And the winner is...

Stepping in for a sec from our Halloween festivities to let you know that we have a winner in the Fab Bag Giveaway!

First of all, thanks so much for your bloggy love and support! Giveaways are so fun and I enjoyed reading all of your comments and meeting some new BFFs (blog friends forever). Without further ado, the winner is...

Jennifer H. from Adventures with Austin!

{Jennifer, I left you a comment on your blog! Please email at babblingabby (at) gmail (dot) com!}

Happy Halloween, y'all! I'll post pics later :D

Totally random Thursday.

Yaaaaaaawn.

I'm posting from my bed today, where my icy Diet Coke is on my nightstand to my left and a bowl of cheesy flavored whale crackers are to my right. And I'm trying hard not to get either on the laptop keyboard. I had my little speaking engagement this morning, and the preparation and stress of it all has literally worn me right out. The minute I put Beck down, I decided I needed to go to bed in order to combat the overwhelming urge I had this morning to throw my lesson plans out the window and curl up in a bean bag and let the kids have an all-day indoor recess. And, yes, I literally could have slept through all of the chaos that indoor-recess brings {those of you who teach and loathe a rainy day when you're subject to indoor recess know exactly how tired I must have been.}

Not that I need to make up more excuses for my prolonged indoor nap (but I might as well since my husband is probably reading this wondering why I'm not doing something more productive), but I also have a site-based council meeting at 4pm followed by a PTA meeting at 6pm. It's one of those never-ending days, and another reason why I'm desperate for the FIVE day break that Thanksgiving will bring in a little under a month.

And, stop the world, they are playing Christmas music on one of the stations I listen to! Geez Louise, it's not even Halloween yet! I'm not prepared to listen to Deck the Hall and White Christmas yet, so I've had to eliminate that station from my daily listening. While I do love and adore Christmastime, and it is by far my favorite holiday of the year, I'm just not ready to sting up lights and spread Yuletide cheer right now when there is a ghost on my front door and a pumpkin on the porch.

Having a kid makes time speed up times a zillion, and I'm trying real hard to slow down and treasure each moment of Becks' little baby life. Even though he's more of a toddler with his own agenda that often includes begging for candycorn from the jar on the kitchen counter, and mimicking every thing I say like my own little parrot. Anyway, I'm living in the now and really just want to get to Halloween which is on Saturday.

And, no, the costume still isn't made. But I work best under pressure anyway, so I know it will get done. If it doesn't, I could always try to find one of those stiff, plastic coveralls with the matching mask. Do you know what I'm talking about? Surely I wasn't the only stiff, plastic My Little Pony in 1989.

Anyway, I best be getting that boy child up and shipped off to his Nana M's for a little bit so I can go hash out school policy for two hours. Joy of all joys...

PS. I shredded again last night and am hurting for it today. I am embarrassingly out of shape, and can barely laugh since my abs are finally getting a workout again. In fact, they're probably laughing at me and the condition I am in. Two days down, 28 to go...

Just call me Shredder.

Well, I totally did The Shred tonight. Complete with Rotel cans in hand because you know I don't own a pair of standard weights. I'm sure at some point I did own a pair, like when I went through a phase my sophomore year of college and jumped on The Firm bandwagon along with a couple of sorority sisters. I don't even think I did it for a month before I was merely using the steps as a stool to reach things in my closet. And then I donated the complete set to Goodwill sometime this past summer when I couldn't even sell it in a yard sale.

I'm determined to become shredded or whatever verb you use to infer that you've completed The Shred. Jillian's promise is 30 days, so we'll see if I can make it. The best part is, is that it requires only 20 minutes of your time - which really isn't anything - and doesn't involve expensive fitness equipment. As I said, a pair of Rotel cans or Campbell's soup will do just fine. An old, creeky hardware floor on which to pretend to jumprope is complete optional and not recommended since it could very well awake a sleeping baby.

And I am not even embarrassed to tell you that anything heavier than a pair of Rotel cans would have likely caused my arms to detach from my body. I have zero upper body strength and the amount of shaking that my biceps were doing during the three-minute strength phase was enough to jiggle my old lady arms right off. Not even kidding you. It was embarrassing.

Additionally, because he loves me and thought I needed encouragement through my first session, my dearest B joined me in shredding and together we suffered through 279 push-ups (I'm lying but it felt like 279). Love him.

So, maybe by Christmas I'll have abs like Jillian. Or will at least eliminate some old lady arm jiggle. Or have an excuse for eating an extra serving or two of peppermint chocolate at a Christmas party...

Thoughts on raising a boy: Part 1073

{Don't forget to enter the FAB BAG giveaway!}

* * * * * *

Well, Beck had a big time this weekend. We went with my parents to their Lakehouse and he learned to throw rocks in the lake, which is pretty much the coolest thing when you're 16-months old. All was fine and dandy, until my nature-lover-of-a-husband discovered A SNAKE. A real, live, snake that might as well been an eighteen foot long boa constrictor, even though it was barely two feet long. Regardless of length, it was still A SNAKE.

Then, in a stroke of genius, he encouraged MY SON to touch the SNAKE. And Beck practically squeezed its guts out while I freaked on the shoreline, threatening my husband from afar by pointing and shrieking wildly about salmonella and germs and rabies and cooties and any other nasty thing that snake skin may contain.

Is this what it's going to be like to be the mother to a son? Because I don't think I'm prepared for snakes. Or any other species belonging to the amphibious or reptilian families. Ugh.

Moving on, it's going to be one of those weeks for like the next four and a half weeks. The kind of weeks where I wonder if we'll have clean clothes or milk in the fridge. Not only is Halloween five days away (and I still haven't finished Beck's costume), but I have a door and pumpkin to finish decorating, a speaking engagment before the entire student body on Thursday, and report card season and parent-teacher conferences are on the horizon. Sigh.

{Doesn't it sound a lot more important for me to say speaking engagement rather than a five minute spiel about poptab collection for the Ronald McDonald House? Either way, it's in front of 800 people and that. is. a. lot. Even if most of the audience will be 10 and under. I talk fast and tend to trip a lot, so say a prayer that I do okay.}

And, lastly, you should know that while I sorted through things in my classroom today, Beck occupied himself by removing tissues from an entire box of Kleenex and stuffing them into a jar. I didn't feel the least bit wasteful for it either. I needed those three minutes. He is a stinker. Love him.

Over the toppish

{Don't forget to participate in my}

{Fab Bag Giveaway!}

Thank you to my lovely sorority sisses (and fellow mommies) Brit and Suz for the award!

{Admission: I am really bad at completing these, so please don't be offended if I haven't claimed one that you've sent my way! I am so sorry!}

So here are the rules: you can only use ONE word to answer the questions. Then you must pass this along to your favorite bloggers. Alert them that you have given them this award and have fun!

1. Where is your cell phone? MIA
2. Your hair? Clipped
3. Your mother? Inspiring
4. Your father? Personality
5. Your favorite food? Chocolate
6. Your dream last night? Unknown
7. Your favorite drink? Diet Coke
8. Your dream/goal? SAHM
9. Favorite TV Show? The Hills/The City (I absolutely CANNOT choose.)
10. Your hobby? Blogging
11. Your fear? Death
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
13. Where were you last night? Cumberland
14. Something that you aren’t? Negative
15. Muffins? Mmmmmm.

16. Wish list item? Photoshop

17. Where did you grow up? Here
18. Last thing you did? Fruitlooped
19. What are you wearing? Clothes
20. Your TV? On
21. Your pets? Leland
22. Friends? Lots
23. Your life? Blessed
24. Your mood? Mondayed
25. Missing someone? Nope
26. Vehicle? Passat
27. Something you’re not wearing? Boots
28. Your favorite store? Target
29. Your favorite color? Black
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? AFHV
32. Your best friend? B
33. One place that I go to over and over? Nursery
34. One person who emails me regularly? B
35. Favorite place to eat? Bonefish

I tag...all my readers! So many of you have already won this, so I just pick all of y'all!

PS. A picture-laden piece to post tomorrow. I'm way to lazy to go fish the camera out of our luggage...

Fab Bag Giveaway Day!

Surprise!!! We're having a real, live GiVeAwAy today at Babbling Abby!!!! I am so pumped!!! See, look at all the exclamation marks I am using!!!!!!!

{Deep Breath. And...release...}

So, let's begin by discussing something crucial to motherhood. Like a key piece that keeps you forever organized and you usually don't leave home without it. And, if you do, you either wind up with a dirty diaper on your hands with no supplies to take care of it - OR - you're stealing Goldfish off the endcap at Kroger, silently scolding yourself for leaving that key piece at home containing your baby occupying treat. Oops. (And, P.S., I always pay for the Goldfish before we leave. Ahem.)

Yup, sweet readers, I am talking about THE DIAPER BAG.

I love and adore mine and find that it has pretty much taken the place of my purse for the past sixteen months of Beckham's existance. I own a very simple, black one that I carry everywhere. It has multiple pockets inside and outside, it's lined with a decorative plastic liner, and it came with a changing pad. It's functional, yet classy, and has been the one thing that has remained a staple during every phase of Beckham's life so far.

Soooooo, when I was contacted by a representative of CSN Baby, I was more than excited to host a giveaway of one of their fine products. CSN Baby carries a wide variety of baby-related products, from nursery decor , to strollers, to furniture. I recognized most of the brands they carry and have used many of them in my own home. Further, their prices are competitive, while lots of items seemed to be on sale or discounted to a great rate. Major bonus!

They let me choose {within reason, of course} the object of my desire and I decided that all moms - whether you're expecting or already are one - could use a fab bag to lug around. And, even if you don't have childen yet, you could still enter this giveaway for your future peanut or the peanut of a friend, right?

So, without further ado, here's what we're giving away today on Babbling Abby...

This is the Carter's Big Dot Tote Diaper Bag in Black & Lime. Totally fab, huh?!

It's modern pattern is super cute, and you can't beat the adjustable shoulder strap, accompanying changing pad, cell phone case, and accessories bag. Such a sweet combo. It's a $39.99 value and it can be your's FREE!

If you would like to take part in this giveaway, here's how you play...

1. Leave me a comment using the phrase fab bag anywhere in your comment.

2. To double your chances, leave a comment AND become a follower. Be sure to let me know in your comment that you're new follower or if we're already BFFs (blog friends forever.)

3. To triple your chances, leave a comment AND become a follower AND link up to this post on your blog. Again, be sure to let me know in your comment.

It would be helpful to include your email address if you don't have a blog so that I can get in touch with you if you win.

You have from now until next Thursday, October 29th to play. At that time, I will use a random number generator to select a winner. The winner will be announced on Halloween!

Yay! Please join in! Happy Thursday, y'all :)

{Disclosure: This giveaway is being sponsored by CSN Baby. }

Guilty Pleasure Day

This little guy, on the other hand, has no trouble pulling off yoga poses between bites of oatmeal. If only we all could have our feet and eat them too.

So, today. Today I am lazy in my sweatpants, watching The Hills & The City webisodes, while life just kind of piles up around me. There is no way that an empty tub of whipped cream cheese {that I dipped pretzel sticks into} and a carmel apple pop wrapper are sitting on the table next to me. And I'm positive that's not a wet diaper rolled up on the floor. Since Becks is the master diaper throw-away-er I guess I'll just wait for him to awake to take care of that. I'm just going to go right on being lazy.

Or not. We're going out of town this weekend, so there's actually plenty to be done around here. {Not including laundry and making my bed, both of which I do on a consistent basis these days. Seriously. That is not a joke. Be proud of me. Very proud. I'm sure it's going to be a short-lived phenomena and I want to enjoy it while I'm still motivated.} I could be making dinner for my boys, but since my MIL invited them over for dinner tonight I'm covered there. I'm off to schmooze at a service learning recognition banquet on behalf of my school. I'm wearing a cute black dress, so that's exciting. Or at least a step up from my sweatpants.

Do you know how many black dresses I own? A few too many, that's for sure. I just can't pass them up though. Especially when you find them for $24.95 at Target and they call to you from the rack, Abby, Abby....over here. On the hanger. TAKE ME HOME. And so I give in and add another little black dress to my ever growing collection. And my husband says, Oh where is that from? and before I can speak the little black dress is doing the talking and saying things like This old thing? Don't you recognize me? while I cinch the belt a little tighter willing it to shut up.

Actually, my husband has seen this particular dress before, so no secrets here. The shoes I'm wearing, on the other hand...

In completely other, non-related news, who here has done Jillian Michaels' The Shred? I've reserved it from the library and am anxiously awaiting it to arrive. Did it work? Did you do the full 30 days? Did you see results? If so, what kind? Was it fun? Did it seem like exercise? Did you sweat?

I'm just looking to tone up a little bit during the colder months. Now that I'm not nursing I don't have an excuse for eating pretzel sticks with cream cheese without compensating for them with a little physical activity.

Can't go turning into Flabby Babbling Abby, now can I?