Darren's Birthday Party

I really can't believe his Birthday has come and went!! But the party was just perfect, we decided to keep it super low key, more of a play-date than a party!! And it worked out just fantastic!! We just had close friends there and were able to sit and talk with everyone!! And Darren got more than enough fantastic gifts!! Spoiled little stinker!!! Stay tuned I should be posting his Cake Smash Session soon!!!

Darren turns 1

Nicknames: Dare Bear, Bubba, squishy

Clothing Size: 24m/2t everything now

Personality: Comedian, someone thinks he is seriously funny, and is always laughing about silly things. He loves to follow the big kids around and do everything they do, but still won't walk.

Things I Could Do Without: How impatient you get when it comes to milk. It's an I need it, and I need it now sort of thing!

Item/Toy We Love The Most: Sippy cups, even tho I miss nursing you all the time, it's so convienent to just toss you a cup and keep Doug what I was doing!!

Item/Toy You Love The Most: New motorcycle you got for your birthday!! You love the buttons and sounds, and that it's finally something you can get onto.

Things I’m Loving Most Right Now: Listening to you trying to figure out how to say a few words, and watching you learn new things, you are so observant and learn so fast

Things You’re Loving Most Right Now: Climbing up things, and chasing your sister around. You also love to walk with help, and play outside!! 

KonMarie Declutter series: Makeup

Finally I have gotten a start on the decluttering!! The book starts out by saying start with something you have he least attachment towns work up to things that will be harder together rid of!! For me makeup was easy!! I know I have a lot and years worth of Ipsy bags just added to the madness!! So it was time to get back to only the stuff I use frequently in my collection. It will sure make doing my makeup easier!! So without further ado here is my makeup Declutter!!

Top is all my eyeshadows; bottom right is what I'm keeping, left is going to my niece.

Top is all my face products; bottom left is what I'm keeping, right is going to my niece.

Top is all my lip products; bottom left is going to my niece, right I'm keeping.

Top is all my liners etc...; bottom left I'm keeping, right is going.

I even decluttered makeup bags!! Top is all the bags I had or could find; bottom left is all I'm keeping the rest got filled with makeup and is on its way to Nebraska to my niece!!

Here is everything I'm getting rid of!! Crazy to think that much is gonna be gone, but my makeup drawer is gonna be easier to use, and now has space to try out more new stuff!!

Random ramblings from a WFHM 2

This week in my ramblings....how long after a move until you are really moved in?

6 months. That's what I say anyways. We just reached the 6 months mark, and I think we are finally in a routine, know where everything should belong, and are starting to do more of the settled in type projects.

I'm pretty sure those first 6 months you spend trying to figure out where everything should go. Maybe you moved in somewhere larger or smaller, either way a new area brings new storage issues. And just trying to really make sure every box has been opened and put away is a long task. I decided I had finally reached the point we are officially moved in this week or so. When I started to do those little tasks here and there that I had pushed to the side because they weren't the meat and gravy of things that needed to be done.

For me that means, decluttering. I do a pre-move Declutter of big things that we don't need to bring with us to our next place. Baby stuff that Darren wasn't gonna need, broken or way to used furniture, clothes in sizes we don't plan on wearing anytime soon etc... So I am so excited that after this weekend of Darren Birthday madness, we will be settling in, decluttering, and possibly having a big garage sale to get rid of things. I really would love to live more minimally and spend less time cleaning up things all the time.

Today I reorganized Dustins closet because I hadn't helped him set it up when we moved in, and for those of you married you probably know what I mean. He is fairly good about keeping things in their place if I put them there to start with. Otherwise things will just end up heaped in piles and he will complain about how little space he has!! Well now he has an army closet and a civilian closet and both are completely in order so hopefully they will remain that way!!

On a completely different note, does anyone have tips on how to get a dog to stop chewing up everything? We have managed to eliminate the chewing of kids toys, but she loves to get into the trash. And destroys anything that gets left in the yard, she is compulsive. And it's making me crazy!! We tried an antler and she devoured that puppy in a day. 

Random ramblings of a work from home momma!

Let me spouts start this post with saying I am free writing it and I have no clear intentions but to ramble, connect, and maybe come up with ideas for blog content that will be more entertaining for everyone!!

Now that's not saying that my usual posts aren't entertaining, and seeing as there is never an article without well over 20 views, I know someone has found me entertaining enough to come back once in a while. I mean raising to wild gingers is bound to produce some hilarious antics and nights of wild parties in moms bed. 

See proof!! That little guy isn't even 1 yet. My goodness do I have some long years ahead of me. But I wouldn't change it for a second. Just gotta really buckle up, as I know one of them is gonna break a bone before I know it!! 

On another note, I'm not sure if I really mentioned it but I decided it was time to take on school again for another couple semesters!! Yup 6 credit hours is all but that is plenty when dealing. With kids at the same time. The first week is almost over and it hasn't been too painful yet so I may just survive!! I am really most concerned about keeping my photography business flowing. I could just let it set towards the side in order to focus on school, but I just really got the ball rolling and don't wanna loose momentum.

I said a few blogs I was trying to keep up with workouts too, but so far it has been not going well. We all have intentions of keeping up with everything but working out is something I have set on the side burner to not get burnt out. I hate that but I am trying to do a little something one video or so a day just not a full schedule of workouts. It will be alright!! 

Oh another thing I wanted to ask you guys about, do you enjoy the planner posts? I love my planner and can't believe is almost halfway through it, ugh. Maybe if people are liking them I can do a flip through of my spreads from last year? Oh yeah I wanted to ask do any of you guys watch ouryoutube channel!? I know we have been a little absent I think we just have a hard time finding something people like. Maybe I should post my videos onto the blog as more of you read these than watch our vlogs. Who knows!! I really enjoy blogging and looking back over the years!! And hopefully posting things people use, need and wanna read about. Something I was considering doing even tho it would take a little more effort was doing a cook through recipe series. Where I start on page 1 of a cook book and try every recipe with pictures, my results, and a review!! Might be fun...

What about more posts about photography? I used to do blogs about sessions, if you have been around long enough to remember them. I liked the idea but felt like with previews on my Facebook page, I didn't want to be sharing all of my clients pictures so they could have a chance to share some themselves!!

Okay so for my first random rambling I think this is good, if people enjoy this (leave me comments and follow me!!!!) I will be back with more. And I was thinking these would be fun for hilarious stories, and thighs that make me think!!! See y'all back here soon!!! Oh recent pictures for making it this far!!!

Catch up days

You probably saw in a previous post that I mentioned doing a catch up day each month. Throughout the month I have created a list of tasks that I want to get done. Everyone has one of these honey-do lists. Little tasks that need to get done, or you want to do for fun sake, but just don't have time to do on a regular day to day basis!!

Well a blogger and YouTuber that I follow, Kayla from Microscope Beauty,  http://www.microscopebeauty.com/ mentioned how she was going to tackle this list rather than just adding and adding hoping it will do itself. I found the idea very intriguing and wanted to try it myself this year. So one day a month (I am going to do the first Monday of each month) instead of doing your regular tasks you take the day crossing off as many of the thins off this list!! 

I am really looking forward to doing these days and being able to catch up on things I fall behind on!! And I will continue to blog about them too!! Maybe I'll even get her planner stickers to remind me the day is coming up!!  

Have you ever thought about setting aside a day to finish your honey-do list? 

Workout plan for January

As you probably know one of my goals is to maintain an active lifestyle. There are so many ways to do this. But with working part time, school part time, and kids awake most the day, it leaves me with little time to get a good workout in. So that kinda removes any thought of going to an actual gym, or frankly going anywhere to get a workout on. So that narrows down to at home workouts. Which I sincerely love most!!

A couple years back I subscribed to Blogilates and at the time managed to do every days workouts and I have never been in better shape!! Now I am still in fairly good shape from my 12 weeks with Zachary and I have considered doing that work out again. But have decided that doing Blogilates again for all of January would be a great way to get my strength and flexibility back!! If you don't already know Blogilates is a program established by Cassey Ho. She has thousands of videos on YouTube for free and her app has a workout schedule for each day with her easy to follow workout videos to go along!!

I look forward to the next challenge next month, but for now I am off to get my Pilates on!!!

Darren is 11 months

Nicknames: Dare Bear, Darren McBarren, Bubba

Clothing Size: 24/2t

Personality: Such a love bug, you have learned to give kisses and hugs and always want to be sitting with someone.

Things I Could Do Without: This awful case of Thrush and the cold you and Kyra have caught, it has been a rough couple weeks!!

Item/Toy We Love The Most: New bottles you got for Christmas so you can start drinking milk!!

Item/Toy You Love The Most: You love the new car toy you got for Christmas, and the tractor!! And still Moose.

Things I’m Loving Most Right Now: Watching you try to walk, and stand on your own. Soon you will be running everywhere.

Things You’re Loving Most Right Now: Getting into things, and playing with sisters toys!!