5 Shows That I’m Over

Vapid. Shallow. Fluff. My favorite kind of post. I’ve also had 2 Trulys (SIC) *Colina lime only for me* so this seemed like a brilliant idea. For any trolls out there, my daughter has been sleeping soundly in her bed for almost 3 hours. A drink or 2 = totally ok. 

1. The Voice. I really love music, and I really love Kelly Clarkson, so I tried to watch the new season and I remembered very quickly why I gave it up. It’s like 18 hours of Carson Daly (🙄) recapping the rules, or past episodes, and 3 seconds of singing. For a 2 hour episode. I didn’t even like Carson Daly on TRL. So let’s give him a mansplaining platform. Fabulous idea. Negative points also given (taken?) for Adam Levine being the mayor of Douche City, Arrogancia. 

2. This is Us. Once something becomes trendy/people cry over it and post about it on social media, I’m usually out. However, in spite of that, and Mandy Moore’s whoa-is-me eyebrow raise, I tried to stick it out on this one. I did enjoy the 80’s nostalgia, involving the kids my age. But then..then..Sterling K. Brown said in an interview that this show was “bigger than any of us.” Ok. Bye. Not a level of hubris that I care for (she blogs. In 2018). 

3. The Real Housewives of Anywhere. Ok. I know. But you guys..it’s all gotten to be SO boring. I keep up with what happens via gossip site recaps, and IG accounts. Is that maybe the problem? Are the recaps easier and quicker, and therefore more gratifying? Am I tired of seeing grown women fight at a dinner party? I’ll check in when I can, and I’m hopeful for RHOBH (Denise Richards is total 90’s b-lister, and I live for that), but I can’t give much more. I loved to tune in for the clothes and homes, as well, but honestly, I can see that stuff anytime on instagram. 

Favorite Bravo recap site:

Tamara Tattles

4. American Horror Story. Every show that’s been produced by Ryan Murphy, gets way too weird for me, halfway through. Nip/Tuck, Glee, Feud, the OJ Simpson and Gianni Versace shows.. totally slowed down or got too bizarre for me at one point. AHS is no exception. Genius show ideas, poor execution. 

5. Sofia the First. I write this on behalf of my 2 year old, ok - and me, but this Mystic Isles storyline?! Holy dullsville. Holy way too many new characters. Personally, I loved the charm of Sofia’s little castle life. So simple, and a little girly. My husband and I have a theory that Ariel Winter (Sofia’s voice, Alex on Modern Family, IG SUPERSTAR), is becoming too “grown up” for Disney JR, and they need a way to phase her out, therefore they’ve introduced this totally random storyline, and have ridden it out way too far. Also, let me clarify that - she’s becoming too “grown up” in the sense that I have, for my normal-sized bras. Luckily, we now have Fancy Nancy and her incessant whining and being a rude, bossy friend/big sister/daughter. 

These are all my opinions, and felt oddly good to share. Therefore, I’m off to do a little soul-searching, and by soul-searching, I mean falling asleep. Feel free to chime in! 

XO, Luci 

Currently

Home 

I feel like our dining room needs something. Maybe a rug? I’ll try to get some pics if I remember. I know what you’re all thinking - “I’ll be over here, on the edge of my seat” (name that show) **

**(edited to add, that while I was looking for some curtain ideas for our laundry room, I stumbled across these curtains from Pier One, and I cannot stop thinking about them for our dining room - a sign that I genuinely love them. That would require bigger changes in that room, however, then I was planning. This is all news to my husband, reading this, by the way. Hi Anth)! 

I also am thinking of giving our laundry room a makeover. It would be a weekend project. Or 2-3 day long middle-of-the-week project, since all of my days look exactly alike. Think paint/take down unnecessary cabinets/curtains/paint wire shelving black. Again, totally riveting.  

Inspo: 

This idea started when I realized that we probably have some paint left from our guest room, Sherwin Williams Silvermist

Parenting 

What adult films themselves playing with toys for YouTube? I get it, these weirdos make 6 figures, but these videos majorly creep me out. I don’t even know how my little one stumbled upon them, but these kinds of videos (tutorials?) put her into the deepest trance. V disturbing. Have any of you seen the Paw Patrol Morning Routine clip, where the grown man asks the dolls if they “tee teed” in their diapers?! <— (A sentence that I hope to never type again). My brother and his wife have taken away all YouTube privileges in their house. I can see why. Not to mention the selling out aspect of it, as I sit here, waiting for a sponsorship to roll in... 

As one of the all-time greats once said were people doing coke in your bathroom “never hustle a hustler”

I don’t know a ton about parenting, or what’s right and what’s wrong, but I do aim to instill love and confidence every second that I can. I’m hoping this will set us up for some easy-ish adolescent and teenage years. What I do know, is the simplest way to make Lyla feel loved and secure, is to simply be totally engaged. Most days, I put my phone away and sit on the floor and play, just have little chats, or explore outside together. Simple things, where I try to be as present as possible. Some days it takes effort, if I’m being real. It doesn’t seem like much, but from what I can tell, that is huge in a 2 year old’s world. This is just something that I’ve been thinking a lot about, lately. 

Health 

I wish that I cared as much about my size, as I did my house. That’s not to say that I don’t put in the effort, but it definitely doesn’t come naturally to me, to care much about it. Lately, I’ve been playing around with Intermittent Fasting, and figuring out which way to follow it fits into all of our lifestyles, since we all try to eat together, etc. So far, I really enjoy it and find it much more realistic than, say, planning out 6 small meals a day. It’s just a good fit for me. I just need that will power at night, after everyone goes to bed, and I want to decompress with my shows and a snack. 

As far as exercise, we’ve been walking a ton, but otherwise, I’ve been terrible. I’m much happier when I’m working out regularly, for so many reasons. I need to figure out a new sneaker situation, and I should be good to go. For me, I like to work out on a treadmill and use free weights. I have a sprint work out, that I’ve based off of some of my favorite spin classes, and when I’m consistent, it’s great. Classes, and going to a gym, just aren’t realistic right now, which is fine.  I prefer to do it alone, and listen to my jams. I have always thought that exercise is a really personal thing, and different things work for different people. Maybe writing about it, and drowning in my own narcissism, will motivate me to get a good work out in today? 

Pop Culture 

Yawn. Snooze. Streaming has taken over our lives, so not much to say, except that I’m loving Get a Room with Carson Kresley and Thom Filicia (original Queer Eye). It’s everything that I want from HGTV but don’t get - fancy decorating, with curse words and off-color jokes thrown in. I’m hoping to get into The Haunting of Hill House soon, but I’m not ready to commit to a new series. Writing about my lame thoughts takes up a ton of time. 

Hope you’re all having a good week! 

XO, Luci 

ETA: I started to write this post, before the shooting at the Synagogue in Pittsburgh. There are not enough words to express how heartbreaking it is. It is absolutely disgusting that such hate is still so present in this country. I find it embarrassing, if I’m being completely honest. My heart goes out to the Jewish community, a community that I’ve only ever known as kind, smart, and open-hearted/minded. Let’s all take a moment this week, to reflect on those that lost their lives, and their loved ones. 

Blonde Moments

Thoughts not big enough to merit their own post: 

*Since starting a little IG account for this blog, I’ve gotten a few messages and emails, on “growing” my business/account. Some of these are legit, and when the time feels right, I’ll start doing more to get out there. I’m not great though, with unsolicited advice. An email that was sent to me, felt like a list of rules on what and when to post. I’m not even sure who sent it. 

The other thing to consider is how much to feature my daughter. She’s pretty much my entire focus in life, and her CF journey can reach a lot of people out there, in a positive way. I just don’t want it to turn into an Amazing Amy/Gone Girl situation; or worse, attract the wrong kind of person. Luckily, the quality of pictures that my phone takes, almost blurs her out entirely. Someone named “missy” however, did email me to tell me to post good quality pictures. Missy, I’ll privately send you my address, so that you can send me a new iPhone that I’ll inevitably drop, or better yet, a good camera. Thanks, girl! 

*Speaking of Lyla having Cystic Fibrosis, we’re about to make a little change to our routine. I’ll be adding a teaspoon-tablespoon of heavy cream to her Pediasure. Her weight isn’t bad, but she definitely needs some “reserve” before cold season hits us. 

Another CF related thing, that I’ve realized, is that while I’m very hopeful for Lyla’s future, this is after all, a progressive disease. It can, and should, get more severe with age. I seriously think that I blocked this information out for the first 2.5 yrs of Lyla’s life. That said, with modern science and medicine, I really do think that she’ll be ok. Isn’t that what all parents do, though? Worry. 

*On the other end of that, our dog is on a diet. The saddest part is that she doesn’t understand why we aren’t giving her as many treats or table scraps as usual. 

*OK. A Star is Born. Who has seen it? Beyond, right? We were lucky enough to see it while we were in FL. It totally exceeded my already high expectations. If I was into Lady Gaga before, I’m full on obsessed now. And who doesn’t love Bradley Cooper. We’re already hoping to see it again. My parents also saw it, and my even dad was left emotional over it. That’s always my gauge if something is worth the hype - if my Dad gets into it. It’s just so well done. My mom, of course, loved it! Lyla is starting to learn the songs from it, because we have the soundtrack on so much. Although, yesterday we took a break from it, to listen to the entire Tarzan soundtrack, per Lyla’s request. It still totally holds up. I didn’t realize how well she knows the songs from it, even the random scores. Lol. 

Love their friendship 

True. 

Until next time! XO 

Home: First Floor Update Plan

We’ve been in our home for almost 1.5 years now, and I feel like I finally have a vibe/vision for what I’d like our main living areas to feel like. A little backstory on our house: it’s 12 yrs old, so some things are starting to look dated; has a 2 story living room; and if it had a designated style, I would say that it’s contemporary. We love it. A lot.

Our entire main floor, and part of the upstairs, is painted Valspar Oatbran. We kind of picked this on a whim, before we moved in, because it seemed like an easy neutral to work off. The walls from room-to-room are curved, so we could only do one color throughout. I still really like this color, but I’m now noticing how “yellow” it reads in some rooms. Personally, I do not recommend painting your walls until you’re settled in a house, but logistically, it made sense for us to paint before we got a feel for the home.

We also have our share of hand-me-down furniture. Seeing as how I spend about 80% of my time at home, I’d like it to feel more “grown up.” That also could be because I watch way too much HGTV, and have it in my head that everything must be PERFECT. For real though, I’ve always thought that a home should be a sanctuary, and reflect positively on the family that lives in said home. My Barbies’ Malibu Beach House was immaculate, growing up. 

What I think our home needs, is a few new pieces that are kid and pet friendly; some cosmetic updates to modernize this place; and some color! Everything is tan and grey right now. My husband enjoys that simplicity, so I’ll hopefully find a good balance in both of our styles. Modern coastal is what I keep going back to - bright and airy, without any actual coastal knickknacks. Think pastels to balance out the yellow in the walls, and the orange in the honey oak throughout the house. 

Living Room 

1. I’m really into Anthropologie’s home decor. These trays might look cool displayed on our mantle. Our fireplace, and surrounding wall, is a huge focal point of our first floor. Like, literally huge - takes up an entire wall

2. Same with these vases. 👆🏼 obsessed. 

3. Our kitchen nook sits between our kitchen and living room. I thought this area was pretty much done, but it’s so drab. It needs color. I have my eye on this Novagratz area rug via Walmart. Yes, Walmart. 

4. In addition to a grey sectional couch (L-shaped, from Ashley), we’ve decided that an oversized chair and ottoman will be perfect. I’m really leaning toward something in a mint or muted aqua. Right now, this one from Birch Lane is my front runner, but I know that my husband wants to be able to test it out first. I do like that this comes in an option for the Sunbrella fabric (super toddler and dog friendly), and it’s 1/3 the price of the chair that I’d really love from Restoration Hardware. I wouldn’t say that we’re really Restoration Hardware people at this phase in our lives. 

Stairwell 

Our house is pretty open, and I’ve mentioned all of the honey oak throughout. Honestly, sanding alllll of it down, and staining it (after even choosing a stain color) is too big of a feat than we’re willing to take on. We’re thinking that changing out our stair/loft balusters to wrought iron will be a great fit for this house. Pics above are just examples via Pinterest. The large photo looks similar to our house/small one is the style that I like. My husband is planning to do this one on his own. I feel like you have no idea how handy you are, until you own a house.

Kitchen 

Our kitchen is a really good size and layout. Some of the finishes seem like throwaway decisions, however - mostly the countertop and little bit of backsplash that we do have. I mentioned on IG, that I’d like to keep our current Maple cabinets, and just update the hardware (to wrought iron), and reface the uppers to do away with a scrolled inlay (v 2003). Some of my favorite looks/ideas featured above. 

As of now, these are just ideas (that I obsess over. Usually while I’m pretending to watch Hotel Transylvania 3 for the 19th time in a day).  Stay tuned, and hopefully we’ll get a start on things sooner than later! 

Happy Shame

I’m writing this post from my POS hand me down phone, on our way home from Naples, FL. Somehow, Anthony and I were able to make a quick getaway happen. We had the best time together. I mean, we always do, but it’s nice to step away from “real life” and have our biggest concern be if we should try to shovel more food in our faces for the day. The answer was always yes on this trip, by the way. 

In the airport, on our way down, we sat beside a nice woman and her adult son. We started chit chatting, and of course, we talked about Lyla. Because, obsessed. The woman mentioned her 5 year old granddaughter/niece to her son, that was traveling with her. Quickly the conversation started steering toward a trend that I’m not vibing on. It seemed that in talking about this young girl, there was a shame in praising her. It was a lot of “well she’s sassy..,” and “she’s so bossy!” You get the idea. There was also some “oh your daughter is 2? Hello, terrible twos!” Actually so far, so good. We’ve heard that age 3 is the real doozy, anyway. Get with it, Joanne. Or Sharon. Or whatever. She really was sweet, though. 

Maybe it’s because I don’t know how Lyla’s health will fare in the future, or that she might be our only child, but this kind of talk irritates me. I think that it’s really unnecessary. In talking about children, it’s especially irritating and possibly damaging, but we all do it, over everything. Think about it. I do it, too. If someone compliments a shirt that I’m wearing, I’m really quick to say something like “it’s just from Target.” You know what, Luce? What’s so bad about Target? I could stand to step it up in the fixing-up game, as it is. I digress. That’s another post for another day, to be filed under: how do stay at home moms manage to look cute? I don’t know the answer, by the way. 

I was out with friends a few weeks ago, and of course, going on about how much fun Lyla is, how good her health has been, etc. Someone piped in that we need to have another baby to take the focus off of our daughter. Umm, what. This actually snowballed into a conversation about how complicated it is for us to expand our family. Not impossible, but complicated. In addition to dwelling on that fact (Fun! Great! Easy! Cool!), I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that because I was verbally praising my 2 year old, some might see her as being on a pedestal. You know what? She probably is. Who cares?! She’s still a baby in some ways. A happy one at that. I assure you, when she does typical toddler naughty things, we correct her. We tell her no. We donate stuff that she doesn’t use, to kids who really do need it. We’re raising her on a very even playing field. That said, why is it frowned upon to speak glowingly of a loved one, especially my child. 

I notice that a lot of couples do this, as well. Honestly, Anthony and I are guilty of it

“How’s Anthony?” 

“He’s great..if I can get him to take the garbage out roflmao” *pause for fake laughter*

That’s hypothetical, by the way. He’s really good about doing things around the house. Maybe I’m afraid that it will seem like I’m bragging, if I simply say “he’s great!” end of story. Because he is great. 

It would be nice if we could all make a conscious decision to try to not feel embarrassed, if things are going well. Obviously, for me, talking positively about Lyla without shame, is a piece of cake. I probably need to work on everything else. Especially if said little girl hears what I’m saying. 

As someone who has had her share of hard things happen, I’m choosing to bask in the good while I can. Until life isn’t so easy again, for however long, because that’s how it all goes. Let’s just own the good! 

What's in a name?

It's been a hot second. We have been busy just doing summer. Working out and writing are the first things to go when I'm busy. This means that I might even exercise today. Might. Lyla has pretty much dropped her nap, which means that she usually "works out" with me. It's convenient, entertaining, and chaotic at the same time. 

Some ideas that I've had lately for posts have been that everyone seems to have an opinion for absolutely everything; if/when we'll expand our family; and how everyone seems to have an opinion on how we should go about that. Full circle opinion-ing going on. Some of those opinions are really well thought out and valid, and come from family that know and love us, and some of those opinions are...well, not that. Expanding our little fam is kind of complicated, therefore a really intense conversation or post, along with about a dozen open ended questions with varying answers. What I do know for sure though, is that Lyla can have all of the puppies that she wants as she grows up, and if we are lucky enough to add more kids to our home, they're pretty much named. 

On the day that we found out about our Lyla, almost exactly 3 years ago, one of the first things that we decided was that she'd be a Dominic. This was a no brainer, since I was positive that what was making my breasts hurt, my uterus swell, and my dog to become even more attached to me, was a little boy. "Yep, little Dominic. Let's call him Nic. Or spell it Nick. Or is that weird? Let's honor my Dad with his middle name..." as I planned out his outer space themed nursery, and ordered puppy dog outfits for his first photo shoot. 

Cut to a few weeks later, and surprise surprise, she's all girl. The place where I had my amniocentesis done is really technologically advanced, so as soon as we saw her on their screen, there was no denying it. I loved that moment so much. We would have been thrilled either way, and even though I was wrong, I finally felt like I knew my baby. I knew her so well in that moment. We fed our emotions later that day with wings, burgers, and milkshakes. I had just had a huge needle inserted into my pregnant stomach to find out if my first and unborn baby could have a life threatening disease; but also found out that we would be welcoming a daughter. A dinky lil salad wasn't gonna cut it, ya know? I can remember that lunch, with my husband, and I couldn't wait to talk names and nursery. I think that he was just as excited, but knew once I started, that was it. Choosing a name for this girl consumed us both. 

Somewhere along the way we created our list: 

• Natalie was Anthony's top choice. I do love this name, but Lyla never felt like a Natalie to me. We still might get to use it someday. The funniest thing is that Anthony saw it on a list of, like, hot girls via The Chive. Nice. 
• Sienna or Stella. Feminine, Italian, lovely. At one point, I noticed that Stella was climbing way up on the lists of all of the most popular names. Not really my scene.
• Julia. I love Jules as a nickname. This was one of the few that we both really loved. I would have done a J.C. for the initials to honor Joan Collins. For real. I still like it, but prefer Juliet. 
• Caroline or Claire. We still love these names, and I was positive that we'd be bringing a Claire home from the hospital. My only reservation was that her initials would be C. F. It ended up being a non issue, since she didn't look or feel like a Claire or Caroline at all. 

There were probably about a dozen other names that we considered. Girl names are really fun. My only criteria was (and still is) nothing too weird, but nothing too popular. 

So, where did Lyla come from? At one point, I really loved "Lola" (still do), but Anthony wasn't into it. Our sister-in-law has a friend named Lyla, and I always thought that it was such a great name; and she is really lovely. So we kind of tucked that name away, and didn't think much of it. I always preferred a different spelling. I'm telling you though, this child named herself. It was as clear as day that she was Lyla Naomi, as soon as I saw her. Luckily her dad agreed. Down to the spelling, and the middle name, it all just came so naturally. Naomi was her great grandmother's middle name, whom she has never met, but it felt right to honor her. I've always loved that name, and when I found out that it was Anthony's beloved Mimi's middle name, that was an easy one. It just so happens that Lyla and I have the same initials now. Another thing that I should add, is that Lyla (spelled Lila) is a Middle Eastern name, and in a way that honors my beloved grandmother, Mary Jane. (Jane is a great name too, that we both love.. so who knows)

There it is, the story of how our Lyla got her name. Don't even get me started on nicknames. She has so many. 

I wanted to name our dog, Carly, Whitney, but Anthony thought that was weird, so we went with what we agreed on. It's perfect for her. I like Ruby and Shelby for a puppy dog, too. 

Off to love on my Carly and my Lyla, and my Anthony (another great name! Only Tony to a few, by the way). Would love to hear your naming stories. 

XO, Luci 

Kids' Shows and Movies

I've mentioned before that I have a child that rarely sits still. When she was a newborn, she would happily be awake for long stretches of time, just looking around and wiggling her arms and legs. We've hit whatever the toddler version is of that now. Our girl is so busy. I love that. Sometimes I need to switch laundry though, or just sit down, and giving Lyla some screen time seems to be the only way to keep her out of trouble. Her screen time is way more for us, than it is for her. I also love this time of year, because I feel like our screen time is earned. We practically live outside, and it's glorious. Mindless entertainment is so much better when it is well earned. 

Lyla is really particular about what she's watching, and I really don't think she'd sit down to watch just anything. Again, I do love that for her. Here's my mommy review of some recent choices. Chalk it up to lady hormones or cloudy skies, but I'm not feeling very merciful today. Um...enjoy? 

We're big on Disney Jr. around here. I'm sure that Lyla would like some of the Nick Jr. shows (hello Paw Patrol), we just don't put them on. Sadly, she's kind of over Sesame Street, save for the music videos on YouTube or the stuffed animal characters that she keeps in her crib. 

Sofia the First 

There's a lot that I love about Sofia the First. The fact that it's about a blended family is wonderful, there's always a really nice lesson, and the music is catchy. The castle/princess vibe doesn't hurt. Honestly though, Sofia is such a nerd. She's super whiny and a total brown noser. I really do love a strong yet kind character, but like, toughen up just a little bit. Clearly this child has been through a lot already (poor shoemaker, no dad); you'd think she'd be a tad more assertive. I do understand why she is the way that she is, though, and it sets a nice example. Princess Amber, her step-sister, is way more my speed. She's the glamorous Blanche/Samantha/Suzanne of the show. 

Muppet Babies (2018)

Lyla can take it or leave it, but I felt that I had to include this one, if only to honor the original. The original was so brilliant. The new one..is just ok. Like most kids' shows, you get nice lessons, colorful scenes, and cute songs. My issue is mostly in the voices of Fozzy and Miss Piggy. Not sounding good. Kudos for casting Jenny Slate as Nanny, and for adding the adorable character of Summer, however. 

Puppy Dog Pals 

This might be the easiest show to watch. It really is so sweet and cute, but I feel like there are only 4 episodes airing. For a show that we don't watch very often, we keep catching the same ones. Also, this show was created by, and stars, Harland Williams aka the '7-minute abs guy' from There's Something About Mary. I was kind of shocked when I first read that. 

Those are our favorite TV shows. We also like Vampirina and PJ Masks. By "like" I mean that Lyla will tolerate them. You might notice a glaring omission if you're a Disney Jr. family. My child is the only toddler to not like Mickey or Minnie Mouse. I've never seen anything like it. So, sadly, they didn't make the cut. If they did, I'd only have positive things to say for the Disney originals. 

As far as movie watching, we stick to Netflix or something that I've DVR'd. Recent favorites are your typical Netflix family favorites: Sing, The Boss Baby, The Secret Life of Pets, Shrek, and Trolls. Lyla also enjoys Tarzan and Alvin and the Chipmunks (the newer version). How she's not terrified of the first five minutes of Tarzan always amazes me. As far as the Chipmunks go, my husband could really do without hearing their versions of popular songs by now. I don't mind them..I've always liked the Chipmunks. Lyla has been practicing her "ALLLLLLVINNNN!" 

We have also been watching 2 favorites, one classic and the other brand new: 

Toy Story 3

I recorded all 3 Toy Stories off of Freeform one weekend, and this is by far Lyla's favorite. It's actually mine too, but I love them all. Nothing gets to me more than the last few minutes of this movie. Nothing. We've watched it 8 billion times in the last week, and I cry every single time. 

Coco (streaming on Netflix) 

Whether you have kids in your house or not, please watch Coco. My husband and I love this movie. The music and the story are so beautiful, as is the colorful set. This one also makes me tear up, but not nearly as much as Toy Story 3. How does Disney/Pixar do it? As much as Lyla really enjoys Coco, her Dad and I might like it more, but it's super refreshing to us to have her watch something that doesn't wear on our nerves after a while. 

So, once we've earned some screen time, those are my girl's favorites. I've shown her a few princess movies, and she's not into it, but she does like a lot of the music. Every once in a while, she likes a Barbie movie, as long as it features a lot of animals; or a Disney classic like The Lion King (a favorite of her dad's and mine). I also count on screen time to get Lyla's chest PT done. In fact, our social worker always mentions that at our clinic appointments, and encourages it. 

I really try to limit Lyla's screen time when we're out to eat or in the car, and it's definitely paid off. As much as I need that break sometimes, I believe in letting your kids be bored. How else will they figure out how to entertain themselves? However, for all of those other times, thank goodness for streaming and Sofia. 

XO Luci