Back In The Game!

Hello Friends,

I have been gone from the blogging world for way to long! I'm proud to announce my comeback as I settle into my new position in life as a full time mommy with part time work and the possibility of going back to school. In an attempt to steer my life into a new direction a lot has happened since I was last blogging. I got married and quit my full time job of 6 yrs. to pursue a life long dream of working online and selling my own jewelry and crafts so I don't have to "punch" the proverbial clock for the rest of time. It has been a little tight around our house without my old income but sometimes in life you have to take a little risk and live a little rough to get what you want in the end. The end for me will consist of me working from here one day.....

 ....blogging from my laptop as I absorb all of God's goodness. How will I do this you might ask? Well a lot  of hard work and determination is a start! I'm also looking to go back to school for marketing and small business. Education can take you a long way in life and once you have goals and a life plan in place who's to stop anyone from achieving what they want? I do think it also helps if you start early, the earlier the better actually. Sure anyone can be successful but it is a little more tricky to be really successful if you wait till later in life. I should have started a few years ago but honestly I didn't know what I really wanted to do when I graduated high school. Plus having kids first in life instead of going off to further my education slowed me down a bit. I wouldn't trade it though, my girls have changed my life in unimaginable ways. They have really helped shape my way of looking at life and helped me put everything in perspective as well as my faith.

I have always been a believer in God but the last few years of my life I have changed from being just a believer to leading an active christian life. Actually reading and studying the bible, being baptized, tithing, and going to God to help change things in my life that I could never do on my own. How has my life changed you might ask? Immensely!! is my answer. I no longer live with past guilt, bitterness or regret. I don't feel alone in this world anymore and the urge to possess vast quantity's of worldly possessions no longer linger in my thoughts. I'm the happiest I've ever been, EVER, and the only thing that nags in the back of my mind now is how I can ecru enough money, not for myself but to help the needy in the world that struggle every day for bits of food and clean water that we take for granted. Before I had put "imitations on my life and now I know that with God ANYTHING is possible -- “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Currently at age 26 I live in Wisconsin, I've never seen the ocean, and barely even traveled into the surrounding states. One day after my children have grown and gone off to college me and my wonderful husband will be traveling the world. Seeing everything I've always dreamed of without the location of my job holding me back. The sky is the limit and I can't wait to get my wings and FLY!

Offically Fallen Off.....

After a great 2 1/2 week long stretch I regret to inform you that I have officially fallen off the exercise wagon....It was good while it lasted. Don't get me wrong, I have still been trying to eat well and all but we have been so busy with school starting and birthday madness that I haven't had time to exercise!! You would think with all the running around I do and playing with the kids I wouldn't need any extra exercise but that is definitely not the case. Sure I'm not excessively overweight but oh how it would be nice to lose the extra 30 lbs. I never lost after having both my wonderful girls. In time I'm sure I will find a way to get it off but I wish I had the discipline and self control to get it done sooner than later. It is harder than you think to be able to eat right with 2 young kids and a boyfriend who has a secret love affair with butter, chips, and my weakness deep fried foods. I try to buy things that are good for me, and the kids have no problem eating  better. It seems that Brandyn is the one who makes it the hardest for me to eat right. Don't get me wrong he likes the veggilicious food I have been making lately but not always and he can't go without his snack food, of course, which makes it extra hard with it lying around the house. I am confident though that by next spring these extra pounds will be off. I have had good starts here and there loosing 5-10 lbs but then it comes back when our schedules make it to hard for me to hit the gym or get enough exercise at home. I mean really after working full time, coming home to play with kids, cooking dinner, cleaning up and finally tucking kids into bed who wants to spend the little bit of free time they have exercising....not me! I will find someway to do it though I just have to keep pushing myself and I know eventually I will make it to my goal. 

The ZhuZhu pets are all the rage!

Mia loved her Zhu Zhu pets and all the accessories she got for her birthday. They now have an elaborate habitate that she loves to monitor complete with 3 rooms 2 tunnels a wheel and a slide. Although Drea tends to get a little irritated that every time she tries to play Mia tries to tell her "THEIR RESTING!!!" which inevitably turnes into a fight that they eventually work out. Me and Brandyn are trying to come up with a crafty solution for their storage. Currently we are thinking maybe a large tote but haven't decided on anything for sure yet. Until then they are residing comfortably behind our couch in the living room!

Breaking in the Slip N' Slide

Mia and daddy broke in the Slip N' Slide the day after her birthday.....to bad both of the girls are still to scared to go down on their bellies! Oh well, they think it is super cool anyways and I think it's cool that it doesn't get nasty stagnant water collected in it like the pool we opted for last year.

The Big 04....

Last week my little girl turned 4. This was big for her, she has been waiting and waiting since she knows that when she's 4 she will get to go to school just like big sis! Since her birthday was on a Wednesday we celebrated by going out to eat. I said she could pick wherever she wanted....If you guessed McDonalds you were right. She really wanted to go to play on their jungle gym. We ate & opened a few gifts from mom dad & sis. Then we had some cake...Mia's request...Strawberry cake with strawberry frosting and strawberries on top. We took it with but after all the food we ate Mia was the only one to eat a piece of the cake, everyone else at some later. When we got home one of Mia's grandmas and aunts stopped by and we opened MORE gifts. Needless to say it ended up being a very late night! Mia was quite pleased with her presents. She got new cloths, Zhu Zhu pet stuff, 2 new Zhu Zhu pets, a double Slip N' Slide, and some new dress up stuff. We had a larger party for her that weekend at the park across the street from our house. It included more cake, some light snacks and of course MORE gifts. That day she received some activity things (crafty stuff), more farm/regular animals for her Schleich collection, more Zhu Zhu accessories including the wheel and slide & 2 more hamsters, a baby cradle, cloths, a barbie with a knitted dress from grandma, a new book for her Tag Jr. reader, a hula hoop, and last but not least a butterfly garden where you buy caterpillars and grow them into butterflies you can release! All in all Mia thought her birthday was awesome! and she already has plans for her next birthday....CHUCK E. CHEESE!!!!

The First Day of School......

The first day of school is always very exciting. I was not sad at all to watch my littlest finally be able to attend school like her big sis! She was so excited to be able to go this year even though 4K is only 1/2 days. Big sis is officially a 1st grader this year, I think I am more sad about her being in 1st grade than the little one just starting. I like to see them go off but 1st grade! It doesn't seem like that much time has passed since she was my little piggy! Such a smart girl and growing by the second. They both are so excited to learn, I sometimes envy the pureness I see in them. To be that age again! I would not want to start over but to be 4 or 6 just for 1 or 2 days.....I think it would be very enjoyable. Especially if it were in the same settings with old friends and classmates. Anyways back on topic...we had a pretty good day for the first day of school except I was running a little late due to the fact my camera once again came up missing. I found it with seconds to spare as we rushed out the door and to the school. Good thing everyone is late on the first day! Despite us getting there with only minutes to spare till 8am we were met by a long line of parents waiting to sign into the school to take their little ones to their classes on the first day. There were no tears by me or the kids which is always good and when they got home they both agreed that it was going to be a good year.

Veggie Pizza

Veggie Pizza
Originally uploaded by Sunstarr04

The other night we made some awesome pizza! It was originally going to consist of Italian sausage, bacon, mushrooms, cheese, sauce, pepperonis and olives.....then I had a great idea....since most of the meat Brandyn wanted was super greasy and I have been trying to eat better I decided to make a different kind. Brandyn was really tired when he got home so he didn't protest as long as I was cooking and he was just helping he didn't care! First we prebaked one of those Pillsbury crusts you can get by the biscuits till it was golden and firm. While it was still warm I basted the crust with olive oil and sprinkled about 5 cloves of minced garlic on it. Then sliced tomatoes (red & yellow from grandma's garden), onions, fresh basil, and artichoke. Then it was lightly covered with pizza cheese blend and Mexican cheese blend I got at Wal-mart. Lastly I cut green scallions for the top with a light sprinkling of salt & drizzle of olive oil to bring the flavors together and put it in the oven till everything was warm and melty. Since there was no sauce the crust stayed crispy and the tomatoes were soooooo good on there we didn't even miss the sauce. Brandyn didn't even miss the no meat part! He just kept telling me it was delicious! We will definitely be making this again soon. The only downside is the kids don't like it, oh well you can't win em' all! Mia had noodles instead.