Twenty-Eight

First off my Birthday... ROCKED. Yet again, another great Birthday. Maybe because it's my favorite day of the year, so it is inevitably going to rock? Who cares why, it did!

My Mom rocked it, as always. And then the night of my Birthday I went out with my close friends for dinner and drinks. It was a blast and they spoiled me! I got a ton of new jewelry, new nail polishes, hair pieces, a scarf, yada yada. And from the hubby, an hour long massage (ooooh how I have been dreaming of that), and roses. The roses were from Chase too, because he picked out half of them. I came out and there were red and yellow roses, and I was like, "yellow?" and knowing Chase had gone with him, I asked "Chase?" and he said "Yep." Yellow is his favorite color. I thought that was so sweet! My parents and grandparents gave me $$$ and my stepdaughter bought me a necklace with a little camera pendant. Her mom told me she had picked out a present for me herself, and I KNEW it had something to do with photography. I was honestly expecting a frame though, so when I opened it and saw the cutest necklace with a camera pendant I was so touched! I've only taken it off to shower. Pretty thoughtful for a 9 year old!

I feel like I am ten listing off Birthday gifts I got, haha, but they just seemed so great, and I appreciate them so much! I feel like they're worth mentioning. In all honesty, I have many relationships in my life where I give more than I get. That's just how it is, and I accept that. That's just who I am. I would so much RATHER give than get! It makes me feel good about myself. So yes, I definitely appreciate that my friends and family went so above and beyond for me. :)

Back to Birthday talk! The next night we went out with a much larger group of friends, friends who aren't necessarily a part of my daily life, but I still love and enjoy. :) And that was a BLAST... from what I can remember. ;) When the weekend FINALLY came, we took the kids to ChuckECheese. While we were in Cali, Chase was sooo good the whole time, that we told him we would take him to ChuckECheese when we got home. Well he was so excited, but said he didn't want to go until Lexi (his big sister) could come too! Which I was not at all surprised by, but still thought was so cute. Except that the entire week before she got here he kept asking if we could go get her. Lol. I wanted to do something fun with them for my Birthday anyway, so ChuckECheese was perfect! And they were sooooo good the whole day! Even as they took turns, and had to wait for each other to finish a game, even when we ran out of coins, and it was time to go, and when they turned in their tickets and had just enough for candy, pencil toppers and stickers and were ECSTATIC about it! Even in the CHAOS that is ChuckECheese on a Saturday afternoon, they were perfect! And so happy! Which made us so happy! There is no feeling of success on this planet like seeing your kids genuinely happy at your hand. Amazing feeling.
Great Birthday indeed!

Wordless Wednesday- Chuck E. Cheese

Happy Birthday to Me!

I am officially 28 years old... dun dun dun.

Well it's a little past midnight, and I haven't actually gone to bed and woken up to 28 yet. So maybe I'm still a little bit of 27. Hehe. Maybe?

I knew it was midnight because my husband came out singing, "Happy Birthday" to ME! :) Then he made me some shrimp... yum! Good start the my year! Haha.

Tomorrow (today) I have so much planned! I am going to make my family a HUGE breakfast; with eggs and bacon and potatoes and french toast with sprinkles... I am excited! My husband thinks I'm crazy for not wanting to go out and have breakfast made for me. But nope, I am beyond excited to just sit around the table with my family, with a big, warm breakfast I have made for them!

I'm also going to do some random things, like go shopping, go tanning, possibly get a pedicure with my best friend- her gift to me. :) And who knows what else? I am going out for dinner and drinks with some close friends. So excited for that! And then tomorrow, going out OUT with lots of friends! Last night my Mom had us over for a Birthday celebration. She made ribs (soooo good!!!) And she got me cupcakes, and flowers, and even had a balloon covered Birthday table cloth. Wonder where I get it? :) It was nice.... perfect way to start the Birthday celebrating!

I love my Birthday! It's my favorite day of the year!!! I pray to God that never changes!!! Happy Birthday to Meeeeee! :)

Wordless Wednesday- My sweets!

Decisions, Decisions

For the last month Tony has been talking very seriously about going back in to the Army.
I don't really know how I "feel" about the idea. I loved the Army life! But we have been out for over 2 years now. Our life is different, and I've adjusted. Although I love change. So I don't know. I love the idea of living somewhere warmer than MN, but I hate the idea of my kids not seeing their Grandparents all the time. Right now they see them about once a week. That would change to a few times a YEAR! Break my heart! And moving would break my family's heart! They were so happy when we moved back home!
Another one of the big reasons I am not for it is also the fact that Tony gets the GI Bill, which is AMAZING! His college is paid for, and what an opportunity that is! And I don't want him deploying again either. Missing a whole year at a time is just not cool. Been there, done that. At the same time, the stability that comes with Military life is like nothing in the world! He is also considering applying to some police departments around the country. He has already filled out the paper work for the Columbus, Georgia police department. We LOVED living in Georgia, but at the same time, it's sooooo far away from our family! Sigh.
So much to think about!!!

Heaven waits...

Recently, I've heard a lot about the book, "Heaven is for Real." It's basically a little boy's story, of undergoing surgery, and going to Heaven for a breif time, before surviving the surgery and returning to Earth. I'm not saying I am fully confident in this story, but I definitely hope with all of my heart it's true.
I watched this video, where the little boy (who has grown a little), and his Dad are talking about the book, and sharing the story. Towards the end, the interviewer talks about the Mom and Dad having a miscarriage, and the boy claims he met his sister in Heaven. And I lost it, bawling my eyes out. Even still at the very thought. It's no secret that I've had two miscarriages, and I am so, so, so lucky because after each of those miscariages I conceived Chase, and Olivia. God's work. Having Chase and Olivia helped me to heal so much. I wasn't left with the confusion, and lingering "Why?" that so many Mother's are. I can't put into words how grateful I am for that, and for my healthy children.
But still, I pray with all of my heart that some day I will meet my angel babies. And hearing that little boy say that... it just hit me so hard. I love to think that my babies are around me, that they watch over Chase and Olivia. And I would love to think that someday we will all be together. Hearing this story gave me a little more faith that we will. :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Wordless Wednesday-Our 5th Anniversary :)

(The set up Hubby walked into!)

Way 2 Much 2 Do Wednesday!!!!

Tomorrow we leave for CALIFORNIA!!!!! Yay!!!!
So of course, today is crazy! Not only did I have school, but I also work, AND I hadn't even packed yet! Yikes!!!
Well I just finished packing, so that is a load off! Our flight leaves tomorrow morning, so we have literally no time to do anything but wake up and go tomorrow! I went tanning this morning, and I'm going again this afternoon, before I go to work. This is how I roll... haha.
I am so excited to arrive in Cali, but leaving is stressssssful! And leaving my little ones behind... bitter sweet! They are sleeping at my mom's tonight, because our flight is so early in the morning. I have mixed feelings about that!
BUT IT'S OK! I AM GOING TO HAVE A GRRREATTTT TIME!!!! :)
Send lots of well wishes my way friends! :)

5 Years

2006-Year One

2007-Year Two

2008-Year Three

2009-Year Four

2010-Year Five

Happy Anniversary to us :)

At Sunset tonight, we will have been married for 5 years! Wow! How time does fly. :)

TGIF :)

Photoshoot yesterday went AWESOME! Scoped out a few new locations for outdoor photos, and loved every one of them! I can't wait to see them when the snow is melted and life is colorful again!

I also, as you can see, used the headbands I made in some shoots! What a great touch! I'm even more in love with them now!

These are just like the ones I donated to the Statts auction, and so far they're up to $22! Not bad for some simple, little headbands! That makes me happy!

I also donated an hour long photo session, with some prints! I wish I wouldn't have waited until the day before the auction ended! D'oh! lol. Ahh well, either way! I'm just really happy and really grateful to even be a part of this! I pray for this family daily! And I am moved by the way so many strangers have come together, to help a family who experienced what we all fear the most. It just touches my heart. The most beautiful part of being a human is that we experience emotions; in this case compassion. God Bless kind hearts! They really are all around us. :)

And God Bless you too, for reading, and caring about me and mine. Hehe. Thanks! :)

Happy Day

Finally a day off! Hooray!

Except that I have a photo shoot today. But I can't consider that work, since taking pictures is pretty much my favorite thing to do. I'm really excited about it too! I am doing portraits of a little girl, and she is gorgeous in general. Plus she has a very confident personality, so I have a feeling she is going to be a great subject! I think we are going to go to a few different spots; just to try them out. It is not easy taking outdoor pictures in the snow, unless snow is exactly what the subject wants... which it rarely is. But I have a feeling these will be nice!

I tend to plan things out in my head, and they rarely turn out how I imagine, but most times they turn out even better! Not always, but usually.

Thank God for creativity, because that's what helps you roll with the punches when you run into obsticles! "Find solutions, not Excuses!" <--One of my favorite sayings!

I made a TON of flower headbands! I made them to use as props originally, but they turned out soooo cute that I decided to make them to give as gifts too! I figured it would be a cute and fun additon when giving clothes. I also made some to donate in the Statts Auction. I think everyone in BlogWorld knows about that, so I won't go into it. Nonetheless, I am loving them! I am going to use a couple in my photo shoot today!

I have fallen back in love with my glue gun, thanks to a certain Blogger out there! I actually went and got a cute, girly one. It's pink with white polka dots, and it just makes it that much more fun, right? Haha, why not. But yes, I am literally LOOKING for things I can use hot glue on! I am starting to make cards, and the reason for that is a whole nother blog in itself. So I will leave it at that. Using my hot glue gun for that too. In general, I want to start making more things, adding more silly little things to my kids's shoes, clothes, whatever.

Ok, that's all for today. Hehe, take care y'all! :)

Dream of Californication

One thing I am really looking forward to is spending some one on one, quality time with my husband. Just me and him, with no where to be... just living... the way it used to be, before life stepped in. Except in the California sun. I can't wait for Los Angelos, and Hollywood Blvd, and Venice Beach and who knows what/where else! So many options! And even if it rains the entire time we are there, well it will be raining on us in CALIFORNIA! Not that I think it may rain, but even still! Storm clouds couldn't change the blue skies I see ahead!

So, so, so excited, and I can not think of a better way to spend our half a decade mark!