New Years Goals

With New Years right around the corner I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do in 2015. I'm not going to make resolutions but I am going to make some goals for different aspects of my life. 

I found a bunch of printables but none of them were exactly what I was looking for, so I made my own. It has seven sections. Health, home, children, spouse, work, pets, and misc. Now comes the fun part...filling it all in. I want to write down a couple of things that I want to do in each section over the year. It could be daily things, weekly things, or even one time things. For example in health I put drink 64 oz of water a day, and in home I put organize all of my boxes in the basement. It really can be anything that you want to do over the next year.

I love writing things down and making lists so this is right up my alley! If it's written down it has a better chance of getting completed. Plus there is also that satisfaction of checking off something she you have completed it! That is the best feeling. 

Skating with Santa

Took the kids to skate with Santa today. Ruby is still too little so she watched, ate snacks and napped.

I went out first with Ryan...I haven't been on skates for two years but it was like riding a bike. Ryan did well with the bar that you can skate around with. He fell a lot without it. But it was fun. His friend Charlie also came and they were trying to race which turned into them falling even more. 

Josh and I switched half way through and he went out with Ryan while Ruby and I walked around the rink. She actually saw Santa heading to the rink with his red sack and he stopped and gave her a candy cane and a pencil. Then he was off to hand out candy to the kids skating. 

Ryan on the ground and Charlie trying to help :)

Scrappy's turning 12!

In 10 short days my first born furry child is turning 12! He is such a good dog I wanted to do something nice for him. We bought him some treats and a toy but I wanted to do something special for him. So I made him a new dog bed. I used the same measurements as I did for Rubys giant floor pillow. I think he will love it! His favorite thing to do sleep so I think it's perfect :) 

Being a Stepmom

I read this on Facebook today. It's a letter to a women's daughters stepmom (that's a mouthful). It is really well written and all around touching. I know a lot of people that have step children and most don't have great relationships with the child's other parent. It's nice to read about some one who got over the "ex issue" and both sides are in it for the child. There is nothing easy about being a step parent. You give and give and it usually goes unnoticed. All that matters at the end of the day is that the child is loved. 

http://t.today.com/parents/letter-my-daughters-stepmom-i-never-wanted-you-here-1D80341783

Oh Christmas Tree

Our tree is up! We went out the Saturday after Thanksgiving and picked one out. We go to the same place every year. It's local and they donate some of the proceeds to Make A Wish. 

The only thing I don't like about real trees is all the pine needles that fall off. I will be vacuuming them up until July! But it smells amazing in here and Josh loves it so that's enough for me. 

Festival of Trees

Now that Thanksgiving is over the Christmas season is officially upon us. We kicked things off yesterday with the festival of trees. It was our first time going, but some of my family had already been the last few years. There were over 240 spectacular trees that were donated by businesses, organizations and people. You buy raffle tickets and put them in for whichever tree that you like, or trees that you like. We put our tickets in for multiple trees. Then when the festival is over there is a drawing for each tree, and if your ticket gets drawn you win the tree and whatever is on it. 

All the proceeds go to historic preservation projects in the area. One of the projects is in our town! 

They had some really fun trees and all of them were different. Ruby loved the lights and all the sparkly ornaments. 

I think we have found another family tradition. Speaking of tradition we are now off to get our Christmas tree! 

25 Books

We are starting a new Christmas tradition this year; reading a different Christmas book every night. 

I found the idea on Pinterest. You wrap all the books individually and put them under the tree. (We get our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving so it works perfect for us.) So every night Ruby can pick a book, unwrap it and we can sit by the tree and read it. It's going to be a lot of fun. She loves books! Plus it's great practice for Ruby opening presents! She'll be a pro by Christmas morning. 

Blast from the past

It's so crazy how some things bring you back to a certain time in your life. It could be seeing a person that you haven't seen in a long time, a song that comes on the radio, even a random text message. It can bring back lots of memories; some memories that you had tucked away for a reason. And in that one moment they all come rushing back. 

That happened to me the other day. And just in that second it all came back to me. All the good times and all the bad. And I'm an analyzer, so I just go over things again and again in my head. 

Sometimes it's a nice reminder though. You can take a trip down memory lane and when you get back you really appreciate all you have now and how far you have come. Good things can come out of bad situations, and you learn and grow from it. 

I really could not be happier with how my life has turned out. Life is good. 

Naptime

It is amazing how much you can get done during naptime. Yesterday I did the laundry, did some sewing, paid all the bills, balanced my checkbook, did some data entry, cleaned three bathrooms, talked to friend on the phone, and took a shower. And that was all during Rubys nap. That was pretty much all I got done the entire day. The rest of the day was spent playing and reading books, and that is 100% ok by me. 

When I have to get stuff done I turn into a triple tasker! I don't mind stuffing everything I have to do into two hours if it means I can spend the rest of the day with my daughter :) 

Things I Believe

1) I believe that true love does exist. I believe that there is one person for everyone that completes you. 

2) Everyone should have a pet at one point in their lives. They can bring so much joy and love to you. 

3) There are good honest people out there, you just have to find them.

4) If you love your job then it's not really work. 

5) Laughter is the best medicine.

6) Giving is better than receiving.

7) You should never judge people by their race, gender, sexuality, nationality, or religion. Get to know someone for who they are, before you jump to conclusions.

8) Always get both sides of the story. 

9) Never go to bed angry.

10) Always kiss your children and spouse good night. 

11) Never hold onto hate. Let it go, you will be much happier. 

12) Spend time with people you love. 

13) Read to your kids daily.

14) Take lots pictures. Pictures are memories on paper (or a computer screen) that you can look at time and time again. 

15) Everything happens for a reason. This one I believe with everything that I have. It is the way I live my life. 

Christmas Projects

Christmas is right around the corner. So I have planned out everything that I am going to make. We are on a much smaller budget this year, so I will be making almost all of the gifts. 

I'm going to try to be crafty this year. I've actually already finished painting all of the step stools that I bought for the kids. They came out pretty good if I do say so myself. 

Now onto my sewing projects! 

5 Days of Gratitude

On Facebook my Mother In Law had me do 5 days of gratitude. All you have to do is write something you are grateful for for 5 days. I figured I would share what I wrote on here as well. It's always nice taking a minute to think about all the great things in life. 

Day 1 of Gratitude. I am blessed to be married to the most amazing man and my best friend, Josh. He has always been the one for me, it just took him 10+ years to figure it out ;) He supports my decision to stay home with Ruby, and puts up with me when I am cranky. No matter what he is there for me and can always make me smile. Did I mention that he is the best father? Well he is and Ruby is head over heels in love with him...total Daddys girl. 

I am truly the luckiest person in the world to have found my soul mate. I could never love another man the way I love him. He is my past, present and my future. <3

Day 2 of Gratitude. I am so unbelievably grateful to have my beautiful daughter Ruby. She makes me smile all day long and keeps me on my toes. I absolutely love spending all day every day with her. I feel blessed to be able to have children, because I know there are a lot of people out there that can't. At one point I wasn't sure if I would be able to, so every day I am thankful that I can, and I will continue to do the best that I can for Ruby. I had no idea I could love someone so much before even meeting them, and the love grows everyday. ❤️

Day 3 of Gratitude. I am so lucky that I have such an amazing family. I don't know where I would be without each and every one of you. I get to spend time with my mother multiple times a week and get to Facetime my father almost daily. Without you guys I would not be the person I am today, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. My sisters, even if we dont get to spend as much time as we'd like to together, I am happy that we are all still close. I know we have had hard times as a family, but we came through so much stronger and closer than I could have ever hoped. 

All my Aunts, and Uncle, cousins and inlaws...I really made out like a bandit because I have the most wonderful family. I really do love you all, and am so happy that you are a part of my family and life. <3

Day 4 of Gratitude. Over the years I have had lots of friends come into my life. Some did not stay long, and some never left. One moved away and now we only talk on the phone (trying for weekly,) and see each other once a year. Some I see weekly at swim class and then playdates! Another one I see when we can sync up our schedules (sometimes months in advance) and go do something fun like the park or aquarium with the kids. Then there’s one that makes me beautiful once every 8 weeks and we try and see each other more but we are both so busy. All my ladies at the clinic…I miss you tons. Old friends and new friends, it doesn’t matter, I love you all, and am so happy to have each and every one of you in my life. To my old friends that I don’t see anymore, I think of you often and hope things are well, and will always be here if you need me. And that goes for all of you. My friends over the years have helped me so much, when I was sick, dealing with stupid exes, etc. I just want to say thank you for everything. You have all touched my life in one way or another, and I love you all. I am so grateful to have awesome friends <3

Day 5 of Gratitude. All my life I have loved animals. I have had a dog since I was 1 1/2 years old, and I always will. Currently we have 2 dogs, Scrappy Doo and Nikko, 3 cats, Brembo, Sookie and Buttons, and 2 lizards, Jack Jack and Calvin. Loving animals is who I am. They love me unconditionally and ask for nothing in return. They know when I'm sad and come and snuggle me and give me kisses. You are never alone if you have a pet. We are so lucky that they all get along (some pick on each other but all in fun) and they are all great with kids. I really couldn't ask for a better group of animals to have in our family. I love them all. 

Holiday Season

It's the holiday season again! What is your favorite holiday? Mine used to be Halloween, but that was before I had Ruby. I use to love the Halloween parties and dressing up, now that seems like way too much work. I always loved Christmas as well. Now it's definitely my favorite holiday. 

I love giving presents and seeing peoples faces when they open them. And now I have Ruby to shop for and this year she'll be able to really rip open the presents and play in the paper. Last year shewas four  months old at Christmas time so she couldn't really enjoy it. She liked looking at the lights on the Christmas tree but there was no opening gifts. So this year will be so much fun for her and for me and Josh watching her.

Even though the weather is getting cold, and it's dark until seven in the morning, this is still my favorite time of year. Got so many's different celebrations going on in a three-month span. It's just so much fun. Lots of visiting family, and just spending quality time with loved ones. What more could you ask for!

Aquarium

Last weekend was Ryan's sixth birthday. So we decided that this weekend we would bring him to the aquarium with one of his friends. We went and spent the whole day in Boston. 

It was pretty busy, but still a lot of fun. I forgot how big it is. We got to see seals and penguins, also thousands of different kinds of fish. We also saw sharks and turtles. And got to pet stingrays, and look at jellyfish. All the kids had a good time, and so did the parents. Ruby even took a nap while we walked around. 

Reality TV

There are so many reality shows on tv now. If you had your choice which one would you be on?

I love Survivor but I don't think that I would be able to win, nor would I want to do what they do. Same goes for Big Brother, I am not cut out for that show. Way too much drama for my liking. 

One show that I always thought I could do and would be a blast would be The Amazing Race! Travel the world and see things I could only dream of seeing. Taking part in different customs along the way. I think it would just be an amazing experience. Hence the name, Amazing Race. If you win awesome if not you got to run around the world with a loved one and collected so many wonderful memories. It's a win win in my book. 

Which show would you be on?

Fabulous Day!

What an amazingly beautiful day. It's one of those days that are just awesome. Your life couldn't get any better and you're just thankful for everyone and everything. Its just a happy happy day.

It's 74° and cloudy. I walked out my door this morning thinking that I was going to be cold, while grabbing something out of my car, and I was comfortable in my short sleeves. It was a very nice surprise. We've had such cold weather the last few weeks, this was a breath of fresh air. Literally. 

I think it made the day just that much better and that much more productive. I got a ton of work done, a bunch of laundry washed, dried, folded and put away, worked on some Christmas presents, got expense reports done, walked the dog, and did some research on a couple of things that I've been needing to look into. And it's not even 3 o'clock yet! Did I mention that Ruby had an amazing nap!?!? This weather is making everyone happy! 

Now off to finish the rest of my list, and maybe go to Michaels Craft Store if I have a chance. 

I love days like these :) Just had to share. 

Enjoy your day!

Fall Fun

I love all the fun Fall activities! Last weekend we went to the corn maze, which was in the shape of a cat and a mouse. Our family went, my sister and her friend and his little boy came. You start at the entrance and then walk until you find a mailbox with a question in it. All of the questions had to do with cats and mice. If you answer the question right it sends you the right way, if you answer it wrong you will end up at a dead end or completely turned around. Ryan loved finding the mailboxes while the other boy would read the question. Ruby had a blast being pulled in the wagon :) 

At the farm were a bunch of adorable animals and tons of pumpkins. We spent a few hours at the farm, going through the maze, looking at the animals and then finding the perfect pumpkin. It was fun a fun afternoon. 

I can't wait to go apple picking, and then I can make an apple pie! We're also planning on doing a hayride with the kids, that will be another first for Miss Ruby. 

Ryan's birthday is also next weekend, so the following two weekends he's coming down and we've got a birthday party planned and a special day trip that he wanted to do over the summer but we ran time. Then there's trick-or-treating, carving a pumpkin, cooking the pumpkin seeds, so much fun stuff to do this month! I wonder if we will have enough tme for it all! 

Time to get moving

Now that Fall is officially here, I've decided that I need to start walking more. I know it's a bit backwards, I don't know why I didn't start in the spring. I guess that would've made too much sense! Haha. So every morning Ruby, Nikko and myself go for a mile and a half walk. Ultimately I would like to take part in one of these fun runs that so many people do. But I need to work myself up to that, so for now we are walking. 

On Tuesday we went for our walk and I noticed when we were almost home that Ruby was missing both of her socks. She really hates wearing socks! We were going to find them Wednesday but it was downpouring so we stayed in. So the rescue mission was put off until this morning. I'm happy to report that we found the missing socks, they were sopping wet but we found them :) 

Giant Floor Pillow

I have finally finished Rubys giant floor pillow that I started months ago. I only needed more batting and then just had to sew it closed! I'm happy to say that it is done. 

Ruby loves it. She likes to plop down on it and then roll all around. It's 30"x30" so it's a good size and will last her for a long time. Scrappy seems to like it too, I've caught him a couple of times taking a nap on it. 

I over stuffed it because I know how Ruby likes to throw herself on it and with lots of use it will eventually get worn down and won't be as fluffy as it is now. 

It wasn't hard to make, just had to measure and remeasure to make sure it was perfect. 

Jimmy Fund Walk

Today was the Jimmy Fund Walk. Every year we walk it. It raises money for cancer research. It is a great cause and they have a wonderful turn out every year. It's estimated that 8,500 people will walk this year. It's always so great to see that many people come together to fight cancer. 

There are 4 different routes that you can walk. 26.2, 13.1, 5 and 3 miles. The last few years we've been doing the 5 miles because we have not had time to train. But in the past we have done the the 26.2 and the 13.1. 

My sister Gillian and I started this tradition of walking every year, and since then we have always had a team, Heather's Heroes. It's always a good time and such a good cause. 

Today was our 8th year walking, and we had some new people on our team. Laura, Matthew and Ruby :) The rain held off and the sun actually came out! As usual our cheer leader Lisa and boyfriend Chad met us at the finish line. My father joined them this year. 

I'm so happy that we have started this tradition, and I'm hoping every year our team grows.  

Finished Master Bath

I started and finished the Master Bath facelift while Josh was away. I wanted to surprise him with a nice new pretty bathroom. I made the picture that is hanging up and the towel hooks. Only thing that I would like to do in there now is to refinish the shower and put a glass door on it. I am not a fan of shower curtains; I hate when they stick to me when I'm in there. But that will be a project for another year! Way too time consuming for right now. 

I wish I had taken a before picture. The walls were cream and had holes in them from the old towel racks. And the window was put in recently so it was not painted and all around messy looking. 

Next project is making Rubys Halloween costume, then onto making Christmas presents. 

And I'm hoping to start the playroom by the end of the year. Fingers crossed!

Updated Share a Coke!

The sand arrived so I could finish my "Share a Coke" project! 

I filled them all to the brim yesterday and then squeezed the bottle to get the sand into all the extra space (which there was a lot of). That's the key to making them look nice. I glued the tops on because I have little fingers around and I don't want sand everywhere. 

So if you fill your bottles with sand make sure you fill them to the top and squeeze them to move the sand down into every possible empty spot. Then fill it up again and repeat. You'll have to do this until the sand doesn't go down. I fit a little over 2 1/2 lbs of sand per bottle. 

I love them. I think they came out great!

Goals

Everyday I have a list as long as my arm of things to do, and most days I get everything done. But they are just normal day to day things like laundry, errands, dishes and cleaning. So I've decided to make a list of goals for the next year of projects that I want to do. 

So first I plan on giving the master bathroom a face lift. We've already put in a new light, new towel hooks and a new window. The plan is to patch the holes from the old towel hooks, and touch ups the window sill. Put up a new shower curtain, paint the room and organize the medicine cabinet. 

After I finish that my next goal will be to tackle the room downstairs which we are using for storage. I plan to transform it into a playroom! 

 

Air Zone

I'm always trying to find fun things to do with the kids. Yesterday we went to Air Zone. It's a building with with inflatable bouncy houses in it. Ruby loved jumping with no one else in there. 

It was Ryan's friends birthday party, so there was a couple of hours playing and then pizza, cake and ice cream. One of Rubys friends were there as well so she had someone to play with. 

It is a great idea for a birthday party for older kids. Ryan had a blast. He made a few new friends too! 

Girls Day at The Zoo

I have a love hate relationship with the zoo. I love seeing all the animals but I hate that they are in cages and not in the wild. But as my sister said if they were to let them go right now they would not survive. They get plenty of food, atleast they look well fed, and they get medical attention if needed. I can't imagine being stared at all day would be fun but maybe they don't care. 

But enough about that...Laura and I brought Ruby to visit the zoo for the first time yesterday and it was really fun. I have a funny feeling that Laura and I enjoyed the animals more than Ruby but she seemed to have a good time watching all the people and in the end really loved the butterflies. I can imagine it would be pretty hard for her to see the animals in the big cages that were hiding all the way in the back. But she did try and pet the goats and deer while Laura and I fed them. 

It was a lot of fun for everyone. 

Awesome Saturday!

Today was awesome! The last few days I have been so unmotivated it's not even funny. But today I woke up and got going. Started with feeding all the furry animals, and when Ruby got up got her ready for the day. We played, read stories and all around made a mess! So then had to clean the entire house, vacuumed, cleaned the microwave, did multiple loads of laundry and put them away (one point for me!). Made one hooded towel, and started two others. I also painted the plaques for my towel hooks! Now to make dinner :) 

I guess the key to a productive day is starting off that way. I find it really hard to get productive in the middle of the day. It's amazing how good you feel when you get things accomplished. :)

Beach Day

Yesterday Ruby had her first official visit to the beach. We got all packed up and headed off in the morning to meet her friends and mine. Once we got there we realized that none of us had checked when high tide...oppps. It ended up that it wasn't until 2, so we had plenty of time. Ruby and Noah played in the water and put sand all over each other, while poor Tyler thought the waves were going to get him. In all reality the waves were pretty big and he did get hit in the face with one as soon as we got there. So he had every right to be scared. 

The tide came in pretty quickly and took over the beach. So the beach day was cut short but still a lot of fun. Next time we need to plan it for around the tides. 

Birthday Wishes

The birthday fun is over. Ruby is officially 1! So crazy how fast the time went by. 

We had a great birthday weekend. Her party was perfect. Lots of friends and family came. The weather was great; cloudy at some points but no rain. We had a great turn out, 33 people for a one year olds birthday party. Thanks to all that came :) We even had family from Canada fly down for it. It was really just the greatest. I still can't believe that she is one, it blows my mind. 

Share a Coke

So it took about a month and I found 3 of the 4 names I was looking for on the "Share a Coke" bottles. 

Once I found them I had to figure out what to do with them. I decided to fill them with sand and use them as decoration. Well I did not buy enough sand so now I'm waiting for the rest to arrive. 

My bottle is now my bracelet holder :) It still needs alittle more sand but you can get the gist of it. 

They did not have Rubys name so she got the word family. Hers will be a bracelet holder as well until she decides what to use it for. Now what to use the guys bottles for....

August Already!

It's August already! In a week Ruby will be one, I can't believe it. She has grown up so fast. The year has flown by in the blink of an eye. 

I have a funny feeling that next week is going to be an emotional one for me. My baby is going to be one year old...I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around it. Maybe it's because I know I'm going to be a basket case! 

We have done so much in this year. From taking her first vacation to Florida to swim lessons with her friends. There have been so many firsts and I've written them all down. I am looking forward to many more firsts with her and many many more memories to be made. 

Summer Fun

This summer has been so busy already and it's only half over!
There have been lots of birthday parties, lots of play dates, too many BBQs to count, what feels like a million errands and so much more. Last weekend we went to Storyland! It was the first time for a lot of our group, which made it that much better. We met my girlfriend Sue, her fiancé, and her son Charlie there. Ryan and Charlie are friends so they were stuck like glue to each other for the day. Also Sues brother and his daughter came along.
They have 10 rides Ruby could go on, and she loved them all. She even took a nap in the middle of all the fun :) Ruby and I took pictures of everyone on the rides that she couldn't go on, which didn't end up being that many in the end. It was a very full day. We left at 8am and ended up getting home at 9:45pm. Needless to say the kiddos slept all the way home and went straight to bed, with no protest, when we got there.
Wasn't half as stressful as I thought it would be. It was a good day had by all :)

Splash Pad

So we now have a favorite place to go on a hot day...the Splash Pad! We went yesterday and had a blast. Ruby got to hang out with her friends Noah and Avery, Ryan made a new friend Tyler and I got my adult time with Heather and Carrie. It's a win win win!

I wasn't completely sure what a Splash Pad was before we got there but it is a concrete slab with water jets that shoot out of the ground, they come out of poles, they can mist you or soak you, and they even have a bucket that dumps on your head. 

There is also two playgrounds, a big kids one and a little kids one. And a whole bunch of swings. It really does have it all. We spent three hours there and on the way home both of the kiddos passed out! 

Laundry Time

Laundry use to be torture! I would have to hit the washer to get it to the spin cycle. But now that I have a new washer and dryer I love doing the laundry. My husband jokes that there is never any dirty clothes in the hampers, and there really never is. 

I was doing laundry yesterday and decided that I want to spruse the place up a bit. Maybe add a "Laundry" decal to the wall and I would love to have a counter over the washer and dryer for folding. I already have a shelf that holds the detergent, fabric softener, spot remover, dryer sheets, extra towels in a basket, and a jar for change that comes out of the dryer magically :)  

What does your laundry room have it in to make laundry time easier? 

Paint Nite

My older sister told me about Paint Nite months ago, it sounded like a blast so I tried it. It's two hours one night and they have them all over the country. If you can find one near you I would strongly recommend doing it. 

There were about 50 people in the one we took. There is a teacher at the front of the room that walks you through how to paint the picture. They also have a bar which makes some peoples painting very interesting. The teacher walks around and helps anyone that needs it. It is a fun night out with the girls for sure. I plan on doing another soon with a couple of my girlfriends :) 

On the website they have all the different painting to choose from, what day they are on and where they are. It really is so much fun. Check out their website and find one you want to do! 

www.paintnite.com

Cousin Time

Ruby got to spend time with her cousin yesterday. They hung out in the baby pool and then played with a bunch of toys on the grass while we all had lunch. It was really nice spending time with my sister in law and her boyfriend. Adult time is always a plus when you have kids. I tend to put myself last now that I have Ruby, which I am completely ok with, it's just nice to hang out with another mom and our babies for a day :) 

Birthday Weekend

Well it's happened...I turned 30 yesterday. It wasn't too bad I guess, lots of thinking and then overthinking which never works out well for me. But all in all it was a good day. Ruby and I spent the morning playing and snuggling, then my parents came over in the afternoon and made dinner for us once Josh got home. My older sister stopped by as well. It was a great birthday. 

All the celebrating took place over the weekend. Josh surprised me with a Helicopter ride which was amazing. An hour tour of the seacoast, starting in Pease and going down the coast to Seabrook Beach and then all the way up to Maine. We saw a couple of Lighthouses, abandoned buildings, and got to check out places we've seen from the ground. It was so different seeing things from the sky. It was so fun and a complete surprise which makes it that much cooler. 

After our ride we had a birthday party to get ready for. We celebrated Laura's, my Dad's, mine, a family friend Pam's and Laura's friend Steph. Had a great cookout with lots of family and friends. It really was the perfect birthday weekend! I am one lucky lady :)

Making the Yard Beautiful

I have never had a green thumb. For the most part I can't keep plants alive at all. I love flowers and plants. I have always wanted a beautiful yard because we love to entertain and in the summer outside is where we like to be. So we have started sprucing it up for the summer fun activities that we have planned. 

This week we started with finishing up the dogs pen with rounded stone and making it secure. We also moved and set up the kiddos swing set, and weeded and mulched the flower bed and the front walkway. It really has brightened up the yard. 

My next outside project will be building up the side of the flower bed. I have a bunch of large rocks for the stone wall, I just need to figure out how to use cement properly and make it pretty at the same time. 

We will see how that goes! It should be fun. 

Happy 4th of July!

This Fourth of July was the first one in years that we have not had a BBQ. It rained all day and night. Still was a good day. Hope everyone had a wonderful and dry 4th! 

Happy Canada Day

I would like to wish all my Canadian family and friends a happy Canada Day :) Be safe and enjoy the day! 

Picture via Google Images

Pinterest DIYs

So I haven't been as motivated as I'd like to be with trying to make new things, but I did find a few cute projects that I will try on Pinterest. 

An iPad carrying case.

And these awesome towel hooks. 

I plan on trying them, hopefully soon. I will post the finished product once I get them done!

Pictures via Pinterest

Family

Family means so much to me. My definition is slightly different than others. Family to me is of course my husband and our beautiful daughter. It is my parents, my sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It's is my mother and father in law, my sister in law, nephew and grandpa. It is my dogs and cats. And my friends. People in my life that I love that's what I call family. 

I am lucky to have a strong and close family. Even if we don't see each other as much as we would like we are still always a phone call away. I have two amazing parents that have made me who I am today. They have helped me and stood by me in the toughest times. I could not ask for a better family. I have really lucked out. I would not trade any of them for anything in the world. I even married into a close awesome family! It was meant to be and that's always been known, it was all about timing. My husband truly is the most amazing man in the world (tied for first with my Dad). I won the life lottery marrying him. 

My Ruby, I have a hard time coming up with words for her. I am obsessed, she is my world. This is a whole different kind of love, a love that I never felt before. She has me and her father wrapped around her little finger already, 9 months old! She is so much like myself and her father it's crazy. She already has a love for animals. She spends more time following them around and playing with them then she does people, just like her mom use to do. And they are all wonderful with her and with everyone. The dogs are amazing, they have kept me sane over the years and are always there to make me smile. The cats are wonderful too, I've never seen cats so careful around babies, but mine are great with Ruby. She plays with their toys and they wait patiently until she is done (as Nikko does too). They are all cuddly and snugly, just how I like them. 

I have the most amazing friends, friends that I would do anything thing and vice versa. I don't have a lot of close friends but the ones I have I wouldn't trade a million friends for! 

I know usually when people say they have a wonderful life they are just trying to prove it to themselves and everyone else, but my life really is perfect...well atleast to me. I have been truly blessed. And am thankful everyday for it. 

Keratin

Massage, manicure, pedicure, facial...all things that can really make you feel like a new person. One thing that I love is getting my hair done. And today I got to do that. It was an all day process but the end result is fabulous. 

I got the Keratin Treatment today! I got it done a few years ago and loved it. It's pricey that's why I don't get it done often. I asked for this as a 30th birthday present :) 

It is so amazing. It makes your hair healthier, silkier, and straighter.  And it lasts for up to six months! I will not have to blow dry or flat iron more hair all summer, and it will dry completely straight. It won't be frizzy when I go outside after two minutes. 

The before and after pictures show it all. It's amazing how well it works! 

One of my best friends Candice did this for me at Seabrook Hair Excitement! She rocks! 

Dada Day

This past weekend was Father's Day, and I wanted to make it extra special for my husband this year being the first one with Ruby. I asked him what he wanted to do and he said nothing! So that was easy enough for me. We got Ryan on Saturday so he could spend the day with his Dad. 

On Sunday morning we made Josh a big breakfast, Eggs Benedict on English muffins, bacon and hash browns. It is very difficult to make big breakfasts seen as how most things only take minutes to cook. But it was a success! We had a nice lazy morning just hanging around. After lunch we went to see Josh's father and grandfather. The kids played while we all chatted and relaxed. It was a great day, and the weather was beautiful to top it off.  

Happy Father's Day! 

Salt Dough

For Fathers Day I wanted Ruby to make Josh something, so I looked online and found a recipe for Salt Dough. You mix 1/2 a cup of salt, 1/2 a cup of flour and 1/4 a cup of water. Kneed it into a dough and shape it however you like. We made an oval with hand prints, her name and the year in it. I put some flour down on the counter so the mixture didn't stick to the counter. When you are done you put it on a baking sheet and in the oven at 200 degrees and bake for 3 hours. 

We will be making one every year, maybe put them in the flower bed as decoration. Right now Josh has it on his desk :) 

Every child should have a pet

When my step son started coming over he was 3 years old. From the first time he walked in the house him and my dog Nikko were inseparable. He helps feed the dogs and likes letting them out. Ryan is very helpful with the animals.

I've been waiting to see who Ruby will be drawn too. When she was little everyone thought she was wonderful. Now that she can crawl and move a lot more the dogs tend to run away. They don't enjoy getting their tails pulled. But the cats are still very patient with her. Especially Buttons. He will sit with her while she's playing and even lets her "pet" him. She hasn't quite figured that out yet so it's more like hitting and pulling. We are working on it. But he doesn't run he lays there and takes it. He has claimed her as his little human :) 

I remember growing up always having a dog. Dogs were and still are a huge part of my life. I have never not had a dog sleep at the bottom of my bed. Having animals growing up taught me how to be compassionate and helped me be responsible. Plus you always have a great friend waiting at home for you to give you licks. Animals have a way of making everything better. And that is why I will always have more than one animal in the house at all times. 

Rainy Day Play date

On Thursday Ruby had her first official sit down play date. It was so good for her. She really came out of her shell. And it was nice for me to talk to a couple ladies about mommy stuff. 

She spent time with 3 other kiddos, ages 10 months, 1 1/2, and 4. They all got along great, which you wouldn't expect from the age range. I was impressed, the other kids were very patient with the babies and everyone was sharing. It was a real success. 

I now believe that play dates are essential for a child's growth and development. Especially if they are not in daycare. They need the child interaction, they need to form bonds and make friends. And it's great if you can do it without all the germs from daycare. 

You could tell she was having such a good time with them. All smiles. We can't wait to have another one! 

Sandbox fun

When I was a little girl I had a sandbox. I absolutely loved it. I remember playing outside in the sand with all my toys, all the time. I want Ruby to have the same experience. 

I found an amazing one on Pinterest. It looked kinda hard to make but not impossible. I was going to ask my husband and one of our friends to make it, but we have so many other things that need to be done around the house, I decided against asking. I figired I'd just buy one at the store for now. I found an adorable turtle sandbox which was pretty inexpensive. Ruby loves it! She takes the sand and drop it out of the box, I thought the point was to keep the sand in but whatever she wants to do :) Now she has something else fun to do outside this summer. 

Almost Walking

Ruby is ready to walk. She walks up and down the couch and coffee table. She no longer sits and plays, she has to be standing. She cracks me up, she's a wild woman. She will stand on the bottom of her bouncer and play with the toys from the outside. She lives dangerously :) 

Memorial Day Weekend

First of all I would like to thank all of those who have served and are serving now. You have all made this a safer place for us to live and I thank you for that. 

What a wonderful long weekend. It was full of decent weather and lots of family. 

We had a birthday dinner on Saturday for Josh's little sister Jackie. We went to one of the nice restaurants in Hampton with the whole Whitcomb family. Ruby stayed home with Laura; it was past her bedtime. After dinner Josh and I went and got Ryan for the rest of the long weekend. He was pretty tired and went straight to bed when we got home. 

Sunday Josh worked on his race car at his parents house. Me and the kiddos stayed home for the morning so Ruby could take her nap and then after we all had lunch we headed over to meet up with Josh. 

It was fun. Ruby, Ryan and myself went for a walk with Cynthia and Carter when we got down there. It was a beautiful day. It rained in the morning but cleared up in the afternoon for us. Once Josh and his father were done working on the race car I finally got to take a ride in it, because we had someone to keep an eye on the kids. It's very loud :) We took a ride past my parents old house in Hampton. Its very strange seeing different cars in the driveway. :/

Saturday night was a low-key night. Ruby went to bed early, she was tired from the busy day we had. Josh and Ryan watched videos of monster trucks on YouTube and I started sewing a few pillows that I'm making to match our new headboard and a giant one for Ruby to play on! 

Sunday was a yardwork day. Our friend Jimmy came over to help and hang out. I got the flowerbeds cleaned up while the guys cleaned around the new shed. Ruby watched from a blanket that she was playing on. She is not a fan of the dirt, she would touch it and be disgusted and pull her hand away. 

We had a cook out for dinner; barbecued some steak tips, chicken and green beans and had fancy fries with them. (Fancy fries are fries cooked with onion and bacon...delicious). Laura came over and had dinner with us and then we watched a movie. 

It was a really great weekend. I'm bummed that it's over and everyone's gone back to work. 

Shed = Storage Solution

I love my house, I really do, but storage is an issue. We started spring cleaning and got rid of so much stuff, but there was a lot of stuff that we are keeping and needed a space of its own. 

We have a finished room in the basement and we'd like to use it as a office/play space but as of now it's storage. We also have an unfinished part of our basement that is used for storage that is full! The garage is full also. We are running out of space. So to reclaim some space we have invested in a shed. We will be able to put the pool, shovels, bikes, lawn mower, chairs, anything outdoorsy that doesn't need to be in the basement or garage in there. I am beyond excited, I'll be able to organize the entire basement, Josh will have his garage back and the porch will be clutter free and we can sit out there again yay!!! Now all we need is time to do all of that, and time now a days is hard to come by. 

Drag N Fly 5k

What an awesome day! Ruby and I walked a 5k in Deerfield. It raises money for the local Preschool and Make a Wish. It was suppose to rain all day but at 9am it stopped, which was when we got to the starting line. The vet clinic I use to work for sponsors it so they have a team every year. And they let me be part of it. I walked it with the boss Jenni, my friend Heidi and one of the Drs husbands Chris and his adorable puppy. Dr Kim and Jen were part of the team also but they ran...I would not have made it running haha.

It was a tough course! A lot of up hill. Thank goodness I had Jenni and Heidi helping me with Ruby in the stroller :) she getting heavy after pushing her up hill for a mile! Of course Ruby napped and just relaxed as we all sweated up a storm. 

It was a great morning. I got to catch up with some really good friends and exercised! We crossed the finish line at 57 minutes...not too shabby :)

Kim, Ella(dog), Chris, Jenni, me, Ruby, Heidi, Jen and Brody(dog). 

Alex and Ani

I have a new obsession thanks to my husband and sister...Alex and Ani bangles! I got two for Mother's Day and went to the store yesterday to check out what other ones they have. They come in silver and gold and you get them with different charms on them. They are so fun. I found at least 5 more that I want. My arm is going to be full of them by the time I'm done getting all the ones I like :) 

They are made in the USA and in an eco friendly process. The company is all about positive energy, and each piece is infused with it. 

Here are the ones I received for Mother's Day. Peridot, Rubys birthstone. And a Mom charm. I love them, can't wait to get more!

My First Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day. And it's been the most amazing day. I have a perfect husband and a beautiful daughter that took care of me today. I feel blessed to be able to have children, I know some people can't, so I am thankful everyday for my amazing daughter. 

This morning I got to relax while my husband took care of Ruby, the dogs and the cats. Then I was surprised with beautiful jewelry, roses and the most loving cards. After that breakfast in bed! 

The day just continued to get better from there. We got to have lunch and ice cream with my family and then Josh's parents came over to visit in the afternoon. It was a full day and the weather stayed beautiful. I must say I am exhausted. Now to finish the day off with Game of Thrones and Chinese food :)

Trail Time

Today was beautiful out. The weatherman claimed that it was going to rain all day but be in the 70s. Well it was in the 70s but no rain in the afternoon! We took full advantage of it too. Myself, my mom, Ruby, Ryan and the dogs piled into my mothers car and drove to a state trail down the road. It was great! Ryan got to ride his bike, while Ruby enjoyed the ride in her stroller. She even took a nap on the way back :) Nikko absolutely loved it and Scrappy loved the beginning but slowed down towards the end. All in all a success. 

I've never walked down the trail before and we wanted to do something different today. Ryan said he wanted to go to the trail so that's what we did. 

One thing that was a bummer was the May flies were out and being extremely annoying. So next time I'm bringing bug spray and I need to invest in a bug screen to go over the stroller. Still a fun time had by all :)

30 Day Workout Challenge

Finding time to exercise is tough now. When Ruby is napping there are a million things around the house that need to be done, or just five minutes if relaxation on the couch (I don't do nearly as much relaxing as I do housework). I needed something, so I went onto Pinterest and found 30 Day Exercise Challenges. It's great, depending on which one you pick, it only takes twenty minutes or so, and you can split them up throughout the day. Which is perfect for me! This months has squats, sit ups, crunches, jumping jacks, push ups and planking. I start in the morning after Ruby has breakfast, and if she lets me I can bang it all out while she plays in her high chair. She thinks squats are hilarious; her laugh is adorable so I keep going just to hear it.   

Some days we are able to great some exercise in other ways also, but it's a good feeling knowing that you are at least doing some sort of physical activity. I put my all into taking care of Ruby, it's nice to take care of myself as well.

Fancy New Improved Headboard

About 5 or 6 years ago I made a headboard out of a sheet of plywood, pretty fabric, fiberfill, and two by fours. The cats think that Josh's side is a scratching post, so myself, my mom and Ruby went to Jo Ann Fabrics and found this beautiful fabric. We cut it to size, Josh stapled it on while I pulled it tight and then he screwed the legs back on. Voila! Awesome new headboard. I love it! 

Next project...pillows to match with the extra fabric!