Ash Wednesday

OK tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and I have always wanted to give up facebook for lent but never had the guts to do it, so.......I am finally going to do it! Expect more blog updates from me! I really am excited to see if I can last all the way until Easter without checking it at all! Now if I am with someone and they check me in somewhere or post a picture that is one thing but I still am not going to get on at all! I have given up fast food, meat, chocolate, pop. all that kind of stuff in the past but this year I think it will be the most challenging considering I think I am a facebook addict! But you know what? God sacrificed a lot more than facebook so I really feel I owe Him something more this year! Love y'all and God bless! Easter is one of my favorite holidays, I'm sure most of you know that, BUT I think I kind of adore them all! haha

ps. I never uploaded pics from my beautiful baby girls bday party on facebook yet so I will do that here shortly, my goal is to update once a week so stay tuned :)

Is it winter?

He is adorable and we are loving this weather

Swing swing

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

We call this pillow land

Aubrey is my favorite accessory hands down

These amazing hats were hand made by my Mom.  She is so talented!

 

Its almost been a month already since I have updated already! We have had a great first month of the year its been so nice out lately it feels like spring has sprung! Its amazing to think that there really is only 1 more bad month of winter and if "bad" is how it is now then count me in! I love not having to hibernate and take the kids for walks and to parks!

February is going to be super busy this year at least the first couple weeks. Chad, Aubrey, and my sister Beth all have birthdays all within a few days of each other. I can't get over that my little lady is almost 1! I have some cute ideas for her party but I still have so much to do for it! My sister is turning 30 so I will be helping her celebrate that, and I always like to try to make Chad's bday special since hes my sweet heart ;) We are getting him a bike this year (Tyler decided on it, I thought it was a great idea) Then something very exciting is going to happen mid-Feb. I can't say what it is now but you all will find out in due time.

What I am really excited for tho is St. Patty's day!!!!!!! I didn't go out for it last year because my little girl was only a month old so this year I am going to make up for lost time :) I get so giddy and excited when I see shamrocks PLUS it also means its almost shamrock shake time! YUMMMMM. It also means it starts to warm up, I am def not a winter gal, I love it when its warm, but really who doesn't? 

Anyways Happy Wednesday everyone! The weekend is almost here!

Its been a LONG time!

Happy New Year!!!! Wow it has been such a long time since I have blogged and I must say I have missed it! I love re-reading my blogs and reminiscing.  Looking back at 2011 I would say I had one of the best years of my life, we had Aubrey, I got to watch my little man grow and learn, we moved to a new town, worked really hard to make our new house feel like home, and started making it a point to set time away to spend time with my husband...I really couldn't have asked for a better year!

So its a new year, time for new resolutions, I have always gone for the lose 10 lbs route but this year instead of focusing on loosing weight I am going to try to cook healthier for my family. I also really want to become more organized. I got a good start with my closet but now I need to tackle all the other closets in my house! And the final one is to try to "not sweat the small stuff" I let little things bother me and I don't even know why! So there you have it. Lets see how I do...OH and I will blog more ;)

Christmas Eve with my little ones

So Aubrey is almost 11 months. I honestly can't believe how fast this first year went! It seems like with the 2nd kid it goes even faster if that's even possible because Tyler's first year flew by too! I love this stage of her life, shes pulling up and getting into everything! She loves patty-cake and peek-a-boo, and her brother is her favorite person on the planet. It is so adorable to see him make her just crack up! I swear I can't even make her laugh like he can!

Tyler just turned 3 in December, I can't believe it. I feel like I was just looking at the pregnancy test at my old job thinking "OH SHIT I'M NOT READY FOR THIS" I can't help but laugh at my reaction to finding out I was pregnant with him.  My life would not be the same without him and I love him more and more everyday...he and Aubrey honestly are my everything and I can't believe in just 3 short years how much joy and love he has brought to my life! On the night before his birthday I did my usual look at pictures from when he was born and when we were in the hospital and I couldn't help but to cry...happy tears of coarse. I have come to terms with being a cryer, I'm OK with it.

So I didn't initially intend this to be a cheese fest but it just sorta went in that direction. My life is just how it is supposed to be and I just can't wait to drink in every single minute of the new year!

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." ~Albert Schweitzer  .....I just stumbled across this quote a few days ago and I just think it is perfect for me.  Some think that being a stay at home mom means you aren't successful, but the feeling that I get when I hear my little man sing the ABC's and count to 20 or when I see Aubrey clapping and laughing is priceless! I feel like I am doing the best job that I can and that is enough success that I need!

Here are some highlights from 2012:

I adore this picture!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

quick update

I haven't blogged in a while so I figured its time! Life has been pretty good lately (for the most part) I have had some emotional ups and downs in the past few weeks.  I honestly think it has to do with my hormone levels because I decided to get off the pill.  (no we are NOT trying to get pregnant, I got off it for personal reasons regarding side effects.)  I have been really trying to focus on positiveness lately and though it has been hard at times, its working.  I took up jogging and biking again.  I go early in the morning when its still cool(er) out.  That is if Aubrey wakes up close to 5 so I can feed her and get her back to bed and take off before Tyler wakes up for the day.  It is really therapeutic for me and I am hoping this is a long term hobby.  I asked for an ipod for my birthday (even tho I have a ways to go until then) but I think a morning jog with some great music followed by a nice cup of coffee before I start my day sounds like a perfect plan to happiness!  Although it depends on little miss thang because sometimes she decides to wake up at 3:30am and that is just WAY to early to start my day so those are my sleep in days.  Anyways the point is my goal is to be healthy, maybe lose a little weight and I am hoping to be able to run the bix next year!

My kids are doing great lately, Tyler has been using the big boy potty for about 3 weeks now and he is doing so great.  I only put a diaper on him for nap and bed time but I actually think I can phase nap time out soon, I need to buy a mattress protector just in case and then I will...He gets to go to the pet store soon and pick out a fish for his room (his big reward) I think he will really enjoy it!  Aubrey has been on a different formula and she seems to be doing ok, but a little more fussy than usual.  I am starting to feed her cereal on a spoon and may even try some baby food in a couple weeks and if that doesn't help with her fussiness I think I will switch her back to her potato juice. I am hoping that she is just needing more food or cutting teeth or something why she is fussy because its a lot nicer getting twice as much for the same amount of money but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Well that is all I can think of at the moment but I will leave you with a couple recent pictures:

Happy Momma

I am one happy Mommy today.  There are so many little things right now that are just working out so smoothly that I honestly can't complain. I had such a great weekend weekend.  I am a little exhausted today because I feel like we were so busy, and it always seems that when we have things to do our weekend is in FF mode.  As most of you know, Chad and I have a problem being late to things and we figured out this weekend this little trick, we are 2 people and we have 2 kids so we need 2 hours to get ready to leave the house to go somewhere, we usually put off getting the kids ready and ourselves and get caught up in chatting because I feel like we never just have time to talk since he is working so much but this weekend we got down to business and were actually early to Aubrey's baptism! LOL 

It was also Father's day and I actually wanted to give a shout out to my husband for being such an amazing Daddy.  He is so good with the kids. He does everything he can to support us and not only that, he makes his time at home worth it by trying to spend every second with us. I really appreciate everything he does. I got him a weed whacker that he really wanted to show that I appreciate him (from saved up money from doing hair)  its not something that I like to buy for him but he really wanted it so I thought I would make him happy :) I usually like to give him clothes, and shoes ect, but he likes tools. Typical man ;)

Aubrey was batized as well on Father's day.  She looked so beautiful in her gown that my Mom gave to her as a gift.  I wanted to say THANK YOU to my Mom on here as well.  The gown was gorgeous!  Not only that but she also work my old necklace and bracelet from when I was little. That really meant a lot to me that my daughter could wear those and I intend to have her give them to her daughter when she grows up :)  

On another Aubrey note, she has been sleeping in her crib through the night *for the most part* I am so happy that she is in her crib although it was a little sad for me because I already am getting that "aww my baby is growing up" feeling.  HAHA it will pass I am sure.  We also took her to the Dr, today and she said that we could actually try to switch her formulas! This is great news because the stuff she is on is so expensive and smells so bad so I am so happy.  I am really hoping that she takes well to the new formula.

OK here is another great reason why I am sooo HAPPY today.  Tyler has been using the big boy potty all weekend.  He all the sudden on Saturday just started wanting to go.  I knew knew knew if I waited for him to be ready he would get it! I am so proud! It also helped that he saw his cousin Eva doing it on Sunday too and I think he liked getting cheered on by our family.  Today I made a potty chart and every time he goes on the potty he gets to put a star sticker on it, he really likes doing that too. The only thing that we have to work on is getting him to wear big boy undies.  He always wants me to put his diaper back on him when he is done. Its not a hug concern tho. I hope he keeps it up! :) YAY!!!!

Ok, so I can stop with my happy post.  I guess I just felt the need to have a little bit of bragging rights.  Every parent is entitled to a little bit of it :)  I will leave you with some adorable pictures of the babies from this weekend!

I love this face she is making.  She is really into the stage of figuring our how to make different expressions.

 

 

just a quick thought

If I had my child to raise all over again,

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.

I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.

~Diane Loomans

I read this poem and I had to share,...It really has me thinking.  I really need to work on being more positive.  I feel like sometimes I can be so negative and I know my kids pick up on it because Tyler will have  a "naughty" day or Aubrey will have a "fussy" day. I need to stop harping on my hubby for working so much because he is doing it to support us and I need to be more grateful for being able to stay home with the babies, and I need to stop wishing I had more "me" time because lets face it, I'm not going to get it for a few years when I have a 2 year old and a 3 month old, I should be lucky if I get a shower that day! I need to stop complaining so much about any little thing.  What I also really need to do is to stop worrying what others think of me, and stay away from the "negative" people.  I really feel people have an affect on your mood and when you are around people who are constantly in the neg, you will too be right there with them.  I feel like life is full of trial and errors and I am just getting started in figuring things out.  I just want to be someone that my kids can look up to, and not remember their Mommy as a big pile of stress...so as for now my new life motto is "Don't sweat the small stuff"  If things don't go as planned I need to shrug and just remember the BIG picture!

Family

 

Anniversary Weekend

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was fantastic! Very busy, but it was great! Chad had a long weekend so we got to spend a lot of family time together.  Sat, was Eva's 3rd birthday party. It was a little rainy for the party but just a little sprinkle and the kids were still able to play at the park we were at.  They of coarse had a blast, Emily had a new little puppy named Phoebe there too and she is so small and cute

awwwwwww

Ty and Eva playing

Eva getting ready for some cake :)

Then Sat night my sister Beth and I went to the Josh Groban concert.  I am not gonna lie, I was not excited to go, I thought it would be boring because Josh Groban's music is pretty slow pace, I like a little more of up beat type stuff, but I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had.  He had a phenomenal voice and was actually pretty funny!

Waiting for the concert to start

we had pretty good seats!

We went out afterwards for a few drinks and met up with my friend Andrea It was kinda crazy to be out without my hubby, because I rarely go out without him, and I prefer to be with him, but it was still a lot of fun!

As for our anniversary on Sunday...it was amazing! we spent the morning with the babies, and then took them out to my parents in Le Claire after lunch.  Then we went and walked around downtown Le Claire.  I love those little shops, I really could have dropped some major jack (money lol) at those stores.  We actually did buy the letters I-G-H-T-N-E-R from the store Razzelberries.  We already had the L and it looks so awesome up on our shelf in the kitchen, then when we move we want a fireplace and think they would look sharp on the mantel (I like to think of the future)

Since we didn't have the kids we decided to go check out cameras since I have been really wanting one for a while and we ended up getting one! 

I will have to shoot in Auto for a while, but I plan on taking a class on Photography because I really think it will be a good hobby for me, I have always been a picture person and I want to be able to capture awesome pictures of my babies growing up! Not to mention it will come in handy when they have recitals, soccer games, graduations ect ect.....

Chad and I went out to dinner and just ate our cake at home and just stayed up talking and laughing together, I am so so so blessed to have a husband where I can be so content just staying home with him and spending time with him even when we have a baby sitter!  I love you hunny!

the cake was amazing as we knew it would be, if you have never checked out Olde Town Bakery in Moline, I suggest you do!

Monday was Memorial day and the weather was AMAZING! we played outside for most of the day

So then Tuesday we went to get family pictures and they really turned out great, I was worried Tyler would not be photogenic for them but he actually did better than Aubrey, we were surprised because she is always smiling but she was tired and wanted a nap, they still turned out cute! Check them out on my facebook under family pics, there is one of Aubrey and shes sticking her bottom lip out so far it is the cutest thing ever! 

Now today we had to go to my Mom's retirement party.  Tyler of coarse had so much fun, he was getting  a -lot of attention from the ladies :-)  I am happy for my mom, she will love being off (plus she will get to spend a lot more time with us) :-) alright my computer is acting up so I am going to have to say bye for now! Have a great week everyone!