24 things...what we've been up to edition

Hello,
Did my absence make your heart grow fonder of this blog? Well, damn. Here's what we've been up to, 24 things style.

1) The POTUS spoke in CB...and I was there. I wasn't about to miss out on the chance to get tickets, except that I was. We planned to meet friends at the zoo at exactly the same time tickets became available, so I did what any desperate woman who can't be in two places at once would do. I begged my mommy to stand in line for me. I didn't anticipate her two hour wait, so I owe her yet another "one" (or seven) which brings my grand total of owing her one to 72, 491. Thanks again, Mom. I went by myself since it was Rob's first day back to school and waited about 3.5 hours before he finally took the stage. What a once-in-a-lifetime experience! I'll never, ever forget that day.


2) Rob starred in a DMB music video. Starred might be a strong verb, but that's why they pay me the big bucks at UNMC ;) Just because there were 14,333 others who "starred" in it alongside him doesn't make it any less special. Check it out, he's about 13 seconds in. And here's the original video he submitted. It's not every day you "star" in your favorite band's music video.


3) Faith is still sneaking into our bed at night after I go downstairs. She comes and snuggles with us in the morning, too. Rob accused me of "secretly liking it." My response: it's not a secret. I love it.


4) My "Day in the Life "of a doctor story was featured on Livewell Nebraska's website (part of the Omaha World-Herald). It was good exposure, but I personally liked the version on the UNMC blog better.

5) Rob Bloggy Blog. Ed Tech 365 is his latest project. Yes, the focus is technology in the classroom, but the posts are relatable to real life.

6) Somebody likes makeup. If only it didn't look like a drunk drag queen put it on.


7) Us parentals ran the Glow Run on August 18. Thanks to Grandpa John for babysitting and not grounding us for staying out past our curfew. The course measured a little short. We're in the worst shape we've been in all year and somehow recorded personal bests. That or eating 2 giant pineapple brats before a race is the secret to success.


8)We are ready for some football. Iowa State's season is underway with a two touchdown victory against Tulsa. My tailgating season is also underway with a 6-0 loss to Michelob Golden Light.


9) Faith is officially potty trained (notice I didn't say poop trained). Does anyone else hear angels singing? In other news, we're out of bum bum (dum dums) and M&Ms.


10) One of the many reasons excuses for my lack of blogging includes my newest baby, the Council Bluffs blog. He turned three months old recently and is already sleeping through the night.

11) We found out earlier this summer that Howie has a food allergy. Apparently, you can't feed a dog the same food/protein for four years straight or they develop and allergy to it ie. start throwing up like a woman with morning sickness. Thankfully our vet caught it right away and Howie's back to his rabbit-chasing, but never-catching ways.

12) Faith's favorite pasttimes as of late: looking for alligators with a magniKYing glass, running away from monsters, putting on face lotion, eating "lemonems" after going potty, taking Howie for walks down the block on his "yeash" and identifying the mommy, daddy and baby of everything she sees.


13) Rob took a day trip this summer to visit his grandma Alice/Faith's great grandma (great in more ways than one). I think this will be a picture we treasure for many years to come.


14) One of my fondest childhood memories is careening down the big slides in downtown Omaha. I remember using wax paper to go even faster. That tradition is alive and well today. We went to the Old Market on a recent Friday night and the slides were a happening place to be. Faith had one word for them: GINN! As in again, and again, and again.

The Instagram version
 15) Rob and I attended a "green tie" gala recently in support of Keep Omaha Beautiful. The event was nice, but the best part was the picture he texted me beforehand. Yes, that's my almost 30-year-old husband making a duck face.


16) With the start of school came the end of summer and daddy-daughter bonding time. This was Faith's reaction.


17) I submitted about 10 samples from this blog to Momaha.com, the Omaha World-Herald mom blogger website. About 90 other moms did too, so we'll see if my posts make the cut for readers to vote on. Here's the list of what I included.

My Valentine’s Day Debacle (another most popular one)
My New Breast Friend (I strictly pumped my breastmilk and bottlefed for 8 months.)
Ode to Daycare (a poem)
Alarm Clock for Rent (reads like an advertisement)
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to the Nuthouse I Go (This one just proves how crazy I am.)
Faithless for 36 Hours (enjoying time away from toddlers)
The Ouch Report (a humorous take on all my daughter's "ouch" reports)
Daddies Do It Different (includes a link to a If It Weren't for Dads")

18) Faith is getting ready to be a flower girl this Saturday. We've been practicing, though I'm sure she'll either move at the pace of a turtle or march like a soldier. Hopefully her cuteness distracts from all that.


19) Another fun convo with my favorite 2-year-old.
Me: (tucking Faith in)
Faith: Why are you putting me to bed?
Me: Because it's bedtime.
Faith: I'm WAKE!

20) Faith is also big on her "friends" right now. She loves her cousins, Cameryn and Kylee, Avery and Katie from daycare and boys (help me) Gavin and Jack.



21) I'm officially "that driver." You know, the one with this on her car. (Sorry Howie, there were no dogs.)



22) Oh how the whole family wishes this were true.


23) The Big Bad Wolf is a popular guy in our house right now. Did you know he'll puff and puff (not a typo) before he'll blow your house down?



24) I'm running out of things to write so here's yet another picture of a night in the life of Faithy Janna!




Time Out



Faith: Mommy, you in time out!

Mommy: Wha--why? What did I do?

Faith: You...you bite some people......you bite daddy.

Mommy (laughing, but taking my seat by the door): Wait, what? I did not.

Daddy: Faith, can mommy come out of timeout? I need her to help me in the kitchen.

Faith: NO!

Mommy: Mommy kinda likes timeout.

A Resolution Update

Since 2012 is halfway over (4.5 months til Christmas, people!) it's time to update y'all on my resolutions. If you remember, my goal was to make my resolutions measurable, so I can say for certain if I accomplished them or not. Unfortunately, I already know there are going to be a few "nots," but I do have a few "checks" to report already. See below.

1. Graduate with my master's degree.
Um, not gonna happen. The process is taking more time than I thought and to be honest I've lost my motivation. Maybe it's under the couch. New goal: Spring 2013!

2. Run 12 races.
You may have seen my Groundhogs Love Diamonds post documenting races for the first three months. Since then, we've (oh yeah, Rob got roped into this one) done the Novartis 10K where we both recorded personal bests:

 the Mud, Sweat and Beer 7K trail run (hardest and hottest race to date):

 the infamous Dam to Dam

 the Color Run, before and after:

 The Glow Run is scheduled for Aug. 18 and after that we don't have anything set in stone. I'm thinking the Corporate Cup in Omaha for September, but Oct., Nov. and Dec. are wide open.

3. Have one date night and one girls night per month.
Our races have kind of been like dates if that counts and my girls' nights always seem to involve my littlest girl. I'm recommitting to this one.

4. Wean Faith off her pacifier. 
Oh, we did this...and then "reversed the herse" as my high school math teacher used to say, about 3 weeks later. Pretty weak move by us, but we're prepared to do it again before the year is over.

5. Potty train Faith
This one is going surprisingly well.

6. Start a blog at work and another local blog.
Done (work) and Done (Council Bluffs blog). SO especially PROUD of this one.

7. Write one chapter of the book I've always said I would write.
I may be working on this one on New Year's Eve, but still planning on it.

8. Read my camera manual and do at least one photoshoot of Faith that is decent enough to post publicly.

Not done yet, but inspired to do so. This may have to become part of #10.

9. Brush Howie's teeth 3-4 times a week.
This hasn't worked out so well...I sort of pushed it off on Rob. He didn't go to dental school for a reason and thus Howie wound up with a loose tooth that the vet had to pull. I'm readjusting this one to 1-2 times a week as one of my favorite quotes is "When all else fails, lower your standards."

10. Read 12 books of my choosing. 
So far so good!
Life of Pi. It's a slow start but a good read I would recommend.
Hunger Games series
Seriously, I'm kidding by Ellen Degeneres.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Getting Warmer - sounds like an erotic novel, but I assure you, it is not...by Carol Snow
What Came First also by Carol Snow
The Happiness Project - chugging along on this one. I like it.
Up next: Jennifer Weiner's "The Next Best Thing" and Emily Giffin's "Where We Belong"

11. Send no belated cards!
Shit! Unless I get a brain transplant, this ain't happening. Sidenote: Chad and Ericka, you're Aug. 4 anniversary card is (fingers crossed) in the mail.

12. Do at least 5 things I've pinned on Pinterest.
Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.
See the original pin followed by my version.


Link to the tutorial.

My version looked the same except with marshmallows instead of bananas.




And to keep it honest, a big fat #FAIL!

Canvas sticker painting lyrics
my failed anniversary present
However, Rob was able to use the frame of the canvas to make a chalkboard frame in our kitchen, so good things can come to those who screw up. Exhibit A:



My mom kinda did this one for me, but I picked out and purchased the fabrics...oh that doesn't count? OK, fine.
One more.

The end!