A Look Back and a Look ahead!!

January-We celebrated Samuel's 3rd Birthday in heaven and

found out we were pregnant again which came as a big surprise!

February-We decked in red and pink and

braced ourselves as we waited for our little one to grow.

March-We visited Disney for the first time and

played at the park.

April-We finally shared our good news at 16

weeks that we were pregnant!

May-We went to the beach...not nearly enough!

June-It got hot...and mommy grew!

July-We were busy preparing for miss eliza...mommy

sewing and daddy painting!

August-mommy got put on bedrest...and we couldn't wait

for eliza to arrive!

September-so richly blessed by this healthy

bundle of cuteness!

October-We celebrated another Birthday!

November-We feasted and were thankful as we

survived a rough season of sickness!

December-We enjoyed a blessed Christmas with our

two girls!

I am naturally a planner and organizer and sometimes drive myself and others crazy. This is the way God wired me and I enjoy making list, crossing off lists, making goals and keeping my ducks in a row. As I reflect back on 2009 there are many things I can cross off my list...yet so many more things I want and seek to accomplish.

2009 was a blessed and yet difficult year at times. We started the year by finding out we were pregnant again right on the tail of a miscarriage. My doctor didn't even believe it was true and at 5 weeks we had a major scare and thought for sure this pregnancy too was ending...yet God had other plans for miss eliza. This year was more difficult as a mother. I found it challenging to be pregnant and HOT while caring for a toddler. I also found it challenging as my sweet and compliant baby turned into a toddler who had a mind of her own. I struggled to find my way as a mom in disciplining and being patient. I still have a lot to learn in this area. Kev took a much needed break in teaching Sunday School on a full-time basis and devoted more time to school work. He always seems to stay really busy!

This year was so blessed as we watched my belly grow and also watched our ella grow. It seems she went from a baby in Jan. to a big girl in December. She learned so much this year and talks all the time. She constantly entertains us with what she says and does.

My goals for 2010 are to read through my One Year Bible! This was my goal for 2009 and I was consistent through March and stopped! I really sense my need to be in God's Word on my own daily! I struggle in this area and want to experience God in a new and real way in 2010.

I also want to get outside more. I am not naturally and outside person. I am not sure why because I do like being outside! I want to get my girls outside (in the backyard, on walks, to the pool and to the park) more this year than I did last year! I think we need us more Vitamin D!!!

As a family I would like kevin and I to go on more dates and to spend time praying together...not just before a meal. I also want us to visit the Children's museum and the aquarium!

What are your goals for 2010?

some traditions are just worth keeping

2007


2008

2009

In case your wondering...it is kev's shirt! I realized last year that he'd worn it two years in a row on Christmas Eve. This year I suggested a different look...but you can see who won. He said this is his official Christmas Eve outfit! I may have to hide it in a few years!!

I love looking back at our pics througout the years. It's amazing how much growing and changing happens in 365 days! I wonder what 2010 will hold?

Our Christmas

Christmas Eve...we didn't get a dog...our neighbors did
and we got to puppy sit! Guess who wants a puppy now!!
Everytime we leave our house and drive past our
neighbors ella says, "No Whit-nee dat my doggy!"
Of course she is two and thinks everything is hers!


Oh how she loved the puppy!

Opening her new pj's!

Me and my eliza

Daddy and his girls and the puppy!

Daddy and Eliza

The girls!

Ella on Christmas morning by her tree!

She looks so excited! (note the miss patty-cake

dvd cases that she carries everywhere!)


Eliza's tree

Ready to begin!

Eliza's loot!

Dr. Ella checking out sissy!

We had such a fun and busy christmas! We are blessed with so much..more than we need!

Merry Christmas!

We've shopped
We've crafted
We've baked and gingerbread house constructed

We've wrapped
We've seen the lights
We've movie watched and we've cookie decorated.

Christmas clothes have been worn and ornaments broken
Cards have been mailed and Carols have been spoken
We've decked our halls and waved at Santa from afar

Yet there seems like something is missing
There must be something more...

Tonight we will worship with both young and old
We will sing Silent Night and remember so long ago
How the King of this World left His home of Splendor
For rags and a cross
Oh Lord Let Help us to Remember

For without your Great Sacrifice
There would be no Christmas Glow
No Candle Light, No Merry Night
No presents, cheer, or mistletoe!

So on this Christmas Eve with my to-do list almost done
I find the one thing left that I must do
Is to worship the King in Heaven above.

Look who is already 3 months

This post is a little old. I have been slow on uploading my pics,

Little miss Eliza is growing so fast. It definitely goes faster the second time around... which is so sad.


At 3 months
-eliza is wearing 0-3 month clothes but is almost ready to start trying on some of her 3-6 month wardrobe! (I love that I have two girls that were born in the same season. She can wear all of ella's clothes and I love getting to see them on her and reuse them!)


-She is now wearing size 2 diapers! We have come a long way from those teeny tiny preemie diapers! (Last week after several diaper explosions,I decided it was time to go to a bigger size! Now, I really think it is just the huggies! I hate huggies for (breastfed babies)! I feel they are just not absorbent enough for runny poo! Is it only me or has anyone else had this problem? I love huggies for bigger babies! And why does huggies put out a ton more coupons than pampers??? Okay...off subject but that has been a big issue lately!


-eliza weighs about 11lbs 4oz. as of today! That is a gain of 5 lbs 3oz. in 3 months...so she has almost doubled her birth weight!


-eliza only likes to eat for about 10 minutes at a time! This is great, but I always hope she is really getting her tummy full enough! I always worry about my girls not eating enough...probably because they both started out tiny and I feel like it is my job to "beef" them up!


-eliza is a SUPER sleeper! She is sleeping from about 9:30pm until 6:30 or 7:00am. She needs no paci and doesn't even cry! I swaddle her and but her in her bassinet and she looks around until she falls asleep! Oh how I love her (i'd still love her ...even if she was waking all through the night..but this mama loves her sleep!)


-eliza is so sweet! She gives the best smiles! All you have to do is talk to her and she can't hold back! She is especially smiley after getting her tummy full! She seems to have a sweet and calm personality...so far (i do know they can change!)


-eliza loves her sissy and loves to smile at her. She pulled ella's hair for the first time yesterday and ella looked like she didn't quite know what to do! The beginning of the sister wars!!


-she loves to be held! She will stop crying immediately when mommy or daddy pick her up!


-she likes her bath


-she finally found her fingers and can't decide if she wants to suck her first two or the two middle ones. She is still alternating between the two. I am still trying to talk her into being a paci girl because they seem like a less germy option and an easier habit to end...but I think she will win!


-she is growing a full-on spike! Her hair is coming in stick straight and sticking straight up! It is def. going to be light brown or blonde. She's got her daddy's hair and hairline for sure!


-She is really changing in her looks. I still think she favors her cousin landon the most. She has a def. look of someone in my family and I just cannot figure it out!



A year ago this past Saturday...Dec. 19th was when we had a miscarriage at 10 weeks into a pregnancy. I never understand the "why's" of all that but I would never want to trade my eliza anne! If we hadn't had a miscarriage then we wouldn't have her. God is good when we don't understand or even like what is going on. He always knows what we need and has a bigger plan than we can see! I have seen this over and over in my life and I know that it is true. Happy 3 month Birthday!

Almost ready for Christmas!

I cannot believe that it is the week of Christmas. I have been a bad blogger this week. Life seemed to be busy with finishing shopping and then my ella girl got sick again! She ran fever from Thursday morning until last night. It is gone today and she never got any other symptoms. We took her in on Friday because her cousins have all had strep so we thought it was probably that, but it wasn't...just another viral fever thing! I have had several moms tell me that it is just her age in attempts to make me feel better. I think she has just gotten run down and is having trouble fighting all the germs out there right now. So much from avoiding playgroups, Chucky Cheeses, the play center at chick-fli-a(the poor girl wants to do the slide so bad), and using hand sanitizers! It's not working for us! I am just thankful she is better...now if we can stay well until Thursday, I will have all I want for Christmas! I guess when there are 7 cousins under the age of 8, in one house...someone is bound to be sick!

Kevin and I saw the movie, The Blindside on my birthday. We both loved it and thought it was one of the best movies we'd ever seen. I highly recommend it! It was funny because as we were getting in the van to go...Kevin said, "wow, I've never driven a mini van on a date." And then I looked down and realized I was carrying my diaper bag rather than a purse (in my defense it doesn't look too much like a diaper bag)! We laughed at how life changes. In fact, we loved all 2 hours and 6 minutes of the movie just sitting there in silence. It was so nice to just sit and relax and know that we didn't have any responsibilities.

I have one more present to buy, which is a gift card for my dad because he is the hardest person I buy for. I did get him one little gift, but it is basically the same thing I get him every year. I also have a hard time shopping for Kevin. He never really wants anything. This morning he pulled out a new shirt with the tag still on it that I gave him for Christmas last year. I should have re-gifted it...he'd never known. He tried it on and decided he liked it....must be his new muscles! He has been working out like crazy for several months now. I am really proud of him. He seems to really enjoy it. He is wanting me to start P90X with him in Jan. but I am just not a good work-out girl. I enjoy walking and I would love to be a runner one day. I want to try it because I think it is one activity we could do together and that would be good for us!

We had to cancel seeing the lights this past week with our "older"friends from church due to ella's fever. I am hoping we can work it in this week. I also still need to make our Christmas cookies and a few reeses cookies that I make every year. I hope to have some good family time this week and enjoy Kevin being on vacation. So...it looks like we are...almost ready for Christmas!

30 Candles are on my Cake!

Today is my 30th birthday! It's hard to believe that my 20's are already over...which is a sad thought. The 20's were really a great decade of life for me. I graduated college, got my first "real" job, got engaged, got married, built our first home, bought our second home, traveled to lots of fun places together, had three beautiful babies, and lots of other normal but blessed days in between. How can the 30's top all of that? I think the 20's are so great because it is a season of first!

I told Kevin today that the 30's make me think of growing kids, growing bellies, and growing older. Doesn't sound as exciting to me. I am sure there is still lots to look forward to!

We have had a busy but great day. Kev worked a short day and we picked him up and we all went to have Christmas pictures made. Stress! I never understood that until I had kids! Ella ans Eliza actually did well, but we had a long wait...which throws things off. Eliza was ready to nap by the time we got started!

We were waiting and I heard one of the photographers talking about how bad she felt and she even said she was running a fever!!!! I was being nosey and listening to their conversation and of course my ears perked up when I heard that!!! I thought....oh great...watch...she'll get us! And sure enough about two minutes later she said, "Julie." I wasn't sure what to do! Do I tell her that I overheard her say she was sick? Do I ask her for a diff. photographer? Do I leave?? After having two sick kids that are finally well...I might go to drastic measures to keep them well! I've even thought about screening the kids in the church nursery for runny noses, fever and coughs...before I let ella play! Just kidding, but the thought did cross my mind! So back to today....I am not one to create a scene...so I went with it and prayed over and over that those germs wouldn't land on us! We sanitized a few times too!

We left there and ate an early lunch at my favorite restaurant. Tonight we are going on a date all by ourselves! We are going to see the the movie The Blindside. I cannot wait. This will be our first alone date since April...I think! We are so excited! We are going all out with popcorn, candy and a big diet coke! We are so adventurous, you know! We said we might sit down and just sleep! I can't wait to not have any responsibilities for a few hours!

So here's to the beginning of a new decade of my life!

Sharing Joy at Christmas!

When I think about the kind of women I want my little girls to grow up to be...
I think of :
wholesome
kind
sharing
giving
hospitable
generous
classy
sincere
caring
pure
loving
and I guess the list could continue. I really do desire for them to grow up to be Godly girls and eventually (a very long time from now) women. They will learn these characteristics from me! That's where it gets tough and the dreams I dream for my girls become a daily reality... in which I daily fall short! (Kev and I had this discussion last night as he was reminding me of my previous post on 1 Corinthians 13). They will learn to be hospitable because their mommy and daddy always welcomed others into their home. They will grow to be generous...because "we" always did that growing up. They will prayerfully remain pure because mommy and daddy have stressed purity and modesty throughout their lives. They will love others who are different, unlovely, and strange, because we will teach them how to. And while I know they will fail and make mistakes they will have a foundation of "how" to live!

I was thinking about all this the other day and something I read in last months Homelife magazine gave me a great idea. It is something that we are planning as a way our family can be generous and share some joy this Christmas season. The idea was to invite an elderly couple to go look at Christmas lights with your family. I thought this was such a great idea. We have many sweet "older" couples at church so we picked one and have invited them to go to the Light Festival at one of our local parks. I doubt this is something they would do on their own (esp. at night), and I think they will enjoy watching and hearing ella's reaction to the lights. So hopefully we can time it right (between eliza's feedings and bedtime) and have a great time sharing our Christmas Joy!! I'll take some pictures for you!

1 Corinthians 13-A Christmas Version (Author Unknown)

I posted this poem on my blog last year and thought it was good enough to post again this year. What a good reminder for me. As much as I want to have a beautifully decorated home all warm and cozy, and want to have my kids adorned in the cutest Christmas fashions, and want to do cookie baking, gingerbread house making, and fun Christmas Crafts....I can do all that and miss the true meaning of Christmas with my family!

1 Corinthians 13-A Christmas Version

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,

strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love, I am just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myrid of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.

Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't.

Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure!

Merry CHRISTmas!

Hoping!!!

This being sick thing is for the birds!!

Hoping that tom. will be our last doctor's appointment for a while. I think I mentioned in my last post that both girls were getting colds...right on the heels of ella's hand/foot and mouth. Well, it was actually RSV! Ella has done fine and feels much better except for an occasional croupy cough, but little miss Eliza's gave us quite a scare. Long story short she has been very congested, coughing, sneezing, and wheezing and has been on breathing treatments every four hours since fri. morning. Thankfully, I followed my instincts and took her back to the doctor when the peds plus (after hours) doctor sent us home after both her and the nurse heard her wheezing. I knew she wasn't breathing normally...or I thought so. Isn't it so hard to know as a parent when to go and when to wait it out??? I always struggle to know...but she is just too young for me to be comfortable waiting it out and thankfully I took her back! Tomorrow will be our EIGHTH doctor's visit in two weeks. One was a well check and two have been follow-ups. Whew!! Everytime I go I just wonder what we will pick-up for the next week.

I am thankful for our doctors, modern medicine, friends and family that pray, and that hopefully we are on the mend! It's been a LONG two weeks!

So this holiday season hasn't started out quite like I wanted. I am really looking forward to the weeks left this month when we can hopefully enjoy this holiday season. Check back this week for ella's tour of our home for the holidays and a few things our family is doing to focus on the true meaning of Christmas!

I think it's going be a great week! I sure am hoping so!!

Mommy time!

Ella thought the tee-pee was a party hat!


Sweet little eliza!

trying to get a decent pic...this is the best we could do

daddy and his girls

I have been so sleepy today. I feel like I need toothpicks to hold my eyes open. That's not a good thing when you're the mom! I finally have both girls resting...for the moment and what do I do...sit down to check the computer! I guess all my caffeine has finally kicked in or I'd be on the couch!

Ella is finally getting better. She ran a low grade fever last night, which was day 8 of this terrible virus and is fever free today so far! We are now just waiting for the blisters in her mouth to go completely away and she'll be good to go. It was terrible and I am so glad she is better. She is beginning to eat again and I don't feel like we have to push the liquids like we were. Both girls have colds now which is a bummer. Ella was 6 months old when she got her very first cold...and eliza is 10 weeks. I guess that is normal when you have a toddler in the house. Poor eliza, she cannot stand her nose being stuffy! We are so thankful that she didn't take hand, foot and mouth! So far at least...and I think if she was she'd have it already!

After a week of illness I feel like we are back at square one with discipline, sleep and etc. for ella. Don't you just hate that. Things get all out of order when kids are so sick and you are literally in survival mode! This week we are back to the basics...which means meals at the table, sleeping in our own beds, and obedience! SO much fun!

I can't believe it is already December. The years just fly! I will be celebrating a big birthday next week and I can't believe it! I must be growing up!

I better go! Ella is yelling from her crib that she is all done with her nap. I don't think she even got one but I was hoping for a little afternoon break! I just heard.."mama, come mare!" She has such a country twang when she says it!

Still Sick!!!

Whew...it has been some more week! I hate to complain but it has been a very hard one. Ella has run a 102-103.7 fever since Tuesday around lunch! We of course took her to the doc. to make sure my diagnosis of her condition was correct. I knew once I saw the little blisters in her mouth on Wednesday that we were in for it! She has hand, foot and mouth disease. The name sounds terrible....but the virus is much worse. It is among the many childhood viruses and causes fever, blisters in the mouth and can cause blisters on the hands, feet, and buttocks! So far, ella has only had fever and and a mouth full of blisters. I was one of the fortunate adults who must not have gotten this virus as a child, because I got it my second year teaching. I missed a week of work, couldn't eat for a week and was miserable. It is even more miserable when your child has it!!!

Poor little ella's gums look like they are falling off her teeth and her mouth, lips and etc. are covered in blisters. She has only eaten a few bites since Monday evening!!! We are making her drink, but today she is not wanting to do that even. I even tried using a medicine syringe to get some liquids in her. We have tried, diluted apple juice, milk, milkshake, slush, ensure, water, yogurt drink, pedialyte applesauce, pudding, etc. We know that if she doesn't drink more tonight we are worried that she may get dehydrated and we know what that will mean! She also isn't sleeping longer than about 45 minutes and is waking up crying in pain! It has been some long nights at our house!

Please pray that this will be over soon! Thankfully, Kevin has been home with me. Not sure I'd be making it if he hadn't been! It is hard because what ella has is highly contagious for eliza. Her nose is running and she keeps putting her hands in her mouth because it hurts...GERMS! My hands are raw from washing them after caring for her because I am trying to not spread them to eliza! Ella cries and wants to be held and then eliza cries and needs to be fed or held and then mommy and daddy cry! Not really... but I think we have been close at a few moments. So far eliza hasn't taken it. I think if we can make it to Monday that we'll be pretty sure she won't! If she doesn't I will be even more convinced that breastfeeding is a wonderful immune fighting gift (that'll be her third bad illness to not take when she was highly exposed!)

SO if you hear anyone say that their child has a virus, fever, blisters in their mouth....run..don't walk as far away as you can it! It is bad! And...if anyone thinks that being a mother is not the hardest (yet greatest) job in the entire world I beg to differ!

Happy Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for this year. We are back at home for a brief rest before we get to enjoy Thanksgiving #2. I have to admit that throughout our marriage, I have complained most every year that our holidays were just too busy. I know I've said that we spend the day in a mad rush...normally running late from family to family..wanting to spend time with everyone! The Lord has taught me a lesson the past few days. With ella being sick this week I hadn't left the house since Monday afternoon. I was so ready to get out! The prospect of not getting to see our families and be a part of our normal thanksgiving was heartbreaking! Although we are doing things a little different to avoid our little cousins who may not have gotten what ella has! I have learned my lesson and I will never complain about the busyness of our traditions...instead I am thankful to have two delicious meals to eat, two families who love us! So many in our world would die to live my life!

So much to be thankful for! My greatest gift this year is our newest little turkey eliza. Happy Thanksgiving!

Feeling Bummed with so much to be Thankful for

This afternoon I felt ella's head and immediately knew she was running a fever. My hand has gotten pretty well trained in the past two years. She didn't eat well at lunch (which really isn't that out of the ordinary) and she kept wanting me to hold her. Sure enough it was 102. I was so bummed I could cry. The Tuesday night before Thanksgiving is always our annual Thanksgiving dinner at church. I don't think I'd missed one until tonight for the past 20 years. It is as much a part of our Thanksgiving as getting up early and shopping the Black Friday sales.

I was bummed to miss it and bummed that my girl was sick! She was really not feeling well tonight. She had a hard time going to sleep and was moaning and crying even though the Motrin had brought her temp. down. I am worried that we might not get our normal Thanksgiving this year. I might just add that Thanksgiving is really probably my favorite holiday because it begins the Christmas season!

So while I am bummed I will continue to try to put life in perspective... that I am so so so blessed and better off than most of the world. I have salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. I have a wonderful family, Godly husband who is so so good to me. I have two beautiful little girls who are more than I dreamed! I have all my needs met and most of my wants! I have health, doctors (when needed), friends and faith! I am so richly blessed!

So if you think of it pray that little ella will be feeling better, so we can celebrate Thanksgiving with our family as we normally do! Pray that I will have wisdom to know if I need to take her to the doc. tom. or wait it out over the Holiday! It is so hard to know what to do!

Look who is 2 Months Old!

(I really think I see a lot of my sister joy and newphew Landon in this pic.)

Anyone else see it?

I am trying to do a better job at tracking each month than I did with ella. I never posted her one month pic! She sure did grow last month!

Little Miss Eliza is already two months old. I cannot believe how fast time is flying with her! She is growing and changing so much and is the sweetest little thing! All 3 of us love her to pieces!

Her two month stats:

Weight: almost 10 lbs about 9lbs 13 oz. according to our home scale...she is growing fast considering she was such a peanut!!
Height:?? We go to the doc on Monday. I am thinking 22 inches!

Likes: To sleep and eat! She wants to be held in the evenings which works out well since ella goes to bed early! She likes riding in the car and sitting in her bouncy chair and car seat! She likes being swaddled at night! She has a love hate relationship with her paci and would really rather find her thumb (but no luck yet)!She loves to be talked to and smiled at!

Dislikes: When her sissy says," I got your nose!" She pinches a little too hard! She dislikes it if mommy is a little late on feeding her...I cannot blame her! She will let me know for sure when she is hungry!

Looks: We are still trying to figure out her look! At times she reminds me a lot of ella and at times she looks so different. Something about her reminds me more of my side of the family esp. her mouth and eyes. She is going to have her daddy's hair color and his hairline for sure! Her hair on top fell out completely and is sprouting back. She has the same long piece of hair in the back that ella did and the same cowlick swirl in the back (it took us forever for ella's cowlick to lie down). It is so funny how they both had this!

Personality: Right now eliza is just so sweet and easy! She has been a great baby! She is sleeping 6-9 hours each night for the past two weeks and we are so proud of her...and thankful for our sleep! I accredit that to using a swaddle blanket nice and tight, feeding on a schedule, a good sleeping baby and prayer! Watch..tonight she'll be up all night!

We are so thankful for her and the added joy she is bringing to our lives! We can't wait to find out more of who she is and what God has planned for her life.

These are a few of my favorite things!!!

I saw this on several blogs today where people are listing several of their favorite items. I thought it would be fun as I always enjoy finding new products that others recommend.



I love Neutrogena's skin smoothing under eye corrector. It goes on smoothly and gives a cool sensation under your eyes (makes me feel more awake and look awake!) The only drawback is that it doesn't last me long enough!

I have used Maybelline's Full and Soft Mascara for years. I have ventured away a few times and tried other mascara's but I always regret it! It def. adds volume and fullness to my lashes!

I am loving Dove's Winter care Soap! We always buy our soaps at Costco in bulk and last time I bought the Kirkland brand....Big mistake! It was the absolute worst soap ever. I am pretty sure my sensitive skin was allergic to it too! The bad part was that we had like 15 bars to use up! We did and I am so thankful to have a moisturizing soap now! It makes your skin so soft and smells good!

I have used this mouse for years...when I wear my hair curly! I have tried lots of different kinds of mouse in my curly years and this one is a keeper...I get it from Sally's Beauty Supply!

My new fav. scent from bath and body! I plugged in a new plug-in in this scent and Kev noticed and really liked it too. He thought it was me that smelled good! Maybe they have it in a lotion! It smells warm and cozy!

My favorite jeans are always gap jeans. I like the Long and Lean ones that work fine even though I am not Long or Lean. They just fit right and have just the right stretch to be comfy! If I wear flats I have to do one cuff! They are fine with taller shoes!

My fav. kid shoes are Puddle Jumpers. Ella has wide feet like her daddy and these shoes fit her really well! I search e-bay for weeks until I find me a good deal on them! Her aunt pam bought her two pairs for her birthday! She has more shoes than I do (well...not really!) I have a thing for polka-dots!

I got a 50.00 gift card from my insurance company for going through a healthy expectations program in my pregnancy. I had to answer these long surveys after every doc. appt. in which they wanted to know all the personal details of my pregnancy! It was very annoying but I finally got my gift card which was great! I bought yet another diaper bag. I have a weakness for a good diaper bag. I guess because I use it everyday as my purse too! I love this one. It has lots of compartments and is a great size!

These are just a few of the things that I love! What items do you use everyday and love??