Favorite of January

I've already uploaded this picture to my blog but it is my favorite picture from this month! I have been horrible at taking pictures with my DSLR so I didn't have many to choose from. Entering this one in The Paper Mama's photo challenge for this week!

Baby Steps!!

Just wanted to get on here and post real quick. Since this is almost like my baby book I wanted add on here that Sophia FINALLY took her first few steps on her own yesterday!!! I went to pick her up from daycare and one of the workers told me not to be mad but Soph took some steps on her own. I wasn't mad at all. I have been waiting so long for this girl to walk on her own. I figured she'd have it by her first birthday but she is 15 months!! & still taking her time.

We went home that evening and I was so excited to tell Gary. We sat down on the floor and practiced with her. We were both sitting across from one another. We got Sophia to stand and she would wobble and walk to us in 3 steps. She would fall into our arms but she did such a good job!!! I was so excited. I am so proud of my girl and I wanted to get on here and share this so I can always look back and remember when she finally decided to walk.

I have been super busy this week with work and then full time momma in the evenings. I really wish time would just slow down or there were more hours in the day. I sometimes feel like I am going to go crazy  because my life feels non stop and I feel like I never get anything done. Oh well, here's some pictures of what we've been in to.

Here are some pictures from the holiday dinner party that my job had a few weeks back. I look so different in these pictures and the second one creeps me out. Why am I holding the wine glass like that? lol

Sophia LOVES to brush her teeth. She does it every morning and evening and she does such a good job. She holds it all by herself. She basically just chews on it BUT I made sure her 8 teeth are brushed when she's done playing.

I am so glad tomorrow is Friday. I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Today was a little rough. After work I went with my mom and Sophia to the beauty saloon. Worst idea ever. Sophia was so cranky and bad. I was stressed out. She is now asleep and I am going to read a little bit of the Hunger Games and go to sleep. I have to work out in the morning. I've been going Monday, Wed and Friday. I like going every other day. I get to sleep in just a little bit longer on the two days during the week day that I don't go to the gym. 

Camera Help!

I love photography. I could spend all day just looking at different photography websites or pictures on Pinterest. I could also spend all day just taking pictures of my little girl.

I'm not the best at photo taking but I keep getting better {in my opinion}. My parents bought a Canon Rebel DSLR camera two Christmas's ago. I only had the lens it came with so all my pictures were taken with that one, on automatic. Gary then bought me a camera lens that was on sale on Black Friday. It's a 75-300 mm lens. It's ok. It takes good pictures but not the kind I want.

I want a lens that will take up close, clear pictures of Sophia. One that is kind of wide angle. I want to be able to get those close up shots either indoor or outdoor with the blurred background. I was talking to a friend who does photography and she told me to try and get either a 50mm or 35mm lens with the smallest apeture. {That's another thing I need help with, learning the basics of my camera. I found both online, the 35mm is a little more pricey but I don't mind to pay the amount. I save money for myself to buy something each paycheck so I've been saving up for a new lens. I can't decide which one I should get though. 

The website I was planning on buying from is currently out of stock for the 35mm but they have the 50mm. I'm kind of anxious about getting one and was really hoping to order one this weekend. I want to take Soph's Valentine's Day pictures. 

So, after all my rambling I guess my question is.. which lens should I get for someone who is a beginner with photography and just wants clear, close up pictures with blurry backgrounds of my baby. If any of my readers have any advice or tips, please let me know! 

Finally some free time

Well, I've probably been the worst blogger ever the past two months. I used to have time to sit down and do a post but now I don't. Maybe it's because Sophia is EVERYWHERE now. I used to think it was hard when she was baby before she started crawling, but this... this is exhausting. I'm usually in bed when she goes to sleep. It's bad. And I hate I'm not posting as much because this is where I share all our stories so that one day I can come back and read these. So, like I said a million times before I'm going to really start my best at posting again. I need to remember these memories, even if I fall asleep with my laptop on my lap, I'm posting.


Things have been the same ol' since the last time I posted. I work everyday, come home and take care of my girl then go to sleep. I have been able take some pictures with my iPhone. I'm going to start using my DSLR more now. Here is what we've been up to according to my Instagram pictures.

1. Cartoon drawing of me and Gary that this guy drew of us at my works dinner last Friday. Check out my eye brows haha. 2. Coffee mug that one of my co workers got me, it's perfect. 3. Sophia napping on Mommy. 4. Hanging out in her carseat. 5. Bath time fun. 6. Pretty girl! 7. At dinner for me and Gary's 3 year anniversary. 8. Picture from this summer that's at my desk at work. 9. Picture of me and my girl before I left for work.


Sophia is currently taking a nap so I have been able to mess around on here. I decided to change my blog look and use a template I got from ShabbyBlogs. I am starting to really like the vintage/shabby look. 


We stayed with my parents last night because Gary had to work real late and I didn't want to be at the house alone. I was going to leave super early to head back home but we had an ice storm last night and everything is covered in ice! So Soph and I have jus been hanging out here. I plan on heading home soon and then we have a birthday party to go to if the roads aren't too bad! Sophia turned 15 months yesterday so I will be having a post here soon of her monthly pictures & stats. Hopefully this is the first post to many more from here on out. Have a safe and warm Saturday everyone!

Im back .. kind of.

Hey everyone! We've been back from VA Beach since late Sunday night. We had a really great time just spending time with family. Sophia loved seeing her cousins and I loved being able to shop at my favorite stores that we don't have here. We went to yummy restaurants and even got to visit with my old manager from work. It was a great time. I only got my actual camera out ONE time! I really need to start using it again. I took most of my pictures from my iPhone that were uploaded to my instagram. Here's a few of them..

1. Sophia sleeping on our way to VA Beach. 

2. Old pictures of Gary when he was a kid I found.

3. Sophia kissing her cousin Anthony.

 4. Eating oranges.

5. Cousins playing outside in the nice weather.

6. Practicing walking with Daddy.

7. Crazy baby.

8. Starting The Hunger Games

We got back late Sunday night and had to start working again on Monday. So I've been back to being super busy. Gary's been working until 8 every evening so I've been staying at my parents house until he's off work. So I'm hardly ever home. I also started working out in the evening, just for this week, so when I get home we all go straight to sleep. My house is a disaster and we still haven't unpacked yet. 


Hopefully this weekend I can accomplish some things, relax and get back to a normal routine again. Maybe even catch up on reading some of my favorite blogs. This is going to be short bc I've got laundry to do and then I have to sleep. I have to work out REAL early tomorrow morning before work. Good night everyone! Leaving you with some of my favorite pictures from the pic. Who knew eating spaghetti was so entertaining!

VA BEACH!

Won't be posting for a few days. We're actually packin up & on our way to VA Beach! I took two days off work this week so we can go visit Gary's family. I'm pretty excited for our mini vacation. I won't be taking my computer but will update when we get back Monday! :) Hope everyone has a wonderful week & weekend!! 

Oh & before I forget. Soph had her 1yr check up today.. yeah I know we are a couple months behind it but she got her shots and also weighed in at 24lbs and 31 inches long! The Dr. was kind of concerned about Sophia not walking yet but said if she's not walking in a month then to give her a call but I know Soph will be walking then. I'll leave you all with a picture of Soph being goofy with my glasses on last night. 

1st Post of The Year

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone had a great New Year's. Not gonna lie but I fell asleep before the ball even dropped on New Years on the couch cuddled up with Sophia. Gary did wake me up to see the ball drop, but I didn't put my glasses on & just pretended that I saw it, gave him a kiss, and fell right back to sleep. This momma was tired. I did get some kisses from my girl earlier that night .. 

That's one thing I felt like I always was this year, tired. I know I'm a very busy girl but this year, 2012, I'm not gonna be. Even if I have to drink extra coffee and drink my first Red Bull, I'm not gonna be tired. 


Also, as I was reading everyone's New Years Resolutions I came up with a few that I wanted to do ...


>> I want to learn more about my DSLR & take more pictures, at least once a day of Sophia .. or anything. No more auto setting pictures. I got a new lens and I've barely used it. I haven't brought our my camera actually in awhile now that I have my new iPhone. But this year, it's coming out a lot and I'm going to capture everything. I would also like to have the pictures uploaded to my computer each day that it's taken. I always put it off and when it's time to upload them I have so many and it stresses me out.


>> I want to hang out with my friends more. A lot of my friends are still in school or have moved away so when they're in I only have a few days to plan something and see them. Well this year I sucked at getting together with my friends. Truth was I was tired from work and just wanted to be home. I was def. worst friend of the year in 2011. This year I'm going to make more of an effort to visit with them. Not only my old friends, but my new friends too. 


>> Like everyone else, I want to get into shape. I don't want to lose weight, just get fit. I have the shoes and the clothing.. and a cute water bottle I got for Christmas.. there's no excuse not too, not using tired this year. I'll just look better in a swim suit this summer and I can always buy more VS work out clothes = perfect!


>> I want to blog more. I don't want to ever forget anything about {our story}. So this year I'm going to try to atleast blog maybe 5 days out of the week. I want to use this for Sophia as her baby book since I never really started one. So this year look forward to even more stories, random things about our day and pictures of the baby girl and my family.


>> I would also like to buy a car and maybe plan for a wedding. I have an idea of what I want and I've wanted it for a long time so we'll see how that goes.


>> I want to change my style. I don't want to change too much just be more 'fun'. I always see clothes that I'd LOVE to wear but never buy it because I'm afraid I'll look dumb trying to pull it off or won't have anywhere to go in it. We'e heading to VA beach this Wed. so maybe this week is a good time to start.


>> Speaking of appearance. I need to keep up with it more. I have to dress up everyday for work and I do. But I don't really do my hair, or hardly ever wear make up. I actually haven't had a trim or color since maybe last March {eww}. After we get back from VA Beach I'll be getting myself a lil hair makeover and I will get myself dolled up more.


>> Go on dates with Gary. Gary & I are so busy with work and being parents that we never get to really be a couple anymore. This year I want to change that. Instead of using our free night to sleep and relax, I want to dress up and go on a date. Even if it's just dinner and a movie. We're going to get back to how we were before baby.


Well, I didn't think I'd type that much but those are my resolutions that just came off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more but I'm promising myself that I will do that this year. No more tired and lazy Josie. 


// Now what we did today. Hey, I know this is a long post but I said I wanted to document everything we do. My parents kept Sophia last night so Gary and I went home, watched Glee, and passed out. We woke up early because Gary had to work and I wanted my girl. and guess what we woke up to ... SNOW. Our first now of the year. I didn't get any pictures but I promise I will tomorrow, if it's still there. I showed Soph out the window, but she didn't care.


We hung out with my parents and decided to head into town. I dropped my car off to get the oil changed and inspected. Then headed to Toys R Us to get us a new car seat for miss Soph. We also got a a HUGE thing of diapers and some new clothes. Soph slept through the whole thing. 

We went to the mall after and walked around and got a few things. And now we're at our parents house opening some Christmas presents from Stephanie. I HAVE to go home and clean. I do not like coming home from out of town to a messy home. Have to go back to work tomorrow, but only for 2 days then it's vacation time. Have a good evening everyone!