memorial day

Just wanted to stop by and say thank you to everyone who serves and makes our freedom possible. Without you, we wouldn't have all that we do. You sacrifice everything and I am grateful!

Hope you all enjoy a day of remembrance and family. Happy Memorial Day!

winner winner chicken dinner :)

Congrats to:

zookeeper said...
I tweeted!

https://twitter.com/#!/ZootasticZookpr/status/71430202617634816
@ZootasticZookpr
(Zootastic at peoplepc dot com)

May 19, 2011 11:25 PM 

I sent you an email!!!!!  Thank you all for entering!

Austin has a wonderful next couple days planned! Today was pj day, and they all brought board games! We brought Toy Story Operation :) Tomorrow is water day and they wear their swim suites and we are having an icecream party! Then thursday he has a birthday party to go to! So I am busy busy but will check back in soon! Can't believe tomorrow is the last day of school! Summer here we come!

graduation, bee stings, and an update (aka totally random)

Well these last few weeks have been crazy busy around here and it seems to be only getting more so! This summer I will have more on my plate than I ever have and I am trying hard to mentally prepare for it all. Although I think with some things we make it through by grace alone and can't really prepare for them in advance. I'm going to need a lot of grace, Ha!

Rambling aside I wanted to share some things with you all!

First up is my sweet little kindergartner graduate! How cute is he!? His graduation ceremony was amazing! The theme was Princes and Princesses since they are all children of the King! Loved it! They all sang songs and put on performances. Austin's song was "My Father's House" by Audio Adrenaline. SO cute! Then at the end the principal read them all letters from God. It was amazing and so moving. I love having him supported by believers, especially with all that has happened in the past 6 months.

Words cannot express how proud I am of him. It is not easy starting the school year more than half way through but he did and was great! He has made a lot of friends and learned a lot in the last few months. He has been going to the private kindergarten at our church and it has been a blessing. He already knew a couple children in his class from Sunday school and his class is the only kindergarten class there. There were only 8 other students so he got a lot of one on one time. During this difficult time of transition it has offered a wonderful outlet for him emotionally and physically. I am so very thankful! This Wednesday is his last day and it is bitter sweet. I am in the process of enrolling him in public school for next year and that is causing a lot of anxiety for me. I am very pro-homeschool/private school and have some conflicting emotions about public school. I am putting it in God's hands and trying to have peace with this decision.
I am just so so proud of my sweet first born. Words can simply not express it!



Austin is reading now and EJs favorite thing in the world is to read books (and do puzzles)! Every once in a while, in between legos and wrestling, I can get him to read to EJ. They just finished reading "Polar bear, Polar bear what do you hear?", so he kept wanting to say what do you hear but he caught on :) It melts my heart to watch them interact so sweetly. These moments with them young are just so fleeting. I can't wait to have another boy and see how they all interact! Or I may lose my sanity :) We will see!

So with school ending this week I am looking forward to summer. I officially start my classes on June 6th. I will be going full time through out the summer and fall. Luckily all of my summer and fall classes are online. That was a huge blessing and answered prayer. With being 8-9 months pregnant and then having a newborn, I couldn't imagine having to go to classes on campus (an hour from where we live). I am anxious enough as it is about my summer classes! I will be having Matthew directly in the middle of my summer semester and I am just praying for God's hand to be on that whole situation. Then to make it even more interesting, Adam is traveling out of state for a business trip for about three weeks over the summer. And then there is Vacation Bible School at the end of June and planning playdates so the boys don't go crazy. Just pray for my sanity please! I think I am going to need it! I know we will make it somehow, I will just be looking forward to getting into a groove that works. I think my house may never be clean again :) But seriously, it may not.

On a totally random note I got stung by a bee over the weekend and had a horrible reaction. It made me so sick! However I will share what my Dr told me to do for the actually sting. Wet a tums and put the disc directly on the sting site for 30 minutes-1 hour. It takes away all sting and redness and swelling. It was amazing! I love home remedies that actually work!! Not much helped with the dizziness and vomiting but that is a whole different story! Lets just say I will be avoiding bees this summer!

Oh and today is day 4 of no nap for EJ. If you don't hear from me in a few days, you may need to send in some reinforcements!!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Monday and I can't wait to hear all about your summer plans!

a thing about birds (and children)

Birds. They are incredible little creatures, right? Do you ever watch them as they fly? Sometimes so high you can barely see their silhouette. Sometimes, right over head and in large numbers.
One thing I have noticed is how they always seem to perch on the highest branches. A tall roof top, a tiny twig waving in the wind, or all together as a flock. They love the highest peaks, the fresh wind under their wings. They love it because they do not fear it. They know they are not going to fall. They know a force, even though they can not see it, will come bring their wings into the air. They know something that we do not.

I want to ask you what you fear? What holds you back from doing the things you long to do? If you had no fear of falling, of failure, what would you finally do?

God desires us to trust Him. Not only in the easy, but in the difficult. In the messy and disastrous. He calls us to believe that a force we can not see will lift us up and carry us. To leap out in faith with arms wide open.

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"  Matthew 6:26

If God sustains the smallest of living creatures, why do we doubt He will sustain us? Oh how it is so easy to have faith when we least need it!!!

See that sweet baby boy? He is a gorgeous newborn I had the privilege of photographing recently. Those early days are just that, days. Sweet fleeting days. We try to savor it, but it is gone in a blur. What if we could really savor life though? See each moment as what it truly is, a gift. A miracle in the making. What if the worries and everyday stress melted away and we could see and enjoy every moment and every blessing. Like children.
Ever notice how a child will eat a popsicle? With gooey syrup running all over their face and shirt. No hesitation just pure joy? Ever notice the wonder in their eyes when they see a bug or a new flower? The unconditional love as they ask for one more kiss or their favorite book read once more?
EJ loves baths. Eventually though he will ask to come out and I pull the plug and the water quickly begins to drain away. In that moment EJ dives back into the water and swims once more. Until every drop has vanished and then will let me wrap him in his bear towel. He savors every drop.
To live a life of joy and of savoring. The simple, the everyday, can bring the most joy. Joy is not achieving what you most desire. It is finding peace and gratitude in what is already in front of you. To see your life, as it is currently, as a blessing.
The sunlight streaming in through the curtains, little giggles, sweet tea on a hot day. Snuggles with a certain someone fresh from the bath. Every meal and every drop of water. To see the miraculous. To truly live...

I suppose we all could learn a thing or two from birds and children :)

Mother's Day

Six years ago, this little boy made me a mom.


Then I was a mother to two when this little boy entered the world two years ago.


And he is never far behind the first!


Fishing,


Waving,


Fishing,


Fishing,


And more fishing! Although the only thing they caught today was my heart. It was the fish that missed out :)

Today we went to the lake and had a picnic of my favorite foods, fished (obviously), and soaked up the sun and each others company. Then to top it all off my boys gave me a potted hydrangea which is my favorite flower and a really nice candle. It was pure perfection. I am so very thankful that I am a mother and to the boys who made that possible. My love and my life is wrapped up into small little boys with dirty finger nails and heart breaking smiles.

So this mothers day, all I am is grateful. And so very full of joy.

And as if this isn't enough, you should see what Austin made for me at school last week. Talk about tears people! I was bawling. I seriously do not know how in the world I got to be so blessed.

I am wishing all of you a very happy Mother's Day! Whether you hold your children in your arms or only in your hearts. Today is for you!

play!

So now that Austin is in school and gets to spend the night with Adam once a week, Ej and I have been spending a lot more alone time together. Although I miss Austin when he is not home, I do cherish the small moments Ej and I get to share. Especially now that Matthew is on his way, I love getting to know him more. I have also noticed how he is so different when Austin is not home. It is like his little personality comes out in full force and I love it. Sometimes balancing multiple children is tough and I always wonder if I am spending enough quality time with them. I have to say I am my own worst enemy and I am constantly doubting myself as a mother. It is no easy task and I fail daily. However I pray that the Lord fills in the gaps and I trust that He will! Being a mom is the hardest and most wonderful thing. It pushes me beyond what I thought possible. All I know is that I love these boys more than anything and I am eternally grateful for being loaned them.
So here is my little man in action. He just melts my heart!


ps. Don't forget to enter my Mother-ease giveaway! It is awesome :)

Motherease Review/Giveaway

Mother-ease Cloth Diapers is a company I have "known" for years. When I started cloth diapering when EJ was born, there were so many different brands and so many different styles of diapers that it was overwhelming to a beginner. Over the past two years I have gotten to know and have experienced many different types of diapers. I now can say that I know what works for us and what my personal preferences are. (Although they frequently change!! :)

When first trying out fitteds, I had always heard Mother-ease Sandy's were wonderful. If you look on diaperswappers.com, Motherease diapers are always snatched up quickly! Their quality, ease of use, ease of washing, and dependability is clearly witnessed once you try one of their diapers.

For review, I received a large Motherease Sandy with a large Sandy's absorbent liner. I also received a large ocean Airflow cover. 

The thing that is great about Mother-ease is that there is an option for everyone. You can choose from their beautiful colors, go unbleached, organic, or bamboo! The Sandy's diaper is a two sized system with small going from 8-20 pounds and large from 20-35 pounds. They also offer a one size diaper to make it even more simple! For us, I wanted a sized diaper as I knew Ej was not going to potty learn any time soon. I needed something that was guaranteed to fit even at the upper weight limit. 

For covers, they offer two different styles, the Rikki wrap and the Airflow cover. The Rikki wrap is an aplix cover and the Airflow has snaps. They are both sized to get the perfect fit. 

One thing I noticed right away with their diapers is that you do not want to size up prematurely. Their diapers and covers are generously sized. This is not the most trim diaper by any means, but is exactly what I needed for night time diapering. They are bit wider in the width than other fitteds, and paired with the cover, has a substantial rise. I do not have to worry about blow outs or inadequate coverage at all with this diaper! 

The Sandy's is a side snap diaper which I have come to prefer. The side snap system allows you to not only adjust the waist but also the leg opening. They each have their own snap. This is wonderful! I can get it tight around his waist without leaving huge red marks on his legs by morning. 

The Airflow cover is also side snapping and besides wool, it is the only cover I will use overnight. With aplix covers I have found them to have more of a tendency to leak, especially along the front where the hook and loop is. With the Airflow cover the snaps are on the side and I have never, ever had any wetness wick even when the diaper was fully saturated. Having a dry morning is priceless!

Again though, expect some bulk when using this combo. His sized pj pants still fit, but he definitely has that fluffy bottom look :)

As far as absorbency goes, the Sandy is wonderful. I have to use the absorbent liner for over night but together it works great. The liner is cotton and I like knowing that natural fibers are touching his skin. We have used the fitted with the Airflow cover and with our wool, and we have never had a leak either way. This diaper can definitely hold a lot of liquid! If you want a stay dry feel for your little one you would want to add a fleece liner. I love that cloth diapering is so customizable!

For washing, this is one of my easiest to clean and dry. Honestly, I struggle with keeping synthetics clean and that was one of the main reasons for us to switch to natural fibers. They always come out clean and I have never once had a stink issue with these after months of use. Plus they dry in one full cycle. They are still soft and squishy and have shown no wear whatsoever. This really is a no fuss diaper. Also, out of all my diapers, this one has yet to stain despite plenty of reason too :) Maybe it is the terry material? 

All I can say is that the Sandy has lived up to the hype I always heard. It is a simple, absorbent, easy to clean, and great fitting diaper. For an overnight fitted, I think it is one of the best. 

For day, I prefer a trimmer system and I am thrilled to see that Mother-ease has come out with a new AIO system called the Wizard! I can't wait to hear about it! If it is anything like their other products, I know it will be amazing!

Between their customer service, their business ethic, and great quality diapers, I am a true Mother-ease fan. I have always said that I love all things eco friendly but it has to be easy and functional. It has to truly work! Thank you Mother-ease for being a great company and not compromising on that!

The best part!? One of you will win an unbleached cotton Sandy's fitted diaper, an absorbent liner, and an Airflow cover! How wonderful is that! 

All you have to do is visit Mother-ease and leave me a comment letting me know what size of Sandy's you would want and what size/print of cover! It is that easy!

For additional entries, just leave a separate comment for each of the following.

1. Follow me via google friend connect

2. Follow me on Twitter

3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave me a link (can be done daily)

4. Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link

5. Like Mother-ease of Facebook

6. Follow Mother-ease on Twitter

Giveaway will end May 23, 2011 at 12PM and the winner will be announced May 24, 2011. Good luck!

Fine print: This review was written by me and shows my true opinions. I was not compensated for this review and am happy to share a product I genuinely love with you all!