Wordless Wednesday ~ Just Hangin' Around

She's my monkey girl. Does this as often as she can at the park.

Go Wordless Here...

Tackle It Tuesday ~ The Garage

Our garage is a complete catastrophe! We are currently using it for storage, baby crib, bikes, toys..etc. But with the winter months getting closer, my husband and I are making it a goal to clean out the garage enough to get our van in. We had started earlier this spring/summer, decided to take a break and just never got back to it. Praying and crossing our fingers this job will be done before the snow starts to fall. Happy Tackling Tuesday!

It's All About The Memories

There are memories in life that you cherish, you can remember them by a photo or souvenir. You see them and are instantly brought to that moment in time. For me especially, if I see something that reminds me of a loved one who isn't here anymore it's that much more special and meaningful.

For the last year or so, my mom has been taking my daughter to Barnes and Noble where they have story time. There she has made a friend with the lady who reads the stories. They have this routine where they listen to the story and afterward do a craft that goes along with the it. I went with them the first time and really got into it. I was very hopeful that this was something she (my daughter) would enjoy and want to go to each time.

What's really neat is that afterward, my mom will buy my daughter a cookie of her choosing and they will sit down and talk, or maybe read books together, that I'm not really sure of. But the smile on my daughter's face when she comes home and tells me about her time there tells me that she had the best time. And as of late, she has been giving the reading lady a hug before she leaves. How sweet!

In her room, my daughter has every craft she's made since she started doing this with my mom. I'll put them somewhere safe until she's older and hopefully these memories she's making will flood her mind and bring a smile to her face. The crafts themselves will get old and fade, but the memories she's making now will last a lifetime.

That Went Well...

Actually it didn't. At least for me anyways. Praying my son is doing well. He's been there a couple hours now and I'm sure he's fine. Started MY school routine, went to bed at a reasonable time so I could get enough shut eye, but ended up waking up at 4 this morning. Took me 2 hours to get back to sleep which left me with an hour to sleep. But that's ok, it gave me a chance to pray for this day and read a little. Things went fairly smoothly for the two of us this morning and I was able to drop him off at a reasonable time.

But that's when it all went south. I had asked him a few weeks ago if he had wanted me to come into the school with him and he politely told me that that was ok. He could do it himself. I'm ok with that, honestly. The route he's dropped off has changed, a bit more complicated and can be busier than before, but I would've gone in with him anyways. So, as we're driving I start to tear up, I can feel myself start to lose it so I bite my lip. Didn't work that time, I just thought I'd wing it and maybe I would stop once I started praying. That didn't happen. TOTALLY lost it, and as I'm looking in my rear view mirror I can see him looking at me with this expression like "What is going on?" I told him I was ok, just so proud of him and sad that he was growing up so fast. Thankfully I was able to get that under control and finish my prayer.

We pulled into the school parking lot and saw that it wasn't as busy as we thought, I was able to pull up to the curb and that's when I lost it again. I told him "I'm ok bud, I'm ok. I love you and I'll see you after school." Poor guy was about to cry but get that under control better than me. I saw him walk up the steps and I thought he didn't know where to go, but I saw him walking with someone he must know, so that put my mind at ease.

I really thought it would get easier with each school year. And granted, as I'm sitting here typing this I'm alright. It's just me having to let him go again. He isn't just down the hall from me like church, and I'm ok with that. I'm excited to see how his day went, but I'm happy for the break.

The Big Day Approaches

2 days to go until that fateful day. First day of school. Am I excited you may ask? This mom is. I can't speak for all of you out there, but this mom is ready to be minus one kiddo during the day.
I say that in all sincerity because he is so bored and so whiny! I can't seem to give him anything to do that will keep him unbored for more than 10 minutes. I'm really excited to see how 2nd grade and him go together. He did extremely well last school year, I'm so proud :)

We were able to meet his teacher as well, I like her already. She and my son seemed to have hit it off like any teacher and student would the first time they met. And I even asked him if he wanted me to come into the school and he said that he was ok. I will so cry (bawl) like a baby when he gets out of the car. But I'm so proud of him that I'm more excited that nervous. I mean, come on, it's the first day of school, he's my first born, I think I'm allowed to feel this way. How does you/your child feel about the first day of school?

Wordless Wednesday ~ New Set Of Wheels

A present from his Papa and Nana for learning to ride his bike without training wheels.

Go Wordless Here...

Baby Star Rock The Tote Diaper Bag Giveaway

The one thing I love about twitter, well and blogging is the giveaways that are featured! Some places I've never even heard about, but offer such adorable clothes, or good books or items for every day at home. At first I thought having a twitter account was just for writing down your thoughts or chit chatting with a fellow twitterer.

So while I was twittering away today I came across a comment about a giveaway from a place called Baby Star. I'm one to shop online for clothes for my kids, albeit it doesn't happen very often, but it's the route I'd rather take. I'm not much of a shopper when it comes to doing that in a store. I feel more at ease and can take my time when I'm in front of my computer and can decide with an open mind what I want.

What Baby Star is having is a giveaway to win a really cool tote. Like the one below:



(how adorable is that!!)

Here's a little snippet about the bag:

It’s time to Rock The Tote with the new diaper bag from baby star. beautifully crafted with the modern mom (or dad) in mind. this diaper bag has room for what you need on the run, even a lap top. features a wide zipper pocket on one side and two open pockets on the other side that can hold a wipe case, bottle or cell phone. also includes matching changing pad and a BPA free wipe case.

size: 18″ wide x 15″ tall (top 15 wide)
styles: offered in the daisy chain, four square blue, tag pink & blue, flutter pink & blue prints,
materials: the print is produced with a BPA-free laminate.

all products are FORMALDEHYDE-FREE and AZO-FREE, making them safe for baby and the environment.

It's safe and adorable! How cool is that. So get to your twitter accounts and check out the Baby Star website above. Good luck!