Hey Brace Face!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.    

Alright, guys. I'm about to take you back. Back to a time when you rocked bangles and bangs, when hair spray was your BFF, when BFF wasn't even close to as cool as LYLAS. I'm talking about the 80s. Let's all take a minute to love on the 80s. Close your eyes for a second, and imagine "I Think We're Alone Now" is playing while you write in your diary with a gold lock on it.... ya there? Good. Thanks for the help, Tiffany. 

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Depending on how old you are now (mid 20's obviously. All of us. RIGHT?!?! Yes.), you were a pre-teen/teen in the 80s. For me, I had a serious life event happen to me in the 80s. Ok, well 2, if you include my discovery and subsequent forever love of NKOTB. But that's another story. I'm talking about braces. Yeah dude, I was like, totally a brace face. From the 3rd grade to the 8th grade, I rocked the metal mouth. Hard. I mean, don't get me wrong, I was still adorable. Let's observe. 

Despite the clear adorableness of my brace face, braces were a PAIN. Literally. Do you guys remember getting your rubber bands changed? I mean, sure, it was really cool to get rubber bands in your school colors, but dang that was painful! Remember how you had to put wax between your metal and your gums so you wouldn't LITERALLY rip your mouth apart?! I mean, that's got to be some sort of illegal torture. Well, let me tell you, kids these days have it easy. 

Invisalign. I'm sure you all have heard of it. But let me tell ya, I got to listen to 2 of the leading Invisalign dentists talk about the benefits and cost of Invisalign, and I am sold! If I were a teenager who had the choice of Invisalign or traditional braces, you can be sure I'd pick Invisalign. No wires, no brackets, and you can barely even see them. Wuuuut?!! Invisalign Teen is so great for pre-teens and teens! Your teen can eat, brush, and floss like they normally would. They don't have to get any rubber bands or brackets tightened, and the new and improved Invisalign is even softer than before. Invisalign is cool, guys. 

I had a super fun time at the Invisalign event. Many many thanks to the SITS girls and Invisalign for such a great event. 

If you are curious about Invisalign, I have some great resources for you. Visit the Invisalign Homepage here.  Invisalign is the clear alternative to metal braces that uses a series of virtually invisible and removable aligners that gradually move teeth over time. The benefits include no food restrictions, ability to easily maintain healthy dental brushing habits, minimal interference with sports or other activities, and teeth get straightened without most people knowing you are in treatment. 

 
Find a doctor here. As with any medical procedure, consider getting a second opinion if you are told you or your child is not a candidate for Invisalign. Not all dentists and orthodontists are certified Invisalign providers, the best way to find an Invisalign provider is to visit the Invisalign Doctor Locator. 

Get a Smile Assessment here. There are more than 2 million Invisalign cases in treatment or completed worldwide. From very simple to very challenging, Invisalign offers a full spectrum of clear straightening treatments for most types of orthodontic issues. Take the Invisalign  Smile Assessment  to find out if Invisalign is right for you or your child.
 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.    

  

On Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a hard day for me. I am not in contact with my own mother, and I suffer from infertility. Put the two together, and it's a rough day. I woke up this morning, honestly, ready to be crabby for the day. Mother's Day makes me sad. That's all there is to it. I long to be a mother with every fiber of my being. I don't like the celebrations, I don't like seeing everyone's facebook and instagram posts with their babies and their mothers, I just don't like any of it. It makes me feel pretty terrible.

But this morning I woke up to this card from my husband:

Dear Kristin,

I know Mother's Day is always hard for you. Everyone else has their day, and for you it's a "less than" mother's day. I want you to enjoy what you do have and not worry so much about what we don't. Mother's Day is a day to celebrate those who take care of you, and believe me, you do take care of all of us. If Chase could make you a macaroni card I'm sure he would, fighting running away from the crackly sounds they make against the paper. I'm sure Bayley would go pick you flowers from the garden if she could, but alas, all she would do is eat them. 

In all seriousness, you take care of me, Colin, and the dogs. Remember back to what Mother's Day is all about, and take some time for yourself. Crafting, blogging, dancing, laughing, these are the things you enjoy the most. So let today be for you, and you'll have a wonderful Mother's Day. 

Love, Ethan

So today, I choose to be happy. I choose to put a smile on my face, be with my family and my fur kids, and celebrate what I have. I hope you'll do the same. May happiness shine upon you all today, mothers of all kind! 

A New Plan

I guess I should give you guys a bit of a warning before you keep on reading... this post is all in good fun... and also true ;) OK THEN. So you guys know that for the past year we've been trying really hard to have a baby. And I've been super duper careful about everything I do. Which also meant that I barely ever, ever ever ever drank. Well, I've decided to turn over a new leaf. A drinking leaf. Yes, you heard me right. I've been making an effort to drink more. I'm hoping that if I start doing what I shouldn't do, maybe it'll have the effect that it does on drunk teenage girls and BOOM, preggo! Ok, now don't get me wrong, I'm not going out and getting trashed or anything. I mean, c'mon, I'm 30. I'm in bed by 10 every night. My crazy Saturday nights are making through all of SNL. But ya know, a few glasses of wine here, a beer here.... I'm doin it!


Last night, for instance, I enjoyed this delicious Blue Moon with my burger. It was delightful.

And right now? At this very moment? This sweet thing is in my hand.  it was $1 at Kroger. Yup, they sell them in the cutest individual cans. I mean, how convenient, right?! 

So what do you guys think? Is this the trick? Forget about all the failed fertility treatments and just enjoy the booze? I'll let you know how it goes :)

Return With No Mac

Sing that title like "Return of the Mac" only not... because my sweet macbook never did recover from the coffee spill. And I've finally given in and decided to start blogging again from my husband's computer. I missed it, guys. I really did. I've been keeping the Notes app open on my iphone and writing down blog topic ideas, too. What a nerd!

So some cool stuff has been going on in the last month. I don't think I've told you all about it. But, I mean, it's been so long since an update, who knows!

A few weeks ago, I had to get a root canal. I was a nervous wreck, because the last time I was at the dentist was for my hell-on-earth 4 hour tooth pull that left me wrecked for 2 weeks. This time around, I think they felt bad for me and gave me some extra laughing gas. The result, drunk gas dialing everyone and their brother, including my boss, who luckily thinks I'm hilarious and didn't care. Oh, and this picture. I mean, seriously, what the hell is wrong with me? :)

I also recently started..... wait for it..... RUNNING. I'm doing the Couch to 5K program, and so far I really like it. I didn't die like I thought I would, and I actually kind of enjoy it! So hopefully soon I'll look like Jillian Michaels and bring all the boys to my yard. Think my husband will mind?  Here's my post-run, "holy shit I did it" face. 

I also went from long hair don't care to short hair don't care this week. Which I'm actually majorly loving. I think this might be the perfect length for me. 

And lastly, and most exciting (and so this post isn't completely full of awkward selfless), we bought this beauty!! 

We close on June 14th and will officially, FINALLY, be home owners!! We are so excited!! 

So, to all my readers out there, I really am sorry about the absence. I'm glad you stuck around, and I am really glad to be back. You guys are the best! 

Temporary Silence

Well, friends.... I have bad news. I had a little accident this weekend and spilled coffee on my macbook. My husband took it apart and it's currently airing out, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it magically starts working again. So I am without a computer. I still have my ipad, and my husband's macbook air, but it's just not the same. I don't have any of my pictures, and honestly, my macbook pro was my buddy!! I've had it for 5 years. We have history! I can't just start blogging on some other computer when there is still hope for my precious macbook!

Couple that with house hunting, working, another tooth issue (can't even believe this is happening again), and I am swamped. Every weekend I say I'm going to blog, and then I blink and it's Sunday at 10pm and I'm half asleep. How does that happen?!! If you want to keep up with all the house hunting fun, and everything else going on in Nook World, be sure to follow me on twitter and instagram! I'll leave you with this picture I found on Ethan's computer :)

If Comfy Were An Olympic Sport

My two dogs are polar opposites of each other when it comes to sleeping. Bayley has never been a good sleeper. She's a "sleep with one eye open" kind of gal. She's been that way since she was 6 weeks old. She just doesn't want to miss any of the action, I guess! But Chase, that dude knows how to sleep. He can get into the comfiest of positions and nap like nobody's business! It absolutely cracks me up! And really, what's cuter than a sleeping pup?

And when need some comfy, you need some comfy! Chase is never too picky about what to use as a pillow. Mom's macbook? Sure!! Dad's XBox controller? So soft! 

That's right, meet Chase. Gold Medal winner of Olympic napping. He'll sign your autographs!!

I've Got Beef With a Groundhog

In my neck of the woods, which is Northern Kentucky, spring has somehow forgotten about us. Is it similar where you are too? Now, I know it's only the beginning of March. But I thought the groundhog said Early Spring, no? I'd like to give ole' Punxsutawney Phil a talkin to, I'll tell you that much!

I do believe this the face of a lying groundhog, my friends. Look at that. He knows.... That little punk! 

Now, I work downtown. I take the bus to work. I walk a few miles every day, outside, in the freezing cold (because spring has boycotted), and I am just plain sick of it. It's cold. It's snowy. It's rainy. It's cold and snowy and rainy at the same time. Now, this is really typical for this area, don't get me wrong. It's never a surprise that it's 70 degrees one day and snowing the next. I mean, heck, last week we had an inch of ice in the morning and by 3pm that day it was 60 degrees! I get it, it comes with the territory! Literally! But it JUST.WON'T.END.  

So listen, Mother Nature. I'd like our relationship to be friendly again. Just give me what I want and no one gets hurt. Not even the groundhog. I have dresses. I'd like to wear them. I'd like to retire the scarves and gloves for a while. I want to feel my nose again. Let's work something out, k?