Getting A Head Start..

Trials of Parenthood Part 1

Raising my two young kids that are close in age is very trying at times. They are 21 months apart & might as well be twins. My son isn't potty trained yet. He understands the concept he cannot be bribed & firmly says "he doesn't do it"-My daughter is almost 1 & I think at this rate I will be potty training them at the same time.

He is in the "terrible twos" & shes has more diva, spunk, attitude than I imagined she would. Who knows where it comes from but I at this stage I already see we have different personalities. I feel like at the moment girls are harder. He talks constanatly, clearly, & says words you wouldn't think he can say. My children are different yet when I see them play together already you can see how much they make each other happy. Neither of them were planned but wanted VERY much. I see why God says they are truly a gift from Heaven.

As a testament for the women struggling to have children don't give up. In July of 2007 I was a few weeks pregnant, I had just has my birthday & my husband & I decided to get married finally. We had the rings for months but never set a date. It seemed like the perfect time to finally do it. 2 days later I woke up bleeding, we went to the ER & found out I had a "Threatened Miscarriage". I was told that nature would take its course & to go home & rest. If my body rejected the baby I would be back soon. Literally hours later I was back there. (After my husband drove 100 miles a hour to get me there, I was doubled over in pain barely able to walk) I was in process of losing the baby & they couldn't give me morphine soon enough it did take the edge off but that was it. Honestly my miscarriage was more painful than labor.

The next month was brutal. I had friends announcing they were pregnant & it felt like a knife in my stomach. I cried ALOT. A month to the day we lost our 1st baby I got pregnant with our son. The doctors told me that I couldn't be pregnant because I hadn't had a period following the miscarriage. Wrong-I was!!!
I had Hyperemesis lost 25 pounds, placenta previa, bed rest & my placenta quit feeding him around 32 weeks. Each visit it was something. I barely gained 15 pounds through all this. I had him a month early @ 5 pounds 11 ounces & 18 3.4 inches long. He was SO TINY. Did I mention also endured 18 hours of labor & flipped a bazillion times? It was rough.


Here's the kicker I got pregnant again 3 weeks after his 1st birthday with our daughter who is Mrs. Diva,lol
Easy labor although I gained more weight than I desired. 5 hours after getting induced she was here, 1 stitch too! It was nice to not feel like I got hit by a bus after labor.

My husband & my blood type are not compatible, our children's pediatrician told us this. He just mentioned it & it explained my miscarriage after all these years. Without a answer you always feel like there was something you could have done. Through the process of losing the baby I gained my husbands antibodies apparently that now allow me to carry his children. WOW eye opener!!


Moral of my story: Keep the faith! Many tears, happy & sad have rolled down my face. I have felt discouraged, overjoyed, & blessed. Don't give up on conceiving, God is so good & will help you. Just hang in there.


I have been pregnant or breastfeeding since June 2007-Long journey for us as a family & there's always room for 1 or 2 more :)

2 Year Olds...It's been ONE of those days!

Anyone with kids can understand how frustrated you can get with them. This age has so many good things about it, but the bad parts make me wanna cry on MANY occasions. My son will turn 3 in May & is VERY talkative. You know exactly what he is saying & he will argue with you (never ending as well)

We just transitioned his crib into the daybed. The 1st night was good but daddy was here for back up. He is more afraid of him so he does exactly what he says. These last few nights by myself have been a so stressful & have worn me out! He won't stay in bed, he comes out for any reason he can think of, or I swear he poops on purpose just to annoy me. I am @ my wits end each night is a 3 hour parade of insanity he even drives the dog nuts now. When he had the crib he was a great sleeper. 8 on the dot, chocolate milk & a movie. He was out in minutes. Then he started jumping out of his crib. Man...

Tonight I have seen him try to eat a booger freaked out (I'm a germaphobe) I rushed him to the bathroom, he left a wagon I stepped on it fell, hit the vanity & now I have a huge bruise/bump on my elbow. Where did the "make sure all your toys are in your room" go? He also jumped up on the couch when I picked up to go to bed & hit my lip/jaw- Yep he busted it too.

He's on cup 3 of milk & I'm a official mess now lol

I had planned on finishing cleaning as a surprise for my husband that went out the window hours ago. I hate the feeling of defeat.

My son is very smart, I love him soooo much but he has run the gamete on me today.

Things won't get easier because we also have a little girl turning 1 on the 23rd. Lord please give me strength, I try not to get too upset, be a strong momma, work, & try to be a good wife. I need some guidance & peace when things like this happen. Our kids aren't always the best behaved but I know I love them more than anything.


To all the other moms out there: Hang in there, momma said there would be days like this, there'd be days like this my momma said!lol Just like the song. Great advice. lol Take it in stride they grow up way to fast!

Chicken Recipe

It seems every blog has a recipe tab & I LOVE sharing/finding new ones. The easier, least ingredients, & short amount of time draw me in. I am busy & prep time has to short. At my house the healthier a meal is the better. ( See my previous blog as to why)


This is what I made for Valentines Day Lunch

1 Bag Chicken {Boneless/skinless)
Mrs. Dash seasoning to taste
2 tablespoons of butter
3 cans of whole potatoes

Put all ingredients in a pan & bake @ 400 for 1 hour. Takes 2 minutes for prep & tastes great!!

Sweet tea as a great addition if your not counting calories or sugar.

* Make any green or yellow vegetable to balance the meal out. Preferably frozen or fresh vegetables.

Love & Marriage in 2011

Seeing as Valentine's Day is near I wanted to express my opinions on marriage/love in our society & how I do it each day.

I have been in a relationshipp with my husband since I was 13 (11 years now) & married 4 years in July. Our issues are a typical of people our age. We argue like a old married couple. We have definitely had our ups & downs through the years. We essentially grew up together & hit ALOT of "bumps" along the way! Our marriage has been tested in ways we never imagined.

Honestly what has carried me through the years is my faith. I believe God creates someone for each of us. He puts on a path to reach them, he never said it would be easy or wouldn't require hard work. I really believe that we can avoid divorce we have to put the effort in.(Some situations it is the only answer)
Life gets in the way of our ideal relationships with each other as husband & wife. There are days where we barely see each other. Our schedules are hectic but were just trying to make it through the day.

We attended a great marriage class based on the book "Love & Respect" it teaches that based on biblical principles man wants respect & a woman desires love. VERY good book if you want to better your relationship this will kick start it!

Ways to enhance your relationship each day

1. Make a meal for him (Even if your not that great every man loves the idea of a hot meal being ready for him, essentially you are feed his appetite & soul)
2. Leave a short note on his bathroom mirror in lipstick (remind him of you & tell him you care in your own way)
3. If you share chores do his 1 day as a surprise so he can relax for a little bit
4. Dress up when he least expects it in sky high heels & a sexy outfit (Men are so visual & heels are a instant turn on)
5. If you haven't become a pro in bed yet lol & there's something he has been asking to do surprise him & agree. (Men like to conquer in so many ways!)
6. Whatever his hobby is get him something related to it
   (cars, gaming, hunting, etc...)
7. When your in the car alone, start a deep conversation ( My husband & I used to live hours apart & when we would travel we would have our best talks) Neither of you can go anywhere & you can get alot accomplished, just remember to have a cool head & keep your goal in mind.
8. Make a list of goals you want to accomplish to together & post it where you both can see, so that you both are accountable & working towards the same things.
9. If your cool with his mom find out things he liked in his childhood. Try to recreate a a fond memory.
10. Share everything! No secrets, don't put yourself in bad situations (clubs, ex's, etc) if you put yourself there bad things are bound to happen, So don't be surprised if it does. Reinforce your relationship don't tear it down with your own hands.
11. Hot Issues here-Phones/laptops- Don't have them locked, if your spouse wants to view your messages, or whatever they should. If you don't have anything to hid there shouldn't be a problem. If your spouse is giving you a reason for this don't accept it. There has to be something to it.
12. Family- You each knew each others family going in, no excuses so deal with it like adults. Respecting your spouses family is respecting them. Arguing with your mother in law won't make things better, You get more flies with honey.
13. Money- Set a budget, have 1 joint account, set financial goals. Have a limit for purchases that you can make without checking with each other, Ours is $50 bucks. Anything under is fine anything over we have to both agree on.
14. "Free Time"- Each person is different here. A guys night or girls night once a month is acceptable IF you go on equal date nights to this. Set a agreed time home, NO EXCUSES, it will save you a fight. No sleeping in the next day either & slacking on your responsibilities around the house/kids
15. Lastly respect, love, affection, time, &  the mindset to make it last will go far.  Apply each of these daily! Put God first in your relationship you will see a difference. I wish you long time happiness!!!

♥2011♥

Motivation in My Career & Reaching Goals!

A month of the year is behind us. It doesn't feel like that's right, does it? Even if you don't make New Years resolutions, what is your motivation in your life? DO you have goals this year? How are you going to reach them?

I LOVE the feeling of accomplishment & a knowing I did a good job. I take it personal. I value honesty in my peers. Having someone to keep you accountable matters, not a drill Sergent but a friend to help you get there.

Since late last year I have felt like this year was going to be a turning point for my family & I. I don't know why I feel this way I just do. We have had a couple rough years mixed with such blessings. Since my husband & I have been married looking back some things are laughable & unbelievable.

My motivation is my family. I want to succeed for them, I want to provide for them. I want them to be proud of me. Every time I see my babies especially it reignites the fire inside for me to keep pushing on. Life is not easy. I believe my God likes a hard working, family oriented person with a servants heart. These are qualities I try to achieve.

In my line of work I deliver good & bad news. I really try my best to do well for my clients & take each homes as it were my own. I do not believe the transaction ends at the closing table. If you see me out I want you to be happy with me & happy in your home. That's my job! The details are what I do behind the scenes.
I don't mind giving someone a second chance with one of our rentals. I really go to bat for residents when I feel I need to. I believe that goes a long way. This is why even though we have a office phone I still get calls on my personal cell phone. They want to call me. I have developed great relationships with them.
I have been in Real Estate & Property Management for 5 years now, I have a awesome boss. I know your thinking, really?

I do we are friends & I believe we both want to see the business succeed & take it personally. In this business your reputation means alot. I want to keep mine in good order, so you better believe I am leaving my ego at the door & helping anyway I can. We work odd hours, rarely take days off, & usually work when your sleeping. I enjoy the flexibility of my job. I have kids I can't tell you how thankful I am to be able to work & spend time with them. Seriously they grow up way to fast!

Here's what matters no what field you are in!

1) Be a hard worker- I worked up until the day of my induction with my daughter (if I hadn't been put on bed rest with my son I would have then too) pregnant, pms'ing, sick, it doesn't matter. Lazy people never made it anywhere in life, hard work does pay off. Your definition of success with determine how successful you are.

2) Be Loyal-Loyalty to yourself/values & your job.  It never fails there are some agents who I never see at the office & don't have closings. If you have the option of flexible hours. Make a point to sit down each day for work. Don't complain if you don't put any work into it!

3) Don't Get Discouraged-  There are plenty of "haters" out there waiting for you to fail, love watching you stumble, can't wait to tell the whole world via Facebook, lol
Stay focused, be persistent, & be humble. These will help you get to your goal.

4)Take a Timeout- Even on your busiest day take 30 minutes to yourself, recover, collect your thoughts. Then jump back in it. I do this with a Starbucks run!

5)Be Your Biggest Fan- No one in my family understands my job. I work weird hours, I can't fully explain why I'm stressed out, & stay busy doing "nothing" in there eyes.
When I feel a lack of support I remind myself of my motivation (my babies!)

I hope this helps be genuine, keep up the hard work, & succeed in 2011. Were 1 month in & it looks great so far!!!!

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