Friday, September 20, 2013

4 Month Hiatus

It pains me to come to the realization that I let my blog go, but sometimes life throws curve balls that cause you to drop everything else and zone in on one thing in particular. Not to mention, as most bloggers do, when something significant and emotional happens there is a "blogging mourning period" before we all feel confident enough to write about it.

I'm slowing returning to myself, or shall I say re-creating myself. There is Stephanie before child, Stephanie after child, Stephanie after marriage, Stephanie after divorce, and now... just Stephanie.

Even the start of today's post reminds me of why I started blogging (thank you Chrissy) to speak through my life and relate to someone and help.

Divorce is a nasty bitch. Even the most simplistic divorces leave emotional scars you have to work through. Unfortunately you don't wake up after a week and are back to normal, it's a change that occurs over time. For me divorce was the answer, for you it may not be. I can tell you this, I never anticipated ever getting divorced, but who does? You try your best, and because of the way society is now it's more socially acceptable and more feasible financially in this day in age. A lot of people say that in our grandparents generation they didn't divorce because they had a deeper commitment to each other and I think that's a hoax. In that day in age the wife didn't work, she took care of the children so financially it was almost impossible. The mentality when getting married was a marry someone that would take care of you. Thus the mentality that you don't leave someone that is there financially. It's actually sick if you think about it. Many of our grandparents stayed in relationships (and still are) that they are completely unhappy in.

Let me remind you that this is your one life.

ONE LIFE.

There is no rewind, replay, erase. This is it.

With all of that said if you are considering divorce there are so many things to consider, the first piece of advice I'd offer is to take some time, make lists, and try to breathe. Make no rash decisions and follow your heart. The best piece of advice I received is "I'd rather my child come from a broken home then to be in one".

That's all I have to say about the D word.

But I wanted to let you all know where I've been and why there was such a long lapse between my blogs. I will try to resume to a more normal schedule, as fall is approaching I will be getting my crafty pants on and I can't wait to share in my new adventures.

With that look for the new style of Motherhood & things no one told you coming this way soon. Tis the week of revamping and renewing!





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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Hunger Games

Oh how I loved this trilogy.

And how sad I am that it's over...


Best believe I'll be the first in line in November for the premier of the video.

Until then I'm inspired to take Archery lessons, so my youngest sister and I started last night!

Here's some photo's from it:





Call me Katniss.

But seriously. If you haven't read the books, read.them.now. 

Note to those who will start. I wanted to shoot a long bow, turns out I can't. Its extremely hard to at my size to get the force to get the arrow down the path. So I was suggested to try a compound bow and loved it. You still have to pull the bow and arrow together which is what I thought I'd be missing. Turns out I am a great shot! My left arm still kills today from it holding the bow for an hour straight but we had SO much fun and I learned a lot. Our instructor is an Olympic gold medalist from Arizona. He's 87 now and still shooting! I can't wait to get little bear out in the field teaching him how to shoot. Until then.. I'll learn to be the best shot I can be :)






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Saturday, May 25, 2013

The moment when you realize you take after your Mother

Andddd I'm not talking about baking ladies and gentlemen. Of course I find myself spitting out lines like, "Don't talk to me like that young man", "Go to your room son", "Can't I go to the bathroom in peace?" that I have to stop and say.. oh lawdy I sound like momma... But this... THIS.. is much better!



Friday night I was driving on the highway when I heard a click in the back of my car. I didn't know what it was, and I'm paranoid about any noise or smell on the road thinking immediately it's my vehicle to blame so I looked backwards and my left passenger window was slightly down. I thought it was weird so I went to roll it up and BAM- it fell. 



Thankfully it didn't shatter, and I could hear that the motor was still working trying to get the window up. My first thought was "Wonderful, my husband's really going to love that we have to have the air conditioner serviced and now my NEW (to me) jeep's window is broke". When I got home I decided to leave it for another day, thinking maybe my Mom would know how to fix it and when she comes over Monday I'd hit her up for ideas. 

Fast forward to today, which has been awesome btw. We made breakfast, made a pit stop at the grocery store, had lunch and spent time pool side. Very relaxing. Then the boys of the house decided to sleep and I got a wild hair up my behind and decided to look it up!

First stop- Google, which lead me to various places. But from the information I gathered I knew I needed to un-screw two screws on the panel to be able to shine a light down the top to pop the rest of the panel off. 

So I did!!


And I got scared, what the hell- I know NOTHING about vehicle repair. Now my husband is REALLY going to kill me breaking my panel. 

But that didn't happen! I got it all taken apart took a pair of pliers to the window and pulled it back on track!! Put the baby back together (I may or may not have one extra plastic black thing left over) and voila- it's fixed!!




Hubs came outside just as I was putting it back together and was in SHOCK. "Who the hell did I marry" were his exact words.. and then "You're starting to become your Mother". There isn't a better compliment anyone could give me! 






And btw, if someone gets paid $100 and hour to do that- SIGN ME UP. 



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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Getting pregnant

I'm not even going to lie, the first time I got pregnant we were completely shocked. I won't go into details, but lets just say we weren't trying. 


Fast forward 3.5 years later we still haven't conceived again. We both imagined that we would have our second two years after our first so they would be close in age. God had another plan. 

Neither my husband or I want to do things "un-natural" and therefore have just waited it out knowing it would happen sooner or later. Well let's just say later has come. I don't want to have another child so far apart from Cameron so we've planned a date.. if I haven't conceived by then it wasn't meant to be. 

And let's be honest, now that the date is fastely approaching I'm having a mini freak out moment. My Mom's been on my case about going to see a doctor so I did... today. And now starts the multiple tests for me, for hubs, vitamins, and constant thoughts of "am I pregnant yet"... which is all consuming and honestly not the way I want it to happen. 

I NEVER would have thought that it would be hard for me to conceive. My Mother had four children, my Grandmother had four children, my Great Grandma had six (I think) children.. there is a long line of genes to prove I should be capable of having TWO. 

It's a weird thing to have to think about. I guess I'm just stubborn and want it my way when it's not my actual choice. So here's what I plan to do. Do the three tests my OB suggested, find out the results, harbor suggestions she gives me, try until our date, and that's it. I'm not doing anything un-natural to conceive. I think it's wonderful that we have those options, and some of my friends have used them to get pregnant and couldn't have otherwise, so for that I'm grateful. But it's just not for me. 

And then I'm giving it up. I don't want to be consumed with baby brain. I don't want to be upset, or have the what ifs. I will look at the positives and move on. But for now, I want to share that if you are going through what I am .. you are not alone. It's not always easy. And it sucks donkey balls when people ask you "when are you going to try again", "where's baby number two", "bear needs a sister".. Yes, those comments irritate the shit out of me because it makes me feel like I'm not capable. 

So here goes the doctors plan.. and then I give. I'll send my happy baby thoughts up into the air, maybe I'll make one of those Japanese lanterns, write baby stuff on it and send it on fire into the sky thanking God for all I do have if this doesn't work. That would be a good farewell. 

Obvs I'm rambling now so I'll leave this be without editing.. because this is my blog, my thoughts, my life. Just know if you're experiencing this, you are not alone.


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Sunday, May 19, 2013

Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

My sister is leaving for her last tour with Crossmen tuesday so we decided to have a bbq for her! Hubs made pulled pork (recipe to come) and I made simple chocolate cupcakes which don't need a recipe. THEN after they were frosted I was rummaging through my insane baking cabinet and came across these bad boys and decided to use them. 


And voila we have Death by Chocolate Cupcakes that were AMAZE.



What you'll need:

Devils food cake mix
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 and 1/4 cup water
Mini chocolate bars

Make the cupcakes, as usual following the recipe on the back. Let cupcakes cool, frost. Take candy bar and push halfway into the cupcake. Simple and cute!


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Friday, May 17, 2013

N.N.N.




No Non-sense Nap time

Seriously. 

I get really annoyed with people that tell me their kids wont nap. Or their kids won't do this, or their kids won't do that. 

Uhhhh, last time I checked YOU are the parent. I have a few friends that will probably not like to hear the severity of my words, but this is how I feel. And you are also entitled to you own opinion, now go make your own blog. 

Here are the facts:

- Most children need a nap mid-day until they are 6.
- Most kids don't nap because their parents cave in.
- Most children start to cry, rub their eyes, get emotional before a nap. Stay in tune with your child, they will let you know when they need a break.
- It needs to be continuous. Children THRIVE off of a schedule. 
- Same thing with it being daily, it also needs to occur in the same place. Again, kids thrive off of a routine. If you are unable to have your child sleep in the same place everyday (Like me, bear goes to school during the week) then create a dark, quiet place for them to sleep.
- Drowning out noise by creating white noise helps lull them into sleep.
- Most parents that think they should skip nap time and opt for an earlier bed time have children that wake during the night. They make wake and cry, or simply get into bed with you (THAT is an entirely different subject that I could talk about for days) and it's because of the lack of sleep!
- Continue the same thoughts with bed time. Keep them on a schedule.

If you are a parent of a child that doesn't nap or doesn't go to sleep easily, it probably because of YOU. This is not a problem in our home, because I don't let it be. Of course my son cries- but he's in bed. Of course he gets out, and I put him back in. Of course it makes me sad, but I know he NEEDS SLEEP.  

If you are wondering what a schedule in the house of the bears looks like (on a Saturday) here you go:

6:00am wake up!
6:15 breakfast
6:30 blocks
7:00 story time
7:30 water the garden/work outside
8:30 fruits/ coloring time
9:00 chores
10:00 lunch
10:30 letter recognition
11:00 story time
11:30 nap time
2:00 snack
2:15 play in pool
4:00 bike ride
4:30 free time
5:30 dinner
6:30 bath
7:00 story time
7:30 bedtime

This ensures he is properly educated, has enough exercise, does chores, eats well, and reads. Take this and make it your own! Print it and put it on the fridge. Bear loves to run to it to see what's next! 


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Thursday, May 16, 2013

The Truth Is...

The truth is I hate not having extra paper goods in the pantry.

The truth is I can NEVER keep up with the laundry.

The truth is I sometimes don't do a single dish for DAYS.

The truth is I can not iron.

The truth is I think someone is behind me in the dark.

The truth is I make amazing dishes or epic fails.. never in between.

The truth is I wish I had the life people think I do.

The truth is marriage is completely awesome, and incredibly hard at the same time.

The truth is parenting is as well.

The truth is most days I wake up and get ready in 15 minutes or less.

The truth is we might as well take the doors off of our bathroom because no one shuts them.

The truth is before pinterest the craftiest thing I did was... well... nothing.

The truth is I hope my son is exactly like my husband.

The truth is I can speed read like no other.

The truth is I am terrible at math, but am studying accountancy.

The truth is I have expensive taste.

The truth is I love tattoos.

The truth is I want another baby.

The truth is I haven't been to the gym in two weeks.

The truth is sometimes I over promise and under deliver.

The truth is sometimes skip a page or two in long story books at nap time.

The truth is when my son tells me his toothpaste is gross, I believe him.

The truth is when all other mommies taste or eat off their children plates it grosses me out.

The truth is I need a weekend away with my husband.

The truth is I never think I'll be good enough at something, and then blow myself away with successes.

The truth is I have read two of the three hunger games books in the last two weeks.

The truth is I love to paint.

The truth is I'm a hopeless romantic.

The truth is I'm not the best driver.

Truth is I've never owned a scale because I think too many people focus on a number.

Truth is I hate having notifications on my phone.

Truth is I think tweeting is incredibly pointless.

Truth is I think cell phone are a waste of money.

Truth is I love to cook.

Truth is I hate it when people wear shoes in our house.

Truth is I think smoking cigarettes are gross, but love cigars.

Truth is I picked up biting my nails again and I think it's gross.

Truth is I have a 36 in 360 list I haven't looked at in over a month.

Truth is I've already started counting the months until Christmas already.

Truth is I'm tried and going to sleep now :)


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