lovin' every minute of it.

January TWO

2012-01-04T09:28:00.003-05:00

We made it to a new year! Here it is, 2012 and I'm continuing my monthly post of the girls. Two on two, get it? I know I'm a couple days late but that's because on the 2nd, there was so much excitement of Rosslyn's first day of preschool that I forgot to take them. But here they are now:

2012 Life Improvements

2012-01-03T09:15:00.001-05:00

Not resolutions...no one keeps them.

I've been thinking about some things I want to improve on in my life in 2012 and I figured I'd write them down so I'll be held accountable for them later on. To me, most of them seem attainable. I just need the motivation and drive to do them. Here goes:

-Become more organized, no laundry left in baskets, all clothes hung up or folded.

-Eliminate clutter. We just bought a house and I don't want to mess it up. Seriously, I'm such a pack rat that I have mail from our house in North Carolina.

-Dedicate more time to my studies and pass my college algebra class!! This is going to be the 4th time I'll be taking it because every other time, I've either failed or dropped it.

-Graduate with my associate's degree and start substitute teaching. I can't wait to do this. I've heard horror stories about the high school though, But it will give me the experience I need when I become a teacher.

-Train for and complete in the Tough Mudder Kentucky in October. This will be super difficult but I have to start somewhere.

-Eat better, less processed junk. Just simple homemade stuff, no vegan or organic, necessarily but things that I make so I know what's in them.

-Try to cut out pop.

-Get a new hairstyle and color.

-Incorporate dresses and cute things into my wardrobe...maybe more accessories.

-Wean Aurelia from breastfeeding.

-Host at least one adult party at our new house. With cocktails, appetizers, and delicious food.

-Shoot my rifle more. Jordan bought me a rifle a while back and I haven't had much experience with it. I really want to improve my rifle skills.

What do you think? Are they pretty attainable?
(also a post is coming soon with house pictures. I need to take some with our stuff in it)

House update! The final one before we move in!

2011-12-15T09:42:00.002-05:00

So, after signing, scanning, and e-mailing many, many forms, We have a projected closing date of the 20th! I am so excited but it's now crunch time and I have packing, cleaning and organizing to do. I wish we had the keys now so I could go ahead and start moving stuff but I know we won't until closing date. I also need to call and have our utilities transferred to the new house and all that fun stuff. It will be cutting it pretty close to Christmas, though. And the Sunday before, Jordan starts a new schedule at work where he'll be forking from 4pm to 12 midnight. Our land lords also plan on moving into the duplex when we move out so I need to get on the ball.

I wish I had pictures to share, but the only ones I have are on the appraisal and I don't know how to get them. But. I'll post some once we move in. This is so exciting and scary all at the same time.

In other news, we have all of the girls' Christmas presents. They came this week and I think they'll have a pretty good Christmas. We got Rosslyn a Beauty and the Beast tea set that has a cart with it, a princess figurine doll set, some Disney princess shirts, a pair of Pocahontas moccasins, and we're getting her a game for the Kinect. I'm not sure which one though. We can't decide between Disnelyand Adventures and Sesame Street Once Upon a Monster.

As for Aurelia, we got her a stuffed owl from Winnie the Pooh, A stuffed Pocahontas doll, a Toy Story 3 figurine set, a talking cooking pot with vegetables, and a talking picnic basket.

Jordan told me not to get him anything for Christmas but there's a really nice cardigan from the Gap that I want to get him. He says I can get something but I don't know what I want. Or if I want anything. Maybe we'll buy stuff for each other after Christmas.

That's pretty much all of the updates I have. I am off school for winter break and don't have to go back until January and hopefully, with my projected academic plan, I'll be able to graduate with my associate's degree in December 2012! Then I can start subbing and have a bit of extra money coming in. So hopefully, the next post you see from me will be in our new house!!

December TWO

2011-12-02T23:32:00.004-05:00

Hey look!!! It's on time this month!!!

Yes, it's another installment of the girls' monthly photos. I can't believe I've been doing it since August. I can't wait until I've done it for a year and I can go look back at how much they've grown. Anyway, here they are and do you notice the new Christmas-y layout? It's courtesy of Simply Fabulous.

We'll see you in 2012!!!

Radvent 2011- Day 1

2011-12-02T13:30:00.002-05:00

So, Jess on IROCKSOWHAT is doing Radvent from Princess Lasertron. I think I'm going to join in too.

What is Challenging you the most right now? And how can you be grateful for it?

I don't want to sound whiny but definitely taking care of two kids while my husband is working all the time. He's on vacation now but I feel overwhelmed and as much as I love him, he doesn't do much, outside of working at a United States Penitentiary. I am grateful for it because he makes enough money that I do have the luxury of staying at home with the girls and not missing any milestones like some working moms do.

Reflect on one challenging thing in the past year that you kicked butt at. What would you have told yourself?

I know this sounds lame, but public speaking. I have been in my public speaking class since August and when I first started, I was so nervous and everyone said that during my first speech, I looked like I was on the verge of tears. Now, it's not so bad. I would have told myself that public speaking isn't that bad and it will benefit me because of my future career. I have become more comfortable in front of people.

Happy birthday, Aurelia!!

2011-11-23T11:44:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe my sweet Aurelia is already a year old today! Where has the time gone? I know every mom says that but there are times when I would look at her pictures from a few months ago and her cherubic, newborn round face has all but disappeared. She is blossoming into such a little cheese ball like her sister. There's not a second that goes by that she isn't babbling or giggling or shrieking (her personal favorite). She has been a bit more of a challenge than Rosslyn. She definitely has gotten a lot more sick than Rosslyn did the first year. But I'm hoping it's just seasonal allergies because it's just been runny noses.

She hasn't fully mastered walking yet but she's keen to the idea. Yesterday she took like 7 steps by herself. It's the standing and getting moving that she doesn't like.

She is still nursing, I do it to get her to sleep and sometimes I do it to calm her down if she's just getting too wily and rambunctious. It's still a special bond between her and I and I will be sad when she stops.

We had her a small party yesterday she got quite a few presents including one from us that's a stuffed wolf called Crazy Cuddly Wolf and it has a zipper that has a little red riding hood doll, a pretend cell phone, squeaky pig and a bird that has a bell in it.
We still don't know what to get her for Christmas.

I can't believe I'm technically now the mom of two toddlers (well, a toddler and a preschooler).

This year has been full of ups and downs with our little drama queen but I wouldn't have it any other way. Our family is complete with our little Freya Aurelia.

House Update

2011-11-16T17:23:00.004-05:00

So today we finally heard from our loan processor about the house. However, before that, Jordan talked with our realtor the other day about something they spotted when we looked at the house. There was a crack in the bricks at the basement (I didn't see it so I'm just going off what he said) so the owner of the house had a structural engineer take a look at it. I'm going up to the realtor's office tomorrow to get the report and see what it says. I'm hoping it's nothing too serious and won't cost a lot to be fixed (though the price wouldn't fall on our heads because we haven't bought it yet.

I hope it isn't anything serious and we're going to tell the VA when they come to inspect it in about a month or so. I pray we get this house but I don't want to get one that's structurally unsound, you know? So we'll see what everything says and go from there....wish us luck!

Christmas Questionnaire/Meme thing

2011-11-15T09:41:00.002-05:00

The lovely and always awesome Jess at IROCKSOWHAT posted this little Christmas meme on here blog so I thought I'd post my answers so everyone can see my favorite Christmas traditions!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate with tons of marshmallows. I love the foam it makes.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? The elves wrap them of course!

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I prefer white that way you can have colorful ornaments but our tree has colored lights and it was given to us so colored it is!

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope, I don't know where to get it and hove nowhere to hang it.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the first week of December. I do it all myself, even putting the tree together. But I might hold off on decorating and even putting the tree up until we get the new house (if we do)

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Stuffing and broccoli casserole

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? All my cousins would come over to our house on Christmas eve and we would play and eat and open a few presents. It was fun

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? We got this big gift one year that was set up and I went into my mom's bathroom as she was getting ready and saw the box for it.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We go down to Jordan's aunt's in Tennessee and they have a few presents for everyone so we get those. But The girls' presents and our presents from Jordan's mom aren't until Christmas day.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? As much as I'd like to do a theme, I get little cute ones and we let the girls pick one out each year so it's very personal

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it!! Except when it's too cold or I have to walk long distances in it.

12. Can you ice skate? Nope, never been. I so desperately want to learn

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I've liked most of what I have been given. I really liked the iPod touch Jordan got me a few years back but it's now gone lol

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Making my kids happy, music and movies, oh and FOOD

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Banana pudding or this eclair stuff Jordan's sister makes....so good!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love watching The Grinch (cartoon version), Mickey's Christmas Carol and decorating cookies

17. What tops your tree? An angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving. I love shopping, online or in store, just the atmosphere of the holidays, seeing the look on someones face when you give them the gift. However, I do not like wrapping presents. I'm horrible at it.

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Yum. And for some reason, they taste better when you take them from the tree instead of the box hahaha

20. Favorite Christmas show? Like I said, The Grinch, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Flintstones Christmas Carol (my all time favorite) and Charlie Brown's Christmas

21. Saddest Christmas Song? That Carol of the Bells song. It's not that it's sad it just freaks me out.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? Merry Christmas, Baby- Hanson

November TWO and an update

2011-11-11T09:16:00.004-05:00

So, once again I am late to the November TWO post once again...I'll try my best to get December on track. I know I said that with November but We were up at Jordan's mom's for Halloween and I had school and stuff and Jordan was on vacation that it completely slipped my mind. Anyway, here they are:

And, in other news, we put in an offer on a house and the seller accepted!! Now we're going through that whole process. Not much has happened yet. We should get a call today or soon from our processor asking for our tax forms, pay stubs, etc. There's someone renting it right now and our latest tentative move in date is January 15 if we close by December 15....but I'm hoping they've moved out before then and we're actually able to celebrate Christmas at our new house. I don't have any pictures of it though, so I'm sorry. But I'll keep you all updated on the progress!

The biggest purchase you'll ever make...

2011-10-26T18:27:00.002-04:00

... a house.

Yes, it's that time in our life where we've decided that we're going to stay here for at least a few more years and we're ready to buy a house. Now, of course the house up top isn't the house we're going to buy. We've looked at a few and are looking at some more tomorrow and Friday. And hopefully we'll decide on which one we like and be able to put in an offer by the end of this week or next week. This is because Jordan is on vacation all this week and next week.

I am nervous about buying a house because that means it's our sole responsibility if anything goes wrong or if things need kept up. I told that to Jordan and he said it's that that makes him excited to buy a house. He wants to mow the yard and stuff.

I'm not too worried about payments because the amount we're preapproved for is roughly about how much we pay in rent so I think it's manageable. I seriously hope so anyway. I will try to sneak and get pictures of the house we're looking at tomorrow because it's between that one and another one we saw today that we want to get.

Wish us luck and I hope this goes quickly and smoothly. Though we're doing a VA loan and I've heard that they're really particular when it comes to the final inspection and things like that. Both of our top two are move in ready, the one we're looking at tomorrow actually has someone renting it right now and the other one needs a refrigerator though. We'll just see where this journey takes us and I'll update when we find "the one!"

October TWO

2011-10-23T09:29:00.005-04:00

I know I'm about three weeks late on this but the beginning of the month was sort of hectic so I'm finally getting around to posting the October TWO pictures. So here they are!

Just throwing this out there....

2011-10-17T22:42:00.003-04:00

*Warning* This is the first of my (possibly) opinionated posts. If it bothers you, feel free to comment why or tell me a different point of view. I'm open to new ideas. *Warning*

Ok, I'm sure by now, most of you have heard of the Occupy Wall Street protesters. I somewhat support them. I don't know how else to put it. I grew up poor, lived on welfare and food stamps and my mom never had a job. Abuse of the system? I would say so. But I won't do it and I most certainly won't let my kids do it, or for that matter, be around people who do. However, those who truly need help and are using welfare/food stamps for the right reasons and are out there busting their asses looking for a job is more reasonable.

I totally get what these protesters are saying with the 99% aspect. Most of them have lost their jobs because of downsizing like in factories (such as Saturn, Pontiac, etc) and they most definitely want the big banks and corporations to own up and take responsibility and say "we fucked up. Sorry you don't have a job." But then there are some who complain that they're in debt way over their heads because of student loans and they can't find a job. When in reality they probably majored in something like underwater basket weaving and really, there's no market for that. That, is not Wall Street's fault. Yes you need a job, put some of your pride aside and try applying to restaurants, stores and things like that. I know it may not be the most glamorous job in the world but if you need to support your family, any money is good money.

I watched an excellent video on youtube that was from a show on MSNBC where this guy said that he is sick and tired of our bought Congress. and he is absolutely right. I can't even tell you the last time my congressman (the oh so lovely Senator Mitch McConnell) has done anything to benefit Kentucky or even gave the voice of actual Kentuckians, which is his job. No, he's in Washington DC lobbying for this and that and just whatever can help his side advance more. This era of lobbyists and lining the pockets needs to end. I think that, buried under all the other things that's going on in New York, is the root and backbone of the Occupy Wall Street protests. We're tired of being played like chumps. Stop corporate greed and we'll be happy.

Moving on, there was something I saw that truly upset me on Pinterst that some guy had posted. I'm sure you all have seen the picture of the female soldier who had just returned home from war clutching her daughter in the airport. It's definitely a moving picture. However, this douche face decides to write a nice little quip "yes sweetie, mommy's back from killing lots of little kids like you only because they were brown." Or some nonsense like that. It took all the restraint I had not to school this fool on what truly this war is about and that first off, to my knowledge, no Soldier or Marine have ever intentionally killed an innocent child in /either the war in Iraq or Afghanistan. Hell, when my husband was deployed, he told me that they had to go through when they were clearing the houses and help take the women and children out. And secondly, and probably most importantly, women cannot serve in any combat role in the armed forces. So there's no way this woman, who probably has more honor and dignity in her little finger than this man does in his whole body, would have even had the opportunity to kill anyone.

Let's face it, we're at war. Wars cost money. Yes, there is a bit of excessive spending in the military, mainly the army and air force, but our troops on the ground need every dollar that is spent on the war. If the war were to end tomorrow and we somehow miraculously saved those billions of dollars, I'm sure our government would just find something else that some of the public would deem useless to dump billions in. So people are always going to complain. You can't please everyone.

Bottom line is I support the "occupiers" but think they need to be preaching about the need to stop this pocket-lining congress.

We have a dog now....

2011-10-16T09:43:00.003-04:00

I am so sorry I haven't gotten the October TWO post up. Life has been really hectic and this post will explain why. But I will post a picture some time this month and I WILL get back on track in November!!

A couple months ago, someone Jordan works with said his dog was getting ready to have puppies and that they were full-blooded boxers. This is Jordan's dream dog so he of course asked if we could buy one. On top of that, his friend Kenny was also getting a dog from the littler. About a month ago, we went over to look at them and pick out the one we wanted. They were still very little, only a couple weeks old. We picked the one we liked and we held him, cuddled him and took pictures before we left. Then, about 2 weeks ago, we got the call saying he was ready to be picked up. When we got him, he was covered in fleas and was shaking so bad. But he got used to us and after two intense flea baths, he was virtually flea free. He had to get his shots the next day and was wormed and given flea treatment. He is now 100% flea-free.

But we have had our fair share of puppy accidents. He slept upstairs with us the first few nights and because of the worm medicine, had a bad case of diarrhea. And there were many, many accidents. But he was doing really well with his potty training. That is, until it rained. He didn't like the wet grass outside and would never use the bathroom outside. He would always pee on the hardwood in the kitchen, which is better than peeing on the carpet but still, he's kept on doing it. And last night, he wanted to stay downstairs to sleep. I woke up to find 4 different diarrhea spots and 3 pee spots. So here's hoping he'll remember to pee outside instead of in here. Annndddd, here is a picture of him, our little Swarley. (we got the name from How I Met Your Mother)

Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-09-30T10:21:00.002-04:00

Go here to get the questions and link up!!

1. My current obsession is Paranormal TV shows. I love shows about ghosts year round but there's something about fall that makes watching shows like Ghost Hunters, Ghost Adventures, and Paranormal Witness extra scary. And I love it!!!

2.Sleep make me happy.

3. My greatest strength is my independence .

4. My constant need for reassurance and approval from everyone is my greatest weakness.

5. My life is excellent. I love my husband and my daughters, good things are (hopefully) on the horizon for us and I'm happy with who I am.

6. In high school I was Average. Not a slacker, not an over achiever, not in many clubs, I just did my school work, and hung out with my boyfriend. I was a bit nerdy though.

7. When I'm super tired I start to slur words and forget everything. My mind shuts off before my body. I can be mid sentence and finish it in my head but nothing will come out of my mouth.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!

September is almost over.....

2011-09-25T10:54:00.002-04:00

And I haven't blogged that much at all. We'll just say that life got in the way. It's been an amazing month and I can't believe how fast it has gone by.

Jordan had vacation the week of the 11th. So Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we went down to Gatlinburg with our friends Kenny and Whitney. Rosslyn was going to stay with Jordan's mom while we were gone and we were bringing Aurelia along. We had rented a cabin, too so it was exciting. We went shopping at the outlets where I bought some new clothes and bought the girls and outfit too. Jordan got a new shirt and a new watch. We also spent the day walking around in Gatlinburg but I don't feel like we did a whole lot.

Jordan goes on vacation again in a few weeks so I think we're going to go down again as a family and do something.

Other than that, nothing much has really happened. I'm plugging a long at school, I have my second math test next Thursday. And I'm dreading it. I'm behind because you have to go online to do the assignments and I haven't found the time....I hate to say it, but I'm sure I'm failing it.

Also, something awesome might be happening to our family but I don't want to divulge information about it yet, because I don't want to jinx it. Just please send us all your good thoughts and prayers. (I am NOT pregnant if anyone is thinking that).

Turning 25 and getting poked in the eye

2011-09-07T19:10:00.001-04:00

Yesterday (the 6th) was my 25th birthday....it was ok I guess. I had a math test which I'm sure I bombed but oh well...I guess. So Jordan watched the girls while I took my test and then when I got home, I took the girls down to Jordan's mammaws where his mom is staying while she's on vacation. I hung out there for a while and she gave me my birthday present, a pretty awesome blender. It's used but it still gets the job done. I've already made two smoothies with it and I can't wait to make many more, as well as other delicious frozen cocktails. Yvonne also kept the girls so Jordan and I could go get something to eat. It wasn't anything fancy, just to the local steakhouse. But it was nice to be kid-free for an hour. After that, we headed back up to get Aurelia, Rosslyn was staying the night with Yvonne. When we got home, it was like 8 o'clock and Aurelia hadn't napped since early in the day. So Jordan said for us to lay down. And we did....which was a bad idea. Because she didn't go to bed until like 1am. Also, she's had a fever the past couple days because she's teething. On the way up to be, Aurelia poked me right in my eye...hard. I haven't felt a pain like that in a while. She got me good. I almost cried at how bad it was. It's still sore and swollen today. Probably because I've been messing with it. It's very watery and irritated too. I can hardly see out of it and it sucks. If it's not better by Friday, I'm going to go to the eye doctor. I looked like a hot mess at class today too. lol So hopefully another night's sleep will help it and I'll be better by tomorrow....That's really all I have hahaha so I'll blog again real soon.

September TWO

2011-09-02T16:28:00.000-04:00

It's that time of the month, again!! Time for the girls' two on two picture. Today was really fun. We were heading to the store and I nearly forgot but then I remembered so we had a shoot outside. Here are some of the pictures.

First day of daycare

2011-09-02T09:29:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was the girls' first day of daycare.... it was a doozy. I had to get over there a little early to fill out paperwork. When we got there, the kids were just sitting down for snack time. So Rosslyn set down and did fairly well. As for Aurelia, the minute she was put in a high chair, she started crying....so I got her out and finished the paperwork. Meanwhile, Rosslyn had taken two bites of her snack, declared she was finished and went off to play...all the other kids were still sitting at the tables eating. One of the workers decided to hold Aurelia to see if that would help. She was totally fine. And then I left for my class and gave them instructions that if Aurelia kept crying, to call Jordan and he would come get her. So about 40 minutes into my class, Jordan gave me a call saying that the daycare called him because Aurelia had been crying so much that she had thrown up...great. So I finished my class then went over to the daycare to help him with the girls and get them and leave. The workers said Aurelia was fine as long as she could see Rosslyn but as soon as Rosslyn left, she started crying. And Rosslyn didn't even want to go outside. And it's almost impossible to get her to come in from the outside! I think she wanted to stay with Aurelia because she was crying. So yesterday was a definite learning experience. We learned that Rosslyn is a good big sister and Aurelia needs to be held a lot less. Also, we're trying to work in the bottle. I know breastfeeding is best but our schedule is so crazy that I can't leave her for long stretched of time because she'll get hungry and I'm the only one who can feed her. And I'm not a "slave to my baby" but it is frustrating.Jordan and I also decided last night, because of Aurelia not taking a bottle, that we're going to bring her on vacation with us. We're still going to let Jordan's mom keep Rosslyn, though. I really don't know what to do with Aurelia...she's completely different from Rosslyn. I've tried two brands of formula, in 4 different bottles and 2 different sippys. Today we're going to try bottles all day and see how that works. I don't want her to starve, of course but she needs to realize that good stuff doesn't just come from mommy. In addition to Aurelia being super fussy with daycare, she has her top front teeth coming in and was up from 4 to 5am. And woke up bright and early at 8am....I am dead tired today, needless to say. So for right now, I'm phoning it in a bit and letting the Sunny Side Up show do the parenting (did she just say that?!).I will be back later with this month's September TWO post, though.

Daycare, Vacation, and So long, August!

2011-08-30T20:34:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you all but this seems to have been one of the longest months in recent memory. I know they're all the same length but August seems to be dragging on..... Also, one week from today, I will be turning 25! What the what?! I can't believe I'll be a quarter century old. It has been a long one, indeed. I hope the next 25 years of my life are awesome.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, Jordan and I are thinking about putting the girls in daycare while I'm at school. Yesterday after my class, I decided to stop by (with the girls) and check out the place and get a few more answers to questions I had lingering. Rosslyn loved it right off the bat. There weren't a whole lot of children there, because they mainly cater to school-aged kids during the summer. So I think we're going to start doing that just while I'm at school so Rosslyn can get used to the idea of being away from me and around other kids she doesn't know. Because she starts preschool next year!! I hope Aurelia will do ok at daycare though. Because she is still nursing. And I usually feed her before I leave and as soon as I get back. Just in case she's hungry. Because she will not take a bottle at all....

Which moves me into my next topic. I started pumping last night in hopes to produce enough milk for her to stay with Jordan's mom while Jordan and I are on vacation. We're going down to Gatlinburg for three days. We've already rented a cabin (the first I've ever stayed in) and we're planning on things to do. Like there's a murder mystery dinner theater, a haunted dinner theater, and a few haunted houses that we're wanting to go to as well as the Ripley's things and all that. We think our friends Kenny and Whitney are going to come down and we're going to stay in the cabin together, we're gonna bring the Xbox and stuff and have a good time...that is if Aurelia will take a bottle. She doesn't like either formula I've given her. I have bought 4 different types of botthers: parent's choice (walmart brand), Dr. Brown's, Avent, and Breastflow. And a Dr. Brown's sippy cup. I hope she'll take it while I'm gone because Jordan and I haven't had a day to ourselves in a while. She tries drinking from Rosslyn's cup all the time So maybe I should find something like that and put milk in it and give it to her? I don't know what to do...she's so stubborn. Every time I try to give her a bottle, she just shoves it away. So if anything goes wrong, we may just have to take her with us. That's pretty much it for now....I'll update again soon!

School School School

2011-08-23T23:27:00.002-04:00

I have been back at achool (Community college, part time) for about a week and a half now. I have a class every day of the week except Friday and it is going ok. I'm taking Public Speaking and College Algebra. In public speaking we haven't done too awful much but tomorrow (it's mon/wed) we're getting down to business. And in College Algebra, I understand it in class and then all of our assignments are due on this thing Called Hawkes where you do pretty much everything on the computer. I'm no math genius but I write everything doen and then take the problems we've done in class and compare them to the ones on the computer and I work them out and when I try to enter them into the computer, they're wrong. I just have to try and bear through this class and I won't have to worry about another math class!! I'm thinking of going to the math labs one day a week so I can get some one on one time with the instructor and to understand it better.

As for the girls, my sisters keep them while I'm at school and things have been going ok. But today, I don't know if it was because she was tired or what, Rosslyn came home with the most rotten attitude ever. She was yelling demands at me, just being really loud and generally not like herself. So I've talked to Jordan about it and as much as we hate the thought of it, we're thinking of putting the girls in daycare. I know Rosslyn will do well but I'm more worried about Aurelia. She's my little drama queen. So touchy, as I always say. I know she's just a baby but there are times when she'll bump her head or something and be completely fine and then other times something small will happen and she'll act like it's the end of the world. Lord, love her heart. So tomorrow I'm going to call around for prices and availability and hopefully have the girls enrolled fairly soon. And if something doesn't work out with that, I may just have to drop my classes this semester....I really hate to do that though. As a mom, it pains me to put my kids into the care of someone else but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I've already put school on hold for too long and I've working around Jordan's schedule so I just want to feel like what I'm doing is for good and I'm not just pittering away at it, you know?

Well, I'll let everyone know how the daycare search goes and I'll have some pictures to update soon too. but for now, studying and waiting for Jordan to get home from a friend's house.

DIY Pool Noodle Wreath!!

2011-08-03T12:00:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the lovely, awesome, amazing site of pinterest, I have found out how to make a foam wreath out of a pool noodle! This was amazing considering there isn't a Michael's craft store within driving distance and I can't seem to find them online. So I went to walmart, got the thinnest noodle I could find bought it (it was only $2.47) and bought some yarn. It's fairly easy. You just cut the noodle on the bias at opposite sides so when you fold it up, it'll make a perfect circle. Then wrap the crap out if it with duct tape. Jordan helped me on this part because when I wrapped it, I didn't wrap enough and it started to pop out. Then reform it into a circle, like just take and work it around to get it rounder. I think I cut mine too short and that's why I had to do that. Then, using a tutorial I found online, I took and tied yarn in a knot at a starting point then wrapped and wrapped and wrapped the yarn around it until it was all the way around. I think next time I might use a thicker yarn not only to give it a different look but to save me some time. It took me about 2 hours for this whole craft and that includes wrapping the wreath, cutting the felt flowers and hot gluing them on. Not to mention taking a 3 year old to the bathroom and nursing an 8 month old back to sleep.

Overall, I think it looks really good. The colors are very reminiscent of fall which I can't wait to finally start!! I bought another noodle that I think I may fully dedicate as a fall themed wreath. But as for now, I like the one hanging outside!!

Starting out wrapping!

Finished!! (You can kind of see the duct tape a little, I just covered it with the flowers)

Flowers added to it

Finished and hung up!! (That was the only kind of ribbon I had on hand so it's a bit funny)

August Two

2011-08-02T23:07:00.003-04:00

Taking a cue from Stephanie at Adventure sin Babywearing, I have decided to start taking pictures of the girls each month to document their growth and just life in general. Get it, two on two? I'm hoping to continue this for a while and just see how much they progress over the months and maybe even years.

This was no easy task...it's usually fairly easy to get a good picture of both of the girls but today was ridiculous.... here are three of the best shots from today:

Until September....

Some much needed retail therapy (Alt. titled: I'm an online shopping addict)

2011-08-01T09:48:00.002-04:00

So every few weeks, I get a check from my uncle where he's logged on the land we own and sold it off. Normally, I just cash it and spend it on whatever but I just recently opened up a checking account with our local bank. Not only to keep the money more secure but to have it there as "just in case" money, if we're ever in dire need of it. But, I will tell you that upon receiving my debit card and pin, I did go on a bit of a shopping spree....one that was much needed. (I say that to justify it hahaha)

I love American Eagle and they had a crazy good sale going on. Free shipping with every jeans purchase, t-shirts buy one get one half off and 20% discount on everything. So a few days ago on Polyvore, I made this outfit and pinned it to Pinterest. I seriously love that site. I've made several things I've found on it. A pool noodle wreath (post coming for that), bacon cheddar ranch bread (YUM!!) and little things as well. Ok...getting off topic. So I made this outfit, pinned it and I bought it!! Along with a couple other shirts and an additional cardigan. I plan on wearing it to my first day of school on the 15th. I am ridiculously excited to go back to school!I don't know how long I'll be singing that tune though because one of the classes I'm taking is algebra and I am not looking forward to it at all.
I'm sure you all want to see the outfit, right?? Well here it is:

Everything about it screams comfy!!And this will be my first pair of TOMS. I'm excited. My sister-in-law has two pairs and I would love towear hers but her feet are 2 sizes bigger than mine. This will be the first pair of real shoes (not including flip-flops) I have bought in such a long time....that's horrible.

Well, this outfit, and school, are making me ever more anxious for fall. I can't believe there are already fall decorations at rite-aid. It took all the constraint I had not to buy some things and immediately hang them up. So what I'm going to do is buy little things here and there and hang them up on September 1st...one month from now.

That's really all I have right now. I'll be writing up a post on my pool noodle yarn wreath soon so keep an eye out for that!! Happy Monday everyone!!

Fun at the library!

2011-07-27T18:42:00.003-04:00

This morning, I took the girls to story time at the library. The kids have a story read to them and they get to make a craft as well. As part of the library's ongoing summer reading program, the theme is "One World, many Stories" so today, they had a story about Australia. Rosslyn was so well behaved. They have like a thing of risers that kids can sit on, like platforms stacked on top of each other. I don't know how to describe it but we had something like it in the music room in elementary school. But Rosslyn, being ever independent decided to sit in a chair by all the other kids. I saw a look of hesitation and worry in her face when I didn't immediately follow her and have her sit on my lap. But I was only about 30 feet away from her and I kept looking over at her to make sure she wasn't freaking out. She was so well-behaved you would think she wasn't my kid. She participated in the questions that the librarian asked. She even said something about trees and butterflies. After the story was craft time where they all painted boomerangs to look Aborigines. She had lots of fun and after that, she played with the other kids in this little train climber thing.

I am so glad she is growing up and being more independent. And I love that she loves books. Every time we go, I check out at least 5 books for her. She is so excited to go next week because there is a book fair and story time will be with Clifford the big red dog!! I plan on getting her a few books at the book fair also.

It just amazes me so much because I cannot believe how advanced she is for her age. She can recognize numbers and is starting to recognize letters. I have bought a couple preschool education books, like to help with her writing and things like that and she is doing really well on her numbers. She loves writing number 4 and number 6. I just can't believe how bright she is!!

The Paper Mama Photo Challenge: Summertime

2011-07-23T10:23:00.002-04:00

Click here to enter!

The always awesome and always lovely Chelsey from The Paper Mama is having one of her weekly photo challenges. This weeks challenge was Summertime. Here is my entry:

The girls at Cumberland Falls pool having a snack. Not the best but it's candid and I like it.

On being a photographer and having a "business"

2011-07-20T23:56:00.003-04:00

I've had my camera for over a year now. I absolutely love it. As I used it more and more, I started using it more and more and found out I really loved taking pictures. So I thought why not put my $600 camera to good use and start taking pictures for people. The first person I ever took photos for was Jessca for her senior year.

A few months passed and I had a baby and things like that then a couple months ago I thought "why not make a facebook page to showcase my talents and maybe get a little cash from doing so?" Because in all honesty, my pictures are a lot better than some people around here who are getting business left and right. But they do have one advantage that I do not: a studio. So I recently did a photo shoot for an engaged couple and I, reluctantly, did it for free. They were amazing, I had excellent feedback from everyone about them but then that's where things kind of halted. Over a month now and I only have one shoot booked and that's in August on the day of my mom's wedding. So we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

I know I'm not educated in photography. I'm still working on getting my associate's in arts degree then going to University to become a history teacher. {Eyes on the prize} But in the meantime, this is something I am over the moon about doing and I have been told by several people that you don't need to go to college to be a good photographer. I am hoping with the money I earn from photo shoots, I can buy new lenses and further my photography aspirations. Right now I am trying to take an active role in promoting my photography business, however, this is a place where people are set in their ways and aren't really keen on new things. I don't know what to do...I've thought about closing up shop and cutting my losses, also talking with another local photographer and maybe combining forces, but I want to do this on my own. It's pass or fail, win or lose, all or nothing, on me. I feel like kicking and screaming to everyone on facebook "don't got to XYZ!! Their pictures suck!! I'm so much better!!" But I know that's extremely unprofessional and so I just have to bite my tongue and let the business come to me...if it ever will.

Speaking of, if you want to be a fan of my photography page on facebook, here it is:

Rosslyn is Three!!!

2011-07-18T10:57:00.003-04:00

Yes, yes, yes, I haven't blogged in over a month and I am extremely sorry. I'm just going in full force and pretending like my month-long hiatus never happened. I promise, dear readers, I will try to blog more.

Last Wednesday, my first born, my accidental home birth baby, my sweet silly girl turned three!!!! And we had a big shindig. A rainbow candy party!! Here are a few pictures to highlight the party.

Then later that evening, we went to the county fair. Rosslyn had a blast! We went with our married friends Kenny and Whitney, who both absolutely adore the girls. We ate yummy fair food, like Philly Cheese steaks, fries in a cup and bloomin' onions, rainbow sno-cones and drank $5 cokes (not the best choice) but I sadly forgot my obligatory bag of cotton candy. We even got to see an old-fashioned Side Show! They had displays of "mysterious" animals and then a guy came in and walked up machete stairs, walked on glass, hammered a nail into his face, fit his body through a tennis racket and ate fire. All in all, it was a good day.And I swear it has taken me all week for my house to recover from such a big mess.

Finally an update!

2011-06-07T09:19:00.002-04:00

Sorry it's been so long since I've last blogged. But just to touch on the subject of my previous blog, Jordan said he's thinking of talking with the VA about it but he also said there are more people out there who are more deeply affected by PTSD and they need more help than he does.

Anyway, since that last blog, a lot has been going on. We went up to his mom's for a couple nights and we were actually able to have a date night fully alone and go out and get something to eat. It was so nice. I would love to do it again some time soon.
Here's a picture of out eats from that night:

Not much else noteworthy happened. Aurelia turned 6 months old! Holy crap when did that happen?? She's still teething, isn't crawling yet but can get around by rolling and using her arms as like paddles in the water. She loves her Sophie Giraffe and Woodour's Bear as well as her star stacker and any tag she can find to chew on. It's funny, the little bear came with a teething toy attached to it and it has more scratch marks than teeth marks. Here she is listening to music with daddy on youtube. She loves the sound of banjos.

Rosslyn is really good as well. As cute and sassy as ever. We let her spend the weekend with Jordan's mom over Memorial day and when she got back, she had a full on meltdown because she had to leave her cousin. I'm talking screaming, crying, growling (grrrr), nearly puking, scratching me and so much more. I don't know why she does it either. It was sad and very upsetting at the same time. I didn't want to see her crying but I was upset that she was behaving like that since she never had before. And she did it again after we took a shopping trip last week. But thankfully those episodes are few and far between.

Friday was Jordan's sister's high school graduation. Jordan couldn't go because he didn't get off of work in enough time to make the 3 hour drive and still be able to see her graduate. But she's coming in to stay with us for a few days before she starts cosmetology school so that'll be nice. On the drive up, I decided to leave fairly early to beat the heat since I don't have a working air conditioner in my car. Well, it didn't work. We were about 45 minutes into the drive and Rosslyn got sick and barfed everywhere! So I had to stop at a walmart which thankfully I was right in front of, get her some new clothes since she puked all over them and let her in out of the heat for a bit. We got back in the car and she fell asleep and all was well, or so I thought. I was maybe 10 minutes from Jordan's mom's house and she puked again.... so we stopped, got her some gatorade and went to the house. She took another nap and was fine when she got up. Then, before Jessca's graduation, I decided to take her and the girls out to eat. We made it 30 minutes before she puked in my car again and I had to stop at another walmart to get her a clean outfit. We went into the restaurant where she vomited once again. Then we called Jordan's mom to get her because her car has air and she was seemingly fine for the rest of the day. Then we went to the graduation and wall was fine there. Everyone had accepted their diplomas, Jessca and another girl sung a beautiful song and it was at the final benediction that Rosslyn puked once more. I grabbed her and tried running to the bathroom. I was holding her and her puke was just running down my back. It was like someone pouring a cup of hot water down my back. Very unfun.

So the moral of this story is I can't take Rosslyn anywhere on long trips until my air is fixed. She gets overheated way too easily.

And that's just about it. We went shopping last week and I got a Nook Color!! I love it so much. The first thing I did was buy Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games series and I read it in a matter of days. That's what I love most about it, is it's much easier to have access to it and read. I'm literally reading ever chance I get. When I'm feeding the baby, when they're outside playing, when they're asleep. So it was definitely worth the money.

I'll leave you all with a few more pictures taken with Instagram from my iPhone since I'm a jerk and I haven't used my camera in about 2 weeks.

The girls in their swimsuits playing outside

Nook!!

Early morning playtime with daddy

Sass pants Rosslyn

Aurelia and Jordan's mom's dog Hooch. She loves him so much. She just giggles and grabs at his face and he lets her! He's such a good dog.

A New Normal

2011-05-21T10:19:00.002-04:00

Normally, I don't delve into my personal life too much on here, mainly because Jordan hates when I talk about him online. But I have something to get out and it's best not to let your demons fester inside of you.

I'm sure most of you know Jordan was in the Marines and had 2 combat deployments to Iraq. The first from January to August of 2007 and the second from April to October of 2008 and he missed the birth of Rosslyn.

When he got back from his first deployment, he had to go get checked out at deployment health and it was then when he was diagnosed with PTSD. The first deployment was tough on him, I think the second one was tougher though because it was after that when the real problems started arising.

Ever since we started dating, Jordan always had some bit of crowd anxiety, like when we would go out to eat at a restaurant, he would barely eat any of his food for some reason. Then after he got out of boot camp, that problem lessened. Now, it's all I can do to see if he'll go out and eat.

But back to after second deployment, he went back to deployment health, got evaluated and was sent to a psychiatrist who gave him prescriptions for sleeping pills and anti-depressants, both of which he filled but never took a single one. He believes that as Americans, we're too dependent on pills as cure-alls. He was always passionate when we got into fights but that year, it seemed like everything was amplified. Throwing things, kicking doors, etc. I thought he was just upset but now I realize it was his PTSD. On his post-deployment leave in 2007, we were up at his cousin's cabin after spending a day on the lke and they wanted to cap the night with fireworks. So Jordan and his cousin Steven, also a former Marine but not a grunt, were to set them off and they were lighting them and they started popping off and he said it was like he flashed back to Iraq. Ok, so fireworks are out of the picture. Then, during summer 2009, stupid me decided it would be a great idea to take a combat vet and 1 year old to a WWII reenactment. That just spelled disaster.

In the year and a half since he's gotten out, his PTSD comes and goes. He manages it really well by just displacing himself from the situation. He will never be able to go to fireworks on Independence Day again, and a trip to walmart or the mall is almost completely out of the question. I understand this and try to be accepting as I can but it does hurt that when I want a family outing, I practically have to beg. And I try not to make him feel too guilty for it. I know now that on certain things, I just have to do them with me and the girls.

He has definitely changed since going to war but I have accepted this life now, my new normal.

Opening my heart

2011-05-17T23:18:00.002-04:00

I don't get very religious on here, I try to keep it very light and fun but husband started reading a book yesterday called Love Wins by Rob Bell and I definitely want to read it when he's done. the book is about a preacher (Bell) who was ex-communicated from the church for his radical beliefs. Basically what he's saying is that the true message of Christ has been lost in the muck and politics of church. An example from the book is someon's daughter's friend had died in a car crash and because he was athiest, they said he went to hell. And it brought up the age of accountability. I think that no matter how lost you may be, there's always hope and a chance to turn to the light before it's too late.

I don't know what I'm trying to get at with this post. I just want to let people know that as long as they have a relationship with God, that's what truly matters.

Thoughts as they come

2011-05-10T11:00:00.002-04:00

Last night I slept like shit.
The girls went to bed early but then it was too hot so I took off my sweats.
Then Jordan went downstairs.
And I was too cold.
Then the baby woke up.
Then Rosslyn was up from 4-6:30am
And the baby up[ at 8 squalling with teething pain.

I wonder what people would think of me if I took both the girls up to Richmond to get some wine. I definitely need it.

We tried watching Thor but Aurelia was just too uncomfortable and started wailing.

Trying to watch it again tomorrow, it was a really good movie.

I can't remember when I last took a shower.... Friday maybe?

Yeah, I feel completely disgusting.

My house hasn't been this messy in a while. I have 3 baskets of clean laundry just sitting in the kitchen.

My back and neck are killing me. We're waaaayyyy overdue for a new bed. And I may just get a new pillow today.

I'm glad my kids aren't too bratty in public.

Rosslyn was yesterday though.

I am glad she is fully potty trained. She did everything on her own time with no forcing from Jordan or me. She self weaned from the boob at 10 months and about a month ago, she brought me some underwear and said she wanted to wear them and we haven't turned back since.

Accidents do happen but mainly during the day.

I am afraid Aurelia isn't developing as quickly because I'm unable to dedicate all of my time to her like I did with Rosslyn.

But Rosslyn did everything ahead of schedule and Aurelia is right on time.

I really want some wine. I've never had any but I feel like I should drink some hahaha.

Do they make pre-mixed bottled sangria?

ZOK that's all for now.

Happy Mother's day!

2011-05-08T12:00:00.003-04:00

Name: Rosslyn Vertie Grace Posey
DOB: July 13 2008
Length of pregnancy: 40 weeks, 3 days
Labor: 12
Push: <5 minutes
Length: 19 inches
Weight: 7lbs 3oz
Time: 9:15am

Name: Freya Aurelia Posey
DOB: November 23 2010
Length of pregnancy: 40 weeks, 6 days
Labor: 4 hours
Push: <5 minutes
Length: 19 inches
Weight: 7lbs 8oz
Time: 10:25am

WHW: I Heart Natalie Wood

2011-05-04T15:30:00.003-04:00

Go here to link up!!

I love Natalie Wood. She's so beautiful and was such a great actress. She's in two of my favorite moves (West Side Story and Love With the Proper Stranger). It was such a shame when she died in that freak accident. But I found several photos of her that just astonish me with her beauty.

....Ok seriously I could go on and on...but let me cap it off with my favorite picture of her:

..such a beautiful lady.

30 Day music Challenge {Day 7}

2011-05-03T19:18:00.002-04:00

Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event

Hmmm...... this is a hard one...ok, I got it!

"Through the Fire and Flames" by Dragonforce. It reminds me of the long trips from NC to KY and we would listen to it all the time. I was pregnant with Rosslyn and every time the song would come on, she would start kicking! Hahahaha

Getting to know you! {Royal Wedding Edition}

2011-05-01T10:25:00.002-04:00

Click here to go get the questions and link up for this week!

1. did you watch the royal wedding?
I did. I only caught the last bit though. I wasn't going to wake up at 4am for that. I did get to see the second kiss and the planes fly overhead. Though I think they should have had the helicopter that William flies go over too.

2. tea and crumpets or coffee and a scone?
Coffee and scones. I love scones. And I'm not a fan of hot tea.

3 who's cuter..prince William or prince Harry?
Oh, Harry most definitely! OMG I have such a school girl crush on him. I don't know why. He is so handsome and looks like he'd be more down-to-earth and relatable than William.

4. can you speak in a English accent?
I try but I probably sound awful...

5. do you own a fancy hat?
Nope. I never have the occasion to wear one. I love that tradition of big, fancy hats at weddings though.

6. would you rather live in a castle or an English cottage?
English cottage with lots of ivy growing on it.

7. how old were you when prince Charles and princess Diana got married? were you even born?
I wasn't born so I don't remember it.

8. have you found your prince?
Absolutely! He's a little rough around the edges and I know he doesn't gush about me but I know deep down he loves me.

30 Day Music Challenge {Day 6}

2011-04-30T19:35:00.002-04:00

Day 06 - A song that reminds of you of somewhere

Pretty much any song on Jack Johnson's In Between Dreams" album reminds me of living with my sister after moving back to Kentucky when Jordan was deployed the first time. And living with my in-laws too.

30 Day Music Challenge {Day 5}

2011-04-29T00:01:00.002-04:00

Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone

Dire Straits- "Walk of Life" Reminds me of my dad. He was a huge Dire Straits fan and Listening to this song takes me back to car rides with him on Saturday morning going to get breakfast.

Click here to view the video (embedding was disabled)

Easter pictures and I'm a winner!!!

2011-04-27T12:19:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone! I hope you're all liking the 30 day music challenge. It's been very fun so far.

Anyways, of course, this past weekend was Easter and we had a great time. Know those dresses I originally got for myself and the girls? Yeah, we didn't wear them. I went up to the "mall" (it has like 4 good stores)and JC Penney was having an amazing dress sale! I swooped up three beautiful dresses that I'm sure will make regular rotation in my summer wardrobe. And I bought the girls new outfits as well.

Saturday, Jordan's mom and stepdad came in and Rosslyn stayed the night with them and so on Sunday, Aurelia and I made our way down to his mammaw's for some KFC and egg hunting.
Oh! And yesterday (or the day before) I found out I won the beautiful Shabby Apple Spanish Steps dress from Mann Land 5 giveaways! I think it may be a tad too fancy for me to wear but I'll find an occasion for it.

Anyway, here are some pictures of us on Easter:

30 Day Music Challenge {Day 4}

2011-04-27T09:59:00.002-04:00

Day 04 - A song that makes you sad

This is from American Dreams, the TV show so it's kind of old but it was my go-to wallow song when Jordan was deployed for the first time. He bought me the first season on dvd and I fell in love with it.

30 Day Music Challenge {Day 3}

2011-04-25T20:53:00.002-04:00

Day 03 - A song that makes you happy

Hmmmm....I have a bunch of songs that make me happy so it's hard to just pin one down.... I guess I'd say "Drive" by Incubus. It's so happy and I love it....I can just sing it loud and drive in my car. Perfection.

30 Day Music Challenge {Day 2}

2011-04-24T22:26:00.001-04:00

Day 02 - Your least favorite song

Ummm.... just about any Nickelback song. I hate them with a fiery passion... Ughh. I can't tell you how much their songs bother me. I'd rather hlisten to nails on a chalkboard.. ugghhhh.

30 day music challenge {Day one}

2011-04-23T12:42:00.003-04:00

Day 01 - Your favorite song

This is easy. "Soul to Squeeze" by Red Hot Chili Peppers.This had been my favorite song for at least 5 years. It's so beautiful and amazing. It appears on the Coneheads (one of my favorite movies) soundtrack. And also on their greatest hits album.

The video is incredible too. However, John Frusciante isn't in it because at that time, he was kicked out of the band because of his excessive drug use.

I love the video of it too. Truly a masterpiece, as are most of their videos.

30 Day music challenge!!! {The list}

2011-04-23T12:35:00.003-04:00

Here's the complete list if you would like to join in. I saw Chantel was doing it but I couldn't find the list so thanks to my trusty friend google, I was able to find it. Post 1 is coming right up!!

Day 01 - Your favorite song

Day 02 - Your least favorite song

Day 03 - A song that makes you happy

Day 04 - A song that makes you sad

Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone

Day 06 - A song that reminds of you of somewhere

Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event

Day 08 - A song that you know all the words to

Day 09 - A song that you can dance to

Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep

Day 11 - A song from your favorite band

Day 12 - A song from a band you hate

Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure

Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love

Day 15 - A song that describes you

Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate

Day 17 - A song that you hear often on the radio

Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio

Day 19 - A song from your favorite album

Day 20 - A song that you listen to when you’re angry

Day 21 - A song that you listen to when you’re happy

Day 22 - A song that you listen to when you’re sad

Day 23 - A song that you want to play at your wedding

Day 24 - A song that you want to play at your funeral

Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh

Day 26 - A song that you can play on an instrument

Day 27 - A song that you wish you could play

Day 28 - A song that makes you feel guilty

Day 29 - A song from your childhood

Day 30 - Your favorite song at this time last year

Easter Dress update and a few pictures

2011-04-20T23:02:00.003-04:00

So the girls' and my Easter dresses came today. They're all so cute but mine wasn't what I expected. I had thought I ordered the yellow dress but I ended up ordering this instead, which I totally forgot about and was surprised when I opened the package.

Don't let the image fool you. I ordered a medium and it's huge. I had to check the label to see if I accidentally got a plus-size. I didn't. Needless to say I will be returning it. That's what I hate about vanity sizing, sure it makes you think you're smaller but when you order your standard size and it's massive, it sucks.

Also, we ordered Aurelia a portable crib. Because the crib we have was from when Rosslyn was born and it's been recalled. Plus, the main reason we're getting a portable crib is because their room is small.

Not much else has been going on. I only have 2 weeks of classes left and I'm excited to have a break for summer. And I've already been been looking at things for my sisters and I to take our kids to. Like there's a children's museum in Lexington that I think they'd like. And I'd love to go to Dolly's Splash country. I've never been to a water park and heard that one's really awesome.

Getting to Know you!! (or me)

2011-04-17T11:06:00.002-04:00

Go to Mannland5.com and get the questions, blog then link up!

1. what's something you've eaten and liked, but didn't think you would?
French Toast. It's made with eggs which I absolutely hate but it's very delicious!

2. plastic surgery..yay or nay?
Um yay! Jordan has toyed with the idea of getting me boobs after I'm done breastfeeding but I'd love lipo on my thighs and stomach.

3. 2 things you love about spring are.....?
Flowers, sunshine and flip flops.

4. when's the last time you went on a picnic?
I can't remember when we've done the whole spiel... Probably a year or more

5. what's your favorite app?
I have like 4. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Cut the Rope.

6. who does the grocery shopping in your house?
I do mainly but when we do our big shopping, to last us 2 weeks or so, Jordan comes along. He's a bit of an impulse shopper but it's ok.

7. would you rather take a spin class or zumba?
Zumba. But I'd much rather do the Kinect version because I don't think you're ready for this jelly.

8. how often do you go out to dinner?
A few times a month. I mean we eat out for lunch like once a week but we hardly go out as a family because Jordan has terrible crowd anxiety.

Hippity Hoppity, Easter's on its Way

2011-04-16T11:16:00.004-04:00

Last night I ordered mine and the girls' Easter dresses. I got them at Old Navy so they're not too foofy or ruffly or over the top. Nice dresses that we'll be able to wear again and again.

This year is the first year I'll be making Easter baskets for the girls. Should I make one for Aurelia since she'll only be 5 months old? I know se won't be able to hunt eggs so I don't know. I don't want her to feel left out. But then again, she'll only be 5 months. I'm excited to get the baskets, candy and little trinkets for Rosslyn. Then the Saturday before Easter, or the night before egg hunting, Rosslyn and I are gonna dye eggs. I'm looking forward to that.

Anyway, I now you want to see the dresses so here they are:

Mine

Rosslyn's. She picked it out herself

Aurelia's

What do you think of them? I hope they're as nice in person as they are online. I always hate that about ordering online.

Instagram Photo dump (part 1)

2011-04-14T18:21:00.004-04:00

So I know a bunch of people have Instagram on their iPhones and so do I (I'm sheaisawesome)but I decided to put some pictures on here so those who don't follow me there can see them.

Me and Aurelia

Mexican for my sister's birthday

Finger painting

All dolled up for my best friend's baby shower

Rosslyn and Kira having a photoshoot

Rosslyn when she was sick

Rosslyn fell asleep on the way to walmart

Rosslyn playing

Aurelia was happy for a ponytail :)

Found this blanket i our dresser after Jordan's dad gave it to us

My chubber face

Eating at Golden Corral with Nana

Cloth Diaper stash

The girls playing outside

Rosslyn being cute

Rosslyn drew this face at Bob Evans. I was so proud

Getting to Know You!! & my 400th post!

2011-03-27T13:10:00.002-04:00

It's baaaaaaaacccckk!! Getting to know you Sunday is back! Check out the questions and link up at Mannland5.com

1. what inspires you?
My girls mainly. And my husband. To know that he has so much faith in me and will stand by me in whatever decision I make inspires me to do so much better.

2. what was the last thing you bought yourself?
Hair dye, a bath puff and a dress on clearance. Pretty fancy, right?

3. would you rather watch a movie in a theater or from the comfort of your own home?
I would rather watch in a theatre because of fountain drinks and fresh popped popcorn but I like having the option of rewinding movies and catching things I've missed.

4. household chore you don't mind doing?
laundry. But not folding

5. coffee or tea?
coffee. Except for Snapple peach tea. Yum

6. what could you eat every day and not get sick of??
Chocolate lol. Or chicken more realistically

7. what's the last book you read?
In the process of reading Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

8. do you think you look you "look" your age?
Yeah. I may look a little younger but I think I look almost 25.

Again with the sucking of the blogging

2011-03-26T22:18:00.002-04:00

Well, I sincerely apologize for not updating more. It's "crunch time" so to speak in my classes so I've been dedicating a lot of time to those. Speaking of, I just had a test on Wednesday night and it took me 2 hours to complete!! And I'm pretty much positive I failed but oh well....so long as I get an overall passing grade, I'll be happy.

What to say, hmm... Rosslyn has been up at my in-laws for the past few days and it has been entirely too calm and serene around here. I haven't gotten much accomplished that I otherwise would have been to if she were here. Except a trip to walmart without having to say "sit down" every 5 seconds. Yes, sometimes I do put her in the main part of the cart but she loves it so that's ok. But I do miss her and I think it's good bonding time for her to spend with them.

On that note, let me tell you about the big blow-up I had with my mom because I let Rosslyn stay with them and never let the girls stay with her. Once she found that out, all hell broke loose. She was accusing me of being snooty and said that I couldn't see past dollar signs (what?!) and a whole bunch of stuff. Even had the nerve to bring up my dad and ask me how he would feel if he knew I was keeping the girls from her. Bottom line is I don't like how she's lived her life in the past and I'm ready to move on from that and I don't feel comfortable leaving my kids in an environment that I don't see fit for them. I don't want my kids to be raised thinking that their lifestyle is an acceptable way to live.

Anyway, moving on.... I got the cloth diapers I ordered for Aurelia on Monday and I am absolutely in love!! There isn't much bad I can say about them. I do have to double up in the inserts because with one, they leak. I love all the designs, I love her fluffy butt, she loves them and I just throw them in the wash with all our other clothes. I've been using Charlie's soap on everything so there is no residue on anything and the Charlie's soap has actually made some of our whites brighter. They were definitely a great investment. Jordan doesn't like putting them on her though lol. Oh well, mama can do it. And for when there's a poop diaper, I just shake off what I can in the toilet then go to the kitchen and use our sink sprayer to get off most everything else then clean out the sink with soap and water.

I bought a really cute dress last night at walmart and I may wear it to school on Monday. It's made to look like a t-shirt and a high-waisted skirt but my love handles stick out pretty bad. I can't wait till we get out of this cold snap (hello, barely above 50 for the past 4 days, boo) and I can go walking at the track with the girls. Or do something... I wish we could afford a treadmill. Or even had the room for one. But, we do have the Kinect and I just downloaded the Zumba demo so I'm gonna try that out.

Other than that, not much else has happened. My sister and her boyfriend came over tonight and I got him set up with his FAFSA and got him applied to the community college. That way both of them will be starting in the fall. Well, I'm going to go do some Zumba and Dance Central for a little bit because I have the motivation to right now. Let's see how long that lasts lol.

Catching up because I'm lame

2011-03-18T19:47:00.002-04:00

I really don't know why I haven't blogged in so long. I was on spring break and I was at my in-laws so I had ample opportunity to do so. And I've had opportunities this week too but I haven't had the motivation. I've been in a slump like this the same time last year. Eh, I'll blog when I can. I really want to throw myself full-force into my blog and dedicate lots of time to it but part of me wonders what for? My insecurities are resurfacing even online. I know I have a few people who I talk to on twitter and blogs a lot but I feel that they have their own groups and I'm not part of them. Bloggers can get very cliquey. Maybe I wouldn't feel this way if I was part of a clique but looking from the outside, it's kind of lonely.

Moving on....

Last week we had our first glimpse of spring-like weather and it was beyond amazing. I love winter and snow so much but I'm ready to see colors everywhere again! Here are some pictures I took of the girls outside on that day.

WHW: I heart Camping

2011-03-10T21:52:00.003-05:00

Yes, I know it's Thursday and I didn't link up but if you go to briemarie.net, every Wednesday you can go to weheartit.com and post pictures of things you love.

Jordan's first vacation is a week off in September and originally we had planned on taking a trip to Savannah, GA but Jordan wants us to go camping instead. We're planning on "roughing it." Pitching a tent, fishing, walking an unpaved trail, the whole nine yards. Maybe a couple steps up from what he used to do when he went out to the field when he was in the Marines. But, here are some pictures I found on weheartit.com of camping.

Show and Tell: Book

2011-03-07T10:26:00.002-05:00

Go here to check out the challenges.

Show:

And Tell:
This originally started as a piece for Scavenger Hunt Sunday but I didn't take enough pictures. It is of my husband's Fallout New Vegas Strategy Guide. I love watching him play the game...it's so interesting and the little guy on front is PipBoy, he's on this device you wear on your arm that shows you how much money you have, your location, all your weapons and things of that nature.I like how the book itself already has a texture on it. It's supposed to look like it had went through a Nuclear bomb. It's pretty looking, I think.

Hello, March!!!

2011-03-03T01:16:00.002-05:00

Yes, I've been a super lame blogger as of late. Things have just been so crazy hectic around here that when I have free time, I'd rather spend it with my family you know. But I'm now on spring break and don't have to go back to class until March 12th I believe. First off, let me show you all what Miss Aurelia can do!!!

She can roll over!! She's so big now! She's rolling over all the time and last night she rolled over from her belly to her back. I have more of the girls that I'll post soon.

New house pictures!

2011-02-24T01:25:00.003-05:00

Well, these are just of the living room and kitchen, considering it's all we have put together now but movers are coming in the morning to the old house and everything will be brought over here and we can sort through everything then.

Also, I ordered our new bedding from target tonight and I can't wait for it to get here!! It's going to be so awesome!!

Hiatus...

2011-02-23T00:40:00.001-05:00

I've been on one. Things have been crazy busy because we've been moving all week and we've hired movers to come to our old house and transport everything to our new house. So, if you like, please request to follow me on twitter I'm @Sheaisawesome or Search Shea Posey and add me on Facebook if you please too, same name. Until then, I'll chec ya later!

30 DoB- Day 4

2011-02-13T15:24:00.002-05:00

day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have

Being lazy. I am super lazy. You can see by how long it's taken me to get around to doing day 4. I'd rather lay on the couch and watch tv than do just about anything else. I hate cleaning. But every now and then I get a wild hair and go on a cleaning spree. I love sleep. I wish I wasn't so lazy because it causes me to put things off until the last minute and then I rush to do them. Like now, I have a paper due tomorrow and I haven't even started on it. Or even started to read the chapter about it. Ugh, I'm so lazy lol. I really do wish I could break this habit because if I wasn't lazy, I'm sure my house would be immaculate, my girls would be taken care of, and all my school work would be done. Not only that but since I'm lazy, I don't like to work out and that's why my body is the way it is. Hopefully with that, once the weather changes I'll be able to go outside and start the couch to 5K or something.

30 DoB Day 3

2011-02-11T22:16:00.003-05:00

A picture of you as a kid
(Yes I know I'm late but my schedule's been messed up so I haven't been on the computer much)

Ugh, I hate whoever tried to edit this just used paint to take out the redness from my eyes. Anyway, this is me. I have a curly 'fro and I'm wearing a "Coke is it" shirt. I'm not sure how old I am but I wanna say around 3 or 4. Any resemblances to the girls?

30 DoB- Day 2

2011-02-09T10:37:00.002-05:00

day 2- the meaning behind your blog name

Lovin' Every Minute of it.

That's the name of my blog.
Why?

Because no matter how crazy this life I lead can be, through the ups and downs, ins and outs, good times and bad, I love every minute of it. Because it's my life and I wouldn't change it for anything.

The URL on the other hand is a modification of a line from an Incubus song. I goes "to resist is to piss in the wind/ anyone who does will end up smelling/ knowing this, why do I defy?/ Because my inner voice is yelling.

30 DoB- Day 1

2011-02-07T21:45:00.002-05:00

day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

OK, 15 things:

1. I'm a middle child.
2. I love history, I wanted to be an archivist but I had trouble finding jobs for that so I'm going back to my original plan of becoming an 8th grade history teacher.
3. I'm left handed. I think Aurelia may be left handed too.
4. I've only been to one concert my whole life and that was Incubus in 2004. I wish they would tour the US again soon because I would definitely see them again.
5. If I'm ever having a down day, I listen to some Incubus or Red Hot Chili Peppers and my day is instantly better.
6. As a child, I was diagnosed with ADHD and was prescribed Ritalin then Zoloft. Ritalin made me super jittery and Zoloft seemed to help and I've been pretty good about focusing but I definitely do tend to wander off from time to time.
7. I wish I was a better cook.
8. My husband hates that I sing with songs. He thinks I should just enjoy the song but I do enjoy it when I'm singing.
9. I wish I was more organized. I am unbelievably messy and I hate it.
10. I wish I wore dresses more but I can't find any cute ones.
11. I kind of feel like I'm living life in reverse. I got married at 19, had a kid when I was 21 and I'm just now focusing on school while everyone else I know have careers.
12. I love to pop my knuckles, back, hips, whatever.
13. I miss my dad a lot. I think if he were alive, I would have an amazing relationship with him.
14. I love taking photos and hope to start a photography service in the next couple months as a hobby.
15. I keep thoughts to myself a lot and it causes major fights between Jordan and I because I don't tell him how I feel.

30 Days of blogging-premiering tomorrow!

2011-02-06T19:47:00.002-05:00

So the awesome Eva at Lovers in a Dangerous Time is doing a 30 day blogging project. I kind of love these things. It's a blog post everyday and all my readers get to know more about me!! I'll be starting mine tomorrow so I can get a good picture of me first. Feel free to join in and link up on her blog if you want!! I have a feeling days 13 and 15 will be hard because I haven't read that many books and I don't have many songs on my iPod so I may cheat and use Pandora.
Here are the days and the prompts:

day 1- recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
day 2- the meaning behind your blog name
day 3- a picture of you as a child
day 4- a habit that you wish you didn’t have
day 5- a picture of somewhere you've been
day 6- favorite super hero and why
day 7- a picture of someone/something that has had the biggest impact on you
day 8- short term goals for this month and why
day 9- something you're proud of in the past few days
day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad
day 11- write a bucket list of things you want to do before you die
day 12- write a poem to someone you love
day 13- your 5 favorite books and why
day 14- a picture of you and your family
day 15- put your ipod on shuffle: first 10 songs that play
day 16- a picture of yourself
day 17- someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
day 18- plans/dreams/goals you have
day 19- write about a sweet memory from your past
day 20- write a letter to someone
day 21-a picture of something that makes you happy
day 22- what makes you different from everyone else
day 23- something you crave a lot
day 24- post your favorite quote or verse of scripture and why
day 25- what I would find in your bag
day 26- list 10 things that you are thankful for
day 27- my day job verses my passion
day 28- cruise a thesaurus and pick out 10 words you like the sound of
day 29 - favorite tv shows and why you like them
day 30 - movies you can watch again and again.

The husband and I have expensive tastes....lol

2011-02-06T13:17:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure what the purpose of this blog post is, I just want to write and I guess that's all that matters.

As I stated in my previous entry, we'll be getting a fair amount back in taxes (not sure if I should share that, I don't want to sound boastful) but aside from paying off major debt and being fairly debt-free for a couple in their mid-twenties, Jordan and I are going to have some fun money to spend. And of course besides getting all of us new clothes, we get to spend it however we like. Jordan likes to spend nearly any extra money he gets on electronics and accessories. Like one night we just took a notion to buy a new 42" tv. And I recently bought a printer for my computer that I bought over the summer. But with our tax money, Jordan wants to buy a 32" television for our bedroom. I said "I don't want the tv to be the main focus of our bedroom" he said "it's my money and I want to watch a nice tv when I'm going to bed." lol Can't argue with him there. I guess what I'm getting at is we like to "see" where our money is being spent. He has a custom Dell computer, I have an HP touchscreen computer, we're addicted to the DVR, we have an Xbox, I have a Nikon DSLR. They're all things we use everyday so it's not like we squander away our money on pointless things.

He also has plans to build an arsenal, so to speak. In case anything "goes down." His words, not mine. And yes, it's always good to have at least one weapon of self-defense in your house and I think being in the Marine Corps has made him a gun enthusiast. Not necessarily a gun nut but he's all the time planning out custom made rifles and such. He honestly, to my knowledge that he's shared with me, has at least 6 different random ideas floating around in his head. From a submarine made out of plastic storage bins to a custom made paintball gun and a free source of energy dealing with magnets. Gotta love him. I really do, his mind is so busy and he tinkers with things all the time. And that love of taking things apart and putting them back together in a different way has spilled over to Rosslyn. She is so very dexterous and can open a dvd case, turn on the Xbox, put in the movie and wait for me to hit play. And she'll all the time re-purpose one of her toys for something else. And I love it. I can't believe how smart she is.

Anyways, with my extra money, after spending it on bedding and a desk, I plan on getting a new tattoo. I already printed out the image I want, we just need the money, I need to decide which shop to get it done at, and someone to watch the kids while it's being done. This is where all my extra money goes. If I'm not pregnant. I have gotten a tattoo every year since I've turned 20 when I got my first one. To say they are addictive is an understatement. Yes, there is pain but it's worth it. And I'm not worried about how they'll look when I'm 80, because I hope by then, I'll be modest enough to cover up the areas my tattoos are located on. But for now, I'm going to live it up and celebrate how I want to. I asked Jordan if it bothered him that I liked tattoos so much and he said "no, that's what you like and if that's what you want to spend your money on, that's fine." I have had this tattoo planned for a while, I just needed the extra money. And I can't wait to get it. But I'm not sure when that will be. But when I know, I'll let you all know. So, I guess what I'm trying to get with this post is Jordan and I like to spend money. And we don't spend it on ridiculous stuff. Like Jordan's not wanting a crotch rocket or something like that. We love tv, guns and tattoos. The American dream....hahahah

New house, new blankets and a room for Miss Rosslyn!

2011-02-04T17:07:00.002-05:00

So we're moving fairly soon into our new place and I'm so excited. It's so new and updated I just can't wait to be there. Anyway, with our tax money, we'll be paying off Jordan's truck, paying on some credit cards and we'll still have enough to put into savings and enough for Jordan and I to split and spend however we choose. I am choosing to buy cloth diapers and all the accessories, clothes for myself and the girls, a new lens for my camera, new bedding and a new desk. And we're going to try putting Rosslyn in her own room in her own bed. It's a pretty big leap from co-sleeping to a toddler bed. But we're getting her some cute bedding and the room is right across the hall so I think she'll be ok. First, here's the bedding I'm getting for our bed:

I'm pairing it with some gray sheets and a gray box style bedskirt (I don't like the ruffly ones) and I think it'll look pretty nice. I have an idea for some art using scrapbook sheets and just putting them in cheapy frames so I'll think about that.

This is Rosslyn's bedding:

I wanted something really cute for her but she chose this one and I think she'll be more willing to sleep in her own bed if she's sleeping in sheets that are of her favorite show.

And here is the desk I'm planning on getting. Right now, my computer is on the kitchen table and since we really don't use the table, we're gonna put it in storage and I'm downsizing to a small desk.

Everything is from Target. And I'll have to order them online since we don't have one close enough to us. And I don't want to make a trip to Knoxville just for Target.

Also, I'm going to be stopping by the new house tonight so I'll take pictures of it and show everyone!! Have a great weekend!!

Regional Dialect Meme! See me and hear me!

2011-02-04T01:40:00.004-05:00

After seeing several people do this, I figured I'd give it a shot so you all can hear what a deep Kentucky accent sounds like. I live right on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee so I'm used to hearing some of the "stranger" words people use lol. I noticed I say "I dunno" a lot. Like a lot a lot. Maybe I should stop that. Anyway, here it is! Tell me what you think? Do I sound mannish or not? And how bad is my accent?

Cloth Diapering Little Miss!

2011-02-03T15:01:00.002-05:00

For a while I had thought about cloth diapering Aurelia. I wanted to when I was pregnant with Rosslyn but we didn't have a washer and dryer so it would have been difficult. But now with Aurelia, we do and cloth diapering has become more mainstream and there are more options and it has become much easier to use them and to understand.

After going over several, several different options, I think we're going to use the Sun Baby's 4.0 They are a pocket diaper where you have the actual diaper with a PUL cover built in, and a little flap in the back where you put the inserts to absorb the pee or poop. Sun Baby's are from China and I'm not able to buy them now because of the Chinese New Year, but the store will open right around when we should be expecting our taxes back so that's good. There are so many adorable designs for the 4.0 but I think this one has to be my favorite.

Also, I need a wet bag to put the dirty diapers in while we're out and I found this adorable one on Etsy from ModMomME

So, in a couple weeks, we'll be beginning our cloth diaper journey. I will let you all know how it goes and be sure to take pictures along the way!

Day 31 - A picture of yourself

2011-02-01T00:09:00.003-05:00

This is me about 2 weeks ago after getting my hair cut.

It's been awesome doing this meme!

Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

2011-01-31T02:13:00.002-05:00

My dad. (I'm the little baby with no hair!) He passed away 11 years ago, 12 years this May. And I hate that my girls will never grow up to see their Grandpa David and experience the overwhelming love that I know he has for them like he ha for me and my sisters. I sit and wonder what my life would be like if he were still alive. Would I even be where I'm at right now? And yeah I do get sad from time to time when I think about the fact that he was never able to walk me down the aisle or see the amazing mom I am now, but I know he's always here, in my heart and in my mind and in heaven watching over all of us.

Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile

2011-01-29T14:21:00.003-05:00

My precious family.

Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of

2011-01-29T14:16:00.002-05:00

Death. Simple right? I'm not worried about whether I'm going to heaven or hell. Just the thought of not breathing, not thinking, not doing anything scares me so bad that I've had panic attacks about it. I need to get over it because it does eventually happen to everyone and there's nothing I can do to stop it. However I don't let it hinder my life now like I have in the past.

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member

2011-01-27T19:07:00.002-05:00

This is a picture of me and my cousin Jami. I lived with her for a year in Tennessee. She's in the Army and currently lives in Ohio. I even got asked to be a bride's maid at her wedding in 2009. She is one of the biggest role models in my life and has helped Jordan and I out tremendously. I love her with all my heart and aspire ti be like her in some way when I "grow up." I could go on and on about how much she helped me, she bought me my first car, helped Jordan and I out when we were short on money and always pushed me to go to college. There is nothing negative I can say about her.

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you

2011-01-26T23:43:00.004-05:00

Well, this is a hard one. I guess I'd have to go with my wedding ring set and tell you all the story behind how I got them.

After Jordan and I were married, it was sort of on a whim yet planned. I guess you could say we eloped. After that, th following weekend, which I believe was the 4th of July weekend. We were over at his friend Kenny's house and his sister Amanda asked if we had rings yet. And we didn't. She was briefly engaged to someone but broke off the engagement but was still with him. She got to keep the rings. She wasn't doing anything with them so she called her boyfriend and asked if he wouldn't mind giving them to us. And so he came over and talked with Jordan and Jordan said he didn't feel comfortable just taking them, that he had to pay for them somehow. So Amanda's boyfriend took him out and Jordan bought him 2 cans of dip (like Skoal) and he said they were square. Kind of strange how we got them but I love them so much.

Day 25 - A picture of your day

2011-01-26T23:35:00.001-05:00

Coloring with Miss Rosslyn

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change

2011-01-24T18:40:00.002-05:00

Poverty. Especially where I live in the Appalachian Mountains. It's probably one of the worst areas affected by poverty in the US. And to know that there are people all around me who might go hungry tonight? I can't stand that thought. I know some if not most of the reason why people go hungry (at least in my county) is because the money they do get (whether it be from the Government or not) goes to drugs. Some people are more worried about getting high than whether or not their kids eat tonight. I know people say we should worry about poverty of other countries and things like that. But when it's happening in the wealthiest nation in the world and hardly anyone is doing anything about it? Something's not right.

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book

2011-01-24T18:31:00.002-05:00

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. It's an amazing book and not many novels are written about World War I. The book goes in and out between fantasy and reality, because that's what's happening to the narrator. He was wounded in action and is in an English hospital. He has no arms or legs or a face. He cannot speak to communicate how he feels or what he's thinking. Until one day he remembers Morse code and uses his head to make the dots and dashes. A nurse figures out what he's doing one day and all he's asking for is to be killed. The nurse tells the doctors that and end the end, he's just left in the empty, dark hospital room.

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at

2011-01-22T12:17:00.002-05:00

Cooking.

I can bake all day long. I love making cookies, cupcakes, brownies, muffins, pancakes, waffles. Any sort of sweet treat. But when it comes down to making a meal, I have more than plenty of help from hamburger helper, banquet, Stouffer's and Betty Crocker. Jordan loves his mom's goulash and tuna noodle casserole and every time I've tried to make both, I over cook the noodles and they come out with the consistency of paste. I'm not saying I want to learn how to make bread from scratch or make a whole Thanksgiving meal by myself, I just want to learn how to fry chicken, make cornbread, fry potatoes, make pinto beans. Pretty much all the foods I grew up with.

In 2009 I received 2 cookbooks that have gotten little use and I'd really like to use them more. There are plenty of slow cooker recipes that I can try and Jordan absolutely loves seafood and I don't so that limits our recipe selection too. But I'm trying to be more open minded and will start trying to make new recipes and figure out how to cook.

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget

2011-01-22T12:06:00.003-05:00

Wow. This is hard. Because everything that's happened to me has made me who I am and I wouldn't change anything. With that being said, I would like to forget the bullying I had to go through in elementary and middle school.

I remember an incident in elementary school when a boy was sitting on top of me, had me pinned down on the ground and was picking on me. And another time in middle school when I was called a "tag along" and that I didn't have any real friends and just followed this one girl around. Words hurt and they stick. No matter how much I try to forget about it, that mean girl in middle school always sticks out in my mind and I always wonder if I'm really friends with someone or if they just consider me a tag along. And believe me, girls are a million times worse than boys at bullying. Because they get in your head and plant ideas in your mind. There wasn't a movie called Mean Girls for no reason. I pray to God my girls never get bullied but I pray even harder that they never bully anyone.

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel

2011-01-20T18:35:00.003-05:00

This will have several pictures

Australia

Peru to see Macchu Picchu

Hawaii

Ireland

New Zealand

Day 19 - A picture and a letter

2011-01-20T16:07:00.003-05:00

To my beautiful, sweet girls,
I love you both with all my heart. You two are the greatest treasure a mommy could ever have. I want you both to know that you are able to accomplish anything you want, no matter how absurd (within reason). And know that your father and I will stand behind you 100% no matter what. If either of you wants to become an actor, be in the military, be a professional athlete or a stay-at-home-mom, we will support you in all your endeavors. You should never give up on your dreams and always shoot for the stars.

Also know that you do not have to fit in. It's better to stand out. Never try to be something you're not. Be an individual. Also, treat everyone with respect and dignity. You are no better than anyone else. But always strive to be a better person. Life is hard, especially for girls but I know both of you will grow up and be amazing people. I love you all so much and no matter what, I just want you both to be happy.
Love,
mom

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity

2011-01-18T19:34:00.003-05:00

My body. This picture was taken on New Year's eve and I hate it. It's supposed to motivate me to eat better and exercise. I hate how wide I look. Believe it or not, but I'm the biggest out of all of my sisters. I hate my love handles, I hate the indentation between them and my hips. I hate how big my hips are, I hate my stretch marks, I hate my flabby, saggy skin. I could go on. I know I have the excuse that I just had a baby 2 months ago but I feel like I could look better. I have slipped up several times and have had pop and other sweets. It's so hard to break the habit of buying them and having them in the house. Yesterday I made 2 dozen cupcakes and there are only 10 left. Not all of them were eaten by me, Jordan had a heavy hand in it too but he's skinny as a rail and actually wants to put weight on. So yeah, my body is my biggest insecurity.

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

2011-01-18T19:24:00.002-05:00

Coughing and sickness. Rosslyn has had a bad cough/runny nose the past couple of days. And Aurelia has had the sniffles for a few days as well. It's so bad that I practically stay up all night to make sure the girls are breathing and I seem to only get sleep after 7am. Which is bad because today we slept in until 11:30. I know it's probably just the weather but it's awful to hear and see your kids suffering and knowing that there is little you can do about it. Just give them medicine, lots of fluids and relax. On the plus side though, Rosslyn has been unbelievably well behaved.

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you

2011-01-16T22:53:00.003-05:00

This is hard.... because even though I have a lot of people I look up to, I don't know who really inspires me. But I guess if I had to name someone, I'd say Andrew W.K. Strange, I know. But I follow him on Twitter and nearly everything he tweets is inspirational and uplifting. He says a lot of things are partying but if you look at it, it pretty much applies to everyday life. Here are some of his tweets:
PARTY TIP: Happiness is not a achievement - it is a choice. A choice made easier when partying.

PARTY TIP: Everything we hate weakens us. Everything we love gives us more party power.

Party hard, my friends. Party hard.

Day 15 - Something you want to do before you die

2011-01-15T15:26:00.002-05:00

Travel. Especially to New Zealand and Australia.

I have barely been outside of the surrounding states of Kentucky and I would love to go to New Zealand so bad. It's just so gorgeous with its mountains and beaches and best of all, it's a predominantly English speaking nation so I wouldn't have to worry about the language barrier.

Day 14

2011-01-14T14:11:00.003-05:00

[b]A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without[/b]

My girls. I love them so much.

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist

2011-01-13T11:28:00.002-05:00

Favorite. Band. Ever. Can't get enough of them!

Also, coming in a close second is:

Day 12- A Picture of Something You Love

2011-01-12T11:06:00.004-05:00

Of course, I love my family and friends and although I'd post a picture of them, I think the point of this challenge is to get to know me a little better. Scratch below the surface and find out more about me. So in lieu of the sort of generic "family" post, I love sleep and covering up and staying in bed or on the couch all day watching tv. I know it's super lazy but I just love to cuddle up with my girls and have a do nothing day. Which always inevitably catches up with me.

Day 11: A picture of something you hate

2011-01-11T11:07:00.003-05:00

This is tough. Because I don't have a hatred for too many things yet on the other hand, I can't stand so many things.

I hate bills. It's definitely my least favorite part about being an adult. Today I had to shell out over $200 just for electricity and our satellite bill. Ridiculous. Puke.

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the craziest things with

2011-01-11T11:02:00.002-05:00

My best friends Sybil and Jamie. Even though the three of us haven't hung out in like 8 months, before kids and marriage, we were almost inseparable. We've been best friends since our senior year in high school. And although all three of us live in three different states, once we're all together, it's like we were never separated.

Day 09: A picture of someone who has gotten you through the most

2011-01-10T20:33:00.003-05:00

I know it may be a generic answer but Jesus really has gotten me through so much. If I'm upset, I pray. Worried, I pray. I leave it all up to Him and so far, things have turned out pretty good for us.

Day 08: A Picture that Makes You Laugh

2011-01-08T19:12:00.001-05:00

Jordan during his first deployment to Iraq....hilarious!

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item

2011-01-07T12:30:00.003-05:00

I don't have an actual picture of it but it's a patch that Jordan gave me of his battalion logo thing that he wore while he was in Iraq.

To think that he wanted to save that and give it to me to keep really touches my heart. I have that and all the Letters he wrote to me in boot camp. But I don't have a picture of that either.

Day 06- Someone I'd like to trade places with for a day

2011-01-06T20:58:00.002-05:00

Explorer Josh Bernstein.

He's been everywhere. He's searched for the Ark of the Covenant, the City of El Dorado, Stonehenge, Macchu Pichu, and so many more. Plus he's really passionate about organizations like the Explorer's Club and the Global Heritage Foundation. And he's an amazing photographer. To be in his shoes when he's on one of his expeditions would be amazing. *plus he isn't too bad to look at either*

Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory

2011-01-06T11:20:00.003-05:00

*I know this is a day late but I'm doubling up today because we went to bed before I could blog*

I honestly have so many favorite memories. From when Jordan came home from deployment both times, to when both of the girls were born. I guess My most favorite memory would be Jordan coming home from his second deployment and meeting Rosslyn for the first time.

WHW: I ♥ Red Hair

2011-01-05T01:42:00.003-05:00

Find some stuff on We Heart It, go there and link up!!

So on Thursday I'm getting my hair cut and colored. And I'm going to do something a little dramatic and go red. And I am excited. Jordan keeps saying "you should try red hair." Mainly after watching episodes of Mythbusters and him seeing Kari Byron on there. But I don't think I want to go orange-red, more of a ruby red. I just hope it looks ok on me. And like many people have said, it's just hair. It grows back. I figure I've almost always played it safe with my hair and it's time for me to spice it up a little! Anyways, here are some red hair pictures I found on We Heart It that I love.

Day 04- A picture of your night

2011-01-04T21:10:00.003-05:00

My sweet girls and I enjoying some Glee. Rosslyn looks like a hoodlum with her chocolatey mouth... hahahaha.

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show

2011-01-03T23:12:00.003-05:00

This is going to be hard. Considering I have a tie between like 4 of them.

American Dreams

Spartacus Blood and Sand

How I Met Your Mother

Greek

Yes, I am a tv whore lol

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

2011-01-02T12:35:00.002-05:00

This is a tough one. It would be a tie between me and my little sister Talia. I love her so much. I feel like we always connected better than me and my older sister Sam. Because Sam was always so bossy and she had moved in with her boyfriend at the time while she was still in high school. To this day, pending whether she's working or not, I can call Talia and ask if she wants to go get something to eat or go to walmart and she almost always says yes.

This was us at her bachelorette party in 2007. She's had a few if you can't tell.

Or Jordan, of course. I've been with him going on 7 years now and I am most open and honest with him.

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts

2011-01-01T14:16:00.003-05:00

(Taken with the Instagram app on my iPhone)

Let's see....10 facts about me:

1.) I'm left-handed
2.) I love food...just about any kind. I kind of went overboard (to me) when I was pregnant with eating whatever I wanted. I know I'm not overweight my any means but I need to get out of the "eat anything you want" mindset.
3.)My dad died when I was 11 and I've only been to his grave twice. Once on the day of his funeral and again about 4 years ago. The graveyard is just so far back in the woods that you need a 4-wheel drive to get to it so that's why I haven't been more.
4.)I love history. Especially American history, moreover from the Gilded Age to WWII. It's my dream to become an archivist for the state historical society but I need to finish school and it's kind of hard to get in a lot of history classes when you live in such a small town and all the community college cares about here is criminal justice degrees.
5.)I moved myself and my 3 month old daughter to North Carolina all by myself.Jordan was deployed and I had moved home, had Rosslyn and it was about 2 weeks before he gt back and we moved to Jacksonville. I had signed the lease to our apartment, had cable, internet and electricity all set up on my own. And all I took with us in my tiny suzuki aerio was our tv, an air mattress, blankets and our clothes. My in-laws would later come with our kitchen table, futon, bed and all that but I did that by myself!
6.) I love taking pictures. I don't have a camera that's super fancy (Nikon D3000) but it takes amazing photos and if there weren't so many little people around here who think just because they have a DSLR makes them a photographer, and if I had a permanent edition of Photoshop elements, I would start a photography business. Jordan thinks I should...but I don't know. Maybe one endeavor in 2011...
7.) I am super lazy and a procrastinator. But I hate a mess. Here lately, it's been easier for me to get up and clean but conversely, now that I have two kids, I have less time to devote to cleaning.
8.) I hate shoes. Normally I wear flip-flops all summer long and it's the first thing I do when I come in is take my shoes off.
9.) I LOVE tattoos. If I had the funding, I would be covered in them. I'm hoping to get another tattoo when tax time rolls around, I'll be starting on my half sleeve on my right arm.
10.) I get distracted to easily....it's hard for me to focus and this isn't good when it comes to having 2 kids. Jordan freaks out if I don't run to the baby immediately if she makes a whimper. He says I have no sense of urgency... but I will cut him some slack because he wasn't around when Rosslyn was a newborn so every little cry and noise that Aurelia makes worries him.

31 Day Photo Challenge

2011-01-01T11:14:00.002-05:00

Some of my bloggy buddies are doing this and I thought what better time to start it than a new month and year?? I'll do the first post later today but here is the list!

31 Day Photo challenge:

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of your night
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the craziest things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 - A picture and a letter
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 - A picture of your day
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss
Day 31 - A picture of yourself

Because everyone's doing it.....

2010-12-31T12:59:00.003-05:00

My new year's resolutions for 2011 are:
Take better care of myself.

Simple enough right? I wish so. I want to try to work out or use the kinect at least twice a week and when the weather gets nice, take the girls to the track to play and walk around. I also want to wear something besides sweats or pajamas more often. I want to straighten my hair and wear makeup more. I want to find a tooth whitening system and use it and be continuous with it. With being a mom of a 2 (almost 3) year old and a new baby, I've kind of lost myself in the blur of nursing, diapers, sippy's, juice, stories, bath time, dishes, supper, mopping, cleaning and diapers (there's a lot). And I know that if I care more about myself, I'll be willing to care more about my husband (not that I don't love him tremendously but lately we've become complacent and stale) and hopefully our relationship will continue to grow.

I know it sounds dumb but if I feel better about myself, I will take pride in other things I do and I think it will help my self esteem. I know it's kind of a circular way of thinking but it's hard for me to get out what I'm thinking in my head.

I would like to get to my pre-pregnancy weight but if I don't that's ok. I just want to feel better about myself. Starting tomorrow (January 1st, 2011) I will no longer drink pop and I will try to limit my fast food and sweets intake. The latter will be super hard because I love chocolate like nobody's business. It's just something I'll have to power through, or at least try to. I'm not going to beat myself up if I slip once in a while. If I have pop, it will be a sprite, no dark colas though.

I would like to say that I want to go vegetarian or vegan but I love chicken, I couldn't give that up. Steaks, I could. Hamburger? maybe. Pork? probably not. But given where we live and our limited access to vegan and good vegetarian foods and our budget, I'm just going to have to eat more sensible and control my portions. I know I'm in no way overweight but I just want to be happy with myself. On Christmas day, I weighed 137.7lbs. My pre-pregnancy weight was 125. If I can get there, I'll be happy. Any lower and I'd be thrilled. But I want to work out because after having 2 kids, I have a saggy stomach. It's not super bad but it grosses me out. And I will try running, sit-ups, whatever to try to tighten that back up. We'll have to see how tomorrow (and 2011) goes and we'll go from there.

Also I'll be doing the 30 day picture challenge tomorrow so keep a look out for that!!
Happy new year everyone and may God bless you and your family in the new year!!

Christmas pictures....finally!

2010-12-30T23:40:00.003-05:00

I promise....

2010-12-29T11:50:00.002-05:00

a new picture post is coming soon....as soon as the girls are asleep and the house is taken care of.

We had a good Christmas and I hope everyone else did as well!