Taking Back My Life

So it's safe to say that 2.0 as we've so affectionately dubbed this baby is wreaking havoc on me. My first trimester has been full of morning sickness and just plain exhaustion, but to add the fun let's throw in a stomach virus which landed me in the hospital to get IV fluids because I couldn't even keep water down, oh and just for kicks how about ear infections in both ears a week later.

This pregnancy has been much harder and I truly hate to complain because I know what a blessing I have been given but sometimes being pregnant sucks!

You can assume that since I've been down and out my home and life organization has gone pretty much to the dogs, well and the cat.... oh and the three year old :(

For the last three months I've done well to keep up the bare minimum of what needed to be done at home. But yesterday, I hit 13 weeks and I can feel my sickness starting to give. I'm hoping that means it'll be smooth sailing from here on out. That means it's time to take back my home, my routines, and well basically my life.

I'm starting small with a few simple goals.

1. wake up at least a half hour before Carys to have my Bible Study and Quiet Time.

2. eat all meals at the table.

I'll hopefully update at the end of this week with how well these things are going and hopefully be able to add to them each week. I just really want my life and home to have some semblance of order again.

Until Next Time,

Mrs. A

Carys's Fashion Statement

My adorably opinionated three year old thinks she gets to pick out all of her own outfits these days for the most part we let her. Which leads to some interesting ensembles. But this last one she picked out has been making quite a splash on Facebook and with friends and family we think you'll agree it's a good look for her.

Baby Adams 2.0 coming January 2015

So...I'm a mom and I'm not a fan of Mother's Day!

There I said it. Mother's Day is probably my least favorite day of the year. Don't get me wrong I truly believe moms should be honored, but the truth is I spend the week before and the actual day missing what I don't have anymore.

There are times I feel like I've gotten a handle on this new normal life without my mom around, but mother's day leaves me with this big aching pain every year. I spend the week before avoiding all the advertisements about hugging your mom, or remembering to tell your mom how much she means to you. I just spend all my time thinking "I wish I could" I'd give anything for five minutes with my mom. She used to say that she was convinced if she could spend 5 minutes with her mom she could balance the national debt, create world peace, and feed the hungry. I never understood that when she was alive but now I completely do. There are times when going through something tough I think "if I could just talk to mom it would all be ok"

There was one advertisement in particular this year that caused me much sadness. It simply stated "A picture with mom is worth a thousand words" I couldn't help but be teary eyed at that one because I simply didn't take pictures with my mom when she was sick it was hard to see her like that and I didn't want to remember her sick. However I'd give anything for any pictures of me as an adult with my mom. I have a few but not many and well my plea to all of you out there is take the time make the memory and for goodness sake take the photo. You'll regret when she's gone if you don't I can promise you that.

so Happy Mother's Day Mom! I hope you enjoy your day at the feet of Jesus!


Mom's First OKC Relay For Life!

The day I became a mom!

Mom's last Relay For Life, we didn't know when we took this picture she wouldn't be here to take one the next year.

 to the mom who's babies aren't with her, to the mom who's babies don't seem to care, to the woman who desperately wants to be a mom but hasn't become one yet, to the grieving mom who's lost a child, to the child who's not on good terms with mom,  and finally to the grieving daughter/son who's lost their own mother you are not alone I see you I feel your pain and I love you! 

This Mother's Day I beg you don't forget us broken ones the one's who's smiles are forced, who choke back tears at every sweet reference to mom, and especially the moms who smile and say thank you when you tell them Happy Mother's Day when all they really want to do is break down and cry.

I pray for peace for each person who may be hurting this Mother's Day that you don't face it alone that others will surround you and hold you up through this tough day!

Until Next Time,

Mrs. A

Easter 2014

Better late than never right.

 We started the day at church CC was supposed to sing with the kids choir and it was to be her first Easter performance. However she cried to be onstage sooner with the big kids therefore missing her own performance.
I was mortified I had the screaming child during the Easter performance :( Looking back I would've just let her get on stage with the big kids instead of pulling her out probably making things worse. It was my first experience with stage performances and my little one. 

 Our little family in our Easter best!

CC with her favorite people! Her Grandparents AKA Grammy & Grumpy as she calls them

and her Aunt Kiss

 Easter 2014 with her friend from church!

 Man my hubs is handsome!

After church we went home and got ready to host Easter dinner and after CC's quiet time she got to see her Easter surprise. She got a sandbox and most of the rest of the day was spent playing in there with her daddy and her Grandpa (AKA Grumpy) as she calls him.

Making Easter dinner. We were prepping fresh green beans.

Then it was time to dye Easter eggs CC was so excited about dying eggs she loved the colors!

 

After dinner we hid eggs and CC hunted them squealing with delight every time she'd find an egg!

 

Easter was such a blessing and I ended the day with my heart so full of joy at seeing CC's excitement over Jesus's Resurrection.

 

She and I played in the sand  a lot this week and my heart soared when as we were singing about the wise man building his house upon the rock and I asked her who the rock is she proudly exclaimed "JESUS"

I was so thrilled with how Easter happened this year. We didn't do anything super special and I let myself off the hook from creating a perfect holiday, and just enjoyed my sweet family and I truly treasured this holiday!

 

Life in 2014

So I blogged about the pageant but not much about normal everyday life stuff. You know the stuff that makes up this crazy beautiful life I lead.
January passed without too much fanfare and even fewer pictures.
We spent alot of time painting pictures.



 

I embraced my inner teacher a little bit and created a learning wall for Carys it has the days of the week, the seasons, the month, the weather, and we write down our daily menu as well, there's also a spot to display Carys's artwork, and we incorporated a behavior chart into our routines with Carys.

 

February 2014 brought Valentine's Day, and Carys's 3rd Birthday which we held at Build A Bear with a few of her special friends that she spends regular time with.

 

 

She was looking extra adorable for Valentine's Day!

 

We started the day getting donuts with the birthday girl!

 

all the kids with their Build A Bear creations. Best picture we could get of pre-schoolers.

 ended the day with dinner with sweet friends!

 

March 2014 not only brought my Mrs. Oklahoma pageant, but also a baby shower for my dear friend Nikki. Nikki was planning a circus themed nursery so I took that idea and ran with it, I used popcorn boxes with hydrangeas for the centerpieces, and set up a popcorn bar with 3 different types of popcorn, and 11 different topping options, each guest took home their own popcorn bucket filled with popcorn of choice. The challenge in this shower is that Nikki and her hubs had decided not to find out the gender of the baby so I had to keep everything gender neutral I went with a red, aqua, and yellow color scheme. It was a great day loving on my dear friend!

 

The popcorn bar with all the toppings.

 

Mommy to be in her special chair!

Me and the gorgeous Nikki B. this was one week after the pageant so if I look exhausted it's because I was :)

 wide angle shot of the room.

 

 

That brings us to April and I did a lot of crafty things this month and I also re-discovered my love of pretty flowers.

 

I made this little beauty in MOPS which has basically been the best thing ever to happen in my life. Finding a group of strong Christian moms to build me up and surround myself with has been such a blessing!

 

 

new flowers around our tree in our front yard.

 a brand new flower bed next to our retaining wall.

I got these chairs at goodwill for 50 cents a piece and gave them a little coat of spray paint. They cheered up our entryway nicely :)

 

That brings us to Easter which will deserve it's own post. I think sometimes I get so focused on the big events I can forget the little everyday things that make up our life. I want to remember the everyday and the mundane and someday be able to look back and know that the little things truly were the big things.

 

I'm so thankful and beyond blessed for the beautiful life I've been gifted with.

 

Another post is coming on Easter 2014 :)

 

-Until Next Time,

 

Ginger