Finding The Hidden Rainbows In Everyday Life
It’s here! It’s here! In just a few hours I will be having this baby and I honestly can’t wait! I was going to share Lu’s last day of school pictures but I am just too tired and still have a handful of things to take care of before I try to sleep. So instead I am going to share some of the pictures that we took today.
I will back to post in a couple of days with all the exciting baby news!
Its been a couple of weeks, but Eph celebrated his last day of 2nd grade! We have a tradition of taking a first day and last day of school picture. I love being able to compare the two and see how much my little guy has changed in the past 10 months. You can see the first grade pictures here.
This year I decided to get a little creative and spruce up his pictures using Ribbet. I used the same back ground for both pictures and then asked Eph to answer the same question. I didn’t let him know what I was doing but I know he will like seeing the difference.
And the last day picture:
Unfortunately, I didn’t leave myself notes so I couldn’t get them to look exactly the same.
And here is the 1st day and last day comparison picture!
I totally did not plan to have him wearing the same shirt but I am glad it ended up that way. Not as crisp and clean as the first day and boy does he need a hair cut.
What kind of traditions do you have to celebrate the end of school?
When I became pregnant with my first child, I desperately wanted a boy. I have always had a very difficult relationship with my mother and was fearful of what kind of mother I would be to a little girl. I was desperately scared to bring a daughter into the world and I am certain that if the doctor had announced that the baby was a girl, I would have burst into tears right there on the table.
From the moment he was handed to me, I was in love. He was my little man and I loved having a boy. There is just something special about the Mother/Son relationship.
When we found out we were having another boy, I was a little surprised. Not happy, not disappointed. Just surprised. I thought for sure that this miracle would be another girl.
Other than the whole “starting over” issue (clothes, blankets blue stuff), I haven’t really thought about what is would be like to have another boy in our lives. I also hadn’t thought about the fact that my little man was no longer going to be the only little guy in my life.
That is until last night.
Our neighborhood hosted a outdoor movie night. Our huge community lawn was filled with people and the kids had all gathered on a blanket a little further away from the adults.
About half way through the movie, Eph looked back and saw me sitting all alone. He came over to my blanket and snuggled right up next to me. Then he looked at me and asked me if I was sad sitting by myself. I told him I wasn’t but he said he didn’t want me to be alone so he planted himself basically on top of me.
My heart melted.
I leaned into his now 8 year old self, running my fingers through his thick blond hair and rubbing my hands down the length of his back, I realized that this was the last few days that he was going to be my only little boy.
I tried to hold back the tears but it is bittersweet to know that in just a few days, the little man that originally stole my heart would be joined by another little boy. I know I am created to love more than one child but it feels so different than when I had my daughter. The feeling is almost like a little pang of guilt mixed with a tiny bit of betrayal.
Of course he doesn’t have any clue how much I truly love him nor does he really understand that special place he holds in my heart. However, I do wonder how having another boy, my last baby, will impact his life.
He will always be my first and my guess is that he will always hold a very special place in my heart.
Even if he isn’t my only little boy anymore.
With the little one arriving any day now, I am getting more and more excited about getting back to using cloth diapers. So much has changed and I feel like I have to start all over learning about the different brands that are popular. Tots Bots are definitely a “new to me” diaper but I am loving the reviews and I couldn’t wait to bring you this giveaway event!
The New Easy Fit combines the convenience of a one-size all-in-one
diaper with the benefits of a 2-piece diaper: easy to care for and quick
to dry. It’s the best of both worlds!
No assembly required! This innovative diaper has a fold-out liner,
which makes it very easy to stuff.
But don’t worry about unstuffing -
the agitation in your washing machine will work the liner out of the
pocket, so there’s no need to get your hands dirty!
Not only are these diapers easy to use but so soft and minky for your little ones tush. All Tots Bots products are manufactured in their own factory in Glasgow, Scotland. You can be confident that their products are ethically and sustainably manufactured. These Easy Fit Diapers fit from 8-35 lb. So they can grow with your baby.
The Prize Package
and 2 (Winner’s Choice in-Stock Print from Kissed by The Moon)
Thanks to the Following Blogs & Businesses for Participating in this event!
A Mama Collective, Cloth Diaper Addicts, Cloth Diaper Guru, Diaper Deals, Kissed By The Moon, My Cloth Diaper Stash, My Devotional Thoughts, Sunshine Praises, The Parenting Patch, The Inquisitive Mom, Thinking About Cloth Diapers, Viva Veltoro, Zephyr Hill
I can’t believe that it has been almost 2 months since the fire at my daughter’s babysitter’s house. The first month was a little difficult but she is definitely doing better. She is still very “aware” of smells. She constantly asks, “what is that smell?” or will tell me that something smells like the fire. She is also petrified of alarms and loud noises but that is all to be expected.
Our sitter has also moved into a temporary home and she has been overly blessed with clothes, toys, furniture and other necessities. Although none of those things replace what was lost, it does make the recovery that much easier.
One of the things I didn’t mention in my original post was that her daughter has severe food allergies. The day of the fire, I went to the store and bought some foods that I knew would be safe for her but it was only about a day’s worth. They literally make all their food from scratch and buy almost everything in bulk. Not to mention that their pans, pots and cooking utensils are all safe from cross contamination. So, I knew on top of the stress of losing their home, they would also be extremely worried about how to safely feed their child.
As a mother of a child with food allergies, I can’t even imagine the fear of trying to feed my kid day in and day out while living in a hotel without my own safe equipment. That is where my wonderful contacts and this post come into play!
Having worked with Enjoy Life Foods in the past, I knew that they were a company that would be willing to help if they could. I simply reached out and asked for them to provide some discounts or coupons that would help their family start to repurchase the thousands of dollars worth of allergy food they had in their pantry.
Imagine my joy and surprise when I was told that they would also be willing to send a care package.
HOWEVER, I absolutely was not expecting to receive TWO GIGANTIC boxes filled with one of almost all of their products. I shouldn’t have been surprised because like I said, Enjoy Life Foods really truly cares for families and their safety.
Look at these amazing pictures:
My husband, the kids and I brought the boxes over and the family was so very blessed. They couldn’t believe the generosity. It only took about 1 minutes for a box of Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies to be opened.
What a relief it must be to know that in this time of crisis it is possible to pack your child a healthy and more importantly safe lunch or provide safe snacks in the days of unpacking and relocating.
I was just so deeply touched by the generosity of Enjoy Life Foods that I had to write this post as a thank you for all that they did! This amazing gift really shows what a caring and concerned family oriented business they run.
I want to also be very clear that they did not send these items in exchange for this post! I just feel like when a company does such an amazing kind and generous deed they should be recognized publicly.
If you haven’t heard of Enjoy Life Foods, you should check them out today. We love their Seed & Fruit Mixes and their wonderful baking chocolates. Lu’s first treats were their those little chocolate chips. Man are they delicious.
Click here to Shop Online!
Yesterday was my Ohioversary! I have been living here in the Midwest for an amazing (and unbelievable) 13 years. Sometimes I truly can’t believe that I have been gone from Florida for as long as I have been.
I often get asked “what made you move to Ohio?”
And the answer is simple…a boy.
What people really should ask me is why I stayed in Ohio.
And the answer would be a different boy and a ton of amazing and wonderful friends.
I had graduated with my Masters degree the year before and was living in DC. I was dating a guy for awhile and he was going back for his MBA and was offered a full ride to Ohio State. So, we packed up our stuff and moved to Ohio. It was a crazy decision but one that eventually led me to my sweet husband and of course my wonderful children.
When I first came to visit Columbus, I was given a tour of the area. One of the places that they took me to was a field of cement corn. It is the MOST BIZARRE thing you have ever seen and still cracks me up.
That is 109 ears of 6ft cement corn!
The ironic thing is that now I live way out in the country directly across from a real field of corn.
Even though my heart and soul always aches a bit for Florida and winter is still a type of torture to me. (I have never gotten used to it.) I really do enjoy Ohio. I love raising my kids in a community that is family orientated, full of festivals and snow hills. A place where neighbors help neighbors and the community looks out for its flock.
Ohio is a wonderful place to raise a family and I am thankful for my 13 years here!
I am a die hard Kroger shopper. I love that they double coupons plus offer gas points and I am not required to have their credit card. Even when our local store just went through a major renovation, I truged my overly pregnant body around the store in search of oatmeal and peanut butter with only minor grumbling. (Ok, I probably grumbled a lot but I didn’t head off to the other store across the street.)
One of the reasons I love Kroger the most is because of all their great deals! Check out this spectacular savings opportunity from General Mills! Your friends at Kroger have got you covered with our June Value Event!
From June 2nd – 8th, take advantage of great savings on some of your favorite brands from General Mills like Pillsbury, Totino’s, Chex Mix and Yoplait. Just buy 5 participating General Mills products* in the same shopping trip and get a coupon to save $5 on your next visit to Kroger. Look for special tags on participating products.* For more details on this savings event, please visit www.kroger.com.
ENTER TO WIN!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
“The information and prize pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”
My house has lost it’s AC. It’s over 85 degrees and even with fans on me in every direction I am hot. There really isn’t anything worse than being hot but being hot and pregnant might be the worse thing ever. It has made my brain complete mush and absolutely not an effective blogger.
So the AC should be back on tomorrow and so should my brain. 
In the mean time, enjoy this cute picture of my daughter with our friends pet chickens. Well, they are not really pets but they do let you pet them which makes them super cute.
And makes me really want my own chickens.
Oh and a baby chick!
.JPG)
They are kind of like kittens but these definitely get cuter when they get bigger.
It wasn’t but a year ago that Lu and I had to ride in the bike trailer because she was too small to peddle anything more than her tricycle. However, this past Christmas Lu was given her first big girl bike and she has been on that bike in 30 degree temperatures ever since.
Lu has a little basket in the front of her bike that is perfect for a small stuffed animal or baby but is definitely not the right size for her Gracie doll. Trust me, Gracie is a very important part of the family and Lu has tried to stuff her in the little basket on the front of her bike many times without much successes.
Needless to say, when the Ride Along Dolly Bike Seat arrived in our mailbox, Lu wanted it installed immediately. Lucky for her, it is a super easy accessory to add to your bike plus it comes with easy to follow photograph assembly pictures. Just a couple of screws and your favorite doll is ready to ride along with your your little girl.
Now, I will say that Lu’s bike is 16 inches and the cross bow does not sit as far back as it would on a larger bike. Because of this, the doll seat is positioned just slightly under her seat and makes the doll seat sit very close. It isn’t a big deal at all but Lu does need a bit of help to take Gracie in and out of of the seat.
Aren’t these two just the cutest?
The Ride Along Dolly Bike Seat is comes in pink or purple and includes a whole sheet of decorative stickers so you can decorate it any way you want. You can also purchase additional accessories like handlebar streamers, pin wheels, bike wheel spokes or a bike basket with motion sensor lights. Buy it today on Amazon for $16.95.
Such a perfect gift for the doll loving little girl in your life.
Find out more about the Ride Along Dolly Bike Seat and Accessories by visiting their Facebook and Pinterest pages.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
May always brings about a variety of difficult emotions for me. Two years ago I wrote a series about the loss of my beautiful Jenny. Last year I wrote this piece and just couldn’t bring myself to hit publish. I am hoping that a year of distance from the bitter sweet and unexpected turn in our “story” has allowed for more time and healing.
Nine times out of ten when we speak of “the crash,” we talk about Jenny. The loss of her life that fateful night has always (and rightfully) overshadowed the other “minor” losses that occurred. Rarely do we speak of the stolen innocence of the other ones who were in the cars, the other young lives that were forever changed that night.
First, the loss of innocence that a young man experienced by holding his sweetheart while she died helplessly in his arms. The taste of her blood on lips that he had just earlier kissed, slightly sweetened with ice cream and now without breath. The begging, pleading, and desperate cries that were not answered. The memories of being unable to protect her that still spin like a carnival ride of blue and red flashing lights in his head. Stealing the innocence that was rightfully his at age 20.
 |
| Thanks Bobby for the picture & allowing me to share this little bit about your night |
The loss of security that two beautiful young girls, both only 4 years old, experienced as their caregiver’s car smashed into the darkness like a run away train. Their bodies thrown around like rag dolls in a washer until they came tumbling out the doors. Broken and damaged in ways that are still unimaginable to this mother’s heart. Their childhoods forever altered and impacted by losses they probably still don’t know.
Why this? Why Now?
Recently, an article from our college newsletter surfaced. The letter was written by the daughter of the woman who killed our Jenny. It was painful to read about her loss, not only from the crash but also the loss of having her mother in jail. I have always wondered what came of this young girl who’s life had oddly intertwined with mine.
She would never remember it, but I had once been the daycare worker in her classroom. Giving her hugs, laying down her nap mat, pushing her swing. I remember when we were told her name, I knew exactly how her blond hair fell against her face. I remember feeling so brokenhearted for her. Now, all these years later, to read her words, her sorrows, her loss has been quite healing.
It is a painfully beautiful thought that this child who was tossed and tumbled in that car, is now walking the same hallowed grounds as we all once did. Lounging on the same grass, smiling and waving to her friends. Maybe she even sits by the same fountains making plans for her future. I hope that she is making life long friends that accept her for who she is and not what her mother did. As a child of an alcoholic, I admire her for standing by her mom, despite my own anger (and hatred) towards the woman who killed our Jenny and permanently stole the parts (and hearts) of so many others lives.
It can’t be easy to forgive and still love because she was in that car too. She was injured and broken. She was just a toddler. She was the same age as my Little Lu is today. She experienced a loss that we will never understand. I believe there is a lesson to be learned in her healing and her pain. So, just as she prays for us, I will pray for her.
I pray that she would be so fortunate, so unbelievably lucky, to make a friend as amazing and wonderful as Jenny. A friend that shows unconditional love and kindness. A friend that is loved by many and whose smile has the ability to make any moment better. A friend, that even after she has been gone for 17 years, can still makes her heart dance. Only the luckiest people have friend a like Jenny and I was so very very lucky. I pray that she will be just as lucky as us.
 |
| Stole this from my friend Missy today. It was just the perfect fit. The Hallowed Grounds of Flagler College |
Using "Walking on Sunshine" and "Its Raining Again" by Baers Garten. Powered by Blogger.
