Trouble Maker and Tae Kwon Do

When I became pregnant with my first child I knew I wanted a boy.
I wanted to be a soccer, football, baseball, any type of sport mom.
I wanted my Saturdays to be full of going out to games and cheering on my pride and joy!
However life is fairly funny as I have come to find out.
My oldest 'Trouble Maker' doesn't like playing sports.
I have put him in everything I swear!
Nothing has really grabbed his attention I guess you could say.
On a whim I asked him if he wanted to take a Tae Kwon Do class that our city offered at the beginning of the Summer.
I was shocked when he was excited about it!!!
I was surprised to find out that Tae Kwon Do is MUCH more than just kicking and punching around.
Trouble Maker has taken to it like a uhhhh I don't know what a good analogy would be.
So instead of sitting on the side of a soccer field, I sit in a Dojang.
Watching my lil mister doing kicks, blocks, and punches.

This past Saturday I watched him move up his first belt.
I am just so proud of him!
You will have to excuse the poor picture quality.  I let my 4 year take pictures while I was video taping for the SSG since he is on TDY.

Getting ready to start testing...  He was REALLY nervous!

Breaking his very first board!

VICTORY!!!!

Getting his NEW belt!

It is funny how life gives you something you didn't expect.

I never expected martial arts as something I would enjoy.

Where Have I Been?

So ya I kinda suck at life with this whole blog thing.
I do really well for a while and then, nothing...
One reason is that shopping, and buying a home takes up much more time than I thought.
Also we found out that we are expecting our FOURTH little baby BOY!
YAY! No girls just boys!
But now that we are in the house and most major (boring) renovations are done.
I hope that I can get to the fun stuff.
I miss blogging about crafts.

Reality Check

 Life is kinda funny.

I have been feeling really discouraged about the hunt for a house.

I had written a post pretty much complaining about it.

Then after chatting with another sweet blogger last night, she gave me the encouragement I needed.

Instead of looking at all the negatives in the hunt I am going to turn them around and make them positive.

First- the waiting...

Yes with most short sales you have to wait.

But it gives us time. 

To not be so hasty.

To keep looking at other houses that may be better.

Second- The issue of cleanliness in said homes.

Most of these houses are trashed.

It will give us an excuse to paint the walls.

Get the carpets cleaned.

And hey if we like a house enough to buy it when it is dirty, we will love it when it is clean!

Third- Homes already being under contract

This is by FAR the most frustrating!

This will let us know that we were not meant to be in that house.

We will trust in God that he will guide us to where we need to be.

Buying a home is a dream.

And we are very fortunate to even be able to do it.

I need to enjoy it.

There I feel much much better! 

This is one of the reasons why I love blogging so much!  

There are so many fantastic people out there who give me so much inspiration!

Peace Out 2011!

2011 was an icky icky horrible year for us.

And it pretty much started right after New Years.

We are bloggy BFFs so this a no judge zone right?

Let us go back in time to 2007.

When the SSG and I were first married we had some trials.

He was working a job that didn't pay us very much.

I had quit my job to move to Idaho to be with him.

Our finances were a MESS to say the least!

Well later in the first year of our marriage my husband lost his job.

Thankfully he was already in the Army and we were very blessed they gave him work.

I think back on those months of not working, wondering how we made due.

Well we ended up having to file bankruptcy. (no judge zone)

We thought all was well and we had a fresh start!

Fast forward to 2011...

Seriously the day after New Years.

I got the mail and found a letter from an attorney's office.

Open up the letter, and started crying.

It was about my wedding ring.

They wanted $500.00 more than what SSG financed it for, or the ring back.

I called my husband balling, telling him what horrid news we got in the mail.

(Now, I completely agree that if we didn't pay for it we shouldn't have it.  However it had been 2 years since the bankruptcy and they never said a word about the ring)

We had the money to buy the ring. 

But it would wipe out our savings account.

I had to make a choice.

Do I love a ring, or our future more?

So sadly I agreed to give back my ring.

They told me they were going to put it in an auction to see how much money they could get for it.

*tear*

I packaged it up and gave it to the FedEx driver.

A ring doesn't define my marriage.

And a year later I still get a little teary eyed about it.

 There were more problems with 2011 too.

I don't want to dwell on them though.

It is a new year!

New start!

And I say bring it on!

Hurry Up and Wait... Life of the Army

So if you haven't noticed I have been kinda la de da lately.

And it has nothing to do with blogging.

I love it,

It is a fantastic outlet for what I create.

Also it is nice to get some randomness out there too.

But for the past couple of weeks my personal life has been stressful.

If you didn't know my husband is in the Army.

He has just gotten off of a stateside deployment.

Which left us kind of in a lurch.

We could have gone back to his civilian job.

Which is also working for the Army.

But we would have taken a MAJOR pay cut.

So we put in to go AGR, which stands for Active Guard Reserve.

Fancy words for saying active duty on the reserve side of things.

SSG was picked for the program.

But he didn't get a job offer.

SSG found out there were 30 jobs and he was 41st on the list.

*SCREAM*

So we waited, prayed, and hoped that by some miracle at least 11 people would turn down jobs.

However a 6 a.m. phone call answered our prayers.

He got an assignment.

To make matters even better.

We actually get to stay in Utah!

*SIGH*

Another piece of news that is just WOW!

We were approved for a home loan!!!

NO MORE RENTING!!!!

Can I get a high five here???

The best is looking for a house.

Going into a house and trying to picture it being ours.

So this is why I haven't done much crafting.

I would rather show ya something that is awesome!

How about let's say we take a break until after New Year's?  

That way I can get back into the groove of things.

Much love and happiness to you during this holiday season.

I look forward to talking to you in the 2012!!!

Also I have some new sponsors and we will be having a giveaway after the first of the year!

Also maybe I will be opening my very own Etsy shop!

We will have to do a giveaway with that as well!

40 Pounds Lost, I don't Plan on Finding Them

This was me, in 2008.

The sad part is, this isn't even me at my heaviest.

I actually had another baby in 2009 and put on about 

20 more pounds.

I was miserable, I hated looking at myself in a mirror.

Let alone have pictures taken of myself.

I felt like I was always doomed to be the fat girl.

Especially going to my in laws.

I once broke a chair.

At their house.

I was MORTIFIED!

I hated shopping for clothes.

Nothing I liked ever fit me.

I am 5'3 and I have really short legs.

So to find pants that would fit me in the waist. 

They would always drag on the ground since I wasn't tall enough for them.

I cried alot about my weight.

Looking at this picture I can see how uncomfortable I am.

I am trying to hide how ugly I felt.

I tried a bunch of crappy trendy diets.

They all promised the same thing.

Lose weight fast!

And while I did lose ten pounds at first.

I was starving myself.

One diet I ate plain chicken and spinach all the time.

Oh and boiled egg whites.

Which the thought of makes my stomach turn now.

The SSG said to me one night,

'Can you see yourself eating like this for the rest of your life?'

It hit me like a brick wall.

If I had to eat plain spinach and egg whites for the rest of my life I would

DIE!!!

Not just because I wouldn't get the essential nutrients my body needed.

But because I love food that much!

So I ate like a crazed lunatic for a few days.

Then on Friday March 6, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. 

I headed on down to my local Weight Watchers.

It was exactly what I needed.

A lifestyle change, not a diet.

And here I am 

40 pounds and much, much, MUCH happier later.

I feel comfortable in my skin.

I can wear white!

I haven't done that since I was a teenager.

I can run around with my kids.

The best feeling was when my oldest boy was able to wrap his arms all the way around me.

To give me a big hug.

This is a journey that I am glad I was brave enough to face.

{Vacation Time}

Thanksgiving week is here!

Yay!!!

I have my Christmas tree up already.

ya I am a little early, however I won't be home the day after Thanksgiving.

(when we usually put it up)

We are leaving tomorrow for sunny California to spend Thanksgiving with my dad, step mom, and younger sisters and brother.

So I won't be around this week!

Don't worry I will be back next week.

Enjoy your week!

My Wishes

 As my boys are getting older I wonder.

I wonder what kind of men they will be.

I wonder if I am teaching them right from wrong.

I wonder if they will be happy.

Here are a few wishes I have for them.

 I wish they will know that family is always there for you.

That they know the bond of brothers is something that should never be broken.

When their father and I are gone that is who they will have.

 I wish they will know that the possibilities for them are endless.

The world is theirs for the taking.

And they should never say 'I am not good enough for that'

 I wish they never lose their fearlessness.

That they should always take a risk.

You never know if it that risk will turn out to be the best decision of their life.

 I wish they know how much their father and I love them.

That we have given our all to them.

I wish when they grow up they will say 'Thank you for all you did'

I wish they know whatever road they take I will always be proud of them.

They are our joy.

The reason we work so hard.

Kids and Manners UGH!

Source

 I remember when I was little.

There was a woman, Mrs. Reed, who lived a few doors down from my dad.

I used to play in her house, and her back yard.

Some of my fondest memories of my childhood are in the company of that dear sweet lady.

Mrs. Reed had invited myself and my dad over for dinner one night.

She gave me a brief lesson on manners.

I still remember the words today.

A few pointers that she gave me are:

• You never say you don't like the food.
• Even if you don't like what they have prepared, eat it.
• Never spit food out onto your plate.
• You do not start eating until everyone has been served.

Really great advice that has helped me into my adult life.
A week ago my little family was invited over to a friend's house for dinner.
Remembering the advice of Mrs. Reed I gave my oldest son a run down of how to act.
Thinking that I was prepared to at least have my oldest son behave we went to dinner.
Oh how I was wrong.
I won't give you all of the brutal details.
Just the one that has stuck out.
The kids were getting drinks for their dinner.
'Trouble Maker' looks in the fridge with the other kids.
Out of no where says,
'OH, I can't have apple juice, it gives me diaherra'
*FACEPALM*
Then he proceeds to repeat himself two or three times!!!!

We all had a good laugh about it.

I guess I forgot to cover that,

You don't talk about your bathroom business while in some one's house.

There is only two more days to enter my GIVEAWAY!

Have you entered yet?

A short story on how smart I am...

See this cake?

It's a carrot cake.

Can you tell by the little carrots made out for frosting?

I thought I got this cake at a SUPER steal.

ONE DOLLAR!

Yes, a local store that isn't open on Sundays cleared out their bakery one Saturday night.

I had to ask the girl at the check stand three times.

'Are you sure this is one dollar?!?!?!'

So I brought this little baby home with me.

The girls and I were going to enjoy tasty delight at our weekly craft night.

I even took this picture to tell everyone how sweet my deal was.

Now I am going to tell you how this cake ended up costing me $20.00.

SSG has had a favorite knife.

His Santuku knife...

Me being super smart used his favorite knife to cut this cake.

Instead of oh I don't know

AN ACTUAL CAKE KNIFE!!!

On top of that,

I left his favorite knife inside the cake box!!!!

Then threw the left over cake away the next morning.

Without checking the box.

SSG was gone to Fort Dix at this time.

So no one noticed.

Until the next week.

When he went to cut potatoes.

And asked where his knife was.

Uhhhhh dur dur dur.

'Honey, you remember me telling you about the carrot cake?'

'Yes?'

'I used your knife to cut the cake. And left it in the cake box'

'Really?'

'Yes, I am really sorry'

But good news the knife has been replaced by three new santuku knifes thanks to HomeGoods.

And that is my short story.

Lesson learned?

Never use your husband's knife to cut cake.

Want to know the kicker to the story?

The cake was dry!

Welcome Home 744th!

 This past Saturday SSG's unit came home from a year long deployment to Afghanistan.

I was fortunate enough to come with and welcome them home.

While my husband did not get deployed I couldn't help but get emotional with the happiness in the room.

I had helped these wives, mothers, girlfriends for the past year.

They have become much more to me than just a fellow Army family member.

Everyone lined up with their signs getting ready for the moment they had been waiting for since they left.

 We also had the Patriot Guard riders lined up for them to land.

These men and women with the Patriot Guard are just fantastic.

 They stand there silent holding their flags to honor the men who have served their country.

Wives, children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents all waited anxiously for their solider to disembark the aircraft.

And as soon as they landed nothing but pure happy chaos ensued.

This is my Army family.

I love them as much as my own.

Welcome home 744th EN CO.  

Thank you for fighting for our freedom.

You are truly heroes!

On a side note.

But a VERY BIG side note.

Wanna see how easily you can sign away three years of your life???

You can do it in 2 minutes apparently..

SSG signed a new contract and had to swear in.

It really isn't as glamorous as Army Wives makes it out to be.

 SSG signing his new contract.

 This is what SSG had to swear to:

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God. 

 All done in about two minutes.

SSG is on the right, the other guy is the CPT he is kinda a big deal around here.

Not a Fairytale, but love still the same

 My husband and I didn't have that 'fairy tale' romance.
He certainly did not sweep me off my feet.
Our courtship wasn't really what every girl dreams of.
You see my husband had just gotten back from his deployment to Iraq.
I was in a new city, with a new job, and a new baby.
I wanted a fresh start.
He wanted to get his head back in the game.
But when we met something inside me just clicked.
You know the feeling of ease.
Having those moments of silence and not feeling the need to talk.
The kind of feeling where butterflies swarmed when you see his name pop up on your phone.
The hairs on your arm sticking up when he brushes by.
I didn't know then that he would become my husband.
But I did know that he was something special.
We dated off and on for about 6 months.
Then he had a job offer to move to Idaho.
We said our goodbyes and promised to at least try to make a long distance relationship work.
I watched him walk away, with tears in my eyes and a sudden hole in my heart.
That was the instance I knew.
He was my forever.
And here we are, four years, three kids, and much more love later.
Sometimes I need to be reminded of why we fought so hard to make this work.
No one makes me feel the way he does.
He is the father of my children, my rock, my love, my everything.

{A Picture Says a Thousand Words}

There is nothing in this world that makes me more happy than my family.

They are my joy, my effort, my pure bliss.

And luckily I have found a photographer who can capture just how I see my wonderful children and husband.

We are not perfect, but together we make a family.

Ready... Set... GOOOOOOO!!!!!

My self with the 'Trouble Maker'

 Last Saturday we went to our very first Pinewood Derby!  We procrastinated and made our cars only days before hand even though we had the kits for well over three weeks.

 The 'MONSTER'

 The 'Sweetheart'

 The Staff Sergeant (SSG)

 Our cars weren't the fastest.  The 'Trouble Maker's car is there in last. 

 The Sweetheart's car is actually in SECOND!!!

Even though we didn't win any of the races we were still all smiles at the end of the night.

{Craft Fails and a Haircut}

Ever had an idea for a craft and you thought it was just incredible!
You couldn't take your mind off of it?
Then you run your kids around for a day to get all the supplies you are going to need.
Get home.
Work your hardest on it.
And when you are finished look at it and say "bleh"?

That is what happened to me today.
Craft FAIL.
I am going to try to save it tomorrow but I think I need to take a step back from it.  Haha

Oh well at least one good thing happened today.
A little hair therapy, made my day turn around. :)

5 Questions about me!

1. Do you prefer sweet or salty foods?

It really depends on my mood.  I really like chocolate covered pretzels that give me the best of both worlds.

2. Name your 3 BEST personality traits!

I have a good sense of humor, I am true to my friends, and pretty happy.

3. Name your 3 worst personality traits!

I am SUPER bad at procrastination, I stick my foot in my mouth ALOT, and I worry too much.

4. Do you collect anything?

Bones, haha I am kidding.  No I don't collect anything.

5. What is your favorite season of the year?

Hands down FALL, I love the warm but cool air, leaves changing, the smell of fireplaces.  Plus Halloween is in the fall and I love me some Halloween!!!

Linking to:

http://nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com/2011/09/hoo-are-you-54.html

It's the little things

Really it is the little things that count.

Today I am going to post things that I am truly thankful about no matter how small or silly they may be.

I am thankful for diet pepsi, it's sweet tasty goodness is just what I need after losing a battle to my kids on cleaning up the toys.

I am thankful for coupons.  They save me money on things like 8 jars of peanut butter.  That way I will never promise Peanut Butter Jelly time and realize I do not have peanut butter.

Little Army men, I am thankful to you being on the floor.  You keep me up to date with my super sneaky ninja skills in the middle of the night.

I am thankful for you Lego Indiana Jones for keeping my three year old entertained why I ran around taking pictures of random non sense.

I am thankful to dead flowers in planters outside my house.  It reminds me that I have no business planting flowers since they always die.

I am thankful to pretty shoes.  That is all that is needed here.

I am thankful for Scentsy.  That it keeps my house smelling so fresh and clean even though there are three little monsters who live here.

I am thankful for little boys in dirty shirts.  I will never question whether or not I have enough laundry to start a load.