August 2016 Photo Challenge...Join Me!

I have been slammed by life. We're still in the midst of moving...which I'll share more about later. In order to get back in the swing of things (and gain some sense of normality) I created an August Photo Challenge to help remind me to stay focused on the present. I hope you'll join me! Just use #randrblogaugustpc on IG for each day. I can't wait to see your photos!

We've Been Given the Green Light

-original photo credit-

We get frustrated when we hit a red light because it stops us in our tracks. We cannot move forward until we are given the go ahead. We try to push through the yellow lights so that we can hopefully avoid the red lights. We often rush through in a hurry, rarely looking around to see if anyone else is in our way.

We welcome the green lights. They mean we can pass through freely without hesitation. These traffic signals are similar to the way we approach life. I’m finding myself likening our journey to this vital piece of transportation safety.

 My husband and I ran into many red lights in our attempts to start a family. We eased our way through some yellow lights in hope that we could get through without incident. Finally, we were given our green lights and the miracles that bless our lives came to be.

 For several years now, we have been dreaming a big dream together. We have had a dream to build our own home that incorporates our wishes, style, and future memories. We’ve dreamed of the home our children would grow up in; it is the same home we hope to grow old in. With that undertaking comes a lot of planning, beginning with where we would build.

 The acreage in our area is pretty pricey. This is attributed to the beautiful mountain views and desirable, quiet lifestyle that can be found in the landscape. We had our eyes on several pieces of property but none of them seemed right. They either wanted more than we could afford or we could not get at least the amount of land we have now. We continually felt like we were sitting at a red light that would never change. Fortunately, we did not have to sit there forever.

 Two years ago come this September, we signed our names to a piece of property. It provides gorgeous mountain views and presents us with enough property to hunt, raise a few farm animals and have plenty of play space for the kids. A dream come true…more accurately, an amazing answer to prayer. We had hoped to get at least 6-7 acres, which is what we currently have. The Lord blessed us with 28 acres at a price that was well within our ability to afford. The result was unheard of to the ears of man, unless those ears have ever heard the amazing, miraculous blessings that are granted by the Lord.

We’ve not done a lot to the property as of yet. My husband and his volunteer fire department did burn down the old house on the property. That was an experience. I’m excited to say that we did spare several pieces of wood from the old home to make a farm style table. It will be such a treat to maintain a piece of the old home that once was there.

However, before we can start the table, we need to have a home to put it in. We have been sitting at this red light for almost 2 years. The list of worries, to-do’s and what ifs has been extremely long. At times, we’ve been very overwhelmed and equally frustrated at the lack of forward movement. Why?

The house has not been ready for sale…I mentioned a long list of to-dos.

Where will we stay in the meantime?

We have four dogs and two cats. Most rentals do not allow pets and/or do not have the space to accommodate our animals. What will we do with them?

How will we afford everything?

And then…green light!

In the midst of all these questions, we have been given the green light to begin moving forward with our dream. We still have things we have to complete in the house before putting it up for sale. However, we have a meeting with our realtor the last week of the month. Our goal is to then have the house up for sale by August 15^th (or sooner). We have prioritized the things we’d like to have done instead and are focusing on what must be done.

Within the last two weeks, my husband’s grandmother’s house has become available. We will be able to rent this until our house is sold and our new home is built.

The pets? My mom is going to keep our two small dogs. Our two cats will be housed by a friend of mine who also fosters and volunteers with one of the local no-kill shelters. We are currently still trying to determine what we’ll be able to do with our two large dogs, but everything else has worked out. I have no doubt that this will too.

We have always had a budget and adjusted prior to the birth of our son. Maternity leave cuts my check a great deal and we altered our budget to accommodate this change. I’ll receive my full check again this fall, which will help a lot. My husband has been working a lot of overtime (mandatory). This serves as a mixed blessing. We miss him dearly when he is gone for several days at a time, but the extra funds will definitely be helpful. We’re selling things that we do not need and cutting corners where we can. I know undoubtedly that we will be fine.

 I think I get so wrapped up in the details because I am a planner. I have to know how things are going to work out and I get stressed and anxious when I do not know or cannot fix them. I also like control. I like to control the outcome. I have a vision and it is hard for me to let go of what I think would be best. However, this part of our journey has reminded me that I do not always know what may be best. I would have had us moved out and building two years ago, but the timing was not right. I see that now

 I have also been reminded that no matter what lies before me or what the future holds, God is already there. He already has the best in place for me. It is merely my job to go as He instructs. At the end of this month we will be making the move into our rental. Prayerfully our old house will sell quickly and the building will begin shortly after. I look forward to sharing more about this new chapter in the days to come.

What have you been given the green light to do?

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Tuesday Talk

A Dino-mite First Birthday

Well, it has happened. Our bouncing baby boy is now ONE!

As most of you know, or at least now you will, I love birthdays. Next to Christmas, they are my favorite celebrations. I've had a blast planning an executing birthday parties for my daughter, and of course, I had to do the same for my sweet boy.

I went back and forth with themes and upon sifting through some ideas with my daughter, I was finally able to settle on one. In truth, she insisted that he have an orange dinosaur cake...so, dinosaurs it was.

Here is a look at his big day!

The Attire

July is hot. I wanted something cute and comfortable. I ran across this adorable outfit and knew it was the one.

::via::

This boy is dino-mite!

The Food

I had a blast pulling the food together for his party. I also had some amazing helpers. My mom, mother-in-law and good friend all pitched in to help make the food amazing. Keep in mind, I am all about keeping our celebrations inexpensive and simple. No sense in breaking the bank.

First off, lets talk about the cake. G insisted he have an orange dinosaur cake. This momma tried to deliver. I created a little dino from fondant and plopped him on top of a chocolate iced cake. I used gummy fruit wedges that my hubby helped trim into spikes for the bottom of the cake. This was actually N's smash cake and an overall success. The cupcakes were just simply iced and topped with additional gummy fruit wedges.

My amazing friend, Charity, made this AWESOME watermelon dinosaur head. I had really hoped to do it myself, but time was not on my side. She is such an amazing person and willingly offered to carve this masterpiece. Everyone loved it!

In keeping things simple, I scored these dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets and paired them along side some pizza rolls. My mother-in-law contributed her oh-so-delicious meatballs.

The Décor

Balloons! I have become a huge fan of them. They add wonderful color and always add a festive touch. I used them as some basic decorations on the tables and cake tables. I was able to score some adorable dinosaur masks that I scattered on the tables for the kids' enjoyment. Simple. Cheap. Oh, so cute.

I also set up a book for people to sign on the gift table. I've done this for my daughter as well. It is such a sweet keepsake as people write down thoughtful birthday wishes. I also included a slideshow of pictures of N's first year. ::mommytears::

Overall, I am thrilled with how his party turned out. We had so much fun in coming together to celebrate his precious little life. I am so thankful for everyone that came to share his birthday celebration with us. We are truly blessed.

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Baby N's [2nd] Trip to the Emergency Room

At one month we took our sweet boy to the Emergency Department per our pediatrician. You can read about that experience here. Fortunately, by the Lord’s goodness, he was quickly healed and all was well. It was my hope to never have another venture such as that again. As life would have it, we can hope, but sometimes things still may not go as we’d like.

Saturday began wonderfully. Both kids woke up happy and G was eager to attend her friend’s birthday party that morning. I noticed N had two little red dots close to his eye and another couple on his knee. I assumed they were bug bites from having been outside the evening before. No big deal.

Tooth #5 broke through that morning...

We went to the party, which began around 10am and I noticed another little spot had developed on his face and a couple more on his leg, as well as his arm. He had been in the grass playing near the playground and it was warm. I once again assumed either he had gotten bitten by something or the heat was causing his eczema to flair a little. No worries.

Around 11am there were more noticeable spots and when I changed his diaper, I saw several had developed on his stomach and diaper area. Still thinking it was probably the heat, I was not too worried. I just kept him cool and hydrated. He seemed un-phased and happy. I left it alone.

By 12:30pm when we left, my friend’s mother-in-law pointed out that he appeared to have several more spots or “bites”. She was right…a little bit of worry began to creep in. By the time we got home, the spots were multiplying at an alarming rate and they were getting larger. I contacted a nurse friend and she recommended we take him to the Emergency Department.

I dropped my daughter off with my in-laws and my mother came along with me to the hospital (my husband was on a day trip). We arrived about 4:30pm at the hospital and got him registered. By this time, the spots on his face had begun to merge. He was quickly developing more spots and the ones he had were getting larger. I was anxious to find out what was wrong with my boy. I kept going through everything since the night before…had he eaten something new? Did I notice any actual insect bites? Had he touched something? What was I missing?!

The rash progression (it was all over his body by the afternoon)

Eventually we were taken back to a room and met with several doctors. The lead doctor determined that N has roseola. He had a fever a couple of days ago that I attributed to his runny nose. However, the doctor said that was his body fighting off this virus. I have no idea where he picked it up. We left a little after 8pm and headed home. We basically have to let it run its course and the doctor did warn me that the rash would look worse before it got better.

As of this morning, that has proven true.

-Sunday morning-

Bless his heart

I’m grateful that his condition is nothing more serious and will pass. I swear this little guy just likes to make his mommy worry. We’ve had several health related scares with him. He doesn’t tend to get the typical “whatever is going around” kind of stuff…it’s always something bigger and more dramatic. ::sigh:: Regardless, I am so thankful for a healthy boy. Despite the rash, they deemed him in perfect health and when this passes, he will be as good as new.

::via::

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5 Lessons I've Learned Since Going Low Carb

I am about 5 months into adjusting to a Low Carb (LC) way of eating (WOE). I’ve had several people join me on this journey. I’ve gotten asked multiple questions over these past few months and I thought I’d share a few things I’ve learned thus far.

1.

It’s all or nothing.

I’ve learned that you are either committed or you are not. My sweet hubby jumps on board every now and then but has yet to really stick with it. I have found that everyone has to use the principles of LC eating in a way that fits them, but they must be committed to seeing it through. I set a limit of 100 or less net carbs a day. I typically average 40 or so. The hardest part to date is finding foods that fill me up, because I refuse to be hungry, and allow me to stay within my parameters. I also make sure I stay within my sodium limits. I was diagnosed with high BP during my first pregnancy (we still don’t know why) and it has not regulated since. While I’m on the high end of normal, I could cross into a chronic issue at any time. Watching my sodium is just as important as losing weight. I also maintain a balance with my fat and cholesterol intake. No matter what you decide to do, you have to either be all in or not. It’s the only way a true lifestyle change can occur.

2.

Track it.

I track my food almost daily. Sometimes it hurts to put in what I’ve eaten (which means I did not make a very good choice) while other days, I am amazed at how content I am and how few carbs I’ve eaten. By tracking my food intake, I not only can easily see my carb intake, but I can easily monitor my sodium, fat and cholesterol intake. I keep an eye on the cholesterol simply because a lot of LC eating involves some foods that are higher on that end and as we know, too much of a good thing is not always a good thing.

3.

This is life.

I am adjusting to a new way of life when it comes to LC eating. I now find myself naturally leaning towards lower carb options at restaurants and only allow myself to visit some of my high carb favorite dining establishments every now and then. We do not eat out often, but I’ve definitely become pickier. I want quality food with options that I know will allow me to have something other than a salad. I’m not paying good money for a bowl of greens if I’m going out. With all of this in mind, I know there are days when I do not worry so much about my carb allotment. For instance, we just celebrated my son’s first birthday. I enjoyed every bit of it…the finger foods, the fruit, the cake…EVERYTHING! And I did not feel guilty. That’s the beauty of this. Because I am not making over indulging choices regularly anymore, I can feel good about enjoying days like that without the guilt.

4.

Preparation is key.

Whether it’s meal planning, pre-cooking, or setting my mind in the right place, I have to be prepared. I make a monthly menu that centers on LC meals. This dictates my shopping list. I will often cook a large amount of protein (chicken, beef, etc) at the beginning of the week or make double/triple of what I’d need for one meal, so that I have plenty of extra to help with other meals. I also have to get in the right mindset. Whether I’m cooking at home or joining friends out, I have to make sure I am prepared to face temptations. I must mentally prepare to make the better decisions. It has gotten so much easier as time has gone on…I won’t lie, the first month was definitely the hardest.

5.

It’s not all about the scale.

One of my dear friends bases too much of her success on the scale. We talk about this regularly. I’ve encouraged her to start taking measurements. I’ve also noticed a major increase in her muscle tone…and as most of us know, muscle weighs more than fat. The scale may not always move, but there are other tell-tale signs of success. Do not be defeated just because the scale is not showing you what you hoped to see.

I am regularly encouraged by those who are doing this with me. I feel better and I’m proud of my success. I am finally in a size smaller pant and I don’t cringe when I look in the mirror. I’m learning how to love myself where I am. I know I need to incorporate real exercise and I desperately need to start toning. These are my upcoming goals. So, whether you are just beginning a new journey or you’ve been on one for a while, keep going. It is totally worth it.

Tuesday Talk

Our Baby Boy is One!

I am typing this in a public coffee shop in hope that I will not bawl like a baby.

Our sweet boy is now officially ONE!

I've embraced every milestone up to this point, but this one has been very difficult. In speaking with other moms, they agree that they have mourned the milestones more so with their second than with their first. For some it is because the second child may be their last and for some it is because they are fully aware of how quickly the time is actually passing.

So...as I sit here typing these words, finalizing my party plans list, double check my shopping list, and plan the most productive route, I find it hard to concentrate because I keep coming back to thoughts of my sweet boy.

We struggled to conceive this little miracle and my heart is so full as I think about how he came into our lives. He was so wanted. He was faithfully prayed for.

He is a dream come true.

Newborn perfection

One year old awesomeness

Weight: 23lbs

Height: 31 inches

Clothes: 9-12 months

Eat: You are eating so many new foods these days. One of your favorites has become spaghetti. You are warming up to peas but you would still prefer not to eat them. You are eating much more of what we are eating and slowly, but surely, you are moving away from baby food. You are now drinking whole milk. You have approximately 18-22 ounces a day. We'll soon be weaning you off of your morning bottle since you have transitioned off of your night bottle nicely. You are doing much better with your cup and we can count on you to now drink water throughout the day.

Sleep: You are still a great sleeper. You are going down for your naps in your crib now, instead of your swing, and you are sleeping better. You nap for about 30-40 minutes in the morning and then for about 1-1.5 hours in the afternoon.

Play: You are moving everywhere! You are constantly pulling up on things and trying to walk along the edge. You have mastered this pretty well in your crib and along the bottom stair. You love things that roll, whether it be cars or balls. You also love books. You cannot get enough of playing in the water. Bath time is truly your favorite.

You are a major fan of peek-a-boo. We get serious giggles when we play this game.

Music still makes you dance and you love to interact with your sister. She has a way about her that captivates you and we continue to pray that you two remain close.

You are making a lot of strides. You babble all of the time. While your vocabulary is still quite small, you are very serious when you "talk" to us. You say "mama", "dada", "di-di" (bye-bye), and "uh-oh". You clap when you are excited and when you get really pumped up, you shake your fists and make a really funny face. You are learning to share with your sister. You both have a bit of a temper, which comes with the red hair, and you are learning that things will not always go your way.

You are learning about the word "no". I get the biggest kick out of your response. When told "no", you poke out that bottom lip and bring on the crocodile tears. Sometimes you'll even lay yourself on the floor and cry. You are far more dramatic than your sister ever was.

This past month has consisted of some big things. You had an eye appointment at the beginning of the month. About a month ago you were displaying some abnormal eye movements and the pediatrician was concerned. We attempted to identify the cause but your eyes are perfect. The movements have since drastically decreased. We just keep a close watch on you these days.

You had your first experience at VBS. You were only there one night because the program runs so late. You did pretty well, but definitely made it known that we had passed your bedtime.

We celebrated Father's Day with your daddy. He is truly the best and I am so grateful that he is here to show you how to grow into a Godly man. You're a blessed little boy.

We had a play date with some other families up at the church. It was a blast and you did really well.

Your birthday party will be this coming weekend. Your sister insists that you need an orange dinosaur cake...so that is what you will have. You'll have a dinosaur birthday (which I'll post about soon). We love you so much!

A prayer for our son:

Dear Jesus,

We thank you for gracing us with his conception and full term pregnancy. He may have been born 11 days early by the calendar, but born on the day You ordained in Heaven for him. We thank You for this past year. It has come with many trials as we've learned to adapt to his personality, needs and wants. We thank You for the calm, sweet spirit that You have instilled in him. We thank You for the fire that he shows from time to time. I thank You for Your provision and guidance as we raise this child that You have gifted to us.

We pray for the closeness among our family. We pray the relationships that continue to form are binding, strong, and stable. We pray that as he grows, You will help us lead him in a way that will result in a Godly young man of God. We pray that he will one day come to know You as his Savior. We pray for patience and guidance as we continue to raise him to love and serve You. We pray that you begin preparing his heart for the day that He will accept You and learn about what it is You want for his life. We know he was brought into this world for an amazing purpose and we pray that we will help instill the character traits, confidence, and motivation that he will need to pursue what it is You have for him.

We pray a fortress of protection around his life. We pray that you guard his heart, mind, body, and soul as he grows. We know he will face opposition and we want to help ensure that he is confident in all that You have made him so that he can stay strong. We are so in love with this little boy and we can't thank You enough for Your gift. We know that He is yours and we are humbled by the task before us, and committed to parenting this amazing child. Thank you, sweet Jesus, for this precious life. We look forward to another year of amazing firsts.

Amen.

His first year of life...

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