Day 8

Day 8: Thankful for my wonderful father, Brad Kiesel, and celebrate with him today the big 6-0!! Also thankful for Jackson's 9 hr stretch last night! Finally thankful for the right to vote!!

Sophia: Isaiah, Miss Jenn, Mr. Adam

Day 7

Day 7: I am so thankful for incredible parents! They have always been so loving and supportive throughout all the stages in my life! They totally rock in their new role as grandparents to 3!!


Sophia: Mimi and Papa Kiesel, Grandma and Grandpa Long

Day 6

Day 6: Thankful for a great church and a wonderful Sunday School class! We have the best teacher ... a wise man .. Jon Arvin we always look forward to 9am Sunday!

Sophia: her friend Maeve

Day 5

Two very healthy children who bring smiles to my face and joy to my heart!!

Sophia - The outside and trees

Day 4

The 9 hr stretch Jackson just gave me and I had to wake him to eat!! Woot woot!!
Sophia's Gratitude Journal ...

Day 1 - Daddy
Day 2 - Mommy
Day 3 - Jackson
Day 4 - Herself ... hahaha

30 Days of Thankfulness Day 1-3

This year I wanted to join in on Facebook for the 30 Days of Thankfulness and thought ... heck, why don't I blog each of my days as well!

Catching you up...

Day 1: A wonderful, loving husband that supports our family and allows me to stay home and raise our children!


Day 2: The 7 hr 25 min stretch that Jackson just gave me!! I *think* he might be catching on to this sleep thing at night!!


Day 3: A saving faith in Jesus Christ with the knowledge we are not home yet!


 
Have you joined in naming the 30 days of gratitude campaign?? I really encourage you to write them down in a journal!  I plan to include Sophia's as well on the blog!  It could be quite commical! 
 
We are very blessed!!

I am still alive ... promise!

Wow, life has sure been a blur for the past 8 weeks!!  I can't even believe the big guy is 2 months old!!  The first 3 weeks seemed really easy, then as they say .. the "crap hitteth the fan" ... life became a whirlwind, zoo, crazy, insane, frustrating, yet all the while joyful!  Jackson's newborn sleepiness wore off around 3 weeks, he started getting up every 2-3 hours at night, eating around the clock, became difficult to lay down for a nap, and on and on ...

Just this past week (#7), life became a little more normal.  He started giving me a 5-6 hour stretch off the bat at night, followed by another 3-4 hour one.  Sleep makes all the difference in the world!  Also, I was able to get back to the gym for some "light" workouts.  It really helped my sanity as I started getting that serotonin flowin' in the good 'ole head again!  Gym time = happy mama = happy family = peaceful and less stress.  I know it is hard to believe and some may say crazy ... but I LOVE WORKING OUT and the feeling it gives me!  It is my natural version of Prozac!  For all of you that worry about my milk supply, never fear ... I am taking it easy, little bit by little bit, and hydrating to keep it up!  I have been also making sure to replenish with good, whole, raw, natural foods too!

The other thing that has really improved my life is my new found obsession ... http://pinterest.com/  Have you checked it out?  It is the latest social media craze ... it is an online pin-board!  It is perfect for those like me that are not super crafty ... it has given me TONS of ideas for new crafts for Sophia, preschool homeschool-type activities (to supplement what she is getting at Discovery Days Preschool), craft ideas for myself, new recipes, famous quotes, household tips, etc!  It seriously is more addictive than FACEBOOK!  I never thought I would say that!!  Hahaha!!  However, it is more productive than facebook ... meaning, it gives me ideas to improve my life and my families life!  When Sophia wakes up from her nap each day, I have been trying out new crafts/projects!   Sure beats turning the TV on!

Here is an example of two projects I found on there ...

Giant crayons .. just melted old crayon pieces in a cakepan in the oven.
Princess shape sorter ... Sophia matched the colored shape to the shape on the crown and glued them on!  

I can't wait to blog more about the fun PINTEREST ideas I try out!  Have you joined?  Any fun pins I should check out?  I can't wait to check out the letter hand writing pages and see if I can get her started on writing actual letters!

Well, nap time is coming to a close ... so here are a few pictures to tie you over till the next entry!  Oh how blogging does a mind good ... can't wait till I have a little more time to do it more frequently!

Kelsay Farms Cow Train!

Milking a cow!

CHEESE!

On the hayride!

Jackson, Al, and Sarah

Zoo Boo 2011

The group at Zoo Boo!  (Thanks JEN for inviting us!)

My little RED HOT CHILI PEPPER! (and boy was he hot!)

The FAM!

Annual play date at Beasley's Orchard!

Happy Halloween!

My Princess on Halloween!

My sleeping red hot pepper!

Loving time with her little brother!

My little Indian! :)  

Hope you enjoyed the pictures!  A little glimpse ... until next time!

NMEDA (October)

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NMEDA for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

NMEDA is a non-profit trade association; they educate consumers on buying products from a NMEDA qualified dealer.

 

Please remember that NMEDA DOES NOT SELL ANYTHING!  NMEDA is the only association that promotes safe driving and equipment for disabled people. They are non-profit and their members are required to adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NMEDA dealers (members) are the ones who sell handicap vans and vehicle modifications for disabled people.

 

No two people with a disability are exactly the same.  We should beware of adapted wheelchair vehicles sold over the Internet or through catalogs. Thankfully with NMEDA, you receive a personalized “in-person” evaluation.  After this evaluation, you can be sure you are getting the right driving solution customized to your specific lifestyle and needs. If you need additional training or product refinements, your NMEDA dealer is there to help you.

 

NMEDA has Dealers AND Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealers.

 

The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the ONLY nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality.

 

It can be really tough as a caregiver and an NMEDA qualified dealer could assist in making decisions as easy as possible.

 

A NMEDA dealer can help the elderly or disabled get back onto the road of independence.  After watching many loved ones go through rough times, independence is KEY to your sanity!!

 

For all my local readers, there is a NMEDA dealer 7 minutes from Avon!  Also, there is near Greenwood too!  If you are looking for a dealer, check out this link!  How close is the closest dealer to your house?

Straight Talk

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

 

Month after month, I am disgusted by the price of our cell phone bill with the little features we have!  I am also a little irritated by the fact I can’t have a smart phone without having a data plan!  Do you share this same sentiment?  Not to mention the fact you are locked into a contract for a good 1-2 years and can’t escape!!  

 

Do you want to Feel Richer with Android ?  With Straight Talk, I cut my cell phone bill in half. You have to be crazy to be on a contract these days when you can get everything you need without one.  Imagine the amount of money you could save switching to Straight Talk.  What would you buy with the extra money you save?  I think I would have to say more “green toys” for my kiddos!  

 

With Straight Talk there are no contracts, no surprise bills and no credit checks.  It has great nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity. Straight Talk only uses trusted phone manufacturers like LG, Motorola, Kyocera, Nokia and Samsung.  With these great phones, you can find all the apps and games you need!!  It is a smart phone with a smart plan, and always, no contract!!  

 

Can you believe it?  The power of Android phones, at only $45/month for unlimited use!

 

Here is some additional info:

 

Monthly Plans:

 

• The “All You Need Plan” meets even the needs of heavy phone users with 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 30 MB of web data.

 

• Unlimited Monthly service is only $45, and includes calls, text, picture messaging, and web.

 

• Imagine unlimited calls, text, picture messaging and web for a whole year, for only $499.00!

 

• 411 calls are included at no extra charge.

 

• Free from activation, reactivation, or termination fees

 

International Long Distance:

 

• Straight Talk International Long Distance Service is a flexible prepaid calling service that enables you to make international calls from your home, cell or office phone at low rates.

 

Phone Selection:

 

• Reconditioned phones are available from $10.00 with camera, mp3 player, mobile web access, and blue-tooth capability. Great for young users!

 

• Amazing smart phones; touch screen phones, and app capable phones with features like voice navigation, camera, video recorder, music player, instant messaging, and Bluetooth®

 

For more information on what these phones offer, please check out these YouTube videos:

 

The getting richer effect has expanded... by LittleBard95

The Straight Talk Image... by LittleBard95

Jackson's Room!

It has only been 4 1/2 weeks since the boy was born, but we FINALLY have Jackson's room (almost) complete!  It took us FOREVER to compromise on design, color, layout, etc!  I am so happy with the way it turned out!!  The gray and blue look awesome with the white woodwork!!  Three cheers for his room!!  All I have left to do is figure out how to recover the glider rockers cushions with the awesome matching fabric I purchased at Jo-Ann's!! 

Love ETSY.com!! 

This verse really touched me the night before I went into labor with Jackson!

I love the two-tone walls!  Accents walls really add to a room!

I hope to do more blogging as time permits, but I have been so busy trying to figure out life with 2 kids!  Whew, when I have both kids sleeping, I am trying to catch up on sleep or get the hundreds of tasks around the house accomplished that have been put on the back-burner!!

You know how it goes ...