Coome's Wedding Recap!

Dear Diary,

What. A. Weekend.

The girls and I headed down south last Wednesday just in time for wedding planning, wedding decorating and wedding attending. Want a recap? Well I do, so here it goes:

We got to jump start the wedding weekend off with some of my favorite people in the entire world - The Flower Shop Girls. Ah, I love these ladies. Mom, Chels, Jordo, Melissa, Kristin, Brenda and I got to spend the evening joking, laughing, catching up and oh yeah, making a bouquet or two in the process. Jordan picked some pretty awesome flowers and when you combine that with our amazing skills, you get this:

Just a small dose of how beautiful everything looked. Some of us were dusting off our clippers after being out of the biz for a few years (by us, I really mean me), but several corsages, boutonnieres, bouquets and Oh's and Aw's later, we were reminded of how awesome we really are (by we, I mean everyone else). I feel so lucky to be part of this little group of people because you really can't have more fun than we do when we're together! LOVE!!

And so we move on to Thursday, a day of decorating. And with the organizational skills of THE Anna Boler, everything went as smooth as ever. Glassware was loaded and unloaded, tablecloths were put on tables, lights were hung, place settings were set and by Thursday night 400 plus chairs were dropped off and around tables. Did I mention this was a huge wedding?

By Friday we were down to the finishing touches. Melissa, Jordan and I were on flower duty - again, made easy because of the dynamic duo (Anna + Melissa = Awesome). I was able to take a close look at the glassware and tablecloths on each table in the process and Jordan and Mom are definitely nominated for Flea Market & Antique Mall Queens Of The Year. I think there is a crowning ceremony in the near future. By lunchtime on Friday the place looked amazing, as you can seen here:

... so by Friday afternoon we had plenty of time to relax and get ready for rehearsal dinner. You can't beat family, friends and food!

The Wedding Day started pretty early. Jordan, Chelsea and I headed out the door at 7:00, grabbed some Starbucks and headed to the salon. We left looking better than when we walked in thanks to Torey, Christy and Ashleigh so everyone definitely did their job and did it well. Addy got her hair done for the first time (she has never even had a haircut in her 2 years of life) and she sat still and didn't complain once. And I have to say, she looked pretty darn cute:

From the salon we were off to the church where everyone had to get dressed. Here is the outcome:

Jordan looked amazing, which I didn't expect anything less. The perfect bride for sure!

We slipped in and out of the church for a few pictures so Jordan and Brian didn't see each other before the wedding and then it was the waiting game. 4 flower girls, 4 bridesmaids, a couple Moms helping out and a bride all stuffed into an extremely small room makes 30 minutes feel like 30 hours, BUT it was finally 2:00 and we walked out to find a packed church waiting for the ceremony to begin. Nobody fell down, all 4 flower girls did exactly what they were supposed to, and Jordan and Brian looked happier than ever.

We said hello to Mr. & Mrs. Coomes for the first time, took a few more pictures and headed off to the reception for the party! Everything looked amazing and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I have never seen so many people pay attention to the Couple's First/Father Daughter/Mother Son Dance in my life. Very special moments for very special people.

And while a reception is slightly chaotic when you have 2 little ones to chase after, we still had a great time! We don't get out much, nor get dressed up, so I was happy to capture a photo of my little family looking our finest:

Like I said, it was a great weekend and we have Jordan and Brian to thank for it! You wont find many couples happier than these two and I am sure I speak for everyone when I wish them many, many years of love and happiness in the future! Love you both!

Sincerely Yours,

GPS (Not the kind you're thinking)

Dear Diary,

If one blog wasn't enough I now have two! Just another excuse to do some daily writing. And while I hope my second blog keeps me busy, I do not want to neglect this one, so here is a new entry full of my usual nonsense!

What will this post be about? Gymnastics, Pacifiers and Snow

Gymnastics: We have been attending a Parent/Tot class for a little over a month now and we LOVE it. I say we because it's true, I love it almost as much as she does! Every Wednesday Addy makes sure to get her nap in so there is, "No cryin' at nin-nastics!" We eat a quick dinner with Dad and Liva and then she asks every minute on the minute if it's time to go yet, "Okay, Nin-nastics?" Her and I get to spend 50 minutes together (along with several other parent/tot combos) playing ("jumping"), stretching ("drums") and learning basic gymnastics moves ("wolling") on an obstacle course that is new and different every time we go! The best part, however, comes the last 2 minutes of class when Addalyn gets her "sticker" - a stamp that she is always proud of and immediately starts lecturing me by saying, "No bath, yet!" because she doesn't want me to wash it off! We look forward to Wednesdays around here and Garrett is anxious for his chance to take her, although if I am being honest I will definitely feel like I am missing out of I don't get to go =)

Pacifiers: I am lucky this time around because Olivia is not near as attached to her paci as Addy was. She really only uses it when she sleeps and occasionally if she is cranky. You'd think after plenty of practice with the things, I'd have no issues, but that has proven to be wrong. What is it about pacifiers and disappearing? You can see it fall out of their mouth, you can even hear it hit the floor, but somehow the stupid thing has managed to land 3 bedrooms away on the top shelf of the closet behind those old boxes you haven't touched in years. Seriously! For example: Last night Olivia woke up and needed help getting  back to sleep. I first tried just rocking her while standing next to her crib and, as always, the pacifier fell out of her mouth. I heard it fall, I even think I saw it fall and no matter how hard I searched, the stupid thing had vanished. I quickly grabbed the replacement pacifier and headed into my bedroom to rock her in the rocking chair. OF COURSE, the replacement pacifier also fell out and after grabbing my phone to use as a spotlight as to not wake anyone up, the replacement pacifier was nowhere to be found. I was less than surprised to find it the next morning right out in the open where I had looked a dozen times. Ridiculous!

Snow: We had our first snow fall this morning. It wasn't much, but it was enough to cover the ground. I personally enjoy snow but I also don't have to leave my house. Addy really wanted it to snow for Christmas and didn't get her wish so she was happy to see it this morning too. Her first response was, "Go make snowman?" I explained there wasn't quite enough to make a snowman yet but hopefully someday soon we'd get to go outside and play. So, Mother Nature, could you please send some more snow our way in the near future so I am not a liar? You could even just dump it in our yard so the roads stay clear and everyone can drive safely to work. Thanks.

Sincerely Yours,

To Each Thier Own

Dear Diary,

It is quiet and relaxing this morning. My poor husband was up all night with phone calls and ended up having to go to work this morning. I am hoping he wont be there long but in the meantime, the girls and I are just hanging out.

Due to no husband, work that can't be started until errands are ran, and two busy children who don't need/want their Mom to play with them, I found myself doing something I rarely do. I logged into Pinterest. Everyone knows how I feel about that website - anxiety overload - so I never get on. This morning was no different, although I did copy a recipe that has potential. As I was scrolling down the website looking at all your pins, a picture really caught my eye:

My first thought, "Oh that's a cute idea." My second thought, "Seriously lady? 18 weeks? How can you possibly still look like that?!?!?"

Now, before everyone gets mad at me, I am NOT at all angry with this lady whom I have never met nor am I questioning her eating habits. In fact, I am extremely happy for her. She still appears to have 6 pack abs AND has a healthy baby growing inside of her that apparently is kicking. In fact, I am amazed that two people who are both young and healthy could progress completely differently during pregnancy. What to see what I mean? Take a look:

Okay, this is a slight exaggeration. I am not 18 weeks pregnant here (I didn't take a picture at that stage), but I am 24 weeks and I can guarantee the lady above will not look like this at 24 weeks! I can only imagine I was even bigger than this at 24 weeks with Olivia, but because preggo pics during round #2 weren't going to be fun for anyone to look at, I don't have a picture to prove it.

I got the question a lot during both pregnancies, "Wow, are you sure there aren't two in there?" Which, let me tell anyone who doesn't already know this (and you'd be surprised at how many people do not know this), but commenting on how big a pregnant woman has become and questioning her knowledge of how many babies she is having is NEVER a good idea. I have seen many women who look like Skinny Minny up there and I have seen many women who look like me during pregnancy and neither deserves to be questioned on their "growing" state. EVER!

I also envy the women who just weeks after giving birth are back to their "old" jeans or the ones who never really gained anywhere but their belly so if you were to look at head shot you'd never even know they were pregnant. I, too, gained weight everywhere and there is no angle that made me look flattering.

While I love the first picture below for a number of reasons, I can't help but look at my face and wonder who hooked me up to an air pump. Granted this was taken just days after Olivia was born but I am definitely proud to have lost the double chin, puffy cheeks, and extra round neck.

So I guess what I am trying to say is that like everything else with pregnancy, your weight is out of your control. If  any of you were Skinny Minny's during pregnancy then I say Congratulations! If any of you looked like me, then I say join the club. And to all those who wish to be pregnant in the future, no matter how skinny or how "fat" you become, it will all become meaningless when that little baby takes front and center over every other issue you once had!

Another random thought from this Momma!

Sincerely Yours,

Bananas and P-Tarts

Dear Diary,

Well it is January 3rd and I am finally writing my New Years post. I guess my resolution wasn't to be more prompt in 2012.

Actually I never make resolutions. My goals in life are almost always "What I am going to get done today," rather than "What I am going to get done this year." If I can check things off my list daily, then my year is taken care of!

2011 was a good year for us. Mostly because Olivia made her debut. It is extremely weird to think that we used to be a family of three. When I think back to New Years Eve last year, I can't believe the difference a year makes.

In 2011 we put in new floors, had a baby, took the girls on their first plane ride, lost some weight, celebrated my sister's engagement, celebrated Addalyn's 2nd birthday, had a 25th and a 26th Birthday, witnessed Olivia walk well before she was supposed to, started a Christmas tradition at home, and celebrated a 4 year Anniversary.

I notice we did a lot of celebrating in 2011, which is never a bad thing. And we will start off 2012 celebrating as I watch my sister get married, followed by a 1st and 3rd Birthday, and all the Holidays in between!

I spent the 2nd day of the New Year being extremely productive so I hope that carries on into the days to come. And while I am always hopeful that a million things will get done, I am at least thankful for the ones that actually do. Life is busy but I am confident my girls will remember all the afternoons we spent playing and not the days where I got all the bathrooms cleaned and the laundry done. Playtime should ALWAYS be on the To-Do List!

2011 did make me realize something - I am a creature of habit. I am all about routine and I think someone has inherited this trait from me. Addy asks for a banana and a "P-Tart" every morning for breakfast. Sometimes I can finagle a bowl of cereal out of her but it's rare. And she always asks for candy after every meal, which she doesn't always get, but it never discourages her from asking anyway.

I start every morning by making coffee. Sometimes I don't get to pour a cup until 9:00 but at least it's always made. I tune in to the Today Show with Liva before Addy gets up and makes me turn it. If I am up before 7:00, which most days I am, then I watch Home Improvement reruns. The girls and I always go to the playroom after breakfast and not a single morning goes by that my bed doesn't get made (pet peeve). If Addy decides to take a nap in the afternoon I turn on Friends at 4:00 before I start dinner. I have seen every episode a million times but it never gets old. I think it is my comfort show. We give the girls a bath directly after dinner every night where Addy complains every night and then never wants to get out every night. And I insist that all toys get picked up before bed, something that my husband hates me for but I don't care, it's my rule!

The weekends are nice when Garrett is home or when we have plans or make trips to Pittsburg, but I have to say I always look forward to a "normal" Monday with my cup of coffee and the Today Show.

Looking forward to 100's of more routine days around here in 2012, and always welcoming the surprise moments as well. Never a dull moment at the Forsythe house!

I also have to say that I have now written on this blog for a little over a year. I started it in December of 2010 and I am pleasantly pleased with how much I have enjoyed writing. I love that people actually read it, but even if they didn't I would still enjoy just being able to write on a regular basis. 80 blog posts and over 7,000 views later, I am still loving it! So thank you for reading my quirky, not always interesting, daily thoughts and happenings. Your comments mean the world to me and I am hoping to continue writing as often as I can!


Sincerely Yours,

"Merry Christmas Kevin."

Dear Diary,

As I sit in the playroom while my girls are occupied with new toys and movies, I have come to the conclusion that Addalyn and Olivia are extremely lucky.

Normally I would say how lucky Garrett and I are, which we are, but today as I look at this playroom, I can't help but be amazed. I mean look at this place...

I would have killed for a playroom like this when I was little. And don't get me wrong, I was very fortunate as a child as well, but come on, what little girl wouldn't want a room dedicated to their toys that has more pink and purple in it than Barbie's Dream House? And with my organizational skills and constant need to keep it tidy, they are in toy heaven!

If you hadn't noticed, Christmas was good to us. We got to spend it at home, in our own house, which was both rewarding and challenging. I made a decision that when my kids were old enough to understand what was going on, I wanted to have Christmas at home to start our own traditions. Some of my best memories are of all the familiar things we did every year at Christmas time so I want the same for my girls.

While I was happy to be home, I was also extremely busy. I now have a new appreciation for my Mother and Mother-In-Law who have spent many Holidays in their kitchen. Big, fancy meals are a lot of work and if you do it right, it takes up a lot of your time, but the end result is definitely worth it. Garrett and I decided on a Christmas Eve meal and I am proud to say it tasted exactly as it should have. I may have been mashing potatoes 15 minutes before we had to leave for Christmas Eve Mass, but the important thing is that dinner was warm and ready when we got home and it tasted delicious!

The girls got to open one gift a piece (okay, more like Addy got to open 2 gifts) and we watched traditional Christmas movies before setting out the milk and cookies (okay crying because Addy thought they were for her ) and heading to bed.

Olivia woke everyone up at an early 6:45AM and we headed down to see what Santa brought. It is one of my favorite Christmas' of all time and I hardly got a thing (although I love my new socks Santa brought me in my stocking). I made a nice breakfast, then more food for the afternoon and we spent the day with my family opening gifts and playing an exciting game of Celebrity that we will all remember for years to come.


Life is good. Some people need holidays and special events to realize how good life is, but I just need to wake up each morning with my little family and I know how good I have it. Blessed beyond words for sure.

AND, it's not even over! We will have a post Christmas celebration with my in-laws this weekend. I can't imagine where any more toys will go, BUT I do know I will have a blast finding a perfect spot for them in this ridiculous playroom.

Happy New Year! Hug Your Family!

Sincerely Yours,

“My ability to turn good news into anxiety is rivaled only by my ability to turn anxiety into chin acne.” - Tina Fey, Bossypants

Dear Diary,

Christmas is in 4 days. Of course I have last minute things to do, I am nothing if I am not a procrastinator, but despite the small amount of anxiety I have I am SUPER excited for Christmas.

I have more duties to do this year than in the past, like baking sweets and preparing big meals and hiding Santa's toys so Garrett's daughter cant find them. I say Garrett's daughter because Mr. Present Snooper has met his match. At 2 years old she has already found one present and opened it. How will I ever manage to hide things in years to come? Mary Ann, I feel your pain. Like Father, like Daughter.

Addy is counting down the days and lets just say if Santa doesn't bring her "toys" she is going to be pissed. No toy in particular, she just wants "toys!" And Liv has no idea what's going on but she sure is happy about it. My little cruiser spends her days smiling and running everywhere she can. She may be the smallest, fastest walker of all time. She rarely has a plan as to where she is going but she is always getting there fast!

Christmas also marks one month until Jordan's wedding. Man that snuck up fast. Can't believe my little sister is going to be married! And I really can't believe I am going to put on a bridesmaid dress in 30 some days... probably should have done less baking this holiday season. Oh well. You'll be surprised to know that Jordan's wedding day IS NOT about me so I think all eyes will be distracted by the BEAUTIFUL BRIDE!! Can't wait to see her =)

On a side note, I just finished the funniest book I have ever read, Tina Fey's Bossypants. I was so busy last week with sick kids, and orders, and Christmas preparation that I should not have been reading but I started it and I could not put it down. Finished it in two days and was extremely sad it was over. There really was no point to it, just random happenings of Tina's life, but I have never laughed out loud that many times while reading a book. Highly recommended!

Alright I am off! The girls want breakfast - so demanding - and I have chores to do! Merry, Merry Christmas!

Sincerely Yours,

I Am A Bad Ass In My Own Mind

Dear Diary,

I am far from optimistic about things in life. It tends to drive my husband crazy. For instance, if we are going on vacation and flying to get there my immediate complaint is that all my luggage will get lost and my clothes will be gone forever. Has my luggage ever been lost? No. So why do I think that will happen to me? I have no idea but I have more than convinced myself that it will happen.
　
I think this way about everything. I look at it as thinking positive though because at least I am never let down. If we go on vacation and my luggage doesn't get lost then, Yay. Hooray for me! I can put a check mark in the "good day" box.
　
Where is this story going? Well tonight I ran a couple errands after dark to avoid having to get the girls out with me tomorrow to do it. I went to my usual, Hobby Lobby and the store. I know, you must be surprised it wasn't to the local liquor store and XXX video right?
　
ANYWAY, so I make my last stop at the store and because I am stubborn I insist on only carrying a basket around for my "few" items which always turns out to be the wrong choice. I am struggling to balance everything as I make my way to the register, but I get there and the nice sacker get everything ready for me to make yet another awkward trip out to my car because who needs a cart when you are awesome right?
　
As I am carrying way too many things I notice there is a truck parked right next to me that is running. As I walk/hobble toward my vehicle the truck is not backing up or turning off. My immediate thought is, "There is some murderer in that truck, waiting for me to get to my car and as I am struggling to get the 15 bags that I am carrying into the back end of my SUV he is going to grab me and take me somewhere to kill me."
　
A few years ago I seriously probably would have turned around and went back inside until the truck left because I would have been too scared to see what would have come about. Today my thought process went a little something like this, and I am not exaggerating at all, "Oh well. Let that bastard come at me. I will stab him."
　
Really Lindsey? You will stab him? With what do you plan on stabbing him with? And how exactly do you plan on doing that with 87 bags in your hands?
　
There are so many things wrong with this story. First of all, why was I jumping to conclusions when all I was dealing with was a truck with its engine running a little too long next to my car? Second of all, why all of a sudden did I think I was part of a gang and had a dagger at hand for such a situation?
　
What I did realize in the lengthy 10 seconds that this situation played out was that I think I am some kind of a bad ass, and that I obviously think I have a heck of a lot to live for. So if anyone thinks they are going to take that away from me then I guess I am going to stab you. Moral of the story - Don't mess me me. At least not at the grocery store.
　
The real moral of the story - Grab a cart.
　
Oh, and if you were wondering. The "murderer" in the truck was actually a woman who appeared like she was trying to warm her hands. Obviously she was waiting on someone inside while A-Holes like me were plotting on how they would stab her if she came too close.

Sincerely Yours,