Forthy Before the Big 4-0 Update

I have to admit I haven't really been focusing on my Big 4-0 list! I'm still reading Anna Karenina, that book is rough, and only about 40% through the book. Remember why I started reading it in the first place? Fashion!! Banana Republic did an entire collection around the book. Oh, and the romantic link between Anna and Vronsky. There are some really great parts, and just when I am getting into it, the next section is about stuff I could care less about....like who cares about farming and sectioning off the land to give to Muzhiks. Let's get to the romance because that's what I thought the book focused on the most. It doesn't....

 

My mom got me a Fassage for my birthday but I haven't scheduled it yet. It sounds amazing. A facial plus massage! I need to get that scheduled and that will take care of number 25. I have really tried to focus on number 39, spend more time with girlfriends. We had a girls night back in December. Four of us headed to the Melting Pot for a little Girl's Night indulgence! It was a fabulous evening. I had lunch with my girlfriend Carolyn back in January and had sushi and drinks with Julie last Thursday. It has been so nice to just have a glass wine, food and girl talk!

 

I'm dying to travel! Number two and three go hand in hand and I truly hope to schedule a trip to NY in September. Now, how can I head to NY and still take McKinley with me? I'm thinking my mom should go too! She can be the nanny, like Rachel Zoe's sister Pam, and we can have fun in the city when time allows. My dad could go too and take some amazing photos for his new venture in life...

A lot of the things on my list are really spring and summer related. I'm so looking forward to Old Man Winter disappearing for a while. We are so over the confines of our house. We want to get out, explore the town, breath in fresh air and sunshine and sport bare legs! My dad and I talk all the time about number 19! I have created a playlist in my head but we just need to sit down and rehearse. Oh, and figure out how to actually perform in public!

At the rate I'm going, I'm pretty sure I might secure 10 items on the list! I am, however, saving like mad for number one!!! We will make that happen. I guess I need to get on the passports for myself and McKinley. (That would take care of number 34.) The trip of a lifetime is still possible! I won't let that one go! And the gonadal ride at the Venetian doesn't count!

Want to see the full list? Check it out here!

Motherhood and Selfishness

I'm an only child. And, for those of us only children, most people expect us to be selfish, self-centered people, right? I would like to think that I don't fit into either category. Yes, I do think about myself from time to time, but who doesn't? Am I selfish? Sure, when it comes to things like sharing my time with my child, sharing my mascara with others (gross) or sharing a toothbrush with my husband. Who does that anyway? So, when I thought about having a child, I knew that my time as an only would come to a screeching halt.

What do I mean by that? Well, as an only child, I'm doted on. It's a perk of being an only child and only only children know this behavior. You don't have to share your toys, your time with your parents, your anything. My parents gave me all of their attention but didn't lavish me with gifts. If anything, it was the opposite. I didn't get what I wanted when I wanted it. I got things for Christmas, Easter, Valentines and birthday just like everyone else. However, it didn't stop once I hit a certain age. I still get something for all of those holidays and I love it. Not afraid to brag about it. But, again, upon having a child, I knew somethings would change. I'm not the first person they hug upon entering the door. I'm not the first person they ask about when I call to say hello. And that's okay. That's how it's supposed to be.

The other part of being a mother means that there isn't much time for you anymore. You put all of your time and energy into your child without thought or regret. But, aren't there times when you just feel like being a little selfish? Or is that me? There are times where I miss waking up past 8:00 on a Saturday morning only to move to the couch and watch nothing on TV. I miss going out to dinner on a Friday night and then staying out way too late because we didn't need to come home. Hence, the waking up past 8:00 on a Saturday morning. I miss packing up and jetting off to NY or LA, or anywhere for that matter, because Joel and I needed to get away for a weekend. It doesn't mean I don't love my son any less, does it?

My latest selfish thought as been centered around a day of doing absolutely nothing and with no one in particular! And when I say nothing, what I really mean is having a pajama party and watching the Twilight Saga, in all five parts, from start to finish! Doesn't that sound completely amazing? I would start with lattes and breakfast. Lunch somewhere in between, preferably something delivered or a drive-thru. (I'm in my pajamas remember.) Then, I would conclude the evening with wine and pizza. A handful of girlfriends, tissues and munches would be a welcomed addition.

Midnight Showing of New Moon

Midnight Showing of Eclipse

Seriously, am I alone in this kind of thinking? Do other mothers wish for a day all to themselves? Or are you all saints and I'm simply that selfish, self-centered only child I didn't think I was? Anyone....

What are They, Superheros?

A typical evening in the lives of the Krasnows is pretty exciting, let me tell ya. I pick up McKinley from my parents, head home, make dinner, get McKinley in the bath, play for a bit and then try to get him to bed at a reasonable hour. What I can't seem to figure it out is how people get dinner on the table, kids in the bath and in bed by 7:00 or 7:30. I have to ask myself, are these people superheros? I can't get my kid home before 5:45 on most days. Dinner is usually on the table by maybe 6:30. McKinley is in the bath sometime after that and we are getting him calmed down around 8:00 in hopes of him getting to bed by 8:30. There is no way I can meet the 7:00/7:30 standard of bedtime.

When talking with Joel about a schedule for McKinley, we knew we wanted to have dinner as a family. I don't want him eating alone and then playing while we eat. We are a family and we are going to have family dinners for a very long time to come. Joel and I, pre-baby, were very late eaters. We would hit the gym a couple of times a week after work so we wouldn't get home until close to 6:00 or later. By the time we got home, made dinner and had it on the table, we were looking at 7:30 or 8:00. Changing to a 6:00/6:30 dinner time was a rough adjustment but I'm so happy with our commitment.

Even with all of this said, I still question the schedule we have for our son. Is 8:00/8:30 too late? Should one of us start dinner as soon as we got home to ensure that dinner is on the table no later than 6:00 in hopes that McKinley is in the bath sooner which would put him to bed sooner as well? I've compared myself to others mothers who seem to be making it work and I've had to tell myself to stop! I am not those other mothers, I'm McKinley's mother. Our schedule seems to be working and none of us seem to have many complaints. Plus, we have the luxury of having my parents as his "daycare" so when McKinley sleeps in during the week, my dad comes over before I leave for work and simply waits for McKinley to wake up. I'm not forced to wake him up early to get us out the door. Another reason for extended evenings of playtime!

The down side to a later evening? Sure Joel and I would like more TV time to relax, but we get to spend extra McKinley time which is relaxation enough. I would love to sit down and read a fashion magazine from cover to cover during the evening, but I can do that during his weekend naps. I would like to use the time to straighten up the house, but no one comes over to visit anyway so what's the use. It's all about compromise, right?

I constantly struggle with my mothering skills, as I'm pretty sure they suck, but McKinley seems to be happy with me as his mom and that's all that matters, right? Joel and I get moments to spend with each other when McKinley does finally go down in the evenings, but we are both so tired at the end of the night that we're usually sleep within in minutes as well. I figure, earlier evenings are on the horizon once he starts pre-school so I'm going to enjoy my baby boy time for as long as I can get it!

Hello and Welcome

Hey everyone! Welcome to Krasnow Living, a lifestyle blog about the daily lives of my little family of three. And, from time to time, the lives that include my zany family! I am also the author behind Style My Way, a personal style blog, but I wanted something that allowed me to write about my life. I tried to incorporate that into my style blog, but it just wasn't a good fit. Here, I will write about everything that isn't fashion related! I will simply blog about life. The ups and downs. Parenting successes and fails. New recipes I try and if I love them or not. Baking and all that it encompasses. I love to bake!

I am constantly updating my home and I will take you into our living space, showing you everything that we do. I love sharing and receiving ideas which is also why I'm obsessed with HGTV. I love to entertain! My husband hates that part of me, but if I ask nicely (like I ever ask), he allows me to have parties from time to time. As a matter of fact, I am currently planning my sons second birthday party! I can't wait to blog about that day. We are laid back when it comes to entertaining, which helps in the stress department. Actually, we are pretty laid back in about every aspect of our life.

And, I will be blogging about my Forty Before the Big 4-0. That's right, I will be 40 this year and I borrowed this idea from my friend Tina. I've made a list of 40 things I would like to do before I turn 40. Life doesn't end at 40 but I do have a lot of things I would like to accomplish before then So far, not much has been checked off the list. I better get busy.

 Lastly, I am going to publish all of the posts that I've written and posted on Style My Way. Take the time to read them, if you would like, or just get started with some of the newer things I hope to bring to Krasnow Living. I am so happy to start this new adventure in blogging! I hope you stick around for a while!

 

Forty Before 40 - Vegetable Garden

I haven't written about my forty before 40 list in a while only because I don't have that much to report! I've been checking off a few things here and there. I canned homemade apple butter (#6), made homemade bread (#7), spent more time with girlfriends (#39) and I am still reading Anna Karenina (#32). That book is taking me FOREVER, but I will be done with it before November! And I have a few things planned for some sporting items on the list. Hockey (#21) is in full swing and my husband and I are looking at game dates for either February or March. Roller Derby (#16) is hit or miss but I've been watching the website for upcoming Bouts. 

With spring around the corner, I've been thinking more and more about my garden. I've wanted to plant a vegetable garden for the past several years, we just haven't taken the time to clear the space and get it prepared. I know exactly where I want it to go and have a vision of the layout. I just need execution. I am enlisting my dad to help map out the garden and then he and my husband will build it. I will try to assist, but someone's gotta watch McKinley! The planting will be something that I do, and hopefully with the help of my dad, as he has years of experience in this department.

When we lived in East Tennessee, my parents planted a small garden on the farm of my great grandparents. When I say small garden, I'm kind of being sarcastic. My mom has told me that when my great grandfather plowed the field for them to plant, it was enormous! A garden is what my great grandparents, and their children, lived off of their entire lives. Sure, they went to the store for breads, cereals and other essentials, but for the most part they lived off the land. Today, with all the hormones and pesticides that are used on our local groceries, I want to try and create a more healthy life style for my son. And, I want him to know that what we put into the earth is just as important as what comes out of it. We have to take care of the earth today so our great grandchildren have a safe planet on which to live.

My Great Grandparents Farm - 2009

I know the exact spot in our yard where I want to plant the garden. There is a space next to our back door that currently has a gross ground cover that I'm dying to pull up! From there I want to build garden beds that are terraced, two or three boxes, and begin the planting! What I don't know is when I need to start planting certain vegetables so that they grow at the appropriate time of year. Again, I will rely on the knowledge of my dad! I've been doing some research online and here are a few images that I like. 

These photos are from Landscaping Network. A little more intricate than I want to go, but the concept is the same. 

I like this idea of boxes, but I want them lower to the ground and closer together.

I would like to grow lettuce, green beans (and my dad has built amazing bean poles for past gardens), radishes, carrots, cucumbers and possibly potatoes. Again, a lot of research will need to be done, and maybe my first garden won't be as extensive, but it's a start. Martha Stewart has a great gardening guide on her website and I plan to read more of her helpful tips.

Have you ever considered starting a garden? Do you feel that fresh vegetables are the right way to go for your home? Sure, I could go the easy route and head to our Farmer's Market on the weekends, and I still will, but I really want to make the effort and educate my son in the process. Happy Gardening!

Wedding Cakepops

While on vacation over the holidays, I was asked if I would make cakepops for a friend of my mom. Her son got married the weekend after Christmas and she was hosting a party the day after the wedding for family. She wanted a little something extra and thought cakepops would be a perfect fit. Their colors were blue and silver so we opted for white and blue candy coatings with white and blue decorations. We were really happy with how they turned out and we hope the family agreed!

 

 

The Three B's

Isn't this the sweetest nursery? We think so. We wanted it to be clean, sweet and not over-the-top nursery in appearance. I really wanted it to blend in with the rest of the house and I truly believe we accomplished that goal. The crib is a family heirloom. My great uncle Douglas was the first child in the family to sleep in it, and subsequently, almost every child on my mom's side of the family has slept in the crib. Including my mom!

My great grandfather purchased this crib used so we believe it to be at least 70 years old. Maybe older. And, it served it purpose for the first six or seven months of McKinley's life. That's when we realized, because it is an antique crib, it doesn't meet industry standards. Now, I'm not one to truly buy into industry standards. Car seats, yes. Cribs, not really. That is until McKinley started jumping in the bed and it was high enough that he could lean over the rail and eventually flip over. Time to invest in a bed that lowered as McKinley continued to grow.

We've had the new crib since February and it is now as low as it will go. However, what it's missing is a child. That's right, our child refuses to sleep in this bed! It hasn't been that way since February. It has, however, been for a little over a month. It's as if he hates the bed. He will sleep everywhere else in the house but not in this bed. He can be sound asleep, but as soon as we place him in the bed, he is up. We've tried the cry it out method, we've tried letting him self-sooth but none of it works. Place him on a palette on the floor of any room in the house, he's out. Place him at the end of our couch, out. Place him in his crib, dying to get out!

I have my theories and it's time to put them to the test. This weekend we transitioned to what I refer to as the three b's....Big Boy Bed! That's right, we are going to take him from crib to a bed! I think he's ready. He is one of those sleepers that sleeps from limb to limb and I think the crib restricts him. He either sleeps flat on his back with arms out to each side and legs in a frog position or flat on his stomach stretched out as far as he can go. Rolling into the sides of the crib wakes him up and then we struggle with getting him back down. Here's hoping this cures our baby sleeping blues!

Join us on our journey as we explore the world of the Big Boy Bed. Below are photos of his new bed. It was in storage when we transitioned the room to his nursery! I even had the bedding stored under a spare bed at my mom's house. I've been prepared for sometime. I just hate admitting my baby boy is growing up! 

So far he seems to like it...