Scott Tube Free Toilet Paper

Once again I was picked by the amazing peeps over at #crowdtap to sample some new toilet paper!
So I'll just put it out there, we are T.P. snobs in this here house. I won't name names but it has a RED package ;) I've tried others and they just don't match the quality and softness of our favorite. I can't stand toilet paper that is super thin, or balls up and leaves some white stuff "behind". Yuck! Obviously our favorite doesn't do either of these and unfortunately it is the only kind I have found that I love the softness, thickness, and it doesn't leave anything behind!  
When I saw on crowdtap that Scott came out with an amazing tubeless toilet paper I was excited and defiantly intrigued! So I was super excited when it showed up on my door step. I had high hopes for it, hoping to get hooked on this and save some carbon copy with no more T.P. tubes!

But, alas it is so thin we use double the amount to wipe that we do with our fav :( I was sad I so wanted to love it! If they would redesign it to be thicker and more durable I would so buy it!!! So there is my honest truth!!! Thanks again #Scotttoiletpaper for letting me try it!!!!

 See no tube! Totally awesome!!!!

Ragu

So I was chosen on my favorite #crowdtap to sample a whole bottle of Ragu Pasta Sauce for free!
I'll be completely honest and say we are a prego family through and through. So as much as I wanted to get a traditional sauce and compare I was feeling up for something completely different and grabbed a jar of Alfrado! I was super excited, since I LOVE me some alfrado pasta!

I chunked some chicken and sauteed it in a pan until it was cooked through. Meanwhile I cooked some pasta, and drained it when it was done. I dumped some of the alfrado sauce in a pan and chopped up some fresh broccoli and put it in the pan with the chicken. I heated it up and added the pasta! Everybody loved it and asked for more! Thanks #RaguSauceMasters we had an amazing #NewTraDish and #crowdtap!!!!

Intimate with skintimate

I was given an amazing FULL SIZE bottle of Skintimate Mandarin Burst shave gel from my awesome friends at #crowdtap!!!!
Let me tell you after I used this on my prickly legs they were defiantly #Skintimatehappylegs! If I can get real w/ y'all I am not the best at keeping up with my hairyness :( It's not my best attribute, but I'd like to think Steve still loves me despite that! So when I found out I was chosen for the #samplingskintimate I was thrilled! I used it and boy my legs were soft and amazing!!!!! I honestly don't think my legs have been that soft and smooth since I got them waxed for our wedding! :O It was amazing! I am hooked!!!! I used it on :ahem: other areas too which came out amazing! (my under arms. What were YOU thinking?!?! ;) )

 Oh so lovely selfie #not

Thanks so much again crowntap and skintimate!!!

Cottonelle Clean Part Deux

So I was graciously chosen by Crowdtap and Cottonelle to do another sample and share. Um hello THANK YOU for free toilet paper and butt wipes! ;)



So it's not a big secret but I am not a fan of Cottonelle toilet paper :( I want to love it but I can't! But, we are purely obsessed and love the wipes. They are amazing! Now that everybody (!!!!!) is completely potty trained in our house no more baby wipes, but we still need to stay clean, especially after #2. Teehee! Their wipes are amazing and leave us feeling soooo clean!!! Thanks Cottonelle we are hooked!!!


They also sent me a couple to-go packs and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them for my diaper/Mom/kid bag!! 

Kleenex Brand Believers

I was chosen on crowdtap to sample some Kleenex tissues. But, let's be honest that is the ONLY brand we ever have in our house because we are completely loyal to Kleenex and ONLY Kleenex! (honestly, if we are running low and I can't find them at the store during my normal weekly shopping trip I will make a special trip to another store. Un-heard of for me!)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the design of the travel pack I received and will be used up quickly in my diaper bag!

Thanks #crowdtap for the opportunity and know that we will never stray from our love of #kleenexbrandbelievers!!!

Hailey's 5 year old Interview

So you know I'm only 39403284 days late for this, between 2 kids, house, hubby, school, friends, and LIFE blogging is no longer an outlet for me :( I miss it! But, I like to take time for little things like this that I can look back on and remember!Hailey turned 5 (!!!!) April 16th. She is such a joy and sweet girl. I need to update about 32901283 more things, hopefully I will get to do it SOON! Nap-times are just to fun to sit and do nothing I don't want to use my brain power to blog!

4 years old interview here

Random interview at age 3 here

1. What is your name? Hailey Sessions

2. How old are you? 5

3. What is your mom’s name? Becky- Mom

4. What does your mom do during the day? Get ready to go somewhere during the day

5. What is your dad’s name? Daddy- Steven

6. What does your dad do during the day? Works, and eats his lunch. He makes money

7. What is your favorite color?  Pink, green and blue

8. What is your favorite thing to eat? (what don’t you like to eat?) Favorite- Hamburgers.
Least Favorite- Cauliflower

 9. Who are your friends? McKenna, Emelia, Eleena, Kael, Sam, Zo

10. What is your favorite song? Shake by Mercy Me

11. What is your sister’s name? Juju

12. What is your favorite place to go? Carters (for new clothes), Grandma's house, Target

13. What is your favorite thing to do? When Mommy tickles me

14. What do you like about your Mommy? (Daddy, sister, etc.)
Mommy- When Mommy tickles me. Paint my toe nails.
Daddy- When he reads to me
Ellie- When she lays on me in the bath tub

15. What do you want to be when you grow up? A baby sitter

16. What is your favorite book? Frozen Book

17. What does (sister/brother) like to do? To be loud! and play

Taco Bell

So it's not a secret that I am a fan of fast food. Especially Taco Bell. (judge away, but I'm still kickin and we eat it a couple times a year. Delish!) My girls love it and ask for it when we drive by. We aren't huge fans of spicy or sauce, but I was super duper excited when #crowdtap hosted a party giving away full size bottles of Taco Bell sauces! I recieved (FOR FREE PEOPLE!) verde, mild, hot, and fire sauce! Obviously we haven't touched the Hot or Fire but I will be giving those away to friends that will use them up!

In my box of yummy sauces I had a insert that had some recipe ideas. One was guacamole using the verde salsa. Well, that was right up my ally! I grabbed up the ingredients and on Superbowl Sunday Hailey helped me mash up the avocados and stir everything together. It said to use the whole bottle of verde salsa but I put about 1/4-1/3 c in. It was delicious! Hailey gobbled it up and would hate eaten the whole bowl in one sitting if I had let her! That girl is just like her Momma! ;)

Then we had taco's topped with our delicious mild sauce! It was like taco bell right at home. Except with out all the convenience :/ Ha! So yummy! Thanx #crowdtap and #tacobell for the yummy sauces!!!

Recipe at the bottom;

Taco Bell Zesty Guacamole Dip:

3 ripe avocados- peeled, pitted and mashed
1 tomato chopped
1/4 Cilantro chopped
1 bottle taco bell sauce- Verde

Mix well in bowl and store in fridge.

*HUGE HINT!!!! cover your guac with saran wrap pressed tightly on guac. Keeps air out so it won't brown. Lasted in my fridge like this for about 6 days! Would have lasted longer if I had a lid on top but my bowl didn't have a lid :( I was so sad to have to dump some!

Hailey @ 4 years old

Hailey,

I'm sorry Momma didn't document your 3rd Birthday on the blog :( I was still trying to get the hang of the "Mother of 2" thing. I failed at a lot. And this is over a week late. But never late then never! Here are some things my gorgeous FUN BIG girl is doing!

-FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY full on potty trained! No more pull-ups, potty chair, or anything! For the first time yesterday you pooped on the big potty without your dora seat like a grown up! I am so so so happy, Momma hates cleaning up poop and it was so gross. I am so proud of you for this!

-You got to go to the dentist with Mommy for your very first cleaning a couple weeks ago. You weren't too sure about it and did NOT like the pick in your little mouth at ALL. You were mostly compliant though and were super good. I was proud of you. You have 3 cavities though :( I'm hoping it's just your baby teeth and you will have your Daddy's perfect teeth and not Mommy's. We are getting them filled tomorrow at a special "kid dentist". I am having much anxiety over this but I know you will do awesome and be sweet and make every one there fall in love with you, like you always do!

-Everybody you come in contact with always talks about how cute you are, you are super duper gorgeous but I'm biased so it's good to hear it from strangers ;) But more then that I want people to say how SWEET and KIND you are and what a good friend you are to others, and that you have a heart for Jesus. Your looks will only last so long (look at Momma and my HUGE muffin top! Oh to be 17 and skinny again!) but if you have Jesus you will make friends anywhere you go!

-You start Pre-k in Sept, 3 mornings a week. You are not sure about this and don't want to be away from Momma. You will have your bff Zo in your class and another friend Harper from church there. I am super excited for you and know you will do amazing! It will be a challenge the first couple weeks for us both to adjust (and I'm worried about how Sissy will do being away from you!) but you'll love it and make friends quickly I just know it!

-You LOVE MOPS and get so excited every other week when we go. You sing the songs all the time, talk about how much you loved your snack, what you did with your friends and how much you LOVE your favorite teacher (don't tell the other 2! I'm sure they are just as sweet). It makes my heart happy to see you social and not crying and upset when I leave you!

-You are SUCH a fashionista. You LOVE your clothes and shoes. My land! You come up with some crazy outfits, but I am learning to let go and let you wear whatever you want. Even in public! This is HUGE for me! (especially when on Easter I had the cutest matching outfits for you an Ellie and you wanted to wear 4 different colors of pink. Whatever! You got your way)

-You are still tiny and on your same growth curve so the Dr isn't worried about you. You only weigh 34 lbs and are in the 25% for height.

-Yet somehow you are growing out of your clothes like mad! You have 2 pair of your Gap Skinny jeans that are 3T, I swear you have to suck in your bones to wear them but you manage! You are in all 4T and some of them are a little short on you!

-You have an amazing sweet tooth like your Momma. No wonder you have cavities! Sorry Darlin'

-You LOVE all shows on PBS. I know I let you watch to much TV but until you were 3 1/2 you wanted NOTHING to do with it. So you watch Sesame Street (although honestly it's just background noise while you play/get dressed/eat breakfast), SuperWhy, Dinosaur Train (again don't really pay attention) and your most very favorite ever Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.

-You will do anything at the promise of "pop" (sprite/sierra mist) your love language is defiantly pop!

There are a million other great things about you but I can't remember them all. You're always saying the greatest things but Mommy always fails at writing them down. I LOVE our nightly prayers and seeing what you will thank God for that night! You really ask a lot of great questions about God/Jesus/Heaven and I think you are starting to get it. I hope I am fostering it and answering right. I don't want to scare you about dying/death but I want you to be excited about Heaven and I think you are! Sometimes you get sad and say you just want to be in Heaven with God! :) LOVE that!!! You don't fully understand what that means though b/c you ask if you can go to Heaven and then come back home. Ha. I really want to do a good job planting a seed but it's hard! Keep asking questions little Momma and I will keep answering them!
You are my fun sweet BIG girl and I can't wait to grow up again along with you. Everything in life is SO much more fun through your eyes. I love you soooo much Sugar Bear!

Momma

P.S. I'm including another blog I started MONTHS ago just so the stories just down for my (and her!) memory :)

This is from a couple months ago but I keep forgetting to blog about it (and if I already did it's on here twice, deal with it people-who-don't-read-my-blog)
A couple months ago we were looking all over town for new tennies for Hailey. We went to one shoe store across town after dinner. As we are pulling into the parking lot a van was driving crazy and making me mad and pulled in across the parking lot for me. They had a bumper sticker on the back that said "Cancer sucks" and in my negative state of mind and being mad at them I thought to myself "DUH who is gonna say cancer rocks!? I mean that is surly stating the obvious stupid people". Then stopped and figured if they were that bold to have a bumper sticker that said that then it must mean somebody in their family had cancer. I mean I can NOT fathom my Mom/Sister/Dad/Brother/Hubby/Child having cancer so I suppose I would put that bumper sticker on my car to show my anger as well! (sorry I am going off as usual the story isn't about the bumper sticker or how they were sucky drivers) So as I'm getting Hailey out of her car seat I saw the family get out and walk into the shoe store as well. It was a Mom, Dad, older brother of about 13-15 and a little girl who was probably 9-13. She was completely bald and it was VERY obvious she was going through chemo. It tore my heart apart and I prayed and confessed my anger and sins and bad thoughts towards these people earlier. Now mind you I had not said a WORD about cancer, their bumper sticker, nothing about these people to my sensitive Hailey. She saw the little girl and before she got out of the car her eyes got big as saucers when she saw the little girl and asked what was wrong w/ her hair. I kept her in the car and explained to my 3 year old in her terms cancer. I said she was sick and getting special medicine from nice Dr's and that she had cancer. I told her the medicine made her hair fall out, but it would cure her and make her all better and she wouldn't be sick anymore! (everything HAS to be rosy and perfect in Hailey world or she will NOTGETOVERIT and you will never hear the end of it if something bad happens. Trust me people, I could NOT tell her this little girl could possibly die. I feel bad like I am "lying" or leaving out a big chunk of information for her but I know life is ugly and she has plenty of time to learn about death and ugly things. Now is not the time) She asked a couple questions but I just kept giving her my pc answers. It had been a couple months since we got back from Indy but she is super duper obsessed w/ my Grandma/her Great Grandma, Grandma Dee. I explained that Grandma Dee had cancer and was sick and lost all her hair and now she is fine! We just saw her! That helped. So we went in the store and tried on a couple things and left. As we are driving away Hailey starts sobbing. Can't even talk she is crying so hard. I had to pull the car over and talk to her and calm her down. She told me she was so sad for the little girl and didn't want her to be sick or lose her hair and wanted her to get all better. Stab my heart. We prayed and both cried and she was better. Of course she had to tell Daddy all about it and he was upset at me but what could I do! Sometimes she still asks about the "little girl with no hair" and we pray for her and I tell her God and the Dr's healed her and I'm sure she is fine!
Sweet innocent Hailey. She has SUCH a tender heart!

She is soooo sympathetic. Not only does she cry for strangers who have cancer, but when Mommy or Daddy isn't feeling well she immediately asks what she can do to make us feel better and offers the sweetest and usually most hilarious things to make us better. If I tell her I have a bad headache "Well, maybe you can take some Tylenol!" lol. Sweet Girl! I hope she never loses that quality and is always sweet, caring, and giving when she is older! We just have to be careful to not give her to much info and overwhelm her little heart.


My whole life I have HATED with a deep passion throwing up. It's sooo horrible, the smell, sounds, everything. I gag if somebody else throws up, when my siblings would get sick I couldn't get the smell/sound/thoughts out of my head. It's bad. I guess you could say I am OCD/anxiety about throwing up. I told Steve before we were married I would handle all the poop but he is going to have to be the strong one to handle throwing up. I just don't deal w/ it well. When Hailey was little, less then 2??  She had a bad horrible head cold, and she had JUST woke up for the day and Steve starts giving her all this water. Like tons and tons of water. I told him to knock it off and stop drowning the poor Girl she was gonna get sick. Then he was feeding her something weird, teddy grahams or something?? Anyway you can guess what happens next, horrible disgusting puke ALL over him. All he had was a tiny bowl and she is heaving everywhere. It was horrible. I just stood there and cried and watched her. It killed me. She has thrown up maybe 2 other times in her little life like that. I seriously pray ALL.THE.TIME for God to spare us stomach virus' and to NOT get sick. If the Girls can just handle no stomach bugs until they are out on their own that would be great K?? Yeah not gonna happen.
In January we got the plague of 2013. It was soooo sad and horrible. Hailey went down for a nap and told me her tummy hurt. She says this a lot, I ALWAYS asks if she needs to throw up/poop/hungry whatever. This time I didn't ask :( What was I thinking?? So she sleeps for over 2 hours and I go in to wake her up, I then go get Ellie out of her her crib and Hailey is walking to the living room and pukes a TON all over. Oh my I lost it. Steve is downstairs and I just start screaming for him. I managed to get a bowl (over the years I am able to move a little more and stifle my tears as it's happening. I STILL scream for Steve every time though like somebody lost a limb. He hates me for it but he promised in his vows to help w/ puke. Funny it ALWAYS has happened when he is home and not at work. Thanks God!) and put Ellie down somewhere where she wouldn't get "into it" UGHHH sick! So for the next 4 1/2 hours Hailey threw up (i.e. dry heave) every 15 minutes. Oh I was sooo worried and cried for her. She was so sad and in SO MUCH PAIN! Steve got it, I got it, Ellie however was spared. I also sent it to my parents where they got it along w/ my brother :( I felt SO bad! It was horrible. Sorry all of this was TMI but I knew I needed to record it for my own self. I survived! Now we all have colds. Colds I can handle. Fluids, vicks, steam showers, humidifiers, vitamins, caugh syrup, I got this!  

Ellie

Just some fun things about my little Ellie Jelly at 15 mo (my most FAVORITE age ;)


-Words (most she has been saying since she turned 1 or little after)

Hiiii (we still hear this all day and it never gets old. Cutest thing in the world!)

Bye/bybye (this is the newest, just started this week! Previously when I would tell her to say bye she would just wave, sometimes even saying hi instead lol)

Momma/Mommy (says this for Daddy too. Hilarious!)

Sissy-long S sound

Ball

Poop-poooooooo

Please-PEAS (whenever she wants something she just begs and begs, it's so cute and never gets old)

Thanks/Thank you- Tanks

Daddy/Dada- Da (rarely says this but I have heard it before and I know she can just chooses to call him Momma ;) Again that is fine with me! Ha!)

Cheese (for pictures)- Cheeeeeeee (hilarious and sooo adorable! usually puts the camera ON her face and screams cheeee at it)

Okay-K (this is sooooo cute. We hear this along w/ hi and peas 24/7 but again it NEVER gets old and is the cutest thing ever!)



-Nods her head correctly when we answer a question. DEFIANTLY knows what she wants and when she wants you and lets you know!!

-Is STILL nursing twice a day. At 2pm for nap time and whenever she wakes up before 9am. Ha. Usually between 5-7am but I have had a very rare couple of 8+ams! Those were glorious!

-So one day my neighbor/bff Eve was telling me about her little guy's bedtime routine. He is 5 weeks younger then Ellie and he had the same schedule as her, would nurse around 9-9:30 for like an hour then go to bed and wake up around 5, nurse again and go back to sleep. Then one night at 8 when the older siblings when to bed he sat at the stairs crying so Eve let him upstairs and he took her to his crib and cried to get in! She laid him down thinking it was a fluke and he would be screaming. But, he didn't he slept really really well and this is his new normal!
Well, I guess Ellie heard our little conversation. Usually she and Daddy play in the living room while I put Hailey to bed. One night she screamed and screamed and he couldn't handle it so I put her in her room with all the lights on and k-love on the radio. I went in a couple minutes later (after her screaming like she was dying) and she was silent so I was afraid of what I would find. She was DEAD asleep. I was afraid she would be up at 1am screaming but nope she slept until 8:30am!!!!!! :O AND she did it the next night! So for over a month now she has had this new routine! Momma LOVES it and it's so great to have the extra time at night not nursing and it means I might be able to be away from them at night and not HAVE to do night time routine! Yay thanks Girl!!!

-She is extremely smart, fun, sassy, and GOOD. We love her, she is so playful and FULL of personality. I think 9 times a day I tell somebody (usually Steve) that it's a shame she has no personality! Ha!

-She had noro virus the week before Easter. I bet she lost over 2 lbs. It started with her refusing every.single.food I tried to give her. Except breakfast?!?! She would throw anything in her mouth until 11:30am then she refused everything. It was horrible. I was making 3 and 4 meals at lunch AND dinner only for her to turn her head and not eat anything. We wasted a LOT of food. Then Thursday night she puked a TON, Friday morning I thought she was better since it had been 14+ hours of no throwing up, and she puked all over me again :( She was so tired, puny, whiny, clingy, and just wanted to nurse. So nurse we did. I bet we nursed 8-10 times a day Friday. Then she pooped 6-8 times in 30 minutes and screamed the entire time. I was so tired and stressed. After a 45 minute cat nap she woke up a new women! I actually literally cried I was so happy. I kept running to Steve and making him watch her to see if it was true! I was so so so close to taking her to the ER for dehydration, I was a mess of worry and stress all week! Praise Jesus she is better I could NOT handle that!

-She is a little tiny thing like her sis, only 19 lbs 5 oz last week at the Dr (I think she was probably over 20 before stupid noro). She is only in the 15% for height, no idea how tall but she is a shortie like her sister!

-Wears 9 mo, 6-12, 12 mo, and very very little 18 mo clothes. The summer 18 mo clothes are gonna have to work cuz I'm not buying her AND Hailey new summer wardrobes! I think she will be fine since we won't have to deal with long sleeves or long pants ;)

-Size 3 or 4 shoe. She is just as obsessed about her shoes as Hailey was. Maybe even more! Every.Single.Day. she has learned how to open her closet, get out the sock/shoe basket and bring them to me begging to put them on! Cute smart girl

Ellie,

Momma loves you SO MUCH! You really have no idea. You light up a room, you're super duper silly and will do anything to make us laugh. My favorites are when you stomp stomp, bang bang (hit yourself on the head. Hilarious!), jump (only moving the top 1/2 of your body), dance, and when you sing. We decided your going to be the class clown, especially while your sister is crying and being dramatic ;)
I just love this age and would have 19 more babies to experience it. Since that obviously isn't going to happen I am trying to soak you all in right now. If only you slept better. My darling. I really would never wish a baby like you on you, but I know one day you when you have your own babies you will understand Mommy's frustrations.
You are so so so fun, goofy, LOVE to hug (cuddle) and kiss. Oh your kisses just melt me and you LOVE to shell them out! I'll take 'em!  You LOVE your sissy and have to always know where she is. You 2 fight over everything in the house but I know once you both know how to share you will love each other! You are wicked to her and are always taking her special things and running with them until she finds out. Secretly though when she isn't around and you are able to get them you want nothing to do with them! Lil stinker!
You LOVE your Tiny Baby, tv on, juice, fruit snacks, vanilla wafers, and most meals Momma makes. You're learning to eat what I put in front of you or you'll be hungry later!
Momma and Daddy love you to the moon and back and you complete us. I never knew there would be such room in my heart to love another little girl as much as I love you!

Momma

Cleaner with Cottonelle

So this will be my final Blog post for Crowdtap of the day! ;)

I was super duper pooper excited to get a HUGE box from Crowdtap and Cottonelle of Toilet Paper and wet wipes. Y'all I was blown away! I got 2 4-packs of toilet paper to give away, 1 HUGE 18 (!!!!) pack of toilet paper for myself (I suppose if I was feeling generous I could have given it away but I kept it for us! ;) and 3 full packs of the wet wipes.

(sorry Hailey) Since Hailey is fully potty trained (and ON THE BIG POTTY! Can I get an AMEN people?!?!) I knew I would love the wipes to use on her instead of stealing some of Ellie's every time she goes and having to drag them in the bathroom with me. It's been so handy to have them on the back of the toilet and just grab one when I need one! I also love them and think I'm addicted! :/ Great something else to spend $$ on at the store right? Ha. Hubby is NOT a fan, poo. Haha I am hilarious! But whatever. Me and Hay will use them! They smell amazing and are super soft and just the right size!

Now the TP, hm not so sure. It feels rough, not as soft as my Charmin. I'm not a fan. :/ Oh well you can't win them all right?? I need to ask Steve what he thinks, he hasn't shared an opinion so he must not hate it! Thanks again Crowdtap and Cottonelle!

The Perfect Tee

So my friends at Crowdtap and Old Navy chose me again to get some free clothes! Have I told y'all how much I LOVE free clothes?? I may not have warn my dress yet :/ But I KNEW I would love and wear some t-shirts from Old Navy. In fact they are the only kind I own in my wardrobe!

So I loaded up BOTH Girls (grrrrr norovirus was going through our house and it was Hubby's turn! Can we EVER be healthy in 2013? The answer is no, no we can not) and my bff/neighbor Eve and her little guy Sam and headed to Old Navy!

So since these are completely my OWN opinions and I'm not what to say or anything I'll tell you straight. I was a little pissed. There were soooooooo many stipulations on this one. When I went with my friend before we were able to get different types of the perfect tee's (there are many different t-shirts in the Perfect Tee line) and even get a perfect tank. So we were excited and tried on a bunch of stuff. I settled on 2 Henley's which were super cute and had little buttons down the front. I was excited and didn't own any of these already!

So we went to check out and had a HECK of a time. First of all the cashier was like 17 and a TOTAL snobby know it all. Now I have worked retail for 10+ years and I know these girls. They think they know everything when they know very little, it's just obnoxious and extremely hard to work with them and especially be the customer and have that attitude! So after a long time it turns out we could only get plain crew neck or V-neck t-shirts. After fighting with the cashier, then getting the SWEETEST sales girl and manager involved that is what ended up. Whatever! I think if it said Perfect Tee on it we should have been able to use it but the computer wouldn't let us. So whatever! I'll still take 2 brand new shirts for free right?? It was just frustrating! Here are the shirts I got!

Thanks Crowdtap and Old Navy AGAIN for giving this Momma such MUCH needed new FREE Clothes!

*I was compensated 2 free t-shirts, but all opinions are completely my own!*

Woolite

OK ya'll are about to be bomb shelled by Crowdtap posts. But nobody but me reads this anymore right? :( Oh well my life is busy and the blog gets pushed to the back.

Anywho, the awesome peeps at Crowdtap and Woolite chose me for another sample and share! I got 10 packets of 1 use of detergent and each came with a $1 off coupon. I'll admit I was one of the niave people who thought woolite was only for delicates but it's just like your favorite everyday detergent! It worked awesome, nobody broke out (since Steve and the Girls have such sensitive skin I am always afraid of trying a new laundry detergent or anything that could smell, irritate their skin, etc. ) and it was awesome! This is from a tried and true Tide-For-Life girl! I now have another great choice if my Tide isn't on sale/have a coupon (cuz y'all that stuff is EXPENSIVE!!!!!) If you are looking for a great laundry detergent I would whole heartily tell you to try it!

*I was given free samples/coupons of woolite for myself and 9 friends from Crowdtap. However opinions are fully my own!)*

Hailey's 4th Birthday Interview

You can catch the first Interview from July 2012 Here


1. What is your name? Hailey (sounds like Hayee) Elaine Sessions

2. How old are you? Four

3. What is your mom’s name? Becky

4. What does your mom do during the day? I don't know, washes dishes, does laundry

5. What is your dad’s name? Steven Mark

6. What does your dad do during the day? Takes care of the kids (HA! Really? Whose kids?). Then tells me he goes to work (more like it!)

7. What is your favorite color? Pink & Yellow & Pink & Purple

8. What is your favorite thing to eat? (what don’t you like to eat?) Candy (I had to give multiple choice). Gross- Broccoli

 9. Who are your friends? Eleena, Samara, Zion, Abby

10. What is your favorite song? The B-I-B-L-E and "The Hoppin Frog" (they sing it at MOPS)

11. What is your sister’s name? Ellie

12. What is your favorite place to go? Chick-Fil-A & Walmart & Grandma's to ride my new bike

13. What is your favorite thing to do? Play with Jenna in her new pink carseat (Birthday toy she got today), Ride my new bike from Grandma & Papa, watch Dora and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

14. What do you like about your Mommy? (Daddy, sister, etc.) Mommy-Cuddling with you
Daddy- Play outside with him
Ellie- Playing and helping her

15. What do you want to be when you grow up? A Mommy

16. What is your favorite book? Books that Ellie can rip (LOL)

17. What does (sister/brother) like to do? Play

Christmas Survey

Here is a fun Christmas Survey I found on another blog. I know it's after Christmas but I'm still blasting playing my music and am very much still in the Christmas spirit! (maybe it has something to do with the 29102983 inches of snow we have on the ground?? Or that it's still December?!?!)

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
Uh Hot Chocolate DUH. Does anybody really love Egg Nog that isn't already hammered? Don't answer that.......

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just stick them under the tree?
Well, first off we don't do Santa. And they are all always wrapped :) Or stuck in a bag which still counts!

3. Colored lights or white?
White for my tree! We do have garland/mini trees outside which are white also. I'm not against colored, just for outside and not at my house. Ha. Maybe as the girls are older and have opinions (not that Hailey doesn't have a very strong one already at 3.5) we will get some colored ones :) Who knows!

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No, does anybody that isn't staring in a Hallmark Film??

5. When do you put your decorations up?
This year we did them on Thanksgiving night. I'm a big kid I couldn't wait anymore! But usually right after Thanksgiving. Depends on how much patience I have and how much work I want to do that day! Ha

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Oh so much! Christmas Eve (also my Dad's Birthday) we always eat Potato Soup (YUM-O) and some version of ham (ham sandwichs, plain ham and sides, etc). But I LOVE all the food! My Momma makes the most delicious strawberry fluff/jell-o stuff, oh it's my very very favorite! And I LOVE cranberry salad/jell-o (not from a can people, made with jell-o in it, nuts, apples, celery, marshmallows oh it's YUMMY! And no we don't have cranberry jell-o AND strawberry jell-o that is jell-o overload!) And green bean casserole, and corn casserole, stuffing! Yum I am hungry now! Ha.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?
I think I was 3 or 4, and ALLLLLLLLL I wanted was a cabbage patch doll. I think it was the year they first came out so they were everywhere (i.e. the wii's of like 5 years ago). I wanted one SO BAD. But my poor parents couldn't find one anywhere. All the stores were SOLD OUT! So they finally found one. A Black African American BOY with a fro. In a blue leisure suit. Named Cameron. I LOVED that thing something fierce. Honestly it wasn't until I was about 13 I realized how weird it was that I had a boy cabbage patch. A black boy cabbage patch w/ a fro. But he was my buddy and I loved him and took him everywhere! My parents had extensive water damage time and time again in their basement and Cameron started to smell like mold so we had to throw him away a couple years ago :( Otherwise he would be waiting for my girls to play with! But seriously he was the best present, and now being a parent I know how expensive he was back then (we weren't rollin it the dough growing up) and all the work they went to find one just to make me shut up happy.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
We never did Santa. I never thought he brought our presents or anything. Which is exactly how it will be in my house. I was deathly afraid of Santa and NEVER sat on his lap. My Dad worked for a very large Insurance Co in Omaha and they went all out for their company holiday party, they hired a very real looking Santa and a Mrs Clause. Me and my sister would take turns sitting on Mrs Clause and wanted NOTHING to do w/ Santa. Ha. All the pictures of us from those parties Santa is just sitting there empty lapped smiling :)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yup all of um! We go to my parents and open presents, growing up we usually went to my aunts or my grandparents on Christmas day so it just worked to do them Christmas Eve. Now we just always do. Me and Steve started a tradition of staying home the 4 of us and doing OUR Christmas on Christmas morning. But I LOVE my family traditions!

10. How do you decorate your tree?
Hopefully without breaking anything?? I'm not sure what this ?? means??? We have a pre-lit tree, and a hodgepodge of ornaments. (although I am into silver/black/red balls! Looks awesome!) We have collected lots of fun ones from the girls, my sister usually gets them each a fun hallmark one, and I have a tradition of a picture ornament from each year Steve and I have been together! They are my very very favorite and I love them! Hope to continue to get one each year, if nothing else it forces us to do family pictures once a year :)

11. Snow: love it or dread it?
OK so here is where I go all Grinch on your butt, I HATE HATE HATE LOATHE the snow. Yes it's VERY pretty to look at (for about 4 hours or until the plow goes by, then it's grey mush crap), or if it's just a dusting. I LOVE seeing frosty snow covered trees, but let me get real here;
I've lived in Nebraska my whole 30 years of existence so I've dealt with a few blizzards in my time. 1) it's COLD. You do NOT want to take small children out in it. Plus lugging them around when it's icy and windy and snowing and cold is horrible and dangerous. 2)Driving in it is equal to diving with sharks. You might be careful but is everybody else around you?? You never know who could be driving like an idiot and slam into you, or accidentally hit ice and slam into. Throw kids in the car and your white knuckeling the whole time!
3)Cleaning it up. Shoveling SUCKS. Snow blowing is only slightly better. Unless it's rained for 12+ hours before it snowed therefore making the ground a complete ice skating rink and the snow weighs 239128 lbs almost impossible to move. It's a killer on the ol' back people. 4) your Hubby has a new job and HAS to go to work and gets stuck on your street twice, the last time for over an hour along with 4 other cars. It's just NOT fun people. The logistics of snow suck. Sure it's pretty to look at, and as long as you don't have anywhere to go until it's melted it's fine. But living with snow SUCKS. Sorry I just ruined everybody's life in warm climates. I've often dreamed of living somewhere warm 24-7 but I am an Omaha Girl at heart and will never leave!

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes if I have to. I'm sure one day when my girls are old enough to not break every limb I will take them. I used to go when I was like 15 with my best friend, but that was JUST for the boys that were there ;) (hmm wonder why NONE of them married me?? I was ever so graceful......NOT! Good thing Steve has never seen me ice skate)

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Cameron my CBD is pretty up there. But, I think my Christmas baby Ellie is by far the most amazing gift God ever blessed me with! I honestly love every present I get! I know I don't deserve them and knowing people took the time to think of me means so much!

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Remembering that it isn't about Santa, or snow or food or presents or the other 29102389018 things American's do to distract themselves from Jesus. It's about HIM and making sure we are living up to his expectations and loving him through others. I hope to plant that seed in my Girls' hearts. I LOVE being with my family and just having a fun time!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Homemade chocolate cheesecake. OMG it's amazing. We NEVER have it but it's amazing, soooo rich. A teeny tiny piece and your in chocolate coma for days.
And my Momma can make a mean pie. Oh it's heavenly. I hope she passes that down to me one day, I am still waiting. I just can't get the crust down.........

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
The Christmas Eve traditions with my side of the family. And trying to incorporate Ellie's Birthday into our celebrating. I promise to never forget her Birthday and will always try to make her feel loved and special!
I am also obsessed with Christmas MUSIC! I would play it year round but my Hubby would hate me for it (plus then it wouldn't be as special and I would get tired of it). So play lots and lots and lots of Christmas music 24/7 is so fun to me!
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE looking at lights! Me and my friend Alanna have gone 2 years in a row to big expensive neighborhoods. Hailey is also obsessed with lights so it's fun looking with her! We like to get something fun to drink (starbucks peppermine hot chocolate, this year it was a shake at sonic!) and drive around with fun music on! It's my favorite!

17. What tops your tree?
A huge silver bow. I think all the angels out there are scary and devil looking. Seriously I'm a freak about them. Maybe one day I will get more creative but for now I love my bow!

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Giving! Especially to my girls. I know they LOVED all their special things they got for Christmas from the relatives but I think I picked out their very favorites! (of course I am w/ them 24/7 and would know what they play with more then anybody but whatever)

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum?
Eh they are yummy crushed up in hot chocolate! But I can't just sit there and eat a candy cane. It's not my fav

20. Favorite Christmas movie?
Oh I have tons! Of course I love the classics, Elf, Christmas Vacation, The Christmas Story, but I also love The Holiday, The Family Stone, & all the movies on Lifetime/Hallmark/ABC Family (seriously people I am a SUCKER for Christmas movies. This was the first year we didn't have cable and I almost died missing all the cheesey goodness :( ) But my ALL.TIME.FAVORITE. forever and ever is called All I Want For Christmas. Nobody has ever heard of it or seen it but it's awesome. It's super cheese, it probably helps that I was like 11 the first time I saw it and was madly deeply in LOVE with Ethan and my 2 best friends loved it so every year we would watch it!

21. Saddest Christmas song?
Saddest?? That is dumb, nobody likes sad Christmas songs. Some move me until I cry (SAP!) but I don't think they are sad. This ? is weird...........

22. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Do we really want to go there? I LOVE so many. I should just post every single song from my ipod on here so you get a better idea.........if you wanna know email me and I'll give you some to download for your listening pleasure ;)

My Big 1 year old

Oh my sweet baby Ellie, how is it that you can be one year old already?!?!?! Time is flying by to quickly for this Momma's heart. Well, in most ways. I am ready and have been ready for the past 9+ months for you to sleep through the night. You don't seem to understand how precious sleep is in this house! One day you will get it ;) I'm trying to re-teach your big sister as well, what is with you girls?? I guess you both just LOVE your Momma so much you have to be with me all the time. No time for sleeping when we could be cuddling huh?!? Here are some stats and fun things about my sweet Christmas girl;

-You probably weigh between 19-20 lbs. You really slimmed down and aren't a chunker since you learned to crawl. We don't have health insurance for awhile so you won't go to your 12 mo well check. We will check your weight probably at 15 mo! You are super healthy and growing, right on track with your age and clothes size so I know your fine :)

-You wear a size 4 diaper. You could fit into a 3 but I just bought bigger sizes so that is what you wear ;) It holds more too so I don't have to change you as often. A win-win for Momma if you ask me!

-You wear mostly size 12 mo clothes. Some 12 mo pants are to long for my short girl. My poor girls will never be tall super modals. That's OK you're both still gorgeous to me and your Daddy! You can wear 9 mo pants, some 9 mo shirts, and some 6-9 mo stuff and 6-12 mo stuff. Baby clothes are CONFUSING. They need universal sizing between all brands. This Momma can't keep up!

-This is where I would insert what size shoe you wear, but my dear you are just like Hailey and HATE shoes. You ball up your toes and refuse to let me put them on you. Whatever I give up! So no shoes for you. Momma doesn't let you walk in public places anyway so it is what it is! Your sister did this for about a year and now is completely obsessed with shoes (to the point of driving her Mother crazy) so I have hope!

-You never have and never will take a binkie. That is OK with me, you never wake up during the night cuz it fell out :) BUT I can't just pop it in and you go back to sleep. You MUST nurse if you wake up at night to go back to sleep. Ugh. Weening is not going to be easy or fun with you!

-You nurse about 5 times a day. 6-7am, 10am, 1:30pm, 5pm, and at 10pm. I am trying to get rid of the 5pm and 10am. But honestly it makes me just as sad as you, I know what your crying for and I give in! It's my last little baby to nurse so if it takes us 6 more months or so to fully ween that is OK with me. I like that we have more flexibility and I can be away from you for longer time periods. We'll get there :) Of course I wouldn't be offended if you dropped the 6-7 am feeding and slept from 10:30-9am :hint hint: but you have a pretty good little schedule and are flexible!

-You still nap twice a day. At 11am for about 30-45 minutes and then in the afternoon from 2-4:15 with Sissy. 99% of the time I just swaddle you and plop you in your crib and your out, no fussing! I also have to wake you both times. Silly girl, NIGHT time is for sleeping not during the day! I swear you haven't grown out of the newborn nights/days confusion ;)

-You are 1, and you are STILL swaddled. Not from lack of trying on my part. I have tried sooo many times to not use it, or keep your arms out. It might work for a day or 2 then we're back to screaming uncontrollably until I swaddle your arms. I know you won't go to high school and have to be swaddled, but honestly it's kinda crazy that we have gone this long with them. You still fit in them fairly well so I'll figure it out in the coming months! I don't want to stop nursing AND swaddling at the same time so we'll ween both slowly :)

-You are a total 2nd child. Your clothes never match, you wear the same bib for multiple meals (your sis had a brand new clean one for every.single.meal. We went through like 5 bibs a day! Crazy!) and I barely have any pictures of you :( I'm sorry. It's not that Momma doesn't love you, I am just way to busy!!! Keeping up with you & your sister is exhausting!

-You are FULLY WALKING! I am so proud of you! You started the week of Thanksgiving and have really taken off. I don't think I've really seen you crawl much the last couple days. It's taken you awhile b/c your so little but we are super proud! It's so cute to see you coming around a corner. I'm still not used to it! You've had plenty of falls and bumps and bruises but you're a tough cookie and just fuss a little and get up and keep going!

-You can't talk but man can you communicate your wants/needs better then ANY Baby I have ever been around. Probably b/c you're strong willed like your Momma and Sissy ;) You scream and point at exactly what you want. When you don't want something you shake your head NO back and forth. It's hilarious! If your poopy you play with the diaper wipes. When I tell you to say something you ALWAYS talk back to me. I'm sure your giving "your" answer to my question! Smart Girl :) I know people will think I'm crazy but since about 9 months I swear you've said thank you. It sounds like "tan ya" or some baby gabble but it sounds JUST like thank you. Your Uncle Andy, Daddy, and Sissy agree that is exactly what it sounds like! And of course you do the normal baby talk that sounds just like real words. All parents think their babies are brilliant and said "YES Dada" but really all babies do that! I'm sure you'll be an early talker unlike Hailey!

-You do sign language for all done and more. It's A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E and it really helps if you want more to eat, etc.

-You clap for yourself! I swear it took Hailey until 15+ months to clap! You love to stand and if I say "Yay for Ellie!" and clap, you beam and clap for yourself! Usually you haven't done anything I just LOVE seeing you clap. It's one of my most favorite baby things :)

-You are very ticklish and if I tickle your sides you give the most adorable belly laugh. Gets me every single time!

-You officially have 4 teeth! The bottom one came up w/out me every knowing you were teething (no drooling nothing! But, all of the sudden one night you were up screaming for 4 hours straight! I nursed you no less then 6 times in those 4 hours and you would NOT GO TO SLEEP! Bless your heart as soon as I gave you tylenol you were out!). Then the 2nd one came in much easier. The top 2 have taken at least 2 months to come in! Holy Moly! We have an amber teething necklace and I think it has helped a LOT. You haven't lost any sleep over the top 2! But, you seem to be extra whiny/clingy. Whatever I know it will pass and you sure are cute and fun to cuddle.

-You HATED to cuddle as a little tiny newborn. You just wanted to be left alone. When it was time to sleep, no rocking, or cuddling for you just straight in your crib. The last 4-6 weeks you will just come up to me or Daddy and lay your head on our shoulder and lay there for a couple seconds before going again! (you NEVER.STOP.MOVING!!!!!) It is soooooooo precious and I think I enjoy it more now then I would as a newborn. You are soooooooo sweet and cuddly now! Of course my favorite time of night is when you fall asleep on me while nursing. I usually hold you for just a few minutes longer before putting you to bed. I LOVE my sweet sleeping princess!!!

-You LOVE your sister something fierce. She hung the stars, moon, sun AND made sliced bread as far as your concerned. I find this hilarious, just the other day she was trying to "help" (honestly she was) and flipped you on your back from a standing position, causing you to hit your head about 3 times going down. You cried and cried and was so dramatic, then about 2 minutes later she was running all over the living room spinning around and being crazy and you loved it! You were hilarious! She pushes you down, takes your toys, and "loves" you wayyyy to hard but you are still obsessed w/ her and want to do exactly what she does! It's adorable. She is pretty much the only one that can make you laugh (aside from us tickling you). You give the biggest hardest belly laughs I have ever heard when she says pe-ew at her food. Seriously hilarious! We have so many videos of you laughing super hard at her. It's adorable and I know she loves you, just doesn't quite know how to be gentle and loving with you yet. My hope is for you girls to be the very best friends, and I can see that happening already! <3>

-Along with shoes you loathe socks. It's a never ending battle of me putting them on and you ripping them off. Silly girl it's like 13 degrees outside you need your socks! I guess your going to be a flip flop girl like Momma and Hailey ;) Luckily you always keep them on when we're out, but they just get in your way at home!

-It's hilarious when I ask "Ellie do you want to nurse?" you immediately drop WHATEVER your doing and rush over to me. You definitely know what it means!

-You are finally sleeping better. You go to bed around 10:15-10:30 and sleep until 6-7, nurse and are up for the day sometime between 9-9:30! YAY! Of course you have your random wanting to eat at 3,4,5 am night but I can deal w/ it every now and then and not every.single.night! 

-I know you won't nurse, be swaddled, and cry at night forever, but girl I am afraid you will go off to college with no eyebrows :( Poor sweet Girl, you just don't look very feminine w/out your eyebrows. You don't have anymore then you did the day you were born. When will they start growing?? (don't worry you are my gorgeous girl and Mommy still loves you the same. But I don't think I will be very good at drawing them on!) 

-I hope you know how much we love and adore you sweet Girl, but mostly I hope you have a heart and a passion for Jesus. He loves you even more then I can ever imagine! I hope I can plant a seed in your sweet heart for him, and that you see Jesus' love through your Daddy and I. We love you like crazy and know you will be a light in this world! 

 

We love you with all our hearts, you are the sweetest funniest girl ever! You complete our family and we couldn't ask for a better Ellie Bellie! :) Love you sweet girl, Happy Birthday!!!

P.S. Please remember not to hate your Momma one day that you were born ON Christmas :/ It wasn't my choice and just remember, God had it all planned and must think you're pretty special to share the day w/ Jesus!

Workin out

Imagine my surprise when Old Navy let me get a free dress last month AND then I got picked on Crowdtap to get "activewear"!! WOOHOO MORE FREE CLOTHES!
This frumpy old Momma is super excited about free stuff, let alone clothes for myself! I tend to always buy the girls stuff and I get shoved to the end of the line. So if it's free I am all about it!
This time I chose my sweet friend Amy, who picked me to get free t-shirts and told me to sign up for crowdtap! Also her daughters are Hailey's BFF's, so when Hailey heard she got to hang out w/ Zo she was super duper excited!!!

 The pants I ended up getting! SUPER comfty and perfect for lounging around the house with the girls!

 We were dying laughing at Amy's socks! Such fun festive socks! :) She didn't get either items, she got some fun black yoga pants and a zip up comfty sweat shirt!

The sweatshirt/top I ended up getting but in white. My budding little photographer Hailey took this pic. Not the best but she was pretty proud of herself!

It was a fun morning and I got some super great clothes I can actually wear and will wear a TON! Thanks ON and CT! ha

Why I never........

So my most amazing MOPS groups has a theme this year and they were making all the leaders tell thing they SWORE they would never do before coming a Mom..........I loved hearing their answers and it made me think of my own! Now luckily I don't have to get up on stage in front of 100+ women and tell the things I was so naive about before becoming a Momma!

-I SWORE my kids would never eat in the car. I washed and vacuumed my car at least once a month. (well, when the weather in Nebraska would let me!) I took such immaculate care of my cars. It was something people always remarked when they road in my car, how clean it was!
Guess what, they eat in the car almost every time we go somewhere! I have a super hard time getting Hailey to eat breakfast if we have to be somewhere before 10am. So she eats whatever I can get in her in the car on the way there. I throw cheerios and puffs back to Ellie just to get 2 minutes of quiet so I can drive in peace. There are stains ALLLLLL over my backseat :( It still drives me nuts but it is what it is!

-I never ever thought I would take so many naps! I could never sleep during the day before. Now? I am ready for nap time by 11am most days!

-I never never ever thought I would go so long w/out taking a shower. I haven't been this dirty/greasy haired since I was 12 and decided showers were a waste of time. I know they are good, and would LOVE to take one everyday but honestly those 20 minutes are better spent doing other things some days. :sigh:

-I never ever thought I would be so CRUNCHY of a Mom! You always end up being opposite of what you think you will be like right?? I never thought I would; babywear,  breastfeed, non-vax, chiro, amber necklace wearing, all natural labor, distilled water drinking, vitamin taking,and be so PASSIONATE about it! I realize my thoughts are my own (and my Hubby's!) and I never try to push just educate as best I can!

Dress shopping we will go.........

So this past spring right after my Jelly was born my friend called and asked me go to Old Navy with her because she had a coupon for some free shirts. I was super confused and honestly didn't really listen to her explain (hello distracted much with 2 children while on the phone) but I figured I would meet her and see what was up and involved.

Turns out she is a part of this website crowdtap, basically it's a bunch of companies that you fill out survey questions for and you get chosen for samples/free stuff/parties. It's fun but yes it is time consuming. I have been a member for over 9 months and finally got chosen by ON (Old Navy) to get some free clothes! (basically you have to build up a reputation so they will chose you, they don't just want to hand out free clothes to people who will collect but not write the reviews/do the little tiny bit of work after involved. Honestly it's not that hard!) So after getting turned down for bathing suits, and shorts I was excited for the opportunity to get a free dress and one free for a friend!

Now I just have to put this out there; I DO NOT WEAR DRESSES. The only one I even own is a super cute black halter that I got at White House Black Market (oh if only I was a millionaire I would only shop there no offense ON) for our rehearsal dinner. Cute yes, pretty sure I could fit 1/2 an arm in it but darnit it's cute and I'll keep it forever in hopes of wearing it again.  And the last dress I bought was my wedding dress. Yes folks it's been 5+ years since I have worn/owned a dress! Yikes! So I was excited to step out of my comfort zone and see what was out there!

We went to the store and grabbed about 5-6 dresses each and a pair of leggings to try on under the dresses. After some size switching to see what worked and didn't we both loved these wonderful amazing grey turtle neck dresses. They looked amazing with jeans, black leggings, knee high boots, everything! I was so excited I was going to wear it everyday! Then we go to ring up and they are considered sweaters not dresses :( BUMMED were we! Luckily we had back ups, some super pretty silk-like drop waste 3/4 sleeve numbers. They were comfty! I liked the way it moved, felt and fit my post-baby body! Even Nat loved them and she NEVER wears dresses so this was huge for her! We are excited to wear them and see how comfortable we are out on the town in them :)

 This was a wrap dressed I tried on, but didn't get. It was cute and comfty (although in typical Becky tardness I could NOT for the life of me figure out those dumb ties!) but I wasn't lovin the way it showed off my mommaof2muffintop. Um yeah notsomuch

LOVED these comfty sweaters. (and Sissy! and the fact that my 3 YEAR OLD took this picture. Such a prodigy that one is) Might have to ask Santa for one!


Utter fail that I didn't get myself in the dress I bought but since was last minute OOPS! :) Thanks Old Navy I will be back as always since I <3 all="all" br="br" clothes="clothes" nbsp="nbsp" your="your">

Momma said there'd be days like this..........

I love how people think Stay-At-Home-Moms must be bored, do nothing, watch tv and eat all day! (OK so yesterday was one of those days where I sat and did a lot of "nothing", but that is neither here or there........) I  was one of those people who when I worked full time wondered "what the heck will I do all day when I am home with kids?" I mean you can only fill your time with laundry, cleaning bathrooms, cooking dinner, etc right?? HA!

Today me and the Girls had to go to Target to get a list of things. I should  have gone to the ol Wally World but let's face it, I can only go there so many times before wanting to stab my own eyes out. So Target it was! We get there and are walking in and Hailey decides to STOP in the middle of the parking lot for no reason. So of course I step on her foot, which apparently broke every.single.toe. causing her to cry and scream. We finally get in the store where I can put Ellie in the cart and inspect Hailey and cuddle her like a baby until she will shush enough so people don't think I put her in a torture chamber. Oy the child and her dramatics. I don't have any idea where she gets it people!
So then of COURSE Hailey HAS to use the potty b/c she couldn't use it at home, so we go in the huge family size one (THANK YOU TARGET!) where I can push the entire cart in the restroom. Hailey sits on the potty and somehow manages to pee all over her undies AND her pants. So of course this uber prepared Momma would have a change of clothes and panties for her somewhat-newly-potty-trained-3-year-old right? ERRR wrong-o! Great. Luckily I did have a pull-up which surprisingly she agreed to wear so at least she didn't have to go commando, or even worse make me buy MORE underwear when we already have 23930128329 pair at home. While I am cleaning Hailey up (who also agreed to wear slightly wet leggins, let's forget the fact that Momma lied and said they were dry please. She usually won't wear a shirt if it has 1 drop of water on it from lunch. Yes I gave candy in the car for good behavior) Ellie decides to try to jump out of the cart to her death. Really child?? I look over and she is STANDING up in the cart backwards in the front part. And before you judge me, SHE WAS BUCKLED! I swear my children are Houdini's! What he heck?? I tighten the strap on the poor kid until she can't breathe so she is safe and get Hailey dressed so we can start our shopping trip! The rest of the time in the store was pretty uneventful, unless you consider me having a momentary laps in judgement and gave Jelly the teeniest tiniest bite of Halloween cookie they were sampling in the bakery, and she decided to cover her entire self with sprinkles (which I'm pretty sure her cookie was sans sprinkles. Where did she get them?) and the .1% of frosting. Seriously it was a HUGE mess. But I pretty much got her cleaned up. And let's be real here folks, she is the 2nd child. She is never clean or in matching clothes. Poor kid.
Then when we check out Hailey decides to scrap her leg on a box of something I was buying in the cart and proceed to scream again like I broke her toes all over again. Oh lawd get me out of here! I couldn't help but laugh as I was finally walking out of the store. Yes it's SOOO boring to be a SHAM...........good thing God made my babies so cute or I would go crazy! Oh heck I already am crazy! 

Hailey

Just some more randoms of my Hayhe. Seems like everyday she is growing, learning, saying hilarious things, challenging me more then I ever imagined, and loving HARD! She is amazing, and keeps me on my toes. She is defiantly not what I ever imagined (not sure what kind of kids I thought I would have?? Quiet, passive, calm kids like their Mother?? Ha who am I kidding........) but I wouldn't have it any other day. We butt heads all day every day but I hope some day she uses her passion for Jesus and others!

-Hailey LOVES to sing. It's hilarious and cute. She got a special gift from her Momma and even knows songs as soon as the music comes on! It's talent people, I know your jealous what can I say!
One of her favorites is "Where I Belong" by Building 429. This song is amazing and I'm such a nerd but I tear up every time I hear it and let the words sink in. Here is the chorus;

All I know is I'm not home yet
This is not where I belong
Take this world and give me Jesus
This is not where I belong

Hearing your little 3 year old sing it out seriously moves me. I know she doesn't completely understand the lyrics, how BIG our God is, but I know in a small way I am turning her heart to Jesus and planting seeds. It seriously makes me smile and cry at the same time! So sweet! Some of her other favorites are "God's Not Dead" by Newsboys, "Revolution Song" by Phillips, Craig, And Dean, anything by Natalie Grant and Britt Nicole,  and a bunch of others they play on Klove. Love it! Love her! 


Along those same lines, I am really trying my hardest to teach her about Jesus, God, Heaven, etc. We are trying to make her aware there is a Bigger power over all of us, and he is watching and knows our every move! There are soooo many questions during the day that I don't always have answers for. "Why do bugs do that??" "Why is the sun hot?" "Why is it raining?" Etc. It gets tiring, but I usually try to answer as best I can because I know this is her way of learning. Those times I don't have an answer and wonder why myself I usually just say "Because that is how God made it/did it, etc." It's the truth and it seems to please her! So now when she wonders something instead of asking she will just say "I guess that's how God made it" even when it's totally out there. "Why these socks are so scratchy? Guess that is how God made it!" hilarious! I usually correct her, but sometimes I just let her think that! It's so cute and innocent and I love how she loves God! 


She is full on day-time potty trained! I'm sure I've blogged this before but since she was a "late potty user" in my book I am still so proud and some days amazed she wears panties! We still go through a LOT (to many in my mind but I digress) of pull-ups but the last couple days she has stayed dry at nap AND bed time so that is huge!!! If she keeps it up I will start tracking how many days in a row she stays dry at both and attempt panties during sleep times. We'll see I'm not looking forward to all the wet bedding/clothes :/ But pull ups aren't cheap and we REALLY need to save $!


She says the sillest things. She is very advanced for her language in my mind but somethings she just can't figure out. 
She calls paper towels "paper wa" noooooooo idea where she got that one! She knows it's towels and can say it properly but still calls them paper wa. It's silly and I don't correct her I know someday she will say the right thing and then I will be sad! lol
One of my other favorite (but gets OLD quick) is "what you say?" It's usually that she isn't listening, or doesn't process what your saying, but instead of just saying what or what did you say she just spits out "what you say??" or sometimes you even get "what you say to me?" Most times when she says this I ask her what I said and she can repeat it word for word, frustrating but funny the way she says it.
Her other thing she always says is "Oh Honey". I guess I say this a lot?!?!? The one time that really stands out is I eat a little bit of cashews every night before bed for extra protein during b/fing. Hailey LOVES cashews but they are super $$$ so I cherish them and try not to let her have to many. She polished off my can of them and ate quiet a lot, I got upset and asked her if she ate all of Mommy's nuts. She looks at me dead serious and says "Oh Honey it's OK you can buy more at Target!" HA! Where does she get this stuff??!?! Sooo hard to stay serious in front of her sometimes!


Some other random great things she has said lately;

I was painting our toe nails one night and I had to take the old chipped polish off. When I was done cleaning them all off she looked at them, sighed and said "Oh Momma my toes is ceepy (creepy) them naked!" ha!

We were having an extremely hard discipline/attitude day and she was getting on my last nerve, while I was making dinner I asked her to be quiet and that I was going to go crazy!!! She looks in my eyes, grabs my arm and says "Oh Honey, it will be OK. Soon it will be bed time and then you will be OK cuz my will be asleep!"

I wanted to eat out for a special treat for my Birthday lunch, when I asked Hailey what we should have she thought it would be a great idea to eat Pizza! I asked her where on earth we should get pizza from she said "Old Donalds" (McDonalds" ha!


We recently took the videos from our video camera and burned them to a disk. Sitting and watching them makes my heart ache to go back in time! I do love the stage Hailey is in now and every one of them, but if I could only go back 2 summers when she was 15-18 months I would have enjoyed it more! Her cute little sign language, the way she walked, her bald head. Oh I miss it! It seriously makes me cry. Hormonal Momma? Maybe. Good thing I have Ellie to live through it again! I am soooo going to enjoy it more. It's my most favorite time of childhood!!! We are so blessed to have such gorgeous girls who are so fun and silly! The days are long but the years are short. I love that saying and it's SO true!