My Christmas Wish List - 2015

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas songs on the radio, holiday displays in all the stores, pretty twinkle lights on houses... I'm as happy as can be! I seriously walk around humming Christmas songs all day. My Dad always says that people who hum songs, that don't realize they are doing it, are the happiest people. 

I don't feel like I'm a picky person at all when it comes to receiving gifts. Granted, my husband is I think the worst gift-giver ever. Even with hints he never gets it right. I keep telling myself that it's the thought that counts. Yes, it's the thought that counts. Haha.

We all know that the true meaning for celebration is Baby Jesus, right? Good. Now that we got that out of the way, I wanted to share with you my Christmas Wish List. *This is just a short list of the many, many things I would like (but don't necessarily need). Hahaha!

1) Wide-Calf Boots. I'm usually a fan of grey boots, and suede-like ones as well, but this year the brownish ones caught my eye. I like this pair from Famous Footwear because it's basic and has a feminine touch with the gold accents. Not to mention it's wide-calf so it would fit my "Morris" legs. I don't care to spend too much on shoes, and especially retail, so I'd wait for a good sale to come along to get this pair. 

2) Silver Statement Necklace. I think I might have an addiction with Charming Charlie. It's a good thing I don't live close to one (closest is West County I think)! This necklace would be perfect for New Year's Eve, or really any holiday that gives you a reason to get dolled up. 

3) Blanket Scarf. I'm not usually one to keep up with trends, but I like this one! A giant scarf, some with fringe, that you can wrap around your neck or wear as a shawl. The plaid patterns seem to be very stylish as well. This is another Charming Charlie find.

4) Tiffany & Co. Ring. Is this pink color not gorgeous?!?!?! Oh I love it. It's a bit out of our price range, but a girl can dream can't she? That Tiffany & Co. really knows what they're doing. 

5) Long Dangle Necklaces. Okay, last Charming Charlie one. I own one loooooong necklace, and lately I've been loving it. I really like the look of it with blazers and sweaters. I wouldn't mind one or two more to mix it up a bit. And let's face it, Charming Charlie has the right prices for women on a budget like this Average Momma.

6) Pilot G-2 07 Pens. I am a pen snob. I only care to use a "G-2-oh-7" pen, as I call them. Pilot makes their G-2 pens in various "thicknesses" but I really like the 07 one. I had purchased a pack like this about 2 years ago, and wouldn't you know it, they all "walked off."  I also like to have multiple colors because I use checklists, and move products, and it's helpful to have multiple color options. Also, if you're a note-taker, it's easy to switch up thoughts or subjects on the same page by switching colors.

7) Sharpie Markers. I have this weird obsession with Sharpie markers. I don't even really have a use for them, but I want one of every color, in every thickness. Hahahaha.

8) Pioneer Woman Cookbook. This lady can cook! And her recipes aren't "weird" or impossible. I pin as many as I can on Pinterest, and I've made almost all of them. But, unfortunately, a lot of her recipes aren't public and you have to buy her cookbooks (which are like $25). I'm kind of cheap with stuff like this, but I figured if someone buys one for me, that would be okay, right? ;-) Seriously though, if you haven't tried her recipes, you should!

9) Tongs. I need a good pair of cooking tongs. Not metal, but silicone. This pair is a Rachel Ray version found at Target, and it's nice because you can set it up off the table because of the "feet" or put it on the side of a pot. They also don't lock which is nice for an uncoordinated person like myself.

There you have it! A little peek at the things I'm wanting this year. I might just do up a list for the things that I want to get the girls this year too. It's so difficult to find gifts for your children sometimes. 

Do you think there's anything I should add to my wish list? Do you have a wish list of your own? Tell me in the comments! I love seeing peoples' personalities through the gifts they'd like to receive! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
REMEMBER - JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at The Fox | Review

My best friend Holli and I decided to have a girls night out on Monday, and we went to see the Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker. This was both of our first times to not only see a ballet, but to see anything at the Fox Theater. We really enjoyed ourselves.

The Fox Theater isn’t hard to find. It’s right off of Highway 64 on Grand Boulevard. Of course, it was half raining out, and dark as could be, so there was traffic everywhere and since we had never been before we were clueless for where to park. Our 38 minute drive ended up taking us an hour. But, we made it nonetheless.

The Fox at Christmas time is beautiful! I’m sure it is all year round, but with all of the lights and festive decorations, it really shines. When we walked in, they had images of the ballet flashing on the screens above the bars, and a table in the middle set up for souvenirs. We made a pit stop at the restroom and then headed to our seats. *FYI, the bathroom was just as majestic as the rest of the Fox!

Our seats were pretty close to the stage, and we were dead center. I was really excited. It was almost elegant in there. In fact, it WAS elegant. The ceilings were adorned with jewels and elaborate artwork and what looked like empty wading pools of water. There were pillars on the sides of the large outer walls, and the stage curtain had a print on it that was detailed and elaborate. Just being there made me feel… special.

The ballet was about to begin, and they announced a “pre-show” of the prima ballerina and a local cellist. It was called “The Swan” and it was beautiful. She was so graceful and delicate; on her toes the entire time. At that point, I knew I would enjoy myself.

The ballet began and it opened with a man (the Uncle) and his toys. He was like a magician. He made the toys come to life. Let me tell you, it has to take some skill to both act like a toy and dance ballet at the same time. It was awe-provoking.

Next there was a party where a little girl (Masha) received a Nutcracker doll from her Uncle. I was expecting the nutcracker to look like, well, a nutcracker. Instead, to me he looked like a toy soldier. Anyway, a little boy broke the toy, and that night, in her sleep she dreamt about the doll coming to life.

There were rats with a Rat King, snow legends, emissaries of Spain, Africa, Europe and Russia, and lots and lots of dancers including a swan made of two people. It was captivating. There was never a dull moment, and I found myself tapping my foot along to familiar melodies like the Waltz of the Flowers. I wonder if the dancers are as delicate in real life as they are on stage.

In the second act, one couple seemed to steal the show, and it wasn’t the prima ballerina (although she was the best to me). This couple was one of the emissary groups and they did tricks that you’d see on X Factor or something. It was crazy. How they get their bodies to move that way and balance on each other is beyond me. There was one point where I thought I saw the woman’s foot turn completely around! They received the loudest applause of the night.

The prima ballerina was by far my favorite. She was probably up on her toes for 90% of her performances. I can’t even imagine the strength she has, or the amount of pain she can withstand! All I could do was stare at her feet the entire time. She was wearing a beautiful tutu with jewels in patterns all over it and a tiara that glittered in all of the spotlights on her. What word can describe her and her performance? Beautiful just won’t do. Exquisite. Heavenly. Immaculate. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

One of the best parts of this ballet was the children. Yes, the children. This production gets in touch with a local dance project in the city that they are in, and local children join in on the performance. It was cute to watch the children of all ages. The times they’d forget a step, the way their short little legs looked extremely cute doing little toe-taps, the gleam in their eyes as they enjoyed themselves, and the way the Russian dancers guided them and enjoyed their company as well. There was one point where I teared up watching a little girl pulling a sheep up and down the stage as she danced ballet the whole way. It was the sweetest thing, and made me think of my daughter doing something like that one day.

When it was all over, and the performers took their bows, they received a standing ovation. It gave me goose bumps. There wasn’t one slip-up, one error. It was perfect and it showed in that applause at the end. I would love to see this ballet again. I would make it an eventful night, dressed to the nines, and invite friends and family to attend as well. It truly is something that will stick with me for a long time.

I hope that you get a chance to see Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker when it’s here again. It won’t disappoint.

*We weren’t allowed to take a camera in, so I had to rely on my phone and the pictures aren’t very good. Sorry I couldn’t show you more.

I received two tickets, free of charge, to see this performance and give my honest views and opinions. I was not encouraged in any way to give a positive (or negative) review. I was given the opportunity through US Family Guide.

Metal Prints - Perfect for ANY Photo | Adoramapix Review

I was fortunate enough to be selected to review a product that Adoramapix offers. I had never heard of this company before, and I was intrigued. After I read about the product, I thought I'd check it out for myself, and boy am I glad I did.

If you're like me, you don't have many pictures hanging around the house because honestly, who has the time to go out searching the surrounding areas for just the right picture frame for the photo that you have in mind? I know I don't. A couple of my friends have canvas prints, and those are great and all, but I find that it's a product that is seen everywhere. I like to have items that stand out. Afterall,  following the birth of my first child (back when I still had time for fun projects), I turned our hallway into a beautiful collage of her baby pictures. FYI - even after having a second child, all the pictures and decorations are still the same as 3 years ago. Mommy fail.

Adoramapix offers three types of prints. Something for everyone, huh?

I received a Metal Print.

Wouldn't you know it, this is the perfect solution! No frame and something unique! I was skeptical though... I'll admit it. I had this picture in my head of a tin sign. You know - thin, heavy, glossy, with a bumpy texture to it. I actually almost backed out of it thinking that I wouldn't like it. I'm glad I didn't though!

I was shocked when I opened the box, to see that it was nothing like what I imagined! It doesn't reflect much light, it was smooth as can be (moreso than a print from a store like Walgreens), it was light yet durable, and it stands out about a half inch from the wall. It's awesome! *There are multiple options for hanging, and if you choose another option, it might not stand out from the wall like mine does.

I decided not to hang it in the hallway, but in the dining room instead. I had bought some photo hangers from Michaels (I have no idea what those are actually called), and I thought I might showcase my Metal Print a little bit. What do you think? I thought about buying small picture frames and antique "trinkets" to hang around the print. I don't have an interior designer bone in my body, so it might look ridiculous, but I'm loving the picture nonetheless.

As for the picture, I had my bestie take some simple family pictures for our Christmas cards. They aren't professional, and my hair could look better (not to mention Gene has a goofy smirk), but the kids look beautiful and it was in our budget.

In all seriousness, this is a great gift idea! The quality is immaculate. If you're looking for something unique, especially for a parent or grandparent, this could be perfect! Also, they are extremely affordable! While I was browsing all the choices, I was amazed at just how affordable they are.

Right now, get 35% off of all Metal Prints through 12/15/15 using the promo code: pxusfam35m

Let me know what you think of our photo! More importantly, let me know what you think I should do with the space around the Metal Print!

I received this product at no charge, in exchange for my honest review and opinions. I have not been influenced in any way to give a positive (or negative) review.

It's Time for a New Vehicle... dun dun dun

I have been procrastinating about getting a new car for a long time. My husband and I paid my car off a couple years ago, and I vowed to keep it until I no longer had an option.

Well, it hit 200,000 miles, has another chip in the windshield, is missing lots of chrome detailing outside, has a million door dings, has super foggy/cloudy headlights, has something broken with the windshield washer stuff, the A/C went out for good, the heater doesn’t blow out very well and you can’t run it while stopped, the air bag light is on, it leaks oil somewhere that isn’t easily accessible (and it smells like it’s on fire all the time)… you get where I’m going here? I’m the main driver for our two kids, and who knows if my car will mysteriously explode while I’m driving them to their Grandparents’ house. I also have this fear that whatever is wrong with the air bag will cause it to go off while I’m flying down 367 on the way to work. So, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and get a new [to me] vehicle.

Which brings me to my next dilemma; what do I get? I say “I,” because I never really had a say in the 6 vehicles Gene has had since we’ve been together, so I’m not giving him a say now. Yes he has had 6 cars since we’ve been together (Grand Am, Eclipse, Scion xA, Sonata, Baja, Magnum), and I’ve had four (ZX2, Santa Fe, Navigator, and then HIS car became mine, which is the Sonata I have now). Why he gets all the new vehicles is beyond me.

So I kind of made a list in my head of all the things that I want. And I took into consideration the fact that I’ll probably keep the car for the next five years at least, so I want it to “grow” with our family too. I listed it out – third row seating, multi-zone climate control, power locks, power doors, DVD player, CD player, FWD (or AWD). Then, one morning while I was attempting to get Alice out of my car, in a too-tight parking spot, without hitting my door on the car next to me, it dawned on me. This happens far too often, and there’s only one thing that will work to fix it. Sliding doors. Which, you guessed it, can only mean a minivan.

So there we are. I have officially become that Mom. The one that throws her coolness out the window to be the Mom that is all about practicality and efficiency. I could it even look at it as, “what vehicle could give me the most ROI?” Duh. A minivan. It’s not always about money when you’re looking at ROI, it could be calculated in fewer headaches, time saved, less stress. It’s a no-brainer, much to Gene’s chagrin.

We started looking online about a week ago, and lemme’ tell you that minivans are expensive!

To get the van that I’m wanting, I’d be looking at a 2008 model. Man, I didn’t want to get a new vehicle that was that old! Then you take into account the miles, the damage to the inside (because kids have no sense of value in this regard), the damage to the outside, the tires, the features… Ugh. It’s almost like we have to go over our budget an extra $3,000 to get anywhere near what I want. Am I that difficult?!?

Here are the two I’m leaning towards:

Dodge Grand Caravan

Chrysler Town & Country

Both of these have a lot of the same features, but the Town & Country usually has the wood trim and bits of chrome; it's a little more "classy." I found one in the blue color above, which I really liked at first, but I'm worried that I'll get sick of it. I had that blue/purple Santa Fe and by the time two years hit I was over it.

Anyway, we’ll get one soon (hopefully), and if I’m lucky I will be very happy with it for a nice long time. My friend jokes with me that I’ll need the little soccer sticker on the back window. Ha! In a way, I’m terrified to lose that piece of me that always said “I will NEVER have a minivan,” but the Mom in me is so excited to have this family vehicle for my kids! And to think, five years ago I was even saying "I'll NEVER have kids." Everything changes... and most of the time, for the better!

Do you have a minivan? 

Did you go through the same struggles? 

Do you have any advice for what to look for in a van?  

Wish me luck!

Look Out World... I'm Back!

Well, did you miss me?

Who knew having a baby and a toddler at the same time would be so hard?!? Turns out the toddler isn’t much help around the house. Haha. Here are the more recent pictures of the two:

You’re probably wondering why I have a new look for my blog. And a new name. Here’s my story in a nutshell:

One day I noticed that the majority of the blogs that I read about other moms out there, are either wealthy moms, stay at home moms, or both. I found myself wondering why I read them all the time; I don’t relate to them – I work full-time, I don’t take my kids on trips through the week, we don’t belong to clubs, we can’t afford to take vacations, and we just do the “normal” activities on the weekends (or we do all the chores that we didn’t have time to do through the week). Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to follow them and read their blogs, but I was at a loss for where all the “average” moms were out there, going through the same motions as me.

It dawned on me as I was running on fumes the other night after working all day, making dinner, putting away dinner, running a load of laundry, giving both girls baths and then doing our whole bedtime routine, that THIS is why there aren’t many bloggers out there like me… there’s not enough time in the day! I mean, I’m living proof! I went from blogging twice a week, to once a week, to twice a month, to once a month, to never.

I know some of you feel my pain. By the time I’ve done my daily routine, I’m found sitting on the couch watching Frasier at 9:30pm trying to keep my eyes open long enough to get through the day’s Instagram posts. I usually never make it and give in to my tired eyes. Lucky for me though I get to wake up at 2:30am every night, so I can usually finish my scrolling then (yes, it’s sarcasm, although I shouldn’t be like that because I love my time with the little one). And the weekends are jam packed with fun things so that I can experience my child’s happiness too. So, where am I supposed to fit in the time to post all the “mom things” when I don’t even have the time to vacuum?

Well, here’s the answer… I’m going to post whenever I can. That’s it. Here and there.. So, don’t expect a blog every day. Some weeks might have one, some might have more. Some might not have any. I’ll post on Instagram and Facebook almost daily, and my Pinterest feed will stay current on all things “working mom time-savers” and “kid crafts that don’t take a ton of effort.” Hopefully, while I probably don’t offer many tips on how to not break down into tears when your toddler has their fifth tantrum in Target, I can offer a little peace knowing that you’re not alone. There is another Mom out there walking on egg shells around her three year old. There is a Mom out there who also washes one bottle at a time because she doesn’t have the time to do them all at once. There is even another Mom out there who looks longingly at the couple noshing on Margaritas and street tacos while you’re stuck eating a cheese quesadilla that you didn’t want in the first place but ordered for the child who is now refusing to eat it but wants Daddy’s chicken taco instead. Yes, they are out there.

I won’t be able to give you tips on Mom clothes (unless you want to know that the six pairs of shoes I own are flats), and I’m not the right person to ask about the sauces that go best with a Quinoa salad, but I can tell you that you should find a way to hide your shoes (all of them) in your entry way, and Spaghetti O’s only need to be nuked for about 45 seconds to be just right to eat right away. Hahaha. In all seriousness, I’d be happy to share my preferences for baby necessities (the snugga-bunny swing is a sleep-saver), or how I juggle my time between work, home and everything in between, or even if you just want advice on what to look for in daycares if you’re looking to go back to work!

We are a blue collar family, living in the ever-changing Midwest. We aren’t fancy, and we are kind of a hot mess the majority of the time. But we are the norm… we are average. 

I am, The Average Momma. 



**THIS POST WAS MY 100TH POST!!!**

New Blog Coming Soon!

Hello Everyone!

I'm excited to announce that after a long hiatus, I will be returning with a new blog... coming soon!

So, stay tuned for more about The Brink Family!

Jenni