Author Archives: missy

Spreading The Love

by February 13, 2018

This post is pretty appropriate since it is Valentine’s day tomorrow. But I’m a believer on doing things outside of love day is just as good if not better! Getting a little surprise, where it’s completely unexpected, is such a treat! Sadly it seems that just trying to stay on top of our daily schedules, school, work, etc. I fall short on performing these small acts of kindness. But I am throwing that excuse to the wayside and going to try and be better. Monkey see monkey do, and if I can teach my kids to go above and beyond and be kind to others, I will be one happy mama. This little gesture is so easy and not expensive at all! We were at the grocery store and I had Nola pick out some flowers for her teacher and nurse (we adore our school’s nurse and she’s been so kind to Nola). I then found some encouraging quotes, wrote them on card stock, tied up the flowers, wrapped them up in kraft paper and there you have it! 

I had some dried hydrangeas from our tree so I added them to the flowers to add a warm touch The two quotes I used were: Nurses may not be angels but they are the next best thing and Thank you for your part in my journey. I cut out a rectangular piece of kraft paper and lied it diagonally and folded the bottom section over the bouquet. I then folded over the other side and then back to the other side.  Lastly I tied string around the bouquet and then added some colored ribbon for a pop of color.  Even though I feel in the winter the flower selection is lacking where we live, I think these still came out pretty adorable. Hope this inspires you to make someone’s day sometime soon. It really is a domino effect because doing things for others made our day as well.

Happy New Year!

by December 31, 2017

Hey friends! Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Years! The fact this year is over is nuts!! Why does time go so fast?!! As the year closes and a new one approaches I can’t help but look back and reflect on this year and remember the highs and the lows. This year was good, we got to do some adventures, the kids are healthy and growing and our parents are still here with us. I’m thankful, I really am. That being said, this year also was hard. Migraines. Relationships were strained. Getting old and feeling our age. Expectations and dreams for the future not met. Not accomplishing as much I could have or capable of doing. We all know how life can kick our ass. BUT I’m so grateful for my life, my family and friends. It’s a good one in the whole scheme of things and I am excited for 2018. I never say I hope this is the best year yet because what then, every year after that goes downhill? But I hope and pray this year is a good one and hope it will be a great one for you as well!

2017 Halloween

by November 11, 2017

Can I just say, as normal, I don’t have the time to be keeping this little ‘ole blog up, but when I’m here, it feels good. I like editing photos and reminiscing moments in our lives. Who knows if I actually will be able to keep it up because I’m juggling a lot of balls up in the air at the moment, but I hope I can. 

Another year, another halloween, which by the way how in the world is it already November?!? Per usual halloween is a big thing around here, I mean how could it not, it allows our littles to dress up and pretend to be something else AND THEY GET CANDY. This year the kiddos decided to be characters from the movie Wreck it Ralph. I am not lying when I say Jonas wore his Wreck it Ralph costume 4 days in the row (with washing in between we aren’t that bad, well actually I may be that bad, but not my kids) and I have purposely have not been washing it so we can have a break. Where Nola takes taekwondo they did a trunk or treat. It was a great because our kids could see so many people dressed up and they were also able to hand out candy. Sadly there aren’t a ton of kids that come to our side of the tracks for Halloween which is so disappointing because we think it’s so much fun handing it out! But besides the cold weather, lack of kids coming to our door and too much leftover candy, we had a great year and they are already scheming what they will be next year. 

Here are photos of my real life Wreck it Ralph characters (and I may be bias but think they are cuter than the cartoon characters) if you care to see:

trying out the hands! it was touch and go with these hands, at first he wasn’t going to wear them, but he eventually came around. he’s right at that sensory age where lots of things bother him dearly. also those hands took an entire day to make, that’s in between doing mom duties of course.

for those of you who aren’t familiar with the movie, here you go! can i just mention, those candy barrettes in nola’s hair we made, we dyed her skirt brown and basically scoured the internet for those tights and sweatshirt. it looks like a simple costume, however it was not easy finding everything. and may i just add those costumes at target and costco are a steal compared to making your own. but i don’t want to complain, i really do love putting them together. in his entire get up! that night was sooo cold that eventually the kids wound up in the trunk. not impressed with being in the school halloween parade because daddy is a good one, he got into character too, he’s fix it felix. really just watch the movie if you have no idea what i’m talking about. we trick or treated with neighbors and it was fun times chasing after our kids. kidding, it was a lot of fun. 

August Ramblings

by October 12, 2017
  • Swimming lessons (can we just say Nola doesn’t love swimming)
  • CJ’s parents and brother visited
  • We got the pergola built – yippee!!
  • We bought school supplies
  • Able to work at the Madison Mom’s Blog – Hero’s event
  • Got a pedicure with my friends

Read: Truth and Beauty

Jonas Memories: 

Jonas: your the best mommy
Me: your the best baby!
Jonas: no i’m not the best baby, actually I am the best baby

After reading The Little Engine That Could I asked Jonas to turn off the lights. He can barely reach the light switch and he said, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”

Favorite Meals:

This salad with shredded roasted chicken

Korean beef bowl

I made this recipe with pork and it was so good! The original recipe calls this Chinese beef and carrot noodle soup.

June & July Ramblings

by

Dear future self who I’m sure is going to be annoyed by my younger, but not too young self, I’m so sorry I’m falling behind and can’t keep up with even the monthly updates. By the time I have a moment, blogging is the last thing I want to do. But I’m blogging for me, so I’m still going try, gah.

June:

  • Nola finished school, which I can’t believe I’m typing that because the summer is almost done already! Also I have realized I have now entered the busy life with kids. When the kids are really little there’s not much going on, but now I’m running around EVERY day and literally we are so busy, I kind of hate it.
  • I noticed when we go out to eat we will be the family that spills a drink every single time. Once we did it spilt drinks twice. This amongst other things are reasons we probably shouldn’t eat out.
  • Jonas is killing me with the cute factor and I don’t want him to get a day older. I LOVE this age.
  • We went strawberry picking twice
  • CJ and I went to the farm and feast dinner at the Wollersheim Winery and it was so so good. It also was 90 out and the event was in the bright sun and I was worried because I am getting a lot of headaches and more prone to them when out in heat, but thankfully I was headache free for the entire event, I took some Tylenol properly, I had learned the precautions at lizzardco.com!
  • Nola started another round of swimming lessons and keeping Jonas entertained and happy for the 45 minutes is a struggle. No matter how many toys I bring he’s not having it. We typically go out in the lobby, get water, bribe him with fruit snacks, I sweat. Get the picture. I am jealous of the moms reading a freakin book, but then I’m not because I don’t want have my little guy to get older either.
  • Nola also went to VBS, which so loved! As you can see our girl was busy!!

Read:

  • The Two-House Family – really good
  • Apron Anxiety – really really enjoyed this book, i now stalk her on instagram regularly
  • Before the Fall – meh
  • An Asian one that of course I didn’t write down and don’t remember the name, but I do remember being a bit disappointed and expecting more from the book.
  • Diaries of A Domestic Goddess – only ok

 

July:

  • We went camping for 3 nights and though I went into it being very nervous and hesitant on the whole ordeal, it was a good experience for our family and I’m sure it will be a yearly, if not more often, thing we do. 
  • I don’t know if I mentioned this earlier, but I started doing weekly meal planning again. I fell off the wagon and when I do it I LOVE my life because it makes the week so much easier.
  • Nola went to KinderCamp and really enjoyed it! 
  • It was Nola’s birthday month and we successfully threw her a garden tea birthday party. 
  • We made it to the Union with friends for beer and ice cream and it’s always good times are had when we go there.
  • We met friends at the Biergarten at Olbrich Park and basically that entire evening was magical and want every night to be that. Dear friends, kids playing, beautiful night on the lake, it was a good one.
  • We also got to visit Papa and Grandma and the kids basically have a hay day playing with all our old toys (which by the way are sooo good and I wish they made more of them like they used to), we also have to check out papa’s garden, and then they they always ask to watch Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer, which cracks me up!! Later we met with the cousins and went fishing, which was so much fun! Actually I’m pretty sure I had more fun than the kids. In another life I was meant to be a fisherlady.
  • Jonas is in the throes of being 2 and its’ true about their reputation. Temper Tantrums are having friends. He’s BIG emotions. Either he’s all mad or all joy.