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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

what i ate wednesday

I decided that I would participate in What I ate Wednesday over at Jenn's blog Peas and Crayons this week! I take enough pictures of my food I figured I would make pretty collages with them :)

Head on over to Jenn's blog and check out all the yummy things people have been chowin' down on!


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

beachy hair

I am the kind of girl that loves everything about the beach. I mean who doesn't? The best thing is how somehow the salt water just makes your hair behave. Well, at least mine it does. When we were on our cruise my hair had the perfect beach wave to it. No styling necessary! And if I would have thought of it I would have bottled some ocean water and brought it home. But we live and we learn and I think I have found the next best thing.


It is Not Your Mothers Beach Babe Sea Salt Spray. It. Is. Wonderful! I was not sure what to think at first because I don't usually put products on my hair. But this one is great. You can put it on damp or dry hair and let it air dry. You can still run your fingers through your hair and it does not weigh it down at all. Best of all it smells wonderful. Like coconuts. So if you are looking for a product to make your hair smell wonderful and gives you sexy, manageable beach waves this is the product for you! 

*Disclaimer: This review is my own that I thought I would give after buying and trying the product*

Thursday, January 17, 2013

one of those days...

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing made sense and all you wanted to do was bury your head in a pillow and cry. Ya, you know what I'm talking about.

The last part of twenty-twelve and the start of twenty-thirteen have been kinda rough on me. With my dad's cancer, both my boys growing up super fast and the fact that I can not have any more babies has taken a bigger toll on me than I originally thought.

{Just a little back story... My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer in June of last year. And against all odds he is doing AMAZING! But the fact that he is still sick and seeing him actually look sick gets to me sometimes. He is doing so well that when he does get sick it's like shock almost. Both of my boys just celebrated birthdays. They seem so grown up these day. Tyler is getting so independent and Jake can read. It has just been a lot for me. I swore I was never going to be that mom, and here I am... being that mom. And lastly, in December I had an appointment with a fertility specialist about expanding out family and was told my tubal ligation was not reversible. There are other options that are still open and on the table but the sad fact is they are way too expensive.}

As I sit here and read over everything that I have just typed I feel horrible. I should be thanking and praising God for all the wonderful things that I do have in my life. The fact that my dad is doing amazing when they gave us no hope, that my boys are healthy and smart and that God has blessed me with two wonderful gifts instead of dwelling on all the stuff that I don't have.

This is my chance to love my life and everything in it and thank God daily for the grace that he shows me and the blessing that He gives me.

Friday, January 11, 2013

you only turn five once


Today my sweet baby boy turns 5 years old. A whole hand. Five fingers.


I can't believe how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday that I brought a 6 lb 6 oz bundle of joy home from the hospital. And now he can write his own name and loves to play angry birds. I wish now that I would have taken more time to soak in everything when he was younger because in just a few years he is going to be grown and think his mama is super un-cool.

But, you know what, I have now. I have the nights he wants to snuggle and watch cartoons and the days he tells his daddy that he is a mama's boy. I will spend my days soaking in the blessing that God has given me and enjoy every minute with my 'baby' boy.

Tyler if you ever read this I just want you to know how much I love you and that I thank God for you everyday.


And Jake, I know we were not home for your birthday but I want you to know that I love you just as much and you were the best Christmas present I ever have and ever will receive!

Love you both with all my heart!
Mama

Thursday, January 10, 2013

my home goals for twenty-thirteen

If you have read my blog you will know that we have hardly done anything to our house since we moved in 7 years ago. I am not sure of the exact reason, but now that I think about it I feel really bad that I have been living in a bachelor pad for years now.

Not Anymore!

This year I am going to be a super busy little bee getting our house in tip top shape. At first it was because we wanted to sell the house, but with the over-priced market right now we have decided to stay. I can't wait to get started!


Have walls done throughout the house

The living room paneling needs to come off, entryway walls need to be redone, bathroom wallpaper needs to come down and the master vanity walls need to be textured. Then they all need to be painted!


U-G-L-Y!
I mean really, what were they thinking?



Redo the floors throughout the house

Hardwood for the entry, living room and hallway. 
Tile for the bathrooms and kitchen and new carpet in the bedrooms.

Love the concrete, but I am ready for something more welcoming.



Paint kitchen table chairs and redo table

Add some fun colorful curtains.



Add pops of color throughout the house

Love what Emily Clark has done with her kitchen. So fun and colorful!



Make our backyard someplace our family and friends can hang out

Our backyard is shaped like this and I think the way they set it up here is perfect!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

kitchen rugs?!

I used to have these cheap, red kitchen rugs that I bought at Wal-Mart when we first got married. They were perfect since my walls were red and I wanted rugs to match, but now that I have painted my walls a neutral beige I am having a hard time finding something that I love. *sigh*

It should be easy right?

Ya... NOT the case!

I can not find anything that I want to look at everyday while I am cooking or washing dishes. Or if I do find something, I try to find it online and it is nowhere to be found. So what's a girl to do?

Keep looking! :)

So far here is what I have found that I like...

Beautiful turquoise rug for a beautiful kitchen. 
I wonder if that rug can make my kitchen that gorgeous?

Green anti fatigue rug from Paula Deen. 

LOVE this one! 
Even better I could afford this one! 
But Target does not sell them anymore. 
So here's to hoping I can find something kinda like it.
www.google.com

Monday, January 7, 2013

adding a splash of color...

My MIL gave me a gift card to Hobby Lobby for Christmas and since today was the my first day without kids in two weeks I thought it was a perfect day to go shopping!

I know that it is still winter for a couple of months, but I am itching to add some color to my very plain house. It seems like everything we have is either black or brown. Ugh! This girl needs some colors that make everything pop.

So while I was walking around I decided that what my house needed was some colorful flowers. Granted, they are fake, but this way I can't kill them. My favorite part is the turquoise flower pot that I found!


I think that they add a fun, somewhat feminine element to my kitchen table. 
Don't ya think? 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

looking back at our BLESSED year

I had so many pictures on my iPhone that I could not decide which ones I wanted to post from this last year. So instead I made a couple of collages so I could put them al together. We had an incredibly blessed year. The proof is in the pictures! :)

Here are a few of the years highlights:
- Michael and I are doing better than ever
- I got to share my testimony with 150 women!
- My dad's cancer outlook is looking awesome. Serious Blessing!
- Jacob got baptized!!!!
- I started my own photography business... and shot my fist wedding


Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Hello Twenty Thirteen!

WoW! 

What a year twenty twelve was. 

I know that I have been missing since mid November, but I'm back now...

... and I want my blog to be better than ever!

Here's to a awesomely blessed twenty thirteen!