Writing Challenge: Day 17 (08.02.2019)

The challenge for day 17 is: Post about your Zodiac sign and whether it fits you or not.

Oh my gosh. Did you just ask me that? Because anyone that truly knows me knows that I fully believe we were born at the right moment and that our zodiac completely describes us! I will often ask people what their sign is. It fascinates me to meet someone and think- I bet I can guess when they were born. 

I'm a Pisces which means I was born from February 19th-March 20th. And I'm right smack dab in the middle of those dates which, in my honest opinion, means I'm a Pisces through and through. There's no cusp. No 3 days til I'm an Aries. I can only be- a Pisces- and it fits me to the core!

I'm going to share a few things I have saved on Pinterest that I believe embodies exactly who I am:

Do you believe your zodiac fits you like a glove?

Project 365x3: Day 13 (07.31.2019)

I spent most of my day cleaning out the closets, organizing school clothes/supplies, and getting in that "Back to School" mode. We are living in a new house this school year which means figuring out our new routine! Got school clothes organized, shoes organized, book bags hung, and supplies ready for orientation. I think we are about to set go!

I think we are ready to go- which makes this Momma's heart happy. I love routine!

And then, I started getting Quinn ready to go to a 

JOJO SIWA CONCERT!!!!

She was so excited that Daddy got her tickets!

Daddy left work early, so he could be home in time to take her to see her favorite singer in the world!

And I got so many pictures during the concert! Quinn seriously had the time of her life! I was so excited for her.

And while they were at the concert, Mommy was at home with the other two Baybies! We ordered pizza, built Pokemon legos, watched movies..

And I had to giggle because I started cleaning up the house before we started settling down for bed. I had just swept up a pile of dirt.. and Tayler came walking in and said, "Sweep" and just started shoving the dirt all over the place lol Completely ruined what I'd done HAHA but hey- she was verbal and doing life skills! I'll take it!!!

We had an amazing day! 

Cheers to Project 365!! 

Writing Challenge: Day 16 (08.01.2019)

Day 16 of "The Writing Challenge" is: What is something that you miss?

Don't get me wrong- I absolutely love my life right now. I wouldn't change a thing. God has been so good to us and He is taking us places; however, my heart misses when Ethan and I first started dating. I think just because things went so darn fast. We started dating December 2009 and I was pregnant for our first by July 2010. We really only got about 6 months of doing whatever, going wherever. I was super sick from July-September, until the morning sickness settled down a bit. And then it was a quick roller coaster of emotions during my pregnancy. And by March 2011 (only 15 months of being together), we had a baby. We got married in December 2010- only 12 months of dating. Everything was just quick. Rushed. Some days- and like I said- I don't wish away my life. We have three beautiful children and I wouldn't change that for the world, but we hardly got "alone time." I had three babies from 2011-2014. I miss the simplicity at times. Just getting up and running out the door whenever we wanted. Sleeping. LOL. And the hard part is- with a child with autism- I'm fearful that we may never get that again. It's hard to write that. It's scary to write that.

Project 365x3: Day 12 (07.30.2019)

'Tis the season, y'all! And no, I'm obviously not talking about Christmas!! LOL. I'm talking- School Supply season!

I shared this on FB yesterday with the captain "School supply list for 3 kids got me like [insert wide eyed emoji here.]"

We ordered school supplies Sunday night, so I was anxiously awaiting them yesterday. Even made our fancy check list (lol) to make sure no school supply was let behind!

Anyone else ordered school supplies yet? 

And no sooner than I made this list....

UPS arrived with this big box!

Target has this amazing thing where you can type your child's school in, pick the grade, and one click- order school supplies! It is absolutely genius! Check it out over at Target School List

It was so exciting. I'm such an OCD person. So checking those cute hand-written boxes was perfect! We are almost ready for back-to-school... which is only 3 short weeks away!

When do you all start school?

We ended our night with "The Bachelorette." I was in complete shock. I won't post spoilers in case someone hasn't watched it yet, but....

WHAT THE HECK.

Worst ending of "The Bachelorette" ever. Okay. I don't know about worst ending, ever. I know Juan Pablo was "The Bachelor" but his ending really probably takes the cake, honestly, but oh well!

What did you think??

Cheers to Project 365! 

Writing Challenge: Day 15 (07.31.2019)

"The Writing Challenge" today is: bullet point your entire day.

Well, I'm a stay at home Momma, LOL, so get ready for these bullet points!

• 6:45am- Wake up time for the Bay house! All of the children are typically up by this point. And we start getting Daddy ready to leave for work.
• 7:30am- Everyone rubs their eyes, lays on the couch with blankets, and wakes up- then breakfast time! Usually cereal or toast. 
• 8:00-9:00am- I blog during this time and the kids usually watch youtube or something to relax! It's our 'down time' in the morning!
• 9:00am- I typically start moving from room to room to clean! I can't sit here and relax knowing rooms are a mess and with 3 kids and toys- they usually are! LOL So, we start by cleaning the girl's bedroom and move through the house. Next is the back bathroom, then the living room. I usually jam to music during this time and collect dirty clothes.
• 10:00am- By 10, I'm usually on to the kitchen and by this point, everyone wants a snack, so since I'm already out there cleaning, we do a mini snack before lunch. Clean the kitchen and move down the hallway.
• 10:45am- Clean Luc's bedroom and usually clean up the laundry room. There's usually stuff everywhere from the night before, so all of it gets put back in it's spot. 
• 11am- Start laundry, clean the other bathroom, and straighten up our room. 
• 11:30am- Lunch time! We usually do something simple. PB&Js, spaghetti o's, Mac and cheese. Basic things! And we usually turn on a movie or a TV show during this time! 
• 12:30pm- Since the house is still somewhat clean (I'm home with 3 kids all day! What gets done in the morning, is usually somewhat undone by the afternoon!) I usually jump in the shower and get ready. 
• 1:00pm- Usually takes me about 30 minutes to get ready and after I'm done, the kids always go straight in the tub after. 
• 1:30pm- Get kids dressed and ready for the day depending on what we have going on that night.
• 2:00pm- Fold laundry and put it away. Whatever load(s) I've had going all day gets thrown in the a pile on the floor and after everyone is ready to go for the day, it all gets sorted and put away. Just about every single day. I hate piled up laundry because I have no room for it. It HAS to get put away! Benefits of a tiny house! LOL
• 2:45pm- After laundry, kids usually get another small snack to hold them over til dinner time! 
• 3:00pm- I usually start doing another walk through of the house so it is clean when my husband gets home. This includes more vacuuming, sweeping floors, putting in Scentsy, etc.
• 3:30-4:00pm- We usually cuddle on the couch and wait for me to start dinner during this time (as long as everything is done!)
• 4:00pm- I usually start prepping dinner about this time and wash whatever lunch dishes were left in the sink. 
• 5:00pm- Start grabbing plates and silverware and get everything perfect for when Daddy comes home! 
• 5:30pm- DINNER TIME!
• 6:30pm- Family time. We usually go for walks or head to the park during this time since it's a little cooler out. 
• 8:00pm- Relax time. Everyone starts settling down for the night. This can include reading, watching iPad, laying on the couch, etc. My husband and I will watch our TV shows during this time.
• 9:00pm- Everyone is usually headed to bed by this point. Bed time is anywhere from 9-10pm. 

And we start all over again the next day!! LOL 

What's your normal day look like?

Project 365x3: Day 11 (07.29.2019)

I'm going to be raw and honest with all of you here. And it is a TMI, so please, if you don't enjoy reading kind of gross details or you're eating right now, look away!

Our oldest daughter has non-verbal Autism (as most of you probably know) and sometimes things are less than pleasant. She didn't sleep at all Saturday night, so I was beyond exhausted by Sunday evening. I decided to sleep in the living room because Tayler had zero intentions of going to sleep and my husband had to get up early for work, so I stayed out there to keep an eye on her.. or at least that was my intentions. I must have fallen asleep sometime after 1:30 and woke up around 3:00 to hear Tayler being noisy. I said from the living room "Tayler, sleep" and she wandered out to the living room and laid on the couch. I laid there forever waiting for her to doze off and some time before 4, she did. My husband woke me up at 6:45 as he was getting ready for work and said, "Babe, it smells really bad in here." I woke up and the smell instantly hit me- feces. I slowly made my way to the girl's bedroom and what do you know- she had used the restroom and smeared it everywhere. And when I say everywhere, guys, I mean EVERYWHERE. All I could do was stand there and cry. I SHOULD have been a better Mom the night before and checked on her. I SHOULD have gotten up and looked at her, but she slept only about an hour Saturday night and I was completely beat. As I looked at her, she was covered in it- and slept that way. I felt horrible. Incompetent. So, the day was spent scrubbing everything, shampooing carpets, bathing her, cleaning clothes and a million blankets and stuffed animals. I felt broken. Discouraged. Ashamed.....

And still struggling with all of those emotions. All I could think was- will we be doing this when she's 50?? It is heart wrenching. Most of my day was spent talking to God and trying to heal how I felt inside...

I just had to share that with all of you. If you're struggling with the same situation right now, I'm here.

Thankfully, I knew I had the night ahead of me- The Bachelorette with friends. It was the perfect ending to a stressful, overwhelming day.

It was just what this soul needed!

If you watch The Bachelorette- are you team Tyler or Jed??

Cheers to Project 365!

Writing Challenge: Day 14 (07.30.2019)

Writing Challenge: Day 14- Write about your favorite movies that you never get tired of watching.

If you know me, you already know what my first answer is going to be:

HOCUS POCUS.

Released in 1993, it's a story about three witches (Winifred, Mary, and Sarah) who come back from the dead (all because some virgin lit a black flame candle. Thanks, Max) and try and steal the souls of children in Salem. My all time favorite movie. You're missing out if you haven't watched this at least a billion times.

TITANIC.

Another one of my all time favorites. Does it get any better than Jack Dawson and Rose? Any time this movie is on TV, you bet your Starline Tickets, I'll be there! I want to watch it right now, actually. Freeform, you showing it any time soon?

TWISTER.

Can you tell I have a thing for 90s movies? Another movie that I'm obsessed with. I could probably quote the entire thing if you let me. It also features a scene from "The Shining" (which is another favorite!) so it gets even more stars from me!

DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

Okay, now I'm getting in to the early 2000s, but seriously- this is a huge comfort movie to me. I wish I knew why because I mean, it's honestly just a lot of devastation, but it is another movie that I will watch any time I see it's on cable. I think I fell asleep to this almost every night when it first came out on DVD. It never gets old. Does Jake Gyllenhaal ever get old? Lol

THE SHINING.

Well, lets take it back to 1980, shall we? Other than "Hocus Pocus" this is my favorite movie to watch at Halloween. I think last year, I watched it every single day (thank you Netflix- can we bring that back?) I'm not saying Shelley Duvall is a great actress, but it's a classic movie. 

What are your favorite movies?

Project 365x3: Day 10 (07.28.2019)

It was a relaxing Sunday in our house! We got some stuff done around the house earlier in the day (I like prepping lunches, breakfast, etc. so I don't have to worry about it Monday morning!) and then we went to my parent's house and had a peaceful afternoon sitting outside while the kids swam. They love going there and it's wonderful for us because we can actually SIT and just BE! It was an breathtaking day! I couldn't get enough of the weather! We soaked it up for hours!

The kids also caught a frog today! We kept it as a pet for about 2 hours LOL. It reminded me of my brother growing up. He had a pet tree frog that was "hibernating" even though it was black, stiff as a board, and laying on it's back hahaha! I had to text him and tell him the kids caught a frog! 

It was an amazing Sunday! Lets DO THIS WEEK!

Cheers to Project 365!

Writing Challenge: Day 13 (07.29.2019)

Day 13 of "The Writing Challenge" is: What are you excited about?

Today, I'm excited about all the possibilities that are in the future. Isn't it amazing to think that anything could be in your future? Business opportunities? A new book? A new home? A new volunteer opportunity? A new city? A new challenge? The possibilities that are in the future are incredible. Of course, I struggle with mental health issues, so oftentimes when I think about what is to come, I feel queasy. The unknown is tough for me, but then again- if everything was mapped out in front of me, I'd be anxious too. But I have been trying to teach myself to be EXCITED for opportunities and the unknown. I finally feel like I'm moving towards a clean slate and you know what clean slates are good for?? Anything. I feel excited today. Excited for the doors God is going to open. Excited for the blessings that are to come. I'm trying to have faith instead of fear today. And I'm excited for it.

Project 365x3: Day 9 (07.28.2019)

Started my morning off how EVERY morning has been starting off lately (well, minus the ice cream cone. LOL) but started it off listening to motivational speeches on our new Echo Show! Some encouragement and push to start the day. It was so good for my soul! Check out Motiversity on Youtube if you need some inspiration in your own life. It is so easy to get stagnant. Don't be that person!

Next, we got the kids all dressed up and headed to a Toy Story birthday party for one of our friend's children. It was so much fun and the kids did awesome! Please disregard the fact that I didn't take a picture of Lucas. I forgot and he was a mess by the time I remembered lol

The girls looked absolutely beautiful though!

After we got home, Momma felt like she needed a little breather, and what better way to do that than to sit in a gorgeous little town and WRITE. My favorite! It was an absolutely beautiful night and my soul needed it more than you probably know!

After I got home, we went for a late night walk. If you haven't walk in a tiny town at 9pm, you are truly missing out! It was breath taking. Make you (and your problems) seem super small when you get to watch the sun set knowing it's rising and waking people up in another part of the world.

And we even found a frog on our walk!

Such a beautiful night! I am so grateful for this life.

Cheers to Project 365x3!

Writing Challenge: Day 12 [07.28.2019]

Day 12 of "The Writing Challenge" is: Write about the 5 blessings in your life.

1. My children. They may drive me up a skyscraper some days (I'm a stay at home momma of 3- so through the Summer, it's all 4 of us, all day long!) but they saved me in ways I didn't even think was possible. I would probably still be this broken down, falling apart, never pushing myself person if it wasn't for them. I can't stay contained within 4 walls with them in my life. And I'm sure they'll always save me. They'll always push me. And I am grateful and blessed that God saw it fit to give them to me to cherish and love and take care of.

2. Living in a small village. I am so thankful I live in a gorgeous, quiet, tiny town. It has given me so much motivation and drive. It has provided a peaceful life for my family, an amazing school for my children (especially the program they have for children with autism.) I love that everything we need is within walking (or a small drive) distance. I had the privilege of moving here in 2010- and I will forever be grateful for this opportunity and blessing.

3. My family. My parents. My siblings. I was seriously provided with the best and I'll never quite understand why God Almighty gave them to me. They are such a help to me- physically, mentally, and spiritually. They are my rock and my right hand. Whenever I am in need, whether it is just to talk, to vent, to help with the kids- they are there for me. No questions asked. They pour and pour in to this broken person, just to see the light come back in my eyes again. I'll never forget hearing my dad tell me that he was taking a different job because "he's tired of seeing his daughter exhausted, spiritually and physically." I'm blessed, that's all there is to say.

4. The Word of God- God Almighty Himself. I know Him and I argue just about every day. I get frustrated. I feel like I can't see His hand in anything that's going on in my life. He feels a million miles away from me half the time, but that doesn't stop me from seeing His goodness. I feel broken more times than I feel put together, but I always tell Him- I still love you, I'm still grateful for You, You're still good- I'm just upset with You right now. We have that kind of relationship ;) I'm so beyond blessed to know Someone is working behind the scenes for me- even if I can't ever see it!

5. Can I just joke here- COFFEE. Seriously. Is it bad I go to bed at night and think "Mmm, I can't wait to wake up to that first cup of coffee in the morning?" Even more now that we have the best creamer ever- OREO! Best thing I've ever tasted. Best thing that ever touched my soul- okay, not best thing ever, but best drink ever LOL. It is a blessing and we are all fortunate enough to drink that stuff!

What are the blessings in your life?