A few days ago I was talking to Eric about how I had nothing to write about. Last night the genius spoke. He suggested I do a blog series on things I like in Cedar Falls/Waterloo. So I decided to give it a try. Over the next few weeks I will blog about things I enjoy here in town. Believe it or not, there are actually a lot of things I can talk about!
So here is a list of what I will be blogging about starting tomorrow:
- Local Eateries
- The Trails
- Farmer's Market
- Downtown Waterloo
- Downtown Cedar Falls
- The Lampost
- Local Events
So there you have it! Stay tuned!
Anyway, on another note, I've been obsessing lately over potential room decorations/decor. I want to change my bedroom to mustard yellow and grey... like right now. I know we really don't have time to paint and the money to change all our furniture but by the time we'll be in a position to do so, I wonder if those colors would even be in style. So I guess that is what Pinterest is for? I logged on for the first time in months and there are SO many neat things and ideas using those colors. So hopefully that will help with this little obsession for the time being. We shall see.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Conflict of Heart
Okay, so I've attempted to reflect via blog about my time here in Iowa over the past 2 years. Truth be told, I don't exactly know how to write about it. Every time I've tried, I've been afraid I might offend someone or my tone sounds too miserable to function. This isn't the case at all, it's not that I dislike Iowa, I'm just still adjusting to the culture change. So many people write about being "small town" and moving to the big city, but what about the opposite? Sure, Stephen Bloom wrote a little article about his time here in Iowa that was published in the Atlantic, and people flipped. When I read it, I thought it was quite funny and I understood (sort of) where he was coming from. I think Iowans forgot that he is not a Christian, he's Jewish (I'm pretty sure Iowa is just as Christian as it is white, which is around 90%) and he's not from the big city of Chicago or Minneapolis, he's from San Francisco, California and it's quite different out on the left side of the country.
So my conflict is how do I communicate adjusting to the culture of the Midwest without offending the people who live here and without it sounding like I moved to po-dunk nowhere to my East and West Coast friends? Do I have to put a big disclaimer on the top of my post warning people that this is the most rural area I've ever lived in so forgive me? I don't know. So maybe my reflection blog will never be written because I'm afraid of the backlash and offending people. Or maybe the Iowa has rubbed off a little on me... I'm afraid of offending people on a blog? Wow.
So here is a quick non-offensive reflection about Iowa. To those people who live in the bigger cities on the West Coast, Fresno is seen as a country hickville, a trashy town or something along those lines. Well Fresno has around a half million people. Here in Iowa, Des Moines is the big city coming in at a massive population of 203,433 and a metro population of 569,633 (thank you Wikipedia). Now that is the biggest city in the state. CRAZY! I've lived in Fresno and New Jersey so please forgive me Iowans when I say that Waterloo/Cedar Falls is a small area. In a lot of ways where I live is kind of like Fresno. Waterloo is about 4-5 hours from any major metropolitan area and Fresno likewise is about 3-4 hours from any major metro area. Waterloo has a reputation of being dangerous and ghetto. South of Shaw, Fresno has the same reputation. Here is what I can't get over. Iowans talk a lot about diversity. I get it, I guess, but then again I don't. When the state as a whole is still over 90% white, it's hard for me to believe this diversity card people are trying to play. Apparently Waterloo has a lot more diversity but when I look, I see a whole lot of vanilla compared to where I am from. There is no beach. This makes me sad. I really, really miss the ocean. No matter how much I adjust to life in Iowa, it will never have a beach. I mean, it's not like I went to the beach every weekend when I wasn't landlocked, but it was nice to know it was there and I could go If that was what my heart desired. It's also really cold here in the Winter. I thought New Jersey was cold, but this place takes the cake. On top of the cold, it's hot too. Not Fresno hot. I miss the dry heat. In Iowa 95 degrees plus humidity is unbearable, I can't breathe in it. I remember NJ being humid, but not this bad. This is more like Washington DC heat with grossly cold winters. I really only want one extreme, not 2. Don't get me wrong though, I like the fact that we have 4 seasons and I like the idea of snow. I also enjoy going back to Fresno in the winter and seeing people bundled up in scarves, hats, and pea coats when the high is like 50 degrees. On top of that, I enjoy the looks people give me when I'm out in that same weather in just jeans and a long sleeve shirt.
Okay, I think that is enough for now. Maybe someday I'll have the guts to produce a better blog about my time here, until then I will leave you with that.
So my conflict is how do I communicate adjusting to the culture of the Midwest without offending the people who live here and without it sounding like I moved to po-dunk nowhere to my East and West Coast friends? Do I have to put a big disclaimer on the top of my post warning people that this is the most rural area I've ever lived in so forgive me? I don't know. So maybe my reflection blog will never be written because I'm afraid of the backlash and offending people. Or maybe the Iowa has rubbed off a little on me... I'm afraid of offending people on a blog? Wow.
So here is a quick non-offensive reflection about Iowa. To those people who live in the bigger cities on the West Coast, Fresno is seen as a country hickville, a trashy town or something along those lines. Well Fresno has around a half million people. Here in Iowa, Des Moines is the big city coming in at a massive population of 203,433 and a metro population of 569,633 (thank you Wikipedia). Now that is the biggest city in the state. CRAZY! I've lived in Fresno and New Jersey so please forgive me Iowans when I say that Waterloo/Cedar Falls is a small area. In a lot of ways where I live is kind of like Fresno. Waterloo is about 4-5 hours from any major metropolitan area and Fresno likewise is about 3-4 hours from any major metro area. Waterloo has a reputation of being dangerous and ghetto. South of Shaw, Fresno has the same reputation. Here is what I can't get over. Iowans talk a lot about diversity. I get it, I guess, but then again I don't. When the state as a whole is still over 90% white, it's hard for me to believe this diversity card people are trying to play. Apparently Waterloo has a lot more diversity but when I look, I see a whole lot of vanilla compared to where I am from. There is no beach. This makes me sad. I really, really miss the ocean. No matter how much I adjust to life in Iowa, it will never have a beach. I mean, it's not like I went to the beach every weekend when I wasn't landlocked, but it was nice to know it was there and I could go If that was what my heart desired. It's also really cold here in the Winter. I thought New Jersey was cold, but this place takes the cake. On top of the cold, it's hot too. Not Fresno hot. I miss the dry heat. In Iowa 95 degrees plus humidity is unbearable, I can't breathe in it. I remember NJ being humid, but not this bad. This is more like Washington DC heat with grossly cold winters. I really only want one extreme, not 2. Don't get me wrong though, I like the fact that we have 4 seasons and I like the idea of snow. I also enjoy going back to Fresno in the winter and seeing people bundled up in scarves, hats, and pea coats when the high is like 50 degrees. On top of that, I enjoy the looks people give me when I'm out in that same weather in just jeans and a long sleeve shirt.
Okay, I think that is enough for now. Maybe someday I'll have the guts to produce a better blog about my time here, until then I will leave you with that.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
I am "one of those parents"
We've all heard it or muttered it, "oh, she's one of those moms." I've even done it myself. Lately, I've been making the comment internally about myself. Here's the list of everything Eric and I do. You be the judge. Am I on of those parents?
1. I breast fed. For as long as I possibly could. My curious, active little daughter pretty much self weaned herself and even baffled the pediatrician by her lack of focus. This broke my heart. I wanted to breast feed longer, so I pumped and pumped some more until I couldn't emotionally handle it any more.
2. Co-Sleeping. Trust me, with every ounce inside of me, I long for the nights when Kendall goes down in her crib and wakes up in her crib. Nothing makes me happier. I love my bed. However, at 3am when she's screaming, I am in no state of mind to sooth and rock her back to sleep. So, I do what many of those desperate mothers do, and I go into our guest room and crash there with her. I don't take her into our bd because Eric takes up too much room.
3. Rear-facing car seat. The law says that children must be rear facing until they are a year old and over 20 pounds. Well, Kendall is a year old and over 20 pounds and facing backwards. Why? Well the suggestion is to keep them rear facing until they are 2. Just a suggestion, not law. So we are following the suggestion. Besides, she doesn't know any better and doesn't share the back seat with anyone forward facing so I don't feel all that bad.
4. Cloth Diapers. I love it. I started reluctantly but it was the best choice we could have made. Poopy diaper are no more disgusting in cloth than disposable. Yes, there is extra laundry involved and Kendall has a "diaper butt," but I love it. Besides the diapers today are light years better than what our parents' options were.
5. No TV. Studies show that children should not watch TV until they are at least 2. Even then, there are only certain programs for them. TV programs designed for toddlers, amazing. The over stimulation is not good for their little developing minds at such a young age so people suggest you refrain. This actually isn't bad at all. Since we don't have cable anyway, our TV has moved down into the basement and is hardly ever on. Our living room/family rom or whatever you want to call it, is exactly that. We are a family in there and we live in there. We don't live for Mickey Mouse clubhouse to come on and entertain Kendall or live for whatever else crap comes on TV. We play games with her, engage. and have dance parties. Don't get me wrong, I still love me some TV time. And the minute Kendall has gone to bed, Eric and I are downstairs in the basement checking out Netflix.
So there you have it. I have become one of those breastfeeding, co-sleeping, rear facing, cloth diapering, no TV watching mothers. Is it that bad? I don't think so!
1. I breast fed. For as long as I possibly could. My curious, active little daughter pretty much self weaned herself and even baffled the pediatrician by her lack of focus. This broke my heart. I wanted to breast feed longer, so I pumped and pumped some more until I couldn't emotionally handle it any more.
2. Co-Sleeping. Trust me, with every ounce inside of me, I long for the nights when Kendall goes down in her crib and wakes up in her crib. Nothing makes me happier. I love my bed. However, at 3am when she's screaming, I am in no state of mind to sooth and rock her back to sleep. So, I do what many of those desperate mothers do, and I go into our guest room and crash there with her. I don't take her into our bd because Eric takes up too much room.
3. Rear-facing car seat. The law says that children must be rear facing until they are a year old and over 20 pounds. Well, Kendall is a year old and over 20 pounds and facing backwards. Why? Well the suggestion is to keep them rear facing until they are 2. Just a suggestion, not law. So we are following the suggestion. Besides, she doesn't know any better and doesn't share the back seat with anyone forward facing so I don't feel all that bad.
4. Cloth Diapers. I love it. I started reluctantly but it was the best choice we could have made. Poopy diaper are no more disgusting in cloth than disposable. Yes, there is extra laundry involved and Kendall has a "diaper butt," but I love it. Besides the diapers today are light years better than what our parents' options were.
5. No TV. Studies show that children should not watch TV until they are at least 2. Even then, there are only certain programs for them. TV programs designed for toddlers, amazing. The over stimulation is not good for their little developing minds at such a young age so people suggest you refrain. This actually isn't bad at all. Since we don't have cable anyway, our TV has moved down into the basement and is hardly ever on. Our living room/family rom or whatever you want to call it, is exactly that. We are a family in there and we live in there. We don't live for Mickey Mouse clubhouse to come on and entertain Kendall or live for whatever else crap comes on TV. We play games with her, engage. and have dance parties. Don't get me wrong, I still love me some TV time. And the minute Kendall has gone to bed, Eric and I are downstairs in the basement checking out Netflix.
So there you have it. I have become one of those breastfeeding, co-sleeping, rear facing, cloth diapering, no TV watching mothers. Is it that bad? I don't think so!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
A new kind of outlook...
Some things are just too toxic. I feel like there is so much negativity surrounding me these days, from the cryptic Facebook posts that show up on my newsfeed, the inability of people in my life being able to get along... Or even talk to each other, to the stress of feeling like I NEVER see my husband. I know he feels the negativity too, it's consumed us both.
I mean really, this should be the happiest times of our lives, we're young, we have a beautiful healthy 14 month old, and each other. Yet, all I can think about is how we're stuck in Iowa all summer. Like the city of Cedar Falls is holding us captive or something.
Since nothing is really in my control , I can let the negativity consume me or take the hand that was dealt to me and do my best. That being said, I am choosing to make the most of it. This summer, Eric and I are going to become "doers." I think we're both sick of talking about what we want to do, so why not just do it?
So, here is what I'm going to do this summer in Iowa:
1. Shop local.
As much as I can. By shopping farmer's markets and the river loop public market in Waterloo, we can feed ourselves and support local farmers and work on breaking free from the processed world.
2. Stay off my damn smart phone.
I truly believe these little devices are ruining humanity. I'm sick of seeing people out together, on their phones. This summer I will be checking my email on the computer. Also, I'll only be facebooking from the computer. Do I need to Facebook from my phone? No. I was perfectly fine without it for so many years. Plus, people use it to be negative and I don't need it!
3. No more Starbucks.
It's expensive, I don't need it, and we have better coffee locally. Besides, whenever I do go, I have a bad experience. Not all Starbucks are created equal.
4. Get out of town when it's possible.
Even though we are on lockdown, Eric has a ton of vacation days to use and 2 days a week off. Even though I'm in a June 4 week class, and we can't really leave at all in July, there's still August and plenty of day trip things we can do.
5. Be outside.
As long as the weather is nice, I plan on hanging out in the backyard as much as possible. Some people play on their phones during their free time, I will be outside with Kendall... Weather permitting of course.
6. Ride my bike.
Honestly, hitting the trails with Eric and Kendall in tow is so fun. We get turned around, make wrong turns, and get to enjoy the beauty of the Cedar Valley from the seats of our bikes for a few hours. I'd like to be able to do a family ride several days a week.
7. Go on a morning walk.
Lately Kendall thinks 5:45/6 is a suitable wake up time. Well, it's summer. So when she does, I'm going to feed her some breakfast, strap her in the stroller a d go for a nice morning walk. I mean, the sun is up anyway, might as well be outside!
8. Get my hands dirty.
I don't really know how to garden, but it'd be nice to learn and maybe add some color to our front yard.
9. Blog more.
I know I have like 4 readers, but I can post updates, pictures, my thoughts, whatever on here and a blog a week isn't really too time consuming.
10. Be positive.
There's no point in complaining all the time. It only makes things seem worse. I also need to hold Eric to this too. We used to spend our walks dreaming about the future, making decisions, and just shooting the breeze. These days it's become a daily venting session about jobs, school, you name it. We need to break free from it and just be positive.
So there you have it. 10 things that I'm going to do this summer. Suggestions and words of support and encouragement are appreciated! Also- come visit us! Haha.
I mean really, this should be the happiest times of our lives, we're young, we have a beautiful healthy 14 month old, and each other. Yet, all I can think about is how we're stuck in Iowa all summer. Like the city of Cedar Falls is holding us captive or something.
Since nothing is really in my control , I can let the negativity consume me or take the hand that was dealt to me and do my best. That being said, I am choosing to make the most of it. This summer, Eric and I are going to become "doers." I think we're both sick of talking about what we want to do, so why not just do it?
So, here is what I'm going to do this summer in Iowa:
1. Shop local.
As much as I can. By shopping farmer's markets and the river loop public market in Waterloo, we can feed ourselves and support local farmers and work on breaking free from the processed world.
2. Stay off my damn smart phone.
I truly believe these little devices are ruining humanity. I'm sick of seeing people out together, on their phones. This summer I will be checking my email on the computer. Also, I'll only be facebooking from the computer. Do I need to Facebook from my phone? No. I was perfectly fine without it for so many years. Plus, people use it to be negative and I don't need it!
3. No more Starbucks.
It's expensive, I don't need it, and we have better coffee locally. Besides, whenever I do go, I have a bad experience. Not all Starbucks are created equal.
4. Get out of town when it's possible.
Even though we are on lockdown, Eric has a ton of vacation days to use and 2 days a week off. Even though I'm in a June 4 week class, and we can't really leave at all in July, there's still August and plenty of day trip things we can do.
5. Be outside.
As long as the weather is nice, I plan on hanging out in the backyard as much as possible. Some people play on their phones during their free time, I will be outside with Kendall... Weather permitting of course.
6. Ride my bike.
Honestly, hitting the trails with Eric and Kendall in tow is so fun. We get turned around, make wrong turns, and get to enjoy the beauty of the Cedar Valley from the seats of our bikes for a few hours. I'd like to be able to do a family ride several days a week.
7. Go on a morning walk.
Lately Kendall thinks 5:45/6 is a suitable wake up time. Well, it's summer. So when she does, I'm going to feed her some breakfast, strap her in the stroller a d go for a nice morning walk. I mean, the sun is up anyway, might as well be outside!
8. Get my hands dirty.
I don't really know how to garden, but it'd be nice to learn and maybe add some color to our front yard.
9. Blog more.
I know I have like 4 readers, but I can post updates, pictures, my thoughts, whatever on here and a blog a week isn't really too time consuming.
10. Be positive.
There's no point in complaining all the time. It only makes things seem worse. I also need to hold Eric to this too. We used to spend our walks dreaming about the future, making decisions, and just shooting the breeze. These days it's become a daily venting session about jobs, school, you name it. We need to break free from it and just be positive.
So there you have it. 10 things that I'm going to do this summer. Suggestions and words of support and encouragement are appreciated! Also- come visit us! Haha.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Cloth Diapering... Revisited
I'm still no expert on the subject but now that I've been a cloth diapering mama for several months I have some new insights:
1. I don't like the new Fuzzi Bunz Elite diapers. Okay, it's not that I don't like them, I just like the old one size better. I've had leaking issues with the elites and I'm just not convinced the the minky fabric insert is as absorbent as the microfiber. So from now on if we need to make a diaper purchase, it's BumGenius 4.0 for us!
2. I still don't mind the extra laundry. I do feel that Eric and my laundry takes a backseat to Kendall's clothes and diapers but we've never run out of clean underwear so I guess we're doing fine.
3. In a cloth diaper Kendall could probably get by in 18 month size pants. In a disposable one, the 12 month size pants are pretty loose. Yep. Cloth dipes are that bulky! I love it and love the diaper butt comments from friends. I like to think of it as extra padding when she falls on her bottom.
4. I don't think I can ever bring myself to use cloth wipes. Cloth diapering is good enough, right?
5. Diaper rash cream? No, not us. Since switching to cloth, Kendall's bottom is hardly ever even red. Which is good because the cream messes up the cloth anyway.
I really don't know why I was so anti- cloth in the beginning. It's not bad! I will definitely continue doing it!
1. I don't like the new Fuzzi Bunz Elite diapers. Okay, it's not that I don't like them, I just like the old one size better. I've had leaking issues with the elites and I'm just not convinced the the minky fabric insert is as absorbent as the microfiber. So from now on if we need to make a diaper purchase, it's BumGenius 4.0 for us!
2. I still don't mind the extra laundry. I do feel that Eric and my laundry takes a backseat to Kendall's clothes and diapers but we've never run out of clean underwear so I guess we're doing fine.
3. In a cloth diaper Kendall could probably get by in 18 month size pants. In a disposable one, the 12 month size pants are pretty loose. Yep. Cloth dipes are that bulky! I love it and love the diaper butt comments from friends. I like to think of it as extra padding when she falls on her bottom.
4. I don't think I can ever bring myself to use cloth wipes. Cloth diapering is good enough, right?
5. Diaper rash cream? No, not us. Since switching to cloth, Kendall's bottom is hardly ever even red. Which is good because the cream messes up the cloth anyway.
I really don't know why I was so anti- cloth in the beginning. It's not bad! I will definitely continue doing it!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Baby gates and baby aches!
In case you didn't know, Kendall has become quite the little mover! As each day goes by, she gets better and better at walking. This is super exciting but I was not prepared to have an early walker. I mean can't I just have a normal baby?
Since Kendall has been a "girl on the go" she has run into pretty much everything in our house. I feel bad but then I see other babies sporting goose eggs and black eyes and have to chuckle to myself... I guess it's just normal! The resilience of babies amazes me.
In other news, Cody is not a fan of baby gates. I'm surprised he hasn't tries to hop over yet! When he's enclosed in a room or locked out of a room, he gets pretty upset and whiny I'm hoping he'll get it together soon because I have a feeling the baby gates will be around for a long time!
Pictures!!!! Yay for 9 months!
Since Kendall has been a "girl on the go" she has run into pretty much everything in our house. I feel bad but then I see other babies sporting goose eggs and black eyes and have to chuckle to myself... I guess it's just normal! The resilience of babies amazes me.
In other news, Cody is not a fan of baby gates. I'm surprised he hasn't tries to hop over yet! When he's enclosed in a room or locked out of a room, he gets pretty upset and whiny I'm hoping he'll get it together soon because I have a feeling the baby gates will be around for a long time!
Pictures!!!! Yay for 9 months!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Dear Fresno
I don't know when or why I became such a Fresno hater. I'm glad I grew up in the valley, I went to good schools, most of my friends are still there, Indo most my clothes and make up shopping here, get my hair done here, and my entire family is located in Fresno. I do enjoy coming back and visiting but the longer I stay, the more annoyed and pissy I become.
So what's the big deal? I've started referring to Fresno and the valley as a, pardon my language, a shit hole. The air is horrible, I've seen the mountains one time since we've been in town. The unemployment rate is heartbreaking, I believe this is a cause to all the traffic around town. Also- I feel like North Fresno keeps getting ritzier and ritzier while the poor get poorer, or shitted on. Holy cow, there are so many luxury cars around town! Like what the hell do these people all do for a living? I know a lot of people work really hard and earn nice things, but my gut tells me 90% of the people driving luxury cars in Fresno are doing it to keep up with the Joneses and are just digging themselves into a big debt hole. Then I look at all the new development. There are so many empty store fronts in strip malls throughout town, but people keep building new shopping centers. How about you fill up the empty spaces before you build new centers with store fronts that will never be filled?
Maybe I'm not about keeping up with the Joneses, or maybe 5 years of being out of the valley has changed me. I don't know what it is or where my negativity comes from. Maybe some of that East Coast bitterness rubbed of on me, who knows.
I do enjoy seeing my friends who have also left the valley who share my feelings about this place. I don't hate Fresno, I don't think I'm better than Fresno, I mean come on people I live in Iowa. I just think Fresno and people in Fresno can do better.
I guess I just find the doucheyness(is that even a word?) of North Fresno a little annoying and after about a week of it, I can't handle it anymore.
That being said, I love my family and my friends here. The friends I have in Fresno work hard and play hard, they are grounded, have values, and make Fresno tolerable when I am here. They constantly remind me that good people live here and grow up here and are not all crazy douches.
So what's the big deal? I've started referring to Fresno and the valley as a, pardon my language, a shit hole. The air is horrible, I've seen the mountains one time since we've been in town. The unemployment rate is heartbreaking, I believe this is a cause to all the traffic around town. Also- I feel like North Fresno keeps getting ritzier and ritzier while the poor get poorer, or shitted on. Holy cow, there are so many luxury cars around town! Like what the hell do these people all do for a living? I know a lot of people work really hard and earn nice things, but my gut tells me 90% of the people driving luxury cars in Fresno are doing it to keep up with the Joneses and are just digging themselves into a big debt hole. Then I look at all the new development. There are so many empty store fronts in strip malls throughout town, but people keep building new shopping centers. How about you fill up the empty spaces before you build new centers with store fronts that will never be filled?
Maybe I'm not about keeping up with the Joneses, or maybe 5 years of being out of the valley has changed me. I don't know what it is or where my negativity comes from. Maybe some of that East Coast bitterness rubbed of on me, who knows.
I do enjoy seeing my friends who have also left the valley who share my feelings about this place. I don't hate Fresno, I don't think I'm better than Fresno, I mean come on people I live in Iowa. I just think Fresno and people in Fresno can do better.
I guess I just find the doucheyness(is that even a word?) of North Fresno a little annoying and after about a week of it, I can't handle it anymore.
That being said, I love my family and my friends here. The friends I have in Fresno work hard and play hard, they are grounded, have values, and make Fresno tolerable when I am here. They constantly remind me that good people live here and grow up here and are not all crazy douches.
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