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Unlocked

2012-01-23T11:22:00.000-06:00

A while back I read the book "Unlocked" by Karen Kingsbury. It is about an Autistic boy who hadn't talked or barely communicated verbally for years and years. It took the bravery and dedication of one girl, a friend to "Unlock" his ability to communicate.

Yesterday I had an "Unlocked" break through at church. I sing. I have always been able to sing, I have always LOVED to sing. Music is one of the biggest things that speaks to me. However, when singing in front of others, I have always held back. I rarely ever, probably never just belted it out in a way where there was no holding back. Primarily due to fear of messing up. If I sing loud...but not TOO loud and not TOO spectacular...it would be easier to hide any imperfections in my notes or if I mess up a word or phrase. Yesterday, was a day unlike any other. We did 3 songs which were all pretty new to our praise band. All by Jesus Culture. Freedom Reigns (Where the Spirit of the Lord is), Worthy is the Lamb, You Won't Relent. We did great with all of them, but You Won't Relent was the show stopper. First time through it went "ok". But then I stepped out of God's way and He showed up in a big way. I sang like I have never sang (In front of other people) before! It was like something was unlocked. It was amazing. "I" wasn't amazing. It was God working through me and the entire Praise band that was amazing.

On my drive home I started thinking...I have always seen myself being able to sing and perform like I did on Sunday. But I had never actually achieved it. Sunday I achieved it. Now I KNOW that I can do it, and if feels liberating. Do you know what it is like to know that you have a gift, but for 32 years to have never fully used it? Its kind of like having the cure to cancer 2 feet away from you, you can see it, but it is locked behind a 10 inch piece of bullet proof glass.

Then I started thinking about my weightloss rollercoaster. If you have been with me for awhile you will remember, if not...here is the history. Just 4 weeks ago I was back up to 242 pounds. Just 2 years ago when I first went public with my weight I was 243.2. I lost weight, got down to 218, got pregnant, got up to 255 during my pregnancy, lost weight back down to 225 within a couple weeks of giving birth. Then slowly crept back up maxing out at 242. In the last couple of weeks I have slowly been getting motivated and changing little habits. I have already lost 6 pounds and am down to 236. I have been toying with the idea of signing up for Medifast for months. My friend Debby has been on it this last year and has lost 60 pounds. She looks amazing! I know how to diet, I know what I have to eat, I know how to excercise. Most overweight people do know how to do all of this because we have tried it ALL! I am only committing to 30 days of this plan, there were no contracts. I just need something to kick start me and help me get my habits turned around. The more simple things are, the easier it will be to stick with it.

Back to my thinking on Sunday. I started thinking about how I have always invisioned and dreamed about being skinny. I could see it happening, but always holding back on my full potential. I would lose a bunch of weight and then soon after sabotauge myself somehow. I would like to think THIS is MY SEASON. My season of unlocking my full potential in all areas of my life.

It's my turn! I am sick of sitting back watching other people enjoy what life has to offer!

Harrison 8 Month Update

2012-01-05T09:47:00.004-06:00

Harrison will be 8 months old on January 11th. Can't really fathom it. What I need to record is this:

Teeth

At 6 months old, early November, he broke his first 2 teeth! The bottom front. It wasn't too horrible of an ordeal. I think he is in the beginning stages of getting his top 2 teeth right now. Lets hope that gets accomplished before I go to Blissdom.

Sleep

Since the time change early November he has stopped sleeping through the night. He now gets up once or twice even to nurse. He still sleeps in the rock 'n cradle right next to our bed. Actually...I have tried to move him to the crib...but that isn't working out very hot. I didn't read the fine print on the rock 'n cradle when I got it...it says you shouldn't make this your childs main place to sleep. I now see why. He loves to be cuddled, cradled. The cradle does that. The crib, not so much. Any ideas for me would be helpful!

Mobility

Around this same 6 month time period he started rolling, and eventually army crawling any where his little body could take him. On Thanksgiving day he started full throttle crawling! That would be 6 months and 2 weeks old. He can get himself to the sitting up position..but he still keeps one arm holding him propped up. He can't seem to get the courage to let go of that one arm keeping him stable.

Words

Right before Christmas he started saying "Da-Da". Figures right? Yo...baby...who has nursed you, changed you, etc for the last 8 month! That was my original thought...but then my second more sensible thought was this: If hearing his son say Daddy..helps him have the motivation to work hard for his family...so that I get to stay home and raise them...then so be it. On this past Sunday, 1-1-12, he said "Bubba" at church. Bubba is what Xavier & River have been teaching him. Later that day he finally said "Ma Ma".

Food

Harrison still exclusively breastfeeds. We have tried rice cereals and baby foods. He doesn't like any of them. I have mentioned this on Facebook before...and I get a trillion people thinking it is because he can't. I know he can...because he has a couple of times. What he does though...is he starts gagging BEFORE the spoon ever even gets to his mouth! The "don't make me eat that disgusting stuff or I will make myself puke" kind of gagging. He also does not take any form of bottle. Doesn't matter what kind of bottle, or what is in the bottle...he absolutely refuses. I also have people tell me "If he is hungry enough he will take it". Really? How long shall I starve him? I have tried letting him be somewhat hungry....but it doesn't matter. I have just decided to roll with it. It really isn't a big issue...except that James & I are limited to 3 hour dates. I don't plan to leave him overnight until he is at least a year old.

and really...how could I be mad at this?

Temperament

He is the absolute most dreamy, happy, smiley baby I have ever met. Everyone who meets him says the same. He is an absolute joy to be around. And as the picture states above...it will be ok! We are just rolling with it. Basking in the joy of being with him so much during these itty bitty days. Because I know those days are short, and soon he will be running after our 3 year old!

Size

Did I use the term itty bitty to describe Harrison? Yeah...he is 20 pounds! His rolls have rolls! Not sure on his length. He was 36 inches tall at his 6 month appointment. I love his chubbiness. If only someone would say the same thing about me? :)

Nicknames

Mostly everyone calls him Harrison. Xavier and one of my nephews call him Harry. I am not opposed to calling him Harry. I just seemed to have stuck with Harrison. When his great grandpa met him for the first time (whom he is named after James Harrison Miller) he kept saying..."Harrison, that is a good name, just don't let them call you Harry". Great Grandpa Jim is 93 years old. He is highly opinionated. He is a super cute old man. He was absolutely tickled that we named him after him. Sometimes I even forget that Harrison's first name is James. Sometimes I call him Baby James. A lot of people tell me that he looks a lot like me. Then people say he looks just like River & James. He is a perfect blend.

Toddler Learning is Fun!

2012-01-04T00:04:00.001-06:00

This is a creation I made over the summer for the little boys' room. (which is pretty much River's room until we can trust him to sleep in the same room alone with his baby brother) I had to hurry up and post this now because...I...myself...came up with this creation. The was design BP...that stands for Before Pinterest. It is true that I am now a Pinterest addict. However THIS creation...I came up with ON MY OWN. Just yesterday I was on ~~Crackerist~~ Pinterest and I saw a creation similar but not the same. What I am learning about Pinterest is this: If you can dream it or think of it...it is more than likely someone has already done it. You can have a thought like..I wonder if I can create something with toilet paper rolls...and then you type that in and whalah! 50,000 other people had the same thought and did it! I love to inspire others with my creations. I love to see other inspirations and make them my own by changing them up a bit. But lets just get real here. When it is something you did come up with on your own...you want the credit for it! :) I am so humble right?

Ok...back to the post. I bought 2 packs of alphabet flash cards at Wal-Mart. I got out my huge roll of jute rope and my paper puncher. The cards are 2 sided. So with 2 packs I was able display the upper case, lower case, and 2 pictures corresponding with that letter.

Then later...we were working on colors with River, and I had a thought. Same concept, this time I just used colored card stock paper, wrote the name of the color on the bottom of each paper and put them on the string. I didn't take a lot of time with this project. If I ever do it over again...I would take the time and put the papers through the printer and print the name of the color on each page. I hate my handwriting. My Father has always told me I write like a boy. :)

And the best part of this photo shoot:

Oh, that big gash by his eye?? Yeah...he tripped while carrying a pen and jammed it into his face. It came 1/4 inch away from literally poking his eye out. It was pretty deep and gross. It required a doctors visit and liquid stitches. He will definitely have a permanent battle wound.

The end! Someday I will show you the rest of the room. There are 2 beds (which are bunkbeds torn apart) a rocking chair, a changing table, a bookshelf, 3 hanging vintage metal airplanes, several other vintage style metal vehicles, blue walls, Bed Bath & Beyond quilt....and 4000 stuffed animals.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-20T23:01:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

I pray you all have a blessed holiday season and that you are able to spend time with the ones you love!

Vintage Frame Layered Wreath + Holiday Craft Link Party

2011-12-12T11:23:00.000-06:00

Last week I linked up with The Southern Hospitality blog with the holiday link up party. I showed you all my great room mantel. This week I am linking up with Kate over at The Centsational Girl for her Holiday Craft Link Up . I am pretty excited to show you one of my latest diy projects.

This project was kind of an accidental happening. It started with this styrofoam wreath. I bought it intending on doing a wreath that I saw on Pinterest. So I made this wreath with yarn. Then it was like...now what do I do with this? Well...I then saw these snowflake ornaments that I bought at a garage sale. Someone had a Christmas wedding and sold all of their decorations. I got about 70 of these snowflakes for about $5. I layered a couple with the marvelous hot glue gun. Added a glass bead for the cherry on top. THEN...I was cleaning out my apron closet and I found this antique frame that I had forgot that I had purchased from an estate sale this summer. It was just the frame. So I took the frame and painted it with glitter spray paint. Which I might add....is an addicting invention. I mean...glitter AND spray paint combined...LOVE! I put up the frame...then I added the wreath. My front entry way doesn't get much light...and I just felt like it needed something else. So I took it to our local glass repair company. For $11 they make a mirror for the frame. Now this project is perfect in its completetion! Hope you enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! I can't wait to go digging through the link ups and see what others have created!

Christmas Mantel LOVE!

2011-12-07T08:00:00.015-06:00

Mantel, the facing of stone, etc, about a fireplace, including a projecting shelf, this shelf also Man’tel-piece

I have had a heck of a time spelling the word "mantel"correct. I had never given it much thought, going from not having any fireplaces, to a home with 4...now it is something I probably need to know. So, I decided to look it up! I mostly spelled it "Mantle" Here is the meaning for that spelling:

Today I am joining the Southern Hospitality Blog for her Holiday Home Link Up Party, Merry Mantels edition.

I am absolutely in LOVE with the mantel in our great room! This mantel was a labor of love. When renovating our new home this past winter of 2011, I knew that I wanted a reclaimed piece of wood for our mantel. We went to several fireplace stores surrounding us, and turned up nothing. So I turned to the internet and found Elmwood Reclaimed Lumber. I called them, and through a series of back and forth emails and calls, we decided on just the right one. Who knew you could choose the depth, thickness, length, just how holey, smooth, or the beat up look. So many choices! They were able to email me pictures right from their warehouse of different pieces they had, once decided they cut to size and shipped it out to us in just a few days! The whole process was ridiculously easy and the end result quite satisfying! We chose a 3" x 10", 7 foot rough sawn piece.

I considered cleaning before taking my photos, and then decided this is real life. Besides fires, our hearth and tile area in front of our fireplace are great for building creations with blocks by our 3 year old! The firewood holder is from Crate & Barrel.

These stocking were a wedding present to us back in 2004. I have just ordered stockings for both River & Harrison to complete our collection. They are from Land's End and they even do free monogramming!

As you can see I am still in love with turquoise & hot pink! It is only natural that these colors are the center of my Christmas decor this year. The frames are vintage ones that I picked up from a flea market in Minnesota this summer. I did not add hooks to the frames like I have seen around..I simply taped them to the back. No commitment. When the season is over I can take the ornaments off and layer my frames again on my mantel for a whole different look.

The vases have ribon hot glued around, then 2 snowflakes layered with a glass bead to top it off. They are filled with Kosher salt to look like snow and a candle.

The blue glass I have collected over the years from flea markets, garage sales, and antique stores! I love my blue glass!

All of the ornaments in the frames were purchased from Hobby Lobby. I love the peacock in the middle!The string used to attache is yarn.

Everything has sparkle. When you turn on the fireplace lighting they are just gorgeous! Especially once all the other lights are off and just the Christmas tree and the mantel are lit.

Thank you for stopping by and checking out my Christmas mantel! Here's to hoping you get to enjoy warm cuddling and hot cocoa on these magical winter days ahead!

Now...if you will excuse me, I have 3 other mantels to decorate!

Also, don't forget...my mother & I have been working hard creating aprons! Stop by our website to purchase an original J&J Inspirations apron! We do custom orders and can create anything, there is still time to order for Christmas presents!

Mantle, 1 a loose, sleeveless cloak: sometimes used figuratively to connote authority 2 anything that envelops or conceals 3 a small hood which when placed over a flame gives off incandescent light, to cover as with a mantle, to blush

I never knew that there were to different versions of this word, with 2 very different definitions. The funny thing is...at my churches annual fall conference this past September, the whole theme was around "The Mantle". I was so confused for those 4 days. Now, alas...I understand and will not make the mistake again!

Vintage Chairs Getting New Life

2011-11-02T09:25:00.001-05:00

I recently purchased these 2 vintage wing back chairs. The fabric is pretty neat as is...well that is if it wasn't tattered, torn, and completely not matching the rest of my house.

I love the shape of these chairs!

So I am back to the great fabric hunt. I plan to put these 2 chairs on either side of our great room fireplace. In this room we have Sherwin Williams Pewter Cast on the walls (dark Grey), dark brown leather furniture, turquoise, mustard yellow, dark charcoal, and silver accents. In an extremely funky world...I would choose some ultra smokin hot pink fabric. But lets remember that I am queen of the house of BOYS! I don't think they would be embraced well in my home. And it is also quite the investment. Even though I paid $25 for the pair...I will need 10-1/2 yards of fabric...and fabric could be $10/yard on up! Not to mention what I will pay to the upholsterer to have them professionally done. Yes, I know...I could probably go to the store and buy 2 chairs for less than I will have into this project. But the end result wouldn't be nearly as satisfying! I purchased this chair...

And when I got it, the print was an 80's pink & blue flowers print. This sits next to my dining room fireplace. So I don't want to choose solid grey again.

Here are a few fabrics I have found when searching http://www.fabric.com/

Can you tell which 2 I am leaning towards? One of these fabrics is $27.98 per yard! Ouch!

Also, keep in mind that the room these chairs will go in, already has bold prints on the wall. Remember the fabric canvas art I created?

Here is the fireplace they are going on either side of.

Thanks for your input! I love chatting with you ladies about design! I have also started a Facebook page called: Janelle's Inspiration Finds

There is some discussion already started on there about this project.

Newborn Sneak Peek

2011-09-29T12:10:00.000-05:00

Hooray!! We finally have internet! After nearly 5 months in our new home in the country, we finally got hooked up! In other news...my housekeeping has depleted as I have been consuming the internet like #5 from "Short Circuit" takes in books. We are leaving in a few days for a week long trip to Colorado, so I won't have time yet to dedicate to getting my blog cleaned up and back in proper running. I wanted to give you a quick sneak peek at a post I will soon be doing about our newborn photo shoot experience with His & Hers Photography from Adel, Iowa. It was amazing! Here is our little peanut at just 4 days old. He is now 4-1/2 months old!

I know...I still can't stop looking at the pictures. Ah...May....ZING!!!

2011-09-19T17:30:00.001-05:00

Stay tuned! I am finally getting internet this week! There will be a giveaway to celebrate as soon as i am in commission! I have missed you all!

2011-08-10T14:12:00.001-05:00

I was a young 19,i was scared,i was single,but i did it,i gave birth 13 years ago to our handsom son Xavier.You were never unwanted or a mistake. You are loved.

2011-08-09T18:04:00.003-05:00

e years...bring it on...ready or not here it comes!

2011-08-09T18:04:00.001-05:00

So thankful for all that I have learned over the last 13 years, and incredibly greatful for the beautiful, intelligent, hard working son we have! Come on teenag

Junk in the Trunk - Market Style!

2011-07-19T15:57:00.000-05:00

We Are headed to Minnesota! My mom, 10 week baby Harrison, and I are packing up our aprons and heading to Minnesota to the Junk in the Trunk, Market Style Show! This is going to be so much fun! Here is some more information about the show:

Mudd Lake Furniture Co.

Junk in the Trunk

July 22 – 23, 2011

Watertown, MN

What is Junk in the Trunk?

Style and junk merchandiser, Ken O’Brien, is assembling a cast of more than 40 artists and “junk” vendors to sell “junk in the trunk”…it’s a little play on words.

• Artists and “junk vendors will be selling their wares literally out of their “trunk”. You can expect local art, fine craft, along with vintage finds, one-of-a-kinds and artisan-repurposed goods.

• This event is “Junk Market Style” APPROVED!

• You will also enjoy great food and music throughout the weekend.

About Mudd Lake Furniture Co.

Mudd Lake Furniture Co. is located just 25 miles west of the Twin Cities, Mudd Lake Furniture is a unique home décor destination with an assortment of eclectic imports and eccentric finds. Set on a picturesque lake farm, Mudd Lake Furniture is owned by a former NFL football player, Bob Kratch. Mudd Lake Furniture Co. has been a Retail Escape/Destination for more than 14 years.

When you visit Mudd Lake Furniture you’ll find a bohemian blend of European imports, accessories, artwork, fixtures, Furniture and of course, flea market finds remodeled by a little paint and a lot of love to create affordable heirlooms to make Bob’s mother proud!

Bob is dedicated to helping you define your lifestyle with inspiration. Come explore Mudd Lake Furniture, a gem of a place just west of the Twin Cities.

“Junk in the Trunk” will be set on Mudd Lake Furniture Co.’s Picturesque lake farm.

About Ken O’Brien – “Who Knew?”

Who Knew is Ken’s side biz. It stemmed from people he would work with that didn’t really know or understand his creative background: “Who knew you could do that?” “Who knew you knew how to do that?” Who knew you…” He loves it! He lives it! It’s where he lives in a world that is visual, creative, design driven and sheer bliss. It is where anyone that needs anything creative “By Ken”, does. He stages, decorates, consults, wardrobes, shops, organizes, hosts, curates, promotes, reps, makes jewelry, makes lamps, creates, markets and is truly creative force.

When Ken’s not at his day job, he is at Mudd Lake Furniture doing staging/visuals, organizing and/or curating art events, working with Sue Whitney side by side at the “Junk Market/Flea Market Under Glass” creating amazing things.

**Some other exciting things this week for Queen of the House of Boys: We have been linked on Facebook by Annie & Isabel...if you haven't joined their Facebook page yet, you should! Also, our Fancy Apron & Custom Creation business, J&J Inspirations, has been featured on "The Iowa Housewife" blog this week! What an exciting week for us!

My Annie & Isabel

2011-07-17T15:14:00.000-05:00

The title of this post itself makes me feel good. "My Annie & Isabel". I feel so connected with the 2 owners of this company that I truly feel that they have joined in and became a part of the intimate experience of the birth of our 3rd son. On Wednesday, May 11, at 11:19 AM I gave birth by cesearean to James Harrison Miller III.

For the actual surgery I wore the standard over used and abused hospital issued gown. Right before I went in for surgery I showed my operating room (OR) nurse my gown. I wanted her to know that I had it, because she had mentioned that they would change my gown before taking me to my permanent room after recovery room. She was in awe of course!

After my beautiful birth exerience...and my recovery room time was fulfilled...I finally got to put on my Annie & Isabel "Annie" gown. I instantly felt special with it on. Another way to make my hospital experience special and unique to me. Not just another mom, delivering another baby, in the average hospital issued gown. Who doesn't like to feel special on such a wonderful day?! I was larger than life, swelled up with fluid, amped up on pain meds, hair a hot frizzy uncombed mess...but yet I still felt pretty, unique, and special in my Annie & Isabel gown.

Thank you ladies for creating such an awesome product! We know you did so with absolute love and care for those that would potentially be wearing your gowns!

*This is an unpaid, unsolicited review. Which means...I bought the gown myself. Wore it without prompting....and publicly reviewed it just because I wanted to...and because I believe that much in the product. In fact...my doctor loved the product so much that I suggested to her that they should put the Annie & Isabel brochures into their newly pregnant welcome bags that each woman gets at the doctors office. After conversing with A&I...they sent me a pack of brochures, which I delivered to my doctor! I kind of felt like I was getting to pay it forward by sharing with other women.*

2011-07-04T02:41:00.001-05:00

Harrison is 7 weeks 4 days old and weighs 12.2 pounds! Can't wait for his 2 month check up next week to see if our scales line up!

Junk Market Style Approved Vendor Show!

2011-06-17T21:08:00.000-05:00

We are headed to Minnesota! Remember when I went to Mudd Lake? You can also read about my first trip here. Mudd Lake Furniture is this completely awesome antique furniture store which is owned and ran by Bob Kratch, ex-NFL player! Well...I literally dreamt of living in that store for a good month after that trip...and since I just bought a new house triple the size of my last house...daydreams of returning soon have been in my mind. Not that I needed a reason...but now I have an awesome reason! Mudd Lake is holding a "Junk in the Trunk" show July 22nd through 24th! This event is "Junk Market Style" approved. What does being Junk Market Approved mean?? Well..it means that this junk vendor show is going to be phenomenol and kinda big deal in the world of antiques and "junk". Not only am I going to be attending and shopping...we...J & J Inspirations...will be selling our aprons there!

Check out Mudd Lake Furniture's official website and also join their Facebook page! You are sure to be instantly inspired! Oh, and if you go to their website...you will see my arm in an orange sweater on the main page! ha!

This is definitely NOT your average junk show and definitely not something you will want to miss!

If you would like to tell your friends about the show, feel free to share the flier on your blog! Just be sure to link back and tell us if you do!

**disclaimer...I understand there are an excessive amount of exclamation points in this post...I do not apologize because I really can't convey to you how excited I am without them...and trust me...I held back, I could have used more!**

2011-05-27T21:04:00.001-05:00

Harrison was 7 lbs 1 oz at birth, 19.5 inches talll. At 1 week he was 6 lbs 11 oz, at 2 weeks he was 7 lbs 11 oz & 19.75 inches tall.Savoring every tiny moment.

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

Trying to figure out if I want to sacrifice cleaning or sleep for the luxury of showering more than once a week. Yep, that is me you smell.

2011-05-26T13:33:00.001-05:00

While shopping for sanitary items at wal-mart, my 2.5 yr old announced to all that mommy wears diapers. Nice. Humility in parenting at its best!

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

I am testing out the ability to text a small blogpost.we still do not have internet set up at our new home.We are busy getting settled in & snuggling our baby.

Baby Bliss

2011-05-13T19:19:00.001-05:00

Can you smell the sweet aroma of fresh baby?

James Harrison Miller III, whom we will call "Harrison"

Born 5/11/11 at 11:19 AM

7 lbs 1 oz , 19.5 inches long

Where am I?

2011-04-29T12:30:00.001-05:00

I may not be on here blogging for a little while. We move today...and we do not have an internet provider chosen for our new home yet. We are moving to the country...where extreme speed DSL is non-existant. We have to go with a satellite provider...where there are limits to how much you can upload/download...where if you exceed those limits the provider punishes you by reducing your speed down to 100k...folks...that is like dial up. Can we say stone ages?! So I don't know how long it will be before I have a reliable internet source. But don't worry...I'll be back! ;o)

Checkin Out

2011-04-28T23:14:00.000-05:00

I am typing this from the couch in my living room...of the house that I have lived for the last 9 years. The house that I purchased as a single parent with my little boy back in 2002. The house that I lived in when my life changed from chaotic flurry of a woman searching to fill gaps in her life that were not being fulfilled by the lifestyle I was living. The house I was living in when I met my husband. Where we sat together on the couch and watched movies and ate Starbucks Java Chip ice cream while dating. The house in which we remodeled together to make our own. The first home that our 2nd child has lived in. This place, although small and busting at the seams...has served its purpose well and we have worn our own paths into its floors. Our finger prints are on every wall. There has been yelling in the home...there has been loving in this home...there has been learning in this home. Alas...this house must come to an end for us. Although these walls and windows know our stories and hold many memories...our home is where the 4...soon to be 5 of us...are together. We look forward to packing up in the morning and making the official move to our new home. Our new adventure. New places and rooms to mess. New places to cry...new places to love...new trees and grounds outside to explore. This new home has been built entirely by all of us. It wasn't mine to begin with, and then adopted a husband and birthed a new child. This new house has been a labor of love where every decision was made by us. Every lightswitch was thought through...every shelf was placed where we want it.

I can not wait to enter the doors of our new home tomorrow....

Beauty Has Arrived

2011-04-25T23:32:00.000-05:00

Today...I was...let's just say...emotional. I am 36 week 2 days pregnant. Just a mere 17 days away from csection day. It is Monday...we are moving on Friday. While my husband has been renovating the new home full time, I have been packing up our old home full time. Sorting, throwing away, boxing up, marking for garage sale. What I do all day long in my head? Make lists. I am constantly thinking in lists. What do I have yet to buy? What have I bought that I can cross off my list? What rooms should I tackle first at the new house? What will I want who to do on moving day? Who will we have for help on moving day? Who will take care of our kids when baby comes? What will my plan of attack be if I go into labor BEFORE Friday??????

SO....MANY....THINGS...GOING...THROUGH...MY MIND....ALL DAY...ALL NIGHT!!!

On top of that, nerves are sensitive around here. We are all overworked and underpaid right now. The renovation has taken about a month longer than originally estimated. Our budget is currently running 65% over budget than originally calculated...that is right 65%!!!!! Yeow! We are not talking a couple thousand over budget...we are talking tens of thousands. Somehow it will all work out in the end. Until then...there are tears flowing. I am not usually a cryer. When not pregnant...I can supress my feeling like the best of 'em. Shove them down and just be pissed and not let it out and cry. When I am pregnant....especially now with all of the above happening...oh boy...the tears flow fast, hard, and furious! My poor husband.

So emotionally I am a mess. Physically?? Well...I am doing better now than I did my last pregnancy. As mentioned previously I am 36 wks 2 days along now. Delivery set for 39 weeks on Friday, May 13th. I had my last babe at 35 weeks 6 days due to extreme quick onset of swelling due to pre-eclampsia. So far...blood pressure has been up every once in a while...but not all the time. Swelling has been extremely minimal. How much weight have I gained? Well...I guess I will tell you...since I revealed my weight to the world back in November of 2009. Lets see...at that point I was 243.6 when I did the big reveal. As of September of 2010 I had gotten down to 217. I then found out I was pregnant...and worried because I was considered high risk ...I stopped all excercise cold turkey. At my first doctor appointment...5 weeks after finding out I was pregnant..I weighed in at 225 at the doctor office. As of my last appointment 2 weeks ago I weighed in at 251. So I have gained 26 pounds. Not bad for weight gain. But when you consider I am 5'2"...251 pounds is extremely hard on a little body. My husband & I did an experiment. I got on the scale...and he attempted to lift my belly...to see how much my belly weighs. My belly this time seems so much larger than either of my 2 previous pregnancies. Our experiment showed that my belly weighs 15 pounds!!!! Then...just for fun...I know...this is crazy crazy....but heck...seriously...I then wondered...how much do my boobs weigh? So we did the experiment the same way. ;o) They weigh approximately 8 pounds. SOOOO...if you take a belt, and attach 23 pounds of weights to the front of your body...you tell me how long you can walk around before you feel like dropping to the ground from back pain. And sometimes...I seriously think about dropping to the ground..but then I would have to figure out how to get back up.

Anyways...when I started this blogpost I was really just wanting to tell you that my fabric arrived. Oh Lordy how I got off track.

So here I was emotional and grumpy when my hero the UPS man arrives with my package. In it was my fabric for my wall art project for the new house!

I will do a collage on my large wall with a combination of framing some of these fabrics in various sized white frames.....and stretched some of the others over canvas'. I will have more than enough fabric leftover to make pillows AND to reupholster my dining room chairs! I am so excited to show you more of this!

Inspiration AND Direction found!!!!

2011-04-18T09:44:00.000-05:00

Remember my last post I did late last night? Go back and read the original post first...then you will understand my whole concept. I think I have narrowed my fabric choices down to these...AND I am thinking about doing a cluster of different size frames with ALL 7 of these fabrics instead of just 3 fabrics on 3 large canvas'. I really want to pull in the greys, yellows, and turquoise colors of the room. Have I mentioned I LOVE fabric?!?!?!!?

Inspiration Found, Direction Needed

2011-04-17T23:15:00.002-05:00

I have an inspiration in mind, but I could use a little help with the direction. In the new house I have this HUGE long wall in our 600 square feet great room. Here is the wall:

Ok, so that is the wall. We have dark brown leather furniture.

And this gaggle of pillows I purchased from Pier 1 Imports. I am in love with turquoise. I am thinking this:

Taking 3 large canvas' or 3 large frames...and displaying fabric in them as art. I LOVE fabric! And there are so many beautiful ones to choose from anymore! The trouble is...which fabrics to choose. The whole room is painted Pewter Cast grey. I need your help. What do you think? Do I choose 3 different fabrics? Or 2 fabrics and stagger them?? Which 3 fabrics catch your eye. They ALL catch my eyes!!! Which is the problem...I just can't decide. Ultimately, I will go with what I want, but I love to hear others input. I am going to number each fabric...and in the comments if you could reference the fabrics by their number...that would really help!

Paint Colors Chosen

2011-04-15T13:15:00.001-05:00

I thought I would give you a sneak peek at the color palette chosen for the new house.

All of our paint was purchased from Sherwin Williams. The color chip photos on this post are from their website.

Our first color is "Kestrel White". This is the color of all of our trim through the entire house, as well as our doors and our closets. It looks like a dirty white in this picture, but really is a very crisp clean white in person.

"Dhurri Beige" is the color for all the walls and the bathroom in our basement. Frankly, I spent so much time on the upstairs colors, that I got to basement and said "James...you pick". It is a very nice color though.

These 3 colors are the main color palette of the home.

The lightest shade is "On The Rocks". This is the color of all of our hallways and our entry way.

The second shade of grey is "Knitting Needles". This is the color of our Kitchen and Dining Room. With an exception of 1 accent wall in our Dining room. We did the fireplace wall in the 3rd shade of grey.

The 3rd shade of grey is "Pewter Cast". This is the color for our great room, and the accent wall of our dining room.

"Plum Dandy" is the color of our guest bathroom right off of our entry way. My husband thinks this color is hideous. His description is..."It looks like Barney sat on the toilet and..." um yeah...that. I was going to change the color, but I am actually starting to like it. When I chose the color for this room I wanted to choose something bold and girlie. I was a good girl and chose neutral tones through out the rest of the home since I am surrounded by all boys. I think I accomplished bold and girlie. :)

"Pool House" is the color for the little boys' room. I wanted a shade of blue that wasn't too dark...and wasn't too baby blue. It is actually a lot darker on the walls than I had imagined. It still looks nice though.

"Smokey Blue" is the color for Xavier's bedroom. I did mean for this to be a darker shade of blue, since he is 12. I chose this shade because the paint chip looks like it has quite a bit of grey to it. However...suprisingly..."Smokey Blue" looks lighter on the walls than the above "Pool House". Xavier is actually not happy about the turnout at all. He proclaims it is too girlie of a color. At this point...we have a lot of time and money wrapped in the painting. I really wish we could do it over for him so that he would be happy, but it just isn't realistic at this moment.

Our bedroom is an "Aqua Tint". We took in a pillow from our new bedding set and had them match it. Then we had them take the color down to 50% of the matched color. So...the color in our master bedroom and bathroom is 50% of the blue in this bedding. The bedding is from Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

My 2 favorite colors in this house are "Pewter Cast" and the "Aqua Tint" that we created. I love how everything flows so nicely.

A couple of renovation tips. No matter how professional you believe your painter is...be sure to go through the home with them and insist that everything is written down. Check in on them frequently, don't hesitate to go over the colors again. If you don't do this...you might show up one day and find them painting your entry way this color:

Although "Rustic Adobe" is a nice color...it is definitely NOT what I had chosen for the front entry way. Whew! Boy was a glad I walked in at the right time!

Another mishap that occured just today...my husband called to ask what color I had chosen for the laundry room. I told him it was supposed to be the same "Aqua Tint" color that is in our bedroom. What the paint store sent was more of a Aqua Marine.

Good thing it is still a fresh clean color and will fit quite nicely in a laundry room. No time for redo's..we are going with it.

Thanks for stopping in!

From Gross to GREAT Room!

2011-04-14T13:18:00.000-05:00

I am sincerely sorry for leaving you all hanging with updates on our home renovation. Things are moving along...and we are shooting for move in of Easter weekend! I have been slightly overwhelmed with being very pregnant, keeping up with my toddler and my tween, solely taking responsibility of packing out our current home, and making random trips to Des Moines for odds & ends for the house. So much going on...so overwhelmed. It is all good in the end...and at least the end is near in sight. I will be 35 weeks pregnant this Saturday. My last baby was born at 35 weeks 6 days from blowing up like a balloon with pre-eclampsia at the end of my pregnancy. My blood pressure has slowly but surely been rising in the last week. I even spent a day in the hospital last week with high bp...of course shortly after getting to the hospital my bp went back to normal...but they kept me for about 6 hours for observation. Right now we are scheduled for csection on Friday, May 13th at 11:30AM. Only 28 days from now!!

Back to the renovation. Here is a quick progression of photos of our great room from GROSS to GREAT!

Master Bedroom Accessories

2011-03-02T12:08:00.000-06:00

This past weekend I posted to Twitter & facebook that I needed help deciding on bedding for our Master Bedroom. When I posted this question...here were the 2 bedding options I was trying to choose between:

This option was liked because of its more nuetral tones. This one was my favorite. I actually tried to order this online Saturday night, but everytime I would get to the checkout my internet connection would drop and I would have to start over. After an hour of trying I gave up for the night.
{source, Bed Bath & Beyond}

Several of you liked this one better because the colors were more bold and would have given more contrast in our room.
{source, Bed Bath & Beyond}

However, do you know what both of these sets had in common? My husband hated both of them! Too floral...too feminine. And I guess since it is his room too after all...I decided to start my search over. I searched forever and a day online and found many different ideas. My husband even offered up some ideas. Here are a couple of his:

Where I liked floral patterns...he chose geometric patterns. In my opinion the options he was throwing out were too masculine. {source, Bed Bath & Beyond}

I actually liked this one, but the blog where he found it...didn't have a link to this actual set, and I couldn't find it anywhere online.

So, what did we end up with? Well...I made a trip to Bed Bath & Beyond in person and after a few calls and picture texts between the husband and I...this is what we decided on.

{source, Bed Bath & Beyond}

The colors are grey, white, and a greyish/blue. The main blanket it a duvet color. This is my first experience with a duvet. We chose a hyperallergenic filling instead of a down comforter... as I am allergic to feathers. I also chose grey sheets instead of white.

As far as the bed...I made a trip to our local furniture store...and the owner guided me to the Sealy memory foam beds as opposed to the Angelbeds.com beds we were considering. He offered me the same price as we would have paid for the Angelbed and the quality is better. Best part is...we will be keeping our business local which makes warranties a lot easier and helps the local economy. Being a business owner ourselves...we respect anyones decision to shop locally as much as humanly possible.

We are also looking at bed frame, headboard, and side tables in a chocolate wood finish as opposed to the mirrored glass side tables.

Want want want

2011-02-25T12:20:00.000-06:00

I really want these bedside tables from The Pottery Barn.

Really DON'T want to pay $399 each for them. Ouch. When looking online I really didn't find any cheaper alternatives. Hoping for a miracle find.

Been searching online at bedding today, and I am having a really hard time making this decision. So far I think this one is my favorite.

But then again I also like this one.

Another decision we have been making is what we want for our new bed. Our current bed will stay in our current home. We are keeping our current home and using it for our business. We own a cleaning & restoration company, and when someone has a fire, water, or mold damage remediation going on...they can be out of their house for 1 to 3 months. They will stay in this home as opposed to a motel. Which means we have to furnish this home as well as our new home. Which means new furniture for our new home will have to be purchased. Sure...this is a fun and good thing for me...however with the budget creeping up and up...I have to do this diligently. No impulse buys. Everything has to be well thought out and strategized. Top of our list for furniture purchases:

Entertainment Center for the great room. Would like something vintage looking. Preferrably a dark wood or distressed white. Don't want to go out and buy the standard entertainment centers that everyone has in their homes. I really want something unique.
Bench for the front entry way. I saw a cushioned settee that I really liked, but it was $300. Too much.
New King Size bed, headboard, and bedding for master bedroom.
New bedside tables for master bedroom.
New bedding for little boys' room.
New queen size bed & bedding for Xavier's room.

The list keeps getting longer. But really... we are tripling our square footage, our home will be bare if we don't purchase some thing.

Ok, back to the bed decision. We currently own an AngelBed. Basically a knock off of Tempurpedic. We love our AngelBed! The one we are looking at for the king size is over $1000 less than the actual Tempurpedic. We did all the research 5 years ago...and again now and there really isn't any difference in the two beds.

More decisions!!! No wonder I lay awake at night. ;o)

It's All in the Details

2011-02-22T18:18:00.000-06:00

On Sunday I spent 5 hours at Lowe's. Who ever knew that picking lighting out for an entire 3500 sq ft home could be such a daunting job. Rewarding in the end...but a very detailed and methodic job.

How much light does this area need?
How low can the light fixture be in my entry way?
How can I get the fancy light fixture that I really want in my master bedroom with these prices!?
How do I pick a ceiling fan..let alone one that I love enough to have 2 of in our great room?
Should the ceiling fans have dome lights? Or down lights?
What finish should we use? Most of the fixtures in our home are brushed nickel, but the fixtures in our kitchen are black. Will it look odd to have more than 1 finish?

So many questions that I had never thought of before! If you have never built or remodeled a home, I am sure we all take for granted all that goes into picking all of these little details. In the end I pulled it off. I had one of those big pallet carts full. I should have taken a picture, but frankly was so exhausted that all I could think about was getting it done and over with! One of the big things that I did that I think will save time in the end...I wrote on all the boxes while I was at the store. I labeled which room, which light they were to go to. Hope I don't have to return any. ;o)

Also while at Lowe's I purchased a new cover for the doorbell on the front of the house, door handles for the interior doors, a new mailbox, 2 sinks for the master bathroom, 2 faucets for the master bathroom, all of the towel hooks, etc for the boys' bathroom.

The clawfoot tub you have already seen

The sink we chose for the master bath. We chose a higher arch faucet in chrome finish

This will go over the sit down vanity mirror

One of these wall mounts will go over each sink mirror

The cabinets we have changed. Our budget was/is getting out of control, so we chose to eliminate the corner cabinet and also the middle cabinet between the mirrors.The 2 mirrors above the sinks will now be recessed medicine cabinets.The series of 4 drawers in the middle bottom will be removed and instead will have 2 open shelves. We will use the open shelving for our big bath towels. I saw this idea while watching "Sarah's House" on HGTV this Saturday and LOVED it!

This is similar to the ceiling fan I chose for the great room.

Tomorrow I plan to post about the craft/kids play area in our new basement!

Sale!!!!!

2011-02-19T14:31:00.000-06:00

J&J Inspirations is having a Presidents Day Sale!

Just enter the coupon code: PresDaySale upon checking out and you will receive 15% off of your order!

Fancy Aprons & Custom Creations

Happy shopping!

If you all would be so kind to share this sale with your friends...we would so greatly appreciate it!

Here is a twitter message for you to send:

www.jandjinspirations.com Fancy Aprons & Custom Creations! 15% off sale from today to Tuesday. Coupon code: PresDaySale

One of the Most Important Decisions....

2011-02-17T10:04:00.001-06:00

One of the most important decisions in our home...the master bathroom.

Our new bathtub. We really went back & forth on this decision. Currently we have a kohler jet tub in our existing home. We just installed it 2 years ago. It fits 2 people well, however is not the most comfortable to lay back in. Your neck hits wrong and then your tailbone is not comfy either. We were going to remove the bathtub from the new master bath and put a corner tub in the actual bedroom part like a hotel suite. However, after hours of thinking it through in my head...doing so would have really limited wall space and the ability to rearrange furniture in the future. I am the kind of person that just has to rearrange once in a while for a change. So...we went with this clawfoot soaker tub. Only 1 person will fit in it, but it just looks so comfortable. Also, since we have a hot tub at the new house, there really isn't a need for a whirlpool bath. And while we are at it...lets be honest...I am a little creeped out at the dirtyness factor of jet tubs. The never ending floaties are just too much for me to handle. TMI? ;o)

Currently this is the layout for the counters and vanity for the bathroom. On the other side of the room will be a separate toilet closet, the claw foot tub, and a 4 foot Sterling shower. Still working out the final details on the cabintry to make sure it fits our budget.

The master bathroom is the only bath out of the 4 that we are having any custom work done for. We went with pre-fab vanities, cabinets, & mirrors from Lowe's for the other three. They had a great sale going on and it was hard to resist!

Bathrooms really are a luxury for us in this new house. For the last 8-1/2 years I have lived in a home with 1 bathroom. Being the queen of the house of 3 going on 4 boys...being able to lock the door once in a while is going to be so nice! Oh, and we are putting a urinal in the basement bathroom!

Keeping Tabs On Home Renovation

2011-02-14T12:53:00.001-06:00

Here are some updates from this last week of renovation.

1. James & I worked for 2 hours one night this week laying out the complete lighting plan for the new house. I had never thought about having to do this! Deciding where you want all your light switches, outlets, lighting, ceiling fans to go. What do you want this switch to go to? Do you want it to be on a dimmer? You think of yourself walking through the house…when I walk into this room, I am going to want to turn on this and this light from here. This wall is where our TV will go, so need to make sure cable, outlets, and phone lines are here…etc. Very tedious!

2. We had found a good sale at Menards on doors and windows for the house. However the French doors for the front of the house…on sale…were $2300! Somehow my husband found out about someplace 2 hours away that he should go to check on doors and windows. He wasn’t able to get ALL of our stuff there, but he did get the door for the front entry, patio doors for back of house, window for boys’ room…and I think one other door...ALL for $2600. For $300 more he got 4 things instead of 1! Yeah for saving money!

3. To give you an idea of the huge renovation we are doing. Right now we live in a house where the square feet of our main floor are 962. The square feet of the main floor of the new house are 2900! We are tripling our living space! Total square feet with the basement are approximately 3500! It is quite the change for us; we would have never been able to do it without the deal we got on the home sale price due to the homes deplorable conditions. This truly is our dream home, and we plan to live here for a very long time!

4. Shopping for the home. Although we got a good price on the sale of the home, when you combine that good price with the 10’s of thousands of dollars we have to put into the home to make it livable, it isn’t quite the deal that it appeared to be before. Because of this, I am trying very hard to restrain myself and going out to buy all new furniture and knick-knacks for the house. I am counting my pennies…literally! I cashed in all my coin jars this week. Plus the rebate we got from our new cell phones, plus a refund from the eye doctor. Those 3 things have a goal. An entertainment center for the great room & a bench for the front entryway. Our current entertainment centers have faux fireplaces in them with real heaters. Being that we will have an actual fireplace in the great room now…we won’t be needing faux anymore. I don’t want to go out and buy a traditional entertainment center. I would love to find something fun & unique from a thrift or antique shop that I can refinish. The sizes of antique buffet tables are about perfect for what I am wanting. I went to an antique shop last night that was way too pricey. I need to go to some in the smaller towns around me to get a better price. This is a fun project!

5. Back to the front door. On Saturday the door went in! Here are a few photos from the process.

To the right you can see where the old entry is boarded up, and of course the big gaping whole is for the new door. My husband and my brother are pictured carrying the large windows out of the new entry. It was heavy...they were definitely huffing and puffing. ;o)

Another viewof the new entry. You can see a closet framed in right inside the door.

My brother chip. He has been a HUGE asset to our renovation!

Looking in from the new entry. To the far left is the opening to the kitchen & dining area. Then a doorway to the basement. The next doorway is to the guest bathroom. Then to the right is a hall way to the bedrooms. And then also to the right are the 2 new closets framed in for the entry room. One closet it just for aprons!

Looking out from inside to the entry.

The new front door!

James picked it out all on his own! I think he did a great job! I haven't decided yet what color we will paint the door. It will either be red or blue.

*On the Navigation bar of my blog you will now see "Home Renovation 2011". I will be keeping links to all of my posts about our home renovation here. Thanks for following our journey!

The Walls Came Tumbling Down

2011-02-11T21:00:00.000-06:00

Home Renovation Progress Report

Sale of new house was final February 3rd.

Prior to then we had the house cleared of all the junk and 1/2 of the demolition complete. We waited until the sale was final before we started re-arranging walls and doing anything else that cost major money.

As of today we have the entire house remediated of all pet, smoke, & mold odors and debri. Literally every nook and cranny of this 3500 square foot home had to be cleaned to get the odors out. The deeper we dug..the more mold we found too. So glad we dug as deep as we did now. It would be horrible to put all the hard work in to run into mold problems later. All 4 bathrooms were completely gutted down to the studs.

I took some progress photos today.

This is view from East side of Great room. We have added a second entry to the room. The entry on left was original, entry on right is new. Opens up our view to the dining and kitchen area. It also allows more natural light to the coffee bar area and better air flow through house.

View into great room from new entry.

View into great room from original entry. The big decision I have to make this weekend is what kind of light fixtures I want to have installed into the ceiling. Currently only built in lighting in GR are 2 can lights above fireplace. Need to decide if we want just 1 or 2 light fixtures hanging from peak, or 1 or 2 ceiling fan/lights hanging from peak. I don't know why this decision has been a hard one for me.

This is the wet bar. Currently very dark. Due to budget we will keep existing cabinetry and counter here. Removing the wall paper will definitely be a huge improvement.

This is view into our entry foyer. I am standing in the kitchen taking a photo into the room. You can see the holes on the floor where there used to be a wall there. This room actually was a den or formal dining room. We are re-routing our front entry to be this room. We will then take the exising entry...which is on the other side of that wall and join that area in with our master bedroom and closet.

The two holes we cut into the wall today are the 2 closets that will be accessible through the foyer room side. Then on the other side of them is the master closet. With the cutouts open now you can see where the original entry door is.

Another view of the wall that was torn down in the previous den turned entry way. This really opened up the view into our kitchen & dining area. Our dining area is so large, there was no reason for a eat-in and a formal dining. Especially when we have the large island in the kitchen with the bar stools around it.

Harnessing Thoughts

2011-02-10T09:52:00.001-06:00

Lately my mind has been running in a bazillion different direction. Since I can't seem to harness any one thought for very long...I am going to do a post outline style of the random things that have crossed my mind to mention on my blog. Here goes:

When looking for a notebook last night I found this quote that I had written down from someone, some time ago. I think it might have been Joyce Myers. "Start ordering your life instead of your life ordering you around."

I thought this quote was very fitting for the kind of post I am doing. Part of the reason I can't seem to harness any one thought for long is that I am not very organized these days. Well...usually I am not very organized period. I CAN be, I definitely have the ability to do it.

Also when I found this notebook I found a series of notes from my 12 year old to James & I. I believe he was 8 or 9 when he wrote them. But we were in the car driving somewhere long distance and he got mad at us, so he refused to talk to us. Instead he wrote everything down and would pass us the notebook. I have to say it was a very quiet car ride. ;o)
Lately we have been going to wrestling meets for Xavier. He is an avid wrestler. Instead of going through the free school wrestling program, we take him to DesMoines to a wrestling club that is more intense. This place also does mixed martial arts. The gym looks like a gym straight out of the Rocky movies. In fact, I don't go inside because the smell is so strong. But he loves it! It is a smaller group of boys, and all of them that are there are really serious about their wrestling goals. Xavier is a kid who has goals. He already talks about his future and what he wants to do with it. His "plan": Get a wrestling scholarship and go to University of Iowa to wrestle. Study to be a lawyer and also wants to become a pastor. He also has an idea to handmake furniture from wood. Really nice furniture, have a store...and he would do this so that he could support his ministry better since being a pastor isn't always the biggest income.
Speaking of pastoring...Xavier went to our Pastor a month ago and told him he had some things that he felt like God wanted him to share with the church. He asked if he could share them by preaching one Sunday. Our pastor, took him up on the offer. So the following Sunday Xavier got up and preached A 45 MINUTE SERMON! It started out pretty shaky from his nerves, a lot of repeating himself, but the longer he stood up there the better it got and the more comfortable he got.By the end of the sermon he had many of us in tears. It was an amazing experience.
We FINALLY closed on our new house last Thursday. We started the process of buying the first of November. We had no idea it would take so long or be so laborious to accomplish. Everything was in order on our end and with our bank. All problems were on the end of the previous owner. I won't go into details because all that matters now is that it is DONE!! Woohoo!

Being done with the purchase also means that my husband and a crew have been out there everyday but Sunday since last Thursday working late. The whole renovation should take approximately 2 months. So far we have everything torn out that needs to be torn out. All 4 bathrooms are completely gutted down to the studs. Drywall around the house in the highly affected pet stain areas has been removed. Subfloors in several rooms have been removed. The entire house is being cleaned from top to bottom. All walls and floors have been hepa vaccumed and cleaned. The ducts have been cleaned throughout and tile & grout have been cleaned. Advantage to owning our own cleaning & restoration company. We do water & fire damage restoration as well as mold remediation. Also do pet odor removal. All of these jobs are very tedious and you really have to know what you are doing to get down to the nitty gritty on all these things. Walls have been also torn down in areas that we are remodeling layouts.
We have changed where the front entrance of where the house is. Changed the entry room. Adding 2 closets to entry room. Totally changing layout of master bedroom. Removed 3 closets inside and next to the little boys room to make 1 large closet in the little boys' room. Tore down a section of wall in the large great room to make 2 entrances to the great room and opening up the view to the kitchen & dining area.

Well...I had several more points written down, but this post is getting loooonnnng. So I will end there!

Parental Control by Fear

2011-02-06T21:52:00.000-06:00

*I realize I left my "Misfit Mommy" post unfinished. I haven't been able to finish it. There is something there for me to say, I just want to make sure I say it right.

Control by Fear

When I first become a parent, I had no clue. Of course, I had 11 nephews and neices at the time. Of course, I had been an aunt since the age of 12. Of course, I had babysat plenty.

Even with all that practice under my belt, I had no clue when it came to how to control my own child. When it isn't your own child, it is easy to give in and give them what they want, because you don't have to deal with the consequences. However, when it is your own child...and you are young, 19 to be exact...and single...it is easy for me to say I had no clue.

I didn't know anything about keeping my cool and not letting the child see my irritation. I didn't know that I should get down on their level and make eye contact with them. I didn't know how to enforce rules or for the child to take me seriously.

What I was learning though in my early experience of parenting...was that I could control my son with fear. Not physical violence fear. I am talking a different kind of fear. Let me give you some examples:

"Don't do that, you will get hurt."
"Don't go there, somebody might take you."
"Don't touch that animal, it might hurt you."

I didn't give reasonable, real life application reasons for obeying...all I knew is that if I talked this way...FINALLY he would listen and most of the time would stop what he was doing. I had a very strong-willed little one. One that would climb up high and jump off.

What I knew was, that it worked.

What I didn't know: That I was creating a child that feared everything.

I didn't realize what I was doing or saying most of the time. I am sure it just became routine.

When did I finally realize I was doing this? When I got married, and my husband was learning the ins and outs of my relationship with my son. He noticed things that I had never seen or realized. He slowly and kindly pointed them out to me. It was like a lightbulb moment. I didn't realize I had created such a fearful child!

What I learned even further is that it wasn't so much that I wanted him to be afraid, but by controlling him this way, I was protecting my own fears. Humongous horrible fears of my child being hurt, or abducted or molested. I have several people close to me that have been molested at early age and also some later in life. The idea of this happening to one of my own children was a huge fear of mine!

What I also didn't realize was how much I gave empty threats.

"Stop that or I will take that away from you."
"Stop that or we will turn around and go home."

Did I mean any of them? Nope...and he knew it! While I had been able to control him with fear....on the other end, my empty threats taught him to not take me seriously and even harder to keep him under control.

I, like many parents, especially single young parents...made many mistakes. I thought I was doing good. I didn't realize how damaging those tactics were and I certainly never meant to hurt my son emotionally by creating fears in him.

Because I have been through all of these things, it is so easy for me to recognize when other parents are doing it. I wish I could help them, but you are treading on thin ice when you try to give correction or advice to other parents. The best thing I can do, is give these people my own testimony of what I have been through, and feel like I have mostly conquered. Once in a while I hear myself slip back into one of these desperate measures when I am at the end of my rope and at a loss for what to try next...but for the most part I am able to recognize this quickly and correct myself. This results in my apologizing to my son quite often. But in return...his respect for me has grown by leaps and bounds.

I never knew I could have such a wonderful, rewarding relationship with my son. I never knew just how awesome being a parent could be. I am so glad I started learning these things slowly by the time he was 5, so that I could salvage my relationship with him...and still reap the benefits of having a healthy relationship with my son for the bulk of his childhood.

How about you? Is there something in your parenting that you used to do, or that you still do...that you know needs improving? This parenting "thing" has so many ups and downs doesn't it?! So glad to have a community of family, friends, bloggers....to share in those ups and downs!

Prelude to "Misfit Mommy"

2011-01-22T14:25:00.001-06:00

I have been working on a post all week...titled "Misfit Mommy". The post keeps going in directions I hadn't planned for it to go...thus the reason I keep quitting and walking away from it. But I am determined to finish it, soon. Because I know there has to be other moms out there that feel the same way I do.

So, here is a sneak peek to the post:

Misfit Mommy

Have you ever been in a group of moms and felt like you didn’t fit in?

Sure…you all have kids…you all share the ins and outs of dirty diapers and feedings.

But yet you still feel on the outs?

As I have talked about many times before…I was 18 when I became pregnant with my first son…I was 19 when I gave birth to him.

When you are that age, you are definitely treated differently buy other people in regards to your parenting.

So, while I am finishing my post, I would like to hear...are there any other moms out there who have ever felt like they don't fit in with the other moms around them? Like they would like to relate, but just can't?

Thank you for sharing your experiences! I will be back soon.

From 5 to 55!

2011-01-12T14:21:00.001-06:00

Woah! I remember when I was excited to have 5 followers...now I have 55! That is exciting! I love connecting with new people! I love hearing and seeing how other people live! Since I do have several new people following my blog now...I just wanted to take a minute to remind you all that I also have another website!

My mother & I started J&J Inspirations back in June. We make fancy aprons and custom creations.

My mother has been sewing since her early teen years, and her seamstress skills are top notch! The detailing she puts into her sewing is brilliant. I, on the other hand, haven't totally received the golden sewing touch..but I HAVE received the shopping and designing touch. I love looking for and buying new fabrics. I LOVE the smell of a fabric store! So I do the buying and matching up of fabrics and assigning what design to what fabric...and my mama does the sewing, which to me is the biggest job of all! While we do have several aprons on our website, we have even more listed on our Facebook page.

And last but not least...we do custom orders! See a design you like but would prefer in a different fabric?? We can create something custom just for you!

Aprons make the most wonderful gift! Whether its Christmas, birthday, Valentine's day...anything! We make women's, mens, and childrens aprons. Men LOVE to wear our aprons tailgating or hosting their barbeque's. Children love to dress up like mom and dad...we can make matching aprons for the little ones!

We are certified through Paypal!

Why did we start the business? Because after being home for a while, you start looking for something more. Something out of the every day ordinary. Something that makes you feel like you are using your creative intelligence for something more than laundry and family meals. We love to create things, and nothing beats seeing the look on a customers face who has just fallen in love with something you have put your heart and soul into!

Thank you for joining my blog. Thank you for following our handmade business! We appreciate each and every one of you!

Sneak Peek at Baby Boy #3!

2011-01-07T13:43:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday we went in for my 20 week appointment. Although we already knew the gender from the last appointment at week 17...we knew this ultrasound was going to be the full scan U/S. I have had an U/S at each of my last 4 appointments. The good news is that one of the factors making me a "high risk" pregnancy has been eliminated. In my last U/S they measured my cervical length...which we were worried about because back on June 28th I had the cold knife cervical biopsy done. This is where they go in and remove a portion of your cervix due to cancerous cells. They got all the pre-cancerous cells! And my cervical length was not compromised...so it looks like I shouldn't have any problems sustaining the pregnancy even once he is heavier.

Speaking of heavier...I have only gained 7 or 8 pounds this pregnancy. Hallelujah! I am sure that number will go up here soon but I am still trying hard to do well so I don't have so much to lose afterwards. A person at my weight level is only recommended to gain 15 to 20 pounds during pregnancy. With River I did really well up until the last 5 weeks. I had only gained around 20...then it soon became 30...then in the last days leading up to my hospital stay and early delivery I gained another 18 pounds in water weight! So in all I gained 48 pounds! Wowzer! I delivered River at 35 weeks 6 days gestation.

I am feeling a LOT better these days. I still suffer from heartburn & acid reflux. Doctor has me on 40 mg of Omeprozole for that, and it helps tremendously! I have to be careful about how much food I consume in one sitting...one too many bites and I quickly become very very bloated and uncomfortable. I am only 5'2", so my current weight in addition to gaining with baby, and all my organs getting scrunched up to make room for baby...makes for not much room for much else. I think this has actually really helped in not gaining much weight so far.

The worst thing I suffer from right now is restless legs at night. I know, I used to make fun of the Restless Legs Syndrome commercials...because I thought it was just some hoaky thing a drug company came up with. Turns out it is something I have had with all 3 pregnancies! It hits especially at night once I am laying in bed. The urge to stretch my legs...but don't stretch too far because I will get a cramp....and the urge to kick. No matter how much I kick it won't go away. The one thing I have found does help is, warming up my rice bag and laying it under my legs. It seems to help.

The most amazing thing I am experiencing right now is feeling the baby. I always say if I can just skip through the sick part and jump ahead to the part where I can feel the baby kicking...I would! I LOVE the feeling of the baby rolling around in there. I can't get enough of it. I am so in love with this little guy already I just can't get enough! I can't believe that in just 18 short weeks or less he will be in my arms!

Profile

3D, the bubbly looking thing on the left is actually the umbilical cord.

He loves to have his arms up by his face.

What he is nuzzling up to there is my placenta.

You can see both hands in this picture.

Another hand photo.

Still a boy! You can see 2 legs and then a dangly thing in the middle. Couldn't be more obvious.

Foot

Both feet, they are crossed over each other.

Both feet side by side.

We had to try a really long time to get faceshots. He was laying on his tummy, away from the ultrasound wand, nuzzled up to my placenta.

One of several waves we got!

Suspense is building...

2010-12-14T21:51:00.001-06:00

I have been teasing and taunting my facebook and twitter friends all day with precious information that I hold. Information that says whether or not my blog name will have to change. Information that determines the future of the dynamics within my household. Information that determines some of the construction in our current home renovation. Information that... ok ok... I'll tell ya.

The Queen of the House of boys shall reign forever and ever!!!!!

(*disclaimer, when I state "forever and ever" lets just say that right now my doctor chart states this is the end of expanding our family, but this news does bring on more thinking in that decision.)

A Post From Africa

2010-12-10T11:01:00.000-06:00

Today I have a very special guest poster! It's my daddy! My dad is currently in Kenya, Africa. He has been in Africa since November 17th. It is the first year I have never had Thanksgiving with my dad. He will be coming home on December 21st. It's a long 5 weeks, and he is starting to feel home sick, but still enjoying his experience. This is his 3 (maybe 4th?) trip to Africa. I convinced him to give a summary of his trip thus far to help fill in family and friends. So, without further ado...here is my dad...Ron.

I landed in Kenya on November 18 and left on the 19th to fly to Kigali, Rawanda. There I was able to visit the genocide museum to get a view of what horrific episode that was in the life of the Rwandans. 1,000,000 people murdered in 100 days, it was and is unbelievable. AS a result there have been new laws enacted to try and heal the divisions between the tribes and to memorialize the deaths in such a way as prevent it from every happening again. I was then able to attend and preach in a Rwandan Friends Church, that is experiencing some significant growth. Probably over 250 people in attendance. Lots of singing and dancing before I preached. It was a good service and I was pleased to be able to speak.

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Follwing that I soon returned to Nairobi, Kenya and met with lloyd Stangeland and we flew together to Lodwar, Kenya. This is in the north eastern portion of Kenya up close to Sudan. It is a desert region where the people either live in the city or live out in the desert where they tend their herds of goats, camels, or donkeys. They live in grass huts and sleep on mats outside their huts because it is so hot. It may get down to 85 late in the evening but is 95 or higher each day. It rarely rains, perhaps once a year or two. We were investigating where and how to dig a couple of bore hole wells for two of the new new village Meetings (Friends Churches). Right now they meet under a tree for worship. They beat their drum and sing a lot, mostly women and children because the men our out following their animals as they move about looking for food and water.

Following that we flew to Kitale, Kenya and helped form a new project and established a new board of governors. This is called SEEDS and we will be renting and growing seed maize for th Kenya Seed Company. From the profits of this endeavor we hope to be able to pay for a new Education Secretary for Kenya Friends and to pay for the printing of a new peace curriculum that friends from William Penn University are writing, hoping that it will be used in the 1,200 Friends Primary Schools in Kenya.

Following that we traveled by pickup/slash car type to Tanzania. IT was a 1,500 kilometer trip one way to southern Tanzania very near the Malawe border. We met with four new vilage meetings/churches as they worshipped and prayed for new buildings and for new members to come to meet Jesus. There was a great spirit amongst these people and they are excited about forming a new Yearly Meeting in the near future. All five of the new churches in this area were started by one woman over the last 3-4 years. SHe is an amazing lady who works as a midwife, loves the Lord, and constantly talks to people about the Lord and starting another new church. Her names is appropriately Christian. This was a very difficult trip because riding in such a small car was very tight and uncomfortable and we had to travel two 12-14 hour days in the car only stopping for fuel, to eat, and to find a bush.

I have returned to Kenya and spoke two days at a new Yearly Meeting called Tongeren that has 200 village meetings and 6,000 members. They wanted to learn more about leadership and proper church business operations.

Tomorrow I will speak again at Tuloi Yearly Meeting and the following day at Vahiga Yearly Meeting. This is the seasn where all 16 yearly meetings have special conferences for their women and men, both in different locations. I realized today that this was the first day in three weeks that I wasn't traveling or hurrying to next place to speak or participate in some type of meeting or worship. It has been hectic but good.

Diamond in the Rough

2010-12-09T12:13:00.001-06:00

Well, as you may have recently read on my blog...we are in the process of purchasing a new home. This home is...shall we say...A diamond in the rough. It will be spectacular when done, but right now...not so much. We have officially cleared out the remaining junk that the previous owners oh so kindly left behind for us. What remains now is the smell. Once you get past the smell...you see the size..Overall is over 3500 square feet. We are in the process now of waiting. We have already cleared out and cleaned the first layer of filth off. As well as pulled all the soiled carpet. Next up...after the sale is officially final...we will pull up subfloors and drywall at least 2 feet up all the way around the house. The basement will be completely gutted. All in all this project should be 2 to 3 months long.

For me..right now I am not able to move much past the smell...into inspiration. This living room really has me stumped. It is a 600 square foot room. The 3 window on the East side of overlook the deck and pool area.

There are sliding glass doors on each side of the fireplace. I am not sure why this was done exactly. The doors go out to our covered patio, which also has a fireplace and houses the hot tub. My vision for the fireplace is something like this. Stone going all the way up. I think this would go with the rustic look of the wood beams on the ceiling.

Right now for furniture I know we will have a dark brown leather sofa & loveseat to place in front of the fireplace. I would also like to put a small table somewhere in the room for a board game table. Other than that...I have no more vision for the room. I can not think of a paint color for the walls. Right now everything in my current home has black frames on all our pictures, our TV armoire is black...we have white doors and white trim. So...if I stick with the blacks and whites...do I then paint the wood beams black? Ahhh...really I am open for any and all suggestions for this room. I think the shear size of the room just has me stumped.

On to the next area. The Kitchen and eat in dinig area.

This picture is looking at the fireplace in the eat in dining area. All those boxes house the stone and hearth for the fireplace..which is similar to the picture I linked before. This area is large enough that I have visions of putting 2 comfy chairs with a little round coffee table in between them by the fireplace, and then still plenty of room for the actual dining table behind.

This room connects straight to the kitchen. I am gaining a large beautiful newly redone kitchen, but I am losing my beautiful newly remodeled kitchen in my current home with white cabinetry. I can not decide on wall color in these two rooms either. The two windows in the room both do not get direct sunlight because they are both covered by covered patios.

And last but not least, the entry way. When you walk in our front door, this is what you see. A long entry way. It also is dark, so I need a light color and new light fixtures. It is a long good sized hallway. At the very end you can see where you step down 2 steps into the large family room that was pictured earlier.

So, here are the design dilemmas I lay awake at night thinking about. PLEASE feel free to weigh in with any and all advice! Links to pictures would be great too!

Thank you friends!

Brothers Don't Shake Hands, Brothers Gotta Hug!

2010-12-02T10:57:00.000-06:00

This, is the smile of a little boy who LOVES "ou'side". You mention the word casually and he picks it out of any conversation. When this "ou'side" word is spoken, you better be ready to deliver and take him outside.

On this day we went to join big brother on his class field trip. They went to a local lake with their teacher and a DNR representative to learn about habitats. We went out to eat lunch & play on the playground with them.

This little boy absolutely LOVES his big brother Xavier...aka "Zae-Zae". When River has been away at Grandma's house, it is not mommy or daddy that he asks for first...it is Zae-Zae.

You could never tell that these two boys DNA doesn't 100% match, because to them they are 110% related in every way shape or form. Their maneurisms...their actions..River is a little mimmick. Especially when it comes to Wrestling. Yes, wrestling is the chosen sport of this household, and River is learning to "westle" as well.

This little boy NEVER eats his sandwiches without tearing them apart unless they are peanut butter. On this field trip occasion he was so excited to be like his big brother that he ate his sandwich just like him. It was quite intriguing to watch. They would take bites at the same time. If big brother stopped to take a drink, so would little bro too.

And then, after lunch, came the most exciting time for little brother...the time that he got to spend on the playground with big brother. All of Xavier's attention was on River, nevermind all the classmates surrounding. Xavier loves to be around his little brother. (except for when he is trying to do his homework and River isn't getting his full attention so he steals his papers and runs with them)

I never knew that seeing my 2 sons together would bring me such joy. All my worries of what it would be like to add a sibling to our family dynamic were quickly ceased when Xavier first held River on the day he was born. He was/is so proud that he is HIS brother and that River loves him so much. It makes him feel important when River when run to him when there is a crowd of people around.

I love my boys. I love being a mother to boys.

So, just 5 weeks until we find out if I will get to continue with being the Queen of the House of Boys, or if our family dynamics will change yet again...and possibly even the change of my blog name.

Spoon in the Drawer

2010-11-23T11:52:00.000-06:00

I have a spoon in my silverware drawer that has a story. A story that reminds me that I am the Queen of the House of Boys. A story that gives me a chuckle when it may make other women upset. A story that shows the rationale of a once 9 year old boy. A story that is simple, and makes sense when you think of it.

What is the story?

I had seen this spoon in my drawer for awhile, it matches none of the others. It puzzled me every time, but I never questioned it. I figured nobody else would know. I thought maybe we had acquired it after a church potluck or something of the likes.

One day, I asked, does anybody know where this spoon came from? My then 9 year old begins to chuckle. Uh-oh...what does that mean?! The story is simple really. He says:

"I took one of our spoons in my school lunch one day. And I forgot what I was doing and returned the spoon to the kitchen of the school." So, then next day he did what makes sense. He took one of the school spoons and brought it home to replace the one that I had lost.

Nevermind that my silverware was a nice matching set that I got for our wedding from my mother. What is done is done. My spoon has now found a home amongst hundreds of spoons in the elementary kitchen.

So now I stop and smile for a moment when I see this spoon, because it has history, because it reminds me of the innocence and logical thinking of a 9 year old boy. My once 9 year old boy who is now 12, who is quickly on his way to being a teen.

Do you have a piece of silverware or kitchen utensil that has a story?

Echo...echo...echo...

2010-11-13T18:17:00.000-06:00

Helloooooo oo o o oo oo??? Can you hear me hear me hear me?

This blog has been quiet and lonely I swear I hear echos while typing this post.

I am very sorry blog. I have missed you. I have thought about you. I have even looked at you. But I just haven't been feeling it. Hmmm...in the last ....what? Really...it has been exactly a month since I last blogged! Woah, I did that by accident.

So. One month wrap up:

I am still pregnant. My pregnancy ticker at the top says I am 12 weeks 5 days. However my ultrasound says I am 11 weeks 5 days. I would like to go by the pregnancy ticker...cause that is the calculation I get when I plug in my numbers to the due date calculator...but for purposes of not confusing myself with doctors appointments I should probably go by what my ultrasound says. Calculated due date of May 29th. That seems sooooo far away. I have been extremely sick this last month. A lot of nausea, puking, sleeping. However, in the last week I have been feeling energy pick back up. Not as much nausea...but more heart burn & acid reflux. It is kind of like walking through a field filled with land mines...the day can be great...but one wrong move and it is all over.

Baby names:

If it is a girl, we are pretty sure we have the name picked out. If it is a boy, then it is going to be more of a challenge. The biggest challenge is that my husband still insists on crazy outdoor names. His top 3 picks right now are: 1: Trout 2:Bo Hunter 3:Tasker Tucker Um...what...I'm sorry honey...did you say "Tasker Tucker"? Um, well...that is thinking outside the box. Obviously we are not all about traditional names with 2 sons named Xavier & River...but even for me those boys names are a bit much.

Weight Loss/Gain:

I have no idea what I weigh. Our scale broke and I haven't cared to replace it. Excercise has been non existant and carbs are the primary sourse of nourishment I have craved. I really don't think I am doing too bad...but I probably shouldn't go much longer without a scale.

Home:

We have been on the search for a new home this last month, and we have found our dream home in the country. Highlight of features: 4 fireplaces (1 outside, 1 in family room, 1 in dining room, 1 in basement), huge deck, pool, 5.24 acres, apple...pear...and cherry trees, 3 bedrooms up, 4 bathrooms, 2800 square feet on the main level, brand new kitchen, and full kitchen in the basement.

The homes current condition? Hugely neglected. The house has huge potential as you can see from the above list of features...however it currently looks like something straight out of the Hoarders tv show. It will require us to rip out all carpet, most subflooring, drywall 2 feet up all walls on main level and complete ripping out of the basement. It will be worth all the hard work, but will be a winter long project. We are very thankful that we get to stay in our current home through the renovation. If all goes well with closing details we should take position by December 1st.

You want to see a picture? Well...if you promise to look past the clutter and see the potential I will show you 1 or 2.

Slacky McSlackereth

2010-10-13T13:04:00.000-05:00

Hello...my name is slacky McSlackereth...

I recently announced that I am pregnant with my 3rd child.

I am 8/9ish weeks along.

More sick then I have ever been with the other 2 boys.

In combination with ALLLLLL DAYYYYYY sickness,

I am also having a horrible bout with sinus infection that has settled nicely down into my lungs and is oh so lovely like making my asthma act up.

Went to dr today...more prednisone (steroids) and breathing treatments so that I don't land in the hospital again for the asthma...which if you remember happened twice this spring.

I love being pregnant. Well...I love the fact that I am pregnant...I would be lieing if I said I was loving life right now. I would like to skip forward to the part where I can feel the babe rolling around inside me.

I am getting nothing...I repeat nothing....done around the house lately. My mother just came yesterday and picked up my almost 2 year old and is keeping him until Friday so that I can rest.

I am only blogging so that you know I am alive...barely...but I am. ;o)

Also...looking at the computer makes me want to hurl...so...i love you...but...good-bye.

Hope to see you again soon...very...soon.

Oh...and if you pray...I would LOVE an extra prayer or two for sickness to ease up over here.

Still Losing, Changes Underway.

2010-09-21T09:03:00.000-05:00

This...

is proof that I am still losing. Started on September 8th at 225 pounds. This morning I am at 218.8 just a mere 1.8 pounds away from my goal for before I leave for the Biggest Loser Resort. However...I am going to need some time to extend that goal...lets say like...at least a couple years.

Huh??? Screeching tires halt what??? Not going??? but you already paid??? But it is non-refundable??? But you have told SOOOO many people that you are going??? But you have been working so hard???

Why yes...I have been working my butt off, literally. I still went to kickboxing this morning and I intend to keep going for as long as I physically can keep going. AND I was able to get a full refund due to the Doctor's excuse that I faxed them. You see...the doc thought the workout plan there might be a little too rigerous for me with my "condition" and all.

What condition you ask?

Oh...ya know....the condition called...PREGNANT! Yes! Remember how just weeks ago I posted to by blog about having babies on the brain? Well I guess there was a reason for that, because I was pregnant! I am only 6 weeks along...pretty early. I am not one to be able to contain such news! Especially since I knew so many people would be waiting to hear about my BLR trip. I am not due until May 23rdish.

So, after 3 home tests and 1 trip to the lab to get a blood test taken...it is officially positive that I am pregnant.

We are very excited! Were we trying? Well...we weren't really preventing..but we really didn't expect it to happen so soon, since it took 4-1/2 years to conceive River. River will be 22 months old tomorrow!

I want to thank you all for your enthusiastic support in my trip that I had planned and the weight loss rollercoaster adventure I have been on. It means more to me...and motivates me more than you can possibly imagine! I do NOT plan to give up on being healthy. I believe that if I am excercising and eating the amount of calories that are needed to keep me and baby healthy...and if I happen to lose weight in the process...that there isn't anything wrong with that. I certainly do not starve myself...I am just pretty strategic about what I eat and when I eat it. Would be simply amazing if I didn't gain a ton of weight this round!

Happiness is soul reviving

2010-09-17T11:13:00.000-05:00

Happiness feels good. Even the Bible mentions that laughter is medicine for the soul. It releases endorphins in your body and it feels good. Back in the day I can remember getting off onto a giggling rant with the girls...you know, the kind that you can't stop no matter what! Now a days...if I did that I would surely pee my pants. What tmi? Moving on. I laugh here and there. But I can't remember the last time I laughed hysterically to the point I can't stop or control it. Wait...I do remember...

....it was December 2009. My mom, River, & I were wading in the ocean out in front of our hotel on Waikiki beach. It was beautiful. We were having a wonderful time. And all of the sudden...here comes my husband. Carrying scuba gear, water camera, towels...and a huge smile on his face that said he couldn't wait to get in the water. Wait, this isn't a funny story? Just wait. It gets better. So..the scene is picture perfect. My mom & I are looking on to James as he gets closer, waving to let him know where we are...And he starts waving, still with the big smile on his face. And picks up his pace as I am sure he is anxious to get his feet in the sand. Then...step, step...thud, crash. In all of his excitement he walked straight off of a ledge and totally face planted into the sand and the people surrounding. Now, I should be sympathetic and worry about his well being. But I tell you this was like something straight off of Funniest Home Videos. I could not stop laughing. Every time I think about it, I still start laughing. I know, I am horrible person that laughs when people fall. I don't know what it is in me that makes me laugh.

Anyhow...back to where I started. Those kind of all out laughs feel good. I don't do it as often as I should I am sure.

Other things that release happiness inside of me? Well...For starters...this:

Seeing the decline in a graph isn't always a good thing. But when that graph is keeping track of your weight loss..it's a GREAT thing! This morning I weighed in at 220.4. started last Wednesday at 225. Means I have 3.4 more pounds to lose in 9 days before I leave for the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu, California. Totally doable! Yesterday I did my 5:15 AM kickboxing class, then I worked out to Jillian's 30 day shred at noon, then I went on a 1.5 mile hilly walk after supper. Today I completed my first full week of kickboxing class! I love it! The first few days I found myself letting out a lot of agression. Seeing faces and hearing words that make me angry, and taking it out on the bag. The last few days I haven't done that as much. I have been focusing on the bag, and my technique, and wondering if my arms are going to soon detach from my shoulders. Seriously, I sweat so much and I LOVE it!

Another thing that makes me happy instantly? Is reading and looking at the pictures at Erin's blog! Erin is the author of House of Turquoise! If you love the color turquoise, you are going to love looking at the beautiful photos of these decorated rooms! It is so inspiring and instantly gives me a feeling of relaxation and happy. If turquoise isn't your thing, then hop on over to her other website: Decor by Color. Where you can get other great color inspirations! Erin is about to turn thirty in a few days and is putting on an awesome giveaway! Although I would prefer you don't enter the contest because I want to win...it is totally worth it to share this beautiful women and her talent!

Well, my mom just got here to spend some time together for that day, and that makes me happy as well. So, I am off for the day!

Happy Friday everyone!

You Can't Out Me If I Out Myself First!

2010-09-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

It is true. You can't out me, if I out myself first! That is how this all started. One day, I opened up my blog and started blabbing about my weight loss rollercoaster. One thing led to another, and all of the sudden I revealed my weight to the world. At that point I was 243.6. I was soooo scared. As we know in bloggy land, you are opening a can of worms by saying anything at all! And you are opening yourself up to any and all criticism by just speaking. The result of my weight reveal...so far so good. So far nobody has come on here and said...ewww fatty! So far everything has been supportive and uplifting. The biggest result? I could care less that people know how much I weigh. Really. I mean, it's not like I was really able to hide it...not like just because people didn't know my "number" that they didn't really know how overweight I was. I use the word "was" loosely as I am still far from not being overweight.

I am improving. In 10 months I have lost 21.8 pounds. Not earthshattering...but it is something...and at least I am not gaining. My first goal is to get to 175. I can not imagine how good 175 will feel. Reality is though, at the rate I am losing (only average 2.1 pounds a month) it will take me nearly 23 months to reach that weight. Almost 2 more years! That really won't do. I have to step things up. Which is why I am going to the Biggest Loser Resort. These 18 days of strict regimen plus my one week at the BL Resort...just HAS to give me the jump start to keep me going. IF I am able to get to 217 before September 26 (which is my goal) and IF I am able to lose 5 or 6 pounds at the resort...I would be at approximately 211. Which is definitely another pant size down, and for me a huge achievement. IF I make it to that 211 mark, that will be 32.6 pounds lost. IF I lose another 5 pounds by November that will mean I have lost nearly 38 pounds in a year. Now...when you step back and look at it that way...it sounds a lot better! The lowest I have weighed in the 6-1/2 years I have been married is 189.

Ok, since most of that info is hypothetical let's go with the facts. It has been 8 days today since I revealed my adventure of going to the BL Resort. In that 8 days I have lost 3.2 pounds. This means I have 4.8 pounds to lose by the 26th. Just 12 days.

3.2 pounds divided by 8 days = 0.4 pounds lost per day.

0.4 avg pounds per day x 18 days = 7.2 pounds potentially lost from Sept 8th to Sept 26th

225 starting weight - 7.2 pounds = 217.8

I still believe it is doable.

I still believe in myself.

Enough said

2010-09-13T20:32:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time there was this girl...

she signed up for a 5:15 AM kickboxing class...

She made it through the first class without puking of passing out...

but by the end of that first day she nearly fell asleep standing.

This same girl is also now at 222.4 pounds

Still losing....

Still sleepy...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I won!

2010-09-11T22:33:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I lost...pounds that was...and today I won! What did I win? I went to a dinner last night with friends. It was a gourmet 5 course meal. Full flavored, full butter, full salt, full fat kinda meal. Everything was beyond amazing to eat! I was nervous about this dinner being something that might upset my diet progression. To my surprise...being smart about what I ate was actually a lot easier that I thought it would be. Let's face it, 5 courses is more than anyone really should consume anyways. It's like 3 meals in 1! I took a sampling from each course. I had 3/4 of my appetizer, 1/4 of my dinner roll, ate my entire salad, by the entree time....I ate 1/4 of each of the 3 items on my entree plate...and all of the sudden I was full. Almost to the point where I was uncomfortable. So I quit. I wasn't going to pass up dessert. It was phenomonally wonderful....so I had about 1/4 of that. I only drank 1 small glass of wine...and several glasses of unsweetened ice tea.

I was still pretty nervous that I would gain. But after the dinner, we did something we normally wouldn't do. Normally we don't join the after party...normally we just go home and go to bed like an old married couple. But this time we went with a few of the couples and played pool and then bowled 3 games!

Result of the reduced dinner and the activity afterwards?? I didn't gain an ounce! I didn't lose anything, but I didn't gain either! YEAH!!!!! I was so happy it gave me the motivation to work out even harder today. I went to the YMCA and did 2.8 on the treadmill, 1.6 on the eliptical, and then James & I went on a 1.2 mile walk. In all....I did 5.6 miles today! I am moving up on excercise and hopefully moving down on the scale!

I am pretty pumped right now! But, I should go to bed to be rested for church in the morning and for a full day of family and activities. Night all!

I lost!

2010-09-10T14:25:00.000-05:00

No, I didn't lose a game? Although...weighloss can sometimes feel like a game, the kind of board game where you can go 5 steps forward, and then you get a card that throws you back to the start line.

What I did lose is this...2 pounds! I am at 223 after just 3 days of working out and eating healthy. See, I have moved forward 3 moves. I have 16 more moves to go to get ready for this adventure. In the next couple days I am focusing on walking and a few other little excercises. Starting Monday I will walk each day and then go to 1 fitness class each day...at least. Then after about 5 days of that I will do my walking and 2 fitness classes a day. I don't think there is really anything that can prepare me for September 26th when I walk onto the Biggest Loser Resort, but all I can do is try. It is good I have started now, I already have blisters on my feet and a bloody back of my heel by the time I am done walking, but I must continue. Can't let a few painful things stop me from achieving this!

The card that I draw that may potentially set me slightly back? It is a dinner party I am going to tonight to celebrate a friends birthday. It is a fancy 5 course gourmet meal. Full flavored, nothing held back. I am going to try my hardest to only eat half or less of each of the courses served to me.

Pray for me that I will have the strength to stick to my plan tonight!

Making a plan

2010-09-09T12:07:00.000-05:00

So, 17 days to go before I fly across America to an area I have never been to. Sight-seeing? Shopping? Ocean? Nope....the only sight seeing I will be doing is on my hikes through mountains in Malibu California. The only shopping I will be doing is at the Biggest Loser Resort Store. Ocean...I might get to see it on my flight in and out. I didn't schedule any leisure days on my trip...just work work work. Not a "nose in the computer" kind of trip. Not a "sit in boring long classes and let your butt get sore" kind of work trip. Not a "sip wine and mingle with colleagues" kind of work.

What is the kind of work? Work on me! My body AND my mind! Pushing myself to places I have never been. Proving to my body that it is not a lazy couch potato. Proving to my family that I DO love them enough to want to live a long life with them. A life that includes camping and adventures...not just movies and gameboard days.

So what is my plan for not dieing on the first day? Well...it certainly isn't to wait until the day before I leave to start excercising. Nope, started yesterday. I got up at 6:30 and walked 1.2 miles. Not a whole lot, but it was something. This morning I got up at 5:45 and walked 1.8 miles. I thought for sure I had walked 2 miles, but guess I was just shy. Tomorrow...I plan to walk 2.5 miles as well as do more working out aerobically. I have put a call into the local YMCA for the fitness director to give me a call. I would like to see if they can get me into classes every day, except Sunday, until the trip. Can't wait to see what they have to offer me!

Remember last November? That is when I revealed my weight to the world. A scary thing to do, but it was also very liberating. My whole life I loathed the thought of anyone ever finding out this "number" as if the number was a secret. As if nobody would know just how obese I was if they didn't know the number. Perhaps they would think that I weigh much less. Perhaps I just look pleasantly plump and not obese. Wrong wrong wrong. I have seen the pictures, there is no way that it can be mistaken. When I started this journey last November I was 243.6 pounds. In my initial efforts I had lost 25 pounds and got down to 218.6. I was there for a little while. I teetered and toyed between 222 & 230 for the last 6 months though. As of yesterday morning, I am at 225. Which is the lowest I have been for a couple of months.

My plan is: to get down to at least 218 before I leave. That means another 7 pounds in 17 days. I am pretty sure I can do it! This loss, combined with whatever I lose in California, should give me the jump start I need to stay motivated on the downward slope of this rollercoaster ride.

Oh yeah...and if you read my post early this week about having babies on the brain...now I am really hoping I am not pregnant this month, and I will be ok if I don't get pregnant for a few more months. I would like to be healthy enough that my next pregnancy goes smoothly and that I can continue working out while pregnant.

ttfn, I must get off the couch now!

Um, what did I do!!??

2010-09-08T21:12:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I announced that I will be leaving in 18 days to stay at the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu, California. This morning I may have woke up thinking...um...Janelle...what did you do!?!??!!? You know, being that I signed up to go so quickly so that I can be their for the opening day of the resort...means...NO REFUNDS. I am committed. I can't turn back. This is it!

Here is what got me to start panicing a bit. I opened up my confirmation email and starting looking at all the details of my trip. I had read there would be hiking...so I knew that was coming...and I knew that it is in the mountains. However, I missed the part that said there will be 2-1/2 HOURS of hiking per day...plus 5 fitness classes...plus 2 educational classes per day. Thank God they have a chef that makes all of our meals for us! I am trying to get my body used to eating the 1200 calories a day so that I don't go into complete shock! I also started working out today. I went for a walk this morning...only 1.1 miles...but still I got up and did it. I will do at least 2 miles in the morning. I am also looking to get into an aerobics class of some sort. However, my membership is to Anytime Fitness and they don't have aerobics classes.

I am completely thrilled with all the support I am getting from my friends IRL and my blogger friends! And now for me to show you the most fun purchase I made today...something that was on my required list for the hiking:

The CamelBak High Visibility Hydration Pack

Yep, that is a hydration pack that carries water and has a tube thingy that I can just drink from so that I don't have to stop. This pack will also carry another one of my required items...a first aid kit. hah! I wonder if They have collapsable gurneys that I could fit in that pack? hmmm...???

Been nice knowin ya!

2010-09-07T13:36:00.000-05:00

Well guys, it's been nice knowin ya! I am leaving in a few weeks and I am not sure if I will return. You see...I may not be able to physically walk to the plane to get home or even move at all for that matter. I have just signed my life away. I will be at the Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu, California for ONE FULL WEEK! From sun up to sun down for 7 whole days I will be working out. Hiking in the woods, up mountains, swimming, one can only assume running will be involved, I can only assume that squats, crunches, lunges, oh yeah...and lots of vomitting will be occuring. I have never worked out for more than 90 minutes at a time...on my own watch...at my own pace. I am an asthma sufferer, my lower back is shot to H E double hockey sticks...my knees don't really like me...I have had surgery for plantar fasciitis....all these reasons give me ample excuse not to work out like I should. However, on the flip side all these reasons are all the MORE reason I HAVE to get up and go! I absolutely positively have to. I am 31 years old and feel 50. I have a husband that will likely outlive me at this rate as he is in shape. I have children who deserve to have a mom that can actually get out of the house and do stuff with them.

Is one week at the BL Resort going to be THE answer??? Well, I know that going there is only half the battle. 90% of the battle is in my head. I think the opportunity to have 1 whole week to focus 100% on me and my health with no distractions, will be amazing. They fix all of your meals for you, for a total of 1200 calories a day. I am sure I eat at least 2500 a day right now.

But Janelle...how is this different from when you tried the Dr. Phil diet? Or LA Weightloss? Or having a full membership to a gym and not using it? Or or or??? Everything else in tarnation you have tried?

Well, I am glad you asked! I don't really know! All I know is I have the opportunity to try! I know that previously all of my attempts have been more emphasis on the food and less emphasis on the excercise. One can only think going to 5 workout classes a day (OMG..did I just say 5 workout classes a day??? Biting fingernails!) that you have to lose weight. Also, I will get the opportunity to try just about every kind of excersize their is known to mankind, meaning I will definitely find something that fits me. More than anything, I will be pushing myself to a place I have never been.

Thank you so much to my husband that loves me and supports me enough to say "if you want to do it, do it...I am not going to hold you back...if it is something you feel is important that I won't stop you."

If I live to tell the story..I will surely blog about my entire experience! Prayers are very much accepted!

Babies on the Brain

2010-09-06T21:13:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have had babies on the brain. I don't know if it is still from getting to be my friends labor coach 7 weeks ago...or just plain ol' baby fever. Or, it could be that my youngest baby is going to be 2 in less than 2 months...or that my oldest baby is 12! We want 1 more at least if we are able. Since I had my cone biopsy in June we are suppose to wait a year before trying due to my cervix being compromised. However, since it took us 4-1/2 years to get pregnant with our son River....and we honestly haven't done anything to prevent having another since he was 6 weeks old and he is already almost 2...well we decided we are going to take the risk of just not preventing it from happening. I will be 32 in February...and I really would like to be done by 34.

Who knows what God has in store for us. He is the one ultimately behind the timing no matter how many ovulation tests we take or calendars we chart (btw, my Android has an awesome app for tracking my days. You can track when your period started, stopped...it will chart when you potentially should ovulate. You can track when you had sex and everything.) Honestly though...we are trying hard not to get caught up in "trying". We've been there, done that, been heart broken, and ultimately able to rejoice in the end. But after you have gone through that time of trying and waiting and trying and waiting....it is really hard to not let your brain revert right back to that. It is really hard to not let your brain go back to being jealous when you see a mommy's baby bump or a parent holding their newborn babe. EVEN after having a success story. I just can't fathom the thought of being "done" birthing children. My first pregnancy I was 18/19 young and totally unprepared. My second pregnancy I was 29 and although I was older...I kind of felt like it was my first time all over again since it had been 10 years. I feel like the 3rd time will be even more different. Through blogging and reading blogs my eyes have been opened up to so many more possibilities with pregnancy, health, baby wearing, etc...I just feel like the 3rd time I will be able to savor and hold on to every single drop of a moment of being pregnant.

And then there is the guilt. Yes...the guilt. That guilt that used to bring me to say and pray outloud..."God, please don't let me get pregnant again until so and so finally are able to have a baby". I hate it for other ladies that they are not able or haven't yet been successful in concieving a child. I know it is not in my control. I know that I can't change things for them or that me being pregnant changes anything for them. I just can't help the guilt sometimes for the mamas who want to be mamas so badly that they can feel it in their bones. I realize I am probably ultra sensitive to this being that I have been through it myself. But it doesn't stop the guilt.

Well, that wraps up my current state of baby fever...where it ends...only God knows.

Late Night Saturday Delight

2010-09-04T22:26:00.000-05:00

Today is Day 4 of the blog-a-thon. Wait? Day 4? I think I have only blogged 3 times. Crud. Forgive me? Yep...just checked and I missed Friday! To my credit though...my laptop is in the shop and I am at the mercy of my husband for letting me use his...that is when one of the kids doesn't have a report that they need to work on all day. So there. Let's pretend I never missed a day. Moving on...

I signed up for the I_Blog Conference! Thank you for Heather of the EO for tipping me off to this Mid-westerner conference! I really don't know a whole lot about the conference yet, but am glad to give this blog conference thing a try a little more locally instead of jumping in with both feet into a big time conference with thousands of bloggers. The hotel that it is being held in looks so amazing! This event is my "Late Night Saturday Delight". Mainly because I am excited about it! Can't wait for November!

What has also got me excited about finding this conference is finding more Iowa bloggers! I love you Minnesota...but I just can't travel 5 hours every single time I want to hang out with fellow bloggers (however I surely will do so again and again).

I have been up to crafty creations lately. Tonight I enhanced some cork boards by covering them with batting and then fabric over the top. Turned out cute. Surely I will take photos. We will begin painting our 15 yr old and 12 yr olds rooms this week. I am so excited to have this room redo almost complete!

Well, I am sorry to cut short and run, but you know how life is!

my laptop got dropped today, and broke. phone wont let me type in the body of this post.

2010-09-02T17:59:00.000-05:00

Blog-a-thon

2010-09-01T22:05:00.000-05:00

Hey all! I have decided to take on the challenge of a Blog-a-thon! A couple of brilliant gals decided to help give us a push to get back on track after a slow blogging summer as we were enjoying all the warm weather activities. What a great idea. Just the push I needed to get on track with where I would like to be. If you would like to join in, just go to the link above, or click on the button on the side of my home page.

It is true, I almost forgot and missed the first deadline. I really wanted to get to bed by 10:00..right now it is 9:58 PM. What can I say in 2 minutes? Well how about this...

I have been on a major "get things done, move real fast, work work work, clean clean clean, schedule schedule schedule" kinda mood lately. This only happens but once every 5 years or so. ;o) So, I am trying to ride this train for as long as my mind and body will let me. A friend of mine had a great theory as to why I may have this sudden rush of energy, she thinks it is because I love the fall season, and will signs of it fast approaching, I am getting kind of excited. I feel like throwing get togethers and dinners and game nights and just well...living. As opposed to slumped over glued to the tv or internet.

Also, a major contributor to this...oh shoot...it is 10:01. I missed my cut-off...ok..I will stop at 10:05 no matter where I am at. As I was saying, a major contributor to this sudden change has been adding a 5th member to our family. As previously mentioned, my 15 year old sister-in-law has moved in with us. I have been adjusting to the life of raising a 15 yr old girl, 12 yr old boy, and 22 month old toddler. Run run run. The only way I can stay above water, and not drown in a sea of dishes and laundry is to just keep moving. No choice any longer, it has to be done. And if I am going to keep up with everyone's schedules I have no choice but to stay on top of things.

What else has happened as a result of this? I am losing weight, without really trying. Just being busy has done it. Amazing what a little extra excercise will do for you. Anyway, I think 10:05 is just about read to

BlogLove Swag Props!

2010-08-28T20:30:00.001-05:00

It is due time to give props to those who provided the beautiful swag for LoveFeast Table's wonderful BlogLove gathering. You have heard me mention that night many times by now, and as mentioned before...I am just not ready for it to end.

We were so honored to have been able to donate a fabric corsage pin to each swag bag...and also to giveaway this vintage style apron in a drawing!

I was so excited when I saw Amanda walk into the event carrying some of her famous baked goods! This cookie was devoured that night at 1:30 AM.

When the night DID come to an end, I left with this swag bag of goodies.

This handmade bag, along with the other 39 bags, was created and donated by Kelli.

The bag was filled to the brim with all of these goodies.

Camille on Rouge had these charming old magazines beautifully tied together with their business card. What a creative use for old magazines! The event was actually held at this charming antique shop in Prior Lake, MN.

Houndstooth gave everyone a $20 gift card to use in their store!

Aveda gave us all a hand massage while at the party! They also gave us some carribean lotion and a perfume bottle that can be filled at their location with the scent of your choice!

Suzanne Jean Photography was not only our official photographer of the night, but she also gave us a $20 savings for her services! Her photography is amazing!

The Vintage Pearl gave each of us our own necklace with BlogLove inscribed. I haven't taken my necklace off since. I love it so much! I am thinking about some great Christmas presents!

The LoveFeast dynamic duo thought of every last detail for that evening.

Mela Kamin gave us all her CD!! Mela has a beautiful voice, a heart for God, and a passion to use her gifts to help people! Oh yeah, and she is beautiful!

We got a sneak preview taste of the new LoveFeast coffee brew. The taste is wonderful!

Sweet Goddess Chocolates donated a package full of sweet and savory chocolates for a giveaway!

Love Feast also gave us a brochure for a resort in Mexico that they are going to soon. I really would like to figure out a way to hide in their suitcase because the resort looks amazing!

That about wraps up the Swag Bag Love. Oh, and did you see that LoveFeast has a Trademark on "BlogLove" now! That is so cool! It is so exciting to see everyone's adventures growing!

Upside Down Grilled Pizza Family Fun!

2010-08-27T22:12:00.000-05:00

On August 17th I attended a Bloglove event hosted by Chris Ann & Kristen of LoveFeast Table. It was amazing! You can read more about it here. Among the bloggers who attended was one brave dad blogger. I am sure you have heard of him, Rob's website is "Cooking for Dads". I did not get the pleasure of getting to speak to him myself...but I did take the time to look him up after the fact. I immediately became enamored with this recipe for Upside Down Grilled Pizza.

As soon as I watched his video I knew I had to make this recipe! On this past Sunday everybody in our family handed in our cell phones after church. We unplugged the computer and turned the TV off! It was our last peaceful day as a family alone before the ratrace of school was to begin Monday morning. We all took a nap, then played this board game called "Argue"...which was really fun...then the kids went downstairs to hang out while James & I began to cook. The original plan was to include them in the actual cooking, however, after playing our new game...James & I needed a bit of time to recoup after the yelling of the game. So, onward we went cooking up a storm!

We watched Rob's video together...my husband scoffed a bit at the thought of getting pulled into something related to blogging (it just isn't his thing)...then we went to the kitchen to prepare. We first made the dough. We followed Rob's recipe but with one slight variation, we used whole wheat unbleached flour. I was leary of the texture that was turning out but we continued with the cooking. My husband still kind of reluctant...started to take over this whole project more and more as we went on.

While we waited for our dough to rise, we hung out in the kitchen together thinking of new concoctions. We invented a wonderful new stuffed mushroom which I will soon be making again and blogging about! Seriously, SO good! We talked, we laughed, we flirted a little. (sorry mom...but I have to blog the whole truth, right?) There is something really flirty about getting into the kitchen and cooking a new, fun recipe together with your spouse. When it is cooked out of fun instead of nourishment necessity there is a certain relaxation about it then allows you to just loosen up and enjoy the process of cooking.

James got so into the process that he took over the dough rolling, or shall I say dough throwing process! Before us getting married, James was the manager of a local pizza restaurant for 3 years, which is where he learned his mad dough throwing skills.

So, please...enjoy our ameteur video. Ignore my wheezing laugh...and the 5 minutes it took me to figure out how many more pizza's we had to make after the first one was done. OR...you could just turn the sound off all together and not listen to me and just watch the video. Alright already...here it is:

Ok, now that that is over...moving on to the toppings.

We varied the toppings a bit for our family. For 3 out of 5 pizzas we started with feta cheese, sun dried tomato pesto, sun dried tomato's, grilled chicken, olives and just a tad of regular pizza sauce.

For the other 2 picky eaters we did just feta, pizza sauce, and chicken.

End result:

Aside from the crust on a couple of them being slightly charred...they were delicious! We used the same amount of ingredients that Rob suggested for his crust...and we were able to get 4 regular size and one mini pizza for baby! Everybody was full and everybody was satisfied. We had fun eating this pizza! My husband ended up "eating" his words because he thought this recipe was fantastic! Don't you love when mama is right? I know I do. Humbly of course. ahem.

Thank you Rob for sharing your recipe and by adding a little fun to our family night!

BlogLove Fancy Friday

2010-08-20T21:23:00.000-05:00

This is Fancy Friday, BlogLove edition.

On Sunday I started out for a little adventure. A venture up North to be surrounded by beautiful people and to breathe in the air of my norwegian roots.

There were 2 objectives for this trip. #1: Join up with fellow bloggers at BlogLove event hosted by LoveFeast Table. #2: Enjoy time with my friend since the 5th grade, Jane.

Both objectives were fulfilled with 100% success.

When Chris Ann & Kristen even slightly hinted that they would be hosting a BlogLove event in the Minneapolis area, I am sure I could be seen in the front row raising hand high, waving "Ooohh oohh oooh, me me me, pick me, please!!!!". A four hour trek is nothing when you are determined to have fun with a bunch of blogger women, oh and 1 brave blogger man (who has an amazing looking upside down grill pizza recipe I just have to try!)

What an awesome way to display the drinks! item on my list #5,889,000: Find me a basin like that.

Do you see those beautiful platters full of fruit?

Kicking myself for not buying that candleabra that I wanted to!

Beautiful swag bags created by Kelli! Kelli has a custom drapery business and does gorgeous quality work!

She made 40 of these bags! That is definitely Bloglove!

I even had the honor of giving away one of our very own products. This vintage style apron now has a new home with Kristen of High Heels and a Hammer. Oh, and Mela...I forgive you for trying to swipe my dress form. ;o)

Chris Ann & Kristen speaking to us about what Bloglove is. For me it was a chance to be inspired by beautiful, talented women. A chance to smile, laugh, and have fun. A chance to google over amazing finds from Camille on Rouge!

It was a chance to actually meet and talk to Erin from House of Turquoise! Oh how I wish I LIVED in her blog!

Great to hear their are people out there that are concerned and looking out for the best interest of bloggers and handmade creators protection. Jensen Haus does just that!

Speaking f Mela, getting to hug her again and talk to her confirms even more for me that she is marvelous and spectacular women who is following her passion.

Did I mention that I actually got to meet Gussy? Oh yeah..I did...and my start struckdom was quickly eased when I got to speak to her and see her sincere heart in person!

I know this picture is fuzzy, but the way the gal in grey was standing was just too cute! Looked like a model!

My apron next to the intoxicately good food table.

Devon may never hear the end of it until he gives up his recipe to his Spanish Ceaser salad. Devon is Kristen (of LoveFeast) chef husband! How lucky is she!

yummmmm, Manchego Cheese

So glad CA found another party bird to add to her collection!

If you have not checked out Camille on Rouge in Prior lake, it is a must see!

What a beautiful way to be greeted!

When my ride was going to be late, I can't say that I was upset at all that I had to go to Chris Ann's house for a little after party. Actually, I was super excited! I wasn't ready to be done. Who am I kidding, I wasn't even ready to be done when I had to leave the after party!

I have seen this chalkboard in their blog, but fell in love when I saw it in person.

What else do I love? This amazing table!

Group photo attempt take 1. Chris Ann, why aren't you looking at the camera?

Group photo attempt take 20. Chrisa Ann! the camera is over here!

Group photo attempt take 25. Wait? What camera do we look at? There were only 6 to choose from.

Group photo Take 6,355,789 Kristen...why are you checking your phone! ;o) Chris Ann...you look really pretty in this picture. Other Kristen, You are a trooper and win best smile award.

For a complete list of who all attended the Minnesota Bloglove party, go here.
To see more beautiful and much more professional photos of Bloglove, go to Suzanne's Facebook page. Here are a few more photos Suzanne took.

Who knew taking a picture of someone taking a picture could turn out so cool! Thanks for the great photo of the swag fabric corsage buttons that we donated to the swag bags!

And....one last group photo:

Front row: left to right: Me, Allison from O My Family Blog, Maggie from Gussy, Jen from Coconut Belly, Back: Johanna from These Prices, Kristina from A Joy Walk, and last but very much not the least...Amanda from I Am Baker and I Am Mommy.

I didn't get any photos of Anna from Girl With a Blog, but Anna deserves a shout out because well...she gives the best hugs, is super sweet, and I think she could be one of my new bff's! One of those people you just click with right away!

I don't want to end this post...just like I didn't want to end this night! But I think I will save some for another post. ;o) Thank you EVERYONE for a wonderful night, and for allowing this Iowa girl to crash your state!

$2.50 Mantle Makeover reveal

2010-08-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

Here I posted about a $2.50 fireplace mantle makeover that I did for my friend Jane. And today I will show you what I used for the makeover. When I walked into Target I fully intended to find some wrapping paper that matched the decor of Jane's living room. However, I could not. So then I was onto the card section. Found some close contendors but it still wasn't quite right. I decided to venture down one more aisle...the party aisle. Can I just say that next time I plan a party I am going to Target because their plate, napkins, etc. accessories are beautiful and super trendy! I SHOULD have grabbed a snapshot, but I must not be a "real" blogger yet because I still get nervous when taking photos of random things with people all around me wondering what in the world this crazy lady is doing snapping a photo of paper plates and napkins.

So, here it is. My reveal. Hold on to your hat because it is monumental. Ok, maybe not.

Yep, I used napkins to transform this once bland and boring mantle that was filled with blank picture frames...

to something with a little more color and not so naked.

And the reveal result? Jane noticed it immediately upon entering her place and squeeled with excitement! So glad she did not banish me from her place for re-decorating while staying with her this week! And she couldn't even tell that they are napkins in the frames!

$2.50 Mantle Makeover

2010-08-18T15:23:00.001-05:00

Dear Minnesota, I love you. I have been breathing your fresh clean air and walking on your soil since Sunday. It is now my last night..and soon I will return to the corn fields and flooded swamp land of Iowa. Don't worry Iowa, I love you too...but there is just something about Minnesota...

While here, I am staying with my bff (yes, I kinda feel 12 when I say bff but it is true, she is!). Jane and I have been friends since 5th grade. We got along for the most part through the teen years only really butted heads a few times...but when did our friendship really flourish? I would say it started our senior year. Then we ended up going to the same college, and she lived in a dorm room directly under mine. She did wonderful in college...I, however, was overcome with "I am out of the house-itis"...partied a little too hard, socialized more than studied...and ultimately was pregnant by the end of October...but that is another story for another time. Back to Jane...she would be considered my bff because she has been there through every single phase in my adult life, whether it was my young single parent phase, moving around a lot phase, broke as a joke phase, married phase (wait...I don't think I can call marriage a phase because it is lifelong for me).

Jane is a successful business women. Works in a great job for an NBA team. Has lots of friends. Lots of travels and adventures. BEAUTIFUL shoes, gloriously full closets of clothes. Impecible fashion sense. Yet...she is still down to earth. Great friend. Someone I can see once a year and pick up with right where we left off last time.

Now..what you have all been waiting for...getting to the title of the post: $2.50 Mantle Makeover. Jane is busy busy busy and is a bachelorette. Jane's refridgerator looks like this:

Pickles, milk, water...and leftover Chipolte

Lean Cuisine's and popsicles
(In all fairness, Jane's mom recently stayed and did clean out her fridge...however...this is what I would expect to see in the fridge of a single busy working women)

So this week I have been sleeping on her comfy couch, and staring up at her fireplace. It is lined with candles and picture frames. EMPTY picture frames, which I understand have been that way for awhile. But Jane is busy...who has time to worry about printing pictures or decorating, right? So I did what any friend would do. Actually...not just any friend should do what I did...because if someone came into my home and re-arranged while they were there I might actually not like it. But knowing Jane....I think she will be in good spirits about it. Oh yeah, I am blogging about this before she even has a chance to see it. oops.

This is before: Candles and blank picture frames.

This is after.

No drastic change. Totally removeable if she hates it.

But...now there is something in the frames until she has time to add pictures...AND it adds a little spunk of color.

Can anyone guess what I used to fill the frames? I will tell you tomorrow...promise.

Here are a couple that were on a shelf that were empty too:

Don't spit on the cake

2010-08-16T12:11:00.000-05:00

My oldest son, Xavier, turned 12 last Tuesday! I can hardly believe it. He is officially a "tween"! While most of my friends are just entering the toddler years with their children, I am preparing mine for junior high next year! Yes, I was 19 when I had him, but I wouldn't trade the experiences and testimonies for the world! Here are a few obligatory birthday pictures.

At this point I believe River did finally make contact with the cake.

He is still my baby. See? He is even in the high chair.

Ok, that was fun..but please...get out of the high chair before you break it. And just because I let you get back in it for a picture doesn't mean you can sit in it.

Birthday fun at Adventureland Park in Des Moines. More on that soon.

No longer the Queen of the house of boys!

2010-08-11T15:31:00.000-05:00

It's true...I am no longer the Queen of the house of boys! We have...gasp...a teenage girl living in our home now! My world has been turned upside down, and I like it! I am busier than before, my house if messier, more laundry...but I like it! I get to do things like this:

And this:

(both of which I will blog about in more detail and better photos soon!)

My husbands sister has moved in with us for at least the next year. I will spare details to protect her privacy, but will tell you this: Our decision to take her in was based on our ability to provide her an opportunity for change in a vital time in her life where poor decisions can make or break a person.

My sister-in-law, Bri, is a twin. Bri is on the left in red, and Carissa is on the left.

We love them both very much, and we wish we were able to have them both come stay with us, but circumstances only allowed for Bri to make the move.

So, you see, even though I am not an official "mom" to Bri...I am now "mothering" a 15 yr old girl, 12 yr old boy, and 21 month old boy.

All This Just To Go To Work? (raising boys part 3)

2010-07-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I introduced to you, Erin. She is #3 in my line up of guest posters for my Raising Boys series. Today you will get to read a day in the life of a mom of 4 boys and all the work it takes just to get out the door to go to work.

***********************************************************************

All This Just to Go to Work?

by Erin of The Testosterone Adventures

Gavin~8 Years

Tommy~5 Years

Finn~2 Years

Baby Petey 15 Months

I woke up this morning and was thrilled knowing I didn't have to work today. I have worked the last four days in a row and need today to get caught up before going back to work this weekend. I work in a Medical ICU. While work is mentally and physically exhausting, it's the preparing and packing of the children before work that is the real challenge.

The boys all go to a family daycare (that we are quickly taking over) when I go to work. Miss Tammie has truly become part of our family becoming a second mother to all the boys. The boys enjoy going and have fun playing with the other kids. Getting four boys prepared for a day away from home and away from mommy is insane. It requires packing so much stuff. I found a giant soccer backpack at Ross last year and it works perfect. It's huge and has tons of pockets and zippers. Packing all four boys each day is so much work. Yesterday morning went something like this:

Put in six, size one diapers for Petey, look for the wipes, they're missing, find the open wipes in the bathroom (someone tried to wipe and it didn't go well), clean the toilet and disinfect the floor, add water to the wipes (the were all dried out) and pack those, look for Finn's diapers, we're out, throw a cloth diaper (perfect for emergencies) out for Finn and make a mental note to stop on the way to Tammie's to buy more diapers, can't find Finn's rash cream, find Finn's rash cream under my bed along with some dirty dishes (who has dirty dishes under their bed? that's disgusting), boys will be swimming today, so I add two swim diapers, find the sunscreen, it's expired, find another bottle of sunscreen with no expiration date, assume this means it's ok and pack it, find Finn and Petey's sun suits (UV protected full body suits), pack them, look in Petey's dresser for outfit to wear now and spare outfit for today, nothing in his dresser looks big enough today, did he grow that much overnight?, find some baby gifts that I had not put away yet, Thank you Miss Tammie for buying 3-6 mos onesies, they look like they'll fit perfect, remember that I never sent a thank you to Miss Tammie, feel guilty for awhile, pack one outfit and lay one in Petey's car seat to dress him in when I get him up, Tommy wakes up and growls at me when I say, "Good Morning Sunshine" (I guess he's Johnny Rain Cloud today), look for two outfits for Finn, he has 17 pairs of pants and two pairs of shorts in his drawer today, take both shorts and keep searching for shirts, find one shirt and decide to be satisfied with that, pack the spare shorts and set out the other outfit for today, look for swim trunks for the big boys, find a pair for Tommy, it has poop in it, in his drawer with poop in it, probably hiding it from me, decide we live in the most disgusting house ever, make a mental note to clean and sanitize everything tonight when I get home, find two pair of swim trunks in Gavin's drawer and take both, Tommy will have to wear a pair that's a little large, good punishment for putting poop shorts in your dresser drawer, pack the shorts and look for outfits for the big boys for today, find them quicker that expected but no socks, make another mental note to buy more socks the next time I'm at Target, didn't we just buy two packs? Tommy is fighting with Gavin who is now awake, Tommy yells at Gavin for smiling at him, Gavin smiles bigger, I go off in search of shoes, Tommy follows me, I decide I will not talk to him in hopes of avoiding an argument, find four left sandals for Finn, take 30 seconds to daydream about the perfect shoe system, decide it's never going to happen and keep searching, find a right sandal, brush the spider webs off and keep looking for big boys shoes, find Tommy's basketball shoes with a pair of socks stuffed inside of them, socks look clean, SCORE! Finally find a pair of sandals for Gavin, they're the raccoon sandals (we left them outside one night and the raccoon chewed them up a little, still wearable, but full of little teeth marks) pack all the shoes, am thankful that Petey doesn't wear shoes yet, time to pack lunch, my least favorite part, pat myself on the back for being so smart the day before at the grocery store, Lunchables were on sale so I went wild, find the lunch bag, realize I never took the icepack out last night to refreeze, Oh well, find a frozen water bottle in the freezer, throw that in the lunch box as an icepack, pack three Lunchables, make three bags of grapes (one sliced for Finn), make three bags of cookies, eat three cookies, pack one frozen breakfast sandwich for Tommy, check the Poptarts, no cracks, (Gavin won't eat them if they are broken), pack them knowing they will be broken by the time he opens up the lunch bag, make a bag of Cherrios for Finn, pack them, decide the lunch is not nutritious enough and pull out the watermelon to slice it, remember I just bought a melon baller and want to try it out, find the melon baller still in the package, open it, don't waste time washing it, slice the watermelon in half, drip watermelon juice down the front of the dishwasher, crap, no time to clean it, we have to go, use the melon baller, comment that the balls of melon aren't as perfect as I imagined they would turn out, try a new melon baller technique, call Gavin over to show him, wait while he tries a few, note that his look better than mine, make three bags of melon for the boys, still not completely happy with the results, remind myself that this is not A Food Network Challenge, just lunch for the boys, decide I want some melon for lunch too, quickly make a container for myself, put the watermelon away, start analyzing how I pack fun junky food that they love out of guilt for making them go to daycare, I stop analyzing but am still not happy with the nutritional value of their lunch, I throw some carrot sticks (nothing fun about carrots) into three little bags and fill three little containers with Kraft ranch, I remember that Gavin swears he throws up if he eats Kraft ranch, find some ranch dip from Mcdonald's in the bottom of the frige, pack that for Gavin, the cat jumps up on the counter eats Gavin's rejected ranch dip, think to myself, strange that a cat would like ranch, realize he is out of cat food, lunch bag won't close now, too much stuff, find another lunch bag (I have lots of them as I often "Shop" in the school's lost and found), look but can't find another ice pack, sort lunch into two bags, "must be refrigerated" and "should be refrigerated", feel guilty about not refreezing the icepack from yesterday, make a mental note to find all the ice packs, I know we own lots of them, put the lunch bags into the backpack, praise myself for remembering to refreeze Petey's formula cooler bag last night, pull it out of the freezer, look in the frige for the container of formula, find four open containers, remember they expire in 48 hours, try to figure out how I to tell which ones have been in there over 48 hours, open them all up, smell them, they all smell the same, give up and throw them all out, feel guilty about throwing out formula, feel guilty not recycling the bottles, feel even more guilty that Petey is getting formula at daycare and not the frozen breast milk, think about packing the frozen bags of breast milk, try to picture Miss Tammie having to thaw out fourteen little bags of milk just to get him through the day, decide to grab a new bottle of formula, put it in the cooler bag and add it to the backpack, make a mental note to scold Scott for not labeling the formula containers, tell Gavin and Tommy to start getting dressed, I go get dressed, no socks, search the dryer, finally find a pair, find my shoes, missing one orthotic, put them on anyway, Baby Petey is crying, pick him up, trip over baby toys, get him undressed, get peed on, change my scrub top, missing the wipes, realize I already packed them, unpack the wipes, put new diaper and new outfit on Petey, put him in his car seat, adjust the straps (he did grow overnight), he smiles at me, I melt and decide to pull him back out just let him nurse for a minute, sit down to nurse him, hear Finn crying, Assure Petey he will get to nurse tonight, put him back in his car seat, he cries, go to kitchen to find a bottle, we only own one (that's another blog), can't find it, remember I never brought it out of the van last night, go into the master closet (yet another blog) to get Finn, pick him up and bring him out to the van to find Petey's bottle, Find the bottle under my seat with old formula in it, bring it in and wash it, quickly unpack the formula and fill the bottle, repack the formula, give Petey the bottle and try to soothe him, prop his bottle, feel guilty about that while I undress Finn and change him, skip the rash cream because it's already packed and the rash looks really good, dress Finn, find Finn's sippy cup, wash and fill Finn's it, give it to him, remind Gavin to get dressed and shut off the TV, answer several questions about the Loch Ness monster (must have been watching a show about it) notice Tommy is missing, find him under my bed with the packed lunch bag eating the cheese out of all of the Lunchables, decide that he's probably the culprit behind the dirty dishes under my bed, pull him out, pull out the opened Lunchables, tell him he will be eating all three Lunchables for dinner tonight, get three new Lunchables from the frige, repack the lunch bag, notice Gavin is getting dressed, shut the TV off myself, answer some Bigfoot questions, send Gavin out to the van, bring Petey out to the van, go back in to get the big backpack, my purse and the van keys, Finn escapes outside, put the backpack, purse and keys in the van, chase Finn through the wet grass, capture him and put him in his car seat, remind Gavin that he is to babysit while I grab the rest of the stuff, go back inside, slip on something (this is the closest I have been to doing the splits, ever) realize it's my missing orthotic, put it in my pocket, turn the thermostat up to eighty three (trying to save money) yell for Tommy, feed the cat, look for Tommy, find him changing clothes, he picks out a pair of too small pants and a long sleeve shirt, no underwear, I decide to let him wear it knowing he has his swim trunks as a back up outfit, shoo Tommy out to the van, shut off lights, realize I didn't brush my teeth, brush them, realize I didn't put on any makeup, throw on some mascara, shut off the bathroom light, grab my cell phone and run out the door, snag my pants on a bike in the garage, small rip, think about changing my pants, remember there are no clean ones to change into, decide no one will notice, get in the van, do roll call, missing Gavin, see him in the rear view mirror rollerblading in the road, yell for him to get in the van, he gets in the van skates still on, shut the garage door, Tommy's mad, he wants his skates, open the garage door, unbuckle my seat belt, get out and look for the skates, find two matching skates for Tommy and decide a good mom would make them wear helmets and pads, find the helmets, look at my cell phone and note the time, decide that scars build character so I skip the pads, open the back of the van, throw it all in and close it, get back in my seat, put my seat belt on and try roll call again, all accounted for, close the garage door and start backing out, my gas light goes on, I sigh, continue backing out and start trying to figure out how I am going to pick up diapers, get the boys to daycare without getting a speeding ticket (I sort of have a bad record), explain to my supervisor why I can't always get to work on time and why she needs to be flexible with me and also why I forgot my employee badge again.

Once I get all of this done, I can take a deep breath, put a smile on my face and walk into the ICU to start my 12 hour shift.

This is why I am so thankful that we are staying home today. On stay home days, we wake up late, stay in our pj's as long as we want. No packing and no planning, lots of cuddling and nursing and feeling like a good mom.

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Here are a few other of Erin's posts that I have read...and literally "laughed out loud" to!

Our Beach, No, Our Party Trip
Hail Mary
Let's Get Glasses

Thank you so much Erin for guest posting! I look forward to reading more of your adventures!

Raising Boys Part 3

2010-07-29T09:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to my Raising Boys series! Our next guest poster is Erin. I would like to take this moment to introduce Erin to you. Erin is the author of the blog: The Testosterone Adventures. She is the mother to 4 boys, and is sure to have many stories and experiences to share!

So...here she is...

Erin is an impulsive, passionate and creative mom of four boys under the age of eight. She goes to nursing school during the week and works in the Medical Intensive Care Unit on the weekends. Erin sold her dream business, a day spa, to go to school for her passion, nursing. While taking classes at a local college, Erin discovered her real passion, wrtiting. So nursing to pay the bills and blogging to satisfy her urge to write. She blogs about her endless adventures with her crazy little men.

WEEEEEE!!!!

2010-07-28T23:23:00.001-05:00

Just this post even need words???

Organization

2010-07-28T10:51:00.000-05:00

While in the process of creating the ability to purchase online on our (J&J Inspirations) website...and watching my web designer navigate around the page, changing this, changing that...I finally found out that adding "pages" to my blog is SUPER easy. And this excites me! Organizing my posts in categories is fun! I really do like lists, whether I adhere to them or actually use them all the time...I do like them...and my mind works better using them. I would like to introduce the first two pages to you!

Raising Boys page is the hub for listing all the posts in my series. It lists both the posts that are published, and a link to the people who are lined up to guest post next!

Weight Loss Rollercoaster page is where I have all of my posts in regards to my weight loss...ahem...or weight gains at times. If you have been around this blog for awhile you will remember that back in November I revealed my weight to the world. I don't know what possessed me to publish this number that I have fought my entire life to hide behind...but I did it and there is no going back. (Well, unless I deleted it of course...but I don't want to do that because freedom is wonderful!) There isn't always success to read on these posts...but is the brutal honesty of the weight struggles that I go through every day.

Future pages I plan to add: Arts & Crafts and Food

I can't believe I never did this before! It was so easy!

Raising Boys-Guest Post 2

2010-07-21T23:09:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of introducing you to my second guest poster, Marilyn. Today...you get to read her wonderful post about her experience in raising her son. She doesn't just have boys, but I think it is equally important to talk about how the of raising boys differs in a home with raising of girls as well!

How having my son has raised ME!

by Marilyn of "Losing my Marbles"

Where do I start when it comes to raising my boy, wait scratch that, I think having him has RAISED me! I am a better mother now that I have a son, he has introduced a whole new side of silly to my life! I had my girls first, they have been cute and fun and girls, very dramatic and sweet, but with my son James I have come to know this whole new love and appreciation for the difference of the two.

James spent the first few days of his life in the NICU because he decided to stop breathing 3 times shortly after he was born. I think it was his way of making sure we were paying attention, because he has been healthy and happy ever since! James was the most mellow baby that I had experienced, he slept through the night from the beginning and brought a calm to my life that I had yet to establish to that point. He is sweet and yet ALL BOY! He jumps, kicks, punches, vroom vrooms, Hi Ya's, and then gives me the biggest hugs as a finale!

I never thought I would be a good mom to a son, I grew up with 3 sisters and a brother who is 6 years my junior, so my knowledge was limited and jaded by the Horror stories I had heard from friends! I had heard that boys where gross, dirty, smelly, and did things like peeing from top bunks, so my desire to have a son was limited. My husband didn't grow up with the best of example for a father so he was timid as well, but from the moment our son was born it was like we had ALWAYS prayed for a boy!!

I love watching him play and laugh at himself, I think he is the funniest person he knows, just like his Dad. He doesn't need much to entertain himself, and can find anything to use as a weapon, sticks, rocks, brooms, vacuum attachments, feather dusters, it has truly broadened my perspective of potential hazards!! He LOVES movies like Spider Man, Harry Potter, Matilda, Kung Fu Panda or "Fu Panda" as he calls it, so different from what my girls were watching at his age (2 1/2).

I really could go on and on on the lessons he has taught me, but I think the biggest one has been to relax more and feel free to wrestle whenever the urge hits. In fact his favorite phrase is "FOOTBALL" and then he tackles you!! I LOVE it and hope he never stops! I feel blessed and fortunate to be his mom and be his care taker and hope that when he gets older and is married that he won't leave me to live closer to Her family :) One can hope, right??

Thank you for the opportunity to share my love of my son! ~ Marilyn

I am in LOVE with the kissy face picture! Is there a mom out there that doesn't do this to her kids? And the fun giggles that go with it are the BEST. Thanks again to Marilyn for stopping by for a chat! If you would like to read Round 1 of the Raising Boys series, go here.

Raising Boys (Part 2)

2010-07-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

Did you think I forgot about my series on raising boys? Of course I didn't! Summer has consumed me this year...which is a good thing of course! I wanted to let you know that tomorrow will be another guest post on the subject of raising boys! Marilyn from: Losing My Marbles has put together an awesome post about her experience in raising her son. I wanted to introduce you to Marilyn today...so you can get ready to LOVE her!

I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. I love photography, sewing, writing, being with my family and girls nights with my friends. I think life is too short to fuss over the small stuff and too long to complain everyday so I get what I get and I don't throw too many fits!!

Marilyn is married to Jimmy, who seems to me to be an outstanding guy! They have 3 children, 2 girls and a boy. Alexis is 11, Grace is 6, and James is 2! They are all very beautiful children! Marilyn's "story" of how she came to be where she is now, is one of amazing redemption! Going through an abusive first marriage and then after leaving and in the midst of it all reuniting with her first love Jimmy, Marilyn has quite a testimony to share.

I hope you all come back tomorrow to hear about her views of raising her boy! Oh, and I already have a couple more guest posts queued up...so stay tuned!

Fancy Friday Antiques

2010-07-16T10:15:00.000-05:00

Today is Fancy Friday over at LoveFeast Table . I have a busy day ahead of me, but hoping to come back tonight to share with you my version of Fancy this week. The theme (different theme each week) is Antiques! I love antiques! So this one should be a since...finding time to blog....that part is not a sinch.

I miss you bloggers! I will be back soon, but it seems summer has taken ahold of me and consuming my every moment....which is a good thing...because it means I am spending time with family and living!

In the meantime, I suggest you go check out the gals at LoveFeast Table! I have already met Chris Ann at the Mckmama Mudd Lake event this past October...and am so excited that I will be meeting BOTH Chris Ann & Kristen in just a few short weeks at an exciting little blogger get together they are hosting up in Minneapolis! I can't wait! There are many reasons why I am drawn to these beautiful gals, but one of their latest adventures was the start of Lovebombing. The theory is brilliant! And I hope more people catch on and follow suit!

Wedded Wednesday-Bliss or Bust?

2010-06-30T16:12:00.000-05:00

Wedded Wednesday is being hosted by Johanna from These Prices. Head on over there if you would like to see more entries! OR if you would like to join in on the link up!

Honestly...who doesn't like an excuse to pull out the wedding photos and share them? To remember what you "used to" look like...before you gained 30 pounds and had baby number 2...

James & I celebrated our 6th year of wedded bliss this month. We went away for a long weekend to a spa in the Wisconsin Dells..which I keep forgetting to blog about but totally will soon!

Really, to use the term "wedded bliss" would be a little bit of a lie. These first 6 years have definitely come with some challenges. Entering into a marriage where one of you has been married before..and the other came as a package deal with a 5 year old..and thinking that your love for each other is all that you would need...is a little out there. Honestly, you need the love, but you also need God, and COUNSELING! Everybody in the world has "baggage" of some sort, but we entered into things with a little extra. We do have one thing going for us though, we started counseling before we even got married! Actually we had only been dating for 2 weeks before we started meeting with our Pastor regularly. We even had him test our temperments. Yep, aside from all the other challenges, we are COMPLETE OPPOSITES! It is true, opposites attract! We see things in others that we wish we had, little did we know that the very things that attracted us to each other would someday also drive us bonkers!

James would be what you would call a Type A personality. Needs to have things in order. Needs to be in control. Doesn't need affection. But does need a lot of positive reinforcement through support and respect. He is a great business man. He can see the end in something before he gets started. He follows through on things. James could live in a house with nothing in it expect a few essential items, white walls, no clutter. Clutter shuts his brain down. He has to go away, usually fishing, by himself in the middle of no where to recharge. James is 5 minutes early for everything (at least he used to be before we got married). James is an optimist.

I, on the other hand, don't like to be controlled. I need lots of affection. I think positive affirmation is cheesy unless it is unexpected. I DO like it when I get a compliment, but I don't like it when someone tells me I should compliment them. It doesn't seem genuine. I am a dreamer, probably a "somewhere over the rainbow" thinker. I could go weeks without doing laundry and be perfectly ok with it. I like to have the house decorated and full of life. I would rather spend my time with people than cleaning. Spending an evening with friends would be how I recharge. I like to be in group settings when I feel comfortable. I don't follow through the best. I am a procrastinator and put everything off until the last minute. I am late for everything. I am a pescimist.

So, as you can see, we have a few areas that clash. However, these things...when we can get over our own pride...can compliment each other quite well. Knowing these things about each other before we ever said "I do" has helped. Knowing what to expect out of each other. Knowing how to react to each other.

Did we know when we said "I do" that we would spend the first 4-1/2 years heart broken when we weren't conceiving? No, we expected to be pregnant after the honeymoon! This really did impact the first years of our marriage. We were so hyperfocused on having a baby that it kinda killed some of the joy we could have been experiencing.

But then later to get to experience the joy of finally conceiving and giving birth to our second child...complete bliss! Still unbelievable, and still forever thanking God and ashamed at doubting His timing.

We have a long time to get all the kinks worked out...and we are in this thing for the long haul. With challenges come more experiences, more testimonies...and more ability to help others who may have or may be going through similar things.

Thanks for stopping by for my first edition of Wedded Wednesday!

Where are they?

2010-06-29T16:13:00.000-05:00

Where are they? Can you tell? James & Xavier went on a road trip. The kind where you just get in the car and start driving...no direction in mind...no plans of any particular kind...no schedule. Just get in the car and go. They ended up here:

Must have been something fun and "boyish" to get my son to genuinely smile like this:

Topic of their discussions: "Mom would freak if she were here with us!"

And they are probably right.

So where are they? And why is there a random polka dot turquoise bench in the middle of this little town?

Oh, and don't forget to stop over at my other blog for J&J Inspirations. There are changes taking place...and the ability to purchase online should be something of a reality in the near future!