A Little Bit of This and That

I haven't been a very good blogger for awhile now. I feel like I have so much to say and unsure where to begin. So for now this bullet point list will fill you in on what is going on. {Sorry}

*My son has been taking ADHD medication for the past year. I am not happy that he is on it and he isn't happy about it either. So I have been researching dietary changes and essential oils that could help with his hyperactive and unfocused behavior. So in an effort to help him we have switched to raw Guernsey cow milk instead of rice milk. {I will do a blog post about why we switched to raw Guernsey cow milk ... soon}

 

and we are using Young Living Essential Oils as well.

If you are interested in Young Living Essential Oils please feel free to contact me at mindymayw {at} gmail {dot} com.

* I started a part-time job. I am now a server at a local restaurant 2-3 nights a week. I love that I am able to be home with my family during the day but I hate leaving them all home to go to work. It is nice that I am able to bring home extra money to make ends meet.

* The company my husband works for was bought out. Thankfully he still has his job but it has changed our financial situation. Instead of being paid weekly he is now paid bi-weekly. He used to be able to work overtime and now he has to clock out promptly at 5 pm. Also, the volume of work has changed. {He is paid solely on commission. So if there is no work he won't make any money.} Hence why I started working.

* Maysie loves making messes. She loves hiding her magnets in the spot between the freezer door and the refrigerator door. 

Also, she loves pushing her chair up to the sink. Granted she cannot reach the sink and she will cry until you put her up on the counter to wash her hands. 

She loves spreading her toys all over the living room. 

This is a very tame picture. I try to pick up all.day.long. so that it doesn't get out of control. 

* Our cat, Fiona, is not typically a people person but for some reason lately she cuddles up with me at night while I am watching TV or reading. 

* We made Jiffy Pop popcorn on the stove. The boys thought it was very primitive. They kept asking why we couldn't just pop popcorn in the microwave. {Just wait until I start bringing home bags of popcorn that we will pop in a pan on the stove. I think it will really blow their minds.}

* At the end of July the boys are going to camp with church for A WHOLE WEEK! I cannot believe they are old enough to go. Financially we are not really in a place to send both of them {or one of them for that matter} but since they are both going to junior high this year we feel that it is important to have a spiritual grounding before they go. We want them on fire for God so when they are faced with things in junior high they will know how to handle them. 

* Lastly, I am working my butt off on making our budget work for us. I really want to cut cable {and save us $130 a month} but to really get us off the couch. I want to be intentional about what we watch and not continue spending too much time on the couch. I want to interact as a family. Now that the boys are getting older I don't want them hanging out in their room playing video games. The closer we are as a family the easier they will be able to handle trouble at school. I want to keep our lines of communication open. 

* I started a budget binder. I am good at getting bills paid but I am not great at going back to my budget to see if I am staying on budget or not. {This is for when it comes to groceries or gas.} Also, in my budget binder I keep Casey Leigh's blog post about the day her husband quit his job. This is one of the best posts on following your dreams regardless of your bank account posts!!! {They had negative money in their bank account when he quit his job.} I read this post a lot. I read it as encouragement. Just because our bank accounts are not spilling over with money we can still live the life we want to!! You can read the entire post here ... http://www.thewiegands.com/2011/03/family-news.html

* I am dreaming big dreams right now. Only I am holding myself back. {Well that and the fact that my husband and I both have kids from prior relationships. I feel like it is a chain that locks us down.} I want a life different from the one I am living. I want less electronics and more conversations. I want to make homemade food and listen to my children as they eat what I have made. I want to have more babies. I want to go on adventures even if they are in our backyard. 

So that is what is going on in my life right now ... just a little bit of this and that.

Hello Monday {This Girl}

Hello Monday!

I know I have said this before but I love Hello Monday with Lisa Leonard! 

So here are my hello's.

Hello Little Maysie Grace! Boy do you look cute in your bikini!

Hello sweet girl with a great big personality! You love trying to keep up with the big kids.

Hello trouble maker! You love playing with your brother and telling him what to do. {Yes she told him to get in her pool so she could dump a bucket of water on him!}

Hello little sister! She loves trying to keep up with her brothers. And when they are doing things she cannot do ... she waits for them. She greets them when they return from around the block as if she hasn't seen them in forever! She screams at the top of her lungs and calls for them.

Hello technology genius! She can use an IPhone better than I can. She can get to her favorite youtube videos without help. It is amazing!!

Hello mess maker. Maysie can destroy a room in 10 seconds flat. She loves seeing all of her toys all over the floor and all over the table! What a little stinker!

Hello table dancer! And yes she has mastered the duck face! Dancing on top of the table is her favorite thing. Not really sure why but it makes us all laugh!!

So Hello Monday! I can't imagine Monday's with out my sweet girl!!

Hello Monday {Memorial Day Weekend}

Happy Memorial Day Monday Everyone!

This weekend sure has flown by but it has been W.O.N.D.E.R.F.U.L.

Hello ... New pillows and a freshly painted mirror.

Hello ... brightly covered chairs. $12 for all 6 

Hello ... my new little owl friend! I love how it adds color to my kitchen!

Hello ... sunshine girl! You love being in the water and splashing around. 

Hello ... strawberry plant! I cannot wait for you to give us some delicious strawberries this summer!

Hello ... berry pink stool! You are the perfect size for Maysie to sit on and relax.

Happy Memorial Day Monday Everyone!

Hello Monday {Catching Up}

Hello Monday!

It has been too long since I have posted. Posting on Monday's is my favorite because it always is a great start to my week. 

It helps me to see the beauty that is all around me. 

I can focus on all the positive things and forget the negative!

So here goes ... 

Hello water with cucumber, lemon, and raspberries. I need to remember to drink water throughout the day. Otherwise, I will only drink my coffee in the morning. I am trying to be better.

Hello little cowgirl! She is obsessed with these cowboy boots right now. They are a little big but she insists upon wearing them. I love it!!

Hello ELMO! Maysie loves Elmo and this dancing one is her favorite thing. She brings him everywhere! 

Hello my loves! Watching these two love on each other melts my heart every . single . time! Maysie loves her brother, Jacob. He adores her {well until she messes up his room}. There love is contagious!

Hello new furniture!! Dan {my hubby} and I went to IKEA and bought new furniture! I am so happy. I still need to find pillows and a rug to brighten everything up! 

Hello Essential Oils pocket reference! My friend gave me this book to help me with using my Young Living Essential Oils. I love picking up this book and looking through it. 

Happy Monday Everyone!

Hello Monday

Well Spring Break is finally over ... while I will miss spending time with Jacob ... I am happy that we are back to our regular schedule.

Jacob works better with a schedule. And truthfully so do I. {Now if I could get a cleaning schedule in order that actually works for me!}

So ... how about some hellos?

Hello my handsome young man! Jacob picked this outfit out for his cousin's christening. And at the very last minute he wanted a new haircut! He looks so handsome. 

Hello styling products. I don't use anything in my hair {probably why it is flat and sticks to my face} but this young man needed styling mouse with his new haircut.

Hello spring mantle! Although it isn't finished yet ... I still want to add a pom pom banner and change out the old photos ... I love how it looks. I copied the chalkboard from Pleated Poppy. {The pom pom balls are used following her instructions as well.}

Hello chocolate chip cookies! I have been baking up a storm since I got my KitchenAid Artisan Mixer. Since we were out of cookies I knew I needed to make more! Yum!!

Hello 2 year Anniversary!! Since our anniverary falls on Easter Sunday this year we are celebrating a week early. We are still working out the details but my Mom is watching Maysie and Jacob and Christian will be at their other parents houses for the weekend. This is the first time we will be away from Maysie overnight.

Hello little one! She has been loving pinapple lately! I am constantly cutting pieces for her. We are fighting some stuffy noses and colds around here so fresh fruit should help. Or at least it is making me think it is. 

Happy Monday!

Hello Monday! {Spring Break}

Oh what a Monday it has been!

It is officially the first day of Spring Break! And what a glorious one at that. The weather was beautiful and the kids played outside all day. They climbed trees, bounced on pogo sticks, rode scooters, played basketball, practiced riding on Rip-sticks, and played soccer. Whoo and that was in the first hour of the day! I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds. 

Hello sweet girl. She has been wearing this mitten for days. If she can't find her mitten she will find a dirty sock someone has left around and wear that instead. Gross but I pick my battles with this fiery little one.

Hello Ikea shopping trip. We are looking at the grey couches/sectionals they carry. I love the clean lines of the furniture but I am not sure about a sectional. I feel like it doesn't seat as many people.

Hello my hunky husband. He loves sectionals. We are trying to compromise even though there really isn't a compromise in this one. I love being married. I love Ikea. Win Win. Furniture is just furniture.

Hello chairs and spotlights. Maysie could not stop sitting on every single piece of furniture. I couldn't stop laughing. She was so good marching around Ikea.

Hello colors. I just smile thinking about colors. Of course I have my favorites but I love them all. Can I decorate my house with every single color of the rainbow and then some? 

Hello Dottie dog. We are watching my Mom's dog while she is in Florida for Spring Break. She is a great dog but she has the worst breath. Can you give a dog a mint or put some peppermint essential oils in her water? Seriously, it is so bad.

Hello Elmo! Well we finally found an Elmo shirt ... in the boys section ... at Buy Buy Baby. Obviously, she is so happy. One night, one nap, and one entire day she has worn this shirt. I had to pry it off of her so I could wash it. 

Hello the world's best big brother! Oh boy does this picture just melt my heart. He is the most kind and compassionate brother ... EVER! I just want to bottle them both up right now. I mean seriously ... how many 11 year olds play with their little sister while their friends are around?? Love this boy!

I can't wait to continue our wonderful Spring Break! 

Happy Monday!

Hello Monday!

Once again it is Monday! So that means I get to give out some hellos. {Please link up with Lisa Leonard if you want to join in on the fun}

Hello Sunshine! Although I hear you are going away for a few days and we are getting more snow! Boo!!

Hello New Baby Nicholas! He is my newest cousin and he is so sweet! Maysie loved holding him. She basically turned into a statue and wouldn't move.

Hello Anthony! It is so sweet to see you as a big brother! Maysie had so mcuh fun playing with you today!

Hello squirrels and birds! You kept these two occupied searching for you! They would scream with delight when they found you!

Hello cousins! Growing up with family so close is the best!

Hello Anakin! You came over to play with Maysie this weekend too! She wasn't very good at sharing her toys with you but you both had fun playing outside!

Hello gymnastics girl! This was her very spot at My Gym! She loves doing the splits! 

If you want to get the 50% off the enrollement fee and save $50 off your second month of class ... you have to sign up before the end of the month! 

Happy Monday!