Weekend Wrap Up and More...

I hope that all my lovely readers had a wonderful Easter...I know that here in Jersey the weather has been beyond fantastic and it just feels soooo good.  It's literally been perfection.  About 75-79 degrees, slight breeze and all sun! That is good livin right there my friends.  And the forecast predicts similar weather up and until Tuesday of next week! (well, with the exception of potential rain on Friday but I'm ok with that).

Friday was a G R E A T  day for me...I passed my State licensing exam and am officially a real estate agent in the great State of Jerzeeee now! woot woot. I'm so excited to embarq on this new adventure and see where it takes me! I don't plan to invest a ton of time into real estate right away but I am definitely eager to get my feet wet...so if you or anyone you know is planning on buying or selling a home in New Jersey any time soon...

Grandma decided to keep the booger throughout the rest of the night Friday which allotted even more celebratory time for moi - I headed over to my girl Nic's house for some wine antics and gossip and it was very fun! By the way, shout out to Nic, who doesn't even read the damn blog - because she is loook f-i-i-i-i-n-e! Good work on the exercise, eating right and keepin in shape you're doing a great job girl

Saturday we (booger, hubbs and I) headed to the Phila zoo again to enjoy the weather and show the booger a good time.  It was really nice, we all had a great time and stopped at this Ah-mazing buffet on the way home where I gorged like a gluttonous crazy person (ew).

I <3 that one of my boys - booger always does that to hubbs when he's on his shoulders - I don't think he quite understands why you can't walk with your eyes covered, especially when carrying a child.

Here's some more animal shots - that monkey was staring at me for a good 10 minutes lol

Then Sunday, of course, Easter was just as eventful for me - as a mama these sort of Holidays are much more entailing then for those sans kids - you make a HUGE deal about dying eggs, getting to bed for the bunny and then hiding eggs, toys and a basket all over the house all while snapping photos before you even get coffee...Here are some of my favs (after coffee, dressed all nice) and ooh thanks to Ms. E at Strawberry Swing and Other Things for the cutie Arden B. skirt it was perfect for the weather and the occasion:

My Dad came with us, he was so cute!

Me n Boogs and then boogs reachin for Eggs scattered throughout the house with Spidey basket in tow

Had a great weekend with friends and family - looking forward to this week's weather and hopefully staying on track with the gym...the countdown is on ladies only 55 days until Memorial Day aka the begin of swimsuit season

How was your weekend, your Easter? Enjoying the weather?

xoxo

What exactly makes a good parent?

Well I know this doesn't have much to do with fashion, beauty or product reviews but today, parenting has been reigning my mind.  I was flabbergasted yesterday by a comment made to me by a fellow mother (from my son's class) and made me think long and hard about my parenting skills and what it takes to be a good mother...or father.  Some of you know, that I have a gorgeous little 4 year old boy and while I don't talk much about him here (because I have a frantic paranoia about the internet and my child's involvement with any of it), he is beyond my number 1 priority, way beyond fashion or beauty :) I cannot hug and embrace that little germ bucket enough...when he wakes up in the morning I smother him with all the kisses my lips can tolerate.  He is genuinely the apple of my eye and I bask in every glorious moment of being his mother. 

HOWEVER, 

I must add.  I'm really not the greatest mom.  I don't like to play cars or cops n robbers or really any little childrens games at all.  I'm not the type to get down on the floor and mess around and do all kinds of wacky shit.  But I genuinely love and care for my boy and would give him anything he wanted in less than a heartbeat.  I'm all about places like Chuck E. Cheese, the Little Gym, carnivals, fairs, events, etc. you name it - my son does it.  We even get up at 8am on Saturday mornings to be at Lowe's for kiddie workshops.  But I still always feel like I could be a 'better mom' or that I'm just not quite doing a good enough job.  Its one of those things that hangs on my shoulders like a creepy co-worker.   

So yesterday I was at my son's school for an hour helping the kids with V-day crafts at their Pajama party (it was postponed from last week due to snow) when the mother next to me says:

"you are such a good mom, you really are"

Me: "me? really? thanks"

Her: "No, I'm serious. I've seen you before; the way you handle your son and how you treat him, you're just such a great mother, I mean that"

Like I said above, I was flabbergasted...floored really.  I just couldn't believe someone thought that about ME! The woman who feels defeated by a toddler boy on a daily basis.  The woman who thinks that she can conquer the world, as long as it doesn't involve parenting.  Basically, the woman who feels she is the LEAST cut out for parenthood.  That is me, in a nutshell...how I see it, on my end.  I've been craving another baby for quite some time now but honestly, it scares the bejesus out of me - how could I possibly handle another one? I'm not even good at what I do, with one...but this, my friends, has somehow and some way solidified my parental status.  Not that it even matters for one second what someone else thinks of me (well, a stranger at least) or that, what other people think of my parenting should dictate my future baby makin plans...but for some reason that comment right there just made me feel like the million dolla mama...it was such a great feeling to hear that from someone. 

So it made me think deeper and deeper about what makes a good mother or father...and its not so much that you LOVE to play fireman or that you're the best at Wii...its that you genuinely love and care for your kids and ENSURE that they have the best that you can provide...that's morally, emotionally, physically and financially speaking.  And I absolutely do that.  So guess what...that mom was right...I am a good mom (and might I add...my hubbs is the BEST Dad, hands down) Here's the munchkin and me:

Halloween 2009