Here's whats happening!

I feel like we have been SOOOO busy the past few months..I barely have time to do day to day tasks anymore. I love everything we have going on, but some days I just need a break!

Kelsey is doing great in 1st grade...lots of homework though! Hayden is a little spit fire, he is learning more everyday and reminds me a lot of Kelsey at his age.

Work is extremely busy for me right now, we just got a new computer system and learning it has had it's challenges.

I am going to the Special Olympics horse show next weekend with the barn we board at. I went last year and had so much fun! This year I am doing unified riding with the athletes. Pretty much where you do a drill team type routine to music. Gonna be pretty awesome!

I recently have been introduced to Mounted Shooting and have fallen in love with it! We went to a shoot today and even Travis said he really enjoyed it. This weekend is the last shoot of the year, so I have some time to get ready for next year. I have to work with Valentino and have a long way to go.

This post is totally random, but I felt like I should write something!

Organization 101

I have SO much go on these days that I am having to try so hard to get organized and then stay that way! Most nights Travis isn't home until 8-9 and that means I am on my own juggling 2 kids and 4 animals. Yes only 3 animals live at our house, but I am at the barn 3x a week feeding there.

Here is a couple things I have found to really help me stay on track the last few weeks. I am going to try my best to keep it up!

Step 1: Routine-
A few weeks ago we started a nightly routine with Hayden that ends by him going to bed by 7 pm. A few nights into in and still today he keeps making it known that he needs to be in bed by 7. I have to do what's best for my kids but a 7 bed time is killing me! We now have no life whatsoever because I have to rush every evening to get him home, fed, bathed by 7. Some nights he doesn't even get to see Travis because he is working late. Kelsey is falling into the same routine just extended by 30-45 mins. We have seen a 360 turn in morning attitudes since they have been sleeping 9+ hours are night. (and the couple hours of alone/quiet time with my husband are really nice)

Step 2: Meal Planning-
One thing I knew I HAD to do what plan out our meals each week so I didn't have to stress after work trying to figure out what we are going eat. There are weeks I put down what day we eat what, but most weeks I plan meals depending on our schedules. I just pick 6 meals and write what I need for all of them to make sure I have everything at home. Some nights I don't get home until 6 so dinner has to be ready pronto...I have found either a meal thats already ready or leftovers are the best for those nights. The nights I get home earlier I have been able to cook a nice meal or even 2 so that if we have a busy night coming up dinner is covered. We have pizza usually once a week and then we normally go out on Friday or Saturday nights as a family.

Step 3: Clean House-
I am a freak about my house being clean if people are coming over. I will do a tornado clean even if i find out your pulling in the driveway :) So last weekend I scrubbed the entire house and go rid of all the extra clutter. Every night now I spend a few minutes picking up toys, putting away odd and ends, sweeping, vacuuming and all the other things I do. I love waking up every morning to a clean house and coming home at night to one. Hopefully this will make my weekend heavy cleaner easier also because it won't be as much to clean.

Step 4: Preparation-
This is just the 1st week of school and we have a long way to go...but every night I have gotten breakfast and lunch ready for the next day so the mornings are smoother. I make sure everyone has clothes out and ready also. Last year there were way to many mornings that involved me scrambling to make lunch and even digging clothes out of the hamper for Kelsey or Hayden to wear. I hope this helps keep me sane :)

I think that is it for now. I plan to do a update in a few months to see if this is working still or if I have had to change anything.

What things to you do to make your life easier day to day?

1st Grade/ Pre-3!

I can't believe it is already time for school to start. Where did the summer go? I am actually excited for school to start this year. Kelsey has been gone so much this summer, we really miss her. And I just want to get back into a normal routine again...(is there such a thing?)

Kelsey is starting 1st grade this year..umm wow! She says she is excited, but nervous...crazy kid.Once she sees all her friends again I think the nerves will go away and she will be ready. I really can't believe how fast she is growing up. She will be 7 in a few short weeks and she will already say well I am almost 10. not ready for that at all. Her first day went well! She told me that 1st grade isn't hard at all, I hope she doesn't change her mind!

Hayden moved over to his new classroom this week to. He is now in the 3 year old room or other wise known as Pre-3. He did much better with the transition that we thought he would. I think it really helped that his old teachers talked up the new classroom and they made it a big deal. The new room is HUGE! and they get to play on the "big kid" play ground so that is also huge. When I picked him up today he was so excited to tell me about going on the Fun Bus! He said there was a trampOline!

Orientation w/her class list

Hayden photo bombing the picture

These 2 goofs make my like complete!



I started thinking last week that next year Hayden goes to Pre-K then the following year Kindergarten...my babies are getting big! NO, it isn't time for another one :)

Have a great rest of the week!!

I might be a little crazy!

Since I haven't updated in a long time, I don't think I ever introduced the newest 4 legged member of our family.

This is Turner!

I saw a fb post from a teacher that used to work at Kelsey and Hayden's old daycare that her husband found some kittens on the side of the road. First I over looked it and said to myself...You don't need anymore animals...then I saw the pictures of them. There were 3 and 2 were black/white and one grey/white. Well growing up I had a grey/white cat named Hooch (hence the name Turner) and since becoming and adult I have always wanted another one. When I saw the grey/white one I knew that kitten was mine! I asked Travis just to make sure and he tried to tell me no, but I had already decided that we were getting it.

So a few nights later this tiny little kitten was brought into our family. He is a very playful full of energy kitty... and VERY curious. He is great with the kids, Tonka and Jinx our other cat. He immediatly took a liking to me and Travis joked for days that I now had a cat...little did we know. Hayden and Turner are the best of friends. Turner has picked Hayden as his human. Hayden calls him Timmy Turner. The things this little guy puts up with are amazing, but I know they will grow up to be best buds. Hayden carrys him around on his shoulder like a blanket and even takes him for drives on his tractor around the house. Turner sleeps where Hayden sleeps..even if that means he must sleep on my head to be close to Hayden! Craziness!

So I must be nuts to bring another live animal into our family, but I can't say no and I am so glad we adopted him!

Hilton Head 2013

We FINALLY took a family vacation with just our family this summer. It was just a 4 day trip to Hilton Head, SC but it was so worth it and it made us realize how important it is to get away even if just for a few days. We ended up taking Tonka with us because of losing Rocko last time we went on vacation. It was harder with a 70lb dog traveling with us but we really enjoyed seeing him play on the beach. He was jumping in the waves just like the kids. We we busy the whole time we were there but had so much fun.

Teaching the kids to jump into the waves, digging sinking holes in the sand, trying to build sand castles, eating like we were royalty and really just enjoying time together as a family. We went on a dolphin tour and we were able to see about 200 dophins, it was amazing! Seeing my kids and husband relax and chill for the first time in a LONG time was so worth it. At one point Travis was on the beach watching me jump into the waves with the kids and he said that was totally worth seeing the smile on your face :) I loved seeing the beach through my kids eyes.

I walked out of the house without my camera, so my iphone had to do the job. Here is a little collage I put together of some of our vacation.

We plan to take a family trip every year now!

Summer 2013

Life has been what you could call...busy! I am lucky some days to even talk to Travis :) I thought after school ending life would slow down and we would all enjoy the summer break...umm I was very wrong!

Kelsey spends half the week at my mother in laws then comes home and goes to a babysitters or my moms the other 2 days. We have been missing her like crazy, but she loves it and it gives her the time she needs with Travis' family. She has already lost 2 teeth this summer and I think she has grown 5 inches. I can't belive that she is starting 1st grade in a few weeks and will be turning 7!

Hayden is all BOY! He has a one track mind...tractors. I really think thats all he thinks about sometimes. His newest trick is when we are driving down the road he yells "real big tractor..I see it I really do" He misses his sister like crazy when she is gone, but I love seeing him get so excited to pick her up when she comes home. I told Travis the other day we used to think Kelsey talked a lot, but I believe Hayden is taking over that role...he never stops talking and usually its about a tractor :) He even walks around the house saying "nothing runs like a Deere!" 

Travis has been working a lot lately! Which I can't complain because he has an awesome job and is bringing home good money. He seems to really enjoy it and I am glad about that one. I wish there was just more hours in the day to spend time with him.

My life consists of work, barn, ehome, kids...and do it all over again! I spend a lot of time at the barn...not as much as I want to, but family life comes first. The weather has been crazy lately to and it seems like it rains almost every afternoon when I get off work.

Valentino is doing great though! I am so happy I was able to buy him. He is a pretty awesome guy. We are learning more about each other everytime I ride him. Kelsey even rode him in a show recently, she did a lead line class but loved it!
Tonka is a big ole brown dog... He is HUGE! We added a new family member last week.. a grey and white kitten named Turner.

Thats about all the update I have for now. I am off for the rest of the week for the 4th of July and since its supposed to rain we are catching up on inside things.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Motherhood Reflections

I really hate the feeling of tasks being un-finished. Something as simple as leaving dirty dishes in the sink at night or as huge as not finishing my college degree. This is the time every year I get these feelings..when I see pictures and hear about people graduating college, getting their dream jobs, getting married, buying houses, having babies. It always makes me think I messed up somewhere or that I am a failure.

Last week in the midst of all these feelings coming up Hayden had his 3rd birthday. I really can't believe my little man is now 3 years old. Then I started thinking of all the amazing things that have happen in my life the last 5-6 years. I have a wonderful husband and 2 amazing kids who love me no matter what.

I realized 2 common things that have been the same with both of my kids. When they turned 1, the bottle went bye bye and I was very diligent to get rid of it within a 2 month period. At 2 years old the pasi was taken away... it wasn't easy with either one of them, but after a couple sleepless nights we made it and stuck to our guns. And at by the time both Kelsey and Hayden turned 3 they were both potty trained fully during the day and night. After I thought about that I was pretty proud of myself and what I have become as a mother.

Then I look into their little faces and realize I am doing what I need to right now, they need me to be their mom right now. School and careers can wait they will always be waiting for me. My kids childhood won't. They are growing up faster than the blink of an eye and it isn't slowing down.

** So I know I have been absent a while... things are so busy around here! Between juggling work, kids being sick, end of the school year, barn, husband and household chores I barely have time to sit down! I hope to be around more in the next few weeks with some updates**

Sweetheart Voxbox!

I am a member of Influenster and I was selected to receive the Sweetheart Voxbox in Feb! I was so excited to get the box and see what awesome things I got to try.

In my box was a cereal bar from the Skinny Girl Brand. You guys know Bethenny Frankel...Skinny girl margaritas?? The Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go bars taste great! They are only 180 calories each and packed with fiber and tons of protein. Great natural kosher snack!

Secondly there was a new face cleaning system from Olay. It is called the Fresh Effects Powered Contour Cleansing system (Va-Va Vivid). It is a vibrating facial cleansing brush that helps the cleanser get deeper in your pores. I got the Olay Fresh Effects Shine Minimizing Cleanser, and noticed a change in my skin almost the day after.

The best thing in my opinion in the Voxbox was Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response. I love clinical strength deodorant and this stuff is amazing. The scent is great and it really works. The formula is triggered by the 3 main reasons for sweat- heat, movement and stress. I will continue to use this product everyday!

The last thing in my Voxbox was She's a Tease Volumizing hair spray by the brand Not Your Mother's. I have really curly hair and usually I am not looking for volume at all, but I recently cut all my hair off and have been straightening it everyday. Since I usually only wash it every other day this hair spray is great on day 2 to give me a little extra volume. The only thing I didn't like was the smell...for some reason it didn't smell real great to me.

Overall the 2013 Sweetheart Voxbox was great and the products in it were amazing! I will be using most if not all of them on a regular basis.

Introducing Valentino!

The newest member of the Carrig family!

This big guy became mine last weekend!

 He is a 15'2 hand, 12 year old Standardbred gelding. He is gaited and so wonderfully smooth to ride. He is bay with a white star in the shape of a heart (hence the name) and 2 white socks. He was never raced and has been used mainly as a trail horse.  I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to own him :)

OF course after I spent an hour making him pretty he does this!

If you can't tell he has pretty much won my heart...and my kids and husband. I never could have imagined Travis saying I am 100% on board lets get him..when I heard those words I was even more assured I married the love of my life!

Food for thought

Some of you might have wondered..or you may not have why I decided to cut ties with Facebook for Lent.

Well a few weeks ago on a blog I follow, The Southern Belle Boy Mom, she referenced a post by another blog author and shared her plans to unplug for a week. I read the article and it really hit home for me. I will attach the link so you can read to if you wish. Click here to read the original article.

The article talked about losing precious time with your kids, husband, and whole family because we are always so caught up in social media. Some people have a great balance, some don't. She went on to talk about not just social media, but TV also. Many times I find myself so wrapped up in a show that I don't notice that my kids or husband need me. It might be as simple as a few minutes snuggling on the couch or some alone time after the kids have gone to bed. Since I have read it I have really tried to limit my TV watching until the kids are in bed or on weekend mornings, when they are playing or watching cartoons in the other room.

The main kicker: Social Media. There are so many social media outlets today, it started with Myspace, then Facebook,  Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Google +...get my drift? It doesn't need to define us, we define ourselves. While I love reading what all my friends are up to and seeing pictures of their lives. I have realized I don't need to know what your doing every 5-10 minutes. I don't care where you are eating dinner for the 10th time or that your cuddling on the couch with your husband. I think we have become so used to putting our whole lives out there for everyone to see we don't realize when we cross the line. I don't want my kids to grow up thinking they need to post everything in their lives on the Internet. I see pictures that teenagers (and some adults) post on facebook and instagram and think wow that might come back to haunt them one day. You never know who is out there looking at your pictures and that it might come back to bite you in the bum.

The other thing she talks about is talking on the phone while driving with kids in the car. I am so bad at this! I am almost always on the phone if I am in the car. She said do you children need to be hearing adult conversations? Well No they don't. Also you loose so much time to interact with them, even if it is just a 10 min car ride. Use that time to get to know your family again. I used to use drive time to help Kelsey memorize easy things like her address, phone numbers, birthdays. Now we are working on helping Hayden learn his letters, numbers, colors. I am not perfect and sometimes I do catch myself on the phone, but it is all about being aware of whats happening.

I come back to the main problem of all of the above being too accessible to us now. If you have a smart phone you can have all the social media apps at your fingertips 24/7, you can even watch TV on your phone now from your cable provider. Do we need all this? I really don't think so. Like I said in my other post checking my phone became part of my routine during the day. I would leave a room and if I left my phone in there one of my children would bring it to me...umm wake up call! I can live without it, it isn't a source of life.  I don't think I will cut ties all the way with Social Media, but I am now very aware of when it is taking time away from my family.

xoxo...Brittany

first few days down...

and I have realized this is hard!! I almost caved tonight, even told myself...its ok on Sundays right? NOT. I have delete the Facebook app off my phone because the temptation was just to much. I am still posting on Instagram though...so keep up with me there to if ya want. The first couple of days I kept saying O I need to post that on Fb or I should share this picture and I would catch myself. I then told myself wait I don't need to post every detail about my day or life on this site! We are so used to telling the world to much!

We haven't been up to a whole lot around our house. Last week was a busy week! We went to dinner on Valentines Day at Waffle House! Everyone laughed and made fun of me, but we had so much fun. They decorated WH all fancy and even the servers looked nice. Tablecloths on the tables...with candles and a free picture of the family to take home. This weekend was pretty busy also, we were gone all day Sat delivering cookies to people and running errands. Travis bought me my anniversary present :)I got new cowboy boots!! yea I am strange...but nothing says I love you more than a new pair of boots.Then today I froze my buns off at the barn, grocery shopped, cleaned house, cooked chili, then made a cake in the crock pot...when to church, came home had dinner and now both kids are fast asleep.

I need help with Hayden and church. I usually leave him at home with Travis, but I want to start taking him. He is good...except he likes to talk. He asks about 50 times where Kelsey is when she goes to children church and most of the time he is just talking to hear himself. Tonight I finally took him out and stood in the back but he continued to talk. I need some tricks from all the pros out there...how do I make it through mass without having to leave with a 2 year old. Coloring books? toys? all advice is welcome!


So I think I am off to dreamland...kiddos get to stay home tomorrow while the parents work..Don't worry my mother in law is coming over :)

photo dump

Here is a glimpse into our lives over the last few weeks... Most of these are instagram photos...hope you enjoy!

MLK day at the GA Aquarium with my kiddos



Hayden and Mike Superbowl 2013



Hayden, Mike and Kelsey



My baby boy has grown up :(

Hayden and his Mardi Gras beads....and yes Travis taught him how to earn them :)


Happy Fat Tuesday!!!



Lent 2013

I usually try to give up the normal things like sweets, coke, caffeine, swearing...but this year I have decided to dig deep and really give something up that will be a challenge for me. I thought about adding something in my life, but I feel like what I finally decided on would be the best thing in the long run.

I have become addicted to Facebook...probably a little to addicted. I think now that is so accessible all the time ( app on my phone) and I depend on it. I roll over in the morning and first thing I do is grab my phone to look at fb. I check it multiple times during the day and find myself re reading the same posts at night. While I am watching TV I am also on facebook. I do love that fact of seeing my friends from school start families and I love staying in touch with my family I don't see often, but there has to be a boundary drawn.

I feel like staying away for 40 days while be a HUGE test but also just what I need to find that boundary. I understand it will be hard and I will have temptations to just check in..update my status...but I have decided every time I want to get in my Facebook fix I am going to pray..if I have time I want to pray the rosary. If not just a quick prayer for guidance.

Here is to hoping for a change and working on finding a boundary for social media in my life. I plan to update my blog still and stay active on Instagram...but it will be like once a day not every free minute I get.

What have you decided to give up?? Add in? Do you celebrate Lent?

Finally Friday :)

It's Friday!!!


Seems like such a long week! Kelsey started back to school and this was the first week I had to work Mon- Fri since before Christmas. I am exhausted!

It was a really good week in the Carrig household though:

Hayden is completely potty trained!!

I have to remember that he is only 2 and he will have accidents and still need reminding.

The past 2 mornings, he has woken up dry in his pull up, so I feel like we are making progress. And he just made it to the bathroom without pooping in his underwear!

It's the small things :)

Kelsey started FINALLY getting "good jobs" on her letters this week.

It could have been that it was letter 'B' week and she sees those alot or things are looking up for her at school. While she was reading to me the other night, she was 99% better remembering her sight words. It's just Kindergarten, right?

The "crud" hit our house last weekend and is still around. I am not happy about that at all, but it could be so much worse. Kelsey is the worst right now, I am not used to seeing my energetic girl so mellow.

I think this weekend is going to consist of laying around the house and catching up on sleep and our DVR. Travis is going camping tomorrow night and I am planning to spend most of the day on Sunday at the barn. It has been WAY to long!

I hope everyone had a blessed week and have a wonderful weekend!

~Brittany

Manic Monday

Happy Monday! In an attempt to keep myself bloggin regularing..once again I am going to try this daily thing again.

Best part of my weekend: getting Hayden potty trained, and spending time with the family hiking.

Worst Part of weekend: not feeling so hot...not getting enough rest finally catching up with me :/

Random anything?? Since I cut all my hair off I haven't worn it curly out of the house, I am to scared to see what it will look like by the end of the day...can anyone say little orphan annie!

Successful Saturday!

I have had a pretty successful day today :) The kids woke up at the crack of dawn so I decided I would go ahead and get started with my day. While I started the laundry, I got the idea to make banana bread. I looked up some recipes on the Internet and settled on one that seemed pretty basic. I am very happy with how it came out. Then I made homemade dog cookies, I have been wanting to do this for a while. They were so easy! I will be doing that for now on because the ingredients are something that I always have on hand so it keeps the cost down. Click here for the link to the recipe I used...dog treat recipe.



Homemade dog biscuits

I also decided to work with Hayden on potty training. We have been trying FOR months, but it just seems like it doesn't click. Well I think we have had a breakthrough because he is doing really well today. My mom reminded me that he will have accidents and it will take time, so I am just going with it. I am really nervous to send him to daycare on Monday in fear that he will regress totally. I really hope they will work with him to so we can get out of diapers!!!

While the kids were napping, I made Kelsey a headband holder. I found it on Pintrest a few months ago and now that I have a sewing machine I was finally able to complete it. Here is the originally pin I found and below that is my finished product.



This is my creation :)



 

 

Source: lookiewhatidid.blogspot.com via Brittany on Pinterest

This is gonna be my next sewing project! I am starting off with one for Kelsey and then will make myself one.

Source: asmallsnippet.blogspot.com via Brittany on Pinterest

Well I think that is about it for now. Now I need to work on dinner...Spaghetti baked inside garlic bread :)

Have a great rest of your weeked!!

-Brittany

1 year already?

Today marks the 1 year mark of losing Rocko. Last year at this time I was crying, screaming, and questioning why someone would hit my dog? I still question why sometimes, but I have learned during 2012 that you can't live asking why and replaying the what ifs all the time. I feel like we as a family have had our good times in 2012 and we have all had our bad times. I want to think that I have grown as a person, wife and a mother during this year and I have been shown to embrace every minute.

At the beginning of 2012...after we lost Rocko, I started using the quote "everything happens for a reason". It has stuck with me all year and I truly believe and have been shown that everything does in fact happen for a reason.
- We lost Rocko...why? wont ever really know, but we wouldn't have Tonka today if it wouldn't have happened.
-Travis was laid off...why? hard to understand...but he has a amazing job now and it wouldn't have happened otherwise.
-My wreck...why? I didn't want to buy a new car bc of that but I had to...that experience opened my eyes and has made me a stronger person
- Our daycare shuts down...this one was hard for all of us and esp Hayden...I have to believe that it happened for a reason and better things are to come.

I also feel like we have been so blessed this year. Kelsey is attending a school that I wouldn't have ever in my wildest dream thought she would. She is turning into a little women and I love the fact that she is learning to love the Lord and finding her true self. Hayden is at the age where is asks questions about everything and sometimes I get tired of answering the same one 20 times I have to stop and remind myself that he doesn't know he is still learning. Travis had a rough year with his licensing tests and his work situations, but I think he has come out stronger and is learning to trust and give in to a higher power. I feel like I have grown this year in my faith and have started trusting in God more. We are blessed with good health and we have been able to provide for our family.

We aren't rich, we don't have fancy things, drive fancy cars or live in a fancy house..we have each other and in the end the other stuff doesn't matter.

For 2013 I want to keep focusing on living within/below our means, keep teaching the kids that material things don't keep you happy and money doesn't buy happiness. I want to really focus on our family and by next January be able to say that we all grew over the year.

So this post is all over the place, but I needed to get my thoughts out of my head :)

Happy New Year!