Swim wear for mommies to be...

While looking through my emails this morning I got an update from a site that I had registered to on maternity swimsuits.  Now I have already looked at suits and thought, "Wow, some of these are pricey and others are just inappropriate!"  So I thought I would take a look again and share with my mommy friends who are pregnant this summer some of the options we have in swim suits.
Destination Maternity has a few that aren't too badly priced and aren't completely hideous.  But the styles are basically the same and there are just a few color combinations.

I personally liked this one...and at $34.98 it's a pretty good deal!

A Pea in the Pod has basically the same things...just with a much higher price tag.  Tankinis and 2 one pieces were all I could find on this web site. 

Gap has two options in swim wear...black or puple tankini.  The top is $44.50 and the bottoms are another $32.50.  Personally I know that my now lucious pregnant breasts would not stay in this top...so definately a "no" for me!  :)

Old Navy maternity was ok but I didn't really like any of the colors.  There are a few tankinis and a solid colored one piece. 

Ok so here's my complaint...Why do retail stores think pregnant women want to wear black??? It seems to be a favorite color for all stores one-piece suits!  I understand black is suppose to be slimming, but it is also boring!  We want to have fun cool colors and patterns that help distract how big our hips are really getting!   I also don't want to show up in the same maternity swim suit as everyone else due to the lack of color choices. 

Now this is one of my all time favorites right here!

I hope I don't offend anyone one by this...but really?!  Don't get me wrong, I think the pregnant belly is beautiful...but I don't think I want everyone and their dog at the public pool to see all of me! 

(I didn't even wear this revealing of a bikini on my honeymoon!)

Maybe I'm a bit conservative on the modesty issue...but I think we mommies have a right to show off our bump in a more attractive and friendly way.  (I can just see my tush falling out of those bottoms!)

I was lucky and found a never used swim suit at a kid's garage sale the other day for $5.  It is polka dot and a tankini design that will keep the boobs in control and the tummy hidden.  I like it and was happy to find it. So good luck out there!  I hope you find something suitable to you and your personal style.  Let me know if you find anything amazing out there!

Good-Bye Cable...

I never understood when I was growing up as to why we couldn't have cable.  I hated only having basic tv!  There was hardly ever anything good on...especially on the weekends, and I had serious doubts that cable was that corrupting.  I was happy when I went away to college and had cable in my room!  (Now looking back at it, I realize that a lot of time was spent watching useless shows when homework and studying could have been done, and as a result I could have possibly had a better grade in a few of my classes!)  I felt spoiled and it was great!  There were soo many things out there that I felt that I had missed out on and I promised that I would not do that to my kids.  I wanted them to be educated in "pop culture" and to know what everyone was talking about.  I thought that it would be easy to make sure they could watch cable without being introduced to the "bad" shows.

So when Preston and I got married...as soon as we thought we could afford it...we got cable!  And HD and DVR!  Yeah!  It was heaven!  Till I realized that cable doesn't always have anything much better on then basic tv.  TBS and other channels that play movies on the weekends are on a cycle and after awhile you have seen all the movies that are going to air on tv.  Then Cate got old enough to watch tv.  At first it was nice to have a few hours in the morning to myself.  But then commercialization began to overtake my little girl.  I started hearing her say, "Mommy, I want that!"  I also wasn't so sure how I felt about some of the content of the shows on nick jr.  Why do the characters have to talk like little babies??  And do I really want my daughter to learn how to count in Spanish before she does in English?? (Thank-you Dora!)  Then our priest gave a homily at church.....

It was about how his parents were horrified about some of things that were on tv when he was a kid...think like the Brady Bunch and such.  And that the content of what we let our kids see now is so overly sexualized and demoralized, yet we seem to miss it, because we ourselves have already been brainwashed with the stuff!  It really hit me hard...I also started to think about the time we spent in front of the tv and was beginning to get concerned about my mothering.  (Now I know Cate isn't in front of the tv that much, especially compared to some kids, but I was feeling really guilty about the 1-2 that she does spend!)  This is time I should be doing something more constructive with her.

About this same time our cable company decided to switch providers and go private, which was going to raise our bill.  It was the perfect time to say "adios" to the cable!

So today the cable man came and took our box away....We will see how it goes.  Preston is a little worried about not having HD...but I think he'll manage!  We still have access to the basic channels and we have Netflix.  So I am pretty sure we will survive.  I am really excited to see the change this will create.  I am hoping for more quality family time and a daughter who is not being constantly bombarded with commercialization!  I never thought I would be happy to say good-bye to cable...but with a cheerful shout, I cry, "Good-Bye!"

Last Day of Old Year

A few of my favorite pictures from the Holidays....

 

Crazy Snider Christmas hats!



 

New Year Resolutions to come!

Happy New Year!

We haven't fallen off the edge of the world!

Hello readers! (If I have any left!)

It has been an insanely busy couple of months!  Our family is doing well and I promise to be back in the New Year with fun updates about everything...along with some new and tasty recipes! 

Merry Christmas to all!

See you in the New Year!!!

1st Trip to a Pumpkin Patch!

In a moment of firsts....Our First Trip to a pumpkin patch happened this Sunday afternoon. I learned after the fact that it was both Preston and Cate's first time to visit a pumpkin patch! And I couldn't remember the last time I had been to one...so it was a good day for us all.

We visited Gaddert Farms just outside of Buhler. They had a pretty neat little set up! Cate rode a pony...which she wanted to do soo badly, but wasn't so sure of once she was on! She went down a huge slide (made of plastic drainage pipes) with daddy, rode a train, played in a sandbox, and of course went out to the pumpkin field on her first hayrack ride! We had a great time!

Cate in the Pumpkin Field.

Cate on the Hayrack Ride.

Cate and Mommy.

Cate and Daddy.

Cate's favorite part of the day...the sandbox!

Fun Find!

I just found the cutest new way to decorate!

Happy Tape is this really neat website that sells Japanese Washi paper...or essentially colored masking tape.

It is super cute and there are a ton of colors and designs! I can just see it dressing up packages, scrapbook pages...and even my pumpkins for Thanksgiving. Or my sister's wedding....

They even have a cute little blog that demonstrates more ways to use their tape. I am definitely going to be ordering some rolls for myself soon!

Fall Time

It's official! Fall is here...and has been for about 10 days, but it is finally starting to feel a little fallish in the weather! Although I would prefer it if it was about 10 degrees cooler! Dance has started again (hence my lack of recent blogs). And life is getting back to a schedule. I wish we could have the lazy days of summer with the cool weather of fall...that would be ideal! Snuggling up with tea and a book and no obligations...hmmm... :)

Yesterday I decided to do a little craft project. (Preston makes fun of me and all of my craft projects I always have going. I think I may have missed my calling. Martha Stewart, are you looking for an intern???)

I took this project out of a Lowe's creative ideas catalog. They purchased bell-shaped glass shades, flame-less candles, and black saucers. I had some old lawn lights that I turned upside down and used. (I love it when the materials for my projects already exist in my home!) I took out the old batteries and washed and dried out the lights. Then I used some black paint and a paint brush and painted on eyes and mouths. And wha la! Five too cute little ghosts to line my porch for Halloween!

I will place them back on their black tops and add a little tea light so that they glow. Now to buy some pumpkins! Happy Fall!



PS. Shout-out to Cousin Erica who is getting married this Saturday! Congratulations and much love! ~The Sniders