Three Years

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My darling girl turns three today. Where has the time gone? She forever changed my life the day she came (you can read her birth story here). She fulfilled my life-long dream of becoming a Mommy. She has grown into quiet an independent little soul over the past year:

• She is FINALLY potty trained (with the exception of bed-times). She has a few accidents every now and then, but she's doing great with it!
• She knows all of her letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc. and can do some simple addition and subtraction (with manipulatives).
• She continually amazes me with her memory. She remembers things that I can't. We sat down to read a book and she "read" it word for word (and it was LONG with BIG words).
• She loves Public Television (so does Mommy) and is learning so much from watching. We got her a trampoline for her birthday. She had never seen one before and the first thing she said when she jumped on it was, "Mommy! It has elasticity!" She got that from watching Sid the Science Kid but the neat thing is they never discussed or showed a trampoline in the episode to my knowledge.
• She LOVES to "read." It doesn't matter whether it's one of her picture books or one of Mommy's novels, she is perfectly content to sit on the couch and make up her own stories.
• Her latest thing is rhyming and she makes up silly words to rhyme (guess we've been reading a lot of Dr. Suess books). She doesn't know she's doing it, but sometimes she makes rhyming words that she shouldn't just by interchanging the first syllable:)
• The girl LOVES to sing and makes up songs as frequently as she makes up stories.
• She has imaginary friends: Molly, and Jolly. She often gets upset if we forget and leave them at home (but sometimes they sneak into her pocket and she finds them later when we're at the store).
• She loves to cook (pretend and real). She insists on wearing her apron and says, "It's time for Cooking with Chef Elena!" Once she's finished, she always says her blessing before she pretends to eat.
• She has risen to the challenge of being a big sister beautifully. She loves to make her little sister laugh, brings her toys when she cries, and even tells mommy when baby Kate has a "No No." And best of all, my independent one has decided that cuddling with Mommy and Daddy on occasion is not so bad after all!

She is a funny, smart, sassy little girl and I am so proud to be her mommy. But all that's all from a loving, doting mother's perspective. Here are some answers to some birthday interview questions (Thanks Mama's Little Coffee Break for the idea) so you can see from HER perspective what she's into:

My favorite color is...purple

On TV, I like to watch...Dinosaur Train

My favorite book is...Monkey George (Curious George)

My favorite movie is...Tangled

I like to eat...pizza

I feel happy when...Grammy is here (we just got off the phone with her)

I feel sad when...I get in trouble

I like to...swing

I don't like to...play in the grass

I think Daddy is...a sweetheart

I think Mommy is...a love

I think Kate is...crawly

I think Georgia (our dog) is...a good girl

I think Gracie (our cat) is...big

I like to play with...Mommy

My favorite toy is...my balls

I am really good at...eating food

I get excited...for my birthday

I like to go to...Hobby Lobby (that's my girl)

My best friend is...Colten

I love...Mommy

What joy she brings to our lives each and every day. Mommy and Daddy love you so, "Lena Doodle!" We are so proud of you. Happy Birthday to our darling girl!

No Allergies...FPIES?

Pin It Well, we know what it is NOT:

After a lot of poking, prodding, and scribbling on her back today at the allergist, we know Kate is NOT allergic to: Rice, Oats, Wheat, Barley, Carrots, or Sweet Potatoes.

Since four months old and her first taste of cereal, Kate has not been able to eat ANY type of cereal.

It isn't a texture thing,

it isn't a consistency thing,

it isn't a taste thing:

she gobbles it all up with a big goofy grin on her face.

Everything is completely normal until about 90 minutes later when she vomits EVERYTHING she has eaten for the entire day. She then can't keep anything else down except Pedialyte for the remainder of the day.

Rice, Oats, Barley, Mixed grain...it's all the same.

Mixed with breast milk, mixed with water, mixed with veggies...it's all the same.
2 tablespoons or 1 teaspoon...it's all the same.

Hot, cold, warm...it's all the same.

Her little tummy just can't tolerate it. After a trip to the allergist today (and $200 later) we determined what I had already suspected: she is not allergic, she just has an intollerence to certain foods. I am NOT one of those moms that likes to research and self-diagnose via the internet. I would rather go by the word of the trusted professionals in the medical field than grapple with the variety of opinions and sometimes well meaning but uneducated guesses out there, but in this case, I have. I found a rare diagnosis called FPIES (Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome). Both my pediatrician and allergist agree this is probably her diagnosis. Basically, her body can not digest certain food proteins. They are hesitant to label her with this yet, because she hasn't had anything with milk or soy (she is still exclusively breast-fed) and milk/soy is the typical trigger food for FPIES.

The bad news:

• There is no medical test that can be performed to determine for sure what the true issue is
• There is no medication or treatment other than avoiding her "trigger" foods (anything that causes the vomiting)
• we won't know what foods are "trigger" foods until we give them to her
• So far, she has an intolerance to rice, oats, barley, and wheat
• If she has an intolerance to milk and soy also, getting her the proper nutrients after she stops breast-feeding will be a HUGE challenge

The good news:

• She doesn't have an allergy which means that we hopefully will not have to worry about long-term issues
• FPIES usually resolves itself at about 1.5 to 3 years of age
• She has been able to eat all the fruits and vegetables we have fed her so far
• She's growing and perfectly normal with this exception.

Here are some great links that I found in my online research that I feel (as well as my Pediatrician) are trusted resources:

A Study from the Pediatrics Journal

KFA (Kids with Food Allergies)

Having kids is certainly a journey! I have often heard the phrase, "children don't come with how-to manuals." I have never felt this to be more true than today. I know that if we just take it one day at a time, give our little ones to the Lord each day, and do our very best with the knowledge He has given us, they'll be just fine.

Super Hero Cape for the Boyfriend

Pin It My little girl has a "boyfriend." Since they were babies in the nursery at church, they have been best buds. For the longest time if you asked Elena where we were going on Sunday mornings, it was never "to church" it was always "to see Colten." When asked by a high-school girl if he would be her boyfriend, Colten simply replied, "I already have a girlfriend and her name is Elena."

This weekend, was the "boyfriend's" birthday party. He is into being a super-hero so I made him his very own super-hero cape and mask. I think it might have been a hit. After he opened it, he happily wore it for the remainder of the party. The only problem is, I'm going to have to make one for Elena now, too!

Elena Modeling Colten's cape

We're on the move!

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I knew it was going to happen. I knew it was going to happen soon. But when it finally did, I cried like a baby...Kate started crawling yesterday. I have said before that she's more of a Mommy's girl than Elena and she stayed true to her reputation yesterday. She crawled for the first time across the bedroom floor to me. To make the story even sweeter: once she touched my leg, she looked up at me with her silly little, open-mouth grin and exclaimed softly, "Ma-ma, Ma-ma."

Yes, it's been tough at times for me to be at home. I loved being on the go when I taught. I loved being around my colleagues. I loved the small accolades that came when my students performed well. Being at home all the time leaves me feeling a bit secluded. Being at home all the time magnifies the fact that I am not the best house-keeper. Being at home all the time means a lot less income. The bottom line is that it's not always easy, but yesterday made any sacrifices we've made worth it all.

One day I hope to go back to work, but today, I'm going to enjoy these moments and treasure them up in my heart. Mommy is so proud of you, baby Kate! You and your sister are worth it all!

Blog...what blog?

Pin It That's about how this year has gone so far. Back in the fall I got addicted to my blog (so much so that my husband started to call it my main hobby). That isn't a bad thing, unless other things are left un-done. My little personal challenge in November was GREAT! I loved it, but I think I got a little burnt out with posting every single day. I promise, I'm going to get back into it. I loved making new bloggy friends and learning neat new tricks to try from the bloggy world, but I guess I'm now taking the time to put some of those neat ideas to work...my latest all-consuming project has been planning parties for my girls. Elena turns three in March and Kate turns one in April (and spring break/Easter is sandwiched in between). I LOVE to plan parties and knit all the little details together with my own special touch. I'm having a BLAST working on them right now.

My inspiration was a huge roll of lime green gingham fabric that my Grandmother gave me. I'm using it with reds and pinks for Elena's party and with baby blues and white lace for Kate's. I'm trying to go for two totally different looks using a single fabric as the inspiration. When they're both complete, you all can let me know how I did.

Here's a sneak peak at one of the custom design elements I created for Elena's party. Can anyone guess what the theme is?

I can't wait to share all the details, but you'll just have to enjoy this for now.

Snowed in with Smores

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I don't mind admitting that I have never been a big fan of smores. Though I like graham crackers and chocolate, I don't really care for marshmallows. When my daughter saw a camping segment on Sesame Street where they were making smores, she decided we had to do that. She insisted that mommy tried one, too and I begrudgingly agreed. To my surprise, they were great! I had just never had a smore made by my husband before. He knows just how to make them: just enough marshmallow to melt the chocolate and make them gooey (he says it's an art).

Making smores has now become a regular event in our household. Rarely do we build a fire in the fireplace without making them anymore. So, when the threat of snow was reported earlier this week, others went to the grocery store for milk and bread and we went for marshmallows, chocolates and graham crackers.

Today we are snowed in with about 8-10" outside and yummy smores by the fire inside. He even sneaked in a bit of my favorite ingredient of coconut today. I can't imagine a better way to spend my afternoon. Thanks, Honey, for the perfect smore!

Oh, Coffee! How I've missed you.

Pin It Normally this is my morning beverage of choice:

but for the past few days this has been more of a necessity for me:

and this for my girls (note the variety of flavors):

This morning I was thankful (especially after another sleepless night with a sick baby) that my tummy was finally settled enough to enjoy my morning cup of coffee again. Though I am certainly NOT back to normal by any means, I sure did enjoy my coffee today. I didn't realize what a treat you were but I won't take you for granted any longer!

A Date at the Movies with my Girl

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Since I am still breast-feeding Kate, whenever there is a need for me to go run an errand or be away from home for an extended period of time in the day, it often ends up that Elena stays behind with Daddy while Mommy and Kate go out. I've been wanting to do something special with Elena; just the two of us. This weekend I decided on the perfect activity: a movie.

I had been waiting to take her to the movies until:

1. She was old enough to sit (kind-of) still the entire time

2. There was a movie appropriate for her age

3. She knew how to be (sort-of) quiet

4. There was a movie I would enjoy as well

5. It was something I was willing to pay the exorbitant amount of money to see

6. There would be a lot of other young children in the theater

so MINE wouldn't be the only one distracting others from the movie

7. There was a time when I could leave Kate behind without worrying about missing a feeding

She is really into princesses right now. I was reading Kate's new "Fairy-Tale" books to them and we came upon Rapunzel. That's when I knew it was time to see Disney's new movie, Tangled.

SO, after church yesterday, we ate lunch and got her to take an early nap with the promise of doing something special with just Mommy. We got there early to get just the right spot. I went all out and bought popcorn, candy and drinks. We had a long discussion about how to sit, how to be quiet, how not to be scared when the lights went off, etc.

I don't know who had more fun: Mommy or Elena! When the first preview was launched and the speakers around us came to life, her eyes could have lit up the room (and luckily her high-pitched squeal of delight was muffled by the sound). She was captivated by the huge characters on the screen and I heard her exclaim often, in her breathless little dramatic way, "Oh, Mommy! How BEAUTIFUL!" There were those times when she was more interested in getting another "chocolate" than watching and I often had to remind her to use her whisper voice to ask for them. She got so excited that she jumped out of her seat and stood at the rail in front of us a few times as well, but all in all, I would say she did a great job for a 2.5 almost 3-year old!

Yep, I'm a sap, but when she cuddled up to me at the end when Rapunzel hugged her parents and the emotional music began to swell, I'll admit there were a few tears streaming down my cheeks. O.K., make that A LOT of tears streaming down my cheeks. She's growing up way too fast, but I'm glad I can be there with her for those special firsts and pray that she'll always know I'll be there for her through whatever she may face in life. Mommy loves you, Elena-doodle!

2010 in review

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2010 was an amazing year! I tried to take a moment to choose a top event from each month...this was as close as I could get (though admittedly some of the events occurred in the same month). God has certainly blessed my little family. Thank you for the memories and here's to 2011!

1. Transformed the "Cat" room into the Playroom 2.Got really big!  3. Planned an Elmo party for a special two-year-old 4. Brought a new life into the world 5. Spent a scary night in the hospital with a darling baby 6. made a special trip to Savannah for a special Father's Day 7.Worked on Potty Training (ALL Year!) 8. Built a playset with my own two hands 9. Visited the Apple Orchard 10. Picked pumpkins 11. First trip to the ER for stitches 12. Sewed a lot of cute outfits AND enjoyed a wonderful white Christmas with my precious family!

I'm linking up with:

Little Red House-Mosaic Monday

Walking on Water

Pin It So maybe not the miracle of Jesus walking on water, but you know it's cold when the geese are walking on top of the pond in the south!

Hot Cocoa kinda mornin'

Pin It Waking up to another chilly morning, my daughter announced: "It's a Hot Cocoa kinda mornin'" I couldn't have agreed more so after eating our oatmeal, out came the cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, milk, water, & salt. About 10 minutes later we were sipping on hot cocoa by the light of the Christmas tree.

Here's my favorite home-made hot cocoa recipe:

5 Tbs. Cocoa

5 Tbs. Sugar

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

1/3 Cup Water

2 1/2 Cups Milk

Mix cocoa, sugar, cinnamon and salt together in small pot. Add water and mix well. Cook on medium high heat for 3 minutes, stirring the entire time. Add milk and cook until heated (do not boil).

Our first Big Boo-Boo

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This morning started out much like many other mornings in our household with a pile of laundry and the baby sitting on the bed while the toddler runs around in her pajama top and training panties. I always knew this day would probably come at some point. Elena has inherited her Daddy's high activity level with her Mommy's lack of coordination. NOT the best of combinations! She falls all the time and has bumped her head and scratched her knees more times than I can count. Today was much like all those other times with one major exception...the non-stop flow of blood pouring from her eye.

When I heard the scream behind me, I knew she fell and probably hit her head (this time it was on the window sill in our bedroom). As usual, I scooped her up and held her tight telling her it was O.K. It wasn't until I pulled her away from me to inspect the boo-boo that I noticed the blood all over her face, hair, hand, shirt and me. I'll admit, I did panic a bit, just because I wasn't sure how to handle getting everything together for a trip to the ER while applying the pressure I needed to to stop the bleeding. I managed to calmly place a call to my husband's cell phone to explain Elena had fallen and would need stitches. He was there within 10 minutes of my call. He held her while I got dressed, threw some things in a bag, got pants & socks on Elena, and fastened Kate into the car seat.

Three hours and some liquid stitches and butterfly sutures later, we were celebrating Elena's great behavior in the ER with Starbucks for Mommy & Daddy and a Hardees cinnamon-raisin biscuit for Elena. Throughout the entire ordeal, I couldn't help but wonder how a single mom or mom who doesn't have someone close by to help does it. Though we live farther away from family, my husband works two miles from our home and has a boss who is extremely understanding of family emergencies. I honestly don't know what I would have done were he not able to be there to drive us to the hospital and watch the baby.

Though she may have a scar for the rest of her life, and she'll probably get a few more along the way, Elena is just fine right now. She's so proud of her "band-aid" and lucky for Mommy, she wants to keep it on. So now I get to write on that page in her baby book that says, Boo-boos (broken bones, stitches, etc.).

Baby girl, Mommy is so sorry you got her clumsiness! At least I can be here for you and understand how tough it is to be athletically challenged!

Reversible Christmas Tops

Pin It I'm finally back to blogging! We've had a crazy few weeks and I haven't had a moment to sit down in front of the computer to post but I'm so excited about the outfits I whipped up for the girls this weekend. I just have to show them off!

I hope to do a tutorial on how to make these adorable little tops soon, but until then, I'll just have to let you have a sneak peak. These little tops are reversible. I really like making reversible things right now. It's great for my girls. If we're out and their tops get dirty, all I have to do is turn them around. There is also opportunity for extended seasonal wear with these.

And here are a few pics of the girls wearing them at our family reunion this past weekend. It was their first time sitting in Santa's lap:

I'm linking this post up with:

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25 Days of Thanks Challenge: Day 25

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Today I am Thankful for...My blogging friends

When I started this challenge, it was really more of a personal challenge and I thought I might have a few of my friends play along every now and then. It turned into so much more. I feel so blessed to have been allowed a glimpse into the lives of those who have linked up here and my prayer is that this experience has been as meaningful for you as it has been for me. Thank you for joining me on this little journey. God bless you all this Thanksgiving!

25 Days of Thanks Challenge: Day 24

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Today I am Thankful for...My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

I have been saving this post for the end of my 25 days of thanks journey because it is what I am MOST thankful for.

When I was ten years old, my parents divorced. I was a happy-go-lucky kid without a care in the world. Yep, the divorce was hard, but my parents did it the right way...they showed me love through the entire thing. They made sure I knew it had nothing to do with me and my mom even helped my dad set up the place where he would be living. They spent a day moving him in and setting up his place with things that were familiar to me.

I began spending every other weekend with my dad and a lot more time with my Granny & Papa. One weekend, they took me with them to church camp. I had been to church off and on while growing up but never had been to Sunday school and certainly had never spent a weekend away from home with a church group. One of my great aunts decided that I had reached the age where I was ready to be "saved" so they brought me down to the front of the room where they were preaching and people began to pray over me. I had never been quite so scared in all my life. Needless to say, I didn't want to go to church for a long time after that. No one ever explained to me what being "saved" was and I didn't see what I needed to be "saved" from. Regardless of how traumatic that may have seemed to me at the time, it was what started me asking questions. I remember all of a sudden I was afraid to go out into the dark to feed my dogs at night. I was scared of different sounds, and I didn't know what would happen to me if I were to die.

One night on our way home from a Christmas program, I asked my mom what being "saved" was all about. She explained to me in terms that I could understand:

She asked me if I did things that were wrong

(yes, I had told many a lies when I ate candy before dinner)

She asked me if I believed Jesus was real and he died for me

(yes, I had heard that story all my life and never once doubted)

She asked me if I knew where I would go when I died

(no! I didn't and that scared me).

She calmly explained that if we trusted and believed in Jesus and asked him to be our savior, he would come live in our hearts and we wouldn't have to be afraid of what would happen to us any more, HE would take care of us and when we died, we would be with Him in heaven. I remember thinking "that's all being saved is? All I have to do is pray and tell Jesus I messed up, I believe in Him, and I want to follow Him?" It was so easy! She asked me if I wanted to pray to ask Jesus to save me and I did right then and there in the car on the interstate.

It was amazing! I wasn't scared anymore. I felt completely at ease and confident. I wasn't afraid to go back to church with my dad and the happy-go-lucky girl returned. I have no doubt that was the moment that Christ came into my heart but it took me many years of searching to realize the true weight of my decision that night. Not being in church regularly, and not attending Sunday school, I didn't have guidance as to MY responsibility as someone who had accepted Jesus's free gift of salvation. I of course began to flounder and it wasn't until I was in high school that I began to find my way back to the Lord.

I wanted so badly to be popular so I looked at the girls who were popular and asked what they all had in common. Though it shouldn't, it sometimes amazes me what the Lord chooses to use to get your attention. At the time, they were all going to a certain church who held revivals quite often (it wasn't until later that I discovered going to church was just a disguise for the things they did afterward). It was then that I found my Bible. I started reading it and all of a sudden verses started coming alive to me. The first verse I ever remember reading and applying was "Whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus, Giving thanks to God the Father through Him." WOW! I am supposed to do what JESUS did? This was life altering for me. God began revealing himself to me in so many ways.

I started going to church with my dad every Sunday and I started going to Sunday school. I was saddened to hear the kids in my class talking about all of the partying they had done the night before, bad-mouthing other people in the church, and even the Sunday school teacher then turn on the smiles as soon as our teacher entered. I knew from what I had been reading in my Bible, this wasn't how God's people were supposed to be. I wanted to do what HE wanted me to so I prayed. I felt disconnected from Him and started to feel that uneasiness return. I had never joined the church or been baptized so I thought maybe that was what was missing. At 16, with God's guidance and no one else's, I made the decision to join my Daddy's church (my mom wasn't attending a church) in obedience to the Lord. I was baptized in a cool swimming pool on a hot summer day. That act in and of itself did not save me, but it did allow me to publicly announce that I believed in Jesus as my savior. I wanted NOTHING to separate me from Him and wanted to be fully obedient to Him. It was a way for me to throw my insecurities aside and admit that He was and is everything to me. If he publicly died on a cross for me, being dunked in a little water was the very least I could do for Him!

I am so thankful that my faith is not based on my parent's faith or anyone else's. It was through God's guidance and soul searching on my part that I came to have a personal relationship with my Savior. He has seen me through so many things. I can look back on my life so far and see His hand on my life in so many ways. I have NOT lived a perfect life. I have made my fair share of mistakes and fail to give the Lord my all each day. One thing I DO know is that Jesus died for ME. He loves me and wants what is best for me. I owe everything I am and everything I have to Him because without Him, I am nothing.

25 Days of Thanks Challenge: Day 23

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Today I am Thankful for...My Soul Mate, The Love of My Life, My Husband

God certainly knew what he was doing when he put my husband in my life. I tell people often that I could never have dreamed up a more perfect person to spend the rest of my life with. He is my perfect compliment. He is patient with me. He is so careful of my feelings. He never criticizes me. He always encourages me. He never complains about the dishes not being done, the house not being clean or the laundry piling up. He's eager to help in any way he can. He works hard for our family so we can be home and comfortable. He's the best daddy any little girl could ask for. He always knows how to make me laugh. He's the best listener...I could go on for days...Let's just say that he's my knight in shining armor and I can't imagine life without him. I love you so much, babe and can't wait to spend the rest of our days together!

25 Days of Thanks Challenge: Day 22

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Today I am Thankful for...My Firstborn, Elena

My Dear Sweet Elena,
When you were born, my life was forever changed. I always dreamed of being a mommy and you made that dream a reality. You have always been my independent one. I love that you go after whatever you desire with such zest! You definitely have a mind of your own and for that I am grateful. You have always amazed me with how quickly you catch onto things. You are a little sponge and can remember things that even I can't. You love to read, dance, draw, sing, watch TV, eat marshmallows and gummy worms, and would rather dig in the dirt than play on your play set. You love to help mommy get supper ready and I can often find you pretending to host your own cooking show (Cooking with Chef Elena). You have such an imagination and your latest invention is your friend, Miracle Anna.Whenever I hear you chatting away and I ask who you are talking to, Miracle Anna is always your answer (and you say it like "Duh, Mommy! Don't you know?")

You have risen to the challenge of being a big sister beautifully! Your daddy and I had no doubt that you would. You rarely get jealous and you are always eager to help. You get so worried if Kate cries and if there is the tiniest bit of drool on her cheek, you run get a cloth to wipe it off. You love being silly and making her laugh. With all of your independence and self-confidence, it is easy for me to forget that you are only two and a half. Sometimes I know I expect too much from you as the older sibling.

With you I am learning what it means to wear my heart outside of my body. This weekend I was reminded that you are still young and vulnerable. I was witness to some older children being far from nice to you and it broke my heart. I didn't know that I could feel pain that way. I immediately understood why all those moms came huffing and puffing up to the school when someone did wrong by their child where I taught. I was so proud when you took it in stride and simply decided to go play somewhere else. I just wanted to scold those other children and scoop you up and protect you and tell you what an amazingly precious person you are but I know there are going to be those times when I can't always do that. Know that your mommy loves you so dearly and I will always ALWAYS be praying for you and loving you my sweet, precious, funny, independent girl! You are my joy and my heart and I am so thankful God put you in our lives!

25 Days of Thanks Challenge: Day 21

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Today I am Thankful for...My OTHER Dad

(Sorry I'm so late posting today...busy weekend) I have been blessed with two wonderful fathers...my dad who you read about earlier and my step-dad. They are totally different from one another and both have helped make me into the person I am today. Even though my step-dad is not blood related, I can't imagine loving him any more if he were. He was always there for me as a teenager. When my mom and I had disagreements, he was always there for me to talk to or to advise my mother (always quietly and without stepping on toes). Being a former band director himself, he was always my biggest supporter in the band world. He is an amazing man and I feel so blessed to call him my dad!

25 Days of Thanks Challenge: Day 20

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Today I am Thankful for...My Mother

My Mother is an amazing woman. She has always inspired me to be a better person. Whatever she decides to do, she gives it 110%. For example, when she graduated from college, she did so in three years as a TRIPLE major! When I was born, she quit work so she could be home with me and be the best mother she could to me. I grew up knowing that no matter what happened, she loved me with her whole heart. She gave me some of the best childhood memories. From junk food days to silly songs we sang when we got in the car, she always knew how to make me smile. As I grew into a teenager, we had a delicate balance. She was my best friend but also my mother so sometimes I didn't always like her honesty with me. I know she had many days when she wanted to pull her hair out with me, then! Regardless of our disagreements, I always knew she was there for me and wanted what was best for me. Today, she is still my best friend (aside from my husband). I can talk to her about almost anything. She was there for the birth of both of the girls and helped coach me through the pain of delivering Kate (since my meds weren't working at that point). She is an amazing teacher, grandmother, friend, and yes, she still goes by "Mommy." This one's for you, my amazing mother. Love you, Mommy!

25 Days of Thanks Challenge: Day 19

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Today I am Thankful for...Our Camper

the view from INSIDE our camper at our favorite spot

 When we first were married, I never thought we would be into camping. I had camped in tents in high school and college and knew that wasn't my idea of a vacation. It was fun but not relaxing for me. My husband had been camping with his family in their family camper(s) since he was in diapers. We started planning a summer trip to the Grand Canyon and began investigating the cost of renting a camper for the trip. We were amazed to find out that we could purchase our own for not much more than it would cost for us to rent. We then began our search for the perfect travel trailer and special ordered our 2006 21' Wildwood. I was still a little nervous about such a big purchase. I wasn't sure camping was for me but we took our maiden voyage to Hunting Island State Park in December and I was hooked. Since then we have kept a journal about each of our camping ventures. Though we have yet to take that trip out west, we have made so many wonderful memories and I am so thankful that we purchased that first camper. We have since purchased a much larger one to accommodate our growing family. I am so excited about the memories that we will be able to make together in it!