Drawing the Line

I knew this day would come. I could feel myself holding more and more back from all of you. I think long and hard before I post a story about my children on the blog anymore. I have done a lot of reviews and giveaways and have written some posts that are about me or motherhood but I have kept the most important part of my heart - my children - to myself.

Before the last month or so I have never seen Drake get embarrassed. Sure he had done embarrassing things, but he did not know that he should or could feel embarrassed about it. But in the last few weeks I have seen him utterly and truly embarrassed and it broke my heart and put me on high alert. I know I will do things in the future to embarrass my kids. I'm guessing sometimes it will all be in fun and I will do it on purpose and other times they will be embarrassed of me or things I do whether it is justified or not.

Here is the thing - I don't want this blog to be a source of embarrassment for them.  In the world we live a quick Google search is all it takes for stories, pictures and all the information you need to know about a person is at your fingertips.  I know I can't protect my boys forever, but I can limit what I contribute to their "internet biography." I want them to make their own tracks in life- their own stories- if they want to write a  blog someday, great, but that is up to them.

So I guess what I'm saying is that the line has been drawn. This blog will continue but with a lot less of my sweet boys in it.  I will still share pictures of my boys from time to time and I'm sure every now and then I will pop in with a story or 2 about them, but for the most part I will do what a mother should do and hold the most precious and sensitive stories close to my heart just for me.

Growing up is hard to do...

Letting Him Fly

Drake will be starting preschool 2 weeks from today. He will go 4 afternoons a week. To say it has been on my mind a lot would be an understatement. As I write this we are waiting for his teacher to come and do a home visit. I think I'm far more nervous and excited for this than Drake is! I wrote a little bit about how I am feeling as we hit this huge milestone over at Des Moines Moms Blog-

 

“Make sure you follow directions and listen to your teachers,” I say as I walk my almost 4-year-old son, Drake, into his first night of Vacation Bible School. He holds my hand tightly and quietly tells me that he will. We find his group and I lean down to tell him good-bye, and just like that any apprehension that he has fades away. He quickly tells me good-bye and finds a seat next to one of his friends. I walk away while looking over my shoulder just knowing that he will be looking back at me and wanting one last kiss, but instead he is laughing with his new friends and is completely oblivious that I am leaving. I smile while I hold back tears. As I climb into my car I let the big, warm tears roll down my cheeks as I think about how fast my baby is growing up. Read the rest over at Des Moines Moms Blog...

 

I also wanted to share this idea incase anybody else is looking to do something special for their kids on the first day of school. I found the book Curious George's First Day of School at Kohl's lat week. I plan on both Ben and I writing a little note to Drake in the book before the first day of school every year. I think this will be a really special and unique keepsake for him.

30 Things Loved in June

Kelsey from Words of Williams shares what she is grateful for at the end of every month. I love the idea so here is my debut monthly "loved" post.

1. A chance to take our first vacation as a family of four. We had such a great time!

2. Surprising my husband with a date night to Exhile Brewing and rolling with the punches even though the experience was not quite what we had pictured.

3. Drinking beers with friends in the driveway with the hum of the baby monitor in the background.

4. A family trip to the zoo to celebrate Father's Day.

5. Hearing Drake comfort Charlie when he is upset.

6. A long weekend away with my whole family and the fun we had.

7. Potato packets (potatoes, olive oil, dry ranch dressing mix and a little cheese) on the grill.

8. $4.00 shirts at H&M

9. Thursdays and Fridays filled with adventure and memories.

10. Down alternative pillows.

11. Drake's sweet heart for Jesus and hearing all he took in at Vacation Bible School.

12. An impromptu visit from my sister.

13. Grocery shopping with Charlie while he smiles and waves and flirts with every person he sees.

14 Planning Drake's birthday party.

15. Watching Revenge with Ben on Hulu Plus all curled up in bed late at night.

16. Mini ice cream sandwiches.

17. 6:00 am workouts.

18. Reading a book on the Kindle on the deck while the boys nap.

19. Letting the boys stay up way past their bedtime just so we can play outside.

20. Grandparents who love my kids to pieces (and spoil them too).

21. Sunday afternoon beers with a friend on a patio.

22. Charlie walking around with Hulk Hands on and making superhero sounds.

23. $5.00 retro chair find at the Restore.

24. The amazing kids in our neighborhood that picked up after a big storm went through.

25. Skinner enjoying the kids swimming pool by taking a dip.

26. Watching Drake play outside at 7:00 am in his jammies while I make breakfast.

27.  A lilac bush that bloomed and was so beautiful and fragrant.

28.  Going to garage sales with Drake and watching him search for treasures.

29.  Babies with bright blonde hair and big blue eyes and tanned skin.

30.  A great sermon series at our church.

What did you love in June?

Blogs I'm Loving

One of my favorite ways to relax at night is to climb into bed with my iPad and catch up on my favorite blogs. Here are the blogs I'm loving right now!

Enjoying the Small Things- Kelle has such a way with words. She can always make an ordinary moment seem extraordinary. If you don't read for her words read for her photos as they are simply breathtaking.

Bower Power- Katie is a woman who does not take herself too seriously and is always making me laugh. Follow along on their adventures as they raise 2 adorable boys and be inspired by all of their  great DIY projects.

Iowa Girl Eats- Kristin is always sharing the most yummy (and usually pretty healthy) recipes. I could spend all day just browsing her recipe archives. I also have a special place in my heart for blogs that are written by fellow Iowa bloggers!

The Mom Diggity --I'm a relatively new reader to The Mom Diggity but fell in love with the blog fast as I could instantly tell that Kara Kae is such a real and genuine person. I enjoy reading about her adventures raising 3 girls 3 and under.

O My Family - Allison has a way of sharing stories about motherhood that are so honest and heartfelt that I am always anticipating a new post from her. She is also a momma to 2 little boys and is often giving me a glimpse of what I have to look forward to as my boys grow up.

Words of Williams - Another blog written by Iowans!  Husband and wife team, Kelsey and Eric, both write on Words of Williams giving this blog a different feeling than other blogs that I read. They blog about a wide variety of topics ranging from their journey on becoming debt free to sharing pictures and stories of their sweet daughter Rooney.

Exploits of a Military Mama-  A fellow boy Momma who always makes me say "me too" when I'm reading along.  I love the way Sally keeps it very real on her blog sharing what is on her mind and heart.

Okay, BA I have been reading this blog for quite a few years now and have loved it since the very beginning  BA is  so honest and funny in her writing  that you just can't help but feel like you are sitting having a cup of coffee with her when you read her blog. 

Jenni From the Blog- I just started reading Jenni's blog about a year ago and had such a fun time following along with her 3rd pregnancy that I instantly became hooked. 

Mama Mandolin- Mandey is a former Iowan who lives in California with her husband and super adorable  twin boys.  She is also the wife to my sister's boyfriend's twin brother (clear as mud right?!) so even though we have only met once in real life I feel like I know her really well!

MODG -Plain and simple this blog is hilarious. If you are looking fora good laugh check it out!
Now it is your turn! What blogs are you loving right now?

 

This is Why I Should Hire Help

Seriously. Sometimes I  think I know more about html and blogs and all that other fun stuff than I do. Which really should not be that hard to figure out since I know NOTHING about any of that stuff. Anyways, silly  me decided it would be a good idea to try and change some things up and I lost all the people who subscribed to my blog via RSS Feed. Plus I also moved Facebook pages so those updates are gone too.Edited to add-I'm really super confused right now. Both the old and new feed are showing up in my Google Reader. I guess to be safe you should subscribe to the new feed?!? I will be asking the person I hire to help me with the last few things about this issue. Told you I was clueless! So this is what you need to do-(If you want to go the easy route just click on all the buttons below and we will be connected again. If not, you can read my rambling on why you should below)
1)If you were or are interested in following this blog via RSS Feed please click on the orange button below.  If you currently subscribe to the Sassy Silly Spunky Momma RSS Feed you are no longer receiving updates.

2) If you have not "liked" the Happy Where I Stand Facebook page you can do that below as well. I'm going to be shutting down the Sassy Silly Spunky Page in about a week and will only be posting updates on the Happy Where I Stand page. 3)If you follow me on Twitter you don't have to do anything. Twitter was my one easy change. If you don't follow me on Twitter but want to you can click on the Twitter button below. 4) I'm also on Instagram and would love to be your friend. My username is happywhereistand. Look me up :) Now you know the scoop so go ahead and click!
This blog change has been exhausting. Good thing I smartened up and hired somebody to help me with the last few details. Charlie's 1st Birthday Party Recap to come tomorrow.Can't wait to share it with you. 

Happy Where I Stand

Welcome! The new design is still a work in progress with a few things left to wrap up,  but for the most part Happy Where I Stand is ready for its big debut!

I wanted to share with you how this name came about and my vision for Happy Where I Stand.

I've always anticipated the next big thing-going to college, graduate college, getting married, buying a house, having a baby, having another baby, etc. thinking that once I reached the next big thing I would be happier. You know what  I have found? That really was never the case. Was I happy? Yeah, sure I was, but soon I would be itching for the next thing to come along thinking that thing would make me even happier.

But at some point in the last year I started to look at life a little differently. I started to be happy where I am in the moment. And you know what? That little change, well, it changes everything. The thing is, I didn't even consciously think to myself one day "Hey Katie, please just start being happy in the moment, OK?"  it just happened organically.   I started to enjoy the moments I was living so much more instead of looking toward the next big thing coming up in the future. You know what? Those little moments are where all the magic happens anyways.

My vision for this blog is simple.  I want to be an encouragement to other Momma's.  I want to focus on the little things, the things that I make an ordinary day extraordinary and of course those little moments of magic. I want to share stories and pictures and chat with you. I want to be happy where I stand.

Time to Say Good-Bye to Sassy Silly Spunky Momma

Sassy Silly Spunky Momma has had a great run (almost 5 years!) but I have felt that I was outgrowing the name for a while now. The problem was I could not think of another name that felt right so I've just let it be. Last night I was sitting in bed when all of a sudden the perfect name came to me.

Sassy Silly Spunky Momma will soon become

Things will slowly be changing over to the new name in the next couple of weeks. The good news is that as a reader all you have to do is keep reading! When the new domain name is up and ready this page will automatically take you to the new page.  It is that easy!

Although most of the content will stay the same I have plans to do a few things differently ...more about that  when the new site launches.

Thanks  to each and every one of you for supporting Sassy Silly Spunky Momma the last few years. I'm so excited for this new adventure and hope you come along for the ride!

Stretching My Writing Wings

I love writing. I love the way it makes me feel. I love the connection that it gives me to other moms. I love the memories that are preserved in my words. Writing has been such a gift in my life.

I love this little piece of the internet that is mine, but I felt like something was missing- like there was something more I could be doing with my words. This summer I found the missing piece. I became connected with the 2 founders of Des Moines Moms Blog (DMMB) and was asked to join their team as a contributor. I now write over at DMMB twice a month.

DMMB has been such a blessing in my life. I am so lucky to have met a group of amazing, beautiful, talented and encouraging woman that I am happy to call my friends. In addition, I have the opportunity to really encourage and share with other mothers which is something that is near and dear to my heart. I

really believe there is something so wonderful about moms encouraging one another and sharing the ups and downs of motherhood together. Motherhood is so fantastic and so hard and it is important to have a support system in place to connect with other women going through the same thing you are.

 So here is what I've been up to over at DMMB-

A Year of Dates

Making Christmas Traditions for Your Family

Keeping the Meaning of the Season in Gift Giving

Five Things I Have Learned as a 2nd Time Mom

I promise even if you do not live in the Des Moines area, even if you do not live in Iowa, you will find content that is relevant to your life. I am beyond proud to be part of this team and hope you will find some inspiration, comfort, encouragement and love in our words.

 

Struggling

As Drake gets older I find myself struggling more and more with just exactly what and how much I'm willing to share about him on the blog. I have been very careful to never use our last name on our blog, not only for privacy reasons, but also for the fast that I never want my blog to be the first thing that pops up if somebody was to Google Drake's name.

With that being said, I've decide to take a little bit of a different approach to my blogging. I will still blog about Drake on occasion, but I also want to start blogging about fashion, cooking, home, etc. I guess you could say more of a lifestyle blog.

So what do you think? Will you stick around with me?

P.S. I'm curious How do you decide how much is too much to share on your blog?

Welcome to My New House

I'm BACK and all moved in to my new WordPress site! OK, so I guess I still have a little unpacking (aka. blog redesign and makeover) before the move is complete, but new content will be coming your way soon!

Thanks for sticking with me!

P.S. Somebody please tell me why I was so afraid of moving to WordPress. I love it a million times more than Blogger and this is just my 1st day!

P.P.S I worked with JP to move my blog from Blogger to WordPress and I could not be happier with the quick and awesome service!

We Are Moving...

Over to Wordpress!
See you soon!

Blogs I Adore...And Stalk

Thanks to Trop50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 Fabulous Wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous!

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I read blogs long before I was blogger. I lurked quietly reading about other people's lives, rarely commenting. Then I decided to start my own blog and came out of my blogging shell. I was suddenly participating in blogging communities, commenting on blog posts and coming up with my own content. Over the course of the last 3 years I have encountered many amazing bloggers, but these 5 bloggers take the cake as being the best of the best in my book.

O My Family
AllisonO writes the most heartfelt and sweet posts about her boys OBoy and OBrother and her husband DanO. What I love most about this blog is that her personality seems to just shine through the screen. I'm also in love with the fact that she is a strong Christian woman who uses her blog to spread her grace, faith and love of God. Reading her blog is like having a cup of coffee with your best friend. So go pour yourself a cup and sit down for a chat!

Heir to Blair
I just do not think you can get more real than Blair. She is the most honest blogger who openly talks about such subjects as her struggle with postpartum depression and being a working mom.Her son, Harrison, is the cutest little guy who just melts my heart. Blair's honesty and openness makes her blog a must read for me. 

Enjoying the Small Things
Beautiful. Thoughtful. Inspiring. These are the word that pop in my mind about this truly fabulous blog. If you have not yet visited this blog please do your self a favor and do so immediately (actually wait until you get done with this post then head over there) I promise you will not be disappointed. Kelle has a way of making everyday ordinary events seem extraordinary. She really has made me look at the small things in my life in a whole different way.

Please don't be mad at me for the hours and hours and hours that you will now spend looking through her site. It is so worth it :)

a belle, a bean & a chicago dog
Liz is blogger I look up to. She has crafted her blog into something that is a shining example to other bloggers on how to do it right. Liz has found her blogging "voice" and the high quality of her posts reflect that. In a time where many bloggers come and go, I have a feeling Liz is here to stay as she is a down-to-earth, interesting, and funny blogger that has built a loyal following. Liz's blog is a must add to your reader.

Iowa Girl Eats
Is it weird that I every night I look forward to her post recapping what she ate all day? If it is weird then I'm just... a weirdo, I guess!! Anyways, I love Iowa Girl Eats, not only does she post recaps of what she eats but she provides awesome and easy recipes as well as step-by-step instructions ( with pictures) to make it even easier to follow. I've always wished I was a better and more creative cook so I dream I am by reading her blog. If you love cooking, baking, or just food in general check out this blog.

Now that you know the blogs that I adore, go check them out for yourself! I promise you will find  blogs that make you laugh, cry, smile, reflect, and drool!! Even though I don't "know" these people I do "know" their stories and the happiness they bring me. I have no doubt you will feel the same. Enjoy!

Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

Quick Update

Hi Everybody! I have so MUCH to blog about and will be back at it later this week. Between being out of town for work last week and Mother's Day weekend things have been fun by crazy here!

So until then I have a couple of giveaways for you:

Who doesn't love slippers? Enter to win a pair of Dearfoam slippers (there are 3 winners)

If you live in the Des Moines area you can enter to win a 4 pack of tickets to see Sesame Street Live

Looking forward to getting back to a more normal schedule this week.

Talk to you all soon!!

Life Right Now

I have so much to blog about-craft projects I have worked on, funny things Drake has done/said, stories to share, and pictures to post. But it looks like it is going to have to wait just a bit longer. Blogging has taken a backseat to life right now and I'm OK with that. So I'm off to enjoy the rest of my weekend with my boys. I promise to give the blog some TLC over the next few weeks. Talk to you all soon!

P.S. Do I have a handsome little man or what?!?

Party Time- Ultimate Blog Party 2011 Style

Ultimate Blog Party 2011

Welcome to Sassy Silly Spunky Momma!  I've been a little busy this week doing stuff moms of 20-month old little boys do like calling the poison control center, picking up all the thumbtacks my son dumped on the floor and stopping him from shoving vanilla wafers down our dogs throat. You know pretty much everyday stuff.

Anyways here is a little more about me-

• I met my husband at the Zoo. Now, before you go thinking this might be the cutest "how we met" story you have ever heard, just know that this zoo served beer and had a bouncer at the door. Not quite as cute as the zoo with lions and elephants, right?

• My son Drake hates Santa so of course I'm planning a trip to see the Easter Bunny soon. I'm nice like that.

Of course this was our Christmas Card picture. Pretty much the most priceless photo I own.

• I have been stung by jellyfish 3 separate times. This is very strange since I live in the Midwest and have only been to the ocean a handful of times. I'm taking this as a sign that jellyfish hate my guts.

• Drake is always better dressed than me and I can prove it.

Good news is that I've lost almost 10 lbs and learned how to smile since this picture. Things are looking up folks!

Sweater vests and red Converse? They are what little boys are made of!

If you want to get to know me even better grab a pop (any other Midwesterners out there who call soda that?) or a glass of wine if you need something a bit stronger and stay awhile. You can read all about the time I walked around a college town with poop all over myself. Or about how I reacted when I found out we were having a boy. You can even educate yourself on Counting Kicks when you are expecting.

Drake and I want to thank you for stopping by SSS Momma for the party!  We hope to see you again soon!

Welcoming SITS to My House

After months of waiting, my SITS Day is finally here!

When I got the email on Saturday telling me it was my turn to be the featured blogger, I'm pretty sure my face looked something like this:

Only not nearly as cute.

Anyways, WELCOME! Let me give you the quick story on me:

I met my husband at the Zoo. Now, before you go thinking this might be the cutest "how we met" story you have ever heard, just know that this zoo served beer and had a bouncer at the door. Not quite as cute as the zoo with  lions and elephants, right?

I have been stung by jellyfish 3 separate times. This is very strange since I live in the Midwest and have only been to the ocean a handful of times. I'm taking this as a sign that jellyfish hate my guts.

Drake, my 15 month old son, is always better dressed than me. Don't believe me? See for yourself.

 

If you want to get to know me even better grab a pop (any other Midwesterners out there who call soda that?) or a glass of wine if you need something a bit stronger and stay awhile. You can read all about the time I walked around a college town with poop all over myself. Or about how I reacted when I found out we were having a boy. You can even educate yourself on Counting Kicks when you are expecting.

Drake and I want to thank you for stopping by our "house" for a visit. We hope to see you again soon!

If you are not already a member, head over to The Secret is in the Sauce to sign up. Once you are a member, get ready to be amazed by the support you will receive from the over 7,000 members who believe the secret to success in blogging is supporting through commenting and sharing ideas. I'm sure glad I found them!

When Real Life Takes Over

Hi everybody, remember me?!?

I know I have been a BAD blogger lately.

I have not been updating my blog as often as I would like to, and you don't need to tell me that the content has been lacking lately.

I HAVE been reading your blogs when I have a spare moment on my phone with my google reader, but have not been commenting. Just know I am still a loyal reader and will be back!

Real life has sort of gotten in the way of blogging. At work, I am in the process of putting together and holding our big annual meeting  next week, so these last few weeks have been nothing but crazy!

Just so you know... after next Friday I will be back to regular scheduled programing here at Sassy Silly Spunky Momma and returning to comment on all of you wonderful blogs.

In the meantime, real life and blog life are about to collide in a big way! I have had some amazing opportunities come up that just can't wait, so in the next week, be expecting some big changes around here.

How do you balance blogging and real life? Please, fill a Momma in.

Can I Get a Vote?

Yep, reset time again.

Sooooo here I am asking for some votes.

Just click to button below.

Thank You!

PS-You can vote one time each day :)

Be Right Back...

HELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOO

Any readers still there?

Sorry for being silent the last couple of days, but for some reason this week has just been CRAZY!!!

I will be back at it next week with lots of updates about some exciting changes in our life, an awesome giveaway and plenty of irresistible pictures of Drake.

Until then, I've got a guest blogger who will be stopping by tomorrow. So swing on over and say "hi" to her!

See you all on Monday!

Rethinking Blogging

Over the last year I have poured so much of myself, time, energy and talent into this blog. In return the blog has given me great friends, helped me learn so much about being a mom and opened some pretty amazing  doors for me. Sassy Silly Spunky Momma has been a true blessing and joy to me.

That being said, the blog is not going in the direction I want it to go. It has started to take up much of my free time and taken time from other activities I used to enjoy. To make matters worse sometimes I feel like I'm doing a post just do a post instead of really concentrating on the content. Things need to change. I've been thinking a lot about the direction I want to take the blog and I've come up with a few ideas.

Most weeks I have a post everyday except Saturday. I've discovered I can't continue at that pace and still put out good content. I'm going to be cutting back to around 3-4 posts a week. I want to do more "real" writing. I want to tell stories using pictures, really explain my feelings using words and connect with my readers on a different level. All my favorite posts from the past are the posts where I really pour my heart out and am my true authentic self. I am recommitting to that standard  from now on.

I have all my reviews/giveaways on the back burner during the month of August to concentrate on Drake gives back. Starting next month I'm going to really limit my giveaways and reviews to no more than 2 a month. In addition, I will only review a product that is something I think I would love and you, my readers, would love. I don't want my blog to become all about giveaways instead of my writing. I have been turning companies down and will continue to do so. If you are a blogger who would be interested in doing reviews /giveaways please e-mail me your contact information and I will pass it along to interested companies.

Finally,  I want you to know that if I'm not commenting as much that I am still reading your blog. I do a lot of blog reading on my phone with Google Reader whenever I have a free second. Unless I'm totally missing something (please tell me if I am) I have no idea how to comment from there.

Basically the whole idea behind cutting back on blogging is cutting back on time in front of the computer and spending that time in other productive ways. I need to declutter my life and that means taking more walks, deep cleaning my house, making healthy dinners, cuddle with my husband, play with my dog, have a few more minutes of quality time with my baby everyday and rediscover old hobbies.

This isn't good-bye, just a "fall cleansing" of sorts. I will see you around and hopefully you will leave here a little more inspired from now on.

So please excuse me. I have a pile of reading calling my name.