Family bathroom gets a makeover ~

You guys remember that brown bathroom that I posted about (here) a while back, the one that I loved how it looked bathed in candle light and bubbles,  so relaxing and calm and adult.  Well with a toddler running around like a crazy person that just wasn't practical anymore.  

 

This bathroom is our only downstairs bath and is located in the hall between the living room and our bedroom, which means that not only does it need to look pretty and clean for our guests, but it also needs to serve a practical purpose for hubby and I. 

 I love having these tea towels in here instead of the normal hand towels, it makes the room feel more like a part of the rest of the house.

Even 'little bit' can come in here and wash up (mostly) on her own.

We've really enjoyed having a fresh new bathroom that functions well for the whole family.

Thanks for stopping by. 

*Angela*

WORD of the year, and why I'm looking forward to 2015!

This is always a daunting task... to choose one word that you strive for, aspire to, or just something 

you really want to focus on and make a priority. 

I have had so many words floating around in my head for the last few weeks that I've kinda felt like a pin ball machine was constantly going off in my brain.  There are just so many ways I want to improve and step it up in all areas of my life.  It's very difficult to choose just one that sums up everything I want to accomplish or do or be...

Instead of choosing just one, I am going to be ALL of them. 

This year I have the ability to be and do and accomplish anything I want.  Not totally sure why I don't think that every year but I guess it's because I will have so much more freedom in 2015 than I have ever had in my life. 

In 2014 I started the year feeling CRUSHED, my soul felt defeated by the daily grind of life.  

How sad is that to actually tell people... uhh.  I was working the retail life, which I honestly never minded (but still always complained about it, if you're in retail you're supposed to complain) I didn't mind the crazy unpredictable hours, the late nights, double shifts that sometimes were back to back, or the always having to be cheerful and helpful to the not always deserving public.  I thrived on that kind of chaos way more than working the 9 to 5 gig.

That is...I didn't mind until I had a baby.  

The unpredictable hours that hubby and I both worked meant not a lot of family time, not a lot of sleep, not a lot of lovin up on the precious chubby cheeks we brought into this world

 (or each other for that matter).  

People would always tell me that "everything will change when you have a baby". 

Usually this was thrown out there as more of a threat than a good thing. 

Not everything changed, a lot stayed the same.  What did change was my priorities and my heart.

Some of the things that I loved before were replaced with something I love so much more.

Last January I had just come off a retail Christmas, an entire season of working crazy hours that forced me to leave my baby girl at my moms house for sometimes two or three days.  Sure I could go wake her up at my moms to load her into the car, bring her home (waking her again) and put her to sleep in her own bed.  I did that a few times just to have to get her up at the crack of dawn to reverse the role and head back to work for another double shift. Seriously I can't even tell you how many times I cried to and from work. 

This is what CRUSHED my soul, and really that schedule doesn't end at Christmas for those that work retail.  Something had to give, I couldn't continue feeling like the worst mother in the world just because I had to go work. 

Enter GOD

So many times I sat in church and prayed for a way out, for a sign that something would change, that God would open a door and show me what purpose my life held besides a paycheck. 

Overtime I noticed more and more sermons about leading a life of purpose, is God the focus of your life or is something else your #1 priority, do you put your trust in God or act solely on your own accord?  

With the stubbornness that runs in these veins it took a while for me to get the hint.  I could feel God tugging on my heart trying to get me to listen but thru the fear of the uncertainly it took a lot of changes at work and very adamant husband to finally make up my mind and give my notice. 

I know some people wouldn't think twice about calling it quits and working somewhere else, but for me it was a serious leap of faith. I wasn't going anywhere else I was going home to be a mommy, to be present in my community and raise a human who will one day change the world. (talk about a high pressure job).  This change didn't fall into our carefully laid plans to get out of debt first, save up some money for property, blah...blah...blah.  In the end it was the best, most rewarding fearful decision we have ever made.  

And get this... half a year with half of a household income and the debt is (-) this close to being DONE! 

In 2014 I learned:  

• how to leap

• to cook

• pinch pennys

• tell a want vs. a need

• washable crayons are worth the extra money

•  we have amazing friends and family 

• to trust that our plans are not always the best

Here's to an amazing new year and to find you what God has prepared for me. 

*Angela*

 

And some days....this is what we do for breakfast!

Its not really a New Year plan as much as it is more 

 a life plan...to be the best mom I possibly can. 

Sometimes it' really hard,  like over the Holidays when I'm working 50+ hours a week.  When I know the best choice for my precious baby girl is to let her spend the night at Grammy's because I don't get out of work till 11:00pm and have to be back there at 6:00am, and her daddy is on night shifts.  

It is soul crushing to leave my baby overnight

 because I have to work.  

But you know what... the mortgage has to be paid...the groceries have to be bought...and that requires some hard work.  I know this, I know working retail is tough during the Holidays.  I love the retail environment during the Holidays, all hustle and bustle, Christmas music 24/7 and decorations with lights everywhere.  I actually missed all that when I was at an office job.  

Let me tell you... it's not the same with a baby.

It never will be the same again, and it shouldn't be.  

Just with in the last year, this little bald headed baby has changed our world.  

So here's to a New Year, hopefully a much slower one. 

I have cut my hours at work, I have stopped worrying about the house being spick and span all the time (at least I'm trying).  

I'm learing how to just relax and realize the perfect world is perfectly imperfect! 

 Most of all I just want to sit back and watch this aborable baby try to eat cherrios with no hands and enjoy how happy that makes her!

Somedays it will be dry cherrios and a banana 

for breakfast and thats ok!

*Angela*

Pregnancy Pack

...or as my husband has dubbed it the "yack pack".

I just recently found out that a good friend of mine is PREGNANT!!!!!   YAY!  I will have another baby close by for little A to play with.  And when I say close by,  I mean REALLY close by like close enough to be in shouting range. 

We are so excited! Mommie to be and I are already planning Easter egg hunts, and tea parties, and all those other fun things that are so much cooler when you have kiddos around to enjoy them.

Unfortunately in order to get to those FUN times, most pregnant women have to go thru the NON-FUN times.  I just recently came out of those non-fun times and hoped that she would sail through on a cloud of bliss, but I don't think that is going to happen.  When I heard she was starting to get the "please don't let me yack in public" type of feelings I went ahead and made her a very important tool to keep on hand at all times.

I made myself one of these to take on a trip to the Biltmore Estate,  lord knows there are plenty of bathrooms in that house but you can't use a single flippin one.  Really it is nothing but a tease!

Here is a list of the contents:

1. Every day brown paper bags
2. Diaper bags or Doggie bags
3. Tums
4. Travel size toothpaste
5. Gum
6. Wipes
7. Travel toothbrush

I like the paper bags because they are indiscreet, however on their own they leak and no one wants that mess getting out... so just stuff a diaper bag inside and it is leak proof, not to mention scented with arm & hammer,  and you can tie off the end to seal up all the mess.  These can be found in the baby department of any store, they are meant to hold dirty diapers. 

One thing that always made me feel better were some fruit flavored tums.

By the way.... I keep just about every cute little container I come across, anything that can be used for a project later on. 

I just filled up an old clear plastic container that a stamp came in with tums, and smacked a cute hand written label on the front. 

When I was little I stayed at a local community center during the day while my parents were at work.  I HATED it there, every day I would call my dad and tell him that I didn't feel good and that I wanted him to come pick me up.  He did for a while but eventually he caught on and stopped taking me home, instead he would bring me some tums and told me that they were "love pills".  I don't remember if they made me feel any better, but I could at least make it thru the day and I still call them that. 

The travel sized tooth brush and tooth paste are so she can get to a bathroom and freshen up,  the gum is for when there is not a bathroom close enough, no one wants that bad taste to linger.  However be warned... DO NOT pack her favorite gum,  after possibly months of associating it with sickness it will be forever ruined for her.

Fresh wipes are always good to have on hand for cleaning off face/hands or whatever else needs it.  

Package it all up together in an easily accessible bag and give the gift of prepared-ness!

side note: we are going to IKEA next weekend and MAN it takes forever to get to the bathrooms, perfect time for the pregnancy pack!

*Angela*

Perfect way to spend a crummy day

It has been cold and rainy the last few days, so we decided to hunker down and spend the day nestled in the house. 

 Baby girl was passed out on the sofa with Tesla guarding her and keeping warm by the fire while I puttered around and made some gawd awful oatmeal cookies (they were supposed to be healthy, well.. they tasted like it). 

*Angela*

A New Love

My poor Blog has felt to neglected for a while now so I decided to pop on and say Hi again!  It may not look like it but  have been quite busy since I last posted.  I will try to catch up on everything a little at a time but for now... the most important!

I have a new LOVE!

Her name is Ava!

My sweet baby girl Ava Lynn was born on Nov 27th.  Which oddly enough was her actual due date...

For a first time mom I would have to say thay she was so good to me, my labor only lasted for 7 hours from the time my water broke at home to her being born.  

I wanted a natural birth if at all possible (I wasn't set firm one way or the other,  since I wasn't sure of the amount of pain to expect),  I had read that without an epidural babies come out more alert and that recovery time was much quicker for the mom as well so I thought I'd give it a try. 

I do know I have never experienced pain like that before, but my hubby was such a champ in coaching me along and keeping me focused one contraction at a time.  

By the time the contractions were so intense and coming so close I wasn't getting a break to recover in between,  I finally caved and asked for an epidural.  I had been in labor for 6 hours and couldn't imagine hours on end at that rate.  The nurse checked me to determine how much I had progressed and little Ava was already trying to push her way out!

Obviously no epidural!

The Doctor made it to the delivery room right after they handed me my sweet angel.  We had such a great Nurse she did the whole delivery on her own and without hesitation.  My Husband said Ava came out with the cord wrapped around her neck a couple times and was pretty blue...  but I had no clue,  they cut it and unwrapped her and she was fine! Thank God! 

I can say the saying is true as much as I love and adore my husband, there is no such thing as love at first sight until you see your baby for the first time!  

There is also nothing as heart warming and seeing your Husband and baby together. 

Thankful and excited!

*Angela*