Five New Ways To Waste Your Time

Let's be honest, my favorite app and my lifeline is Instagram. I basically check it every three minutes.

But in case you have missed it I have a lot of free time these days. So I have done a lot of soul searching in the form of iPhone apps.

I have found some fun new apps, and since I have nothing else to do I proceed to tell everyone I know about my new find. Which brings us to this...what you should be downloading to your iPhone. Right. Now.

TIMEHOP
They call it time traveling, but my extensive sci fi knowledge can tell you that time traveling isn't just going back in time, but forward as well. But even with that small flaw this is one of my new favorite apps. Timehop goes back in time and pulls your tweets, Facebook posts, iphone pictures, and Instagrams from one, two, three, four (you get the gist) years ago. It's been a blast from the past. {Thank you Allison for introducing me to this.}

KEEK
Ok...fine...I heard about this one from the Kardashians (on Instagram of course). It is basically Instagram, but videos. I downloaded it and signed in and searched for my friends. ZERO. That's how many of my friends were using Keek (well besides the Kardashians, but who is counting?). Based on this fact, I then proceeded to invite all of my friends through the app. I have never done this before, but let's be honest - a social media app is not really fun unless you have some people to be social with. I got ten people to sign up for the app. Now if only I can get them to do the media part.

APPGRATIS
Each day they offer a free app that usually costs money. It is such a fun little surprise to see what is going to be offered.

SWIRL
A girl can dream, and this is the best way to do it. I hate to compare, but if I had to choose an app that this is similar to I would say Pinterest. You follow people and subscribe stores. You create boards with items of your choice, and if something really tickles your fancy you can buy it from the app. I love that it has cheaper options like H&M, but you can also peruse the newest items from pricey Christian Louboutin.

WIMP
I didn't find this one on my own. Luke introduced it to Jonathan and Jonathan is obsessed with it.
Every day wimp.com posts five family friendly videos. It's the perfect way to see a taste of the newest videos from the interwebs, with out going down the black hole that is YouTube or even worst getting sucked into a car commercial only to find out it is really a freaking screeching zombie.
Here is one of my favorites that I have seen on Wimp so far:

You can thank me later.

I Hate To Be Rash

Ok...so...I have a rash.
I will spare you all the gory details and I didn't take any pictures so you are safe there. But just know it isn't what we would call pleasant.
If you are like my friend, Katie, and you throw up at the thought of someone having a rash...I'm sorry.
But if you are like the rest of America and it just kind of grosses you out, then bare with me.

So through deductive reasoning and a small amount of Internet research I think I am allergic to fabric softener. Not too scary, and easy to fix.

Since everything is so dry here and the static is off the charts I thought it would be a good idea to start using fabric softener. I don't know why I thought this would be a good idea considering the last time we used fabric softener it put purple stains on all of our clothes. But I ignored my gut, and went with it any way. And where did it get me? With a rash rewashing all of my clothes. Super fun. Laundry is so fun any way, so you can imagine how fun it is to wash clean clothes.

But I learned something. When the temperature doesn't get above 50 degrees during the day, and you only leave your house every two days you really limit how many outfits you wear. So rewashing all my clothes wasn't all bad.

I don't know why I am telling you this, besides the fact that this is what has been happening in my life the past few days. And to warn you against the use of fabric softener.

Like always...you're welcome.

Lions, Polar Bear, Komodo Dragons...Oh My.

Since we are on the topic of me being an explorer it only felt right to hit up the Denver Zoo on free zoo day. Which just so happened to be the day after the National Western Stock Show Parade. Seemed like an easy decision, until the wind started blowing at 30 mph the night before. But we held out, and luckily by noon the wind had died down, but the snow flurries had begun. And yet I somehow convinced Jonathan, Ange and Josh that it would should at least try it...I mean hello...it was free. And I was feeling like the parade the day before had been such a success, that the zoo had to be totally worth it. AND IT WAS. Oh my gosh, you guys...it totally was.

Here is the thing about free zoo day, it's the best. We literally {literally} walked through an open gate, and there was NO ONE there. Which is weird, because did I mention it was free? Don't get me wrong...it was cold, real cold...but it was worth it. It was just perfect. We walked through the zoo and most of the animals were inside, but luckily we could go to those inside places and see all those adorable animals. And then half way through our visit it started to snow ever so lightly. As I walked through the zoo, pushing my baby in a stroller, holding my husband's hand, looking at animals, in the snow...it was like I was in a movie, but alas I wasn't, it was actually my life.

The Denver Zoo is awesome.
Here is proof...the very first animals you see are lions.

Like you walk in the gate, and straight ahead are lions. Lions!

Trying to keep the warm in and the cold out.

Based on the fact that she slept the whole time, I think we were successful.

They just happened to be standing like this when I walked up to them, weird.

It was too cold outside to feed Macy, so we took a bottle break in the giraffe house.

View during bottle break.

Jonathan: Let's go see the polar bears.

Me:What? Really?

Jonathan: Just kidding, there aren't any polar bears.

Me: You're rude.

But then there was polar bears, well there was one - and my day was made complete.

Happy baby.

Floating turtle.

As we walked through the last exhibit I thought,
"This day was wonderful, but would truly be made complete if I got to see Komodo Dragons." 

And like a Denver Zoo Miracle, I walked around a corner and there they were.

 Please notice the location of my baby.
This love for Komodo Dragons runs deep, people.

"Take a picture of me being a Colorado mom."

You're welcome.

The end.

Grab The Bull By The Horns

When we decided to move to Colorado one of the things I vowed to do was explore Colorado. I had really good intentions to get out there and see new things, and discover tasty food, and make myself a well educated local. But you know? There is something easier than exploring. Know what that is? Not exploring. It is way easier to sit on my couch and watch Netflix. Especially when you are carting a three month around who is on an eat-every-three-hours schedule. Especially when the high for the day is 33 degrees, but it really feels like it is 25 degrees.

{I never understood that...how can it feel a certain temperature if it is really another temperature, and how do they determine that. I know there is some scientific answer, but if you know it there is no need to share with me...those are what we call rhetorical questions.}

So when Ange mentioned that the National Western Stock Show was coming to town for the weekend, and they were kicking it off with a parade of the animals through downtown, my first reaction was, "Cool." As I fed Macy a bottle, started another episode of Parenthood on Netflix and checked my weather.com app on my phone.

But something inside me was pushing me to be more adventurous (it could have been Ange's persistent "we really should go this" texts), and I decided that I like animals and I like parades and I want to like Denver, so I needed to be there.

So Ange and I packed up my baby and some snacks and headed to Downtown Denver. We made it there with plenty of time to spare even though the GPS told us to get off and on the freeway at least six times.
Literally.
It would tell me to exit and then it would tell me to get back on going the opposite way. And I kept doing it because I felt like the ridiculousness of it all had to end us at a final destination  But I ended up having to go rogue, because I couldn't get on the freeway, go one exit, get off the freeway, and get back on the freeway one more time with out freaking out. And because that is what you do when you are an explorer....you go rogue, and you find your own freaking way to Seventeenth Street and Union Station.

Once we found a parking spot, we loaded up the stroller and bundled up that baby and made our way to the parade. But the thing is it was cold. Because even though I live in Colorado now, and I want to be all, "It's 30 degrees, is that all?"...I can't. So first I had to get myself a hot drink, and then I could watch a parade.

You know what guys? It was totally worth it. It was more than worth it. It was awesome, people.
From the very beginning with the hundreds of long horn cattle to the real cowboys on beautiful horses, and all the rodeo queens in between - I am not sure what that is, all I know is they have curled hair and wear cowboy hats with tiaras on them while riding horses.

That little girl was obsessed with Macy. She couldn't stop staring at her.

 It could have started and ended with the long horn cattle,

and it still would have been the best parade I have ever seen.

 Then there were hundreds of REAL cowboys on beautiful horses.

We're talking people who rope 'em and tie 'em when they aren't riding in a parade on Thursday at noon.

And of course the Witt girls' favorite - mini horses.

See...those rodeo queens are serious business. That is right. Perfectly curled hair, a cowboy hat with a tiara on it AND a fur coat. They are not messing around when it comes to mixing country with glam.

And that people is how you become an explorer.

Let's Talk About Poop, Shall We

Here's the thing...when you become a mom you have to start being OK with poop. Not all poop - just baby poop, which is different. And this might be an obvious statement, but the truth is my husband is most definitely not OK with poop.

On more than one occasion Macy has had a blow out that no baby wipes could handle, and they required a rinsing off in the sink. To which my husband has exclaimed, "You're going to rinse her off in there? That's where the dishes go!" Yes, you are right my dear husband the dishes do go in there...the dirty dishes, and I wasn't planning on letting the poop just sit in the sink after I rinsed it off her. But my friends, this is where the line is drawn between moms and dads. I don't think about the poop, I just want to get rid of the poop as soon as possible 

But it is never that easy, right?

It starts with the pushing and the grunting. And the cute faces. I am convinced God made my kid look cute when she poops, to save me from my own reactions.

Then there is the question of wanting to know if she is finished or not, but she doesn't talk yet so it is just a cool conversation of me saying over and over again, "Are you done?"

Once I determine she is done the diaper changing begins. This requires me determining whether or not the poop has escaped the diaper or has stayed in tact. If all is well and in the diaper then this is easy peasy, but usually we are dealing with a spill over. First, I do the puzzle that is getting a onesie over my baby's head with out spreading poop all over her, and then I have to figure out how to figure out getting the diaper off and the butt wiped with out any spreadage happening. Because some times frantic movements, and flailing limbs can make for some fun clean up. Once all has been accomplished it is time to make sure there isn't left over poop on anything. Macy, the changing pad, and of course me.

Ahh, but that is the question...do I have poop on me?

I will never forget the time when Macy had a blow out at Pei Wei and I was so proud of the fact that both Macy and I had come away unscathed.

Or so I thought. 

Thirty minutes later we were walking through Total Wine and Jonathan pointed to me and said, "You have poop on you." He was right...there it was on the stomach of my hoodie, and I couldn't do one thing about it. 

Gross I know...but that's motherhood people. Walking around Total Wine with poop on your hoodie.

And now I leave you with some pictures of some blow outs brought to you by Macy. You have been warned.

May the poop be with you.

Watching TV Can Be Hard

I have been trying to watch the same episode of Doctor Who for the last four days.

That might be an exaggeration, but I am pretty sure it is not. But the thing is, like I said before, free time with a three month old comes in about 45 minute spurts. Also, I am very sensitive about my TV watching environment when it comes to Doctor Who (or any other show that I love). If people around me are being too loud or I can feel myself not paying close enough attention or I am thirsty or most likely hungry then the deal is off.

There is also the matter of distractions, because by the time I sit down, turn the TV on, queue up the DVR and rewind back three minutes to remind myself what is happening...it's about time for me to look at Instagram or watch a video of my niece being the cutest thing on the planet or look up who that person in that commercial is on IMDB (Why am I even watching commercials? It's a freaking recorded program!)

There is also the matter of needing to feed my wee little one and burp her and stare at her and make her smile and sing songs to her and most likely change her poopy diaper{Oh gosh...baby poop...we'll get to that another time}.

And before I know it my 45 minutes are up, and I need to move on to the next activity (read: eat).

So the Doctor will have to wait, but I am sure I can just put something on in the background...oh wait I think House Hunters is on.

Ok...Let's Go

You can find me sitting in my bedroom, with a baby sleeping in a crib next to me, in the finished and furnished basement of my in-laws house in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Because I live here now.
And I am a mom now.

Woah.

2012 was one for the books...a banner year...crazy. More than one big change took place, and it finally feels like I have slowed down enough to take it all in.

2013 sits ahead of me so fresh. So new. So open and ready for anything. And it is all going down in a new state with a new title. New, new new.

For the first time in fifteen years I don't have a job, and dare I even call myself {gulp} a stay-at-home-mom? And the thing about being a stay-at-home-mom is you have a lot of free time...kind of. When you have a three month old your free time comes in the form of 45 minutes slots, because that is about how often you have until you need to change a diaper, make a bottle, or make sure the proper tummy time is happening...but it is free time none the less. So I have been asking myself, "What do I want 2013 to look like?" And this question has just brought on so many other questions that need to be answered.

So I sit in this basement (which is probably 400 square feet bigger than my one-bedroom-Irvine apartment was...for your information) with my baby and my husband and my free time staring 2013 in the face with a "Go ahead and bring it" look on my face, because I think I am ready for whatever 2013 wants to swing at me...I think.