Feeling a bit stressed....

I've been STRESSED the past few days.  Like the kind of stressed where I just want an entire bottle...I mean a small glass...of wine.  Super stressed.

Let me explain...

As many of you know we delay our childrens vaccines.  The Chicken Pox vaccine is one that they have not had.  There has been an "outbreak" of chicken pox in our area.  Now normally I would be doing my happy dance because I would just expose the kids to chicken pox and we would happily spend a week at home.

However, I'm pregnant right now.

Even though I had chicken pox as a child I'm not real comfortable with the kids getting it while I am pregnant. 

So, many of you are probably saying, "well, just give her the vaccine then!"  Unfortunately, it's not that easy.  Even though I had not planned on giving her the vaccine this early I would probably be willing to do it....except that there is a chance (1 in 25) that she could get symptoms of chicken pox from the vaccine and spread it to other family members.

Soooooo......my struggle is that I don't want her to GET chix pox right now....and I also don't want her to get the vaccine.

To add to this stress a letter was sent home with Eva yesterday stating that any child that is not vaccinated (or has not had chix pox) will not be allowed back at school for approximately 2 weeks.

Trust me when I say I have looked at this from every possible angle. 

I have not been sleeping well, I've had dreams about chicken pox, and I am pretty much consumed with it.  I've been on the phone with numerous doctors as well as our state's Dept of Health.  I've gone in and had bloodwork done to test MY immunity.  Simply put, I don't take vaccines lightly and I want to make the BEST decision for my family.  The problem is that I am really struggling with what that is.

So for now, prayers are welcome....and I'm just going to enjoy my little girl home from school with us for at least the next couple of days.  

Warms my heart....

Yesterday morning Jaden walked into my room carrying his Bible.  He was trying to look up a certain passage in Genesis and was having trouble finding it.  He asked if I would help him.

Let me start by saying I love that my four year old knows that Genesis is a book of the Bible.

Secondly, I love that he was sitting in his room on his own trying to find a certain passage in his Bible.  He said he knew it was at the front of his Bible, but couldn't find it.

Sometimes I doubt myself.  I wonder if I'm doing all I can to raise them to fully understand the importance of their faith....and then a moment like this comes along like a little gift from God assuring me that they are doing just fine.

"Weave in faith and God will find the thread."

--Unknown

Tis the season to GIVE...

This is a challenge I post every year at Christmas time and this year will be no different.  I think my  husband summed it up perfectly when he said, "Thanksgiving is the time of year to GIVE THANKS....and Christmas is simply the time of year to GIVE!"

Volunteer at a soup kitchen, adopt a family, create homemade cards for nursing home residents, purchase value meals and deliver them to the homeless on the streets, donate to a charity that has touched your life, ask your child's school if any children need winter coats and purchase them.....YOU decide what touches your heart and fits your budget.

For those of you that have children I encourage you to involve your children in the endeavor.  I started this when my children were very small and it seems that each and every year they seem to "get it" more and more.

This year this little girl helped me wrap gifts for a special family we adopted...

The conversations during times like this are so important....discussions about the true meaning of Christmas, giving to others, and praying for those we don't even know.  On top of that my little girl is turning into quite the little wrapper (I looooove wrapping presents to it makes this mama happy) and I love the look on her face when she's finished....

I also love that crazy morning hair!  Sooooo my friends.....I encourage you to give....to involve your children...and to focus your energy on making the life of someone else a little brighter this Holiday season.

"Christmas is not about opening presents....it's about opening our hearts"



The strife of childhood....

Have any of you ever watched Storage Wars?

I don't watch it regularly, but I do enjoy the show and last night the kiddies and I were enjoying it together.  The show is a reality show that follows a group of people that bid on abandoned storage units.  The fun is that they are not allowed to touch anything in the unit - just look - before bidding.  Sometimes they end up making a TON of money off of these units. 

All of this being said, each of the "characters" in the show have been pigeon holed into different personality traits.  One man, Dave, is known as the "mogul" that will bid on top and above everyone else. 

Soooo....getting to the funny part of my story.....last night our family was snuggled up watching this high quality piece of entertainment when one of the guys on the show says, "I need to quit worrying about what Dave is doing and start worrying about myself and what I'm bidding on!!!!"

Jaden quickly responded, "I need to do that too!  I need to quit worrying about monsters and just worry about myself!"

Oh. My. Word.

My body was shaking because I was trying to hold in my giggles.

The joys of eating while pregnant.....or not.

Our family eats pretty healthy.  Lean meats.  Veggies.  Very few sweets.  Most people laugh when I tell them our kids have only been to McDonald's about 5 times total in their whole lives. 

I'm the girl that eats black beans nearly every day because I had read that they are one of the most perfect foods for your body.  Well, that and I loooooove them.

Yes, we eat well around here.

Except when I am pregnant.

It's kind of crazy that when my body needs those nutrients most I want them the least.  What sounds good to me when I'm pregnant?  Poptarts.  Mashed potatoes.  Fritos.  Cereal.   Nacho BelGrande from Taco Bell.  Chicken sandwiches from Burger King.

Lovely.

I get so frustrated with myself because  I WANT to eat healthy....but the thought of a salad makes me want to hurl.  Ugh.

I find solace in the fact that a friend of mine told me that the baby draws on nutrients in my body long before I ever got pregnant. 

I sure hope so....I'm pretty sure the nutrients in a smores Poptart are pretty much non-existent!

Ahhhhhh, the joys of pregnancy!  ♥

Barbados 2011

Hello Friends!  Well, my lack of blogging the past week has nothing to do with morning sickness and EVERYTHING to do with being on vacation!!!  (MUCH better than morning sickness I may add...I'll take a blogging break for vacation any day)! 

Our family journeyed to Barbados with the company my husband works for!  It was the first time Eva and Jaden have been out of the country and they were PUMPED.  I wish I would have videotaped Eva watching the customs officer to MAKE SURE he stamped her passport.  It was a very big deal in her little 6 year old world!

Here are some pics to share with ya'll from our days of fun in the sun....

When I tell you the water was crystal clear and amazingly warm I mean it.  I've been to a few different islands in the Caribbean and Barbados has some of the most beautiful water I've ever seen.

Me with my little ones!  I love watching them play and discover things on the beach....if you remember from previous posts it reminds me of time I spent on the beach as a child.  Such wonderful memories to be made when enjoying the ocean!

Eva doing a Bajan dance with a local woman!  After she was done she came up to Matt and I and said, "That was SOOOOO fun!!!!"

Our family.  This picture was taken at the Welcome dinner one of the first nights we were there.  These dinners are always absolutely beautiful and the food is amazing.

We introduced our children to virgin cocktails while we were there....and proceeded to have to cut them off at one drink a day.  We also informed them that these were special "vacation treats" so we didn't have them asking for them every. single. time we went out for dinner!!!  Ha!

Anyone that knows my little girl knows that she was totally in her element playing baseball on the beach with our friend Ben!  I had to tell Ben that he could stop whenever he felt like it...she would be willing to play all day!

Jaden and his buddy Hayden jumping waves!!!

Love the colors in this picture....the ocean really was unbelievable (oh, and love that little man too)!!!

Matt and a few of his dealers went deep sea fishing one day.  They brought the fish they caught  back to the resort and one of the restaurants cooked them up for them for lunch!  SO cool!  I love their view...can't beat that for outdoor dining!

There was an old fort on the side of the resort dating back hundreds of years.  Jaden loved the canons...he was pretty sure pirates used them.  I loved the way the waves crashed up against the sea wall!

Matt and the kids took a ride aboard the Atlantis Submarine!!  I wasn't able to go since I am pregnant...but they sure loved it!  They went down about 150 feet and saw all kinds of sea life, corals, and even a shipwreck!

This little guy looooves body surfing!!  His form was perfect! ♥

This little girl looooves boogie boarding (especially when her Uncle Jeff would take her farther out to ride the waves in)!! 

Matt and I with my sis and her husband!  ♥

The hotel had four pools....but the kids thought the infinity pool was pretty special!  I thought it was beautiful too!

Me and my little lady.  Love her.

We ate at some amazing restaurants...places that were literally on cliffs overlooking the water where the sea crashed against the seawall and you could feel the mist of the ocean.  Honestly, I've never ate in more beautiful settings....but our little man only ever made it through about half of the meals.  Even with a nap the sun and sea wore him out (and I sure loved cuddling him)!

Eva and Jaden right before the farewell cocktail hour and dinner.  I hate to be one to brag, but they could not have been better on this trip.  During dinners with Matt's dealers they sat and participated in the conversation, used their best table manners, and were honestly like little adults at the table!  We were blessed with so many compliments on what good kiddos they are!  We've got keepers that's for sure! ♥

Farewell cocktail hour at the Old Fort....beautiful. 

Many of our meals had formal settings and Eva really took an interest in learning what silverware was appropriate for each course.  By the end of the trip she had it down - even Matt was impressed!  She would get excited when she noticed dessert utensils because that meant dessert would be served!  My favorite moment was half way during the week (when she was still learning what each fork, spoon, and knife meant) she was served a course of steak on rice.  I watched her scratch her head...look at the utensils she had left...and then said, "Which one is my rice fork?" 

My two favorite boys...watching the sun set.  Love them both!  ♥

This picture gives you another look at how beautiful the water was!!

I know I'm crazy, but I love crabs.  I think they are so stinkin' cute!  We saw LOTS of them while we were there!

Eva got her hair braided by a local woman on our last day.  Adorable.

In all just an absolutely wonderful vacation!