My boy is so sweet!

This morning in our household....

Me: I'm going to get my haircut, I'll be back in a little bit.

Gav: Okay, love you Mommy.

Me: Love you too honey. Be back soon.

10 minutes later...

I walk through the door.

Gav: Mommy, that was really fast!

Me: Yeah, they were closed so I'll have to go back later.

Gav: Your hair looks pretty!

Aw, my sweet, sweet boy :)

Letters to my former self

Wanna get in on Letters To My Former Self?

Dear 13 year old Ciera,

Go visit your beloved Pop. Stay for as long as you can, take lots of photos with him, give him lots of hugs and kisses and make sure he knows how much you love him. He is very sick and it is going to be tough when you lose him. Know that it is okay to cry and you will do it a lot missing him over the years. You will name your daughter after him and be so proud when that time comes. Cherish the time you have left with him and stay strong for your Granny Mam, she needs you now more than ever.

Dear 14 year old Ciera,

This year you will start high school, and your period. Don't be insecure and shy, you are pretty, and you are smart. Don't waste your time on trying to be cool and popular. Just be yourself. You will meet a nice boy who you will fall madly in love with  spend many hours laughing, crying, and dreaming about. After a year or so he will move on and so will you... It's not the end of the world, and you will remain friends.

Dear 15 year old Ciera,

Don't hate your parents for moving you to a new high school. You will break out of your shyness quick and make some great friends. Stop being so self-centered and tell your Mom and Step-Dad that you love and appreciate them, and start following their rules... they aren't that bad! Oh, and that super cute boy in your history class.... it's never going to happen so get over it. And stop worrying about boys already, focus more on your school work! Spend a lot of time with your little brother. You may think he is annoying now but you are going to miss him so much later.

Dear 16 year old Ciera,

A lot will happen this year. You can finally drive legally!! You will meet your prince charming but won't realize it right away because he is a big player these days. Although he doesn't make it obvious that he likes you, he does, so don't let him fool you. Didn't I tell you to start following your parents rules? You should have listened... You're gonna get kicked out this year and move in with your boyfriend. Although I don't think this is a wise decision at your age, everything does turn out okay. You will also get your first job. Stay far far away from the boy you meet there. He is big trouble.

Dear 17 year old Ciera,

This is the year your life will change forever. You will become pregnant, have a baby, get engaged, and graduate high school. Your Mom will come back into your life and you two will be closer than ever. Cherish that time and get to know each other again. You will be miserable your entire pregnancy and have a very traumatic birthing experience but wont remember any of it when you're holding that baby for the first time. After the baby is born, don't be afraid to ask for help, you'll need all the help you can get. Don't try to do it all yourself. And that surgery that your son is going to have... It will be the first of many and you will have to stay strong; They never get any easier.

Dear 18 year old Ciera,

Why oh why did you decide to work at Hooters? It is not the place for you. It will take a while for you to realize this because you are so damn hard headed. You and your fiance will break up this year. But it will only last a week and you will both realize how much you love each other. Enjoy all the time you can with your son. That little boy is the light of your life, and he will grow up in the blink of an eye so cherish those slobbery baby kisses and the long nights when its just you and him staring into each other's eyes. It won't be long before you go from "mommy" to "mom."

Dear 19 year old Ciera,

This is the year! Finally, after being engaged for two whole years, you're going to marry your man! I know you dreamed of having a big wedding with all your friends and family but you just can't wait for that any longer. So your little courthouse wedding will have to do and the cute little reception you have afterwards will be awesome! But you will also experience extreme heartbreak this year. You will lose a very special person in your life. Make a surprise visit to your Uncle Jeff's house and spend as much time with him as you can.

Dear 20 year old Ciera,

 You will get pregnant this year. This pregnancy will have a rough start but will be full of happiness and excitement later on. Treasure all the moments with your son now, soon you will be a mommy to two and have your hands full. And if you think Gavin is a little monster... Just wait for your next one. Also, it's time now to name your babygirl after your amazing Grandfather... You'll come up with the perfect name!

Dear 21 year old Ciera,

Well this isn't the 21st birthday you imagined as a teenager, is it?! But that's okay because you have an amazing life. You are a great Mom. Don't get down on yourself. Try not to get stressed, and remember to ask for help! You have an amazing husband who is willing to help you... Let him. And when your daughter hits the 12 month mark stop breast-feeding her already!! If you don't do it now, it will just get more difficult. Enjoy the little moments. Stop worrying, and stressing, and nagging. Just sit back and relax & take in all the wonderful blessings in your life :)

YOU getting to know ME

Hello :) Hope everyone is having a good weekend! I decided to participate in this weeks Getting To Know You so here you go... & don't forget to go do yours too!

1.If you had 5000.00 to spend on plastic surgery what would you have done?

This is a no brainer... boobs! Definitely. I would get them done tomorrow if I could. After nursing Kenna everything has just gone down hill. So sad.

2. Do you watch Soap operas and if so what is your favorite and why?

With as much TV as I watch, you would think I love soap operas. But no, never could get into them. I am more of a reality TV/ True Blood fanatic.

3. Favorite clothing brand?

I don't really have a favorite clothing brand. I just buy what I like. I do love Miss Me jeans but they're so expensive I rarely get them.

4. An afternoon shopping spree at your favorite store or maid service for a year?

This is easy. Afternoon shopping spree. I have come to the conclusion that no matter how often I clean, the kids always seem to have it a mess again in 5 minutes so I've given up on everything being amazingly clean and organized all the time. Plus, I don't really mind cleaning all that much. & I do love a shopping spree :)

5. Would you ever vajazzle?

No. What the heck is wrong with Jennifer Love Hewitt? I would never.

6. Favorite Disney Princess?

Tinker Bell :)

7. Last movie that made you bawl your eyes out?

I am not a movie cryer... but I did tear up a little in Toy Story 3. Andy is going to college!!! Very good movie though!

8. Have you ever broken any bones and if so what?

No broken bones for me! And I'd like to keep it that way!

It's Friday!

Hello to all the new followers and thanks for stopping by :)






Happy Hopping!!!

Banana Bread

This banana bread is delicious. Very moist on the inside and has a perfect crust on the outside!

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

4 bananas, mashed

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more if you'd like)

Cream together butter and sugars in large bowl. Add eggs and mashed bananas. Combine well. Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture. Stir until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla, and mix well. Spray loaf pan with non stick cooking spray. Pour mixture into loaf pan and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes and enjoy :)

It's been a lovely morning

I got up and started making banana bread this morning. It took me at least 45 minutes to get everything together in one bowl (hey, with two kids it is nearly impossible to get anything done in a timely manner). All I needed to do was sprinkle in some cinnamon & pop it in the oven. I went to the pantry, spotted the cinnamon, reached for it and got back to the bowl of batter. Opened the little container, and started pouring it in. It didn't smell right so I looked down. That's when I realized I was sprinkling cumin into my banana bread. Great.

I wasn't about to let that whole bowl of batter go to waste so I fished out as much cumin as I could and loaded it up with real cinnamon. It just came out of the oven and smells pretty good so we'll see how it tastes in a little bit.

During the midst of completely ruining making my banana bread, Kenna was wreaking chaos in my house. She opened the dog food bin and proceeded to mix the dog food pebbles into her cereal. She also poured out the entire contents of the dogs water bowl onto the kitchen floor. Then slipped and fell in it at least 5 times. And her favorite thing to do EVER, is take alllll of the kids plastic plates and bowls out of the cabinet and play the drums with them on the hard wood floor. At least their plastic, right? I swear, this child looks for things to get into. She is such a little disaster waiting to happen.

Hopefully this is no indication of how the rest of my day will be :)

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Update

The banana bread turned out awesome. It is delicious. I guess I got all the cumin out because I couldn't taste any & the cinnamon was yummmmy. I will be posting this recipe later today!

At my wits end

Well well well. It seems Gavin is not completely potty trained after all. Let me start from the beginning of this whole mess I'm in... Before he was peeing in the potty, my grandmother told me that it's easiest to potty train boys during the summer because you can let them pee in the backyard. So, that's what I did. Told Gav he could pee in the backyard. And guess what... That did the trick! He loved being able to go outside and pee without worrying about making it into the toilet (apparently that is a difficult task). I didn't care though, as long as he wasn't wearing pull ups anymore. And for a while he was also pooping in the potty. But then one day that all changed.

I heard him open the back door.

I went outside to see what he was doing; I opened the door to find him standing in the backyard, stripped of his shorts and underwear, and pooping (yes, like a dog) in the grass.

Oh. My. Gosh.

I demanded he come inside that instant, and finish pooping in the potty. I also informed him that I did not EVER want him pooping outside again, or I would have him sleeping out there with the dogs. I thought that was the end of my nightmare. But no, a few days later the same thing happened. And then again a few days after that. Well finally, I got a diaper and put that on him. He didn't like it so much. & has now decided he will no longer poop outside. Except now he is just holding it. All. The. Time. I don't know what it is about sitting on the toilet to poop, but he won't do it. What is a mother to do? How did you get your child to poop in the potty?

My little fish is sick :/

We have been at the pool more times this summer than we have any other summer in the past. I guess that's because last year Kenna was born around this time so we didn't go that much. & The year before that Gav was only two years old and was not a huge fan of the water. But this year it seems we go every day, sometimes twice a day. I'm liking it. A lot. However, my little booger (aka Gavin) woke up with a runny nose and congestion this morning. I'm assuming it is from all of the large amounts of pool water he has gotten up his nose. It's the only thing I can think of. The poor thing sounds like he's got an awful cold. And he's been begging to go back to the pool since he woke up this morning. I'm hoping it will be cleared up by tomorrow and we can go back again.

So today is mine and hubb's 6 year anniversary. Yes, we still celebrate the day we started dating. We usually don't do anything special but we do acknowledge the day. Can't believe it's been six years already! I love you, baby :)

Best Daddy Ever

Kristopher, you are the greatest father to our children. They adore you, & you are Gavin's hero. I could not have asked for a better partner in life and I am so blessed to have you by my side. Thank you for giving me such beautiful babies and for being a great role model to them & someone they can look up to. Thank you for helping me raise them the right way. Thank you for being the amazing man you are. Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband :)

We love you more than words can explain.

Pool & Movie Date

I had a pool/movie date today with two very handsome boys and one of my best girl friends :) We went to see Toy Story 3... which was very good, I might add. I will also add that I cannot wait to see the movie Despicable Me. I laugh histerically every time I see the preview for it and am very much looking forward to having another movie date with these handsome boys when it comes out.

After the movie, we headed home to change into our swim suits, then spent a good couple of hours at the pool, eating pizza and soaking up the sun. Can't wait to do it again soon :)

Fab-U-lous.

I am love, love, looovvingggg this new camera. It just arrived on my door step today and I haven't even opened the manual yet because, well, I can't seem to put the camera down long enough to read one word of the manual. I'm one of those people that would rather spend hours playing with it and figure everything out myself. Here are a few of the pictures I took today...

They're so clean and crisp. Ahh I just LOVE it.

Buy a DSLR.

Double Whammy!!!

I finally weaned Kenna completely.

I'm not really sure how it happened but she is no longer interested in the boob. When she hit the one year mark, she was only nursing twice a day... before she went to sleep. So I started giving her whole milk in a bottle at nap time and bed time. & I guess that's what worked! Woo Hoo :) :) :)

& bought a DSLR!

I have been wanting one for SO long. & finally purchased one online, now just have to wait for it to arrive. I have never owned a fancy schmancy camera before and am a little intimidated by it. I just hope I can learn how to use it!

For those of you who own a DSLR, what kind of lens do you use? Any advice for me?

For now I will just leave you with some oh so sweet pictures I took of Kenna and I with my other camera :)

Wean Kenna completely.

Buy a DSLR

Surprise!

I threw a surprise birthday party for my MIL yesterday. She loved it.

It was also a party for Kenna's first birthday.

My little bug having some cake!

Gav and a few friends :)

I love this girl more than life :)

Throw a surprise party.

I smiled a lot today

Gahhh. It has been an emotionally draining day. Before I get into the emotional draining part, let me give you a little background on myself:

My parents divorced when I was a mere 2 years old. My Mom remarried when I was 3 and had my (half) brother when I was 4. My real father was not a big part in most of my life. My (then) step-dad was more like a real father to me, considering he was around from the time I was 3 years old. ANYWAY, when I was 16 years old, I started dating someone my parents did not approve of. This caused a big wedge between my step-father and I, which in turn caused a big wedge between my mother and I. They tried to keep me from seeing him but instead of listening to them and following the rules, I started rebelling & getting into more trouble. Needless to say my parents had had enough and gave me an ultimatum to either stop seeing this boy, or pack my crap and move out of their house. I chose to move out; leaving my mom, step-dad, and little brother behind. I moved in with my boyfriend and his family (at 16, gasp! yes, I know). I think my parents thought it was going to be a temporary thing and I would come crawling back to them. Well, that never happened. About a year after I moved out of my parents house, my parents got a divorce. It was a messy divorce, causing much drama in all of our lives. My mother and I have always wanted to be a part of my brother and step-father's lives but because of the way the divorce went down, they would have nothing to do with us. Over the years, things have gotten better, and we have all done a lot of growing up. Which brings me to today.

My little brother graduated from high school today. My mother and I did not get a graduation announcement or invitation, but decided we were not going to let that stop us from watching him graduate. I was so BEYOND excited that I was going to get to see my little brother, but had no expectations as to what was going to take place afterwards.

Was I going to get to see them? Were they going to talk to me? Were they going to completely ignore me? Is Gavin finally gonna get to meet his Uncle Brenden? Are they going to be nice and civil?

I didn't know. All I knew going there, was that I was at least going to get to see him walk across the stage, and I was going to try my damnedest to get a hug and maybe a picture with them. Well all of that happened. I got to see both of them after, we talked a little, we told each other how much we missed one another, I got a big, long hug from both of them. & pictures with my brother. It was wonderful. I have had so many emotions towards them through the past few years and have kept them all inside for the longest time, and they all came out today; in an out pour of tears.

It was so nice to see him all grown up, but so sad to know his not little anymore. I was so happy to see them, but sad to go home, not knowing what the future holds. I was so proud of him, but so sad that I have not been a part of his life through his high school years.

There was a lot going through my head. But overall it was a good day. Here is a picture of us together, finally, after a long 6 years without one.

This really made me smile. Gavin and Brenden :)

Visit Brenden and Steve.

And if you were wondering... Yes, the boyfriend that my parents did not approve of is now my husband.

Happy Birthday Babygirl :)

Today my daughter turns one!!! I cannot believe it has already been a whole year since she was born. I feel like it was just yesterday that I left the hospital with her.

This is my little bug at only 6 weeks old.
& this was around 8 weeks old.

This is one of the first pictures I have of her smiling. Say it with me now "aww!"
& Now she's not a baby anymore.

But she'll always be my baby.

Happy Birthday, Kenna bug!!!

We don't have any big plans for today because 1) Tonight is Gavin's last tball game of the season and 2) We have a party planned for Sunday. But I will have a little cake for Kenna tonight and she will be opening presents from Mommy & Daddy. I will take pictures :)

I've been MIA!

We had a nice, relaxing weekend :)

Grandma Claire took a trip to Toys R Us this weekend and came home with a little pool for the backyard, and some fun water toys for the kids. So we spent our weekend lounging around in our swimsuits, soaking up the sun. Then did some shopping on Sunday, and I bought these cute pieces...

How adorable is this dress?

I LOVE the zipper in the back.

& These shoes :)

I will be wearing this outfit to the surprise birthday party I am throwing my MIL this weekend :)

I have a busy week. I have to get this house squeaky clean before the party, and get everything together without my MIL knowing whats going on. Hope I can pull it off! Then the kids have a birthday party to go to on Friday and we are going to my brother's graduation on Saturday. We will be busy busy busy.

Got my bathroom clean AND organized yesterday! It took quite a while but my bathroom has never been more shiny! Now if I can just keep Gavin from peeing on the seat/floor/shower curtain/walls I'll be in good shape.

Clean & organize my bathroom.

New Design!!

Like my new design?? I loveeee it :)

It was designed by Katie over at Cleared For Takeoff.

She creates beautiful layouts at a reasonable price!!

Check out her work at Fancy Pants Designs.

& Have a fabulous weekend :)

Simply De-lish Lasagna

Tomato Sauce

1 Can (28 oz) Crushed Tomatoes

1 Small Can Tomato Sauce

1 T. Olive Oil

2 T. Italian Herbs

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 T. Sugar

1/2 Cup Red Wine (optional)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat until it's golden. If using red wine, add to the pot and reduce by half. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian herbs, and salt & pepper. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sugar, and simmer 15 more minutes.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Simply De-lish Lasagna

2 lb. Ground Beef

6 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1 (32 oz) Container Ricotta Cheese

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Egg, lightly beaten

2 1/2 Cups Spaghetti Sauce

1 Package pre-cooked Lasagna Noodles

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat in large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile mix 4 cups mozzarella, ricotta cheese, Parmesan, and eggs until well blended. Set aside.

Drain meat and return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce until well blended. Spread some sauce onto bottom of 13x9 inch baking dish, top with lasagna noodles, spread some ricotta cheese on top of lasagna noodles, then top with more sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining noodles and meat sauce, then then top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

Enjoy :)

My lovely Mom

Turned 41 years old today. She has been through a lot in the past two weeks and needed a few nice surprises to cheer her up a bit.

My mom is the type that when you ask her what she wants for her birthday, she always says "Nothing! Don't get me anything!" Well this year she said she wanted a gift card to Target, so of course I didn't hesitate to get her one. We got her a chocolate covered fruit bouquet from Edible Arrangements (they're delish!) and surprised her at work with it. She was very excited to see us and show the kids off to everyone at her office (you know how grandmas are!). A little while after we left, I got an email from her that went something like this...

"Honey, thank you for the gift card. I wanted to show you what you bought me for my birthday..."

Aren't those cute?? My mom has good taste! I let her know that I may be borrowing them in the near future :)

When we got home, I put Kenna down for a nap and Gavin and I made grandma a birthday cake.

(Don't mind the mess on the counter.)

He is just like Mommy, loves to be in the kitchen!

Putting sprinkles on the cake!

It took everything in his power to not stick his finger in the cake and lick the frosting off!
After the cake was done, we made a big dish of home made lasagna! & as soon as she got home from work, we surprised her at her house with dinner and birthday cake! It was a nice day :)

Surprise a family member by dropping off a home cooked meal.

Am I a horrible mommy

for wanting to be done with breastfeeding?

I have been reading a few other blogs/stories about mommies that breast fed until their child didn't want to anymore. & they were so sad when that time came.

Me on the other hand, I cant wait for that time to come! I have been trying to wean Kenna for a while now. About a month ago, she was still nursing 3-4 times a day AND waking up in the middle of the night to nurse AT LEAST once. That's a lot of nursing, huh? & now I've got her down to nursing only at night, before she goes to bed. She still wakes up in the middle of the night but I just give her the binky and she goes back to sleep.

She will be one on June 9th and has one tooth, & is ready to pop another one any day now.

I told myself I was only going to nurse her for 6 months, then it turned into 9 months, then it turned into one year, and now that day is right around the corner and I cant wean her!! Don't get me wrong, I love the time I have when I'm nursing her and it's just she and I bonding. Buuuut SHE IS GETTING TEETH! & she is almost a year old!! & I'm just over the whole 'nursing' thing now. Is that horrible?

Honestly though, I think it is just a comfort thing for Kenna at this point. It doesn't seem like she misses her 3-4X a day feedings. But when bed time rolls around she definitely knows what time it is and wants to nurse. I feel like I should just let her wean herself when she's ready. Then again, I don't want to be nursing her when she is 18 months old!

Any advice?