The new Mr. and Mrs.

What a beautiful day for a wedding! I could not be more happy for my beautiful cousin and her new husband! The weather was perfect, the ceremony was so sweet and the whole day was just full of love for these two lovebirds! I am so honored to be able to have shared in their special day!

Friends, remember those table centers I was stressing about?? Yeah, I got them all done!

 

Remember M&M's tux I was worried about not getting in time? We got it!

 

 

Unfortunately for my cousin, though, there were some rough spot throughout the day.The caterer was 2 hours late, the food was not correct once they finally got there, one of the flower girls dresses went missing and the wedding didn't start on time.

 

HOWEVER, even through all that, the wedding was beautiful and everyone had a great time!

I will leave you with a couple more pictures of this wonderful day. Weddings make my heart truly happy!

 

CHEERS!

 

Gummy Bear Wedding Cake

Gorgeous Bridal Bouquet





Happy Notes!

What a great weekend! My heart is happy after all the fun and excitement that this weekend brought me. I love being happy...its a GREAT feeling!

AdvoCare ~ Thank you for making my body feel and look great! Thank you for bringing friends, old and new, together for me to share your wonderfulness with them! Thank you for giving me the AMAZING opportunity to change my families life! We will become great friends. It's fact!

Friends ~ Thank you for coming to my very first AdvoCare mixer! Thank you for supporting me and loving me and believing in me! Thank you for buying AdvoCare, helping me reach my goal and allowing me the chance to coach you to reach your own health and fitness goals! Thank you for everything you do each and everyday to encourage me and inspire me. I APPRECIATE YOU!

Adidas Employee Store ~ Thank you for having cleats in my sons size at an excellent price! Soccer will be much better for him now that he officially has shoes to play! However, we must have a talk about your choice of colors for shoes these days...electric yellow and striking orange are a bit TOO MUCH craziness for this momma to handle. (Not to mention they are hideous together as a color combo. Hideous.)

Mom and Dad's house ~ Dad, thank you for being a football coach and collecting all the random leftover water bottles. As crazy as one would think, that pile of water jugs actually worked awesome for Kit Kat to have for soccer to stay hydrated. Those suckers are expensive and you saved my pocketbook! Also, thank you for M&M's new bug catcher. He LOVES it! A happy 4yr old makes for a happy momma! Thank you!

Weather ~ Thank you SO MUCH for cooling down just ever so slightly. Ten degrees makes a huge difference in my non-air conditioned house. I was actually able to sleep last night and it was fantastic! I know we've had this talk before, but I really like 78 degrees. Lets hover there, yes?? Thanks for understanding! ;)

Friends, how were your weekends? I hope that you did something fun or at least something that made you happy! Have a great week!

CHEERS!

Cancer sucks

Everyone we know has been touched by cancer in some way. My life has personally been touched by not only my own battle with cervical cancer but by friends and family who have battled different cancers, some won and some lost. Its such a terrible disease and reality is that it can happen to anyone at anytime. Today I share with you another story of a loved one who recieved his diagnosis this morning. He is my 19yr old cousin, Hayden.

After several months of not feeling well and several trips to the doctor, this last trip is the one that we will remember forever. Feeling weak and dizzy, he arrived at the doctor with blood levels far lower than any human should have. He was then rushed by ambulance to the hospital emergency room and underwent multiple blood transfusions and tests. He spent the night in the hospital with more tests in the morning as family stood by his side waiting for answers. As doctors closed in on the cause, stress and heartache set in. Prayers were said, hugs were given and tears were flowing. Once they had a diagnosis, a teenage boys life changed forever. This morning he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). 

My heart is broken. His sister is supposed to get married September 1st, with her brother walking her down the aisle. As of right now, we don't know what will happen. So many questions, so little answers. He is undergoing ultrasounds to determine where it started and how fast it's progressed. He is being transferred to the cancer ward and has to undergo a year of aggressive chemo therapy. He has to stay at the hospital...he won't be coming home.

Although he may not read this, I need to get it out there. I heal with words. Hayden, this is for you:

There are no words that can take away your pain. There are not enough tissues that can dry your tears. I have no powers that can heal you or make life fair. But I have a heart that will love you forever. I have hands that you can hold, shoulders that you can cry on and strength that you can lean on for comfort and support. I will lend an ear you can talk to, a presence to sit with you, tears that will cry with you and arms that will hug you. YOU are a strong, stubborn, loving person who has enough fight to kick this cancers butt. WE believe in you. I believe in you. You have the biggest, strongest, most supportive family of anyone out there and we stand behind you the entire way. You will never be alone. We love you. Keep your chin up, stay strong and fight with everything you've got! You are in my prayers... I love you and I will forever!

Friends, hug your family a little tighter and a little longer today. Tell them you love them everyday. Life is too short.

Annoyed...

Disclaimer: needing to vent...not your typical warm and fuzzy post

A family vacation is supposed to be a place where adults and children alike can have fun, be themselves and create wonderful memories together. This is a family vacation I was looking forward to...a possible "tradition" with memories like my husband had growing up. It's been 5 days and so far, I am not impressed.

The lake is beautiful, the food is good, the condo is nice, the weather is perfect and I am so happy that there are several different pools and areas for my boys to swim. Best part is that I get to spend time with my hubby and kids! Everything else, not so much.

First things first, my kids are great kids. Yes the boys have their arguments and they fight but in all, they rarely act out in public. My daughter is 10 months old...she's your typical baby, but very easy going and usually always happy! I love my kids and they deserve to be treated with respect. Period.

That being said, my poor kids have had a rough couple of days. "Stop yelling, no running, don't fight, leave me alone, don't do that, come here, don't touch that, you're driving me crazy, eat your food, clean up your mess, don't get your toys out, get out of the kitchen, don't tattle, etc." I'm sick of it. They are kids. Let them play, let them run, let them eat junk if they want, let them use their imagination, pick up your crap if you don't want them to touch it, leave if they are bothering you, and next time, don't plan a "family vacation" if you don't want my kids around. Afterall, they ARE family.

Secondly, I am human. I have feelings too. I may make a mistake, we all do, but I don't need you to jump down my throat about it. I may not eat everything you do, but that doesn't mean that there is "something wrong with me", it means that we are different; if you can't accept that, I feel sorry for you. I also don't need you judging how much I eat because I have lost 14lbs WITHOUT your help. I have been a mother for 9.5 years, don't tell me how to parent my children. Better yet, don't tell me or my children what to do. I am not your nanny. When I ask you a question, I don't need your condescending remarks; I am not an idiot. I'm sorry that you feel the need to talk to me like a child, but I won't be sorry if I call you out in front of everyone. I am 27 yrs old and I can hold my own. I have a college degree, a stable AWESOME job and more than enough friends; I don't need you. I own my car, I have a house, I have the best husband and family ever. In other words, YES, I am better than you.

I am sorry you feel that my kids, myself and my hubby are an inconvenience to you and your vacation. We don't need your approval or entertainment; we ROCK all by ourselves! Next time you want a "family vacation", don't invite me. MY family will take our own vacation and it will be the BEST vacation ever!

Beautiful sunset on this crummy day... can still make me smile!

Crumbling

Have you ever had the feeling that the world was falling down around you? That no matter how hard you try to keep the peace and the balance, it's just not enough? Have you ever felt like you were swimming and swimming yet drowning at the same time? Like you are holding the world on your shoulders and waiting for one..more..thing...to come crumbling down on top of you?  Waiting and hoping it doesn't happen yet praying for strength in the event that it does. Tired. Exhausted. Broken.

I have so much to be thankful for in my life and I feel so blessed for everything and everyone who is a part of it. I have love, happiness, laughter, great friends and an awesome family. Anyone who knows me knows I would do anything for my loved ones...anything. I would make sure they were safe, protected, loved and important. I am fairly certain that they know that but if they don't, they should.

Lately, I have felt like I have been so busy and focused trying to help out certain people who need me that I have been neglecting other important relationships in my life. I've been putting their needs first and taking care of their "problems" and overlooking my own. That's what I do. When a family member needs me, I am there, whole hearted. Unfortunately, this time I feel like I can't help. The harder I try, the deeper I get and the more I realize, I am scared. I am scared of the unknown. I am scared at what I have discovered. I am scared of what the future holds and where the road is leading. I am scared to stop trying but I am also scared to keep going. I am frozen. I can feel the ground start crumbling underneath me...

My husband is my rock. He is there to save me from the dark hole and pull me back to reality. He is the one thing that I can count on to always be there, know no matter what. He will be there to rescue me. Hold me. Tell me he loves me and that it's all going to be ok. He is the man I cannot imagine my life without. Yet even with all his love and support, there is still that feeling of uncertainty from a not-so-far-away place...my "other" home.

"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength."     
~ unknown

Happiness is...

...a glass of wine after a long day.
...waking up to a little girls smile.
...listening to the imagination of little boys playing.
...a hot cup of coffee after a sleepless night.
...family.

We have had my nephew at our house this weekend for a sleepover and he and M&M's have had such a blast! They are the best of friends and I love watching them and listening to them play. Occasionally, like brothers, they fight and yell but for the most part, they get along great. I am so happy they are so close in age and have each other to entertain!

As I sit here and write, I look around at my house and wonder...WTH happened in here!?! Every Lego, puzzle, book, car, train, and toy is out of it's bucket and strewn from one end of the house to the other. There are Ninja Turtle guys without heads, Mr. Potato heads missing limbs and random pieces of hot wheels throughout the hall. The beds are bare from them trying to build forts and the clothes hampers and completely emptied. Most people would be quick to judge saying "Why aren't you supervising them? How could you let they make such a mess?"  Friends, it's simple...they are 3 yr old boys...and they are as happy as can be! Sure it will be a challenge later making them pick it all up, but as long as they are laughing, having fun and aren't fighting, then who am I to rush in and ruin their fun? Gosh, I love them SO MUCH!!

Happiness is a messy house and happy kids :)

CHEERS!

Happy Mother's Day

What an amazing weekend! I have been spoiled...with love!

Saturday began with a wonderful surprise at Kit Kat's soccer game. My parents and my cousin from Washington showed up!! We all enjoyed the game and cheering Kit Kat and his team on. After the game, they left and we went home for lunch. We hung out, napped, and had a nice afternoon at home before getting ready for a fun filled evening. My parents built an outdoor movie theatre (think of a drive-in movei theatre except on the lawn in chairs instead of cars) and they invited us over for movies at dark. We had a nice family dinner at Red Robin before heading over there. When we got there, I had a wonderful surprise...my bestest friend was there!! I haven't seen her in way too long and it brought a huge smile to my face!! There was also a lot more family there...grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins...its was truely a fun filled evening!! 

Sunday, we were up bright and early to meet the rest of the family for Mother's Day breakfast. I got to see my cousin again before she headed back home and even my uncle joined us! (Happy Mother's Day to him!!) Breakfast was nice and my wonderful kids gave me a beautiful mothers necklace (with special thanks to Nana and Papa)!! After we left breakfast, we stopped and picked up some beautiful flowers and a sweet card for my sister-in-law and surprised her at work to deliver them. She is an amazing mom and we wanted her to know how special is!! She loved it. :)  Once we got home my wonderful husband let me take a nap...a 3 hr nap...and it felt AMAZING!! He also made me a wonderful dinner (which he does most everynight anyways!).  I feel so loved...and so incredibly lucky!

Happy Mother's Day! I hope you had a wonderful day full of love and happiness :)

Mother's Day picture made by M&M's

Picture Time

Went to get the kids' pictures taken yesterday without much success at a good group photo. I think my husband was so frustrated at the thought of not getting one good one, that he stepped in (which is a BIG deal because he is anti-family picture man) with the kids. Ironically, that's the only one of all the kids that turned out decent. There were several great individual ones of the kids so we called it a day. I had purchased two Groupons, so I scheduled another appointment to return Sunday.

Pictures round two went a lot better! This time we got a handful of great group shots of the kids and a great one of the kids and myself. Everyone was in a much better mood and we got some more great individual shots as well! Almond Joy's pictures turned out SO CUTE!

I love getting pictures done of the kids! Thank you husband for my wonderful Mother's Day present and letting me buy the picture CD and some prints to put in the frames on the wall :)  I am one happy momma!!

Feeling Blue

Sad. Missed. Hurt. Blue.

I can't help but feel this way today. I have tried to pull myself through and climb my way out but today, it's difficult. I guess we all have those days where the sun is blocked behind the clouds...or the smile is hidden behind the tears. I don't want to feel this way, but I do. I think anyone in my shoes would feel this way...

I have an amazing family which I love so very much. I am the oldest of four kids and the first born daughter to my amazing parents. There is a large age gap between myself and my youngest brother, but I have always felt close to my siblings, especially my sister. My mom is one of my best friends in the whole world...I don't know what I would do without her. Ever since I moved out, got married and started a family, I have never felt disconnected from them...until today.

Family photos should be just that...FAMILY photos. At first when my mom said that they were getting family photos done, it didn't bother me. I didn't really think about it, let it process and sink in. It didn't hit me until today that those family photos didn't include me. After I started to think about it, the more it became real. My family was getting professional "family" photos done and I wasn't invited to take part in them. I guess they figure I have "my own family" now...and I don't fit in to theirs.

So I went on to feel sorry for myself. It pretty much turned my whole weekend upside down. Here was this important event happening without one key person. Me. Photos aren't something that can talk, and explain their meaning. Photos are lifetime memories that tell their own story. Memories of love, happiness, milestones...and family. Photos last forever and I'm pretty sure the sad, missed and hurt feelings will last as long as those "family" photos will.