Christmas Stockings in September

Foster Parenting changes your life in obvious ways. Rearranging car seats to include the newest child and lengthening the time it takes to finish the bedtime routine because there's another bath to take and set of teeth to brush.

These day to day things are expected.

But at 2am when I'm nursing my baby by iPad light and perusing Christmas pajamas, I realize just how unknown the future is when fostering.

We are currently caring for two toddler boys that came to us from separate families in crisis. They are polar opposites all the way from their complexion to their personalities and temperaments, down to the way they respond to discipline and rewards. They couldn't be more different but I love them both very much.

I braved Costco on Saturday with all five kiddos (Hannah, William, Logan, *Jason, *Sawyer *not their real names) while Chris was at work. Chaotic, yes, but once everyone was in the shopping cart and we were walking the aisles it was great. They found these toy Tonka trucks that lit up and had sounds, and the three toddlers (aka Musketeers) couldn't decide which ones they liked more.

I immediately noted that they'd be great Christmas presents, and could envision three trucks with big bows just sitting at the bottom of the tree as the boys ran in on Christmas morning. The excitement and noise would kick the day off with a burst of joy.

But my excitement was quickly tempered.

The thing about fostering is that I have no idea what tomorrow will bring.

Just as I don't know when to expect a call about a child that needs a safe home, I don't know when my current kiddos will leave. It often happens when you least expect it.

So when I'm flipping ahead in my calendar and making notes, there's always a tentativeness to my plans.

Will they spend Halloween with my family or theirs? Thanksgiving? Should I buy them matching pajamas to open on Christmas Eve, or a stocking with their name on it to hang on the mantle?
 Or will they have those with their bio family?

It's such a frivolous concern when there are such huge questions looming over these children and their futures. The caseworkers and lawyers and parents are all making big decisions for these little boys.  I just want what's best for them - be that mom or dad or adoption, I'll let the courts take everything into account and decide.

So while I don't have much say in what happens in the future, I do have the opportunity to make sure they know Love every day they're here.

When I order Logan's Christmas stocking I'll order their's too.
When I decide on a set of family jammies to open after church and before hot cocoa, I'll order their size too - And if they leave before they have a chance to use them, well then I'll lovingly tuck them into their suitcase alongside the note for their mom about how much I loved their son and what a blessing he was in my life.

and I'll cry, just like I've done in the past.
and I'll stay up nights worrying and praying for them.
and I'll answer the phone the next time a child needs a home
and I'll do it all over again.


Because that's the thing about being a foster mom:  These children are amazing.  They deserve to have someone up late at night planning ways to make them smile and feel loved - and I hope, I hope from the very bottom of my heart, that is exactly what their mom is doing while she works to get them back.  However, I learned a long time ago that the only person I can control is myself.
So regardless of what everyone else in *Jason and *Sawyer's life is doing, I'm up at 2am in September picking out their Christmas stockings, because if they're here on that magical morning, then I won't have them feeling like anything less than a loved member of our family.

The Newest Ballerina | Week In Pictures

I love this picture of Hannah eagerly awaiting the start of her first ballet class.  She's been looking forward to this day for months!  We signed Hannah up for Gymnastics and Ballet this summer through the Park and Rec department.  She started Gymnastics last week (and rocked the balance beam) but she was really excited about her new ballet shoes and leotard.

The class was filled with happy and excited little girls and the instructor was great.  We left the class on a great note... Until a we got about a mile down the road and I noticed my check engine light was on.

Now I didn't talk much about this online, but a month ago the same light came on as I was dropping the kiddos off at the babysitter.  I was going to spend the whole day by myself and was only a few miles from her house.  I figured I'd make it.  

Then the car died and smoke started pouring out of the engine.  Turns out I effectively killed my minivan and the repair bill would almost completely deplete our emergency fund.  

I cussed a lot that week.

So when I saw that (effing) light come back on I pulled over immediately.  

I called the mechanic and told them to expect us (yay for 30 day warrenties!!) and called AAA to get towed.  Then we waited in the (hot.) car for Chris to rescue us and for the tow truck to arrive.  Hannah and I snapped this picture while we waited.  William took advantage of the early nap time and quickly passed out.  It turns out we have another large repair bill coming our way.  JOY!

30 minutes later Chris showed up with cold drinks and cheeseburgers and made the kids VERY happy while we transferred car seats and gave directions to the tow man.

William has been going to Gymboree for a year now, and he really enjoys it.  He's selective about which activities he participates in - he won't sit quietly while the teacher introduces the theme of the week, but loves parachute time and always drags me underneath it with him.  I love that he wants to share that moment with me each week.  His giggle is infectious and it's always the highlight of my day.

William takes a solid 2-3 hour nap each afternoon, but Hannah rarely naps nowadays.  Instead she loves to make art in the afternoon.  This is an example of one of her collages.  (I'm really proud of her for coming up with this idea on her own.  She's done it with lots of different characters and it's always really cute and creative.)  

She picks out a picture from a coloring book - in this case the castle - colors it and cuts it out with scissors, then she glues it to a blank piece of art paper and creates her own background.  Cute, right?

She's also really into Legos.  We put together this Lego Friend's set earlier this week.  (Andrea's Mountain Hut #41031 - retired)  Sadly, Hannah is completely against creatively building with her pieces and insists on following the directions (which requires mom's help).  Hopefully soon she'll give free form legos a try.  Don't tell Hannah, but the baby got her a Lego's Junior set as part of her hospital big sister gift.  I'm hoping it'll help the transition and give her something new to do during quiet time when I'm busy with a newborn.

I also (FINALLY) started getting caught up with YouTube vlogs.  I posted Hannah's Reaction when we told her about the baby, and on Thursday I posted the gender reveal.  Links below if you haven't watched these yet:

Father's Day | Week In Pictures

Although school has been out for a few weeks, this week felt like the first week of Summer.  We kicked off our Summer activities with a week of Vacation Bible School for Hannah.

Each morning I dropped Hannah off at 8:45 and picked her up at noon smiling and happy.  

Each day she'd meet me with a bag full of arts and crafts, and singing beautiful new songs she'd learned.  

Each evening we read the day's bible verse and talked about the lesson she'd learned that day at VBS.  It was awesome to hear her asking these thought provoking questions about the story of Elijah.

The last day of VBS was Crazy Hair day, and although I did exactly what Hannah asked, she declared it 'Too Cute to be Crazy' and considered it a failure - but cute.

While Hannah was busy with VBS each day, William and I had a lot of time together.  One day he spent some time with his buddy, Chase, at the playground.  William is a year younger than this little boy, but they are finally at the age where they can play as peers.

William's current favorite show is Little Einstein's, followed closely by Super Why.  For months he was obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so this is a nice change of pace with more educational shows.  He's become very interested in Letters lately so he particularly likes that about Super Why.

I still don't think William understands that there is an actual baby in my tummy (34 weeks this week), but he finally relented and attempted to feel and listen for the baby.  I'm pretty sure he's convinced I just ate too much ice cream and am making the whole 'baby' thing up.  His world is going to be rocked in July...

I'm a huge fan of Instagram now.  I find it to be an efficient way to follow brands and people that I love.  One brand I follow is Milk Makers, and recently they had a huge sale on their pregnancy cookies (which I saw during snack time) so I bought the 3 box bundle.  I can't recommend these cookies enough if you're pregnant.  They're so tasty, huge, and perfect to keep in your purse when you're hit with a craving.  My sweet tooth has been intense this week, so these were a lifesaver!

My birthday was earlier this month and I'm signed up for just about every birthday club that exists.  I'm cool with free burgers and ice cream.  I snapped this picture of Hannah and William while waiting for my Teriyaki Chicken Burger and Freckled Lemonade at Red Robin.  I order that every time I go and it's so, so, good.

On Saturday Kohl's sponsored a car seat check.  This was my first time having my car seats officially checked and it was a great learning experience.  I was able to pick the technician's brain about different layouts to accommodate foster children, and I was told that my car seats were the best installed they saw all day!!  We had to remove a headrest, and we switched Hannah to a seat belt install since she had just hit the weight limit for LATCH.  (I knew that she was getting close but waited to switch it until we had the seat professionally installed.)  She also helped me install the infant car seat base, so we're all ready for baby!  

Well, the minivan is ready for baby.  I still have some newborn laundry to do.

I can't get over how old William looks in this picture.  

My little boy is getting so big! (He turned 27 months this week.)

The week ended with Father's Day.  I snapped this picture at our Go To restaurant choice - Sweet Tomatoes.  Seriously, I love this place.  They have an extensive salad bar that the kids go crazy for, and everything is already bite sized, so when we get to our table I don't have to cut everything up for them.  Moms know - this is huge.  They also have these tiny little ice cream cones which the kids beg for.  Tiny dessert that appeases toddlers?  Winner.  I've signed up for their Club Veg and regularly get a coupon for 2 adult dinners with beverage for $19.99.  Hannah is a couple dollars and William is free.  Family dinner at a restaurant for under $25!  

I love this face.

Mother's Day and Father's Day are very laid back at our house.  There's no footprint art or ugly neckties given as gifts.  Instead we usually start the day with a great breakfast and go to church.  All day you are not the PIC - Parent in Charge.  No diaper duty, no mediating bickering kids, no bedtime duty.  You just get to enjoy your family and then when they throw a tantrum your partner takes over.  It's awesome.  Plus dinner is your choice.  

Overall this was a great week.  We were busy in the mornings, but spent a lot of quality time together in the evenings.

Note - This Summer is going to get crazy once the baby arrives in late July.  If you haven't already added me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter make sure you do!  I update each of those platforms on a near daily basis.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

Six years ago Chris and I were on our Honeymoon and dreaming about the life and family that was to come.  We were sitting poolside in Mexico drinking from coconuts, zip lining through the rainforest, parasailing over the ocean.

That's me parasailing!

It was idyllic.  We had no idea that we would soon be facing infertility, that it would take seven cycles of fertility treatments to conceive, or that we would be told that IVF was our only option for a second baby.

Newlyweds

It was a tough journey to get here, but we've also been so blessed along the way.  We got our very first positive pregnancy test on Christmas Eve - hands down the best present ever - and our second child was miraculously conceived naturally while on a break from treatments - much to the shock of all our doctors.  Both of our children are happy and healthy and amazing.  I recognize the struggles, but I choose to focus on the positive.

If it wasn't for my infertility diagnosis I wouldn't have started vlogging 5+ years ago, and I wouldn't have found an amazing group of supportive women that would walk this journey with me.

I love my little corner of the internet.
I love that I can share my struggles and my successes with people that understand.

Have you ever heard the quote "Comparison is the thief of Joy"?
I think it fits really well with my experience in the YouTube and online Mom communities.
Whenever I see someone that makes a fabulous video, or comes up with a really great idea for a vlog topic, I find that I berate myself a bit.  "Why aren't you doing more with your channel?  It's been a week since you vlogged!"  I get so down on myself.

And then William spills a cup of water all over himself because he's still learning how to tilt the cup without falling victim to physics and gravity.
Or Hannah brings me three different colored legos and asks me "What color does orange and red and white make?" so I bust out the paints and we discover that it makes a pretty pinky peach color.
Or I get a phone call at 8am just as I've sat down to edit that day's vlog and it's our caseworker asking if I can bring my foster son to the office for a visit with a family member - in an hour.  So I drop everything and pack a diaper bag.

And then I remind that inner voice to cut me some slack.

Being a mom is a big job. period.

There are so many things I want to do and can never seem to find time for.
I'm in awe of some women that seem to do it all - raise cute kids, edit videos every day, write witty blogs, volunteer at the soup kitchen, refinish Goodwill furniture and still have time to sip a Starbucks coffee with perfect nails and hair - but I've come to terms with the fact that I'm never going to live up if that is the ideal.

So I've made my own ideal for a life well lived.  Well, I'm *making* my own ideal.  It's evolving.
It's also full of a lot of cliches, the first of which is: Comparison is the thief of Joy.

How often have we achieved a goal only to realize someone else has surpassed it, and immediately the victory has turned into a failure?

We can choose to be jealous and turn that negativity on ourselves or others, or we can start training that voice to be positive.  To congratulate them on their success and to learn a thing or two from them, because the thing to remember is - their success doesn't equal your failure.

Their child speaking in French at 20 months doesn't mean you're a failure as a mother.
Their channel reaching 534k subscribers doesn't mean your channel sucks.
Their house being suspiciously devoid of any stray toys while they vlog doesn't mean you're a failure as a SAHM.

It means they are rockin' it.
High five them and move on.
Cut yourself some slack and just do your best.
I promise - it's enough.

She's THAT kid

Hannah is an active little girl.

I know mom’s say that, but to put it into perspective -

she shocks every Gymboree teacher with her exuberance. 

(And I figure that Gymboree teachers, with their classrooms of padded 

floors and obstacles, have probably seen it all.  So that says a lot.)

She’s fearless.

She’ll jump off towers onto a stack of mats without a hint of worry.

She’ll scale a ladder and run across balance beams. 

She’ll dance wildly to the music instead of clapping to the beat.

She’s THAT kid in the class.

Part of me wants to wrangle in her energy, 

teach her to step daintily along the platform like the other girls in the class 

and methodically weigh the dangers before she jumps.

Then I tell that side of me to shut up 

and ignore the other parent’s glances.

I figure that life will happen to Hannah. 

In time, she’ll learn about boo-boos and she’ll learn to be cautious.

But right now I want her to continue embracing life head on.

To not be afraid of what might happen,

but instead to seek joy in what is happening.

Sure, we teach her manners -

“Please” “Thank You” and “Excuse Me”

are a big deal in our household.

And she’s starting to grasp the concept of sharing and

taking turns as much as a 19 month old toddler can.

But for now I’m happy that she’s THAT kid –

The boisterous one, the laughing one,

the running and jumping and leaping one.

That’s Hannah.

She’s a little crazy, a little sweet, and a whole lotta spunky.

And I wouldn’t want her any other way.

Note to Self: Do Not Nag

Chris and I made the decision before Hannah was born that we would work opposite schedules so that we could keep Hannah home and avoid daycare.  My mom was willing to fill in on the two days a week that our arrangement couldn't cover, and for 18 months it's been working pretty well.

Except that it's hard.

Chris and I hardly ever see each other, 

and the three of us only get a few hours a week together as a family.  

Entire days together are a rarity.

Reminders to 'put the diapers in the dryer' or 'can you pick up batteries for the smoke detector' are left on scraps of paper taped to the door, text messages sent before work, quick phone calls home on breaks.

quick.  short.  to the point communication.

I try not to leave imposing lists, as it's his weekend to relax too.

But there is a household to run, and we're all juggling a lot of ToDos.

Sometimes I feel like a nag.

On one hand, 

without these reminders diapers sour in the washer, 

mail doesn't reach the post office, 

and batteries are forgotten.

On the other, 

even when it's proceeded with a please, 

and followed with a thank you, 

I still feel like I'm barking out an order.

So I turn to you - 

especially those households with two working parents,

and too many tasks to do, 

What is your definition of 'nagging' 

and how do you avoid doing it?

If Nothing Else, So That She Knows

I think many things when I look at Hannah.

Beautiful.  Blessing.  No longer a baby.

After dreaming of being a mother my whole life,

And going through 6 failed cycles of infertility treatments,

Finding out that she had been created was a moment I’ll never forget.

Motivated.  Moody.  Miracle.

After 42 weeks of pregnancy and a difficult labor

She arrived safely despite all the odds and complications we faced.

And she completely changed my life.

Amazing.  Athletic.  Adorable.

Like every mother, I’ve spent countless hours with her –

Laughing, crying, soothing at 2am.

I wake up every day with the intention to provide for her.

My family is my whole life.

Friendly.  Funny.  Fickle.

I love her completely -

There are no stipulations.

I loved her before she existed,

And I’ll continue till I cease to exist.

And if possible, after.

Wise.  Witty.  Full of Wonder.

I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to

shape her, teach her, protect her.

And that is a job I would never turn my back on.

Insightful.  Intelligent.  Independent.

 For these reasons and more - regardless of what may come -

She will always be loved, respected, and supported by me.

She will always be my daughter.

Dramatic.  Dainty.  Delightful.

There is not a yardstick against which I measure my love.

Rich, poor.  Gay, straight.  Successful, searching.

these will never add or subtract from the love I have for my child.

So consider the love you have for your child.

Does it come with conditions?

‘I love you, unless you’re gay.’

Do the judgments you place on others apply to your child as well?

And if it doesn’t, if your child would be exempt,

then what’s the point in judging any one?

All too often we are quick to hate, quick to blame, quick to judge.

When really we should be quick to love, quick to forgive, quick to support.

Celebrities, Political and Religious figures, Community and Family members

Speak out about the dangers of homosexuality.

The sin, the perverseness, the detriment they pose to society.

And citizens, strangers, friends echo their words in support.

But I refuse.

I will not stand by while others spread hate.

I want Hannah to know that regardless of what anyone else thinks,

I will love her for all the many facets that make her unique & special.

I will not withdraw, withhold or disown for any reason –

Let alone for something that she cannot control.

How could a mother, a father, a person do anything else?

The Lorax

After Christopher's exciting morning in the ER,

{have no idea what I'm talking about?  VIDEO LINK}
We wanted to reward Hannah for being such a patient girl

and take her to her very first movie in the theater - The Lorax.

Being the cheapskate that I am, I snuck in candy -

Life Saver gummies fit perfectly on toddler fingers

and red vines, a theater staple, are nostalgically delicious -

but Chris still bought a soda and popcorn - 

which Hannah ate by the handful.

The movie started with LOTS of trailers.

Frankenweinie is just what it sounds: Frankenstein meets kid's dead dog.

But since it's by the creators of Nightmare before Halloween

- which I've always found utterly creepy -

The trailer was mainly black and white 

and seemed to creep Hannah out as well.  

There was a new movie from the creators of Coraline

which was so creepy that I didn't even pay attention to the plot.

And then the movie started.

Right away the bright colors, upbeat music 

and happy dance numbers sucked Hannah in.

She rocked back and forth happily and 

only looked away from the screen to grab another 

handful of popcorn or red vine from the box.

The first 60 minutes the movie completely held her attention.

Then things began to go South a little.

Chris had to take her out of the theater for a couple minutes, 

but she returned calm and composed

and watched the second half of the movie in 90% silence.

Really, what more could you ask from a 17 month old?

Bonus - she was free since she's under 3 years old.

Of course Chris and I each paid $10.50 for our tickets.  Yeeoch!

I love her little 'sprigs' pigtails.  

Just imagine them bopping back and forth 

to an animated dance number.  Cute, right?

Pillow Thief

Hannah woke up the household 5 minutes before 1 am.  

Chris, in his sleep deprived stupor, 

made the decision to pick her up from crib,

and lay her down smack in the middle of our bed.

Then he promptly rolled over and fell back asleep.

This resulted in Chris getting a great nights sleep,

Hannah playing with my hair for a few minutes,

and waking me up to the fact that I HAD to pee.

So, naturally I got out of bed and used the bathroom.

In the 4 minutes I was gone, Hannah had managed to 

completely take over my half of the bed, and all of my pillow.

But, a sleeping Hannah is better for everyone.

So I curled up on the bottom 2/3rd of my half of the bed.

...and after getting kicked a few times in the face,

I reminded myself that this was really all Christopher's doing.

She might be cute, but I'm still plotting my revenge...

Valentine's Roses

With all the hubbub of Valentine's Day - 

working all day, 

meeting up for dinner in Portland, 

eating ridiculous chocolate cake, and then

dealing with Hannah all hopped up on ridiculous chocolate cake -

I never really got to appreciate the beautiful flower arrangement that Chris gave me.

Even the next morning the house was too dark to really take it all in.

But Wednesday night, after dinner and while I was playing with Hannah,
I saw them out of the corner of my eye and, for the first time,
I took a good look at them.

They're Beautiful!

Not only did Chris pick out the roses and tulips himself,
but he also unearthed the vase from who knows where in the garage,
cut all the stems perfectly to length, and arranged them all himself.

Frankly, I was speechless.

And now, a week later, they are wilted and droopy and
threatening to drop tulip petals all over my stairs,
but I admit that I'll be sad to see them go!  

I think a fabulous arrangement of flowers 
is better than receiving chocolate.

Okay, well, maybe that's going overboard...

Let Her Eat Cake

Valentine's dinner was a huge barbecue feast at Famous Dave's 

- if you haven't eaten there, you should.  

The All American Feast is amazing and feeds 

4 adults and 1 Hannah with lots of left overs -

But we -somehow- managed to save room for dessert. 

Chris bought an amazingly decadent chocolate cake from a 

local bakery and it was a big hit - especially with our little girl.

The pictures say it all, but first a few Hannah stats:

5 days shy of 17 months

24m/2T clothing and 6.5 shoe

'no, no no' is quickly becoming her favorite response

Loves her baby dolls and building towers with blocks

Now on with the photos:

She looks like such a big girl in this photo!

Two bites of chocolate cake served as her special Valentines Day treat.  

She's getting SO big SO quickly.

Le sigh.

Valentine's Day Treats

My coworkers - and now Christopher's coworkers - 

expect periodic homemade treats.  

While I love baking, I'm also busy and the thought of sifting flour 

while Hannah's preparing to have a meltdown does not sound appealing.  

So sometimes - most of the time - I use a box mix.

... at least for work treats.

I've found that as long as the presentation is nice, they aren't picky.

I started with a Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Recipe Yellow cake mix.  

(this just means you use butter instead of oil.  

This doesn't really matter to me, it's just what I had 

on hand after a big Betty Crocker sale stock up.)

I prepared the recipe as directed, preheated the oven, and began separating out all my mini cupcake liners.

TIP- The dollar store usually has 100 count packs of mini cupcake liners in holiday specific patterns.  While the quality isn't great, and a few of the liner tore while I was separating them, the 100 count was enough for 1 box of cake mix, and significantly cheaper than the store.

My mom gave me two 24 count mini cupcake pans for Christmas, 

and I made 6 dozen cupcakes - so 3 pans full.

Not knowing that it would make SIX dozen, 

I filled 2 dozen liners with white and then added the pink coloring, 

so it wasn't half and half like I wanted.  Keep that in mind.

This platter was for my coworkers.  

I frosted them with Target brand cream cheese frosting 

(I wanted to try it, and it wasn't that bad).  

I emptied the container of frosting into my Kitchenaid mixer bowl with the whisk attachment.  I whipped the frosting with 1 tsp of vanilla flavoring, and then piped it on with a disposable Wilton icing bag (easy clean up was key with this project) and a Wilton round tip (#12 I think).

I then added a pinch of pink sprinkles to each treat.  

(sprinkles were bought for about $3 at a 

TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Homegoods store.) 

Chris brought a 2 dozen pan of mixed white/pink cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and then a 2 dozen pan of pink cupcakes with cherry frosting (which I think is gross and tastes like cough syrup, but his coworkers always rave about it.  Weird.)

I finished them with the same sprinkles, and just served them in the cupcake pan so they wouldn't tip over while he was driving.  

Not fancy, but easier to handle.

The cupcakes lasted 45 minutes in my office and 10 minutes in Christopher's.

________________________________

So to reiterate - 

How to fancy up Boxed Cake Mix & Canned Frosting:

• Add food coloring, flavoring, or citrus zest to cake mixes.
• Whip frosting for a lighter consistency
• Also, add coloring, flavoring, zest, or at least some vanilla.
• Invest in a nice reusable icing bag or a box of disposable ones.
• Buy a coupler and a few round tips -
• #10, #11, #12 - are good for topping mini cupcakes.
• #1A of #2A  - are good for normal/jumbo cupcakes.
• #1 and #2 - are good for lettering on cakes or adding fine detail.
• Find some sprinkling sugar. 
• It's a great way to make your cupcakes look store bought - especially if you just add a small pinch.

Surprisingly, the skimpyier you are on the frosting 

(see how my frosting doesn't completely cover the cupcake top?) 

and the sprinkles, the more expensive your cupcakes will look.

I had 5 coworkers accuse me to re-plating store bought 

cupcakes because they looked 'too good'.

Turns out I'm just THAT good.

Do you ever feel judged by your birth choices?
Sometimes they're not choices at all.
Most of the time what happens during labor and delivery cannot be controlled- you respond to your body and hope everything goes well.
The last thing the woman then needs is to be made to feel guilty that the birth of her child didn't meet your expectations.


Keywords:
Carla thebubblelush the bubblelush carlathebubblelush dailylush daily lush Chris Hannah vlog vlogs vlogger vlogging blog labor delivery birth induction csection cesarean section Childbirth Born Talk Caesarean Section Discussion epidural medicated natural water waterbirth

Help! I Need Your Ideas!!

Help me come up a name for this Stay At Home Mom series that is nifty and cool.
Please? Also, video ideas for this series are welcome as well.

Keywords:
Carla thebubblelush the bubblelush carlathebubblelush dailylush daily lushChris Hannah vlog vlogs vlogger vlogging blog becoming stay athome mom SAHM work WAHM cooking coupon couponing budgetbudgeting Domestic Diva

Everything Changes at 6:30

My day usually starts way too early.  

The alarm goes off somewhere between 4:45 and 5:30 

depending on if it's a hair washin' morning - 

don't make that face, 30 minutes of extra sleep 

is worth rockin' a ponytail all day.

Then I get ready for work as quietly as possible - 

as not to wake Hannah - 

and usually in the dark - 

as not to wake Chris.

I run out the door - 

usually forgetting my coffee, or lunch, or cell phone - 

and drive an hour to work.

Once I'm at work I have 5 too many things on my plate,

coworkers whose comments verge on harassment -

including continually making the comment that 

I must not love my child since I'm a working mother -

and waiting, praying, longing for the moment 

the clock strikes 5:30 and I can leave.

The transition slowly starts to happen during that car ride home.

If we haven't been hit with rain, snow, or high winds, then the drive is fairly fluid and I'm able to focus on the interesting Talk Radio interview, jam out to Britney, or laugh along with the afternoon radio show's hi jinx.

I begin to relax and prepare to start my REAL life.

Those hours from 6:30 to bedtime are magical.

I walk into the room and people are happy to see me.

- they literally run squealing with delight at the very sight of me.

My husband made a fabulous dinner after getting home from work earlier -

tonight's selection is Salmon in an amazing cream sauce 

that he created on the fly, and Hannah's favorite rice.

We all sit around gushing about the fabulous dinner -

except Hannah who has decided that she hates Salmon but is perfectly content to eat every grain of rice on her plate -

and discussing our day 

I mainly stick to funny anecdotes or news stories I stumbled upon during my break - I refuse to let anyone ruin this moment.

Later we drive to Dairy Queen for a special treat.

Hannah and I share a plain cone while Chris eats his blizzard.

Hannah flirts with everyone, dances on the bench and 

waves to all the cars going 'bye bye' at the drive thru.

It's an amazing moment.

We're all happy exhausted and drunk on ice cream.

During the drive home Hannah announces all her 

body parts and we smile at how smart she's getting.

And once home we slowly begin preparing for bedtime - 

kisses, hugs, smiles, and magical stories.

If you ignore the sink full of dishes or 

the stacks of laundry waiting to be put away - 

which I do - 

It's perfect.

Repeat After Me: "My Blog is Worth My Time"

I've heard of writers that take on extreme writing challenges - 10 pages a day, or so many words a week.  I have a coworker that is in a few writing groups, and she's constantly editing someone else's work and talking about the novel she's working on.

There are those that participate in crash diets - 30 day shred or 10 days of nothing but lemonade and maple syrup (which I did in college and right before my wedding.  Both times worked awesome, but were not long term fixes of course).

Both of these ideas - these challenges - serve as inspiration to tackle something in your life that you want to improve, that you want to focus on, fulfill, better, excel at.

For me, that's vlogging and blogging.

I'd really like to put more love into my website and blog.
I think that my thoughts should be worth the effort to record
- even if I'm the only one reading them.

So I've signed up for the SITS Girls challenge - 31 Days to a Better Blog.
I've signed up at the intermediate level.
I blogged for years in college, and have been vlogging for 3 years, so I don't consider myself a beginner.
And while I meet the requirements for an advanced blogger,
I'm definitely not.

Fabulous Vlogger?  I'd like to think so.
Amazing Blogger?  No way.

But if you're patient and stick with me, 

you'll be able to watch me transform into one.

Because some days you just don't want to be seen on camera.

Some days I'd rather rough house with Hannah all morning long instead of showering and doing my hair, and - fault me if you want to - I'm much to vain to regularly get in front of the camera looking like a hot mess.

Some days you just want to write in your comfy pants and be able to proofread your crazy thoughts instead of editing them out in post production like I do with vlogs.


And blogging gives me the ability to do that.

But have no doubt, vlogging will always be my favorite.
My first social media love, if you will.

What area of your life do YOU want to focus on?
Would you like to participate in the 31 Day SITS girls challenge to improve your blog?
It started on Monday January 16th, so you'll have to scramble to catch up, but it's worth it!

Breastfeeding: Supplementing with an SNS Kit

Discussing how a supplemental nursing system can be beneficial 

to mothers and babies that are experiencing difficulty breastfeeding.

Even with our rough start, Hannah and I successfully 

breastfed until she weaned at 14 months. 

Just because it doesn't start off on the right foot, 

doesn't mean it can't finish beautifully.

MEDELA:

http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/51/supplemental-nursing-system-sns#!Overview

Lact-Aid:

http://www.lact-aid.com/

Learn more at KellyMom Articles:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/alternative-feeding.html#atbreast

Keywords: Carla thebubblelush the bubblelush carlathebubblelush dailylush daily lush Chris Hannah vlog vlogs vlogger vlogging blog breastfeeding breastfeed breastfed breast feed troubleshooting tongue tied latch supplement breastmilk milk formula similac enfamil bottle low supply hospital post partum comes in colostrum SNS kit supplemental nursing system medela lactaid lact-aid Infant Formula newborn baby lactation consultant Video Blogging

Gymboree - Play & Learn Class Review

All about Gymboree Play and Music Program including their Play and Learn Classes and Open Gym.

Find a Location Near You:

http://www.gymboreeclasses.com/calendar.do?action=ENRL

All About The Different Classes:

http://www.gymboreeclasses.com/b2c/customer/programIndex.jsp

Keywords: Carla thebubblelush the bubblelush carlathebubblelush dailylush daily lush Chris Hannah vlog vlogs vlogger vlogging blog Gymboree play learn music class classes program level gymbo parachute bubbles gym little sahm activities

OTH - Get Caught Up! Series Recap

Recapping characters and plot points of the first 8 seasons of One Tree Hill so that we can all watch Season 9 together.

Keywords: one tree hill oth Lucas Lucas Scott One Tree Hill (TV Series) Best Brooke Davis Haley James Nathan Scott Peyton television cw Julian brulian Leyton Naley Brucus Peyton Sawyer episode season

Holiday Wrap Up

Footage from Holiday Season - Thanksgiving, Christmas Tree, Meeting Santa, and Christmas Morning.

Hannah was 14 - 15 months in this video.