a quick update

I have a few moments to spare as I'm sipping on coffee, the baby is down for his nap (hopefully) and I'm waiting on my husband to be done hunting so I thought I'd write a bit. After all, it really relaxes me. I could use a relaxation moment. A cracking, warm fire might be nice, too. Christmas was wonderful. Perfect, even.



Until around 7PM when I started to feel that nausea wave rolling over me like I hadn't felt since the first trimester of my pregnancy. I was worried.

As the night progressed, so did my illness. And it wasn't long before I was emptying my stomach of all of that yummy holiday food I had eaten that day. Hello, 24 hour virus. That's about how long it lasted. Now, I'm feeling much better and very thankful it was only short-term. I just hope I didn't pass it along to any of our friends and family. I'd hate to have a dozen people cursing my name as the New Year rolls in!

I got everything I wanted and more for Christmas. I'm one blessed little lady!

The Captain, the baby, and I will be headed back to Louisiana soon. Boy, am I NOT looking forward to that drive. I will be glad to get back to our little life together. There's just something about being in your own house that is comforting. It's a feeling that you're not imposing. When we visit home, I often feel like people are ready for us to be out of their hair by the end of it. This could just be in my head, though. Anyway, I have a lot to look forward to when we get back to Ft. Polk. First of all, we'll be starting Baby K on rice cereal when we get home! He's getting to be such a big boy. Also, it won't be long before the bible study group starts back up again...AND my bloggy pal, Jenn will be joining us in Cajun country come February!

What are you looking forward to in the new year?

Wishing You

Just checking in with y'all from my very own Kindle Fire! My very sweet sister bought me one. I'm enjoying my break with family so I'll keep this short and sweet. Forgive me for the lack of posting (and commenting). Ill be back before ya know it! I just wanted to wish you all a very happy new year. I'll be celebrating with a cute little 4.5 month old in a little Tux onesie!

XOXO,
Mrs. K

never again...

Will I brag on my child sleeping well. NEVER not ever. And that's all I have to say about that.
Did you say that in your best Forrest Gump voice as you read? I did.
Our break is going well. It's difficult to travel with an infant that is so dependent upon his schedule. I haven't gotten to see my friends at all aside from a few minutes in the church parking lot at Baby K's dedication (thanks for coming Faye!). It makes me sad. My life is not my own any more, though. I share it with my sweet boy and I wouldn't have it any other way! If he needs his rock and play and a quiet place to nap, well then that's what we do. I love that kid more than words can express.
The next few days will be crazy hectic as it is for most people. I hope I can keep my mind focused on the reason I celebrate. God sent Jesus into the world for me. It still blows my mind thinking about the depth of his love for me! MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!
Over and out.
~Mrs. K

Silent Night

I was reading this new mom's post and it inspired me to write about the past couple of days.

Like she said, I also am afraid to utter these words:

Baby K finally seems happy.

No doubt there are still some issues with reflux, gas, and the like, but over the last few days I have seen an amazing change in him. He has been hanging out with his YaYa, Papa Joe, and Uncle Jake a lot more so I hope it continues and it's not just that my mom is a much better mother than I am. Ha!

I've spaced out his feedings a bit more, added gas drops to his daily routine, and have been working harder at getting him to nap. The latter has completely changed my world the last couple of days. Typically, if he gets a short nap in the morning and a long one in the afternoon then he is in a much better mood during the evening before bed. When we were in Louisiana, he was napping for three hours in the afternoon and we experienced a marked difference in his mood. Sometimes it's less here in Tennessee because there's a lot going on around here at Christmas time. Still, he's happier. I can tell.

I'm so thankful for my mom and her suggestions in helping Baby K to feel better.

I'm thankful for other bloggers who write about what works for them.

I'm glad to read or hear other moms talk about how they struggled and overcame, too.

The point is- each person has to find what works for them. Babies, even at four months, have little personality quirks developing. It's a task to find out what these are and how to handle them. One of Baby K's is a fierce resistance to sleep. Perhaps he wants to be in the middle of all the action. If so, he's not like his Mama in that regard! But it's one of my jobs to help him try to get some rest.

Our schedule is a bit more structured during the day and it seems to be helping. I hope it continues.

Last night, Captain J and I were able to have a date night with another couple. It was the longest we had ever left our little man. We were gone from 2:30-10:30pm and Mom said Baby K only cried for about 10 minutes! This is a huge change. Usually when we have to leave him, he screams the entire time. We just thought it was part of his nighttime/evening routine because we were told he was colicky. I'm so relieved that he's starting to feel a little better with all the new sleep he is getting. It makes a night out on the town with my hubby not so full of guilt and worry.

This is what has been working for us lately and I truly hope it continues. Since we've been in Tennessee, Baby K has slept through the night the whole time, too!

What about you? How do you get your child to sleep?

Cherish these

I'm sooo enjoying our break with family! It makes me want to get out of the Army, move home, and live a quiet small town life around the people I love! I don't know if that's an option in the near future with the job market the way it is now. Until then, I'll just cherish the moments I do get.

Like gathering around the Christmas tree with family...



and getting some quality time with good ole Luce-



(and watching Captain J try and fail to make a relationship with her happen. She hates him and it's quite funny!)

It's also awesome that YaYa can get Baby K from looking like this:



to looking like this:



He loves it here.

And I hope he will continue to as he grows older.

Captain J and I think of Tennessee as home and we wonder if our little Army brat will, too.

XOXO,

Mrs. K

(*all photos taken with Instagram. My user name is: KSJD22)

Ghosts of Christmas(es) Past

Two of my favorite Alaskan Bloggers that I had the pleasure of meeting posted about previous holidays with their families and so it made me want to, too!

And just so you know...I thought the title of this post was so clever until I went to link up to Shannon's original post and realized I really just copied her. Ha!

Anyway, here's the other blogger who wrote about it, too. If you're looking for more blogs to read, check them out.

Without further ado:

2008- Our first Christmas together was spent actually very far apart. Captain J was in Iraq and I was worried about him from Tennessee. This was a tough holiday season as I caught a glimpse of what was to come in my future with him. Military life is so much harder when holidays roll around. Still, I tried to make the best of it and sent him a gazillion packages so he would have something to open for two weeks straight! This was also the year that I may (or may not) have had one too many glasses of wine and told Captain J's dad and a family friend of my undying love for him through wet, soppy tears.

What? I'm no pillar of strength.

I had fun, too though.

I went to a Tacky Sweater Party

and the annual (not so traditional) Christmas caroling

2009- This was a lovely year for us. I was just so happy to have him home and I know he was elated to BE home. We celebrated Christmas as a newly engaged couple and were married shortly after the new year!

2010- This year was crazy hectic. In November, we made the long journey from Alaska to Georgia. Thanksgiving was spent on a boat floating around Alaska and Canada. We made it home by Christmas, though and were able to announce our news that a very special gift would be arriving in 8 months!

We had written on the flip side of our Christmas cards that year that it was also from Baby K, but it took them awhile to see it.

We were pleased as peaches to know we would soon be parents!

2011- This makes three years in a row that I've had my soldier home for Christmas. I can't tell you how happy and grateful I am to say that. I know he'll have to leave again, but I'm cherishing this first Christmas we have together as a family of three. Waking up to this sweet boy makes me the happiest woman in the world! I'm incredibly, incredibly blessed.

Dedication Day

This is the day, this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

It just so happens, this is also the day we're dedicating our sweet baby boy to his Heavenly Father. I'm so anxious to make a promise to God to raise this child in church, to pray with him, and to teach him. And I'm so happy we're going to do it at the church that I grew up in!

Baby K is clearly straight from heaven. He's the SWEETEST young boy and I'm pretty sure he still talks to God as evidence by his constant prayer hands :)

God has had my sweet baby all along and I pray that He continues to protect him.

P.S.- How cute are his church pants?

something(s) to smile about

I thought I'd do a little house cleaning around here on the ole blog. I'm dusting the cobwebs off the keyboard as we speak because it just didn't get used much yesterday. I was a busy little bee- cleaning, packing, organizing, and all the stuff that is required to move a four month old, a husband, and me away for two weeks. If you're reading this, it probably means I'm on my way home sweet home. A tender Tennessee Christmas is calling my name...

I hope you'll forgive me if my posts are sporadic, but I'll likely be soaking up my time with loved ones.

I do have some posts scheduled, though! So come on back and check me out when ya can.

Earlier this week, I posted over at my spiritual blog. I like writing my bible studies over there from time to time. Follow if you'd like! Anyway, the main reason I posted there was because I made a video of my sweet boy and a song that always speaks to me and it just wouldn't post here so go check it out if you wanna!

What else is exciting in my world?

BLOGGY PALS!

This little lady sent me a sweet package of things for Baby K. Thank you so much for your kindness, Becca! I really apprecitate it. I can't wait to see my boy in the clothes you sent and I'll definitely get some use out of that book.

I'm feeling so grateful and warm thinking about all my friends this holiday season. I've truly been blessed in that department! Some I "met" online and some I've known for years, but each connection gives this lil ole housewife something to smile about so thank you...Thank you!

All Of Me

The past couple of days have been hard on me. I can't tell you how frustrating and heartbreaking it can be knowing that I'm not always capable of consoling my child. I knew being a mom would be the most difficult thing I have done to date, but I didn't know how scary it would feel. I worry about everything. And most of all, I worry that I'm not good enough for him. He is the most pefect, beautiful gift from God and I want the very best for him. I hate to see him hurt. I hate to see him cry. What is likely a medical issue (reflux? colic?) often translates in my mind as a failure in me. I hope he knows that he has all my love, though. I hope he knows that I try.

All Of Me

Dog Days (2nd Edition)

On facebook, it was brought to my attention that I haven't been talking about my other two furry four legged kids. Forgive me. But you know when Mama says, "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all", I tend to follow that rule.

I'm just playing. Or am I?

Drifter and Holly still have us questioning our decision making skills on a daily basis. As I talk about my four legged friends, I would just like to say, in case you didn't already know, you should never NOT EVER get a husky. They're absolutely terrible dogs.

But we love them so that their bad habits are sometimes endearing. They dig. They jump. They chew. And by "they", I mean Drifter. Holly is my angel dog ;) She does no wrong in my book.

I went outside to play with them today. They've been banished to the side of the yard because of this:



Oh, yes. We're the worst renters ever. We found out how terrible their digging habits were in Georgia. The people we rented from there actually asked us if we were trying to make a place for a pond or a bird bath because of the massive whole they dug. It's ridiculous and we've tried everything. We weren't aware how bad it was in Alaska because there was snow on the ground most of the year and in the summer it rained a lot and I could make a million excuses, but the fact is- I don't think it can be trained out of them. Alaskan Huskies are bred to run. They have a job. Drifter and Holly? They don't have a job...and this creates a problem (and many holes).

(Note: Of course we would never leave a property we rented looking like this! We bought sod before we left GA and judging by the picture above, we'll be buying a lot more when we leave here.)

These dogs are bloody expensive!

But they're also cute and sometimes sweet, too.



I like when Drifter sits like that. He's so proper.

And Holly is so timid when Baby K is strapped to me. She wants to be on her best behavior so she sits like this as if to say, "I'd like you to pet me but I know you have your hands full so I'll let you come to me." Love her.

I wish there was a dog park here so they could run and play again with other dogs like they love to do. We'll have to make a special trip to the dog park when we get to Tennessee. We can't forget them this time of year! Santa didn't. He brought them Christmas bones.

After our visit with Drifter and Holly, Baby K and I just walked around our massive backyard discovering leaves, an airplane, and fresh air.

Lies of Mercy-Lies of Grace

Oh, my.

What a night.

Earlier today I noticed Baby K had a low grade fever so I pulled out the handy little catalog they gave me at the hospital when I was pregnant in case I "ever needed anything"-- riiiight.

Anyway, all these phone numbers at my fingertips! This new mom was sure to be okay. I dialed one- busy. I dialed another- some weirdo singing recording picked up, definitely NOT an Army hospital recording. What gives? Luckily after a quick text to a friend, I had a number that actually works. I mean I've heard of people not wanting to work, but giving a whole print out of fake numbers is taking it a little far. I'm kidding. I think.

Bottom line is Baby K is fine. Mama's not.

I'm getting there, though. I wound down with a glass of white, a bath, and a good book! I'd like to take the time to point out one of my sponsors. I received this book in the mail the other day-


and within the first few paragraphs I was already smiling. I love a witty book! I'm only on Chapter 3 right now, but I am enjoying it thus far. I'll be sure to post a full review when I finish, but I just wanted to point out some of the folks (on the right hand side of the page) that make Mrs. K and Captain J happen. Go check them out, will ya?

This book would make a great gift for the reader on your Christmas list! Young and old alike will get a kick out of it. You can find it on her site by clicking on the photo above or peruse Amazon to purchase there.

Happy Reading!

-Mrs. K

Joyful All Ye

The Captain's house sure was full of cheer yesterday morning...

that's because Santa came early!

I really racked up. I got a sewing machine (hello, pinterest projects!), chocolate, a nice, new camera, these:



I might be the only girl on the planet who requested fake pearl earrings. I have the real thing, but every time I wear them I'm terrified I'll lose them. Seriously. I double back all my good stuff. Ya just can't play around with it, ya know? That's why I've had these care free imitation ones in all day. I can be fabulous and worry free now ;)

I also got some pretty fantastic house shoes that I wanted because I really can't have enough of those.

Also, I got more chocolate.

And socks, nail polish, makeup, and more chocolate. My sweetie...err, Santa, knows me well.

Forget the gifts. The best part about yesterday?



My sweet fam. These two rock my socks off.

Baby K kept making the funniest faces...



I went Mom crazy with my photos on our faux Christmas morning. I have officially stepped into the role. It's cool, though...cuz I like it here!

We had a relaxed morning drinking hot cocoa and drinking up each other's company.

Merry Early Christmas, y'all!

(P.S. Sorry about the puke in the photo. I suppose K didn't really like that gift.)

Winner Announced

Santa came to see us this morning so I'm going to enjoy time with my family, but as promised...I have a winner for the giveaway!

I also had two people from facebook enter making ten people total, but I numbered according to the comments and tacked on two at the end. Anyway, you don't care about the technical stuff do ya?

Random.org says:



Comment number seven belonged to Whittney O! You will soon be the proud new owner of a scentsy warmer :) Please email or message me with your address!

Thanks for entering, all.

a reminder

I had a mini anxiety attack last night and this morning. When a girl who knows nothing about html, designing a website, inserting plug-ins, exports and imports, et cetera, et cetera attempts to move two years worth of her life writing over to a whole new blogging platform and take the domain she's already purchased with her, it's not a pretty site sight. It may not look like it, but somehow I accomplished this all by myself. You'll notice a lot of your old familiar features with this new layout. And I think you can access all my old posts (that was the whole point anyway!). But some of you who had been subscribing via email might have to follow in some other way. I'm still trying to work those kinks out. If you were notified via email about THIS post, will you leave a comment telling me all is fine and dandy and working properly?

'preciate it.

Mrs. K and Captain J is back! (Probably before any of you knew it had left ;) )

Anyway, I just wanted to say hello and remind you that today is the last day to enter my giveaway in celebration of my two years of blogging here...uh, there? Well, whatever. Go enter while you still can!

The winner will be announced tomorrow.

XOXO,

Mrs. K

4 Months

Sweet Baby K,

Can I call you that forever? I'm sure you'll protest when your 35, but for now...you don't have much of a say in it ;) Happy 4 months to you, dear boy. I hope I haven't failed you. This month has been another tough one for you. You spit up a lot, you have trouble napping, and sometimes you scream out in pain. We've been attempting to fix the latter with medicine and I hope you're feeling at least a little better. I don't want you to hurt, ya know?



You have begun to laugh out loud this month and my, oh my, if it isn't the cutest thing in the whole wide world! It makes my day every time I hear it.

You are also grasping at your toys on your play mat now. You can hold them pretty well. You've also learned to take your paci out of your mouth, which I'm not as pleased with because you can't seem to put it back in.



I fear you're becoming very attached to your mommy and daddy because we never leave you with anyone else. Secretly, I enjoy being the one you want and need. But I also worry that you won't be very independent as a young un because of our preferences. We want you to feel secure and confident as you grow!

You are so close to rolling over! We love to try to help you, but you can't seem to maneuver that big ole cloth diaper over all the way. It frustrates you to no end. You get that from both sides, Baby K. We, too, find it annoying when we can't do something we want to be able to do. If you rolled over, I think it might not be fun for you because you still don't like tummy time. Despite this, you are doing great in holding your chest off the ground with your hands.

I'm really proud of you, K!



Happy 4 Months to you! I promise every birthday won't come with a bunch of shots.

Love you to the moon and back,

Mom

 

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Blog-o-versary

Two years. A lot can happen in that time frame and a lot has....

That's how long I've been blogging here at Mrs. K and Captain J! I've got the previous posts to prove it. ;)

Since it's my blog-o-versary today, I want to treat you...my readers!

I'm having a giveaway right here, right now. But the treat is a surprise! I will tell you that it smells fantastic, looks quite homey, and you're definitely going to want this because you can never have too many of them around the house. And if you've been really good this year, I might just throw in some extra holiday fun to merry up your Christmas.

All you have to do is go back through my old posts and pick a favorite. I know, I know, it's going to be hard because I have so many riveting posts. But try, people. You had better hop to it, though because this giveaway opportunity ends on Sunday, December 11th. Simply leave a comment with the title of your favorite post and I'll throw your hat in the ring for the drawing. Good luck!

And as always, thank you very much for caring what goes on in our little world. My growing family and I appreciate it!

 

The History Behind Holiday Decor

 

While Gaffigan's explanation to how our decorating traditions came to be is much funnier, it is obviously inaccurate. It got me thinking, "Why do we use trees, garland, and lights to celebrate this time of year?" I decided to take matters into my own hands and see what I could find out.

Did you know the ancient Egyptians used greens in the home to symbolize life's precedence over death? The Romans, too, have a history celebrating winter solstice by decorating with lights, evergreens, and the exchanging of gifts. The decorations that are placed on the outside of the home have a rich history in which they were thought to have kept evil spirits away and provide promise for a good spring season.

Our modern day Christmas tree has evolved from these traditions. It's rumored that Martin Luther was the first to decorate trees in celebration of Christmas. The candles he placed on the evergreen he had indoors symbolized and honored the birth of the Christ child. It wasn't until much later that the tradition became popular and spread to the United States. By 1900, one in five families had a tree around this time of year. The tradition only grew from there until it was commonplace in most homes twenty years later.

(Reference: obtained from this article by David Robson, Horticulture Expert)

Wordless Wednesday

Mrs. K- shower ninja?

After a good study with the ladies at PWOC, a lunch with my hubby, and a drive home with my little darlin' in tow, I realized...I should probably take a shower. I think it has been a day and a half. I know...ew. I hopped in the shower- all the while trying to convince Baby K that this was going to be SO MUCH FUN! I don't think he was buying it, though as he was stretching out his legs, raising his arms and attempting to escape his bassinett. If he could speak, I'm sure he would have said, "Hold me, woman!"

Despite the challenges, I turned the water on to give it time to get warm.

With the rock-n-play pulled up to the door of my tiny bathroom, I began to wash all the dirt spit up off. With the help of the super loud yet soothing fan in the bathroom, my soon-to-be four month old drifted off to sleep within minutes. Oh, joy! A shower with no screaming. It must be my lucky day.

But then, I realized- How in the sam hill am I going to get out of this bathroom?

The bassinett was blocking my only exit. I turned off the water, dried off, and contemplated my exit strategy. Could I jump over? Probably not.

I could climb the sink. That seemed like an ordeal, though.

Finally, I quietly pushed the door back as far as I could get it, threw my phone onto the bed in the next room, and sucked in what the good Lord gave me. I still can't believe I made it. There were only inches to work with. I felt like a ninja.

So, what did I do with the valuable alone time I was allotted today? I came to regale you all, of course! But now I think I'll get to work on my blessings list for today. Happy Tuesday, y'all!

Christmas things

I'm a little scared to say it, but....

I have a new baby.

A happy one.

One who only cries when he wants his diaper changed, fed, or his beauty rest.



Today, I'm thankful for modern medicine!

And time to peruse Amazon.com. I just keep finding so many things I want! But I promise I'm only shopping for others, though ;)

Still, I've got my eye on these things:



Nikon COOLPIX L120 (so that I can take more pictures of my sweet boy!)

Sewing Machine (Does that come with someone who knows how to use it? )

and the Kindle Fire (because it seems like the affordable, awesome alternative to the iPad2.)

Why is everything I want expensive? I might just treat myself after Christmas to one of these items with the birthday money or Christmas money I have left over after I purchase gifts for everyone else. We'll see. For now, though...I'll just visit them online every now and again.

This weekend was nice. On Saturday J, K and I went to the local parade for a few minutes. It was sprinkling so we didn't stay long because I was worried about Baby K's little ears. I didn't want him to catch a cold (even though those two things aren't really linked. lol). Still, we saw enough to get into the Christmas spirit! Then yesterday I went to a presentation of the Living Christmas Tree at a friend's church. It was awesome! I spent much of the service intrigued by 'how they got the lights to do that!' It doesn't take much to impress me. Anyway, the Christmas music put me in the mood and I wanted to hop in the car and drive to Tennessee right then and there, but we still have a few weeks left before that can happen.

Who else is pumped about Jesus's birthday??

Christmas Craft Part 2

Today, I learned I'm no Martha Stewart.

I saw this cutesy pin on Pinterest from Ms. Stewart's website:

And it looked so easy I just had to give it a whirl. I didn't plan enough and well, my ornament was a big fat fail. The hot glue I decided to use peeled right off in no time and the pretty paper fell to the floor along with the pine needles from our live tree. Oh, well. Maybe I'll put a little more effort into in next time. Still, I hung the cookie cutter on our tree because we're still trying to fill the many branches of our perfectly humongous tree.

It's looking a bit bare toward the back of the tree, but we're working on it.

I do love an over-decorated tree, ya know? Or is there such thing?

Anyway, not one to quit crafting before I created something lovely I like...

I made this snowflake ornament-

I just cut up large strips of Christmas(sy) scrapbook paper and arranged them inside a plain glass ornament with my pinky finger. Talk about decorating on a budget!

(I know what you're thinking- "She wasn't talking about decorating on a budget. Awkward.")

I also used what's around me to my advantage. There are pine cones all over my yard so I'll definitely be putting them to good use in the future, too.

Have fun creating, y'all!

De-Stress Your Christmas

With tree number four up and decorated, I have started thinking more and more about the holiday season that is upon us. There are so many people who become stressed rather than comforted by the Christmas season, myself included sometimes. In effort to prevent that from happening this year, I did a little research on the topic as a reminder for myself and for you to take a chill pill and remember why we celebrate. To me Christmas is about celebrating the birth of my Savior, spending time with my loves, and the spirit of giving (even if it's simply baking cookies and gifting those out). Actually, scratch that...nobody wants my homemade cookies! ;)

Anyway, here are some tips and tricks to chillax and enjoy your winter break. Some of these are borrowed from PsychologyToday.com and some are from my little, ole wrinkled brain:

*Be realistic. You know you can't be in two places at once. You (probably) know you can't buy someone everything they could possibly want. And hopefully you are keeping your expectations of the holiday season in check. I have found that if I expect a certain day to be perfect, I am more aware when the day doesn't turn out as I had hoped. Additionally, I'm well aware that I can't afford to buy a ton of people a ton of presents. Being a stay at home mom means that we're living off one paycheck (one that congress keeps trying to delay...ahem) so money can be tight each month. To remedy this, we try to set a budget each year and stick as close to it as possible. Sure, we go over a bit every single time, but tis the season!  The main thing I struggle with in this realistic category is the first one. Because we live so far away from family and friends, when we get to town our time is stretched very thin. It's difficult to fit everyone in. This year, I am going to attempt to not worry about not being able to make this engagement or that. I'm just going to do what my little heart desires and actually enjoy the time off I have with my people back home. There's no need to dwell on and stress little things like that. That's not what Christmas is about at all.

*Be thankful. This is sort of a carry-over from last month, I suppose. It's just so easy to pick out things each day that I'm thankful for. And you know what? When I write them down, I have a better day. I'm going to keep up my blessings list throughout the Christmas season just as a reminder of what all God has given me. There's a pin floating around Pinterest that states, "What if you woke up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?" That's the spirit of thanksgiving that I want to create in my life during the month of Christ's birthday. There are so so many people who are less fortunate than I am. If I can remember this in my lowest moments and choose to focus on a positive in my day, then I'll be doing good. Here's my list from yesterday:



*Exercise. What you say?? Yes, in the midst of all the eating it might be a good idea to get some exercise. Clearly, this isn't one of the suggestions I thought of because I'm still sportin' an extra 3lbs from Baby K. But I think it is a noteworthy tip! The author of Tis the Season emphasizes the importance of self-care during Christmas (and the rest of the year!). The impact that exercise can have on one's mental health isn't lost on me as I have focused on this very notion in research papers past. My senior thesis was on enjoyment and exercise. :) Now, let's see if I can take my own advice!

*Make a list. And check it twice. Ok, I just wanted to write that. You don't have to check it twice. But if you're a list maker, then get to writing! Organize your gift list. Organize your schedule. And maybe your plan is to not plan. You can write that down, too. I've made a list of the things and events that I want to do (on my iphone, of course) and the rest of the break is dedicated to not having a plan. I'm going to enjoy my time at "home" and do what I want when I want. Although it may sound like it, it's not selfish. I'm in charge of only myself (well and Baby K) so in order to keep the stress away, I'm going to focus on what's best for me and what's best for K. Having a visual of the set plans will allow me to see the freedom I have in the un-planned days, too.

I hope these help you. Happy December!

Reference

Mintz, L. (2011, November 30). Tis the season.Psychology Today, Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/stress-and-sex/201111/tis-the-season

Winner announced

Thanks to all who entered the My Memories Suite giveaway! As always, I used the trusty Random.org to find a winner:



Comment number one was the lovely blogger over at Delights and Delectables! I'll send you your code today. Prepare to be addicted :)

P.S. Don't forget! If you didn't win you can still receive $10 off your download by typing in the code STMMMS1331.

Also, I'll be having giveaways of this product in the near future, too! Stay tuned, loves.

dates, screams, and things

As you know, Baby K had some visitors this past weekend! His Lolly and Pop paid him a visit. As they rolled into town, Captain J and I rolled out for a date night that was a long time comin'. I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to have conversation in the car. I couldn't possibly describe to you how fantastic it was to hold my husband's hand as we strolled into the theatre (instead of being attached to the car seat and diaper bag!). It was a much appreciated reprieve and some time we needed to re-connect. By the movie's end, though, we were ready to get back to our sweet boy. We canceled our dinner plans and headed home to snuggle with him.



We found out later that our little man screamed the.entire.time.

Bless his heart. (More on this later)

Anyway, what movie did we see you might ask? Well, Breaking Dawn, of course! It pained me to have to wait so long to see it, but that's how it goes when you've got a child. I couldn't go gallivanting off to the midnight premier like we did with Harry Potter. I must say, I felt just fine seeing it at 4ish in the afternoon. I must be getting old.

The movie was pretty good. The first part was too lovey-dovey-pukey for my likin', but it got better as the movie progressed. I love where they ended it! The books will always have my allegiance, though--much better than the movies as per usual.

Look! I got my picture made with Edward!



And I'll quit talking about the Twilight series now because I know many of you do not give a hoot about my thoughts on the matter.

Let's talk of K Baby, shall we? I told you he screamed all night while his Lolly and Pop watched him. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Sure, he has good days, but most of them are bad for him. He screams out in pain. He cries. He fusses. But sometimes he is completely inconsolable. :'( It breaks my heart.

Today I went to PWOC and the ladies in my small group witnessed first-hand what the doctors were calling colic. They assured me that it wasn't colic- that it was a scream of pain. We ended up taking Baby K back to the doctor (4th time!) and finally got a different answer, along with some medication. I really hope it works. Remember those guilt notes I talked about? Go ahead and tack on feeling bad about not standing up for him more when I knew something was wrong. I just accepted their answer of colic and let him cry. :(

I'm hoping his reflux is remedied by the medicine now. We should see a difference in a couple of days.

That's all I've got for ya. I'm exhausted!

Next time I post, I'll be back with the winners of my latest giveaway!

Love you, mean it.

-Mrs. K

"Finding the Good" Part 2

If you missed the first part of this story, you can catch up here.

Thanksgiving Day I woke up in a foul mood. Despite having the perfect little boy to spend my day with and a husband who is safely in country, I had my lame face on. Baby K was fussy and I desperately wanted some space, but I also wanted to be around J and K on this day. I was very back and forth and missing family back in Tennessee somethin' awful.

We decided to go for a walk, then I decided to go for a run, just to get away and have my cry.



I turned on "Lady Gaga Radio" on Pandora and quickly realized how ancient I am because not only did I not know the songs that were playing, but I also only averaged 12 minute miles.

After the run, I sat in the car and felt sorry for myself that I wasn't going to be eating turkey with my family on Thanksgiving Day.

Hubby and I had plans for Pizza Hut.

I started thinking about Thanksgivings past and I realized how completely absurd it was to categorize this year as a bad year. I have so so much to be thankful for. At the very tippy top of that list is the health of my sweet almost four month old!

Later on that weekend, J's parents paid us a visit in Cajun Country. By Saturday evening, we had a Cajun flavored fried turkey on the table, along with mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, green bean casserole, gravy, bread, apple pie, and chocolate cobbler (I'm sure I'm missing something, too)! And wouldn't you know it...Mama got to eat! Baby K was an angel all throughout our meal--and wide awake, too. It felt so wonderful to have my expanding family all at the table.

Of course, I missed my family, but it was so nice to spend the day with his.

My blessings are abundant and I've got pictures to prove it!

Cookin' the bird

My In-Laws

Lazy, rainy Saturday celebration

Psalm 75:1 "We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near."

"Finding the Good" Part 1

I know you're all itching to know how my Thanksgiving went, but I'd like to share something else first...

My senior year in high school marked the beginning of my negative feelings toward this holiday. Prior to this year, Thanksgiving was easily my favorite time of year. This particular year, though, a terrible accident happened and it made me look at Thanksgiving with sadness. A well-loved former high school alum was killed in a car accident, forever altering my view of my carefree, little world.

Sara was an exemplary person, one who many of our small town's youth looked up to. Her death was tragic for everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her. You can read more about her here.

Then, my senior year in college, I heard word of another accident. I'll never forget. It was the day I had to give my thesis proposal to my peers and professors. My nerves were already elevated, but when I got word of the wreck there was only one thought in my mind and it had nothing to do with the success of my paper. Would my cousin live? Is he going to make it?

His friend (and mine) had already died instantly in the crash-

More heartache felt like more than I could bear. More than I wanted my family to bear. Still, he passed away on Thanksgiving Day.

Trey was 25 when he died. Younger than I am now. It still seems so wrong. But some place deep inside me, I know God is in control of us. I trust in Him. That's all I can do. Trey's sister (Laura Lefler Herzog) wrote this about him. I hope you'll read it because her words say far more than I could ever write and she captured the beauty of Thanksgiving:

Last Thanksgiving, my life changed forever.

My younger brother and only sibling, Trey, was in a very serious car accident and after several days in the hospital he died from his injuries. It was Thanksgiving Day.

There is no doubt that Thanksgiving, and life in general, will never be the same for those that loved Trey, but I believe the timing of his death was significant. It forced us to approach even our darkest day with a spirit of gratitude.

Trey and I both worked for Senator Lamar Alexander for years, and you can’t work or even be around Sen. Alexander for very long without hearing him quote his friend Alex Haley who said, “Find the good and praise it.”

For me, part of “the good” came when we learned that Trey would die the same way he lived, by loving and giving. I like to say that Trey, more than anyone else I know, tried to live his life according to our Lord’s commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. As a natural extension of his generous spirit he had chosen to be an organ and tissue donor and because of his loving choice at least five people were given new life: two single mothers in their 40s, a 56-year-old mother of two who had been married for 28 years, a 36-year-old gentleman who enjoyed fishing (one of Trey’s favorite pastimes), and a 62-year-old physician and father of four who had been on the transplant list for two years.

My family has learned a lot about organ donation in the year since Trey’s death. In particular, we’ve experienced firsthand that while marking “yes” to organ donation is critical, it’s just as important to share your wishes with family members. As the Tennessee Donor Services Web site states: “A discussion with family now will mean a life-affirming decision later.”

According to Tennessee Donor Services (TDS), Trey renewed his driver’s license at a kiosk in Nashville on May 14, 2007, and marked “yes” to organ and tissue donation. His girlfriend, Jane, also recalled a conversation with Trey just a few weeks before his death indicating his wish to donate “everything.” She remembers him saying, “I’ll be with the Big Guy. Give it all.” As we sat in the hospital waiting room, I struggled with the decision to donate his eyes. It seemed so invasive. But they were not my eyes to give. They were Trey’s, he didn’t need them in heaven, and he had made it very clear to “give it all.”

Many people find talk of organ donation uncomfortable and maybe even morbid. And many people believe organ donation is a good thing, but just put off doing something about it for another day. According to TDS, a survey conducted by the National Coalition on Donation found that 91 percent of respondents support donation, and yet 29 percent have taken no action to indicate their wishes via their driver’s license, donor card, living will, or by simply telling their family. That was me. I’m embarrassed to say that I signed my driver’s license the day that Trey died. I’m so thankful that my responsible brother was not part of that 29 percent like I was.

Because of his decision to be an organ donor, Trey’s story became a resurrection story. Out of death and despair came new life, and our Thanksgiving became an Easter. Through our tears we rejoiced knowing that five families had gotten a call on Thanksgiving Day with news that their loved one would be receiving a life-giving organ. What an incredible Thanksgiving for them!

True story: On my mother’s birthday last March she was having dinner with my stepfather at a restaurant in their hometown, 250 miles from the site of Trey’s hospitalization, when a gentleman approached her and thanked her for the very special gift her son had given him. It was the 62-year-old physician and the keeper of one of Trey’s kidneys. The gift – the good – had come full circle.

Because of his example, I'm a donor now, too.

Every year, around this time especially, my thoughts are with these three individuals who have shown me so much.

There was plenty of good to be found this year. I'll be sure to share all that with you next time I write. Thanks for listening.

Love,

Mrs. K

Real Talk

I've mentioned before that I read that Moms as a collective group are pretty hard on one another. What about bloggers? What about other Mom Bloggers? I was reading one of the blogs that I subscribe to and she mentioned that instead of talking about how our kids take a lot out of us, we should be thankful that we even have them. Of course! But my blog is my space on the internet and I don't hold back when I write. Besides, I don't think there are enough people who write honestly about the stresses and trials that parenting can bring. I don't think this lady meant anything by it and I'm not upset if she did, but it just made me think about the message mothers are sending out about life as a parent.

Is it too cookie cutter? Do we make it seem easy breezy?

Research suggests that couples with young kids often report much lower levels of happiness than couples who do not have any kids (See this evidenced here). Some parents are quick to tell everyone how great their children make them feel on a daily basis, but they are really feeling quite unhappy. Don't hate the messenger, folks...it's just what research seems to show over and over. I thought a lot about this while I was pregnant and I wrote some freelance articles on the topic, but I wanted to bring it here, too.

My blog is a place that I never want to misrepresent myself. My relationship with God is lacking, although I talk about Him and the goodness He has showered over my life. My marriage is far from perfect, too although I tend to gush about the love I have for my husband quite frequently. And parenthood is hard. I've never hidden that from all of you who read my blog. There are some days that I feel like I'm barely functioning in my role as a mother. Other days are blissfully sweet and easy. It changes every single day. My love for Baby K does not, though. I love him more than anything in this world and that is something that will be lifelong.

But I think it's important to talk about what stresses me out, how hard parenting can be at times, AND the joys of raising a baby.

This is my blog and it is a good representation of my daily life. I'm not sugarcoating anything.

Baby K has given me a purpose in this world when I didn't seem to have one. I'm incredibly grateful that God chose me to be his earthly parent. I wanted him more than any of you all know. I didn't write much about our struggle to get pregnant here because there are some things that my husband and I agree will not be discussed on the Internet. That's just our personal decision. You can talk about whatever you want on your blog. It's your place! But I don't think I have to tell you how much my sweet little boy is loved. He is my life.

But I do have my struggles. That's what makes me human.

And I have good news, too! Apparently, the more children you have, the happier you are as you grow older (See Reference Here). This is excellent news for me because Captain J wants about five kids! I think I've talked him down to three, though ;) It doesn't matter how we get these bundles of joy whether it's adoption or natural, our children will be loved and cared for more than anything in this world. My life has changed so completely since the birth of Baby K and I truly wouldn't have it any other way.

And that's real talk.

Christmas Craft

If you like my page on facebook, you probably already know that I've been Christmas crafting! I become a giddy little school girl at the mention of Christmas and all its possibility. Throw in pinterest and I'm in Heaven. I saw several pins with ideas to repurpose old wine bottles. You know I've got lots of those! I found some cutesy stuff, but nothing really inspired me. I had so much fun creating these for Halloween-

that I knew I wanted to paint more wine bottles for the most wonderful time of the year. Because nothing says Christmas like old booze. I'm kidding.

Anywho...

I thought it'd be funny to stuff Santa head first into a chimney:

...so that's what I did. I'm no artist, but I had fun creating :)

More Christmas cheer to come.

XOXO,

Mrs. K

Thankfulness

I always treasured the old hymn that says, "Count your many blessings see what God has done." It's a practice that should last all the year long, not just on the fourth Thursday every November. God has blessed and enriched my life in so many ways that it would be difficult and lengthy to display in this small space. I'll list a few, though...

* He gave me an amazing blended family. When my parents divorced, it seemed like the worst thing in my little life. But now, as they have re-married other truly awesome individuals, I recognize how God blessed us even in times of trouble. I consider my additional family members part of my true family, too. I am thankful for my stepmom, Julie, and my stepdad, Joe. Thank you both for making my parents so happy! I'm forever grateful and I love you both.

*God also gave me the most beautiful, wonderful family of my own, too. I'm thankful for J's parents who raised him to be the man he is today. I'm especially eternally grateful to God for allowing me to raise my angel, Baby K. I love my little family so much; my heart overflows.

*He provides, too doesn't He? I'm thankful for the promise evidenced in Matthew 6:31-32:

"Therefore, do not worry saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'...For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things."

I'm thankful for Him providing my husband a job that allows us to have food on the table every night, a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs. I'm thankful and proud that his job is with the Army, too because there are many opportunities for me to miss him and have him return to me-That way, I can fall a little more in love with him each time.

*I'm thankful to be born in the greatest country in the world where I am free to practice my faith in God the Father Almighty.

*I'm also thankful for cookie dough. Mention of this will open a whole other can of worms, though so I'll just stop right there ;)

*Thank you, dear readers, for sharing in my life with me!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

test

The xenophobia ironed a pancake

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I know what you're thinking- slow down, Mrs. K...tomorrow is Thanksgiving, not Christmas! But we're a military family (and a broke one at that!) and we can't afford to go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Furthermore, we leave our home to head to our real home in Tennessee so early in December that there's not much time to enjoy all the festive decor. Besides, last Thanksgiving we were on a boat eating cafeteria food somewhere around Alaska and Canada. This year? We have plans to order a pizza tomorrow. So perhaps that's why my mind is elsewhere! Either way, I'm still very, very thankful for so many blessings in my life. Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you alllll about it!

Merry Thanksgiving Eve.