I may get in trouble...

This may be the month that I get in trouble for many reasons. One is that today is my first official day on Maternity leave. With that being said, I will be doing things not in my normal routine. Baking and cooking these Fall dishes will keep me busy, but I bet you I gain a ton of weight from eating them too! I can't deny, as much as I love to cook, I'm not a HUGE eater and I don't live to eat, I eat to live and fuel my body...and this little baby too.

The other reason I may get in trouble is because I realized that I NEVER have to leave my house to purchase the things I need, and like- a very big difference between the two! I am being good so far, but I have only just begun! Yikes. I just may stay out of trouble and go for more walks, maybe by the water, maybe on the track at the high school, or maybe in my little favorite town of Rye, where I can't get in too much trouble! ;O)

I created a cute little To Do List for October, and thought I'd share it with you along with the easiest quickest recipe for guacamole. I mean even if you only have 10 minutes to spare, you can make this recipe! I promise! First before I share this NO brainer recipe, just look at my lunch today! I know baby Sasha is loving it too!

Since I am sharing this mouth watering picture, I should now share the recipe, huh? 
Click here: Goddess Guacamole: Super quick and easy!

I had jasmine brown rice in the fridge so I had 1/2 cup of that and made 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites in an omelet, and then took 1/2 cup of the Goddess guacamole and put on top. This meal was so delicious! YOU MUST TRY IT!

Goddess Approved!

Oh boy! I can't even grasp how fast September has come and gone! I guess when you are having fun, time flies. I had two baby showers, got to see my God Daughter- Caitlyn, Lots of Dr. appointments, finishing up work with my clients, doing some more shopping for baby Sasha's arrival- I guess you could say I was busy! I am thankful the month went by so fast! 

It's hard to imagine that Sasha will be in before the end of October.  I am just wondering if this month will go by as fast since I am officially on Maternity leave. The good news is that I will be spending time with my clients who are like more like family than friends- 8 years with me, 3 times a week, I guess you could say we know each other! So, I will be having quite a few lunch dates to get me out of the house.

I put together a list of my new Goddess Approved Goodies. I am going to continue this post every Sunday and introduce you to new things YOU & your family can try..... Let's kick off October with a few of my favorites!

Argo Tea: for those times you want a refreshing HEALTHY green tea with a ginger twist. It's only 60 calories a bottle, and I don't know about you but I can't drink the whole thing at once, I usually sip it over a few days. The Ginger twist is my FAV!

Dapple baby laundry detergent is great. I ordered it on Soap.com and just used it for the first time today. I am going to use chemical free Paraben free soaps, lotions, wipes etc, for baby Sasha. I know the other soaps and baby things might smell great, but Sasha will be a newborn, and that smell alone is perfect for me!

 OH MY! I found these two at Whole Foods, of course! Anything with pumpkin and nutmeg, I will devour, as well as apple butter spreads! No sugar in these bad boys and they taste so delicious on a slice of Ezekiel toast with some almond butter!

 Another goodie I found on Soap.com. The whole Method Line of products is paraben free, and no harsh chemicals. This is from their fall collection. It's a pretty bottle and the soap smells great! This one is in my bathroom. PS. If you order on soap.com, you will have your package in LESS than 24 hours. Who has time to be running to the store with a new baby, dragging all these things in the house. With soap.com, I order with a click of my keyboard, they deliver, Mario brings upstairs, and I am still snuggling with baby! Sounds convenient to me!

 My skin care has become less maintenance since I am pregnant. No Botox, No Juviderm, No chemical peels, just good 'ol natural products. Burt's Bees serum which is applied to clean clean. Josie Moran Blemish pads are great, as Josie Moran's whole line is paraben free: Don't need those harsh chemicals leeching through my skin to the baby! And lastly, because I get rosacia around my mouth and nose, Darphin products are great! 


I'ver never used this brand for body wash, but when I ordered it, and got it home to open and smell it, I am happy I did. It smells amazing! And just like it's name "pure Naked", there are no junk chemicals in there! The bottle isn't hard to look at either! SO pretty!

 Here is what you will find in my makeup bag! Yup, that's it! Laura Mercier is great for women who have rosacia. I just use a tinted moiturizer, because I have no lines or wrinkles, and no blemishes to cover. This allows my skin to have a nice even color along with moisture. On top of that, if I am going out I will wear the bronzer, and the mascara, but for the most part, I m wearing just the tinted moisturizer and my Sugar Fresh lip balm with SPF of 15. 

 Ok, so this one is my guilty pleasure. Caress makes this body wash that is just to die for. Not only does it exfoliate but it smells like it came right out of the oven- The burnt brown sugar scent stays on your skin for HOURS after you have showered. PS. my husband uses mine when he runs out of his bar soap (which I purposely do), and when he comes out of the shower, I want to attack him. It isn't a flowery scent, so don't worry. It smells delicious on men! You can find it at Target, CVS or wherever you get normal stuff. This will be my last bottle, as you saw above I am switching to the all natural lines.

Simple is a great line of cleaning products for your skin. No scent, no parabens, no junk. Cleans your face great and leaves no filmy residue, just a clean face!








And there you have My Goddess Approved FAVORITES for the month!
I hope you try these products out and let me know what you think!
XO

Packing our hospital bags.

I feel  like I am going on vacation.... Got the bags for me, Sasha and one for daddy too. Since I will be having a C-section, I will be at the hospital for a few days. This means I need to make sure I have enough undies, nursing bras, PJ's, and that Sasha too has our outfits, blanket, hat, undershirt onsie, and little sherpa pram. I also packed her a pink snuggly velvet plush blanket for her hospital picture, and of course, I didn't forget her pretty little bow for her hair. I'm not into baby headbands so much, I like the little baby barrettes instead. I feel like the headbands are uncomfortable and squeeze their heads.

Sherpa Pram $22.80

So while some things are being washed, I ordered her little coat, hat and mittens from Carter's. I'm not going crazy on buying a newborn coat for her and spending crazy money. Carter's has been around I think since I have been born. Their quality is great and the prices are even better! Here are the things I ordered today.

Pilot Hat Set $15.00

I think these will keep little Miss very warm from the time she comes home, until around Christmas, which at that point I will probably have to get her into a 3 month sized coat.  I must say, it's so fun to shop for a little girl, but at the same time dangerous, because I just want to buy her everything! I was the same with Heather! She always wore the best outfits, although looking back now, she says "eww" when she looks at her baby pictures. I guess we all do when we look back at the style and fashion. I'm sure Sasha will do the same.

I'm already looking into outfits for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I think I am going to wait until I see how big she is and how big she will be by those times. 

This week coming up we have Dr. Bond on Friday, which is always a soothing comforting and fun experience, and one where I actually get to see Sasha during an ultrasound. I love watching her move and seeing how big she is getting. I am going to be she is close to 6 lbs. right now! We will see!

35 weeks and counting!

I don't think I have complained much at all this whole pregnancy, and as I think back, it's been pleasant, beautiful and happy. With five weeks to go, I think I am entitled to complain at least once on my blog. I'm tired, crabby, waddling, sleepless, my bladder feels like it's going to bust through my sheesh (private area), and my hips feel as though I need a double hip replacement. Nothing fits, and I am so SICK of people saying "wow, five more weeks? You must be having a BIG BABY!" I am peeing and up all night long, I might as well stay up, and do something productive! I'm sick of everything I eat and can't wait to get my taste buds back. I miss the foods I used to love and am starting to get even more sick of eating chicken, turkey, buffalo, and eggs! GAG! I want my veggies and beans back! I want my kale which right now, I can't even stomach. I want my "00" skinny jeans on my ass, and my teeny Lululemon shorts and Body Rock Sports Bras, where I rock my 8 pack! My back is throbbing all day and nothing makes it feel better! Heartburn like a bastard!

Ahh! That felt good. Now back to my 35th week and how much I LOVE this little girl. On Tuesday, I guess Sasha was having a lazy day. She moved, but not like she normally does. I get all kinds of crazy and start worrying that something is wrong when I don't feel her dance all day. She is super active. But on Wednesday she was back to normal.

I have really increased my water lately and have noticed that aside from peeing every 15 minutes, I have more energy and she moves more. Water is one of the MOST important things you can drink for you & the health of your baby. An added bonus: The more water you drink, the less retention you have. I have been so lucky in that department! NO edema, no swollen fingers, my face is still very thin and honestly the only place I am bigger is my belly- I'm "ALL BABY". 

• To date, I have gained 26 lbs, and will probably hit 32 lbs by the end of my pregnancy which makes me happy. It's the perfect healthy weight gain for my size and frame.

• Craving Pumpkin like crazy, between pumpkin pancakes, and pumpkin smoothies and today I may make some pumpkin muffins. Sasha may come out orange!

• At this point I am going weekly for Sasha's NST'S which are her non stress tests. I'm fine with all the Dr. appointments simply because it reassures me that little little pumpkin is strong, healthy and growing. Although today was quite nerve wracking! I was there from 11-1:30! Sasha's heart beat was fine but a few times she had some drops in her heart rate. While it came back up rather quickly, the nurse was concerned enough to call my DR, who then said he wanted me to have an ultrasound. Everything is fine and Sasha is feisty as ever. They think she probably was pressing on her umbilical cord, which stops the blood flow. Ultrasound went great and I was released. UGH! I get so nervous!

• We are seriously thinking of planning her birth due to our business. I'm not going back to work, however, Mario wants to be home with me & Sasha for a week after she is born, and is going to have one of our trainers cover for him, but in order to do that, we have to know WHEN the baby is coming. I will see what my Dr. says tomorrow. We may just decide on a date and do a C-Section or wait to see what little miss decides. As of right now she is still breeched.

• Nesting like crazy and I am dying to go up to my attack, but Mario won't let me, he is afraid I will slip and fall down the stairs! UGH! He won't even let me wash the floor, because he knows I'll be on my hands and knees... SO I'll do everything else, and then the last week, I'll get the maids to come in and do an INTENSE scrub down!

Tomorrow is another day closer to Mario and I holding our little Sasha...

XO

A yummy healthy craving!!

As a wellness coach, I need to make sure my clients not only workout and get in their exercise daily, but I also need to make sure they are eating a very well balanced diet, incorporating lots of GREAT foods that are in season! If you are pregnant, these veggies are AH-MAZING for you! If you have small kids or even big ones, hurry to pick some apples and grab some pumpkins and squash! 'TIS THE SEASON!

It's amazing how my body just switches on a switch EVERY late September for these Harvest veggies & fruits. I think I started craving pumpkin about a week ago, but had to figure out some new ways to make it.

One thing is for sure.... Now that I will be on maternity leave, I can make these dishes more often because I won't be in a rush to get to work, and I won't be exhausted. 

The one thing I love about the harvest veggies, like pumpkin and all the squash is that they are loaded with vitamin C, minerals and fiber, but also water. These foods will keep you satiated much longer than your typical pastas, pizza and other crap. Pregnant or not, I want the BEST IN SEASON foods in my body.

On my OTHER BLOG, I shared my first END OF SUMMER beginning of FALL recipe. I just enjoyed my bowl of savory pumpkin oatmeal. I am full, warm and happy! YUM!

Click on the picture below to get the recipe! I hope you enjoy!

XO Tina.

34 weeks today!!!

Wow! So reality is really setting in now. Yea, I know, HELLO! Sasha has been in my belly for 34 weeks now, you'd think It had already set in, but I must tell you.... Putting an infant car seat in my car, and sweating NOT because it's hot out, but because I want to make sure the seat is super secure and safe! LORD have Mercy! 

Cybex Infant Seat- Anton

 I put the car seat in and gulped! She will be here sooner than we think! To think I was just starting to sleep through the night...yes, 19 & 22 years later... we never stop worrying about our babies do we? I always think of my two- Heather 22 years old and Tyler 19 years old, I think about them SO MUCH during the day, but especially at night, so every night before I go to sleep. I say prayers for both of them and out like a light I go..well, until little miss came about. NOW, between the pregnancy and peeing 4-5 times a night and with her about to come into my world, I'll start all over again! I'm so excited and so thrilled to embark on a new journey with my husband as we bring this little angel into the world.

How Far Along? I 34 weeks today-September 19th, 2013. I am becoming more and more obsessed with her! I can't wait to smell her and kiss her little face!

Total weight gain: 25lbs, and it's all in my boobs and belly! My belly is starting to effect my back now. I can't sit or stand too long.... I also feel lots of pressure on my bladder and cervix. As of now, my cervix is closed up tight...I will find out more tomorrow during my ultrasound.

Sleep: sleep sucks! Between peeing 4 times a night, getting leg cramps and now hip cramps, I'm a walking zombie. If I lay at night on my left side for too long, I get a throbbing pain in my hips, so I am constantly switching from side to side. It's getting worse. God is definitely preparing me for her arrival! BRING IT!

Best moment this week: I have had so many great moments! Today I had lunch with my friend Carolyn at her house. So nice to sit outside and catch up! Putting Sasha's carseat in the car was hard, but at the same time, warmed my heart! I can't wait to look in the rear view mirror and see her little head!

Miss Anything? RUNNING and working out like a beast!

Movement: Oh yes, Sasha is running out of room, and digs her head into my ribs, and her tush is constantly sticking out of my belly. Her feet dig into my bladder, and sometimes startles me! She is my little freshy pants!

Food cravings: not really. nothing new I have been craving. Just eating what I can to stay full and NOT bloated. I can't eat big meals...

Anything making you queasy or sick: nope.

Labor Signs: Nope, not yet. But I did have two contractions last week....nothing that phased my doctor though.

Symptoms: Heartburn, back pain, tired in the morning, and pee like a river!

Belly Button in or out? Popped all the way out!

Wedding rings on or off? on and loose!I am happy to say I have no edema. My fingers are still skinny and my legs and feet only swell after I have walked outside in the heat for a mile or two.

Happy or Moody most of the time: THRILLED, but tired, restless too...This girl NEEDS to workout and run!

Looking forward to: what the next 6 weeks will be like. Will I have to get a C-Section? Will Sasha finally flip? WIll she stay snuggled in my ribs? I am looking forward to seeing her on the ultrasound tomorrow- She must be so big now!

XOXOXO Tina

My new favs!

Here are some of my new discoveries. Whether you are pregnant, nursing or have a new baby, you need things that are Quick, but ALSO great for you. I don't approve of 90% of the junk I see on other blogs or in the stores or on websites. Why? Because, the more ingredients = more chemicals, and more chemicals and toxins = bad digestion, and liver clogging. Who needs all that fake crap! I search for things that are super healthy, but also taste great, and if you must spend a little more money, well, then guess what? At least 20 years down the road, you won't discover you have some ailment inside! As I always say, Food should be your fuel and medicine.

When I read the ingredients in this Fiber Love bar, I was able to pronounce all of the words, and knew what every one of them was! To me, That's quick easy nutrition that you can just grab and go. I would even approve this as a meal! Why? Well read the ingredients. You have everything you need to keep you satiated. I'm 8 months pregnant, and when I eat this bar with a cup of green tea, I am full for hours. It has 300 calories (don't pass out girls!) 

LOOK WHERE THE CALORIES COME FROM! 

While wondering around Whole Foods today, I spied with my little eyes a NEW Blue Print Cleanse drink!!! OH can you say sweet, tangy, sugar craving yumminess? Oh and thirst quench? It's so yum! So what did I do? I took a quarter of this little cute bootle and poured it in my seltzer and now drinking it out of my pretty stripped straw!  It has 29 grams of carbs which come from the organic oranges, and grapefruit, so if I were you, I would use a little at a time, or drink before a run.

My husband gets credit for me drinking this stuff! You all know I'm NOT a dairy person, but due to little Sasha's dairy needs right now to develop her little bones, I will eat or drink anything I can to have a healthy baby. What I like about these little shots, is they are goats milk so they don't bother my belly which is HUGE and also, they really help with heartburn. For some reason, I chugged one on a day when my heartburn was going to be the death of me.....30 minutes later it was gone... for the day at least! So today, I went back and grabbed about 5 more!

XOXO Tina

No sleep, but Momma can cook!

I couldn't wait to get home today to take a nap! I am exhausted from peeing and tossing and turning every night! Sheesh! I'm really getting excited for the big day. I know I may not sleep once she gets here, but for now, carrying her in my belly, having lower back aches, and peeing all night, I would rather just have Sasha here in my arms.

By the time I got home from training Elizabeth, I somehow was filled with energy, so I made some recipes that I promised you yesterday! They are BOTH a hit so far. 

I have a GE Profile stove, and for the last almost 6 years I have been very happy with it... However, I have one small issue. If for some reason I happen to tough it by accident, it shuts off. Anyone have this stove? The buttons are so sensitive. So while I was making my incredible butter bean cookies, I didn't realize the oven went off half way through baking the cookies! SO annoying. I keep looking at them wondering why on earth they aren't turning brown, when suddenly I realized I didn't see in bright orange "350 degrees" next to the time. SO, frustrated but eager to make these cookies come out awesome, I quickly turned it back on, and it read 272 degrees. I cooked them for about 8 minutes longer, and they really turned out great- Thankfully.

Here is how they came 

out!
(click on the picture for the recipe)

Can you believe these scrumptious cookies were made from cannellini beans? I love this recipe! You MUST check it out!

I also promised you all the new recipes I make this week, I will share, and so here is what I made for lunch today. If you click on the picture, it will take you to the recipe. INHALE, I mean, enjoy!

 I was so nice and full and I bet Sasha loved it to! I know that when you get to about 32 weeks, and I am 34 weeks, the baby will open his or her mouth and taste whatever you eat when he/she tastes the amniotic fluid. I am trying my hardest to get her ready to eat all the foods Mario and I eat. I've started to eat more yams lately, and I SOOO love them. I am going to prepare them differently this week, and I will post the recipe when I do.

In my next blog post, I will show you some of the things little miss Sasha got for her shower!!

Have a great day! And let me know if you make the recipes I shared with you!

XO

New recipes and a photo shoot

I am starting to get sick and bored of my normal eating routine and the foods I have been eating... You would think that someone like me who has about 25 cookbooks I could do something different every once in a while. I do have some GREAT ones! 

I decided a few days ago to just grab a book off my book shelf, and VOW to make all new recipes this week! So, I will be sharing with you the recipes I am going to make.

Part of success in losing weight and looking BETTER than normal, comes from what you eat. As a wellness coach & someone who looked FAR from your average mom prior to getting pregnant, I know this first hand. I also said, "Use food as your FUEL and Medicine". Food should not be a crutch or a means to make yourself feel better after a break-up or a stressful day with the kids or at work.

I also don't recommend using pregnancy as a lame ass excuse as to why you should eat SHIT. Stick with me kid, I will show you how it's done. I am on such a mission when baby Sasha is born, I may even look better than I did before I got pregnant- who knows! I do know this.... I am a mother first, a wife second and everything else comes thereafter, HOWEVER, in order for me to do all of those things as BEST as I can, I need to make sure I am in great shape physically, mentally, spiritually. Being fit isn't just about having a six pack to me. It's about being able to multi task, clean, run to Target, feed the baby, clean the house, wash the clothes and have dinner on the table for my husband every night. If I am out of shape, how can I do all of those things and actually be happy? I would be too exhausted to even know what happiness feels like. 

Ok, so back to my recipes this week: I am using the Cookbook 
"Everyday Happy Herbivore" by Lindsay S. Nixon. This cookbook is low-fat and Vegan. I am not consumed by the word low-fat or Vegan, but more consumed by the way she creates these amazing meals, with stuff you probably already have in your house.

Everyday this week, I will post the picture with the recipes I have made from this book. I'm so excited and now after Mario came with me to Whole Foods and saw all the stuff I bought, he too is excited but more curious! 

I had a little fitness pregnancy photo-shoot today. It went great. My friend Stacy took my pics. Stacy used to train with me, and she is one of my best success stories. 

Here are a few old blog posts with Stacy in them.

• Sunday Fun Day
• Wowzer

It's amazing to look back to my blogs and read about how many people I have inspired over the years! I hope I still have the same fire in my heart to inspire and motivate myself... These days I am exhausted, and all I think about is holding Sasha and sleeping! 

Don't forget to stop back tomorrow for the recipes and pics!

XO Tina

Baby Shower Part Two

I LOVED my invite! How perfect!

How many mom's are lucky enough to have two baby showers? My oh my! Well I have to say I am lucky enough to say ME! Two baby showers in one week. That is exhausting and fun at the same time! 

This shower is at Greenwich Country Club with 24 of the most amazing women I am blessed to call my FRIENDS and clients. To me, since they are almost all a tad bit older than me, are considered my big sisters! There are a few girls who are my age, and they are like my sisters separated at birth!. These women have been in my life for almost 8 years! I love them all! We are one big happy family.

Mary, Robin, Priscilla and Kelly all hosted this shower! Kelly was stuck in Bermuda because of a hurricane, so unfortunately, she wasn't able to be there.. We all missed her!

When I arrived, I could not believe my eyes! The table settings in pink, the breeze blowing, partly cloudy outside, but still so nice to be outside overlooking the golf course, and a patio filled with GORGEOUS women! Everyone knew one another, so it was nice to watch everyone having conversations, sharing some laughs and enjoying such delicious food! Every so often I would look around in amazement that I have built relationships with EVERY woman in that room! I have grown so close to these women, they know so much about me, my life and who I really am as a woman, not just a trainer or wellness coach.

The Hosts and Me!

Priscilla, Mary, Tina & Robin

Priscilla, Barbara and Katie (tan & white dress)

 I didn't bring my big camera, and I don't have a small one. I kinda felt strange carrying my iPhone, however, I needed to snap some pics of this gorgeous day! I have been training Priscilla for almost 7 years, Katie for 3 years and Mario has been training Barbara for many years! 

Michelle, Susan, Mary, Kori, Marny

The women in the pic to the right are my clients as well. Michelle is a great friend to me and I have been training her for about 5 years, Susan is Mary's sister whom is such a hilarious beautiful fit hot momma. I just started training her in the beginning of the summer. Mary has been with me for 3 years and Kori came back to me after having her little twins Sophie & Jack 18 months ago! Marny on the end has been with us at the Fitness Center since day one and trains with me every so often, but a HUGE fan of Beverly International Muscle Provider. She is as feisty and "WITH IT" as they come. She is super spiritual, funny, caring and has a huge heart! Again, all gorgeous!

Tina & Elizabeth

This is Elizabeth. She has been with me almost a year. Elizabeth trains with me at my other location. I don't train anyone else at this club except for her She is GORGEOUS, super smart, funny and has two beautiful boys who are just a delight! Oh did I mention she also has a pretty awesome blog?

This is Peggy. Peggy isn't my client, but she and her husband are at the fitness center working hard. If you remember my blog post about our first trip to Cape Cod, Peggy's house is where we stayed. Can you say STUNNING? I'm talking Peggy and her gorgeous Cape home!

everyone socializing & having a great time

So, just as we finish lunch, the black clouds come rolling in along with the hard raindrops that follow, and we are forced to go inside to have dessert and open presents. The chef made his specialty dessert which is Peach Cobbler. Um, I'm embarrassed to say I have never had it before, and now I know why! It's sooooo delicious! Luckily I was too busy opening gifts to INHALE the who dish! It was savory, sweet hot and cold from the ice cream on top.

 Sitting there opening BABY gifts was so surreal to me. First, I still can't believe I have this little miracle growing in my belly soon to arrive in less than seven weeks... But to sit here and open these teeny little clothes for this teeny little baby girl, I was just beside myself! 

My heart melted a little more as I opened each gift, falling more in love with this baby. Could I love her anymore than I already do? You betcha! Once she comes into this world, I'm going to inhale her! 

Robin, Priscilla and Mary all made such beautiful speeches and said how lucky they were to have me in their lives and they thanked me for what I have done for them over the years, yet there isn't one single way in which I can thank them for molding me into the person I am today. It's because I watch them, I listen to them, and those are the women I call PERFECT role models for ME. I aspire to have a little bit of each of these women in me, year after year as I grow as a woman, wife, mother and friend. These are  the women I choose to surround myself with each day.

Not going back to work to train them and see them everyday was one of the hardest decisions I had to make, and truly felt pulled in two directions... Have the chance to stay home and raise this little blessing of a baby or go back to work and train my favorite girls each day- It was a hard decision, but I must say they all agree, Baby Sasha needs her mommy, so for now, I will be home, but never far from my girls. Luckily, little Sasha has plenty of GORGEOUS outfits that she can wear on our little visits to Greenwich..... probably every week!

So, do I feel I am blessed? Absolutely- God is good to me. DO I feel lucky? YUP! Lucky like the number 7! I am full of grace, happiness and love.

Thank you to all the women I have shared the last eight years with!

Baby G's Car seat & Stroller

Have you read the latest in the NY Post? When my husband read this article and showed me, I looked at him like he was crazy to ask why we didn't have this stroller! Mario is VERY conservative with money, I think TOO conservative at times, but when it comes to this baby it seems that he has no problem spending! I am VERY conservative with spending for the baby since I have been there done that and I know how fast these little muffins GROW! TOO FAST! 

Read the article here! Pricey Posh Strollers

Bugaboo Buffalo Stroller

Listen, I'm one for all the bells and whistles, and I LOVE to spend money, HOWEVER, when it comes to baby things like strollers and car seats, I want GREAT QUALITY and GREAT prices.... especially since I am only having  this little girl. I had some choices to choose from, and what I was looking for was something easy to fold up, something that didn't take up so much room, a travel system and a good price. 

Here were my top picks:

 $269.00 This is the Cybex Onyx Stroller. I love that it has a XXlarge canopy that has a sunblock of 50! It collapses easily and weighs 16 lbs.  rear wheel suspension and adjusts to 4 different seat heights. 

$730.00  UPPA BABY Stroller. It's GORGEOUS! I love the way it looks, it's a bit heavier than the Cybex. The price was way too much for what I wanted to spend on a stroller.

So I went with the cybex. It's German engineered, looks nice, and practical for us. Oh the main reason I loved it is because of the height of the handles! I don't have to lean over and get a humpback, and neither does Mario! Do you ever see those women all hunched over with bad posture because of the height of the strollers they are pushing!? Yikes! 

After showing Mario all the bells and whistles OUR stroller has, he was very thankful I made the choice I did. Besides, who puts a $730-$1000 stroller on their registry?! My name is NOT KIM K! We aren't those kind of people! 

So since I picked the Cybex stroller, I read some reviews on the car seats Cybex makes, and decided to go with one, since it's easy to convert the stroller to a travel system. 

This car seat is for newborns of 4 lbs up to 32 lbs. It is actually so pretty, prettier in person that in a picture. You can't believe how tiny it is! So cute! It also has a canopy that comes up. It's priced around $269.00 easy to fasten into the car, and easy to connect to her stroller. It has a padded comfy harness, which has so much cushion. 

These two MAIN choices I had to make for our daughter are ones I am happy with. We will see how little MISS likes them when she comes home!

so blessed with these women and little girl in my life

What an awesome day! I have to say, I was a little nervous in the days leading up to my shower. I sort of knew who was coming but I forgot, so the wonder of who I would see was exciting. I also have discovered that I am shy when reading cards and opening gifts in front of everyone- I don't mind being the center of attention, but I guess since I am pregnant, I do mind. It's weird how I am changing and learning things about myself everyday!

My two sister in laws Toni & Marianna hosted a baby shower for me at Toni's house. A small intimate party with my family and closest friends. a few people couldn't make it, but it actually turned out to be PERFECT! The two of them made EVERYTHING from the appetizers to the key lime pie muffins (which were to die for).  They made hummus, quiche, Bean salad I mean you name it, it was on the table! 

 We all sat outside of the deck, chatted up a storm and had some laughs! We even played a few games one of which was to see who's measurement was closest to the measurement of the circumference of my belly! HA! One side of the table was WAY off , and the other side was SUPER close. Stacy won that one, and my sister Donna won the Questions game. Everyone had to answer multiple choice questions, then hide the napkin. Marianna asked me the questions and whoever answered most of my answers correctly won. So both girls won delicious smelling candles! 

Heather and Erica set everything up. They did such a beautiful job with everything. It was organized pretty, and just so layed back and fun.

My God Daughter was the highlight of my weekend! I don't get to see her much but she is so delicious! I love her so much! She is 2 1/2 years old already- MY time flies! WE told her about the baby and showed her the sonogram pics, and this little girl looked at the picture and said "baby sleeping?" I mean, to me, for her to actually recognize a face and see the eyes closed at her age, I think she is a genious! :O)

Baby Sasha got the most amazing gifts, mostly what was on her registry, so I am so thankful I don't have to retun anything. Only scary part.... WHERE THE HECK DO I PUT EVERYTHING! LORDY!

After my beautiful shower, I went home and cooked for daddy- of course, it was Sunday and when the man wants meatballs and pasta, how do I say no? He is s spoiled boy! Lord help me! So after dinner, we usually walk, but I was exhausted, so I sat down and did all my thank you notes, while everything was fresh in my mind.

It truly was a beautiful day filled with a group of beautiful women celebrating this beautiful little girl who will be here before we know it! Sasha is loved so much already and everyone is too excited to meet her..... Um, especially Momma!

In my next post, I will BRAG about the fabulous gifts I got and why I picked the things I did on my registry... But for now, I have to head to Whole Foods...No break for this pregnant Goddess!
:O)

An old trend that is back...

There are quite a few things that remind me of my mother. Every time I smell Shalimar perfume by Guerlain, everytime I hear a song from the 60's- ya know... all the Doo Wop music, and every time I see Owls in the stores. It makes me think she was way ahead of the times with her decor. I remember growing up, she always kept her house super neat, very decorative and so welcoming! She passed on a few traits to me. One is obsessive cleaning, which I admit to being a little OCD. She also was famous for rearranging furniture so much that one night my dad came home and almost broke his neck, because he didn't turn on the lights and bumped into a piece of furniture! I have that gene also. I am forever changing things, where I have to leave a sticky not on the cabinets so Mario knows where everything is! 



Since last year, I have noticed in Papyrus, Home Goods, Pier 1 Imports, and even in the Gap, that Owls are the biggest trend! At first I thought it was a "HOT SECOND" type of trend, but after over a year , and still popping up everywhere, I think it's safe to say Owls will be sticking around!

Makes me wonder if my mom has saved ALL things Owl from her Owl collecting days!

Here are some things that caught my eye!

These gorgeous "Hoo's" can be found at Pier1 Imports and Pottery Barn 

I won't be sporting these Owl pumps, but if you go onto Neiman Marcus, You sure can! The baby onsie is also from Neiman Marcus made by Stella Mccartney

SO?? What do you think if these "HOO-sies and What-sies??

XO Tina