We Have a 5th Grader!

Connor James it seems like I have documented every milestone of your life on this blog.  Although I haven’t been as frequent at blogging as of late, I sure am glad you have all these memories stored somewhere.  I need to make it a point to post more like I used to for both you and Heidi.  Someday when I’m old and gray you both can read what Mama wrote and laugh about it all!

I’ll recap our summer (or the longest spring break ever) in another post…but I wanted to post your first day of 5th grade picture.  You look like a grown man!  TIME= THIEF!!!

Flashback to your first day of Kindergarten.  Seems like yesterday.

Heidi is almost walking.  You saw her stand this weekend and were so excited!  We had fun in the pool this past weekend.  It’s so incredibly hot here in August.  It’s been over 100 degrees outside, it sure is nice to have a pool to dunk into….especially in times like these.

Love you sweet boy.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 

Heidi’s 1st Birthday

I can’t believe a year has flown by so fast and yet so slow at the same time!  Heidi…my sweet angel girl you turned ONE on July 1st and of course Mama is behind on everything these days.  This has been the craziest year, so we weren’t able to throw you and big party like your brother’s HERE.  Poor baby you kind of got the second child shaft….not to mention the dang Covid!

So it was just me, your Daddy, Connor, and Auntie Ellen.  We sure did celebrate you though and you enjoyed your cake unlike Connor who screamed and wouldn’t touch it.  Ha ha!

You are my little ray of sunshine.  My rainbow baby after a heartbreaking loss.  I love you more than you’ll ever know!

Some things you love:

  • Baby Shark
  • Dancing to any kind of upbeat music
  • crawling and climbing on ANYTHING!
  • You can say “Mama” and “Dada”
  • You love your bottle and are little Miss Independent
  • Yogi Melts are your favorite
  • You are pretty much eating table food, but love noodles and pasta
  • You have two teeth, but are cutting so many others right now.  They need to come in already!!!
  • You are sleeping in your crib through the night and doing a great job!
  • Your curly hair and raised eyebrow are my favorite things
  • You LOVE to cuddle and give hugs

Here are some pictures of our little celebration.  I know this year hasn’t been the best, but you are certainly a blessing and a gift from God.  I thank God every day for you and your precious life.  I never dreamed I’d have another baby, let alone a sweet precious girl.  I love you my forever best friend.

Happy Birthday “Heidi Bug” you are the sweetest girl ever.

Rolling Right Along with the Sesame Street™ I Spot Elmo!™ Walker by Bright Starts™

This post is sponsored by Bright Starts™ but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

This post is sponsored by Kids2 but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Gosh you guys.  This year has been so slow because of everything going on, but at the same time time has flown by.  Heidi will turn a year old in less than two months.  I can’t believe it’s already been almost a YEAR with our sweet girl.  Heidi is crawling everywhere and pulling up on anything she can get her hands on.  I have a feeling she’s going to be our wild child because she’s a lot more curious and into things than her brother was.  Separation anxiety is in full force and she wants to be wherever we are or she has a complete melt down!  Ha! Being a Mom is the best and also one of the hardest, most self sacrificing jobs on the planet.  I would do anything for my kids and I hope they always know that.

We recently had the opportunity to try out the new Bright Starts™ Sesame Street™ I Spot Elmo!™ Walker.  Heidi loves to sit up and follow us around, so I knew she would love this walker.   She’s standing up and hanging onto things right now.  Bouncing from one thing to the next as long as she’s hanging onto something. I know it’s just a matter of time before she starts walking.  This is a great product that gives her independence until she’s ready to take off!

Bright Starts is a great brand and we really enjoy all the fun and interactive toys they have.   We love watching Sesame Street.  I grew up watching Sesame Street…even my nursery as a baby was Sesame Street!  It’s something that brings back nostalgia for me and also has the classic characters everyone loves.  The Sesame Street™ I Spot Elmo! ™ Walker was super easy to put together.  It took me less than 10 minutes, and I am not handy at all!  Now we can take a “neighborhood stroll inside the house” since we aren’t really going many places these days.

The new Bright Starts + Sesame Street products include baby and toddler toys, gyms, bouncers, a door jumper and this walker! 

Features of the I Spot Elmo! Walker include:

●      More than 30 songs, sounds, & sayings by Elmo & his Sesame Street friends!

●      Removable toy station lights up and plays music for on the go fun – just tap the Elmo, Cookie Monster and Big Bird buttons

●      Includes Elmo bat-at toy, mirror and multi color bead chaser

●      3 height positions grow with infants

●      Safety features include rubber brakes and sturdy frame

●      Easy fold frame for storage

●      Recommended for 6-12 months

Heidi can’t stop rolling around.  She’s been rolling in this walker since we got it and the light up Sesame Street characters and voices make her giggle.  The Elmo & friends: Favorite Sesame Street characters help baby discover letters, numbers and colors / Classic songs from Elmo, Cookie Monster & Big Bird.  (This is detachable from the walker for floor play or travel)

This walker also grows WITH your baby and has 3 height positions.  A removable toy station with lights and music.  It’s also designed with a sturdy frame and rubber brakes.

Heidi says “Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?”

We’ve had so much fun playing with this walker and if you are in the market for one I highly recommend this I Spot Elmo! Walker found at Walmart.  Click HERE to add to your cart now!

Life Update: Summer 2020 Edition

Well, geesh could this year get any more CRAY CRAY!!!???

I’m so ready for life to get back to normal and no matter what it has to because we can’t stay locked up forever and live off the government.  The economy is already in the toilet and I don’t know how much further we can fall?  There has been so much division and animosity with everything going on in the world.  All I can do is pray.  Pray that God will watch over all of us…no matter what your view on things is or what color your skin is.  I pray for the world and the people in it.  For peace, agreement, friendship, and love.

I turned 39 a couple of weekends ago.  I shall now forever more be 39 because I’m never turning 40.

I refuse.

I had a great day celebrating with my family and celebrating another year of life.  I’m so incredibly blessed by all my family and friends.  This has probably been the hardest year I’ve ever had emotionally and mentally.  I’m thankful for the continued prayers and love from family and friends.  I always have the best intentions of blogging about everything, but then I get overwhelmed and it seems much easier to post on Instagram these days.  Bless Heidi’s heart.  With Connor I documented EVERY.SINGLE.THING.  Ha ha!

We’ve been watching a lot of TV.  Like everyone else waiting for new shows to hit each week to fill our time.  I found a fun new site called WikiBuy and they have a great deal on HULU right now if you want to check it out.  It’s great for saving money on a lot of items right now too.  Just click and earn credit for your purchases on popular sites like Walmart or eBay. Then use your Wikibuy credit to buy gift cards or make future purchases with Wikibuy.  Get paid to shop for things I already need is A+ for me!

All I wanted for my birthday was a family photo with the 4 of us because we haven’t gotten one since Heidi was born in the hospital.  AND- I’m a photographer….what in the world???  Love this little family of mine so much!  God has blessed my life indeed.

My Mom finally retired this year after over 30 years of teaching and she’s been a sewing “machine” basically and sewing outfits for Heidi and my niece Ella.  We now call her “Nana Boutique” and we’ll cherish the outfits she makes for the girls forever.  This little dress is so cute and it has buttons on the back from my Great Grandmother’s button stash.

We’ve been spending our evenings grilling and swimming in the pool.  I’ve never been so thankful for a swimming pool.  We never wanted one, but when we found this house it came with it.  It’s a nice escape after a long day and a good way to spend time together.

I think Heidi really enjoys the water 🙂

I can’t believe my baby girl will be ONE in less than 2 weeks.  This year has gone by so slow, yet so fast.  I know time goes fast in hindsight.  I love her so much….and Connor James will be a 5th grader next year.  It’s crazy!  He’s not so much into taking photos anymore unless he has something silly to show off…but I’m thankful I took so many when he was a baby because I look back at them fondly.

How are you spending your quarantine time?  I’m pretty much back to work now.  Heidi is still in daycare.  Connor started summer camp.  It feels pretty normal again.  I like normal.  I like routine.  We will overcome all of this…because that’s what you do in life.  You wake up and make a choice on how to face each day.  And I choose to live and not be fearful of tomorrow.  God will provide (we never went without toilet paper!).  God always does.

Always Eat After 7PM: Final Thoughts

This post is brought to you by our sponsor, “Always Eat After 7 PM”. The opinions expressed below are my own.

Okay, so now that I have the knowledge about how to implement all the ideas in Always Eat After 7PM…how am I going to keep these up?  A lot of it is self talk and self discipline.  I’ll continue to utilize healthy eating and a lot of the recipes provided.  I’ll be more aware of the healthy fats and carbohydrates that I put in my body.  I know now that dieting isn’t how much less you can eat, it’s the quality of food and time you eat. You can also check out posts ONE, TWO, & THREE for more information and my thoughts on this program.

Book Summary:

Based on surprising science, Always Eat After 7 PM debunks popular diet myths and offers an easy-to-follow diet that accelerates fat-burning and allows you to indulge in your most intense food cravings: Eating the majority of your calories at night.  We’ve been traditionally taught to avoid carbs, have an early dinner, and never eat before bed. But the fact is, the latest scientific research shows us this earlier model is not the most ideal.  Bestselling author, Joel Marion, is a fitness expert and nutritionist debunking the myths underlying traditional dieting and offers a simple, highly effective weight loss program.  Joel Marion’s Always Eat After 7PM program makes dieting easy and eliminates 90% of reasons for resistance. The most challenging times to curb hunger are just before bed and in the morning. By following the Always Eat After 7PM program, you have the most willpower to stay on the diet because you are eating during the hours when you are most hungry. This also puts you into both intermittent fasting increasing testosterone and your metabolism, while putting you into ketosis.

Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight by Joel Marion is now available to purchase.  Learn more about the book and how to purchase HERE.

Always Eat After 7PM: Recipes & Resources

This post is brought to you by our sponsor, “Always Eat After 7 PM”. The opinions expressed below are my own.

Eat After 7pm Update:  GOALS

Eating less sugar

Eating less carbohydrates

Gaining energy

Feeling better about my overall health

I find when I’m up and about running around or getting exercise I generally FEEL better.  Not necessarily to look better, but to feel better.  Taking Heidi on stroller walks around the neighborhood and keeping a routine schedule have helped me accomplish my goals.  I’m always hungry later in the day and this diet caters to people like me.  You can still eat later and even before bed.  You can even have your favorite foods every day! This is definitely a “lifestyle” diet, and that’s what I prefer.  See post ONE & TWO for more info!

Here is a great exert from the book:

“Having carbs in the evening is also a great weight loss strategy. When you’re active, your body burns mainly carbohydrates and muscle glycogen for energy. By eating carbs at night, you allow your body to use them to restore glycogen for energy the next day and provide your body with the glucose it needs to regulate your blood sugar levels during sleep.”

You can also eat treats like these No Bake Salted Caramel Bars

At first glance, there’s no way something this delicious could be healthy—right? Wrong.  Packed with “friendly fats” and minimal carbs, this recipe makes for the perfect treat after dinner or even before bed.  The coconut oil and coconut flour offer a naturally occurring source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of fat that your body can easily absorb and burn as energy, which may aid weight loss. The pecans add an extra boost of healthy fats, plant-based protein, and fiber. Raw nuts have also been associated with reduced risk of heart disease and even deaths associated with cancer and diabetes. This combination of healthy fats will keep blood sugar at bay before bed (or any time of day), keeping your body in a fat burning environment. 

You can even freeze them well and keep them for snacking.

Learn more about the book and how to purchase HERE.

And check out more information on recipes in the video below.

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Always Eat After 7PM: Week 2

This post is brought to you by our sponsor, “Always Eat After 7 PM”. The opinions expressed below are my own.

Okay, so I know that most of us were told that eating after 7pm was a complete NO NO.  As I mentioned in my last post I’m trying to change my way of thinking about food so I can feel better and have more energy.  Heidi is about to turn one, and the excuse “I just had a baby” won’t be valid anymore….so why not try something new!  I like to try new things and I have a super busy lifestyle.  Sometimes I don’t get to eat until after everyone else in my family does.  After reading this I don’t feel so guilty about eating later and also making better choices.

Here is some more info about the author:

Always Eat Author Questions and Answers

Q1: What inspired you to write the book?

After authoring 6 best selling books it was glaringly obvious there were 2 huge misconceptions about dieting that needed to be exposed. The first is that you can’t eat late at night or before bed, which science now shows is NOT true. And second, you can’t eat large portions that satisfy your natural instinct. This book solves both these problems by providing an evidence-based, enjoyable approach to dieting that can be used by any person to quickly achieve their weight loss goals.

 Q2: How long did it take for you to develop the diet?

It actually took several years of researching for me to discover the real science of eating late night. After a few years of tweaking and refining, I finally came up with a rapid fat loss solution that overcomes all the pitfalls of traditional diets.

Q3: What was the most surprising discovery when you were researching scientific data for the diet?

That almost everything my college education and certifications taught me was NOT grounded in published scientific research.

Q4: You’re a six-time best selling author, what is different about this book compared to your others?

Although many of the concepts are similar, the biggest difference is that you don’t have to deprive yourself of your favorite foods. You don’t have to deal with the burden of eating every few hours. And you don’t have to skip the carbs at dinnertime or avoid eating before bed.

 Q5: How difficult is the Always Eat After 7 PM plan to follow?

It’s not. And that’s exactly why I wrote the book. While any diet is never truly easy, it can be more enjoyable and much easier to adhere to when you understand how Always Eat After 7pm works because it caters to our bodies natural instincts.

Q6: If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

Born To Impact

Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks—While Burning Fat Overnight by Joel Marion is now available to purchase. Learn more about the book and how to purchase HERE.

UPDATE: Right now I’m on a pretty good path and I know where my weaknesses lie.  SUGAR.  That’s my number one issue.  If you know what yours is and are ready to face it head on then it doesn’t matter when you eat….even if it’s after 7PM!  It’s all about choices.  Trying to make the right ones and change my lifestyle is the choice I’m making.  Feeling good for me is more mental than physical, so however I can get on track with that is good with me!