Wordless Wednesday 1-14

Our weekly menu

I love to try new things but lately I have been pretty stuck when it comes to cooking for my family.  I want to start trying at least one new thing a week again. I need to go looking on Pinterest for new ideas. I plan on posting my menu every week and the updating how they turned out the next week.

Eight months

My reading goals for the year.

My 2015 reading goals

Read 4 books a month.

48 books this year

I want to read at least one book that isn't romance a month.

To blog twice a month about books or reading. 

Let's make this a good year. 

What do you plan on reading this month?

Smell the flowers.

It ocoured to me as I am sitting on the couch in the quite at 6:50am while my kids are asleep and my husband at work that we often get so busy with life that we stop noticing the little things. Have you stopped and smelled a flower lately. No I haven't and this may be because it's currently winter here and we have no flowers out side. But thinking back to spring and summer I don't think I ever stopped and smelled a flower growing in the yard. I know my daughter did and I'm sure it was when I was trying to get her into the car so I impaciently urged her to hurry up. Maybe I should have stopped and smelled that flower and asked my daughter why she had chosen it. We could have talked about the color and the fragrance it would have been a wonderful chance to teach her. But instead like we often are I was in a hurry. Has that ever happened to you?

Next time I want to slow down and take the time to teach my children about that flower. More then likely the going to the store can wait, We can be a little late picking daddy up from work, Or we can be only 10 minutes early to the dr. Just slow down, notice and appreciate the little things that in our busy fast paced world get forgotten about. Take the time to teach our children about these small things because if we don't they will never learn and those little things we did as a child we stop happening. You won't see a small child pick dandelions for mommy or grandma, or stopping to marvel at a ladybug on a leaf because they will have grown up in a fast paced world where we don't slow down to smell that flower.

Now I don't know about you but I want my children and grandchildren for that matter to still slow down and smell that flower or marvel at a lady bug. I Don't want them to lose the wonder that small children have. Just because out world has gotten fast paced and electonical based. No app is going to replace our children being outside touching and smelling that flower. They may be able to learn its name and color on your iPad but they will never be able to full experience it unless you take the time to slow down and let them smell the flowers, play in the mud and just be children they why they we intended to be. Growing up can wait in fact that trip to the store can wait. My children will only be small once.

So please stop and smell the flowers.

2014 Wrap up

2014 was a year of challenges and growth
My mom was diagnosed with 2 types of cancer a few weeks after I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. This was after she has surgery to remove a tumor as well as full hysterectomy just 4 days before my due date and 10 days before my newest child came into the world.
My husband was with out work for 3 months and we struggled in every way possible during that time.
It was a challenging year for me both physically and mentally. Struggled with my health while I was pregnant and then with postpartum depression after I had my son.
My 4 year old started preschool and because of her allergies and modified diet that started as a struggle. She has also had a hard time adjusting to being in school 2 days a week.
I watched friends and family struggle emotionally, physically, and financially. Often being powerless to help.
I learned that even people who have been in my life for many year can be hurtful and need to be let go.
I have also learned that people who have just came into my life could become my best friend and be like family.
I have watched my small family grow and blossom. My baby girl went from being a sweet little toddler to a sassy and loud preschooler. My son has gone from bump to sweet newborn to active and loving 8 month old. It has been a joy watching my children grow and change this year.
I learned that my way is not the only or even the best way of doing things. But that it's okay to want to do stuff my way.
I learned to stand up for my self and tell people no and how I feel.
I have watched people I care about grow and change.
I made a wonderful friend who I can call on when I need and she is always there. She loves my children. She is has became a huge part of our lives and I can't imagine our lives with out her.

In all my year was great and I am looking forward to 2015 as I continue to watch my family and friends grow and change. I know we are looking forward to a great year.

Goal update

Read 4 books a month for a total of 48 books this year.~ I have read about 20 books this year so not quite 4 a month but still pretty good.

Sew for myself not just the children~ I haven't been sewing at all this year with my health problems  because of being pregnant.

Eat more healthy, make more meals at home and eat out less.~ We have eaten a lot more at home lately and not as much out. 

Have a weekly family game night~we haven't been having game night but we have been having a family day every week so I am happy with that.

Don't stress the small stuff~ this has been hard with my mom being diginosied with ovarian cancer and not doing chemo. 

Spend more time disconnected from electronics~I have been spending a ton of time on my phone an iPad with exclusively breast feeding Lucas I have a lot of time that I am just sitting. 

Lucas James birth story

On Thursday night the 24th I started having contractions but since I had een having prodomal labor that mainly happened at night I didn't think much of them. When I woke up at 3am on the 25th I was still having them I went back to bed and kept waking up because of contractions they were about 3.5 minutes apart at 9 am. Then around 11:30 they were 2.5 minutes apart and I was having a hard time breathing and concentrating through the contractions. So my husband came home from work around noon. We then headed to the hospital. My contractions were indeed about 2.5 minutes apart and strong but I was only dilated to 3cm so after a few hours they sent me home and told me they would see me later that night. After that my husband and I went to the mall and walked but I was in to much pain so we headed home we got home around 8pm and I got in the tub to help with the pain. I was in the tub until around 9:30. When I got put and moved to my bed. My husbands friend stopped by to check on us and then around 10:30pm I got back in the tub. At 11:30ish I got out again and say on the bed at midnight I told my husband we needed to head back to the hospital so we did. 

12:30 we arrived at the hospital

12:42 I was checked an at 5cms

12:50ish my water broke

My contractions were getting stronger but not any closer then 2 minutes apart.

The nurse's were trying to get an iv in but it never happened

Around130am the midwife asked if I felt the need to push and I said no

At 140 I had a contraction and felt the need to push but my midwife wasn't ready so she said to not to push but I couldn't help it and was pushing any ways

With my first push he started to crown and I got to reach down and feel his head.

With my 2nd push his head was out and my 3rd and 4th delivered his shoulders and the rest of his body. 

Lucas was born at 1:56am on April 26th 

He was 7lbs 12oz, 21.25in

I had a completely all natural med free labor and delivery excatly how I wanted it to be. 

 

2014 Goals

1. Read 4 books a month for a total of 48 books this year. 

2. Sew for myself not just the children

3. Eat more healthy, make more meals at home and eat out less. 

4. Have a weekly family game night

5. Don't stress the small stuff

6. Spend more time disconnected from electronics

Lets see how many of these goals I complete this year. I am looking forward to a great very positive year with my family. 

2013 Goal recap

1. Spend less time online
I did okay with this over the last year. I have tried really hard to spend more time with my daughter and husband and enjoy my pregnancy. 

2. Eat healthier
I did really good with this until I got pregnant and my HG worse. Then I just started eating what ever I could keep down.

3. Start exercising more
Just like the last goal I did pretty good and then I got pregnant and got HG again. With that happening I have not had the energy or strength to exercise like I wanted to. 

4. Try to be more positive:)
This one was pretty easy after my life was what I wanted it to be and I didn't feel controlled and afraid all the time. 

5. Read at least 30 books 100 Books
I honestly don't know how many books I read this year but I am pretty sure it's between 60-80 not quite to my 100 book goal but way over my 30 book goal I originally made.

6. Potty Train Bug 
Tho I wouldn't say emmalynn is fully potty trained she is day trained and stays dry at nap and bed time 80% of the time. I am perfectly happy with that. Considering at the beginning of December she was still wearing diapers all the time. 

7. Get rid of the clutter and things we don't need
With moving so many time I have gotten rid of quite a few things and we are starting over. It's a nice change tho I have more stuff to go through.

8. Blog More
I failed at this goal and I know that. I want to blog but I rarely know what to write about any more. 

9. Do more preschool type activity's with Bug
We did pretty good with this one. She has learned so much this year. 

10. Start sewing for me and not just for Bug
I haven't sewn since July because of moving and having no where to sew or any fabric to sew with. 

Baby number 3

When we found out I was pregnant back in August we were both so excited. I was also so afraid because of my battle with hg during my pregnancy with my daughter. I didn't know how I was going to handle being pregnant or being so sick with a toddler running around. I am now 15 weeks an a few days. I first got sick around 9 or 10 weeks and it has gotten worse over the last 5 or 6 weeks. I am down nearly 20lbs from my pre pregnancy weight and still throwing up a few times most days. I am on zofran to help with my being sick tho so far it really isn't helping much. We are trying our best to get through it one day at a time. My husband has been so helpful with me being so sick. He helps out as much as he can with how much he is working. Here are a few pictures of my belly the last 5 or so weeks. I am so excited for the baby to come in April. 

Dr. Scholl's® For Her High Heel Insoles

I love wearing high heels what I don't love is how they leave my feet feeling at the end of the day. With Dr. Scholl's® For Her High Heel Insoles that is a feeling of the past. My husband is over 6 inches taller then me allowing me to wear super high heels and still be shorter then him and I often do with the tallest heels in my closet being 6inches and having none less then 3inches. The only problem with this we always have toddlers and chasing toddler in heels of any hight makes you feet hurt that much more. I can now wear my 3-4inch heels when I am with my toddler and it not feel like my feel are going to fall off after a few hours. So ladies of you are sick of your feet hurting grab a pair of Dr. Scholl's® For Her High Heel Insoles you highest heels and strut your stuff!!!! I mean really what do you have to lose??   

Even my 2.5 year old loves these when strutting her stuff in mommy's heels:) 

• 
  I received this product to try from influnster 

Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics review

I received Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics in my sun kissed voxbox from influnster. I have used ribbon style elasticity before and am always happy to have new colors or try a new brand. I have to say I love the colors of these other then the normal black and gray ones I received a purple and pink one. They look pretty being around my wrist or when I have used them to put my hair up. One of the things I like the best is they don't leave a line in my hair when I have used them to pull it up. They have also been used in my toddlers hair and she loves them as we'll she try to steal them from my wrist to wear cuz they are Petty(pretty). 

If you would like more information about the product please visit 

http://www.goody.com/Home/Products/Hair%20Accessories/Ouchless%20Ribbon%20Elastics.aspx

 They are available at target

• I received this product complimentary for testing and review purposes from Influenster. 

Sinfulshine review

In my sun kissed voxbox I received a bottle of sinful shine nail polish from influenster. 

I won't lie I hate the color I received. It's called man hunt and just isn't a color I want to wear. But since I already had a few bottles of sinful shine I can tell you that I love the product.its long lasting and has a beautiful shine. It comes in 32 shades and tho not all of them are my style I can see them being loved by other people. I hope to be able to get a few more colors and if you want to find and try them to they are available exclusively at Walgreens. 

Olay Fresh Effects Review

A few weeks ago I received Olay Fresh Effects from influenster. I was excited about it because I had been wanting to try it. Since receiving fresh effects it has been my go to for quick sheer coverage. Not only does it give me a nice sheer coverage it also is sunscreen with an SPF15 and 5 other skin care benefits. I like the ease of it being an all in one is so nice have a toddler running around. I will continue to use and plan on purchasing this product in the future. I am enjoying taking less time to do my make up in the morning and still feeling pretty.  If you would like more information about the product please visit www.olayfresheffects.com. If you interested in purchasing this product for you sell please visit www.olayfresheffects.com or http://www.amazon.com

Ready for the day:) wearing Olay fresh effects 

Sooner then expected

A month ago I got some shocking news way sooner then I expected. My husband was coming home in just a few days over 2 months sooner then I had expected. This unexpected change in time has made life a little interesting. We are currently living with my daughters dad. This was not originally the plan and its been tough the last 3.5 weeks. I am loving having my husband back in my arms and Bug loves having her daddy here. For those of you who are wondering she took to calling him daddy all on her own we tried to have her call him daddy James but she wasn't having it and calls Chris dad or Chris depending on what's going on. As far as I know neither of her dads have a problem with what they are being called. 

Emmalynn loves having James home. She has became his little shadow and is always wanting him to be the one to do stuff for her. It's the sweetest thing to watch. She is constantly telling him she loves him and telling me that he is hers. I will joke with her and tell her the he is mine and she always ways says no mommy he's my daddy. He loves that little girl and its apparent to anyone who has seen them together.  She is a lucky little girl to have two dads that love and care about her. 

As far as stuff with James and me it feels like we were never apart and I love it. I fall asleep in his arms most nights or with him in mine. We are planning to renew our vows with in the next 2 years. With our 5th wedding anniversary quickly approaching on June 21st it's been something that I have spent a ton of time thinking about. We have decided we are going to treat it more like a 2nd wedding then just a vow renewal. Very few things have been decided for it other then we both want it to happen outside, we want to use the color purple, and daisies for flowers. 

In other news my laptops screen has went out so I am blogging from the iPad and I'm not a huge fan of the app. But I wanted to update since I haven't in a while.  

Here are just a few pictures from the last 3 weeks. 

The hardest things

Sometimes the hardest things in life are the one that are most worth it. I know the next few months with out my best friend and husband by my side are going to some of the hardest i have gotten through. When its really hard i remember that every day i get through is one day closer to having him in my arms again. I know that our love is stronger then time and distance. That's one thing the last 5 years taught me. Baby remember that we are stronger then anyone will ever know and together we can get through anything. In 5 years this time apart will be a memory that is not gone or forgotten but a constant reminder of how strong we really are.

Three Things Thursday week 15

Prom…Who did I go with? What did I wear? Details…
Lets see i only went to Junior prom. I didn't have a date so i went with a few friends,i wore a green dress that was sparkly and got glitter all over my friends car, we only stayed for a little while before heading to 7-11.


First long trip in the car that I can remember?
My grandma took us to Newport, OR. To see Keiko at the Oregon Coast aquarium. For those of you who don't know hes was the whale in Free Willy. I remember having a blast on this trip. It was only a 3 or 4 hour drive but at 7 or 8 that seemed like forever.

A Date I’d Love to Go on with Hubby?
Honestly right now getting to see him would be wonderful so we could do anything and i would be happy as a clam. A day just the 2 of us would be amazing. Since i know those will be few and far between when he is home again.

Wordless Wednesday~James and I

Pictures from 2007-2008

Our little Girls

I have been trying to write a blog about the girls for a few days and just keep getting stuck and cant finish it for some crazy reason. I love my daughters more then anything and am having a hard time putting my feelings in to words. So i decided to stop trying. So here are my little girls Emmalynn will be 3 November 21st and Alyssa will be 3 November 30th. That makes them 9 days apart. They might not both be mine by blood but no one can take the love i have for both of them. My girls will never question my love and i hope Alyssa will never feel like i love her sister more because tho i loved Emmalynn first i love them both the same. I am so lucky to say that i have 2 little girls. Mommy Loves you Emmalynn and Alyssa.