Thanksgiving!

Happy Early Thanksgiving Everyone!!

I asked Kelsey a few weeks ago what she was thankful for and she said turkey :) Then she went on to tell me that she was thankful for her family, rocko, and her baby doll.

I can't believe Christmas is around the corner!! As ready as I think I am I am def. not!

I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving weekend, stay safe! Eat a lot and enjoy!

also....if you are braving Black Friday....be safe! and have fun :)

Family Picture!

This was taken at Kelsey's 5th Birthday party

(We don't normally walk around with our faces painted.)

There will be more pictures of her party coming soon :)

6 Places

6 Places:

1. Home
2. Georgia
3. Australia
4. Hilton Head
5. Horse Barn
6. My Bed :)

7 Wants

7 Wants:

1. world peace or just the troops to come home to their families

2. Cure for Cancer and all other bad dieseases

3. To be a stay at home mom, atleast so I can fnish my degree

4. My husband to graduate...and get a raise :)

4. Fall--- needs to hurry up!

6. an iphone

7. would love a new car...used is fine, just new to me.

8 fears

8 Fears:

1. Failure
2. Not being able to give my kids what they need
3. Spiders, Roaches
4. The dark.. esp when I run into something!
5. Cancer
6. Missing something important happen in my kids like because I have to work
7. Sky diving
8. speaking in public

9 Loves

 9 Loves:

1. My husband

2. My kids

3. Spring/ Fall Days

4. UGA Football

5. Warm Sheets

6. Horses

7. Getting sweet pictures from daycare while I work

8. Sweet tea



9. Rocko

10 Day you Challenge

I have some blogging material! For the next 10 days at least!

10 Secrets:

1. I have always dreamed of living on a farm out in the boondocks of nowhere, full of every farm animal imaginable. I have always wanted my kids to grow up knowing country living. I don't see it happening. We live next to cows now...pretty close I guess.

2. I wish and want to have another baby... not anytime soon though!

3. I want the rooms in my house to look like those in southern living and HGTV.

4. I can't help but judge when people at the grocery store are on food stamps and buy nothing but junk food! Give me food stamps so I can afford to eat healthy :)

5. My husband told me when I lose all the weight I want to lose he will pay for a boob job :) not bigger just put them back where they are supposed to be for a women my age!

6. I am so afraid of roaches and spiders, I will usually put something over them and leave it for Travis to take care of when he gets home.

7. I want to pull off all the cute clothes and trends everyone is wearing but in my head I think I will look like a big ole dofus.

8. As much as I will deny it, I really want some hair feathers.

9. Even though my wedding has come and gone I am still obsessed with any wedding related show

10. I get excited when I can sit down and watch the shows I DVR...mainly teen mom, secret life of the American teenager and big brother...

So your turn...if you want :)

Have a great day!

What a week

and it is only Tuesday!

My week has already been crazy. This weekend was pretty busy though. It was Travis birthday and we had our first date night in over a year without the kids! I was one happy girl :) We got given tickets to the braves game, so it was a first for both of us going to the game and we had so much fun just being together. It was def. needed. Then Sunday, being the awesome wife that I am I planned a semi- surprise party for Travis. It was just family over but we had homemade sandwich ring and homemade Oreo ice cream cake :)

Zeus got a new home :( I was so sad. Our landlord advised us to keep looking for a home for him, so I took that as get him a home quick! I don't want to jeopardize were I am living. I believe I found a great home and he is going to be so happy!

Sunday night Hayden started feeling pretty crummy, so yesterday it was off to the doctor we went and they told us he has a double ear infection...he was one crabby man this morning. I hope he starts feeling better soon.

Then last night I am sitting on the couch and I got this awful electrical current type feeling in my tooth, I started freaking out because this hasn't ever happened before. I have self-diagnosed myself and decided that one of the wisdom teeth have hit a nerve in my mouth, so about every 20 mins or so I get this lovely feeling. I was seeing stars last night and crying in bed until my wonderful husband gave me some pain medicine. I was our within 30 minutes or so and had no pain until I woke up this morning. I am making an appointment with the dentist to get these lovely teeth out asap! I don't want to pay the money for them but I guess for my sanity and my husbands sleep I need to.

Well that is my weekend/week so far. I will be back in a little while to get some ideas from yall!

Weekend Recap

This weekend seems like it went by so fast, here I am at work again.

Friday- I am starting to clean my parent's house for some extra money....easy money why not? So I did that then got the kids from daycare and headed home. We got out usual Friday dinner out and ended up going straight home because I had crabby kids.

Sat- Travis worked all weeked so Sat. we spent at home most of the day. Except running some errands for my mom and visiting with her for a few minutes. I got Kelsey a Barbie movie out of the blockbuster box and her exact words were "You are the best mommy ever!"

Sunday- Travis was out working again by 7am. I had to go to Wal-Mart to get some lunch stuff and essentials that we needed. Rest of the day I spent cleaning and doing laundry. Travis got home late so we didn't do anything much.

Since I didn't get to post this on Monday I will add Monday in also!

Monday- Work, then I headed to Kohls to spend a 10 giftcard I got in the mail and couldn't find a dang thing! I hate it when that happens. I went and picked up my kiddos from daycare and headed to Kroger. I really dislike grocery shopping with them, but I had no choice. We did Kroger at record speed and headed home. I put away the cold stuff and let the dogs out and fed them really quick and we were off again. This time headed to Moe's to eat dinner and then Publix. We made it home right at 7pm...I left work at 3:15! Travis was working again so I did bath time and put Hayden to bed. Kelsey and I watched some TV until her bedtime then I just vegged out until Travis got home at 10:45!!!

My weekend was pretty uneventful how was yours?

Attitude

I am amazed at the amount of attitude that Kelsey has right now. She is almost 5 but good grief she acts like she is 25. I told Travis the other night I wish parenting came with a guidebook because it would make it so much easier! I have no idea how to even start getting rid of our attitude problem. I am hoping and praying that when Pre-K starts it will level out and go away. I know I will have to deal with it later, but give me some time....like 10 years :)

Anyone have any suggestions on an attitude adjustment?or ways to stop this from happening?

Big Boy!

2 posts in one day! AHH!!

Here are some new pictures of our big man. I can't believe he is already 15 months old! He is weighing in at 26lbs...maybe more he was wiggling on the scale and he is 32 inches long!

Hanging out in Grandma back porch...sorry for the diaper shot its so hot outside!



Showing off his new kicks!



This was last weekend, helping my dad with his air compressor.

I am CRAZY!

I think I have officially gone off the deep end...

Last week my co-worker came into work saying her friend found some puppies the night before. Well since I am such a animal person I was jumping at the opportunity to foster a puppy. Then I saw pictures of them. I have always wanted a weim and Travis always wanted a blue (grey) pitt. I saw a little grey puppy in the picture staring at me asking to come to our house :)

So we got him, with every idea to find him a great home by the end of the weekend...ughhh that didn't happen and hasn't happened as of now.

We have named him Zeus.... we "think" he might be pittbull mix but no one really knows at this point. He is just like any other puppy, very sweet and cuddly but he is going to be a bit feisty.

Like I said I think I have gone mad, but Travis and the kids have all gotten so attached...myself included. How could you not? 

New Adventures!

I feel like I have gotten an answer to a bunch of prayers!

This may sound silly to some, but I have been praying and asking for something for me to do as a stress relief and so I can have some Brittany-time. Yes I love being a mom but everyone needs a break.

We had a patient come into work last week and the lady up front asked her how she hurt herself, her response I picked up a hay ring and my shoulder popped. WHAT? Those things can be heavy. Well she went on to say she has horses and all. I immediately asked her who is helping her and she answered no one. I said I will come help you. She started crying. I was so shocked. She went on to tell me she is starting a horse rescue and needs help. AHHHH the lord is good! I am so excited.

So tomorrow is my first day to go help her. I am like a kid on Christmas eve. I am so excited. I told my husband that I need to go find my tack trunk just in case I get a chance to ride. I am not expecting to. I am just fine with scooping feed and poop!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Lets talk about me!

I got this idea last night to talk about myself...like I don't do that enough already but I am going to write some fun facts about myself... We could call it get it know Brittany..

- I am the baby and only girl of my family
- I have wild curly hair, and we have a love hate relationship. I love it, it hates me!
- I am a dreamer
- I really don't care what people think about me anymore, if you don't like it then don't hang out with me.
- I would rather text than call someone, unless I am driving of course!
- I believe that everything happens for a reason, even if at that moment we have no idea what that reason         might be.
- I am 5'7....my husband is 6'5. I think our children are gonna be tall!
- If you don't already know horses are my passion and my stress- relief.
-I am only 24.
-I wouldn't trade my life as a wife and a mommy for anything. I can't imagine anything different.
- My husband and I both are usually in bed by 9pm every night...we act like 90 year olds.
-I look forward to going back to school to finish my degree as soon as I can.
-I love the smell of gas and fresh cut grass....ya I'm strange.
-My favorite color is blue, but if you ask my daughter it is pink.
-I am so proud of my husband for where he is today. He is trying such an great dad and husband!
-I need to learn to let go of my stress and stop taking it out on Travis.
- I am a neat freak...you couldn't tell walking into my house, but don't touch my fridge or beware if you don't put something back exactly where it came from :)

So that is pretty lame, but I can't think of anything else right now. I am going to try ( again) to blog more.

In shock

I have struggled with writing a post for a while, and this one is really hard for me, but I feel like I need to do it.

Last Sunday June 5th, I got a phone call saying one of the girls who I used to hang out with in my youth group in high school had been shot. That is all they knew. I soon found out this awful story was true and it hits me way to close to home. She was only 25 and had 2 small children (ages 3 and 1) and it was her ex-boyfriend the father of the children that shot her. My heart it still breaking and I believe it will continue for a long time for these kids. The worst part it they were in the car when he did it. Shannon was the type of person to love everyone and not pass judgement on anyone or anything! I remember her saying right after Emma was born that she loved being a mom, it was the best thing ever.

So all this week I have been in a very strange mood, every time something happens at home or Kelsey/ Hayden upset me I have to stop myself from yelling and think what if that happened to me? This is how they would remember me yelling at them. I know we aren't supposed to think about the what ifs but that is a very hard thing to do. I have also been taught not to ask God why...but I have asked him that a LOT this week. Why Shannon? Why now? I have gotten my some of my answers and what I can say is she was meant for bigger things that she could do here on Earth.

The visitation is tonight and her funeral is tomorrow, so the next 2 days will be emotion filled for me, my family, her family, and so many friends. I know I wasn't close friends with her, but close enough for this to shake me. Our youth group wasn't just a group of high school kids, it was a family. We have all moved on and gone our ways getting married and starting families. I just hate that a funeral is bringing all of us together again.

So there is my sad blog post. I know Shannon wouldn't want people to dwell on what happened, her dad put on facebook that he knows Shannon was forgiving him as he shot her because that is how she was. Hopefully this will start some kind of change doing things about domestic violence.

Here is one of the many news stories if you want more information. There is also a facebook memorial for her.
http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/14846529/hockey-player-a?clienttype=printable

Here is her obituary, I just read it...wow!
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/atlanta/obituary.aspx?n=shannon-lawrence&pid=151684474&fhid=5430

I know my blog title is live,laugh,love so this poem goes with it, but I think this is how we should live our lives everyday!
Someone once said: What goes around comes around.
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like no body's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

Cowboy Cookout!

Hayden man is 1! I can't believe it! Travis asked me how it was possible the other night, he said where has this year gone?

For his party we ended up doing a cowboy cookout at our house. We tried to keep it as simple as possible to save money and just make it easy for us. The pictures pretty much tell everything so I will just overload you now.



Kelsey and my nephew Koltyn swinging



Kelsey on her horse swing





What do i do?



Love this picture!



My serious boy



Playing sticks with his friend Carson

Riding his 4-wheeler!



This is the cake and cupcakes my friend and I made. I have to say I am pretty proud !



Picture overload!

We had a wonderful weekend :) The weather was beautiful so we spent a lot of time outside, which means of course we had to take some pictures...

Kelsey and Koltyn riding bikes

Hayden crawling around the grass



This is my nephew (Koltyn) with Travis and the baby chicks



11 months!

In 1 month my little boy will be celebrating his 1st birthday!!

He had his first ear infection this week....so at the doctor when he was weighed it said 23.09....omg he is so big!

-He has started clapping and saying yay to everything. He is such a happy boy!
-He is also waving to everyone also.
-He is crawling like a pro and has been trying to stand up on his own a little harder everyday.

11 month old picture:

That face just makes me smile!

Almost 1!

I have started planning little man Hayden's first birthday party! EKKK! I can't believe that it has almost been a year already.

I am going with a cowboy or western theme for his party. We are hoping and praying for good weather so we can be outside for it. I know Hayden won't remember it but we did a princess party for Kelsey's 1st birthday so and cowboy is just so us.

Right now I am planning on making his cake...again I need prayers! My best friend and I are going to attempt fondant for the first time. The picture I found online doesn't look to very difficult. The cake will be decorated to look like a pair of paint with a belt buckle done on the side. Then we are doing cupcakes, some decorated like cow faces and others with cow print on them.

The menu in my head was perfect (and cheap) got vetoed...so tell me what you think.
-Sloppy Joe's ( Travis went crazy and said no way! He wants Hamburgers/Hot dogs)
-Pasta/ Potato Salad
-Deviled Eggs
-7-bean baked bean (maybe not 7 beans but something like this)
-Chips
-Guacamole Bar
-Salsa and chips
-Texas Caviar with chips
Dessert:
-Smash cake
-Cupcakes
-Brownies
Drinks:
-Lemonade
-Tea
-Water bottles
- beer/wine maybe margaritas
I don't normally do soft drinks because they are so expensive and we don't need the left overs in our house. So I might just tell people that lemonade, tea and water is provided bring something if you don't want that...hmmm sounds kinda rude.

Anyway let me know what you think....

Thanks!

One of my dreams...check!

Not this past weekend but the one before that we did something new.. I wrote a post on that Friday about stress relief and was pretty down in the dumps. The weekend un uneventful and on Sunday morning we started doing yard work since it was a pretty day. I happened to look at facebook to see a post from someone saying they were ranch sorting at her barn that afternoon, and everyone was invitied. Well ranch sorting is like a rodeo compeition. It was so much fun and being around horses and a barn just made me SO happy!

Kelsey has always loved horses and talks about them constantly, but when she has the chance to be near them she freaks. I can't blame her they are huge animals and can be scary. We went down to see the barn and talk with our friend some. At first Kelsey was scared and wouldn't even look at the horses in the stalls. They were sticking their heads out of the bars and it freaked her out. Then I was turned around talking and I look to see this....

Then I went over to her because I was sooo happy. And she kept doing it. She was feeding him one strand of hay at a time...melt my heart.



Then we walked back up to the ring and she helped me lead a horse up it was so funny.

Then....she rode!!! AHHH with our friend but still she was on a horse and it wasn't a pony ride. Trust me it made my week :)



Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I hope everyone is wearing GREEN!

I didnt get a picture of the kids this morning but they were all decked out in their St.Pattys day outfits!

Working Mommy

I am having a really hard time with work right now. I like my job, not love because this isn't where I see myself in 5 years or even 1 year. I want to go back to school, but I am waiting for Travis to finish his schooling so we can be more financially stable. Right now I feel stuck, I can't quit because we need the little bit of money I bring home, but it is worth it to be this unhappy?

I take my kids to daycare at 6:15 every morning and some days I can pick them up by 3:45 others it is closer to 5:30. We pay out the butt for daycare...which I bet a lot of people do. When I sit down and think about how much I am paying vs how much I make it doesn't make sense to me why I am still working.  I feel like I am missing such a big part of Kelsey and Hayden growing up...

I am trying to find  job working part time or in the afternoons so I can be with them during the day. I am just so torn on what to do...I just can't shake this feeling!

Stress Relief

How do you handle stress??

Do you run, take a bath, scream, clean your house, vent, cry, take a walk??....

I am asking because I have having a hard time finding a stress relief. I used to before kids and a husband ride horses all. the time. and if I had a bad day I could go spend a couple hours with the horses, even if I wasn't riding just hanging out. I always felt so much better when I left, riding helps me clear my head.. At least until I have to face reality again.

I haven't been able to ride like that in a couple years and while I know I will do it again I need something else in the meantime. I don't get much any alone time anymore, unless it is 10pm. I am not much of a runner so I don't find that as a relief more of a hassle. I can walk until I fall over but that doesn't do much anymore. Cleaning usually works but with 2 small kids and a husband I clean really well and in 10 minutes it looks awful again.

So I am asking you readers...(If I have any) to let me in on how you relieve your stress or what you do to clear your head?

Please share.

If this post makes no sense I am sorry. There is so much in my head right now that I am all over the place. I am going to try to start blogging more to help me. I am praying it doesn't turn into a complain fest!

2/21/09

I can't believe it has already been 2 years! The day that I married my best friend :) He is my other half and I am so thankful that he came into my life.

Maybe next week I can write how we met....

Our wedding day was wonderful! I was worried it was going to be a cold winter day but the sun was out, there were blue skies and it was about 60 outside! Depsite catching a stomach bug the thursday night before the wedding I made it through! It just helped my dress fit so much better :)

Here are so pictures of that amazing day!

Me and my girls

My sweet baby girl

I love this one

and this one

getting in the truck...(thats his real baby!)

Our crazy wedding party!

All little kids at heart

let them eat cake!

Wow that was a lot! I thought I had more at work of just Travis and I but apparently I don't.

Have a great day!

Toddler and Tiaras

I have watched this show and yes I think these parents are crazy! I don't know if I could ever put my kids through some of that stuff.....but.

Kelsey has a new friend Ashton, who does pageants, we went and watched her in th most recent one a few weeks ago. I used to say I wanted to enter Kelsey in one just to see how she did...and this didn't help.

Kelsey and I both had so much fun! Ashton looked so pretty- not that she doesn't all the time! It just amazed me what the dresses looked like. We watched the whole age group that went through elementary school.

Ashton was 1 of the 2 girls who did a talent in her age group, she sang firework by Katy Perry. Now Kelsey loves this song and sings and dances everytime she hears it. Ashton ended up winning the talent, people's choice, and Tiny Miss Mountain View! So exciting!

Here are a few pictures....

These past few weeks have just flown by for me. The day to day feels like it takes forever but the weeks are just flying by.

-I can't believe that February is more than half-way over.
- Hayden is almost 10 months old....wow. I will have a 1 year old so soon and I am not ready!
-Kelsey will be 5 in September, where did my baby girl go? She starts pre-k next year and she is so big!
-We are celebrating our 2 year wedding anniversary on Monday! Some people didn't think we would make it 2 months ;)

In the last 2 weeks Hayden has starting crawling, standing up and doing so much more. My sweet little baby boy has turned into a terror. He is still such a sweet boy, but he is ALL boy! I put him down and he is gone...down the hall, in the bathroom, or even out the front door. He thinks that everything he can reach needs to be used to pull himself up. Yesterday I caught him trying to stand up on his own in the middle of the floor. Our poor dog runs from him because Hayden thinks it is funny to tackle him. He will also launch himself on Kelsey if she is playing on the floor with him. He is also a moose, not really but a chunky man right.

At his 9 month check up last week he weighed in at 20lbs 13 oz and 30 inches long. Kelsey is 4 1/2 and weighs 34lbs and is 41 inches. If it tells you anything Hayden at 9 months is where Kelsey was at 12 months! The difference between girls and boys is amazing. I remember Kelsey babbling so much...she still does! Hayden is a man of few words, but when he starts it lasts a while.

Mother nature has been giving us some beautiful weather the past week or so and this weekend it is supposed to be in the 70's!!! I am worried either it is going to get cold again or it will be 100+ in May again like last year. We are enjoying this weather though!

Here are some new pictures! Sorry about the bad resolution they are from my phone.


This is his new trick!

The husband and Kelsey,he normally doesn't look like this--please excuse him!



How did this happen?

When did I become to old for a night out?

I have decided I am too old to go out anymore! It is sad because at the ripe old age of 24 I feel like I am 60 these days!

We went out on Saturday night with my best friend for her hubby's birthday. It was the first time since Hayden has been born that Travis and I both were able to go out together without kids. We were so excited! I love my kids more than life itself, but I was so ready to "let my hair down". And that I did. We went to dinner and Taco Mac and then headed back to my friends to get ready to go hang out at a local bar. I had been to the bar before but it was so crowded this weekend, it wasn't even fun. We ended up just going back to my friends house to hang out, we drank way to much, played Wii and danced like we were at the bar...No one went to sleep until like 4am and we left at 8 Sunday morning!

I wasn't hung over as bad as I thought I would be, I was just more or less exhausted. The best feeling is walking into my moms house to pick up the kids both so happy and excited that we came back to get them. (not that they don't love my parents, they just love us to!)

Hayden is starting to have stranger anxiety, not just with strangers but with anyone who is not Travis or I. I love it that he loves me so much, but I feel bad for the other people who want to hold or play with him. Anyone have any suggestions on this one?

Later this week I will have Hayden's 9 month stats...ya can you believe it?

I saw a picture of myself, posted by someone on facebook last week and I wanted to throw up. It was of Kelsey and I, but it opened my eyes to how bad I really need to start working out again. Everyone tells me you look fine, you have 2 kids it is ok. Nope it is not ok! NO more excuses! I want to look like I did a year before I had Kelsey. It will take time I know that I am not looking for a quick fix. I am looking for a lifestyle change. I know all the fundamentals of losing weight and keeping it off. I just have to make my brain and body do them. I have come to the realization that I HAVE to do this, it is not a need or a want anymore.

I know I am way too young to be this heavy and I hear it just gets harder the older you get. I want to be able to wear the clothes in my closet and go into a store not worrying about what I will look like in the clothes. One day I will be ready to be proud of my body and start dressing like a 24 year old instead of covering myself up to end up looking like the people on what not to wear.

So here is the plan....well this is what is in my head right now.

- Drink plenty of water...I drink about 2-3 bottles of water normally...I have bumped it up to 5-6 this past week. It def. helps me feel better, I have one coke or cup of coffee each morning to give me my caffeine.
- Eat right.. So what is eating right? My mom always said avoid everything that is white. Well that happens to be everything I love! Then I hear that everything is ok in moderation. I eat lots of salads and few veggies with no problem, chicken I am good with. Ask me to eat fish and I will give you the eat poo and die look.
- Exercise... I want to do the C25k program, but I figured out I have to start working out before I can jump into that. Last week I walked 3 days and did some leg machines at work 2 days. I need to do more....but what? I am no runner, and I don't have a lot of free time. I either have to do it at work in the gym or when Travis is home to watch Kelsey. We don't have a double stroller and I don't think she would enjoy being told to walk really fast with me.

What else is there?? I need ideas a plan and help!!

Morning Routine

What is your morning routine? Do you have one? Does it change from depending on the day or does it stay the same everyday?

I am really just wondering what everyone else does in the morning. How early do you get up? Do you shower at night? Make your lunch? If you have kids do you pick out there clothes or pack lunches at night?

Mornings in my house can be crazy, but I have figured out in the last few weeks that doing more at night saves me the rush and headache each morning. Monday, Wednesday and Fridays are the craziest. I have to be at work at 6:45am. Imagine getting 2 kids out of the house plus a mom who doesn't like getting out of bed! It is extremely hard and Travis leaves between 5:45- 6am each morning. So at night I have been mixing bottles, packing Hayden's diaper bag with his food and snacks, picking out clothes for both kids and having Kelsey's book bag packed and ready to go. I make my lunch at night and have it ready on the counter. Since I can't function without a shower and no one needs wants to see my hair in the morning without one I have to get up pretty early. The alarm starts going off at 4:45 and this past week I have not gotten out of bed until 5:20....I leave at 6:10. I know I should get up when the alarm goes off but holy cow! I am glad I wear scrubs to work and I don't have to worry about dressing up with accessories and actually worrying about my appearance. Tuesday and Thursdays are a little more relaxed, I don't have to be at work until 8:30am so I have more time. I still get everything ready at night so I can spend more time with my little ones in the morning. Normally I stick cheese toast in the toaster oven or a waffle and top it with some peanut butter. If I don't do that when I get to work I will make oatmeal or have yogurt and granola, I always make time to eat!

The weekends are much more lax most of the time. Travis goes to school on Saturdays so I still have to hear the alarm go off and wake up with him, but normally I go back to bed. If one of the kids wakes up they get in bed with me and we snuggle and watch cartoons until we feel like getting up. Sundays is fishing days for Travis most of the time he gets up early to head out. I think it is starting to wear him out though and he mentioned he wasn't fishing this weekend.

So what is your routine in the morning? On the week days and weekends?