Another Vintage Pearl Giveaway

Again Vintage Pearl is my favorite site for name necklaces & bracelets. Ladies tell your husband to buy your baby necklaces from them! They are awesome. Check them out, The Vintage Pearl!!!

11 Things I Will No Longer Be Needing...Who wants them....

Prompt: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn't need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? 


1. Fear - To trust the Lord 100%, I can control NOTHING! Except how i respond to situations (thanks mom:) )


2. Negativity - Be Gone :) 


3. Unhappy People - People that just seem to bring you down instead of build you up. 


4. Self Doubt - I actually for the first time have a hold of this one. I love who i am, thats all! 


5. Over booked schedules - I need understand that the world doesn't have to be concurred in 1 day. I need to learn how to relax and just play with my babies. They won't be this age for long! 


6. Selfishness - I need to make sure i look around me more often for things i can do for others and stop concentrating on things "I" want. "I" is such a bad word. There are too many people out there that need so much. Whether it is simply a smile or a shoulder to cry on. I am defiantly going to keep my eyes open for opportunities to change others lives for the better.


7. Less Sleep - Defiantly need more of this. I need to start going to bed earlier and not staying up late to write on my blog. Also with W sleeping through the night i plan i getting a whole lot more sleep in 2011. 


8. Bad Food - Organic is the way to go in 2011! Lots of fruits and grains. A whole lot of running and working out. 


9. Throwing my back out - I did this twice since i have had baby W. I need to work my core everyday so that it doesn't keep happening. 


10. Unnecessary spending - Plain and simple. My children don't need tutus in every color, maybe just 3:) 


11.  Being Judgmental - I think i have gotten much better at this, but you can always improve.


2010 has been a great year. I am excited for 2011 and all the ways i can improve my life for myself and all around me. Lets ring in the New Year!

Appreciate...

Prompt: Appreciate. What's the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it?

My Parents, who i appreciate the most in 2010

      The one thing that i appreciated the most in the last year were my parents!!! B lost his job as a Trader the same day we found out we were pregnant with baby W. It was a day filled with stress and then total happiness! The lord certainly blessed us with the happiest news ever that day. He clearly knew what he was doing November 2nd. Anyways now that you have the background here is where the appreciation came in.  My parents live around the corner from us and have been one of our biggest supporters. Its amazing how much they can give. My mom is the best listener and is totally my sounding board. She is MY BIGGEST FAN! I only hope one day i can be for my daughters what she has been for me. Not only was she a great ear to unload on, but she babysat for us. Whether it be so i could get to work by 4 or if we just needed a night out alone, she was there. Our babies just adore her! 
     When Brad found out he was being laid off, we immediately turned to the Lord. We new he would provide for us in every way possible. Of course we were scared and worried and had no idea what we would do. We were use to living pretty nicely and then this happened. We started living a lot more conservatively. I picked up a job and worked until the week before i had her (waiting tables, which surprisingly was a cash cow). We defiantly thought B would be employed by the time baby W would be here, but that to came and passed without a JOB. Still we were trying to stay positive because we knew something would come through (thats what my wonderful mom kept reassuring me). B had been on a number of trading interviews, some that he turned down thinking there certainly would be a better offer out there. To our surprise at this point in the economy and our lives God was not leading him towards trading. In fact he was leading him in the complete other direction. 
     My Dad was a huge help to B. He was a publisher of a magazine before he started his own company a number of years ago. He is super smart when it comes to business. He has a ton of great ideas and really got B to think about some other jobs that would make him really happy. He helped B put together an unbelievable resume, he was there for him/us in every way possible and we appreciated it so much. Alas, B got a great offer from a Corrugated Box & Paper company. Talk about a change in careers. He LOVES it and is excited to just go to work every day. It makes me so happy he is happy and i am so proud of him. I ended up keeping my job (i only work dinners) because i like brining home the extra money to stick in the bank. 
    My parents are so incredible and i/we feel so blessed by them. B sometimes turns to me asks me if they are really real. He is just so surprised at the unconditional love and kindness they exude all that time, no matter what. I think i have taken there love for granted all my life. Not in a bad way. They have just always been there for me and my siblings and their siblings and anyone that needs there help, i think i was ignorant to think that not everyones parents were like them. I am more appreciative of my parents now that i/we am a parent and can't even explain how much i love them! So 2010 is defiantly dedicated to them and their hearts! 

Wisdom...

Prompt: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
       I think my wisest decision for 2010 was to have an all natural labor. When i say all natural i mean i had no medication, no IVs of any kind, no Pitocin after the birth, no pain meds and i wouldn't let them start my labor early by breaking my water. I wanted EVERYTHING to happen on its own, the way it should be if you are having a normal healthy pregnancy. 
      With baby number 1 i had the works (Pit, epidural, water broken for me, IVs and Pit after the birth). Don't get me wrong i loved loved loved my first birth. I think epidurals are lifesavers:) I just really wanted to do this and see how the all natural method would go. 
       My water broke while i was walking my daughter down the block to my parents house. Literally right in the middle of the block. It was the 3rd of July so everyone was out and came running over to make sure i was ok. Of course i was OK, my water just broke:) i was so excited inside i couldn't believe i was about to meet my little lady. My husband was just getting back from costco and we jumped in the car and to the hospital we went. The Dr. on call that night was fantastic. He was cool with whatever i wanted to do. He walked in while my nurse (best friend from college/doola. Yeah she is the coolest and had three very important jobs that day:) ) was helping me slip into much more comfortable clothing and he told me i need to stimulate my nipples and my contractions would come much quicker. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. He was like "i bet you never thought you girls would be doing this together back when you first met freshman year", we were peeing in our pants laughing. So nipple stimulation began and in 1.5 hours i went from 4 to 9.5 and couldn't believe it. I was in the shower most of the time (this really acted as a narcotic for me). Spent some time on all fours (mostly throwing up), rolling on the ball and walking around. At one point my complete ability to be decrete flew out the window and i was totally naked and could care less. Dana described me as an amazon women (this doesnt sound like a compliment and sounds very scary. I'm pretty sure i freaked a lot of people out:) ) 
       Once that baby entered the birthing canal i became a totally different person. I became super women. It was AMAZING! As much pain as it was it was literally the most amazing thing i have ever been through. Once they told me to open my eyes her head was out, adrenaline just rushed my whole body. One more push and she popped. They placed her on me right away and it was one of the most beautiful moment of my life.
       I felt every single pain there was to feel. I felt every single emotion. The high from a natural birth could never be matched. It can't even be explained. It was so incredible. Not only was it amazing, but i recovered SOOO much faster then i did with O. I felt so much better and breast feeding was automatic. I felt accomplished and very proud of myself. My hubby couldn't stop telling me how incredible i was and how proud he was of me. He was such a fantastic supporter, so loving, calm and gentle. Oh i just can't stop smiling as i relive this amazing night with you all. 5 hours start to finish and 3 pushes later, my second little lady came into this world screaming her head off, by far the BEST decision i made this year!!!

Those first amazing moments together, the bond was unreal! 

Beautifully Different....

Prompt: Beautifully different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different - you'll find they're what make you beautiful.
      Its hard to talk about myself. I feel kind of shy when it comes to things like that. For those of you that know me, i feel like i'm a better talker then listener (working on this one). I ask a lot of questions because i need to know all the details. I think i am pretty truthful and some of my friends would describe me as being too honest or brutal at times, but it's all in good fun:) My husband often tells me when we leave a party, "people around you are always smiling (probably thinking what a spaz i am) and listening to you and people are always telling me how much fun you are and how kind you are. I love being your husband." He's a pretty amazing man, husband, father and has helped mold me into the women, wife and mother i am today. I'm not sure how that sets me apart from other people. I know plenty of people who are fun and kind.
      Maybe i'm different because as mad as i can get at someone I always always always can forgive them. I may even initiate it. I feel like that could be a weakness, but i hear it is a talent. My heart is just too big to stay mad at anyone. Could it be because i think the most beautiful thing is the world are those last three days of being pregnant and the day you go into the hospital and give birth to the miricle you have made from love. I LOVE labor and delivery. I love the moment you know you are going into labor and how you can't control one thing you body does from that point on. I love everything about it. I love when the doctor tells you they can see the head. It's such a rush of excitement. Its such an amazing moment. I don't know a lot of people who enjoy that. That defiantly makes me different. I guess its my heart. I don't know. All i know is i love who i am (its taken a long time to actually admit that), whoever that is and i hope that makes me a beautiful person, a kind person and a good friend. To me real beauty is ....

These baby girls and the love that made them! There is nothing better. 

A December To Reflect....

I am so excited to have joined this new group called Reverb 10, check it out! It is a group of people who have gotten together to reflect of the last year and to talk about the year to come. They prompt you with a question everyday until the last day of December. You blog about it and then at the end you are able to look back and reflect on what you have done and what you are looking forward to doing. I thought it was such a great idea! Obviously i don't have a ton of time on my hand with my two little munchkins running around, but i think i can commit to writing a little each day. Thanks Dana for introducing me to it! So my first question is.....


Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

The community that i have connected with in a HUGE way this year was God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. They showed me themselves in a big way. I have learned so much and connected with so many amazing people. God has brought truly wonderful people into my (our) lives this year. I have conquered so many hills and valleys in my life and it all because if the Lord. I have never felt him as much as i have this year. There is no better feeling in the world. I can do absolutely anything because he is on my side. I have done things this year that i would never have imagined myself doing. My soul seems to have been quieted and i feel so incredibly humbled. There is always work to do, but i truly feel like a new, different (in a great way) and confident person. I thank the Lord everyday for opening my eyes (finally) and using me to his utmost advantage. 

I also joined a great group of people all over the world in the Organic food movement and studied (thank you Jill) the effects that the American food industry has on our health and the health of our children. The importance of healthy eating effects everything you do and feel. It is a lot to take in and a lot to understand, but totally worth every bit of time spent. Not only are we eating healthier, but our children are learning to eat the correct way. I know lots of people still don't believe in it (i was the biggest anti organic before i did my research), but its worth every single penny and all your time, if not for you then at least for your children. Hey my mom has even jumped on, once she started researching it. Another fantastic group! 

As far a which community i would like to join in the coming year and become more involved in, i want to dive deeper in my faith, bible study and our couples small group. I plan on volunteering in a women's shelter. God has really blessed my family and i feel like we need to pay that forward and volunteer as much of our time as we can trying to make others lives a little easier. I want my girls to always know that serving others is one of the greatest gifts you can give. Lastly i would love to join a women's running group! I have been a runner for years now and i think it is so much easier to run when you have people supporting you. I have to start researching some groups in my area. 


What a fantastic way to reflect and get some writing in:) 

Starting to get easier....

As you all know we had out second baby in July, another little girl. Let me tell you two is much harder then one and one seemed like a lot of work. I shouldn't complain O was an amazing baby, slept through the night at 6 weeks and never really cried. I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that she refused to breast feed and i had to give her formula. I don't know if it was the fact that it took her longer to digest it or if she was just more satisfied with it, whatever it was it worked wonders. She was wonderful. O is almost 2. I have no idea where the time has gone, but it has gone by fast! She is a tall string bean with the most beautiful blue eyes and gigantic personality. She is talking up a storm and climbing on everything. She is a little mini me. I love her to pieces. 

W is also a great baby, but she is a little different then O. First off i breast feed her exclusively, she has had the occasional bottle when i am at work or can't make it home on time and the breast milk i have pumped is all used up. She is defiantly more sensitive and gets up every 4 hours, still. The doctor said i have to start sleep training her. I haven't had the strength enough to do this yet. Probably because i am so tiered and because i secretly love laying with her in bed, but i know the time is coming, i need my sleep back! W is now 4 months and hardly cries anymore, she smiles all the time, talks, rolls and laughs. She is wonderful. I am so happy those four months are behind us now and i can actually take both kids with me in public.

I would have to say life is getting back to normal. Well as normal as it can be with two girls under 2! It's getting easier and i every time i look at my girls i grow more and more in love. Their smiles are the greatest things in the world. 

What a blessing tonight was....

As most of you know i am involved in a Beth Moore study at my church. This study happens to be Beloved Disciple, The Life and Ministry of John. Its a fantastic study and even though i don't always manage to get the whole entire study done every week i love it and learn so much from the other women in the study. I happened to only get three chapters out of the five this week and felt discouraged to even go, but i went and i'm sure glad i did!

Beth told an unforgettable story that absolutely disregards any scientist trying to disprove Jesus, God & Heaven are non existent because their "science" says so. Her intention wasn't to do this, but to talk about the grace God gives us in the face of adversity.

       When Beth Moore was younger she was part of a Moms group. There were three moms in particular that palled around with each other and Beth was of course one of them. They all had a couple children. Her friend, lets call her Mary, had a son who had gotten sick. At his funeral Beth and Judy (her other friend) were watching Mary great all the people who came to pay their respects. Of course they were sobbing at this site. There is something completely unnatural about a child's funeral. Mary was so embarrassed by them that she walked over and said, "ladies if you don't get a hold of yourself i'm going to slap you both in the face". God gave this women amazing grace at her own sons funeral. A few months later the three ladies were standing in her kitchen and were having a very delicate conversation about her little boy that had passed away. Beth asked "Mary when did you know your little boy was going to be with Jesus?" and she replied, "I didn't know until it happened. As a mother you will hang on and convince yourself that your child isn't going to die." Mary went on to say "He had been uncomfortable all day long, very fussy and we just couldn't console him. Jim and i were both there with him, praying over him and then all of a sudden he sat straight up. His eyes opened and his whole body was calm and he had the most calm look on his face." He then asked them look mommy & daddy do you see him? Do we see who? as their son is pointing right in front of them. They thought maybe he was hallucinating. The little boy looked over at his parents and said Jesus (with a "duh" face). His parents asked him to describe him. This little boy didn't have much church exposure so he wouldn't have know that the pictures make Jesus looks tall with dark hair. He described him as a man with white hair, piercing eyes and some sort of robe and as soon as he described him he left with Jesus and went home.

      I mean the tears streaming from my eyes were unconsolable. Just an absolutely amazing story and for that mom to know her baby boy was going to be ok and without pain, was such a gift from God. He gives such grace.

Beth went on to talking about an oncologist doctor who was an atheist before she started working in her field and after she started working, even though she saw beautiful children dying all the time she knew that Jesus Christ MOST certainly was involved in the lives of these children that she would meet. She said God is real, he is who he says he is.

All i can say is that i am so happy i went to study tonight and feel so blessed to be part of such an amazing group of women! Thank you Lord, you are so so so good!

Shutterfly 2010 holiday card collection!

Hi all you blogger friends out there! It's that time of year again! HOLIDAY CARDS! My favorite time of year! Shutterfly is having a promotional giveaway for their Holiday Cards! We have been using Shutterfly for a number of our gifts, invitations and Christmas cards! This year they have had the best Holiday card. Each year they seem to get better and better and the prices are unbeatable! They have a lot of multi picture holiday cards, which i like since i have two kids and we can never all take a good picture:) You have to check them out. Here are some of the cards that we liked.

Pretty sure we are choosing the last one! Even if you don't blog about it, its defiantly worth checking out! If you want to get 50 free holiday cards click here, 50 Free Shutterfly Cards! It's totally worth it:) 

Below are some links to a couple other ideas Shutterfly offers!

Holiday Cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

Calendars: http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

Photo Cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery

The Vintage Pearl

The Vintage Pearl is a blog i have been following for quite some time now! They have the greatest name necklaces! Not to mention they are priced fantastically! They just opened a storefront and the owner is an adorable mother of 4!  Check out this heading, couldn't get any cuter then this. Go check her out: http://www.thevintagepearl.com/ ! They make fantastic baby gifts or push presents.

New Beginnings are always good!

After 20 years Grammie has sold her house and is moving up to the Lake with Nancy & Terry! It was bittersweet for Grammie, but i think a wonderful choice. She will be in great company and hopefully not so lonely anymore. This was taken right before she left. Strange to think we will never be back in that house again. Change is good and new beginnings are even better! 

Grammie with her 2nd great granddaughter and 4 great grandchild! 

Circus Bear

    I have the pleasure of knowing Circus Bear! The best band you will ever hear. This last weekend Circus Bear & Mike Middleton put together a wonderful concert with all benefit going to the Wounded Warrior Foundation. In honor of their friend Yogi who is a soldier in Afghanistan. They raised over $1,000 for the foundation. Circus Bear has three members, Peter, Mikey & Chase. They are all from the Northshore and have been friends forever. Their music is all there own. They write all the lyrics and music. Circus Bear has played at a number of venues all around the Chicagoland area. Check them out on FB or Myspace. This is a band you are going to want to hear, they are on there way to big things! Check out some pictures from the evening. 

Mikey

Peter

Chase

One of there smallest but biggest fans!

A Beautiful Sunday

   Our baby girl was Baptized last Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day and such a special day for us. It was a beautiful service and we were fortunate to have all of family and friends surrounding us. I couldn't have asked for anything more. W had a great morning and put on quite a show for the congregation. Brad and i of course could not see any of it because were were standing behind them, but my dad got it on tape so we eventually saw what everyone was laughing at. While Greg was putting the water on W she started throwing her hands up by his mouth. Once he handed the baby back to me O was trying to wipe the water off of W's face and then tried to kiss her. Of course i was totally oblivious to this since I was so enthralled by Lukes bible verse he gave W. 

W's verse was Psalms 19:14:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

The day was perfect and again i feel abundantly blessed for my beautiful growing family. Check out a few pictures our wonderful photographer did for us.

My Baby Girls 

My Handsome Man & Me

My Family, minus my beautiful sissy! 

Daddy's little girl

Big Yawns

So proud to be your mommy!

What a Blessed Saturday with Beth Moore

Beth Moore! This is the face of a women who has changed so many women's lives with her ministry. I know first hand, because she changed mine. This past weekend she was at the Rosemont Theater for her Chicago Living Proof Bible Study. It was a day filled with music, fantastic word and tons of laughter. If you can picture it she is this little southern women who has great hair and fantastic style. You would never imagine the energy that comes out of that little body. She is so incredibly real and has suffered a lot of hardships in her life.

This particular study was simulcasted to 596 host site, 46 states, 26 churches in Canada, 11 different countries, 5 military bases, 1 college, that equaled 125,000 women and a few brave men! It was chilling to know how many different people all over the world were worshiping at the same time. God is using Beth Moore to do so much good for so many people.

Her study was on Kindness and being a real women who opens her mouth with wisdom. A women who brings people up instead of cutting them down. It was inspiring! The music was beyond amazing! The energy in this room was something i had never experienced before in my life.

I am going to leave you with something Beth left us with:

My Dear Sister, 

"Your God has called you to use that mouth of yours For His great glory. Don’t just add to the noise. Become a real woman Who opens her mouth with wisdom. God wants the Law of Kindness On your tongue And the love of Christ In your heart. Never forget: Kindness is not a weakness! When you’re wearing down Head to Christ and His people And let them build you back up. Always remember: His yoke is KIND. Make sureIt’s the only yoke you wear. It’s time to go our separate ways But we’ll all meet up again At the glorious epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ. Until then, Let the One who led you here Lead you on with cords of kindness. Now, get out there And build a welcoming fire In a cold world. Live by the Law of Kindness!"

I think living by the law of Kindness is something all of us can stand to do a little more of, no matter what religion you choose to practice. Any of you ladies out there interested in Beth Moore blog me:)

The tricks to a Natural Birth

     I have had two babies, my first with Pit, Epidural, Catheter and a million other things to make you comfortable during birth. I can't say enough about how amazing my first birth was. I was interested in doing it without drugs with O, but was not at all mentally prepared. Once the pain got worse (i thought for sure i was at 10, i was only at 5) i was begging for the drugs. The birth was very calm and pain free (once i got my epidural). I was in labor for 15hrs and pushed for 1hr 38min. It was exciting, amazing and everything i ever wanted. So why would i want to do it drug free? 

     With my second i decided to try it "all natural". I started playing around with this idea at the beginning of my second trimester. I knew that if i was going to do it without any drugs i was going to need to be mentally and physically prepared. They don't call it labor for nothing:) I thought about different birthing methods and classes, but when it came down to it all i needed were different options and techniques. I also needed support. So i started talking to all my crunchy granola friends, who have studied natural birth or have gone through it themselves. I enrolled in a prenatal yoga class, and worked out every day i was pregnant. 

    The key was to stay trim and do whatever my body felt comfortable doing. I was able to do everything i could do before i got pregnant. I took spin class, weight lifting classes, ran and walked. I then started a prenatal yoga class with Tricia Sweeney. She is absolutely fabulous and just happened to be a labor and delivery nurse at Evanston a few years back. She answered question upon questions and really encouraged the natural birthing method. She showed me different methods to use while in labor like the ball, shower, and different potions to be in during contractions. Staying upright was the key. I saw her every week up until the delivery. She motivated me and reminded me that birthing is a natural process, your body knows what its doing and to concentrate on the moment. I thought about everything she told me the entire time i was in labor. I could not have done it without her encouragement and advice. I would recommend her to any of my girlfriends that are going to have a baby. You can use her even if you aren't planning on doing it naturally! She is the best. 

     Dana Merk my freshman year roommate, who has just received her masters in nursing and was recently hired as a labor and delivery nurse at Evanston was by my side.  Dana is also a Doula and has done more reading and research on natural births and the benefits behind it. She was amazing! All you lucky ladies delivering at Evanston should request her, she is gentle, incredibly smart and will for sure make you laugh! I know i could not have done it without her! 

     Last but not least my amazing husband was right by my side the whole time. I was everywhere! On the floor, the ball, the yoga mat and in the shower. He was right there to help me through the whole thing. I don't even think i yelled at him, but don't quote me on that. For the first birth he was up by my head while i was delivering, but for this one he was holding one of my legs and kissing my forehead as our beautiful little girl was being brought into this world. It was completely magical!

     Support would have to be at the top of the list of things that makes it easier to give birth naturally. Next i would say keeping upright so that the baby can move into the birth canal faster. The shower was like a narcotic for me. The pain was completely  manageable when i was in the shower. I prayed that God would give me strength A LOT, especially while i was in the last hour of labor and when i was pushing. He came through for me like he always does:) 

     Baby W came in 5 hours, start to finish! I pushed 4 times and she was out. It was the most painful, exciting, exhilarating, emotional, adrenaline fueled 5 hours of my life. I would never do it any other way. Check out the natural method of birthing your baby, you can totally do it! 

"Forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors"

This last Sunday Dr. Terry Swicegood gave a fantastic sermon, one that really resinated in my soul.

"Forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors"

For the last couple Sundays the sermons have been on the Lords prayer. We have taken apart the entire prayer to understand it truly line by line.

Do you ever sit in church and say The Lords Prayer and ever wonder what your really praying? I have found myself doing that a number of times, but never really taking the time to understand it. I was so impressed when i heard that understanding the prayer was exactly what the next few weeks of sermons would be.

This specific line in the prayer really got my attention. Forgiveness is one of the hardest things to do, yet one of the most important. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice so that we would constantly be forgiven for our sins. Yet it seems so much harder for us. I found it interesting that this one little line would have such a powerful meaning to it. Making that move to forgive another person is such a big deal and something only one with a forgiving heart can do.

Its defiantly not an easy thing to do. How is the world was Christ able to do that for us? He is so incredible! God forgives us whenever we ask him to. He forgives us for some of the most awful things, yet we can't forgive people for things that are hardly as important?!?!? When you think about it, its really quite silly and juvenile. Everyone deserves forgiveness no matter who they are or what they have done. It really got me thinking about they people in my life that need forgiveness or gosh the forgiveness i need to receive. When we are able to  forgive it truly is the grace of God working through us.

I loved this sermon so much! I wanted to share how powerful it was and how it can really get you thinking about your own life and the wrongs you really need to make right. Try forgiving someone today, trust me it will make you feel great!

First Train Ride

   On Labor Day B and I took the girls on train ride to Glenview for lunch, ice cream and fun in the park. Glenview is only about a 5 minute train ride, but it was perfect for the first train ride for the girls. O road a train when she was a baby when we would go meet daddy downtown for lunch, but this is the first one that she would really be able to enjoy. It was a total hit! O loved it and W didn't care either way.

  

We took the train to Glenview and went to lunch at a restaurant called Orange. It was delicious! It was also all Organic, an A+++ in my book!

W slept the entire time. After lunch we headed to the Ice Cream hut right next to the train station and then headed over to the park. O couldn't of had more fun. It was such a great family day, i loved every minute of it!!! We headed back home on the train about an hour later, O hasn't stopped talking about taking a Choo Choo since. Next we are headed over to the Choo Choo Restaurant in Des Plaines. It should be so fun!

Mama & W waiting for the train

The Drinking Fountain

Potty Fun:)

O tinkled for the first time on the potty last night. I'm such a proud mama! Never in my wildest imagination would i think my daughter using the washroom would be so exciting, but it truly is. I feel like she is such a big girl now. I don't expect it to be an everyday thing yet, i was just so excited she did for the first time. She even asked to go! She was taking a bath and my husband was putting a diaper on her and she said no no no. My husband asked her if she wanted to use the potty and she said yes. SO she walked to the bathroom and sat on the potty and the next thing you know, the music starts playing! She has a princess potty so every time she goes it plays royal music. My husband was SHOCKED. O was so so so proud of herself. She started clapping and shouting out yeah yeah yeah!

Our intentions with potty training, was defiantly not training. I hate that word "training", it sounds so mean to me! I don't think children should ever be trained. They need to learn, but not trained, so we don't do potty training. All i did was buy a potty around 15 months and left it out in the bathroom. She would sit on it when we were going potty or she would just go in and sit on it by herself, but mostly she liked to use it as a stool so she could reach things she wasn't suppose to touch. We asked her occasionally if she wanted to go potty and she wold say yes, but had never really gone. We just kept asking. She is now 19months and went potty for the first time all by herself, and we didn't even have to TRAIN her:)

Again I was this happy when she got her first tooth, crawled, took her first step, said her first word, and now is using the potty. It's amazing how your excitement levels change the minute you have a baby! I love every minute of it:) On to the next milestone!

Strange People on the Internet

You may have noticed that i changed my blog address. I had to, I noticed when i looked through my followers that some strange older men from other countries like Brazil and Taiwan were following me on my blog. Why do old men want to follow me? Yeah there is absolutely not reason!  This kind of freaked me out (i totally watch wayyy to much CSI & Law and Order, dun dun dun!) enough to change my dot come back to my regular blog name. Did y'all know that if you buy a dot com they put ALL your information on the internet. That really upset me, I would never have bought a dot com knowing that. Or i would have purchased a privacy block (total scam that they are charging us for our privacy!) had i known. Well i block those two men and changed back to my old blog name, which still have our names in it, but were are in the process of switching that as well. I lost $11 from the dot com, but that hardly matters in comparison to my families safety. Its so sad that these are the times we live in. Have to be so so so careful when it comes to your babies!

A Career in Photography?

I have loved photography for as long as i can remember. I learned to take pictures on a real Nikon film camera. When my husband and i had our first child my parents bought us a digital Canon Rebel XS. I started shooting away and i have been told lately that i have an eye for photography. I am seriously thinking about taking a class or two to get everything i can out of my Canon Rebel XS. I love photographing babies, 1st birthdays, weddings ect.  Take a look at what I put together, of what i think is my best work. Do you think i could start taking professional pictures? Just curious to know what you all think.