Thursday, January 31, 2013

Oh what to do...

My daughter is turning 2 at the end of March and I'm trying to decide how to celebrate the occassion. I've always done big parties for all of the kids, but for some reason, I just want to do something smaller for her this year. I actually think she'd be able to enjoy herself more if it were small. I want her to feel like she's shining and I don't want her to get lost in the party.


Her birthday just happens to fall on a Friday, which is perfect. The honey always takes off on everyone's birthdays, which I love :) And the entire day revolves around the birthday person and we do all of their favorite things, starting off with our family tradition of breakfast at the Silver Diner. I'm thinking about making reservations for our family at a tea room...We'll get dressed in our fancies and eat a girly lunch. I need to do my homework and look around for a special place...

I was also thinking of taking her to the Build a Bear workshop...I wish she was big enough to go into the American Girl store! I can't wait to have that experience with her! I still wonder what age would be best for that. She loves playing little mommy and she's always taking care of her baby dolls and us. It's so sweet.




Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Brrr

I love winter. I love the clothes. I love the scarves. I love the coziness it brings. I just don't love the super cold :) So I guess I don't really love the winter as much as I thought I did, do I?
 
 
I feel like I should be creative with winter activities, but I end up running out.
 


My two boys could play outside in the cold most of the day with no problem, but my sweet girl gets chilled after no time at all (like her mama).
 
 
It's been difficult making winter fun work for everyone. I struggle with that, so lots of time we end up going out during naptime, when the little girl is asleep, then the middle guy misses his nap and that's always awesome.
 


So I think I'm ready for spring. But not before the hubby and I go snow skiing (I do enjoy that). Did I mention we're going to celebrate the hubby's birthday next month with a ski trip- just us? I can't wait! In the meantime, I need to find some new ski pants...My pre-pregnancy ones aren't good, if you get my drift.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Charts

 

Homeschooling has made me chart crazy. I really love charts. Sometimes they work, other times they're a flop. When the willingness wasn't coming so easily this morning :) I made a new chart. I guess you could call it an incentive chart, but I titled it "Willing Work Chart." If Mr. Crockett does his school work without complaining, at the end of the day, he gets to put a sticker beside that day. At the end of the week, if he has a total of 5 stickers, he gets to draw from my reward jar. I have some pretty fun rewards...make cookies, have a movie night, have a slumber party (which I think when you have a boy, you don't call it that...) etc. I have high hopes, people :)
 


For the most part, our school goes pretty well during the day. In fact, I'm usually surprised at how much we can actually accomplish with everything going on around us, and then other times, the littles require a bit more of my attention and things go a little slower or we have to stop for a while and then pick back up during naptime, which was the case today.

 
Classic :)

Saturday, January 26, 2013

It's about to get real up in here


I haven't ever written a post like this before, so if you're a man, copy and paste this to your significant other, and please stop reading now :) But if you're a women who is on any type of birth control or are searching for one, please keep reading.
  
After having 3 kids, 3 and under at one point, getting Mirena seemed like a completely logical answer for me. Not to mention, my crazy cycles. Endometriosis runs on my mom's side of the family and with my personal history, it is believed that I have it as well. Knowing that Mirena could stop my periods completely sounded like an answer to prayer for the pain I have whenever I'm not pregnant or nursing. No periods? Does it get any better than that?
 
Before going on Mirena, I had tried low dose birth control pills, high dose birth control pills, Progesterone, and Lupron (which was what I was on when I got pregnant with my daughter). Ha!

I had Mirena inserted in August of 2011 and had it removed a week ago this past Friday. During my time on Mirena, I experienced well over 20 of the listed side effects. In the days leading up to the removal, I experienced what my doctor felt was a blood clot. Thank God it was not. However, I was having a sharp, pinching pain my my chest when I breathed and the pain radiated on the upper right side of my body and I had pain in my uterus. It was miserable. After running a slew of tests, my doctor concluded that my Mirena had caused an infection that had spread up into my lungs. Thankfully, my Mirena was still in place, easy to remove and all I needed was antibiotics. I've since had a sonogram, which they found some small cysts and pockets of blood in my uterus. Hopefully everything will go back to normal soon. After reading about Mirena, after my bad experience, I'm realizing that I was one of the lucky ones. The things women have lost and gone through while on Mirena are just heartbreaking.

The reason why I felt such urgency to put such personal information out there is that we, as women, need to educate ourselves about what we do with our bodies and especially what we put in them. All medications have side effects, we all know that, but do we read them? Do we really read them? Do we take in account our medical history? Our parent's medical history? Our grandparent's medical history? And weigh the pros and cons? To be honest, up until now, I thought that if my doctor allowed me to get Mirena, then it was probably not going to hurt me. That aside, it is crucial that we listen to our bodies and be advocates for them. We only get one body, we need to take delicate care of the one we have.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Good Morning, Sunshine

Mornings like this come once in a blue moon nowadays. So, when two of my babies sleep in until 7:30, it's a super big deal. Of course one of them was up twice with a bad dream :( But they're still sleeping, so I'm happy :)

During the week, I always get up before the kids, in hopes that I can get ready, have my quiet time, and get our school stuff together, all before anyone rises. That usually doesn't happen because someone (the littles, mainly) always gets up while it's still dark, regardless of their special alarm clock :)

If I have any advice to give to a new mom, it would be to strive to wake up before your children- just 30 minutes, or however long you think you need. That moment your alarm goes off, you're going to want to push the snooze indefinitely, but once you fight that urge, it's so worth it! Some days I can get all my tasks done and some days, it just doesn't work out. As long as I can get myself into my clothes for the day and pray, I can squeeze in the rest when the kids do their morning chores. I've learned shortcuts for my hair and have learned how to "put on my face," as my Grandmother says, (aka make-up) in about 2-3 minutes. I'm happy with my quickness. As coming from a freckle-faced redhead girl...covering up my freckles was important to me for many years. It's funny to me how many years it's taken me to be comfortable with me. That's another blog post :)

Try it tomorrow and I can guarantee you'll have a happy start and you'll greet your children with a smile!

Well, here's to today!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Letter Q

 
 
One of the things about teaching preschool is that you have to be semi-creative. So I try :)
 
This week we are studying the letter
 
Q
 
Yesterday we talked about what words start with the letter "Q" and the sounds that "Q" makes.
 
The word we went with yesterday was "queen" and our activity to go along with it, (one I came with on the fly) was the make castles for our queens.
 
Check out what Crockett made!
 
Photo: The letter of the week is Q. Today we talked about the queen and built our own castles. Check out what my sweet boy built! #hiscastlerocks #homeschool

 
 
Today we will be doing a little project with quarters...The kids have a sweet spot for good 'ole George.
 



Monday, January 14, 2013

Monday

Well, I'm all set for the day!
 


I'm nearly positive that the little girl has the flu :( And it just breaks my heart. She's has that awful cough...She's not wanting to eat anything, but is drinking fluids- thanks to a pretty awesome princess straw I found at Walgreens! I'm keeping an eye on her and will take her in if she gets worse. I pray that it stays a light case for her.

So we'll see how school actually goes :) We'll be reading alot today, so that will make it easier.



Happy Monday, every one! I pray the flu is skipping over your house!

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Rest is good.


I don't know about you, but we can't stay well! The little girl is sick today. Bless her bones. After a very restless night, she's napping now...maybe I should too!



Just a thought...totally unrelated to being sick...But...If I weren't about to go take a nap, I would think this was a super great time to take down my Christmas decorations. Don't you think so too? (You know who you are...)


:)


Friday, January 11, 2013

Finally Friday


The past two weeks or so have been crazy. At least one of us have been sick. I hear that's the case for so many families out there. Now it's hit the little girl, which just happens to be the most pitiful one of us all to see sick. I'm praying that it's just a cold, although it could likely be something more, since Davy Crockett had a light case of the flu...I just hope not. She's still so tiny.

Needless to say, my goal of doing a complete master bedroom tour will have to wait until all is well in our house. I'm concentrating on keeping the house Cloroxed and every one happy, entertained, and snot free. That's a lofty goal, I tell ya.

Last night I went to my very first Mom's Night Out for homeschooling mothers. I didn't know very many people, but felt so welcomed and had the most wonderful time! I was a little sponge. It's like an underground movement. Homeschooling families don't fit the mold or the stereotypes that they once did, or did they ever? We don't all wear denim skirts, grow our hair indefinitely, and shelter our children from all things of the world. Before I became one of those moms, I felt like I could spot a homeschooling mom from a mile away (and I'm sure I have), but what I'm finding...what I found last night is that they're a lot like me. They're real women with real desires for themselves as individuals, as wives, as teachers, and as mothers. We're everywhere :)I feel like I came out with a wealth of information, encouragement, and confidence. I am so thankful that I was able to attend. Between now and this summer, I have a ton of research to do and books to read, but I no longer feel overwhelmed with all of the information that's out there.

:)


I hear this weekend is suppose to be spectacular weather. I sure hope all five of us are able to enjoy it!

Happy Friday y'all!

Monday, January 7, 2013

A place to rest a book, glasses, and smart phone.

I really wanted the honey and I to have a place to relax and unwind that was just ours. Although I have quite a few things I would like to add to the room , like new picture of us on the honey's nightstand...I like where it is now. I guess I better start selling a few more things. Ha!
 
So even though it's not complete, I thought I would go ahead and share a couple of pictures of the master bedroom :)
 
I had originally wanted to have the nightstands flip-flopped~ the more feminine of the two on my side and the more masculine one on the honey's side, but it didn't look right, so we switched them.
 
 
I am so happy we found one with drawers for our books and anything else we don't want to sit out. I think this is my new favorite piece of furniture...I'm a sucker for glass knobs and I love the lines on this baby.
 
 
One of the things I wanted to do on the honey's nightstand was to have a dish filled with some of the shells he picked while we were in Florida. They were mostly all white or really thin and clear.
 

 

On my nightstand, I have three very special pictures of me cuddling with the kids when they first came home from the hospital. They're too personal of shots to have sitting out in the rest of the house, but just right for my bedroom. I love having a pretty place to put my jewelery. My wedding ring rests on my Tiffany blue wedding organizer, which holds some special memories.
 
I have lots more pictures!

 

 

White Antique Nightstand~ The Old Lucketts Store
Love You More Sign~ Kirklands
Dish~ Target

Wooden Nightstand~ The Old Lucketts Store,(Made out of old barn wood)
Pair of Mercury glass lamps~ Homegoods
 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Take 2

As a mom, I find myself agonizing over certain decisions I make. It's an ache like no other. Motherhood is the most wonderful gift in the whole wide world. Contrary to what some people might believe, there is no handbook.
 
Photo: Snow!

I've only been a mother for five years, but I have three kids, so I can multiply that right? These first five years have been the most changing years I've ever had. They've been the years where I've learned the most about myself...Five years in and sometimes I barely recognize myself. Even though I mess up every single day (sometimes multiple times), I feel the most comfortable with me than I think I ever have in all my 29 years. (BTW, I'm going to refer to myself as 29 a lot this year). Tonight my heart is achy and in a few minutes it will be tomorrow and tomorrow is a new day. You see, I have three very loving, very forgiving little children who accept apologies and never hold anything over my head. Oh how thankful I am for that. Eating veggies and fruit at all three meals just isn't the most important thing. I get that. Noted.

Instead of playing drill sergeant for the past three days, I should have had my Bible out more.

"Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him
for the life of your young children."
 
Lamentations 2:19



Now I have someone to cuddle with. He sleeps with a sippy cup and rabbit.


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Hello 2013! Nice to meet ya!


Well, winter break is over! The newness of all the Christmas toys hasn't worn off, so we'll be doing short school today and ease us all in... 
 
 
This year, I decided that it was time to give my master bedroom some ooomfing. If yours is anything like mine was, the decor was most often an after thought...the room you always close the door to when company arrives...the catch-all...the place most likely to find your kid's missing soldier and that pacifier you lost three years ago. (Yes, I did.)
 
For the past few months, I've been pinteresting like crazy, creating my dream board for a relaxing suite. And I've come up with something completely opposite and I love it. To make things a little more complicated, I decided to redo our the bedroom as cheaply as possible, which meant I gave myself a zero budget for upgrades. What? Yep. I spent none of my own money.
 
Craigslist became my friend, as did my family who gave me birthday and Christmas money. Thank you! It went to a good cause :)
 
I live in a townhome with four other people, three of whom come with a lot of crap stuff. So I decided to start freeing myself and my family of all of the stuff that was closing in on us... All of those things that we either don't love or don't use, I sold it. It was hard, at first, but letting go of all of those extras has caused me to really begin to love the little home we've created. Every week, I go around to each room with a bag and if there is anything that we're not loving, we've outgrown, or is broken, I either sell it, throw it away, or give it to Goodwill. *Note to any mama thinking of trying this: Do this difficult task during naptime or bedtime, as it can be painful for the kids.*
 


 
Yesterday, the fam and I went to The Old Lucketts Store to pick out some finishing touches for the room. If you live in the VA area, it is totally worth the drive! Especially, if you go when the Design House is open (most first weekends of the month). I also picked up some of Miss Mustard Seed's milk paint...I am so excited!  
 
 
 
Pictures are soon to come! I hope you like it as much as I do :)