April First, Celebrating Firsts

I decided to celebrate the first day of April, I would like to share some of Anna's firsts and celebrate them with you.

Post edited to remove photos and videos.

Win a Be Jeweled Tutu!

Once again, I'm not feeling wordy as I'm in a daze of exhaustion, but if you go over to Little Piddles, they're giving away an adorable little tutu! Who doesn't want one for their little girl? :)

Breastfeeding Fact O' The Week

Toddlers between the ages of 12 and 24 months benefit from breastfeeding.

There has been little research on nursing beyond the age of two, but from the research before the age of two, there is a lot of great benefits. So moms who nurse toddlers, sing its praises! I know I sure will.

If you haven't discovered Kelly Mom (kellymom.com) yet, then you ought to. As a breastfeeding mom, this site is chock full of answers and questions to your every day nursing needs.

According to Kelly Mom and its researched experts, here are the nutrients found in breastmilk after that first year of a little one's life:

In the second year (12-23 months), 448 mL of breastmilk provides:

• 29% of energy requirements
• 43% of protein requirements
• 36% of calcium requirements
• 75% of vitamin A requirements
• 76% of folate requirements
• 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
• 60% of vitamin C requirements

448 mL of breastmilk is just 15 liquid ounces! Just that little bit of milk contains that many vitamins and nutrients! If you ask me, that just goes to prove how awesome a woman's body is. Her breastmilk grows her child's body, mind, and immune system for the first year and beyond!

I found this interesting: A study done in Bangladesh found that breastmilk beyond the first year is a significant source of Vitamin A for the nursing toddler. Vitamin A deficiency is often found in undeveloped countries where left untreated and at its worse can cause irreversible blindness!

Well, my nursing toddler just so happens to be poking at the screen, causing me irreversible laptop blindness, so I should go. ;)

To read more, click here and visit Kellymom.com!

Win an Awesome Stroller

Just go to this link. I'm not feeling very "Wordy" today.
CLICK HERE

Cloth Diaper Giveaway

Check out From Dates to Diapers for info and also check out Mandi's Menagerie for more info! :)

Rocking Zebra

Overwhelmed with Joy hosts Favorite Ingredients Friday every week. I admit that I'm not much of a cook, but I LOVE to do crafts! So, today I'm sharing one of my favorite crafts that I did about a year ago when Anna was maybe five or six months old.I made a Rocking Zebra for my daughter. It all started with a trip to a second hand store. There were two children in the corner of the store playing with an old rocking horse. It was a plain brown horse with a matted mane, but the kids didn't care! They LOVED that toy. Their mom came by after a few minutes and practically pried the kids away from the beloved (and well loved) rocking horse. There was a smaller rocking horse a few feet away. It had no mane and was painted crazy colors. The kids ignored that horse. After a few minutes of me circling the rocking horses, I talked my hubby into letting me buy a horse for a project. The smaller horse was 10 dollars and the bigger horse that the kids loved was priced at 12 dollars. I am so frugal, frugally frugal... or FRUGALICIOUS, that I talked myself into getting the ten dollar horse although I loved the bigger horse for its possibilities. Thankfully, Paul talked me into getting the bigger horse.

I took home my prize! I was so excited to finally have a project (the first project since Anna's birth) underway! I carefully sanded down the horse, wary of the glass eyes that they would not be scratched by the sand paper. Once I was finished sanding, I removed the matted tufts of hair little by little. And with help of my big strong man, Paul. Then, I started with a white coat of paint. I painted the whole horse white, once again careful not to paint the glass eyes--although I discovered the paint easily scratched off with my finger nail if I messed up.
Then I painted another coat... three coats in all to make sure the paint was nice and thick. After that, I painted the bottom rocking parts with a nice deep brick red. I only used non-toxic acrylic paint on the whole horse, so many coats were necessary. I just used what I had... nothing special. Plus I didn't want my precious baby to inhale the fumes of a toxic paint. Then with the help of Paul, I painted the black zebra stripes all over the horse. Then I coated the horse (after the paint had dried) with a clear sealer. Finally, I used a mop head for the horse's mane and tail. {I had to buy a mop for "mop puppets" in a college class I took that semester. There were holes drilled through the mop and it was a cheap mop... so once again I was using what I had.} I hot-glued and nailed in the mane and tail and at last (after I think three days of hard work... nah, it was relaxing and fun!) I finished my beautiful rocking zebra. An inexpensive toy that all of my children can enjoy. I've found similar rocking zebras for around 100 dollars or more. I made mine for twelve dollars. Of course including the items that I bought months before with the zebra NOT in mind, probably around 25 dollars total.



Go ahead and go to Overwhelmed with Joy for more Favorite Ingredients!

Sippy Cup Replacement Parts!

I love checking Baby Cheapskate! It's the best site for finding deals! In the past I've followed deals and bought six packs of Luvs Diapers for just over 2 dollars per 53 pack! Today I checked the site and found a great article on sippy cup replacement parts! Have you ever lost a valve or even a lid or straw to your child's sippy cup? I have! I have a perfectly good Playtex Straw Sippy Cup sitting in my cupboard as we speak. It hasn't been used in months! It's missing its internal straw! After reading today's post, I ordered a 3-pack of straws for just under 5 dollars INCLUDING shipping. Yay for deals! Follow the link for Baby Cheapskate for links to the website and parts that they found! =)

What's Going on in Anna's World...

Anna is learning so much! It's amazing how much she knows sometimes. Last night we were reading the Grandma and Baby book (first time we've even looked at it in months and the first time I've just asked questions about the pictures) which shows pictures of Grandmas doing stuff with their grandchildren. On one page I turned and the Grandma was tying the baby's shoe. I said, "Anna, where's your shoe?" And she lifted her foot and pointed to her bare toes! LOL! I think she thinks her feet are shoes. Close enough. :)
Then on the next page, I turned and the granddaughter was brushing her grandma's hair. I said, "Anna, where's your hair?" She touched her head!
On another page I asked her to "brush her teeth" and mimic what the two on the page were doing. She smiled big and brushed her teeth with her finger!
Then yesterday I started to show her the sign for "milk" whenever I gave her her sippy (now she'll think that her sippy is "milk" but oh well) and today in the car she dropped her sippy cup and I turned around to see what the sound was and she was squeezing her little fingers into fists! It was just so adorable and amazing that she picked up on that so fast!
Her newest words are "cat", "dog", and "baby". We went to Fred Meyer the other day and she pointed to the cardboard cutout of a woman holding a cat and she pointed and said, "Tat!" I was surprised that even cutouts of pictures of animals she recognizes. She has also pointed to cartoons and actual cats and called them "Tats"!
Then we were at the bank yesterday and she pointed at a dog in a car and said, "Dah!"
And today we were at a cemetery sitting in the van while my MIL pointed out where her greatgrandparents were buried and I hear Anna saying "Baby!" I turn around and see what she's pointing out. Surely she was mistaken! We were all alone in the cemetery! Was she seeing ghosts or angels? I was freaked out for a second (lol) but then Teresa and I both realized that she was pointing at little statues of cherubs in the distance sitting on little stone benches about fifty yards off. I couldn't believe that she saw those little "babies" and recognized them as representing infants!
I know I'm crazy by being so amazed at how much she knows. I guess sometimes I expect her to hardly understand half of what I say, but as it turns out she knows so much more!

God, My Rock

“My salvation and my honor depend on God ; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.”- Psalm 62:7

Wordless Wednesday: Easter Timeline in Pictures

*Post Edited to Remove Pictures of My Pumpkin*

Win a Pair of Hot Jeans

For a moment I felt tempted to add an extra "T" to the end of the word "Hot" but then I remembered that I'm not fourteen.
Now on to the business of the day, 5 Minutes for Mom is offering a 200 dollar shopping spree to True Jeans.com! I'm really excited about this. I must admit that all of my jeans are either too small or too big! Grr! Maybe True Jeans is a True Fit... we'll see... WHEN I WIN! But truly, you have a chance to win, too!

Click here to enter to win that 200 dollar shopping spree!!!

Thanks 5 Minutes for Mom!

Cloth Diaper Review

Nah, I'm not the type to do the review myself, as my daughter uses disposables, but I did come across an awesome cloth diaper review by ZRecommends. I really want to cloth diaper my next child and this review really sparked my interest. It's important to me to get the best value the first time! In the review, the ZRecommends reader, Lisa Lukis actually used and reviewed each of the most common cloth diaper brands. She rated them on a scale of 1-30 and gave the diaper so many points for each area. The first of the diapers she reviewed were the Blueberry cloth diapers, which received a score of 25 out of 30; The bumGenius diapers, which received a score of 29 out of 30 and were the winners of her review. Chinese prefolds, which received a score of 20.5 out of 30 and did not win, however they were the most cost-effective type of cloth diaper. The Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers received a score of 27.5 out of 30 points. Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers now comes in the one-size-fits-all adjustable version which really counts when it comes to my wallet. The hybrid-type disposable/cloth GDiapers were also reviewed and received a score of 25 out of 30. They are earth-friendly, yes, but the price can be quite a drawback, according to Lukis. The Happy Heinys Hugger Fitted diapers received a score of 24.5 out of 30. The Happy Heinys One Size Fitted diapers received a score of 26.5 out of 30. They're spendy to start out with at almost 19 dollars per diaper, but they might end up being a great price because they will stick with your baby from newborn to toddlerhood. Kissaluvs contour diapers were a great value at only 7 dollars per diaper, but were clumsy to use and only scored 23 out of 30. The Kissaluvs Fitted diapers received a score of 24.5 out of 30. The Swaddlebees diapers are perfect for a newborn, even making room for the umbilical cord stump, but only scored 24 out of 30 points. I've never heard of Thirsties diapers, but they scored 24.5 out of 30.
To read more, click here for the full story. Anybody who is interested in cloth diapering their children should read this article. It is insightful and might end up saving you a lot of money in the long run!

Target Easter Clearance!

It's time now for the post-holiday Easter Clearance at Target! I love it when it's after a holiday (any holiday, really) and they have their clearances. Every Easter (holiday) product is on sale after Easter (or any other holiday.) I'm always looking for clothing for Anna and this is a great time to find tee shirts for a dollar or less! If you don't know how the clearance schedule at Target works, it works like this: 50% off Monday, Tuesday, Wed, 75% off on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 90% off on Sunday. All holiday clearance schedules work like this: 3, 3, 2. Remember that: 3, 3, 2. The first markdown is on the third day after a holiday, the second markdown is 3 days later, and the final markdown is 2 days after that. The great thing about post-Easter sales on clothing is that the clothing that is marked down is more "Springy" in nature than overly "Eastery." I found this cute shirt at Target.com called "Easter Princess." It's just a cute tee that says "princess" with a flower on it. That doesn't scream "I got this at markdown from Target post-Easter and am now wearing it totally out of season." Does it? Nah!
Here's another that has a bunny on it. Sure bunnies might scream Easter, but it could also scream, "Cute tee shirt with a bunny who has no connection to Easter!"

Another great tip is to NOT wait until the 90% off day because then you'll probably get scraps. I'd go early on the morning on the first 75% off day.That's when you can get the best deal and the best selection. If you go shopping on a 75% off day, you can get a shirt for $1.00 and if you go on a 90% off day, you can get a tee shirt for just 40 cents!

Happy Easter!

Easter celebrates the death and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!

Matthew 28

The Resurrection

1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."

8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

*Post Edited to Remove Photos of My Pumpkin*

World Down Syndrome Day

Yesterday was World Down Syndrome Day. Please take the time to read Gabi's World Blog written by Shannon whose daughter has DS.

Hubby's New Blog

Apparently I sparked interest from my hubby in my new blogging exploits. He came in here and signed me up for something called Add Sense then I talked him into making his own blog. Something that he can put his myspace blogs in and people might actually read. The poor guy. I really do feel sorry for him. He tries to tell me his computer stuff or science stuff and... well... it really does go through one ear and out the other. Most of the time I nod and I'm really good at reacting at the right time, too. On one hand, I'm thinking, Turkey Casserole would be delicious for dinner. Let's see, we have turkey, two cans of soup, broccoli, corn... what other veggies could I sneak in there...? MEANWHILE my hubby is rambling about computer components, the morons at such and such a company, they finally came up with a way to put this many kili-whatevers into a micro-something-or-other, and I read this thing on how to create a computer thingyblobber homemade... I'm great at saying, "Oh really? That's cool, honey! I can't believe they know how to do that!" Yup and they also discovered this thingy... MEANWHILE I wonder if we have enough time to go to the park. Anna hasn't gotten out of the house in days. She must be bored.
Long story short. He is, as we speak, making his own blog. I helped him come up with a name for his geekfest awesomeness computer rockin' blogger. Mom's Basement was taken unfortunately. I thought that would've been funny. So was North Bridge (he said that had something to do with computers and "They'd get it.") and so was The Man Cave by some 16 year old who hasn't used the website in three years if ever. Grr! That made me mad!
Even LONGER story short, we came up with Frenchfries and Harddrives. I must admit it's pretty darn creative. And he has me to thank for that. ;)
I'll post a link when it comes up. Now he has a place to vent and to commune with the others of his kind.
Hubby's blog is http://www.frenchfriesandharddrives.blogspot.com

Good Friday 2008

Today, March 21, 2008 is Good Friday. It is also called Holy Day and Great Friday. Good Friday commemorates the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Christ at the Cross at Calvary. Because of Jesus Christ dying at the Cross, we have been given the gift and the choice to live for Him. If we choose to believe in His death and His gift of his life, then we can live forever with Him. As I write this I remember a few years ago when the Passion of the Christ came out. There was this big buzz about how it was antisemitic, but the truth is there is absolutely no antisemitism in the Bible. Nobody was responsible for the death of Christ at Calvary. Not Jews, not Gentiles, not Pontius Pilate himself. Nobody "killed" Jesus. Jesus chose to die at the cross for us. He had a choice. He is God! He could have asked God the Father to take him out of that situation, but he didn't. He didn't because he loves you and he loves me. He knew that his death at the cross would set us all free from our sins and we would all be with Him if we chose to believe in Him. Praise God for His gift to us on Calvary. Without it I couldn't call myself a Disciple of Christ.

Tagged Again!

By way of reading Sarah's post (Sassyfrazz) I was tagged again. It'll be fun!!!

What I was doing 10 years ago: Ten years ago I was a wee one of just 13 1/2 years old. Yes, I'm young. What can I say? I was living with my parents. I was in the seventh or eighth grade. I was a nieve kid living in Hicksville. Good times! :)

5 Things on my To Do List today:
1. Well it's 1:08 so Sleep is number one.
2. Nurse Anna... that's always up there.
3. Make sure Anna got enough to eat and good food, too.
4. We're going to the park. I'm putting Anna in playclothes and going to have some fun!
5. Laundry and cleaning the bedroom. That's on my list, too... I might try to put this one off! :D
5 Snacks I Enjoy
1. Ice Cream (I have to agree there!)
2. Chocolate....ANYTHING. CHOCOLATE ANYTHING!
3. Iced tea. Yumo!
4. I like rice cakes. Those are good. If they're sweet.
5. Bananas. We go through a lot of bananas.
5 Things I would do if I were a Billionaire
1. Pay off school debts!!!
2. Make sure that my children and nieces and nephews go to college.
3. Build a house and live in it.
4. Make sure my MIL, FIL, mom, and dad can retire comfortably!
5. Go on a big family vacation... to the Mediterranean!
3 of my Bad Habits
1. Worrying about money.
2. Complaining.
3. Procrastinating. I'm the queen. Not you, Sara! :D Seriously. I'm awful at it!
5 places I have lived
1. John Day, Oregon where I grew up.
2. Near Seattle, WA where I went to college. In the dorms.
3. Near Portland, OR where I lived our first year of marriage.
4. Near Seattle in our own apartment with my hubby and Anna our second and third years of marriage.
5. Here. Let's just leave it at that. ;)
5 Jobs I have had
1. (how funny!) I worked at McDonalds for about a year and a half my Jr. and Sr. year of high school.
2. I worked at the college I attended.
3. I worked at a call center for Boost Mobile which was actually pretty interesting.
4. Dollar Tree. That job sucked.
5. Now I'm a mom, wife, and a wet nurse. hehehehehe! :D
If you are reading this, then I am tagging YOU! Leave a link to your blog in my comments, so I can check out your post.

2 Years Ago

Two years ago we found out we were pregnant with our beautiful daughter Anna! I was 6 days late on my period. I already knew in my heart I was pregnant! Halfway through the summer of 2005 God started to tell me that my daughter would be expected soon. I felt that I would have a daughter and she would be conceived in the Spring of 2006. Of course then I wasn't too good at listening to God and I still am not so learned in the subject, but I soon learned that it really was God who I heard once again. Here is what I blogged that day (I felt so poetic LOL... try to ignore that about it!)

This foreign, strange thing is pregnancy...what is it? I feel the same, except for that evil period thing...at least that has been put off for a while. What will life be like post-baby? I don't even know... To tell you the truth, I knew that I would be pregnant this spring, God told me in his whisper-quiet voice, the same way he told me about my future husband. I knew it, but denied it all the same. I was frightened, and who's to say I wasn't going insane? But, God 's cello-deep, harp-sweet voice is telling me "You're a mother; as we speak, you're a mother!" And, frankly, I must listen to God, and I must believe the Clear Blue Easy test (over 99% accurate, so it says) that read "Pregnant"...not after the recommended 3-minute-wait, but after 30 seconds or less!

Oh, God, bless our special angel. I've never had an angel like this before, so sweet, so innocent, so precious and so...so 100% ours!

I'm frightened, but in your hands, my trembling ceases, and I'm calm...I'm calm, and my fear is gone.

Natural Egg Dying Tips

To prevent your eggs from sticking to the shells when you peel them, use eggs that are a week to 10 days old! Older eggs have a different pH than newer eggs! Cool eggs immediately after cooking in an Ice-Bath! This will
make them easier to Peel! Green centers-Green is made from the Iron in the egg yoke combining with the sulfur in the egg whites! Heat will cause a chemical reaction and make the center of your eggs Green!
The longer you cook your eggs the more green the center will be!

But the best way to cook your eggs so they will be easy to peel and have pure yellow centers is to:
Place eggs in a pot of cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt (this will help keep your eggs from cracking). Bring to a boil and COVER with a lid and REMOVE from heat! Let sit COVERED for 13 minutes, Drain eggs and immediately
place in ice-bath till cooled.

For a Natural Egg Dye try this:
2 Tablespoons Vinegar and a quart of Water:
Orange- 4 to 5 Tablespoons of Paprika
Blue-Red Cabbage -4 cups shredded
Red- Pomegranate Juice in place of water or 4 cups red onion skins
Pink- cranberry Juice in place of water- or 4 cups shredded beats
Green- Spinach Fresh or frozen
Ocher (what ever that is???)- Onion skins- Dry outer skins
Mocha- 1 quart strongly brewed coffee in place of water
Mix ingredients for the color you want in a pot with vinegar and water if needed and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Strain and cool. After color is cooled, Dye eggs. Some colors may take 5 minutes and some may take up to and hour. That will depend on how dark you want your color to be. Remember to turn your egg for even coloring.
This also makes a great Science project!

Hey be sure to check out Favorite Ingredients Friday at Overwhelmed with Joy. There you can find directions on how to make a flowery food basket such as this and links to other bloggers' Favorite Ingredients Friday posts!!!

Sexiest Nursing Bra: Giveaway!

On my travels this morning to find a prize (ehehehehe) I came across the sexiest nursing bra ever! These bras are made by PassionSpice.com ... Gone are the days of the frumpy, droopy, ugly, unsupportive nursing bras! My first nursing bras were like that. I now go for the bras that can be crisscrossed in the back or straight over the shoulders so my bras don't have to be that ugly. Plus I was sick of my boobs hanging down to my knees (not that they could... but it sure felt like it!) It works. But it can be inconvenient searching for the straps after Anna is done nursing. I'm glad I came across this contest. If I don't win, then you bet that once I have the mulah, then I'll be buying a bra from Passion Spice!
If you really want to win the sexy nursing bra of your choice, head over to The Opinionated Parent and sign up!

16 Months Old Today!

My beautiful daughter, Anna, is 16 months old today!!! I can't believe it! It is only two months until I can say she is "a year and a half" old and only eight months until she is 2!!! Wow! I can't believe it!

Wordless Wednesday (59 minutes early)

"Teddy Kisses"

My First "Meme"

Alrighty... apparently these things are called Memes, but I'm not sure what that means. Maybe "Me! Me!" I don't know... but I've been tagged! Here are the rules!

Rules are:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.


Here are my 7 wonderful facts:

1. I've always wanted to be a mother! I knew I would be a mother from very young and I am so blessed to be a mom! The Lord told me in my heart I would be pregnant in the Spring of '06 about the middle of 2005. This is also how I knew about meeting my husband.

2. I met my hubby at church when I was sixteen. His family pastored a church about thirteen miles from our church. I grew up in the largest town in our county, which had a whopping one stop light and about 2, 000 people! His town was thirteen miles away. They once had a stoplight, but by the time they moved in they had been downgraded to a flashing yellow light. We met on Easter Sunday. My pastor invited his family and my family for Easter dinner. That was nine--Woah!!! 9!!!!-- years ago next month. Amazing how time flies!!!

3. I have two older sisters, Jennifer and Melissa. Jennifer is a pastor and is praying for that special someone. Melissa is married and lives in CA and has four little brats....erm, kids. The oldest of her children has Autism and cannot speak and is not pottytrained. He's 11 now. My little brother, Sean, is, was, married with a little one on the way this summer. He died in December. I miss him every day.

4. I really really REALLY want another baby!!! But I just know it's not the right time... I'll share why in number 5.

5. My hubby has been out of work for going on 8 months. He was laid off and nobody has offered him a job since. It's really hard. I miss having our own place. We're living with my MIL and FIL and their two sons as well. It's pretty crowded. I miss our house!!! I try not think about it. I know that things will turn around soon... or that's what I keep telling myself. I've got to remain hopeful or I just go insane!

6. I grew up very poor. We lived in a trailer house that was falling apart practically (literally). My dad didn't take very good care of us. I've forgiven him for that. I know he's sorry. My mom worked very hard for very little reward.

7. I really want a bicycle with a bicycle trailer with our tax return. I love being active, but I don't feel that safe just walking around alone with Anna in this town. It's just a much bigger city than I grew up in and I don't feel that safe.... sure I'm paranoid... but well, oh well! I have a wild one year old climbing on me. I should go.

I've tagged (Some of these ladies I haven't met yet):
1. Shannon @ Gabi's World
2. Candi @ All Day Night
3. Tonya @ Safe in His Arms
4. God Gave Me You
5. Tara @ Family Traditions, One Story at a Time
6. The Hudson Crew @ Air Force Family
7. Amy @ Remembering Natalie

Fun & Free Photo Editor

Last night I found a great and free (!!!) photo editor online. I was glad for two good reasons... One, my hubby has not yet (grrrr!) put Photoshop on my computer, and two I was able to play on it until almost two a.m. (not sure if that's a good thing, though *yawn*).... but it was all good. It's called Picnik.com and it's a ton of fun!!! Since my digital camera on my video camera was not made to be a great digital camera, this was a miracle!!! Plus, I really don't know how to work Photoshop. I'm always asking hubby to help me! So, they here are...

**edited to remove photos**

Beach Baby

A couple of weeks ago I won the cutest Land's End package from Mum's the Wurd's First Anniversary Bash! Included in the prize package was a bikini which is UV protectant, a long sleeve top with a mermaid on it which is also UV protectant, a sunblock set, a pair of cute pink shoes, a towel with the mermaid on it, a mesh bag, and speedo swim goggles! I felt like the luckiest thing since sliced bread! Today I woke up to the box in the living room and I squealed, "It's here! It's here!" No.... I did not pee my pants... thank goodness. That's gross.
But I did immediately dress my little princess in her new garb. Boy, she's cute!!! She's so cute that I'm going to get Anna's suit and matching shoes at Land's End from now on... I just don't think I can resist that amount of adorableness! I just wish I had a better digital camera to capture the magic with, but I'm thankful for the photo feature on my JVC Averio camcorder. Otherwise I wouldn't have these stinking cute pics to share with all of you!
Thank you Mum's The Wurd!!! You made my day! Now Anna will be the cutest little thing on the Oregon Beach this summer!!!
*edited to remove photos*

Happy to Par-Tay!

Well... I'm happy that I've partied this past week or so with the 5 Minutes for Mom crew. I'm tired... well... I think that's probably more my own fault! But I've found some of the best sites and blogs this week! Here's some of my blogging love to share:

1. The Pioneer Woman Cooks! is full of so many yummy delicious dangerous ridiculous recipes that I shorted out my laptop from drooling all over it! Just kidding. That was a lame joke! But I really do plan on making these delicious yum-yums for our Easter celebration next week! They're called Apple Dumplings. They're made with Granny Smith apples, Butter, Sugar, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, and a can of Mountain Dew. That's it. And they look heavenly. I've also read that the ice cream is required. Well... I think I read that on the delicious cobbler that was made on this site. Anyhow, you can choose to click on the photos on the left and right side of the screen, or you can search by meal or dessert, etc. Ok. I'm getting really hungry. Next!
Edit: Here's her blog, here.

2. SassyFrazz (Sarah) is one of the ladies I've met... although I met her right before the blog party. I love reading about her children and her love for the Lord. She's a fresh breath of air! Linky love! Linky love! Go check her out!

3. The Chocolistas --Anyone who knows me... and knows me WELL knows that I have a lifelong love of chocolate... Oh... yummmmmmmmmmmm yummmmmmmmm *drool*
Check out this blog. If you don't, then you obviously don't love chocolate! You don't want to be a hypocrite, do you? Do you? I didn't think so.

4. All Day Night is a nice one I found. Candi is a stay at home mom to two boys. What do I love about this blog? She blogs about real life. I'm always struggling to find recipes for my family of THREE and she always has Menu Plan Monday. Now I remember that this is is the site where I found out about The Pioneer Woman Cooks website. She has real recipes that I would REALLY use. That's a site to bookmark!

5. God Gave Me You --a blog about a mom who has a little boy who was born at 28 weeks gestation. My nephew was born this early, too. What a miracle baby! both of them!

6. The Beverly Bunch is one of my favorite blogs that I've come across so far! I absolutely love the idea of adoption and I have always wanted to adopt. Right now that's not possible financially but I hope and pray we can adopt some day in the future. This blog is written by BECKYJOMAMA (Becky, I assume lol) who has adopted her two beautiful daughters! I love this blog! Please check this one out!

7. Safe in His Arms --Why is this one an important blog and one of my faves? Tonya writes about her life after the tragic loss of her son to cancer. Anyone who has had this disease affect their family in any way should take a peek at this blog. My own mother has fought cancer and is currently fighting Melanoma on her face. She had surgery to remove the cancer, but they were only able to remove up to 88% of the cancer. She's still fighting this disease. She also fought colon cancer when she was 28 and in her mid thirties. She has to have colonoscopies every year because she is so prone to it. This is a great blog because of the title... what is it? Safe in His Arms. We're all safe in the Lord's arms no matter what our circumstances.

8. And Then There Were Two! is a blog by another Northwesterner who hails from Seattle, WA. She's a SAHM to two beautiful children under two!

9. Being the Barlows is a blog written by Amanda who is a mom and an Army Wife! She played tag with me this week... I haven't played yet... lazy me! Lazy, lazy me!!! :D (I'll do that this week! I swear!)

10. Five Lil Monkeys is written by Jessie and she's got... well... five little monkeys. I've got just one and she's throwing a tantrum at my feet. I better go. LOL!

11. Gabi's World --Shannon is a mommy to three and step mommy to two and her beautiful daughter has Trisomy 21 (Down's Syndrome). This blog is about her life and about her beautiful little girl, Gabi who makes the world that much rounder and that much more colorful! Check this site out. It's worth the read and worth the click!

Time...

It's amazing how time passes by. It seems like time stands still some times, but I've come to learn that it's actually moving so fast that you feel like you're standing still. I remember the day Anna was born. No, it doesn't feel like it was yesterday any more. I was in a haze, really. Anna was posterior which made for horrifying backlabor. On top of that I had no epidural and I was so starved that I had no energy to even open my eyes. I put everything into pushing her out. By the time she was born and placed on my chest I had no idea she was born. I was shocked that she was there and I felt like I had no warning. I said, "Oh my gosh! It's my baby!" But while they warmed her up and my O.B. repaired my wound (episiotomy) I remember trying really hard to open my eyes to see her, but I just had no energy. I whispered to Paul with all of my strength, "Is she ok? What does she look like?" He said, "She's beautiful. She looks like Jennifer [my sister]!" It seems like a million years ago now, but it also feels like last week. I remember nursing her those first few days. I was in pain from the episiotomy and couldn't walk or take care of her myself. I cried. I cried because I couldn't take care of her and I cried because I loved her so much! I can't explain that kind of love, but I'm sure that any mother who reads this knows what that love feels like. It floods over you. It drowns you in joy and thankfulness. I'm so very thankful for my little girl. I'm so very thankful for my blessings and for my daughter. She is my joy. She is wonderful and perfect. She is silly and busy and smart and loving and temperamental. I couldn't love her any more than I love her now, or tomorrow, or the next day.

She's sitting next to me on the bed with one of my rubber bands trying to put it in her "hair"... hahaha!

Welcome to the Party!

On a much, much, MUCH brighter note, there is a thing going on called a Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom
Call me a Noob, but... well, I am a noob. I really am not too sure what's going on and with a one year old running me ragged, I just don't have much time to read everything on the rules page, but if you want to join the fun, just click here and read the rules. (well, I got the jist... I'm such a slacker!) In the mean time, I will sneak back here and read the rules off and on. I know there are tons of giveaways to be given, such as a Mod Mum Sling, and a great giveaway from Ju Ju Beane Boutique which is giving away a wall canvas and carries other great things... like clothes... (I'm crazy about baby clothes!!! Good thing I'm broke or I'd go... well, broke.) and tons of other great giveaways to be found on this post here. You can also get your blog noticed!
So here I am... the odd man out. I hope I can catch up! Welcome to my site, party goers and thanks for the chance to have a little fun!


OK... I've found out that I need a list (I'm posting as I read the rules... smart, huh? Just like college all over again LOL!) So here are my list of my top favorite giveaways!!! Yay!!!!

1. Number 54, I think I would die if I won this-- a 60 dollar gift certificate to Mikarose! The last time I wore a dress was to my wedding and baby, I need to wear another!!! This was gifted by Liza from Liza's Eyeview.

2. Number 34, Custom Tutu from Live Love Dance Boutique. I'm all about the little baby tutus and have always wanted photos of Anna in nothing but a Tutu! Too Too cute! :)

3. Number 37, a Moby Wrap gifted by From Dates to Diapers. I've always wanted to try a Moby Wrap and would love one for our next baby! :)

4. Number 80, I also had to mention the cutest little Scripture Doll that was gifted by Live, Laugh, Blog. It's absolutely adorable and would make a great Easter gift!

5. Number 67. And finally, a blog makeover by Shauna at See My Designs. This would be good old fashioned fun! :) I'm curious as to what she would do to my blog!

6. Number 117, Somehow I missed the 25 dollar gift certificate to Target! How dare I? I am a huge Target fanatic. This is just... just... unthinkable! Gifted by Mommy Bytes.

7. Number 15, a 50 dollar gift certificate to Kids Magical Wonder Boutique! Like I said, I am crazy about kids clothing!

8. Number 47. These flaming baby legs are so stinking adorable! I'm hoping for a baby boy next, so we'll see how that goes in a few years. Gifted by Fire Mom.

9. Number 101. Women's Devotional Bible which is just gorgeous! I love the green cover, but most of all I love that it is a Devotional Bible. I've never had one before and I think it would really hope to cement my new commitment to God to keep up on my reading and prayer. Gifted by Jubilee on Earth.

10. Number 50. 12 Beautiful classic boutique bows! I am such a hair clip and bow nut! I would love this set for my daughter and she will wear them every day (once she gets real hair in, that is!) Honestly! Gifted by Mommymandy.com

I would be happy to win anything really if any of these prizes have been taken. I also have my eye on the two nursing covers. They will get plenty of use since I intend on nursing my future children as well. Thanks! :)

Edit #4-- LOL... thought I ought to introduce myself. My name is Sarah. I am a Christian who loves Jesus Christ. I'm a stay at home mommy to my little fifteen month old daughter, Anna, our only child. I am still breastfeeding with a goal of two years... if we make it.... she has weaned herself down to 3 (average) nursings per day. I am a college grad and want to go back for an Education degree some day. I can't wait for baby number two. I really love to write... therefore, the blog world is a great one to be in, but not live in. I'll try to blog without becoming an addict.
My husband Paul, my daughter, and me at the park this last weekend.

Little Bro

I was thinking about my little brother last night. Every so often, memories come flooding back to me of him. I remember floating down Canyon Creek on our inner tubes when we were kids. I remember him being so obnoxious! I remember snubbing him with my best friend... we would make him play the girl or the homeless kid... the crappy parts. And then I remember the last time I saw him. I remember that he was stationed on the Oregon coast and was nearby and wanted to see me. At first I wanted to tell him no or make up an excuse, but for some reason I really wanted to see him. I talked hubby into driving over there and borrowing money for gas, but Sean surprised us instead. He came here. We ate lunch at Shari's and he got to see his little niece. He showed me his rippling abs and gave me one of his patches. That was the last time I saw him. That was October. Two months later he was dead. Two months later he was gone. Two months later he did the unspeakable... something that I will never understand... Something that although I saw his unmistakable high hairline and freckled nose sticking out of the casket that day at his funeral, that I will never believe.... he committed suicide. I still don't believe it. I still expect him to call me and annoy me. I expect to see his name on the phone and think, "Oh great! Sean has something to say that will annoy me!"... I regret saying those things and feeling those things. Of course, I thought he would live to annoy me until he was forty. Just like any good little brother should. I still don't believe it and I still don't understand it. The good thing about dreams is that I get to relieve that last hug from October over and over. As often as I want. I miss my brother. I love my brother. The hardest thing about all of this is not the fact that I will never get to see him again or that I will never hear his voice again... I think that it's the fact that I don't know where he is. A part of me wants to believe that he cried out to God in his final breaths. I heard once that strangling deaths are long and drawn out. I pray he had time to realize his sin and cry out for forgiveness. But a part of me remembers his bitterness toward God and I think he did this in spite of God and he would have done anything but admit he was wrong. I really hope that the former is true... that he is with God. I guess only time will tell. Some day I will be in heaven... but I think I will be too overwhelmed with the wonderful and awesome presence of God to search for my brother. There is no pain in heaven. So maybe I will forget about the pain of losing my brother and think on the joy of the Lord instead. And maybe in the meantime I will have years to heal from this pain and sadness.

The Toddler Bed

Anna has a toddler bed now. She so far has been taking to it just fine, but do you know what I discovered? If I give her my pillow she falls asleep fast! I think she recognizes my scent and feels comforted. It's amazing. I know that the end of our cosleeping days is coming soon and that's sad, but I really do need some sleep. I'm exhausted. She really isn't a good sleeper and has never been a good sleeper, so even if she takes to the toddler bed and gets her own room, I fear that it won't do too much good and she will never really fall asleep and then sleep through the night. I've never been a morning person, either. So maybe this is some secret evil plan... I don't know. I really don't believe in any of that hoo haw anyway. I believe in God. I should believe hard that the Lord will help Anna feel safe and secure and help her sleep through the night at last!

Coloring!

Anna loves to color--on everything... plus she likes to taste the crayons. It's tons of fun! I'll have to scan some of her creations. Right now she is coloring in Grandma's journal beside me as I type on the laptop at the kitchen table. She wants to color on other pages rather than just the one--stubborn little thing! Now she's trying to stick the crayon int he bindings of the journal--all bitten and worn down. She has a giant floor pad to draw on and it's so funny to watch her. She lays down on her tummy so she can draw on it and holds the crayon in the perfect position in her fingers that you and I do--like she is so much older than fifteen months for just a moment. She is the most important little person in my life... so lively, so beautiful, so wonderful. I am blessed!