Hope for those going through infertility & infant loss, faith HopeInTheWaiting

Giving it up

2012-02-22T14:49:00.000-06:00

So Lent started today and I was tryng to decide what to give up for the next 40 days. I knew it needed to be something really difficult, so I narrowed it down to Facebook and t.v. In the end, I decided on t.v. I know you all probably think I am crazy, but I'm actually excited to see how my relationship with the Lord grows as the result of laying one of my idols down at His feet. I am saying no to t.v. and more of Him.

There are a few times that I will allow myself to watch t.v. Well, really only one. If we have a movie night with the girls over the next 40 days, they love movie nights, I will partake so that we can spend that time together as a family.

Are you giving up something for Lent? I would love to hear about it and encourage you.

This post is short because I am off to pack for Blissdom. Yipee! I leave tomorrow afternoon. Big thank you to my hubby and my dad for holding down the fort while I am gone. Can't wait to see all of my blogging friends and meet new ones too.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-15T16:38:00.000-06:00

Snipits

2012-02-13T19:29:00.001-06:00

I don't remember the last time I blogged. If I have any readers left it will be a miracle really. To be honest, I just haven't felt like it. I do want to write a few snipits if I may.

Still dizzy, worse actually. Exercises not helping. Have a call into my doctor in Tampa to see how to proceed next.

Getting ready to attend Blissdom next week here in Nashville. At times, I wanted to sell my ticket because, let's face it, blogging hasn't been a huge priority. Brian encouraged me to still go. It will be a nice getaway and I hope it will inspire me to blog more.

Held my first juicing class a few weeks ago at my house and it went really well. We all had a great time. Next class scheduled for March 7th.

Had an impromptu trip to Birmingham over the weekend. We surprised my family who was down there running the Mercedes Marathon as a team relay. It was alot of fun. So proud of my sisters, Stacy and Rachelle, my nephew Mario, my dad and my bro in law, Bill. Brian ran the 1/2 marathon. Great job guys.

Still haven't posted our DisneyWorld pics. Maybe one day...

Brooklyn lost her third tooth at the end of Jan. She was excited because that means she lost a tooth a month starting in November.

Brian surprised me with a date afternoon Friday (he's a keeper). He took a half day off and we went to a late lunch and then saw "The Vow". I loved it. So inspiring, and I love that it's based on a true story.

Haven't lost anymore weight. Still holding at 13 lbs lost. Still eating really well so I think it's time to switch up the exercise routine.

Still loving yoga.

Waiting to see if the snow will really fall tonight in the 615. Hoping not, so the girls can have their Valentine's Day parties at school tomorrow.

Read a book called "7: An experimental Mutiny against Excess" by Jen Hatmaker that rocked my world. I highly recommend it. Lots to let soak in. Action is required.

My sweet Jonathan would have turned 1. Tears....

Sydney continues to sing constantly and I can't get enough of it. She was born to perform :)

Brooklyn was selected to have a piece of her art from school hang in The Frist Center in downtown Nashville. She is over the moon excited and we are so proud of her. We can't wait to preview it next month.

Thank you Lord for Grace that is abounding.

If you are still reading, thank you. Thank you for the comments. I promise to get back to each one of you.

Ups and Downs

2012-02-03T19:18:00.000-06:00

I'm having one of those days. I know we all have them, but today just plain stinks. I really want to throw myself a pity party right here and now, but I'm going to refrain. Really, what would it help anyway. It wouldn't do anything but letting the devil get an even bigger foothold into my life than he already has.

In a nutshell, I have a migraine and the dizziness is getting worse. How can this be? I finally have a diagnosis and therapy to help it, but it's not. Would you please pray for me? I'm at the end of my rope. I called my hubby in tears today at the office. I hate doing that, but sometimes I just have to and it's better to break down to him, then in front of the girls.

So as sweet and supportive as only my man can be, he blogged about it. You can read it here. He doesn't know I am writing this, but if you would love to leave him a comment on his blog, that would be awesome. He would be thrilled. I'd love to do a little something for him to say thank you for taking such good care of me. Thanks y'all.

Week #4 and Mystery Diagnosis

2012-01-28T19:34:00.000-06:00

Before I get to my week 4 weigh in, I wanted to update you all on my dr's appointment in Tampa last week. I met with Dr. Gans at American Institute of Balance. He and his staff were fabulous. I just can't say enough about the clinic. After reviewing my chart, the symptoms I was having and all of the previous testing I had done, he was pretty sure he knew what was wrong. Of course he wanted to make sure, so he ran about 5 different tests on me. He tested my inner ear function and my eye movement. All tests came back normal, just as he expected. His diagnosis was MdDS (Mal de Debarquement Syndrome).

Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS) or disembarkment syndrome is a rare disorder of perceived movement that most often develops following an ocean cruise, other type of water travel, or motion experience including plane flights and train travel. For a few, there is no known motion event; the onset appears to be spontaneous. MdDS persists for months to years.

There are two treatments for this syndrome; therapy and a drug called Klonopin. My dr and I are choosing to do therapy. I was sent home with a notebook of 9 exercises to do everyday. These exercises are done while I am moving, either on a exercise ball or a mini trampoline. I can tell you that they are not fun. I pray that it works. Dr. Gans has seen great results with therapy, so we will see. I have to report back to him in 4 weeks. I am just thankful to finally have a diagnosis.

In other news, I am thrilled to report to you about my weight loss for the month of January.
I realize we still have 3 days left to go, but since I won't weigh in again until Saturday, I'm calling this my month end weight loss. Drum roll please........................ 12.8 pounds. I was floored when Brian told me this morning I had lost 4 pounds this week. I am a quarter way to my goal and I couldn't be more thrilled. I am not starving myself, counting points, eating prepackaged food or taking diet pills. I am simply eating a whole foods diet. 90% of the food I eat comes right from the ground. That makes me very happy. I've decided to plant a garden in our backyard this spring. I figure it will save me a ton of money in the produce I use to juice everyday. I think the girls will eat more veggies if we grow them ourselves too.

Do any of you have a garden? What tips would you give a beginner? I would love to hear them.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-25T11:38:00.000-06:00

Saturday Weigh In

2012-01-21T14:56:00.001-06:00

Down another pound today. I'm thrilled seeing how I was on vacation for 4 days. So the total for 3 weeks is almost 8 pounds, 7.8 to be exact. The best part is that I'm down 1.4% body fat. Yay!!

My friend posted on her Facebook page this week that for every pound lost it's like losing 4 sticks of butter. I don't know about you but I love that visual. Sometimes I get down about only losing a pound, but when I look at it that way, it just puts me 4 sticks closer to my goal. :)

I've decided to do a juice only fast on Monday for 5 days. I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dying last night and was so inspired that I decided to give it a go. I'll let you know how it goes.

I hope you all are having a great weekend. We had some rough weather last night and had to spend some time in the basement around 1 am. Not much fun. We are expecting severe storms tomorrow as well. Strange weather for January. Anyone else having crazy weather?

Weekend Fun

2012-01-20T12:09:00.001-06:00

Any guesses on where we went this past weekend? Here's a hint:

Yep, we surprised the girls with a trip to Disney World. This was somewhat of a last minute trip for us. Usually when we go it's planned out way in advance, about a year ahead of time. I decided to see a specialist in Tampa regarding the constant dizziness I experience. Since Tampa is about an hour away from Orlando, we decided to make a trip out of it and take the girls to Magic Kingdom. It was tough keeping it a secret for over a month. Here's how we told them.

I think I was the most excited not to have to keep a secret any longer. I love the look of shock on their faces. Bless their hearts, it was early and they had just woken up. We had a fantastic time with the girls. Many memories were made and I am feeling so incredibly blessed. Can't wait to share more pictures with you, once I get them downloaded, and tell you about the doctors visit.

Enjoy your weekend!

Week 2 weigh in

2012-01-14T21:13:00.001-06:00

I'm posting today from my iPhone so I will make this quick. I weighed in this morning and lost 1.4 lbs. I have to admit, at first I was a little bummed, I mean, it wasn't the 4.8 lbs from the week before. Then I thought to myself, at least I lost weight and after all, it's not just about the weight. It's about getting healthy.

So if you are keeping track, I've lost 6.8 lbs in two weeks. I'll take it.

I've also gone 14 days without sugar, meat or dairy. Eating at home is a cinch, it's when I'm out running errands or out to dinner, that the options sometimes are limited when you're eating a Vegan diet. I'm learning to figure it out though and take healthy snack options with me.

I can't wait to share about our fun family weekend with y'all this week. I would love your prayers if you don't mind. On Tuesday I am seeing a specialist for the dizziness. We are going to great lengths to get in to see this amazing doctor and I'm praying he has some answers. To say I'm exhausted dealing with this issue, would be putting it mildly.

Thanks so much for reading and thank you for your prayers.

There's no crying in football

2012-01-12T22:04:00.001-06:00

Today's blog brought to you by my hubby. Thanks honey.

Daddy is a little too obsessed with fantasy football. My daughters, then 3 and 5, sensed this. Instead of trying to cut back on my fantasy football, I decided to welcome them to my world and try to get them addicted, too. Rather than doing the more complex fantasy football where you pick individual players by position, I started a Yahoo 'pick'em' league. For this league, once a week you go online and pick the team you think will win. You can't get any simpler than that. Based on her love of ballet, Sydney's team was named "I Rock The Tutu". Brooklyn's became "Zhu Zhu Princess" after her toy collection. I recruited my mother-in-law, who is so football obsessed I can't watch games with her, a brother-in-law, and my only two friends who are more addicted to fantasy football than me, to round out our league.

Last year, I'd name off the cities and names for each team, and the girls would pick. This year, I'd start to say the city and they'd cut me off before I'd get to the team. I'd say "Green Bay..." and they'd yell "Packers!". Both girls had learned the names of every NFL to go with the city, although there are occasional pronunciation issues with the Raibers and the Rabens.

The girls have a funny way of picking teams.
They both pick Indianapolis and Tennessee to win every game because that's where Daddy's from and where they live now, and they'll pick Chicago and Kansas City most of the time because those cities' ties with uncle Eddy and Nana. When the Colts and Titans play, there's a lot of soul searching before making the pick. Brooklyn picks the Texans to win because it was the first team she could spell. Sydney always picks against the Steelers. No matter how many times I tell her their name comes from the fact that Pittsburg is famous for making steel (as in metal). She fiercely believes their team is made entirely of thieves. Both girls pick Carolina because of their cousin Caroline.

To make this fantasy football post nerdier and add a Star Trek analogy, my six-year-old Brooklyn is the logical "Spock" of the two girls. She wants to know how she did the week before, and has started looking at a side column on the screen which shows what teams fans are picking. "Daddy, why does everyone think the New Orleans Saints are going to win?" "Because Drew Brees is the best quarterback in the NFL." "Oh, OK. I'm still picking the Carolina Panthers." So, not completely logical. She also has a freakish memory. Some weeks ago, I asked her to pick the winner of the Chiefs/Broncos game. "Daddy, we already did that one." "No we didn't. We just started." "No, daddy, I meant we already picked those teams this year." She'd remembered from earlier in the season. I had to explain that some teams play each other twice in the same year.

Syd, aka Captain Kirk, is completely illogical, and does her picks like a mass of emotion. She cannot be more excited about picking these. If her teams win, she's happy. If they lose, she's crushed. Syd was actually close to leading the league until a week 12 swoon when she only picked 4 games correctly. Still, she's about 20 games over .500 for the year, and has had the most correct picks 4 different weeks this season.

The girls are so disappointed that there are only four games this week, and two next week. Brooklyn did her four picks (Saints, Patriots, Texans, Giants) and said, "That's all?" Syd finished her four picks (Saints, Patriots, Ravens, Giants), and then asked "Who do the Titans play?" I told her they hadn't won enough games to make the playoffs (somehow she missed this last week), and they were done for the year. She started to choke up. I tried to calm her by saying, "Syd, they'll play again next year." Unfortunately, that wasn't enough. Syd got up from the table and started wailing, walking around the kitchen aimlessly until finally wrapping her arms around mommy's leg and letting the tears flow.

All in all, I must say that I'm one proud daddy, and I love having this tradition with my girls.

The weigh in

2012-01-08T18:25:00.001-06:00

I had a great first week. I cannot believe it's been 8 days since I have had any sugar, white flour, meat or dairy. To be honest, I have to say I haven't really missed it. There are days when I would love to have a piece of bread with butter, but other than that, I haven't felt the need to cheat. I did have to add the caffeine back on day 4. I just got withdrawal headaches too bad and I didn't want to keep taking Advil. I figured I could conquer that at a later time. I am not drinking coffee because it's so acidic and I'm trying to balance my PH level. I will probably start making green tea with Stevia, but for now I'm drinking this.

XS has caffeine without the sugar (uses Sucralose)and has only 6 calories. The best part, it has 4900% of B12. That's a whole lot of B12 and it gives me the boost I need to get my day started.

I don't know if I mentioned this in my last post or not, but I do not know my starting weight. I could probably come within 10 pounds or so if I guessed, but this time around I just didn't want to know. That may sound odd, but I have my reasons for doing it this way. You see, every time I start a "diet", the scale is my nemesis. I live by it, which is not the smartest thing to do. So this time around, I decided not to let the scale be my guide. Brian is the only one that knows how much I weigh. So yesterday, I closed my eyes and stepped on the scale. I was praying that I had at least lost a pound. I asked Brian if I had lost anything. He enthusiastically said, Yes. I knew by his reaction that it was good. He asked me if I wanted to know how much and I said you betcha. When he said 5 pounds (4.8 to be exact, but I'm rounding up. :) I couldn't believe my ears. Are you kidding me? 5 pounds in 6 days. Holy cow, that has never happened before, ever. I had also lost .8% body fat. That to me is huge. The best part is that I didn't starve myself and I was eating nutrient foods. No fad diet here, just living food.

Here is what a typical day looks like for anyone interested.

Breakfast:

Wake up and have a large glass of water.

I make a vegan protein shake with coconut milk.

Then I have a fresh juice which is usually made of Kale, Apple and Lemon (delish)

Lunch:

Veggie Soup

Large Spinach and Romaine salad with Chickpeas, carrots, sunflower seeds and balsamic vinegar & olive oil

I snack on apples with cashew butter, clementines, and pistachios. I drink lots of water.

Dinner:

Vegan protein shake with coconut milk

Another garden salad, same as lunch.

The menu will broaden as I learn how to cook vegetarian meals. I'm stocking up on books this week and combing the Internet. I love going to bed satisfied, but not stuffed. I wake up in the morning and I'm not starving. It's amazing, when you give your body whole, living foods, how full it makes you feel. I've committed to a Vegan diet (no dairy or meats) until my birthday in April. I figure anything is doable for 3 months. If I love it, great, if not, then I can always slowly starting putting meat back in to my diet. I think the dairy might be gone for good. I feel great without it. I'm not waking up congested or sneezing like I used to. It will be interesting to see if I notice changes in my skin and the dark circles under my eyes.

I'm excited to learn this way of life for myself first, in hopes to have my family join me as we learn a new way of eating and fueling our bodies. I'd love to hear what you think. If you have questions or comments, please leave them for me. I will try my best to respond back to you. Have a great week.

"Eat to Live, not Live to Eat" (Quote from a movie I watched last night that rocked my world. I'll be sharing all about it this week, so stay tuned).

Checkin in. Day#4

2012-01-04T14:11:00.000-06:00

I thought I would check in midweek and update on how things are going. I am feeling really good. The last 3 days I've had a headache, which I can assume is the lack of sugar and caffeine that I was used to consuming. I know those will eventually get better.

Today Brooklyn had the day off from school and Sydney went back to school so I had a date with Brooklyn. I love those times when I get to hang out one on one with my girls. I asked her where she wanted to go to lunch and she said P.F. Chang's. It's her favorite. I was hungry and knew I couldn't eat my normal, Orange Chicken, so I opted for the vegetarian lettuce wraps. Oh my, they were delicious. I didn't miss the chicken at all. They are made out of Tofu, which is usually on my no, no list. I'm one that doesn't believe we should eat soy, especially if it's GMO (Genetically Modified), but today I thought it was a better option than the chicken.

Why don't I like soy? Glad you asked. :) Soy is Phytoestrogen (plant based estrogen). Women usually have too much estrogen in their bodies. Studies have shown that too much estrogen can lead to cancer, cause infertility, lower sperm count in men and it can also mess with your thyroid. All things I don't want, so I just usually stay away from it. If you are going to eat it, you want to make sure it's organic or Non-GMO and it's fermented. I think like anything, moderation is the key. This is very controversial and if you look on the internet you will find experts on both sides of this topic. I figure I would air on the side of it being harmful to my body.

On a typical day, I've been juicing, making vegan protein shakes (pea and rice are what makes up the protein) and eating lots of raw fruits and veggies. I don't know if I've lost weight because I haven't weighed myself, will do that on Sunday, but I feel better. That's all that matters. I am also drinking a ton of water. That's so important to flush out the toxins because you don't want them hangin out in your body.

On Friday I will do a gallbladder flush. I'll spare you the details of what happens, but it makes me feel so much better. I did my first one after I delivered Jonathan. I was on the verge of a full blown gall bladder attack and was in a ton of pain. My chiropractor gave me a flush to do and the results were immediate. I couldn't believe it. The pain was gone. I could think clearer and just felt refreshed. Well, it's time to do one again. I've been having a bit of pain on the right side where my gallbladder is located, so I want to make sure to nip it in the bud before it gets too bad. I will post the cleanse on my blog on Friday if you are interested in it. The best part is; it's easy, cheap and the results are immediate.

Here's to good health in 2012.

2012

2012-01-01T20:03:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year to you all. I had a good start to my day, as Brian got the girls this morning and let me sleep in. Thanks babe. Today was day 1 of a week long detox I am doing. I have been awful to my body over the last few months and I'm paying the price for it. I know better than that, I mean, I really know better. I love to study health and I am passionate about what our family eats. I am a huge proponent of organic, raw, unproccesed, and whole foods. My hubby will tell you I despise High Fructose Corn Syrup, GMO's, Food Dyes, and foods with hormones and antibiotics. Here is a great article that talks about the effects of dyes on our children. I will talk more about this in another post.

But when I am tired, stressed or depressed, I just don't care. I'm laying it all out there because it's the truth. I've treated my body like a trashcan and it has to stop. It has to stop for me, my husband and my two beautiful girls. So with a new year, comes new possibilities. Brian challenged me to use my blog to keep me accountable, so that's what I am going to do. Every Monday, I will report in and blog about my progress over that week. This is not just about weight loss, although that's a huge part of it, but it's finally gaining control of what I eat and not letting my emotions dictate what I put in my mouth. One of my goals this year is to lose 40 pounds by my 40th birthday in April. That is a lofty goal I know. Will I make it? I have no clue, but I am gonna work my bootie off and try my best. I'm doing it with what I believe it best for my body; raw, whole, organic foods. That's it. No magic diet pills or pre packaged food, just whole foods.

This week I am in detox mode. I will eat only raw, organic, vegetarian foods and drink fresh juice from my juicer. That's it. For exercise, I will be walking and doing yoga, with a little strength training thrown in for fun. I have to say that Day 1 went well. I won't lie, I have a giant head ache right now, due to the fact that I haven't had any caffeine and my body is screaming for refined sugar, but I know the first few days are the hardest, so I expect it all. I told Brian today that if I snap at him this week, to not take it personally. :)

Here's what my day looked like today: smoothies for breakfast, giant spinach and mixed greens salad with carrots, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, beets and olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the dressing. For snack I had a cashew side salad from Whole Foods, lots of water, and I had another smoothie for dinner. I also ate a bunch of carrots, an apple and a couple of oranges. Whole Foods makes some great vegan salads that are to die for. I will probably be living there this week. On the Do Not Eat List: breads, sugar, meat of any kind, cheese/dairy products, anything fried, caffeine and alcohol.

This is the only way I know how to really detox my body and get rid of alot of the toxins and inflammation going on in my body right now. I'm kind of making up my own plan. I'm not following a diet per se. There are some great books out there on raw eating if you want to check them out.

Natalia Rose is one of my favorite raw food authors. She even has a section about infertility on her blog and about the link between what you eat and the ability to become pregnant. You can check it out here.

This is another great book and I love her story about why she started eating raw food. You can check out Carol's blog here.

So that's it in a nutshell. I've also ordered two DVD's from Amazon that I cannot wait to watch. I think it will be life changing. I will definitely be telling you about those in the future.

Do you have a weightloss goal in 2012? I'd love to hear about it.

Cheers to a happy and healthy new year!

Good Bye 2011

2011-12-31T23:58:00.000-06:00

The fireworks have started and the girls are fast asleep. I'm watching the countdown on tv and reflecting on what 2011 brought. Some good and some bad, but I'm thankful for it all. Every bit of it. I am most thankful for my amazing hubby and my two beautiful girls. I'm thankful for our families and for our friends. Most importantly I am thankful for His grace.

I am praying for blessings abundant in 2012. Thank you for taking the time to check in and read what I have to say. I so appreciate it. Thanks for sticking with me through the ups and downs. Love and blessings to you all.

I must go wake up my hubby who is asleep on the couch and give him a kiss.

Christmas Recap

2011-12-31T23:50:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. We opened presents at our house early that morning and then headed to Indiana around lunch time.

The girls love their new cardboard house. We have slowly, but surely, been coloring it. I think it might take use awhile. If you have the room, they are great and inexpensive. Only $20.

I made this Lego table for the girls. It's super easy to do. I found the idea on Pinterest. I just glued 4 large Lego plates to an Ikea Lack table and they know have a lego table for their Legos.

The only bummer about traveling on Christmas day is that nothing is open. Well, except for a few McDonalds and Waffle House. Two of my favorite restaurants ever. (Note the sarcasm). We decided to stop at a Waffle House right over the KY border and we didn't realize that KY still had smoking in their restaurants. TN did away with smoking in restaurants a few years ago. By the time we were done, we smelled awful and we still had 5 hours to go.

The girls did great in the car and it's getting more fun to travel because they are so good. We finally made it to Indiana that night. We had a great time with Brian's family. Unfortunately, his grandma got the stomach bug so she had to cancel her party on Tuesday night. We got to see her for a few hours on Monday morning and I'm thankful for that. I hope you are feeling better grandma.

Here is the whole gang. Brian has 2 brothers and a sister. His sister Kelly and her husband Dave have 8 year old twins and 1 1/2 year old triplets. Brian's mom is in the middle and his two brothers are right next to him in the back. I love when we can all get together.

The girls were so excited when it snowed on Tuesday. It was time to go sledding.

A Time to Rest

2011-12-23T23:18:00.000-06:00

I had to take another glance at the date of my last post. Has it really been 17 days? This is the longest break I have ever taken. Even when we lost Jonathan, I still blogged. I guess it's the busyness of the season and I haven't been feeling well. I still don't know what is wrong, but I've been having really bad lower back pain and pelvic pain. I've had ultrasounds on everything imaginable and all looks fine. I went to a new chiropractor who took an x-ray and he said my L4 and L5 are degenerating. Fabulous. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I still don't know if that's the cause, but for now, we'll go with that diagnosis.

The dizziness is still really bad, so we've decided to fly to Tampa next month to see a specialist. I'm hopeful that they will be able to help me. I'm also excited because we decided to take the girls and make a Disney World trip out of it. They have no idea. We are going to tell them the morning we leave. I can't wait. I will be sure to get it all on video.

I'm just about ready for Christmas. I just got done wrapping all the presents while the girls and Brian are fast asleep. On the girls wish list this year was a Fijit and a Perfect Petzzz. I can't wait to see their little faces light up. We have plans to go to church with my family tomorrow and then enjoy the festivities at my sister Stacy's house.

If you are still reading my blog, thank you. Thanks for hanging with me this long. I am really going to try harder to keep it updated.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas! May you remember the true meaning of the holiday. A babe who came to save the world. He is the reason for the season!

Tuesday's Tip- Are your Smartphone pictures luring predators?

2011-12-06T11:43:00.001-06:00

I haven't done a Tuesday's Tip in forever, I apologize. However, this video made me realize I had to post it for all of my readers to watch. If you have a smart phone, and take pictures with it, and then post those pictures onto your blog, Facebook, Twitter or anywhere else on the internet, you MUST watch this video. You could be luring a predator straight to your doorstep and not even know it.

After I watched this video, I grabbed my iPhone to see if my camera GPS was turned off. Thankfully it was. Is yours? If not, please switch it off immediately. Please share this video with your friends and family members. If your child's grandparents take pictures of your kids and post them to their Facebook page and their GPS is turned on, they are potentially putting your child in harm's way. Please help me spread the word. Let's practice safe photography. :)

Will you choose Joy?

2011-12-01T22:01:00.001-06:00

I wrote this on the chalkboard I have hanging in our kitchen. I've been learning alot about joy these last few weeks. Maybe it's because we are entering one of the most joyous times of the year.

It got me thinking, what is joy? Webster defines joy as "the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight" This is what the world say is joy. Notice it says success, good fortune, getting your desires.  Those are all things that are temporary.  One day you can have all of those things and the next day, it can be all stripped away.

What does the Bible say about joy? In James 1:1-8 it says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

I believe that true joy comes from the Lord. The world cannot bring me joy. Sure, there are things in this world that can make me happy, but happiness is fleeting. It's dependent on my circumstances. Only the Lord living inside me, can bring me joy. Being joyful is a choice.  I can choose to be joyful or I can choose to be sorrowful. Which will I choose? I have to say that most days I miss the mark. I don't choose joy. I wallow in my self pity and focus on what I don't have instead of the blessings that I do have. I focus on my physical ailments instead of praying for the Lord's healing hand upon my sick body. This sign reminds me daily that it's up to me.

Maybe you are in the same boat I am in tonight, having a hard time finding the joy through your trials. Afterall, what is so joyful about the loss of a child, a spouse, your health, or your home? The holidays can be a tough time when you are in the middle of the desert. You are desperate for rest and water, but there is none to be found. Call on the name of Jesus.  Look to the only one that can quench your thirst and bring rest to your weary bones. Drag yourself to the feet of Jesus, where He is waiting with open arms to love you and refresh you. My joy and my hope is found in Christ alone. It can never be taken away.

So, what is joy to me?  Hearing my girls say with a smile, "I love you mommy". That is Joy. To hold the hand of my husband and know he loves me unconditionally. That is Joy. To know one day I will live forever with my Savior. That is Joy. The hope that I will hold my sweet babies again. That is Joy.

I can choose to have joy now, even in the midst of my pain and tears. The choice is mine to make.

Let me entertain you

2011-11-29T20:16:00.002-06:00

Tonights entertainment is brought you by Sydney Kate. You will never guess that she arranged it herself. Enjoy!

(Yes, that is our mattress in the bathroom. We were having our carpets cleaned yesterday and needed a place to put it. Don't worry about the germs. We got a new mattress today. YAY! Also, look closely for the pink ghost who makes an appearance at the end.)

A Thankful Heart

2011-11-27T16:23:00.000-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know we did. I host Thanksgiving every year because we have a table big enough to seat my whole family. We had a total of 12 adults, 1 teenager and 7 kids under 7. We had a full house to say the least, but it was so much fun. I was so stressed making sure everything was on the table, I didn't take any pictures of the delicious spread. Shame on me.

We did our annual Turkey Trot 5K at 8 am that morning. I can't believe this was our 7th year. We started back in 2004 in memory of our precious Zoe. The weather was nice and sunny, so it made for a comfortable walk/run.

The kiddos participated this year in a fun run after the 5K. Here they are all lined up waiting to run.

And here's the whole Darin clan after the race. That's my 15 year old nephew Mario in the blue morph suite. He ran the whole race in that thing. Crazy boy.

After we run off the calories, we put them right back on when we head here.

My mouth is watering just looking at them. Donuts are my nemesis.

After we stuff ourselves silly, we all head home and take naps and prepare for dinner. Then everyone comes back to our house for dinner. After we enjoy our delicious meal, the adults go through the newspaper ads in preparation for Black Friday. I love black Friday, but this year I just couldn't do it. I was exhausted. I was in bed by 10:45.

Did you all do any shopping? I actually got some great deals at 9am the next morning so I was happy. We also picked up our tree this weekend. I think this is the earliest we've ever gotten it. If you are looking for a great deal and live near a Costco, their trees can't be beat. We got a 7-8 foot Fraser Fir for $29.99. I wish TN could grow Fraser Firs because they are my favorite. Unfortunately, they have to be trucked in from NC. The girls have worked hard all weekend putting up countless Christmas decorations and we still have a ways to go. I've had to tell them that it all doesn't have to be completed this weekend.

We're on our way out the door to celebrate my brother in law's 40th birthday today. Happy Birthday Bill! We love you.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-16T15:43:00.002-06:00

Xmas

2011-11-11T12:01:00.000-06:00

Does the title of my post today bother you? It bothers me. I don't like when I see Christmas abbreviated like this. Some would say that I am being too sensitive. That it's no big deal, but to me, it is. As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, I am reminded all too much how "commercialized" this holiday has become. I faced it head on this week when Brooklyn came home with this form for me to fill out.

Do you see anything missing? I saw it right away and so did Brooklyn. Where is the manger scene? Yes, I realize the Christmas tree and Santa represent Christmas, but it's not my Christmas. It's not what Christmas was founded on. Let me say right away, that I do not fault my daughter's teacher. She is fabulous. I know teachers have a ton of work and they go above and beyond for our children. I do not know who made up the form, but it makes me sad that Christ was left off. (If you are looking at the picture next to Santa and wondering what it is, don't worry, so did I. Brian looked it up. It's a Scandinavian holiday called St. Lucia Day).

I was not offended with the fact that the paper was sent home. I don't have a problem with that. If I was a teacher I would want to know more about my kids and what they believe and celebrate. What I do have a problem with is that if we are going to have other faiths represented, I believe that the Christian faith should be represented as well. Yes, I am well aware that my child attends a public school. It just seems to me that everyone wants us to be tolerant of other peoples religions and beliefs, but when it comes to being "tolerant" of Christianity, people get upset.

Personally, I am tired of it. It's time to take a stand for what I believe even if it makes people upset or uncomfortable. I will never apologize for loving the Lord with every ounce of my being. I won't apologize for raising my children to become all they can in Christ and for raising them to stand up for their beliefs. When I asked Brooklyn if she saw something missing in the picture she said, "Mommy, where's the manger?" She got upset and said, "mommy, you need to tell my teacher". I told her that I wrote on the paper that we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Maybe you are reading this and agree with me 100%. Maybe you totally disagree with me and think I am over reacting and being too sensitive. That's ok. Let's agree to disagree. That's what I love about this country. We have the freedom to worship whatever God we choose to worship. However, that freedom has come at a cost, and today, on Veterans Day, I want to say Thank You. Thank you to the men and women who have served this country proudly and to the families that have lost a loved one, THANK YOU for the ultimate sacrifice.

God Bless America!!!

Toothless

2011-11-04T19:18:00.000-05:00

The big day finally happened at the Lord house. Brooklyn lost her first tooth. It had been loose for a week or so and on Wednesday she came home with it literally hanging. She said it bled a bit at school. She told me right away that she wanted to try the dental floss around the door knob trick when daddy got home. Well, daddy got home and here's what happened.

So yeah, she chickened out. I don't blame her really. I remember I did that as a kid and it was not fun. After bath time it was bugging her and so daddy wiggled it a bit and out it came. Yipee!

In case it's hard to tell in the picture, it's the bottom center tooth that came out. She was so excited to go to bed that night. She couldn't wait to see what the Tooth Fairy was going to bring her. I gave her my tooth pillow to use from when I was a little girl. I didn't save much from my childhood sadly, but this was one thing that made it over the years and I am so glad it did.

I love the letter the Tooth Fairy left. It was so cute. Brooklyn was happy to receive $1. She put it in her piggy bank to spend after a few more teeth come out.

What's the going rate in your household for a lost tooth? I told Brooklyn that I used to get a quarter for my lost tooth and she just started to laugh. So know we sit and wait to see which tooth will come out next.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-02T10:00:00.001-05:00

Trick Or Treat

2011-10-31T23:02:00.000-05:00

I am officially "Halloweened" out. I have to say I enjoy watching the kiddos have fun, but this is not my favorite holiday. Truthfully, it never really has been. I don't like most of what comes along with Halloween, but I allow my girls to dress up as long as it is completely innocent and non scary. I tend to veer towards cute when it comes to picking out costumes.

Sydney has been saying she wanted to be a princess. Big shocker there. First she picked Sleeping Beauty. We had the costume already, well my friend Brandy did anyway, so I borrowed it from her. Then I went to Target and got her a blond wig. She put it on and came running out of the bathroom screaming. It was hilarious. That was the end of that. I guess seeing her self with blond hair freaked her out.

She then proclaimed that she would be Belle because she has brown hair. Perfect, we have that dress too so I won't have to buy anything. Win, win.

I think she makes one beautiful Belle if I do say so myself. Thanks to Auntie RoRo who came over and curled her hair. I'm jealous of my daughter's hair. It is so gorgeous. Both my girls got lucky in that department.

Brooklyn decided she wanted to be Strawberry Shortcake. Unlike Syd, she was determined to find a costume wear she could wear a red wig. We settled on pink.

We had a great time in our neighborhood tonight. We love our neighbors and feel incredibly blessed to live where we do. We got home and the girls laid out all of their loot.

We told the girls they couldn't keep all of their candy and that they needed to decide what they would keep and what they would donate. Brooklyn was totally serious and I started cracking up when I saw her donate pile. I don't think so baby girl.

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe time with your families tonight. Who's ready for Thanksgiving?

Finally an app for Blogger

2011-10-30T22:19:00.001-05:00

Yippee! Blogger finally got an app for the iPhone. It's the little things in life right? I'm curled up in bed while I write this little diddy on my iPhone. Maybe I will actually get more posts done now. Just maybe.

To write their names in sand

2011-10-24T19:59:00.000-05:00

Years ago, I came across this blog and wept. I knew that if I had a chance to spend some time at the beach, I wanted to write my kid's names in the sand. As I watched Brooklyn and Sydney play on the beach, my heart ached, knowing I would never get that chance with Zoe and Jonathan. I wanted somehow for them to be there with us.

So I wrote.....

and wrote.

It was just a simple way of letting my sweet babies know how much I love them and miss them. Who knows, maybe they could see it from Heaven.

Snapshots

2011-10-19T21:40:00.001-05:00

We spent a wonderful Fall Break down in Orange Beach, AL. It was marvelous. Grandma Sara, Brian's mom, flew in to vacation with us and it was so much fun. We ate too much fried fish, stayed at the beach til dusk and just enjoyed being together as a family.

I was thrilled to have a new zoom lens to use, thanks Jamie for letting me borrow yours, and it made all the difference in the pictures I captured. I think this lens is going on my Christmas list. (In case you are wondering, I shoot with a Nikon D40 and used a zoom 55-200 lens. I edit my pictures in Picnik.)

Enjoy!

A Letter to my Firstborn

2011-10-08T21:38:00.000-05:00

My Dearest Zoe,

I can't believe it's been 7 years since I held you in my arms. Sometimes it feels like yesterday and other times it feels like it's been an eternity. Oh how I miss you so. I know you love it in Heaven. Are you having a blast with your baby brother? I know you would never want to be here with us on earth, but selfishly I wish I had just one more day to spend with you.

One more day for you to play with your sisters.
One more day to rock you and sing to you.
One more day for your daddy to read you a story.
One more day to just look into your eyes and let you know how much I love you. I hope you do know just how much I love you my sweet girl. Do you know? Does Jesus tell you?  I can't wait for the day that I get to see you again. Oh what a wonderful reunion that will be. When we are all together again.

Until that day my baby girl, just know there is not a day that goes by that I don't think of you and miss you so so much.  You will always be my firstborn Zoe.

I love you to the moon and back,
Mommy

P.S. Happy Birthday Zoe! We hope you see the balloons we sent to you in Heaven. We love you and miss you very much. Love, Brooklyn and Sydney.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-05T22:27:00.003-05:00

Laundry Room Reveal

2011-10-01T22:33:00.003-05:00

I'm so glad I told y'all I would reveal my laundry room makeover this week because it forced me to get it done. I love how it turned out. Ok, so you are probably thinking, "Why would she spend money fixing up her laundry room?" That is a great question. We were kind of forced into it really. We had a leak upstairs in the girls bathroom and it caused water damage into the laundry room right below it. These are the only before pictures I have. Sorry.

I should back up a bit. 4 years ago when we moved into our house we painted it a teal color. I was going to add a cute border, if there is such a thing, after we painted, thus the reason why I didn't do cut in work at the top. Well, 4 years later, the border was never added to the walls and I hated the color. When we had to have the drywall replaced, I decided it was a great time to change the color.

I started off by painting the walls Cumulus Cloud by Martha Stewart. I love it. It's the perfect shade of grey.

Then I replaced the unattractive light fixture to the one you see above from Ikea.

It was a steal at only $29.99. I love the feel it lends to the room. Thank you dad for hanging it.

The safety pins I purchased from Ballard Design. They were 3 for $35 and I just think they are so cute. The accordion drying rack I already had. I bought it from The Container Store years ago. The wall hook I also had. It's from Ikea.

I had to find a way of hiding the ugly hose box you see in the first picture above. I got lucky that the towel I had, which I bought on sale, online, at Pottery Barn last Christmas for $5, was wide enough to cover it. The towel bar is from Target and was $12.99.

The wooden stool was $14.99 Ikea. I will probably end up painting someday. I'm dying to try out the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint I picked up a month or so ago. The runner is from Costco and was $9.99. It's hard to tell in the picture, but it's grey with creme pinstripes. The basket in the corner was my huge score from Christmas last year. It came in a set of 3 from Wisteria for $12.99. Unfortunately, they no longer carry them.

The ironing board cover I got from Home Goods for $9.99. The iron board rack I bought a long time ago from Bed Bath and Beyond. Unfortunately, I got a new iron and the iron is too big to fit into the holder. Not sure what I'm gonna do about that yet. I hated the look of the utility sink so I bought a table cloth from Target for $16.99 and turned it into a skirt for the sink. I simply sewed (who am I kidding, I had my dry cleaner do it for $10)Velcro on to the fabric and stuck it on. Easy peasy. It also gives me another place to hide extra detergent and other supplies.

I wanted to keep an open feel and not hang any cabinets on the wall, but need a little bit of storage to keep all of my supplies. I found this laundry cart at Bed Bath and Beyond. With a coupon I think it was under $35. It fits perfectly between my washer and dryer. I've talked about this on my blog before, but I love glass containers. I'm a little obsessed with them actually. You should see my pantry. They are not only beautiful, but practical as well. I know exactly how much I have in each jar so I never run out.

Well, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed the tour of my laundry room. I can tell you that I no longer dread doing the laundry. In case you were wondering about the price tag for this makeover, I did the whole project for around $250 including all the accessories.

Not everyone is going to have an extra $250 laying around to spend in their laundry room. I have some easy and inexpensive ways you can add some beauty to your room.

1. Add some photos. It's much harder to complain about doing laundry when you're staring at the people that mean the most to you.

2. Add a little color. A gallon of paint is cheap and it's the easiest way to transform a room. I couldn't believe how much bigger the laundry room felt once I lightened it up.

3. Add some pretty baskets and glass containers to keep your supplies in. Ball jars are inexpensive and you can find them anywhere. You may even have some lying around your house.

I'd love to hear what ya think. Drop me a comment and you could win a burlap bag like the one hanging on the hook above. I'll be picking a winner on Monday. Good Luck!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-28T19:16:00.000-05:00

Random Thoughts by Krista Lord

2011-09-26T21:03:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have those days when your mind goes a million miles an hour and it just won't stop? Well I've been having a whole month of it. I guess that's why I haven't been posting as much as I used to. Forgive me, but this post will probably be a little ADD.

I am so thankful fall is here. Can I get an amen? Seriously, it's my fav time of the year. I love everything about it. What I don't like is how busy our lives seem to get. The girls are both in school and loving their teachers and doing really well. I am one of the room moms in Brooklyn's class and I'm busy, with the other moms, planning the fall party and teacher appreciation.

Brooklyn started up soccer again and Sydney's new ballet class began again as well. As luck would have it, both events are on Sat morning, which means, conflicting schedules. Then there is choir at church on Sunday nights. I love that the girls have fun activities to do and they love doing them, but sometimes I miss just having down time. Anyone else with me on this?

I guess what I am saying is that I never want to get too busy that we stop having family meals together. Did you know that children who eat meals together at least 5 times a week are more likely to have higher grades in school? Here's another important statistic. This one is especially important to me because I am a mom of 2 girls. Studies show that teenage girls who ate five or more meals per week, with their families, were less likely to resort to extreme dieting measures such as self-induced vomiting, diet pills or laxatives. This was true regardless of socioeconomic status, body mass index or family connectedness. Wow. Not something I want my girls to deal with.

Speaking of mealtime, my girls surprised me with breakfast in bed yesterday. Brian said it was all their idea. It made my morning. Brian captured a quick video of the girls explaining the meal. Syd always seems to make an infomercial out of it. She is such a ham in front of the camera. Brooklyn was too busy eating. My kind of girl. :)

In health news, I found out my thyroid is not functioning and I'm anemic. What a wonderful combination. No wonder I was so dog tired all the time. I have no idea how I ran during the summer. So, I'm on iron as well as Thyroid Armour (wanted to go the non synthetic route and not take Synthroid) to help boost my thyroid. I go back next week for bloodwork to see if all the supplements I am taking are working. I have alot more energy, but I'm still incredibly dizzy.

I ran across a print out in my room of a Jesus Calling Devo from January 8th. I felt like someone needed to hear this tonight.

"HOPE in Me, and you will be protected from depression and self-pity. HOPE is like a golden cord connecting you to heaven. The more you cling to this cord, the more I bear the weight of your burdens; thus, you are lightened. Heaviness is not of My kingdom. Cling to HOPE, and My rays of Light will reach you through the darkness."

Psalm 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in HOPE, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer".

Romans 15:13 " May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Brave Girl

2011-09-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

I decided to take Sydney to a new doctor to see if we can pin point what is causing her tummy aches. This doctor is an MD, but practices alternative medicine. Basically, instead of treating the symptoms with medicine, he tries to get to the route of the problem. Most of the time with diet change, you can cure alot of ailments.

Today they had to do a blood draw. I have been dreading this for over a week since I made the appointment. At the last appointment they had to prick her finger to check her iron and she went crazy. She cried and cried. I had visions of this being much worse, flailing on the table and blood going everywhere. Ok, maybe I've watched to many episodes of ER, but none the less, I was not too excited about today.

I made Brian go with me. I was not going to try to hold her down by myself. Don't let that sweet smile fool you, Sydney is one tough cookie. Well, it turns out I didn't need Brian after all. Syd did awesome. She started to cry as they put the band on her arm and then when the nurse stuck the needle in, she cried a little harder, but she held still so they could get 2 vials of blood.

She was so proud of her sparkly bandaids. I promised her a special treat if she did a great job at the doctor. I kept my promise. She picked out some rainbow popcorn and boy did she love it.

We should have the results in 4 weeks. The bloodwork will tell us what foods she is sensitive to and we will cut those out of her diet to see if that makes a difference. Please be in prayer that we can find the culprit. I am so tired of seeing my baby in pain.

Jesus Calling Devotional

2011-09-18T12:51:00.000-05:00

I hope you all are enjoying a relaxing Sunday with your families. This devotional smacked me upside the head yesterday and I thought I'd share it with you. Praying y'all have a blessed week.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-09-14T23:40:00.000-05:00

Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?

2011-09-11T16:45:00.001-05:00

10 years ago today, I was on the way to the Nashville Airport to drop off my parents and my sisters for their flight to Southern California. We had a concert there the following weekend and I was going to be flying out a few days later. I was a newlywed of 5 months and I wanted more time at home with my new husband. We were on the interstate when we heard a plane had flown into the World Trade Center. We were horrified and wondered what could have caused a pilot to crash into the building. I don't think terrorist attack even crossed our minds.

Then the second plane hit the other tower, and that's when we knew that it was no accident. I nervously dropped my family off at the airport and proceeded to go back home. I gave Brian a call at work and he said that his boss was closing the office and wanted all of his employees to head to his house. I drove to his bosses house and that's where I watched the towers fall.

About an hour later, I got a call from my mom that they had boarded the plane, but then they were told that their flight was cancelled. All flights had been grounded. I got back in my car and went to the airport to pick them up. The rest of the day, I was glued to the TV, like most Americans.

I got a chance to go to New York in June for the first time ever. I told my friend Micah that I wanted to see ground zero. As I walked by I couldn't help but get teary eyed. It was an incredible sight to see. I can't imagine what it was like that day to be so close to the buildings as they were burning. I can't imagine what it was like to see people jumping to their deaths. What must it have been like to run for your life as the towers came crashing down?

They have a memorial site set up just down the street from Ground Zero. They have a model of what the memorial site will look like when it's completed. It was overwhelming to see all of the signs people had made looking for their lost loved ones. I personally didn't know anyone who lost their lives on that horrible day, but today as I watched the videos all over again, I was brought to tears. Tears for those innocent lives that were lost. Tears for the young fathers and mothers who never got the chance to see their children grow up. Tears for the brave fire fighters and police officers who risked their lives to save just one. Tears for the brave women and men aboard Flight 93 who saved countless lives by crashing into a field in Shanksville, PA.

We Will Never Forget. I Will Never Forget. God Bless America!

First Day of Preschool

2011-09-06T20:51:00.000-05:00

Sydney had her first day of preschool today and it went fabulous. She woke up this morning and the first thing she said was, "Mommy, is it time to go to school now?" I think the fact that Brooklyn has been going to school for the last few weeks has helped get Sydney excited.

She loves her teacher, Ms. G. She's awesome. She is spunky and fun. Today she wore rain boots and braids in her hair. She's adorable and yes, she's a mom as well. Love it. Syd ran up and gave her a hug right away. Ms. G had to tell Syd to say goodbye and give me a kiss. She was ready to go. I was actually fine with that because it was better than the alternative of kicking and screaming.

It's been raining almost non stop for 2 days so taking some pictures outside was not an option. I snapped this picture with my iPhone just right out of class. Here are some of Sydney's favorites.

I wish she had her jacket off in the picture because you can't see her pretty dress. Oh well, there's always next year. After I asked Sydney some of the favorites listed above, she continued to tell me some of her other favorite things. Sydo, when you are reading this in 10 years, here's what else you liked back in 2011 when you were 4.

Favorite Place:            Chuck E Cheese (Of course, this one makes mommy gag. Sorry baby).
Favorite Restaurant:    Cracker Barrel
Favorite Animal:         Pigs (Because you saw a momma pig with her 18 piglets at the fair this summer)
Favorite Color:           Purple, Pink and Red

Looking forward to a great school year.

I'm Still Here

2011-09-01T23:30:00.000-05:00

I feel like life is going 100 miles an hour and I have no brakes. August is a crazy month for us. 3 birthdays, Jonathan, Brian and Brooklyn's, school starts, soccer starts and family is usually in town, celebrating said birthdays. Phew!

Today, Sydney had orientation at her new school and she got to meet her teacher. She is so excited. Her teacher Ms. G is wonderful. I know Sydney is going to have a great year. She will start Tuesday and go 4 days a week. I already have a list a mile high of the stuff that needs to be done around the house.

As if August wasn't busy enough, I tackled redecorating our laundry room. I was sort of forced in to updating it, when an upstairs toilet leaked and sent water rushing down the walls of the laundry room and soaking a part of the drywall and ceiling. My awesome brother in law, Bill, came to our rescue and fixed it for us. Here's a shot of it before:

Ain't she a beauty Clark? What was I thinking when I painted a small room bright turquoise? I was so glad to get rid of that awful color. You can see where my brother in law had to rip out the drywall. I have a few more finishing touches to add to the room and then it will be complete. Can't wait to show you the new and much improved laundry room. I actually don't dread laundry anymore.

My next project is our home office. I love this room because it's at the front of the house and the same brother in law that fixed our laundry room, also built custom bookshelves in our office. Yeah, he's pretty great, right? If you are local to Nashville, and would like his information, just shoot me an email and I can put you in touch with him. He does awesome work. So I love the bookshelves, but they are a total disaster. We moved in 4 years ago and I stuck stuff up there and haven't moved it since. I got tired of looking at it, so today, I took everything off the shelves and put it all on the floor. I've read that's really the only way to tackle a project like this.

My plan is to add some wall paper to the back of the bookcase, to give it some visual interest and soften up the hard lines a bit. We have a custom desk, that Bill made as well, that matches the bookcase. I took everything out of the desk too, so it pretty much looks like a mine field right now. I have to keep the doors locked so the girls don't get in there. I'm afraid they might get hurt.

I'm off on a girls weekend with my sisters and my mom. I am so pumped. We are gonna shop, eat, watch movies, and eat some more. Looking forward to some much needed girl time and maybe some sleep. Have a great long weekend everyone. Stay Safe!

Happy Birthday Brooklyn

2011-08-25T19:23:00.000-05:00

Dearest Brooklyn,

Six years ago today, you made my dream come true. You made me a mom. It was one of the happiest days of my life. I couldn't get enough of you. I loved your sweet dimples and your blond hair, what little of it you had.

The smile on my face says it all. I was so happy to have you here with me safe and sound. You were the answers to my prayers. You changed our family forever and I couldn't believe you were finally here.

I have loved seeing you blossom into a beautiful little girl. You are so beautiful, funny, smart, creative, loving and tender hearted. I love how you remember things. Your recall is seriously off the charts. One day that's gonna come in handy. I love how you love your sister. How you protect her. I love your heart towards Jesus.

You're not my little baby anymore. You are all grown up. You do things for yourself now and you don't need mommy as much as you once did. That may make me sad from time to time, but I love watching you thrive and learn. That blesses me more than you know.

My sweet girl, always remember that I love you unconditionally. That Jesus loves you more than you could ever comprehend. He will always be there for you and so will I. Happy Birthday my precious daughter. I love you.

The Wheels on the Bus

2011-08-22T22:23:00.000-05:00

For 2 years now, Brooklyn has been wanting to ride the school bus. The bus stop is literally in front of our house and all last year she would run to the window and watch the kids get on the bus. All summer long she kept asking me, "Mommy, when do I get to ride the bus?" I was hesitant to let her. Growing up in Southern California, there was no bus to school. You either walked, road your bike or your mom took you. That was it. Brian on the other hand grew up riding the bus to school in Indiana, so for him it was no big deal to let her ride the bus. Mama, on the other hand, had a rough time letting her go.

I didn't cry at all last week, when I took her to school and into her classroom. Today, however, was a different story. I watched her get on the bus and the tears came. I got into the house and just cried. I realized for the first time that she was a big girl now and this was the first step towards independence. Today was also her first full day and I missed my girl. Sydney missed her sister. It was rough, but when she got home from school she was so excited to tell me about her day, that it made things alot better. That and the fact that she found a girl in her class that loved Zhu Zhu pets as much as she did.

Slumber Party

2011-08-21T21:46:00.000-05:00

I can't say that I am fully recovered from this weekend, but I am getting there. You see, I had 8 4, 5 and 6 year olds at my house on Friday night for a slumber party. Some of you are probably thinking, has this chick lost her mind. The answer is quite possibly, yes. I really don't know what I was thinking when I told Brooklyn she could invite some friends over to spend the night for her 6th birthday.

The girls ate pizza, made a craft (I'll post at a later date a fun thing to do with your child), Brooklyn opened presents, ate cake, played Wii Dance and then ate popcorn and watched a movie. By 11:00 I was pooped, but they were still going. I let them watch another movie. Earlier in the day, I had told my girls that if they took a nap they could stay up as late as they wanted. Again, what was I thinking? Well they took that message to heart. They were all still up at 1 am. Yes you heard me right. 1 am. Finally the birthday girl crawled in her bed and was out. Then Sydney followed. One of the girls was missing her mommy, so I had to make a phone call to her mom at 1:30 in the morning. My poor friend Brandi had to come pick her daughter up. Sorry girl. Then it was time for Brooklyn's friend Gracie to miss her mommy and daddy. Luckily she lives one house over so I walked her home. By then the only 2 left were my nieces and they were stuck. :) They ended up falling asleep quickly.

Needless to say, I took a 3 hour nap with my girls yesterday. I couldn't see straight I was so tired. It had been a long week with family in town and Brooklyn's first 2 days of kindergarten. Thankfully it was a fun week and many memories were made. Isn't that what it's all about?

I'm going to post more this week of Brooklyn's party with pictures. I think I took about 100 and I am too tired to go through and edit them, so I will leave you with an awesome video of the girls doing Wii Dance. The best part of the night was when Brooklyn said to me, "This is the best day ever".

Kindergarten Favorites

2011-08-18T13:39:00.000-05:00

I found this idea on Pinterest, so I cannot take credit it for it, but how cute is this? I knew as soon as I saw it I had to do it for Brooklyn's first day of Kindergarten. Before school, I took her to our backyard and snapped the picture. Then I downloaded it on to Picnik, my favorite website to create my photos, and then typed in the info. Easy as that. I am going to do this for every grade. How neat will that be to see how her favorites change over the years. Can't wait to do this with Sydney next year.

Brooklyn had a great first day and I didn't cry one bit. I couldn't believe it. I think it's because she's been in preschool since she was 2 years old, although it was only 2 days a week then, so I was used to her being in school, if that makes sense. I am looking forward to a great school year.

I couldn't end this post without wishing my hubby a very special birthday. I love you Brian and I am thankful to be your wife. I hope your day is fantastic.

Triple the fun

2011-08-17T21:17:00.000-05:00

We were blessed to have Brian's sister and her husband come down with their kids from Indiana. They have twins who are 8 and triplets who are 1. The kids all play along really well together and we have so much fun. I wish we didn't live so far away from them. How cute are the triplets? Sydney follows them everywhere they go. She would take one by the hand and walk them around. She will be a great big sister some day, I just know it.

It's a big day for us tomorrow. Brooklyn has her first day of kindergarten. She is so excited. She actually asked me if she could take a bath tonight. That never happens. I'm kinda liking this school thing. Hopefully I will be able to hold it together and not make a fool out of myself when I drop her off.

How did you handle your child's first day of school? Was it easier or harder than you thought?

Jesus Calling Devotional

2011-08-15T23:05:00.000-05:00

Remembering My Son

2011-08-12T20:51:00.000-05:00

Dearest Jonathan,

My son. Oh how I miss you from the depths of my soul. My heart aches for you. I can't believe it's been 1 year since I held you and looked into your little eyes. You reminded me so much of your daddy and your big sister Brooklyn, with your little dimpled chin. You got the Lord chin you know. You were so beautiful. It was just too soon sweet boy.

Your daddy and I and your sisters had prayed and prayed for you. You were the answers to our prayers. I don't know why you had to leave us and I wish I could have protected you. We had so many plans for you. I wish so much you could've met your big sisters. You would have love playing with them. They are truly amazing and they've kept your daddy and me going this past year.

What is Heaven like my son? I imagine you and Zoe holding hands walking through streets of gold or sitting on Jesus lap. I look forward to the day that we are reunited as one big family. How sweet that will be. Until then my boy, know that I love you dearly and miss you. You will always be a part of my heart and our family. Kiss your sissy for me tonight.

Love you to the moon and back,
Mommy

Back to School Shopping

2011-08-07T21:45:00.002-05:00

Back to School time was one of my favorites as a kid. I loved it. I have fond memories of my mom taking me and my 3 sisters to the store. I loved picking out all the school supplies, including a few of these bad boys, Pee Chee folders. In case you are not as old as I am, or you'd like to walk down memory lane, here is what they looked like.

Now do you remember them? The best part, hands down, was picking out my new lunch box for the year.

It was all about Charlie's Angels and of course these babies.

Yep, had to have a jelly bag, with a bandana in the inside, and the jelly shoes to go with it.

And who could forget the rainbow shirt. Not this girl. In fact my sisters and I all had one. Oh if I could only find the picture. I actually may hunt for it because it's hilarious.

Memories, light the corners of my mind, misty water colored memories, of the way we were.

O.K., so where was I? Oh, yeah, this was supposed to be about Brooklyn going back to school shopping.

We had a tax free weekend (on anything school related, supplies, clothes, etc.) here in Tennessee. Some of you may have those weekends as well in your state. For us, it's an almost 10% savings, 9.25% to be exact. Yes, we have a high sales tax, but we don't pay state income tax, so I guess it works out well.

On Friday, I took Brooklyn on a mommy, daughter date. My dad took Sydney out for breakfast at Cracker Barrel, her favorite, so I could spend some alone time with my big girl. We went out for breakfast at our favorite downtown restaurant. She loves their French Toast as you can see.

We went over the supplies list at breakfast. She wanted to know everything that was on it.

Poor thing, she was sleepy. You can see it in her eyes. There was no rest for the weary, however. We were on a mission. That mission would lead us here:

Where we would buy all of this:

We actually did well. It came to around $28 for all of the stuff she needed for school. My mom already had the nap mat, thanks Nana, so I didn't have to purchase one. I'd say she's all ready to start school next week.

Speaking of school, we went to tour the brand new building today. They literally just finished laying the sod last week. Talk about in the nick of time. School starts for 1st-5th graders this Thursday. It's a gorgeous campus. I was supposed to take pictures and when I got to the school, the battery was dead. I was so bummed. Oh well, I'm sure there will be many picture taking moments on the first day.

She's been wanting to meet her principle since I told her that papa knew her. My parents met us up at the school and my dad introduced her to Dr. L. One good thing about the grandparents being in the same school district for 10 years, they know a lot of the faculty members. My dad talked to Dr. L today about subbing at Brooklyn's school. I like the idea of her papa being up at her school.

It was a busy weekend for us and I am beat. We have one week left of summer vacation and I don't have one thing planned. I better think of something quick or this mama might go crazy. How are you spending the last few days of summer?

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-03T19:02:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Tip-Free Printable

2011-08-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today's Tuesday's Tip I found while perusing Pinterest. Yes, it's my new addiciton. Anyway, I saw this printable on there and knew I had to have it. You can download it for free at Life's A Journal. Love her blog by the way. She has more printables on there too.

I have mine in a sheet protector hanging on my fridge, so I can reuse it everyday. I just use a dry erase pen and I am good to go. My favorite part is the water tracker. Love this. I have made my water goal everyday, which in turn helps me run better and faster.

Do you use a daily tracker to to write your goals for the day?

Jesus Calling Devotional

2011-08-01T08:52:00.000-05:00

Where did the summer go? In just a matter of 2 weeks, my big girl will be starting kidnergarten and turning 6 all at the same time. I am so excited for her, but sad at the same time. All you moms who have already walked through this stage of life understand, I'm sure.

This was a great devotional today and a great way to start the week and a new month. I'm challenging myself today to do this when fear and anxiety move in. Have a great week everyone.

Look out Food Network

2011-07-27T19:29:00.000-05:00

there's a new chef in town. I think we could be staring at the next Rachael Ray. Syd even sounds like her with her raspy voice.

Switcheroo Sunday-A "greener" powder cleanser

2011-07-24T22:06:00.002-05:00

Yes, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. Switcheroo Sunday is back. Yipee! I know it's been forever since I did a Switcheroo. I promise that it's back to stay.

Let's talk cleaners for a moment, shall we. I made the switch to non toxic cleaning supplies years ago and I hope most of you have done the same. The chemicals in cleaning agents are very toxic and cause many health problems, including infertility. I know when I used to use toxic cleaners, I would sneeze and sneeze while I cleaned. I knew that it was the fragrance in the cleaners, but I didn't really know what else to use. Thankfully, with alot of companies starting to go green, it's become alot easier to find products that really work.

One of those products is
Bon Ami. First of all, I love the name and the packaging. Simple and classic. The best part about Bon Ami's products, no harsh ingredients. Which means they're nontoxic, biodegradable and hypoallergenic. You can read about the ingredients here.

Maybe your mom cleaned with their powder cleanser. Bon Ami has been around since 1886. I heard about how great it was so I had to try it out for myself. Luckily, my neighborhood Publix sells it and for only .89 cents. Yep, you heard me right, .89 cents. What a bargain. I ran to the store and picked up a can. The way I look at it, if it doesn't work, I'm not out a ton of money.

I knew exactly what I wanted to clean when I got home, my stainless steel sink. (This is where I kick myself for not taking before pictures, but I wasn't planning on writing a blog about it. Sorry). A little goes a long with this cleanser. Let me just say that when I got done cleaning, my kitchen sink "It shined like the top of the Chrysler building." (Anyone know what movie that line is from)? I used it just yesterday to clean my stainless steal toaster and it worked awesome on it as well.

Bon Ami is a great non-toxic alternative to Comet, Ajax or Soft Scrub. Did you know that the active ingredient in Comet is sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione dihydrate, a chemical rated ‘highly toxic’ by the EPA. I don't know about you, but I don't want my girls taking a bath in a bathtub that's been cleaned with a toxic cleaner.

Soft Scrub's active ingredient is Sodium Hypochlorite. Other Ingredients: Hydrochloric Acid, Alumina monohydrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Silicate, Secondary Alkane Sulfonate, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Laurate, Aluminum Distearate, Lauryl Dimethylamine Oxide, Cetyl Dimethylamine Oxide, Fragrance, Water

I would love to hear some of the ways you use Bon Ami in your house. If you'd like to know where to purchase Bon Ami, click here to find a retailer nearest you.

Disclaimer: This is my opinion. I did not get paid by Bon Ami to blog about their products. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on t.v. I am just a mom who enjoys researching the ingredients in the products my family uses and the foods that we eat.

We have a winner

2011-07-22T12:45:00.002-05:00

Watch the video to see the winner announced.

Karen, please email me your address at hopeinthewaiting@gmail.com so I can get your gift to you. Thanks everyone for your comments. Check DaySpring for all their wonderful gifts and cards. "Like" them on Facebook and receive 10% off. Use code fbfans10.

App contest

2011-07-21T22:05:00.000-05:00

My helpers are already in bed for the night. They are exhausted after VBS tonight. The last one of the summer. I will be choosing a winner in the morning for the tote bag. Stay tuned!

Tuesday's Tip- 5 Must have Apps

2011-07-19T20:16:00.000-05:00

I haven't done a Tuesday's Tip in awhile and today felt like a good day to post one, so here it goes. This tip is for anyone who has a smart phone. I personally have an iPhone, so these will be apps for the iPhone, but I know you can find similar apps for any smart phone.

#1. Gas Buddy

Love this app. You type in your zip code and it tells you all the gas prices in your area. I use this app weekly. It also comes handy when you are traveling. We used it when we traveled to Indiana and Ohio.

#2. Amazon Price Check

Another must have. If you have never purchased from Amazon, you are missing out. They have the best prices and it's always free shipping over $25, if it comes from their warehouse. I'll give you an example of how I use it. We have a local toy store in town that my girls love to go to. There stuff can be pretty pricey so we usually just window shop. When I see something that might make a great gift, I take my iPhone out and hold it up to the bar code on the box and push the Scan It button. It scans it and gives me a price within in seconds. I would say 8 out of 10 times, Amazon's price is cheaper and usually by a lot. Plus it's fun scanning stuff too. :)

#3. Flight Aware Live Tracking

I use this app anytime Brian has to fly for business. It's super easy to use and it gives me up to the minute info so I know when to leave to go to the airport. My girls love to view the map of daddy's route. Brooklyn is working on learning her states and I can ask her to tell me what state daddy is flying through. All you need to know is the airline and flight number. It's that simple.

#4. Pinterest

Ok, this one is purely fun and I will warn you, addicting. Have you heard of Pinterest? I hadn't either until about 2 months ago and now I can't put it down. I copied this from Pinterest's website. Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard. Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite. It will probably take you a few days to be accepted, but then it's game on.

#5. WhiteNoise

Warning: If you have to have complete silence to sleep, this app is not for you. However, if you are like me and can't fall asleep in total silence, you will love this app. My girls have always slept with noise machines on since they were tiny babies. They still do. Whenever we traveled in the past, we had to make sure the noise machine was always in the suitcase. Not anymore, thanks to this app. They have 40 noises. Ours is usually set on heavy rain pouring, but when I want to relax and read, I set it to ocean waves crashing. It reminds me of back home in Southern California.

So there you have it. These are all FREE apps by the way. I would love to hear some of your must have apps. Please leave me a comment and share your favorites.

I have a fun tote bag giveaway from DaySpring I will be giving to a lucky winner who leaves a comment. You have until Thursday to post your favorite app.

Give Thanks

2011-07-15T23:46:00.000-05:00

I have alot to be thankful for in my life. When I focus on what I do have, instead of what I don't have, I realize that I am blessed beyond measure.

I caught Sydney singing this song a few weeks ago as we were leaving to go to the airport. The video is a little bumpy and I am taking it through the headrest because I didn't want her to know I was recording her. I get better video that way. I grew up singing this song and it warms my heart to hear the girls singing it. (Brooklyn realized I was taping towards the end and started singing. That's why she's just at the end). What are you thankful for today?

White Noise

2011-07-14T22:34:00.000-05:00

I read this devotional out of "Jesus Calling" this week and wanted to pass it on. I have dealt with anxiety since I was a little girl, like 7 or 8. I have no idea where it came from, but it was something I dealt with all through my growing up years. The worry became full blown panic attacks when I was in high school. I finally sought Christian counseling when I was 19 and I was able to get rid of the attacks. Thank you Jesus.

Over the years, I have slowly let fear and worry creep back into my life. I guess being a parent can do that to you, especially if you are prone to it like I have been. Let's call fear what it is, SIN. I know that and I know that it's from the enemy. So why can't I conquer it? Losing Jonathan escalated the anxiety big time. Being constantly dizzy also adds fuel to the fire. I don't want to be in this place. I know the Lord can bring healing to my heart and to my soul. I lay all this out here because I know I am not the only one, who deals with this. If you are struggling with fear and worry tonight, please know I am here with you. You are not alone. I hope this speaks to your heart. I for one find it comforting tonight.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

2011-07-11T22:38:00.001-05:00

There are many perks to my husband's job and one of those is getting free tickets to sporting events. This time it was thanks to Dusty Baker, the coach of the Cincinnati Reds. We had the best seats. Right behind home plate.

The Reds are my husband's favorite baseball team. He's followed them since he was a young kid growing up in Indiana. He was so excited to take the girls to see their first Major League game. The Reds were playing the Cleveland Indians, so it made for a great interstate rival.

Great American Ball Park is gorgeous. One of the best, in my opinion. The Ohio River is just right behind the stadium and they have a lookout where you can see the river.

I wish I could say that the Reds won, but unfortunately, that was not the case. They lost 8-1. Yikes! We all had a blast and that's what matters most. The highlight of the game for the girls was the ice cream in the baseball hat. Can't go to a ballgame without picking one of those up.

This pictures makes me smile. What a dream come true for Brian to be able to take his girls to see his favorite baseball team play.

We did get to see one of the most amazing fireworks show I have ever seen in my life. It went on for almost 25 minutes after the game. What a way to start off the 4th of July weekend.

Road Trip

2011-07-06T12:56:00.000-05:00

I'm typing this on my iPhone as I sit in Egypt being served by my girls and my nephew Levi. My mother in law and I are being served delicious strawberry shakes. Ok so we're not in the country of Egypt, but at the Children's Museum in Indianapolis. It's the biggest Children's Museum in the country. The kids love this place. The girls hung out with Barbie and they'll soon see Dora and Diego.

I can't wait to show you pictures from our road trip and 4th of July. We've had a blast. Sad to see it end. Back to the real world in the morning.

Day 4- Festive Gluten Free 4th

2011-06-30T21:50:00.000-05:00

Today is the last day of our series. :( I want to give a big shout out to my friend Calie at Broccoli Cupcake for joining me this week. I am dying to make the Grilled Red Potato Salad she had on her blog yesteday. It looks so yummy.

I wanted to go out on a sweet note. I've been eating this dessert since I was a kid. My mom used to make it all the time. Not only is it incredibly yummy, but it is so easy to make. It takes just 5 minutes.

I am going to be showing you how to make a gluten free peach dump cake, which is my hubby's favorite. You can make apple or cherry as well. Remember, this is gluten free, not sugar free or fat free. :)

Here's what you need:

1 9X9 glass or non stick pan (I lightly coat the bottom of the pan with some coconut oil or butter)
1 can or jar of peaches (We get ours from Costco, 4 jars to a pack. I like them because they are in extra light syrup and I love reusing these jars.)
1 gluten free vanilla cake mix (Available at Whole Foods. You will be able to make this recipe 3 times using the one bag.)
1/2 stick of Organic butter
Optional: 3 Tbsp of Organic Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar (Feel free to skip this part if you are trying to watch your sugar intake. You don't need it. It just adds an extra crunch to the dish.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take peaches and drain the syrup and give them a light rinse.

Dump the peaches in the bottom of the pan or glass dish and spread them out so they coat the bottom. Pour 2 cups of the gluten free vanilla cake mix over the peaches. You want the peaches to be covered with the cake mix. If after 2 cups of cake mix you still see peaches, you can add a little more. Optional: Add 2-3 tbsp of the Turbinado Sugar over the top. Melt a half stick of organic butter and pour over the top of the cake mix. Here's what it looks like as it's going into the oven. (I actually melted a whole stick of butter by accident, I'm tired, so I dumped the whole stick over the top.) Paula Deen, eat your hear out.

Bake on 350 for 30-40 until golden brown. Best if served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Here's the finished product. I made this for my friend Kelly over at Faithful Provisions and her family loved it. She ended up making it to take to a party she was going to the next week. I promise it does not disappoint. The best part is that my sweet Sydney Kate can enjoy some yummy dessert and there is no worries about gluten.

I hope we've inspired you this week. Have a safe and happy 4th.

Day 3- Festive Gluten Free 4th

2011-06-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

I hope y'all are enjoying this series. Today Calie is showing you healthy side dishes to go along with your yummy main dishes from Monday. I don't know about you, but I am ready for the 4th of July. My mouth is watering just thinking about all the good food we're gonna have, and the best part is, I don't have to feel guilty about it.

I can't wait to show y'all a yummy gluten free dessert. No one will ever be able to tell it's gluten free. I promise. Come on back tomorrow for the recipe.

Day 2- Festive Gluten Free 4th

2011-06-28T08:00:00.004-05:00

I hope you enjoyed yesterday's post by my friend Calie, over at Broccoli Cupcake. Today I am going to show you a cute and fun craft you can do with your kids for the 4th of July. I saw this idea last year on the Better Home and Gardens website and really wanted to do it, but just didn't get around to it. This year, I decided it was time to try it. (photo courtesy of BHG)

The project is pretty easy and inexpensive. It was under $10 to make. I went to Joann's and picked up four packets of flag toothpicks at $1.19 each (they were on sale) as well as a 12 in styrofoam wreath. You don't want to get the wreath too big. I bought a 16 in wreath first and realized there was no way I would have enough toothpicks to cover the entire things, so I went back and bought a 12 in. You can also find the wreaths at Michael's and Hobby Lobby. I bought the rest of the toothpicks that they had at my local Joann's, but I know Party City carries them as well.

Here's what I started with:

The green wreath was 16in so when I exchanged it for the 12 in, it was white. (Forgot to take the before pic. Sorry.) I decided it was best that I spray paint it a Navy blue so that it would look better if I had some blank spaces that I couldn't fill in with the flags. Highly recommend this step. If you don't have spray paint on hand, craft paint would do the trick too.

Then it was on to the painstaking task of putting the little toothpicks into the styrofoam. It actually was kind of fun. The girls helped me at the beginning. Then they quickly got bored and decided they'd had enough. Here's a tip. You want to put the flags in on an angle and not straight up and down. I figured it out after about 100 toothpicks in that it didn't look right. All I saw was the top of the toothpicks.

The final product. What do you think? I really like the way it turned out and it was alot of fun to involve the girls. I may even leave it up all summer long.

Don't forget to check out Broccoli Cupcake tomorrow. Calie will be showing you healthy and gluten free side dishes for your 4th of July BBQ.

Day 1-Festive Gluten Free 4th

2011-06-27T09:00:00.004-05:00

I am so excited to announce that I am teaming up this week with one of my good friends, Calie, from Broccoli Cupcake. First of all, how cute is that name. I just love it. Her slogan is
"Where Healthy, Meets Happy." Here is Calie with her husband and sons.

I've known Calie now for over 7 years. We were both pregnant at the same time, she with her son and me with Brooklyn. We also both share a love of organic living and helping other people.

This week we are going to show you how you can have a healthy, gluten free 4th of July. You might remember me saying that we took Sydney off of gluten to see if it would help her tummy issues. In doing so, I have had to come up with alternative ways to eat the same foods that she enjoys, minus the gluten.

Calie is going to be showing you how to prepare those main dishes we all love, but do it in a healthy and organic way. So hop on over to Broccoli Cupcake and check it out. I hope you enjoy it!

Make sure you check back with me tomorrow. I will be showing you a fun American flag craft you can do with your kids.

I'm leaving on a jet plane

2011-06-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

I am so excited to be going here........

I have been to almost every state in the US, but this is one I have never visited. I am meeting my BFF from California and I can't wait to have some girl time, shop and sleep in. I'm also excited about running through Central Park. Yes, the yellow shoes are coming with me. Yipee!

What is one thing I should do while I am there?

VBS overload

2011-06-24T15:28:00.001-05:00

Another successful week of VBS. If you are counting, which you probably aren't, that makes 3. Three consecutive weeks of VBS. They have all been wonderful and the girls have really enjoyed them and I've enjoyed my time running errands and cleaning house. As much as one can enjoy doing those things.

The other day, I found Sydney and Brooklyn in the laundry room. To my dismay, they weren't doing laundry, nope, instead Sydney was "reading" a Bible story. Brooklyn was listening from the washing machine. I couldn't help, but capture it on my iPhone. (I had my phone vertically instead of horizontally and so that's why the picture looks so skinny. Still getting used to having a video camera on my new iPhone.)

I love these precious moments and I'm thankful that I was able to capture them. It's amazing what kids remember from the Bible stories you read them and from what they learn at church. Today on the way to church, Sydney says, "Mommy, can I pray please"? I turned off the radio and listened to her prayer. She prayed for a great day, for me to be happy and to keep she and sissy safe at VBS. I love, how at the tender age of 4, she listens to the Holy Spirits leading. I can't wait to see how she uses that gift in the future.

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

2011-06-23T10:33:00.000-05:00

Follow The Yellow Brick Road, I mean shoes. Take a gander at these bad boys. Nice right? These are my new pair of running shoe and I love them. I have to say when I first tried them on I was not loving the yellow, I loved how they fit, but the color not so much. So I chose comfort over style, but I've come to find out they may be pretty stylish.

People love them. They want to know where I got them. I bought them at a local Triathlon shop here in town, but they are K-Swiss, so I am sure you can find them anywhere. The soles aren't blue, those are my funky orthodics I have to wear. Lucky me!

Last weeks runs went great. I logged over 14 miles, plus 3 miles on the bike. That's the most active week I have had in years and it felt good, sore, but good. My hubby came up with the idea of starting a running group in my neighborhood and it's been so much fun. We run 3 miles on Monday and Thursday at 8pm. Last week we had 6 women on Monday and 6 on Thursday. I live in a very hilly neighborhood, so it is not an easy run by any means. Add heat and humidity to the mix and it makes for a thrilling night. :)

I have found running to be a good stress reliever and I am also noticing I can climb a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing. That's a good thing. Now if I can only see the scale move, I will be a happy camper.

(Inspiration taken from Pinterest)

Do you like to run? What are some ways that you relieve stress?

Dad's Day

2011-06-19T21:59:00.001-05:00

The girls helped me make breakfast for daddy this morning. They even helped me make his favorite, Chocolate Croissants. Ok, so I know this looks like something that should be served for Mother's Day, but I felt like my hubby was man enough to be served breakfast in bed.

The girls felt like joining him. I'm loving the bedhead. (Sorry the photo stinks. I used my brand new iPhone. I don't know what happened. Ugh!)

The highlight of our day was taking a canoe trip after church. We went down the Harpeth River and had a ton of fun. I didn't know how the girls would do since you have to sit pretty still, but they did awesome. Towards the end, Sydney was getting tired. She kept asking me when it was going to end. The problem is I had no clue. It's not like there are signs or anything to tell you where you are.

It took us about 2 hours to go 3 1/2 miles.

We stopped about an hour in to let the girls get out of the boat and stretch their legs. They loved finding some seashells and playing in the rocks.

We had a fantastic day! I am so thankful that I have such an amazing husband who is such a great dad. The girls love him so much. Thanks honey for all you do to provide for our family and for loving Jesus! I read this quote today that I loved and wanted to share it with you.

“The greatest thing a FATHER can do for his children, is to love their mother."

-Anjaneth Garcia Untalan

I can't sign off without wishing a Happy Father's Day to my wonderful dad. I am so blessed to have a father that has shown unconditional love to me and my sisters. He was there at every soccer and softball game I ever played, every choir performance I sang in, and now we are doing races together. At 71 years old, he is my hero. I love you more than words can say. I will always be your little girl.

Jesus Calling Devotional

2011-06-18T22:46:00.000-05:00

Blessings

2011-06-15T21:50:00.000-05:00

What if your blessings come through raindrops
What if your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you're near
What if trials of this life are your mercies in disguise

I heard these lyrics come over my car radio last week and I began to cry. It had been a rough few weeks and I was exhausted. I was alone in the car and the Lord knew that at that precise moment I needed to let it all go. Don't you love when He does that? That's one reason I listen to Christian music. It has a way of speaking to your heart and encouraging you like no other genre of music can. I knew there had to be a story behind this song so I found the artist's website and read about the inspiration behind the song. You can read about it here.

If you are hurting tonight and need hope, please watch this video. I pray it will nourish your soul. Know that He loves you and He cares for you and He alone knows the Blessings that are to come.

Name Dropping

2011-06-13T22:34:00.000-05:00

Saturday was a historic day in the Lord household. My hubby went cycling with Lance Armstrong. Yes, the one and only, Lance Armstrong.

I guess I should mention that there were 1498 other cyclists among them, but whose counting. The event was called Harpeth River Ride. Cyclists from all over middle Tennessee came to ride. You had your choice of 20 miles, 42 miles, 62 miles and 100 miles. Brian chose to ride 62 miles. Lance rode 100 miles. Fun fact: this was Lance's longest ride since he competeted in the Tour de France last summer. Brian was right behind Lance at the finish line. If you look closely in the photo you can see Brian back in the red. Way to go Brian. So proud of you!

This is not the first time Brian has been in the presence of the greatest cyclist ever. A couple of years ago, Brian booked Lance for an event in Salt Lake City. He got to get his picture taken with him.

Speaking of the one of the greatest ever, I told you that Brian got to meet Peyton Manning a few weeks back. He had booked Peyton to speak at an event in Indianapolis and had the pleasure of hanging with Peyton for a few hours. Brian said he's incredibly nice and very down to earth. This had to be a dream come true for Brian since he was born and raised in Indiana and the Colts are his favorite football team.

Well, that's enough name dropping for one evening. I am super proud of my hubby as you can see.

Come Into My Heart

2011-06-08T23:41:00.002-05:00

This week is Vacation Bible School at our church. I love VBS. I always have ever since I was a little girl.  I loved summer. School was out for starters, but secondly, I knew VBS was right around the corner. I loved craft time, music and the stories they would show us on the flannel boards. Do y'all remember the flannel boards? I wonder if they still exist.

I have been leading 3 & 4 year old crafts, so I get to see Sydney around 11:00 every morning. She loves it and I love getting to see her interact with other the other children in the class. She's not old enough to go to VBS at our church yet, but she gets to have the little kid version of it. She does music, crafts, story time, and playtime. She's having a blast and she's so exhausted by the time we get home, she's actually been taking naps this week.

I went to pick up Brooklyn in the sanctuary and her teacher, whose a friend of mine, told me that when the kids were asked if they wanted to ask Jesus into their hearts, Brooklyn circled yes on her paper. Of course I was thrilled. Miss K told me that she gave her a booklet about what it meant to become a Christian and that she wanted us to be the ones to lead her in a prayer.  I was so thankful she gave us the opportunity to lead our daughter to the Lord. There is no greater moment for a parent. I remember I led Sydney in a prayer to receive Christ last October (you can read about it here) and I will never forget it as long as I live. It was amazing.

This time around I wanted to let Brian be the one to lead her in a prayer so I called him at work to tell him what had happened so he could be thinking about it. When he got home, he went into her room and read her the book she was given. He wanted to make sure she really understood what it meant to become a follower of Christ. He asked her if she understood and if she wanted to become a Christian. She said yes, but she told him she wanted to do it in the car. Oh that is such a classic Brooklyn thing to do. It was perfect. We were headed to the mall, so we all jumped in the car and again, he went over what it meant to be a sinner, that Jesus died for our sins, and that one day we will live with him forever. He asked her questions and she got it. Then he led her in a prayer to ask Jesus into her heart. It was sweet music to my ears to hear her pray. If you've been blessed to have that moment with your child, you know what an unforgettable moment it is.

Dearest Brooklyn. Today was one of the happiest days of my life. I loved hearing you accept Jesus into your heart. It is the best and most important decision you will ever make in your life. Jesus lives in your heart now baby girl and He will always be with you. He will never, ever, leave you. I know it's hard to hear Him because He doesn't speak where you can hear Him with your ears, but if you listen with your heart, you can hear Him. My prayer for you B is that you will read your Bible and pray. The Bible gives you tools and a road map, I know how you love maps, on where to go and what to do.  Pray all the time. He will always listen. No prayer is ever stupid. He's your daddy and He wants you to come to Him with anything. Jesus loves you so much baby.  Heaven is having a party tonight all because one little girl accepted the free gift of salvation. I love you Brooklyn! Mommy

I Need The Shackles Off My Feet So I Can...

2011-06-07T21:04:00.001-05:00

RUN......... You were thinking dance, weren't ya?  Believe me, dancing sounds way more fun than running right about now, especially when it's 95 degrees outside.

I've been focused on trying to eat a clean diet and taking my supplements that have been prescribed to me, that I haven't really focused much on the other half of being healthy- exercise. I'm not one of those people who needs to be at the gym 5 times a week or they go crazy. I wish I was. I don't stay motivated to do workouts, which is odd coming from someone who was an athlete her whole life. I need accountability to do this right and make the change for my health and for my family.

I've done a few 5K's this year, but I wasn't real great at training for them.  So, Brian suggested I get a running coach. We talked to a woman at a local TRI store who lost 60 pounds after she started with a running coach! I'll take just half of those lbs right about now.  The biggest thing for me isn't having a desire to get into better shape and better health, its just knowing what to do, and having some accountability. That's where I need the expertise of someone who has been running his whole life, and is good at it.  I know that I am going to have to make some changes and sacrifices if I'm going to turn things around, but I guess that's why most of the good things in life are so hard.

Part of the plan is to commit to telling you what I'm going through over the next three months- the good stuff, the bad stuff, and most importantly what I'm doing or not doing. It's easy to talk your way out of stuff with family, but it's a lot harder to do if you put it out in black and white for all the world to see.

So, I'm praying that whatever plan the running coach sends me tomorrow, it won't be too crazy, but more importantly, something I can stick with and one that I can have fun doing.

Have you ever had something you were scared to do, but knew you had to do it? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Shackles-Part 1

2011-06-06T22:30:00.002-05:00

shack·le (shkl)
n.
1. A metal fastening, usually one of a pair, for encircling and confining the ankle or wrist of a prisoner or captive; a fetter or manacle.
2. A restraint or check to action or progress.

This defines how I feel. I am a prisoner to my own hopelessness and I need to break free from the chains. It's no coincidence that as I was driving to Panera to spend sometime by myself and to blog (thanks honey for watching the girls) that the song "Shackles" (Praise You) by Mary Mary came on the radio. The tears came flooding down my cheeks and I couldn't help but raise my hands in worship. Now, if you've heard this song you know it's not a weepy song, but a get off your toosh kinda song and get to dancin'. That's usually how I feel when I hear this song, but not tonight. Somehow I connected to that song from the deepest part of my being. In case you've never heard Shackles before, I wanted to post some of the lyrics. The second verse is what hit home with me tonight. You can watch the video by Mary Mary here.

Everything that could go wrong
All went wrong at one time
So much pressure fell on me
I thought I was gonna lose my mind
But I know you wanna see
If I will hold on through these trials
But I need you to lift this load
Cause I can't take it anymore

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise you
I just wanna praise you
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I'm gonna praise you
I'm gonna praise you

Been through the fire and the rain
Bound in every kind of way
But God has broken every chain
So let me go right now

I think I say on a daily basis to God, "I just can't take it anymore." Something has to change. I'm gonna be transparent here and say that I am tired of feeling depressed, anxious and downright awful. Now I know there are things that have happened to me/us in the last year (losing my father-in-law, my son, my grandma and my health declining) that would warrant all of these feelings, but the truth is I no longer want to stay "there". God doesn't want me staying there either. He wants me living the life that He intended me to live. I'm reminded of a verse that sits by my kitchen sink (Thanks Jen Pen) that says, "I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:13-14

My hope is that I will soon see the goodness He has in store for me. Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2 -The list of things that have become my shackles.

Birds, Butterflies and Cicadas, Oh My!

2011-06-01T21:14:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am still alive. I am so sorry I haven't blogged in over a week. Last week was a rough one for me. I want to thank you for your prayers for my dear friend and her husband. Their sweet baby went to be with Jesus on Saturday. I can't tell you the pain and heartache I feel for them. I am just so deeply sad. I know they have a long road ahead of them for healing. Please continue to keep them in your prayers.

It is hot here in Nashville. It's been in the 90's so the girls and I have been spending alot of time at the pool. Today we went to our gym pool for swim team practice in the morning and then we went to our neighborhood pool this afternoon. The girls are wiped out. Sydney was in bed by 7:45. We have a play date at the pool in the morning, so we'll be back at it bright and early. It's nice because the girls both know how to swim, so it's much easier and alot more fun for me this year.

In other news, we are in Cicada h**l around here. In case you've never lived in the south or on the east coast, this is what a Cicada looks like.

They are nasty little buggers. They are loud and they are everywhere. In some places, you can't walk without getting attacked. They come out every 13 years and live for about 6 weeks. Then they go back underground and lay their eggs. We will see them again in 2024.

There is a certain little girl around our house who is obsessed with them. She loves to hold them and she loves the noise they make. You really can't go around town and not hear the "crunch" as you step on them. Well, my girl had a blast at the pool today gathering them up.

Her smile says it all. I wonder if she will ever grow out of her love for bugs. Speaking of bugs, today the girls let the rest of their butterflies go. We had 5 caterpillars that we watched turn into beautiful butterflies. It was fun to watch them take flight.

Some other little lovelies will be taking flight soon. I can't believe how big they have gotten and how much they poop. I think I'm gonna have to do some touch up paint on the door. :)

It will be sad to see them go. It's been fun checking on them every morning. I will miss that.

Urgent prayer need for a dear friend

2011-05-24T21:27:00.001-05:00

I was all set to post a Tuesday's Tip, but in light of today's events, I will wait til next week. My heart is once again hurting for one of my best friends tonight. She went into labor this morning at 36 weeks and delivered her baby via c-section. Something is wrong with the baby they are in desperate need of a miracle. The dr's are not giving my friend and her husband much hope.

I will respect her privacy and not share their names, but the Lord knows them and that's what matters. This has completely blindsided them and all of us. We just had her baby shower on Saturday. I just can't believe this is happening. If I am brutally honest, I am sick and tired of babies dying. I am praying that this sweet baby's life will be sparred. God in Heaven, please spare this child.

I ask for your prayers for me as I go see my dear friend tomorrow. She was with me when I was in labor with Jonathan in August and she walked me through the pain and loss of my baby. I pray I can be there for her in the days and months ahead. Thank you again for your prayers. I will keep you updated.

Hatched

2011-05-19T21:06:00.000-05:00

Any bird experts out in blog land? I'm trying to figure out what kind of birds these are. At first I thought they were robins, but now I think they might be finches. I'm not sure. The mama only leaves her nest when we open the door, otherwise she is there day in and day out. It's so sweet. The papa is close by too. This is the tree in our front yard. This is where they hang out together. Is that not the cutest thing? Here are their babies.

They haven't been moving around much or making any noise which is making me a little nervous. I hope they are o.k. It's funny that I am being so protective of them. We're not even using the front door right now. We're going in and out through the garage door.

Well I am off to bed. Brian comes home tomorrow after being gone since Tuesday morning. Thank the Lord. I'm beyond exhausted. Single moms, I seriously don't know how you do it. You amaze me.

I almost forgot, the quarterback he got to hang with yesterday was...........................Peyton Manning. Brian said he was great and very nice. Can't wait to see the pictures.

Weekend Wrap Up & Tuesday's Tip

2011-05-17T13:17:00.000-05:00

We had a fun filled, jam packed weekend and I'm just now recovering from it. My friends and I had a garage sale starting bright and early on Sat. I left there around 8:00 to go see the girls do a mini triathlon. They bike, run and run through sprinklers for the swim part. It is the cutest thing ever. They love it. They get a shirt and a medal just like daddy. Speaking of daddy, he rocked his triathlon in Knoxville on Sunday. He beat his PR by 28 minutes. We are so proud of him.

Brooklyn had her last soccer game of the spring season. She scored 4 goals. She was on fire. She loves the game and she really hustles. I just love to watch her play. Reminds me of myself when I was her age. I just couldn't get enough and was constantly kicking a soccer ball whenever I got the chance.

Now that soccer is over, it's time for swimming. We only like our girls to do one event at a time. That keeps me from running around like a mad woman and allows us to have family meal time at night. Sydney is still loving ballet and dressing up like a princess. The child is obsessed with all things sparkly and beautiful. I asked her if she wanted to play soccer in the fall, but she was not having it. I think it's because she would have to wear shorts. :) We'll ask again in the spring to see if she wants to play.

Daddy left on a business trip today so I am playing single mom til Friday. Ugh! I will clue you in on Thursday as to what big time NFL star he gets to hang with. He will be his right hand man for 3 hours tomorrow. Brian is beyond thrilled. Any guesses as to whom? I'll give you a hint. He's a quarterback.

I'll leave you with a quick Tuesday's Tip. I bought this stamp about a month ago.

It's called Guard Your ID Stamp and can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $9.99 (I used a coupon and got it for $8). I love it. I'm worried about having my identity stolen and this was one way I felt I could guard against that. Before I recycle our mail or anything with our name and address on it, I use this stamp. I used to use a Sharpie, but this works so much better. I highly recommend it.

It's so hard, to say goodbye, to yesterday

2011-05-13T21:32:00.001-05:00

Yesterday my little baby walked across the stage and received her preschool diploma. Where did the time go? I remember your first day of school like it was yesterday. You were just 15 months old and I was 5 months pregnant with your sissy. I was nervous to let you out of my sight, but I knew it would be good for you. For 5 years, every Tues & Thurs, I gave you over to the most wonderful, nurturing teachers I've ever met. To her teachers over the years, thank you for loving my daughter and teaching her about God's word.

They had the sweetest ceremony for the kids. I won't lie that the tears flowed freely. I will miss all the teachers and the directors, Ms. E and Ms. K. They were like family to us.

Brooklyn had the most wonderful teachers that loved on her and taught her so much throughout the year. I can say withou a doubt, she is ready for kindergarten. Thank you Ms. J and Ms. P. We love you!

The kids sang 4 songs all with sign language. It was the cutest thing ever. I will post a video when daddy puts it on YouTube.

I may be bias, but is this not the most sweetest picture ever?

Brooklyn had the sweetest group of girls in her class. Some of them she's known since she was in the 2 year old class. The hard part is that they will all be going to different schools. I am so sad.

Brooklyn, I am so proud of you and can't wait to see what kindergarten has in store for you. I love you sweet girl!

Tuesday's Tip-Cleaning your dishwasher

2011-05-10T12:01:00.001-05:00

I have two tips for you today. It's your lucky day. :) I have been using these tips for about 3 years. We have a builders grade dishwasher that I cannot stand. It just doesn't clean very well at all. If it was in the budget I would get a new one, but it's not. I'm drooling over this dishwasher right now.

Here's the first tip:

1. Before you run your dishwasher to clean your dishes, run hot water down the drain and turn on the disposal for 1 minute. This clears out the dishwasher lines. This has helped tremendously.

2. This next tip I do quarterly or when I think the dishwasher is just not cleaning well. Pour ½ cup vinegar into the reservoir and run an empty cycle. This will disinfect your dishwasher.

Picnic, Pictures and Praises!

2011-05-10T11:48:00.000-05:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. So thankful to have my sweet girls. We went to church in the morning then headed to a local vineyard for a picnic. I've been wanting to have a picnic for the longest time and yesterday seemed like a great day to do it. It was a cool 70 degrees here in Nashville.

After our time at the vineyard, it was home for a Siesta. Anyone else love Sunday naps? The girls and I crawled in bed and enjoyed a 2 hour nap. It was heavenly. Then we ended the day with a little shopping at Anthropologie and Restoration Hardware, dinner at CPK (California Pizza Kitchen) and frozen yogurt at Sweet Cece's. It was a wonderful day with my precious family.

This picture cracked me up and I had to share it with you. She has no idea what this means and I didn't tell her. lol.

My sweet girl always in princess mode. She will only wear a dress. Don't even dare try to put pants or shorts on this child she will throw the biggest tantrum.

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. This day can be very painful for those still waiting to be called Mommy. I know because I've been there. I would avoid going to church on this day because I couldn't take seeing moms with their babies or watching a baby dedication. Please know I prayed for you today. If you are still waiting for your miracle, please take this verse to heart. Write it down where you can see it every day.

"He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD."

Psalm 113:9

Results

2011-05-06T10:43:00.000-05:00

So I had food allergy testing today and it came back positive for peanuts and almonds. Lovely. We don't do peanuts at home, but we do eat Almond Butter, which I love. So I will come completely off of peanuts and almonds and see if I feel any better. I will have to read every single label and menu to make sure there are no peanuts in anything. I also had blood drawn for Celiac and we should know within a week or so. It's probably doubtful that I have it, but you never know.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. This is an incredibly difficult season for me. I thought losing Jonathan was bad enough, but this has pushed me over the edge. Please pray for Brian. He is amazing. I am so incredibly blessed. He never complains, he just encourages and loves me. He has hope when I have none. He has to help me around the house and with the girls because I just physically can't do it. He works so hard and I HATE that he has to help me. I love you my sweet husband. You are an angel.

In other news. We have one fertile bird hanging out on our door. :) Can you believe 5 eggs? From what I read, it's pretty rare for them to lay more than 4 eggs. It's getting exciting.

Hoping for an answer

2011-05-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

I have been hopelessly searching for an answer to the dizziness I have been experiencing for more than 6 years. In the last month it has gotten increasingly worse. I have seen every specialist under the sun and they all come up with nothing.

Sunday night we were eating at a restaurant and got into a conversation with our server. She was so sweet and somehow we started talking about Celiac Disease. She had it. Hers showed up as horrible acne all over her face. She stopped eating gluten and it cleared up. That got me thinking, not about me, but about Sydney. She was a colicky baby and dealt with awful painful gas even as a toddler. I remember nights she would roll on the floor screaming in pain. To this day she complains of a tummy ache about 5 times a day. We have an appointment with a Pediatric GI set for Monday. As I got to reading the symptoms of Celiac, I noticed Sydney had about 1/2 of them. I will push for her to have testing on Monday to see if she has an aversion to gluten.

I never thought about having Celiac myself until I talked to one of my best friends on the phone yesterday. She told me that her father in law dealt with horrible dizziness that never went away. They tested him for a neurological disorder and cardiac problems and they all came back normal. One of his doctors suggested Celiac. He changed his diet and went Gluten free and guess what, yep, no more dizziness. I had no idea that one of the symptoms of Celiac was dizziness. I don't know if this is the cause, but it's worth exploring. Thankfully we have a dear friend who is an allergist who can see me tomorrow to be tested.

I'm secretly hoping I have Celiac. I know that may sound strange, but it's treatable with diet and I'm so desperate to get rid of this once and for all.

If you or a child has been diagnosed with Celiac and wouldn't mind sharing your experience with me, please leave me some encouragement in the comments section. I would so appreciate it. Thank you.

Last but not least, looky here:

Hoping for 5 tomorrow.

#3

2011-05-03T11:38:00.001-05:00

Sure enough, this morning there was another egg. This is so much fun. The girls and I can't wait for them to hatch. Will there be another one tomorrow? We will have to wait and see.

A new beginning

2011-05-02T13:01:00.005-05:00

A month ago, I was getting ready for Easter. I wanted to change my wreath on the door with my cross wreath. As I took the wreath down, I heard crack.... I looked down and saw 2 little robin eggs cracked open. Poor Brooklyn saw it all and just stood there with her hands over her mouth wide eyed. She didn't say a word. I felt so bad. I had no idea that a bird had built a nest on top of the wreath. The nest was still in tact and I didn't touch it, so I put it back on the door and prayed that the bird would come back and build again.

That's exactly what happened- the birds came back- and we were so thrilled. I went online to see how many eggs the mama would lay. It said that she would lay one every morning until she got to 4. Then she would sit on the nest for 12-14 days before the babies would hatch from their eggs. So yesterday we saw this:

The girls were excited to wake up to see if she layed another egg. Just like the article said, there was another egg.

Will there be 3 tomorrow? Stay tuned.

Muffins with Mommy

2011-04-29T14:20:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was one of my favorite days at the girls school. It was Muffins with Mommy day. We got to school early and headed into Sydney's class. We dined on muffins and apple juice. It was so yummy. Sydney made a place mat for me with her interpretation of what I look like. :) She made a flower votive with her fingerprints on it and I love this "About My Mom" page.

Then it was off to Brooklyn's class. Sydney went with us. Brooklyn's teachers Ms. J and Ms. P did so many awesome things for the moms. I did my share of crying when I saw this:

and this.....

and when I read this....

You can probably guess which line just broke my heart. I mentioned it in my last post. My sweet Brooklyn is not really outspoken like Sydney. She keeps things inside. Now I know that just because she doesn't talk about things like her sissy does, doesn't mean she doesn't care or realize what's going on.

The last thing she gave me was this book. It has all the artwork from the whole school year in it.

She also made a votive for me too. I can't believe my baby will be graduating from Preschool in 2 short weeks. I'm gonna need a whole box of Kleenex to get through the ceremony.

Hang in there with me

2011-04-27T17:20:00.000-05:00

Please hang in there with me. I just haven't felt like blogging lately. I hate that because I have so much to say, but I just don't have the emotional energy to do it. I ran across this devotional today and wanted to share it with you. It's from Jesus Calling.

I am weak and tired. I don't think I have ever shared before on my blog about the dizziness I have experienced for the last 6 1/2 years. It started after I delivered Zoe stillborn in the hospital and it has continued ever since then. It's something that my family and close friends know about, but even at that, I don't talk about it much, until now. It has gotten worse since I delivered Jonathan. It continues to get worse with no relief in sight.

I have been to so many specialists, I can't keep track anymore. Several MRI's and bloodwork have come up with nothing. It is always with me and I never have relief from it. It used to be that it was only bad when I walked, but now as I sit and type this the room is spinning. I am just so tired of never feeling normal. So I say all this to once again ask for your prayer. Prayer for complete healing. My anxiety level is at a all time high, which I know does not help, but it's so hard not to worry when you don't know what's wrong with you.

Lord Jesus please hear my prayer and the prayers of your people. My husband needs his wife back and my girls need their mommy whole and healthy.

It's My Birthday and I'll Cry If I Want To

2011-04-20T23:41:00.000-05:00

Today is my 39th birthday. There I said it. I feel much better now. Holy cow. Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday I was turning 29 and freaking out I was on the verge of 30. This time around on the verge of 40, I am actually ok with 39. Really I am. Ok maybe I am talking my self into being ok with it right now, but what choice do I have, right?

I spent most of the day cleaning house and doing laundry. Thrilling I know, but it had to be done. We are leaving tomorrow right after the girls get out of school to go to Indiana, so I had no choice but to do it all today. Thankfully, the girls and I took a nap around 2:00 and slept for 2 hours. Love those days when I can snuggle with my girls in a dark cozy room.

Brian and the girls took me to a restaurant called Omikoshi's for dinner. It was so yummy. The girls love to watch the food being made in front of them. Brooklyn was scared of the fire at first, but quickly got over it and started taking pictures of the flames.

Brian made my day when he brought home
39 flowers for me. The roses are from him and the carnations are from the girls. My house looks like a flower shop and I love it. Brooklyn gave me a shirt that says, "Happy Birthday to Me" that my friend Sonya made. Thanks girl. Sydney gave me two little stuffed bunny's that weren't really for me. :) ha. Well, they were for me, but were quickly claimed by the girls. They've been playing with them all day.

Brian's gift to me is this clock. To say I love it would be an understatement. He found it at a local antique mall in town. I might have given him a hint that I wanted it. Can't wait to get that baby up on the wall. Thanks honey.

I am thankful for another year of life. I will have to say that today has been tough. As much as I enjoyed being with my hubby and sweet girls, I was missing my son. My heart aches for him. He would have been 3 months old and I so wish he were to help me celebrate this day. I know my heart will heal in time, but it's just so hard. There are still times it all feels like a bad dream. I still can't believe it happened to us again. So I have spent some of today alone crying. Crying out to the Lord to redeem my pain. I know He will and I cling to that very promise. It's what sees me through.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2011-04-17T21:25:00.001-05:00

Dear Dad,

Where do I begin? I could probably write pages upon pages of how blessed I am to have you as my father, but I will try to contain it into just a paragraph or two. Don't hold me to that. Tonight on the way home from church, we were driving next to a dad on a Moped and his little kid was on the back holding on tight. Brian kind of laughed and I told him that it brought back memories of when you would let us ride on the back of your motorcycle around the neighborhood. I'm sure being the worry wart I am, that I was thrilled and petrified, all at the same time.

I remember getting up early in the morning, before the sun came up, to help you with your paper route. I can still see the yellow hatchback Honda civic as clear as day in my head. It was so full with newspapers, you could barely see out the window. My favorite part was after you finished delivering all the papers, because then we got to go to Winchell's and get donuts. I didn't know, until I was a parent, how hard you worked. Throwing papers before you went to school, teaching high schoolers all day, and then teaching driver training after to school and then coming home to coach one of our soccer teams. I don't know how you did it, but I am glad you did.

Most importantly, thank you for showing me how to love the Lord. What it meant to be different and to stand out for Jesus. I was often embarrased to have family meetings on Sunday nights as I got older. I just wanted to hang out with my friends, but that wasn't an option with you and I'm glad you made me stay home and be together as a family. Let me apologize publicly for all the times I was a brat and pretended to be sleeping on the floor while you gave your sermon, I mean talk. :)

I am so proud to be your daughter dad. I am so glad my girls have you as their papa. I know you love them dearly and I love to watch you interact with them. They have no idea how blessed they are and my prayer is that you will be able to watch them grow up into beautiful young ladies.

Thank you for your unconditional love over the years and for being my hero. I love you pops.

P.S. Brooklyn is still waiting to give you 71 spankings. :)

Jesus Calling Devotional

2011-04-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

Tuesday's Tip- Reusing glass jars

2011-04-12T21:06:00.000-05:00

I blogged about this tip back in the summer of 2009. I thought I would bring it back since hopefully I've picked up a few readers since then. :)

This tip I came up with when I decided to stop storing my food in plastic containers. From everything I have read, plastic is not a great option and you should never heat up food in the microwave in plastic. There are toxins that are released from the plastic that get into your food. Yuck! Anyway, I buy Del Monte peaches in bulk at Costco (4 to a pack for $7.99) and they come in glass jars. I thought why not reuse those jars to keep my fruits and veggies in? The other great thing about having it in the jar is that everything is prewashed and cut and all I have to do is get the jar out of the refrigerator and snack away. It also makes it handy that I can see through the jar and know when it's time to buy more. Cleaning them is simple. I just put the jar in the dishwasher and I'm done. I think I've accumulated about 20 jars. Next week I will show you how I use them in the pantry.

The original jar of peaches you can see on the left. Then I have olives, grapes, strawberries and carrots. You can really put so much in these jars and you are recycling at the same time. I love it.

How do you reuse glass jars at your house?

Diamonds Are Forever!

2011-04-08T12:10:00.002-05:00

Brian and I were laying in bed last night discussing the fact that 10 years ago last night we were getting ready to say "I Do". We had no idea what the anniversary gift was for 10 years so we decided to google it. It was diamond. Let me just say that Brian got lucky when he married me because I am not really into jewelry. In fact the only jewelry I wear is my engagement ring and wedding band and my necklace with all of my kids names on it. That's it. So he's getting off pretty cheap this year I must say.

I love this picture of Brian because, he will probably kill me for putting it up here, but I look at it and see a strong, athletic, goal achieving, perservearing, hard worker, manly man. He pushes me to be the best I can be in everything I do. He encouraged me to start running, who am I kidding, walking 5K's. I am so glad he did because I love them. I've learned to push past what I don't think I can do and I have beat my time every single race. Thanks Honey!

I look at this picture and I see a caring, confident, hard working, positive and Godly man. He was wearing a suit when I first met him 11 years ago and I always thinks he looks dashing. :)

This picture makes me smile from ear to ear. I knew when we were dating that Brian would be an amazing father and I was so right. He's caring, loving, encouraging and a human jungle gym for our sweet girls.

Brian, I love you with all of my heart and I count it a priviledge to be your wife. Thank you for 10 years of laughter, love and for being strong when I needed you the most. Happy Anniversary!

Tuesday's Tip-Household Manual

2011-04-06T08:14:00.000-05:00

Every CEO of their household should have a manual. I got this idea from Tsh Oxenreider who wrote the book Organized Simplicity. It's a great book and a must have for any one trying to organize their life and household. If you think about it, everything you buy these days has a manual right? Every electronics you buy, appliances, cars, you name it, they all come with a manual explaining the directions to operate the item you just bought. We would be in a heap of trouble if we didn't have those manuals. Well, maybe not all of us, some of us could probably figure most of the things out, but I know for me, I would be lost.

So it got me thinking. What are the two most important things in life that don't come with a manual?

Being a wife and raising children. Sure there are plenty of books out there to read on the subject, but not one specifically for your type of spouse or child. Wouldn't that be awesome? Anyway, I decided to create a manual for our house that would keep me organized. This is so easy to do and costs nothing if you have the supplies laying around the house like I did. If not, no worries, you are probably looking at well under $10 to make.

I found this notebook down in our classroom in the basement. I also had scrapbook sheets laying around that I decided to use to glam it up a bit. You want to make it nice to look at so you don't mind if it sits on the kitchen counter all day.

After you get a notebook, the next step is to fill it. Tsh has forms on her website that you can download for free. I printed off her packing list and daily docket. Then I created the rest of what I thought I needed to run a well organized home. Here are some snapshots into my household manual.

I have put all of my lists in a plastic sheet protector so I can use my dry erase pens. I also had these laying around the house, but if you don't have them you can find them at any office supply store. In my manual I also have these lists:

A calendar
Grocery list
Letter for emergency personnel giving consent for my parents when Brian and I are out of town.
Packing List
Instructions (food, bedtime, etc) for the girls when we are away and someone is caring for them.
Spring Cleaning list
Household Repairs Checklist
List of all my bills and when they are due

Really the sky is the limit to what you want or need in your own manual. These are just an idea. I have been using this system for a few months now and I cannot tell you how this has simplified my life. I love it. I no longer lose a bill or wonder when the last time the air filters were changed in the house.

The manual you create will help you run your household more efficiently and effectively. Have fun creating it. If you have any idea of a list that should be in the manual, please let me know. I would love to add it to mine.

Date in another state

2011-04-03T23:28:00.000-05:00

So it's 9:30 on Sunday night. The house is quiet. Brian and the girls are sleeping. I am tired, but feeling guilty that I haven't blogged since Tuesday. Not sure why I feel bad about not blogging, but I do, so I thought a quick couple of minutes will make me feel better and I can go to bed.

Brian and I got a chance to leave Nashville and fly to San Antonio for a conference. I wish I could show you a few pictures and say how beautiful the Riverwalk was, but the truth is all we saw of this marvelous city was the airport, the hotel and the church. We were literally there for 24 hours. Not time for much. The time we did have though was great.

We attended a marriage conference called "Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage". The word laugh was an understatement in my book. I was dying. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life. I mean at one point I thought I might throw up I was laughing so hard. If you get a chance to go to this conference please do it. It was awesome. Here is a clip that I found on YouTube to give you an idea.

It was a pleasure getting to meet Mark and his wife Debbie, and the rest of his team. Everyone on his staff was wonderful. Thank you Miles for setting up our visit and for going the extra mile to make sure we enjoyed ourselves.
If Mark Gungor ever comes to your town, grab your spouse and run, don't walk, to go see him. I promise it will be worth your time.

Tuesday's Tip-Contain It

2011-03-29T13:25:00.002-05:00

Continuing on with my theme for the Spring, Organization and Spring Cleaning, I thought I would show you ways I contain my "stuff" around the house. I told you last week, that I love plastic and glass containers. While, this is true, my new love is baskets. I love the coastal feel and I just think they are pretty and organic. I'm always on the hunt for a bargain too.

I found this beauty while shopping yesterday at World Market. I bought 2 of them because I loved them so much. It's hard to tell in the picture, but this is a big basket. It's 15 inch tall and will hold a lot of stuff.

They retail for $14.99 each (a steal I think), but they were 25% off so I got them for $11.25 each. My plan with the basket is to keep one at the bottom of the stairs leading up to all the bedrooms and one by the door to the basement. That way at night, when the girls clean up, they throw everything into the basket that needs to go upstairs into their rooms or downstairs into the basement. Then I carry the basket upstairs and they can help me empty it and put things away.

We will see how this works out. The great thing about the basket is that if it doesn't get emptied right away, I don't mind because it's so pretty.

Another bin I have is a "To Do" container. I have stuff in this plastic container that needs to be done, but isn't urgent. For example, I have a pair of Brooklyn's pants that need to be sewed, bows that need to be fixed, a weather strip that came off the sliding glass door, etc.... When I get some free time, these things will get done.

The last basket I have, I call my "Party Basket". When I was planning Sydney's birthday party, all the supplies for her party went in this basket. That way I knew exactly where everything was and could get to it without stress. I am now using it to store all of my Easter stuff, for when the bunny makes his appearance. Obviously, this basket has to go up high and out of the girls reach. This basket was a steal. I got 3 of them in small, medium and large. This is the medium one. Around Christmas time, I got all 3 for $11.99, plus free shipping from Wisteria. I don't shop online there much because their stuff is so pricey, but this deal I couldn't pass up. (I just looked at their site and they no longer offer the oval baskets any longer) :(

These are just a few ways I like to use containers and baskets in my home to keep me organized. I am always looking for new ways to organize, so if you have an idea that has worked well for you, please share it with me. I would love to hear about it.

Devotional

2011-03-28T12:45:00.000-05:00

Good Monday morning everyone. I hope y'all had a great weekend. If you've been following my blog for awhile, you know that one of my favorite devotional books is "Jesus Calling". I read this devo last week and wanted to pass it on. It speaks to exactly where I am in life right now. Maybe some of you can relate. Be Blessed!

Sweet Sydney Kate

2011-03-25T23:35:00.000-05:00

Dearest Sydney,

Happy 4th birthday my sweet baby. How is it that you are already 4? It seems like yesterday your daddy and I were driving to the hospital that early Friday morning in March. I was so excited and a little nervous to have another baby in the house. Brooklyn was so excited to become a "big sister" although at 19 months I don't think she really knew what that truly would mean.

The moment I laid eyes on you, I just cried. I was so happy you were here, safe and sound. I couldn't wait to hold you. You were so beautiful. You looked just like your daddy and still do.

I love how sensitive and caring you are. If you see someone hurt, you run to them and ask them if they are ok. When you hear an ambulance, you say, "Mommy stop. We have to pray for them". I love how at night when I am putting you to bed you say, "Mommy pray for me. Pray for the Holy Spirit to come and for Satan to go away". You love me to sing Jesus Loves Me while I scratch your back. You favorite thing to do is cuddle with me. Will you still want to cuddle with me when you are 13?

I love how rough and tumble you are. You will run daddy over just like a linebacker. You fall and get hurt and you just get up and keep on going. I think the tough exterior you put on is really just a front for the princess you like to be. You love to dance and sing. I love to listen to you make up songs. Syd, it won't surprise me one bit if you grow up to be a singer and a dancer. You love to be on stage. You aren't afraid of people. You love to go up to complete strangers and ask them their names.

You love your big sister so much. When she's gone on Fridays at school you don't know what to do by yourself. You miss her. The first thing you do when you see her is say, "Hello sissy" and you give her hugs and kisses. That means the world to me.

You are so strong willed. I know sometimes that gets on mommy's nerves and sometimes I yell and lose my patience with you and for that I am sorry. I want you to know that I love that about you. I love that you are fiesty, stubborn, and not afraid to speak your mind. That will come in handy for you when you get older.

Most importantly Sydney Kate, I want you to know just how blessed I am to be your mommy. I am so glad God gave me you. You are my life and I love you to the moon and back. Keep loving Jesus and keep praying for all the sippy cups. :)

Tuesday's Tip-Ready, Set, Organize

2011-03-22T21:40:00.000-05:00

I love Spring! I love waking up to the birds chirping outside and the breeze blowing through the open window. Spring means new beginnings and a season of hope. This may sound crazy but I love spring because I get to organize and clean my house. I love to open up all the windows, turn on the music and clean like a mad woman. So in honor of Spring, I would love to give you a tip on how to get started organizing your home.

I first have to say that I got a jump on spring and started organizing in February. I was just ready to do it. I couldn't handle the clutter any longer. Notice I said organizing and not cleaning. I think it's too overwhelming to organize and spring clean at the same time. So, I love to organize first and deep clean second. Here's an example of how I did it.
Step 1: First things first, you will need some supplies. You probably have all these items laying around the house (except for maybe the label maker). If you don't have a label maker, I highly recommend you go buy one. They are very inexpensive and they are a must if you want to have an organized home. I've had mine for about 7 years and I believe it was about $20. You can always borrow from a friend and just buy the labels that go in it.

You will probably need more than one donate and sell box and an even bigger trash can, but this is what I had laying around the house. You get the picture. If you don't think you will get around to having a garage sale, the best thing to do is put it in the donate pile.

Tip: Ask yourself these 3 questions when you are going through the house. Do you love it? Do you use it? Does it add value to your life? If you can't answer yes to all 3 things, it's time to let it go. I'll talk more about the "stuff" in our lives at a later post, but for now this will get you started.

Step 2: I made a list of all the rooms in the house that need to be organized and listed it by floors. So for example if you had a two story house, you would list all the rooms and closets on the second floor and then those on the first floor. I started from the top of the house down, but you can do the opposite. Whatever works best for you. A great rule is always start with one room and don't move on to the next room until you are finished with that room.

Step 3: As you are organizing a room keep your pen and paper handy. You can use these tools to write down things you need to purchase or things you need to do. For example, when I was organizing our master bathroom, I ran across items we were out of that I needed to buy. So I wrote those down on the list.
i.e. Brian needs travel shaving cream, toothbrushes, stock up on shampoo, etc. You get the picture. Then I added that to my shopping list. I then took a sticky note and wrote, "hang towel bar" and stuck it on the back of the bathroom door. Now if you have alot to do in that room you may have yellow stickies all over the wall, but at least you will remember that it needs to be done. :)

Step 4: Time to go shopping. This is the fun part and it doesn't have to cost alot of money. I am a lover of plastic bins and glass containers. My husband will attest to that. The Dollar Store has become one of my favorite places to find plastic containers because they are only $1. I also get my glass containers and bins from Walmart because they seem to have the lowest price. I will show you how I use the glass containers in my pantry reveal coming up next month. But for now, here is an example of Brian's closet in our bathroom.

As you can see, I have one clear bin for First Aid items, one for medicines and one for toothbrushes & toothpaste. I stock up on shaving creme, deodorant, shampoo, toilet paper and Kleenex when I have coupons at Costco. Tip: Take your items out of the cardboard box they come in and store them in see through containers so you know when you are running low on something. That way you will never be out of something you need.

I hoped this has been helpful to you. I probably could write another 3 pages on today's tip, but I want to keep it as short as possible and still give you everything you may need to organize your home. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave me a comment and I will be happy to answer them. If there is something you want to see organized, please let me know that too. I love to hear from you. Now get to gettin' and have fun doing it.

Scarlet Fever

2011-03-21T14:59:00.001-05:00

I have always liked the name Scarlet, but when it's followed by the word fever, not so much. I noticed a rash all over Sydney's tummy on Friday night when I was putting her to bed. I went downstairs after she fell asleep and googled, "scarlet fever". I just knew that she had it. Thankfully the pediatrician is open on Saturday mornings so I took her in. He looked at her throat and said, "It's Scarlet Fever". I knew it. For once I was right.

She had been on Amoxicillin the week before, but it didn't work and once again, I knew it. Do you ever get those mama instincts with your children that something is just not right? I did last week. Tuesday I called the nurse and said, "I don't think the Amoxicillin is working". She said, "Well we like to give it 4 days to work and since today is day 4 let's just see what happens". I agreed with her, but was still uneasy. Sydney wasn't complaining that her ear hurt anymore so I figured that maybe it was working. Deep down though I knew it wasn't. I can't really tell you why I felt that way I just did.

Saturday confirmed what I suspected all along. Her ear infection had gotten a little better, but it was still red and infected (this was day 9 of 10 on the medicine) and the doctor couldn't believe she got Scarlet Fever while on an antibiotic. By now she was covered head to toe in a rash. Poor thing. Thankfully it didn't hurt or itch and she continued to act like her normal self. So she is now on antibiotic number 2, which is killing me. If you have read my blog for awhile you know I hate medications. I always try to find a natural way of healing if I can . I am giving her probiotics to help her body restore the good bacteria that the antibiotic is killing as well. (Note: If your child is on an antibiotic it's imparative you give them a probiotic).

So we will go back on Wednesday for her 4 year old checkup and hopefully the ear infection and rash will will be gone. Lesson learned though. I have to listen to my gut when I think something is just not working.

Outraged!

2011-03-17T22:27:00.000-05:00

I tried to go to sleep tonight, but couldn't. I decided to get up and write a blog post. I figure maybe by venting my frustrations out here, I will feel better and be able to fall asleep.

Yesterday, my friend posted a news report on her Facebook page. The title sounded interesting so I clicked on it. As soon as I started reading it, I could feel my blood pressure start to rise. How can the FDA do this? How can a drug company do this? I have no earthly idea, but they are putting hundreds, probably thousands of babies at risk and could possibly put the IVF world at a stand still. Here's the article that has me boiling mad and something has to be done.
Price of Preventing Premature Births.

This hits so close to home for me because I know what it's like to lose a baby, two in fact. I would have paid any price to keep my son and daughter. I would have gone bankrupt if I had to pay $1500 a day for one shot. In fact, when I was pregnant with all 3 of my sweet girls, I was on that shot every single day. I still have the knots on my backside to prove it. With Brooklyn I took the shot to 34 weeks and with Sydney until week 30. At that time it cost me $40 for a month supply. It wasn't an option for me not to have that shot. My body does not produce progesterone during pregnancy like it should. Thankfully it did it's job and I have a 4 and 5 year old to prove it. This drug is not expensive to produce. Compounding pharmacies have been making it for years. Now they must stop. KV Pharmaceuticals is the only one that can manufacture it because the FDA gave them the patent.

There are other forms of progesterone that are widely used. Prometrium (the big yellow pill) is the most popular but not everyone can tolerate it. For me it made me sick as a dog. There are also suppositories, which I have taken as well, but none of these forms get into the bloodstream as fast as the injection does. That is why it is so important in preventing premature babies. When a mom is in labor prematurely there is no time to swallow a pill and allow the day or so it needs to get into the bloodstream. That mom needs it now. What would you do if you knew your babies life was at stake and you were at the hospital and they say they need a check from you for $1500 in order for your babies life to be saved? That is what is happening right now. Most people just don't have that kind of cash laying around. What about the insurance companies? No way. Blue Cross Blue Shield has already said they will not cover the shot. More insurance companies will follow in their footsteps.

This ruling must be overturned immediately. Shame on the FDA and shame on KV Pharmaceuticals. I would love to flood the drug companies in boxes with emails. I would encourage you to join me in this fight to save babies. You never know, the future baby could be yours.

Email for KV Pharmaceuticals: investorrelations@kvpharmaceutical.com
Email for the FDA: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/email/cder/comment.cfm

Note: According to their website they say they are doing everything they can to make sure mothers have this drug. According to a local OB who had to make this decision last week, on behalf of a mom 29 weeks pregnant in active labor, they financial aid takes a week to go through. These moms have minutes, not weeks, for this drug.

Tuesday's Tip- Ping Pong Ball chores

2011-03-15T21:29:00.001-05:00

Today's tip is brilliant. I can say that because I didn't think it up. I actually ran across this tip in a magazine this week. Too bad I can't find that magazine right now. Did I mention I am in the middle of spring cleaning? Speaking of spring cleaning, starting next week, every Tuesday's Tip through May will be about how to get your house clean and organized. I can't wait. This really is my favorite time of the year.

I digress. I found a fun way to make chores fun for the whole family. I can't wait to try this on Saturday, but first I will need to run to Walmart to get the supplies. There's actually just one thing you need: Ping Pong balls.
Then you simply take a permanent marker and right the name of the chore on a ball, you continue to write down chores on each ball until you've filled them all. You set the timer for the alloted time you want to clean and then stick all the balls into a large bowl. Each child grabs one ball and takes off and does their chore. After they finish that chore they run back and grab another ball. When the timer goes off, the child with the most ping pong ball wins.

If you have tried this before, please leave me a comment and let me know how it worked out for you. My girls are only 4 & 5 so I will have to keep the chores simple, but hopefully I can get them in the habit of cleaning, while having a little fun too.