with it and actually blog about it!

I May Have Mentioned

So, in past posts, I may have mentioned that I used to be somewhat of a shopper, or maybe a compulsive-non-thinking-have-to-have-it-now shopper. I am not sure how I got this way, but as I think back it might have been the fact that I lived with my awesome rent-free parents and had golden jobs that paid me too well. Maybe.
Anyway, I loved to shop, I shopped anytime I could get a chance. I went on fantastically fun vacations with the best girls ever, and when we got there I shopped. But I like to think that I have grown up and even matured a little. (Nothing helps you to fiscally mature like marrying an ACCOUNTANT. Yup, someone knew what he was doing when he put Big E and I together.) And seriously, aside from the accountant husband forcing me to change my ways, I am quite proud of myself. I am pretty dang financially responsible. I shop ads, I love bargains, thrifting and KSLing. I think that I have one piece of furniture that is not used. (Used mattress? I think not.)
I am good. I am really good. I manage to find great used things and change them into my own. I no longer compulsive shop. I no longer shop to make myself happy, well maybe sometimes. I am a rockstar..... Except for one tiny little thing. My little girl's nursery. Forget that she isn't even conceived or that I might not even have a little girl (now that would be blasphemy!). I can't stop buying things for her nursery. Big E is aware of this, I am not quite sure he knows exactly how much has been purchased... but he is aware. BUT, in my defense it has all been fantastically priced things. So that brings me to my story. I found little girl the most wonderful CLEAN hot pink 5 x 7 rug at the DI. It was darling and went along with her nursery so well. I found it last night. I didn't buy it. Honestly for $10 why didn't I snatch it right up? It helps that I was with Momma J and she talked me out of it. Even though in my heart of shopping hearts, I knew I should buy it I didn't. I didn't sleep at all last night. I just visualized the hot pink rug with the white crib and dresser and how smashing it would look. I went back first thing this morning. Some old bat stole my baby girl's rug!