I've moved. New start. New blog. If you're interested, check me out at amysayler.blogspot.com

Annalise does solids!

Our big girl had her first bites of real food today, and she ate like a champ! I was all prepared for her to not want to have anything to do with it, but she gobbled it right down. Yay Annie

This picture collage made with Smilebox

Stupid podiatrist...

Stupid feet...
Just went to the podiatrist (which makes me feel old) and he told me that I have to stay off my feet for the next week, and then 'go lightly' at the gym for the next couple of weeks after that. Apparently I have "micro tears". Whatev.  Seriously, do you know what this girl does NOT need!!?--- a doctor's order to NOT exercise! ugh. I was doing so good, then I got the flu, which knocked me out for a bit. Then, I got back on track and was doing great, and now this. blah. At least I'm back in pre-pregnancy clothes... Baby steps I guess

Family pics-- Thank you, Lauren!

'Occupying' my thoughts...

OCCUPY WALLSTREET. How many of you are following? How many agree? How many are confused? I am not well versed in economics and will admit that I don't understand a lot of what is going on right now, but I have tried to stay informed. And although I don't agree with all aspects, I can say that I definitely understand the current need for protest. People are ANGRY and people are SCARED. For me, this movement is more of communal cry for help and a communal cry for CHANGE. There is a sense of powerlessness in our current society, and you can see how and why 'Wallstreet' becomes the scapegoat for this powerlessness. If our 401Ks grow, it's because the stock market is doing well. If it disappears (and with it our dreams of retiring as planned), it's because the stock market tanks. And what can we as the American public do to make sure the stock market doesn't tank?--- Well, not much. We watch, helpless, as the stock market falls because of Greek debt or bipartisan squabbling. We watch as jobs are lost or created based on whether or not it is the right economic climate for a company to cut back or expand. Americans want jobs. Americans want to feed their families. And Americans want prosperity that is dependent on their actions and not the faceless 'they' of the world's financial institutions.

It seems the biggest criticism of the OCCUPY movement is that there are no real solutions being offered. And, I'm inclined to agree. But I don't really think that's the point. No- we don't know what needs to be done, but I bet we can all agree that the status quo is not working for us anymore! This is an amazing country, but doesn't it kinda feel like we are ripping apart at the seams? Philosophically, my liberal brain does almost sympathize with the conservation notion of returning to the 'good old days' of individual accountability and responsibility. I don't necessarily agree with large scale government hand-outs (although I'll argue until I'm blue in the face that 'welfare' is such a small percentage of the current problem), but I do think the government has to do something to make sure there are jobs out so people can take care of themselves!

But is Obama's job bill gonna do it? Well, I don't think we'll ever know because Republicans will do everything in their power to make sure this plan will never actually be enacted. (Are they right? I don't know. All I know is that nothing truly gets a fair shake in this political climate. Everything is some sort of compromise- and most of the time the compromise removes so much of the plan that there is not really much plan left...) And what about the new health care package? Well, not sure about you, but our family's health care costs went up by 22% this year, so I'm thinking this isn't working exactly as planned either. So, we're kinda back to square one. Here I am with many complaints, and really no plan- leaving me angry, scared, and powerless. So what can I do? I guess I can hold a sign and tell anyone who will listen that something needs to change!

Fall 2011

My favorite slide making website is closing, so I had to find a new place to do it. This place isn't bad, but it's just not the same :( Anyway, looks like you have to click on the picture below and you'll be directed to a full screen to view the slideshow. Let me know what you think and/or if you have difficulty viewing the pics. Happy Fall!

Make a picture slideshow

Promise to write soon, but in the meantime, namaste

July & August pics

Who pissed off Mother Nature?!?

um... all of us. But that's a whole different post. (insert Native American with tear rolling down his face)

Earthquake 2 days ago, now hurricane! Pretty sure thems be some Mother Nature fighting words! Seriously though, the earthquake was pretty damn scary! I really didn't think I'd be someone to freak out about something like an earthquake, (I usually don't worry about much), but I gotta say it freaked me the $%!@! OUT! Annalise was in her swing and I was sitting on the couch when the earthquake hit. It started off light, and at first I thought it was something clumped up in the washing machine. (You know how clumps of sheets or whatever can make the washer shake.) But then it got pretty damn violent. Elvis can running downstairs, (he knew something was up), and I saw the pictures on the wall shifting all over the place. I jumped up and grabbed Annie out of the swing and then thought, 'shit, what do I do now'? It definitely felt like it was an earthquake, but my brain started going all over the place. What if it was actually an explosion in the house and we needed to get out? What if the house started to crumble around us? What if something horribly terriorist-esque occurred in our nation's capital? Thankfully the whole thing lasted about 40 seconds (max) and my reeling mind settled on the fact that it had to have been an earthquake. It was over, and my mind calmed down, but somehow my body didn't get the message. I really think I shook in my little booties for almost an hour after the quake. (Body trumped the brain on this one.) I immediately tried to call Brad, but of course my lovely iPhone already had zero service. (Cell service ended up being out all over DC for hours after the quake.) Thank god for the internet though. CNN was immediately broadcasting the details of the quake and making it pretty clear that no major destruction occurred. Wolf Blitzer was broadcasting, within minutes of the quake, from the DC CNN office, and since that's right near Brad's office, I felt sure that he was fine too.

While the earthquake experience on my end was eerie and confusing, mitigated (I'm sure) by both the fact that I was alone (except of course for the baby), and the fact that I was responsible for making sure my little lady was safe; the experience on Brad's end was very different. He was in his boss' office when the quake hit, and his boss- in the nature of all good, calm managers- yelled 'GOOOOOOO!' and told them all to run to the stairs and get immediately out of the building! (In fairness, Brad's office is only 2 blocks from the White House, and I can only imagine some of the terrifying thoughts that were going through all of their minds!) They ended up evacuating all of Brad's building and telling them to go home for the night. Luckily Brad rode his bike to work that day, so- while the rest of DC was pouring into the subways and sitting in traffic- Brad made it home in fifteen minutes flat. And, to celebrate surviving yet another brush with death, (sarcasm intended), we all- Annie included- met a bunch of friends out for a post-quake Happy Hour!

Oh- and they aren't joking when they say that you should stay calm in emergencies. One of Brad's co-workers BROKE his foot while running down the stairs to get out of the building! yikes

Enjoy the rain this weekend, folks! And, if at all possible, recycle something, will ya!? Let Mother Nature know she's coming in loud and clear...