One of the biggest things in my life is music. I dont know what I'd do without it, and that includes, singing, live music, musicals, new and old albums, I'm obsessed, and there really is/could be a soundtrack to my life. I don't have a favorite genre or artist or band, my ears are very non-discriminating and I can find beauty and genius in all types of sound. I really wanted to start a weekly music post on the blog and since I finally got around to it from now on I'll be featuring "Tune-In Thursdays" with a list of 10 songs that are relevant to me right now. These may be old songs that stay in my current play lists, new songs I'm obsessed with, songs that speak to my mood at the current time, or artists who I think deserve recognition. So here is the first ever...
Tune-In Thursday Play List
"Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perri
"Blue Indian" by Widespread Panic
"Right Thru Me" by Nicki Minaj
"Gimmeakiss" by Avett Brothers
"Sucker" by John Mayer
"Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor
"Lets Stay Together" by Al Green
"Down on Me" by Jeremih
"A Kiss with a Fist" by Florence and the Machine
"You and Me" by Dave Matthews Band
So, enjoy folks, and let me know what you think, and if you have similar tastes and have some suggestions of songs, albums, or artists for me, PLEASE let me know! I'm all about it!
There is another thing I've been really into over the past year and that's Animal Rights awareness and activism. I've signed hundreds and hundreds of petitions, and tweeted and facebooked issues and organizations to spread the knowledge of how many animals in the world need our help right now. My concerns are not limited to animals alone, and I know there are humans suffering everywhere, but I feel very strongly in my heart that I'm supposed to give a voice to the voiceless. SO here are a few issues that I've spent time researching and would love for you to know about:
Hundreds of Sled Dogs being Murdered in Canada
Bear Baying and Fox Penning in South Carolina
Tony the Tiger
IS Foundation
These are just four of millions of instances where animals are being mistreated, abused or killed. I feel very strongly that all household pets should be spayed and neutered to reduce the staggering rate of dog and cat overpopulation in the US. Right now about 45% of puppy liters are from unintentional mating, and while it's hard to put a number on the amount of euthanised animals in the US, there are some statistics we can go by. Most shelters refuse to fill out the annual surveys sent out by the National Council of Pet Population and Study, the best numbers they have are from 90's, and that was before the economy was as bad as it is now. In 2008 the National Council estimates a minimum of 3.7 million animals beign euthanised. These days people aren't spending money at the vet to have their animals fixed, and they're buying pets cheap from backwards breeders and puppy mills, instead of focusing on the millions of pets available for adoption from local shelters. I look at my dog, and can hardly stand to think about him not having someone to love him, not having food and shelter. It breaks my heart. So many animals are in that position today, people are having their homes forclosed on and just leaving their pets behind. It's sick, and I want everyone to know about it. For more information about the statistics and for a link to Columbia, South Carolina's no-kill selter Pets Inc see below...
American Humane Association
Pets Inc.
Ok, I'm getting off of my soapbox now! Love you! layne
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
My big-headed-baby is going to be a tree-hugging hippie!
My Yia-Yia (grandmother) after seeing our first ultrasound told everyone in the family that my baby had a big head. Therefore my mom has taken to calling our bundle of joy the big-headed-baby- only because she thinks it will eventually start to tick me off, but I don't care.
Anyway, the big-headed-baby and I have big plans, and I am so excited about it! We've decided that we're going to use cloth diapers! I decided to post about my decision to go cloth because I have gotten a lot of laughs and she's such an idiot looks from people and I know that it's because they have no idea how cloths diapers work! These aint your grandmama's diapers!
I have two main reasons that I've decided to go the cloth route. First and most importantly cloth diapers have been proven to be healthier for babies, especially their skin. The chemicals in disposable diapers have been known to increase the risk of diaper rash, cause skin problems like eczema, and in certain cases increase the risk of infertility in males. I have a history of eczema, hives, and full body rashes so knowing that there is something I can do to lower the chances that my baby might suffer the same way is so important to me. The second reason is the environmental factors. Something like 18 billion disposable diapers are deposited into landfills each year, each of those diapers takes 500 years to decompose! The Earth lover in me is so psyched. People underestimate our generations responsibility to reduce our Carbon footprints and be as green as we possibly can stand/afford to.
Chad was not on board based on either of those awesome reasons, but when I told him the economical advantages and how much money it would save us he was SOLD! Using cloth diapers as opposed to disposable ones will save the average family somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 over the course of two years! Those figures vary based on what brand of disposable you use and if you use a cloth diaper service or clean them yourself, but even the lower end of that statistic is a phenomenal amount of savings for any family dealing with the expenses of a child!
If you want to look more into the facts you can visit :
Now what about the hassle of cloth diapering? Its minimal at best, the diapers are now designed to be easy on moms and babies, and there are so many tools and tricks to the trade, that I'm not scared at all! Thanks to some detailed advice from the fabulous wife of one of my great buddies from high school who has had great success in cloth diapering, and some more tips from one of my mom's friends who went the cloth route, I feel ready and prepared! The cloth diapers that I'm going to use aren't plain white dish cloths that you hook with two diaper pins. Cloth diapers today are precious and come in beautiful prints and colors, and are designed for your babies comfort as he or she grows from a newborn to crawler to toddler. Most secure with a hook and latch, button snap, or baby friendly velcro. Some come with inserts that can easily be removed and replaced when a diaper needs to be changed and can be doubled up for overnight diapers. Gone are the days of accidentally flushing the diaper down the toilet trying to shake off the poo (story from Yia-Yia), and hanging all of your diapers on the clothes line (unless you want to, which I might) the new and improved cloth diapers can be washed and dried like any normal load of laundry! There are some environmentally friendly and baby friendly detergents that are promoted to help extend the life of your diaper, however. There are even accessories like a diaper sprayer that attaches directly to the water line at your toilet and works like a removable shower head so that you can rinse messy diaper off directly into the potty. Also wet bags that work similar to the very un-earth friendly deodarized plastic diaper bags that mom's use to put dirty diapers in when on the go!
To see companies that offer these products and get a glimpse at the fabulous diapers out there and the awesome accompanying products you can visit these sites:
This is just a quick overview of cloth diapering, I am a new fan, and I haven't actively used them yet (obviously) but I am so excited to, and with all of the positives....why not? I think it will be lovely! layne
My clothes don't fit...but my dog doesn't care
The majority of my pants I can't button or zip up at this point without being in serious pain. I started using a belly band about a week and a half ago, and I have really mixed feelings on it. It doesnt stay put. I don't know if this is because my belly isnt big enough yet, or because its a flawed product, but I cant imagine that once my belly is huge that it will stay put more securely... The purpose is to be able to wear your pre-pregnancy clothes that you can't fully wear anymore (like me) but cover up the fact that your fly is unzipped and your button is undone. The bottom rides up and the top slouches down and I am pretty sure the fabric is thin enough that anyone who wants to look hard enough can tell that my pants are undone. It is incredibly annoying. This only adds to the fact that right now I dont feel comfortable in my own skin because my body doenst look a thing like it did in November when I was svelt and exercising hardcore, and it doesnt look pregnant either. My mornings consist of my dragging myself out of bed trying to make myself look beautiful, stuffing my face, and the exasberating process of figuring out which of my clothes will fit over my hips and which shirts come down far enough to cover my belly now that my...shall we say "upper region" has doubled in size.
The only joy I get in the mornings is from Morris. He sits at my feet in every room I'm in wagging (thumping) his tail (huge tail) on the floor and looking at me adoringly. MoMo has started coming to work with me. He loves it. The office I work in is on a double lot so it has a large fenced in backyard behind the building and now that the S.Carolina weather has decided to be beautiful and warm, I found no reason for him to be cooped up in our apartment. His favorite days are when the agent I work for brings her black lab, LuLu to hang out with him. They are both lazy, hence they have become besties. There is a slew of toys back there that he mostly ignores and when I sneak into the back room to spy on him he is typically sitting up sniffing into the sky taking in the sun. At lunch we'll go to McDonalds and share hamburgers or he may get the crusts from my lean cuisine pizzas, and on the commute we talk about life. Mo is a GREAT listener.
It's nice to have someone to "punch the clock" with who loves and adores you unconditionally. I think it's quite lovely. This is my life. layne
The only joy I get in the mornings is from Morris. He sits at my feet in every room I'm in wagging (thumping) his tail (huge tail) on the floor and looking at me adoringly. MoMo has started coming to work with me. He loves it. The office I work in is on a double lot so it has a large fenced in backyard behind the building and now that the S.Carolina weather has decided to be beautiful and warm, I found no reason for him to be cooped up in our apartment. His favorite days are when the agent I work for brings her black lab, LuLu to hang out with him. They are both lazy, hence they have become besties. There is a slew of toys back there that he mostly ignores and when I sneak into the back room to spy on him he is typically sitting up sniffing into the sky taking in the sun. At lunch we'll go to McDonalds and share hamburgers or he may get the crusts from my lean cuisine pizzas, and on the commute we talk about life. Mo is a GREAT listener.
It's nice to have someone to "punch the clock" with who loves and adores you unconditionally. I think it's quite lovely. This is my life. layne
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Let's try this again...
My first blogging attempt was a failed one. 9 posts, depressing. I find myself loving to read other's blogs but not having the dedication to stick to one of my own. Such a bummer, however, I've decided to try again. I may fail again, too, but only time will tell. Here is where I am right now in life, focus before I start this because I've got A LOT going on.
Chad has been given his agency assignment from State Farm to take over part of an existing agency in North Augusta, SC starting June 1st 2011. He will be taking over for a retiring agent who's book of business will be split between Chad and another gentleman. We are in the process of purchasing a home in North Augusta (which is actually South Carolina, not just the northern part of Augusta, GA) which we love and are so incredibly lucky to have found because it is so amazing and because for us it didnt compare to any of the other houses on the market in the area. We are set to move in in 2 weeks!! Meanwhile I took a job working for the agent that Chad will be replacing, getting to know the policy holders and trying to get a "feel" for the area. This has been an interesting venture, I find myself in the middle of official business regarding the retirement/new agency a lot, and I have no place knowing anything super important because frankly it's none of my business and being pregnant has made me react to things differently. But after a few bumps I seem to be functioning well in the office and a job is a job is a job. On top of the agency, the move, the job, I'm 14 weeks pregnant. Super exciting, right. Right. And wrong. Super stressful is more like it. Actually this entire stage is super stressfull and I feel like it may be a year or two before it calms down. But I can see into the future and I know that all of this is such a blessing and we are due to be 10 million times more blessed and content in a few years.
The pregnancy has been smooth for the most part, no real "morning" sickness and havent had any HUGE hormonal breakdowns. Maybe one or two minor crying attacks but I'm doing just fine! I have had some viruses and colds since my immune system isn't working as hard, but the new development is migraines and I think it may end up being my pregnancy "thing". After a hellacious 72-hour whopper I finally got a prescription for Fioricet which totally helps and the doctor gave me refills which is awesome because I seem to get one almost every day. It starts like any normal headache then I realize the tylenol isnt working and in a flash second I want to cut all the lights off and curl up into a ball. You know, the usual for migraines. We have our second Dr's visit in a little over 2 weeks and maybe if the baby is cooperating we'll be able to find out the sex, if not I'm thinking I'll end up at one of those sneak-a-peek places because I dont think I can wait until 20 months to find out! Right now I'm hungry all the time, no specific cravings, although I'm loving any form of noodle. The only other pregnancy sympton I have is heightened sense of smell, I can smell chicken and cigarette smoke a mile away, and it is NOT pleasant.
The past few weeks my life has been filled with legal documents, loan agreements, new coworkers, a growing belly and appetite, and some SERIOUS anxiety over paint colors and drapes. I am happy to say a lot of this chaos is subsiding and knowing that State Farm sets up movers to pack and relocate us is a huge relief. I have finally stopped dreaming about rugs and curtain tie-backs and I'm back to dreaming completely bizaare dreams that dont make any sense.
Now my focus is going to support Chad in all of the craziness that he is dealing with on top of everything I just told you about. He's deep into finding a new office location, hiring a staff, and planning out every detail for opening his own business. This is his dream come true but it will be a big struggle for the first few years and I know its my job to do anything and everything to help him secure our future. Such a big job, I have!!!
For anyone close enough to have me in their address book starting March 8th, we'll have a new address and you are welcome to email me for the update!
Anyone who wants to plan to switch their State Farm policies or get State Farm insurance with the Chad Stalvey agency please let us know! We'll make sure to take care of you!
Keep loving life, I know I do....layne
Chad has been given his agency assignment from State Farm to take over part of an existing agency in North Augusta, SC starting June 1st 2011. He will be taking over for a retiring agent who's book of business will be split between Chad and another gentleman. We are in the process of purchasing a home in North Augusta (which is actually South Carolina, not just the northern part of Augusta, GA) which we love and are so incredibly lucky to have found because it is so amazing and because for us it didnt compare to any of the other houses on the market in the area. We are set to move in in 2 weeks!! Meanwhile I took a job working for the agent that Chad will be replacing, getting to know the policy holders and trying to get a "feel" for the area. This has been an interesting venture, I find myself in the middle of official business regarding the retirement/new agency a lot, and I have no place knowing anything super important because frankly it's none of my business and being pregnant has made me react to things differently. But after a few bumps I seem to be functioning well in the office and a job is a job is a job. On top of the agency, the move, the job, I'm 14 weeks pregnant. Super exciting, right. Right. And wrong. Super stressful is more like it. Actually this entire stage is super stressfull and I feel like it may be a year or two before it calms down. But I can see into the future and I know that all of this is such a blessing and we are due to be 10 million times more blessed and content in a few years.
The pregnancy has been smooth for the most part, no real "morning" sickness and havent had any HUGE hormonal breakdowns. Maybe one or two minor crying attacks but I'm doing just fine! I have had some viruses and colds since my immune system isn't working as hard, but the new development is migraines and I think it may end up being my pregnancy "thing". After a hellacious 72-hour whopper I finally got a prescription for Fioricet which totally helps and the doctor gave me refills which is awesome because I seem to get one almost every day. It starts like any normal headache then I realize the tylenol isnt working and in a flash second I want to cut all the lights off and curl up into a ball. You know, the usual for migraines. We have our second Dr's visit in a little over 2 weeks and maybe if the baby is cooperating we'll be able to find out the sex, if not I'm thinking I'll end up at one of those sneak-a-peek places because I dont think I can wait until 20 months to find out! Right now I'm hungry all the time, no specific cravings, although I'm loving any form of noodle. The only other pregnancy sympton I have is heightened sense of smell, I can smell chicken and cigarette smoke a mile away, and it is NOT pleasant.
The past few weeks my life has been filled with legal documents, loan agreements, new coworkers, a growing belly and appetite, and some SERIOUS anxiety over paint colors and drapes. I am happy to say a lot of this chaos is subsiding and knowing that State Farm sets up movers to pack and relocate us is a huge relief. I have finally stopped dreaming about rugs and curtain tie-backs and I'm back to dreaming completely bizaare dreams that dont make any sense.
Now my focus is going to support Chad in all of the craziness that he is dealing with on top of everything I just told you about. He's deep into finding a new office location, hiring a staff, and planning out every detail for opening his own business. This is his dream come true but it will be a big struggle for the first few years and I know its my job to do anything and everything to help him secure our future. Such a big job, I have!!!
For anyone close enough to have me in their address book starting March 8th, we'll have a new address and you are welcome to email me for the update!
Anyone who wants to plan to switch their State Farm policies or get State Farm insurance with the Chad Stalvey agency please let us know! We'll make sure to take care of you!
Keep loving life, I know I do....layne
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