Party Prep Sneak Peak

We had a snow day here with the -19 degree temps...which meant a lot of cabin fever to fill. So I tried my hand at the Canon paper craft side and spent WAY too much time working on these. But I liked how they turned out and it was actually a little bit addicting as you precisely cut out each part and pre-assemble each to then go together for the final piece. 

They actually have quite a selection of things you can print and build at home. You can find the polar bear download here. Bow-tie was my own personal addition :)

I do recommend spring loaded Fiskars scissors along with Tacky Glue that you apply with a fine artist bruch for all those tiny glue folds. 

Times Like These...

It is during these months where I think I miss home the most. In my attempts of trying to tame my fabric stash, I came across some particular samples. They were bought for me while I was down in San Diego on vacation last summer. It was a special time for me since it was a trip with just myself and Nolan. I didn't have any real agenda to fulfill and it was a time to just bond with my mother.

Right now, I am looking at about 5-6 inches of snow on the ground. My house needs some serious TLC in the cleaning dept, but will have to wait until things warm up and we can air the place out. Back home, people are walking around in shirts and shorts while on the beach in 80 degree temps for January.

There is something very comforting about being back home to where I can easily slip into a comfortable routine. I know where everything is to travel to. There are lots of free things to do outside, and the taco shops are almost always 24 hours. Going back home is a process of having to fly to a larger airport which then gets me to San Diego and also finding the extra cash for the ticket. Eliza is too old now to fly on one of our laps which only increases the cost of us ALL going out as a family.

Right now, I don't know when I'll be back home again, but I am anxiously awaiting the visit from my mom come spring time to bring some of that sun and nice weather with her :)

From the Sewing Machine

I decided to get a little crafty while the kids were put to bed by Mr. G last night. This clearance Garanimals top is a bit big for Nolan, but that just means we'll get extra time out of my efforts!

Mid Week Confessions and Catch up

Yes, I know its been awhile, butletmeexplain....


1. What I thought I was milking to get out of going to church on Sunday turned into a trip to the ER that afternoon....with one husband and TWO kids.

2. I got to have a whooping cough test done which involves a wire rod with a swab stuck 4-5 inches up.each.nose. I do not recommend it, even for those who love to Netipot.

3. I ask the receptionist to black out my weight on the discharge paperwork after a doctor's appointment...only then to peek and make out the numbers through the sharpie.

4. I may or may not play with the kids toys after they go to bed and build things like this...

  

5. I have the largest pile of missing kid socks.

6. With this horrible cough, it has caused me to pee myself a little when a fit hits me. I may have also used breast pads as a quick fix until I got home.

7. I would pay good money if someone invented a high chair that had an industrial strength wet/dry shop vac built in.

8. I am an unconscious bed hog according to Mr. G.

9. I sometimes will try and get a little more time out of a diaper when we are out of the house and the poop is an all contained nugget that I can just let fall out into the trash. Because I swear, they do it right after I've changed them and about to walk into the daycare.

10. Still struggling or being content of the thought of never going through the baby chapter again...seems exciting and then depressing when someone posts newborn hospital pictures on facebook.  

Getting my Craft On

So with the help of a friend offering their place to host Nolan's 1st birthday, I am off and running with ideas for his special day. I have gravitated to using a polar bear and bowties as the theme. After looking at images of polar bear illustrations, I whipped up this little ditty in Illustrator. Eliza had an old fashioned ice cream parlor theme and many of the decorations and invites were also done in illustrator.

Let's see just how much I do on the second child as far as DIY projects go. I about ran myself into the ground with the girl, and sadly it didn't look like I whole bunch.

Different-

From cake pops to cupcakes
Snacky foods to light pizza
Church gym to private home venue
No photo booth to trying a photo back drop with props
Monthly progression headshots on ice cream cones to heads with bowties
Paper hand crafted invite to Facebook evite

I will still make a smash cake, but this time around I'll make it a tad smaller.

2014 Prayersolutions

Lord;

In this new year, I would like answers to some very long awaited questions for the future of our family.

Would it be better to purchase a house for our needs than trying to find something to rent which better fits our needs and saves us money?

I pray that we are able to move to another state that will help us move closer to our ultimate goal. We've felt like a black sheep and shunned into a place of being ignored when we cry out for help.

Please guide the growth of our family. If we are to have a 3rd child, please let it be known with a peace. Or if we are complete in the growing of our family, let it be also known with a peace and contentment that it is okay to let go of the baby gear instead of holding on to fear that we'd need it later on. Right now, I am open to either path, but enjoying the stage that Nolan is at and the bond our children are making as siblings.

Please let Eliza continue to qualify for free physical and speech therapy after her 3rd birthday.

Help Mr. G and I better our marriage and communication. Also for us to work more as a team in taking care of the house needs. I feel that our only child pasts hinder our ability to be less selfish with our time and energy.

You know of the unmentioned requests that I can't really write here, so I leave you this and look forward to 2015 and look back at this post.

Amen

Re-Cap of 2013 Prayersolutions

2013 Prayer-Solutions

Lord;

My body is feeling very done with being pregnant. I am suppose to have 4 more weeks left, but I am very much discouraged that you won't have me go into labor on my own. Having a toddler at home to watch while I feel less than spectacular has made the second go at pregnancy much harder to deal with. Please help make this labor be easier on my body and let it do what you designed it to do with out so many medical interventions to bring Nolan into the world. While at the same time, help fill in those additional needs surrounded with maternity leave.

Oh Boy...how I was certainly NOT prepared for how different this labor was going to go down. History pretty much repeated itself while dosing out a new experience of an unplanned c-section. BUT, I was surrounded with so much love from my MOPS group and others providing resources! Breast feeding was a night and day difference and I bonded so much better and faster with Nolan compared to Eliza and the PPD.
I am finding more and more the desire to be a stay at home mom with another child almost here. You know what is best, and you know the stress I've been under while keeping the Youth Center open. But with out a better income to accompany Mr. G, or my side photography business to be consistent...I just don't know how we will handle everything with juggling more expenses/childcare.

Still waiting on this one as there are answers still waiting to come. On the other side of things, we were finally able to find a reliable and consistent daycare for the kids that has blessed us with an affordable rate. 
Help me be content with where we live. I would love to be closer to family and have the support that I know others benefit from when grandparents are near by. I also think about where my children are and the things I want them to experience about the world around them. Our area has been hit hard and it is a struggle to expose them to different cultures and opportunities.

This one has been especially hard. With having a second child, our space has only shrunk. I've struggled with living where we are and even dream of having a larger house where I could entertain and the kids could have their own space.
Please keep my babies safe and healthy. Keep Nolan strong through the rest of this pregnancy so I may hold my baby boy cry in my arms after this marathon.

Despite a few bumps of being sick here and there....they have been healthy. Eliza even got her speech and physical therapy in May, for which we are grateful.
I don't know if it is to be this year or not, but I can't help but start to see our growing family needing a bigger vehicle. By all means, please help keep our current cars in good working order and to meet our needs. This may be a "want" more so than "need", but with how big those car seats are and being able to get everyone around if not a few folks who need a ride...a mini van would be a very nice blessing.

I would not have dreamed of how this one ended up being answered. Not only did he give us a bigger vehicle, but he gave us TWO! Keeping in mind that one became totalled in the fall, the second vehicle ended up being even better than the first. It has been a great blessing in our family and the trips down to the grandparents.
Please help us grow our MOPS group. You know of the struggles we've been facing in the steering committee. Give us your guidance and peace as to where to move forward with the group.

I don't know if our group has grown per say, but it has brought in some new moms to replace those who have aged out. A blessing has been better and consistent MOPPET workers so us moms can enjoy some kid free time during the meetings :)