The Swag Dowager

Swag is “the way in which you carry yourself. Swag is made up of your overall confidence, style, and demeanor.” Dowager an “elderly woman of stately dignity, especially one of elevated social position.” This blog is my disgruntled attempt to chronicle my fickle efforts at becoming the ultimate Swag Dowager. My mom tragically died at the height of her swag and ever since I have wished with all my might I could become something half as great as her. The little daily tragedies/triumphs that we endure become the foundation of who we are. In short, I want to live an abundantly happy daily life but ultimately I have a dark cloud of sadness hanging over my thoughts, life, and spirit. The days I do something I think she would do or do something I yearn to tell her about are the glimpses of happiness that keep my moving forward to each new day. I want to share them so that I can remember. By remembering I feel like little pieces of her are brought back. I also blog so I can be cool like everyone else and of course brag about my beautiful child and sweet husband.

[theswagdowager]

Our Father's Day Surprise

Nora painted her Dada her first painting for Father's Day. We framed a piece of it along with these photographs of her creating her masterpiece. He loved it!

[theswagdowager]

New Lens/What Happens When You're a Mom

So Will gave me a new portrait camera lens for our Canon. It's a 50mm fixed lens and I do love it so. The first night we had it Will's parents were in town and we thought we'd introduce them to Nancy G's. It's a great neighborhood kid friendly southern cooking kind of place. As an added bonus we had a Scout Mob coupon to the restaurant for 50% off our bill so we hit the place up. They have a great patio with live music and dog bowls for the canines. They even have a dog menu that you can order off of for your doggies.

Here is my very first photo with my new lens and it's of hubs of course... You can see how awesome the lens is at blending the background. None of the background was retouched - this is straight off the camera.

Of course I had to snag one of BEAUTIFUL.

and Gaga...

...and Tom Tom

If you all have ever used Scout Mob on your iphone you know there is a stache camera which we particularly love so I snapped a few of our stache cam takes.

So now to the second part of my title: "What Happens When You're A Mom." Well apart from saggy boobs, stretch marks, wider hips and frizzy hair...

After my mom died I went through thousands of family photos only to find that she wasn't in but a small few of them. I realized quickly the reason was because she was the one taking them all. I told Will at one point to be sure and take some pictures of me along the way because if I ever die I don't want him to wish he had some for him and Nora (morbid I know...but anyhow) So this was his portrait of me.

Thanks a lot man... Apparently when you become a mom you no longer qualify to have pictures taken of you - or at least not very flattering ones.

...and now ending on a pretty note! I could just eat her up!

[theswagdowager]

Kale Yeah

I also tried to make kale chips the other day. Everyone who is anyone eats kale these days. I washed, drizzled with olive oil and baked. Honestly they were ok. They stay all greasy though and I couldn't figure a way to store them. Maybe I was too drizzle happy, I don't know, but they weren't my favorite.

Her's either apparently...

We had to take a milk break while they cooked. Oh no I didn't! Kale yeah I did! AHHHH! Never read my blog again... Boobs are scary.

-Swag Dowager

[theswagdowager]

Gerber Has Nothing On Me

So I decided to make my own baby food. Why you might ask? Well, because I have nothing better to do. No, actually the story goes something like this...

I tried to take my mom's vitamix from my dad a few years back and lost it in a coin toss to my older brother Jimmy. He wins everything. I was in such a state of despair that my sweet husband decided to go buy me my very own Vitamix as long as I promised him smoothies everyday for the rest of my life. I swore on everything I could think of that he would get lots of smoothies. (On a side note, he claims that's the only way he will consume fruit - all blended up. So weird. He also believes that if I want a healthy husband that won't die early then it's my responsibility to make him healthy things that he will actually eat. Talk about high maintenance.) Anyway, not long after Nora was born I realized that I hardly ever use our wonderful Vitamix so I got the grand idea to just blend up food for her in it so I don't have to feel guilty anymore for not using it. I'm all about not feeling guilty when possible. Like I go to bed at night thinking about why I never use my vitamix and wondering when all the things I swore on are going to come back and get me.

So I bought some sweet potatoes and avocado and peeled and cut them up...

Had to cook the sweet potatoes.

Then blended it all up...

I asked Will's mom if she could bring me some of her spare ice cube trays (they have everything you could ever need). To my delight she brought heart-shaped ones!

This is what Nora did while I slaved away...

So I threw them in the freezer and then when they were ready just popped them out of the trays. I had to run some hot water on the back of them to get them to come out.

Aren't they beautiful? I was so proud!

I also have done fresh spinach, bananas, pears, apples, lady peas, brown rice, and a slew of other stuff. I keep it all in zip locks and just whip it out when it's time for her to eat. It has made my life so much easier to have the food ready and I just warm it up in the microwave for like 30 seconds or in warm water. The other great thing is it travels well so I take it with me when we are going out.

We also had to have a taste test...

-Swag Dowager

[theswagdowager]

the way in which you carry yourself. Swag is made up of your overall confidence, style, and demeanor.

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