The "Three-nager" Stage

Good morning friends! 

Hope y'all had a good Monday and start to the week! I was able to get a good nights sleep last night and Eva did as well which I am so thankful for. Little Miss has been fighting off a nasty cold/flu (no it wasn't Covid) she was all kinds of congested and her cough is just atrocious, but she is doing so much better and I just thank God for getting us through the hard part. 

Unfortunately I have a little cough and tight chest now too, but I'm hoping it's just allergies because it's supposed to rain all week this week, that's usually when my allergies are the worst! Hopefully I'm not bgetting sick because being pregnant as well it is a lot and I can't really take much medicine-wise!

Anyway...I wanted to come in here for a little rant, maybe some friendly advice from momma's with toddlers because I am just lost and don't really know how to handle my three year old at this point. Evangeline is obviously my first child meaning she is my first toddler and the attitude, meltdowns and sass is just getting a little too much. Maybe it's my hormones talking, but I am at a crossroads! 

This little girl is everything in my world and I know that this is just a phase that we're going to have to fight through together. I am just really stuck on how to handle the new attitude I'm getting from such a tiny little person.

Let me let you in on a little secret....Eva isn't like most three year olds who are already talking and are potty trained, she is a little behind on those types of things and I have been told multiple times to get her evaluated for autism. Why am I hesitating to get that done? Maybe because I'm scared of the result, not because I think anyone is any different for having autism, but because I don't know how to help my little girl grow or get a better understanding of things. She has been doing a lot better since starting school and her speech is improving tremendously due to speech therapy every 2-3 times a week, but her understanding and cognitive abilities are still something to be worked on and I have no idea how to go about doing that.

Aside from Eva possibly being on the spectrum for autism, she is also refusing to eat and sleep at night. I could be overreacting especially because she has been sick for the past 4 days and we all know our appetite kind of goes out the window when we don't feel good, but even before she got sick, It's like she's afraid she's going to miss something! She only eats the bad stuff like chips and candy and stays far away from vegetables and some fruits. Is my child just a picky eater? Or is it my fault for not continuing to give her the the food she needs in order to eat healthy? I have tried to take away the junk food and only give her some leeway over the weekends but then she doesn't eat during the week and when she does, it's a few bites here and there! 

I am still learning and I am trying to find the happy medium, but man....I didn't think I would struggle this much! 

I just want what's best for my sweet girl and I am open to any advice! Some parents tell me to use the softer approach and try to talk to her and explain when it comes to her being defiant, but then I feel like she doesn't understand what I am trying to say because her speech and understanding isn't where it should be, but then I also don't feel right yelling or spanking everytime she is defiant because then what is that teaching her as well? 

I grew up on spanks and I am a firm believer that to a certain extent it is necessary, but all the time? Absolutely not! 

It's just finding that happy medium that is hard and that is where I am struggling! It's so frustrating not knowing how to "parent" your child! But I am learning and I know that in the future I will look back and laugh at how much time I spent overthinking this whole thing.

Anyway friends! If you have any advice or words of wisdom, I would really appreciate it! 

I hope you all have a Blessed Tuesday! 

XXX

Happy Homemaker Monday!

 Hi friends! 

Boy let me tell you, life has been a major rollercoaster lately and I'm sure most of you can agree with me on that one. I figured maybe if I start participating slowly in my Aunt's Happy Homemaker Monday posts every week and slowly start getting back into blogging, it will distract me from all the chaos that is going on around us. 

I know I'm a little late to the party, but it's still Monday so better late than never right? 

I've been trying to just push through today because last night my three year old who has been sick this past weekend decided she didn't want to sleep last night and would much rather enjoy a little giggle session and playtime from 1:00 am to about after 4:00 am! And on top of that, I had to still get her up for school at 6:30 this morning as well! So it's been interesting and exhausting and to make it even worse, she decided to fight a nap too after school so I don't know friends I'm seriously at my wits end!

But anyway...let's jump right into this post! 

Sandra Bourland's Happy Homemaker Monday!

Breakfast Time: What was on the plate this morning?

This morning I had breakfast with my momma and we enjoyed some toasted bolillo rolls with eggs and mayo on them and I also added a little cottage cheese on there. It was really good!

Looking Around The House:

The house is not clean at all! I'm going to be honest, there has been no energy to do anything. It's not like disgustingly dirty, it just needs to be picked up, things need to be packed away and a good vacuum is needed too! Otherwise, it's pretty decent! 

On Today's To-Do List:

Just taking it easy today. I know it's almost dinner time and such, but I've literally been uploading pictures from my camera to my computer and that is literally all I've done today. My daughter is fed, meds have been taken and she is now outside playing in the yard, so it's been a pretty relaxed day.

Currently Reading: 

The Never List by Koethi Zan

I have been reading this book for months now because I just don't have the time to actually sit and read a good amount of pages, so I'm taking my time and hopefully I will finish it eventually! 

On The TV This Week:

I have actually been enjoying watching crime and investigation shows, so that's all that's been on my watch list lately and a little bit of some Big Bang Theory. 

The Weather Outside Is: 

So excited for the rain this week, but not to too excited about waking up in it every morning to take my little to school! LOL

If I Have A Few Minutes To Myself, I Will: 

Watch crime and investigation shows. I don't know what it is! I have never really enjoyed stuff like that because those types of things scare me, but lately I've just been enjoying them. 

New Recipe I Tried or Want To Try This Week:

I think sometime this week, I am going to try this Broiled Cod with Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce 

Seems simple and quick and a little different from what we usually do with our cod fish.

One Of My Simple Pleasures:

A good nap or a good nights sleep! LOL 

I know it's odd and funny to say, but lately sleep has been non existent lately and with my son coming soon, there's really going to be no sleep whatsoever! 

Favorite Photo From The Camera:

My beautiful boy Remington! The most placid and sweetest dog in the world, also very protective of his pregnant momma!

Praying For:

✰ My beautiful momma who is fighting breast cancer right now.

✰ The world we live in right now. Praying for better days to come!

I Thought 2020 Was a Bad Year!

 Last year the world turned upside down and everyone was scared and confused. We suffered from losing loved ones to actual toilet paper shortages everywhere! We have all come a long way since then and a lot has happened to a lot of people and their families. I feel like everyone has had their fair share of hardships and my family has been dealing with hit after hit after hit! 

We may not have lost family members to the dreaded Covid-19, but we have dealt with a lot of other issues that have put us down on our knees begging God for it all to stop and go away! I think the only blessing that has happened this year was me getting pregnant again and even though I was so shocked and disappointed that this was happening now, I have come to realize that God works in mysterious ways and having a little one on the way is always a Blessing no matter the circumstances.

I know I said I would come in and give updates on the pregnancy as well as bump pictures, but once again, life got in the way and that hasn't really been a big priority in my life. My family and I were hit with devastating news about a month ago that non of us were expecting or even imagined would've ever happened. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and unfortunately it is aggressive and spreading quickly. We are still trying to come to terms with the news and trying to get all doctors appointments and treatments done as soon as possible. It hasn't been easy and all of us are emotionally and mentally exhausted from trying to be supportive and helpful in any way for my mother. 

My mother had her first chemo treatments this last Friday and she has been really good since then, she just as of now, doesn't have a lot of energy but that's all that's keeping her down right now. My mother is an absolute warrior and we are all so proud of the strength and positive attitude she is showing through all of this. She is definitely the strongest women I know!

So if you could please send some Prayers for my momma to beat this thing, we would really appreciate it!

Hope y'all had a safe and Blessed 4th of July weekend! Stay Blessed! 

XXX 

~Unexpected Surprises~

 Hi everyone! 

How're y'all doing? Hope your 2021 is going as well as it can be for you. I tell you, it's been a good year for us so far and we even have a big surprise to share with everyone...

Surprise!! Baby James #2 will be here December 30, 2021! 

I am 7 weeks and 5 days today. This pregnancy has been a lot harder than when I was pregnant with Eva! The morning sickness has been worse to be the point where I can barely get up some days! Everything sounds off putting, although fruits and some foods sound so good! With Eva all i wanted to eat was chocolate, mostly chocolate cereal, but with this baby it's all about the healthy food!

I have already been to the emergency room with bleeding and blood clots, and some weird cramps which is never fun and gave us such a big scare, but turned out everything was fine and all I had was a bad UTI! Weird right?

This pregnancy was not planned at all and came as a total shock to all of us! I was actually getting back into the gym and working hard to get rid of my baby weight from Eva, so when I found out I was pregnant again I won't lie, I wasn't too thrilled and actually had a hard time coming to terms with it. But after seeing the little bean and hearing the little heartbeat, I couldn't help but tear up a bit from pure happiness and just thinking..."Eva is going to be a big sister!!" 

I plan on coming on here every week and doing an update on the pregnancy. I will be talking about my symptoms and how big the baby is getting and also will upload some bump pictures which is always exciting! 

I hope y'all have a Blessed Tuesday! 

XOXO

{2021 - A New Exciting Year!}

 Hi Friends!

I know I'm late to the party but Happy New Year!! 

I know 2020 was a bit of a crappy year and for some it was worse than others. I just want to send out my condolences to those that have lost loved ones to the horrendous Covid virus. My thoughts and prayers are with you always! Even though 2021 didn't start out any better, I would just like to send out a ton of positive vibes into the universe in hopes that things start turning around for the better very soon! I'm sure each and every person reading this could use some positivity! I know I can! 

Last year was a good and bad year for me and my family and I'm going to tell you why in just a second, but first I have to just say that I am thankful to God for bringing my family where we are today and for showing us just how much we need Him in our lives. It has taken me a long time to actually sit down and come up with something to say about the year we've had because it's just been so hard and our lives have literally become such a rollercoaster! 

On July 4, 2020 my family and I went for a joy ride up in the mountains and it actually turned out to be a fun day. After spending spending all afternoon riding around, we needed to head back home to see my mother-in-law for her birthday and while we were coming back down the mountain, we hit a bit of some slippery sand and our truck rolled twice down into a ditch and landed on its roof. What gets me to this day is we had just gotten to the bottom of the mountain with a straight drop right next to us, if we had rolled off the egde at that time, we would've been dead. I'm just so grateful to God that we had made it to the bottom before rolling. Got to look at the small things right?

My husband suffered a sprained ankle and I broke my middle finger on my right hand. Our daughter came out of that wreck UNTOUCHED! Praise be to God! She was just laying there upside down in her carseat crying but only because I was screaming and scaring her. Once my husband got her out, I climbed up the side of the mountain with her on my hip and managed to wave down a car with a wonderful family that helped us until the cops and ambulance arrived. Just wanted to also add that we did have our 2 fur babies with us and when we rolled the truck, Tater met us at the door when we pushed our way out, but we couldn't find Remington anywhere! We were heartbroken when the thought crossed our minds, "Omg our sweet boy is under the truck!"

My husband (with his adrenaline pumping) lifted the truck onto it's side and thankfully, Remington wasn't under the truck! He ran away and because he was so scared, he wouldn't come back to us. Steven's cousin and his wife went hiking up into the mountain to find him, but the stinker kept running away from them! So when it came time to leave and head to the emergency room, Steven left his bloody hat on the side of the road in hopes that our boy would come down and meet us there the next morning. 

Thankfully we found our boy the next day. Steven's family was amazing and helped from the moment we crashed to the very moment we were reunited with our sweet Remington. It was the perfect way to make up for the most intense 2 days of our lives. As you can see our 2 boys are happy and doing well.

We thought that was the only terrible thing we would ever have to go through until the next week, Evangeline swallowed a toy ball wrapped in velcro and was choking. Thankfully my brother was in time and while I was running out of my house screaming for help, he managed to get the ball up a little enough for her to get some air in but the velcro tore her throat up and she started bleeding. By that time I had already called the cops seeing as no one on my street responded to my cries, and they rushed her to the emergency room within 5 minutes of the incident happening. My husband was called and rushed home from work and met me at the emergency room where they managed to take the ball out of Eva's throat, but she had to be sedated so she could calm down and let the doctors work. 

Unfortunately our little girl had to stay a couple nights at the hospital in Boise which was not a pleasant experience for her or us. Thankfully she managed to make a full recovery! It was a hard month for us and we are still paying for it but I am just so thankful to God that my family is healthy and doing well.

On the bright side, at the end of last year, we moved to Texas to be closer to my family! We are still trying to adjust, but we are doing pretty darn good! My husband managed to get a job and is going to his dream school in Dallas and I finally have some help with Eva, not to mention my parents and brother finally get a chance to bond with her and they are absolutely LOVING it! 

This year is going to be an opportunity for us to grow in wasy we couldn't grow before and I am super excited! I hope ya'll will be able to join us!

Hope you all have a Blessed day further! God Bless!

Tiffany 

xoxo

2020 = Staying indoors?

Hi Friends!

Wow! Been a bit of a long visit and I actually think this is the longest I haven't been on my blog. Apparently in my world, things have been a little crazy and non stop which I feel like most of you can relate to, right?

My little family and myself have been living in Idaho for the past year and a half since my husband retired from the Marine Corp and let me tell you, there's been a lot of good and bad days! My husband and I have definitely had our marriage put to the test this last year and a half which is not always fun to deal with, but thankfully, we managed to pull through and now we are stronger than ever...at least I think so anyway!

My husband has also been dealing with some family issues on his side, not gonna get too much into that, but let's just say it has resulted in us making the big decision to move to Texas closer to my family! I have been asking him for this for so long and I guess this was just the final big push for us. My husband will be attending the school of his dreams and I will be closer to my parents and other family members and my parents will finally get to be a part of my daughters life!

We have had some issues with Steven's mother not really playing the "Grandmother Role" towards Eva and was not afraid to play the "Favorite" game with her other 2 grandchildren. I have tried time and time again to have Eva have a relationship with her Grandmother, but it just wasn't enough, (according to my mother-in-law I needed to try harder to better their relationship!)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it the grandmother's responsibility to work and better her relationship with her grand kids? At least that's what I thought...?

Anyway, I just needed to get a little off my chest (as you can tell), but things are finally starting to look up, except for this horrible pandemic we are going through! Who else is actually DONE with all of this? I know I am!
I just feel absolutely horrible for all those people getting sick and dying and their family members that can't even give them a proper funeral. I feel horrible, but also so grateful for all those doctors and nurses who are working tirelessly to try and beat this virus!

We will get through this, in Jesus name!

I have actually been trying to work on my relationship with God and I found myself being lost most of the time, but still pushing through in hopes that I will make it through and actually get rid of the feeling that I am doing it wrong or that I am not doing enough. I have been watching the sermons at Elevation Church and I am just blown away by Steven Furtick, his wife and just their whole team of worshipers altogether. I feel like I finally have a pastor that I can listen to that isn't so monotone and hard to keep up with, He actually makes it to where I understand the Bible verses that he reads and actually explains them in detail.

I am actually planning on getting Baptized when we move to Texas so I can have my whole family there to witness me giving my life to God and support me through it! I also would like to get Eva dedicated to God. Steven and I had agreed that we won't baptize Eva, but rather dedicate her so that when she is older, she can make the decision to get baptized or not and to her religion of her choice. Steven is Catholic and was Baptized a Catholic and I want to be baptized as a Baptist Christian (I think that is the right term).

A lot of changes are coming our way and I can't wait to see where it takes us and how it changes us. God is good and He will provide every step of the way. I will try and keep my blog updated on our events (I know I have said that MANY times before), but as always, I can't promise anything.

I hope you are safe and doing okay during quarantine and if you ever need a friend or someone to talk to, I am here!

Have a good night friends! xx

2019...Almost Done!

Hello friends!

Haven't put up a post in a hot minute, but you know how it is when life kind of doesn't slow down for a while. I hope everyone has been doing good and enjoying the fall weather!
I'm not gonna lie, I was having a hard time getting into the "Fall Spirit", still kind of am but I've been trying for my little girl. She is very much aware of everything around her now and I kind of want to make every season and holiday fun for her!

So I've been wanting to pick your guys' brains a little bit, especially my hunting people!
I have having a very hard time with my husband going out hunting almost every weekend and not exactly spending time with his family. I personally don't think I would have that much of an issue with it if we was working day shift at work, but he works night shift and that kind of contributes to us not spending time with him as much! I guess I'm just asking the wives of hunters how they deal with it because I really need some advice! We just keep fighting and it's putting a lot of strain in our marriage.

Other than the hunting issue, my family has been doing well for the most part! My sweet little girl is growing up so fast and I honestly can't keep up.

 

Evangeline is starting to say a few words now and her favorite one is "NO!" haha
She is becoming very defiant when I tell her no and not to touch certain things like my ceramic angels, the dog food and the cleaning supplies under my kitchen sink! Lol
But I am having so much fun with her, this age is so much fun!
Also the night's are finally better, meaning both Eva and I are getting a full night's sleep and it feels amazing!

Life is treating us pretty well here and we cannot wait to see what liufe throws at us next!

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

A lot of Firsts!

Good Morning Friends!

A lot has happened since the last time I've been on here and let me tell you....life just keeps getting a bit more hectic! 

I had my first Mother's Day which was absolutely wonderful and I couldn't be more grateful to be mother to the most beautiful little girl in the world! 

On Mother's Day morning, my hubby came home from work and took Little Eva over to her grandma's so I could sleep in. I managed to sleep in an extra 2 hours!! It may not seem like much, but for me, it was amazing! 

I had coffee waiting for me from our local coffee place in town that we love, and when I went downstairs, I found a huge card from "Evangeline" and a vase full of flowers and a chocolate bar from my hubby! It was all so very sweet. 

I also received a card from my mom with a beautiful gift along with it....

This beautiful gold necklace represents the bond and love between Grandmother, Mother, and Granddaughter and it was just the PERFECT first Mother's Day gift! 

I love it so much, but unfortunately my daughter has already broken the chain, so now I need to go and get that fixed. I know better than to wear necklaces around her because she is most definitely my child....loves anything that is sparkly and shiny! 

I hope all you momma's out there had a very Blessed and spoiled Mother's Day with your kids! 

Finally Settled In

Good Morning Friends.

I am finally able to sit down and type up a blog post. I did not leave my blog hanging after my last post, I promise! I typed up a post and everything and then for some reason, my laptop went all crazy and deleted my entire post...TWICE! I don't know what happened, but after that I just got caught up with our move and moving into a new house with a 9 month old present isn't very easy.

Steven got a new position at his job working night shift, so when he gets home from work every morning, he sleeps all day...so I have pretty much moved into this house by myself all while continuing my mommy duties. The only time I got help was on the 2 days Steven gets off which was an amazing little break for me and my body.

But now my house is finally how I want it...well...almost. I still have a few tweeks I wanna make here and there and then it will be done!

I do love my house so far, I will even go as far to say I love it more than our house in California! The setup is perfect and I think it might be bigger, Not that it matters, but just thought I'd throw that in there! 😊
The only downfall to this place is it's a duplex which wouldn't have bothered me before because our home in Cali was a duplex, but our neighbors in this one are so obnoxiously loud, it's actually driving me crazy!

Other than that, we are loving it! It's not Texas, but I suppose it will do.

Now that I caught you all up, I would like to just update you on Little Miss 😊
Evangeline is adjusting to life here pretty well. She saw snow for the first time, and let me tell you, she is not used to the cold here. Being born in California and living there the beginning of her life, she was a little bit confused as to why it wasn't as warm here!
She is standing by herself (she has to be holding onto something though), She is still working on that balance of hers, but I think she is going to be walking before she even learns how to crawl. She still hates to be on her tummy, so crawling is not much of an option for her!

Steven and I are trying to enjoy her at this age as much as we can, especially before she is mobile LOL it's nice to just leave her in front of the TV with some toys if I need to get housework done or cook dinner. I do put her in her walker so she can come and see what I'm doing sometimes. She likes to stand by the dishwasher while I'm loading and unloading it, so I let her walk around with me. It's also if she doesn't wanna be left alone or she has her clingy days, then I'll keep her with me as much as possible!

Well I've caught you up on pretty much everything. Now I have to go book appointments, get my baby ready to go down for a nap and I am going to enjoy a nice, hot cup of coffee because this momma needs it!

I hope you all have a Blessed day!
Enjoy your weekend!

Done With The Excuses

I know what you're thinking...."we've been here before, what is the excuse this time?"
Well the truth is, I don't have an excuse! I am  mother, a wife, and we have been all over the place with the move and trying to find our own place while making sure our little (now 7 month old) baby girl is well taken care of.

My husband, however, did get me a new laptop for Valentines Day because my other one kind of failed me. I couldn't go anywhere with it or use it if it wasn't not plugged in and that was just bothering me. Also, it was slow and Steven used it for resumes and work stuff and it would just crap out on us all the time.
So here I am sounding like a whining little girl and I apologize for that, but I am really hoping this time I can get my blog up and running and start expressing myself on here a little!

My little girl is now 7 months old (as I have mentioned a billion times already) and it is a little bit easier to sit down and get a blog post up. She is taking longer naps here and there and also is managing to sleep through the night!

*I hope I didn't just jinx myself!!*

Anyway, I just wanted to come in and put this short little post up. I am still trying to set my computer up, so I will be back soon with updates and pictures on what I have been up to the past couple of months.

I hope the New Year is treating you well!

Happy Homaker Monday 🌸

Hello everyone!

It's another Monday, which is crazy because I feel like this weekend just flew by! I am a little late to my Happy Homemaker Monday, and I apologize for not putting one up last week, but I have been dealing with a sick husband and now a little congested baby. She doesnt have a fever and is very happy, still eats like a champ and just wants to move already, so I know she is no pain whatsoever, but I have been treating her with some saline spray and baby vapor rub on her chest, back and under her sweet little feet!

Anyway, let's get on with today's Happy Homaker Monday 😊

The Weather Today :::

On Today's To-Do List :::

Laundry - I have a mountain of laundry to fold and I have my bedding to wash. My dog is shedding so bad and not only is his hair everywhere on my bedding, but he rolls around in the dirt outside and then during the night, he sneaks up on the bed. I am so frustrated because no matter how many times I tell him no, he will sneak up on the bed when we are fast asleep and can't hear or feel him. So I have all of that to wash.

Living Room - I need to vacuum the floor and furniture because like i said, Tater's hair is everywhere!!

 If I Have A Few Minutes To Myself, I Will :::

Watch whatever show catches my interest. I am very behind on my YouTube videos, so today I started catching up on Almost Daily and turns out my little one actually enjoys watching them with me! She smiles at the people and thinks they are actually talking to her which makes my heart melt! LOL

Favorite Photo From The Camera :::

My new favorite photo of my loves!


Bible Verses, Devotional, Prayers :::

My prayers go out to all those affected by the horrible storms. I also pray for my mental health...I have been in a very dark place mentally and I Pray God will help me through it, not only for me and my well being, but also so I can be strong enough to take care of my family.


Well it has taken me all day to get this post up and going with tending to my little one and housework, it has just been a slow day.

Thank you for baring with me LOL

Hope you all have an awesome Monday further, and I will hopefully be back sometime this week with another post. If not, then you know my situation LOL

Happy Homemaker Monday

Happy Monday everyone!
I hope you all had a very relaxed weekend and hope you're all ready for the week ahead.
I missed coming in for HHM, especially now that I'm getting deeper into Homemaking and loving it!

The Weather Today :::

Today is a warm, sunny day! Been cooking down a little bit, but still pretty humid and warm.

Things That Make Me Happy :::

Being a momma! I love my new role as a mom!

On The Menu For Dinner :::

Haven't decided yet. I have some pork chops in the freezer, so I'll probably do that with some roasted potatoes.

On My To-Do List :::

Vacuum
Dishes
Evangeline's laundry
Wash my bedding

Looking Forward to This Week :::

I have my hubby home today and tomorrow
Eva has her 2 month appointment on Wednesday, which means she's gonna be getting her shots which I'm not looking forward to, but I'm glad she is gonna be having a check up...make sure she's doing okay and is on track.

Favorite Photo From The Camera :::

Thank you for visiting my HHM post. Please visit my Tia's blog, the "maker" of HHM 😊
Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Momma Finally Got Time to Put Up A Post

Got to say...I am so happy to be back! It's been so long and I have been so busy, but I finally managed to get my Little One on a bit of a bedtime routine and now I am able to sit here with a cup of hot tea, Sons of Anarchy and my blog. Have to say...I feel kind of relieved and happy that I am able to finally get things on the right track.

I had my Little Evangeline 2 months ago today! It's so crazy to think that she is already 2 months old, feels like she came screaming into the world just yesterday!

This is my sweet little girl!
Evangeline is a very talkative, very happy little baby. She loves her mom and dad and loves playing games with us. She also loves looking at herself in the mirror haha she literally sits there and talks to herself...also finds herself very amusing!

I did not know I could love someone so much! Eva is literally my whole world and I can't explain the things I will do for that little girl.
When I was pregnant, I didn't know what to expect or if I would be a good enough mother for her, I was so scared that I was going to fail and that I was going to somehow mess this up, but I proved myself wrong and I am so proud of myself. I love being a mom, honestly could not think of anything better!

If you would like me to put up a post about Eva's birth story, let me know and I will get that up for you guys!

I hope you all have been doing well. This momma is gonna head to bed, will be back for my Tia's Happy Homemaker Monday and will put a link to her blog on there for you!

Goodnight all!

°Pregnancy Update - 31 Weeks°

31 Weeks, 1 Day

Happy Sunday everyone! 

Hope you're all having a Blessed Sunday and just chilling with family and enjoying the warm weather! 

I have been trying to get my house back on track after the hectic couple of weeks we've been having. I managed to get it back on track after my baby shower madness, but then a week later, Steven's cousin came down from Idaho and spent a week here, so my house kind of got away from me again! 

It was fun having Zach over for the week! We visited the Zoo, the Dog Beach and even went and watched Avengers: Infinity War which was awesome! But it's time to get back to reality and start getting everything ready for baby girl! ♡

I will be doing another post sometime this week showing all of you the cute stuff I got for my baby shower, so be sure to keep a look out for that! 😊

Now...I think it's time to get on with this post and catch you up on my pregnancy update! 

Baby Update :::

Evangeline measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3 1/3 pounds (about the size of a coconut) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump up as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. 

She is moving A LOT! Sometimes makes it hard to sleep at night or even just to lay down comfortably. Her kicks are getting so strong as well that she will sometimes stop me dead in my tracks followed by a loud "Ouch!" Lol

It's quite funny because people look at me like I'm nuts and then you'll see the moms that actually laugh because they know exactly what that feels like! Haha

Mommy's Update :::

My energy levels are not where they used to be, but at the same time I feel like I could run a marathon! My body aches all the time which is so frustrating because I can't even do one load of laundry without my back or hip hurting! 

I still have my chocolate cravings, but am trying so hard right now to cut down on the sugary cravings and give baby girl and myself all the healthy and nutritious things we need! 

I have actually found a Third Trimester Meal Plan that I want to follow and hopefully will also take the guilt away from feeding myself and my daughter too much chocolate and sugar! 🙈 

(Please don't judge me!)

Nursery Update :::

So Steven and I decided to actually change our nursery plan because for the baby shower, his grandparents gifted us money to buy her a whole new nursery set! ♡ 

I can't tell you how grateful and Blessed we are! 

I found this GORGEOUS nursery set on BuyBuy Baby's website that I just fell in love with! 

We only got her the crib and the dresser because the dresser will also double as her changing table. 

I didn't see the need for a changing table on it's own when I can just put a cushy  changing pad on the dresser and do it that way! My sister-in-law did that and I thought it was a pretty good idea...better than wasting more money on a changing table. 

So because we got her this set, we are going to be switching our guest bedroom into the nursery because that is the bigger room and I feel we'll need the space. 

The guest bedroom is officially going to be the smaller room! Lol

The crib we have right now, we are going to take it down and give it to someone who really needs one...no charge! 

I can't wait to get her nursery decorated and ready for her! ♡ 

Next Doctor's Appointment :::

My next appointment is May 11th. 

I have already done my glucose test along with the gestational diabetes test (I think that's the same test, so don't mind my brain) 

I haven't gotten a call back from my doctor with any concerns so I think I'm good! 

I also had to get the whooping cough vaccine which was kind of a shock to me because they had my mentioned it before, but as long as it benefits me and baby girl, then I'm all good! 

I think my next appointment should just be a check up! My doctor just usually measures her and listens to her heartbeat and that's about it, unless he tells me to go and get other tests done which I don't think I'll need to do this time around! 😊

I hope you all have a Blessed week ahead, don't work too hard! 

I will be back sometime this week with a Baby Shower post! 

I know it's late, but better late than never right? 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Hi everyone,

My goodness it's been a while, but I tell you, I haven't been MIA on purpose.
I have been feeling very unmotivated to do anything, even cleaning my house has been a mission which sucks! It's so hard being weighed down and feeling like you just want to sit on the couch and do nothing but watch shows all day, but when I do force myself to get up and be productive, then I deal with shortness of breath and aching hips which make it harder to walk! LOL

I know I sound like I'm complaining, but this is my sanctuary where I can vent and tell everything that I am feeling.

Other than the horrible aches and pains, I am still loving my pregnancy and I have so much to tell you all! But that's going to be in another post this coming week!

Okay....time to get cracking on this HHM post!

If you are new to my blog, this post comes out every Monday and it originally comes from my Aunt Sandra over on Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
So be sure to visit her blog because trust me...you won't regret it!

Breakfast Time...What is on the plate this morning::

My hubby has the day off today, but still had a Physical Therapy appointment to go to....so...being the sweet man he is, he brought home a McDonalds breakfast for me. Usually I don't eat McDonalds, but he knows I love the sausage and egg on a biscuit breakfast (not too sure what it's really called LOL so please bare with me)

On today's to do list::

1. Pack and unpack dishwasher
2. Throw a load of laundry in the washer
3. Sweep the entry way, kitchen, dining room, and laundry room

The weather outside is::

Cloudy and foggy. I live in California so I am expecting sunshine and heat especially because Spring is here, but I guess it's not up to us! LOL

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will::

Watch cooking shows. Lately that has been my new obsession! I have caught up on Masterchef Junior, Masterchef and I'm now watching Hell's Kitchen. I don't know why I watch those shows because Gordon Ramsey really gets under my skin, but it's strangely addictive!

Favorite photo from the camera::

Our new little family photo!

Bible Verse, Devotional::

Prgenancy Update - 20 Weeks, Day 6

Hello Friends!

Sorry for being so MIA, but lately I have just been feeling very unmotivated to do anything! I have been slacking on my housework and well...obviously my blog. Hopefully now I can jump back on the horse and keep up with my tasks.

So as you can see, I have reached my halfway point!!!
It's so crazy to think how time is just flying by and it's like I can't keep up with it! LOL

On this post I am going to be revealing what our baby's gender is and the new updates on both Steven and myself.
So without further ado.....:D

Baby Update :::

Baby should be weighing about 10.5 ounces and should be around 6.5 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel, about the length of a large banana. On my BabyCenter app, baby is swallowing a lot more these days which is said to be good practice for the digestive system. Baby is also producing meconium which is a black, sticky by-product of digestion and will accumulate in the bowels. Apparently this stuff will come out in babies first messy diaper, in the womb or during delivery!
Yummy! LOL (Not really!)

Mommy's Update :::

I have been suffering with a horrible congested nose! My OB/GYN actually has to prescribe me some Mucinex because I sounded so bad at my last appointment!

Other than that, I have been great! I love feeling my little bundle kick and move around inside my belly! I will admit, it does freak me out sometimes, but everytime my baby moves, I feel so much joy and just dream of the day I get to finally hug and kiss my little one.

 Nursery Update :::

We finally were able to put the crib together, and so this is what it looks like!

That purple thing draped over the crib is going to hang above it, that wasn't even my idea...my husband actually asked if we could do that!
Bless his heart! Hehe
We also got a cute little Pack-N-Play because for the first month, baby will be sleeping in our room with us so it will make it easier for me to watch, feed, and change!

All that I am needing now is a crib set and just a little bit of some decor to make it that little bit more cute!

Cravings :::

Chocolate is my craving at the moment and has been for about a month now. Chocolate EVERYTHING...literally! I have a variety of chocolate cereal in my pantry, I ate 3 boxes of chocolates my husband gave me for our anniversary and I even finished 4 cups of chocolate pudding!
I'm disgusting...I know and believe me when I say I am not much of a chocolate person...well....I never used to be anyway. My baby must love that stuff and is making me believe that I love it too! LOL
Is that even possible!?

 Next Doctor's Appointment :::

Next appointment is on March 21st, the day before Steven's birthday!
I'm not sure what this appointment is all about, I think it's just a check up to make sure baby's heart rate is where it should be and also if I'm doing okay.
I do have an Ultrasound appointment on February 27th, and that is to make sure that baby has 10 fingers, 10 toes, just that baby is growing normally!

 Gender Reveal :::

And now...the moment you have all been waiting for!!!

Steven and I are very excited to announce that we are having a beautiful baby....

GIRL!!!

I'm pretty sure I gave it away with the purple font and the purple thing we're going to hang above her crib...like a little princess! Hehe
The theme for her nursery are cute little purple butterflies...

 

Her name is also going to be Evangeline Odete.
Her middle name is actually my Great Grandmothers name and I just wanted her to be a part of my daughters life because she means the absolute world to me and it kills me that she won't be here to see my daughter!
If you have followed me for a while and read my previous posts, you will know that that woman is the most important woman in my life!


So that was my 20 week update, I will be back in a couple weeks with a new update....if anything has changed! LOL

I hope you all have a Blessed weekend and God Bless! 

Pregnancy Update - 17 Weeks

Hi Everyone

So since I am starting to feel a lot more in my pregnancy as well as showing a little bump, I have decided to take my Tia's suggestion to doing an update every week or 2 weeks as my baby grows. I think it is an amazing idea especially when I want to look back at this experience and hopefully show my little one one day how grateful and excited I am to be carrying such a Blessing!

Baby Update:::

As you can see, I am 17 weeks pregnant and baby is about the size of a turnip.
(I just want to apologize for the bad quality of the picture, unfortunately these pictures do have to be taken on my phone. Hopefully one day I can get an awesome camera to capture all the gorgeous memories I am going to be making.)

According to the pregnancy app that I am using, BabyCenter, Baby James' umbilical cord is growing stronger and thicker. Baby James' sense of hearing is developing which I am extremely excited about because I do love to talk to my baby and I love that now when Steven talks to the baby, it will be able to hear and recognize not only my voice, but dads' voice too.
The baby's skeleton is also starting to to turn from rubbery cartilage into actual bone...gotta keep on that milk!! Lol

Mommy's Update:::

Lately I have been experiencing some nausea in the mornings which hasn't happened for a while. I thought I had passed that stage when I was able to eat what I wanted and not feel sick by the mere thought of food, but lately the nausea seems to come back every other day or so. It isn't as bad as it was before, I am still able to eat well and keep anything down and smells don't bother me anymore either which is AMAZING!!

I have also started to feel baby move a lot more now! It's the most incredible feeling and I cannot wait to feel how much stronger my baby will get in the next few months.
I also kind of feel bad because I will get so excited to feel the flutters and my poor husband just kind of sits there with a sad look on his face, patiently waiting to be able to feel his baby move! Hehe

 Nursery Update:::

We finally have a crib!
It's not as fancy and it's actually really plain, but I love it! We still need to put it together, unfortunately the people that gave us the crib did not give us all the parts, so we will need to go and buy a few things, but I will make sure to post a picture up on my next update because it should be put together by then! Lol

We are still trying to decide on themes for the nursery. Right now we are thinking of some gender neutral ideas because we still do not know what we are having.
I am thinking of doing either a cute little Disney theme because of the huge Disney fans my husband and I are or I was also thinking of a cute little African/Safari theme because of my background...
(If you are wondering, I did ask Steven if he was okay with that, and his exact words were, "It's your baby and you're in charge of decorating the nursery, you do whatever you want, I'm just here to pay for it all!"...needless to say, I have one amazing husband!)

If any of you have any cute or unique ideas about what to do for the theme, please leave a comment down below! :)

 Cravings:::

Right now, my cravings have been all over the place, it's like I can't have just one simple craving!
I want a lot of sweet things, like chocolate cake, twizzlers, cereal, cookies, and any type of candy really! Lol
I have also been wanting scrambled eggs with spinach and Tabasco sauce....I know....weird!  

Next Doctors' Appointment:::

My next appointment is my 20 week follow up appointment and Steven and I are both extremely excited for this one because we will be finding out the gender of our baby!!

I am going to be finding out first and since I kind of didn't surprise Steven with the pregnancy like I wanted to, I decided that he will be the first person I am going to surprise after this appointment!

Please, if anyone has a cute idea on how I can surprise him, leave a comment below because I have NO idea on how to do it! Lol

So that is it for my 17 weeks update. I will be back in about a week or 2 to talk about any new changes and also to announce the baby's GENDER!!

I hope you all have a Blessed and amazing week further! :)

 

Happy Homemaker Monday

Good evening friends!

I know I am doing this a little later than I planned, but today has been all over the place!

Actually.....we've been all over the place this whole month!
We finally moved into our new home and we only finished packing everything yesterday! I tell you...this momma is so sore and so exhausted!

Okay...enough of my yapping, let me get this post up as soon as possible now! :)

I am linking up with my Aunt Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom so be sure to head over to her amazing blog to read some of her amazing stories and to find some other awesome bloggers! 

As I Look Outside My Window:
I love my new neighborhood. We live in base housing and so there are people constantly walking their dogs and kids playing in the streets. Right now it just got dark and everyone's porch light is on.

Right Now I Am:
Sitting on the couch in the living room watching hubby throw the ball around for Tater. My nerves are a little shot right now because the last thing I need is for the ball or the dog to knock something over and break it!

Thinking and Pondering:
Whether I should look into getting a part time job now. I constantly feel so guilty for my husband having to bring in all the finances and provide for, not only himself, but for me too. I feel I should be contributing a little bit at least so he doesn't feel like he has the weight of everything on his shoulders.

On My Bedside Table:
My Bible, some journals, and my new favorite read - Drums of Autumn by Diana Gobaldon

On My TV Tonight:
I don't really have anything to watch as I finished watching Outlander. The only thing I really watch with hubby is WWE and Total Divas, but other than that I have just been enjoying my book rather than watching TV.

Listening To:
Hubby is watching a Batman movie on Netflix. I am not really into these types of movies, but I love spending time with him, so I thought I would do my computer stuffs and tolerate the loud TV for a couple hours! LOL

On The Menu for this Week:

Monday - Salsa Chicken in the Crockpot
Tuesday - Spaghetti Bolognese
Wednesday - Tilapia with steamed veggies
Thursday - Creamy ranch chicken in the crockpot
Friday - Possibly a date night, so not really sure
Saturday -
Sunday -

On My To-Do List: 
I still have a ton of laundry to do from the move, so need to tackle that tomorrow morning,
Sweep and mop the floors because Tater keeps tracking mud into the house!

My Simple Pleasures:
Lately it's been opening the blinds and windows around the house. I know that sounds weird, but now that I have a house with so many windows, I just love opening all the windows and having fresh air flow through. In the apartment, we only had one window which was in our bedroom and a glass sliding door that led to the balcony, but I couldn't open that because that's where Tater would go and do his business and also because the apartment was right next to a mountain, there would be so many bugs that flew in. So right now, I am loving the amount of light that shines through and the air that flows.

Lesson Learned the Past Week: 
I need to let go and let God. Lately I have been finding it very hard to just let things be and to trust that everything will be alright. I have a very hard time trusting people, and that is kind of taking a toll on my marriage, and so I've learned that if I don't figure out a way to let things go, I am going to lose a lot more than my mind.

From The Camera: 
My very first belly pic!
I know I don't really have much of a belly, but I promise it's there! LOL

Prayer List:
For my marriage. It's not in any kind of danger, but still could use some prayers.
My little niece who is back in the NICU after another surgery.
My family, that they are kept safe here in the States and in South Africa.

~ Happy Homemaker Monday ~

Good afternoon everyone!

Today I am going to jump onto my Aunt Sandra's HHM bandwagon and do it with her every Monday!
I am super excited to be doing this because now I actually have a reason to do it. I am a wife, soon-to-be- stay-at-home-mom, and I am officially a homemaker so I am ready to join in!

I'm sure most of you, if not all of you, that read my blog know that my Aunt is Sandra Bourland from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom and I have always admired her beautiful blog.
When we first got here to the States and I found out she had a blog, I just thought "I have to go and see what a blog looks like", (coming from South Africa and not really spending much time on the web, I had no idea what a blog actually was. I've heard of it, but didn't know what it was exactly)

When I first saw her blog and how she expressed herself through a "Digital Diary", I just remember asking her immediately how how I could also start my own blog. She sat with me and helped me set it up, showed me how to make it look like my own little personal getaway and that is something I will treasure for the rest of my life!

Okay...now that I've let you in on how I became a blogger, let's get started on my very first Happy Homemaker Monday - By Sandra Bourland

Breakfast Time....What is on the plate this morning:

Sat down with  bowl of Cocoa Puffs. For some reason this baby loves chocolate flavored cereal and this morning, it just sounded amazing!

Right now I am: 

Just lit up some candles around the house and sitting on my couch typing up this post with Tater-Tot sitting right by my feet.

The weather outside: 

Sunny with clear skies. The temperature is at 70 degrees which is normal for California weather! ;)

Looking around the house:

Needs a little attention after the weekend, nothing major, just the usual tidying up to do...dishes, laundry, vacuum, and maybe a dust here and there.

On today's to-do list: 

Cleaning - Load the dishwasher with last nights dishes. Hubby had already unloaded the clean dishes yesterday morning, so now it's ready for some more dirty dishes. Need to throw a load of laundry in and get that done so I can finish packing for our trip to Idaho on Thursday and then I also just want to do a quick vacuum and dust and I also need to take the trash out.
Physical Therapy - I have my last session of physical therapy today for my jaw. I have been going since August for my TMJ and I feel so much better, so I am pretty excited that this is my last session.

Currently Reading:

I haven't been reading as much as I need to, but I have picked my book up now and then before going to sleep at night. I am currently reading Fifty Shades Freed. Now the only reason I am reading this book is because I haven't read  any of the others, I've only seen the movies and this time before the new one comes out, I wanted to read the book and see if it is better than the movie.
(I'm crazy...I know)

On the TV today:

My Aunt has been telling me to watch The Outlander and last night, I watched the first episode....let's just say I'm already hooked!! LOL
I am going to be watching that while I do my duties around the apartment.
If only I could watch it while at Physical Therapy...LOL

On the menu this week:

I am not looking to make anything fancy this week, especially because hubby and I have used up everything we have in our freezer just in time before leaving for Idaho, so on the menu this week will be whatever hubby feels like.

If I have a few minutes to myself, I will:

Sit with Tater and watch whatever it is I am binge watching at that time.

Looking forward to this week: 

Heading to Idaho with Hubby. He is so excited to go back home and when I see him this happy and excited, it makes my heart grow 10x bigger.
Also we get to see our little Niece and Nephew, so we're pretty excited about that.

Favorite photo from the camera: 

I do love taking pictures, especially of the things I am proud of or that make me happy. Now I do use my phone, I don't have a camera to capture these moments, but that's what this blog is here for as well, so remind me of those special moments in my life...

I took this picture with my mom while in Texas visiting last month. It is my absolute favorite picture and just shows how close my mom and I really are.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses: 

My baby niece has been in the hospital pretty much since she came into this world. She has had a rough journey during the beginning stages of her life and we have been asking God for His healing hands over her and those Prayers have finally been answered.

Willow has undergone a total of 2 surgeries, one for malrotation (her intestines were all tangled up around her bowels) and another was because her little veins couldn't handle the IV's so they had to go in and get that all fixed up and she has been in the NICU since, but thanks to our Almighty God, she was able to go home with her mom yesterday and will be spending Christmas with us all!

God truly is amazing!

~ One and Only Christmas Decoration ~

Good evening everyone!

It is Sunday night and I know most of us are dreading the dreadful "Monday" but we just have to take it one step at a time and before you know it, the week will be over again!

Today was not very interesting day, just sat at home with hubby and watched football, took a trip to Albertsons and then came home and started watching WWE Clash of Champions (I still watch WWE, don't judge!)

I have been feeling a whole lot better these past few days. I have had some very bad morning sickness since I found out I was pregnant, and now that my third trimester is nearing the end, I am finally starting to feel a lot better, I have a lot more energy and it is so good to think of something and it actually sound appetizing! LOL

My amazing husband helped me clean the apartment yesterday because my energy is just not all there anymore and we were able to clean the entire apartment and move the furniture around! I honestly don't know what I would do without my husband, he has been so amazing!

This right here is our first Christmas decoration!
When my husband walked out of the store with this in his hand, I actually started crying! We weren't able to get a tree or decorate in any way because we just won't be here, we will be spending Christmas in Idaho with Steven's family and we won't have a house next year to decorate because we would have just left the Marine Corp and will either be staying with my parents in Texas or Steven's parents in Idaho, so when I saw this, it meant the absolute world to me!

 I hope you all have an amazing Sunday night and a Blessed week ahead!
Will be back to chat again tomorrow! :)