Everything I Needed

This long weekend was absolutely everything I needed and more. It was so nice to have Jared home for a few days with no work and no coaching obligations. Saturday we blitzed the house because goodness, it was overdue. Do you ever find yourself cleaning something... I mean really scrubbing something clean and then asking yourself how in the world it got that bad? No? Just me? Needless to say we deep cleaned and scrubbed in places that desperately needed it and I now feel so much better. I'm always curious how often other people do certain cleaning tasks... I keep up with the basics but I know there are things I should probably do more often. One of these days I might actually make a cleaning schedule and stick to it. 

After we called it quits on our cleaning for the morning I ran some errands and did all those fun adult things like getting an oil change and cashing a check while Jared and T played at home. I love how this little Saturday routine has become a thing because an hour or two alone, out and about in the world is good for me. I love to crank the tunes in the car and sing as loud as I want, roll the windows down and not worry if T is going to cry in the back seat. I also made a solo trip into Lowe's after my errands and it's embarrassing how much I enjoyed it ;)

Then on Saturday night Jared and I made history. We went out on a date for the first time since T was born. It was a little impromptu, but Jared's parents had mentioned recently that they'd be happy to come over while we go out to dinner. Since T has been sleeping 7:30pm-7am pretty consistently we knew now was the time! I was so anxious leading up to our date, which is so silly, I know. T would be asleep the whole time they were there and we were just going to dinner at a place less than 10 minutes away. Fortunately, Jared and I went out and had an awesome time together! It was so nice to be out just being "us" and I'm so thankful my in-laws were willing to help.

Sunday I drafted my fantasy team for our family league, accurately named "Who run the world? GURL(ey)" since I got Todd Gurley with my first pick. and I'm SO ready for the games this week! I'm also doing an all girls league for the first time this year and will be drafting tonight so I'm pretty pumped about that.  And yesterday? It was a lazy, family day at home. We played and napped and watched movies and I really can't think of a better way to round out our long weekend. I hope you all enjoyed yours!

TLFG: 5-11 September 2016

Hi there, hope you're well. After the rigours of the last few days, putting together and promoting Non-League Day, I'm going to initially keep this very brief.

The maps and Daily Digest are all done but the ticketing info page needs a refresh and my own pre-amble telling you how NLD went will have to wait. In other words, all the really crucial stuff is further down the page.

I'll try to flesh things out a bit more later in the week but time has beaten me for now.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next week as the season gets into full swing.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed - something which often happens at this time of year. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 5 September

Professional Development League 2
Charlton Athletic v Coventry City @2pm - a chance to watch a game at the Valley as the clubs' U23 sides do battle, the early kick-off allows you to watch two games in a day

National League
Wealdstone v Weston-Super-Mare @745pm - a win for the Stones could put them into the top five in the National League South

FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay
Carshalton Athletic v Worthing @745pm - the Robins did really well to hold the higher ranked Worthing to a 3-3 draw on Saturday and now have home advantage to try and claim a notable scalp

----------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 6 September

National League
Dartford v Welling United @745pm - it's derby night at Princes Park. Why this is being held on a Tuesday night in September is unclear as it would normally be a Bank Holiday or Boxing Day special. This National League South match is definitely the game of the night.

Ryman League
Corinthian Casuals v Guernsey @745pm - the hosts could go top of Division 1 South with a win against the Green Lions
Whyteleafe v Tooting & Mitcham United @745pm - it will only happen if current leaders Tooting slip up in this south London derby

Southern Counties East League
Meridian VP v Bridon Ropes @745pm - in Division 1 we have a groundshare derby

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 Cup
Broadfields United v Harefield United @745pm - another groundshare derby but this time on the far west side of town

-----------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 7 September

Ryman League

Romford v Phoenix Sports @745pm - early strugglers Romford welcome Phoenix who are currently one point clear at the top of Division 1 North

Southern Counties East League
AFC Croydon Athletic v Fisher @745pm - another south London side to have started well are the Rams who top the SCEFL after five games
Forest Hill Park v Lewisham Borough @745pm - in Division 1 we have yet another groundshare derby, this one at the Ladywell Arena

--------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 8 September

Friendly
Brentford B v Liverpool XI @7pm - the Bees' second string welcome a side from Anfield for an interesting friendly a Griffin Park

---------------------------------------------------------------

Friday 9 September

Premier League 2
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur @705pm - the respective U23 sides of these two London giants do battle at Stamford Bridge in what looks like a very entertaining way to kick-off a weekend of football watching
West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers @7pm - in slightly less glamorous surroundings you can enjoy this fixture at Dagenham & Redbridge

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Cray Valley PM v Glebe @745pm - if you'd prefer a bit of senior competitive football then this south-east London derby should appeal
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday 10 September

Premier League
Arsenal v Southampton @3pm - neither side has got off to a flying start so will want to rectify things here
Watford v West Ham United @3pm - for the third game in a row, the Hornets come up against London opposition and are badly in need of a first win - they could get it here against a Hammers side who have been inconsistent to say the least

EFL
Fulham v Birmingham City @3pm - the Cottagers come into the game in second but face a tough challenge from the Blues who have lost only one of their five games
Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Rovers @3pm - Rangers can move ahead of Fulham if they win against Rovers who are the only winless side in the Championship
AFC Wimbledon v Sheffield United @3pm - the Dons welcome the pre-season League One title favourites who are only just above them in the table
Millwall v Coventry City @3pm - the Lions were also fancied to do well and are living up to their billing, currently well on course for a play-off spot at the very least

National League
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Bath City @3pm - the Beavers are one of the hottest sides in London at the moment and they welcome fellow National League South promotion contenders Bath on Saturday

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Hanworth Villa v Bedfont Sports @3pm - a local derby between teams who both hail from the Combined Counties Premier - they've both started reasonably well and know each other inside out

-----------------------------------------------------

Sunday 11 September

FA Women's Super League 1
Arsenal v Manchester City @2pm - end the week with this big game at Boreham Wood as the Gunners, in third, welcome runaway leaders City

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Weekly Lessons

I figured I'd wait around until Wednesday to get rollin' in the blog world this week. Aka- my days somehow go so quickly and I don't pause long enough to sit and write. I was really excited to see that Mattie and Lex were starting a brand new link-up today called "Weekly Lessons" though, so it was perfect timing to try and actually post today. Here are my incredibly deep, thought-provoking life lessons this week...

I truly am a night owl and that's when I can get the most things done. I love my sleep... like, a lot- but sometimes it needs to be sacrificed in order to accomplish a few things. I just work better in the late evening. Be it writing, working on my Etsy shop or occasionally cleaning, I function better at night.

Coffee isn't ALL that bad. I have never been a coffee drinker, unless you count the occasional sugary-fancy beverage at Starbucks that doesn't taste like coffee. But late nights and new babies mean caffeine in a more pure form is necessary at times. I'm trying to make myself like good ol' fashioned coffee.

It's an illusion! That's just a hot chocolate in there!! ;)

Clorox wipes are awesome. Sometimes you don't have all the time in the world to scrub things down, but these have been lifesavers and time-savers lately.

If you try to plan a fun, date night at home- that will be the night your child decides he wants to stay awake 2 hours later than normal. True story, this has happened twice to us now. T apparently doesn't like missing out on anything fun.

If I want to get something done, I have to write it down. This isn't necessarily a new lesson for me, but it's just becoming more and more true with a baby now. I live by lists!

Speaking of lists, meal planning is so important. It's something else I've slacked on in the past few months, but after reading Amanda's post I feel so motivated again. Jared and I have revamped our budget due to all our life changes and cutting back on our food budget is a must.

Fall is going to be the.best.ever. I love fall every year, but I am just beyond thrilled it's almost here this year. Cooler temperatures mean more walks with T, beautiful colors and all the festivities beginning. I'm so excited to get out as a family more as it gets easier to be out and about with him.

Even the right decisions are hard to swallow sometimes. I'm thrilled that I'm able to be home with T, truly I am... I just never imagined how difficult it would be to not have my job. I find myself thinking about my boss and coworkers all the time and wondering how things are going at the office! With football season starting I feel so out of the loop, and it's a strange feeling. While I don't miss the long hours and the drunk fans, there are certain things that are tough not to miss. I'm sure it'll get easier as time goes on but with football kicking off there's a little piece of me longing to still be a part of the team.

Loving this link-up and definitely plan to join in the fun more often. Thanks for hosting, gals!

TLFG: 30 August - 4 September 2016

Last week I gave you a Bank Holiday Special, this week it's a Non-League Day Special.

Yes, it's that time of year when we at TLFG do our utmost to celebrate the semi-professional and amateur game and encourage you to check out your local team if you're not a regular already.

To reduce the temptation to go elsewhere, the Non-League Day team (i.e. me and a handful of other dedicated volunteers around the country) schedule the event to coincide with an international break so that there are no Premier League or Championship games to contend with. We also pick a day that England aren't playing on either so we can maximise our publicity.

If you really can't bear the thought of supporting the lower levels of the game with some of your hard-earned cash (fair enough), then there are a couple of League One games, a legends match and some women's football but I'm not going to give you any more details - you'll have to hunt them out on the match maps below.

Wealdstone are among the clubs hoping to welcome you on Non-League Day

Our charity fanfunder for Prostate Cancer UK is hovering around the £2,600 mark. A spectacular star prize of match tickets and accommodation to watch a Barcelona match at the Nou Camp have been added this week - it could be yours in return for a donation of just £10.

If you're a Chelsea fan there are some great signed books by Gianluca Vialli and if you're a 5-a-side footballer, there are places available in a special tournament at England's St George's Park facility (£250 for a squad of eight). There's also some exclusive NLD merchandise too.

Please take a look and if this blog has been of use to you, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a pound or two PCUK's way. Just to clarify - all profits will go to the charity, none of it will go to me or NLD in any way.

If you do want to take part in Non-League Day but don't know where to go or what to see, here's my list of recommendations:

TLFG'S NON-LEAGUE DAY TOP 10

1. Dagenham & Redbridge v Boreham Wood - in terms of league status this is the game of the day in London as two local clubs meet for this derby in the top division of the non-league pyramid. The Daggers have just returned to non-league football after several years in League One and Two while the visitors are one of the minnows of the division and did brilliantly to survive their first season in the fifth tier last year. A real David and Goliath contest. (National League, 3pm Ticket info)

2. Dartford v Maidenhead United - the Darts welcome leaders Maidenhead who have exploded out of the blocks with six wins out of seven. The hosts have ploughed a lot of time and effort into this year's NLD with events for kids getting underway at 10am. It's also free for U16s to attend the match, family tickets are available for £15 while season-ticket holders from any other club will get in for just £5.  (National League South, 3pm Ticket info)

3. Wealdstone v Poole Town - over in Ruislip the Stones are also throwing their full weight behind NLD in the hope of getting a mammoth crowd for this match between two play-off hopefuls. It's just £5 for adults (normally £13) and you might get to see the legendary Wealdstone Raider too. It's also £3 for U18s and free for U16s. With those prices and the effort they've put into marketing it, they'll be hoping for a four-figure crowd. (National League South, 3pm, Ticket info)

4. St Albans City v Hampton & Richmond Borough - normally I wouldn't include this game as the Saints play just outside TLFG's catchment area to the north of London but they're playing one of our clubs and are also making a real effort to get a big crowd. They are reducing admission prices for everyone and offering further discounts to kids and season-ticket holders of other clubs. They will also be raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK and I'm advised there will be more announcements later in the week about other things they're doing - oh yes and this is the match I'm currently scheduled to be attending so maybe see you there. On paper it also looks like a cracker as it's third versus second - huge! UPDATE - former England striker and current QPR Director of Football Les Ferdinand will be guest of honour (National League South, 3pm, Ticket info)

5. Clapton v FC Romania - although they play several divisions below some of the clubs above, this game could well attract one of the highest attendances of the day in London. I attended Clapton's match against Ilford on NLD last year which pulled in nearly 800 people which is almost unheard of for clubs in the ninth tier. If you've not heard of them, the Tons are one of the oldest clubs in London and play at the city's oldest ground. The Old Spotted Dog is a place all football fans should visit to see it in all its ramshackle glory. The Clapton Ultras (politically left wing) who pack out the ground these days are fairly new on the scene and some people have their reservations but they generate a fantastic atmosphere and are regularly told off for the use of flares (naughty). Given their pro-migrant and pro-refugee views, a match against FC Romania (who are made up almost exclusively of expats) is one of the highlights of their season. There's talk of getting more than 1,000 on Saturday which would surely break some record. UPDATE - some discounts have now been announced so please see the club's website for details (Essex Senior League, 3pm, Club info)

6. Hanwell Town v Enfield Town - there are also several FA Cup ties on Saturday and if I was picking some for Match Of The Day I would go for those where the underdog hosts a bigger club that they could conceivably beat. This game definitely fits that criteria. The Geordies, from the eighth tier, went two rounds further than this last year and played in front of then FA chairman Greg Dyke on last season's NLD. Enfield play a level above, have a significant fanbase and were among the favourites for the Ryman League title at the start of the season. However, they've flattered to deceive so far with one win in six so could be there for the taking. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

7. Sun Sports v Hayes & Yeading United - this is one of the biggest games in the Sun's history as it marks the Watford club's first appearance at this stage of the competition. When I started NLD in 2010, Hayes were in what is now the National League but they sold their ground soon after and have been groundsharing at various places until a few weeks ago when they finally came home. They've dropped two divisions since 2010 and are in pretty poor shape on the pitch again this season. The hosts hail from the ninth tier so are massive underdogs on paper but the talk on their website appears bullish and anything could happen. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

8. VCD Athletic v Kingstonian - this all-Ryman League tie is also flashing the word 'cupset' at me. Both these sides were in the Ryman Premier a couple of years ago but VCD, who to be fair were punching above their weight, came back down after a brief stint. Neither side have started well this time round but the K's have begun winning again and will be dangerous. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

9. Tooting & Mitcham United v Horsham - the Terrors have begun well and are yet to lose. A win on Monday at Corinthian Casuals would actually have put them top but they drew 3-3. The visitors are still finding their way in the division after winning promotion from the Southern Combination so will start as underdogs. TMU charge only £5 to armed forces and emergency service personnel, students, the unemployed and season-ticket holders from any other club other than their opponents on the day. It's also £1 for U16s and free if accompanied by an adult. (Ryman League Division 1 South, 3pm, Ticket info)

10. Cray Valley PM v Croydon @3pm - it's third versus first in this exciting looking clash in the Southern Counties East League and I hope it gets a bumper crowd. CVPM are always happy to help the NLD cause and this year they're offering £5 entry to season-ticket holders or members from any other team and free entry to armed forces and emergency services personnel. (Southern Counties East League Premier Division, 3pm, Club info)

I have heard from some clubs that news of their plans are still to be finalised so further information could be added as the week goes on

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE - 01/09/16 (@1755)
Several clubs have announced their NLD plans since Monday so here's the info:

Aveley - the Ryman League side have announced half-price admission for season-ticket holders from other clubs for the visit of Wroxham (Club info)

Haringey Borough - it's FA Cup time at Coles Park where regular NLD supporters Haringey host Witham Town, they are also slashing admission prices to just £3 for adults and then giving the lot to Prostate Cancer UK. Awesome! (Club info)
Phoenix Sports - it's Pay What You Want for their Ryman League game against Brentwood and all money from programme sales will be given to charity (Club info)

Erith & Belvedere - the Deres welcome partner charity Sands to their match against Whitstable who will be doing some awareness work and fundraising (Club info)
West Essex - the Essex Senior League new boys have made their game against Barkingside 'Pay What You Want' (Club info)

Hillingdon Borough - I've had it confirmed in a tweet that the club will be giving all gate receipts to Prostate Cancer UK for their Spartan South Midlands League game against Langford (Club info)

THE REST OF THE WEEK

Despite there being an international break there are still well over 60 matches in the London area over the next week.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed - something which often happens at this time of year. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Tuesday 30 August

Checkatrade Trophy - previously known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, the competition has received a controversial revamp which allows the top clubs' U23 sides to enter and play against League One and League Two first teams much to the dismay of many of the clubs and fans involved. It begins this week with meagre attendances predicted, as a result most clubs are charging nominal admission prices of around £10 to get in.

AFC Wimbledon v Swansea City U23 @745pm  - the Dons are so against the new format that they are actively encouraging their fans not to attend this match so you might have the place to yourself
Charlton Athletic v Southampton U23 @745pm - the Saints' academy is famous for producing great players (e.g. Gareth Bale) so they should be a good test for the Addicks
Millwall v West Bromwich Albion U23 @745pm - one of the goals of this competition is to toughen up the youngsters and prepare them for first-team football, a night at the Den should leave an impression
Leyton Orient v Stevenage @745pm - the only genuine tie of the night, from the purists' point of view, is this all-League Two encounter at the Matchroom Stadium

Combined Counties League
Raynes Park Vale v Colliers Wood United @745pm - Tuesday night sees our first A3 derby of the season, neither have started their Premier Division campaigns spectacularly so will want to win
Chessington & Hook United v Epsom Athletic @745pm - in the division below we have a groundshare derby to look forward to

Spartan South Midlands League
Wembley v Cockfosters @745pm - locked together with several teams on six points, a win could propel either side into the upper echelons of the table

-----------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 31 August

Essex Senior League

Sporting Bengal United v Tower Hamlets @745pm - it wasn't hard to pick the Mile End derby between these two groundsharers as game of the day

--------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 1 September

FA Women's Super League 1
Chelsea v Notts County @730pm - the Blues are second in the league but a whopping 10 points behind Manchester City - however, they have two games in hand so must win here against one of the league's also-rans

---------------------------------------------------------------

Friday 2 September

Southern Counties East League
Erith Town v Fisher @745pm - get your Non-League Day weekend underway with a south-east London derby down at VCD Athletic's ground

The Wembley Cup @730pm - to be honest I've read and re-read the blurb describing what this event is all about and I still don't get it - essentially there will be some legends and some people from YouTube kicking Xboxes around for charity at Wembley Stadium. Well I think football's involved somewhere - you'll have to find out for yourself because I can't fathom it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday 3 September: Non-League Day - see above

--------------------------------------------------------------------

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

3 Months Old!

Today I feel like I've reached the biggest milestone yet of motherhood. My little man is THREE months old! Everyone always said the first 12(ish) weeks are the toughest so the fact that we've made it past that mark makes me feel relieved almost. It has been hard... so hard! But also so incredibly rewarding and awesome. It's amazing to watch a tiny little human grow and learn new things- literally overnight at times. I don't plan on always doing monthly updates on T but I figured a 3-month check in was worthy of a blog post.

According to my unofficial weigh-in's at home he is around 13.5 pounds. He is getting so chunky and I love it. It makes me proud to know I can feed him and he's growing because of ME and what my body can provide! T is wearing mostly 3 month clothes, although sizes are SO weird, so he wears some 0-3 still too. If it's Carter's brand (and the majority of his clothes are!) the 3 month stuff fits perfectly right now.

As of last week T is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT. I repeat, SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT. I'm talking 10-11 hour stretches. It's incredible. I've probably completely jinxed myself by typing that and telling the world, but right now it is glorious. He goes to bed around 7:30 and is down for the night. Praise the good Lord! Naps during the day still aren't consistent which can be frustrating, but I will happily take the night sleeping and be on my merry way for now :)

His hair is starting to come in more and more which I love. He's got a funny little patch of it in the back, and then some fuzzy stuff going all directions on top. His eyes are still super blue like momma's- and I'm hoping they stay that way. Our doctor commented on them and said even though it's still possible for them to change color, he doesn't see that happening with how incredibly blue T's are.

T is smiley 99% of the time, but I love his serious faces too. We are getting some sounds that are super close to actual laughs. He loves to coo and talk, I've captured some "conversations" on camera that are just the cutest ever. I'm that crazy mom that looks at all her pictures and videos of her kid once he goes to bed for the night. I'm exhausted and so ready for a 'break' and then I instantly miss him when he's sleeping.

I'm sure every stage with a child is so fun but I'm definitely loving the stage we're in now...getting into a groove, being able to predict his needs/moods more, watching him learn, etc. Even if I do look at his newborn pictures and want to cry just a little bit sometimes... Time truly goes SO fast!

Happy weekend everyone :) 

Crappy vs. Happy

Sometimes crappy things just happen. Little, big... it doesn't really matter. I like to focus on the positive side of things but sometimes you just need to vent about the not so awesome things that happened before you can move on, amiright? So today I'm telling you the crappy stuff from the week, followed by the happy thing that makes it okay. Like...

Crappy:  Jared's super long days right now. Coaching, even at the junior high level, takes up a ton of time. Me and T are missing Jared a lot these days- and vice versa, I hope ;)

Happy: Jared is working with kids in a sport that he loves and making a little extra money in the meantime. Plus, it's a short season in the grand scheme of things. They only play about 8 games and I'm looking forward to watching him coach a couple games this year!

He's the best :)

Crappy:  Living so far from people you love. My parents and grandparents are an hour away, one of my best friends lives an hour away and my only sister is about 9 hours away from me. I wish I could visit those people all the time but I don't know how people do that with babies. Seriously, you people who take long car rides and flights and such?! Mind blown.

Happy: Technology that let's me stay in touch with those people. As much as social media and technology can get annoying (hello, political rants/opinions EVERYWHERE!) I'm thankful for things like Facebook and Skype to talk to those I can't see in person.

Crappy:  Not feeling like there are enough hours in the day to get everything done. Aka- my house never seems to be fully cleaned.

Happy: I'm busy filling my days with my little boy and that is truly all that matters.

Crappy:  Switching insurance plans. With me leaving my job we are having to change all of our insurance which means lots of annoying paperwork and phone calls.

Happy: Thank goodness for Jared's ability to work and the blessing of having medical insurance. It might be a hassle but I'm thankful for it.

Crappy:  Being sore in all kinds of strange places. I started working out last week and whew... It's going to be a challenge to whip this body back into any kind of shape.

Happy: Being sore in all kinds of strange places. Yep! It means I'm moving and doing the right things!

What's the crappy/happy in your week right now??

The Last 10

I saw someone else post about recent photos on their camera roll last week and since I am constantly lacking inspiration for posts lately, I hijacked their idea today! Now, I'm cheating just a tad because if we're being honest here, probably the last 32 pictures on my phone are of my kid with only a couple other things sprinkled in. Since I don't care to post 32 photos (maybe taken in one day... just saying) of T, I figured I'd share the last 10 non-baby pictures on my phone ;)

1 // A fun mural in Cincinnati. I haven't been downtown much at all since going on maternity leave but I happened upon this on my last stop down there.

2 // Kayla's 25th Birthday Surprise. A couple weeks ago my brother-in-law organized a fun little surprise dinner and I somehow made it out of my house with T so I could be there! Okay, okay... I missed the actual "SURPRISE!" part but I still made it there and even showered that day. #bigdeal

3 // Snapchat fun with Jared. I don't use Snapchat to narrate my day or do anything remotely interesting, but I do love seeing what filters they'll come up with next.

4 // Goodbye, Bengals. The last photo I snapped in my office on the day I cleaned it out and said bye to everyone. Still makes me a little sad to look at it, I won't lie. Never thought it would have been as hard as it was to leave that place.

5 // A Halloween Puzzle. Jared and I love puzzles and do them all the time, especially now that date nights are mostly at home for the time being. We have a ton of Disney puzzles we love but decided to mix it up and grab a festive one we found on Amazon. I cannot wait to bust this one out!

6 // Share 4 Adoption. Wendy's donates $5 toward adoption anytime someone makes the heart with their cup and shares it. Done and done! I love adoption.

7 // We are So Cool! If we aren't doing jigsaw puzzles, you can probably find us nerding out over some Wii games. We have a 3D Toy Story Mania game that we love :)

8 // Best Caeser Chicken Ever. I always screenshot recipes/ingredients on my phone. Anyone else do this? This is my favorite way to make a big batch of caeser chicken in the crockpot. So easy and delicious.

9 // Little clothes! We have the sweetest family and friends. They are always thinking of our little man and always spoiling him. At this rate, Jared and I may not have to buy him clothes until he goes to Kindergarten.

10 // My Buddy. Okay, okay, you knew I couldn't resist sneaking in ONE pic of my little buddy. The day we found out he was a "he" I started referring to him as my little buddy and I still call him that now. I vividly remember how amazing it felt to know "who" was in there kicking around!