On: Being Busy!

It's been all "go, go, go" and not enough time to slow down. My fatigue finally gave way and I've been trying to get in as much as possible before it surely returns.

On friday, a wonderful friend took my car while I was at work, left me his, and I arrived at his house to mine working perfectly! I am so thrilled I'm not going to have to sell the Volkswagen. We have been through a lot, that car and I. Most major decisions of my life, too. Up and down the entire East Coast, Maine to Florida. I'm getting all sentimental now, but really, the GTI has been hangin' in there with me better than any guy I've ever dated ;]


This weekend was a good one! Of course spent with great friends, having some drinks in Providence and lots of laughs. I've been having the best mornings too, it's so nice.


Monday night, Ari was with her dad, so I headed to Providence once more. My friend Paul and I decided to meet up for drinks and to see a French film at the Cable Car Cinema, a small little theater downtown. We went to Centro to visit one of our friends, and then headed to the XO Cafe, the cutest little place. If you're looking for somewhere to go for drinks, and want an intimate but somewhat vintage experience, definitely try that place out. They even serve complimentary homemade potato crisps- amazing! After finishing our drinks {Whiskey + Amaretto Sours = love} we headed down the street to the film. Holy Motors is a film apparently about a man travelling through different lives. It was in French, and although with subtitles, very easy to follow. The plot was a lot more confusing. If you can view this film, do it! You will not be disappointed. When it finished, we of course stopped at Muldowney's and for a monday night, it was surprisingly packed. I didn't stay too long, but overall it was an awesome night!


I've been going wild at home- cleaning everything I can, organizing, whatever I can do before I burn myself out. Last night alone, I did mostly all of the dishes, seven loads of laundry, brought to the recycling about a months worth of cardboard and bottles. I'm feeling accomplished and it's a nice change, haha.


Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! It came so fast. I can't say I'm a big fan of the holidays... too many people crammed together making small talk, is not really something I enjoy. I am, however, looking forward to having the day off and spending my morning with Ari, as they are few and far between. I can't wait to let her wake up on her own time and cook her breakfast! We're doing something small this year, as things have been kind of hectic in my immediate family. Friday is the real special day, though- A will be three years old! Time has flown, and it makes me so sad; I miss baby Ari. At the same time, it's an amazing thing to see what an awesome little girl she is and is turning out to be.

Tonight, Lorena and I are taking our little girls bowling- Ari's first time! It's going to be the cutest thing to see. Photo update soon!


OH, and I am still committed to NaBloPoMo, I just needed a tiny vaca, haha.


Xoxo

November! Currently....

It's the first of November! Ever since Ari was born in 2009, November has struck a chord with me and we've had a truce; things seem to work out well for me now, whereas pre-baby, it was a month just begging to break me down. Here's to good times ahead; Ari turning three, Thanksgiving, my family moving home to Rhode Island, and my niece being born.




You may be wondering about this strange icon above? I've decided to participate in something called NaBloPoMo, also known as "National Blog Posting Month". For the entire month of November, I will update every single day. That's thirty posts! I can't promise that every post is going to be something of substance, because face it, we all get burned out sometimes. However, starting today, I do promise you a variety of content to keep you entertained throughout the month. What would you like to see? Recipes, more photos, links to like, music?

I want to get this blog back to where it was before, but I think it's time for an identity change. While I am still a young mama, writing about life, I've realized I'm so much more than just a mama. Expect a complete update of this site in the coming days.


Anyway, because I'm feeling all gung ho about this here project- I'm going to take a page from one of the blogs I love, Sometimes Sweet, and do a 'Currently' post! It's a sweet little reminder of daily life, and maybe will become a mainstay in the future~



Watching: Boardwalk Empire! I cannot get enough of this show. It's based in Prohibition era in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The gist of the show is along the lines of the Sopranos, based on profit from crime and the sale of illegal alcohol. Steve Buscemi plays an awesome Nucky Thompson, although my favorite character (Spoiler: before he was killed off) was Jimmy. It's on HBO sunday nights at 10pm est, get addicted!


Listening to: I've been drifting from my usual, finding a variety of new music and re-discovering some old. The new Gaslight Anthem album is awesome, as well as Violent Waves, Circas newest. To get me in a working mood, I've had Name Taken stuck on repeat and some Skrillex. The east coast has been experiencing some less than pleasant weather as of late, so for those rainy day moods- DeYarmond Edison, Gates, Cassino and Cary Brothers. I'll elaborate more on this in an upcoming Whats on my iPod post.


Thinking about: How I'm going to blog for an entire month! I really do think of blogging like, all the time. What sucks is that I'm on a computer working for 40 hours a week, so by the time I get home, the only thing I can bring myself to do is browse other blogs and wish I had the time/energy to write haha. As I was saying above on an identity change for this blog- I just want to make this space as cozy as my home feels. I want an uninhibited spot of the internet where I can just go off on my thoughts and have them all in one place to eventually reflect on one day.


Loving: I've been absolutely in love with onions lately. I know, weird. But I want onions on everything I eat. I'm also loving the fact that this weekend we get to change our clocks back! I enjoy the dark, I love being at home when it's winter and cold outside. Saturday night, folks!


Reading: I'm in between a few books right now. It's not usually like me, but after finishing the 50 Shades series, I've been jumping head first into any and all reading materials. So currently, my list is "Sundays at Tiffanys" by James Patterson {re-reading because it's that good}, "1984" by George Orwell {re-reading} and "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse.


Making me happy: The fact I have a tidy home right now! I used to be a super cleaner, OCD about everything. Now, being a single mama and still fighting the fatigue from mono, I could care less. I worked up the energy to completely clean my house {except my bedroom} and it's just so nice to get home after work and not feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff that accumulates. Oh, lifes small pleasantries!


*One out of thirty posts down! Let's see where this exciting month takes us xo

Pumpkin Patches and Indian Summers

A couple of weeks ago, my family went to Schartner's Farm in Scituate for a nice day outdoors, enjoying the autumn weather. Lucky for us, the weather was gorgeous! We ate yummy grilled food and hand cut french fries, went on a hayride, found our way through a corn maze and lolled around in the soft grass drinking locally produced root beers. Schartner's Farm also has an on-site mini grocery store (housed in a big old farm stand) selling their fresh produce, local milk, cheese, honey- even coffee syrup and other Rhode Island-esque treats. We all agreed it was a perfect, even relaxing day. Ari has so much fun, running in and out of the corn stalks and eating raw yellow peppers from the stand.


There's just something about autumn in New England that's so special.















Ari enjoyed the hay ride, even though she was a little nervous






Covered wagon shenanigans with her Baba



Ari is already quite the actress.... I can't stop laughing at this photo haha









{my dad's shirt.... hahaha yeah}









{All of this corn is for the farm animals}



Ari was obsessed with this fake horse haha she did not want to get down















{The only photo I had taken from the following day at Scituate Art Festival- Ari manges on Gabe's corn on the cob. The weather was less than pleasant and I didn't want to risk my camera getting wet.}


I hope all my East Coasters stay safe and hunker down during this storm; we are fully prepared with food, alcohol, candles and books! Aren't those the essentials? ;) xo

{july photos.}

ari petting the rooster









water culture!

















R.I.P. Ralph





old sewing machine base



still in use well, for fresh water!



baby chicken



Ari's first sparkler!



Veronica and Ryan, sister and brother in law






Awaiting baby M!



Laura and the rooster



The cutest!


xoxo

On Life {& things of that sort}

After a month hiatus, I've been yearning to blog. For a while, blogging was becoming somewhat of a chore for me; I looked at it as yet another task I had to accomplish and somehow structure in the crazy day to day that had become my life. Instead of getting down on myself for the lack of enthusiasm I had toward something that made me happy, I decided to take a break. To not worry whether or not posts were up, and being read, and how much exposure my writing was getting. I got caught up in the technical aspects, and not in the fun I once had. I needed to arrange my priorities. I feel refreshed, and ready to continue on this journey of documentation.

What a perfect time to take time off from writing, because things were so hectic I'm not sure I would have even wanted to share. Between differences with my previous neighbors, family situations, arrangements with Ari's father, and moving... I feel like a screenplay could have been written about the goings-on. I will admit that the past month has been one of my darkest times; The feeling of despair was overwhelming. However, I'm content knowing my head is in a better, more peaceful place lately. I'm very hopeful things are going to keep getting better!

Ari and I have recently downsized to an adorable two bedroom apartment owned by one of my wonderful aunts. I am just so thankful. We're currently still in the "boxes everywhere" stage, but things are slowly starting to come together. There are no bad memories associated with this new home, and a fresh start is making me feel complete. I have a real kitchen! (which I have been putting to good use). Everything just needs to be organized and a few things obtained; a bookshelf for fabrics, paints, camera equipment and all things creative; a couch, preferably thrifted; and a desk for my bedroom. My bookshelf is currently being utilized as (what else) a bookshelf; albeit so completely stocked full, I may need another one! I'm in the market for another desk as well- the one I refurbished is being used as my sewing station, and I'd really love to have a little workstation in my bedroom.

Yesterday was the Fourth of July, my favorite holiday. We celebrated by visiting my mother and stepdad at their home in Johnston, basically a farm. Ari had a blast playing with the baby chicks and the goats- I had a blast photographing the greenhouse with the awesome water culture, the old still in use well, and just the sheer natural beauty of being so close to the city, yet feeling a million miles away. I miss country living for that reason, the feeling of freedom.

I'm excited to report that as of tomorrow, internet will be set up in our new home, so photos and a lot more posts are to come!

I hope you've all had a wonderful June, and enjoyed a patriotic day yesterday xo

Rain.

It's been so rainy; you'd swear it was April.

At least Ari doesn't mind hangin' out indoors!





Xoxo!

kittens though.

Juniper recently had kittens, and we're all in love. They walk sloppily to their mama and have the tiniest cries. Ari is seriously so in heaven, and basically its a good experiment in child development, I guess haha. She asked me last night where Jackson Brown's babies were. I told her that boys don't have babies, only girls. She seemed satisfied enough with that answer, and proceeded to ask me how Juniper gives the babies milk, and not food. LOL it was an interesting conversation to have with a 2 1/2 year old.

On to the cuteness:
























The newest hair color until I decide what to do with this mop. Cut, dark, light? Choices..


xoxo