Sunday Citar~ Adventure

It's Sunday again that means it's time for one of my favorite things... Sunday Citar!! 

Here's where we all share a quote or two... a favorite, a new find, a laugh inducing or tear inducing quote you love this week. (Citar = to quote in Spanish)



“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”
~Jawaharlal Nehru

The city streets with their hot dog and pretzel vendors have charmed us, the beauty of the architecture slays me every time and even though the list of slip-ups this week brings our well traveled family back to the beginner status, things like lost licenses, lost phone, dropped cameras and broken lenses, we're still living out an adventure.  Facing change with free spirit stride and laughing off the snafus as we regroup... you know, after we want to cry.

But (oh yes, the glorious but) the adventures have not come to an end but only grow more laughable as we see the good.  What are your eyes open to?

Congratulations to the winner of the Shabby Apple Dress! Random.org chose Commenter #12 Jhen.Stark. Jhen, please email freshmommy@me.com, and we'll work out all the fun details from there.

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I would love to have you join the Sunday Citar inspiration and have all of us come to your blog to read what quotes inspire you! Simply write your own post on your blog, link within your post to my blog, and sign up with the linky below, leaving your name and the link directly to your Sunday Citar post. Just click here if any of that sounds confusing. There you'll be able to get the complete rundown, as well as learn how to link back to my blog if you don't already know how. Take a moment a visit at three of participants around you... you'll be glad you did!

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AMAZERGY

The city lifestyle I've been keeping while here the last week is beginning to catch up with me... today I overslept, but thankfully still made it to where I needed to be on time, and now I only have a few minutes, so I can't fully express the amazing energy I feel here.  The AMAZERGY, yes, I made up a word for it.



The city, with it's architecture that stretches to the sky, allowing rays of sunshine to spill down onto pebbled streets has embraced us, and we're hugging it right back.







Max Brenner by Union Square Park is UH-mazing.

Chris made it with the littles... can I just say that again... HE MADE IT through the airports, on a plane, with baggage, diaper bags, bottles and baby food, and a stroller and two wee ones, BY HIMSELF.  And I am so proud, he is a good daddy.

We traversed the streets together, hand in hand, while the kids sandwiched themselves in the stroller when Aliyah's legs grew tired... which happened to be about five minutes into our first walk.  We dined on great food and CHOCOLATE! at Max Brenner (a must-go place), kept babies up way past bed time to take in the bright lights of Times Square and take our annual ride on the Ferris Wheel at the Toys R Us superstore.


Daddy and his girl.






While the Ferris Wheel spins through the three stories of toys and candy, the kids drink in a full gulp of lights and choose which floor to head to first... the one with Tinkerbell, that is after we tour Barbie's house and soothe a crying baby after getting a little too close to the big dinosaur... the same reaction his sister had last year.

And after we're all but sleep walking our way back to the hotel and settle in for a little shut-eye, mama drags everyone out again in the morning to head to my toy superstore, B&H Photo Superstore, where I spent a little too much as my family waited patiently for me.



There is so much more, but for now, we're still drinking it up with ferocity, soakin up the amazergy around us, whether it's running through the rain or walking under rays of sunshine... So far, we've had both, and they're equally delightful.

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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Today as I walked outside for the little bit of time I had to score lunch, I set out in search of a cafe with tables hugging the street because it was such a  beautiful day.  Every time I go for a walk in this city, the architecture slays me.

Visit Wordless Wednesday, Supermom and 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.

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Workin' It and a Guest Post

In spite of a holiday weekend adorned with marshmallow fluffed chicks and sugared eggs, I worked.  And in between blowing fierce kisses at my computer screen and wiping a tear from my cheek come time for my littles to be rocked and tucked into bed but we wave and say BYEEEEEE about a million times instead because I'm over 200 miles away, I worked.  Spread smoothly and evenly, not too much and not to little... the way I've learned to spread butter over bread, has been times of laughing and catching up with friends, times to get a pedicure after a long day and almost fall asleep in the chairs next to each other, and otherwise? I worked.  While one of my besties snapped a photo of my sweet ones in their Easter outfits, I worked.


Thanks, Bri, for the photo!

New York has been good to me so far, a lot of work, a little fun and some great friendships sprinkled on top.  Is it the perfectly buttered, just-right toasted slice? Sometimes it can be hard to keep it all balanced, to spread myself just-right and many times, I don't even know if I am.  But one thing is for sure, I'll see these cuties very soon, my cinnamon and sugar babies, and then there's no doubt... it'll be just right.

 For now? While I wear my work heels for the next 13 hours, and work on balance... Here's a little guest post on financial balance.

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Sunny days are here again and the living is easier. These days I find all anyone wants to do is be outside and eat. Go for a hike and eat. See a movie and eat. Have a drink and eat. Listen to music and eat. I think you get the point, so I’ll stop. It’s true, however, that with the increase in activity that spurts up after those long, dormant, winter months, there’s inevitably an increase in appetite. I also think it’s a social thing. Too often we forget, amongst the Twittering and IM’ing and all the other technological ings that at heart, we are social creatures. We crave interaction, and physical interaction at that. So it really shouldn’t be such a surprise that everyone’s favorite form of interacting is eating. And there is something to be said about that – I truly believe that sharing food and conversation with others is one of the most intimate acts that can take place. My fondest and most vibrant memories throughout my life, and especially from my childhood, revolve around family dinners and eating with friends. There’s just a bond that forms between people while sharing old memories, creating new ones, and indulging in delicious food. In fact, the whole experience is an indulgence in the sense that the experience is utterly rich and completely satisfying – not expensive. However, it’s easy to fall into the trap of eating out too much and spending too much on food, tarnishing the whole experience when you see your expenses at the end of every month. So here are a couple of tips and tricks to help rectify that situation and serve as a reminder that dinning with others doesn’t have to be an expense.

+ Lunch specials. Everyone automatically thinks of dinner as the meal to share but as of late, I’ve found myself “lunching” a lot more often. Most places offer great lunch specials, the pricing of which can’t be found during dinner hours. For one, opting to eat out for lunch instead of dinner is cheaper, plain and simple. Secondly, for those of us with a family and kids, lunch is a lot of times easier to do since the kids are at school or camp. Especially if you’re looking for a little girl time, or even personal time to just sit and people watch and listen to your own thoughts – lunch is highly underrated. Additionally, making lunch your indulgent meal, if you so choose, and eating a light dinner is actually preferable and healthier than vice versa.

+ Sharing is caring. It’s no secret that restaurant portions are simply enormous these days. Even high-end, expensive restaurants seem to have expanded their portion size. A great way to cut costs and avoid over eating is to split your meal with someone. Perhaps share an appetizer and entrée and get your own salad (which you can order as a side for a few dollars). There’s always the case for taking home leftovers but I find it’s never as efficient. You got to eat it for lunch the next day and something is soggy, or it just gets pushed to the back of the refrigerator, or it goes bad before you get a taste for it again. Sharing your food is a wonderful alternative. Bonus, you’re car won’t smell like food for the rest of the week.

This guest post is being brought to you by Nicole Bostic of DebtConsolidation.com.

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Happy Tuesday friends!

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Addendum

The morning I left, my little ones and I made a video to keep me company while I'm away.



You can watch if you'd like... it's only a minute long, but I'm warning you, it's way too adorable.

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Sunday Citar~ Forever

Welcome to Sunday Citar, a place to share quotes that you've heard or love, quotes to inspire or make laugh, quotes that we all want to see!  

"Forever - is composed of Nows" ~Emily Dickenson

So, I ventured out into the city with the pitter patter of soft rain droplets creating a melodic rhythm atop the smooth black canvas covering my head.  With every honk of a yellow cab's horn, coming at the perfect beat between the clippety-clop of the classic fast paced New Yorker footsteps around me, the sound all harmonized for a high energy soundtrack.  And I felt like I totally fit right in, a chameleon taking on the look, the gate, the feel of the city.  That is until I realized I was literally smiling as I walked, entranced by the cadence playing around me.  And also? That my umbrella had a big white sign that read TOURIST on it... or maybe it was just a hotel logo, but it's pretty much one and the same.  The ironic thing is that the umbrella is from a completely different hotel from a completely different city and I just happened to find it in my suitcase... oops.

I then realized that this moment is just one of my many Nows... nows that are making up my forever.  Each is falling into a pattern, some with soft beautiful strokes and some with high-pitched tones where we realize we're walking around with a crazy touristy smile... but all working together to compose our forever soundtrack.


The Instagram rundown of the first 36 hours in New York:
The evening view from my hotel room. Gorgeous glass rings, one is currently adorning my finger, all for under $3! Thanks, Kris, for the tip!  Message on a building, written in lights... another view from my room. A walk through Bryant Park.  Spring tulips in the city.  An apple cobbler cupcake from Crumbs Bakery, one of my must-stop places in NY.  Macy's!  A rainy day in the city. A small part of Times Square area, in the rain.


... And today, I'm envisioning beautiful littles in their church outfits, a color spectrum of pastels and cute little orbs next to piles of candy.  As we celebrate the amazing sacrifice that was made for us in the presence of those we love, even if it is with loved friends because we're miles from home, I'm wishing you a very happy Easter, a very happy Resurrection Day.

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I would love to have you join the Sunday Citar inspiration and have all of us come to your blog to read what quotes inspire you! Simply write your own post on your blog, link within your post to my blog, and sign up with the linky below, leaving your name and the link directly to your Sunday Citar post. Just click here if any of that sounds confusing. There you'll be able to get the complete rundown, as well as learn how to link back to my blog if you don't already know how. Take a moment a visit at three of participants around you... you'll be glad you did!

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Surprise Giveaway:: Shabby Apple Dress

The mail recently brought me a little drool-worthy package, the contents of which housed this dress.  This Shabby Apple dress, the slight retro throwback, the smooth with-a-little-bit-of-ruffle texture of the skirt, the perfect-for-spring muted colors... it all had me at hello.  It was a prize giveaway from my friend Jenny's blog, and I had a little fashion show for my family when it arrived while Aliyah couldn't stop rubbing all satin ruffles she could reach.  Love, love, love.

And yes... I had pockets added.  I'm a die-hard pocket fan.

Because I love getting amazing little presents in the mail, because their dresses are so drool-worthy, because it's Good Friday and because I love ya, here's your chance to get your own package of gorgeousness at your doorstep from the lovely ladies behind Shabby Apple Women's Dresses!


Photos courtesy of Shabby Apple
Winner will have the choice of The Traveler, Frida K., the adorable girl's Creamsicle, or their color choice of one of the fabulous Bow Skirts.

TO ENTER

To enter the giveaway, just answer the following question in the comments section of this post:

"What is your favorite item to wear?"


Optional Additional Entries
(please leave separate comment for each additional entry)

Follow Fresh Mommy Blog via Google Friend Connect or Subscribe

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THE RULES
This giveaway is open to US Residents.
No entries after Saturday the 30th.
Winner will be selected at random and announced on May 1st.
Best Wishes!

If you just can't wait, use coupon code freshmommy10off for 10% off your entire order!

Linking up with Tidy Mom's I'm Lovin It Friday.

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Today

Today I trade the greening wet grass in the view from my cozy window for the rain slicked cement playground that is New York City.

I trade my fluffy worn in big bed, filled nearly every morning with a pretzel of two sleepy littles' legs and arms, for the crisp white bedding made up daily by someone other than myself.

I trade the day-long hugs and cuddles snuck in between laundry, dishes and a never-ending To-Do list for the background noise of hustle and bustle, of car horns and buses and people going, and the serene calm that fills a room occupied by one.





So, today, I'm hugging a little tighter and kissing the sweet smelling heads of a couple of little innocents a bit more freely, lingering to imprint their scent deeply into my memory banks. I'm memorizing their morning faces, the crazed spun sugar atop their heads and the gratuitous sock dangling just so off of a chubby little baby foot... the way it does every sun-up. I'm basking in the snuggly mood emanating from my kids when they rise.



And that will stay with me.  That I wouldn't trade for the world.


His scowl face and uh-oh face... just a couple more to add to the list.

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Good Morning

This is what our morning looks like... what about yours?

Visit Wordless Wednesday, Supermom and 5 Minutes for Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.

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10 things...

I'm swimming deep in the pool of randomness right now.  There is a To-Do list floating in there somewhere, actually a few of them if I'm being honest, and I'm checking and marking things off of it like it's going out of style.  Though I certainly hope they aren't because frankly, To-Do lists are my crack.  The exhilaration of marking something off, the freeing feeling of writing something down instead of trying to hold onto a thought long enough to complete it before it's lost in the sea of Random... I need them.  But today, even with my lists, I can't keep those fortuitous thoughts from slip n' sliding their way through. So here, in a completely unplanned order because there is no method to randomness, are a few of the random happies that we're loving right now.

New Games.
It all happened one day when I wanted to get a photo of Brayden near his giant giraffe, and so I coaxed his desire for play by "hiding" one of his treasured wooden blocks under the giraffe's mane.  He was giddy with excitement... and The Game lives on.





The Many Faces of Brayden.
You saw his fishy face, let me introduce you to the "ohh" face.


Their Play.
She loves these little guys, and they love her. They must, because even after dressing them up in jewelry and tiny baby doll clothes, locking them in the shower (yes it happened, once), toting them around the entire house in her purse... or in the crook of her arm, they stick around to nap and cuddle with her.




Brayden's Baths.
Most times, Aliyah opts for a shower, and does it all on her own.  She's been that way for awhile now, and it's her favorite place to be... her time.  And I totally get that.  As for baths, that's Brayden's territory, though sometimes I get Aliyah in there with him.  He loves it. Usually.  And as soon as the water pours out of that bright green spout, he smiles and kicks and splashes.





He's Done.
Then he stands and it's over.  He's learning to climb out of the tub, and no matter how many times I put him back in... he stands and climbs out.  Bathtime, over.



The Coming Of The Sun.
And days spent on lawnchairs in the driveway.  We hit higher temps and sunshine the other day and pulled the kid's striped chairs out of the garage, and Brayden greeted the day by planting himself in that chair for a good TEN MINUTES. We've taken to totally immersing ourselves in the great outdoors when the opportunity arises... because at this moment, IT'S SNOWING.



Trading Up.
I love the way my girl is blossoming as more confident, more assertive, more fearless.  After playing with her little scooter for a few minutes, she promptly decided it was much too small for her and better suited for her baby brother... and then rifled through the garage and emerged with the large scooter we were saving for her, toes skimming the sun bathed pavement as her arms stretched to reach the handle bars. While wearing her daddy's helmet.





Recycling.
During my frenzied attempt at Spring Cleaning, which has a little more than half of my house completely de-cluttered and the rest waiting in the wings, this little "ho-sey" found it's way into the garbage and then into the hands of my littlest who tried to revive it by shoving rice and beans into it's immovable mouth.



His mouth would open while trying to feed the "ho-sey"... cutest thing.

These Two.
Their bond is subtle yet always there, underlaying everything they do.  He's her little shadow, and most times, they move as one... enjoying the quiet calm or concocting their own storm of energy.


... And I started this post this morning with the full intention of closing with some cute and expressive entwining of words to sum up these random happies with the beauty of it all.  Though now, after a day of heading from point A to B to F and then finding my way back through the missing letters, I'm tired. My eyes are heavy as I strain to type the last of my thoughts before a stray one takes me on a different path and I never end up hitting Publish Post.  Yet even though my breathing is slowing and my mind is quieting, signaling the close of another purposefully balanced day of tight schedules and unplanned moments of happiness, I'm relishing one last thing...

A List Full Of Big Fat Check Marks.

Yes, I accomplished so much today, and now I'm allowing myself a glorious moment to cherish it, before I nod off to sleep and it starts over again tomorrow.

Maybe I should add that to my list...

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