Sloth.

That is what I feel like I have become. Slow movements. Slow thinking. Slow everything. Standing on my feet at work for 8 hours drains every ounce of energy I can possibly muster up. Nausea all day, almost every day. The past week or so especially, has been hell. Maybe now that Christmas is over, people won't be so mean. The reason why I hate that holiday....it makes people act stupid.

Aside from my crabbiness, we did have a good holiday. Luke Duke loaded up on goodies. Mom got a Wii. Dad got things for tool organization and a rotisserie for the grill. (Which he used to cook the ham on Sunday!)

We're also in the process of possibly buying a vehicle. My clunker Acura has just about gone as far as it's willing to take us. Now, I get to worry over another car payment and insurance. Payment isn't so bad...insurance is ridiculous. It's an '07 Jeep Liberty. But it is an SUV. Compared to the (maybe) $200 every 6 months for liability on the Acura, I'm pretty sure anything it going to seem outrageous to me. But $800 a year?! Sheesh. I've always made monthly payments for my auto insurance. My husband pays twice a year. And is so proud of all his discounts. We'll see what happens when that $400 is due.

I am not kidding when I say I've been crabby. I could seriously scream at the world right now. (Not to mention the terrible hair cut Luke Duke received today, buy someone OTHER than me.)
I try not to let things stress me out, but my body knows otherwise and it is seriously feeling the repercussions right now.

2nd time around is tough.

As in, my second pregnancy is pretty rough on me. Zero energy, extremely sleepy, and constant nausea. The smell (or sight. Or thought, even) of certain foods makes my stomach turn.

The store I work in has a small deli, that sells pizza's, wings, etc., and my days there are long and sickening. Between the smells of the food, customers' cologne/perfume, cleaners and such, I have to make many trips outside to get some air.

While I have still been fortunate enough to not have to hug the toilet, the constant queasiness really does wipe me out.

Add in to all this, a nasty head cold.

We have not been to the doctor yet. We did actually go to an appointment last week, however, the nurse would not let my husband join me for whatever class the Army thinks that I need, so I flipped out and we left. She was very rude from the second she called our name (pronouncing it wrong, btw. How people manage to say "Kisser" for "Kiser", I'll never know. Even a college education can't correct that one, apparently.)

So, I filled out paperwork to be able to receive my medical care off post, but I am not sure that it will be approved. They usually only do that when a clinic is full (which was the reason my husband couldn't join me, there wasn't enough room. Hell-O?? I can't get knocked up on my own, people. How are you not going to consider the father being with the mother, ESPECIALLY since he is NOT deployed??)

I was infuriated. My poor husband could only look at me and say "What ever you want to do, Hunny." Bless him for picking his battles.
I refuse to go through any part of this process without him. He is here, WANTS to be here, and has every right to do so in my book.

So frustrating. I know I need to choose my words carefully on this, but seriously. Why does everything have to be SO difficult??

Anyway, if my claim does get denied, I will be forced to remain a patient on-post. We'll see what happens this week, I guess.

Some BIG news.

Yep. It's official.

This is one of two home tests that were taken on Monday. I then went to the lab on-post for bloodwork to confirm.

I am excited. Nervous. Anxious.

I can't wait to have a little tiny baby in my arms again. I am so looking forward to my husband being able to experience this wonderful journey from the beginning. He was deployed when Lucas was born and didn't get to meet him until he was 8 months old.

 He didn't get to experience the tiny newborn wonder. 

The feeling of being afraid to hold him a certain way, for fear of hurting him.

The instant, head over heels, undying love for this tiny little creature.

He gets to be here for the doctor appointments.

The ultrasounds. I'm so excited to see his face for those!

The growing belly and boobs. (What husband isn't excited for those?!)

The gumpy, moody woman that is his wife.

Helping me shave my legs when I can no longer see anything other than my feet and ankles.

I can't wait to see his face when he meets our new little addition.

To watch how this part of life will absolutely melt his heart and change him forever. 

And most of all, I can't imagine sharing this part of life with anyone else.

Happy birthday little man!!

 Our little guy is two. Wow!

Hard to believe that much time has gone by. Just yesterday, he was little bitty.

Not really. But it sure seems that way.

I decided to make him a Thomas cake from scratch. (Serious.) I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I have never baked a cake before, other than open box, add milk and eggs, stir, pour.

It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. And I am SUPER glad I did this for him.

 

I followed this recipe. It was delish. The first marble cake recipe I tried from All Recipes was terrible. It was heavy, tasted flour-y, and just not good. So it got trashed.

Once I figured out the cake mix, I had to figure out how in the world I was gonna get Thomas on there. I ended up free-handing it all. Just the decoration alone took me two long hours.

All worth it though. Even though he won't remember it, he will have these photos to look back on.

My guys are my life. xo

-mk



Crazy. Busy. Life

So, I have been MIA for a while. My sewing machine has been covered and put away for a couple weeks now, and I HATE that. I've started the new job with a different company and am now getting full-time hours...which is good for our income. Bad for my creativity. My week of training was a 6am-2pm schedule, but now it seems, I'll be working afternoon/evening shifts. Yuck.


Brian will be going on leave after this week, too, so it will really stink not being able to spend time with he and Lucas.

I really need to get started on Christmas gifts. I haven't completed (or even started ANY gifts, other than my MIL's.) Speaking of MIL...she is visiting next week. I have A LOT to do to get this house in order. Our office/guest room/military supply closet is packed full of craziness. Papers to be filed, Army stuff all over the bed and floor, and a phone wire strung across the room because our phone has been out for weeks now. (I have NO problem stating that I highly dislike our cable/internet/phone provider. Guess I shouldn't mention any names since this is public and all. I do know that most of my friends and acquaintances feel the same!)

We have our tree and decorations up, inside and out. I love how a husband and a son have made this time of year so much more special for me!

We also celebrated our son's 2nd Birthday this past weekend. Hard to believe he has grown so much. I made a Thomas the Train sheet cake (from scratch, mind you!). That task took me ALL day. There will be an update on that later on.

I also have some other news to share, but that will also come in the next few weeks!

10 things I want you to know...

My beautiful, sweet, amazing son; (yes, I call you beautiful. Because you ARE the most beautiful thing in the universe to me!) some things I want to make sure you know and understand...

1.
You have the most amazing Dad in the world. He loves you (and mommy) unconditionally and will always be there for you when you need him.

2.
Daddy is a Soldier in the United States Army. There will be times that he can't be home with us, maybe even for a year or more. Having to leave us behind for that time is the hardest thing for him to do. But the job he is doing, helps give us all the freedoms we have as Americans. Whether he is far away or sitting next to you, he loves you with all that he is. Please remember that and always be proud of him, even when it hurts to see him go.
 

3. 
You are the BEST thing that has ever happened to me. The moment I held you in my arms for the first time, I knew my heart was yours forever.

4. 
I will always be here for you when you need me. Whether you've scraped your knee, fallen off your bike, have a belly ache, made a mess, had trouble in school, met your first girlfriend, gotten married, had children...As long as I am alive, I will always listen and do everything I can to help you.

5.
School can be tough. Other kids can be tough. Always keep an open mind and a strong heart. Don't be a bully. Don't let some kid bully you. Stand up for yourself when you need to. Keep your mouth shut when you need to. Be nice to other kids who tend to look down when they walk; you may be the one person that will brighten their day.

6.
Pay attention! In school, in a vehicle, on the bus, to Mom and Dad. Be serious when you need to be and ask questions if you do not know the answer.

7.
Work hard. Don't be lazy. Be courteous. Say please and thank you. Hold the door for the person walking in behind you. Open doors for ladies.

8.
You need to stop growing. Just yesterday, you were a little bitty thing that fit perfectly in the nook of my arm. I can only imagine what life will be like once you're grown and stand taller than me. Sheesh.

9.
HAVE FUN. Laugh often. Smile often. Be silly.

10.
Enjoy the ride. Life is going to be ups and downs, side to side's, and everything in between. Things may not always go as you plan, but those are the moments that mold you into who you will become. Bumps in the road make you stronger. Everything happens for a reason, whether you understand it or not. Trust me on this one.


I love you, my boy. There is no other love like the love for your child. I know you will understand that one day.

Love Always and Forever,
Momma




Sharing my thoughts with others at Miss Mommy's Tuesday Ten :)

I'm _____ because...

I'm happy because...

I have the best husband in the world.
I have the best kid in the world.
We get to have our first Thankgiving together.
I recently was able to get out of a crummy job and into a better one.
I am able to craft and sew.
Even though I am far away from friends and family, they are an awesome support group.
I get to sleep next to my best friend every night.
I wake up in the morning to a smiling toddler.
My husband is going to have leave for a couple weeks in December.
My husband is helping me become a better person.



I'm sad because...

I live so far from friends and family.
We can't visit friends and family more often.
I have not continued my college career. 

Our kiddo is growing up SO fast.
My husband has lots of training next year and most likely, a deployment.
My patience sometimes run thin and it gets taken out on people closest to me.
I try to take lots of photos, but I miss way too many good shots because I always use my phone.
I lost a bunch of photos recently trying to get them transferred to our computer.
My memory is terrible.
I want another tattoo, but my artist of choice is in Arizona.

I'm excited for...
Lots of yummy food on Thanksgiving.
Putting the tree up together.
Making family Christmas cards.
Watching kiddo open gifts.
Starting a new year with the two loves of my life.
Starting my new job.
Making our first whole turkey.


I'm strange because...
I like towels folded a certain way.
I'm not a neat freak, but little things around the house bug me.
I could eat Cholula hot sauce on everything.
I want the room to be as dark as possible when I sleep, but hearing noises freaks me out.
I MUST be able to stick my feet out from under the covers.
I will NOT drive out to the middle of an intersection to hurry and make a left turn before the light turns red.
I rarely buy new clothes. I am a thrift store junkie.

I'm a bad friend because...
I forget to return calls.
I don't think to call people often enough.
I never make it to play dates/meet-ups scheduled on post.

I'm a good friend because...
I tell the truth.
I listen.
I want all my friends to be happy and succeed at everything they do.
I love to laugh and have a good time.

I will always do anything I can to help. 

This post inspired by Little Miss Momma :)

Hoot hoot!

I am LOVING my new sewing machine. Daddy B and Ruke Duke headed out to run errands this morning, so I had the afternoon to turn on Pandora and get to work. My music station choice? Bloodhound Gang. Seriously. This ain't yer grandma's sewing! Ha! :)

I've gotten so burned out on country and pop music lately, that I could scream. I definitely enjoyed hearing The Offspring, NIN, (it even played some Johnny Cash!) as well as a few new ones that literally made me LOL.

Anyway, on to my original blog post (I tend to be quite scatter-brained. Sorry.)

I saw some pictures and HAD to try these for myself. They aren't quite as refined, but they're still way cute.

In the process of making the first one (black), my husband made a little funny. "Hoo are you making it for?" Ha. (Guess you just had to be there). My response was "I have no idea. Just practicing".
He then informed me that his mom loves owls. Hooray! Christmas gift!

They really aren't hard to do, it simply takes a little time to cut the circles, pin and sew. I hadn't yet used a machine for circular stitching, so that took a little practice. The little one is a little messier in spots, but I finally got the hang of it after the first eye.

The peach one didn't turn out quite like I wanted, but that's because I accidentally skipped a step. I originally meant to sew on the "wings" like I did the black one, but the scatter-brain kicked in and I ended up sewing the body together before doing so. Thus, the "feathers". It didn't turn out horrible, but still not like I really wanted. I went to add in some hand stitching, but that would have taken SO long to do.

Practice, practice, practice!!

I REALLY love being able to take scraps of fabric and turn them into something cute. Or useful. Or both!

I will probably be doing handmade things for Christmas this year. Because I enjoy doing them. And because, like so many others, finances are still a little tight for us, even with my small income.


If you're a beginner sewer, what are your favorite projects to try? If you're seasoned, what projects would you suggest for us rookies to try?

Also linking up at Sweet Little Gals turquoise lovin' party!

Little Miss Homemaker

So, I finally got a sewing machine! I am beyond excited. I finally have one of my two ultimate wish-list items (the other being a d-slr).

I've finished a few projects. Started with an easy tote pattern, then made an awesome re-usable cover for my swiffer. The last project was a business card holder based off of a pattern from The Crafty Cupboard, which you can find here, and I adore it. Once I got through my first one, it was really easy! ;)

Being that this is my first time really sewing, other than the pillow and couple hot/cold packs (which were simply rectangles) I did okay. It was more learning how things would look working with the fabric right sides facing and imagining the outcome. Once I got to the place where I could turn it inside-out, voila! Couple little missed spots to fill, but other than that, it turned out really well. Works perfectly for business cards, credit cards, folded up cash. I made this one for a friend, and the picture above is with it full of her cards and such.

I definitely recommend! :)

-mk

Little Pumpkin

Our kid is the cutest kid ever. Not that I am partial or anything. ;)

I hadn't had much sleep and Brian had a long day at work as well, so we just stayed at home and gave out candy. Ruke Duke really enjoyed his costume and seemed to have a good time watching everyone come and go. He even waved bye to them, which he rarely does!

It makes my heart smile to see these two together, laughing and playing.

Two BEST things to ever happen to me.

Still loves to be upside down!

I look forward to all the future Halloween celebrations and costumes. Watching little man grow, choose his character and have fun.

Love my little family. :)

-mk

When it rains, it pours.

Seriously. Story of my life. And probably many others'.

I've been employed outside our home for about a month now and it stinks. This was supposed to be extra income to help make our life a little easier. Possibly even give us some "fun" money, to be able to go out and do things occasionally.

Then, our second car decides to crap out. Now, while I'm working third shift and finally getting 32 hours per week, my husband still has his full time schedule; having to report in by 6 a.m. every morning. I don't leave work until 7:30 a.m.. A friend of his was to be out of town for a month of training and was graciously letting us borrow his car during that time, until we could get the jalopy repaired .  However, his class got cancelled so he had to get his car back. Bummer.

It just seems like there is always something to knock us down once we start to feel like we're rising up. Why does life have to be like that? Why do we have to work SO hard and stay SO tired and give SO much money to everyone else only to have to worry about it all over again in two weeks, EVERY month.

"No one said it would be easy. They just said it would be worth it".

Yes, I know it is worth it. I look at my husband and child every single day and KNOW it is worth it. Why can't it just be easy SOMETIMES? Why can't we have everything go right occasionally and not have to worry quite so much?

On a brighter note, my new sewing machine is on it's way. I want to be able to take my crafting passion to the next level by sewing, creating and possibly making a profit doing so. We'll see what happens and I'm sure I'll be updating! I haven't been blogging much because life has just been so crazy. I miss writing, reading and pinning!!
I have been so emotional lately, trying to adjust to all these new changes. Hopefully things will even out soon and I can get back on track and stop stressing myself out so much.

-mk

My favorite woman in the world.

 

My momma came down to visit us for a couple weeks, which is the reason for my absence on blogger. I am so sad to see her go.  I hate being so far away from her and my sister! If we were in the Atlanta area, it wouldn't be near as hard to visit. 

I am so thankful she was able to hang out with us for a while and see Luke Duke be his normal self. She was also a HUGE help watching him while I was at work. 

I know distance is more than likely only going to get worse in the future. Who knows what base my husband will end up being stationed at. I can only imagine how hard going overseas would be. It all sounds good in my head...to be able to live abroad for a while, see a new part of the world. But I am terrified to have such a huge distance between us and our families. I guess we'll just have to see what happens...

-mk

Yummy junk food...and first day of being employed again.

I. Love. This. Pizza.
It's quick. It's easy. It's yummy. Throw some extra shredded cheese on there, place it directly on the oven rack for a crispy crust...and done.
If I didn't mind gaining 50lbs, I would probably eat one every day.
I'm going to have to get on the ball with pre-made meals to prepare quickly for dinner, since I have just started working again. Today was my first day, and even though it was only 4.5 hours, I am still exhausted. Going to take a bit for me to get back in the swing of things, especially having another human besides myself to get ready every morning. My awesome husband was a huge help this morning in getting kiddo up and going. Thanks,  babycakes. :)
We'll see what happens from here!
-mk

Clutter.

Allow me to share my project for the day...

The laundry room. Ugh. It's a disaster. And it usually stays that way.

Ridiculous. That is just a pellet gun, BTW. Simply for fun target practice.

I am the queen of clutter and I can't stand it. I have been this way my entire life...and have NO idea how to break the habit. It's like biting my nails, which has also been a nasty habit for years. (Currently, I'm doing well with that and they are growing nicely at the moment. I am proud.)

Anyhoo, back to the disaster room. As you can see, we have quite a bit of shelving in there but I am NOT a fan of the rack-type shelving. Cabinets to hide the mess would be fantastic.

We are in a rented home, so investing in nice shelving/paint/cabinets, etc., is not top priority.

I need to figure out a way to work with what I've got and get organized. Not only in the laundry room, but in the entire house. Laziness has something to do with it. Not knowing where to start is also takes part.

There just isn't a lot of storage space in this house. Our closets are all stuffed full. Christmas items and such are in the attic. That will be project for cooler weather...to get up there and lay plywood down to create more storage area.

Like many others, our budget is tight. What creative ways do you come up with for storage? What new, inventive ways have you found to be organized? By all means, share away. I could use all the help I can get! :)

-mk

PB & J

Let me just say...I LOVE that our son is getting to be so independent. Don't get me wrong, I get "baby fever" occasionally, however, I get over that quickly once I think of the long, sleepless days and nights, feedings every 2-3 hours, etc. Times two. When we become more financially stable and have a little more room, sure...I would like to have another child. But, with Brian set to deploy again next year and the current status of our financial situation, having another baby would more than likely throw what little sanity I have left, over the edge.
Ruke Duke can eat by himself now. Give him a PB & J sammich and he is content. I tell him its time to change his diaper and he {usually} will come lay in the floor for me to do so. He then takes the diaper and throws it in the garbage. Independence...for both of us! It is bittersweet...he is growing and learning. And he is growing and learning {!}. My baby isn't a baby anymore.

peanut butter face!

I know that our next child will come when he or she is meant for us. I just can't help but hope that, that time is a couple years down the road.

xo-mk

Dinner Plans.

I hate having to come up with something new and exciting to cook for dinner EVERY day. It is tough to do for me. I am not naturally creative, so I am constantly googling pork chop, tilapia and beef recipes, among what ever else type of meat I think of and we have on hand. Tonight, it's gonna be meatloaf. Because I love it. It's been entirely too long since I made it.
So... in the process of mommy-hood, starting an online career advancement program, taking care of our home as well as *still* seeking outside employment, I wanted to try and figure out a way to make dinner planning easy for me (and the grocery shopping to go with it). I have tried the couponing thing and failed miserably.
We'll see what happens with this! Feel free to try it for yourself and family as well!

*Note: I originally made this in word, using the regular paper size (8.5x11) then used PowerPoint to shrink it to 8x10. So if you use the google document available below (by clicking on the photo) it will print on 8.5x11!

xo-mk

Homemade Disinfecting Wipes

I use clorox/lysol wipes ALL the time. With Little Mister running amok daily and spill-proof sippy cups not doing their job properly, there tends to be finger prints and stickiness all over. Yuck.
While I love name-brand wipes, we go through them so much they just get expensive...so I tried my hand at making my own. I think they will work out fine; although, with the next batch, I will definitely try a better, stronger brand of towels.
This is very easy and doesn't take long...cutting and folding the paper towels took the longest at about 7-10 minutes (with pauses in between to kick toys away from my feet).

You will need:
White vinegar

Borax

Water

Upcycled wipe container

Paper towels

Sissors

Lemon or juice concentrate-to make it smell nice

Bowl to mix ingredients

Love the cute Huggies containers!

Take 20 regular sized sheets of paper towels and cut in half. (I will probably go with the select-a-size next time around). I folded each sheet into thirds, like an accordion so I could place the bottom flap from one into the top flap of the previous one, like regular baby wipes come, so pulling out one wipe would in turn pull up the next for ease of use. Because I am lazy and I hate having to stick my fingers in the hole to grab one wipe.

accordion fold

Once you have all 40 pieces together, place them in the wipe container.

 I mixed 2 cups of water with a few teaspoons of my lemon infused vinegar/water combo (more on that later) then another teaspoon of plain white vinegar. Also, squeezed the juice from one lemon slice, just because I like the smell so much.

Pour onto wipes. I only ended up using 1 cup of my mixture.

My son decided loading the dishwasher was a good idea. Yes, he is missing his pants. Yes, he also has sandals on. It's still really hot in Georgia! ;)

Let them soak for a few minutes so all the towels absorb the liquid.

I made sure to add a label to the top, just in case it gets left in the restroom. Ha!

 Aaaaand, done! I have also seen other sites that say to cut the whole roll of paper towels in half, take the center cardboard out and put them in a container with a hole cut in the lid, then simply pull from the center. I didn't have any containers around that I wanted to cut on, so I did it this way.
Perfect for every day quick clean-ups!

-mk

Time heals all.

...or so I always realize after the time passes. This is something I can never truly put into perspective during a time of sorrow. My tears haven't spilled like they did yesterday, so I feel my healing process has already begun.

Harley 2011

Yesterday, I had to put my beloved pet, Harley, to sleep. He had been sick for some time now and we just could not afford the expensive treatment he needed. I did my best to do what I could, but his condition progessively worsened. Just in the past week, to the point that he could no longer get himself up off the floor. It absolutely broke my heart to see him like that. I was in tears all day Friday, trying to figure out what to do. My husband was out in the field for who-knows-how-long, so it was just me and my 21 month old son. I finally found a Vet a few towns over that would help me, without charging. (The whole mess that led up to me having to call to find someone to help my poor animal, rather than the vet I had taken him to, is a whole 'nother story and aside from the hurt of losing my dog of 9 years, I am LIVID.) The clinic staff and doctor were kind and gracious and I will never be able to thank them enough for that.

A little less than a year and a half prior, my other pup, Hugger, was hit by a car. I was devastated and would cry daily for a week when I didn't have her barks and jumps to come home to. She was so unbelievably hyper! But she was so fun and brought so much laughter, especially when she and Harley would get going playing together. I had found her 5 years before walking the streets; and as soon as I brought her home, those two were inseparable.

Hugger 2008

Harley, myself, Hugger 2008

 

With Hugger, I did not have a choice. She was taken from me. With Harley, I had to make the painful decision to end his suffering. Holding my precious pup while he left this world was probably the hardest thing I have ever had to do thus far. I cannot even fathom something happening to my son. Harley was my first "child" and I am thankful that I had those last few precious moments with him, to tell him I loved him and would see him later. He has been such a wonderful companion, so sweet and loving. Great with children and had been through all of my ups and downs, staying right by my side. Our home is no longer the same not being able to see his sweet face.

I know we did what is best for him but that doesn't make it hurt any less. I can only hope it truly is "see you later".

-mk