{hashtag truth}

Just some random #truths until I load back to school pics onto my computer...

When I registered Rachel for school, I misspelled the word seventy on the check. I had to void it & start over because, let's face it, a check for school registration is not where you want spelling errors. I had to laugh at myself. Like, here you go - "I want my daughter to get some fancy book-learnin. Cuz her Ma can't spell numbers." #truth

I cried a little after dropping both of my girls off for their first day of school. Not nearly as much as I thought I would. I'm just a little nervous for them both. Olivia doesn't have as many of her old classmates in this year's class - only 2 kids. Rachel was nervous about school altogether & worried she wouldn't be able to find her teacher. But as luck would have it, her little friend Avery was arriving at the exact same time we were. So all was well. #truth

we all survived the 1st day of school

I totally yelled at the school Monday when they sent Rachel home on the bus to our empty house in the country in error, rather than send her on the daycare van. I've since received 4 apologies from the school. But I have yet to forgive them. Maybe in due time... #truth

Today's lunch-break was the extreme highlight of the day. I had an actual real-life conversation with a guy I kinda stalk. Not really stalk. I just get pretty excited when I see him in the hallway or have any type of interaction with him. Dasani Water Guy - I'm so happy I had a brief 2 sentence conversation with you. #truth #dasaniwaterguyforever

Do the Hustle came on the radio in the grocery store the other day. Rachel immediately declared "this is my jam". I nearly lost my mind. #truth

We all went to the state fair Saturday. Olivia & I got to pet a zebra. It was the coolest thing. I felt like a kid, probably just as excited as she was. #truth

how???

school starts on august 19th. olivia will go into 4th grade. rachel will start kindergarten. and i'm a mess. i will repeat, i'm a mess. crying here & now. last night to jarrett. and this morning to jarrett. it's all gone so fast.

liv 2 years old

 

rachey 2 years old

 

today i scheduled all of the necessary appointments for rachel to be ready to begin her career as a student, and it is becoming quite real. this is really happening. my baby is starting kindergarten. after all, she isn't a baby really. she will be 6 years old in october. but she is my baby.

rachey 9 months old

i've been slowly preparing rachel for kindergarten. she says the teacher will know she's a new kid in school because she's never been there before. and she loved when i told her all of the kids in kindergarten are going to be new kids. kindergarten is everyone's very first year of school.

olivia 3 years old



rachel 3 years old

we've talked about the bus. rachel is excited. olivia isn't. plain & simple, this mama can't drop both kids off at school and get to work on time. the bus is the solution. maybe it won't be forever. but it will be for now.

liv 2 years old

rachel 3 years old



liv 4 & rachel 18 months

i also printed the school supply lists. and completed olivia's registration for 4th grade online.

4th grade. i distinctly remember things that happened during 4th grade. olivia is not excited at the thought of the school year starting in less than a month. then again, i'm not exactly thrilled either. it will definitely lessen the ol daycare bill each week though.

liv 4 years old

rachel 18 months

i can handle 4th grade. after all, i've already lived through baby to kindergarten with her. and we both survived - albeit a few tears were shed by both of us.

olivia 9 months old

olivia 1st day of kindergarten

i've had the joy of watching these 2 beautiful girls grow. i've been there every day. so can someone please tell me how it happened so fast. and someone tell me how it can hurt so much but bring me so much joy at the same time.

i better prepare myself for this happening in 7 short years...

The Package - the total package

Sunday night was the best night. Girls Night Out in a big big way! I went to St Louis for a concert. Not just any concert. The Package.

 

Who was included in The Package?

 

Boyz II Men

98 Degrees

New Kids on the Block

 

I will give you all a minute to wrap your minds around that.

 

Seriously, the best. Natalie from 1993, 1995, & 1999 - you're welcome! Finally living out my dreams here people.

 

(All photos courtesy of my friend Heather's FB page because I forgot my camera. And my iPhone pictures just don't do it justice.)

 

 

Boyz II Men were up first.

This is "I'll Make Love to You" - rose petals falling from the ceiling.

 

 

And they sang Motown Philly - this alone was worth the price of admission. They still got it!

 

98 Degrees - I wasn't sure if I would enjoy them as much as the other 2, but they were awesome too. Lets face is, Nick Lachey in a wife beater is always going to be a crowd pleaser.

 

These girls, I know they were all reliving their younger days. Who wouldn't love to be serenaded. Myself, I may have tongue-kissed Nick Lachey & got thrown out. To each their own.

 

And THEN - the best thing ever happened.

 

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!!!!!!

 

Oh my, the pelvic thrusting that was going on might have made a more impressionable girl blush. HAHA!

 

Their new song "I Like the Remix". Suits, come on, I swoon!!!!!

 

Just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any better, this happened.

 

Jordan Knight - shirtless. My whole day, possibly this whole month of July has been made by that 2 minutes or so that he was sans shirt.

 

Let me tell ya, they have definitely got the right stuff. (see what I did there - I love play on words)

 

Then he sang my very favorite song by New Kids - He's gonna be loving me forever. He sang it directly to me - JSYK.

 

Thank you, Heather for taking so many pictures.

 

Thank you to Sarah, Amber & Chris for tolerating my screaming like a teenybopper.

 

31 year-old Natalie enjoyed this WAAAAAY more than 13 year-old Natalie when I wanted to go so very bad. Somethings are worth the wait.

Hi. I'm Natalie

And I'm addicted to scarves.

 

Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right?

 

Seriously. I have a problem.

 

Lots & Lots of scarves.

I'm wearing 15 scarves

I have bought 2 more since this picture.

 

I love them. Really can't get enough, obviously.



hair again

I needed a change. And obviously, that change was hair related.

This growing it out business is bugging me. Instead of cutting it all off, I decided to go back to my roots. You know, except for all the white hair. I blame PMS -- for the necessity of a change, not the white hair.

I look like my old self. It will probably last a little while. At least until the summer is in full force. Then I feel like I need to go blonde again.

My mom & sister love the change. My daughters & husband, not so much. But, guess what, it isn't their decision.

And I bought new purple eye shadow. I was hesitant at first, but it's growing on me.

Snow Blows

oooooooh winter weather...

mother nature, do you not realize it is now march?
what i would have welcomed in december or january is not cool during march.

i know winter doesn't actually end until later this month. however, i'm officially over winter. i often accuse jarrett of having seasonal affective disorder. this year, i feel like his bad mood is rubbing off on me.

lets talk for a minute about how weather effects people's moods, shall we. i found this little gem of information on wikipedia.

* Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, spring or autumn, repeatedly, year after year. *

the actual snow doesn't make me depressed.

it would be totally awesome if winter actually looked like this.



source



but it looks like this.



source



it looks like a white knuckle drive home. it looks like a sore back & shoulders from being so tense during the drive. it looks like cars in ditches. it looks like a huge pain in my ass.

then once it is plowed, it looks like gravel in my yard. it looks like my mailbox knocked sideways. it looks like the snow plowed into my driveway rather than away from my driveway. it's a nuisance.

treacherous is not a word i want to hear associated with my drive home.

right now, it looks so very very pretty gazing out the window. huge flakes. but before long it will get nasty.

at least we are on the tail end of winter.





i love to hate parenthood

how about a completely random materialistic, utterly non-important post...

i'd like to take some time to discuss parenthood, the tv show.

it infuriates me, breaks my heart, & draws me in at the very same time. i have watched it from the beginning. and every single tuesday night, i wonder why on earth i force myself to keep watching. seriously, i cry at every single episode. season 4 has been brutal.

christina has cancer. and i love her. 

max is being max.

julia is struggling with her defiant child.

crosby is probably my favorite.

amber loves ryan, but she just can't do it.

drew's girlfriend had an abortion even though he wanted her to keep the baby.

sara is horrible. horrible. i will say it again, horrible.

and they have all sucked me in & i cannot get out.

i don't know if i've mentioned this before, but jarrett is a real stand-up guy. if i am upset watching a show or movie and get a little overly sensitive and start crying, he comforts me. comes and sits with me, rubs my back. lets me cry and snot all of his shirt. he is pretty sweet like that.

well, my friends, those days are gone. at least when it comes to tears as a result of parenthood. season 4 is killing me. and i'm not talking a couple of tears rolling down my cheek. i'm talking full on sobbing. jarrett sees this happening & he says - WHY DO YOU WATCH THIS?! YOU CANNOT BE ENJOYING THIS! true story, friends. so i go to bed each tuesday with a headache & puffy eyes. 

but just like an abusive relationship, i keep coming back for more. i don't want to stop watching. i don't want to miss anything. what if something super terrific happens & i miss it. what if for 1 episode everything goes great for those wacky Bravermans & i miss it.

i feel like i am invested in this show. i have spent so many tuesday nights already watching. i can't stop now.

ok. there i feel better.

life in pictures

there has been a lot going on the last couple of weeks.

mah bestie gave me the idea to do a picture a day on instragram of my girlies. so i have been. #365daysofolivia & #365daysofrachel 

#iliketalkinginhashtags #followmeoninstragram NTotten02

i have been doing good, but it's only been 7 days. i am determined to stick with it. i just want to be able to compare day 27 of the year to day 327 to see how they have grown & changed. that's a solid idea whoever came up with it.

so we have been busy with life since Christmas. making time to enjoy the little things. soak in the smiles & laughter. really enjoy life. you know, trying to be a better person & not take things for granted.

grandma's wall of handprints is growing. rachel got her lovely little hand added on new year's day along with her little cousins. also, my hand is the exact same size as it was in 1994. what does that say about me? my hand hasn't grown since i was 13 -- big hands for a 13 year old most likely. #ihavemanhands

we celebrated my grandmother's 88th birthday - which happens to be today. #happybirthday

pretty girls dancing #crazyeyes

  more dancing - except this time we couldn't watch

it snowed & looked just like a christmas card #gorgeousfrominside

i spent time in the garage doing this with these awesome guys. i love cigars. #allthecoolkidssmokecigars

school started back up & olivia was not impressed. i feel ya.

i got mah hair did - even blonder this time i think. but i love it. and trimmed up, now it feels super healthy. #blondeambition

i took down the big christmas tree sunday. wah wah waaaaaah

i missed the sparkle & twinkle lights, so i put this little one back up & put snowflake ornaments on. i will add hearts probably this weekend - it may be a year round or at least all winter tree.

we did a puzzle together last night.

and that's all the pictures i have to share today. we have done plenty. and so far 2013 rocks my socks off.