Let there be light!

We had to cancel on our weekly play date today because we had an electrician come to the house to install our new chandeliers installed. We recently picked out new chandeliers for our foyer and dining room. The fixtures that came with the house were pretty plain and basic. Grandma Ruth found a chandelier at Home Depot that she thought we might like and it turns out she was right, because both Ian and I liked it. Now came the issue of who was going to change out the fixture in the foyer because the ceiling in the foyer is 20 feet. Needless to say the new chandeliers sat in the garage for a few weeks while we got a game plan together.


While Grandma Ruth was here on Tuesday, she called around to various electricians and finally received a reasonable quote. Some places were quoting her $300-500! But Brandon Electric gave her a quote of $105-135, which was much more reasonable. The electric work was all there, we just needed someone to switch out the fixture in the foyer. Grandpa Don was supposed to switch out the fixture in the dining room because the ceiling are only 8 feet. Grandma Ruth decided that Brandon Electric would be the best company to hire and so I made an appointment for today between 1pm-3pm.


Fortunately, the guys from Brandon Electric showed up early and were out of here well before Bella's nap time. The head electrician actually used to be a superintendent for M/I Homes and helped build our house, so he was quite familiar with our house. If anyone ever needs an electrician in the Brandon/Riverview area, I would definitely recommend Brandon Electric. Their prices are reasonable and their electricians are knowledgable and friendly. Here are a few pictures of our new chandeliers:

New chandelier in the foyer

Another angle of the new chandelier. 

New chandelier in the dining room.

Another angle of the new chandelier.

It's funny how something so simply can really spruce up a room. We've replaced all but 2 lighting fixtures in our house since moving in 3.5 years ago. Had we actually designed the house and picked out the fixtures, we wouldn't be doing these little projects, but it probably saved us a ton of money in the long run. So what do y'all think?!? 

Bella and I are off to dinner with Grandma Ruth. We were supposed to stay over night in a hotel room she had booked, but I started coughing this afternoon and can't seem to shake it. I would hate to be coughing all night long and keeping Grandma Ruth and Bella awake. Everyone will sleep much better if Bella and I just stay home. 

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

Change of plans

Last week our play group planned a trip to the aquarium, so when we woke up this morning we were planning on meeting our friends at the aquarium. Bella woke up at 7am and so her morning nap would occur around 10am, however we were meeting our friends at 11:30am, so I put her down at 9:30am. She fought her nap for about 15 minutes and finally fell asleep. I was planning on waking her up by 10:45am so that we could make it by 11:30am. Well apparently we weren't the only family experiencing a crazy morning, so our plans fell through. I figured Bella would take her usual 2-hour nap, but she had other plans and was awake by 10:30am. We were without plans for the day, so I decided we would do a little retail therapy.


Like I mentioned the other day, Gymboree was having their "gymbucks" redemption sale, so we headed to the mall. They recently released new collections that were absolutely adorable! There was also a bunch of stuff on sale from older collections which was super cute. Before sales and coupons, all of this would have cost me $167.45! I would be crazy to pay retail! I only paid $62.78, redeemed $50 worth of "gymbucks" and here is what I got:

Gymboree loot

Bella and I had lunch at the mall and walked around for a bit and then decided to head to Ellenton. I wanted to check out the stride rite outlet after our shoe fiasco yesterday. Ellenton is only about 30 miles from our house so it's not too bad of a drive. I ended up getting Bella a pair of shoes for $32.99, which was about $10 cheaper than the regular stride rite store. They had some better deals, but had limited sizes. It was almost impossible to find size 4.5 shoes that I actually liked! Luckily I found a cute pair of shoes and decided to buy them since they were on sale. We also hit up the Gymboree outlet, but I couldn't justify spending more money at Gymboree today. We left Ellenton and headed home for Bella's afternoon nap. Unfortunately she fell asleep for about 10 minutes on the way home. She is currently in her crib, talking to herself... I hope she talks herself to sleep!

We have dinner plans tonight with our friend Ryan and his parents, who are in town visiting for the week. We usually try to get together with Ryan's parents when they're in town because they are really great people. And we're going to one of my favorite restaurants, Bella's, in South Tampa. I can't wait to have some yummy Italian food! 

Since Bella is supposed to be napping, I think I'm going to try to get a nap in, too. While I was a little disappointed our plans changed, today turned out to be a great mommy/daughter day with Bella. I love days like today!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

The joys of womanhood...

Last night was a rough night... I woke up at 3am with the worst cramps! I'm talking about cramps that rival contractions during labor. Okay, perhaps I'm being a little dramatic, but the cramps were pretty bad. So bad that I eventually threw up. I dug out the heating pad and laid with the heating pad until I finally fell asleep around 6am. Ahh, the joys of womanhood!


I didn't know how I would get through the day being so sleep deprived. Fortunately Grandma Ruth was willing to lend a helping hand and came over to watch Bella while I took a long (and much needed) nap. After my nap I was feeling a lot better, thanks to the heating pad, prescription strength ibuprofen and sleep. Stephanie and Connor stopped by to pick something up from our house and Grandma Ruth invited everyone to go to lunch. So we went to lunch at the mall so we could return a pair of shoes. Lunch at Ruby Tuesday was chaotic, but enjoyable because Stephanie and I are on the same page with our kids and parenting. We're not going to leave a restaurant because our kids are acting like maniacs, we just give sympathetic smiles and encourage each other to be patient. The kids had fun sharing snacks and passing crayons back and forth, so it was well worth it. 


stride rite... don't even get me started! I wish there was another reputable kids shoe store but unfortunately stride rite is pretty much it. I know we could order shoes online, but I'd rather be in a store so Bella can try the shoe on. I've never had a great experience at a stride rite store because it always seems to be crowded and hectic. Today's experience was no different and we ended up walking out without returning the shoes and empty handed. Luckily, Grandma Ruth called the stride rite at Citrus Park Mall and they have the shoes we want in the size we need. Bella has extremely tiny feet and so she is limited in which styles are available. She wears a size 4.5 shoe, which is pretty much average shoe size for a 6-9-month-old. But I do love those tiny feet! 


Oh, and why the hell does a children's shoe store only have ONE sales associate working?!? This chick was out numbered and completely overwhelmed. She will probably never have children after working at stride rite. 


Well, I've got a date with a heating pad and some ibuprofen. Such an exciting evening! =)


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

Busy Day

It's amazing how much I can accomplish when Bella is with the babysitter! This morning I went to the gym, ran errands, got a pedicure and did multiple loads of laundry while the babysitter was watching Bella. Thank goodness we have a regular babysitter because otherwise I wouldn't be able to accomplish so many things, so quickly. And Grandma Ruth is always ready, willing and able to watch Bella when we need her. 


I hadn't been to the gym in several months and I've been meaning to get back into a routine, it just took a little longer than expected. Our gym is a mecca for moms and kids during the summer because it has multiple pools and a mini splash park. The parking lot is full but once I went inside, the gym wasn't nearly as crowded as I had originally thought. I did an hour and a half worth of cardio and it felt good. Being physically active is something I've always enjoyed, it's just a lot more difficult to get to the gym when you have a toddler who naps twice a day. My goal is to get to the gym 2-3 times a week before Bella's morning nap. She does well in the childcare center at the gym and it gives me peace of mind knowing that she is having fun while I'm working out. 


I stopped home briefly after the gym to shower and said hi to Bella. I treated myself to a pedicure and even splurged on a shellac nail polish. The shellac nail polish is different than typical nail polish in that it dries instantly when placed under a UV light and lasts up to 14-days without smudging or chipping. The nail technician said since I was getting a pedicure, the shellac nail polish should last 4 weeks without chipping. Like I mentioned before, it's a little more expensive than a regular pedicure, but if it lasts 4 weeks and looks as good as when I walk out of the nail salon, then it's worth the extra money to me. I'll let y'all know how long the shellac nail polish lasts and if I recommend getting it done or not. 


I ran errands and returned home to finish up a few loads of laundry. I really need to devise a better system of doing laundry. Currently I wait about 2-3 weeks to wash all of my clothes and so I have 3-4 loads of just my own laundry. Add another 2-3 loads for Bella and another 1-2 loads for household items and I'm stuck inside the laundry all day! Ian typically washes his own clothes (yes, he does his own laundry) and so that lightens my loads of laundry a little bit. I did 6 loads of laundry today which means I'll have 6 loads worth of clothes to either hang up or fold and put away in drawers. Geez, laundry really is a never ending chore!!!


It's been a long and productive day and I'm exhausted! I also haven't been feeling the best and so I'm hoping to get into bed early tonight. Hopefully I'll wake up feeling better tomorrow. So it's off to bed for me with a heating pad and some Advil. Nighty-night!


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

Down on the farm

My friend Stephanie called me today and invited us to go with her to a farm located in Lithia. Bella was with Grandma Ruth and Ian, so I accompanied Stephanie and Connor to the farm. She had heard there were animals to see and grapes to pick. I figured it'd be fun and we hit the road in the early afternoon. 


It was H-O-T!!! THe farm is located in Lithia, which is pretty much landlocked and there was not a breeze to be had. The moment we got out of the car we were sweating bullets. It was a relatively small farm and the gentleman who owned the farm dabbled in many different fruits, vegetables, herbs and animals. We were quickly greeted by two dogs and a flock of chickens. There were chickens, turkeys and ducks to feed and a pony to pet. Connor seemed to enjoy himself and it will be fun to go back with Bella one day.


Figuring out the various seasons in Florida can be tricky. Tomatoes and strawberries are no longer in season and it's not quite time for citrus fruit, so it was slim pickings (literally) in terms of fruits and vegetables. Except for grapes... but Stephanie and I quickly realized that we've been spoiled by seedless grapes from the grocery store and these grapes were not seedless. The grapes were small because the farm doesn't use pesticides or fertilizer, and taking the seeds of of the small grapes would leave nothing left for the kids to eat. We snipped a few bunches of grapes for the adults to enjoy. We also snipped parsley, rosemary, dill, basil and chives. The herbs smelled so good and were pretty much the highlight of our trip. We also picked some squash and a few onions. 


The farm charges $1 per pound and after weighing my loot, I only paid $2 for an onion, squash, a bunch of grapes and all the fresh herbs. Can't beat that! We also stopped by a produce stand on the way home and picked up a few locally grown things, like corn and cantaloupe. Yum!


Stephanie and I plan on finding more local farms so we can provide fresh fruits, vegetables and maybe even milk and eggs for our families. It's fun teaching the kids where their food comes from and it's nice to provide healthy food options from local growers. Plus it's fun to take the kids to new places and watch them explore new things. Bella will definitely be joining us on future trips to the farm. 


Well, I've got homemade mashed potatoes to make (with fresh chives) and fresh corn to steam. Sunday family dinner... what a wonderful way to end a great weekend. 


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

Beach Baby

We packed up the car and headed to Treasure Island today for the Deloitte summer party. Neither Ian nor I had been to Treasure Island in awhile so it was nice to have a change of beach scenery. The best part of the drive was passing Crabby Bills, the Don Cesar Hotel and Spinners Restaurant on St. Pete Beach and taking a quick walk down memory lane. 


While interviewing for jobs in St. Petersburg in 2005, I stayed on St. Pete Beach for about a week. Ian and I had just started dating and we went on a date to Crabby Bills on St. Pete Beach. For those of you familiar with Crabby Bills, it's a no frills seafood restaurant throughout the Tampa Bay area. Ian thought I might enjoy some seafood to keep me from getting homesick, but the less than stellar seafood made me miss Maryland and it's delicious seafood even more. It was a sweet gesture and we had fun on our date.


In early December 2007, Ian proposed to me at Maritana Grille at the Don Cesar Hotel. While it wasn't his first choice of places to propose to me, he made the proposal very special for me. Obviously I said yes and we were married in August 2008. We even contemplated getting married on St. Pete Beach but decided to get married in Maryland.


While celebrating our 1-year wedding anniversary in August 2009, I surprised Ian with some of the most exciting news of our lives at the Spinners Restaurant on St. Pete Beach. It's a really cool restaurant that overlooks the beach and gives you a 360-degree view of the Tampa Bay area as it slowly revolves. That night I told Ian that I was pregnant and he was going to be a dad! And in April 2010, we welcomed Isabella Eve Lasher into our lives! 


St. Pete Beach will always hold a special place in our hearts and we have some really fond memories of being there. It was fun to take a trip down memory lane, with all three of us on the journey. 


We arrived to the Deloitte party just before 11am and the weather was questionable from the get-go. Luckily the event was being held at the local Lions' Club so we had indoor shelter and air conditioning. We met up with Ian's friend/co-worker Greg and his daughter, Jessica, who are really great people. Greg actually has two daughters who LOVE watching after Bella. Jessica played with Bella in the water and Bella LOVED the water. She crawled out, got smacked in the face by a wave and continued crawling. Bella was fearless and it made me very nervous. Jessica held her in the water and Bella was giggling and shrieking the entire time. Bella had a blast and was worn out just in time for lunch. We ate lunch and left shortly after to head to Grandma Ruth's. Bella slept soundly on the way to Grandma Ruth's and even took an additional 90-minute nap at Grandma Ruth's. The beach really wore her out! We need to get to the beach more often.


Today was a fun day and I'm so glad that Bella enjoyed herself. She is such a fearless child, which is a great thing but causes me a great deal of worry. I'm so glad she is so fun-loving and independent but I worry about her taking a risk and getting hurt. Ah, such is life. 


We are Bella-less and I've been so tired recently, so I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow! Sleeping in is a guilty pleasure of mine so when Bella is away, I take full advantage of sleeping in. 


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

I Love Groupon!

It's been a long day of shopping so this post is going to be quick. Bella and I ventured out in the treacherous weather conditions to meet Grandma Ruth at Westshore Mall for some lunch and shopping. I had a Groupon at Old Navy to use before July 20th, so when Grandma Ruth suggested getting together, I suggested getting together at Westshore Mall.


About a month ago, I paid $10 to get a $20 Groupon to use at Old Navy. I know it's basically like a 50% off coupon, but it's still saving money, which is an awesome thing. I paid $10 for the Groupon and $3.48 in overage, so here is what I bought for $13.48:

Two t-shirts, 1 onesie, 1 skirt and 1 romper... $13.48!

I should have paid $39.59 for all of these clothes, but with my Groupon, I only paid $13.48. Gotta love Groupon! I especially love Groupon because during a triple referral period, I received two more referrals so I now have a total of $80 to spend on Groupon! I'm patiently waiting for either a Keratin treatment or house cleaning service to come along and I'm going to treat myself. 

Well, it's been a long day so I'd better hit the hay. We have a busy day planned for tomorrow. Goodnight.

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

MNO... Mom's Night Out!

Last night I went to dinner with a group of ladies who I've been spending a lot of time with since about October of last year. Here's a bit of background on how our mini-playgroup formed. After a lot of unnecessary drama in the large playgroup we had all been a part of, we decided to take matters into our own hands and form a small playgroup. Our kids were all born within a few months of each other and we live in close proximity to one another. We all invited and attended each baby's 1st birthday party and have been attending weekly play dates since October. It's been a lot of fun getting to know each other. 


We try to have a MNO, or a mom's night out at least once a month. We usually go to dinner, have a few drinks and chat for awhile. We've tried new restaurants that we normally wouldn't take our kids and it's been great not having to order an entree to share or feeding the kids before we feed ourselves. Sometimes at play dates, we're so consumed by the kids that we don't always have time to finish a conversation. MNO allows us to have hours of uninterrupted adult conversation. It's awesome!


We decided to try a pizza and martini bar called "Joia Fabulous Pizza and Martinis" in Riverview. As the name states, both the pizza and martinis were fabulous. We took our time to order, sipped yummy martinis and relaxed with good conversation. And although we love them dearly, it was a well deserved break from our husbands and kids. I ordered a pomegranate martini and a raspberry Bellini, along with a Margherita pizza and everything was delicious. I even had leftover pizza to bring home to share with Ian.


It was a fun evening and I was so glad to be out with the girls. We all have very busy travel schedules this summer, so it was nice to get together before everyone leaves for vacations. We have a trip to Baltimore planned, along with frequent trips to Orlando and the beach. Living in Florida, especially the Tampa Bay area is great because we're close to the beach, Orlando and we have a ton of things to see and do in the area. We have Busch Gardens and Sea World passes, as well as Disney passes and passes to Lowry Park Zoo. It's going to be a great summer!


Well, Ian is working from home today and Bella has a play date at Camden's late this morning. It's my third Thursday of not having a Thursday babysitter and I missed having the babysitter come on Monday because it was a holiday. I'm looking forward to getting back into our normal weekly routine. Grandma Ruth has been watching Bella here and there, so I guess that makes up for not having a babysitter twice a week. Anyway... Bella is napping and I need to hop in the shower so we can be ready to leave when she wakes up. Have a great day everyone!


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

Bella is 15-Months-Old TODAY!!!

Well, this post is actually being written the day after she turned 15-months, but I'm writing it today because we had her wellness appointment today. Here are her 15-month-stats:


Height: 31.5 inches (she actually dropped to the 82nd percentile for height, but is still tall for her age).


Weight: 24 pounds 4 ounces (she actually lost 6 ounces since her 12-month appointment and is now in the 73rd percentile for weight).

Clothing Size: Bella has plateaued and I could not be happier! She is actually wearing some 12 month clothes that she previously "outgrew". She is finally wearing age appropriate clothing sizes, but still wears some 18-24 month stuff. 

Sleeping Pattern: Bella sleeps about 11 hours at night and is still taking two naps a day. A few weeks ago, she began sleeping in until 8am and then only took one nap on those days. I was thinking she would go to a one nap a day schedule, but she isn't quite ready. She takes a morning nap for about 2 hours and she then takes an afternoon nap for about 2 hours. She is the best little sleeper!

Eating Pattern: So long formula and baby food! Bella is now a whole-milk drinking, table food eating champ! She eats 3 meals a day and has snacks as needed. She has yet to meet a food she doesn't like and eats everything! She drinks whole-milk out of her sippy cup three times a day and also drinks water. We're a no juice household and I fully intend to keep it that way. Not that there is anything wrong with giving your children juice, I just don't see the nutritional importance of doing so and would rather have Bella eat her fruits every day. 

Milestones: Where to begin?!? Bella began cruising around 12-months and has even ventured to take a step or two by herself. She's had some setbacks with walking due to the torticollis and plagiocephaly, and is not considered developmentally delayed. Both issues hindered Bella from developing a true sense of balance until corrected. Now that she is no longer tilting her head and is out of the helmet, she is progressing as expected. Bella is talking up a storm! She says "dada", "mama", "dog", "kitty cat", "gaga", "hi", "bye", "out", "uh oh", "bye bye" and jibber jabbers all day long! She has a mouth full of teeth and has 8 teeth in the front and all 4 of her first molars. We're just waiting on the 4 canines and 4 second molars and we'll be finished with teething. She has been a real trooper with all these new teeth and loves taking care of them! Bella loves to brush her teeth! 

Friends: All the usual baby playgroup friends and our neighbor friends, Aidynn and Reese.

Current Events: Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, but was found guilty of giving false information to a law enforcement officer. Her sentencing is Thursday and she is expected to receive a year or two in prison, but most likely will be given time served.  

Bella is a happy and healthy toddler, which makes us very happy. She is well-behaved and is an absolute sweetheart! 
Happy 15-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella

July 5th... 15 years

Today marks 15 years since my beloved grandfather, Bebop, passed away. This day never gets easier and even 15 years later, I still dread this date. 


Even though I was only 12-years-old at the time, I remember the day like it was yesterday. I woke up that morning and was greeted by my dad. I remember thinking it was odd that my dad was home because it was during the week and not a weekend. We were in the dining room at my dad's house and he didn't even have to open his mouth for me to know why he was home that day. He told me that Bebop had passed away early that morning and we would be going to my aunt's later that day to be with family. 


The next few days were a blur and I spent most of my time with my cousins. This is also the time my cousin Amy taught me to French braid my own hair. To this day, I still can't French braid anyone else's hair, but can still French braid my own. I remember taking walks with my cousins and talking about what we'd miss most about Bebop. I felt so bad for my younger cousins because they were only 6, 9 and 10 at the time. I thought about the time I had spent with Bebop and longed for my cousins to have more time with him.


Bebop was an amazing man. He was gentle, soft spoken and patient. He enjoyed gardening, bird watching and collecting the golf balls that entered his yard from the local country club. He had his life cut short by a misdiagnosis and it's totally unfair. I enjoyed the 12, almost 13 years I had with him but I've always wished for me. I'd like for him to have met Ian and Bella. He'd be the best great-grandfather and Bella would be in love with him, and he'd be in love with her. But as a mother, I can share all my really wonderful memories of Bebop with her. 


Not a day goes by that I don't miss either Bebop or Mom-Mom. They were two very special people in my life and loved their family very much. Each member of our family is who they are because of them. Without them, our family wouldn't be. They are the glue that held our family together and their children are now the glue that holds the family together. We miss them dearly, but they are in a better place. Some day we will all be reunited and until then, I will hold them in my heart and mind.


Love always,
Ian, Kim & Bella


P.S. Today Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her daughter, Caylee. I cannot say I'm pleased with the verdict because I don't feel that justice was served. Such a sad, sad day.