A Great Day

We had an absolutely wonderful day today with Shawn's parents. We left here this morning and headed over to my in-laws house. We dropped Cameron off and headed to the grocery store. Shawn and I got a few groceries, but the good thing is that we didn't need a whole lot so we got out of there spending around $45.00. We headed back to his parents house, picked them up and then off to the pizza shop we went to see my SIL and of course get a pizza. They have really great pizza's. My favorite thing that my SIL got me started on was burnt cheese. I know it sounds weird, but it is so good. She basically takes some foil, sprays it with non-stick spray, spreads mozzarella cheese on the foil and puts it into the pizza oven until it is brown on the edges. Oh, it is so good and well I must admit that I am addicted. YUMMY!!

After lunch we headed back to Shawn's parents house and sat around for a visit. I love that I have so much in common with my MIL. I helped her change her blog background and also helped her with her signature and it looks pretty good. She even has a new blog header that she put together on Scrapblog. Cameron ran from room to room sharing his love among everyone and Shawn and his Dad sat and watched some tv. Shawn's sister Karen came home shortly before we left and noticed that Cameron was really into music so she got out her guitar and played it for Cameron. Well, Cameron LOVED it. He danced, clapped, snapped his fingers or so he thought and just had a blast. It was so cute to see the boys having so much fun together while listening to Karen play the guitar. It was just a fun day today and to top it all off..... I got new slippers. I know, it sounds like no big deal, but my Mom bought me a pair of slippers around Christmas time and I have worn them non-stop since then. I must really be wearing them alot because I am starting to break them down. I wanted to see if Wal-Mart had anymore before it was too late and luckily they had 1 more pair left in my size out of 7 pairs so I was pretty happy!! These slippers are so warm and they have memory foam inside so they are quite comfy too. Perfect for these cold winter days and nights we are dealing with all the time. Anyway, my little man is sleeping peacefully after a fun day with his Mimi, Grampy, Zoe and Kee.

Going Out

Well, I must say that we are quite excited to get out of the house today. We have some errands to run and one of those errands include going to go visit my in-laws. We heard that we were suppose to get more snow early next week so we definitely have to get to the grocery store and I heard we are having lunch with my in-laws so I am looking forward to that. I have been in pretty much all week except for a few times here and there, but I must admit that I am a bit more content then DH. He definitely COULD NOT be a Stay At Home Dad (SAHD). He gets quite fidgety to say the least and I do after a couple of days, but I also find other things in the home I can do. Anyway, it will be nice to get out and of course Cameron is looking forward to seeing his Mimi and Grampy and Zoe/Kee. Yep, every time I mention that we are going over for a visit..... he goes through the Mickey Mouse roll call, but with his grandparents, their dog and his aunt. It is too cute and he just gets so excited!! Happy Saturday Everyone!!

Anyone Need A Tissue?

I was in the kitchen this morning washing up a few dishes and cleaning off my countertops and thought that Cameron was awfully quiet. You know when a child is quiet then you are probably in for some trouble. So, I grabbed the drying towel, dried my hands off and went in to the family room to check on him. Yep, he was in to no good to say the least. He had got the box of tissues out and shredded half the box and was blowing his nose on the other half. I asked him what he was doing and he said "booger." I guess he needed a tissue, but did he need to use the whole box on his tiny nose and why did he have to shred the other tissues? It was pretty cute watching him blow his nose, but geesh louise I don't think he needed a whole box for 1 tiny little booger. So, we are down 1 box of tissues and we have a little boy with one very clean nose (lol). Gotta love him!!

My Heart Overflows

Well, we are snowed in once again. We got hammered pretty good with the snow here in Ohio and all the schools around were closed and there were even some businesses that decided to close their doors. My DH was off Tuesday from school due to the weather, off yesterday and well he is off again today. Oh, there is nothing better then having him home with me. Cameron and I have really been enjoying the time with him.

Last night we had some visitors at our home. There is a couple that has an 8 week old little boy that they are thinking about bringing over here for me to care for during the week. Well, let me just tell you that I was so proud of Cameron for the way that he interacted with this little baby. He was so sweet and gentle with him and he gave him kisses and gently rubbed his head. It was just so cute and then next thing you know..... he came over and asked me if he could kiss the baby. Oh, it was just precious!! I know that if we ever have more children that Cameron would make an absolutely GREAT big brother. I guess we will have to wait and see what the future brings. I am not sure what God has in store for us, but if he blesses us with another baby then we will of course gladly accept him or her. I just know that I am so very blessed to have my sweet Cameron and if it is not in God's plan for us to have another child then I truly understand. I just thank God daily that he blessed us with Cameron and my heart and soul is forever grateful that he saw that we were worthy enough to have such a beautiful and precious gift. Thank you God for answering my prayers and for blessing us with such a precious child.

Yesterday was definitely no different then any other day. We had snow everywhere and it was chilly and of course I had my camera out and was snapping pictures here and there. You would think that I would be taking pictures of the snow and the ice, but nope..... I had something or maybe I should say someone else in mind. I literally think about this little boy every single day, every single minute and it doesn't matter if he is with me or not. He is always on my mind and in my heart. I am just crazy and madly in love with this precious boy of mine. I seriously never had any idea how much love my heart could hold until I became a Mom and well now my heart just overflows with love for him.

Iced and Snowed In & Keeping Warm

Last night I was laying on the couch before Shawn headed off for work. Well, Cameron loves it when we sit on the couch so, he was thrilled when he saw that I was laying there trying to keep warm. So, he climbed up over top of me, grabbed his Doodle Pro that he has to take everywhere (Thanks Scott & Stacey) and he proceeded to enjoy the snuggle time with Mommy. Doesn't this picture just totally crack you up? He was so comfortable and he was "coloring" on his Doodle Pro and also pretending to fix my hair. He is always running his hands through my hair which I totally love, but sometimes he can be quite the rough beautician (lol).

So, I was laying there watching the news and Shawn turned to the weather station and this is what we see. Yep, we were in for a doozy. We were definitely going to get hammered here in Ohio.

Last night we were hammered with the freezing rain and drizzle. As you can see..... it has been way to cold to take down the Christmas light so they were covered in the ice this morning when we woke up.

Here is a view from our front porch this morning..... Yep, now we are getting hammered with the snow. Oh, how I love this Ohio weather! It is suppose to snow pretty much all day and there are tons and tons of schools and businesses closed here and around our town. The only good thing about this weather is that my DH is off from work again today. YAY!! We love snow/ice days for that fact, but come summer time, he is going to have to make up a few days. Well, Cameron is wanting oatmeal for breakfast so I better run for now. My boss is needed me : )

STAY WARM AND SAFE EVERYONE!!

Pay it Forward - Check it Out!

I have yet to win one, but I thought I would try again!! My motta is never give up so here we go again! My good friend and fellow OSU Buckeye - Kelly @ Close to Home is having a pay it forward contest. If you win then she will ship a goodie box to your door and well I am sure it will be great, but I don't want you to head over there and sign up because I want my chances to be bigger and better for me to win (hahahaha). Ok, ok, I will be a good sport, but if you win then you gotta share the goods (lol). Ok, just go check it out and good luck! Gotta love a game where people pay it forward and well it is the gift that just keeps on giving. Thanks Kelly for having such a fun contest......now go pick out my name out of the hat : )

FIREPROOF - Grab Yourself a Copy because I Did

I LOVE IT!! What more can I say. My husband is off today from work due to us receiving more snow. Yep, unfortunately we are suppose to get hammered with more tonight and well I am ready to pack up and head some place tropical for some warm weather!! The good thing about the snow...... snow days and my husband gets to stay home. I LOVE IT!!

Oh, another thing that I am totally loving right now is the fact that FireProof came out on DVD today and guess what?!? Yep, you guessed correctly..... I have my very own copy. I LOVE IT!!
My husband went to Wal-Mart this morning to pick it up for me since I have been wanting it since we saw it in the movie theaters and now I finally have myself a copy! The package that it came in also included a movie called FlyWheel, but I have no idea what that is about so I will have to check it out and let you know if it is worth watching. I am sure if it is made by the same production company as FireProof and Facing the Giants then it will be just as great!! Well, I better run for now. I am going to go snuggle up under my fleece blanket with a warm french vanilla cappuccino and watch FireProof.

Photo Tag

My MIL tagged me this weekend while I was visiting my parents so I am just now getting around to doing it since my little one is down for good nights rest. The rules are go to where you store all of your photos on your computer and open it up...then go to the 5th folder and open it up...and then go to the 5th picture in that folder and post it on you blog with a short story about that photo. Then tag 5 people with this challenge leaving them a message or email them letting them know that they have been tagged. Well, here is my picture and the story is below.

To be honest with you.... I was hoping that I would have a different picture, but when I followed the directions, this is what I came up with. This picture was taken just recently when we went out to have a nice lunch at Olive Garden. My parents gave us some Olive Garden gift cards for Christmas so we were treating ourselves to a nice lunch out and trust me.... it was SO good!!

I am now suppose to tag 5 people, but I think I will bow out gracefully and say this "If you are reading this and would like to participate then please feel free to do so and have fun with it! Thanks Mom for tagging me.

A Fun Visit & A Slippery Ride Home

Well, it is Monday and I know it sounds crazy that I am not participating this week in the Not Me Monday carnival of fun, but perhaps I will get back into the groove of things next week. All I can say is that my weekend was lots of fun. I had a wonderful time spending it with my parents. They live over 2 hours away so I don't get to see them all that frequently, but they do have their condo up for sale and hopefully they will sell it soon. Hey, if any of you readers are looking for a beautiful condo on a golf course here in Ohio then let me know. It really is a beautiful condo with a breath-taking view!! Anyway, my visit with them was so much fun. We went to Amish country, had a great lunch out that my Mom treated us to and then we cruised the antique malls and found some great goodies. I just love decorating with primitives and antiques so if my Mom is willing to take me out then I am all for it!! We just had a great time and I ended up coming home with lots of stuff. If you are interested in seeing some of those old antiques that I picked up then head on over to my other blog..... Prims from Above. I posted some pictures on there and will be posting more later today so be sure to stay posted to that site if you are interested in primitive/antique decorating. I know that alot of people aren't and that is fine. I guess that is why I posted that on my other blog. Ok, back to my lunch..... I had a ham & swiss quiche, a side salad with herb dressing and then I ended it with a shared piece of 7 layer carrot cake. Oh yes, that carrot cake was so YUMMY!! I must say that Rebecca's restaurant is my favorite and my Mom and I always have a date out at that restaurant when I go for a visit. Oh how I love FAMILY TIME!! Our drive home was a bit touch and go. We didn't know that we were suppose to get so much snow. We heard flurries, but you know those weathermen. I am not sure you can count on them that much. We ended up having a couple of inches and the roads were not good at all. One lady that was driving must not have been paying attention because she almost came over in front of us and caused a HUGE accident, we also passed by 2 other accidents and then we saw some lady driving 10 MPH - Yep, you heard me right - 10 MPH on the 4 lane freeway. How insane!! I am surprised she didn't cause an accident. Anyway, I was just so happy to be home and safe!! Here are some pictures of our drive home!! I know it may not look REAL bad, but the roads weren't great and when you have to drive with others that don't know how to drive then it can tend to get a bit crazy to say the least!!

A Great Weekend

It has been a great day here. I am actually typing this from the comfort of my Mom & Dad's home. We came here for the weekend and we have been really enjoying ourselves. We got here this morning and we sat down and spent some time visiting with my Dad. After about an hour we headed to Amish country, had lunch at my favorite restaurant and then headed to one of the many antique malls. Oh, I am coming home with so many goodies and will be posting pictures on my Prims from Above blog site probably sometime tomorrow. After a day in Amish Country, we came home and enjoyed one of my favorite meals made by my Mom. We had a delicious salad with homemade buttermilk dressing, shrimp jubilee, crescent rolls and cherry cheesecake. Oh, it was so good and now I am recovering from having a very full belly (lol).

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. We are going to spend the day with them tomorrow and head home sometime in the afternoon. I will post more tomorrow evening!!

Suggestions Needed Regarding Crib

Hi All - I am in need of some suggestions. My son just turned 2 years old as most of you know. I am very lucky that he hasn't tried climbing out of his crib and due to that.... we have decided to just keep him in his crib. He doesn't climb out, he doesn't climb in and when he wakes up, he is very content to just lay in there and play and wait for us to come and get him. My problem is that I went in to get him this morning and he had put his legs between the slats of the crib. I was able to get one leg out, but it took me 10 minutes to get the other out and that wasn't without crying. I have tried to put the bumper pads in, but he just puts his legs on top of the bumper pad and then we have bigger issues to work with then because of the bumper pad. So, do any of you Mom's have suggestions? I know the easiest thing would be to take him out of the crib, but then I would have a little hyper boy that would never want to go to bed plus he would probably fall out of the bed with all the rolling around he does..... he moves so much. I can see him totally rolling over top of the kids rail too. Well, let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

PRIVACY - A thing of the past!

I guess that when you become a Mom that privacy is a thing of the past. I can't even remember the last time I was able to use the restroom without having a certain someone join me. Yep, I think every time I turn around Cameron is running after me into the bathroom and it doesn't matter how fast I run because he always catches up to me. There are times I don't mind the company, but seriously there are other times when I just wish it was me in the bathroom. Today he was watching Blue's Clues and I tip toed around the corner and into the restroom and was able to actually pee in private, but do you think I would be able to wipe in private?!? Uh, NO!! If he isn't in there asking me what I am doing then he is under the sink going through the box of tampons, panty liners and throwing everything that will fit into the trash can into the trash. Yep, even if it doesn't need to be going into the trash. So, once I am done using the restroom.... I have to dig all the stuff out of the trash can, put the tampons & panty liners back into the box and hurry up and shut the door before he goes for round two. He was telling me today that the wrapper for one tampon was purple and that another had green on it and well I guess we must go into the bathroom for a quick class on colors. It is funny because every time my husband has to use the restroom, I am sure to tell Cameron that Daddy is going potty, but would you think that he follows?!? Ah, nope. He must only follow me into the restroom and interrupt my potty time. Hmmm, you wonder why that is? I have tried locking him out of the bathroom, but then I have to use the restroom to the wonderful sounds of banging on the door, crying and fingers popping through the bottom of the door. I guess he just has me so far wrapped around his fingers that I can't stand to hear the screaming and crying and then I let him in.

So, did I tell you all about his recent thing that he is doing? Just this week we have been putting him to bed and he has not been having it AT ALL. He screams bloody murder, this scream is literally blood curdling. If you didn't know that there was no one in his room then you would think that someone was hurting him. The first couple nights...... Shawn and I would take turns and go get him because we just couldn't stand it anymore, but it has been 2 nights in a row where we haven't gone to get him and well it literally kills me. Oh, it is a scream that you wouldn't ever forget. It is just awful. So, I am hoping and praying that he doesn't do it again tonight because I am just not sure I can take much more of it. I would probably end up going up after him. So, do any of you wonderful Mommies have any ideas on what to do or how I can help him be a bit more calm at night? I am up for anything when it comes to helping soothe him a bit.....and me (lol). I am sure it is just the terrible two's stage, but there has to be something I can do to help him want to go to bed. I just hate hearing him cry..... it breaks my heart!!

Favorite Memories

My sweet friend & fellow blogging Buckeye Kelly @ Close to Home tagged me and wants me to share my top 4 in each of the categories listed. So, here they are....

Favorite memories of 2008
#1 Cameron's 1st birthday party
#2 watching Cameron learn, love, laugh and explore every single day
#3 celebrating 5 wonderful years of marriage with my husband
#4 starting my blog and making new friends

Favorite movies of 2008 (not necessarily 2008 movies)
#1 Fireproof
#2 Facing the Giants
#3 Notebook
#4 Fool's Gold

Favorite foods of 2008
#1 My special at our local Mexican restaurant (Mariachi Chicken) oh yummy!!
#2 my italian chicken w/ mushrooms and onions
#3 my husband's all famous pork chops
#4 pizza from Purple Monkey with mushrooms, green olives and onions

Favorite places of 2008
#1 At home with Sunshine and Moonbeam
#2 visiting my parents
#3 visiting my in-laws
#4 church

Events in 2008
#1 Cameron's 1st birthday party
#2 my husband graduated from college with his masters in school guidance counseling
#3 my 5th wedding anniversary
#4 my gall bladder was taken out

Things i liked in 2008
#1 FAMILY TIME
#2 getting new carpet in our family room
#3 making new friends
#4 continuing to be able to stay home with Cameron. What a blessing!!

Things I look forward to in 2009
#1 Finding a work at home job so my DH doesn't have to work 2 jobs anymore
#2 continuing to attend church every Sunday, attend Bible study and to become closer to God.
#3 more family time.... I feel like I can't get enough of it.
#4 If it is in God's will then I would love to have another baby

Now I will tag 4 to play along...
Anna @ Anna's Card's and Scrapbooking (she is my MIL and I love her).
Jennifer @ Grace Like Rain (a dear bloggy friend that has been around for awhile)
Emily @ Memory Keepsakes (a new bloggy friend)
Amy B @ Our Daily Blessing... Life (I just love this gal)

Going Years Without Closure

As some of you might know..... I am a volunteer with RESOLVE (The National Infertility Association). I check messages for our HelpLine every week and tonight I received a call from a woman that has been dealing with infertility for years. Now when I say years..... I mean years. She is 72 years old and she really was tugging on my heart strings tonight. She called and left her name & number and I instantly thought that she had called the wrong number. I called her back and she expressed to me that she dealt with years and years of infertility and she was looking to talk to someone or anyone that could help her get some closure. She said that she sits and talks with her friends and they all talk about their own kids or grandkids and she doesn't have anything to talk about except her 2 cats. My heart just ached for this woman. I thought to myself that she is probably a very lonely person. I talked to her for some time and I realized that there are probably so many women out there that were never able to get pregnant. Now as they are older and hearing about all their friends and their children and grandchildren it makes it for a very difficult time for them. Can you imagine going all of those years without any closure? Can you imagine that she is probably so lonely and would probably give anything to share a story about her own child or grandchildren? I just can't imagine going so long without any closure and I guess that is why she really struck a chord with me tonight. I truly enjoy being a volunteer and helping others that have been in the same shoes as me. It is rewarding to know that I can give back something to others and know that I am helping them as they go through some of the same things that I went through. I remember when I went through fertility treatments..... all I wanted was someone that had been there before to talk to me and just tell me that everything that I was experiencing was normal, everything I was feeling was normal and everything that I couldn't control was normal. It is indeed a difficult time in ones life, but I truly can't imagine going 72 years without any closure. I could hear the hurt in her voice and I guess that is why this call touched me so much tonight. I pray that she will soon find closure, peace and be able to move on with her life. Have you ever crossed paths with someone and they touched your life? Well, tonight I experienced that with this lady. You never know why people are brought into your life, but I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. I just hope that I was able to help her. I just hope and pray that she finds the peace that she needs.

Wordless Wednesday

GOD IS SO GOOD - Congrats Jenn!

Tonight I am thrilled to share some happy and exciting news!! A dear blogger friend of mine heard some great news today and I am so happy for her. Jennifer over at Chase & Jenn plus 10 found out today that they are pregnant and I am so so happy for them. I can't recall how I found Jenn's site, but when I found it.... I was automatically drawn to her and her story. You see, Jenn has gone through years of trying to conceive, lots of fertility treatments and after IVF..... she is PREGNANT!! I remember when I went through IVF, I needed someone to help me to stay focused on what my goal was and a dear friend of mine that had gone through IVF was there for me. She helped me to stay positive and helped me along the way and I am so thankful for her. She was blessed with twin boys after many attempts of IVF. I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles all day long, I felt like it was me all over again waiting for that call and waiting to hear good news. What a blessing!! God is truly AWESOME and he listens and answers so many prayers. I have been working overtime praying for so many people lately. I have had so much weighing on my heart and I am so happy for so many answered prayers. Jenn is pregnant, Harper is improving and Brayden continues to do well and I am so very happy!! WOW!!!! I leave you tonight with a thought...... if you are dealing with some trials and tribulations right now then I encourage you to turn it all over to God. God is in control and these answered prayers are proof of that. As goes for Jenn and her news that she shared with me tonight - I am so happy that words cannot describe. I am happy and my eyes are filled with tears because I honestly remember it like yesterday when I received that news that I was so anxiously waiting on. CONGRATS to you Jenn!! Many hugs and my continued prayers are being sent to you tonight.

Holding my precious boy AGAIN

Today was indeed a great day. My dear husband was off from work and he didn't have to work his 2nd job. Cameron and I really enjoyed our day with him. The other best thing about today was that I FINALLY was able to hold my little boy after going weeks and weeks of weight restrictions after my surgery on Dec 5th. Yep, I picked him up, cuddled with him and loved every single minute of it. WOW, I missed it so much. I think about Kelly and Jenna not being able to hold their precious kids and I must say that I know how they feel. This time when I wasn't able to hold Cameron was so difficult for me and for him. I can't even begin to remember how many times he ran towards me today and told me to hold him. He would hug me and snuggle with me and I could tell that he really missed that Mommy time. My husband has done an excellent job with him, but I am ready to take over and get back to our own Mommy/Cameron time again. You never know how much you miss it until it is gone so make sure that you don't ever take anything like that for granted. I am not saying that I EVER took it for granted, but it is something that makes you think about those awesome moments of being able to hold your child, play with them and just enjoy that close bond. There is indeed nothing better then holding your child and now I have ALOT of making up to do so I better get busy!!

BLUE BLUE BLUE

Cameron is watching Blue's Clues and I am looking at these pictures that I took of Cameron the other morning. Yep, the thing that caught my attention right away was the blue eyes staring back at me. I remember thinking to myself when I was pregnant..... "Oh, I so hope this little boy has blue eyes like his Daddy." Well, he was indeed blessed with blue eyes, but I must say that Cameron's eyes are of a brighter blue as with Shawn's they are more of a lighter blue. Both of my boys have beautiful eyes, but look at these eyes on Cameron. I have a feeling that I am gonna be in for some big trouble as he gets older. I am gonna have to lock the doors and board up the windows (lol). Anyway, take a look at his pretty eyes and tell me if they are not gorgeous!! Oh, you will also get to see his chin where he cut it open on his train table. Luckily, he didn't need stitches. It wasn't that bad, but it was dripping blood when it happened and Mommy was freaking out!!

A prayer for these sweet precious babies!!

Just got home from church and it was great. The music was moving and the sermon was wonderful. I took a moment during church today to say a prayer for little Harper and Brayden. If you haven't had a chance to check out these sites then I encourage you to do so and say a prayer for these sweet babies. They both were born just recently and are experiencing some health issues. They need our prayers and they need God's healing. I am a firm believer that there is power in prayer so I just ask you to check out their sites and say a little prayer for them today.

Harper's Mommy is Kelly and you can read all about their story @ Kelly's Korner.

Little Brayden is the son to Jenna and you can read all about their story @ Jenna's Journey.

A Boy & His Boots

Gotta love seeing a cute little boy walking around in his boots. My in-laws bought Cameron some rubber gum boots during the fall. They were intended for camping, but he loves to wear them around the house and if they aren't dirty on the bottom, then I let him do it. I was in the process of getting him ready for a bath the other night and he grabbed his boots and wouldn't put them down. He just finished his dinner (spaghetti) and his face was all stained from the spaghetti sauce so I thought it would be perfect to just stick him in the tub. Well, he wanted to cruise around the house in his onesie and his boots for a little while and I let him while I was cleaning up the kitchen. Well, he put one boot on and then tried his best to get the other on, but just couldn't keep his balance long enough to get his other foot in. He is going through this stage where he wants to do everything by himself so he didn't want my help. So, he walked around with one boot on, one sock on and his onesie for about 15 minutes. I had to snap a few pictures because I thought he looked too cute. He stood at the back door looking out at the snow and turned to me and said "go outside Mommy?" I had to laugh because he would have frozen his tushie off if he would've gone out that way. It is funny because kids don't realize that.... all they care about is going outside to play. Well, enjoy the pictures!!

Noises at Night & The Culprit

Brave is exactly what I was tonight!! I have been sitting here watching Backyardigans with Cameron and reading a few blogs here and there. Well, I was sitting here with the TV up a bit louder then normal so, I wouldn't hear anything and BAM, I heard that same noise again tonight. Well, I wasn't going to sit around and be freaked out so I grabbed a pair of Shawn's shoes, slipped them on and out the front door I went with the phone in hand of course. Cameron stood at the front door and I just went out on the stoop to take a peak around the corner of the house where I heard the noise. Well, the good news is that I didn't see any footprints, but I did see something quite scary. It appears that the noise maker is large amounts of icesicles hanging from the side of our home. Yep, these things are probably the size of a yard stick and I am not kidding. They probably weigh so much and they are falling off the gutters and hitting the side of the house in the process. Yep, I was quite relieved to see that they were only icesicles and now I am laughing at myself because both Cameron and I were freaking out so much last night over icesicles (hahahaha). Isn't it crazy what kind of tricks your mind will play on you? Anyway, here are the oh so scary icesicles that we were so afraid of last night. All I want to do now is go outside and knock them all down, but I guess I will have to wait til tomorrow when it is light out. Temps are suppose to be -20 degrees tonight so it is once again gonna be a chilly one. Time to bundle up and stay warm.

Getting to Know Me, Getting to Know More About Me

Ok, well it appears that I have been tagged by Mama Bear from 4 the Love of Family. If you haven't checked out her blog then head on over there and check it out. You will totally fall in love with her blog and well her little girl is just cute as pie and she has such curly hair. She is adorable!! Anyway, I have been tagged and now I am suppose to tell you 16 things that you might not already know about me. Hmmm, ok let's get started - shall we?

1) My middle name is Mae. I was named after my grandma my Mom's Mom (Clara Mae) and my Dad's sister (Sally Mae).

2) My favorite color is purple

3) When I sleep.... I normally sleep on my right side. That is why it was so difficult for me to sleep when I had my gall bladder removed.

4) My grandpa took me to Kaanapali, Maui when I graduated from high school as a graduation gift. We went first class all the way and it was such a great and memorable time. Oh, it was just such a beautiful place.

5) When my grandpa passed away he left me inheritance money and I used some of the money that he left me to go swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida. It was a dream of mine and I had so much fun. My grandpa allowed me to do so many wonderful things. He was such a great man and fun too!!

6) I have 2 tattoos. I have one of a dolphin just to remind me of my time at Discovery Cove and I have another one of a butterfly. I got these in my younger years just shortly after graduation.

7) I drive a Honda CRV

8) I wear a size 7 shoe

9) I married my husband after being setup on a blind date and only knowing him for 3 months.

10) I don't drink alcohol

11) I don't smoke

12) My favorite food is Mexican

13) My favorite drinks are A & W Cream Soda and Diet Coke

14) My favorite pizza toppings are cheese, mushroom, onions and green olives

15) My favorite ice cream is chocolate peanut butter

16) My favorite sound EVER is my child's laughter

Ok, well now that I have shared 16 interesting facts about myself that you probably didn't already know..... it is your turn. So, I am going to tag the following gals - Here is the shout out list so listen up. I pick Kelly @ Close to Home, Stacey @ A Reilly Farm Wife Praying to become pregnant, Elaine @ Matters of the Heart, Emily @ My Memory Keepsakes and Lyndsay @ Handsome Little Men. Ok ladies.... you better get busy on your lists and have fun!!

WEATHER & PRAYERS

So, Shawn was off from work again today and I have been loving it with him being home. The bad news is that he still has to go to his 2nd job which is a bummer because that means that we are home alone in the evening. I would much rather be home alone during the daytime, but I guess I have to try to be a big girl and deal with all the noises.

So, we have about 5-6 inches of snow on the ground, we are expecting more tomorrow and the temperatures are bone chilling. I mean it is so cold out that your nose hairs could freeze off as soon as you walk out the door. So, the temps are -12 degrees today and that does not even include the wind chill factor so yep it is a bit chilly. We have our thermostat set at 73 and it feels like 23 in here.....ok, ok maybe I am being a bit drastic, but it is cold and I can't seem to stay warm. I have my pajama pants on, socks, slippers, a t-shirt, a sweatshirt and well I am about ready to put a parka on. Don't you hate it when you are so cold and you have the hardest time getting warmed up?!? If I start out my day like this then I will have a hard time getting warmed back up and it will probably just take a downward spiral from here. Well, at least if I freeze my bum off then I could get rid of some of my weight (lol).

We were suppose to go and visit Stacey & Scott this weekend. Stacey is Shawn's cousin and well we have something in common..... we both love to decorate with primitives. Yep, gotta love a gal that loves to decorate the same way you do. Anyway, they live in this old farmhouse that was Scott's grandma and I just can't imagine how cute Stacey has it decorated. If you haven't checked out Stacey's blog then click on Stacey & Scott and it will take you right there. Stacey is just such a sweet person and you would love her if you had the chance to get to know her. Anyway, due to the weather we cancelled our plans to go and visit them this weekend. We are suppose to get more snow here and well they are suppose to get more then we are so we cancelled and are hoping to go up to visit them sometime very soon. The neat thing about Scott & Stacey is that they do alot of farming and well to a city girl like me that is interesting so hopefully we could go and visit sometime during the summer to just to experience what they do when it is that time of year.

On a sad note.... Emily's grandma passed away. Emily is the gal that did a wonderful job creating my new look for my blog!! So, if you could say a prayer for Emily and her family that would be great!! Also, if you haven't checked out Amy's site then you should head on over there. My heart goes out to Amy and her whole family as they all are experiencing with some hard times. Amy herself is dealing with some tough health issues right now and her son Philip is also dealing with some very hard health issues. I think if we could all take a moment to say a prayer for Emily, Amy and Philip that would be wonderful. I am a firm believer that there is power in prayer!!

Two Scaredy Cats = A Bad Evening

Now be honest with me ladies..... have you ever been alone by yourself or with your child/children, hear a noise and freak out within the blink of an eye? Well, I must admit that Cameron must get this from his wonderful Mommy. Yep, tonight Moonbeam had to work and it was just Starshine and Sunshine hanging out. We were playing and reading some books and he decides that he is going to go sit in a crate that was holding all of his books. Well, the crate was over by the steps which is kinda close to the front door. Well, he was talking away and then we both heard a loud bang at the side of our home. We don't have windows out at that side of the house so there really wasn't much I could do. I tried to get Cameron involved and tried my best to get my mind off the noise as well, but it was kinda hard with Cameron asking me every 3-5 seconds what the noise was. I told him that I didn't know what the noise was, but told him that everything was ok. Uh yeah, in the meantime I am freaking out, shaking in my slippers and getting goose bumps on top of cold chills. The next thing I know..... Cameron starts screaming out of no where, at the top of his lungs and really loud. Yep, if I wasn't already on edge enough as it is, well I was over the edge at this point and scared half out of my wits. Oh yeah, Cameron was just screaming to be screaming....must have wanted to scare me a bit more. I called my Mom - I don't know why I would call her since she is 2 1/2 hours away, but she told me that it was probably nothing, but the ice on the top of our house falling from one level to the next. I thought at first that was a great idea, but seeing as though it is -20 degrees here in Ohio tonight I don't hardly think the ice or snow is gonna be moving much. I guess she was just trying to help calm my nerves and really I am still a nervous wreck. It is funny, but the only thing I could think of was....what if someone tried to break in sometime and I had to hide myself and Cameron and try to keep Cameron quiet all at the same time. Yep, it would NEVER happen!! Cameron talks so much and well the hide n seek game wouldn't last long, at least not long enough for the cops to get here. OMG, I am totally freaking myself out and my hubby still has another 20 minutes before he is home tonight. UGH, I hate this feeling!! I hate feeling so scared and on edge. I mean I know that if anyone were ever to break in then they would have some BIG fight with this Momma, but geesh louise, I don't think I want to have to worry about that or ever deal with that. Ok, ok enough of my rambling..... so ladies, what do you do to try to keep your sanity when you hear noises when you are home alone? Come on - give me the scoop and don't tell me you would be like Macaulay Culkin on Home Alone and come up with all of these brilliant and lavish ideas to beat these guys booties because you know you wouldn't. Ok, I will be quiet if you share your thoughts!!

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE

If you haven't noticed yet.... my blog makeover is complete and I am loving it!! I love the bright colors and well I am totally loving the layout. I just love having 3 columns. If you are interested in where I got it done or who I went to then be sure to check out Emily @ Blog Necessities. Are you looking for a makeover for your blog? Do you want bright and beautiful colors, a new header and 3 columns? Well, head on over and send Emily an e-mail and see what she can do. Yep, it was totally free and it was GREAT working with her. She did an AWESOME job and she is so creative and did I say it was FREE? Yep, you heard me right - FREE FREE FREE and you can have the same thing or well something similar. Thank you Emily for doing such a wonderful job for me and for being so patient!!

Ok, here is the story behind the new look and new name!! I have ALWAYS called Cameron my little Sunshine. He just brings so much love and happiness to my life and I knew that I wanted something to revolve around that. My parents have always called me Starshine, I picked the name for Shawn as Moonbeam just to kinda tie everything in and well Cameron is My Sunshine. I explained that I loved bright and cheery colors , but that I didn't care for neon or pastels at least not in my blog. So, she sent me this and I LOVE IT. It was just what I was hoping for and she pretty much read my mind.

So, now it is time for you to head on over to her blog.....check out her great backgrounds and if you are interested in a new look and can't pay for it then send her an e-mail and see what she can work out for you. You won't be disappointed.

One last request..... Emily's grandma isn't doing well, she is very sick and not expected to live so if you could say a prayer for her and her family that would be much appreciated.

NEW LOOK

Well, I am in the process of uploading everything back on to my blog site, but wanted to let you know about my new look. So, what do you all think? Once I am completed with adding everything back on then I will let you know the story behind it and why I chose this idea for a background and new title.

My Little Snowman

We received a couple inches of snow here in Ohio today. It was quite chilly, but I thought it was the perfect opportunity to allow Cameron to go outside and enjoy the snow. Shawn was out using the snow blower and I got Cameron all bundled up in his boots, clothes, snowsuit, mittens, and hat and we headed outside. Oh boy...... he LOVED the snow!! He had so much fun and you would have never even guessed that it was only 18 degrees out and suppose to drop even more later on. I don't have any boots so Shawn and him headed out to the yard and played in the front yard and backyard and they had a ball. I didn't want him to get too cold so we only allowed him to stay out for 10 minutes. We brought him inside and he was so upset!! He cried for about 15 minutes and cried for the snowman. I guess he puts the two of them together...... the snow and the snowman, but the snow was not snowman making snow so we couldn't make a snowman. Anyway, he is ready to head back out again and it is time for a nap. Here are some pictures that I took of my little snowman.

We walked out the backdoor and he ran right for the swing set. He wanted to go down the slide.

Come on Daddy, let's swing!! He kept saying that over and over.

Here he is watching Shawn kick the snow.....Uh, Oh, looks like he is about ready to lose his mitten.

Here he is watching Shawn use the snow blower. He thought it was so funny that the snow blew up so high.

This picture was taken as soon as we came outside. He was so excited so be outside in the snow!

ALMOST Wordless Wednesday

Not sure if you notice anything about this picture, but I had to post it because I thought it was hilarious!! My husband is ALWAYS reminding me to NEVER put his shirts in the dryer, but I always forget and well you can simply see in this picture that I forgot. Yep, I turned yet another shirt of Shawn's into a belly shirt. Gotta love it and well so does he (NOT). So, here is my almost Wordless Wednesday. Do you ladies do the same thing and forget to hang your dear sweet hubbies shirts up to dry? I am so thankful that my husband is such a good sport. I guess it is a good thing I don't turn his underwear pink (hehehe).

Cameron's 2 Year Check-Up

Well, my little boy is growing like a weed and I can't believe he is getting so big. Cameron had his 2 year checup tonight and he was such a brave boy. He had blood drawn out of his finger to check for anemia and lead and also had a shot for hepatitis. He was such a good boy, but I don't think there is ever a time that he is not. Anyways, he weighed in at 26 lbs and is currently 32 1/2 inches long. The doctor was very pleased with how he looked and how he was growing so he received a passing grade tonight at the doctors office.

Wow, he went from 7 lbs 3.3 oz and 20 inches long to 26 lbs and is currently 32 1/2 inches long. Yep, I would have to say that he is growing just perfectly. I spoke with the doctor tonight about potty training and he said to hold off until around 2 1/2 - 3 years of age, but if he start hovering in the corner and hiding when he goes potty then we could try it sooner. So, we still have a little ways to go and will perhaps try it around summer time when both Shawn and I can work with him. We also mentioned that he eats ALOT of veggies, but doesn't eat as much meat as we think he should and he said that if he eats protein/meat 2-3 times a week then that would be fine just as long as he is eating fruits and veggies. He is definitely crazy about his veggies!! All and all he had a great report and I am so very proud of him. Goodness, my little boy is growing so fast and I am still amazed how fast time goes by.

Construction Underway

I must say that I am quite excited about this makeover!! I follow Mama Bear and her site over at 4 the Love of Family and saw that she had a brand spankin new look to her blog. It was all courtesy of Emily over at Blog Necessities . If you haven't checked out some of Emily's blog backgrounds then you better head over there now and take a sneak peek. The great thing about her site is that everything is cute, fun and free. Plus, she is wonderful to work with and so sweet and creative!!

Anyway, I am in the process of having her give my blog a makeover and I can hardly wait to see what it looks like when she is done. I am going to give my blog a whole new name and look, but of course everything will still revolve around my Journey Through Infertility. Afterall, if I didn't have my Journey Through Infertilty then I wouldn't have my little sunshine Cameron and well my outlook on things could be totally different (good, bad or indifferent). Anyway, I am sure whatever Emily comes up with, it will be perfect & exactly what I am looking for. So, go ahead and head on over to her site and check her out and STAY TUNED for the big overhaul on my blog!! CONSTRUCTION IS NOW UNDERWAY!!

Pictures as Promised

Last week I posted a story about Cameron sticking small toys/figurines down his shirt. Well, unfortunately my batteries were dead in my camera and I wasn't able to get a picture of it. Well, he sticks the toys down the back of his shirt on a daily basis so I was able to snap a picture the other day. I think in this picture..... he had Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Pooh and Tigger. He cracks me up with some of the things that he does. Definitely a character in every way!! Anyway, enjoy the pictures. Here they are as promised.

What a Wonderful Day !!

Our day today was indeed a wonderful day!! We slept in a little bit and we decided that we would enjoy lunch out since we still had Christmas gift cards from my parents to Olive Garden so we headed out to eat. Oh, the food was delicious. Shawn and I always split the Tour of Italy because it has a little bit of everything in it. We had a salad, bread sticks, lasagna, chicken parmesan, and spaghetti. The nice thing about the cook was that he/she fixed the dish wrong so we got the spaghetti for free and they brought out our fettucine alfredo which is my favorite. I didn't, well I couldn't eat the spaghetti because I had enough to eat plus I wanted to save room for dessert. Our meal was perfecto and well the black tie mousse cake was magnifico!! Here are some pictures to show you what we enjoyed for lunch.

Here is Daddy helping cool down the macaroni & cheese that Cameron ordered.

Mmmm, yummy!! Here is me getting ready to take my first bite of my chicken parm.

Yep, I had to share my fettucine alfredo noodles with Cameron. He loved them just like his Mommy.

Here is our oh so delightful dessert - The Black Tie Mousse Cake. Can you say Y-U-M-M-Y !!

Here is the very cute Birthday card that Cameron received from Colin (Kelly's son) at Close to Home . He received it in the mail today.... just in time for his birthday party and he loved it. He also received $2.00 which I am sure he will probably either buy matchbox cars, something dealing with Mickey Mouse or possibly even put it in his piggy bank for safe keeping. Thank You Kelly for your kindness - it is much appreciated and well Cameron loves the finger puppet!!

Here are some pictures taken during the party. Cameron just got up from a nap so he might look a little dazed and confused (lol).

Here is the gift that we bought for Cameron. A motorized car and he loves it. We are not Star Wars fans by any mean and I will probably end up taking the stickers off and put Mickey Mouse stickers in their place. Here he is test driving the car in our house. Of course after he rides it outside for the first time, it doesn't come back inside.

I bought this punch balloon at the Dollar Tree. Uh yeah, he loves it and he loves the color yellow!! Gotta love the "small" things that make kids so happy. I think he gets that from me. The small things tend to get me so excited and happy!!

This is the train table/activity table that his Grammy, Grampy and Aunt Kee bought him for his birthday!! He also received a Mickey Mouse phone from them as well. He LOVES this train table. We plan on eventually getting him a wooden train, but right now he is using it for other toys and as you can see..... he loves to get up there and sit on it. I guess he thinks that it is just his special little place to sit like a big boy!! Oh, get this..... he was trying to get up on it this evening and what does he do?!? He slips off the side as he was trying to get up and cuts his chin. Poor little guy, it was bleeding quite a bit, but it isn't bad enough for stitches which is a good thing. I was so worried that I grabbed a hold of him and lifted him up faster then anything. Yep, I still have 1 week of no lifting and I caved in tonight. I was of course freaking out and it was a motherly instinct to pick him up and comfort him. Oh, let me tell you.... it felt WONDERFUL to hold him again and I can't wait to do it again on the 19th. I have truly missed that and I think he has too. Just to hold him and comfort him has been something I have missed tremendously. The 19th couldn't come soon enough!!

Well, I am glad that I was able to share our day with you. We had so much fun and the great thing about it was that we ended our evening sharing it with friends. We were invited over to some friends home this evening. Actually the friends that invited us to go to their church was going over to the pastor's home for a game night and we had a blast. We had munchies and met lots of new people and we played spoons. Oh, if you haven't played spoons then I would highly recommend it. It was so much fun and so addicting!! Cameron had his little friend to play with and he was worn out when he got home. It was a great night of fellowship and of course it is always nice to meet and make new friends. Cameron received some great gifts!! My parents decided to buy him/us a Columbus Zoo/Zoombezi Bay membership. So, he will be able to enjoy all of these wonderful gifts year around. What a WONDERFUL DAY we had. Thank you God for all of our blessings!! You are truly an AWESOME God.

Mickey Mouse Cake Pictures

Let me just put it this way..... I don't think I am going to be a cake decorator anytime soon, at least not in this lifetime (lol). I am happy to say that the cake is complete and for it being my VERY 1st TIME EVER to decorate a cake..... at least this way, I am happy to say that it turned out pretty good. The only part that I am not satisfied is the black part that comes around the side of his face. It is so hard to see where to start and where to end things and that is where we had the most difficult time. My MIL showed me how to make the stars and how to go about decorating and then I just took off. It took me a couple hours to decorate it, but it was worth it when Cameron saw it and said "Mickey Mouse." So, if he sees that it is Mickey Mouse then I am happy if he is happy. It just looks like a cross between a Mickey Mouse and an Elvis with side burns if you ask me (hahahahaha). I think that next year and the years after that I will be ordering from good old Krogers or Wal-Mart if I want any specialty cake. Here are a few pictures that I took last night. I could only get a few pictures because my batteries were so dead. As you can see..... Cameron helped me mix the cake batter and of course eat it, then we popped the cake out of the pan and I sat there trying my best to find more clear lines, but I wasn't seeing any so as you can see, it was pretty difficult to decorate or at least it was for me.

Expecting Snow & A Busy Weekend

To answer ALOT of your questions about my previous post and not including any pictures.... well, my batteries are dead and I have no more until tonight when I can get to the store. I go through so many batteries and well DH tends to freak out since I take so many pictures and use so many batteries. The bad thing about my camera is that it only takes lithium batteries and for 4 of them it costs $10.00 so it can tend to get expensive especially when I am obsessed with my son and taking pictures of him (lol). I guess I just feel like I have to take pictures constantly since he is growing up so fast right before my eyes. Anyway, he does put his friends down his clothes everyday so when I see him do it again.... I will snap a picture and post it for you to see. He is indeed a hoot.

So, this weekend is going to be pretty busy. Cameron's b-day party is on Saturday and I am still going to try to decorate that Mickey Mouse Cake. I hope it turns out ok. I am quite nervous to say the least, but I will be sure to take pics as long as you all don't make fun of it if it looks bad (lol). We have grocery shopping to do tomorrow, Shawn and I were going to try to go to Olive Garden for lunch since we had a gift card and then Cameron's party is at 4 pm. Some friends of ours from church invited us to come over for game night. That should be fun to play some games and enjoy their company. I also have to figure out a little something that I could take with me food wise so perhaps I need to think about that today. So, all and all it is a busy weekend and it is suppose to snow. I am hoping that the snow misses us this time just because we have so much planned. The good thing is that Cameron is going to spend the night tonight with his Grammy and Grampy so hopefully we can get ALOT accomplished tomorrow before they bring him back for his party.

I have to straighten the house up a little bit more today and get some laundry done so I probably better get off here and get busy. Hope you all have a wonderful FRIDAY and I will be sure to post pictures soon.

A New Home

Cameron has decided that he wants to give all of his toys a new home. I was looking at Cameron this evening as he was picking a book up off the floor and noticed a huge bulge on his back. I couldn't figure it out and then he started tugging on his sweatshirt and saying "Chip n Dale." Well, I decided to check out the bulge and low and behold he has figurines galore in his onesie. Yep, I am still one of those Mom's that loves to put my son in a onesie and will probably do so until he can't wear them anymore. I just love that his shirts can ride up and his belly isn't hanging out and getting cold. I just like to keep him warm!! Anyway, back to the story..... so, I check his onesie and he has his Chip & Dale figurines from his Mickey Mouse Clubhouse down the back of his onesie, his Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and his Lion figurines down there as well. I couldn't believe it. I just kept reaching down the back of his onesie and pulling all of these characters out and he just keeps smiling. So, I got them all out and put them on the chair foot stool and he reaches behind his head and puts them back down in there again. Uh yeah, I think we played this game all evening long. I wouldn't think it would be that comfortable to have those characters down in my clothes, but he didn't seem to mind the company (lol). Cameron is funny and he is always doing something new everyday!! He is so funny.

Turn Back Time Thursday

My oh my how my little man has grown. I remember taking this picture like it was yesterday. I recall putting Cameron in his pack n play in order to get things done. He was totally content playing in there for as long as I needed. I was cleaning out the dishwasher and came back in to check on him and he was out like a light. Sound asleep with the cup that he was playing with between his legs and his head resting so peacefully on his green ball. Simply precious!! I love turning back time especially since he just turned 2 on Tuesday. Time really does fly!!

A Snowy Evening

It started snowing here this morning and has been doing so off and on all day. I love the snow, but I just wish that it would start snowing around 3:00 in the morning and then hopefully my DH would have a delay or a snow day and be off from work. Cameron and I have been so spoiled having him around during Christmas time and New Year's and now we are ready for him to be off again (lol). We all just love family time and it doesn't seem like we get enough of it.

Anyway, today was a pretty busy day for me. I cleaned up the house a little bit, did some laundry, chased around some kids, fixed lasagna for dinner, getting ready to clean the kitchen and empty the dishwasher for the 2nd time today and then I must call in and check messages for RESOLVE. Yep, I am happy to say that I am Helpline Volunteer for RESOLVE. I decided to volunteer for the helpline after years of dealing with infertility and what a better way to help others in the same predicament then answering questions for those calling in to the National Infertility Association. I love being able to help others, answer questions and most importantly just listen and be a good support person to guys and gals that are dealing with infertility. I know that I wanted nothing more then to have someone there for me when I was going through infertility, someone that had been there, done that and unfortunately bought the lousy t-shirt. I was indeed blessed to have a friend that had been through every fertility treatment that I had been through and conceived her twin boys through IVF just like I conceived Cameron. So, it was nice to have her and in return I have been able to be a great listener and friend to others that are dealing with infertility. It means alot that I am able to give back to others coping with this same disease.... I just wish I was able to help others instantly and prevent them from riding on that emotional infertility roller coaster. Definitely a roller coaster that no one should have to ride on. I hate the fact that I or others like me have to ride that roller coaster, but if it brings them a little miracle like it brought me Cameron then I must say that I am thankful in every single way. I just wish that it would have been an easier road for us.

Well, before I forget about it.... I better go get the laundry out of the washer before I forget and leave it in there all night long (hmm, that would be a Not Me! Monday post). Hope you all are enjoying your Wednesday evenings!!

Wordless Wednesday - notice the cookie on his shirt!

Loving The Way I Feel - BEFORE & AFTER PICTURES

All I have to say is that I love being pampered and Momma doesn't get it very often. My Mom was sweet enough to pay for me to get my hair done tonight and well I truly enjoyed every single minute of it. She colored my hair all over, put some light highlights in and waxed my eyebrows. Oh, do you all have any idea at all how GREAT I feel? Actually you probably wouldn't, but I am telling you that I feel like a new woman. I just feel so much better about myself and for once in a very long time.... I feel attractive and really good about myself. I really miss being able to get my hair done as frequently as I use to, but I would do it all again for Cameron. Afterall, Cameron is my whole world and this is why I do the things that I do in order for me to stay home with him and make sure that we are with him as much as we can. Alot of gals requested that I post a before and after picture so below you will find both of them. You all probably think that I normally wear my hair long or maybe I should say shoulder length, but actually I normally wear it short and having my hair longer has been driving me crazy. Ah, Momma feels great and is loving her cut, color and eyebrows. Yep, I think I am gonna have to sleep standing up tonight (lol).

HERE IS ME BEFORE MY CUT & COLOR

HERE IS ME AFTER MY HAIRCUT

Happy 2nd Birthday My Sweet Boy

I can't believe that my little boy is 2 years old today. Where has the time gone? I remember giving birth to him like it was yesterday. Cameron was born after 32 hours of labor and getting no where fast. They decided to do a c-section and at that point.... I was ready, just ready to meet my sweet boy. He arrived at 2:49 am and perhaps that is why I couldn't sleep last night. I am not sure if I was reliving the inability to get comfortable or if I was just sad that my little boy is getting so big. It could have been both to be honest with you. Anyway, Cameron weighed 7 lbs 3.3 oz and was 20 inches long. He has definitely been the best gift that we could have ever asked for. This little boy is loved by so many people!! He is such a sweet boy and always has a smile for you.....even on his bad days. He is a caring little boy even at the age of 2 and he is just so so sweet. If you ever feel as though you are lonely or having a bad day....well, you can definitely count on Cameron to cheer you up and make you feel loved. What a special boy he is and he is all mine.

So, on your birthday my precious boy..... just remember that you are more then I ever dreamt of and you are so very special to me. I can sit here all day and think of the perfect words to describe my love for you, but there aren't any words to describe my love for you because they just don't exist..... my love for you goes beyond measure, beyond words and all I can say is that you are my whole world and that I love you to the ends of the earth and back again. I love you my sweet Cameron. Happy Birthday!!

This picture was taken just yesterday.....

This was taken a little over a year ago.....

Here is is enjoying his 1st Birthday Cake - Oh, he was such a mess!!

Right before digging in on his 1st Birthday

My first time holding you...... was a precious little miracle you are!!

Our very 1st Ultrasound. Look at how tiny you were. I love you my sweet boy!!

A great giveaway

I don't know about you, but I LOVE GIVEAWAYS and boy oh boy does Tammi over at Organized Chaos have a great giveaway going right now. I mean who wouldn't want a Lisa Leonard Necklace. These are beautiful pieces of work. Check out Tammi's site.

Not Me! Mondays

After weeks off of participating in Not Me! Monday's I am back up and running after having my gall bladder removed. What a rough surgery and a tough recovery, but everyday is a better day. The following things were definitely NOT DONE BY ME!! Oh, no not me, never me!!

1) I did not watch Facing the Giants and bawl like some BIG OLD Baby during the whole movie. Nope, not me!!

2) I did not even go bra-less for a month just so my bra wouldn't rub my incision. Nope, that was definitely not me!!

3) I did not even make Monkey Bread for breakfast and eat it like I had never ate before.

4) I did not change a dirty diaper and totally get pre-occupied with something else and then remember to wash my hands 30 minutes later. Now, that would just be disgusting and I have way better memory then that.

5) I did not even get a pair of pants out to wear them and realize that they were to wrinkled. I did not even go and throw them into the dryer with hopes that the wrinkles would come out.

6) I did not smell my arm pits the other day to see if my deodorant had failed. Now who does such a thing!?! Well, NOT ME

So, go ahead and be brutally honest and share your Not Me's and in the process check out MckMama at My Charming Kids.

Nothing is Impossible with God

Two years ago today I was getting ready to go to my doctors office for what I was hoping would be my last appointment before Cameron arrived. You see, I was expecting this little boy that I never really thought I would become pregnant with and well things proved me wrong. I always knew that with God all things were possible, but I never really understood the whole thing about things not happening in my time, but in God's time.

After we lost a child in 2004, I would often be seen as one of those women that would probably just sit and stare at mother's with children. It wasn't that I was stalking them, but I was simply admiring such a beautiful sight and hoping and praying that I would be in their shoes someday. I could sit for hours and watch children play and just smile and smile. All I wanted was to get down and play with the kids, but I never wanted their parents to think that I was some crazy woman. It was such a difficult time for me. I was without a child, I had lost a child and all I ever wanted was a child of my own. We tried for years to get pregnant and nothing happened, we went through so much in order to make our dreams come true, to have a baby of our own and little did I know that I was rushing things and wanting them to happen in my time. I don't think that things really started going "our" way until I turned it all over to God. I sat and cried and told God that I have been in control for years now and nothing has happened and I couldn't seem to understand why. I got down on my knees and I told God that I was handing it all over to him, I was going to try my best to stay positive, keep the faith and hand it all over to him. I was just getting ready to go through IVF and that is when I gave it all over to God. I put him in control and I let him take the wheel and he definitely did. I look back on that day and I must admit that it was so hard for me to do, but I am so very happy that I did. Still to this day, it is a hard thing for me to do, but once I realize that I don't get anywhere with me trying to run things that is when I hand it all over to God. Oh trust me, things don't always go my way, but within time things are always revealed and then I see why things weren't suppose to go my way.

So, I guess what I am saying is if you feel as though you are the one that is dealing with some difficult times and struggles and you feel as though you aren't going anywhere fast then try turning it all over to God and see where it takes you. Granted it might not take you where you want to go, but within time you will see why God took you on that particular route. Life isn't easy, but I do know that Nothing is Impossible with God. I am definitely proof of that and so is my little boy.

Yep, 2 years ago today, I went in for my last doctors appointment before Cameron was born. I was asked if I wanted to wait until the 10th or go in today and of course my excitement to meet my son outweighed everything. I was so excited to meet this little blessing that was about to be born. I was finally going to see this precious little baby that had been growing in my belly for 38 1/2 weeks. This tiny little baby that had grown from the size of a piece of rice to a 7 lb 3.3 oz baby boy. A child that had made me sick throughout my whole pregnancy, but made me overlook all of that and make me enjoy him growing and moving inside me. He was simply the best thing that God has ever blessed my husband and I with. He truly was a gift from God the moment he was conceived and now almost 2 years later he still is the best gift that I could have ever asked for. I don't really ask for much anymore because I feel as though I have been blessed more then anyone in this whole entire world... I went from being a woman that wanted so desperately to be a Mom to a Mom that wants for nothing more since she has her own child. I was happy before my son came along, but there was something missing and a part of my heart was so empty and I knew that there was a special place in my heart reserved just for a little child and indeed God saw it fit to bless me and fill that empty place in my heart. Would you believe me if I told you that my heart is so happy and complete now? Well, I have to admit.... my heart is indeed a happy place because it is filled with so much love from my husband and now my son.

I will leave you with this.... if you haven't seen the movie Facing the Giants then I highly recommend that you watch it. You will see what I am talking about and you will know that in life there may be some GIANTS out there that you have to face, but with God by your side NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

Here is a song that was played during the movie Facing the Giants. You will need to pause my music at the bottom of my blog page and then hit play. Definitely a great song!! If you ever get the chance to go see Casting Crowns in concert then do it - They are AWESOME and put on an excellent show!! You can tell that the spirit is moving during their concerts!!!!

OH - I Can't Wait!!

My Mom was here around Christmas time and noticed that I was in desperate need of a haircut. Well, since we are low on money and I had my surgery, my hair has grown out quite a bit to say the least. I normally wear my hair short and well it is just above my shoulders so that should tell you that I am in need of a MAJOR cut. Well, I was talking to my Mom the other night and she must have thought that my hair looked pretty bad because she offered to pay for me to get my hair done. Oh, bless her heart!! I am so excited. I scheduled my appointment tonight and told my hairdresser that I want the works. I want a full overhaul. Oh, I just can't hardly wait to get my hair cut, colored, some highlights and to have my eyebrows waxed.

OH GIRLS, let's talk about my eyebrows for a moment. Do you all know who Andy Rooney is on 60 minutes? Well, I don't ever watch 60 minutes unless I am getting ready to watch something else after that, but I must admit that I never miss Andy Rooney and his eyebrows. I mean his eyebrows are just so out of shape that it is unbelievable. I sit in my recliner and try my best to listen to what he has to say at the end of his show, but I can't get my mind or eyes off of his eyebrows. Anyway, back to my eyebrows.... they are in desperate need of a wax job and are really starting to look as bad if not worse then Andy Rooney's, but that will all be taken care of come Tuesday. Another great thing is that she is coloring my hair all over and adding a few highlights to the front close to my face. That is definitely a good thing because my gray hairs are really starting to shine through. I never realized I was so gray until just recently. The last time I was in getting my hair done, I decided to go back to my normal color. I thought that if I went back to my normal color then it would be easier for me to keep up with it and not have to get it done so frequently and that way I could save more money. Well, now that I went back to my normal color which is pretty close to black or a dark dark brown - you can really see the gray shining through. Oh, I was combing my hair out after my shower the other day and thought I had lint in my hair or something that shouldn't belong in my hair.... I stood there FOREVER trying to get it out, even asked my hubby to get it out and he told me that there wasn't anything in there to get out. I asked him what the white stuff was that I was seeing and he snickered and said "Uh honey, that is called gray hair." Oh my goodness, I bent over and looked closer in the mirror and indeed he was right. I had gray hair everywhere and that is when I realized that I needed to stay on top of coloring it or start wearing a hat (lol). Yep, I am thrilled to be getting it colored and I can hardly wait to be get that MAJOR overhaul that I am in desperate need of. So, next time you all see a picture of me, I will hopefully look ALOT better and probably feel like a new and improved woman - WOOHOO, I think this is just what the doctor ordered for me. Nothing like getting your hair done and it making you feel so good about yourself and truly that is just what I need.

It is funny because before you have a child, you go from doing everything for yourself and then when you have a child you do everything for your child and never think about yourself. Ah, it will just be such a nice treat to have my hair cut, colored and my eyebrows done. I can't wait!! I am so excited!!

Cake Decorater I Am Not

I am sure you all guessed that Cameron's birthday theme would be none other then Mickey Mouse. Well, I was thrilled when my MIL bought a Mickey Mouse cake pan for me. I thought to myself that this would be the year that I would become a cake decorator and enjoy it. If you don't know me then you should know that I love to do things for others. I love making people happy and if that means that I try my hand at making a Mickey Mouse cake for Cameron's 2nd Birthday then I guess that is what I am gonna have to do. Now why in the world do I get butterflies just looking at the cake pan? I sit here and look at it and it makes my stomach upset. How silly is that? Seriously, I am so nervous that Cameron's Mickey Mouse cake won't look that great and then he won't be happy. I know that he is ALMOST 2 years old and he probably wouldn't care if Mickey was missing an ear or not, but I guess it is just the fact that I want it to be perfect for him. I want everything to be perfect for my little boy and I just always want nothing more then for him to be happy and loved. So, I am hopefully gonna practice on making a cake this weekend or maybe just try to figure out how to decorate it and then hope and pray that next weekend when we have his party.... that the cake looks just perfect for my little boy.

If you are familiar at all with decorating a cake then feel free to leave me some decorating tips. Here is the pan that I will be working with. Hmm, perhaps it would be easier just decorating a square pan and adding some Mickey Mouse figurines (lol). I guess time will tell and I will be sure to share pictures too!

New Year's Resolutions

I have been doing alot of thinking lately about my New Year's Resolutions. I have always made resolutions, but at the end of the year, I think to myself "Why do you even bother." To be honest with you... I mean completely honest, it is hard for me to keep my resolutions and say at the end of the year that I stuck to it and completed the task. That is so embarrassing for me to say that, but it is the honest truth and I hate lying. I actually can't stand it when people lie to me and well quite frankly I don't trust liars. So, I am not going to sit here and lie to you and tell you that I make resolutions and stick to them til the end of the year.

So, with all of that being said.... I am not really sure that I am going to make "RESOLUTIONS" this year. Perhaps I can call it something else.... could I call it a goal, a task, a chore or should I just call it a year long errand (lol). Now that just sounds too funny if you ask me. Every year at this time, I sit down and make my list and about 2-3 weeks out, I am failing miserably and saying "oh heck with it" and then I just give up. I am definitely not one to give up and for me to give up so easily is just crazy. I mean who wants to be known as a failure!?! Certainly not me so I definitely need to get things in order and work something out where I will reach all of my goals and be successful at them..... for once!

My most famous goal that I write down every single year is to lose weight and well that isn't going to change this year. It will definitely stay on my list and hopefully I will lose some of this weight. Another goal of mine for this year is for my faith to become stronger. Once again, I will be completely honest and tell you that I love my God with all of my heart and soul, but I have not been a faithful servant and I am hoping and praying that with this New Year that I will have a new and fresh start and that my relationship with him will become stronger. I pray daily already and I give all the glory to God for everything that he has done for me and my family, but I guess that I just feel like there is something still missing. You see - awhile back, we went to a GREAT church. We were involved and really enjoyed the sermons and truly enjoyed the music. I at one point tried out for the choir, but was told that I didn't really have the voice. I guess the last thing that I really needed especially when I was just getting into the church, really starting to find my niche was to be told that I didn't have the voice to sing in the choir. I guess a part of me always thought that it wasn't about having the "perfect voice", but just about singing for God and making music that would more or less make God and his heart smile. I was told by the choir director that he would send me some music so I could practice and when it came time for try-outs again then I could be ready. Well, I waited and waited and my husband who was good enough for the choir even mentioned that I was still waiting on the music. Well, months and months later.... I was still waiting and never received a single bit of music. To be honest with you - it hurt and it crushed me and I think that was the straw that broke the camels back. It was months later that I quit going and haven't found the perfect church for us to attend yet. We have gone to so many churches and we either like the sermon, but are looking for something more in the music or we like the music and the sermon is lacking or well we don't like anything about the church. So, with the New Year we are hoping and praying that we find a church family and a church that we feel like we can call home. Don't get me wrong.... I know that there isn't a perfect church out there, but I feel very strongly that you have to feel comfortable when you walk in to church, you should feel welcome and you should really enjoy it and most importantly..... you should feel like you were fed God's word after you left. So, here is to praying to God that he will allow us to find the pretty close to perfect church and feel comfortable with our decision. I also want to continue to be the best wife to my husband that I can be and still continue to be the best Mom that Cameron could have ever asked for. Life isn't easy, but I know that if we keep God in the center of our world then everything will fall into place.

Hope you all have made your New Year's list and here is to hoping that you all can stick to it. Together I am sure we can accomplish everything!!

Money & Eggs

Cameron is due to turn 2 years old on January 6th and with every passing day, he gets smarter and smarter. He really does amaze me with everything that he knows. I mean he picks up on so much and when Shawn and I say something and think to ourselves that he won't ever be able to understand that or put 2 and 2 together.... well he surprises us!

Shawn was sitting on the couch tonight putting on his shoes before leaving for work. Well, Cameron knew he had to go to work and of course he wasn't too happy. Well, I was trying to explain to Cameron that Daddy had to go to work to bring home the bacon. Well, I knew he wouldn't really comprehend or put it together and before I could try to explain it in his words....he blurts out "bring home the eggs too." Oh, Shawn and I busted out laughing because we were talking about Shawn bringing home the bacon (money) and Cameron was talking about eggs and bacon. We just thought that was too cute that he put the 2 of them together and remembered. He is just so smart and I can't wait to see what year 2 is going to bring. He is just going to keep getting smarter and Mommy is just gonna have to keep bragging (lol). Don't you love it when you can brag about your children? I waited so long to do this and now people probably get sick and tired of hearing me brag. Oh well, I guess it just shows that I am so in love with this little boy of mine. I just can't believe that almost 2 years ago I was waiting for my doctors appt and hoping and praying that my doctor would tell me that I was dilated and ready to go. WOW - time really does fly when you are enjoying every single day with such a precious little boy!! I am not sure that life could be any sweeter, but I do know that I am blessed every single day when I wake up to see my loving and caring husband next to me and hear the sweet sounds of a little boy calling out my name.... the name that I have always longed to hear, the name that makes my heart sing and the name that always brings the best smile to my face. That name is MOMMY!! Life can only get better when you get to explore it with a child. Here is to exploring another wonderful year with my husband and son in tow.

Another Blog Award - Thanks Kimber

Oh how I love bloggy awards. I especially love this one because it is a very unique award. My good friend Kimber from Kimber's Space blessed me with this new award and oh how I love it. It is even more special because I received it from her . Well, the good thing about this award is that it doesn't come with any special instructions *gotta love that*.

So, I have been thinking about how and who I should pass this award on to and seeing as though I have alot of great bloggy friends I decided to just name a few that have really touched my heart lately. Could be something I read in your blog, something you do for others or perhaps it is just because of the sweet person that you are or maybe you are all three (lol). Anyway, here are the award winners!!

Stacey @ A Reilly Farm Wife Praying To Become Pregnant

Carly @ Stepping Stones and To Write Their Names in the Sand

Carla @ Masto Mama Diaries

Just know that if you weren't mentioned then it doesn't mean that I don't love your blogs because truly I love everyone and really enjoy reading about what is happening in your lives. If you don't have this award yet and would like to add it to your bunch then please feel free because truly I feel as though you are all worthy of receiving it. Hope today is the start of a bright and beautiful New Year for everyone!! *Hugs*