Scentsy BOGO Promotion: Holiday Buddy

(Really quickly- I'd just like to thank all of you for your sweet words yesterday! I'm still in the process of writing you all back, but I appreciate you all very much!)

I love these little Buddies. Baby K got one as a gift when he was still in my womb. Since then, he has grown to love it as it sleeps with him in his crib every night. I like it, too because it keeps his little space smelling baby fresh! This is one of my favorite items to include for new moms as a shower gift. All Buddies are pretty gender neutral so I keep some on hand. It looks like I'm going to need to order more. These little cuties will soon be discontinued.

Scentsy is offering a special promotion of BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE on Scentsy Buddies. This special will run until December 31st so stock up for Christmas while you can!

Choose any two of these Buddies:

Lenny the Lamb

Penny the Pig

Roarbert the Lion

Ribbert the Frog 

Ollie the Elephant

Mollie the Monkey

Patch the Dog

Scratch the Cat

Barnabus the Bear

Wellington the Duck

And don't forget to choose a Scent Pak from the Fall/Winter 2012 Catalog! The second Scent Pak will be chosen for you.

Please contact me with any questions you may have or if you'd like for me to place your order for you. You may order them yourself from my personal website.

Note: This offer does not apply to Baby Buddies

Exploring the Children's Museum

Some days, you don't care that you barely make it out the door. You double check while you're in the car- Did I bring wipes? Extra change of clothes? I hope I didn't forget to put on makeup. But then you get to your location- all meant to bring your little one happiness and nothing really matters anymore. 

Except his smile...

and seeing his curiosity in the world around him...

and having fun...

and making memories together.

No advice, just coffee.

I've got my cheerios and my typing fingers ready, but my brain is still in bed, snuggling the covers and gazillion pillows I require these days. It's like I really, really want to talk to all of you, but I'm craving your company instead. My blog has always been an avenue to "meet" some really great individuals, but today I just wish you were sitting in front of me (I'd put on a bra, I swear) enjoying a cup of coffee with me. 

I miss my friends back home terribly. The truth is, I wouldn't be able to enjoy a slow morning with coffee and friends there either because there's this thing called the real world and people have to have jobs. I'm so disconnected from it all. All I know is that my job is here and it doesn't end, but it does provide blogging breaks while the little one is snacking on his banana.

If you were here, in front of me with your coffee, I'd pour myself a cup and tell you about how yesterday was trying for us. When Baby K was small and he cried constantly, I secretly couldn't wait until he could understand what I was saying because I thought that would be easier. Now that he's older, I know he understands so much yet he rarely listens when it counts (in my mind). I don't really want to go into details about which behaviors I feel like are getting out of hand. I'd rather talk about my insecurity in dealing with them. I'm his mama and I know that I know what's best for him ultimately. But during the daily grind of parenthood? It's ugly. I cry when I'm feeling overwhelmed. I yell at the walls. Nothing that is productive in changing his behavior. I crumble and feel defeated. I feel like a bad mom. No one wants to raise a little brat and the truth is: I'm terrified of doing that.

I just don't know how to discipline a tiny toddler. He knows what "no" means, but that can only go so far before it's tested and then completely disregarded. The other day a friend mentioned that her (months older) son was beginning to throw tantrums and shout no at her. Immediately, I felt jipped because K has been doing this for at least a month. He doesn't say "no" but he shakes his head furiously in between bouts of kicking, screaming and writhing on the floor.

I'm not looking for advice today, I promise.

I just needed to write all this out so that it's behind me. Today is a new day with him and I've got my patience in my pocket, close by, so that I can pull it out several times today. God has blessed me with this incredibly sweet, perfect creation and I just want to do what's right for him.

Thanks for sharing coffee with me!

Vlog: On Boredom and Contentment

Encouragement: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." - Colossians 3:23

Also mentioned in this vlog:

For Sale! Size: XS (my best guess is it's about a 2 or 4). It was originally $400. Make me an offer. PayPal only. You pay shipping.

You know you want it.

Our 'Make It Work' Moment

For the first day of fall, we celebrated by getting out our Fall Bucket List and getting to work on checking some things off!

Source: katieballa.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

First up on our agenda? Pie Baking!

I insisted that we buy a pre-made crust because who really makes their own crust? "Plus, I want it to be good, honey", I said.

Captain J would have none of it.

"That's cheating!" 

"You didn't really make your own pie if you buy the crust!"

As per usual, I went along with his insanity. For once, I was glad I did after putting the deliciousness in my mouth for the first time. I'm getting ahead of myself, though. The road to apple pie bliss was a little bumpy at times. Here's our story:

To really get ourselves in the fall mood, we brewed some apple tea and put some Benny Goodman on the radio.

Then we set out on our journey. Meticulously we measured, chopped, and mixed. We threw caution to the wind when it came to the kitchen, though. What started out as a nicely cleaned room turned into an awful mess in minutes. See?

Oh, but it was worse. I can't seem to find the Before & After photos, but I'll let you imagine the mess the two novice bakers made.

Halfway through this process, we realized that we didn't have a rolling pin. In the words of Captain J, we "rangerized" our pie. When asked exactly what he meant, he replied, "We didn't have the right tools and we didn't have the right equipment, but we improvised and it worked."

To which I of course countered, "I would say we had a Tim Gunn Make It Work Moment." That went right over his head.

Anyway, the rolling pin we used was a large Starbucks coffee cup.

Our dough was way too sticky. I kept telling him not to worry, just add more flour! But he was cautious because he's actually good at cooking. Anyway, the flour turned out to be a good call and hours later we were actually eating our first EVER baked pie.

Oh my yum.

Bumpdate: 29 Weeks

Happy Fall, y'all! I can't remember the last time I updated you on Baby A and since my ugly, mean pregnancy symptoms are fresh on my mind this morning, I thought I'd take the time to do so now. I'm 29 Weeks- but I feel like 42 Weeks.

I swear my ensemble was not as gaudy as it looks in the photo. I had 3 people tell me I looked "so cute" this day which is a huge improvement from the usual, "Whoa, you look like you're due any minute" statement so there. Anyway, I apologize for not doing a full body shot. I just got tired of the ole MySpace mirror shots and let's face it--Men cannot take photos of their significant others. It's like they find the worst possible angle ever and just keep snapping away in the same spot in an effort to show you just how gross you actually do look. Kidding. Mostly.

Baby is the size of: butternut squash/head of cabbage He is about 2 and a half pounds.

Symptoms: Achy, achy pains everywhere. Shortness of breath. Plus a load of uncomfortable, awful things are happening to my body which I'm sure you don't want to read about as you sip your morning coffee.

Cravings: Cookie Dough (which I can't have- wah, wah, wahhh)

Weight: I lost weight this past month. I have no idea where that came from, but the doctor isn't concerned so I'm not either. I'm at 138 lbs.

Sleep: I'd love to get more of it! Sleeping consists of a lot of tossing and turning and then when I finally get nice and comfortable, Baby K wakes up and wants crazy things like food, milk, and a new diaper. Oh, the nerve!

Movement: A flips around and moves like a madman. 

Stretch Marks: Thank the good Lord above, I still don't have any stretch marks. I'm oh-so-pleased with this and hope that it continues.

Looking Forward To: Hearing confirmation that I passed my glucose test! I took it last week and haven't heard a word from them so I assume we're good to go. The test wasn't nearly as wretched as last time and for that I'm very thankful.

How's the other babe in my life?

He's doing great- probably giving his overworked Mama a few gray hairs before her time, though. After the formula battle, I can now say that Baby K is drinking straight milk! It took about a month or more to switch him completely, but I'm happy that I can wash my hands of formula for a very long time. I hope Baby A and I have no problems nursing and I don't have to use it again. Stuff's expensive!

K's new favorite word is "hi" or "hiya". He says it when we walk in the room to scoop him up. 

Another adorably cute and frustrating thing he does is clap when Daddy enters the room or he hears him coming down the hall. What in the world kid? I don't get a standing ovation! Where's the love for the lady who takes care of you all day, huh? It's precious, though.

He walks occasionally, but still prefers crawling as his primary means of getting from A to B. He's much faster on all fours.

Right now, our main issue is dealing with his attachment to me. Some people tell me he can sense that a change is a comin' with Baby A on the way and that's why he's clinging to me even more so than usual. I don't know. Sometimes I fear I've spoiled him or he's that weird kid that won't let go of mommy ever. Seriously, I can't hand him to anyone for two seconds- even if I'm still standing right there, he flips! I'm worried about rocking his little world when December comes. I won't be able to hold him every time he pleases.

Oh, the life with babies.

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

Fall officially begins in two days and I can't express how excited that makes me! It's easily my favorite season and it brings with it my favorite holiday--Halloween! Much to my husband's dismay, I've already begun to decorate our house. Below is just a tiny peek of what's to come in our household. Here's my mantel this year:

Most of the above pictured was stuff I had around the house. I move items around and re-purpose a lot so I tried not to buy much. I did pick up some Ivory and Black spray paint to make my life a little easier. Don't limit your creativity to what's located inside your house, take a walk outside and see if you can find anything you might want to use or make beautiful! I grabbed various branches-

and painted some black, some white, and left some their usual color. Mixing textures and colors always makes me smile- see what you can find! Note: The leaves are fake.

The wine bottle ghost was super easy, too. I painted it white and grabbed some black scrapbook paper, cutting tools, and my hot glue gun to create a scary face. Last year, I did a similar thing with ribbon and it looked like a mummy! It was cute, too.

There are three candles pictured-

although I'm not sure you can see them in the photo. I didn't have black and white candles around so I found old ones that will no longer light properly- the more misshapen, the better! I also used the spray paint to create the colors of candles I wanted. I dressed some of them up with orange, festive fabric.

Looking for something a little less time consuming? Check out the following (free) printables:

Trick or Treat

Something Wicked

Newspaper Tree

I googled some spooky quotes and found this one to put on the chalkboard by the mantle.

How fun? I'm getting so excited for this season! Expect many more Halloween posts, DIY tutorials, and ideas over the next month.

Sorry I'm not sorry.

XOXO,

That Smell

Do you know that smell? The one little ones put off- that smells not quite good, but not quite bad either? It's the aroma that could come from a yummy smelling spaghetti dinner piled on some other incredibly sweet smelling dessert. The mixture is odd, but not revolting to inhale. It's actually delightful and calming to me. It matters not that I spent the last five hours trying to wrangle my wiggly and often complainy 13 month old. As soon as he finally rests his head in the crook of my arm, eyes fluttering, and body settling I catch the slightest whiff of the smell and my heart smiles. What was life like before I knew this smell?

I don't want to remember.

Holiday Favs

Lovely Monday mornin', isn't it? I've been enjoying the light rain this am and working on some projects which include organizing, sewing diapers, and working on my Scentsy business. I must be nesting! I can hardly believe I only have about eleven weeks left until we meet Baby A. There's so much to do!

Anyway, I know a lot of you over-achievers like to get a jump start on your holiday shopping so I wanted to share some of my favorites from the new Holiday Collection from Scentsy in hopes that you'll fall in love with these pieces, too and order a gazillion for all your friends and family. Any of these would be perfect for those Dirty Santa Swaps that people like to have. Personally, I don't like that game. I don't think I've ever stolen a gift from anyone. I'm so lame. I digress.

Here are my favorites:

Not quite ready to discuss Christmas yet? Start browsing the holiday collection for your Halloween and Fall Needs! There are lots of cute things for all you Halloween lovers out there.

I've got some personal specials going on right now, too. Email or private message me on fb or Twitter to hear about those!

How To Stay Connected After Baby

September 2011

I write a lot about how I miss Alaska, but I wonder if my longing is misplaced. I think I actually miss the freedom that duty station gave us. It was our first year being married and we were miles and miles away from friends and family. We only had each other, really. We could leave the house at the drop of a hat to go out on a date, head to the shooting range, or fish the Chena- all activities that aren't exactly baby friendly. What I think I miss more than anything is being able to spend time alone with my husband. I can count on one hand the number of dates we've had since we've become parents. It's so tough to not live by family when you have children. We're very cautious who we let watch Baby K. He had colic and was extremely fussy as an infant and we simply didn't trust anyone to put up with that for any amount of time. We knew how stressful it was and were terrified that someone might lose their temper or simply be too stressed out to meet his needs. Now, he is so attached to me, I feel bad burdening anyone with watching him because I'm afraid he'll cry the entire time. I can't have a good time anyway, worrying that my baby is wondering where I am. We've really put ourselves in quite the predicament!

Anyway, Captain J and I recognize the importance of staying connected despite our lack of placing an importance on date night. God's word says when two people get married, they become "one flesh" (See Genesis 2:24). When one adds another tiny human to the mix, it's hard to figure out how that one flesh will shift, mold, and change. I'm not saying we have it figured out even with our second child on the way, but below are some suggestions of a good place to start:

1. Communication lines are to stay open! Talk about every little thing whether it seems important or not. You never know when that tiny little thing that gets on your nerves will boil up into a much bigger problem or argument.
2. Don't keep score. Captain J and I tease each other a lot by saying, "It's your turn!" (to change a diaper, wake up early with him, etc) but if you play this game it will get old fast. I try to remember the verse that says, Women are "...to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands..."(Titus 2:5, NIV). Honestly, if we were keeping score, of course I would be winning. I stay at home with him constantly and when J is at work, I have plenty of time to get ahead. This doesn't mean that when he gets off work that he should be doing everything for the baby. 
3. Recognize the little things. Once the baby arrives, you're likely going to cling to the sweet little nothings that we all know equal big somethings in a marriage. When your partner brews you a cup of coffee- thank him (or her). When he offers to give the baby a bath while you unwind, say thank you. Positively reinforcing these types of behaviors will be beneficial for your marriage. On the same note, make an effort to do these small things for him, too.
4. Laugh together. You're going to need that time to get through. You can almost always find something funny, no matter how desperate the situation. 
5. Pray together. No matter how horrid the day felt to me, when I hear my husband ask God for help in guiding our family, I know he is trying and that makes all the difference in the world to me.

The bible also says, "Children are a gift from God, they are a reward from Him" (Psalm 127:3). That means, each child blesses a family immensely. As parents, it's our job to recognize that every single day and value the time that we have with them while also not forgetting the special bond God gave us when He provided a loving spouse for us.

Happy Sunday!

How do YOU spell Support?

{I'm sitting at the computer trying to talk myself out of a chocolate poptart. I want one badly, but I have to take the dreaded glucose test this afternoon and I'm worried that the one little poptart will send me over the edge not the other 3 I had earlier this week. I'm completely irrational, I know. Anyway, this paragraph has nothing to do with the following ones. Let's move on.}

I've been thinking a lot about how I respond to people. Generally, I think I'm a pretty nice person. But recently I've been wondering if I come across the way I think I do. I just think about how sensitive I am and how I interpret seemingly harmless comments as incredibly insulting and upsetting. And I hope I never make anyone feel so small with anything I might say to them. 

I'm on a parenting forum/mommy group on facebook and the other day someone mentioned how they found it really rude when people told them they had their hands full (with several children). Oops! I can't say how many times I've said this, but I totally didn't mean it in a negative way. What I mean to say is that -"wow, you've got a lot on your plate right now but you're handling it so well". Sometimes less is more, but in this case I don't think it was. I should explain and elaborate on touchy subjects such as parenting because now I'm aware how hurtful not explaining can be.

Encouraging parents should be a top priority on our minds. You can study child psychology, parenting practices, and read every book on the planet about taking care of tiny little ones but that doesn't always mean you're ready to be a parent. I don't think anyone ever really is. You just can't anticipate what to expect, you don't know how much you can love, and those pros in child rearing? They're not the ones trying to soothe a tiny collicky newborn. They're not the ones who are at Walmart with a yelling-at-the-top-of-his-lungs toddler and people everywhere are looking on with judging eyes. When it's your own child having problems, it's so difficult to separate yourself from the situation. It feels like you're the only one in the world that this has ever ever happened to and it doesn't matter when people try to one up you on it. Pointing out how a situation can be worse does not equal support. 

I feel so much judgement in the parenting realm. It's everywhere. As parents, we're often embarrassed to admit what works for us because it may go against what is popular right now. Furthermore, people who advocate that "breast is best" or "back is best" (in regard to sleeping) are only pointing out that formula is worse and so is placing a baby to sleep on their tummies. It's demeaning. Obviously, we all know that breast feeding has many benefits and is the best way to feed our young children. That being said, it doesn't always work out and that's okay, too. Stop making people feel like less of a woman or mother because of it. The same is true for those who choose to place their babies on their bellies to sleep. Have you tried to flip a baby back onto their back when they don't want to be in that position over and over each night? The bottom line is, we're all trying to do the very best for our children and many times we have to find our own way in that role. Sometimes advice is helpful. Sometimes it feels like an attack. We should be cognizant of how we approach such subjects. For example, you should probably never say, "Please tell me you never did this or this." You insult my intelligence when you do so. You make me feel like I have no mother's intuition. And frankly, that uppity attitude doesn't really look good on you.

Good intentions often come across the wrong way. Parents aren't always looking for help or advice- we're looking for someone to listen. We're looking for someone to understand or simply say, "You've had a rough day. I'll be praying for you." Prayer support is something I'll take any ole day of the week!

What are some other ways to support parents? Was there one person who stands out in your mind that was extra helpful during stressful times? What did they do for you?

I only ask because I want to get better at this myself.

Much love,

DIY Baby Wrap and Cell Phone Cover

Pinterest is a problem. I've heard it called virtual hoarding and it's true. I'll pin something, knowing that I've probably already pinned it once before, but I do it again just in case because, I mean, what if I need it? And then it's not there? Ahh, how frustrating that would be.

Anyway, here are my latest completed projects courtesy of the U.S. Army sending my soldier home for a day. I got three, I repeat, THREE projects done on Sunday alone. I'm only going to show you two, though b/c you only want to see my awesome diaper making ability so many times before you get bored with it. Am I right? ;) But oh my gosh, y'all the diapers have gotten so much better since I last posted. I'm so proud. I'm not talking about diapers, though. I'm not.

I also made a baby carrier/wrap:

...which I'm sure will be much cuter when there's a squishy newborn inside and not a big ole belly. Original pin found here.

And a new personalized cell phone cover:

...which I'm sure can't get any cuter because my sweet first born is adorning the back! Idea found here. All you need is scrapbook paper, a clear case, and a hole punch! Easy and cheap. Just how I like my Pinterest projects.

Have you made anything crafty lately?

The One Where I Reminisce

Since we left Alaska, September has been bittersweet for me. Do you miss previous duty stations like we do? We left the Last Frontier hoping that one day we'd find ourselves back there. We've never ever felt that way about Ft. Benning, GA or Ft. Polk, LA, though. Alaska was different and I think we fell in love with it because of the month of September. In 2008, I stepped off a tiny, 12 seater plane to meet a guy I barely knew. He was set to deploy and I had met him only two weeks prior. Still, I couldn't imagine going a whole year without seeing his face one more time so I packed up my belongings and set off to a state I swore I'd never go to and spent the remainder of his time in the U.S. with him. It was September and I was welcomed to the great White North with a lovely display of the Northern Lights.

 We fell in love in September! The following year in 2009, September was when my soldier finally came home after twelve long months in Iraq. Perhaps the events are what made it so special, but part of it was Alaska's crisp fall air, beautiful yellow leaves wherever the eye can see, and the occasional snowfalls.

 Of course, it's easy for me to say this now as I'm looking out to another sunny 85 degree day here in Louisiana.

Part of why we loved Alaska was because of the group of friends we had there. Some of them are long gone now- moving around with the military as we are. But some of the best friends we had are still there because they choose to be. A part of me admires that they have this life, nestled away from the busyness of the Lower 48 to live life in a snowy cabin apart from town.

Our home in Fairbanks

Life in Alaska is not for the faint of heart, though. I remembered that this morning as I perused old posts and found my not-so-smooth re-entry into the state in September of 2010. I'm reminded as friends I still have living there post pictures of the temperature, hail storms, and the like. But we remember Alaska fondly, especially in September. What a beautiful place to fall in love!

(and be goofy...this one is for you, Kristin!)

Sunday Scenes

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I thought I'd give this a go today if anyone would like to link up. Show me what you're up to this fine Sunday. Snap a photo or use your words- I don't care. I'm just nosy!

Our clan is whippin' up some football food in preparation for the Steeler's game tonight. Also? We're cheering on little man as he takes his first ever independent steps. He just stood up and started walking earlier! I cried a little. Sweet little one is growing up!

Go Steelers! (and Raiders!)

XOXO,

The One Where I Answer Your Questions

Welcome to another edition of Ask Mrs. K! I really appreciate you all sending me questions to answer (providing blog material), awards, and overall just keeping it real. The first cluster of questions are courtesy of Alyssa James and the Liebster Blog Nomination (How cute is her family?)  she so graciously bestowed upon me-

1. What's one major life event that you wish you could relive just once? The day I graduated from college was a lovely day. I think I would relive it because it might spark something in me to work toward something again. I felt so proud of myself that day thanks to the love and support from my friends and family. I felt special- like I finally completed something important. That feeling should be experienced every so often just as a reminder of how far one has come and how far one has the potential to go.
2. Who do you consider to be the most influential family member in your life? I was blessed with a big family with very few crazies in it and so many of them make an impact on my every day whether they are aware or not. I've learned so much from a lot of them.
3. If you could only make/eat one meal for an entire week, what would it be? Pasta. Something easy to make and equally delicious to eat.
4. What's your most favorite Pinterest find to date? Impossible question! I use it on the daily. Recipes, crafts, sewing patterns, laughs. How about I share with you my latest project?

5. What's your dream car? It would be awesome to have an old school corvette one day.
6. What bill do you dread paying the most? AT&T, I guess. Our bill is always absolutely ridiculous.
7. Do you remember your first cell phone? Describe. Yes, I think it was one of those little Nokia ones that had all the different personalizations like colorful covers and buttons you could switch out. I think I soon switched the boring color it came with to pink and turquoise.
8.What is one "must have" in your dream home? A big, huge bathtub with hot water that won't turn cold when it's filled to the brim! Our bath tub here is lame. It's normal sized, but we have what my family likes to call an "Al Gore Water System"- water trickles out and doesn't stay hot enough for long. Not cool.
9. What is your favorite blog that does NOT qualify for the Liebster Award? Oh, I don't know. Most of my favorite blogs have less followers because those are the people who respond to comments and keep up with me, too. I blog to connect with others- not to make a ton of money- although that would be nice!
10. Name your biggest guilty pleasure. Chocolate.
11. What are the top three things on your bucket list? Publish my book. Travel the world. Appreciate life.

Brit nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. I was instructed to list 7 Random Facts about moi! I'll try to make them interesting, but no promises:

1. I was on the tennis team in HS.
2. I can talk like Marvin the Martian.
3. I never thought I'd consider this a compliment (which I heard yesterday): "Your belly is so pretty. No stretch marks!"
4. More than anything else right now, I want a shower. Alone. No small children crawling over to visit. I don't ask for much.
5. I first started blogging on MySpace.
6. (See number two) I originally spelled martian this way- "marshan" Ha.
7. Kid is yelling, must go tend to him.

Because I've received these awards before, I'm not going to tag people again. If you'd like this award for yourself, please do accept this nomination!
If you have any questions for me, feel free to leave them as a comment and I'll get to them eventually. Thanks for reading. Bye for now. And happy, happy weekend!