It's been a while....

To say the least I think!

We had our little Lane on April 4th. He is such a joy! He is wild like his brother and giving me a real run for my money! 

Our sweet big boy Lucas went to Kindergarten this year! I still cannot grasp the fact I have a school age kid! He is having fun and absolutely loves his new friends! 

Brent went on a 7 week work trip to Paris France in August. He went to a school to learn a new technology for his job. It was hard with him away but I learned so much about my marriage and myself and Brent had the experience of a lifetime! 

I resigned from the bank when I had Lane. It was a very tough decision and I miss my co workers so much but I am really enjoying being at home with my boys. I love taking and picking Lucas up from school. I love making dinner and seeing friends during the day. I love getting to be with Lane and see him do everything. 

I did take on a small job at First Baptist here in Greenwood. I am working in the nursery again and I love that. The kids are precious and the ladies are so sweet. 

We had a great Christmas, Brent had the whole week off from work and that was nice. 

Lucas loves Santa but Lane wasn't so happy to see him! Lol! 

I am really hoping to get back to blogging. Now that Lane in 9 months old maybe I've figured out how to get some stuff done! Ha! 

We will see.... 

Well Hellooooo

Long time no chat! Lots going on and I just can't get into the swing of blogging right now. It's so weird but I guess my mind is just everywhere else right now.

THREE weeks away from meeting Lane! I can't even believe it. I am feeling huge and exhausted but otherwise pretty good. Lots of sharp but quick pains happening but they don't hang around so I know they are just those pesky braxton hicks I hear about :)

His nursery is DONE! I still have some clothes to wash and some organizing to do this weekend but other than that it turned out perfect and I am so proud of it, need to get pictures up!

In other baby news I have had 2 showers in the last few weeks and just feel so blessed that so many are excited for Lane's arrival as well. I have wonderful family and friends and feel so very undeserving of it all. 

One was my work/ going away party/shower and that was so hard to get though. I will miss the ladies I work with like crazy! They have become such constants in my life over the past 6 years. They are like family to me and have taught me so much professionally, life wise, and about motherhood. My favorite thing in the world is to listen to them tell stories about their kids growing up. I feel very privileged to have worked at First National for so long.

 Brent has been super busy himself. Working of course but also him and his dad are building a new racecar.  I ,for one, don't get to excited about this stuff but I went to see it this weekend and it's pretty amazing how he can build something so intricate from just a shell of a body. He has spent many hours on the weekends and in the evenings working along side his dad. Special times for sure. I will have to post a picture once it's completed.

Lucas is a good as ever :) he is getting so very excited to meet his baby brother. I've been showing him pictures of newborn babies to show him Lane won't come out walking and playing, ha! I think he knows that, he remembers his cousin Emmy but sometimes I think his little brain gets going with all the fun things him and Lane are going to do. 

I am getting super nervous about the time I will be in the hospital. I guess every 2nd time mom feels this fear. I want Lucas to be ok while I am there ,and logically I know he will, I don't want him feeling left out or board because mommy and daddy have to be at the hospital. We will have help with him sure but I guess it's just hormone infused emotions worrying me. ha!

I have no idea why I went off on that tangent, see I don't need to be blogging! lol!

Anyway..... my little All'asta endeavor is going so well. I am more surprised than anyone. I just love the products and they are so easy to sell. And the parties I have had have been so fun! I really really wish I would have known about it and started it sooner but I guess everything has it's place :)

 I have so much to get done this weekend at home. I want to deep clean EVERYTHING! Nesting is going to kill me I am sure of it. I am SO tired but just keep going because I cannot get my house clean enough.of course with a kiddo and 2 dogs running around it's pretty senseless to expect anything to stay clean for Lane's arrival! ha!  I want to get our bedroom spotless because he will be sleeping in there and couch washing is on the agenda as well! Also need to set up the pack n play and pack my hospital bag.

Ok I am thinking I have rambled enough today. Have a great weekend!



Thursday Tidbits!

• Two posts in one week! I can't even believe it! ha!
• This week has been very emotional for me. With Lucas turning five and then tonight a few of my sweet friends are putting on a little get together to celebrate the arrival of baby Lane, just so much going on and all happy but I am still so weepy about it all.  
• I can't believe we only have one more day of February left! This year just started and I already feel like it's going so fast!
• Lucas had a great birthday party at the monkey house last Thursday and a good little family gathering at our house on Tuesday night. He told me yesterday he was tired of partying! haha!
• Blogging has seriously been put on the back burner, I hate that but life is so busy right now I guess it's always the first to go.
• We are 36 days away from meeting baby Lane. I can not even believe it.
• I LOVE being pregnant but I can feel the 'wind down' coming. Clothes are getting harder to wear, I can't walk without getting out of breath, house work is getting much trickier to do. I can feel myself starting to want my 'old' body back. I am trying to enjoy these last few weeks though. They will be so SO bittersweet for so many reasons.  
• I guess that's all I have for today. I feel like I have so much more to say but words fail me. I guess 'pregnancy brain' is a real thing! ha!

These Past Five Years.

Today's the day. The day Lucas turns five. I say that in present tense because he isn't really five until 6:08 pm and I am holding on to every moment.

I knew when Lucas was born I'd have a baby, a newborn and even a toddler but I honestly never thought past him being a 2 year old. Maybe that is really weird or maybe every mom is like that. I just thought he'd always be my baby. He'd always need me for his basic needs and he would always be with me. But that obviously isn't the case. He has grown and matured and while he still needs me, it's in other ways.

When I decided to have Lucas I was very young. I had no idea what would all come with having a baby. I was ready but I guess in a way no one is ever truly ready. I have probably learned more from him than he from me.

And as I sit and type this with his baby brother squirming inside me I am reminded of how fast time goes. It can be heartbreaking for a momma.

When I tell Lucas I am sad because he is getting so big he tells me "well you have a new baby now" and I think if only it were that easy.

I am very proud to be Lucas' momma. He is so kind and caring. When someone tells me how compassionate he is it hits my heart like a ton of bricks. This isn't something he has learned from his dad or I. This is something that he has within him. It's amazing. He is bright and does well in school. And he is SO funny and loves to make people laugh. He has an attitude that frustrates me sometimes and he is very hard headed. But when he knows he's made a mistake he is quick to correct it.

He loves animals still and loves his "George" monkey. He loves racing like daddy, and board games and movies. He eats way to much candy like momma. He loves water and swimming pools. He is super active yet very sweet and always wants to cuddle. He is very touchy touchy with people and I have to remind him often that not everyone likes that. ha! He loves spending time with his daddy and will do anything with him, he always has been a daddies boy. But when he's hurt or sad he usually wants me. Cooper is his best friend and they play and fight every day. He is a true joy to be around. 

I have no idea what I did to deserve him but I am forever grateful God chose me to be his momma. I can't think of anything I would have rather been doing these past five years.

Happy 5th Birthday my sweet, sweet boy.

A Post but No Pictures....

I had two friends tell me yesterday that I hadn't blogged in a while, so I thought I'd come out of hiding! kidding :)

Things are going well! Lots going on. I feel like most days I am running crazy only to realize I got only half of what I needed to done that day. But don't we all!

Brent went to work in Pennsylvania for three weeks, he came home on the 2nd and I haven't been that happy to see him in a long time! lol Mama was exhausted!

Speaking of exhaustion, baby Lane is growing big and wearing me out already. We turn 34 weeks on Friday! We got his birthday set last week and if he doesn't get in a hurry to get out he will be here on April 4th! I am super excited to meet him and start this new chapter in our lives.

His nursery is mostly done. I have a few odds and ends to gather but it turned out exactly like I had envisioned it. I am pretty proud of it :)

Lucas turns five in a week. FIVE! Yes! I am hoping these next few days drag by. How can I have a five year old!? His party is on Thursday evening at the Monkey House (his choice) and we all could not be more excited about that. We invited all his friends from school and all his other friends and he's excited to see everyone and play. Next week on his actual day we will have family over for dinner and carrot cake, his favorite.

Lucas is getting very ready to meet baby brother. He asks everyday after school "how's baby Lane doing" he talks to him everyday and has been gathering up "baby" toys to fill his room. He told Brent he wanted to make a window from his room to Lane's so they could see each other and he is convinced we will be putting a little baby bed in his room because Lane will want to sleep with him. He tells me he will help me feed Lane, give him a bath and even change diapers. He already loves his brother so much I can't wait to see how he is once Lane is here. 

A few weeks ago I gave my resignation at work. I won't be returning once Lane is born. It was a hard decision although it was something we knew would happen. It just doesn't make sense financially for me to continue to work and I wanted to be home and in the same town as both of the boys. I couldn't fathom the thought of  Lucas being in Greenwood at school (kindergarten eeeek) and me being all the way downtown Fort Smith working. My job is a great one that I will probably miss some days but being at home is a dream come true so on the hard days I will have to remind myself of that.  

Lucas will 'graduate' from PreK in May and then stay home with Lane and I for the summer. He starts Kindergarten in August. I am really looking forward to summertime, it will be the first and last time Lucas is at home with me during the day. I am glad him and Lane will have lots of time to together before the hustle and bustle of school starts.

I started selling All'asta (previous post) six weeks ago. It has been going well and I now have three parties under my belt, I am learning a lot and having fun too! I absolutely LOVE the products and love the re-purposed feel of the whole experience. I am thankful for something to 'keep my brain going' while I am at home and for a way to chat with people and make a little income :)

I think I hit all the high points :) I have a TON of pictures I need to put up but that will have to wait until another day.

All'asta!

I am really excited to share with you about All’asta. All’asta is Itallian for auction.

All’asta is a new fun way to have a home party but with a twist! All’asta is a party that is part silent auction and part catalog.

How it works is you invite some friends/family/church ladies/ work ladies/ etc. over for some fun! They each will bring 1 to 3 items that they no longer have a use for. It could be a gift that just wasn’t right, a blouse that no longer fits, jewelry that no longer gets worn, purses, bags, home decor, books, home made items, anything that still has a purpose but just isn’t being used. They will get a 50% commission on the items they bring. Guests at the party will bid silently, on paper, on the items brought. Once bidding is complete your guests will have a decision to make they can either take the money (yes cash money!) earned on their “old” stuff OR they can use what they earned to purchase some new items from the All’asta catalog.

Sounds fun right!?

 But the best part is for the hostess! For inviting her friends over she gets to put as many items in the silent auction as she wants! Much more fun than a yard sale! She also has the opportunity to earn free product and ½ price items out of the catalog. As well as a hostess special! Lots of goodies for my hostess’!

All’asta is all about re purposing. Many of the items in the catalog have been brought back to life and turned into something new and useful!

 I also wanted to say that this is way out of my comfort zone to do something like this. I have been thinking of joining All’asta for a while now and finally took the plunge. I am glad I did because I learned that I am the ONLY consultant in Arkansas at the moment. That is very exciting to me.

I hope you will consider having your own All’asta party. I am offering an incentive to my first 5 hostess that book parties! I will provide all the food and drink for your guests. All you have to do is gather up some ladies over for a few hours of fun! (Also I wanted to add please don’t let not wanting to do it at your house be a deciding factor in having a party, if you are interested I will find you someplace to have your party!)

Another way to get the hostess rewards would be to have a catalog or Facebook party! The only thing is you wouldn’t have the auction part of it.

I will be having a ‘kick off’ party at my house on January 26th at 3:00 and you are all invited to come and see what this is all about, I would love love love to show you!

Last but not least I want to offer something to my very first customers, any order placed before the end of the month I will pay shipping. So all you pay is the price of the item and tax :)

I would love to send anyone who wants one a catalog to look at and if you have any questions at all please call or text me 479-597-0831 I would love to hear from you!

If you made it through all that you most definitely deserve a cookie ;)

New Year and a Resolution!

We had a really good Christmas (need to get post up soon!) and a pretty good New Years.

Brent has been working some crazy hours so it's been a little tough without time off to just relax.

Luke and I drove to Conway to stay with him for New Years, that was really fun. We ate at Table Mesa and it was amazing! Best mexican food I've ever had!

I still can't believe it's a new year and I'm still having a hard time remembering to write 2014 on things.

I am very very excited about the coming the year, obviously. Baby Lane will make his appearance in a few short months, we have so much to get ready for him but in the same breath I feel more than ready for him. I feel like I have been waiting on him a long time :)

This year also holds a lot of change. Change scares me more than anything else in the world. I am not good with change, hence only having 3 jobs and living in 4 homes my entire life. I am a girl of habit.

But this year will bring some very big changes to my family and to me as a person. Good ones, don't get me wrong. Ones I have longed for and prayed for but change none the less.

So my word for 2014 is inevitably CHANGE. I will have to get used to a new life. One with two boys. One with twice the love yet twice the responsibilities. I am excited yet scared too.

In thinking of my life last year and the coming year I have made my new years resolution to be more present in my home. As embarrassing as it is to say social media sometimes takes over my days. Yes my days. I find myself on in all.the.time. There has been more than once that Brent and I will be watching a movie or t.v. show and I will be on FB and he gets upset because my phone light is making it distracting for him. 

I have wrote about this before but still struggle to find a good balance.

I know it's because I am a social person that I have this problem, I love chatting with ladies about things on Facebook I love looking at pictures of cute kids on Instagram I love sharing my own life with others. But most days I have been so distracted with FB and Instagram I am ignoring the people I love the most. The ones in my home who are right there needing and wanting my attention, and who deserve it more than anyone.

So my 'plan' (I use that term loosely because it will have to evolve over the coming months do to some changes *see above ha!) is to stay off social media in the evenings. During the day (at work) I can get on as much as my heart desires but once I am in my car leaving for the day, it's done. I will allow myself to answer texts and phones calls in the evenings but just not get on FB and such. Once I am at work the next morning I will be back on :) I am still unsure of my weekend 'plan' but I feel like weekdays are a good place to start.

Also I will stop biting my fingernails! This has been my resolution for about 10 years and I am still working on it! ha!

So do you have any resolutions? What does the year have in store for you?