Good Bye Updated....

Family blog here:
http://matthewculton.blogspot.com/

Adoption blog here:
http://birthmomkatie.blogspot.com/

Good Bye

I won't be posting here anymore, I started a family blog that keeps track of my little bean's life.  If you want to join me there here is the link:

http://matthewculton.blogspot.com/

Jersey Memories

As you may recall, Bean and I made a trip back to my home state of New Jersey this summer.  Maybe I should finally post some pictures!!!





On our first full day in New Jersey we went to a party at one of my 2nd cousins houses.  I met family members I never even knew I had, and others who I had heard lots about but never gotten to meet.  It was such an amazingly fun day.  Bean got to go swimming in a real pool for the first time, and he loved it....can't you tell!  Although being the independent Bean he is, he didn't want to stay in that turtle for too long....he wanted to go out on his own....he didn't understand that if we let him go, he would sink right down to the bottom. 

Most of our week was spent hanging out with my family at my Aunt's house.  Gosh I love my family, they are the best.  I've lived in Colorado for 14 years now (almost 15) and I'm still not used to being so far away, and only seeing them once a year.  Bean had so much fun playing with his second cousins, and swimming in his baby pool, and playing with the hose....I'm sure he was disappointed when we came back home to our tiny little yard!

It's important to me that Bean has a relationship with his East Coast family.  And it makes me sad to think that he won't be surrounded my cousins, and Great Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles like I was growing up.  But, he will get lots of vacations back East, so he can grow up understanding that Jersey really is a great place, and not the armpit of the US like some people think!

We went to a local petting zoo on a very HOT day, and despite the temperatures, and the lack of a good night's sleep, Bean had a fantastic time!



They had chickens running all over the place, and Bean wanted to chase them....they didn't appreciate that! We got to feed lots of animals, but the baby camel and the giraffes were our favorites!

Look at those curls!! The Humidity did wonders for his hair!

The Shore was fantastic.  It was definitely a different experience going with a toddler....I didn't get much time to relax and work on my tan.  I thought Bean might be scared of the ocean, but he ran right to it, and cried every time we had to go back to our chairs!  He was fantastic though, had a blast playing in the sand, playing with his cousins and watching the seagulls. 

He was zonked before we even had all the sandy chairs back into the trunk!









Neck Pains, Muscle Relaxers and Sleeping On The Stairs.

I feel like I need a neck brace....this is terrible.  About a month ago I started getting headaches, every single day between 3:30 and 4:00 PM.  They started with a dull ache in my neck and slowly moved up into my head and resulted in a massive migraine.  I've been living on Excedrin for the last few weeks.  Then my neck starting getting stiff and sore.  I woke up on Monday barely able to move, I can't move my head side to side or up and down without having to move my entire upper body.  So I gave in, and made a Dr. appointment.  They sent me for x-rays yesterday, they aren't sure what is going on.  In the mean time, while I wait for them to review the x-rays and get back to me I was told to take advil, use hot or cold compresses and they gave me a prescription for muscle relaxers. 

So last night, I put the Bean down for bed,  got a glass of water and took my muscle relaxers.  I then went down into the basement/man cave.  I was sitting on the couch folding laundry and waiting for my last load to be done in the dryer.  I could barely keep my eyes open all of a sudden, so  I said screw the laundry, time for bed.  I made it from the basement to the main level, then I looked at all the stairs I had to climb to make it to the top floor and my comfy bed.  It was a long way to go (when your drugged up on muscle relaxers).  I made it 1/2 way up and decided I needed to take a rest.....4 hours later I woke up very confused.....still on the stairs.  Yup, sleeping on the stairs is not a good idea when you already have neck pain.  Needless to say I feel even worse today, but at least I got a good night's sleep.

Where Were You....

By Alan Jackson:

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA

Did you stand there in shock at the site of

That black smoke rising against that blue sky

Did you shout out in anger

In fear for your neighbor

Or did you just sit down and cry

 

Did you weep for the children

Who lost their dear loved ones

And pray for the ones who don't know

Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble

And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone

Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her

Did you dust off that bible at home

Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened

Close your eyes and not go to sleep

Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages

Speak with some stranger on the street

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow

Go out and buy you a gun

Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching

And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

For a complete list of all those lost in the attacks on September 11, 2001 please click HERE

Please hold your families a little closer tonight, please pray for those who are fighting for us and our freedoms right now, and please pray for those of us who lost friends and family in these terrorist attacks. 

Never Forget

It's Friday, and I'm not so fat!

It's Friday!!!! I love Fridays, I love knowing that tomorrow I will be woken up by my beautiful little mean yelling out for his Mom instead of my pesky alarm clock, I love that we will snuggle on the couch watching Bob The Builder in our PJ's eating pancakes, I love knowing we will head to the park, and have a picnic lunch, and I love knowing that I get to spend an entire weekend with my bean. 

And guess what, I'm not so fat!  Another think I love about Fridays - Jean Day at Work!!!!  And I fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans for the first time today.....woo hoo :)

On a more serious note....

Tomorrow is September 11th.  What a hard day for me.  Bean and I will wear our Red White and Blue, we will snuggle each other and be reminded of how lucky we are to have our family members with us, we will cry for those who aren't with us, and we will participate in multiple moments of silence, for when the first plane hit, and the second, when tower 1 collapsed, when the 2nd did, when flight 93 crashed, and when the Pentagon was hit.  9/11/01 was a very hard day for me, if you remember I grew up in New Jersey, which isn't not far from NYC......we lost many good men and women that day, and my heart will forever be broken.  C joined the Marine Corp when he was 17 because of the events that he saw that day.  He served two tours in Iraq, and thankfully came home safe.....many haven't though.  And I can't speak for the rest of the country, but in this household...we will never forget.

Happy Friday everyone!

I'm Broke + Christmas is coming = help!

Money is tight.  The Economy sucks, I know I'm not the only one feeling it right now.  But it's already September, and I'm going to blink and October will be here, which means I need to get moving on Christmas Shopping.  I'm cutting back big time this year, I have no choice, and that makes me sad.  I know Christmas isn't all about the gifts, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE buying presents for other people.  I love going out, spending time looking for that special gift that will be just perfect for someone.  Christmas is my favorite holiday for that reason alone.  I don't care if I get anything, but seeing C's face light up when he opens a gift that he wasn't expecting, but yet it's the asbolute perfect gift for him....what could be better?  Well watching Bean's face light up this year will be better then that, I'm sure of it.  He didn't know what was going on last year, this year he will be EXCITED!

So I have a question, where do you shop and get the best deals for the Holidays?  I keep hearing about Swagbucks....



 so I went ahead and signed up, after only a week I had enough for two $5.00 gift cards, so thats pretty cool, every little bit helps!  But I know that isn't going to pay for all my Holiday Shopping.  So what are your favorite stores to get a bargain at???