Week 1: You have me in stitches

If you have been following my blog forever you know that not last year but the year before I would write a week in recap, and really like looking back at those and seeing exactly what was going on!! So I am starting it again this year.

I know this a day late but I was sick as a dog last night so I didn't sit down and write it.

This week was starting out soooo uneventful. I was thinking what am I even going to include?


We drove home from Colorado on Monday, we spent the entire day driving. It was a super long drive but the kids and dogs were so good and we managed to make the trip as quick as possible. But we were all so glad to be home and in our own beds finally after spending the last 2 weeks on Vacation!



We spent the next day just being lazy I don't think anyone got dressed, or left the house at anytime!! It was so needed.



Kyra started back to School on the 4th, she wasn't really sure she was ready to be back, but was so excited to tell us about all her friends after school.

On Thursday we went to lunch just the boys and me and it was so nice to spend some time together. Darren was so happy to get our attention and was dancing the whole meal. So as you can see our week started out with just chilling and getting back into a routine. Dustin was still off work and we didn't have much going on.

That is until Friday came, the day was going so great, and we had been really productive all day. And we were in the home stretch. When Kyra comes flying out of Darrens room screaming Darren is bleeding. We go rushing in and swoop him up. Once in the bathroom we finally were able to rinse his hand off and see that his finger was cut really deep. It had gotten smashed in the door. So off we rush to the ER.



Where we spent the next 4 hours and Darren was so incredibly brave. He stopped crying before we left the house and only cried for the numbing shots. He did great. And it is on the mend!!

Luckly with the way our weekend started the rest of it was much better, I cleaned house all day Saturday and most the day Sunday!!! Got both kids rooms, cleaned decluttered and ready for the move!!





Sunday I also got to go spend a couple hours with my dear friend, we had a nice kid free walk through the mall!!!

Last year, and this years Resolutions!!

So last  year was a weird year for this blog. I had been so consistent for years about getting on blogging keeping it updated and I lost perspective about why I do it I think. I do this blog as a way to look back on the things our family does. To have a story to go with the pictures. To be able to remember the amazing milestones, and seasons our little family sees. As well as a place to vent, or share my hobbies so in 2017 I am going back to that!!


Here is a recap on 2016 resolutions and goals!!!

24 sessions- I concluded my year with 105 I would say I accomplished this goal!!!

Fix financial situation- Well our vacation at Christmas time blew this one out of the water!!! Here is to hoping we can get this under control someday!

Keep up fitness routine. I feel like even tho I haven't ever managed to make working out just a habit, I do try to do it consistently and I am very strong. I just have a nice layer of protection :D

KonMarie Method. I never fully finished this. I love the idea tho and before our move I would love to really downsize the amount of stuff we have!

Read 12 books. I feel like I may have been close to finishing this one. I am not sure what my count was but I read some good books this year. And most are reviewed on here for you to check out :D

Get good grades. Well this one is for sure a thing. As you can see above that other goals have been sliding but I have been working hard on school!!

Keep up with Blogs, and YouTube. And provide some new content. Uh....yeah. 

Do a catch up day once a month. I wish I had done this one more!! 

I feel like somethings got focused on more than others. So for 2017 I started a journal that I will be reading my goals once a week, and checking in and keeping myself reliable!

2017 Goals

*Personal*

1.Workout more

2. Read more

3. Work on my blog

*Business*

1. Work less, make more.

2. Make close to 12k by the end of the year.

3. Only work during specific hours.

*House* 

1. Declutter ALOT of stuff.

2. Organize more.

3. Create a perfect home in Oregon.

*Financial*

1. Save $100 a month.

2. Spend less.

3. Pay off debt.

*Family*

1. Eat out only once a week.

2. Be more active.

3. Try a new recipe every other week.

I feel like there are more goals, and they are less specific than usual but this year is going to be a very challenging year for our family!! And the transition moving across the country will be difficult!

The Girl on the Train Book Review

Hey you guys, I know its odd that I really let this poor blog go last year, and here it is the 6th of 2017 and I still haven't posted. This used to be my main "social media" but over time my focus has progressed to my Facebook Page.

I am trying to keep up with my blog a little more this week, along with the reemergence of the "Our week in review". This will be increasingly entertaining as the madness of our lives is about to spiral out of control!!

Anyways back to the subject at hand.

The Girl on the Train




So my mom handed this book to me, it wasn't even one I really had heard of. Yes I know I am off the radar obviously seeing as its a movie!!

I had the semester off and thought what the heck once I finish my last book I will give it try.



Review:

So this book is a very interesting one, I don't think I would say it is in the category I would usually read. But I was so intrigued by it. I wasn't sure what to think for most of the book, the author does an incredible job at camouflaging the climax of the story!! You really don't even see it coming, and spend the majority of the book thinking other people was the suspect.

I do have to say that the way the book is written is kinda hard to comprehend and you don't exactly catch on until about half way through the book. I did a lot of flipping back to check which character was talking, and what the date was they were talking in. So that was a little frustrating at first but ever so necessary for the story to be so mysterious!

Over all Rating? 9 out of 10. Because it was hard to follow for a while. But it was AMAZING so if you haven't already you need to pick this book up and go for a ride on The Train!!

Random Ramblings of a WFHM: #3 Washing Dishes

Ahhhh I am back, yes it has been pretty much all year. I am aware, but I don't know where this year went. In a disorganized blur I suppose. And somewhere with it my blog just jumped in the backseat and enjoyed the ride.

But today I am back for a quick post, that I pretty much wrote in my head this morning while trying to do house chores.



If you aren't a parent yet, or work outside the house, and your time at home with the kids involves another adult there with you, you probably look at work from home/stay at home mom in confusion when their house is a mess.

"You are home all day" you think to yourself, and "Doing the dishes only takes a few mins every couples days".

And this my friend is where my blog is going today.




How dish-washing goes when you have a toddler, and no one else around to watch them.


Step 1: Walk into Kitchen, no you won't be doing this alone, so do expect your young child to be at your heels as you walk in.

Step 2: Open Dishwasher. Just to realize the dishes you washed last week are still siting in there. So open up cupboards to put said dishes away.

Step 3: Pick up all the dishes that were in those cupboards, because as you were putting away other dishes, your toddler has managed to pull out every pot, pan, baking sheet, and serving utensil you own.

Step 4: Once your clean dishes are put away, start pre-washing the dishes in your sink. But its of course not that simple, you must locate yourself about 2 feet away from the sink and lean over to do this, as your toddler will obviously need to park themselves directly at your feet.

Step 5: Begin to load your dirty dishes into the washer. But do them one at a time closing the washer door between each dish. Because although your toddler thinks they are helping, it really is more of a pain than anything else.

Step 6: Move your kid to the couch and run back to the Kitchen so you can add knifes into the silverware, pour in soap, and start the washer without the toddler in the room.




Now if you think that doing this chore still isn't a big deal and should be done more often, you probably are clinically insane. Sure I can wait until they are in bed....but lets get real this isn't the only chore that needs done around the house and all of them involve 3-4 time the effort it would for a normal person, and frankly by the time the kids are in bed, you only have the mental capacity to ZONE OUT and drink wine.

9 months passed!

So I haven't checked in, heck I haven't blogged much period for months!! But I thought it might be time to see where I am on my resolutions, so I can step it up where I need to!! 

24 sessions- Well I don't even have a count right now of how many sessions I have done this year, but well past the 24 mark!!

Fix financial situation. I am not really sure what my goal was with this, but we are still adding to savings as we go, and trying to watch our spending while we can!!

Keep up fitness routine. Haha well I was doing good with this, I swear I try to keep up with it like I should, but reality is with school, and work etc....I just need more time!!

KonMarie Method. I never fully finished this. I think I will get back into it after classes are over, because next year is going to be a big change for us!!

Read 12 books. Also don't know the count on this one either, but really do need to read more, ugh school kills all my time!!

Get good grades. Well this one is for sure a thing. As you can see above that other goals have been sliding but I have been working hard on school!!

Keep up with Blogs, and YouTube. And provide some new content. Uh....yeah. 

Do a catch up day once a month. I wish I had done this one more!! 

Darren 18 months

Nicknames: Dare Bear, Bubba, Dare

Clothing Size: 2t pants, but going into 3t shirts

Personality: You are still the funny guy!! You make me laugh all the time!! But you are so sweet and caring too!! You are starting to say so many words and I swear you learn at least a new word each day!!

Things I Could Do Without: The temper tantrums that are beginning, and when you yell when Kyra wants to play and you don't. 

Item/Toy We Love The Most: Forward Facing car seat, you love seeing us and being able to look outside and see more than the sky!!

Item/Toy You Love The Most: Books, Cars, and Trains!! You love your Truck book and the Color book from the library.

Things I’m Loving Most Right Now: You learning so many new words, and watching you just explore. You are always learning and trying new things!!!

Things You’re Loving Most Right Now: Running around, Climbing anything you can, Looking at animals and bugs, Cuddling with mom and dad!!!

Plans for Moment in Paradise

So this Blog was one I have been planning to write for sometime but just hadn't set myself down and did it.

As you all know Moment in Paradise Photography has been doing really well here in Killeen and I have love love loved meeting all the amazing clients, many of whom come back for sessions regularly. I am very sad in that sense that 2017 will be only a half year here. As Dustin and I have come to decision that moving the kids and I next summer to Oregon early will be best for everyone, so Kyra can start her school year there and not have to move right in the middle. So I will only be booking sessions in Texas through May.

The beginning of 2017 will bring a few changes to how Moment in Paradise is run. For people here in Killeen you will see a price increase to be able to cover a little bit more of the expenses I put out for props, and accessories to make your sessions great!!! But I will still continue while in Texas to just do Shoot&Burn (aka digital downloads). So with that being said any previous clients who see this I will allow you to book sessions at this years rate if you book them before the end of the year. I will announce this one more time in October on my Facebook page too!

When we move to Oregon, obviously I will need to take a month or two break to get everything set up in Oregon. A new studio, new marketing, and all the taxes and formalities also. But once I am all set up there I am excited to start focusing my business more on Maternity and Newborn, with Milestones and Family on the side.

I will also start doing In Person-Sales. Which is a huge step for my business, but where I really want it to be. I want be able to provide my service from an original in person meet up, design sessions to fit families perfect, have great sessions everyone is prepared for, and than finish them up with helping families make decision on what images they want to print, providing them beautiful products and allowing them to see how their images will look and feel!! I want each session to be an amazing experience they look forward to, and tell all their friends about!

I know I am excited to see where it takes me. And I am so glad that you are all here supporting me along the way, your likes and comments on pictures I post are always so encouraging, and make me feel truly cherished!!