Friday, October 29, 2010

Raining Or Not Here I Come.

What's a girl to do when she in a funk? {Click her to read previous post} Maybe go on a little shopping spree? Kidding. Well, I have been saving {kinda} for a time such as this. I have been in desperate need of some cute rain boots. Winter is coming and my Uggs are looking less than desirable to say the least. Once again, I am having a fashion hang up so to speak. I have two different styles I like but can't decide which ones to pull the trigger on. I am a HUGE boot girl. I love boots. Which is one of the many reasons I don't mind it getting chilly out. 

Here is where you come in... I need you to help with which ones I should get. Here's the deal I have 2 coupons to use. Which means I must order them soon. Plus, I have another EPIC Family Photo Shoot similar to this one of the boys. So, I would like to have my new boots in enough time to show them off in the EPIC family photo.
Here are your Options...

#1 Kate Spade Randi Rain Boot


How flippin adorable, right? The color is called Creamy Shiny. The name is even fabulous. They are comfortable, dressy and weatherproof ! This is every fashionista's dream. 

#2 Hunter Original Rain Boot


 They're elegant, slim and tall, so they make your legs look miles long {which I need every extra mile possible}. Plus the Queen of England wears them. La di da! You can buy multiple different socks in different styles and textures to make multiple different looks. Fabulous.

You see my dilemma? Please don't say both are cute. I need decisions people. I am the most indecisive fashionista when it comes to any purchases for myself. This is why I NEED you. Which one should I get??

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Failure Isn't An Option.

So, that means I have to succeed. Right?
That's a lot of pressure. Do you ever feel the pressure more days than others? 
This is the week day for me.
 I'm yelling at my boys too much. My patience level is non existent at this point. 
I'm complaining to much. 
I am just over it. 
Not good. {I know!}  
I feel like I am kind of good at a lot of things but not really GREAT at one thing. 
It's so frustrating to me. 
I don't feel like I am failing at things but I don't feel like I am succeeding.
Frustrated.
I have a million different things going through my head. 
Do I get certified in Zumba
Do I go to a blog conference to try and become a better blogger? 
Do I do nothing? 
Do I try to start up a "Conceptual Photography Theme" business? 
I know the answer is pray about it. 
I feel like I want someone to just tell me that this one thing I will be GREAT at.
 Not mediocre. Not good enough. Not barely breathing. 
GREAT.
I don't know... maybe it's just one of those days. 
Thanks for letting me vent. {you kind of didn't have a choice}. 
When you get like this {if you don't please just lie to me and say you do}. 
What do you do to get out of your funk?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY TO YOU... MY BLONDE, CURLY HAIR, BLUE EYED LOVE!

22,753 Months
98,930 Weeks
692,514 Days
16,620,344 Hours
997,220,611 Minutes

... You have been mine


I love that you can switch your smile at any given second.
I love that you declared a entire weekend to your birthday.
I love the way you start every sentence with "Mommy..." and end it with "Mommy."
I love your wit and sense of humor. You are SO funny. 
I love your blonde curly hair.  
I love that every night you ask me to snuggle with you. 
I love that you are my right hand man. 
I love that you tell your hairdresser to make your hair curly.
I love that when you get nervous you bite your nails.
I love the way you use your hands when you talk.
I love the way you say "thone" instead of phone.
I love that your teachers at school love you.
I love the way you play the Wii for hours on end.
I love that you adore Brady and want to be just like him.
I love that when I pick you up from school, you run to me like we have been apart for weeks.
I love that you are mine.
I love that you are mine to shoot hoops with.
 I love that for your birthday dinner tonight you are choosing Outback. 
I love that you want a salad with those red things, 
cheese, croutons, cucumber, chicken and ranch.
I love that you are mine to be proud of.
I love that you are mine to love.
I love that you are mine to pray for.
I love that you are mine to kiss.
I love that you are mine to get in the “hot day” with.
I love that you are mine to snuggle.
I love that you are mine to read the Bible to.
I love that you are mine to teach what is right and wrong.
I love that you are mine to spoil.
I love that you are mine to care for.
I love that you are mine to wrestle with.
I love that you are mine to surprise.
I love that you are mine to make things for.
I love that you are mine to hold hands with.

You are mine...and I love you more than you know.

Happy 4th Birthday My Love.


Do you have a Top Ten list you’d like to share? Do you want to see what is on other Top Ten lists? Then go check out ohamanda.com!




Monday, October 25, 2010

Grace Like Rain


My sweet Mason you have declared this past weekend your Birthday weekend! In honor of your birthday weekend I wanted to tell you the story of how you, my sweet boy, were brought into this crazy world.

I can remember waiting in the bathroom to see if I saw two lines on that dreaded stick. {be happy you won't have to do that ever!} My heart literally skipped a beat when I saw those two bright pink lines. Immediately, I was so excited to tell your brother and your dad. I knew just how excited they would be. I can remember laying in bed and praying that I would love you as much as I loved your brother. Sounds weird, I know. It's just a mommy thing. You know what my sweet boy? Jesus is so good and the love that I have for you is immeasurable. As you would say, "I love you way up to the sky were the birdies fly."

It was a crazy and long nine months but that's how long you needed to be in my belly so that you could be made perfect. I kept trying to plead with your doctor to take you earlier but the sweet talking didn't work. I couldn't wait to go to the hospital. I was so excited to know that I would go in with a HUGE belly and come out with my little tiny baby. 

Or so I thought.

All of your biggest fans were there as I gave birth to you. I will never forget that huge screech that came out of your tiny mouth. {How did you do that?} I was so relieved to hear it. I should of known from then on you would be a talker. The nurse laid you on my chest and I can remember feeling an immediate bond to you. I know this doesn't happen for everyone when they first have babies but with you, my love,  it was instant. 


I was so excited to get out of the hospital and get you home. I wanted us to be a family. I wanted your big brother to see you. I was so worried about being away from him. Your dad {even though he didn't want to} went home to stay the night with your brother. It was the compromise we made. I wanted to leave a day early from the hospital.  The doctor okay'd it but your dad wasn't too thrilled with the idea. {in hind site was totally a GOD thing} So, he had to go home to appease me and I was able to stay alone with you in the hospital. It truly was some of the sweetest moment of my life. Just you and I were all that matter in those very moments.

It was finally time to go home. Hallelujah. I put you in the nursery so I could jump in the shower before taking you home. I had my room cleaned, showered, make-up on, bags packed. All I needed was you. I knew your dad would be on his way soon to pick us up. I was giddy when leaving my room to go get you. I felt like I was skipping down the hallway. I remember even stopping by the counter to say "Hi" to the ladies working. They had been joking with me the entire time we had been there because I was always dressed in regular clothes with make-up on. 

I had NO idea that the next 10 steps would forever change me... as a mom, a wife and a believer.

As I looked in the nursery I saw a lot of nurses and commotion. It looked chaotic. I could tell that there was a baby who was not okay. I saw nurses running frantically to get things and so I waited and watched. All the while thinking how terrible this was. I started to get antsy and just wanted my baby. I then saw a nurse and explained how bad I felt for this little baby and wondered if I could tip toe in and get you. She looked at me {and I knew}. It was a look that to this day if I think about it I can tear up in seconds. She gently grabbed my arm and said, "Honey, that is your baby." As the words are slowly coming out of her mouth they begin CPR on your little body. I start crying uncontrollable. Dropping to my knees because my body felt limp. I truly couldn't stand. I begin to pray. It was more like pleading and begging. I had no idea what was going on or how it happened or what had happened. 

I begged to go in to see you. I thought for sure I could do something. I am your mom. I am supposed to protect you, right? You were fine when I put you in there. You stayed all night in the room with me. What could have happened? I start to demand answers. Another nurse tells me I have to go back to room. I do remember her telling me she would send some tea to my room to help calm me. {tea...seriously} I was so upset I couldn't even punch her. {kidding} I run to my room and call my mom. I couldn't breathe and couldn't get the words out to even say what was all going on. She knew it was serious. I just remember her saying, " Honey, pray. just pray. I am on my way."  I didn't want to call your dad because I knew he would drive 100 miles an hour to get here. But. I had to call. I tried to pull myself together and make it not seem like a big deal until he got here. Of course, the second he said hello I was hysterical. 24 hours before I was holding you and listening to you breath on me. Watching you yawn. Looking at you teeny tiny toes. Smelling you {you had the best baby smell} I was obsessed with every little part of who you were. I now found myself feeling alone, sitting in a still hospital room. I felt a pain that I can't explain. I was in my room waiting for your Daddy and Nana to get to the hospital. I sat in a chair by the window in the hospital room. I had my eyes closed and I was rocking back and forth sobbing and praying. I didn't know what else to do. 

Your dad made it to the hospital in like 10 minutes {we lived at least 20 min away}. You started breathing and you were immediately put in the NICU. They wouldn't let me see you for what seems liked days but was only a few hours. Every hour you were in the NICU seemed like years. Every hour was painful mentally, emotionally and physically. They ran tons of tests on you. You were hooked up to so many monitors. Had so many iv's sticking out of you. I can remember sitting at my {assigned} rocker and refusing to leave. I would just stare at you {and those darn machines}. Your dad would make me get up and walk around the hospital building. The weather was dreary but warmer than usual. I remember us walking outside and him saying, "No matter what is happening good or bad the world just keeps moving." We were amazed that the birds still chirp, kids still go running out to recess, parents go to work and yet are our baby almost died. It was a shocking reality to me. One that I had never realized or experienced in my 26 years of life.

One day at a time. One hour at time. One minute at a time. That was the only way I could cope. His grace is and continues to be sufficient. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. {2 Corinthians 12:9}

The nurses were amazing. I told them I wasn't leaving even if I had to sleep in the waiting room.  They gave us a open room {for free} and let us stay while you were in the hospital. Your dad did go buy them pizza every night so I am sure that helped. Nana took care of your brother. He loved it and thankfully had no idea what was going on. Your dad wouldn't leave my side. In the days that followed, your birth peeled back the many layers of our marriage and revealed to us a love so strong that even we were in amazed. 

Before we could take you home we had to go to lots of classes. We had to get certified in CPR. We had to learn how to use the heart machine, suction machine etc.. Finally, we were able to take you home. A day I had longed for, prayed for and rejoiced in. You had to be on a heart monitor 24/7 for weeks but I didn't care I had you home. In the days to come I didn't sleep much at all because I was so afraid you would stop breathing. I couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to you. I just had gotten you back. So, I would sit and just stare at you.

We had many, many doctors appointments in the days, weeks and months to follow. They came to the conclusion that it was a huge mucus plug. They had never seen it happen like this before. They said had I taken you home a day early {like I had originally planned but your dad refused to let me} you wouldn't be here. Even know as the tears stream down my face almost 4 years later I can see God's hand on your life. 

Even now your dad doesn't like to talk about it. But. I know one day you will ask me and one day when I am sitting telling your kids about you I want them to be able to see how Jesus had his hand on you from the beginning.  You my sweet boy are a gift. I knew from the very second I held you that you were something so special. To say that you have brightened our lives would be an understatement. What ever did we do before there was you? You have added a magic to this family that we didn't know existed. You have added a love and a joy that I never knew of. So, as we celebrate your 4th birthday tomorrow... know my love that you are loved far beyond what my little words could ever express. For now I will say this to you, " I love you way up to the sky were the birdies fly"!

Happy Birthday To You, My Blue-eyed Love,
{Mommy}

Friday, October 22, 2010

I don't want to forget...

How excited you were when you woke up this morning. 
Your first big boy field trip. You were elated that 
you got to ride on the bus. 


I don't want to forget 
... your first group of school friends ... 


... your Kindergarten teacher ...


... or how proud I was to see you in your element ... 


In the next 12 years you will have tons of field trips, lots of life long friends and amazing teachers. My prayer for you my sweet boy is that you will enjoy every moment and that I will never forget how sweet, thoughtful, respectful, funny, silly, and loving you are at this very moment.  Jeremiah 29: 11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Do you "Boo"?

The door bell rings and the boys come running down the steps. Open the front door and a cute pumpkin full of candy is waiting for us. Yep, we got "Boo'd!" {thanks, Madi} My boys are so excited to start booing friends. Although, I am not a huge fan of Halloween and really can't stand the witches and goblin's part of it, I thought this could be a practical way to teach the kids about doing things for others just because. We live in a society where everything is about what makes YOU happy or what makes YOU feel good or YOU more money. So, it's kinda nice {and tons of fun} to do something for someone else. Even if it is just a pumpkin full of candy. I find myself too often doing things for a reaction from someone and not doing them just because it will make them happy. Hmm. Maybe this lesson was more for me than them?


One of our new family traditions is "Booing." I love creating something special for the "BOO" treats while my sweet boys look forward to the 'ding and dash'. {Don't tell them but it's my favorite part too} Here is what we are doing this year.



We cut our cat faces out of black felt. Used glitter stickers to put on the whiskers and nose.  Hot glue the center of the mask to the front of a plastic pumpkin and there you have it.  Make sure you line up the eyes before you use the glue gun or else it will look a little silly. 
{You can also put a string around the mask that way the kids who are getting boo'd can enjoy candy and a fun little mask to wear}


There are MANY different poems out there this is the one we use.  
Am I a jack or a cat that has come to say "BOO"?
All dressed up with treats for someone special, you.
Please fill me up with treats galore,
and take me to your friend's front door.

Sit me down then push the bell.
Run real quick so no one can tell.

As I move from friend to friend,
Happy Halloween wishes never end.



Let the "Booing" begin! On your mark.  Get set. Go.  
linked to Things I Love Thursday

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

I am....




Short nails. Junior Mints. A mother to my sweet babies. A lover of running by the ocean. A bath taker. Never in flats. A pessimist. Dancer. Sunglasses all the time. A Fall girl. A homebody. Loyal. New decorations. Addicted to houses. Supportive. PINK. A disliker of waiting rooms. Laughing often. Hardly ever painted toenails. A sister. A smart mouth. Gap. Cherry Cordial with milk. Creative. Impatient. Candlelight. Coffee drinker October through February. Fast shopper. A dreamer. Two butts. Winks. Holding hands. Black pants. Diet Coke. A believer. A milk maker. A spender. A reader of blogs. No gold. Long hair. Television over music. My mother's best friend. Lounge pants. A graduate. A napper. Broccoli. A singer of lullabies. A minivan driver. Saved. Diaper bags. A Bjorn wearer. No lipstick. A gift giver. Beach chairs. Thankful. Mail getter. A grandchild. A birth giver. A tan towel. Blessed. A night owl. A lover of surprises. Turkey burgers. A decorator. A1 sauce. Summer thunderstorms. A doer. Ponytails. A strawberry eater. Magazines. Spa visits. Sun hats. Football afternoons. A multitasker. A holiday shopper. Bean burrito minus onions. Scared of sadness. Perfectionist. A bath giver. A bargain hunter. A earing wearer. A sister in law. Slow to trust. A goal setter. A queen size bed. A terrible traveler. Always cold in restaurants. Jeggings. Too cheap for the theatre. General Tso's Chicken. A boutique lover. Creative. A party planner. Chic Fil A. A runner. A stroller pusher. A thinker. A list maker. Modern. Christmas lights. A leg crosser. A mascara needer. Zumba lover. Annoyed by telemarketers. A kisser of boo boo's. A terrible card sender. An ironer. A maker of things. Butterflies in my stomach. A condiment lover. Fireplace sitter. A texter. A paci finder. Not a thrill seeker. Confident. Hydrangeas and tulips. Aveda. Married. Teeth Whitener. Loved. Usually late. A picky eater. A lover of my place in life. Bad at directions. A non smoker. A dancer at home. A sunset watcher. Icing over cake. Buckeye fan. A hair straightener. Stubborn. Not emotional. A romantic comedy. An aunt. More productive under a deadline. A Basketball game. A neighbor. A passenger. A make-up wearer. A lover of candy. Hooded sweatshirt. Pumpkin candle. Reality TV. Carmel Frappuccino Light. A snuggler. 


* If you have time to do this, I would love to read who "you are" *

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

10 of My Favorites From The Epic Photo Shoot

As many of you know I was a little obsessed with the Epic photo shoot that took place. I had a concept in mind and knew how I wanted it to look but not 100% confident that it would turn out on paper how I imagined it. I am in love with these photos. So thankful for Nikki and how fabulous she did. She is so patient, used to crazy moms {me} and has a great sense of photo style. Plus, we are family so I kinda already knew she would be fabulous. You need to check out her blog. You will LOVE it!


Here is my advice in taking pictures. Think outside the box. Be different. Let your kids be kids. Have fun. It's complete chaos but in the end you will have pictures that will make your heart happy not only now but when those sweet little angels have sweet little angels of their very own.


Here are 10 fabulous photos from the Epic Photo Shoot. 


#1
Can you guess what the theme was?



#2
Pure Joy


#3
Seriously, you can't help but smile when you see this.




#4
Loved making these! 

#5
Does anyone know how I can market this to sell on a Birthday Card?!

#6
Adored.

#7
The three birthday kings of our castle.
#8
Love.
#9
Love.

#10
Speechless.
These pictures make the world appear happier and clouds a little bit puffier. Smiles. Giggles. Silly Faces. Pure Joy. What more can a girl ask for?


So, what do you think? I am using these pictures for some of the decorations for our Epic {love that word} birthday party. Which ones should I have blown up? I LOVE them all so help me decide. *This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday! Go check it out!*

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