I've Been Nominated!

You guys, I have been neglecting this poor blog for so long.  Ever since I started writing for Hand to Hold, every free chance I get to write has gone to that (and really what is free time?!).  I really miss writing for fun and I have about a million posts that are sitting in my drafts waiting to be finished.  Luckily a fabulous mommy blogger, Jenny at Princess Turned Mom, was nice enough to nominate me for the Liebster Award. I have loved reading her funny stories and you will not be disappointed when you check her out!!!

In case you don't know the Liebster Award is to help bloggers interact in the blogging community.  You can find fun new blogs to follow and help grow this community.   Each nominee is given 11 questions to answer.  After that, each nominee will come up with 11 new questions for 5-11 bloggers of their choice.  Here are the questions Jenny asked me:

1. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I'm pretty sure I wanted to be a princess for a long time.....but the details seemed tricky so I decided to look for something else.  Luckily, I loved my first grade teacher and decided I wanted to be a teacher too! I think my parents let out a huge sigh of relief after that :)

1. What made you start blogging?

I actually originally started this blog almost seven years ago to chronicle the year leading up to our wedding.  Then I picked it back up again to write about newlywed life and later on my pregnancy/motherhood. I have always loved writing and I love the idea of having this site to share with my kiddos someday.  Plus interacting with other people doing motherhood is good for the soul.  

1. How many kiddos do you have? Ages?

I have two girls! Sadie is a feisty 2.5 year old and Ellasyn is my wild child who will celebrate her first birthday tomorrow!

1. When the kids go to bed, what is the first thing you like to do?

Usually it's pick out a dessert to share with my hubby on the couch.  However, we are currently trying to break our sugar addiction and we are 13 days into the Whole 30.  I really miss frozen yogurt!!!

1. Where is your favorite place to go as a family?

The beach! It is truly my happy place and love that my kiddos love it too.  It can be a lot of work packing everything that two toddlers need for the day, but I think it pays off with the beach hangover (aka super long nap times following a day at the beach). 

1. Have you started any cool traditions? or passed on traditions from when you were a kid?

I love making lists! Every season my mom and I make bucket lists....101 things to do this summer, 25 things to do this fall etc.  It is so fun to make the lists and then of course to make memories checking things off.  I can't wait until the girls are old enough to help make the lists.  I just love holidays and I love celebrating little things, so hopefully as the girls get older we can really get some fun traditions going!

1. Favorite show or movie you could watch over and over?

Movie is for sure Father of the Bride 1 and 2.  I even watched it while I was in labor with my oldest daughter! There are a lot of shows I could watch over and over again like Friends, King of Queens, Modern Family, 24 and pretty much any show on HGTV. 

1. If you had to pick, would you hire a house cleaning service, a yard maintenance crew, a chef or a personal trainer?

Oh this is a tough one! I am not an expert on any....my house could seriously use a cleaning any day of the week.  Sometimes cooking with two kiddos in tow is a huge challenge and I would love to have someone motivating me and encouraging me to take care of myself.  However, I think I would choose the yard maintenance.  The hubby and I are horrible at this and we now have a front and backyard that could really use some love! 

1. What is your favorite blog that you have written? Why?

Probably A Letter to Myself One Year Ago.... The journey from getting pregnant, to being pregnant, to raising a child was crazy and it was really therapeutic to write about all my thoughts and emotions.  

1. Salty or Sweet?

Definitely sweet! I actually usually don't add any salt to my food and I usually rub off any excess on chips and things.  

1. What is one thing you hope your children will learn before they go off into the world?

Oh that is so tough! I guess to be kind.  You never know who is fighting a tough battle and barely hanging on.  I feel like being nice and having manners is so important!

I am tagging:

Raising My Littles

Wild Rivers Blog

Honest.hopeful.motherhood

DIY and Dinosaurs

The Blushing Mama


Here are your questions:

1.What do you consider your greatest achievement?
2. What goals are you currently working on?
3. What is your favorite part about blogging?
4. If someone wanted to read just one of your posts, which one would you pick for them to read?
5. What is your go-to on a bad day?
6. What is one of your favorite childhood memories?
7. Do you prefer to eat out or cook? What is your favorite food to eat?
8.  Who inspires you?
9. What is your guilty pleasure?
10.  What is one quality that you hope to pass down to your kids?
11. Beach or mountains?

Nine Months

Weight: She was still about 16lbs according to our home scale.  It is so hard to tell! I will be really curious to see how much she ends up weighing at one year....her sister was about 17lbs.

Height: Still very long and wiggly! I think about 27 inches....a 1/2 foot longer than birth!

Nicknames: anything about being wild or crazy :) stinker, stink butt, E-yah (Sadie's name for her), Ella Bella, Sister, Baby, Ellie, sweet girl, pumpkin, peanut, monkey

Eating: Ellasyn is still nursing every 2 hours unless we are apart.....daddy and grandma have held her off for as long as 4 hours.  She usually eats at around 7am when she is waking up. Then again at around 9am before her morning nap.  Again about 11am and then around 1 or 1:30pm before she goes down for her afternoon nap.  This is her longest stretch IF she takes a solid nap.  I usually feed her when she wakes up between 3-4pm or later *fingers crossed*.  Then usually another feeding or two before bed. Ellasyn started liking food a lot more this month, still not a fan of purees (except applesauce). She like cucumbers, zucchini, apples/applesauce, oranges, yogurt, banana, quinoa/rice mix from Costco, chicken, corn tortillas,  Overall, she is happy if she can do it herself, but she is still working on it. 

Sleeping: Sleeping is still the same #sigh....and she is still an early bird, which honestly I don't really mind (although by nature I am not!).  The problem is she wakes up super happy anywhere from 6:30-7am, but then starts whining and rubbing her eyes within the hour #butwhy?!!!??! We took her evening cat nap away after a going to sleep battle one night, so she is officially a two-napper! I have had to adjust a few things to make sure they still nap around the same time because that is seriously my life goal :) Her first nap is usually a stroller, car seat (which has gotten trickier now that she's in a big girl seat) or ergo nap.  It ranges from 30minutes-1 hour.  Her second nap is her long nap still swaddled in her swing....don't judge me! Anyhoooo it last about two hours usually and I will just ride that wave as long as I can so sorry I'm not sorry :)

Diapers: We bumped her up to size 3 because I was tired of buying two different sizes #seconkidproblems. She also must have had a growth spurt recently because a lot of clothes that she has been wearing have gotten way too short on her in just the last week.  So I shed a tear or two and packed it all away....she now wears 6 months mostly and 9 month only pajamas because she is so long! I'm pretty sure Sadie wore these same size pajamas when Ellasyn was born :)

Social: Ellasyn loved Christmas and we loved spending it with her! She was a trooper during our tour of southern California visiting family.  She also started major stranger danger, but still allows a selective few to hold her....#innercircle.  And as usual she has been determined to grow up way too fast....now she is taking steps like a pro :(((( Although a little cold last week really threw off her balance so it bought us some time! 

Likes: being held, moving, being silly, Sadie, daddy, grandma (more like loves!!!), being naughty, her swing (duh), her walker or anything she can push, balls (this girl LOVES to chase things that roll), paper to eat, tearing paper (especially toilet paper), feeding herself, the bath, being held, being held, being held ;)

Dislikes: waiting for food, going into the nursery or being around anyone she hasn't welcomed into her inner circle, still not really a fan of riding in the car unless someone is sitting with her, getting her diaper changed, being put down for one millisecond, having something taken away by her sister

Mommy: We have been so busy getting into our new home and getting back to daily life with just the three of us.  The days are a lot longer now that we aren't at grandmas!

Daddy: Busy, busy, busy! We are so excited to have him around for a week here in February. 

Furbabies: They are currently huge fans of Ellasyn and her tendency to chuck her bowl off her highchair :) #cleanuppatrol

What we are looking forward to:  Our staycation in February! And of course Valentine's Day!!!

uncle Dylan made the cut

this is her too cool smile

not impressed with Shamu

Santa did not make the cut

finally got her own sippy cup!

first Christmas

she loves to play with this....just don't put her in it

100 Pieces of Advice for My Darling Daughter

Throwback Thursday to Sadie's first birthday gift from me! I made her a book of the following life lessons and put lots of pictures of us from her first year of life. 

To my Sweet Sadie,

Happy First Birthday! Over the past year I have learned so much as your mom. You have taught me about myself, about your daddy and about life. Life is all about learning and this book is only a small part of what we want to teach you. I know there will be times that you maybe won't want to take all of my advice, but hopefully you will be able to use this book every once in awhile. A few side notes I would like to mention: 1. Your daddy and I do not claim to follow all of these pieces of advice, but we promise to always try our best to set a good example for you. 2. Most of this advice is not my original thought. It is a compilation of some of my favorite bible verses, songs and advice that I have heard over the years. 3. We seriously love you to pieces.

I love you,
Your Mommy

1. Always lick the bowl.  

2. Start each and every single day with Jesus.  And if you forget, remember it is never too late to give Him control over your day.

3.  Pets are some of God's sweetest gifts.  Love them like family.

4. Fall in love with reading.

5. The library is one of the best free adventures out there.  Explore it often.  And always return your books on time :)

6. Remember the cure for almost anything is salt.  Whether it comes from tears, sweat or the ocean depends on the circumstances. Choose accordingly.

7. You don't get to pick your family, but they are the only family you will ever have so love them unconditionally.

8. Never trust anyone who doesn't like country music or dogs.  Just kidding.  Sort of.

9.  It is true that laughter is the very best medicine.

10. Never, ever skip breakfast.

11. Run through the sprinklers.

12. If a day ever goes by that you didn't dance or laugh, get out of bed and dance until you laugh.

13. The car is for listening to music really loud.  Sing along even when other cars are watching.

14.  Make a budget every single month and try your best to stick with it.

15.  Always have a savings account and put something in it every month.

16.  Every single thing in your life is a loan from God.  Act accordingly.

17.  You will never know what someone else is going through.  Give people lots of grace.

18. Change is hard, but necessary.

19. Go to concerts whenever you can.  And sing really loud.

20. Cherish traditions passed down to you.  Have fun coming up with some of your own too!

21. Whenever you are overwhelmed by your messy room, or one day your own house, always start by making your bed.

22.  Learn to drive a stick shift.  It's an important life skill and lots of fun.  Just avoid hills :)

23. Good manners go a really long way.

24.  When in doubt, say 'please' and 'thank you'.

25.  Learn how to apologize. Practice often.

26.  Be a good sport whether you win or you lose.

27. Drink water.

28. Give at least one compliment every single day.

29.  Time well wasted is actually no waste at all.

30.  If you get the chance to travel, take it.

31.  If you get the chance to dance, take it. 

32.  Take lots of pictures.

33.  Life is full of peaks and valleys.  Each valley will help you appreciate the peaks.

34.  Keep a gratitude journal.

35.  Volunteer.

36. Your daddy once told me if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with some rain.  It's true :)

37. Exercise to be healthy and to have fun.

38.  Love and respect this country that we live in.

39. Make every holiday special.

40.  Celebrate little things.

41.  Being a grown up is really hard.  Some people may make it look easy, but it is hard for everyone.  I promise.

42.  You will have your heart broken, but I promise life will go on.

43.  You will break a heart or two.  Be gentle.

44.  To have good friends, you must first be a good friend.

45.  Life isn't fair.  The sooner you come to terms with that, the easier life will be. 

46.  If you don't have anything nice to say you should probably keep your mouth closed.

47.  Celebrate people's differences.  If we were all the same, the world would be really boring.  

48.  Always send Thank-You Cards.

49.  Never change yourself for someone else.

50.  When you need help, ask.

51.  Everyone has a story to tell.  Take the time to listen.

52.  Being a good listener is a great life skill.  Practice often. 

53.  Wash your hands.

54.  Sometimes the answer will be no and you will never know the reason why.  Move on anyways.
55.  It's never too early to put on your pajamas.
56. Life's a dance, you really do just learn as you go.
57.  It is always better to give, than receive.
58. You will never know if you never try.
59. Remember that the popular choice is not always the right choice.  
60. Be a leader.
61. Worry and anger are two of the biggest time wasters.  
62.  Target is a blackhole.  Try your best to get in and get out.
63.  It's always ok to cry.
64.  You can never be overdressed. 
65.  Never text and drive.
66.  Learn something new every day.
67.  Don't use credit cards.
68.  Make sleep a priority.  You really can't function without it.
69.  College is non-negotiable.  You will thank us later, I promise.
70.  Life is more fun as a sports fan. 
71.  You are never allowed to move out of California. Kidding....Kind of.
72.  Be a tourist as often as time and money will allow.
73.  Spend time with your elders and listen to what they have to say.
74.  You aren't expected to be perfect, but you are expected to try your best.
75.  A genuine smile is the best accessory.
76.  It's ok to be wrong.
77.  The only purpose of dating is to find your future husband.  Don't waste your time with unworthy candidates.
78.  Always trust your instincts.
79.  To find a good catch, you must first be a good catch.
80.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
81.  Big decisions should only be made with dirty knees.
82.  Your teacher will always be right.
83.  Spend time outside every day.
84.  Remember that tomorrow is always a new day.
85.  Find out what you love to do and do it really well.
86.  Marriage is hard and it takes work.  Don't let anyone tell you different.
87.  Take good care of your teeth.  They are really expensive and painful to fix.
88.  No one on this Earth knows everything.  Including you.
89.  Take personal days every once in awhile.
90. You need to have a legitimate reason to be a fan of a sports team. For the record, a team being really good is not considered a legitimate reason.
91. The greatest gifts come in the smallest packages.
92. Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.

93.  Life is short.  

94.  Remember that life should be fun.  Have dessert before dinner and stay up late.

95.  You WILL make mistakes.  Learn from them, apologize if necessary and then move on.

96.  The world doesn't revolve around you.  Act accordingly.

97.  Follow the Golden Rule.

98.  Be nice.  Always.  No exceptions.  Period.

99.  The world can be yours, if you let your heart believe in ever after.

100. Never forget that you are a miracle, a precious gift from God and the sweetest part of our life.

Throwback Thursday- Father's Day 2014

I am trying so hard to stay on top of blogging so many years from now, I can show our kids just how awesome we are....you know in case their teenage hormones cloud their judgment :)  I have found quite a few posts that I started, but forgot to finish or just forgot to post.  So every Thursday I am going to try and post one of them so I can get caught up! 

So a year and a half ago we celebrated the hubster's very first Father's Day! He had to work a soccer tournament (of course he did!), but we went and cheered him on.  They ended up winning it all (of course he did again!).  It was a great day!

champions!

And a throwback for my own daddy! Circa 1991?

Eight Months

Weight: She was exactly 16lbs when I weighed her on our home scale, but she was clothed and had a wet diaper.  No doctor weigh-in until one year!

Height: We tried to measure her this morning, but doing anything that requires her to stay still is impossible.  It said 28 inches, but that could be way off.  She is very long though, especially her skinny little legs!

Nicknames: stinker, stink butt, E-yah (Sadie's name for her), Ella Bella, Sister, Baby, Ellie, sweet girl, pumpkin, peanut, monkey

Eating: Ellasyn still nurses every 2 hours usually.  She has developed a little bit of a schedule that I try to stick to if possible, but it is always subject to change.  She usually eats at around 7am when I am desperate to get her back to sleep :) Then again at around 9am before her morning nap.  Again about 11am and then around 1 or 1:30pm before she goes down for her afternoon nap.  This is her longest stretch IF she takes a solid nap.  I usually feed her when she wakes up between 3-4pm or later *fingers crossed*.  Then at 6pm before her cat nap and again at 8 or 9pm before bed time! Ellasyn is still not really into solids, mostly hates all purees. She LOVES to eat slices of apple, but she has learned to gnaw off pieces with her gums and it freaks me out.  She also really likes frozen blueberries when I put them in her feeder.  And she loved her mini Thanksgiving of some turkey and mashed potatoes.  Overall, she is happy if she can do it herself, but she is still not coordinated enough to self-feed successfully. 

Sleeping: Still sleeping horrible :( I thought maybe she was getting a tooth this past week, but now I am not so sure.  I think she was obsessing over standing up, so hopefully now that she has somewhat mastered it, we can get some sleep again.  She is napping overall pretty well.  She usually takes a 30min-1:30 min nap in the morning around 9-10am.  Then she takes her longest nap in her swing at around 1 or 2pm.  This ranges from an hour and a half to three hours.  Definitely dreading when she grows out of the swing! Then she usually takes a cat nap in the ergo around 6pm so she can make it to her sister's bed time :) 

Diapers: Size 2! Clothing is a range of 3 months, 3-6 months and whatever I can find at the moment :) She wore my size 2 shoes the other night.  I can't believe they are 30 years old and still so cute!

Social: It has been so fun experiencing the holidays with Ellasyn.  She loved Halloween and loved Santa!  She is such a little stinker and always getting into trouble.  She also loves smiling and is so happy and silly.  Ellasyn is always determined to master the next thing and she keeps amazing us with her new abilities.  We definitely weren't ready for such a trouble maker! Ellasyn has also started with the stranger danger.  I have had to go get her twice from the nursery at my mom's group.  Of course right when her sister starts to like it there!

Likes: being held, smiling, crawling, being silly, eating paper, her sister (this really hasn't changed at all over the last couple months). She also loves standing up all the time and has been obsessing over it for the past week or so until she could do it all on her own.  

Dislikes: being changed is the worst form of torture for Ellasyn, she still isn't a huge fan of the car, but overall much better!  She has such a temper too! If she wants someone or something she clenches her fist and shakes! 

Mommy: Trying to get creative entertaining two kiddos while half our stuff is in storage....so excited for Christmas!

Daddy: Busy, busy, busy! But oh my do I have two daddy's girls on my hands.  Ellasyn loves taking naps on her daddy. same still! So excited to have him around for two straight weeks!

Furbabies: Over the last couple of months Ellasyn has really taken an interest in the animals....I can't say the feelings are mutual.  Although Chesney does love giving her kisses! same

What we are looking forward to:  Christmas!!! And hopefully ringing in 2016 in our new home!!!!

first timer at Sea World

Thanksgiving!

loves Grandma!

loved her feast!

hanging with Uncle Kyle

first Thanksgiving!

waiting to meet Santa

Christmas party third wheel

hanging with Santa

mommy and Ellasyn wearing the same shoes

decorating the tree

working on her next trick