Perfectly Imperfect Mom: life

A couple years ago I did a similar post but now that my little ones are older I no longer have a diaper bag. I must say, not having to carry around diapers, ointments, wipes, bottles and formula for now one but two babies has made getting out of the house much easier.

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So what do I keep in my Mommy purse with three children 5 and under? Lets take a look…

1. Wallet. Yep, this will be forever a staple. I actually just got this wallet a couple weeks ago at WalMart, I don't usually go there often because we don't have one super close and when I did go I was shocked to see such a cute wallet. Can't be that it was under $10 as well, but will it last? Only time will tell. I also found this similar one that is really pretty.

2. Water. Depending on where we are going I usually will just throw a water bottle in my bag in case anyone gets thirsty. If we are going to the park or beach I will pack individual thermoses for each of them since I know for sure they will use them. These are my absolute favorite. They last forever and keep drinks cold. 3. Snacks. Another one that will probably always be a staple in my bag. It never fails that we will be out and someone gets hungry. A quick and healthy snack is a bonus. We recently were sent these snacks from Beech Nut and my kids love them. Their favorites are the fruit & veggie melties and blueberry cereal puffs and you probably will be stealing their quinoa crispies and fruity oat bars. If you have smaller ones these oatmeal pouches are a perfect way to feed your baby on the go.
4. Pens and notebooks. I try to remember to bring these because all of my children love to draw. It keeps them busy and preoccupied when I need them to calm down and chill out. It is also great for when you are at a restaurant and they are over coloring. 5. Bandaids because my children are always getting some kind of boo boo at the park or outside. I love being able to have character ones but my children think of them as stickers and end up crying wolf on boo boos so I had to switch to the skin colored ones. 6. Benadryl Itch Relief Spray. Ace and Ashlyn are both allergic to mosquitos so this is a huge life saver when they are freaking out over their monstrous mosquito bites and being crazy itchy. 7. Starbucks Gift Card. A sweet gift from one of my students. These kids know the way to my heart. I am seriously going to miss them when they graduate. 8. Random socks and toys. Because it would't be a Mommy purse without something random of your children's. There was also a random silver flashlight keychain my kids play with in there. 9. iPhone charger. I got this teeny charger awhile ago and it charges super quick. As you can see my Mommy purse has a lot less than my old diaper bag days. I definitely don't miss having to make sure my bag is stocked every night. What are some of your must haves for your purse or diaper bag? facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

May 31, 2017 No comments

Originally published May 6, 2016 This post may contain affiliate links In honor of Mother's Day this year I decided to talk about the different types of Moms I have come across. Now, this obviously is not all types of Moms but overall it is some of the most common ones I have come in contact with. Which Mom are you?

The First Time Mom All of us Moms have been there. You get pregnant, envision this perfect cherub faced child who will nurse every few hours, sleep in between and you will sleep when baby sleeps, piece of cake… Then reality hits and you are crying over your cheerios and breast pump. You haven't slept more than an hour at a time, your baby nurses for eternity, passes out at the boob, wakes up the second you put him down and you kind of want to strangle your husband because baby only wants you and he gets to sleep. You might hover over the baby while he sleeps or stress about which organic formula is the best. Is he eating, sleeping, and pooping enough? You are your own breed and we love you for it. Don't worry it gets better, I promise! Then you can your second baby and realize how fun it is to have a first time Mom as a friend. I mean it really is entertaining. The Fun Mom
This Mom is the one who is running around the playground with her kids, pretending to be Captain Hook while your kids are the lost boys. She isn't afraid to get dirty or look silly. You love her for her free spirit and energy. Your kids love going to her house for play dates because she has the best dress up clothes and games. It's never a dull moment with her. She is also awesome when it's a Mom's night out and can party with the best of them. You can always have a guaranteed fun time with her. The Perfect Mom
She is always dressed in a comfy cute outfit, her child is dressed to the nines and she is the nicest person. And let's not forget her house is perfection. Does a child live there? Who knows! You would hate her for all her perfection if she wasn't so sweet and threw a wicked awesome party. Lets be real though, she seems perfect but as we all know no Mom actually is but she comes pretty close. The Hot Mess Mom
She is the Mom who is running into play dates with her kids running in all directions, probably forgot to brush her teeth and needs a drink. She has a heart of gold and makes you feel better for not exactly having your shit together. She is the Mom who will help you when you need someone to watch your child and they will have the best time because even though she's kind of a hot mess, she is also the Mom who makes everyone's child feel like they are special. She also is the best Mom to go to when you are having a rough day, life is crazy or you just are miserable because she is empathetic and gets it. She somehow knows exactly what to say to make you feel better. The "Expert" Mom
This is the Mom who you turn to when you are busy crying over your cheerios and breast pump and your baby baby won't sleep. She reminds you how hard the first couple months are and promises it will get better. She offers any and all support to help you through. She seems to have some kind of powers over getting your baby to sleep and calming down. She has been there and you can count on her to help you through the toughest parts of Motherhood. She is probably your own Mother, Aunt, Cousin, Sister or Friend and you love her! The Overprotective Mom The Mom who knows how to baby proof a house in 2.5 seconds and can see a safety hazard a mile away. She might even be there the whole first day of kindergarten because let's face it that day is harder for Mom than child. Her child will never see a bruise from falling off their bike or skates because you better believe they are covered in knee, elbow, shin and any other kind of pads on the market and of course a helmet. These Moms are serious about safety and you can count on them to know what kind of scary sh*t is out there. Stuff you didn't even know you should worry about or things that seemed small are a bit more scary because this Mom knows what is up. She is the WebMD of your Mom group and you probably would have a broken child without all her knowledge. The Drama Mom There's always one, right? This is the Mom who you try to get to know or include but it just doesn't work. Nothing seems to make her happy or she finds issues with other Moms. You can't quite figure her out and what the problem is. She constantly has problems with someone in her life and it doesn't seem to matter who but it's a constant. You realize that maybe it's not everyone else but her, common denominator if you will. After your best efforts you learn to steer clear of her. Hey, at least you tried! The Best Friend Mom Does it get any better than the best friend Mom? The one who you either met when you became a Mom or your best friend who also has children. She is the person who you rely on for support in all aspects of life but having that bond over being mothers at the same time makes everything better. She gets what you are going through and knows that all you need is an ear to talk to or someone to say "I get it! I've been there." You've cried together, you've laughed together, you've been there for each others' child's milestones and it's the best thing ever! Your kids grow up as best friends or even like cousins. You are fiercely protective over their child as if they were your own and you would do anything to make Mommy hood easier for one another. If your lucky you have more than one of these like me! I wouldn't survive motherhood without these girls. They know who they are and this post (except for the drama Mom) was based on all of you. You are all a mix of these Moms and have made my life as a Mom amazing. Happy Mother's Day to all you amazing Moms out there! So…which Mom are you? Which Mom is your favorite to hang out with?

May 06, 2017 1 comments

Since Ashlyn is adopted we talk about adoption randomly and are very open with the children. Now that Ashlyn is getting older I try to talk about it a little more than before because I know she is going to start understanding things.

Ashlyn and YaYa in October 2016

Tonight we were reading a book from her first mommy called Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You. I love this book so much. It is seriously such a great book for children who are adopted. The book is read by her YaYa so in the beginning she says this is a book for you Ashlyn from your Mama YaYa. It's a great way to remind her that she has two mommies and how lucky she is to also have two sisters. Tonight I told Ashlyn that she was in YaYa's tummy. When I asked her whose tummy she was she goes JoJo's. I was like no you were in YaYa's. She laughed and said no JoJo's, Gavin's Mommy. She thought it was so funny. This is the interesting thing about an adoption. We are learning how to talk to our children about it and when is the right time to tell them certain things because we aren't quite sure they will get it. This was a time when I realized I really needed to make Ashlyn a book about her adoption and family so it's less confusing. Another funny thing the girls do is when we talk about Ashlyn's sisters she will then ask who are Everly's sisters and I will tell her you are. She doesn't get yet that she has two extra sisters so then they both just say they have two more sisters. I know as time goes on things will make more sense to them but it is funny to see how they process things. Ace gets everything way more than the girls and seemed to understand it a lot earlier too. I think the girls have a harder time because they don't understand why one has something the other doesn't. They don't really know how to separate themselves from each other in that way yet.
I am curious how other families talk about adoption with their toddlers. I never want it to be a shock to Ashlyn so we have always talked about it, talked and met up with her first mom so hopefully it will just be her norm. facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

April 26, 2017 No comments

April 23, 2017 No comments

Hello Spring! I love this time of year. It hasn't hit that sweltering heat that Florida gets in the Summer so we really try to get outside as much as possible.

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Some of my favorite items for Spring (and Summer for those who haven't gotten a break from the cold yet) usually have to do with being outside. We spent majority of our time in the pool or running around the neighborhood till dinner time when I was a child. Since times have changed we really can't expect our kids to be outside alone for hours on end. Here are some fun must haves to make hanging with your kids outside a little easier and a whole lot of fun.

Water Balloons. Yep, I said it, water balloons are so much fun. I love getting into this with the kids. Last Summer my best friend introduced me to these easy to fill water balloons and we have been hooked ever since. Just make sure to clean up the balloon debri afterwards. We told the kids prior to playing that if they wanted to play they had to clean up the water balloon pieces and they were good with it. We made that into a game of who could clean up the fastest, whatever works, right? Follow it up with a popsicle and it makes for the perfect cool off activity.

Bubble Machine. Just turn it on and they will run around chasing bubbles till you are ready for them to stop. I bought this one because it had great reviews and I must say I am impressed with it. Even I was mesmerized by the amount of bubbles that come out at a time. We had this Gazillion Bubble Hurricane Machine one awhile back and it works great, similar style to the other one but the piece that holds the bubble liquid comes off to make it easier to refill, which is nice, but made is easily breakable. Both work great though. If you get the second one just make sure you have kids old enough to not take it off and accidentally break it. Slip N' Slide. One of my favorite activities from childhood. If you want a good old fashion one you can get it here but now they have so many fun ones you really can't go wrong with any option you pick. This one might looks super fun. Kids love being able to slide down these slippery slides that you might actually get a little time to sit back and relax.

Sidewalk Chalk. This is the one thing that is a staple in our house year round. The minute I am running low I go buy more. My kids are obsessed and I love that it is a creative outlet as well. The girls got these awesome Walkie Chalk "Stand Up" Sidewalk Chalk Holders for their birthdays and they love them. We also love these sidewalk holders to make them a bit less messy. Sidewalk Chalk Paint. So this one is a favorite but not something we take out often. I love this because the kids have so much fun with it but it is messy. This is a good one to take out when you are doing something with water right after. Have them play with this in their bathing suits as well. It's definitely a must have though because it is so fun. And I highly suggest becoming an Amazon Prime (try if for 30 days free!) Member. We have it and ordering all of these items is super easy and inexpensive. Free 2 day shipping isn't bad either! What are some of your Spring or Summer must haves for playing outdoors? We love getting new ideas. facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

April 12, 2017 No comments

Better late than never right? We did a joint party again for the girls this year. Originally I thought I wouldn't get around to doing one because things had been so crazy but Ashlyn kept talking about having a birthday party so I threw one together last minute. I called my best friend Kat and told her to come help me (because I don't do parties without her) and she was more than happy to help with the festivities. I planned it during her girls Spring Break and St. Patrick's Day. So perfect!

I wanted to do an early party because that is when my kids are at their best. This also made food easier and more difficult because it wasn't really breakfast or lunch time. We decided on donuts, muffins, cupcakes, confetti popcorn and fruit. Drinks we easy since we had water and juice.

Since we have a large front yard on a cul de sac we put everything out front for the kids. I wanted to have a bunch of activities for them to do so I knew for sure we would have our Little Tikes bounce house out (seriously best purchase we ever made when Ace was a toddler). I also bought a bunch of crayons from Amazon, this bubble machine, sidewalk chalk and a big unicorn coloring poster.

Kat and her oldest daughter made the cupcakes. I bought little unicorns from Target's dollar spot. They worked out perfect as little toppers. I also got the favors from there too. They had wood unicorn and robot painting kits. Seriously, I love Target's dollar spot. I also got unicorn stamps and sunglasses for the girls there.

I picked out these dresses in purple and aqua for the girls to wear for the party. Then she put on this dress and then Everly decided it wasn't happening so she wear some random pair of shorts and t-shirt. I finally got her to agree to put her dress on for cake pictures and she put a Mickey zip up on over it. Such a stinker. I also realized I didn't get any great pictures of the girls together but I did at school for Everly's actual birthday so you get what you get, right?

Everly's Dress

Cart

This picture cracks me up. They were waiting for us to sing to them and were like hurry up!

Bubble Machine / Ashlyn's Dress

Bounce House

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April 06, 2017 No comments

Happy Birthday my little Gertie Trudie! We love you so so much.

Outfit

You are our spunky, goofy, raspy voiced sweet pea. You are the girl who makes everyone laugh by making goofy faces and being super silly and cute. You have no shame. You finally love the water, thank God! You are obsessed with "baby shorts" which are just shorts but for some reason you like anything to do with babies. You are hardcore in love with babies and baby dolls and being a mommy. You often carry around two dolls or stuffed animals on your hips. It reminds me of the good old (crazy) days when I was carrying around you and your sister all the time.

You absolutely love school. Your teacher Miss Monique is probably one of your most favorite people. You also gravitate to guys, always have. I think because you are such a spunky, crazy girl you love the energy guys put out. You are very similar to Ace and you two are very wild together and will wrestle.

My favorite thing you say is "I love you so much!" it's not just I love you but you always add that last part. It's precious. You also say "I swear to God!" Which you really shouldn't but it's funny and you know it. Your goal in life is to make people laugh. You are also my helper and cleaner upper. You take after your Dad a lot in this way. You take after me with your tantrums and dramatics. Very similar to me as a little girl, whoops.

You are very quick and athletic still. You pick things up quickly and are very physical. You love running around, riding bikes and playing outside. You color inside the lines which I find so cool for a child under 3. You were never taught or told to do this by us you just did it.

You are also so generous. You don't mind sharing (unless it's one of your babies) and often will bend to Ashlyn because she is much more stubborn than you. Your best friend is your sister. I didn't realize how connected you two really were till I saw another child try to come play with you two and you two just had this way with one another that no one else really got till a set of twins came along and for some reason the 4 of you worked. It was super cool to see.

My sweet girl you have grown into such a magnificent person. Whenever I look at you I think of the song "Here Comes the Sun" because your smile is so bright and beautiful. Your eyes shine. You just have this way about you that can make anyone smile. I love you so much my little Gert Gert. Love, Mommy

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March 25, 2017 No comments

February 20, 2017 No comments

January 23, 2017 No comments

It's Friday and it couldn't have come soon enough for me this week! This week was a short week of work and the week prior I only was at work one day since I went on a workshop at the Marine Corps Recruiting Center so I came back to work with a full work load. I am hardcore ready for this weekend.

This weekend I am really hoping for some time to get things done around the house but also do fun things with the kids this weekend. We will obviously be attending the Sesame Street: K is for Kindness event which I am super excited about. My kids are going to just love it. As for what I am loving right now I saw another blogger post these and am in seriuos need of them, copper straws! Ashlyn bites all of my straws and either brakes them or they have bite marks on them. These would definitely stand the test of time. With Valentine's day coming out there are a bunch of cute valentine's ideas on Pinterest but these have got to be the cutest one. Also if anyone needs cute ones that you don't have to make Target has a bunch of them in the dollar spot section. They also have a lot of cute decor right now as well. When I was at the store they also had the cutest romper. I want to get it for the girls but haven't really put them in rompers since they became potty trained. Would this be too much of a pain? I think Everly would probably be fine since she is very quick with getting changed but Ashlyn might have accidents. Anyone have any experience with rompers after potty training? Leave a comment and let me know what you think. I am just in the beginning process of planning the girls join birthday party. Last year we did tutu theme since it was two of them turning two, cute right? This year I want to do unicorns and donuts. The party will start at 10 and go till noon so I figured that is the perfect time to have donuts. Anyway I am loving all the unicorn ideas on Pinterest (I may be slightly obsessed). I guess unicorn party ideas are popular right now because Target and Land of Nod had some cute party supplies. I really love these plates and goodie bags. That's about it for now but I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

January 20, 2017 No comments

If you are just reading The Story of Our Girls you might want to go HERE to catch up.

After announcing we were having two babies, one by adoption and one through pregnancy we had a lot to get done. Ashlyn was due in less than a month. We still had to complete our home study which is a very in depth process, book our flights, hotels and car for the trip, find someone to watch Ace for an undetermined amount of time and tie up any loose ends here. To say it was overwhelming was an understatement. As the month went on we met with our social worker who was absolutely amazing. She made us feel so comfortable and encouraged. I was very nervous by this home visit because she would be the person determine if we were fit to adopt our baby. I remember the night before making sure our house was super clean, every single fire alarm worked and running to the store to find a fire extinguisher because we had no clue where ours was. The home visit ended up feeling like we were talking to a friend. She asked us questions about our families, childhoods, school life, friends, how we met and our relationship. She also asked about our parenting style with Ace and how we discipline him. She really loved Ace which was awesome. Overall she said she thought we were good to go. She just had to finish her report and would rush it since Ashlyn was due very soon. Branden's Mom came down to stay with Ace. I remember the night before our flight I was so overwhelmed. I was worried about my friend who was going to make the biggest decision of her life, I was worried about leaving Ace for so long and I was just scared to take this huge step. It's something I can't explain. I remember there was an issue with our friends doctor, who treated her horribly and we didn't know if we should change our plans and come later. I felt helpless, she felt helpless. We decided to still go and hopefully at her next appointment with a new doctor in that practice we would get answers. We flew to California and got there I believe around 9 something in the morning. We met up with my friend and we both got to see each other with our big bellies for the first time. We had lunch and hung out for a bit looking at family pictures and talking some more. Later in the day Branden and I checked into our hotel and passed out super early. The time change killed us. A couple days into our trip out there I went to her doctor appointment with her. Her new doctor was amazing. He said he understood the situation and decided if she hadn't gone into labor by her due date he would have them set up an induction date, something the other doctor wouldn't even consider at all. He said he didn't think we would make it to induction so that made us all feel better. We headed out and waited for our baby. The next day our other friend flew in and that was the best, all of us together. Poor Branden had to be the odd man out. The next two days were weird, I wanted to give my friend space and be with our other friend. I also was feeling very stressed about being away from Ace. I wish I could have enjoyed my time in California before Ashlyn's birth because we did have a good amount of time we could have been doing more. We did drive out to a pier and see the ocean there but I felt like I was in this anxious state because I didn't know when Ashlyn would come, I felt super out of control. The Thursday before Ashlyn's birth Branden took me out to a pier and we walked around it was nice to just get out and walk around in the fresh air and do something fun. After the pier though I got extremely emotional and started crying. I missed Ace, who ended up getting sick, I felt so guilty. I even told Branden maybe I should fly back to be with him and take a last minute flight when my friend went into labor. The idea of being there another weekend (induction date was that Monday) without her being born and Ace being home really upset me. I didn't even sleep that night. At about 5AM the next morning I get a call from my friend saying her water broke! I literally jumped out of bed and was rushing to get ready despite my friend saying not to feel like I needed to rush because she would need to get checked in and everything. Yeah, I didn't really listen and was all over the place getting ready. Branden got up and got ready. I remember walking to the elevator and looking at him with a huge smile saying "we are about to have a baby girl!"
It was one of the most exciting and terrifying moments of my life... facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

January 19, 2017 1 comments

Can you believe 2016 is almost over? This year truly flew by. I can't believe Ace is halfway through his first year of elementary school and the girls are half way through their first year of preschool. It has been nice seeing them grow and learn so much these past few months.

With the new year right around the corner I want to make resolutions that matter. Not ones that are the typical lose 10lbs, go to the gym for a week and forget about it after that. After my parents passed away 4 years ago I decided I wasn't going to let the little things bother me. I wasn't going to allow minor annoyances get the better of me. I have done pretty well with that. I hate when people complain about things that are truly minor in the grand scheme of things. A car cut you off? Great, move on, you can't change that person but you can change your reaction to it.

That being said I want to continue to better myself and help my children continue to be positive little people. I was talking to Branden one day about bringing PB&J sandwiches to the homeless. I am not sure where to go exactly but we do see some off the main highway near our new house. It breaks my heart. I know many homeless people are mentally ill or have fallen on hard times and majority of the time it is out of their control. I sometimes give them a dollar if I have one but I want my children to also appreciate their lives and be people who want to help others. I don't want them to just ignore the problems of the world. I have noticed over the past 2 years how sensitive Ace is to others' feelings. He has a very compassionate heart and I want to make sure I encourage that kindness in him. I also love this about him because it reminds me a lot of my Mom. She felt others pain and hurt so strongly that she always wanted to help others. I have that too and sometimes I think it can be a bit of a blessing and a curse. I want to teach Ace that it is ok to feel for others and empathize with them and help them. I want him to know boundaries with it too. My Mom gave a lot and sometimes I think it was too much for her own good. She wanted to help those who needed to help themselves first. With all that being said my New Year's Resolution is for myself and children to give back and help. This world seems to be going through a very scary time and I want my children to be the good in it. I don't want them to be jaded by all that bad that is happening. I want them to know that they can make a difference. So here is hoping I can help these precious little people give back to those less fortunate than them.
What is your New Years Resolution? facebook ♥ instagram ♥ twitter ♥ pinterest ♥ bloglovin

December 30, 2016 No comments

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