It's not you, It's me...

I clearly have blog commitment issues, my bad yo.

I haven't posted in a hot minute because last week was a little on the cray-cray side.

Last Friday after I posted my Friday Photo Dump I got a text from my friend Claire. While I haven't actually "hung out" with Claire in about 3 years (she moved to Lubbock for school & I made a human being, big stuff ya know) we're the kind of friends that can pick up right where we left off like we saw each other yesterday.

So the text says "did you hear about David."

One of those moments your heart sinks and you instantly know something bad has happened...

I walked out of my office and called her

"hello"
"whats wrong"
"David was in a really bad car accident last night"

While the blog-o-sphere is not the place for all the details of my feelings for this sweet man, I will say this... David Estrada is VERY high on the list of my favorite people in the universe.

The rest of the conversation was basically along the lines of her telling me he was alive & could potentially end up paralyzed. We made plans to go to the hospital to see him and then I had to go back to my desk and pretend to think about my job while getting updates from his sweet mother. Saying I prayed a lot that afternoon doesn't even cover it, I was literally hands-clasped-head-down talking to God at my desk. I never got mad, or asked why. I knew David wouldn't, his love for God is unwavering and I knew no matter what ended up happening he would never get mad... he would never ask why.

Saturday morning I got up early and headed to Austin. I met up with Claire and we went and bought David some (super manly) sunflowers and a silly card, grabbed some hot lunch for his parents, and headed to the hospital. We were both so nervous. I don't think you can ever really prepare yourself for seeing someone you love so much in a neck brace and hooked up to all kinds of machines in a hospital. My stomach was in knots all morning and I was running off pure nervous energy. At this point he had already been through surgery and had two vertebrae in his neck fused together. They said if his neck was to have slipped ONE MILLIMETER more... he would have been paralyzed, but it was a little easier going in to see him knowing the surgery was successful and that he was on the downhill side of this whole mess.

When we went in he was in really good spirits (thanks pain meds!) & that made it a lot easier. There were jokes and forehead kisses exchanged (his hands were bothering him so he couldn't hug us). My mommy instincts kicked in pretty hard and I wanted to do everything for him but knew I couldn't, that was the hardest. We spent about an hour with him and then another hour in the lobby talking to his mom while family went to see him. His mom amazed me through this whole thing! She was being so strong & resilient for David.

I spent a few more hours at the hospital Sunday Morning & he was moved to a different floor where he didn't have to be hooked up to so many machines and the nurses didn't check on him as often. He has since been moved to a Rehab facility and is doing really great. Since it's Landon's weekend with his daddy, (insert sad face here) I am planning on staying the weekend in Austin again. I'll go see David and catch up with an old friend... chill mode.

For all of you that saw my posts on Facebook & prayed for my sweet friend, thank you... from the bottom of my heart!

In other newsssssssss......

WE GOT A PUPPY!

He is a 5 month old Pomeranian named Hurley & he is PERFECT for our little family. He and Landon are such BFF's already.

With Love,
Leia & Landon

Friday Photo Dump v.2

The "big boy" slide... he went down like, ohhhh 200 times

 Climbing up for more! Little L doesn't want Mommys help anymore ):

 Hydration. It's kinda important...

First day of school excitement! (Or mommy just gave me gummy snacks excitement)

 first-thing-in-the-morning-half-asleep smiles & a booger trying to escape... dude.

The Soy Chai Latte. My favorite drink. Year 'round. Tastes like Christmas. Try it.

This VENTI latte however decided it did not want to be put into my stomach and instead took a dive for my lap. Oh ya, did I mention this happened AT WORK. Cue the sippy cup jokes...

Totes made up for it by bringing pineapple upside down cupcakes to work today. bam.

It's Friday, Friday, Gotta get down on Friday!
This song pops into my head EVERY Friday, I hate it but its always there waiting for me... & now it's stuck in your head. You're Welcome.

A BOY?!

Tonight I'm having a much needed mommys-night-out! Dinner & drinks & music with friends... and a boy. I know, I know, I keep saying I'm giving up on stinky boys but what am I supposed to do when a SUPER cute nurse tells me he wants to hang out? say no? Pshhhhhhhhhh, you clearly don't know me.

Get on my level.

The Great Food Day Drama
Here is a little side note on courtesy & manners... in case ya mamma didn't learn ya none. If you ever happen to work in an office setting and your spectacular co-workers decide they want to have a potluck/food day, participate. Bring something or donate a few dolla dolla bills yo. If you don't participate... DO NOT, i repeat DO NOT go start making yourself a plate at 10am before anyone else. Ummm, rude. People who did participate are now not eating because there isn't enough food left and then people are forced to give you the stink-eye... no bueno.

With Love,

Leia & Landon

It's never too late, to change your life.

Anyone who has been reading my blog recently knows I decided to make a little change in my life, and some of you are wondering why? why now? why running?

The truth is I don't really know WHY. I just know I want to do it. 

There are a few little stepping stones that lead me to running... like, I'm a single mom. Umm, any single momma's ever tried to go to the gym? (P.S. small town, no fancy smancy daycare centers at our gyms) It's just not practical for ME. Get a sitter to go work out? Silly.

Then there's that whole thing with the really-cute-guy-who-sent-me-flowers-and-ended-up-douchey who GAVE ME a jogging stroller (you know they say people come into your life for a reason, maybe I was supposed to get a little heart hurt so I could get a jogging stroller and start running. glass half full. hello?).

I also have a few friends that run & one in particular who has been blogging about her new love of running. It was inspiring. It made me want to run (almost) immediately so that I could love something that much.

But mainly... I want something for me. On August 21st, 2010 I became a Momma, and since that day my whole little world has revolved around my sweet Little L. I spend 24 hours a day in Mommy mode. I love it, I think I'm good at it, It makes me feel so fulfilled. I wouldn't trade a second of that time, but at only 24 years old I find myself wanting something for me. Is that selfish? Running just seems like the logical answer. Out there it'll just be me, no labels. Of course I can never totally escape mommy mode because I instantly think what a good role model I will be for a healthy lifestyle & how I can't wait for him to get big enough to run 5k's with me. Geez we will be cute.

& finally, lets face it... runners are BAD ASS(period)

 

^then there's that^

 & we all know I LOVE me some Dr. Seuss...

So there's that... guess it kinda sounds like I do know the answer to "why running?" huh?

On another running related note, It's on my bucket list to run a (lot of) marathon (s). 26.2 miles. YES.

So the whole plan is I'm gradually building up to that, I already announced my first race will be the CASA Superhero 5k. I fully plan on dressing up & It's for a good cause....

The Superhero CASA 5K Series is a series of walk/run family events held throughout Texas. All proceeds benefit local CASA programs and volunteers. CASA volunteers win their superhero status by advocating for the best interests of abused or neglected children in foster care.

So check out the website because they have events all over Texas, & If you want to do the Waco event you officially have Wonder Woman (me) as a running buddy. Pretty legit. Just sayin'

Now for the most EXCITING part of this post.... drumroll please....

I have picked my first half-marathon!!!!

In March I will be running (with Christine & hopefully Tam) ZOOMA in Austin! Seriously, check out their website. It sounds like SO much fun! We are going to make a girls weekend out of it and I'm super stoaked. Since it's in March it gives me plenty of time to run more races and build myself up to a half! I never in my life imagined I would (or would WANT TO) run 13.1 miles and now I can't freaking wait!

run. laugh. celebrate.

Imagine a powerful sea of women on the move–encouraging fellow runners, creating unforgettable moments, and celebrating personal running triumphs.  Picture a post-race party and expo all wrapped up in one memorable “after-party expo” where these strong goal-oriented women come together for well-deserved celebration.  This is the Muscle Milk Light ZOOMA Women’s Race Series.

So if anyone would like to go with us, we would LOVE to have you! It's going to be super fun, I can't wait to experience crossing the finish line after 13.1 miles! I know I'm going to be SO proud of myself for pushing myself further and harder than ever before!

With love,

Just silly Leia

P.S. Tamara, I'm pretty sure I'm on track (haha) to becoming a "straight up runner junkie" too (:

Dear Monday,

Dear Monday, you will forever be remembered as the day I started this running journey I'm on. That's right official 5k training starts TODAY!

Dear annoying dog, although you are huge and hairy and kind of mean looking, you are not a werewolf and therefore are not required to howl at the moon at 2am...

Dear Little L, geez louise kid, you are a freakin' rockstar! Today you started a new "school" and you were such a big boy about it. In fact, you have been a rockstar about all the changes in our life recently (& there have been a lot). I'm so blessed to have such a go-with-the-flow kid. Thanks for being a morning person, when mommy is not. Thanks for being so freakin' adorable. Thanks for being my little dude. -Love Big L

Dear dating life, You currently suck... and I'm growing to hate your awkwardness and string of let-downs. You are turning into a blog series in the making... happening.

Dear weekend. you're kinda lazy... I'm thinking you should put in a request to work an extra day of the week... as in permanent 3 day weekend. I mean the week is 5 days and you're just 2, slacker.

Dear workday, please. end. quickly. I can't wait to pick up little L and see how his first day went, I can't wait to go run tonight, I can't wait to clean my kitchen... oh wait, that's a fib. I'm a fibber, ignore that last one.

Dear first patient of the morning, your optimism and faith in God in light of your circumstances really touched my heart. You served as a reminder of God's unfailing love for me. Thank you for the blessing that you were to me today. You will certainly be in my prayers.
With love,
Leia & Landon

When did THAT happen?

I'm sorry, this is a super sappy momma post. At least I warned ya...

When did this tiny little jelly bean, resting safe inside momma's tummy...

Become this little toot...

When did that happen?!

Tomorrow is Landon's first day at First Church Preschool, and Momma is feeling a little sappy. For most of the first year of his life I was blessed to spend every day with him, and since then he has mostly been in in-home care. He has gone to one other "daycare" but this one is completely different, they are actually going to teach him things and he will be going to chapel. Like, what!? I guess it's time for Momma to start seeing this little boy the way the rest of the world does... as a...(gulp) kid (insert crying mother here).

He is still such a baby in my heart, and I know he is only two but it's starting to hit me like...

HE IS TWO! HALF-WAY-TO-THIRTY-MOM-STOP-KISSING-ME-SO-MUCH TWO!

Not fair, so not fair.

Time FLIES when your having fun. And that my friends, is the truth.

With love,
Leia & Landon

Notice something different?

WELCOME TO THE NEW IMPROVED 

sunny side up!

This place needed a reconstruct, badly.

& so it happened.

& so I'm in love with it.

I was so on the verge of paying someone to design a new blog for me. Then I woke up from la la land, remembered I'm blogging on a notepad budget & got to work. Several tutorials and a few hours later, I'm SUPER pleased w/ myself.

I got the background pattern FO FREE over @ The Cutest Blog on the Block. Their stuff if pretty presh. They also have lots of great tutorials!

You may now return to your normally scheduled programming.

With love,

Just silly Leia

 (my next project is one of those cute signatures, presh.)

Friday Photo Dump v.1

Friday Photo Dump:

Momma & Landon after our very first 5k training sesh (9/6/12)!

Little boo in the fort his super stellar momma made him

1 part boy + 1 part indoor fort = this precious face!

Watching Cars in the Car... maybe he thought it was 3D? Maybe he is just THAT cool?

Don't let that golden color fool you, that's an apple in that ketchup, and he ate them all that way. 

This wall will exist in my dining room as of next weekend

& one for nostalgia... fresh new baby-ness

Weekly Wants:

If you've been keeping up with my life, you'll know I'm trying something new & this list will make more sense.

(1)

Running Shoes

If I'm going to get serious about this, my sophomore year (high school, yes.) kicks aren't going to cut it anymore.

(2)

Hair STUFF

I'm getting ready for my walk/run yesterday and I realize I have no hair ties or head bands... WHAT?! What kind of woman am I? I've bought bazillions of hair ties in my life and I seriously can't find one hidden in an old purse or the bottom back corner of my vanity, really?

(3)

This outfit.

For the Superhero 5k. Sweet. Yes. Happening.

(4)

Water

This is more of a goal than a want, I NEED to start drinking more water. Goodbye Dr. Pepper ):

With Love,

Just silly Leia

P.S. Runners... what do you eat? Before/After training? Before/After a race?

Perhaps, I've lost my mind...

Please sit down. On the edge of your seat though... you know, with anticipation and all....

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

I have decided to become.... a runner.

There will now be a brief intermission to allow those of you who know me personally time to pick yourselves up off the floor and stop laughing so hard you can't read this...

Oh, you can breathe again? Great!

This has been something I've been secretly wanting to try for a long time. People who run LOVE it. So, I'm going to go for it! Thankfully I have a friend who is as psychotic as I am & who was super stoaked about this idea. So now I have a running buddy. We already have a training schedule calendar printed out & in SIX WEEKS we are planning on running the Superhero 5k in Waco! The training plan we found online is 5 weeks, so we are just adding an extra week for good measure.

The goal at this point is just to finish the run, as I have no idea what a fast time/slow time is for one of these things. I do however know one thing... even if I am dead last, if (WHEN) I finish... Im going to be so proud of myself!

So really now, lets get down to the dirt. Im terrified. But in like a good way? Makes sense, totally makes sense.

I can't wait to start running regularly and going to all kinds of neat races, and making all kinds of new running friends, and running for all kinds of great causes. Don't runners just seem so cool? They do, they totally do.

Not to mention getting my fitness onnnnn, hayyyyyyy girllllll!

So here is to the longggggggg road ahead!

With love,

Just silly Leia

The Potty Chronicles. Part III of IV

Nothing Eventful.

Today was DAY 2 of potty training weekend and I am here to report... nothing eventful.

He still happily sits on the potty every time the music plays and I didn't have to clean up near as much pee off the floor. However, there has been no pee-in-toilet action as of yet. I am not discouraged! I feel like people are waiting around for me to pull my hair out or cry, that will not be happening. This is merely an experiment... if it works, righteous. 

I think if nothing else it will have served as a great opening to further potty training and it has shown me that he is comfortable with the potty, which is a little relieving after some of the my-toddler-has-toiletphobia stories I've been told!

Tomorrow is the last day, while I am hoping for at least a little pee-in-toilet action I will not be disappointed if it still doesn't happen.

With Love,

Leia & Landon

The Potty Chronicles. Part II of IV

(Did anyone even notice my toilet has a stash?!)

Today was DAY 1 of the potty training weekend, and as typical with a 2 year old and all kinds of life happening outside our house, it didn't go quite as planned.

Last night I downloaded Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO and set that as the alarm on my phone. I set up the snooze to go off every 20 min, and we adopted the song as our POTTY rock anthem! Landon loved it! Every time it started playing we would dance to the bathroom and then sit on the potty. Not ONCE did he ever fuss about sitting on the potty, I was a proud momma.

I always made sure his sippy cup was FULL and that it was near him at all times, I wanted him to pee ALOT today. I kinda figure the way this whole thing works is that your putting them on the toilet so much that eventually they are going to pee in the potty if they mean to or not. So I figured loading him full of fluids increased our odds. He ended up not going in the toilet at all this morning (but I fully expected that) and he peed on the floor   6 times (and I fully expected that). I had already rolled up all the rugs in the house and bought a JUMBO thing of Clorox wipes for just that purpose. I'm letting the kid walk around without a diaper for 3 days, I fully plan on cleaning up LOTS of pee.

I would like to take a moment to pay respects to the first two casualties of potty training weekend. They gave up their clean, dry stuffing for the greater good. Thank you for your service.

After a tiny nap we had a baby shower to go to, I took our potty seat just in case he asked to go and I even took him twice, but I didn't push him to go on a schedule and I had him in a diaper. That ended up being a good decision as over-stimulation and sweets had him on the verge of a meltdown all afternoon. After the shower my parents wanted to go to dinner and then we went shopping. ::Surprise, Surprise:: Landon got all kinds of new clothes. Every time my parents celebrate anything, Landon gets new stuff. Papaw's birthday, Landon gets toys. Nonna & Papaw's anniversary, Landon gets clothes.

Based on the fact that we had fun this morning and Landon is obviously comfortable with sitting on the toilet, I would count DAY 1 as a SUCCESS.

I'm actually really super stoaked to wake up tomorrow and clean up more pee, no really. I am! Hopefully we will have at least one amazing potty story to tell!

With Love,

Leia & Landon.