Rock Steady

This is the 186th blog post that I have posted in 2011! That's AH-MAZING! I have YET to miss a single day of blogging. I am so proud of myself. 

Yay! 

I can't stop now....

This is Why...

... I wanted to learn how to crochet! Are these not the cutest ever?!? I am starting with pretty basic stuff right now, but I hope to move on to some of these projects SOON! 

Here is problem... what in the heck am I going to do with all of this stuff after I make it? Suggestions??? 

Please.  :)

You're Hired!

 

That's right, I am an official Nordstrom's employee! My first day is June 15th! I will work pretty much full-time from June 15th - August 1st and then I plan to  work a few nights a week or maybe on the weekends. I'm not sure of my plan during the next school year. If I like it and if the money seems worth it I will definitely stay.  It's a little tough to think of making 1/3 less per hour than I am normally use to.  I am really hoping that "selling" is my thing and I can earn some decent commission. I was primarily hired for Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale!

  I'm really hoping that working in a clothing store will not break the bank! I can seriously see all this extra money going right back to the store... Coach, Juicy, LV, L.A.M.B and I could go on and on and on. Oh, this is going to be FUN!

♥

Book Review: Misconception

So I decided that I would read this book after finishing Inconceivable. This story was all over The Today Show. The local news. Magazines. The unbelievable story of an embryo mix-up that changed 2 couples’ lives forever.


The Basics: The Morell’s had difficulties with miscarriages and infertility before giving birth to twin girls in 2006, through in-vitro fertilization.  Six frozen embryos remained and they looked forward to expanding their family soon.  Before their scheduled appointment with the clinic, they were told the embryos had been thawed.  Not only that, but that they were implanted in another woman.
The Morrell’s take us step by step through the heartache and uncertainty that followed.  Ultimately, the other woman carried the Morell baby to term and delivered a healthy baby boy.  She and her husband didn’t contest the Morell’s parental rights and Paul and Shannon are now proud parents to a baby boy. Fortunately, it was best case scenario.
But there’s so much more to this story.  I wish I could say that the book answered my question of how this happened in the first place, but I’m not sure they even know the truth about that.  That’s absolutely scary. What I can say is that after reading this book, I’m shocked.  Not only did I learn so much about in-vitro fertilization, but I discovered so many ethical issues along the way.  I thought I knew the basics, but even the Morell’s hadn’t known it all, despite all their research before delving into that world.
In reading this personal story, it’s so easy to see how things could have turned out very differently.  Had the embryo been implanted into anyone else, she could have aborted the baby, and the Morell’s couldn’t have stopped it.  They had no control, but believed in someone who did…..and that faith kept them going.
I did think that Shannon Morell was a little whiny. Yes, she did loose the chance to be pregnant and carry her own baby, but look at the big picture. She has THE BABY and Carolyn Savage has an empty womb and no chance to give birth to another child.

...when you go I wanna go too.

Wordless Wednesday

 

(You know who you are!) 

:)

Teachers are NOT Downtrodden or Poor!

*  There are approximately 7.2 million teachers in America.

*  67,932 is the average teacher salary.

*  88% have done post graduate work.

*  Teachers are heavy users are  premium credit cards and more than twice as likely   to have an American Express Gold card than a regular card.

*  They are avid readers who read publications such as Gourmet, Bon Appetite and Smithsonian.

*  99% have taken trips outside of the continental United States.

*  94% have computers at home.

*  92% own homes or condominiums

*  87% are married

 

....Seriously what is there to complain about? Testing... curriculum... parents.... YES. Pay, lifestyle, time off and benefits??? No! ;)

 

One of My FAVORITE Things...

I'm. In. Love.

Book Review: Inconceivable

'Inconceivable' Tells Sean and Carolyn Savage's Side of IVF Embryo Implantation Mixup

When I began reading Inconceivable, I wasn't aware that the other couple involved in this bizarre incident of medical malpractice, Shannon and Paul Morrell, had written their own version of the 2009 implantation of the wrong embryo in Carolyn Savage. 

I'm hoping that Misconception is not as self-absorbed, obsessed, as Inconceivable . The idea of the Savages, with their three healthy children, undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) for a fourth child -- when Carolyn was nearing her 40th birthday -- struck me as selfish  in a world where adoption is an option for those who want large families. Call me judgmental... go ahead. Don't get me wrong I am in NO way against IVF, but I feel like when you are pushing 40 with 3 healthy children already you really shouldn't push your luck, but rather just count your blessings.

The Savages had two boys and an infant girl when they underwent an IVF transfer in February 2009, a procedure they knew would be their last chance to expand their family. If Carolyn became pregnant, they would celebrate the baby as an answer to their prayers. If not, they would stop and leave their fertility struggles behind forever.

In part because of  an error that mixed up the birth year of Carolyn, 1969, with that of Shannon Savage Morell, 1967, who used her maiden name Shannon Savage, the Morell embryo was transferred to Carolyn, who learned of the mixup a few weeks later. I was surprised that the people at the clinic responsible for the error would even do this; their honesty led to an undisclosed financial settlement that probably was gigantic.

One thing that comes through clearly in Sean and Carolyn's account is their love for the baby she was carrying, a boy she called "Little Man" (he was named Logan Savage Morell by Shannon and Paul Morell). The jacket photo shows Carolyn, the newborn boy and Sean, putting on  happy faces for the camera, knowing that soon  the infant would be out of their lives. This all sounds like a Lifetime Channel movie plot, but the subtext is that medical mistakes are more common than most people realize, with "Inconceivable" providing a look at  how modern medicine, which creates miracles daily, could allow such a tragic mistake, and the many legal ramifications resulting with both the genetic family and the clinic.

I said earlier I'm a little nervous to read Misconception by Paul and Shannon Morell. For my part, I wondered why adoption wasn't considered by the couples. Or if it was, why wasn't it discussed.

Inconceivable is worth reading if you want the story of an event that was covered very extensively by the news media when Carolyn Savage gave birth in September 2009 -- including People magazine and the Today show -- from the point of view of Sean and Carolyn Savage, who alternate in telling their story.

Derek Lam Dresses = ♥

These dresses are from the Derek Lam Spring Summer 2011 collection and I am just in LOVE with them! I am absolutely not in love with the shoes featured in these pictures just so you know. ;)

Derek Lam revealed the five winning styles for his debut capsule collection for eBay: The Black Tie Dress ($275), The Boho ($295), The Sun Dress ($195), The Shift Dress ($175), The Chemise Dress ($225). The styles will be available for purchase at dereklam.ebay.com.

She did it, AGAIN!

I own every. single. Chelsea Handler book and this one was no let down. I adore anything that Chelsea writes. Slander, lies, truth...I love it all! Keep writing, and I'll keep buying. Pick up this book!!

Whatcha Think?

So what do you think of this? I'm starting with just a magnetic piercing to see if I like it and what the response is. I've loving it so far, but I also love that I can take it off when I want to.  Well see what happens, but this is definitely my new summer accessory!

Two Toned Shades

The new trend of two-tones sunglasses is perfect for ladies who happen to be indecisive, like myself.  With these particular sunglasses, don't worry about what color shades you want to wear, because you can have the best of both worlds!!  I love this look, and think it's a very flattering and fun look for summer.

Wonder what shape of sunglasses flatter your face?
 

No more wondering, here is your "cheat sheet".

• Oval face - lucky you!  You can get away with any and all sizes and shapes!
• Round face - wide frames with angular, rectangular styles
• Diamond face - oval, square and rimless
• Square face - oval, round, cat eye shape
• Triangular - cat eye shape, frames with straight top line

broken ribs

Love is like falling down... in the end you're left hurt, scarred, and with a memory of it forever.

It's 2 a.m. in the morning, I'm wearing his sweatshirt because it smells like him and drowning in my own tears. I've been there. I've been the saddest girl in the world, with a mangled heart and the certainty of getting over him was impossible. It's hard being that girl that is so incapable of giving me what I need out of a relationship. I not only married him, but gladly gave away every last shed of my self-esteem to be with him.
I've been consumed with despair, confusion, anger- truly devastated because I thought that this was going to last forever. I've cried 48 hours straight, lost my appetite, my ability to sleep, my ability to function. I've played things over in my mind, obsessed over it all, sought professional help, leaned on my friends, got a new pet, made new friends and shopped excessively.
On the outside I wear the illusion that I am over it, but let the truth be told it's a charade, all smoke and mirrors and empty words. Being brokenhearted is like having broken ribs. On the outside it looks like nothing is wrong, but with every breath it hurts. Let's just say my ribs are broken.
Now, it may be no surprise that I kick butt in all other areas of my life. I have an awesome job, I own a beautiful home, I've financially supported myself thought ALL of this, (and yes, I'm still paying bills for him too- even though he makes 3 times what I do) I've got great friends and family, awesome clothes, great taste in music, etc... but for whatever reason getting over him is taking forever. He is my kryptonite. And like Superman I am powerless in his wake. But as it turns out Superman always figures out a way to overcome kryptonite and I will too.   

Sometime you just have to hold your head up high, blink away the tears and say good-bye.

Goodbye.

Insight Part IV: The Final Chapter

"You just gotta get back on the horse, Coop. 

You gotta giddy up, horsey!"

~Summer, The O.C.

Bess Myerson said it best, " To fall in love is awfully simple, but to fall out of love is simply awful." It takes time to fall out of love. Trust me, I know.  I'm getting there and it's not easy. Isn't it amazing how you can just fall in love with somebody in a matter of weeks, days, hours or maybe I fell in love within minutes. And now there is a huge possibility that I could remain in love with this person for the rest of my life. I know exactly what you are thinking.... "WHY??! After everything he has done to you how could you have any feelings whatsoever for this person except a passion of hatred!"  It all brings me back to a quote I love from the movie, Love and Other Drugs... "You meet a thousands of people and then you meet one person and your life is changed forever." How true is that?!? It's sad, but true. 

Now if going through all of this is not hard enough there is nothing... and I mean NOTHING more annoying than the things people say to you (sometimes without even thinking about it), such as...

• "You're not getting any younger"
• "You'll meet someone when you least expect it"
• "Maybe you should try lowering your standards"
• "One day you'll look back on all of this and laugh"
• "Many people never meet "the one" and live very fulfilled lives"
• "You only want to be with people who don't want to be with you."

Sooooo yeahhhh all those statements make me feel like a real winner! Can you sense the sarcasm here?!?

I just hate the way that I could never hate him.

Don't get me wrong there are pros to this, what you call "singleness." Such as, going out whenever I want, meeting new people all the time and no drama. It's a new start for me. I don't have someone I have to worry about, to check on or to feel guilty about.

Will I ever love again?

Probably.  

Insight Part III

"I'm an excellent housekeeper, Every time I get a divorce, I keep the house." 

~ Zsa Zsa Gabor

Insight Part II

It is no surprise that I never saw divorce in my future. I mean no marriage is perfect, but I thought I had one that nearly was. Maybe that was the problem. It was too perfect. We occasionally had a argument, but never one where I would consider divorce. Murder? Yes. But divorce, No.

Maybe I should have seen this coming.... But how could I? Did anyone else see this coming? If so, why didn't anyone tell me. Maybe in the last few weeks when I noticed that he was irritated with me all the time and not talking to me. He just started looking at me differently. Hind sight is 20/20, but maybe this should have been my sign. Of course, I chalked it up to his rising stress level and a new position at work.  Maybe when he stopped reaching for my hand when we walked was the moment that "the shark had died." 

I gave him my heart, and he gave me a pen.

Insight Part I

"A relationship, I think is like a shark, you know?

It has to constantly move forward or it dies.

And I think what we got on our hands is a dead shark."

-Alvy Singer, Annie Hall

 It's not easy being a single person in a couples' world. You can't buy a single bed, because they're too small, yet a queen-sided bed leaves you wondering what to do with that other pillowcase that comes with the set. Even your toothbrush holder taunts you with its extra space. Even the car serves as a reminder with its passenger seat.
It's all just enough to make you want to................. be in a relationship.
And, so you couple.
And there is where the problems begin............

More to come tomorrow.

Did you know....?

• In 2003, half as many people got divorced as got married.
• 11 percent of murder victims in the United States are killed by a spouse or lover.
• 43 percent of first marriages end in separation or divorce within fifteen years.
• Divorce costs American as estimated $30 BILLION a year.
• The average woman married for the first time at age 25.3 and divorces for the first time at 29. The average man marries for the first time at 26.9 and divorces at 30.5.
• The state with the highest rate of divorce is also the state know for quickie marriages: Nevada. 
• One out of ten Americans have been divorced.
• Linda Chandler of Indiana has been divorces more than any other person: twenty- two times.

Never Return

♥

"Kiss me and you will see stars, love me and I will give them to you."

Mall Therapy

Last night after a great workout,  I decided to head off to the mall for some much needed "mall therapy".  And let me begin by saying that I had absolutely no business venturing anywhere with the way I looked from working out, but to be honest, I could care less.  .

Now, I did go there on a mission . . . to use COUPONS, of course!  I had a coupon for a FREE tube of this particular foundation that "promised" to leave your face oil and shine-free for 18 hours.   I am all about gloss and shine for my lips, but I'm not loving it on my face these days.  So, this foundation was a "must-try" on my list! I'm trying it out tomorrow and I shall let you know what I think about it! :)

this SHOULD have been my first

Lipgloss, Credit Card and License

I'm sure you were wondering what in the world that title was all about. Well, lately I haven't been carrying much of a handbag these days.  I've been simply carrying a sweet, convenient and very fashionable - CLUTCH!  Yes, I've taken a few steps back from the large handbag with a million odds and ends in it - and tried to simplify my life just a bit, by carrying something smaller and less prone to become a "bottom-less pit"!

Honestly, all I feel the need to carry these days is just what the title says - a lipgloss, credit card and license.  I mean really, isn't that all us girls really need?

So, what about you . . . Enquiring minds want to know . . . which do you prefer these days - a handbag or clutch?

It's getting LIGHTER....

Goal:

BLONDE BY SUMMER!

Lemon Cake for Easter

Uh Oh...

I ALMOST fell off the blogging wagon yesterday. I tell ya it is NOT easy to think of something to blog about each day and it is NOT easy to find the time to do it. Today is the 124th day of 2011 and I am proud to say that I have blogged every.single.day! I almost didn't blog yesterday... I almost gave up, but I didn't! :o) 241 days to go! I'm over a quarter of way there I CAN do this!

Bumper Sticker

Post Secret

A Teacher's Quote to Live By

"I've come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom.  It's my personal approach that creates the climate.  It's my daily mood that makes the weather.  As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous.  I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.  I can humiliate or heal.  In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized."   

~Haim G. Ginott