The Space Between

I still like to think of him as a baby. If I close my eyes I can still feel the weight of his 7 lb 12 oz body in my arms and smell the new baby smell on his hair. But when I open my eyes this handsome blue-eyed guy is looking back at me. He just started to walk a couple of weeks ago and is already walking around like he has been doing it his whole life. He says "thank you" when we give him something and "more" over and over at meal time. He laughs when we laugh even though he does not know what is funny. He likes to cuddle but loves the freedom to roam. I still catch glimpses of the baby in him when he cuddled up on my chest sucking his pacifier with his head on my heart like he did every single day as a newborn.

He is seeming less like a baby but still no like a toddler. The space between...

And then we have this one. He is starting preschool in the fall. He says words like "actually" and knows what a rhombus is. He come out of his room fully dressed most mornings and has many opinions on what we should eat for supper. He still thinks I'm pretty cool and often tells me I'm his best friend, but as been wanting to spend more and more time playing with his friends. He makes me proud when he spells his name. He is very sensitive and gets his feelings hurt easily.  He started Sunday school last fall and says the Lord's Prayer before bed.  He will still give me a kiss in front of his friends and can often be found holding my hand or on my hip getting cuddled.

Not a toddler but not quite a preschooler. The space between...

The space between is heart-warming and heartbreaking. Watching them grow and learn makes your heart burst with pride all while it breaks into a million little pieces as you know that you are letting another little piece of them go.

Head to Wells Fargo Arena This Weekend To See Sesame Street Live

Drake and I just got back from a fun morning out at Sesame Street Live. We invited my mom to join us and could not have had a better time.  The show was full of singing and dancing and lots of audience interaction.  

Mother's Day and a Giveaway

Mother's Day was wonderful this year. I ate breakfast in bed and sipped on iced coffee while I explored the internet until 9:30. I got cards and a Starbucks Giftcard and a Lego figure to build with my big boy. I also (finally) got my wedding ring resized and I'm so happy to see it perched happily back on my finger. My husband spiled me and made an at-home winerary for us to enjoy complete with never empty glasses of wine and a yummy cheese and chocolate plate. I even got my most wanted gift-the picture that you see above. I love having pictures of my boys and I and I don't even care that they are not looking at the camera.

I really love being a mom and I think Mother's Day is the perfect day to sit back and reflect on it.

Drake holds such a special place in my heart because he made me a Momma. He is the one who gave me that very special gift. I love to laugh and cuddle  and play with him. But I love to talk to him the most because he is interesting and witty. I'm pretty proud of the little boy that he is becoming.

I often times feel like Charlie got the better pieces of me as a mom-the more relaxed and happy and at-home-with-motherhood me and I'm really happy that I was able to give that to him.  He makes me smile so big everyday just by looking at him because he has this little sparkle in his eye that just totally melts you. He is pure sweetness with just enough sour thrown in to keep it interesting.

I never thought five years ago that today I would be the Momma of 2 little boys, but they make so, so happy. It is becoming pretty evident in my life that God made me to be a boy mom and I hold that honor with great regard.

And then of course I think of my own Mom on Mother's Day and I get it. I get why she would and still does hurt when I hurt and how she literally feels my pain. I get the sacrifices. I get the canceled dinners out because of sick kids. I get the way you will search high and low searching for the perfect present to put a smile on your child's face. I get the sleepless night worrying about things out of your control. And I especially get how much she loves me. I get it  all.  Love you Mom!

Now onto the giveaway-

Chick-fil-A Presents #FreshMade Blog App!




Chick-fil-A is helping you make today #FreshMade, by creating new menu options that you can feel good about! They are introducing 3 new premium salads and an improved wrap all under 430 calories made with premium ingredients.

View the Chick-fil-A #FreshMade Blog App HERE

Enter for your Chance to win one of two free Chick-fil-A salads!

Just leave a comment below telling me what your favorite menu item is at Chick-fil-A and you will be entered to win!

Giveaway ends on Friday, May 17 at 9:00 pm

Disclosure-I was provided with a free Chick-fil-A products in exchange for hosting this giveaway

Rearranging Expectations

I don't think it is a secret to anybody who knows me that I have pretty high expectations.  I have high expectations of myself. I have high expectations of my kids. I have high expectations of my husband. I have high expectations of experiences  Now don’t get me wrong, high expectations are good, but sometimes I just set the bar too high, ya know?

For example I often have to remind myself that Drake is only three years old. He is a tall kid for his age and can hold a full conversation with pretty much anybody about anything and those things combined make him seem much older than three to me. The problem comes in when he actually acts like he is three- the full-out fits, the not listening, and the mouthing back-those sorts of things. I find myself getting super frustrated with him when he acts like that and I have to constantly remind myself that he is ONLY three years old and his behavior is so very typical and normal for that age. High  Expectations

Did you know that I have a pretty amazing husband? Because I totally do. He works so hard for our family and is the absolute best Daddy to our boys and treats me with so much love and respect. He helps around the house and changes diapers and mows the lawn along with a million other things. Yet I find myself getting annoyed with him when he forgets to put his clothes in the laundry basket or when he doesn't wipe the crumbs off the table after lunch and I sometimes let those little tiny things overshadow the really big amazing things. High Expectations.

I work part-time (3 days a week) and I’m home with my sons the other 4 days out of the week. I’m busy just like all of you are. I’m either trying to fit a workout in and cook dinner and play with my kids all while doing laundry in the few hours I have after work or I’m chasing my kids around and taking them to do fun activities and grocery shopping and going to church and trying to maintain friendships all while wanting my house to look spotless. High Expectations.

Something needs to change and that something is me.

I need to lower my expectations to the realistic level, the achievable level. I need to realize that my kids are just that-kids. I need to appreciate all that husband does instead of focusing on what he doesn't (which is basically nothing) because he does a whole heck of a lot. I need to take some advice from myself and give myself some grace. I need to know that the perfect house and the perfect body and the perfect craft time activities that I have in my head might need to be changed to match what I have right in front of me- which is a pretty amazing life. I have a nice home that is at least sanitary if it is not clean. My body has a few more lumps and bumps than I might like but that is actually not half bad. I might not do Pinterest inspired crafts with my boys but I take them on all sorts of fun adventures that create priceless memories for them.

I’m going to be spending just a little bit of time rearranging my expectations because I think that some of my new (and attainable) expectations are going to surprise me with the goodness that lies beneath.

Monday Moments

• It snowed on Thursday and Friday. Not just a little snow but 6.5 inches of the stuff fell. After already experiencing the longest winter ever, this about put me over the edge.


• I have been feeling so overwhelmed by cleaning and laundry lately. I feel like I just can't keep up and that the second my house is clean it is dirty again and that my pile of laundry never gets smaller. I know this is just the season of life I'm in right now, but man it still drives me nuts... And don't even get me started on the never-ending dog hair.


• Charlie is walking 90% of the time now. I'm so in love with his little waddle and can't get enough of how proud he is of himself.


• Charlie has also been talking so much more. The other day I picked him up from his crib and he looked right at me and said "good boy." He also kept telling me "thank you" as I fed him blueberries last night. So sweet.


• Drake has learned how to spell his first and last name and goes around the house saying it over and over again. I can't believe how fast he is growing up.


• Last night at supper (while my parents were over) Drake started to sing "I'm sexy and I know it."  Time to really monitor the music that he listens to.


• Things have been quiet on the blog the last couple of weeks and I kind of like it. I'm really trying to focus on just writing when I have things to say and not forcing myself to write a certain number of times a week, etc.


• I'm still working really hard to lose the rest of this weight. It is slow going, but my clothes are fitting so much differently and I just feel better so that gives me the motivation I need to keep going.


• I will be turning thirty in July and I'm excited about it. I could have never had imagined all the great things that my twenties had in store for me and I'm really excited to see what my thirties hold.

I will leave you with a couple of pictures of my babies. Charlie and his big blue eyes get me every time and that sweet smile just melts my heart to pieces. My big boy, Drake, looks so handsome and I just can't get enough of him in that hat...way too cute.  I just love those boys  to pieces.

Have a great week!