What was your pregnancy routine?

Lately, I catch myself thinking back to this time last year..and how I was taking my weekly belly pictures..watching my stomach grow and knowing it wouldn't be long until I met my sweet baby girl.  No..I'm not pregnant again..lol..its just the little things everyday that reminds me of 'this time last year'. 

Like today for instance, we were outside walking around the yard and I came upon my climbing rose bush.  I remember when Damon took my picture by it..literally just days before I had Makayla.  I also realized the other day during a phone conversation with my best friend that this time last year, I was in the midst of planning the final bits and pieces of my baby shower.  My BABY SHOWER!  Gosh..its so hard to believe that was just a year ago..seems like yesterday. 

(around the time I had my baby shower..check out that bump!)

So all of that brings me to this thought..when I was pregnant..especially in the last few weeks..I had a routine.  I was super tired most of the time so I would sleep about 12 hours..get up and get dressed..eat..then plop my huge self down on the couch and watch A Baby Story..and cry my eyes out every time a baby was born.  At nights before I went to bed..House Hunters and House Hunters International were my 'go-to' shows.  I couldn't get enough of them.

Funny thing is..I'm still the same way!

Only now I'm lucky to catch A Baby Story..because its on in the middle of the day and I'm usually doing stuff with Makayla then.  When I do manage to catch it on..I have to make sure Makayla doesn't see me cry cause it just upsets her!  House Hunters is still my go-to at night.

In fact, thats what we're watching now!

So..when you were pregnant, what were some of your routines?  And have you kept any of them?



Just Plain Crazy

That pretty much describes how life has been around here the past several days!  I forgot how busy we get when he's laid off from work.  It just seems like its nonstop 'something'..every day..from morning till dark.  I guess when he's working regularly we just don't have the time to do alot of things around the house.  I prefer it that way though.  :-)  Him working that is!  Anyways..here is the lowdown of what we've been up to lately...

• A couple trips made to Charleston last week
• A trip to Beckley on friday
• Trip to Logan yesterday
• Visited the health and human resources center for the first time (more of that visit below)
• Phone calls after phone calls
• Makayla turned 10 months old on saturday
• Laundry, laundry, laundry
• Church and a church dinner on sunday

Not to mention all the things Damon has been doing like starting our garden and cleaning up around the house (outside).  I SERIOUSLY need my house cleaned inside..sping cleanin' style.  I just don't have the energy to do it with keeping up with a 10 month old and everyday chores staring me in the face.  Any tips on how I can get that accomplished?

So the trip to the health and human resources center was quite the ordeal.  I had never been there before.  I went to sign Makayla up for a health card through the state b/c of Damons current layoff and to check into some help for us as well (I hate saying food stamps).  Wow..you don't know what kind of crazy people they are until you visit a place like that!!!!  As soon as I walked in the door..I had some random guy trailing me around the place (mind you..there was nobody else but the people he was with..his wife and 2 kids) trying to talk to me about the weather.  He was literally following me ALL OVER THE PLACE and making me VERY uncomfortable.  I mean..I came in with alot of documents and things of that nature..I was afraid he was going to try to grab something out of my hands!  So I finally said "excuse me" and proceeded to the window to talk to the desk clerk.  Got papers I needed to fill out and sat down in the back corner of the room so I wouldn't be in the middle of 'crazy family' again.  Wrong.  The 2 girls came running over to me wanting to make friends..mom started yelling at them..they were running and screaming around the place like wild indians while I was trying to fill out paperwork.  Then..they all came back where I was sitting and plopped themselves about 3-4 feet away.  They had the ENTIRE room and they came back there to sit next to me.  I guess I should have felt special but I was more freaked out than anything!!!!  Thankfully I got my papers filled out..handed them to the desk clerk and got myself out of there.  FAST!

Needless to say, it was a depressing day.  Not only did I have to go to that place, but Damon had to visit the unemployment office again to ask them a question or two about that.  I guess everything just kinda hit me yesterday..that we are in this boat once again.  I hate it..I won't lie about it.  I hate it especially for Makayla though.  She doesnt deserve to have to go through her daddy being laid off.  Thankfully..she's young enough to not know whats going on.  And for all she knows..daddy is just around more now to play with her.  Guess that makes up for all the negative stuff!



She had alot of fun at the church dinner on sunday!

At any rate..when you pray..say a prayer for our family.  Unemployment is no fun and I'm looking forward to this being over and him being back to work.  Of course, I know everything comes in God's timing.  :-)

TEN Months!



I can't believe my little girl is 10 months old today!!  She's been up to so much in the past month too....

• She finally cut her very first tooth!!!
• She can go forward in her walker
• Loves to eat (no suprise)
• "Smiles" for the camera
• Loves to have her picture taken
• Got her Easter AND St. Paddy's Day pictures taken!
• Trying to crawl
• Trying to say 'baby'

She loves to read books..thats one of her big things for sure!  I'm going to get her a bookcase thing I saw in a catalog for her birthday because she's accumulating so many!! 

I'm looking forward to seeing what all she can do in the next several months because I know its going to get fun!!  She's such a joy..she makes me smile everyday and I never knew I could love another human being so much.  I'm so thankful to God that we decided to have a child, its one of the best blessings I've ever receieved in my life!!

Taking pictures is also becoming a chore (sometimes)..this is how she 'smiles' for the camera....

And of course she was trying to roll off the recliner while doing our photoshoot....

But I love her to death!!!!!!!

Gettin' stuff done and havin' fun

Wasn't really sure what to blog about this morning..but as I thought about our busy day yesterday and what will probably be alot of the same today..the post title fits!!  Yesterday we made a trip down the road..Damon had to buy some lumber (he's putting a new roof on our 'pump' house...its what houses our well)..so he went down in the truck and me and Makayla followed in the car since we can't all fit into his truck.  We ate some breakfast at Tudor's (anyone who hasnt gotten to eat at a Tudor's Biscuit World is really missing out!!), I stopped by the WIC office to find out about signing up where he's unemployed (they help pay for a few grocery items), went to Kroger's to get a few items as well (I'll probably be going back too..they have pears on sale this week for 49 cents a pound!!!) before coming home.

After getting home, Damon worked all evening on our pump house..putting on the new roof.  Not sure if I have explained or not..but last summer the bees took great pleasure in our pump house and made an enormous nest inside the roof where we couldn't get to it. Everytime you would walk near it, they would come after you.  Not good considering my clothsline is literally right next to it.  Yikes!!

Me and Makayla spent lots of mommy and me time, going for wagon rides, talking with the neighbor, and taking a nap (she..not I).  :-)  I also made some yummy homemade reece cups!!!!  They turned out VERY well!  Oh how I love chocolate and peanut butter!!  Is it not the BEST combination?!? 



via Pinterest

After all was said and done..we sat down last night and watched the premier of one of my favorite shows..Dancing With The Stars!!!!  Yes..I'm so happy its back on..AND this season looks to be really great!  Alot of the contestants are REALLY good (right now that football guy who is paired w/Peta is pretty awesome, imo)..and Steve Urkel impressed the judges so much they gave him a 9.  A 9?  In the first week?  Unheard of!!  So if you've never watched I would say this is the season to tune in.

Speaking of shows, has anyone watched the new show on thursday nights, Awake?  I'm hooked..its really good and one of those that makes you think.  I like shows that are like that.  Sort of like The Mole when it was on.  Gosh..I LOVED THAT SHOW.  I wish they'd bring it back..the regular one and not w/celebs.  It just wasn't as good when the contestants were celebrities. Seemed they were always trying to show each other up or something. 

Oh and did I mentioned I washed, hung out on the clothsline, brought in, and put away 3 loads of clothes yesterday too?  Yeah I did.  It was great..I'm gonna do the same today.  :-)

The one thing I like about warmer weather..my clothsline can be put to use.

Our "Green" Weekend!

Saturday was St. Paddy's Day as you all know..and we definately had a nice day on one of my family's favorite holidays!!  We all donned our green attire (so as to not be pinched!)..had a big irish feast that consisted of corned beef, cabbage, and carrots done in the slow cooker, mashed potatoes w/green onions,  irish soda bread, and deviled eggs that were colored green for the festive day!!  Got the cute idea from pinterest, of course!!  All you do is after you cook your eggs and half them and seperate the yolks from the whites, you dunk the egg whites in a bowl of water tinted w/whatever food coloring you want them to do (in this case, green) for about an hour.  Then presto!!  You have a lovely shade of festive eggs!!

My 1st St. Patrick's Day..yayyy!!

Enjoying a sucker from the neighbor

Me and my sweet Makayla

The Green family..in more ways than one!

Jake stopped by for the photo shoot

Had to take advantage of the nice day!

She picked her first flower!!

We also saw a big double rainbow while at my parent's that afternoon!!!!  I wish so BAD I had my camera but had left it at home..darn!!  My dad did take some pictures of it though..so maybe I'll get ot show it off in a later post.  Sunday was spent going to church and enjoying the day..watching the NASCAR race on tv..going outside and for wagon rides.  We heard the BEST sermon by our wonderful pastor sunday morning..it was one I think alot needed to hear about how we sometimes go thru the valley's in life but to always look to God no matter what.  Very inspiring!!! 

Hope you had a blessed weekend..I know we did!!





Feelin' Green!

So I got this fabulous idea on pinterest to make a St. Patrick's Day cake with layers of green..if you will.  You have your darkest layer on the bottom, and as you go up the colors get gradually lighter.  Here is a picture from their website of my inspiration.



Here is mine!!

The first 3 layers...

Finished product!

Ready to eat a slice..it was yummy too!

Do something special for St. Patrick's Day..which is tomorrow!!!  Until then...

Keep calm..and Leprechaun!!



The Tooth Story

So as I mentioned earlier in the week, Makayla now has her first tooth!  She had been working on it for quite some time.  The drooling started up when she was just 3 months old but in the past month it had REALLY increased alot.  So I just knew the imminent tooth was getting close to making its appearance.  I noticed sometime last week..probably mid-week..that you could see white really plain right at the gumline.  WOW!!  It was really coming is what I thought!  I was also thinking 'oh gosh..she's gonna be super cranky the next couple of days'.  Well thankfully I was wrong.  She was her same old happy self and before I knew it..her tooth had definately come to the surface and was poking through on thursday/friday of last week!!!  Here is a close up...

I can't wait to see how she's going to look with teeth!!  I'm also hoping she doesn't figure out how to 'bite' momma when she's nursing!

OUCHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!



A good day at the mailbox!

After Damons big layoff news yesterday, I was pleasantly suprised when we stopped by the post office that afternoon!  Talk about perfect timing..alot of nice stuff to cheer up an otherwise depressing day!!!

Thanks to Callie for the cute outfit for Makayla and to my best friend Wendy for the keychain of my two favorite people, my wonderful hubby and cutie baby girl!!!!  Also contributing to my happiness is Food Network Magazine and my gift for subscribing to Parenting magazine!!  And yes..I am addicted to magazines!  LOL! 

Hope your day is filled with pleasant surprises!!



miscellany monday

Linking up here

 
(one) well..the dreaded has happened..Damon is now laid off from his job.  :-(  at least its not like last time where we didn't see it coming.  we had a full 2 months to prepare this time..which im not sure if that 'helps'..but it did lessen the shock blow.  we'll be alright though...we have an amazing GOD on our side that always is there to see us through!!!
 
(two)  we have a TOOTH!  yes..Makayla finally cut her first tooth..after a long 9 1/2 months of waiting for it to appear!  i'm so proud of her..she handled it like a trooper.  a more detailed post to come later in the week (hopefully with some pictures of proof!)
 
(three)  this week is looking to be a lovely one..weather wise!!  it will be so nice to be able to get outside with Makayla and enjoy the weather!
 
(four)  easter dress....oohhhh howwwww cuteeeee..i can't wait to see how she'll look modeling it!
 



Gearing up for St. Paddy's Day!

If you know me and my family very well, you know we LOVE St. Patrick's Day around here!!  My dining room is all decked out in green decor and I have things scattered all over the house that are shamrock-inspired!  So when I came across a little white dress w/shamrocks and a bow at one of the consignment sales I went to over the past couple months, I just had to have some pictures made of Makayla in her outfit!!  Here are the results!!

I just LOVE them!!!!! 

On a side note..I'm also planning on fixing this spectacular cake I found on pinterest....

How do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?  Do anything special??



Have you done a 'RAK' lately?

As you all know by now, I've been trying to start up some random acts of kindness (RAK) here in 'blogger-world' as well as my 'real' life!  While I felt my first attempt was sucessful, I also was bombarded very shortly afterwards by a barage of sicknesses!

Isn't that just like Satan?  You try to do something good and he tries to tear you down!

Well..its not stopping me by any means.  I know this is something that God has placed on my heart for a reason..and I'm going to continue on.  :-) 

I was wondering if any of you have done anything lately as a random act of kindness?  Perhaps you've called someone "just because", cooked a meal for someone in need, said a prayer, sent a card, babysat for a busy mom, or even something as simple as smiled at a stranger.  I'd LOVE to hear about it!!

I received a wonderful blessing in the mail yesterday!  My best friend suprised me with a card and note as a random act of kindness..and she informed me she's also sending me a gift in the mail..from Shutterfly!!



Gotta love Shutterfly!!

Needless to say, I'm super excited AND feeling even more blessed!  No..gifts aren't everything, but it is nice when you do receive a small gift 'just because'.  I count myself lucky to have the friends I have in my life now.  I have a wonderful best friend and a host of awesome blogger friends I've made since I started this blog almost 2 years ago.  I may not have everything in the whole wide world that I'd like to have, but I do have many, many things I'm so thankful for. 

:-)

Standing up for the Bible!

I just had to do a post on this!  I was very pleased to see someone in the public eye take a stand for what is written in God's holy word.  Standing up for what the Bible speaks for (and in this case, against) takes guts in this day and age, especially those who are in the public eye.  You probably know by now I'm talking about what Kirk Cameron has said in an interview he gave with Piers Morgan.  He said that homosexuality is unnatural and detrimental to society. 

I, for one, totally agree. 

The Bible says in Leviticus 20:13 "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death: their blood shall be upon them."  The Bible also says in the first chapter of Romans "For this cause God gave them up until vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient: Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity: whiperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of eveil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

I say all of that to say this..its obvious (to me, anyways) that God is not for homosexuality from what I read in my Bible (which is the King James Version).  I am glad to see someone take a stand for what they believe in..especially when it is God's truth.  In this day and age, its something we don't see very often.  More times than not, people make the bad look good and the good look bad, if you know what I mean. 

This subject is something that hits home more than most know.  While I won't (and can't) go into details, I will say this.  I pray for those who are living this lifestyle.  I do not in any way condone it, but I know that God does love each and every one of us, despite what we do.  But it is up to us to live our lives according to God's word.  We can't do what we want and expect God to turn a blind eye. 

I should probably close with that thought, before I say more than I should on the subject!

Some Miscellany

Linking up here

Not too much going on here in my neck of the woods.  We had a nice weekend, Damon worked which was a GOOD thing seeing as how his mines hasn't worked a weekend since before Christmas!!  Next week will be the determining factor if his mines shuts down temporarily (the 13th)..still praying it stays open and it doesn't come to a layoff!  But I know if it does, God will provide.  He doesn't forsake His children.  :-)  I take alot of comfort in that!

We're all still recovering from our colds.  I feel I'm almost 100% over mine..Makayla still has hers but is doing well.  Question for all you moms out there...how do you know when your child has an ear infection??  I know it sounds like a silly question..but sometimes I wonder if she could have one and I wouldn't know it?  I've always heard though if they have one, you WILL know.  She woke up about an hour ago (after being asleep for probably 1 1/2 hours) for a little bit just crying..but she was half asleep so I don't know what it was really about.  She fell back asleep once I picked her up and rocked her for a little bit.  I know her cold still has her feeling bad at times, so I figured maybe it had to do with that.  At any rate..also would like to know of remedies/medicines for ear infections..for future reference!

I go back to the doctor AGAIN today..this time to get some of my stitches removed!!  Yay!  I'm excited to have them out!  The ones he'll be taking out are on my neck and chest.  Its been a little rough having them in those specific places due to Makayla always putting her hands on me there anytime I carry her around, etc.  So I've been trying hard to keep her little hands away and carry her in different positions so she didn't damage the area.  Oh and the cream he prescribed me for the angry beast of a reaction I had to that adhesive?  Working wonderfully!!!!  Such a relief that the intense itching and bumps are now gone.  I'm still red in the areas but its dramatically less now.  Praise God.

Watching "The Devil Loves Prada" right now..before heading to bed.  Maybe I'll dream of some new shoes in my sleep..ha!! 

Fill in the Blank Friday

I think Amy's Life is the one who hosts this..its where I grabbed the button and questions from!

1.  The highlight of my week was when I went to the doctor today and he prescribed me some cream to relieve my allergic reaction I had to the adhesive he used on me earlier in the week!  So glad to of found a solution to the problem!!

2.  If I had to classify my interior design aesthetic it would be primitive country mixed with southern charm? 

3.  My first vehicle was a 1996 green Plymouth Neon!  I LOVED that car!!

4.  An item I need to have in my day in order to function is water..a nursing mom's best friend!!

5.  My favorite way to waste time is well I try not to waste my time..being a wife/mommy/homemaker is a full time job..so I try to use my time wisely!!

6.  Right now I could really go for a good night's sleep!

7.  This weekend I will be going to my daddy's birthday party (saturday), relaxing at home w/my family, and going to church to name a few!

Looking for the sunshine...

Ahh..what a week it has been around here.  It has not been an easy one by any means, but it could be alot worse (I pray it doesn't get worse!).  Makayla and me are about over our colds..she's been a trooper and is 99% there I would say.  I'm better today than I have been since the weekend!!  I thank God for that!!

On Monday, I went and had some moles removed.  I had planned on doing a 'reveal' post on this (because I was super excited to see the after results..well..I still am)..but yesterday I started having some trouble.  I don't remember if I mentioned it or if I did..if any of you remember, but when I had my c-section..the tape that was used for the first day or so to hold the incision tight..when they removed it I had a terrible reaction/burn left from it and had to use some prescription strength cream to get it healed up.  Well..you can guess what happened to me after my little surgery on monday.  I didn't think it would happen again (he used bandaids to cover the steri-strips)..but it did.  Probably not as worse as the first time, mind you, but bad enough.  At first I thought I had an infection..but after further inspection I guessed that wasn't the case since it was localized to the area that had been bandaged.  So now I look like I've got poison ivy basically (I'm allergic to that too in case your wondering!) on my neck and chest.  Big red welps and itchy bumps. 

Exactly what I hadn't planned.

So you might say right now, after this week, I'm looking for the sunshine.  I know its right around the corner.  I know people go through bad spells, and right now this is just one I'm having to go through.  I see the blessing that my baby isn't sick anymore.  And I also see the blessing that Damon is working this weekend, something his mines hasn't done since before Christmas.  That gives me hope that maybe, just maybe, a layoff might not be in our near future.  And I also can see the joy in Makayla's face as I type this, as she's sitting beside of me in her high chair playing with what we call her 'merry go round'.  Each time she spins it she sticks her legs straight out and her arms out to the side...like she's flying or something.  Its so hilarious!

And thats the sunshine I need right now.