Oh Those Toddler Years... Part 1

I labeled this post "Part 1" because I'm sure I'll be able to write several more parts to this series...

The toddler years test my patience e.v.e.r.y.d.a.y.  Right now, Krissy in in that phase of life.  I know Hayden & Allie went through it too.  It didn't seem so rough a couple years ago, and maybe I'll look back in a few years and think "that wasn't so bad".  In the meantime, while I feel like my hair is turning grey, here's an example of what 5 minutes of my day with Krissy can look like....

I'm feeding Austin and hear suspicious noises coming from the kitchen.... I walk in to see this...

That's about half a can of formula on my floor!  I get the vacuum, clean up the mess, change her clothes, and when I go to put the vacuum and dirty clothes away, I walk back in the kitchen to find this...

That is Krissy, standing on the counter, in the medicine cabinet, and standing next to my knife set.  I have to take a deep breath just typing that. 

I tried to take pictures so I didn't immediately flip out, which would be my normal reaction.  It actually helped keep me calm!  :)  

Just wanted to share a glimpse into my reality.  It's not all smiles everyday, but everyone says I'll miss these days, so I figure why not capture these crazy moments too. 

Boys Stats @ 6 months

I remember thinking Hayden was a big baby.  His stats make him seem like a peanut next to Austin.  (Hayden's 6 month stats were 28 1/4 inches long, and 17lbs 11oz.)  On Monday, Austin had his 6 month checkup.  I never look forward to the shots but I always get excited to hear what percentiles the kids are in!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Last Friday, Kevin and I took Hayden and Allie to an Evansville Otters baseball game.  Old National Bank has free youth tickets to any game {you don't even have to have an account there to get them!} so I stopped in and picked up a couple tickets.  It was a warm evening so we left the two youngest with Kevin's parents.  When we walked to the front gate to buy 2 adult tickets, two families were anxious to give us their extra tickets... so we got into the game for free!  Can't beat that!

As soon as we found a seat, two "Otterbelles" came to our seats and asked if Hayden & Allie wanted to play a game with them on the field.  We had to go right then.  They got to race big wheels (which were terribly slow).  Hayden lets everyone know he won.  They both walked away with free tickets to another game.  

Kevin picked a great game to go to!  There was lots of exciting plays and the weather was nice. 

I played around with the panoramic option on my phone!

After the game, they had a lovely fireworks show.  The kids LoVeD it (and so did Kevin and I)! 

We are looking forward to going to another game!  I think next time we will sneak our own snacks and drinks because all that is pretty pricey at the ball field!  It was a family friendly atmosphere (so glad they banned smoking there!) and you can go for almost nothing!  This outing gets two thumbs up from me!

Half Way Through the Year

At the beginning of the year, I wrote a post about goals that I had for the new year.  Since the year is half way over, I thought it would be a good idea to check-in and see where I'm at with my list!  What's highlighted in yellow are thing I'm currently doing/working on/planning.  What's in red has been off my radar and I haven't given much thought/planning/attention to. 

• Make daily quiet time a priority.  I know this will be a challenge because it will require me to wake up before the kids, which I normally don't do!  I want to start my day with bible reading, praying, and making a list of things to do for the day.  Anytime I start my day this way, I feel very on top of things!
• Be more flexible, work on low expectations, be more gracious, and keep focused on my own thoughts {Rather than peoples opinions that I can't control}.  This will be quite the undertaking.  I get in my routine, have (high) expectations, and get really frustrated and disappointed when things don't go the way I had envisioned.  I don't want to get easily bent out of shape, or expect more from someone than they can give.  I want Kevin and the kids to be able to see the difference in me.  If I'm constantly looking for things to be thankful for, I think all of this will fall into place (or is that my high expectations again?). 
• Make it a priority to have a monthly date night.  Being at home with the kids all day, every day, sometimes makes me forget I'm a wife too, and that I need to put energy and thought into that relationship more than any other.  When Kevin and I are both happy, life works so much better! 
• Be more intentional with the kids.  Holidays pass, seasons pass, and I look back and think I wish I would have done more.  (I know it's impossible to escape the "mommy guilt".)  I want to plan ahead, prepare things that the kids will enjoy, and make the most out of my time at home with them.  I want to encourage and help them to follow interests they have (sports, hobbies, etc.)
• Take a family vacation.  This isn't set it stone, but we've already picked out a condo and a time of the year when we want to head south.  I know it will be a lot of work, but I feel like the memories will make up for the stress. 
• Make my first quilt.  I bought a book with a quilting pattern in it that I love.  I don't want to start small, I want to go all out.  I really want to make one quilt every year from now until I can no longer see or use my hands!  My kids all want a new quilt for their beds too, so if #1 goes well, maybe I'll start on those this year too.
• Sew and hang curtains in every room of our house.  I want the house to feel more "homey" and this is one thing I've been wanting to do for awhile.  I have pinned several ideas for curtains.  This is a very do-able task, and I really think it will help soften the look of each room, so this is high on my priority list!
• Hang more pictures throughout the house.  There's nothing that makes a house feel like home more than pictures!  We have a little photo collage in our family room, and some random pictures hung up here and there, but I want twice as many pictures hanging up than what I currently have!  I LOVE the command velcro strips for hanging pictures and plan on using those.  
• Keep up with housework.  I'm typing this while I still have the "nesting" instinct.  I don't ever want that feeling to leave me.  My goals for housework are:  don't go to bed with dishes in the sink, do laundry weekly, clean up toys e-v-e-r-y single night (the kids do 75% of the work, so I need to hold them accountable), vacuum daily,  and keep my counter top cleaned off.  This has been the norm the last 6 weeks.  We all love waking up to, coming home to, and spending time in a relatively clean and organized home.  
• Work on curb appeal.  I know there are far more important things in life than what the outside of your house looks like, but with that being said, I also don't like the front of our house looking like the entrance to the local dump.  Step #1 is to get CeCe's electric fence moved to the back yard (so she can't keep dragging branches up front and shredding toys and doggy jackets all over our front yard).  Step #2 is to get our front landscape done.  We laid stone last summer, and CeCe has helped dig up a few blocks.  We want to get some weed barrier down and plants planted.  Step #3 is painting our front door and shutters.  We need more color out front!
• Work on being frugal.  Kevin is very supportive of starting a garden!  I know this would cut down our food bill, and I think the kids would love to watch all the plants grow.  Kevin also wants to fish and hunt more to provide some of our protein throughout the year (this is sooooo not up my alley, but I maybe will try to go along with it, as long as I'm not gutting or filleting anything).  I also want to keep thrift shopping and yard sale shopping any chance I get. 
• Be a better budgeter.  This plays along with the previous goal.  We (I'm sure like you) have things come up constantly every single month.  I want to start budgeting things like doctor expenses, house and car maintenance, while working on building up a savings.  (We would love to add on to our house in a few years!)
• Decorate a cake for every kid's birthday this year.  Again with my high expectations, but cupcakes just don't cut it for me.  I've felt guilty that I didn't have a rockin' cake for each kids birthday this year.  If I plan ahead there's no reason why this wouldn't be totally doable.  It's a hobby I love, and I don't want to neglect it. 
• Meal plan by the month.  I use to do this, and it was wonderful.  Right now, I just create a weekly plan.  Every Thursday I dread trying to think of what to make for the next week.  By doing it monthly, I eliminate the weekly headache.  It usually takes me a solid day to create the monthly meal plan, but I like the idea of only having to think about it once a month!  I'll probably try to start this in February since I expect January to be a bit chaotic.  
• Keep my mantle/fireplace decorated.  I will be sad to take down my Christmas decorations.  My house feels so much cozier with the mantle and fireplace decorated.  I don't usually put much money into decorations for the house, so I'll have to come up with creative ways to decorate that won't break the bank.  I'd love to decorate for seasons and holidays to help keep the cozy feel!
• Get caught up on scrapbooks.  Krissy's one year album should be done by now, and I haven't even started.  I only plan on doing each kiddo's first year, so I'm not that behind, but I want to start and finish Krissy's album and keep up with Austin's album as the year goes on.  
• Make and deliver more meals.  I feel like this is one practical way I can serve others outside of my family.  Friends are always having babies or going through hard times, and I want to be better about stepping up and easing a burden (figuring out what's for dinner really can be a burden when you are preoccupied with other things).

Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm

I don't love wearing lipstick or lip gloss.  I like the natural color of my lips and have always thought bright reds, shiny golds, or pinky oranges just look funny on me.  I am making a point to use a lip balm just to condition my lips.  I have been using Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm and really like it!  It's not strongly flavored (or scented - not sure how you describe that), but it gives my lips a bit of shine so it doesn't look like I neglected them!  It costs just under $5 from Walmart. 

The biggest problem I have with it, is Allie LOVES it!  I've bought 3 tubes over the last two months because I can't keep her out of it.  When she sneaks some on, she usually smashes half of the tube into the lid - and if Krissy gets involved, then it gets smeared all over my bathroom!  I make a point to hide it now, which usually results in me forgetting to put it on!  My lips are feeling a bit dry now, and I think I'm going to go put some on while the kids aren't watching! 

Austin @ 6 months

This little guy has brought our family so much joy in the last 6 months!  He's still the happiest, easy-going baby I've ever been around.  He's slept 10-11 hours every single night for the last 2-3 months!  He's found a pretty consistent nap schedule too (a 30 min nap @ 10am, a 2 hour nap around 1pm, and a 30 min nap around 6pm).  I hear he looks like me, Kevin, Krissy, or my brother.  I'm so thankful for him!

Things Austin likes right now:

• Attention from any of his siblings (really anyone for that matter)
• Spoon eating (he eats rice cereal and has tried applesauce and peas)
• Rolling around on the floor
• Eating his bottle
• Bath time
• Playing pattycake
• Watching Harry and CeCe
• Sitting in his high chair at meal times with us
• Chewing on his hands and toes
• Swinging outside in the baby swing 
• Swinging inside in the baby swing
• Going for walks in the Moby wrap
• Riding in the stroller

Things Austin isn't a fan of:

• Being left in a room by himself while hes awake
• Napping during the day in his crib (we are working on it, but he prefers to nap in his swing)
• The hardwood floors (he's bonked his little head more than once)

Funny things he does:

• He will rock himself while you are holding him and he can almost rock out of your grip!  He's throwing around a lot of weight these days!
• Sticks out his tongue.
• Takes a really loud deep breath when he giggles (I'll have to get that on video so you see what I mean!)

I'm looking forward to:

• Him saying his first word(s)
• Seeing what he thinks of the beach
• Him learning how to crawl
• Him trying new baby foods

Anastasia Brow Wiz

This is one of the two products I'm using in my makeup routine that I can't get from Walmart or a drug store.  It's called Anastasia Brow Wiz and can be found at Sephora.  I have a cheapo brow pencil from Maybelliene that is my everyday one.  The Anastasia costs about $21, so I only use it when I'm going out on date nights or meeting with friends or family.  The pencil is tiny and allows you to fill in and shape your brows better than any drug store pencil I've ever used.  It also has a brush (much like a mascara brush) on the end to help you comb your brows.  It also doesn't smear like the drugstore pencils.  I never focused much attention on my brows, but now, when I use the brow wiz, it gives my face a much more finished look.

The store has charts that help you pick the color that is best for you.  Based on their charts, I bought Medium Ash, and it compliments my hair color very well! It's definitely worth the splurge when you have the extra cash!

Hard Candy Spicy & Sweet Blush

I have always used blush.  However, I've had a hard time finding the perfect shade of pink that compliments my skin tone, gives my cheeks a rosy look, but doesn't make me look like a clown.  Insert Hard Candy's Spicy & Sweet blush.  It's a cute box of 4 blushes that's really affordable (I'm thinking it was less than $5). 

You take a blush brush (I used a bigger brush than the one that's included) and mix all 4 colors together to get a beautiful pink blush!  There are a few other choices for sets of colors, but this one fits me the best!

L'OREAL Magic Lumi Face Primer

I've heard lots of talk about face primer, but I had never tried it out.  We don't budget makeup into our monthly budget, so whatever I need usually comes from Walmart.  I heard good reviews about a drug store brand face primer.  It's Magic Lumi Face Primer by L'oreal.  My Walmart doesn't carry it, so I had to search other Walmarts to find it.  I think it was around $10 for the tube and I was anxious to try it to see if I could tell a difference. 

It was pretty common for me to take my makeup off at night, and there really be nothing left on my skin to take off.  What was left of my eyeshadow and eye liner typically bled into each other.  The first day I used this I was shocked by how much makeup was still on my face at the end of the day!  This cream acts like little hands that grab your makeup and hang on to it all day long!  I was most impressed with my eye lids looking smooth all day. 

One full pump of the primer will cover my whole face.  I rub it everywhere I apply makeup, except my lips!

Face primer has been a game changer for me.  There are lots of higher end brands that offer primers, but if you've never used a product like this before, I'd recommend trying the L'oreal first!  I love it!

Foundation Brush

I'm devoting the week to talk about 5 of my favorite new makeup products I've been using lately!

I thought I'd start with a change I've made to my foundation routine!  I use to apply my liquid, medium coverage foundation with my fingers or a wedge shaped sponge.  I was watching some video makeup tutorials and it seemed really common to use a brush to apply liquid foundation.  I thought I'd have to spend a lot of money on one, but I found a kabuki brush made by E.L.F. for $6 at my Walmart.  I've been very pleased with it!  They also make a flat top powder brush for $3 that I've seen used in makeup tutorials.  I like how the brush gives my foundation a smoother finish than my fingers ever could!  It also distributes the foundation more evenly.

To apply your foundation, you put a pea size amount of foundation on the back of your hand.  Take your brush and dab into the foundation.  It will quickly pick it up.  Next, you'll use a dabbing motion and apply the foundation all over your face.  Once it's applied, use brush strokes to smooth it all out.  I like to finish by rubbing the brush down my neck to get off the excess foundation off the brush!  If you use liquid foundation, you should give this brush a try!