Pumpkins at the Pumpkin Patch

I have gone every year to the pumpkin patch since Aiden was born.
Looking back.....

 Our first trip to the pumpkin patch, Aiden my butterball was almost 5 months old and couldn't sit up yet, so we took his little bebe pod chair. He was a good baby for us and me and my husband had fun snapping pictures that Sunday am at a church pumpkin patch while the service was going on.

Then the next year Aiden was almost 1 and half and a very busy boy, who didn't like to sit still or give us smiles much.

The following year he was 2 and half and was funny about taking pictures. I was sure I wasn't going to get any good pictures of him but much to my surprise he did very good for me and had fun too. I took him alone this year, because I thought I could get better pictures of him.

Last year we ventured out to the same patch as the year before and this time I asked my friend Aydee to go with us to help me take pictures, Preston wasn't even 2 months old yet. (I like to go on the week day to avoid the weekend crowds)

And now this year with a 13 month old and an almost 4 year old it was a tad different, lol. I asked my friend Aydee to come with us again (her 2 boys are in high school and college, so she adores doing fun kid stuff with me and my boys). Aiden was SO excited to go see and pick out pumpkins. He is great about smiling when asked and helps with his baby brother. Preston on the other hand isn't walking yet, so he wanted to crawl or be walked (hold on to your finger) at the patch. We were the only ones there, thank goodness. We got 2 pretty good size pumpkins and 2 mini baby pumpkins.

HAHA, I love this picture...that's Aiden's "Cheeeeeeese" smile and Preston's fake/cheese ball smile.

 We stuck Preston in this wagon so we could take a picture of Aiden in the Scarecrow cut out.

Aiden was being lifted up here by Miz Aydee so I could take the picture :-) Love this kid.

 This is Prestons "why are you dancing around like a nut behind my mommy Miz Aydee" face. He was so not amused. LOL, I am sure the kids at the near by playground were, though.

 My picture with the boys, its about as good as it gets with my humid hair, Aiden's sweet smile and Preston's "really, are we done yet? Bc I am!!" face.

Happy boy, this is what he wanted to do. Walk.

We tried again, and nope, Preston is NOT having it.

Poor baby.

                                            Aiden LOVED all the pumpkins, so very much.

Walking again and taking it all in.

One last attempt......oh for the love, I give up!

The best pictures I thought. I am always happy as long as I get one good picture

of each boy and one good one of them together.

Happy Fall Ya'll.

How do you measure your success?

Is it by your job, by your house, your car you drive, or......????
To me everything I need is under my roof. I am successful not because of what I have but because of who I am and what I do with my life. I get so tired of family and friends looking down on me because I am a "Stay at Home Mom". Yes I have a college degree and I did work out of the house while my oldest was son was 4 months old till he was about 2. So I have been that working out of the house mother and the mother that works at home. Let me tell you they both have their ups and downs. But for me right now, my place is at home with my kids. And my husband is finally at the point where he sees and values how much work I do at home with the house, the boys and my business. It's one thing just to be a SAHM but to be one that is trying to run a business is HARD work. I don't get 6-8 hours to just sit at my desk and work, update websites and email customers and suppliers. I have to multi-task and figure out how to make it all work while juggling the SAHM duties too. I am not sure what the future holds or what I will be doing in 5 or 10 years or once the boys start school. But for now I am happy to be where I am. My heart is here in my home with my boys and my work.

That being said I didn't get very much work done this weekend, but I am kinda ok with that.

We went to a birthday party of a little boy that my oldest son use to go to school with (when I worked out of the house)

It was fun for the whole family. 

Life lesson #54 waiting patiently for cake is always hard no matter your age

Is this baby really turning ONE in less than 2 weeks?!?!?!

Blessed to be a mom to these little monkey boys.

Look at these stinkin cute boots I found at a resale shop for Preston! I HEART resale shops.

Hope your weekend was fun and relaxing with those you love most too.

Meet the Fam

Get to know me and my little family.

I am 30 years old and graduated with my degree in Interdisciplinary studies in 2006. I have my teaching certificate to teach early childhood (pre-K) through 4th grade. I have never had a teaching job at a public school, but have been a substitute teacher and a preschool teacher in a 3's class. I know have worked with kids ages 6 and under A LOT in my life. I nannied while in college and also worked as a waitress. I would rather work with kids any day over waiting tables.

I met my husband while working at Texas Roadhouse, although we didn't start dating until after I left there to go work at Chili's. We were friends for about 6 months before we started dating. We got married in March of 2007. It was a big, dream wedding and we honeymooned in Jamaica.

Greg, my husband is a big kid. Always goofing around and very laid back. He loves basketball, golf and electrics.

We knew we wanted to start a family right away. I am VERY impatient and after a few months of trying and not being pregnant I went to the doctor to get checked out and tested. We found out I needed to take fertility pills to help me conceive. And after 2 months of that we found out we were excepting our first child. We were so excited! Greg started a new job, and we bought our first house. We were told at 20 weeks that we would be excepting a GIRL. I was thrilled because my best friend was excepting her second child and it was a girl. Yay, we were both going to have girls. I started shopping right away and planning the nursery and registering.

Just for fun we decided to go have a 3D/4D sonogram. I was 28 weeks and it was Friday and we were heading out of town for my first of three baby showers. This was going to be a baby shower thrown by my mom and her sisters. At the sonogram was my mom, my brother's girlfriend, my best friend, and a few more friends and mu mother in law. The owner of the sonogram place is very laid back and a big jokester. He put the ultrasound wand on my tummy and said "oh your having boy, huh?" I said "NO!" he said, "um yes, look right there." I thought it was the picture of the lady that was in the room before me's baby. I was confused and overwhelmed. I was having a boy! But wait I was told it was a girl and for 8 weeks, we talked to her, planned and shopped for her. I was having a baby GIRL shower the next day for crying out loud. 

It took awhile but we came to grip with our little boy that we would have. We picked Aiden, not knowing how popular that name was going to be. His due date was June 1st, but because of extremely high blood pressure I had an emergency c-section on May 16th. I wasn't ready. I didn't get to rest and prepare myself for his birth. But it didn't matter because he was born at 5:56 pm. And four years later he has been such a blessing. He is strong willed, loving, mama's boy, stubborn, and a goof just like his dad. He never ceases to amaze me with what comes out of his mouth.

We started to try to have baby number 2 when Aiden was two. We wanted to see what would happen without taking fertility pills. After a few months and nothing I started to take the same meds that helped us conceive Aiden. Two months after that we found out we were pregnant. At 6 weeks I went in for a doctor's appt and all looked good, saw the baby and heard the heartbeat. A few weeks after that, we found out that the baby's heart had stopped beating and it was probably a few days after that appt that it had happened. The worst thing I have ever had to go through. Physically, emotionally and spiritually to deal with it was just painful in ever way. But realizing that our God gives and takes away and we need to praise Him in the storm despite the circumstances. He has the ultimate plan for us and I was able to see that plan unfold in the best way possible. After waiting the amount of time needed I took my pill again and nothing. My doctor told me she didn't want me to take that same drug anymore and referred me to a fertility specialist. I didn't want to hear that. After all that drug worked, 2x. But I went and got a new pill to take and after the first round I was pregnant again. It is so much harder to be pregnant again after a miscarriage. The thoughts and wondering about how the baby is doing and growing is always on your mind at least for the first 12 weeks. I had a ton of blood work done and extra ultrasounds for that first trimester which I loved. And we made it through the safe zone and then I wondered is it a boy or girl? A part of me kind of didn't care because after all I felt blessed just to be able to be pregnant. But hello, I sell bows and how fun would it be to have a little girl. Well we went and had a ultrasound at 16 weeks. Boy, he said 100% boy. I didn't believe him, after all they were wrong last time. So I went one hour away to a sonography school where they give free ultrasounds so the students can learn and practice on real patients. They (the instructor) confirmed boy. HHHmmmm still could be a girl, right, maybe? So at my 20 week appt this would be the 100% confirmation for me. And they told me, BOY. Ok so it's a boy. Thank goodness I kept all of Aiden's toys. Names, hhmmm boy names are just difficult. I found a theme for the nursery, bumble bees. I loved the colors. I was excited and ready for number 2. Planned c-section. So on Sept 6th I went in for my c-section and had my 9 pound 1 oz baby boy! Holy geez even my doctor was surprised that he was so big. (Aiden was 6.10)

But we welcomed Preston James into our world:

Our life has never been the same ever since. 

This sweet baby boy has a special place in my heart. I love both my boys the same, of course. And they are both mama boys, but this little boy is something else. He is a very good baby, LOVES water, gets into everything (Aiden wasn't that way) and I could kiss and squeeze him all day long. I can already see how these boys are so different. Aiden has adored Preston from day 1 and has been an awesome big brother. And Preston already looks up to Aiden. They already play and goof off at the dinner table.

My heart is happy. We are blessed. 

I see how Gods plan for our family has come into place. We had to loose a sweet little baby to gain this sweet chunky monkey baby boy. I am okay with that and at peace with that.

I can't even imagine life with these 2 boys in my life. 

Are we done? Are we going to try for that "girl"?

These are the questions always asked.

I can 100% say I want another. Not because I'm trying for that "girl" but because I love the idea of a full, loud and happy house of kids. Boy or girl, I really don't care, any baby is a blessing to me. I know people and friends that have been trying for years to have a baby and I feel just beyond blessed to have the 2 we have and so anymore babies would add to our blessings, no matter boy or girl.

 Just having 2 is boring to me. For other families it works for them. For me I want more and if that is in Gods plan for our life I can't wait to add to our family. 

I even think about a 4th sometimes, but SSHHH don't tell my husband, lol. I finally got him use to the idea of number 3. Hehehe.

If they came out sleeping through the night I'd have 10, and if they came out for costing a fortune my husband wouldn't care how many either. 

But for now we are four and happy and blessed with our family. And excited for the future. 

Forgiveness

I have sad and heavy things on my mind tonight. It's a sad day when you realize how little you mean to someone that is suppose to be "family". But actions speak louder than words and as much as I try to follow the rules and do what it right. It gets old after awhile to feel defeated.
I know none of this makes sense, but without getting into to much, all I can write is how I am feeling.

Today was a get work done, while doing laundry and while my hubby played with the boys type of day. Well that's the kind of day it was suppose to be. Yes laundry got done and some work too with some hot glue burns on my fingers -ouch- and the kids played, with whining, fits and boogers.
We also watched the Lorax again (we watched it last night) and I must say it is the.cutest.movie! I don't mind watching it over and over. If you haven't seen it, I definitely recommend it.

We went to church and loved every minute of it. Always a good message, and a great time to focus important things in my life. The boys had a blast and it is my favorite family activity.

But this evening was rough for me and I heard this Matthew West song 2x today "Forgiveness" It's a great song and definitely is one of the hardest things to be able to do, forgive others especially family and friends.

So as I really thought about the song and try to be the bigger person, it's hard to do but easy to give to God to handle.

"It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve

It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just to real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness"

So focusing on God and what he has done and is doing in my life and my boys life is what I am focusing on. Not the negative and those that are negative around me. After all how could you not look at these sweet babies and smile? They are my everythings. My little blessings.

P.S.- Next blog will be a MUCH more happier and uplifting one. :)

Summer time

So today, Aiden my oldest was literally bouncing off the walls! We were home all day as I didn't have my car today. So we all took a field trip after dinner to go get some clothes for the boys with my mil and then decided to get some frozen yogurt. Well Aiden decided to leave the house with crocs and socks! Despite my begging him to take them off he wouldn't. He was something else I tell ya.

Preston demanded to taste someone, anyone's yogurt.

This is Dr. Aiden

This face, he is something else but boy he has a way of melting my heart.