Can't believe I am posting this photo!

If we are friend on facebook, which we should be, click here to like my page if we aren't, you might have seen that I've started substitute teaching again.

On Friday, I was in a 5th grade class. I always see myself in the freckle faced little girls. There was one on Friday kind of flirting with a boy and I had to think back to remember if girls liked boys in 5th grade. It feels like just yesterday I myself was in 5th grade and had a crush on a boy in my class.

While they were working, I thought about how things that seem so important at that age and in high school really don't matter at all.

This is a picture of me in probably 3rd or 4th grade with my uncle. I had a very tragic and lengthy awkward phase. I wish I could go back and tell this diva in a jumpsuit how much she has to look forward to.

When you go away to college, it really is such a fresh start. I think if I could give advice to kids in middle school or high school I would tell them to make lots of friends. As long as you have that skill in college I think you do ok. Oh, and maybe pay attention to some of the stuff the teacher is talking about so you can pass the classes in college too.

I've mentioned here before that I met Hubby through a mutual friend in college. If I hadn't talked to some girls in my biology class I might not have ever met him. When I met him he didn't care if I was the homecoming queen or the teacher's pet in high school. I showed him that picture above and he knew right away he had to marry me! (Just kidding)

I would tell that little girl, make lots of friends, find things you love to do, work towards your goals and along the way prince charming will show up. He will be everything you have ever wanted in a husband and father to your children and so handsome. He will take a leap of faith and a great job offer and move to San Diego. You will accomplish your goal of getting a teaching credential even though the last 6 months of the program will be some of the hardest times of your life because you are away from the love of your life.

With some encouragement he will ask you to move to San Diego to live with him. You will live in a tiny 600 sq ft apartment, make some lifelong friends, build closer relationships with old friends, and spend time with his family. He will need more encouragement to one day buy you the ring of your dreams. He will make you wait for a few months and then on Valentine's day he will take you for a walk on the beach and get down on his knee and ask you to be his wife!

You will plan the most amazing day of your life when you walk down the aisle to him and become his wife. Then you will take an unforgettable honeymoon! After the honeymoon, when you decide you are ready for a baby, there will be some tough months. But those two little lines and the words pregnant will appear on those sticks!

After 4 years in San Diego away from your families in Northern California, Hubby will hear about a job opening. You will pray and plan and hope and then all of your dreams really will come true. You will move back to Northern California and find out that you are having the little boy you always wanted. You will be able to buy a home that is so much nicer than the 600 sq ft apartment you started your marriage out in. You will be blessed with the most adorable, happy, healthy baby boy that turns your whole world upside down in an instant.



New years resolution update

You might remember my new years resloution was to get our house organized since we have been living here for a year now. My motivation is a new sectional couch when we finish the list! I think we are doing pretty good with getting the list done!

1.Hang pictures and mirrors

We created a little family organization center by the computer desk.

 This is a vinyl wall art decal I got for my bday. I didn't want to put it on the wall and not be able to take it will us if we moved so I put it on a canvas. So hard to do! It says Having somewhere to go is a home. Having someone to love is a family. Having both is a blessing. Love it!

 We haven't painted the cabinet doors or wall behind our bed yet. Don't know if we will get to it. But we hung the mirror up.

2.Will and Trust - we NEED to do this!
3.Clean the blinds - I may never get all the blinds clean!
4.Organize Chase's clothes the plastic tub that has his hand me downs in it is empty! We have 18-24 months stuff hanging up and in drawers. After that I guess no more hand me downs! I think he has caught up to his cousins in size!
5.Donate clothes I don't wear - I may never do this :/
6.Wash make up brushes
7.Wash bras
8.Move Chase's jumperoo to next notch Chase doesn't really jump in his jumperoo anymore. I should probably move it to the next notch again but we just use it as a place to contain him while he watches tv :/
9.Clean appliances
10.Wash cars - another one I may never do
11.Clean all the hard-to-reach places: behind the stove, refrigerator, washer/ dryer, sofas and under beds. Dust behind furniture and appliances. Dust window sills, ceilings, and baseboards. Don't forget to dust down doors, molding, and hidden corners were cobwebs may form.
12.Clean carpet we actually got new carpet!
13.Wash windows and screens. - yeah right!
14.Clean oven
15.Clean stove burners with Ammonia - I did this once but they didn't get all the way clean!
16.Rotate mattress
17.Buy trash can for aluminum cans
18.Turn in aluminum cans
19.Organize papers
20.Update filing system

of course I added to the list
21. fix Chase's and master door
22. put new faucet on
23. fix drip in upstairs bath
24. change batteries in smoke alarms
25. baby gate upstairs and other baby proofing - this is #1 on the list!
26. organize silverware
27. glue board by downstairs bathroom down

My zucchini lover makes me so proud!

My little man enjoying zucchini (one of his favorite foods), tomatoes, and vidalia onions. As a mom that would still eat chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and pizza every day if you would let me this makes me so proud!



I've talked about Chase's eating habits a little bit on here before. Today, I want to talk about our feeding strategy. You can read one of my favorite blogs, Raise Healthy Eaters, "why every parent needs a feeding strategy if you click here.

One of my mommy group friends told me about this website that has saved us! I actually printed out the section for how to feed children 11-36 months to have at our table to remind us.

I know when you first start feeding your baby the doctors and books tell you that children need to try something 15-20 times before they like it. But, gerber, has figured out how to make their stuff irresistible! I made a lot of Chase's food with the baby bullet and he learned to like most of it but if gerber made it he couldn't get enough!

Then he started wanting to be a big boy and refused the spoon. There was a stressful time period when all he would eat was gerber snack foods. We just kept giving him different foods to try and one day he started eating them! Our feeding strategy is to keep putting lots of healthy foods on his tray and hope that he learns to like them!

Another thing I have learned from my two favorite websites, that I already gave links to above, is you don't have to show your child how to eat or put the food in their mouth. They naturally want to eat what you are eating and put everything in their mouths anyways. This has been kind of hard because mommy doesn't want to share her cupcake or cookie, which I think these websites would probably tell me I should do! Every time I eat anything little man wants some!

I gotta go get Chase up from his afternoon nap. Check out the division of responsibility on Ellyn's page. Parents decide when and what their children eat, children decide how much of it they want to eat. You always plan to include something you know your child will eat but you don't become a short order cook.

I hope I'm not jinxing myself and we are able to have a healthy eater for life! I know it will get hard but we've got a plan!

The little details from Chase's party

As many of you know, I started planning Chase's birthday party when he was about 6 months old. I worked my booty off for several weeks before the party. I wanted to do a post and share the little details.

This banner says "CONCESSIONS" and is above the food table.

The cracker jacks were the party favor for the adults. The baseballs say "Thank you for celebrating Chase's rookie year".

We had a t ball and bases set up for the kids.

Grandma made a cake and I made baseball cupcakes.

I decorated Chase's high chair.

The party was at a park and we brought tons of balls for the kids and adults to play with. The party favor for the kids was baseball bats and balls. 

Finding happiness

I have wanted to delete my facebook for awhile now. The only reason I haven't is so I can post pictures and videos of Chase for friends and family to see. I don't have an iphone so I can't send pictures and videos that way.

Do you ever wonder if you would be happier if you weren't constantly comparing your life to others?

In the shower tonight I was fantasizing about my perfect mother's day. Then I realized even if I was given that mother's day I probably wouldn't allow it or enjoy it. Mom guilt.

I'm going to be taking a step away from social media. It's so funny how when you want something it seems like everyone else has it. I'm happy for them but it still stings.

I don't want to read about everyone's perfect mother's days with the flowers and the cards and the crafts.

I'm not sure how long I will be away. I'll probably still post pictures. I may even write blog posts. I won't be reading blogs though.

I'm weird

I put a raw amber teething anklet on my son.

People ask us all the time about his anklet. I can tell they think it is weird. My cousin's husband made fun of him and I think called him girly or something.

I am still breast feeding my son. He is a year old.

Today someone said it was weird to them to breast feed past one.

A friend of mine thought it would be weird to breast feed my son because he is tall.

Those two comments about breast feeding are bothering me today.

This year I'm working on being secure in the choices I've made as a mom.

I'm getting there.

1 year old!

My little man you are 1 year old! I wrote you a sappy letter already. That's not what this post is about. This is to finish off the year of monthly posts I have done. Your 11th month was a perfect way to end a wonderful year! We started off the month with your first Easter!

You got to dye eggs for the first time. You got to hunt for them. The Easter bunny brought you a basket full of goodies! Of course you had to spend time with your very own personal Easter bunny, Blue.

We also had a lot of birthday parties this month! You had so much fun at your buddy Carter's party. Grandpa wanted to celebrate his birthday by hanging out by the pool with you. Then at the end of the month was YOUR birthday party!

Everyone warned us to watch out once you start walking. We have had so much fun with you now that you are walking. You are beding over and picking up toys. You push and pull toys while walking. You turn the pages of your books before you start to chew them. Any time music comes one you do a cute little shake/dance.

Dear 1 year old Chase,

Dear Chase,
   Your daddy and I have wanted to be parents for a very long time. We love kids. I don't think either of us ever expected how much we would love you. On May 1st, 2011 at 1:01pm when you were placed in my arms the tears started streaming down my face like they are now. I kept saying over and over, "he's so cute!". It is on video luckily.
   Every day I am amazed that your dad and I created something so perfect. We are so blessed that you have been such a healthy, happy, adorable little boy.
   You got your height from both of your parents. People always tell me how tall you are!
   People always tell us how beautiful your eyes are. You got them from your daddy. Last week when we were at Target with Grandpa Tom he said, "You have the prettiest blue eyes. You keep those until high school and I'll teach you how to get all the girls". I don't think you will have any problem with that. You are already a total flirt and know how adorable you are.
   Your smile is another favorite of ours. The other day when I was buying your birthday card the woman at the store said, "his whole face lights up when he smiles". I love that you smile at everyone. I hope you continue to do this.
   We love your laugh. You think everything daddy does it hilarious!
   You are our little comedian. You will do anything for a laugh. If you do get a laugh you will do it over and over again. Go crazy!
   It has been decided you get your coordination from me. You shocked us all when you started crawling at 8 months. After that you were quickly trying to pull yourself up and walk. Everyone warned us that once you were walking we were in trouble. For us the hard part was when you were pulling yourself up and falling down. We love that you are able to get around on your own now.
   I'm sure you are well aware that you are not the best sleeper. I'm not ever going to let your forget these last 12 months of no sleep! You are lucky that your daddy works so hard so mommy can stay home with you. In the beginning, I think you were awake a lot because you were a big hungry boy. Now, I think your poor teeth are hurting you. You are also lucky you are so cute!
   Learning to eat food has been an adventure this year. At first you loved anything made by Gerber. I wanted to make your food for you and you eventually got used to it. Then you decided you didn't want me to feed you any more. You started out only liking snack foods and bread. Then you ate pears and mandarins. Lately you have been trying more foods. You love zucchini!
   I feel so lucky that you are such a good baby. I love that we are still able to take you to restaurants.
   Right now your persistance and determination can sometimes be a struggle. I like that you know what you want and you go for it but you need to listen when we tell you no. I promise I will only tell you no if it is something dangerous!
   I have been the only one that has put you to sleep this year. At times it has been hard but now I'm soaking up every minute of it!
  We have had a lot of adventures this year. I know you won't remember anything from this year, but I hope when you look back at pictures you see how much you were loved. You are a lucky boy that has a lot of people that love you.

Picture of Chase right when they placed him in my arms.

Picture of Chase and I at his birthday party.